JULY 1, 2019 - No. 052 In This Issue American Airlines says mechanics are causing delays. Now, a judge could force the union to pay for it Disabled aircraft on runway caused shutdown at Newark Airport, FAA says NAC receives aircraft maintenance approval from regulator. Rex slams 'cowardly' leaks as CASA probes regional airline's safety Boeing 737 Max likely grounded until the end of the year after new problem emerges Jet Airways crisis: Airline's employee consortium, AdiGroup to bid for 75% of company at NCLT Dutch university team comprising Indians wins Airbus ideas competition Bombardier's CRJ Program Bought by Mitsubishi Beijing's new plush airport nearly ready for takeoff 'No data stolen from IAF's Rafale team office in Paris' SpaceX reports milestone for Starlink satellite links - and sparks a debate American Airlines says mechanics are causing delays. Now, a judge could force the union to pay for it It's now up to a federal judge in Fort Worth to decide whether American Airlines mechanics intentionally slowed work to punish the company amid a breakdown in contract negotiations - and what he might have to do to get planes flying as usual. A trial is set for Monday in U.S. District Court in Fort Worth to settle a dispute between the world's largest airline and its mechanics unions. American says a June 14 court order to get back to normal working conditions hasn't been effective, and there have been even more maintenance-related flight delays and cancellations than before. Union officials say they've told employees to get back to work, but a stall in the four-year contract negotiation process "has dealt a severe blow to the morale and motivation of its front-line employees, which may be affecting the speed at which they do their safety-sensitive jobs," they said in a court filing. Judge John McBryde may have to decide what it takes to stop the alleged slowdown - whether it's a multimillion-dollar fine against the union or court sanctions that could weigh on negotiations for years to come. Or perhaps he could say the union isn't to blame for workers turning down overtime and off-site assignments. History doesn't bode well for the Transport Workers Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers if they lose. American sued the Allied Pilots Association in 1999 when pilots held a "sick out" during contract negotiations. Ultimately, the pilots' union was fined $45 million, a steep penalty for an organized labor group dependent on member dues. "The real threat will be that the court can order the union to pay damages, and in some cases it's been millions of dollars," said Southern Methodist University labor law professor Grant Hayden. "Then there could be a permanent injunction that could be in force until they reach a contract agreement." American filed the lawsuit in May alleging that since February, mechanics working under the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Transport Workers Union have coordinated a work slowdown to keep aircraft on the ground. The airline has pointed specifically at overnight maintenance orders and how a larger share of those jobs aren't finished by the next morning when it's time to put planes back into service. It's become a major problem for American, which says as many as 11,000 passengers a day are experiencing "substantial delays" and cancellations, court documents said. In early June, as many as 80 flights a day were being canceled because of maintenance issues, more the double the normal rate, the airline said in a filing. It comes on top of a particularly challenging period for American where travelers have been complaining about delays and cancellations, said Brett Snyder, a travel and aviation blogger with CrankyFlier.com. "Blaming this on the mechanics issues is a little complicated because American hasn't been running a great operation even before this," Snyder said. Typical fliers probably haven't connected delays to labor issues, but frequent travelers are aware, Snyder said. "If anyone is really noticing, it's the road warriors," he said. The Federal Aviation Administration sent a letter to the airline and unions on June 24 warning them not to let the contract dispute interfere with safety. "Safety is a shared responsibility of American and union members that demands a collaborative culture, irrespective of any ongoing controversy between organizations," the FAA's letter said. To settle negotiations, American said, it has offered wages to match maintenance workers at Southwest Airlines, which settled a contract in March. That five-year accord gave mechanics $160 million in retroactive pay, an immediate 20 percent raise and 3 percent annual increases each August. But a union leader said this week that before the union can talk about wages, it first needs assurances from American that it will use company employees for maintenance work and not outsource it to contractors. The union contends American's contract proposal could lead to 5,000 jobs being outsourced. Because airline workers can't strike during contract negotiations, it's been common for union employees to try other tactics to get the attention of their employer, said Michael Green, a labor lawyer and professor at Texas A&M University's School of Law in Fort Worth. That often means taking actions that hurt the airline and customers, he said. "I was on a flight recently that was delayed two hours because of a mechanical issue," he said. "It was clear the pilot was frustrated, too." American has put together a lengthy statistical argument showing there have been more delays and cancellations due to maintenance work done at a slower-than-normal rate, Hayden said. The airline also submitted pictures of union bulletin boards from March, before the lawsuit was filed, instructing