MAY 9, 2019 - No. 037 In This Issue Flatirons Solutions® and Cortona3D Partner to Make Aircraft Maintenance More Interactive ASX Launches Seed Equity Round; Will Revolutionize Personal Air Travel With Green and Affordable Urban Air Mobility Saab Plans Air Force Jet Facility Near Purdue Campus WMU to expand aviation center to handle program growth Inmarsat SB-S approved by U.S. Federal Aviation Authority for operations and safety communications Lasers Produce Shark Skins on Aircraft AMT Shortage Headlines Mx Conference Opening Day IBS Software to Unify the Fleet & Crew Operations Software of LATAM Airlines Group FAA WARNS AGAINST COUNTER-DRONE SYSTEMS EASA approves FLARM for helicopters Jeff Bezos is about to speak publicly about Blue Origin, his secretive rocket company Flatirons Solutions® and Cortona3D Partner to Make Aircraft Maintenance More Interactive BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 2019--Flatirons Solutions and Cortona3D are pleased to announce the integration of Cortona3D Solo rendering technology with the CORENA Pinpoint and CORENA Pinpoint Mobile Interactive Electronic Technical Publication (IETP) viewers. CORENA Pinpoint and CORENA Pinpoint Mobile by Flatirons Solutions are the aviation industry's most advanced manufacturer-independent IETP viewers, allowing maintainers to access airframe, engine, and component manuals and work cards from a wide array of manufacturers. By providing a single source for all of the technical information needed to perform maintenance and repair work, the products deliver strong productivity gains for aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs). Cortona3D Solo is part of Cortona3D's RapidAuthor solution and is also used by third-party software developers like Flatirons to enable viewing of 3D data that has been integrated into technical publications. Cortona3D Solo provides 3D model rendering functionality for desktop and mobile devices and uses lightweight JavaScript and WebGL / HTML5 technologies in place of cumbersome plug-ins. Cortona3D Solo is used in a range of large asset industries beyond aviation, including marine, energy, automotive, machinery and others. Airlines do not need to create new 3D models to take advantage of this solution. 3D models often created by OEMs using Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing solutions like AutoCAD, Solid Edge, or CATIA are converted into lightweight 3D data and published alongside the S1000D XML as part of technical content supplied to airlines as part of new generation aircraft. The integration of CORENA Suite and Cortona3D technologies brings together the industry's leading OEM-independent technical information viewer with the world's most advanced solution for displaying 3D models. By providing technical publications and work cards that are enriched with 3D assets, the joint solution brings dramatic usability and ergonomic improvements to AMTs. 3D is increasingly important both for manufacturers, who want to create more interactive documentation, and for operators, who want to better empower maintenance staff in their complex work. As part of this integration, CORENA Pinpoint and Cortona3D models will support advanced features like: Synchronization between 3D objects and the procedural text so that as the user navigates the 3D model the viewer shows relevant task execution details, ensuring that the most appropriate information is always shown to the user. Navigation of technical publications using 3D models, as an alternative to traditional Table of Contents or search-based navigation, including the Illustrated Parts Catalog (IPC) and maintenance manuals. Support for task-related animations for modeling complex procedures like assembly/disassembly in a more intuitive manner than 2D renderings can permit. Features for 3D model interactivity, including user-driven options for rotating, zooming and selecting specific components or parts from a 3D model. As the aviation industry grapples with a growing skills shortage, there is an increasing need for maintenance teams to match the level of interactivity and convenience of consumer software when delivering technical information to new generation workers. The combined CORENA Pinpoint / Cortona3D offer helps both airlines and manufacturers meet this requirement. To learn more about the benefits of 3D models in technical publishing, and the combined CORENA Pinpoint / Cortona3D offer, download a new white paper at https://www.flatironssolutions.com/resources/white-paper-integrating-cortona3d-solo-and-corena-pinpoint/. About Flatirons Solutions Flatirons Solutions® ( www.flatironssolutions.com ) provides solutions for aviation and defense content lifecycle management. For more than 20 years, it has helped airlines, MROs, manufacturers, and military forces maintain and operate complex assets more effectively. Its software and service solutions help organizations to deliver the right information, at the right time, to the right people - Turning Content into Knowledge®. Flatirons operates from offices in Asia, Europe, and the United States with its headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. About Cortona3D Cortona3D ( www.cortona3d.com ) provides effective solutions for transforming engineering