MAY 13, 2019 - No. 038 In This Issue WMU expanded aviation center to meet needs of growing industry What's After The Boeing 797? Microsoft And GE Aviation Collaborate To Bring Blockchain In Aviation Screening technology trial at Perth Airport will enhance security efficiency Claims Boeing failed to disclose vital details about aircraft technology Inmarsat broadband solution for aircrafts gets FAA approval WestJet Will Outsource Most Maintenance On 787s Airbus introduces workforce development programs for Mobile students Elon Musk to receive 2019 Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication Boeing shows off Starliner test ahead of launch this summer. WMU expanded aviation center to meet needs of growing industry BATTLE CREEK, Michigan-Western Michigan University's new state-of-the-art Aviation Education Center will provide additional space for the College of Aviation's soaring enrollment, fueled by demand for pilots and aviation mechanics. Groundbreaking for the new 67,000-square-foot instructional facility at the W.K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek May 10 drew praise by local economic development partners. "Battle Creek Unlimited has enjoyed a close relationship with Western Michigan University's College of Aviation for over 20 years. Today, we are thrilled to see the College of Aviation break ground on its new state-of-the-art multimillion-dollar Aviation Education Center that will propel them to new heights. It is exciting to know that the next generation of pilots and aviation technicians will be trained and educated right here in Battle Creek," says Joe Sobieralski, president and CEO of Battle Creek Unlimited. "This is not only great for Western Michigan University, but it is also great for Battle Creek--it doubles-down on one of Battle Creek's most strategic assets on the economic development front." Completion of the $20 million building project-including a $15 million grant from the state-is expected in summer 2020, with classes beginning in the new space the following fall. Construction at the W.K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek adds classroom space, a computer room, composites/paint laboratory upgrades, a state-of-the-art simulation center, a premier research center, student briefing rooms, faculty office space, a café and other amenities, as well as the latest technology. 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 WMU 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 center will be built to LEED Silver standards. "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." It is anticipated that future demand for pilots, airline managers, administrators and maintenance personnel will significantly increase as the current workforce ages out of the marketplace and global demands for skilled aerospace professionals increases. The Federal Aviation Administration projects that total airline passenger traffic is expected to double by the year 2032, and a recent Boeing Pilot and Technical Outlook report forecasted that by 2034, the aviation industry will need to supply more than 1 million new aviation personnel, including 558,000 pilots and 609,000 maintenance technicians. The aviation jobs needed to fill this gap are high skilled, high quality and well compensated. There is a burgeoning demand for both pilots and skilled aviation maintenance personnel. Boeing estimates between 2012 and 2031, there will be a need for 460,000 pilots and 601,000 aviation maintenance technicians in the United States. According to FAA projections, total passenger traffic is expected to jump from 161.8 million in 2011 to 376.1 million by 2032. Growth in passenger travel creates demand not only for new aerospace products, but also for aviation services and maintenance. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, Michigan ranked fourth in the nation in aerospace job growth from 2007-2012, and seventh for the number of new aerospace jobs, experiencing 24.8% growth versus 7% growth in the sector nationwide. Aviation jobs represent some of the highest-quality jobs in Michigan. The median annual income for a pilot is $111,680. In 2012, aviation maintenance personnel earned a median annual income of $52,140 in Michigan. COLLEGE OF AVIATION WMU's College of Aviation is among the oldest such academic units in the nation, beginning in 1939 and evolving over time from a single program to its current status as a full academic college in July 1999. It has been located at the W.K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek since 1997 and has been the site of nationally recognized intercollegiate flight teams and state-of-the-art flight and technical training initiatives and important research undertakings. Consistently ranked as home to one of the nation's top three collegiate aviation programs, WMU offers undergraduate programs in aviation flight science, aviation management and operations, and aviation technical operations. The college serves as an anchor for the W.K. Kellogg Airport in Battle Creek along with Duncan Aviation, Waco Classic Aircraft Corp. and Centennial Aircraft Services. https://wmich.edu/news/2019/05/53381 Back to Top What's After The Boeing 797? It's interesting to look at current trends and think about where we may be 20 years from now. Of course half the fun is the unpredictability