October 24, 2019 - No. 083 In This Issue Air Charter Technology Platform Tuvoli Announces Partnership With Air Charter Guide Can Wheels Up Become the Amazon of Business Aviation? Gogo Announces Partners For 5G Network and Onboard Systems Bombardier Connects With GE to Go Big on Big Data, Offers Free "Smart" Box for Challenger Safety Is Priority in Jet Aviation Deal With GE Aviation Kaman Executes Long Term Agreement With Winglet Technology, LLC Honda's plans for jet division facing head winds Ampaire and IKHANA Launch Study of Hybrid Electric Twin Otter Aircraft Rolls-Royce Unveils New Pearl Engine Family Member for Business Aviation Jet Aviation, FSI Partner To Train Freelance Crew Military Grade Virtual Airport Tower Opens In Norway For Civil Aviation 'Whoa, It Worked': Elon Musk Tweets Via SpaceX's Starlink Satellites Air Charter Technology Platform Tuvoli Announces Partnership With Air Charter Guide LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tuvoli, an open technology platform that enables charter aircraft brokers and operators to seamlessly buy or sell flights, today announced a partnership with the Aviation Week Network's Air Charter Guide, one of the industry's most trusted sources of private business aviation market intelligence. The partnership will fully integrate Tuvoli and Air Charter Guide, enhancing the charter market intelligence available to Tuvoli users and providing Air Charter Guide users with access to the Tuvoli platform. Through Tuvoli's user-friendly platform, charter brokers and operators can seamlessly make aircraft available to the market, source aircraft, provide quotes, confirm and amend trips, arrange support services and facilitate real-time payments between all parties. Although Air Charter Guide users currently can send an email request to an operator or broker, they are relying on the exchange of multiple emails outside of the platform to purchase a trip. This can result in slow responses and outdated quotes. Under this arrangement, they will have access to dynamic retail pricing on the Tuvoli platform, with seamless connectivity to booking and payment processing, in addition to the up-to-date intelligence and comprehensive directory of aircraft charter operators and brokers for which the Air Charter Guide is known. Frank Craven, managing director, Business Aviation, the publisher of the Air Charter Guide, and Greg Johnson, president of Tuvoli, made the announcement at the 2019 National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Las Vegas. "The Air Charter Guide has been the industry's leading source of data on charter operations for decades. This partnership will enrich the Tuvoli experience through the availability of the Air Charter Guide's industry-leading market intelligence while also enabling the Air Charter Guide's loyal users to benefit from the real-time availability of information and the access to real-time transaction capabilities afforded through Tuvoli," said Johnson. Added Craven, "Air Charter Guide is a globally recognized brand in the air charter community. We are excited to partner with Tuvoli to expand our digital capabilities as we move to 2020." Tuvoli combines technology, modern methods of payment processing and charter industry intelligence on a single, user-friendly platform. There is no fee for qualified brokers or operators to join, meaning they can be on the platform within minutes, from a desktop computer or smartphone. All fees are based upon successfully completed transactions, and guaranteed payments through FDIC-insured transactions remove financial risk. About Tuvoli Tuvoli is an open technology platform for the private aviation industry that connects brokers and operators of charter aircraft, enhancing relationships, improving efficiency and facilitating transactions with instant guaranteed payments for flight services. Tuvoli, which combines the Italian words "tu voli," or "you fly," was incubated by Directional Aviation as an industry-wide solution to long-standing inefficiency and payment challenges. For more information, visit www.tuvoli.com. About Aviation Week Network Aviation Week Network is the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation, aerospace, and defense industries, serving 1.7 million professionals around the world. Industry professionals rely on Aviation Week Network to help them understand the market, make decisions, predict trends, and connect with people and business opportunities. Customers include the world's leading aerospace manufacturers and suppliers, airlines, airports, business aviation operators, militaries, governments and other organizations that serve this worldwide marketplace. Aviation Week Network's portfolio delivers award-winning journalism, data, intelligence and analytical resources, world-class tradeshows and conferences, and results-driven marketing services and advertising. Aviation Week Network is part of Informa Markets, a division of Informa PLC. About Air Charter Guide The Air Charter Guide provides worldwide, on-demand air charter resources of more than 2,500 operators and 15,000 aircraft. We offer a comprehensive website and print directory including specialty sections for operators, brokers, airports, air ambulance, air cargo, and a worldwide trip builder. Our Executive Traveler Edition is a handy portable supplement distributed to a larger retail market. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191022006205/en/Air-Charter-Technology-Platform- Tuvoli-Announces-Partnership Back to Top Can Wheels Up Become the Amazon of Business Aviation? Ken Dichter, chairman, founder and CEO of Wheels Up believes, "The future is now." The New York company-famous for its fleet of distinctively painted on-demand King Airs and Citations for member travel-is planning to put Kay's advice to good use. A few prominent indicators are the recent Wheels Up acquisition of TMC, adding a nearly 120 light jets to the fleet, and of aviation technology company Avianis. Dichter believes Avianis will eventually create the smartphone app that will allow more customers to not only fly, but to experience the flying lifestyle by easily booking a charter using the Wheels Up as their portal, much the way a number of other new companies have grown their subscriber base. The Wheels Up strategy is pretty simple. Consider the archaic method people use to hail a city cab, a system that delivers terrible asset utilization because the cab carries a paying passenger no more than 35 percent of the time. The rest is spent looking for the next customer. "Think of the inefficiencies in our [aviation] business now and what technology can do to better that," Dichter said. Using geo-locating on a smartphone, Uber turned the world on its ear by carrying paying passengers 65 percent of the time. "Amazon, Netflix and Uber-I can't think of three companies that Wheels Up aspires to be more like," Dichter said. "Amazon's original book business took them 10 years to build and helped them create Amazon Prime. The book business at Amazon used to be almost 100% of their revenue. Today it's 4.3 percent." Dichter says 'Wheels Up's book-like business is operating its King Air fleet. One day the Wheels Up business on King Airs will be 4.3%." Dichter believes the potential customer base for Wheels Up is only scratching the surface right now. Private aviation is used by about 100,000 people in the U.S. "If we can execute our [Wheels Up] playbook over the next 24 months," he said, "it will take care of [our company] over the next 20 years for our stakeholders. We want Wheels Up to be the tip of the spear to get more people involved in aviation." With an Uber-like charter app, he figures Wheels Up can Uberize the industry. He's been watching the consumer marketplace evolve and realizes Uber, Netflix and Amazon have proven it's possible to grow a consumer base that really didn't exist before those portals went live. "What we're creating at [Wheels Up] (www.wheelsup.com) will allow us to have a frictionless relationship with customers, airplanes and the charter trips they want." Once The Wheels Up app is complete, customers will be able to book charter flights not simply on company aircraft, but also on those of other vetted suppliers of aircraft up through heavy jets. In the last six years Wheels Up has gone from being a King Air provider to an aviation-solution provider with plans to expand beyond their traditional member model. "We have 1,250 airplanes vetted and verified for our off-fleet business. We see that number growing by a factor of 5 when we push the technology out," Dichter said. With 7,500 memberships already sold and a retention rate of more than 80 percent, Wheels Up is currently a $1.1 billion enterprise. Dichter believes making the current playbook work could take the company to $3 to 5 billion within 5 years. In addition to the Wheels Up app, company chief sales officer Ken Napolitano believes growth will come when the company is opened up to the outside world. That's why they've created new membership tiers like their basic subscription that begins with a $2,995 initiation fee for people not quite ready for the full Wheels Up core membership. Opening up the membership rolls to basic members means there won't be any guaranteed aircraft travel, but it's the first real step in bringing the aviation experience and lifestyle to millions rather than hundreds of thousands. Another step along the way will be when Wheels Up creates a dynamic pricing model for travel during off-peak times that Napolitano says the company's working on. Customers will benefit from off-peak pricing because "the airlines and Uber and Air B&B," have proven it works. Stay tuned for updates on Wheels Up's progress. The marketplace will be watching the company closely. https://www.flyingmag.com/wheels-up-amazon-of-business-aviation/ Back to Top Gogo Announces Partners For 5G Network and Onboard Systems LAS VEGAS, Oct. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- (NBAA-BACE) -- Gogo (GOGO), the leading global provider of broadband connectivity products and services for aviation, today announced three strategic partners which will play key roles in Gogo's development of its 5G system and network. A true 5G experience requires every piece of the network and the onboard system hardware, software and antennas to be 5G capable. "When we announced we were going to build a 5G network for aviation, we stated that we would leverage the expertise of U.S.-based companies to help us bring it to life," said Sergio Aguirre, president of Gogo Business Aviation. "The three partners we're announcing today are on the leading edge of wireless network technology and together we will bring the most capable network and systems in aviation." Cisco, Airspan Networks, and FIRST RF Corp. each will provide necessary elements to Gogo's 5G solution for aviation. Cisco Cisco will provide core network solutions that will power Gogo's nationwide air-to-ground (ATG) 5G network. Cisco was selected for its expertise in providing 4G/5G solutions for some of the world's largest wireless telecommunications networks. Cisco's innovation in network technologies is ideally suited for the advancements Gogo's ATG network requires. Together, Gogo and Cisco will redefine the inflight entertainment and connectivity experience with a high throughput, low latency nationwide 5G network. Cisco will offer Gogo a cloud-to-client approach for its 5G network, resulting from Cisco's investments and commitment to developing cloud applications and services, to help customers unify multi-vendor solutions into a single, standards-based architecture, which will be critical to the Gogo 5G network. Airspan The Gogo 5G system will use the same carrier grade technology as the Airspan Air5G product line. The Air5G platform will provide state-of-the-art 5G; virtualized-RAN base station technology that uses Massive MIMO antenna arrays for increased capacity. It also features advanced beamforming and tracking techniques, capable of communicating with an aircraft travelling in excess of 750 miles per hour, at long range, all while providing an enhanced mobile broadband 5G experience. FIRST RF FIRST RF will