October 17, 2019 - No. 081 In This Issue Report: China's New Comac C919 Jetliner Is Built With Stolen Technology. Airlines slam proposals to ban air mile programs and tax frequent flyers Solving aviation's biggest challenges Experience Bombardier's l'Opéra-the Most Advanced Audio System in Business Aviation Spire Announces AirSafe: The first ADS-B product from Spire Aviation Airports Rise to Technology Challenge Posed by Drone Threats VALCORA Bolsters Fuel Emission Offsetting in Collaboration with Shell Aviation York College To Launch Aviation-Focused STEM Program For Kids AVIDYNE SETS ITS SIGHTS ON BUSINESS AVIATION WITH ATLAS FMS Ansys adds partners to work toward electric planes SpaceX sees U.S. Army as possible customer for Starlink and Starship Report: China's New Comac C919 Jetliner Is Built With Stolen Technology The C919 is a relatively new narrow-body jet built by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, or COMAC for short. It's also apparently the beneficiary (and to some degree, the result) of massive hacking operations undertaken by the Chinese government and a government-affiliated hacking group, dubbed Turbine Panda. A major report by the infosec security company Crowdstrike lays out the details, and it doesn't mince words. The opening paragraph of the report states: Short of kicking down the door just as a cyber actor pushes enter, it is frustratingly hard to prove who is responsible for cyber attacks with 100% certainty. However, a series of recent U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) indictments released over the course of two years, combined with CrowdStrike Intelligence's own research, has allowed for startling visibility into a facet of China's shadowy intelligence apparatus. The document describes a sustained effort by China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) to create a network of cyber actors, MSS employees, and company insiders to steal key pieces of technology from the companies China hired to collaborate on the design of the C919. These operations, CrowdStrike says, can ultimately be traced to the MSS Jiansu Bureau. That's the same group thought to be responsible for breaching the Office of Personal Management (OPM) back in 2015. Designing the C919 It was already obvious a decade ago that China would one day be a huge market for air travel. The country knew that rising per-capita GDP would spark domestic interest in flying and it set out to build a low-cost narrowbody jet that would meet its own needs more effectively than a competing solution from Boeing or Airbus. The C919, while described as being years behind the latest jets from the Boeing / Airbus duopoly, also has a much lower flyaway cost. To meet its own plan for a jet, China allied with a variety of foreign companies to produce various components. In 2009, Comac announced it had chosen CFM International (a joint operation between GE Aviation and French aerospace firm Safran) to produce a variant of the LEAP-X engine, the LEAP-1C, for the C919. At the same time, Comac and another state-owned Chinese business, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic) were apparently tasked with designing a native Chinese design for the C919. In August 2016, Comac and Avic launched the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), which produces an engine called the CJ-1000AX. The CJ-1000AX has long been suspected of being a copy of the LEAP-1C. The two engines share a great many suspicious similarities, including their dimensions and turbofan blade sizes. The first activity CrowdStrike observed in preparation for this theft came when Turbine Panda targeted the Los Angeles company Capstone Turbine in 2010, just a month after CFM was chosen as the engine provider. Crowdstrike writes: Though it is difficult to assess that the CJ-1000AX is a exact copy of the LEAP-X without direct access to technical engineering specifications, it is highly likely that its makers benefited significantly from the cyber espionage efforts of the MSS, which will be detailed further in subsequent blog installments, knocking several years (and potentially billions of dollars) off its development time. We know so much about this specific situation because of indictments the Department of Justice has issued against various individuals, including "Sakula developer YU Pingan, JSSD Intelligence Officer XU Yanjun, GE Employee and insider ZHENG Xiaoqing, U.S. Army Reservist and assessor JI Chaoqun, and 10 JSSD-affiliated cyber operators in the ZHANG et. al. indictment." The details revealed in these indictments have corroborated CrowdStrike's own investigation. Much of the rest of the report is a deep dive into the relationships between various individuals and the espionage they carried out. Honeywell and Safran were both targeted as well. Xu Yanjun recruited Zheng Xiaoqing as an insider informant and coached him on which technology to steal from GE. Ji Chaoqun entered the US on F-1 student visa to study electrical engineering in Chicago but agreed to work for Xu. He was, according to the report: ...eventually recruited to provide assessments on other high-value individuals in the aerospace industry for potential recruitment by the MSS. JI's position in the U.S. Army Reserve program known as Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) provided a perfect cover for JI's assessment activities, as the program focuses on potential recruitment of foreign citizens with skills pertinent to national interest and legally residing in the U.S. Had it been successful, JI would have been handing XU other foreign-born recruitment