of the industry and emerging technologies. Once thought to be the future of aviation, who could have guessed that the Airbus A380 would fail in the way that it has? Same with the Concorde and supersonic travel. In this article we'll look further into the future and take some educated guesses about what could follow the Boeing 797. Aside from negative press surrounding production, Boeing has made quite a big splash in the commercial aviation world with its 787 Dreamliner. Entering service in 2011, the integration of new technologies that made advancements in passenger comfort and fuel efficiency has left us wanting more ever since. Beyond the 797 At this time we are all anxiously awaiting an official announcement about the next new model of Boeing aircraft. This New Midsize Airplane (NMA) is likely to have the name 797 and it's still anyone's guess when we will get more information. Apparently the 737MAX crisis will not delay the development of the 797. I think the key feature that will always dominate the future-aircraft-discussion is fuel economics. With one of the largest expenses in the industry being fuel, airlines rise and collapse with the price of fuel. Therefore, any aircraft designed beyond the 797 will most certainly be lightweight with advanced engines. Composite materials are a must! To that end, several ideas have been thrown out into the world: Windowless planes? A BBC article from last year made a case for windowless planes- the windows being replaced by electronic screens with projected images. It featured a discussion with Emirates President Sir Tim Clark: "Imagine now a fuselage as you're boarding with no windows, but when you get inside, there are windows...Now you have one fuselage which has no structural weaknesses because of windows. The aircraft are lighter, the aircraft could fly faster, they'll burn far less fuel and fly higher." Lighter? Faster? More structurally sound? Sounds like some great selling points. Although who knows if the public is ready for something so potentially claustrophobia-inducing. Electric or hybrid propulsion Could we see the same advancements in electric automobiles crossover to aviation? According to CNBC, Zunum Aero is planning a hybrid-electric airplane that has been backed by venture arms at Boeing and JetBlue Airways. However, this project is only a 12-passenger project. On a larger scale it may still be too far away. This recent article about the Airbus and Siemens collaboration being cut-short is a strong indication that large-scale electric aviation is decades down the road. In November 2017, Siemens, Airbus and Rolls Royce announced plans for a 100-seater regional jet with a hybrid electric drive turbine by 2020. Unfortunately there is no longer any talk of close cooperation. So we can scratch that off the list for now. But who knows, maybe some huge leaps in battery technology will happen soon... A 737 successor Maybe what's needed most for Boeing is a complete overhaul of their 737 program. We know now that the 737MAX issues all stem from an attempt to fit larger and more efficient engines within an existing design that was too low to the ground. A previous post by Nicholas Cummins considers a fresh re-design of the 737 instead of the 797. This post considers the possibility after the 797. Thinking about how prevalent the 737 has been in commercial aviation over the last 50 years, and how much damage the 'brand name' has suffered in the last few months, Boeing needs to do something to push that program forward. Conclusion Look out past the 797 all we can say for now is that we can expect future Boeing aircraft to be more fuel efficient with lighter materials and more efficient engines. Do you have any ideas and guesses about the future of aviation? Is there anything you'd like to see in a brand new plane? Let us know in the comments. https://simpleflying.com/boeing-797-whats-next/ Back to Top Microsoft And GE Aviation Collaborate To Bring Blockchain In Aviation Blockchain has yet again found its use in the aviation industry, this time courtesy of GE Aviation and Microsoft. The former is an aviation giant which supplies jet engines to about 60 percent of the global airline industry. GE Aviation has buit a supply chain track and trace blockchain with the help of Microsoft Azure. David Havara, blockchain CTO, GE Aviation Digital Group said in a statement: "Our vision is being able to trace parts as they are manufactured and the engine when it's shipped. Then how that engine performs in the field, when to repair it and then re-enter it into the field." Not just for the company's use, rather GE Aviation Digital Group plans to share the technology across an industry-wide consortium of partners. It will be built on the Ethereum blockchain. The technology will function as a mechanism of monitoring and collating data related to the production and life cycle of critical aircraft engine parts. GE Aviation Digital Group is slightly different from GE Aviation itself. The former sells software externally to the industry, while the latter sells aircraft engines to commercial airlines and the military. This new technology that the group has come up with is being called 'TRUEngine'. Havara, added: "If you think about it, a quality event in the aircraft engine industry is catastrophic. And to research that takes