members to decline working overtime, working through lunch for pay and "field trips" to work on aircraft at off-site locations. But since Judge McBryde's temporary order banning any work slowdowns, the unions say they have complied. The union has posted signs, sent emails, made announcements in union gatherings and talked to local leaders warning against more delays. American's lawyers say more needs to be done. Even with proof there are more maintenance-related delays, American still bears the burden of proving the union is behind the slowdowns, Hayden said. "Work slowdowns are notoriously hard to prove because it's just so easy to carry something like that out without it being obvious or overt," Hayden said. https://www.dallasnews.com/business/american-airlines/2019/06/30/american-airlines-says-mechanics-causing-delays-now-judge-could-force-union-pay Back to Top Disabled aircraft on runway caused shutdown at Newark Airport, FAA says Newark Liberty International Airport was shut down for about an hour Saturday morning after a plane blew two tires while making an emergency landing, according to officials. The Airport's official Twitter account said shortly before 9 a.m. that "due to an airport emergency there are currently no arrivals nor departures from Newark Airport." United Airlines' official account subsequently informed customers that the Federal Aviation Administration initiated a mandatory ground stop at the airport because of a disabled aircraft on the runway. The FAA later released a statement saying the aircraft was United Airlines flight 2098. Destined for Houston, the flight made an emergency landing at 8:46 a.m. due to a brake problem after leaving New York's LaGuardia Airport at 8:10 a.m., according to the FAA. The Airbus A319 was subsequently diverted to Newark due to aircraft maintenance, United Airlines records show. During landing, the plane blew two left tires, closing Runway 22L until 1:53 p,m. and requiring passengers to exit via emergency slides, according to the FAA statement. The passengers were taken by bus to Gate 71 at Terminal C, said Scott Ladd, a Port Authority spokesman. Ladd said there were reports of a few minor injuries and structural damage to the plane that subsequently forced the runway's closure. He added that flight activity had resumed, but the suspension of flights was expected to cause lingering delays. Passengers were told to expect continued delays after the shutdown and advised to check with their carriers before coming to the airport. The FAA website said to expect departure delays of one hour or more. A call to officials at the Port Authority was not immediately returned. Earlier this month, there were delays at the airport after a United Airlines passenger jet skidded off the runway. https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2019/06/29/newark-airport-shut-down/1605001001/ Back to Top NAC receives aircraft maintenance approval from regulator The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) provided 'Part-145' approval to Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national carrier, on Thursday. Now NAC won't have to call foreign engineers or take any aircraft to a foreign country for maintenance works. According to NAC, with this certification it now has the authority of maintenance and operation of aircraft components. "Earlier we had to call engineers from China or take the aircraft to foreign countries for maintenance purposes. But now Nepali engineers can do it in the country unless there is any serious damage to the aircraft," said Navaraj Koirala, spokesperson for NAC. He further said that now extra expenses incurred on foreign engineers will be reduced from NAC's account. "One of the most significant benefits of this approval is the financial benefit. The amount we have to pay foreign engineers will be saved and we can conduct aircraft maintenance at a very low cost," Koirala added. As per him, around Rs five million to Rs six million per maintenance visit will be saved. Moreover, skilled manpower of the country will also get a job in the country, he added. He said that maintenance activities will be started from next month. Along with 'Part-145' approval, NAC has also received base maintenance approval for MA 60 and Y12E aircraft. As the national flag carrier has its own hangar now, it can conduct base maintenance that includes work done in a hangar with special tools and equipment if any malfunctions occur. "Every year we have to spend millions of rupees to call foreign engineers for the maintenance of aircraft. But now, we can utilise our own engineers at a low cost," Koirala said adding, "It will save time as well." At a time when NAC's financials are not so good, this approval will help the corporation to save funds to some extent. https://thehimalayantimes.com/business/nepal-airlines-corporation-receives-aircraft-maintenance-approval-from-regulator/ Back to Top Rex slams 'cowardly' leaks as CASA probes regional airline's safety A regional airline has labelled accusations over its safety protocols as a "cowardly" and "malicious" attack from a leak the company believes came from within the national aviation watchdog. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) confirmed it is investigating allegations about Regional Express (Rex) airlines. The claims include that management had been stopping crews - allegedly through intimidation - from reporting safety defects. In one case highlighted in a CASA report, a Rex engineer was allegedly disciplined for finding corrosion on a propeller shaft during a routine check. Corrosion was believed to be a contributing factor behind a 100-kilogram propeller falling off an aircraft mid-flight between Albury and Sydney in 2017. But a subsequent investigation identified a fatigue crack as the cause. The report included complaints from a Rex engineer and the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association. "The apparent discouragement of reporting of maintenance defects has created a circumstance where an ¬unknown number of serious defects may have not been ¬reported, and aircraft have -operated with a serious and imminent risk to air safety," it said. Rex claimed the report, details of which appeared in The Daily Telegraph on Sunday, had been leaked by a CASA employee. Engineers are calling for the entire fleet to be grounded, the paper reported. But Rex has come out swinging against the claims, saying they were "wild accusations" from a "disgruntled" employee - whom it then outed in a press release before issuing a second statement with the engineer's name redacted. Rex's chief operating officer Neville Howell said: "Realising that these baseless accusations are not getting any traction, some are now taking the despicable and cowardly approach of launching anonymous malicious attacks on Rex in the press. "Rex had already invited senior management of CASA on 18 June 2019 to have a full briefing on the matter, as well as to discuss the professional failings of the disgruntled engineer." CASA has said it was investigating the claims but had no idea of how long it would take. "We have information from the union and Rex," a CASA spokesman told The New Daily. "We are now working through that carefully and thoroughly. There is no time frame at this stage. We will take appropriate action if required." Regional leaders are now calling for urgent safety checks, adding that grounding the fleet would isolate their communities. "They [CASA] should be interested in these sorts of complaints and they should investigate them," said Jim Simmons, Mayor of Clarence Valley Council, in northern NSW. "The Grafton airport, we depend on Rex because they conduct daily services. They're a very important service." Mayor of Parkes Ken Keith said the airline provided an "essential" service to his community. "I fly it regularly and I want to make sure the plane is well and truly looked after," he said. "To ground the fleet would be a major imposition on the Parkes community. "It would be a very drastic step ... it wouldn't be a good thing unless it was well founded." https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2019/06/30/rex-safety-concerns/ Back to Top Boeing 737 Max likely grounded until the end of the year after new problem emerges Boeing's 737 Max could stay on the ground until late this year after a new problem emerged with the plane's in-flight control chip. This latest holdup in the plane's troubled recertification process has to do with a chip failure that can cause uncommanded movement of a panel on the aircraft's tail, pointing the plane's nose downward, a Boeing official said. Subsequent emergency tests to fix the issue showed it took pilots longer than expected to solve the problem, according to The Wall Street Journal. This marks a new problem with the plane unrelated to the issues Boeing is already facing with the plane's MCAS automated flight control system, an issue the company maintains can be remedied by a software fix. Boeing hopes to submit all of its fixes to the Federal Aviation Administration this fall, the Boeing official said. "We're expecting a September time frame for a full software package to fix both MCAS and this new issue," the official said. "We believe additional items will be remedied by a software fix." Once that software package is submitted, it will likely take at least another two months before the planes are flying again. The FAA will need time to recertify the planes. Boeing will need to reach agreement with airlines and pilots unions on how much extra training pilots will need. And the airlines will need some time to complete necessary maintenance checks. FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford declined to comment on a specific timeline for the plane's recertification, saying, "We have steadfastly stayed away from offering any timelines." The global Max fleet was grounded in mid-March following two fatal crashes, in which a malfunction of MCAS was implicated. The crashes killed 346 people combined. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/28/boeing-737-max-likely-grounded-until-the-end-of-the-year.html Back to Top Jet Airways crisis: Airline's employee consortium, AdiGroup to bid for 75% of company at NCLT The Jet Airways Employee Consortium and AdiGroup have joined hands to bid for the acquisition of 75 per cent of the grounded airline through the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) process. In a statement, the partnership said that through the Employee Initiative programme "every single employee of Jet Airways will become an owner of the airline". Captain Ashwani Tyagi, Commander Boeing 777 and General Secretary of the Society for Welfare of Indian Pilots said at a press conference: "Jet Airways has been family to me. My colleagues across rank and file of the Airline have worked closely with me through the years to provide incredible joy and satisfaction to millions of passengers who flew with us every day. We are delighted that AdiGroup stepped up to partner with us in this challenging yet exciting journey to revive Jet Airways." The Mumbai bench of NCLT had admitted the insolvency petition of the SBI-led consortium of banks to sell the airline. Ashish Mohanty, President of Jet Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Welfare Association who has been an employee of the airline for 24 years said that they are committed to co-invest with AdiGroup and will be flexible with their work environment and salaries so that no stone is