candidates as they were about to enter U.S. military service on potentially sensitive projects. The final section of the report is a discussion on what happened after these arrests and indictments were handed out. Despite the public nature of these indictments and events, China continues to mount attacks against US assets. The next-to-last paragraph of the report notes: A major facet of the current Sino-U.S. trade war is forced technology transfer, which Beijing has used to great effect by siphoning intellectual property from foreign firms in exchange for providing joint ventures (JVs) and granting access to China's lucrative market, only to be forced out later by domestic rivals as they grow competitive with state subsidies and support. Under current laws, the C919's foreign suppliers (many of whom were targets of TURBINE PANDA operations) are required to physically assemble components in China through a JV with COMAC. The original idea behind opening trade with China was that US and Chinese customers would both benefit. This has been true in many ways, but there's a profound difference between manufacturing low-cost consumer goods and building high-performance aircraft parts with huge R&D costs. Such components are the end product of decades of research and manufacturing expertise. Far from competing on a level playing field, China appears to be focused on stealing the information it needs to close the gap with US companies, then limiting their access to its own market once it's finished taking what it wants. https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/300313-report-chinas-new-comac-c919-jetliner-is-built-with-stolen-technology Back to Top Airlines slam proposals to ban air mile programs and tax frequent flyers Airlines operating in the U.K. have dismissed a report that called for air miles programs to be banned and additional taxes applied to frequent flyers. In a report published Thursday by Imperial College London for the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), academics proposed several measures that governments should implement to reduce the impact aviation was having on the environment. The CCC is an independent body that advises the U.K. government on how to build a low carbon economy. "Flying is a uniquely high-impact activity and is the quickest and cheapest way for a consumer to increase their carbon footprint," the report's authors said before adding, "Low-carbon aviation technology is expected to remain technically unfeasible and so it is vital to restrain rising demand." Among recommendations was a call for the U.K. government to "introduce a ban on air miles and frequent flyer loyalty schemes that incentivise excessive flying." The report also urged lawmakers to introduce a levy targeting frequent flyers, noting that an estimated 15% of the British population took 70% of the country's flights. The level of tax would correspond to air miles traveled over a three-year period, as opposed to the number of flights taken. According to the report, the proposed frequent flyer levy would discourage leisure travelers from booking "much more damaging long-haul flights." Travel for work would not count towards the frequent flyer tax, researchers said. Industry backlash Speaking to CNBC on the phone on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the U.K.'s Board of Airline Representatives - an industry body representing most of the airlines operating in Britain - said there was "not really any rationale" for the report's recommendations to be implemented. "This is a drop in the ocean as to what can be done by the government," they said. Meanwhile, in an emailed statement, a spokesperson for trade body Airlines U.K., whose members include British Airways, Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic, said the proposals would cause economic and reputational harm. "U.K. aviation has a robust plan to cut aviation carbon emissions and get to net zero by 2050 without the need to price people out of air travel or put the U.K. at a competitive disadvantage," they told CNBC on Tuesday. "We should be focusing on the huge potential for the U.K. to become a world leader in new innovation and the many exciting developments around aircraft and engine technology, sustainable aviation fuels and the new emerging carbon markets. Working with government we can achieve this together without resorting to the kind of unilateral, demand side measures that will damage the U.K.'s reputation internationally and potentially lead to carbon leakage." The CCC report claimed that the proposed tax would not impact ticket prices for most flyers. "An Air Miles Levy which escalates with the air miles travelled by an individual within a three year accounting period could provide strong price signals to curb some demand by less price-sensitive frequent flyers, encourage shifting from long-haul to short-haul destinations and fund research into low-carbon aviation technology, while sparing the large majority of travellers any extra cost," it said. The authors also suggested that the levy should take into account the higher emissions attached to business and first class tickets, alleging that more spacious cabins and unfilled seats meant emissions for first class tickets can have seven times the emissions of an economy ticket. Advertising overhaul An overhaul of the way vacations and flights were marketed was also recommended, with the report's authors backing the introduction of regulations similar to those used for tobacco and gambling ads. "More responsible flying could be encouraged by new regulations for the marketing and promotion of flights and holiday destinations, requiring that carbon footprints of flights are stated in the advertising material," they said. According to research from the World Economic Forum (WEF), airlines would be one of the world's top 10 greenhouse gas emitters if the industry was a country, with aviation responsible for around 2% of global CO2 emissions. Many airlines, including Air New Zealand, United Airlines and Air Canada, offer flyers the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions generated by their flights. Others, such as the Netherlands' KLM, actively encourage travellers to consider alternatives to flying. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/15/airlines-slam-proposal-to-ban-air-mile-shcemes-and-tax-frequent-flyers.html Back to Top Solving aviation's biggest challenges Aviation companies today have a good problem on their hands: Year after year, more people want to fly. And the industry is eager to satisfy this demand with more advanced planes and new options that deliver comfort, convenience and safety. But the complexity of these aircraft presents a significant hurdle-making more sophisticated planes with limited resources, time and costs. Technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation are transforming almost every aspect of the industry, offering many new solutions. However, introducing new technology into an elaborate manufacturing process is inherently disruptive, leading to new types of challenges. In my nearly four decades at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, spent mostly in aviation, I've learned that there is no single solution. But there is a highly effective approach that can unlock countless opportunities. It's kaizen, the Japanese business philosophy of making continuous improvement. In an age of rapidly changing technology, companies in every industry must be more agile and creative. They must innovate-not every now and then, but constantly. Being open to new ideas is the essence of kaizen, which is why I believe it's so well suited to solve aviation's challenges. Small improvements for big change I have witnessed the power of kaizen first-hand throughout my career. Developing a work culture based on continuous improvement helped me build and run a new $1 billion facility in Nagoya, Japan, manufacturing 787 aircraft wings. This powerful Japanese philosophy traveled with me to my next assignment at MHI's power plant factory in India. Kaizen principles helped reduce operational costs and production lead times within three years. And it proved invaluable when my career took me to Europe, working at MHI Vestas Offshore Wind's turbine blade factories in the United Kingdom and Denmark. Here, the team achieved target cost and production capacity within a year and a half of kaizen being implemented. Kaizen teaches us that by continually looking for improvements in techniques and processes-no matter how small-we can reap big rewards. And adopting it will be critical for success in today's aviation industry. Soaring demand for air travel-particularly at the regional level-is combining with heightened customer expectations around both pricing and environmental performance to challenge the industry to build the most efficient aircraft we have ever seen, and to do so rapidly and at low cost. In the U.S. alone, regional air travel is set to rise to 1.3 billion passengers a year by 2037, from 819 million in 2017. Along with this expected increase in passengers comes a growing awareness of the need for cleaner, more fuel-efficient aircraft. Manufacturers and suppliers need to be flexible, transparent and able to respond quickly to these changes in the market. But they cannot do this by ramping up operations alone-the aviation industry supply chain, including materials, parts, and assembly providers, is already at full capacity. Instead, everyone working in manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) should consider adopting kaizen to help identify improvements to existing processes and how best to use new technologies. The age of automation The good news for the aviation industry is that there is an abundance of technologies that can help improve different parts of the manufacturing and MRO processes. Data analytics can improve supply chain efficiency, helping to predict when issues will arise or if new parts are needed. Robots can increase the efficiency of routine inspections and engineering work. And the latest 3D printers can produce lightweight components more quickly and cheaply than ever before. All of these developments are in some way supported by AI throughout almost every aspect of the aviation business. However, the more we use these advanced tools, the more of a challenge there is to continuously make the most out of them. Changing mindsets and getting results Implementing a culture of constant improvement isn't easy. It changes the way people work and, naturally, some resist. But adopting kaizen in one area, on one team, creates a manageable change. Once you have demonstrated the impact-a higher production rate using the same resources-the staff can visualize the success for themselves. The signs of a kaizen culture in a manufacturing plant are clear, whatever the industry. For example, manufacturing lines can run with low levels of inventory because each stage of the production process is running smoothly and free from bottlenecks. Ultimately, the change is two-fold-it's not simply about a new technique or process. It's also about a new mindset. That's what the industry needs right now. I recognize this need because the challenges