bring its extensive advanced antenna and RF systems technology portfolio to deploy a solution that pairs Gogo's existing 3G and 4G networks as well as the new 5G network. FIRST RF will provide belly-mounted airborne multi-band antennas that will connect Gogo's onboard 5G system to the Gogo 5G network on ground. This technology will include complex multiband apertures, advanced beamforming technology, and phased arrays. FIRST RF provides government and commercial customers with premier performance and reliability while maintaining efficiency and responsiveness that is required in the modern marketplace. Gogo's 5G Network Gogo's new air-to-ground (ATG) 5G network will be designed for use on business aviation aircraft and commercial regional jets operating within the contiguous United States and Canada. Gogo expects the nationwide network to be available in 2021. Gogo will build the 5G network on its existing infrastructure of more than 250 towers and will use unlicensed spectrum in the 2.4GHz range, along with a proprietary modem and advanced beamforming technology. Gogo's 5G infrastructure will support all spectrum types (licensed, shared, unlicensed) and bands (mid, high, low), and will allow Gogo to take advantage of new advances in technology as they are developed. Similar to how wireless carriers provide redundancy across their networks, Gogo will continue to employ its 3G and 4G networks throughout the continental U.S. and in Canada that will provide backup to the 5G network when needed. When compared to satellite technologies, ground-based network technologies in general deliver operational advantages - specifically lower cost of operation, symmetric bi-directional throughput, and lower latency. Gogo is committed to provide easy upgrade paths to 5G for existing Gogo air-to- ground customers. About Gogo Gogo is the Inflight Internet Company. We are the leading global provider of broadband connectivity products and services for aviation. We design and source innovative network solutions that connect aircraft to the Internet and develop software and platforms that enable customizable solutions for and by our aviation partners. Once connected, we provide industry leading reliability around the world. Our mission is to help aviation go farther by making planes fly smarter, so our aviation partners perform better, and their passengers travel happier. You can find Gogo's products and services on thousands of aircraft operated by the leading global commercial airlines and thousands of private aircraft, including those of the largest fractional ownership operators. Gogo is headquartered in Chicago, Ill., with additional facilities in Broomfield, Colo., and locations across the globe. Connect with us at gogoair.com or business.gogoair.com. About Cisco Cisco (CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that has been making the Internet work since 1984. Our people, products, and partners help society securely connect and seize tomorrow's digital opportunity today. Discover more at newsroom.cisco.com and follow us on Twitter at @Cisco. RSS Feed for Cisco: http://newsroom.cisco.com/rss-feeds Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. About Airspan Networks Inc. Airspan (OTC PINK: AIRO) is a leading 4G and 5G RAN solution provider, with over 1000 customers in over 100 countries. Airspan is regularly recognized as a leader and pioneer in RAN and innovative Backhaul solutions. Airspan has an expansive product portfolio, which includes indoor and outdoor small cells, and all-outdoor, compact Micro and Macro base stations, a variety of user devices and network optimization products. These connectivity solutions operate in bands from Sub-6GHz to Millimeter wave. www.airspan.com Airspan is not subject to the informational reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and, accordingly, does not file reports, financial statements, proxy statements, information statements or other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release may contain forward-looking statements. For information about forward looking statements visit www.airspan.com/fls. About FIRST RF FIRST RF is a fast-growing, multi-discipline, privately owned small business focused on engineering and manufacturing of advanced technologies - specifically in antennas and radio frequency (RF) systems. We are an energetic team empowered with world-class facilities and resources. We promote a culture which prioritizes innovation and responsiveness. By making bold investments in the development of groundbreaking technologies, FIRST RF has fielded award-winning products ranging from revolutionary passive antennas to highly complex, active antenna systems. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gogo-announces-partners-5g-network-120000295.html Back to Top Bombardier Connects With GE to Go Big on Big Data, Offers Free "Smart" Box for Challenger, Global Customers LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bombardier today announced a Preferred Service Provider (PSP) agreement with GE Aviation. As of today, GE will power Bombardier's cockpit and cabin connectivity solutions - including new, curated, service bundles that will simplify the selection of cockpit and cabin services with tip-to-tail solutions for new and in-service aircraft. This agreement is a first step toward the launch of Bombardier's comprehensive Smart Link Plus connected aircraft program. Launching in the second half of 2020, Smart Link Plus will help Bombardier customers drive operations and maintenance decisions by leveraging fleet-wide data. GE Aviation is also working closely with Bombardier on the development of the Smart Link Plus box - a Health Monitoring Unit (HMU) "smart" box capable of generating key data for customers, enabling them to increase operational efficiency, and minimize return-to-service times through data-driven decisions. The smart box combines GE's joint venture, Avionica's, lightweight, highly functional and open architecture hardware with GE's health and data management software. Eligible Challenger and Global customers will receive this HMU "brain" free-of-charge.