left unturned to revive the grounded airline. The Chairman of AdiGroup, Sanjay Vishwanathan thanked the employees of Jet Airways and said that it was only natural for them to have partnered with the airline's employees and management. A part of the London-based AdiGroup, AdiGro Aviation had earlier offered to invest Rs 2,500 crore for 24.9 per cent in Jet. The partners said in a statement that they hoped the NCLT will work swiftly and fairly to enable the partnership and restart the airline. https://www.businesstoday.in/sectors/aviation/jet-airways-crisis-airline-employee-consortium-adigroup-bid-75-per-cent-company-nclt/story/359733.html Back to Top Dutch university team comprising Indians wins Airbus ideas competition A Dutch university team of four students, including two Indians, won this year's prestigious 'Airbus Fly Your Ideas' competition for their prototype on the application of wireless systems in aircraft instead of traditional wired systems. The team 'Zero Heroes' from the Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands was among seven finalists selected after several rounds of the competition, which saw participation of more than 270 teams comprising more than 2,200 students from 72 countries. "It was not easy. We had to cross different stages over the last 7-8 months. We worked hard to get at the top and we're very happy now," said Sujay Narayana, who along with Ashwij Narayanyan, Niels Hokke and Nikas (Dutch and German) won the 25,000 euro prize at the grand finale here Thursday evening. The group presented their prototype demonstrating application of wireless systems in commercial aircraft instead of traditional wired systems. Narayana, 31, who hails from Karnataka, argued that this idea solves the main limitation for IoT (Internet of Things) in aircraft by removing battery integration - a current challenge for safety and regulation. Furthermore, it reduces fuel consumption and weight while simplifying aircraft retrofit and maintenance needs, added Narayana, who is pursuing his PhD in computer science at the Delft University. When asked if he plans to return to India after completing his studies, he told PTI, "Yes, that's always the plan." "We are already working on some projects in India," he said, without disclosing the details. His teammate Narayanyan, 24, who also hails from Karnataka, said that they now plan to implement the idea in the real aircraft. R Venkatesha Prasad, the group's academic mentor, said India is full of talent and we need to utilize them for the country's progress. He also advocated a change in the traditional education system in India, saying learning should not be to score high marks and get jobs. "We need to change this concept," said Prasad, who also hails from Karnataka. The runner up team AirFish - comprising three Indonesian and one Japanese student - from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom presented the prototype of Airbus integrated Fisheries Information services, arguing that it can help governments combat illegal fishing, reduce, bycatch of endangered species, and decrease damages to the marine habitat. Seven teams qualified for the grand finale of the competition, which invited students from around the world to innovate in key areas for the industry: Electrification, Data Services, Cyber Security, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Mixed Reality. The finalist teams- representing 11 countries (India, Argentina, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Moldavia, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom) and eight different universities - were selected after a three-month development phase working with support from Airbus mentors. Aircraft manufacturer Airbus launched fly your ideas in 2008 with the aim of engaging with universities and students worldwide and from all backgrounds. The competition has run in partnership with the United Nations educational scientific and cultural organisation UNESCO since 2012. Since the competition was launched, over 22,000 students from over 700 universities and 100 countries worldwide participated in it. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/dutch-university-team-comprising-indians-wins-airbus-ideas-competition/articleshow/69989158.cms Back to Top Bombardier's CRJ Program Bought by Mitsubishi Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) will purchase the CRJ Program, Bombardier's regional jet series, for US$550 million. This deal, announced on the 25th June, will cover the complete settlement with maintenance, support, refurbishment, sales activities, the support network and type certificates all being sold to MHI. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the majority owner of Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation will take on the liabilities of the program, up to $200 million. The company has stated that the CRJ will not only be complimentary to the SpaceJet, but also provide the future success of it. The CRJ program would "further enhance critical customer support functions, a strategic business area for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in the pursuit of future growth". "As we outlined during the recent Paris Air Show, we are working hard to ensure that we provide new profit potential for airlines and set a new standard for passenger experience," Mitsubishi Heavy Industries chief executive Seiji Izumisawa said. Once this deal is finalised, it will mark the end of an era for the Canadian transport company. No longer will they be selling commercial aircraft through their aviation arm, but rather, continuing with business aircraft, such as the Challenger, Global and Learjet families. Its aviation business has been restructured in recent years, with the former