facing the aviation industry are ones that MHI Group tackles daily. We are involved in many aspects of regional air travel, from airport air conditioning and rail lines to the jets themselves, through projects like SpaceJet, our new regional aircraft. At "The Washington Post Live Taking Flight" event on Oct. 7, sponsored by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, the speakers explored some of the most important advances in technology, efficiency and design-and how these are reshaping the future of aviation. While we can't predict the future, staying abreast of the latest technological advances will help companies continually reassess the efficiency of their operations. This, in turn, nurtures the principles of innovation and continuous improvements that we at MHI Group know to be so essential. https://www.washingtonpost.com/brand-studio/wp/2019/10/15/solving-aviations-biggest-challenges/ Back to Top Experience Bombardier's l'Opéra-the Most Advanced Audio System in Business Aviation-on the Global 7500 Jet Showcased Exclusively at NBAA-BACE MONTREAL, Oct. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier's l'Opéra, the most advanced and high fidelity audio system in business aviation, was unveiled today, featuring full-range speakers, the latest in digital signal processing and seat-centric sound technology, developed for the Global 7500 business jet. "We're pleased to demonstrate yet another innovative feature, like Bombardier's l'Opéra on the Global 7500 aircraft," said Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. "The Global 7500 jet is redefining the in-flight passenger experience. To that end, we worked with our partners to develop the most advanced audio system in the industry providing an immersive audio experience designed to rival that of advanced home audio systems for the ultimate in listening pleasure." Bombardier's l'Opéra features optimally positioned full-range speakers that deliver exceptionally balanced sound with an available 1,275 watts of power. A combination of high and mid-range drivers, designed to optimize frequency range and eliminate distortion, are customized by floorplan and positioned to achieve the most balanced sound in any cabin layout offered on the Global 7500 jet. The system offers the latest in digital signal processing with Class D amplifiers that deliver exceptional signal integrity through a fibre optic backbone and high quality digital to analog conversion, for warm, rich and vivid sound. Coupled with seat-centric sound technology and the latest Dolby Digital surround sound, Bombardier's l'Opéra creates an immersive audio field optimally positioned at ear level throughout the cabin that can be further personalized through an adjustable sweet spot feature. A deep bass integrated subwoofer located within the bulkhead wall of the Master Suite and Club Suite or under the Nuage divan, offers an amazing in-fight cinematic experience as well as the perfect viewing and listening angle anywhere in the Entertainment Suite. Beyond being recognized as Business Jet of the Year in Robb Report's Best of the Best 2019 and Grand Laureate winner of the 62nd Annual Laureate Awards in the Business Aviation category, the Global 7500 jet offers Bombardier a spaciousness that is unique among business jets. In addition to Bombardier's l'Opéra, the aircraft offers the most innovative features such as the recently unveiled Soleil lighting system, the industry's most advanced cabin lighting technology. Designed and developed exclusively for the Global 7500 aircraft, the innovative Soleil lighting system is aviation's first circadian rhythm-based cabin lighting technology, and it introduces the revolutionary Dynamic Daylight Simulation feature, which can help combat jet lag. The Global 7500 business jet also offers the patented Nuage seat, meticulously designed for maximum comfort, which introduces an all-new, ergonomically-perfected deep recline position - unavailable on any other competitor business jet. Bombardier's l'Opéra is a standard feature on the Global 7500 aircraft. With unmatched speed, range and the smoothest ride, the Global 7500 business jet continues to blaze a trail in this new market segment, setting the bar for excellence in the world of business aviation. About Bombardier With over 68,000 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. The company is recognized on the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/10/16/1930571/0/en/Experience-Bombardier-s-l-Op%C3%A9ra-the-Most-Advanced-Audio-System-in-Business-Aviation-on-the-Global-7500-Jet-Showcased-Exclusively-at-NBAA-BACE.html Back to Top Spire Announces AirSafe: The first ADS-B product from Spire Aviation SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spire Global, the world's largest privately-owned earth observation constellation of satellites for advanced weather data, maritime analytics, and aircraft tracking, today announced the company's first product from Spire Aviation with the launch of their new AirSafe API. Spire Aviation's AirSafe product uses Low Earth Orbit ADS-B technology combined with leading ground-based collection to provide detail on global aircraft position reports for the world's aircraft fleet operations. With over 70 million position reports every day and growing, AirSafe is positioned to provide the best in class data over land and the world's oceans. The AirSafe product solves the industry's need for flight tracking data covering both land and oceans at a competitive cost, illuminating trends in aircraft operations. Enabling, for example, a fixed-based operator analyzing historical