months of manual time. Driving efficiencies, accountability, and visibility into the process of making an engine will make us all safer." Microsoft's contribution to this entire operation is crucial. The applied innovation and digital transformation team's senior director, Mike Walker said that the technology has the effect of "stitching together their entire supply chain into one view - so you've got a full understanding of all the partners; you've got one ecosystem repository instead of hundreds, if not thousands." Havara added that used parts are sold off again in the market, and they change hands quite frequently. However, the paper trail is too cumbersome to maintain and track: He said: "Which is really a crisis in the industry at the moment. At our warehouse facility in Texas, there are tens of millions worth of dollars of inventory orphaned, because over the last 20 years we didn't have a digital solution to get that paperwork to sell those parts back into the market." Walker of Microsoft added: "So what we have done brings cost optimization and significant safety improvement, but now we are exposing a new business model. We are creating a profit center for what I lovingly referred to as 'the boneyard' in Texas, where essentially they put all these parts where they don't have the GE Aviation genuine paperwork - and you can do that for all the other boneyards out there too." This new technology will be ready to be sold to buyers soon. https://www.btcwires.com/c-buzz/microsoft-and-ge-aviation-collaborate-to-bring-blockchain-in- aviation/ Back to Top Screening technology trial at Perth Airport will enhance security efficiency A new trial has been launched at Perth Airport regarding the screening of baggage, and will see laptops and aerosols kept in bags. The trial includes a new body scanner and CT X-ray machine for screening carry-on luggage, and is designed to enhance airport security by improving the efficiency of the screening process and detection levels. The new advanced security screening equipment is being introduced to comply with the mandatory changes announced by the Federal Government in May 2018, aimed at further strengthening Australia's domestic and international aviation security. Perth Airport CEO, Kevin Brown, said the new equipment will begin a testing phase at T1 Domestic over the coming weeks, with plans to implement the new equipment across all terminals thereafter. "This new equipment is state of the art and we are keen to trial it now to make sure we are fully prepared for its complete roll out in the future. Our top priority is to ensure the safety and security of our passengers and their loved ones who come to the airport to see them off. The added bonus is that it will soon be easier to move through the security screening points. "Most travellers these days have a laptop or tablet device which they must remove from their luggage for screening. Many travellers also carry aerosol cans such as shaving foam which must also be scanned separately. The new system will allow passengers to leave these items in their hand luggage, making for a more streamlined process." The body scanner can detect all foreign matter, both metal and non-metal, carried by a person to within a millimetre of the skin, and then pin-point it on an outline of the person's body illustrated in the form of an avatar or 'stickperson'. Passengers will walk between two walls, pause and stand straight in a relaxed pose. The scan will take less than a second and will be easier for those who have difficulty raising their arms above their head. https://www.internationalairportreview.com/news/91166/baggage-screening-perth-security/ Back to Top Claims Boeing failed to disclose vital details about aircraft technology After two disastrous plane crashes, new revelations in the Boeing 737 Max 'fatal flaw' scandal claim the aviation giant failed to disclose critical information about the aircraft's warning system. Last week in a special 60 Minutes report, Liz Hayes revealed one of aviation history's biggest scandals - that aircraft giant Boeing's brand-new 737 Max planes had a "fatal flaw" in a flight control system called MCAS; a system whose very existence Boeing failed to disclose to its airline customers and pilots. MCAS malfunctions are being held responsible for two horror plane crashes that claimed the lives of 346 men, women and children. This week 60 Minutes reports more damning revelations about the aircraft manufacturer and warnings that should have been heeded about the 737 MAX, well before the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March this year. It's now claimed that as well as failing to disclose the existence of the MCAS flight control system, Boeing engineers further kept airlines in the dark about a cockpit sensor warning light, which could have alerted pilots that their MCAS system was being fed false data - pitching the aircraft into a steep nose dive. This week, Boeing admitted it believed this critical warning light was standard on all 737 Max jets, but discovered months before the Lion Air crash that the light would only operate if the airlines had purchased a separate feature, known as the angle of attack (AOA) indicator. At least one bought the Max plane without the AOA indicator, believing the warning light was activated. Boeing apparently didn't tell America's aviation watchdog, the FAA, about the sensor warning light issue until after the first crash in Indonesia, which killed 189 people. It's news guaranteed to add to the distress of the families of the 346 victims lost. Little wonder that just this week Boeing's CEO Dennis Muilenburg said "this is a defining moment for Boeing." 