data into highly interactive 3D/2D parts catalogs, work instructions, and product maintenance materials. Visually intuitive and lightweight documentation can be easily accessed by technicians on site or in the field, strengthening service and customer satisfaction. https://apnews.com/Business%20Wire/97d712c9057b43ae80ebd6a71f07b3a5 Back to Top ASX Launches Seed Equity Round; Will Revolutionize Personal Air Travel With Green and Affordable Urban Air Mobility DETROIT, May 7, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX), an aviation technology start-up, is re-imagining personal air transportation with the mission to offer urban commuters a cleaner, faster and affordable transportation alternative in support of Uber Technologies Urban Air Mobility program, UberAir. From its headquarters at the historic Detroit City Airport, the ASX team is developing an electric vertical take off and landing tilt-wing (eVTOL) aircraft affectionately dubbed MOBi-One. The goal is to produce and operate fleets of safe and reliable aircraft that will make smart cities even smarter, vastly reduce commute times while producing zero operational emissions. ASX is launching a side-by-side Regulation CF and Regulation D Series Seed funding campaign with its partner SeedInvest - a leading equity crowdfunding platform that offers its network of investors vetted investment opportunities. Proceeds of the seed round will be used to acquire key automotive EV technology, build a series of full-scale prototype and initiate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. "SeedInvest is disrupting the financial services industry just as ASX is disrupting mobility, and we were proud to be accepted through SeedInvest's rigorous evaluation process," said Jon Rimanelli, co-founder and CEO of ASX. ASX is planning to deliver 2,500 aircraft by 2025, with cargo deliveries starting in 2023 and passenger service by 2024.[1] Based on a recent study, traffic congestion cost Americans nearly $87 billion in 2018, or an average of $1,348 per driver.[2] The solution is elevating commuters to the sky with electric vertical take-off and landing aircrafts. Founded in 2017 by Jon Rimanelli, Dr. Anita Sengupta, and JP Yorro, the ASX team is made up of seasoned NASA technologists, aviation and automotive experts, market enablers, and logistics leaders. ASX has built and flight-tested five subscale concept vehicles, and achieved a major milestone in in the fourth quarter of 2018 by optimizing controls and demonstrating vertical and plane mode flight. ASX is now ready to begin the full-scale production design and commercial certification process for MOBi-One. "Our vision is to move you up to five times faster than driving for the same cost per mile - giving you more time to be productive," said Rimanelli. "By leveraging our deep knowledge of automotive EV technology, mass production, aviation and deep space reliability, we will make personal air travel more affordable for everyone." Equipped with proven zero-emission electric propulsion and broadband 'V2X' vehicle-to-vehicle connectivity, a fully-electric MOBi-One will deliver an estimated range of 100 miles and a cruising speed of 150 mph, giving it the ability to reduce a 60 minute commute to 15 minutes or less for the price of a ground vehicle for hire (one pilot, four passengers). With a hybrid propulsion system, MOBi-One is capable of up to 300 miles of range for regional travel and cargo utilizing the nation's general aviation airports. "Studies estimate that by 2035, global air travel based inspections, goods, and passenger services has the potential to be a $74 billion market," said Sengupta, co-founder and chief product officer at ASX. "Passenger transportation will be more than 40 percent of that market opportunity." About ASX Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX) is an aviation start-up re-imagining personal air transportation for everyone by offering eco-friendly, quiet, and connected eVTOL aircraft that leverage the perfect fusion of automotive innovation and aviation technology. Designed, developed, and built in Detroit, Michigan, ASX will help drive sustainable change and growth in the city and region by creating hundreds of new jobs and training opportunities for skilled professionals. For more information, visit ASX at www.iflyasx.com About SeedInvest SeedInvest is a leading equity crowdfunding platform that provides individual investors with access to pre-vetted startup investment opportunities. SeedInvest has funded over 150 startups and boasts a rapidly growing network of over 200,000 investors. SeedInvest has had over 25,000 startups apply to raise capital since inception and has only accepted 1% of those companies to feature on the platform. For more information, visit www.seedinvest.com https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asx-launches-seed-equity-round-will-revolutionize-personal-air-travel-with-green-and-affordable-urban-air-mobility-300845351.html Back to Top Saab Plans Air Force Jet Facility Near Purdue Campus Swedish manufacturing company Saab announced plans Wednesday to invest $37 million in a new facility in West Lafayette. The location will produce Saab's portion of the T-X military trainer jet. Saab and Boeing were