data to safely increase productivity by better positioning resources in the future and then using real-time data to create a proactive alerting system for diversion or air turnbacks. Spire Aviation is building towards full surveillance of all remote areas of the globe and continues to grow its satellite constellation. Spire's aggressive roadmap includes launch campaigns to ultimately provide equatorial ICAO 4D/15 compliant method of aircraft tracking (+/- 15 degrees latitude) and global coverage enabled by inter-satellite links in the future. These satellite launches will produce the world's most advanced nanosatellite constellation for aviation ADS-B and aviation weather forecasting. Spire AirSafe also offers Spire's proprietary weather forecasting products, enabling customers to benefit from fused aircraft location positional data and global winds aloft (Every 1,000 feet MSL) and clear air turbulence forecast. Learn more about the benefits of working with Global ADS-B data and Spire's Aviation Weather Forecast during an upcoming webinar. Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2241720992658226444 About Spire Aviation Launched in 2018, Spire Aviation is on a mission to become the global leader in capturing, mining, refining, and analyzing ADS-B-related data and information for the Aviation industry. To learn more, visit: aviation.spire.com About Spire Global Inc. Spire Global Inc. is a space-to-cloud analytics company that utilizes proprietary satellite data and algorithms to provide the most advanced maritime, aviation, and weather tracking in the world. Spire's data analytics is backed by a wholly owned and developed constellation of nanosatellites, global ground station network, and 24/7 operations that provide real-time global coverage of every point on Earth. To learn more, visit: www.spire.com https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spire-announces-airsafe-first-ads-130000581.html Back to Top Airports Rise to Technology Challenge Posed by Drone Threats Airports worldwide still face complex and costly challenges in protecting their operations from the threat of disruption from drone flights, and there remains no "silver bullet" solution to the problems, according to experts addressing the Drone Disruption Summit held in London on October 15. Delegates heard how major international gateways like London Gatwick and Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly have made multimillion-dollar investments over the last 12 months that have required intense follow-on work to ensure effective integration of detection and protection systems with overall airport operations. In its immediate response to the damaging four-day closure of London Gatwick from December 19 to 22, 2018, the privately owned airport spent at least $5 million rapidly deploying hardware. The equipment includes the DJI AeroScope G16 radio frequency detection system, a Metis Skyperion passive RF signal spectrum analyzer, the Chess Dynamics AUDS multi-layered system combining radar, electro-optical camera, thermal imaging, and signal jamming, as well as the Skywall net-projector kinetic-attack system to block drone incursions. What Happens When a Drone Hits an Airplane Wing? - AINtv According to Damien Trower, London Gatwick Airport's head of security, one of the main lessons learned centered on the need to consider how the new protection technology will safely and effectively integrate with existing airport systems. His team initially purchased a system that conflicted with part of Gatwick's ground control radar network. He also advised airport managers to develop strong working relationships with key agencies such as air traffic management providers, the police, and the military. He also warned against "snake oil salesmen" offering still-unproven protection technology. The Gatwick situation proved to be a wakeup call for international airports worldwide when it became clear that protest groups were deliberately flying drones in an effort to seriously disrupt operations. Trower said that, at the time, UK government agencies had not advocated investments in new technology on the grounds that experts considered no system mature enough. In his view, the thinking has now changed; while no system alone can give the high level of protection that an airport might desire, if authorities deploy a combination of technologies intelligently, they can provide effective protection. He also counseled that leasing technology, rather than buying it, can ensure that combinations of hardware do not become redundant. "This is an arms race that will never end, and we will have to test and review our assumptions over and over," he told the Drone Disruption Summit, organized by Kisaco Research. After seeing how effectively Royal Air Force air defense specialists provided support during the incident-even though they were using outdated equipment-Gatwick has begun actively recruiting former military specialists to strengthen the human element in its drone defenses. "Everything changed after the Gatwick incident because this means someone had decided to stop the airport [from operating]," said Charles Telitsine, project director with France's Aéroports de Paris (ADP) group. The case prompted ADP, which runs France's main gateways as well as multiple airports worldwide, to conduct an extensive assessment of security and safety requirements. At Paris Charles De Gaulle and Orly airports, ADP has invested heavily in sophisticated multi-sensor networks, including 3D holographic radar, high-definition long-range cameras, and radio frequency units. Telitsine advised airport managers to conduct extensive site surveys of their facilities to ensure they can maximize the detection capability of the expensive systems. ADP also has invested in developing its own software for integrating the various bits of equipment to allow for greater flexibility as technology evolves. The effort includes the application of artificial intelligence to support the fusion of data from multiple sensors. ADP sees unmanned aircraft as an opportunity as well as a threat. It has become actively involved in developing so-called vertiports to prepare for commercial operations by new eVTOL aircraft in urban areas. It plans to be ready to support limited-scale operations when the French capital hosts the 2024 Olympic Games. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2019-10-15/airports-rise-technology-challenge-posed-drone-threats Back to Top VALCORA Bolsters Fuel Emission Offsetting in Collaboration with Shell Aviation VALCORA has signed its first third-party agreement with an aviation fuel provider to offer customers even more ways of offsetting carbon emissions. In collaboration with Shell, VALCORA will offset fuel emissions through nature-based carbon credits. All Shell Aviation fuels sold through the VALCORA digital fuel purchasing platform will be carbon neutral, meaning that emissions will be offset via carbon credits automatically included with the purchase of the fuel. In addition VALCORA customers purchasing fuel from other fuel providers through the online system will also have the option to offset emissions through nature-based carbon credits from Shell's portfolio. Each carbon credit is subject to a third-party verification process and represents the avoidance or removal of one tonne of CO2. The move strengthens VALCORA's existing sustainability offering, which enables customers to contribute to a carefully curated portfolio of international environmental and conservation projects. "We are pleased to offer the aviation industry access to independently certified nature-based carbon credits from Shell's portfolio. Following the successful launch of our own conservation programme, the addition of the Shell offering perfectly complements our commitment to supporting the industry-wide aim of working towards a carbon neutral future," said Daniel Coetzer, VALCORA CEO. "We particularly appreciate that Shell is offering our customers the option to purchase these carbon credits regardless of which providers they buy fuel from. This helps us maximize the opportunities for all our customers to address their CO2 emissions." While sustainable aviation fuel and other low-carbon aviation technologies are in development, carbon credits from nature-based solutions have the potential to reduce emissions from aviation now. Nature-based solutions comprise all activities related to the protection, creation or redevelopment, of natural ecosystems - such as forests, grasslands and wetlands - to help absorb greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Such activities help deliver many other benefits, including improvements in biodiversity, water quality, flood protection and livelihoods. They can also result in the creation, marketing, trading and sale of carbon credits. Shell buys carbon credits from a global portfolio of nature-based projects, including Cordillera Azul National Park Project in Peru, Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project in Indonesia and GreenTrees Reforestation Project in the USA. "We know the industry is shining a light on the need to encourage greater use of biofuels as well as develop new technology to support carbon emission reduction. The fact is drop-in biofuel is still limited in terms of availability and low-carbon propulsion systems are still very much in the future. We wanted to do something now. Our own conservation portfolio has been well received and we are delighted to have signed this agreement with Shell Aviation to strengthen our offering. It is imperative that we all make a contribution to protect the planet," concluded Coetzer. https://www.aviationpros.com/engines-components/aircraft-airframe-accessories/fuel-systems/press-release/21110300/valcora-valcora-bolsters-fuel-emission-offsetting-in-collaboration-with-shell-aviation Back to Top York College To Launch Aviation-Focused STEM Program For Kids JAMAICA, QUEENS - York College will launch an aviation-focused STEM program for kids in summer 2020 to accompany Gov. Andrew Cuomo's $13 billion plan to renovate and expand JFK Airport. The Jamaica CUNY branch's new science and technology education program will serve roughly 300 children entering grades 1-12 and is meant to encourage students to pursue jobs in aviation and aeronautics, according to Cuomo's office. The STEM program, made possible by a $3 million grant from the developers behind Cuomo's airport redevelopment, will build off York College's NASA Aerospace Academy for minority communities. During the summer, the program will expand from one week of half-day sessions to four weeks of full-day sessions. There will be four Saturday sessions each in the fall and the spring. Berenecea J. Eanes, interim president of York College, said the grant will allow them to "offer an even more robust experience for young community members." "Through this partnership, we will continue to serve the next generation of budding STEM students," Eanes added. The Aerospace Academy launched in 1999 with the help of U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, according to a press release. Since then, it has served thousands of students, but federal budget cuts put its