60 Minutes assure viewers it's a story they'll stay close to and continue to report any new developments. https://www.9news.com.au/world/claims-boeing-failed-to-disclose-fatal-flaws-in-aircraft- technology/d7cfa9bd-952f-4426-a0f3-4381e97e440c Back to Top Inmarsat broadband solution for aircrafts gets FAA approval Inmarsat's digital communications and data platform SB-S has been approved for use by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA has also 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 states 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). Commenting on the FAA approval for the broadband solution, 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 FAA approval follows a 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 also employing 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 satellite technology with secure IP connectivity, SB-S provides airlines with broadband solution for aircraft operational and safety communications. SB-S's real-time IP connectivity delivers several benefits to airlines. Operational advantages include fleet and crew management, predictive maintenance, disruption management and aircraft health monitoring via Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) applications, which can 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 enables control of 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 project by Inmarsat and the European Space Agency (ESA) that uses satellite-based datalink communication to oversee air traffic management over European airspace. The SB-S digital aircraft operations platform is powered by Inmarsat's L-band satellite network. Inmarsat is scheduled to launch two additional L-band payloads in 2020 and 2021. http://satelliteprome.com/news/space-news/inmarsat-broadband-solution-for-aircrafts-gets-faa- approval/ Back to Top WestJet Will Outsource Most Maintenance On 787s WestJet operates Bombardier Q400s, Boeing 737NGs, MAXs, 767-300s and now 787-9s, of which it has ordered 10 and optioned another 10. Even with the opening of a new widebody hangar, the airline will continue to outsource heavy checks on it 787s, according to VP of Technical Operations John Kelly. "The heavy maintenance, C checks and above, on the 787 will be outsourced to a qualified MRO," Kelly says. "The MRO that performs this work has not been selected yet." Support of 787 components is outsourced to several companies, including Safran, Lufthansa Technic, Michelin and Air France Industries KLM E&M. Off-wing maintenance for 787's GE Aviation GEnx-1B engines will be performed by AFI-KLM in Amsterdam. Line maintenance within Canada will be performed by WestJet, while LHT does line maintenance at all of Westjet's international stations. WestJet technical operations team consists of approximately 690 staff. These include a front line staff of 560 aircraft maintenance engineers and a support staff of 130. The new 787 hangar will assist this staff in several ways. Westjet's older hangars were all narrowbody hangars and could not accommodate 787s or 767s in a fully enclosed environment. With its first three 787s based in Calgary, the new hangar will enable WestJet do its share of maintenance on 787s and other widebodies indoors and at a very high standard. "We can perform line maintenance and lower-level checks at this location without having to ferry or route the aircraft elsewhere," Kelly says. Mechanics can now work in a new, state-of-art environment at WestJet's largest hub. Kelly says he does not plan to bring more 787 work in-house. On the possibility of supporting third- party 787s in the future, he says only, "we want to make sure we have a good handle on our own operation and ensure its success. After we build up experience and optimize 787 operations, we would consider providing line maintenance to other operators should the opportunity present itself." As Westjet's 787 and narrowbody fleets continue to grow, it will add more staff as required. Today, Kelly does not see a need for additional facilities. "But that could change in the future as the airline grows and the industry evolves." https://www.mro-network.com/airlines/westjet-will-outsource-most-maintenance-787s Back to Top Airbus introduces workforce development programs for Mobile students Airbus launched two new programs aimed at putting applicants with little or no aviation or aerospace experience in jobs where its A220 and A320 production facilities are located. The FlightPath9 and Fast Track programs seek to expand Airbus' production workforce from within the Mobile community. "These are two great initiatives from Airbus that help build their workforce, but, more importantly, build Alabama's workforce and put our people onto a path to a wonderful career in a growing and thriving industry," Gov. Kay Ivey said during a ceremony introducing the first FlightPath9 students. The FlightPath9 program targets high school seniors with a desire to work in aerospace. It's directed by