awarded a $9.2 billion contract in September by the U.S. Air Force to train future pilots. Saab President and CEO Håkan Buskhe says after looking at other potential sites for the plant, he felt at home in the Hoosier State. "In the end, of course, it's technical things. But also, it's people-driven - how you make your decisions" says Buskhe. Buskhe says research opportunities and an airport near the plant were major draws for the location. "So, of course it's the production and further development of the T-X, but also we see great possibility to spend and invest in research and development," says Buskhe. "We are one of the largest investor in research and development as a defense company especially in Europe and we do a lot of investment in the United States as well. So I see great opportunity to increase that with the environment here." The Indiana Economic Development Corporation - pending approval from its board - will offer the company up to $5 million in conditional tax credits and training grants. Local tax abatements and incentives were also offered to Saab. Gov. Eric Holcomb says this is a step forward not only in the state's manufacturing, but also its defense industry. "Someone has got to make widgets, but this is higher calling and purpose and that. You're enabling us in the work that you do to make the world a safer place. To equip our war fighters with the latest cutting edge technology," says Holcomb. "We're in a state where we are number one in terms of manufacturing, increasingly so into advanced manufacturing and you have taken it, if I could borrow a phrase, to the next level in cutting edge technology." Saab will become a part of Purdue University's growing Discovery Park District Aerospace - a long-term project to invest $1 billion into 176 acres on the west side of campus. Purdue University President Mitch Daniels says Saab becomes the third major investment in the technology park following Rolls-Royce and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. "The possibility for laying on top of a first rate manufacturing facility, a research partnership that may wind up in areas very far removed from the immediate purpose of this plant," says Daniels. "I'd like to think that was in our many conversations, I think the company indicated that was what gave us a dimension that many other contestants didn't have. The company says it plans to start production by 2020 and create initially about 300 jobs with the new facility and hopes to expand in the future. https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/aviation-company-set-for-project-announcement-at-purdue.php Back to Top WMU to expand aviation center to handle program growth BATTLE CREEK, Mich. - Western Michigan University's College of Aviation announced a new 67,000-square-foot center to address growing enrollment and projected job demand in key aviation fields Tuesday, May 7, 2019. The university is scheduled to break ground on the $20 million building project Friday, May 10, 2019. A $15 million grant from the state is included in the total finances for the project, the university stated in a release. Completion of the project is expected in the summer 2020, with classes beginning in the new space the following fall. Renovation and construction at the W. K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek adds classroom space, a computer room, composites/paint laboratory upgrades, a stimulation center, research center, student briefing rooms, faculty office space, café and other amenities, as well as the latest technology, the release states. The college has seen its enrollment grow 35 percent in the past five years to about 1,000 students as high job growth and demand for aircraft pilots, aircraft technicians and management place Western Michigan University in the position to be Michigan's major resource to prepare students for these jobs, says the college's dean, Dave Powell. "We will increase our classrooms from four to 10, greatly improving the scope of our instruction and research capabilities," Powell says, adding the addition will be LEED Silver certified. "The needs of our industry are tremendous, and these trends are expected to continue as projected increases in passenger traffic fuel the demand for these highly skilled, highly paid industry jobs." The ground-breaking ceremony is scheduled for Friday, May 10, 2019. University officials and regional industry and economic development representatives will be available to comment at a groundbreaking ceremony from 1 to 3 p.m. https://wwmt.com/news/local/wmu-to-expand-aviation-center-to-handle-program-growth Back to Top Inmarsat SB-S approved by U.S. Federal Aviation Authority for operations and safety communications Inmarsat, the world leader in global mobile satellite communications, today announced that it has received final approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) for its SB-S digital airline operations and safety platform. The FAA has validated the capability of Inmarsat SB-S to support air traffic services by providing direct datalink communication between pilots and Air Traffic Control (ATC). The letter of approval highlights the future potential of this 'first-of-its-kind' service, stating that SB-S technology "provides