future beyond this fall in jeopardy. The STEM program grant is one of several new hiring and training initiatives announced Tuesday as part of Cuomo's planned Kennedy Airport redevelopment, which was unveiled in 2018 and would be complete in 2025. "As we move forward with the modernization of JFK Airport, we want to ensure that the historic transformation of the airport will also lift up the surrounding Queens communities," Cuomo said in a statement. https://patch.com/new-york/jamaica/york-college-launch-aviation-focused-stem-program-kids Back to Top AVIDYNE SETS ITS SIGHTS ON BUSINESS AVIATION WITH ATLAS FMS Based on technology found in thousands of panel-mount Avidyne IFD navigators, the Atlas promises turbine operators a wide array of features along with a reduction in operating costs. The system integrates with a range of electronic flight information systems to enable satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS)/LPV approach capability and includes touch-screen and keyboard user interfaces; moving map with airspace, terrain, weather, and traffic displays; Jeppesen approach plates and airport diagrams; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity; integration with a variety of electronic flight bags; and a built-in USB charger. Introductory pricing starts at $44,999. AOPA spoke with Avidyne CEO Dan Schwinn to learn more about the company's entry into the business aviation segment. Schwinn said he believes that the Atlas will be particularly appealing to turbine operators who recently installed compliance-only ADS-B Out equipment in their aircraft. These aircraft now have upgraded transponders, WAAS/GPS receivers, and antennas. Because the Atlas can integrate with many Collins and Honeywell EFISs to provide vertical guidance during approach operations, the installation of the Atlas FMS enables EFISs certified before the availability of LPV approaches to have coupled approach guidance on these and other SBAS approaches. "Over the past year, Avidyne has been active with panel-mount IFDs in light turbines," said Schwinn. "Turbine aircraft charter operators with 10- to 15-year-old aircraft are very cost conscious." Besides the lower installation costs of the Atlas unit, Schwinn said the recurring costs for updates to the FMS database and electronic approach plates are much lower than the competition. Additionally, those updates can be installed with a standard USB memory stick using the port located on the front of the unit. "The lower operating costs make a huge difference for these turbine operators. Weight and space savings are also an important consideration," said Schwinn. He gave an example of a customer who, by adding the VHF nav/com radio option, was able to remove multiple radio boxes and associated equipment from the nose of the airplane, freeing up significant weight and baggage space. Avidyne's target market for the Atlas includes the Beechjet 400A, Lear 60, Bombardier Challenger 604, Hawker 800, Gulfstream II/III/IV, and Dassault Falcon 50/900/100/200, plus turbine rotorcraft-representing an estimated 9,700 aircraft. Schwinn's message to the business market is: "You can take us seriously as a provider in the turbine market-either with panel-mount IFDs or the console-mount Atlas. We have mature products. Avidyne is here to play in business aviation." The Atlas is expected to be certified sometime in 2020, and supplemental type certificates will follow. Pilots can get a firsthand look at the system at the 2019 NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition from October 22 to 24 in Las Vegas and at HAI Heli-Expo from January 27 to 30 in Anaheim, California. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2019/october/16/avidyne-sets-its-sights-on-business-aviation-with-atlas-fms Back to Top Ansys adds partners to work toward electric planes Hybrid cars are almost common these days. Electric cars are working to get there. Soon, the conversation could also include hybrid electric aircraft. Companies around the world are working to design technology that would reduce emissions and improve efficiency for airplanes. Ansys, an engineering simulation company based in Canonsburg, is getting in the game. The company, which was formed in 1970 and now has more than 40,000 customers using its simulation technology to design and test engineering products, announced Tuesday that it is working with Paris-based startup TurboTech to build regenerative turbogenerators that would be used in aircraft. Such equipment uses small turbines to recover and reinject heat, improving the endurance of electric aircraft and reducing the amount of fuel needed, according to a news release announcing the partnership. "There's a big mobility revolution, so many companies are working to change the way aircraft are built and powered," said Bill Kulp, lead product manager for the fluids business unit at Ansys. Venkat Viswanathan, an associate professor in the mechanical engineering department at Carnegie Mellon University, said the potential benefits of electric flights are wide-ranging - from more environmentally friendly flights to more regional flights to creating new markets for local travel and even using the technology to eventually improve people's commute to the airport. "It's almost like going backward in time where we're bringing back sort of the joy of air travel. That's the promise of electrifying regional air travel," he said, referring to ideas that might open up new travel options. Before the market gets there though, he continued, a lot has to change. On the technology side, companies would need lighter