* The smart box, at the heart of the program, will provide aircraft data to Bombardier's digital platform where it will be analyzed and transferred into actionable insights, drawing on Bombardier's aircraft expertise and leveraging the power of the entire connected fleet. Smart Link Plus generated insights will empower flight operations and maintenance teams to more efficiently dispatch, troubleshoot and track aircraft service needs. The free-of-charge Smart Link Plus box* will be available for installation on new and in-service aircraft at all Bombardier service centers. The smart box technology was first introduced on the flagship Global 7500 aircraft and will now be adapted for eligible Challenger and other Global aircraft programs, further maximizing the Bombardier in-service experience. "Bombardier business jet customers expect and deserve the latest and greatest technology advancements available and we are continuing to deliver a high level of sophistication," said Jean- Christophe Gallagher, Vice President and General Manager, Customer Experience. "Our new Smart Link Plus connected aircraft program will create fully connected aircraft, enabling customers to access key data and insights to help with decision-making and flight operations. We are excited to announce this for our in-service fleet as well as new aircraft. Coupled with our extensive global infrastructure expansion, this digital transformation is the next step in dramatically enhancing Bombardier's customer service experience worldwide." A key enabler for the Smart Link Plus vision will be through GE Aviation's Digital Works services leveraging GE's experience in data and analytics. Digital Works will support the operator including connectivity, cockpit communications, flight support, and safety applications. "This new relationship with Bombardier will help streamline customer service relationships by offering integrated connectivity service offerings and customer support," said Andrew Coleman, Senior VP, Digital Solutions of GE Aviation. "We are honoured to be the preferred partner of Bombardier to create advanced technologies to help connect the aircraft with flight operations and improve overall efficiencies and capabilities. Our work is centered around delighting our customers and delivering industry-leading levels of service." The final stage of the program brings it to its apex: a fully connected aircraft that connects owners, maintenance crews, pilots and operators to data-enabled applications, while leveraging insights from the Bombardier fleet to unlock an unprecedented experience in one digital ecosystem, including future benefits such as aircraft predictive maintenance. The development of the Bombardier's Smart Link Plus program represents the next step in Bombardier's ongoing commitment to improve and enhance the customer experience on every level. With the introduction of service centre infrastructure enhancements, new products and services and the next step in its ongoing digital transformation, Bombardier continues to develop ways to maximize the customer service experience for its customers around the world. About GE Aviation GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of jet and turboprop engines, avionics, digital solutions and electrical power systems for commercial, military, business and general aviation aircraft. GE Aviation has a global service network to support these offerings. For more information, visit us at www.ge.com/aviation. About Bombardier With over 68,000 employees, 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 as well as a broad portfolio of products and services for the business aviation, commercial aviation and rail transportation markets. 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.businesswire.com/news/home/20191022005478/en/Bombardier-Connects-GE-Big- Big-Data-Offers Back to Top Safety Is Priority in Jet Aviation Deal With GE Aviation Jet Aviation and GE Aviation have signed a long-term agreement for a comprehensive safety and fleet modernization project including C-FOQA™. The program covers Jet Aviation's global fleet of some 300 aircraft including Airbus, Boeing BBJ, Bombardier, Dassault, Gulfstream and more. "The partnership with GE Aviation and their C-FOQA Flight Efficiency Services data analytics marks a continued commitment Jet Aviation has in the support of our flight operations, our flight crews and, most importantly, our customers," Don Haloburdo, vice president, Flight Services, Jet Aviation, said. "Because safety will always be our top priority, we've chosen to work with the industry leader." FOQA (Flight Operations Quality Assurance), also commonly referred to as FDM (Flight Data Monitoring), is the process of analyzing and reviewing routinely recorded flight data. Airlines and operators that adopt FOQA are better able to identify and eliminate potential safety hazards in flight operations. "Jet Aviation puts safety as a top priority for its business and its clients", said Andrew Coleman, chief commercial officer for GE Aviation's Digital Group. "Our teams are working together to implement a leading FOQA safety solution and support services across Jet Aviation's fleet to continue promoting safety across our industry." David Dalpiaz, senior director, operations & technical services, Jet Aviation, added, "GE Aviation's C-FOQA program is an integral tool utilized by Jet Aviation to ensure our training programs and operating policies are not only delivering upon the most stringent principles of safety and efficiency in the industry, but are setting new standards of excellence for the years ahead. GE Aviation's C- FOQA program allows us to carry this to a new level." Launched in 2015 in partnership with the Flight Safety Foundation and now used by more than 300 operators globally, C-FOQA is GE Aviation's premier service for helping business jet operators understand and improve safety. GE's patented analytics software fuses meteorological information, navigation data, and terrain mapping to identify safety events and measurements