Flights Works Alabama, a partnership between the state and Airbus, to encourage young people to explore careers in aviation and aerospace. "The ideal candidate for FlightPath9 is that student with an aptitude for working with his or her hands, and an interest in working in the aviation industry right out of high school," said Daryl Taylor, vice president and general manager of the Airbus A320 Manufacturing Facility in Mobile. "They must be willing and able to participate in a nine-month program, be drug-free, can read, write, do math, be 18 years or older by June 2020, and can adhere to 'soft' work skills: show up to work every day and on time, can work in a team with respect for all co-workers, be dedicated, driven and determined. "Give us that, and we'll give you a chance at a career," Taylor said. For this program, Flight Works Alabama has partnered with Airbus, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), Cintas, Snap-On Tools, Southwest Alabama Partnership for Training & Employment and the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3). The nine-month comprehensive learning program involves NC3 Snap-on certifications, ERAU instruction, guest speakers, success coaches and more. The students will attend training after school during their senior year of high school. Fast Track program The students who successfully complete this program have the opportunity to start their careers with Airbus through the second program announced this week, Fast Track. Fast Track is a 12- to 15-week program that will bring individuals lacking aviation manufacturing experience into the company and give them the skills, knowledge and ability required for an aerospace maintenance career. Like FlightPath9, ideal candidates for Fast Track must exhibit an aptitude for working with their hands and an interest in working in the aviation industry. They must be drug-free; able to read, write and do basic math; be at least 18 years old and be able to exhibit job experience and the needed "soft skills." "In turn, we'll teach and measure these employees in a program of global competencies for working on aircraft: torqueing, riveting, gauging, reading blueprints (written and digital), how to use tools, ergonomics and more," Taylor said. "When they come out of that training, the employee 'graduates' to on-the-job training on A220 and A320 aircraft." Alabama production hub Airbus began producing A320 Family aircraft at its $600 million manufacturing facility in Alabama in 2015 and has since delivered more than 100 passenger jets to its customers in Mobile. Earlier this year, Airbus broke ground on a second assembly line at the Mobile campus for the production of A220 aircraft. The $264 million project will create more than 430 jobs. A220 production is expected to start on the current assembly line in the third quarter, with first delivery of a Mobile-assembled A220 aircraft scheduled for 2020. The new A220 production facilities will be complete by next year. Working in partnership with AIDT, Alabama's primary workforce development agency, Airbus has begun hiring workers for A220 production. Starting positions are corrosion team and electrical or structural assemblers. The jobs are listed on the Airbus ApplicantPro career site with a planned early-June start date for the first class. People who have applied for these positions in the past and been turned down only because of lack of experience are encouraged to reapply. Airbus intends to offer this program on a regular basis and will schedule it as hiring needs dictate. https://alabamanewscenter.com/2019/05/12/airbus-introduces-workforce-development-programs- for-mobile-students/ Back to Top Elon Musk to receive 2019 Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication Elon Musk has been selected as one of the recipients of the 2019 Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, an award created in honor of the legendary theoretical physicist for individuals who promote the public awareness of science. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO will be receiving the Stephen Hawking medal at the Starmus Festival this coming June in Zurich, Switzerland. The Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication is a prestigious award in the scientific community, having been introduced back in 2015 at the Royal Society in London by a panel including the theoretical physicist himself. The medal honors individuals from three communities: the scientific community, the artistic community, and the film community. When he personally presented the medals at the Starmus Festival in June 2016, Hawking noted that the award "matters to me, to you, to the world as a whole." Elon Musk will be receiving the Stephen Hawking medal for the scientific community for his "astounding accomplishments in space travel and for humanity," according to Starmus in a press release. Starmus founding member and PhD astrophysicist Brian May will be personally presenting the medal to Musk, who has been described by noted evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins as a "hero for our times." Other recipients of the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication this year are musician Brian Eno for his contribution to the popularisation of science, as well as Todd Douglas Miller's documentary Apollo 11, which