batteries, better charging structures, battery packs with longer lives, among other things. "A lot of people are trying to assess where things will go," Mr. Viswanathan said. "There's a lot of questions but there's an undeniable opportunity around electrification of aviation." TurboTech is a part of an Ansys program that gives startup companies access to simulation software at a minimal initial investment. The goal, Mr. Kulp said, is to allow startups to build prototypes using Ansys software in order to save time and money required to create a physical prototype. They can get "very close to a good solution before they ever start cutting metal," he said. There are 780 startups in the program, of which 190 are in the aerospace and defense Industry. To qualify, startups must have been in business for less than 10 years, must be privately held and have less than $5 million in annual revenue. TurboTech has been working with Ansys since June. Also in June, Ansys announced a partnership with Airbus Defence and Space, headquartered in Ottobrunn, Germany, to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle that could make autonomous flight a reality. https://www.post-gazette.com/business/tech-news/2019/10/16/ANSYS-local-engineering-simulation-company-adds-partners-to-work-toward-electric-planes/stories/201910150153 Back to Top SpaceX sees U.S. Army as possible customer for Starlink and Starship WASHINGTON - SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell appeared on a panel Wednesday alongside U.S. Army leaders who talked about their efforts to modernize the force and bring more innovation into military procurement. Shotwell was speaking to an unfamiliar audience that may not know much about what SpaceX does or why she was sitting on that panel on the final day of the Association of the U.S. Army's annual conference. "SpaceX is new to this forum and this service," she said. Shotwell then shared with the audience a bit of the history of SpaceX and mentioned that the company's goal is to build "transportation systems" that are reliable and low cost. After the panel, Shotwell told SpaceNews that SpaceX views the Army as a potential customer both for its next-generation Starship space vehicle and for its low Earth orbit broadband constellation Starlink. "We're talking to the Army about Starlink and Starship," she said without elaborating further. The Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket - collectively referred to as Starship - are being developed as a reusable transportation system to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the moon and Mars. The Army does not launch big satellites or sends crews to space, but conceivably it could use Starship for point-to-point transportation around Earth, for example, to deliver cargo in minutes halfway around the world. SpaceX already has made that pitch to the U.S. Air Force Shotwell did not talk about Starlink during the panel discussion. But it's no secret that the company is interested in securing the U.S. military as a customer for its massive broadband constellation that is just starting to get built. SpaceX deployed its first 60 Starlink satellites in May and plans to launch hundreds and potentially thousands more in the years ahead. Army officials speaking at the AUSA event Oct. 15 said they are considering tapping into commercial LEO megaconstellations to support the service's demands for higher capacity and lower latency communications. How to push innovation During the panel Q&A session, Shotwell said SpaceX's experience figuring out how to land rockets could serve as a lesson for the Army or any organization trying to push technology forward. It took years of experimenting and trying multiple approaches to guide rockets back to land and on droneships at sea, she said. "The key is to test, learn fast, fail early. ... You do want to fail early on development, not on your operational missions. You need to push the envelope during development." Shotwell explained why the company is passionate about reusable rockets. SpaceX is building rockets and spaceships to "move people and cargo to distant locations or to not so distant locations but in rapid order," she said. "It is important that these systems be reusable." Traditional expendable rockets get tossed in the ocean, Shotwell said. "I think that's a bad learning experience. ... You're polluting the oceans, and it seems like a waste of money." Shotwell said government funding can go a long way in propelling innovation but the government has to make sure that the investment turns into a useful capability. "How you contract with us is absolutely key," she said. An example is NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program that awarded contracts to SpaceX and Northrop Grumman to provide commercial resupply services to the International Space Station. Shotwell said NASA's investment paid off because the companies matched it with private funding that was poured into technologies that NASA needed. Her advice to the Army is to "partner with industries that want to build a similar capability to what you're looking for. Help them a little bit. Do a little bit of investment on the development side. But be the market on the back end." She also cautioned the Army to make sure it negotiates intellectual property rights with contractors. "The government gets ripped off," she said. "You pay 99 percent of the bill. The contractors put in 1 percent in IRAD (independent research and development) and they own all the IP." https://spacenews.com/spacex-sees-u-s-army-as-possible-customer-for-starlink-and-starship/ Curt Lewis