on thousands of flights every day. Since its introduction in the airline industry more than 20 years ago, FOQA has been widely credited with reducing incident and accident rates at airlines where it has been adopted. In its 2017-2018 Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Enhancements, the NTSB encourages aircraft operators to improve safety oversight of their aircraft by routinely reviewing recorded flight data in a structured program such as C-FOQA. About Jet Aviation Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. More than 4,600 employees cater to client needs from 50 facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, North America and the Caribbean. The company provides maintenance, completions and refurbishment, engineering, FBO and fuel services, along with aircraft management, charter services and personnel services. Jet Aviation's European and U.S. aircraft management and charter divisions jointly manage a fleet of some 300 aircraft. Please visit www.jetaviation.com and follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/jetaviation. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.generaldynamics.com. About GE Aviation GE Aviation, an operating unit of GE (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of commercial and military jet engines, avionics, digital solutions and electrical power systems for aircraft. GE is the world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.geaviation.com/digital https://www.apnews.com/Business%20Wire/33aee4abe5dd4c53b730a151328747d8 Back to Top Kaman Executes Long Term Agreement With Winglet Technology, LLC WICHITA, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kaman Composites - Wichita, Inc. (KCW), a division of Kaman Aerosystems, announced today that it has entered into a strategic Long Term Agreement (LTA) with Winglet Technology, LLC to continue to supply Citation Sovereign Composite Winglet Systems. "Our partnership with Winglet Technology has been very successful in providing the industry with a first class aftermarket product, and led to this LTA, which will further strengthen our relationship," stated Mark Withrow, V.P. and General Manager, Kaman Composites U.S. Winglet Technology is an industry leader of winglet design for business jet aircraft, providing unparalleled performance to owner/operators. "Kaman Composites has earned this agreement with their approach to collaboration and assuring that customer expectations are understood and met. We are excited to enter this new chapter of our partnership and product offering," said Bob Kiser, Owner, Winglet Technology, LLC. All composite detail parts and assemblies are manufactured and delivered from the KCW facility in Wichita, Kansas. Deliveries are expected to extend through 2024. About Kaman Composites Wichita KCW, an AS9100 Rev D registered company located in Wichita, KS, offers a full line of services in composites from design, prototyping and testing, to full production of composite components and assemblies. KCW fabricates components for the defense, aerospace, and commercial markets. KCW is Nadcap accredited for composite processing, NDI, and chemical processing. KCW offers MRO composite repair services under their FAA certified Part 145 repair station in Wichita, Kansas. About Kaman Aerosystems Kaman Aerosystems is a division of Kaman Corporation (NYSE:KAMN.) The company produces and/or markets widely used proprietary aircraft bearings and components; super precision, miniature ball bearings; complex metallic and composite aerostructures for commercial, military and general aviation fixed and rotary wing aircraft; safe and arm solutions for missile and bomb systems for the U.S. and allied militaries; production of the K-MAX® medium-to-heavy lift helicopter and support for the company's SH-2G Super Seasprite maritime aircraft. The company, which was founded in 1945 by aviation pioneer Charles H. Kaman, is headquartered in Bloomfield, Connecticut. More information is available at www.kaman.com. About Winglet Technology Winglet Technology will be exhibiting at the 2019 NBAA Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV this year at Booth #5610. Winglet Technology was granted FAA Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) to install their winglet design on Cessna's Citation X in July of 2009 and Citation Sovereign in June 2017. Winglet Technology is an industry leader in advanced winglet design, integration and certification. The firm is located at 8200 East 34th Street North, Suite 1410 in Wichita, Kansas, 67226. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.winglet-technology.com. For inquiries, contact Winglet Technology at (316) 524-9300 or e-mail at Sales@Winglet- Technology.com. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191023005581/en/Kaman-Executes-Long-Term- Agreement-Winglet-Technology Back to Top Honda's plans for jet division facing head winds GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Nearly four years after delivering its first jet, Honda is facing decisions as the company better known for cars and lawn mowers considers whether to sink billions more into its decades-in-the-making aircraft division. Honda Aircraft chief executive Michimasa Fujino said in an interview that a current plant expansion aimed at improving efficiency is part of the aviation division's long-term strategy and should also slightly increase production of the seven-seat, $5.2 million HondaJet Elites. "We are looking at this aviation business long-term, not quarterly or annual basis," Fujino said at the company's Greensboro, N.C., headquarters. "Our goal is to create new value and new technology ... as a personal mobility company." But after environmental concerns about the impact of hydrocarbons burned by jets, fears of a possible global recession and declining profits that have led Honda to retrench its automobile offerings, analysts say the Tokyo corporation faces decisions about how much to build its aircraft division. Whether Honda expands, maintains its current footprint or even scraps its aircraft division is "very much their choice," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst at Teal Group. "They could just stay where they are, say, 'we've got a position in the market, it won't make us much money, but it's good for branding.' Or they could grow an aviation-market presence, and there are many ways they could take that. Or somebody could decide that this thing's a money loser and shut it down," said Aboulafia, who added that he consulted for Honda nearly two decades ago. It would cost Honda billions of dollars to expand into a family of light jets or establish a sales and support network to match competing jet-makers, Aboulafia said. But such a move would be necessary for growth in an industry where -- much like automakers offer models in different sizes and prices -- wealthy customers who like Honda's planes may want to buy something nicer, said aviation business analyst Brian Foley, who thinks Honda could announce a new model soon. "In this industry, you need to have a step up for customers. Just like boat owners, airplane owners -- when they're ready to trade in and move up -- do that. They move up. They don't move laterally," he said. "So since HondaJet doesn't have a move-up airplane from the current Honda jet, that would force the customer to have to jump over into a competitor's airplane." The company is recruiting engineers with expertise in wing, fuselage and systems design, which indicates it could be developing new models, Foley said. Meanwhile, Honda reported a 29% profit decline in the quarter that ended in June and lowered its profit forecasts for the fiscal year. In May, the company announced that it would streamline its auto product offerings, consolidating model variations, and increase parts-sharing to cut costs. The warning signs come as Honda has invested billions in the past year in General Motors' autonomous vehicle unit as automakers look to the future. On the plus side for its planes, Honda has deep pockets, a history of long-term planning and has stuck with the project despite repeated delays before the first deliveries in December 2015. The company has delivered at least 140 planes since the first model -- about the size of two mini-vans - - was cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration. Sales in China, the world's No. 2 economy, began two years ago, and Honda is planning to make its first three jet deliveries into China in the coming months. The trade war's escalating tariffs between the U.S. and China has so far "had a modest impact," which the company wouldn't specify. That could be because light business aircraft -- the class which includes the HondaJet Elite -- haven't sold well there, Aboulafia said. The ongoing 83,000-square-foot plant expansion of Honda Aircraft's headquarters, which borders Greensboro's airport, is designed less to increase output than production efficiency, which drives down per-plane costs, Fujino said. "But also, if you have good efficiency, we can build more" if demand jumps, he said, adding that production should increase slightly from the current rate of four a month. And Honda's aviation gamble, three decades in the making, is transferring new know-how into other divisions, Fujino said, adding that -- as with autonomous vehicles -- designing an airplane is only half the task. The "other 50% is how you can prove the safety in case one sensor failed, or if some connector failed," Fujino said. "That kind of technology may not be visible from the general public but that kind of know-how or technology is very critical for Honda to grow in the future." https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/oct/23/honda-s-plans-for-jet-division-facing-h/ Back to Top Ampaire and IKHANA Launch Study of Hybrid Electric Twin Otter Aircraft Ampaire have launched a NASA-funded feasibility study for modifying the venerable Twin Otter workhorse aircraft for hybrid electric propulsion. Ampaire was awarded a NASA contract to address hybrid electric propulsion on the Twin Otter as part of NASA EAP (Electric Aircraft Propulsion) efforts. Ampaire and IKHANA are jointly executing this NASA program. The two companies are collaborating to evaluate various hybrid diesel/electric configurations for the aircraft, and to develop cost, schedule and risk mitigation plans for a further phase of aircraft development. The ultimate aim is to pioneer a revolutionary hybrid electric variant of IKHANA's RWMI DHC-6- 300HG™ Twin Otter aircraft. This 14,000 lb. (6350 kg) aircraft would produce over 1MW of total power and carry up to 19 passengers and cargo, while achieving dramatically reduced fuel consumption. This effort draws on Ampaire's and IKHANA's collaboration for flight tests and technology development on two Ampaire Electric EEL six-seat flight demonstrator aircraft, which are Cessna 337 twins modified for hybrid electric power. Leveraging Ampaire's plug-in parallel hybrid propulsion technology, the hybrid Twin Otter unlocks groundbreaking capabilities for civil and government customers. "The electrification of 19-seat commuter aircraft is a near-term possibility that will benefit operators and passengers, while reducing atmospheric emissions and helping the aviation industry achieve its carbon neutral growth objectives," said Ampaire CEO Kevin Noertker. "We see NASA's support as validation of Ampaire's retrofit strategy. It's a low-risk, achievable path to a hybrid/electric, and ultimately a fully electric, future. This retrofit strategy differentiates Ampaire from new-build, capital intensive programs." Noertker explained the importance of the 19-seat category to making progress in electric flight. "Ampaire's study of the aviation market indicates that one-third of aviation emissions are accounted for by route segments of less than 1,000 kilometers. We have the technology today to address these route segments, on aircraft up to 19-seats., while hybrid electric solutions will come for larger aircraft in the longer term. We can have a hybrid electric Twin Otter in service in just a few years. That is what makes this first phase of work for NASA