C- Series having a majority stake sold to Airbus, and the Q-Series program sold to Longview Aviation Capital. "We are confident that MHI's acquisition of the program is the best solution for airline customers, employees and shareholders. We are committed to ensuring a smooth and orderly transition," Bombardier's chief executive Alain Bellemar said in a statement. Bombardier holds at the present time 89 CRJ aircraft on backlog. These talks were reported to be held in early June regarding the CRJ program's future. https://aeronauticsonline.com/bombardiers-crj-program-bought-by-mitsubishi/ Back to Top Beijing's new plush airport nearly ready for takeoff The main construction work at the Beijing Daxing International Airport, the second major airport in Beijing, ended on Sunday after five years of hectic construction, and now getting the facility ready for its scheduled opening at the end of September is next. The just-finished sections include the main part of the airport, base projects of airlines, and high-speed railways. "The new mega airport will greatly ease the pressure on air passenger traffic in Beijing," Wu Minghua, a veteran industry expert, told the Global Times on Sunday, adding that it is also expected to strengthen air cargo transport capacity and boost the economic vitality of the sprawling Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei new economic area. The next phase is to conduct six comprehensive dry runs to resolve any problems that emerge, according to a statement that the press office of the airport sent to the Global Times on Sunday. The airport, which aims to be the largest air traffic hub in Asia, has introduced a range of advanced technology. To better serve travelers, security checkpoints will use facial recognition technology and passengers will receive paperless boarding passes through self-service units. A 5G network will also cover the airport. More than 60 Chinese and overseas carriers - including China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and China United Airlines - plan to operate from the airport, according to a note the airport sent to the Global Times. China United Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, became the first to move into the new airport from its old headquarters at Beijing Nanyuan Airport, China Eastern said on Friday. China Eastern told the Global Times that it will transfer 80 percent of the flights now serving Beijing Capital International Airport to Beijing Daxing International Airport before the summer flying season of 2020, except for 46 daily flights between Beijing and Shanghai. By then, China Eastern will fly more than 334 flights per day out of the new airport, serving a network of 150 routes and 115 domestic and foreign destinations. China Southern Airlines, the largest carrier by fleet size in China, said on Saturday that it completed the maintenance facility at the new airport. The carrier, which is expected to handle 40 percent of the passengers at the Daxing facility, has built Asia's largest hangars, operational control center and aviation food production base. From October this year, Air China will also have more routes flying from Daxing to cities including Chongqing, Shanghai and Kunming in Southwest China's Yunnan Province. Finnair said on Wednesday that it will add capacity to Beijing with three weekly flights from the Daxing airport, the first overseas carrier to have such routes from both airports in Beijing. The new airport terminal is the world's largest single terminal building with a construction space of approximately 1.4 million square meters. With an investment of 80 billion yuan ($11.6 billion), the new airport is expected to handle 45 million passengers annually by 2021 and 72 million by 2025. http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1156262.shtml Back to Top 'No data stolen from IAF's Rafale team office in Paris' New Delhi (India), Jun 28 (ANI) No data has been stolen from the computers of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale project team office in Paris where there was a break in last month, a cyber forensic team has found during its probe. "The cyber forensic these of the Air Force consisting three members has found that no data was stolen from the Indian Rafale project management team during the break-in by unidentified personnel there," Defence sources told ANI here. The three-member team had left for Paris soon after the reports about a break-in on a weekend were received by the IAF, they said. The team was sent to France to probe if any documents were stolen or copied during the break-in into its Rafale Project management team office. Unidentified persons broke into the Indian Rafale Project management team office in France in May in what was suspected to be a possible espionage attempt to steal data related to the aircraft critical to India's national security plans. The Defence Ministry has also been informed that there was no data theft from the IAF office during the break in. The Rafale project team is headed by a Group Captain-rank officer who looks after issues related to the 36 Rafale combat aircraft, including the production timelines and training of Indian personnel who have to be trained for maintenance and flying operations of the plane, which India is acquiring. The Rafale team sits in a building complex in Saint Cloud suburb of Paris and the police are investigating the case. Sources said the main aim of the break-in could have been to steal data as valuables or money are not kept in these administrative offices. The Indian Rafale team office is situated in the vicinity of French Dassault Aviation office blocks. https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/no-data-stolen-from-iaf-s-rafale-team-office-in-paris-119062801132_1.html