December 19, 2019 - No. 099 In This Issue ARGUS 2019 TRAINING COURSES ARPA-E to award up to $55M in two programs to support electric aviation Nasa's X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology aircraft enters final assembly The move to IP-based communications in aviation Skyryse shows off end-to-end autonomous flight technology with helicopter demonstration Delta to purchase 10 million gallons per year of sustainable aviation fuel from Gevo. Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Bell Announce Agreement as Part of the FAA UASIPP Aerion Supersonic Announces Agreement with International High-Technology Group, Safran Bombardier delivers aircraft powered by sustainable aviation fuel to Latitude 33 Aviation. Regulators probe sale of Ukraine's Motor Sich to China Beyer Introduces Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act. SpaceX's satellite launch on Monday almost went perfectly... almost ARPA-E to award up to $55M in two programs to support electric aviation The US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced up to $55 million in funding for two programs to support the development of low-cost electric aviation engine technology and powertrain systems. Research on Aviation-class Synergistically Cooled Electric-motors with iNtegrated Drives (ASCEND) and Range Extenders for Electric Aviation with Low Carbon and High Efficiency (REEACH) programs seek to develop commercial-class electric aviation energy technology solutions with the goal of mitigating the emissions caused by passenger aircraft. The ASCEND program supports the development of innovative lightweight and ultra-efficient electric motors, drives, and associated thermal management systems (collectively referred to as the all-electric powertrain) that will help enable net-zero carbon emissions in single-aisle, 150-200 passenger commercial aircraft, such as the Boeing 737. The ASCEND program sets a benchmark of the fully integrated all-electric powertrain system at a power density of ≥ 12 kW/kg with an efficiency at ≥ 93%. Currently, these targets, among others, are beyond the capability of state-of-the-art technologies and will require creative thinking and innovation in the electric motor and power electronics space. The ASCEND performers will work in two phases, delivering the conceptual designs and computer simulations of the motor, its drive, and their integration, as well as subsystem/component level demonstrations for the proposed key enabling technologies to support the performance projections in Phase I. Phase I will be 18 months long. Phase II will bring the development, fabrication, and testing of an integrated sub-scale all-electric powertrain (≥ 250 kW), including its thermal management system. (Successful projects may proceed to Phase II subject to budgetary restrictions.) The REEACH program objective is to develop a disruptive system to convert the chemical energy contained in energy-dense carbon neutral liquid fuels (CNLFs) into electric power for aircraft propulsion via electric powertrains and other key systems. With a developmental prototype as the ultimate goal, REEACH performers will work to create innovative, cost-effective and high-performance energy storage and power generation (ESPG) sub-systems. The developed ESPG system must deliver adequate electric power to propel a fully electric, narrow-body aircraft through all the various flight phases (i.e., taxi, take-off, climb, cruise, and descent) and store sufficient energy to power the entire aircraft during a long-range mission with adequate safety reserves. The developed ESPG should be efficient and light enough to enable operations commensurate with existing commercial single-aisle aircraft missions. In the design of their ESPG systems, applicants are given latitude to select the CNLF, system architecture, and individual component technologies. REEACH will develop the critical enabling components and sub-system architectures for high-efficiency conversion of CNLF energy into electricity with sufficient power density for aircraft propulsion. Both programs will develop technology for use in narrow-body, passenger aircraft. Each year, air travel accounts for nearly 175 million metric tons of CO2 emissions in the US, or about 2.6% of domestic GHG emissions. These programs represent ARPA-E's first focused efforts on the development of more energy efficient, electric motor and powertrain systems for commercial aircraft, and awardees will be subject to a rigorous performance metrics review over the course of their funding cycles. Cost of research will be funded with $55 million available through both of these electric aviation programs, up to $35 million will be available for through ASCEND and up to $20 million will be available in the REEACH program. A portion of funding in both programs will be made specifically available for qualifying small business applicants under ARPA-E's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/12/20191218-arpaeaviation.html Back to Top Nasa's X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology aircraft enters final assembly Nasa's X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) aircraft has entered the final assembly phase following the Key Decision Point-D (KDP-D) management review. The final assembly and integration of the plane's systems, including the cockpit eXternal