groundbreaking. This research will have broad application beyond just the Twin Otter platform." "The Twin Otter is a unique multi-role aircraft with proven flexibility to operate as an urban commuter, a back-country bush plane, and in various special missions applications. It's an ideal demonstration platform for electrification technologies and as a certified product will have broad market appeal in its own right.", said IKHANA president and CEO John Zublin. "The IKHANA team is excited to be pioneering hybrid technology for the DHC-6 Twin Otter; adapting and certifying new capabilities that expand utility for operators is what we are all about." https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/press-release/21111389/national- business-aviation-association-nbaa-ampaire-and-ikhana-launch-study-of-hybrid-electric-twin-otter- aircraft Back to Top Rolls-Royce Unveils New Pearl Engine Family Member for Business Aviation Rolls-Royce today unveiled the Pearl 700, the latest addition to its Pearl engine family for business aviation. The purpose-designed engine, the most powerful in the Rolls-Royce business jet propulsion portfolio, is the exclusive powerplant for the brand new Gulfstream G700. With more than 3,200 business jets in service today powered by Rolls-Royce engines, the company is the world's leading engine supplier in this market. The Pearl 700 is the newest member of the state-of-the-art Pearl engine family, first introduced in 2018 and marks the seventh new civil aerospace engine introduced by Rolls-Royce over the past decade. Gulfstream's selection of the Pearl 700 to power its new flagship aircraft reaffirms Rolls-Royce's position as the leading business aviation engine manufacturer. The Pearl 700 combines the Advance2 engine core, the most efficient core available across the business aviation sector, with a brand-new low-pressure system, resulting in an 8 per cent increase in take-off thrust at 18,250lb compared to the BR725 engine. The engine offers a 12 per cent better thrust-to-weight ratio and 5 per cent higher efficiency, while maintaining its class-leading low noise and emissions performance. The result is an engine that is highly efficient, but also able to propel customers nearly as fast as the speed of sound (Mach 0.925). It brings together innovative technologies derived from the Rolls-Royce Advance2 technology demonstrator program with proven features from the Rolls-Royce BR700, today's leading engine family in business aviation. This includes a highly-efficient 51.8" blisked fan, a high pressure compressor with a market-leading pressure ratio of 24:1 and 6 blisked stages, an ultra-low emissions combustor, a 2-stage shroudless high pressure turbine and an enhanced 4-stage low pressure turbine, that is one of the most efficient and compact ones in the industry. The engine's pioneering technology, combined with outstanding performance, supports Gulfstream's business aircraft in reaching new standards for the top end of the ultra-long-range corporate jet market. The engine has been developed at the Rolls-Royce Center of Excellence for Business Aviation Engines in Dahlewitz, Germany, and is currently undergoing a comprehensive test program. Chris Cholerton, President - Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said, "Our whole team is very proud to power the very latest Gulfstream aircraft, the G700, and I congratulate the Gulfstream team on this special occasion. We are looking forward to continuing our successful partnership that started some 60 years and 4,500 engine deliveries ago with the Dart-powered Gulfstream I. The Pearl 700 is a pioneering product, that brings together our latest technology to deliver outstanding efficiency, supporting our leading position in the business aviation world." Mark Burns, CEO Gulfstream, said, "The Gulfstream-exclusive Pearl 700 engines that will power the world's largest business jet at more than nine-tenths the speed of sound once again demonstrate the capabilities of the Rolls-Royce team. From our more than 60-year history with Rolls-Royce, we know they will deliver a first-rate experience to our Gulfstream G700 customers, from the capabilities of the powerplant to their comprehensive after-market support. We are excited to work with them on the industry's new flagship, the all-new Gulfstream G700." https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/press- release/21111404/rollsroyce-corp-rollsroyce-unveils-new-pearl-engine-family-member-for- business-aviation Back to Top Jet Aviation, FSI Partner To Train Freelance Crew Jet Aviation Staffing (Booth N4635) and FlightSafety International (Booth C10625) are teaming up on a new global training program for freelance pilots, the companies announced this week at NBAA- BACE 2019. Offered exclusively on the hullo Aircrew platform expected to launch in the U.S. in 2020, the new program will allow pilots to complete recurrent training at FlightSafety under a flexible repayment plan offered by Jet Aviation Staffing. "Jet Aviation Staffing is thrilled to support ongoing training and professional growth for pilots," said Elaine Lapotosky, senior director at Jet Aviation Staffing. "We recognize the financial commitment freelance pilots must make to maintain a type rating and are here to support them." Being demonstrated at Jet Aviation Staffing's NBAA-BACE booth, the hullo Aircrew platform connects freelance and contract aircrew members with operators. Jet Aviation and hullo Aircraft announced their partnership in April to develop the technology and expand the platform to the U.S. market. "At hullo Aircrew, we are committed to enhancing our technology platform to provide the most value for freelance aircrew," said Steve Payne, hullo Aircrew's chief operations officer. "Partnering with Jet Aviation to offer training to pilots is a natural evolution of our platform, and we are proud to be part of this new service provided by Jet Aviation Staffing and FlightSafety International." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2019-10-22/jet-aviation-fsi-partner- train-freelance-crew Back to Top Military Grade Virtual Airport Tower Opens In Norway For Civil Aviation The daily 25-minute Widerøe flights from Bodø to Røst carry locals returning from errands and curious tourists to one of Norway's most remote airports. Once in the air, the sole member of cabin crew barely has time to hand around the basket of free chocolates before the plane gets ready to touch down on the tiny windswept island home to just a few hundred people. While the views can be spectacular, these bus-like flights are rarely notable or memorable. Except that is, for the first flight of the day on Saturday October 19, 2019. For the first time in Norway, a commercial airplane landed at an airport without the presence of staff in a physical airport control tower. The flight, approach and landing were all monitored remotely from a new virtual tower in Bodø. "We had good contact with and visual observation of the Widerøe aircraft all the way in to landing at Røst airport. The remote-controlled tower system worked optimally, as we have been aiming for," said Jan Østby, head of the program at Avinor, the state-owned enterprise that owns the vast majority of Norway's airport infrastructure. Military technology for 15 airports Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace and Indra delivered the solution, based on technology that has up until now only been used by the military. A spokesperson for Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace said the system is "unique in terms of sensor technology and the security of control systems," while an Indra spokesperson claimed it "helps to place Norwegian technology in the driver's seat in the field of air traffic control." Today the remote control facility is located in the terminal at Bodø airport, a hub for air traffic in the north of Norway. But a short distance away, a new state-of-the-art facility is under construction. When complete, it will be the world's largest remote-controlled tower center, home to the tower service of 15 Norwegian airports. In addition to Røst, the airports at Vardø, Hasvik, Berlevåg, Mehamn, Røros, Rørvik, Namsos, Svolvær, Sogndal, Molde, Førde, Bodø and Lakselv will be controlled from the new center. Haugesund Airport was originally on the list but since new owners took over operations, the 15th airport to be controlled from the remote tower is yet to be decided. Testing will continue All the airports on the list with the exception of Bodø are small and handle just a couple of flights each day. As remotely operated towers are only feasible if they can be proven to be as secure or more secure as conventional staffed towers at airports, there is still some way to go with the project. The Civil Aviation Authority has given its first approval following this flight, although extensive testing will continue. For the following month, personnel will be located in the airport tower at Røst to observe air traffic and ensure everything functions correctly. The new center is expected to be fully operational for all 15 airports by 2022. Not everyone wants to relocate Avinor's CEO Dag Falk-Petersen is pleased to see the technology being used after several years of planning and development. "Remote-controlled towers are an important contribution to maintaining a sustainable airport structure in Norway. At the same time, we will build a robust academic environment at the tower center in Bodø," he said. However, while the prospect of a central training and development center is being welcomed by some in the industry, not everyone is happy. Up to 80 employees will be affected across the 15 airports when operations are fully transferred to the new facility. Employees are being offered the chance to relocate to Bodø, but that doesn't suit everyone. Those who can move will almost certainly face a higher cost of living in Bodø. However, Avinor bosses say they have been planning the transition for years and that everyone will be "well looked after." https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2019/10/23/military-grade-virtual-airport-tower-opens- in-norway-for-civil-aviation/#4a8f683d28ca Back to Top 'Whoa, It Worked': Elon Musk Tweets Via SpaceX's Starlink Satellites SpaceX's nascent internet-satellite constellation is already providing some boutique service, according to Elon Musk. Late last night (Oct. 21), SpaceX's billionaire founder and CEO said via Twitter that he was attempting to post something via Starlink, the orbiting network that the company began assembling this year. And 2 minutes later, he tweeted the result: "Whoa, it worked!!" That's quite something, considering that Starlink is just a shell of its envisioned future self. SpaceX has approval to launch about 12,000 Starlink satellites and recently applied for permission to loft up to 30,000 more. But the company has launched just 60 of the craft to date, all of which rode to orbit this past May aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. A number of additional such launches will be required before Starlink can beam data for the rest of us. SpaceX needs about 400 Starlink craft to provide "minor" coverage and 800 for "moderate" coverage, Musk said earlier this year. SpaceX isn't the only company with internet-satellite plans. Amazon aims to launch more than 3,000 broadband craft of its own, and OneWeb launched the first six satellites of a 650-strong constellation earlier this year. These networks will fundamentally change the Earth-orbiting population. There are just 2,000 or so operational satellites zipping around our planet at the moment, and fewer than 9,000 have been launched since the dawn of the space age in 1957. Some astronomers have voiced concerns that the coming broadband satellites will affect their observations of cosmic objects. And other space stakeholders have stressed that we need to think hard about ways to mitigate the potential space-junk threat posed by these megaconstellations, and the many small satellites going up now, thanks to a dramatic drop in the cost of access to space. https://www.space.com/elon-musk-tweet-spacex-starlink-satellites.html Curt Lewis