diversity and potential for advances of capability that will further maximise operational benefits and ensure safety". The endorsement follows a recommendation last year from the FAA's Performance Based Operations Aviation Rulemaking Committee (PARC). FAA approval follows an extensive live evaluation of SB-S by Hawaiian Airlines and United Airlines, which took place between June 2015 and July 2018 on approximately 25,000 flights and seven aircraft types. Inmarsat partners in the evaluation included Cobham Aerospace Communications, Collins Aerospace, SITAONAIR, ASG and L2. China's Shenzhen Airlines is also using SB-S and Inmarsat's digital airline operations platform has been selected by Airbus as a Light Cockpit Satcom (LCS) line fit solution on its A320 and A330 families. Combining cutting-edge satellite technology with secure IP connectivity, SB-S is the world's first and only global broadband solution for aircraft operational and safety communications, driving digital transformation in the airline industry. SB-S provides airlines with capabilities and benefits no other satellite communications provider can deliver. SB-S's real-time IP connectivity delivers powerful benefits to airlines. Operational advantages include enhanced fleet and crew management, predictive maintenance, disruption management and aircraft health monitoring via Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) applications, which can significantly reduce flight delays and fuel consumption. Safety benefits include improved communications with ATC, digital data and voice communications, and flight data recorder streaming (also known as Black Box in the CloudTM). Flight plans and arrivals can also be optimised by pinpointing aircraft in four dimensions, known as four dimensional (4D) operations, which include latitude, longitude, altitude and time. The IP solution provided by Inmarsat's SB-S is also essential to air traffic modernisation programmes, such as the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) masterplan and NextGen in the U.S. In addition, Inmarsat's SB-S powers Iris, a ground-breaking project by Inmarsat and the European Space Agency (ESA) that uses satellite-based datalink communication to enhance and modernise air traffic management over European airspace. Inmarsat is the only aviation satcom provider authorised to provide aviation safety and operational services globally, including in China and India. Philip Balaam, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: "Inmarsat has a rich history of providing cutting-edge, transformative services for the global aviation industry. We are proud to continue that tradition with SB-S, the world's first solution for digital aircraft operations and safety. Inmarsat is the only satellite communications provider that can deliver these benefits to airlines. Receiving the FAA's final approval is a milestone of huge significance, reinforcing Inmarsat's global market leadership and validating the potential of SB-S to maximise airline operational efficiency and safety for many years to come." The SB-S digital aircraft operations platform is powered by Inmarsat's advanced global L-band satellite network, which has underpinned safety services for 40 years. Inmarsat is scheduled to launch two additional L-band payloads in 2020 and 2021, further cementing its long-term commitment to offering highly reliable services over this spectrum. http://spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=54032 Back to Top Lasers Produce Shark Skins on Aircraft During IntAirCoat Conference 2019, Laser specialist 4JET (Alsdorf, Germany) and leading aircraft paint supplier Mankiewicz (Hamburg, Germany) will introduce a new laser process for the creation of fuel saving riblets automatically lasered onto painted aircraft surfaces. The technology - dubbed LEAF for Laser Enhanced Air Flow - uses the principle of laser interference patterning to quickly create fine lateral grooves in the uppermost layer of aircraft paint. Such riblets have been proven to reduce drag by up to 10 percent which results in fuel savings for commercial long-haul airlines by more than 1 % - equaling tremendous potential savings on total global kerosene spending of 150 bn US$ annually. The process - while still in the development stage - already yields industrial throughput levels and has passed initial qualifications for durability. Working principle Removing paint by lasers is a well-known technology but so far proved to be too slow to create the high density of riblets required to achieve "shark skin" effects. Instead of creating the riblet grooves with one focused laser spot "line by line", 4JET has now found a way to speed up the process by a factor of about 500 using the principle of laser interference patterning: The laser beam is split up and recombined on the surface in such a way that the electric field oscillations of the light waves superpose in a controlled manner. This superposition creates a distinct pattern of dozens of alternating equidistant lines of high and almost no intensity within one single laser spot. This enables to create 15 kilometers of riblets - equal to about 1 m² of riblet surface - within less than one minute. And to add even more benefits; LEAF is working dry without any consumables. It allows to adjust riblet geometries depending on their location on the aircraft. The paint dust and vapor created during the process is evacuated and the process does not require post processing. The technology enables to process curved or riveted surfaces and - thanks to its long focal distance - can be integrated with existing robotics used for paint removal or printing operations in aircraft maintenance. 