Back to Top SpaceX reports milestone for Starlink satellite links - and sparks a debate In the wake of last month's launch of 60 Starlink broadband data satellites, SpaceX says all but three of them are in communication with the company's network of ground stations, including the satellite operation's home base in Redmond, Wash. In an emailed update, SpaceX said Starlink is ready to go into a testing phase that involves streaming videos and playing video games via satellite. Forty-five of the satellites have used their onboard krypton ion thrusters to reach their intended 550-kilometer (342-mile) altitude. Five satellites are in the process of raising their altitude from the 440-kilometer-high (273-mile-high) orbits into which they were launched, and five more are undergoing checkouts in preparation for raising their orbits, SpaceX said. Two of the satellites are in communication but will be "intentionally deorbited to simulate an end-of-life disposal," SpaceX said in today's update. The remaining three Starlink satellites were initially in contact but are no longer in service, SpaceX said. They'll eventually fall out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere. "Now that the majority of the satellites have reached their operational altitude, SpaceX will begin using the constellation to start transmitting broadband signals, testing the latency and capacity by streaming videos and playing some high-bandwidth video games using gateways throughout North America," SpaceX said. Those gateways include an installation in Redmond, where SpaceX's satellite development team is based. According to filings with the Federal Communications Commission, the other gateways are in Hawthorne, Calif., where SpaceX is headquartered; North Bend, Wash.; Conrad, Mont.; Merrillan, Wis.; and Greenville, Pa. There's also a telemetry and tracking station in Brewster, Wash. SpaceX said "Starlink is now the first NGSO [non-geosynchronous satellite orbit] system to operate in the Ku-band and communicate with U.S. ground stations, demonstrating the system's potential to provide fast, reliable internet to populations around the world." That statement isn't intended merely as a marketing boast: In documents filed earlier this month with the Federal Communications Commission, SpaceX says its "first to operate" status with the FCC means it can "select its frequencies first" if there's a conflict with other satellite telecommunication networks in low Earth orbit. SpaceX's claim on that score has set off a flurry of regulatory filings from its rivals in the market for satellite broadband services, including the international OneWeb consortium and Canada's biggest satellite operator, Telesat. OneWeb, for example, launched the first six Ku-band satellites for its broadband satellite constellation back in February. Kepler Communications, a Canadian venture that's focusing on satellite services for the Internet of Things, has launched two Ku-band satellites so far - including one that went up on an Indian rocket last October. In one of this month's filings, OneWeb charged that SpaceX was being "irresponsible" by going ahead with a Ku-band system under conditions that would interfere with OneWeb's previously launched satellites. But SpaceX shrugged off OneWeb's objections, as well as Kepler's. It said neither OneWeb nor Kepler qualified for the FCC's first-choice status because their ground stations weren't in the U.S. Telesat, meanwhile, told the FCC that SpaceX seemed to be misreading the rules about getting its first choice for operating frequencies. This week, a lawyer for SpaceX filed a reply, basically seeking to find out what Telesat meant. On Thursday, Telesat's lawyers basically said, "Stay tuned." The exchange of FCC filings illustrates how tangled the regulatory environment for satellite internet broadband services can get. And things could get even more tangled if additional players including Amazon and Boeing join the fray. Here's the full text of today's statement from SpaceX: "Just a little over a month after a successful Falcon 9 launch, Starlink is now the first NGSO system to operate in the Ku-band and communicate with U.S. ground stations, demonstrating the system's potential to provide fast, reliable internet to populations around the world. "57 Starlink satellites are communicating with SpaceX's Earth stations using their broadband phased array antennas. 45 Starlink satellites have reached their operational altitude using their onboard propulsion systems, five additional satellites continue their orbit raise, as five others are going through checkouts prior to completing their orbit raise. Two satellites are being intentionally deorbited to simulate an end of life disposal. Three satellites which initially communicated with the ground but are no longer in service, will passively deorbit. Due to their design and low orbital position, all five deorbiting satellites will disintegrate once they enter Earth's atmosphere in support of SpaceX's commitment to a clean space environment. "SpaceX implemented slight variations across the 60 satellites in order to maximize operational capability across the fleet. While we are pleased with the performance of the satellites so far, SpaceX will continue to push the operational capabilities of the satellites to inform future iterations. And, now that the majority of the satellites have reached their operational altitude, SpaceX will begin using the constellation to start transmitting broadband signals, testing the latency and capacity by streaming videos and playing some high bandwidth video games using gateways throughout North America." https://www.geekwire.com/2019/spacex-reports-milestone-starlink-satellite-links-sparks-debate/ Curt Lewis