provides a "breakthrough look" at the mission that brought man to the Moon. The upcoming Starmus Festival is expected to be graced by some of the scientific community's most prolific individuals. Educator Bill Nye will be the host of the ceremonies, and other notable individuals such as Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins and six other Apollo mission astronauts will be in attendance. Sir Michael Hintze, founder and Group Executive Chairman of asset management firm CQS and one of the supporters on Starmus, shared his excitement for this year's awards. "I am excited about our support for Starmus and the 2019 Stephen Hawking Medal. It is enabling us to better understand the origins and fate of our universe, where we have come from and where we might go. It is about intellectual curiosity, striving for knowledge and a journey of discovery about our planet and our place in the universe. For science to grow and prosper we must excite and engage with our youth, and capture their imagination. The work being done here connects into the global scientific community and facilitates global collaboration," he said. This year's awards are the first to be given since the death of Stephen Hawking, who personally invited Musk to Starmus prior to his passing. Starmus noted that this year's awards are dedicated to the legacy of Hawking, and they are given in recognition of his affinity for applied technology. Elon Musk is a polarizing figure in mainstream media today partly due to his celebrity CEO status and the public nature of his electric car and energy company, Tesla. Nevertheless, Musk has received numerous accolades over the years. Just this past January, Musk was dubbed as "Disruptor of the Year" for making the most ripples in the auto industry. Last year, Musk was also named as one of 2018's best CEOs by Tesla and SpaceX employees, most likely due to his bold, hands-on leadership style. During the days of the Model 3 ramp, for example, Musk courted some headlines after he was sighted torquing bolts with Tesla's workers during the rapid buildout of GA4. Musk also reportedly uses himself as Autopilot's primary test subject, running aggressive test versions of the driver- assist system to check for bugs and the limits of the system's capabilities. A member of Tesla's Autopilot team previously noted that this has resulted in Musk finding himself in "situations that many of us wouldn't want to be in." https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-spacex-ceo-elon-musk-receives-stephen-hawking-medal/ Back to Top Boeing shows off Starliner test ahead of launch this summer In the race to ready a commercial crew capsule for trips to the International Space Station (ISS), SpaceX and Boeing have been conducting various tests on their respective parachute systems that are designed to bring the space vehicles safely back to Earth. Keen to throw the spotlight on its ongoing work, Boeing has just released a short video (below) showing some behind-the-scenes footage of its CST-100 Starliner capsule undergoing a recent parachute test in which it was dropped from a high-altitude balloon. "It's part of our path to qualify the entire landing system to fly NASA astronauts," Boeing said in a tweet accompanying the video. Both Boeing and SpaceX have been contracted by NASA to create systems to ferry astronauts between Earth and the ISS. While SpaceX continues to work on its Dragon 2 crew capsule, Chicago-based Boeing has been developing the Starliner. Designed for returning to land rather than sea, the capsule can hold up to seven astronauts and be reused up to 10 times. Boeing was due to launch its first uncrewed Starliner test flight in March 2019 but postponed it because of scheduling pressures. The capsule's debut outing has now been set for August when it'll be taken skyward on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Meanwhile, SpaceX's efforts have been gathering pace after it docked its Crew Dragon capsule - sans astronauts for the test trip - with the ISS in March 2019, marking the first mission to the space station of a commercially built and operated American rocket and spacecraft designed to carry humans. The capsule made a successful return to Earth a week later. But it hasn't all been plain sailing for the two companies, and there are clearly important issues that still need to be resolved. SpaceX, for example, recently revealed that the same Crew Dragon that returned from the ISS was later destroyed by an engine anomaly during a ground-based test firing of its thrusters at Cape Canaveral. In addition, a House subcommittee hearing last week revealed the failure of a SpaceX Crew Dragon parachute test that took place last month. "One of the four parachutes was set up not to open, but the other three failed to open fully, causing a test sled to hit the ground faster than intended and damaging it," Space News reported. Speaking to reporters after the hearing, NASA official Bill Gerstenmaier noted that Boeing's parachute testing program has also suffered issues along the way, though acknowledged that both companies have been making "tremendous progress for their respective parachute design and test campaigns." https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/boeing-shows-off-starliner-test-ahead-of-launch-this- summer/ Curt Lewis