4JET CEO Jorg Jetter points out: "We are excited about the progress so far and the tremendous opportunities of our new partnership with Mankiewicz. LEAF could not only be opening up an entirely new market for our company, but deliver a significant contribution to cut down CO2 emissions in the aviation sector." 4JET and Mankiewicz are jointly developing the LEAF technology for use on aircraft and prepare for its commercialization within the next years. Mankiewicz will support the development with its deep understanding of paint chemistry and the requirements of the aviation, while 4JET will focus on the development of the laser process and the riblet forming system. https://www.novuslight.com/lasers-produce-shark-skins-on-aircraft_N9283.html Back to Top AMT Shortage Headlines Mx Conference Opening Day Building the ranks of aviation maintenance technicians (AMT) in business aviation was the center-stage topic at the opening today of the NBAA Maintenance Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Bob Hobbi of ServiceElements moderated the 45-minute-long general session that included PepsiCo director of aviation Pat Cunningham and Duncan Aviation sales manager Phil Suglia on developing the AMT pipeline and ways that corporate flight departments and Part 145 repair stations are developing and recruiting their future workforce. At PepsiCo, Cunningham said, one effective way to recruit AMTs now and in the future is through internships, recruiting near military bases, and word of mouth, which "is still a good way to find people." But he acknowledged that the industry needs to improve in raising awareness of AMT careers in business aviation, especially with younger generations. "A lot of young people today are not hearing about aviation as a career option," Cunningham said. Duncan's Suglia agreed, noting that the industry should be reaching out to high school counselors and parents of teens about the AMT profession and its opportunities. Kids aren't considering aviation because there's a lack of "career awareness and a negative public perception of what it is to be a mechanic," Suglia said. The industry also needs to do a better job of showing its passion for the profession, Hobbi said. "Do we have a good passionate answer about what we love doing?" Hobbi said. "This is the kind of thing we need to be excited about. It's going to take all of us to really step up." At the morning's general session, NBAA scholarship committee co-chairs Jim Huntoon of Satcom Direct and Scott White of Standard Aero announced the award of 42 scholarships to students and recent AMT graduates. Also, Global Jet Services CEO J.D. McHenry announced the creation of the John F. Rahilly Memorial Scholarship for Future A&P Technicians, which was awarded to W. Christopher Stanford, an AMT student at the Tulsa Technology Center. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-05-07/amt-shortage-headlines-mx-conference-opening-day Back to Top IBS Software to Unify the Fleet & Crew Operations Software of LATAM Airlines Group SANTIAGO, Chile, May 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- IBS Software (IBS) has been selected by LATAM Airlines Group as its technology solution provider to unify the group's fleet and crew operations software. The multi-year contract was inked at LATAM's global headquarters in Santiago, Chile late last month. LATAM Airlines Group is Latin America's leading airline group, offering services to more than 140 destinations in 26 countries worldwide, including six domestic markets in Latin America. Under the contract, IBS's iFlight NEO system will provide a single, intergrated operations platform for LATAM's affiliate airlines across its global network. This software will help LATAM to simplify and centralize processes and systems to improve efficiency and lower operational costs. IBS's iFlight NEO is an integrated digital platform for end-to-end flight operations, crew management, and disruption management for airlines, airline groups and alliances. The browser-based application will unify and streamline the operations across LATAM's affiliate airlines by providing a single digital platform on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. The iFlight NEO platform embodies the spirit of automation with several tools and features designed to help airlines optimize resources, employ emerging technologies and boost decision making processes. The solution will also help LATAM to respond quickly to potential disruptions and minimize the impact on passengers. "With a fleet of over 310 aircraft operating around 1,300 flights each day across five continents, we have a complex and dynamic operation. As part of our commitment to offering our customers industry-leading service, we continue to harness the latest technology and digital tools to optimize efficiency and ensure our passengers arrive to where they want to be, on-time," said Hernán Pasman, Chief Operations Officer, LATAM Airlines Group. "To be chosen by one of the largest airline groups in the Americas is testimony not only to the increasing acceptance of iFlight NEO as a cutting-edge platform for Airline Operations but also to the confidence in our capability to deliver successfully within time and budget. This is a large and complex digital transformation exercise and we are confident of adding substantial business value to LATAM," said Jitendra Sindhwani, President & Head - Global Sales and Marketing, IBS Software. About IBS Software: IBS is a 3,000+ employee, multi-national, vertical SaaS software company, providing new-gen solutions that manage mission critical operations of some of the best airlines, busiest airports, leading cruise lines, top oil & gas companies and renowned travel distributors & hotel groups in the world. IBS also offers consulting and domain-led software services in these business verticals. IBS is a Blackstone invested company and operates from 9 offices across the world serving 170+ customers. To the aviation industry, IBS offers IT systems for passenger services (including Loyalty and staff travel), cargo operations, flight and crew operations, airport operations and aircraft maintenance engineering, making it the enterprise that offers the widest range of technology products to the aviation industry. https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/news/21079653/ibs-software-to-unify-the-fleet-crew-operations-software-of-latam-airlines-group Back to Top FAA WARNS AGAINST COUNTER-DRONE SYSTEMS The US Federal Aviation Administration has warned airports against installing systems designed to disable a drone because of the potential risk to aircraft and air traffic control services. The US regulator is happy to help airports install detection systems but does not want them using technology designed to bring down drones. The statement is in response to increasing worries at airports and airlines about the impact of the growing number of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and incidents of illegal use near airports. The issue grabbed international headlines in late 2018 when Gatwick Airport was shut down by illegal drone activity during the busy pre-Christmas period. The airport was shut down over three days and the travel plans of 140,000 people were disrupted after reports of illegal drones. Since then there have been other reports globally of drones near aerodromes - Dubai airport was briefly closed in February because of a suspected sighting - and some airports and countries such as Australia have been trialing drone detection technology. A number of countries are also introducing rules that require users to register drones. The FAA said it understood and shared airport safety and security concerns raised by the malicious or errant use of drones. It said it was continuing to work closely with airport operators who were considering detection systems or had already done so. It had already provided important information and expected to supplement this "as we refine our processes and procedures for safe UAS detection system use and coordinated operational response at or around airports". "The FAA also provided information regarding the prohibition on the use of non-federal counter-UAS technologies at or around airports,'' it said. "These systems could pose an aviation safety risk by interfering with aircraft navigation and air navigation services. "The FAA does not support the use of counter-UAS systems by any entities other than federal departments with explicit statutory authority to use this technology, including requirements for extensive coordination with the FAA to ensure safety risks are mitigated." https://www.airlineratings.com/news/faa-warns-counter-drone-systems/ Back to Top EASA approves FLARM for helicopters FLARM Technology Ltd., the company behind the prevalent collision avoidance system for general aviation (GA), has announced that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has formally approved FLARM for fixed installation in helicopters. Being already installed in over 40,000 general aviation aircraft, helicopter operators previously had to apply for individual installation approvals from EASA or use PowerFLARM Portable. The newly published EASA certification memorandum (CM) extends generic FLARM installations from ELA2 aircraft (previously available as a standard change or an AML-based minor change) to all CS 23, CS 27 and CS 29 aircraft, including all rotorcraft. "This is a huge advancement for GA safety in Europe," said Daniel Hoffmann, general manager at FLARM Technology. "We have seen a massive increase in demand for FLARM from helicopter operators all around Europe in just the last two years. In Switzerland, almost all helicopters already have FLARM since a few years. In Germany and other European countries, many large operators, including the Federal Police, ADAC and DRF, have FLARM installed in their large helicopter fleets." The newly published CM will enable both operators and aircraft manufacturers to easily integrate FLARM. It is also one of the first times that EASA has ever applied the 'net safety benefit' approach in its certification activities. "EASA has taken the over 100 million flight hours of FLARM into account," said Hoffmann. "We have estimated that FLARM has saved over 50 lives in the last 15 years. At the same time, there have been no incidents where FLARM was a causal factor." The CM approves FLARM for both visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR) under VMC but does not give credit against ADS-B Out and TCAS requirements (applicable for aircraft above 5,700 kg MTOM). "This also opens the door for the whole certified avionics market," said Hoffmann. "We are currently in discussions with several certified avionics manufacturers about both integration of FLARM as well as display compatibility with standalone FLARM systems." FLARM systems are available from several different manufacturers for many different aircraft types. https://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/easa-approves-flarm-for-helicopters/ Back to Top Jeff Bezos is about to speak publicly about Blue Origin, his secretive rocket company New York (CNN Business)Jeff Bezos may be ready to bring Blue Origin, his secretive space company, out of the shadows. The firm has spent two decades quietly designing and testing new rocket technologies that Bezos hopes will help usher in a science fiction future where millions of people live and work among the stars. The Amazon (AMZN) CEO and world's wealthiest person recently described Blue Origin as the "most important work" he's doing. But so far he's mostly forgone flashy announcements, and instead has encouraged employees to adopt mantras like "slow is smooth, and smooth is fast." Things are different this week. Blue Origin is hosting a rare event with media in Washington, DC, on Thursday. Bezos himself is scheduled to speak, but it's not entirely clear what will be discussed. The invitations said that Bezos plans to give an update on Blue Origin's "progress and share our vision of going to space to benefit Earth." Spokespeople for Blue Origin declined to share further details. The only other clue is a cryptic tweet that includes the date of the event along with a photo of "Endurance," the ill-fated ship that left explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew stranded during an expedition to Antarctica in 1915. (A crater on the moon's south pole is also named for Shackleton, a hint that Bezos' speech could have a lunar focus.) There are a few reasons Blue Origin may be hankering for media attention: Executives have said Blue Origin's space tourism business will be up and running this year; its massive New Glenn rocket could ready to fly in 2021; and Bezos has been more open in recent months about plans to ferry cargo to the moon and set up a base on its surface. The billionaire space race Bezos isn't the only billionaire with a space company. Elon Musk and Richard Branson started their own businesses in the early 2000s, too. The men have been credited with helping to usher in a new era of spaceflight by pouring money into projects once considered too risky or expensive for the private sector. Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX has enjoyed the lion's share of media attention. It's led the charge by developing cheap reusable rockets that now regularly haul satellites to orbit. The company also wins high-profile contracts with NASA and the military, and it's touted bold plans for colonizing Mars. British serial entrepreneur Richard Branson has also wielded his signature showmanship to promote Virgin Galactic, a space tourism venture that hundreds of customers have already lined up for. It could open for business this year. Branson has also publicized longer-term goals like offering rocket-powered flights between cities. Blue Origin may have kept the lowest profile. But its plans are no less ambitious. The startup has launched nearly a dozen demo flights of its New Shepard rocket, which is designed to send tourists on scenic trips to the thermosphere. Its first crewed launch could be just a few months away, an executive said during a test launch webcast last week. And then there's New Glenn, which competes for lucrative satellite launch contracts and could start flying in a couple of years. Bezos' enormous e-commerce fortune could give Blue Origin a leg up in the billionaire space race. Bezos has said he fills Blue Origin's coffers by selling about $1 billion worth of his Amazon stock each year. The company hasn't worried about courting investors. SpaceX has padded Musk's early investments by raising huge amounts of venture capital dollars and landing big launch contracts. It's worth an estimated $30 billion. But if investors get nervous about SpaceX's expensive gambles on new technologies or the economy goes south, things could get rocky. Branson's space company, meanwhile, has been hungry for cash since it turned down a $1 billion investment from Saudi Arabia last year after journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed at a Saudi consulate. Virgin has since hired a finance firm to help find new backers, Sky News reported in February. https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/08/tech/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-rocket-company/index.html Curt Lewis