Visibility System, is scheduled for later next year. KDP-D is the final programmatic barrier for the X-59 QueSST aircraft and was conducted by senior managers at Nasa Headquarters in Washington. The officials will meet again in later next year to clear the plane's first flight scheduled to take place in 2021. The X-59 will be Nasa's first large-scale piloted X-plane in more than three decades. Nasa Aeronautics associate administrator Bob Pearce said: "With the completion of KDP-D, we've shown the project is on schedule, it's well-planned and on track. We have everything in place to continue this historic research mission for the nation's air-travelling public." Lockheed Martin is building the aircraft at its Aeronautics Company's Skunk Works factory in Palmdale, California, as part of a $247.5m cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. The aircraft manufacturer has established separate areas to construct the plane's main fuselage, wing and empennage. The development and construction of the X-59 QueSST is part of the Low Boom Flight Demonstrator project, which falls under Nasa's Integrated Aviation Systems Program. X-59 QueSST is an experimental piloted aircraft designed to fly faster than sound without producing the loudness of a sonic boom. The mission of the aircraft is to gather data when flying over select US communities, which will help write rules to enable commercial supersonic air travel overland. https://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/nasas-x-59-quiet-supersonic-technology-aircraft-enters-final-assembly/ Back to Top The move to IP-based communications in aviation The way pilots, air traffic controllers and others involved in aviation talk is changing thanks to the development of international standards and a push from component manufacturers. The principal protocol for online communications is Internet Protocol. This set of rules is foundational in how the internet works. But despite its widespread use throughout the world, until recently IP has played little part in communications within the aviation sector. Recently there has been a push at the international level to migrate air traffic communications to an Internet Protocol (IP)-based system, referred to generally as the Internet Protocol Suite (IPS). The drive for change came initially from ICAO but more recently has been spearheaded by the standards agencies for aviation technology, most notably the European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment (EUROCAE) and the Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC). Migrating to IPS is a central component of the larger scale project of modernizing air traffic management (ATM), which is being undertaken in Europe under the EU's Single European Sky joint project known as SESAR and in the USA under the FAA's NextGen program. Eurocontrol, which oversees ATM within the EU, underlined its commitment to IPS in a report released in April in which it called for "a strong internet protocol backbone in order to support connectivity. "The aviation industry as a whole has seen the value of IP-based communications in other parts of their business," says Dan Pendergast, senior marketing director for commercial aviation and network services at Collins Aerospace. "There are advantages to IP. It's universally supported by all kinds of operating systems, the networks are mature and global. It's becoming the norm everywhere." Migration roadmap It is being envisaged that IPS will support air-ground communication, specifically data link. Also known as controller-pilot data link (CPDL), this messaging service between aircraft and air traffic controllers, first developed in the 1970s is a way to provide an alternative to voice communications. Currently data link communications for long-haul oceanic routes rely on satellite communications and most use the FANS (Future Air Navigation System). This system was developed by Boeing and Airbus. This uses a messaging system known as the Aircraft Communication and Reporting System (ACARS). Within Europe, Eurocontrol's data link service operates using the VDL Mode 2 network, which was developed from an ICAO standard. "For air to ground we have a roadmap in conjunction with the USA for the migration to ATN IPS protocol post-VDL mode 2," says Jacky Pouzet, head of the communication and frequency coordination unit at Eurocontrol. "We don't see any advantage to switching from the current protocol when it comes to the current VDL-2 technology." The current protocol used in ATM is called Open Systems Interconnection (OSI), an open standard that was developed 30 years ago as a competitor to IP. Although OSI was abandoned by the IT industry in the early 1990s, the standard is still used in aviation. The shift away from OSI and VDL Mode 2 will embrace three new data link technologies - LDACS, SATCOM and AeroMACS. AeroMACS will be mainly used for airport communication, says Pouzet, who compares it to a wifi network but "operating in an aviation protected spectrum". He says, "It's already partially deployed in the USA and there is some partial deployments in Europe, for instance in Portugal." The first of the air-ground communications to come online will be the SATCOM systems, says Pouzet. After that will be LDACS or the L-band Digital Aeronautical Communication System, which is being developed by SESAR and is based on 4G and 5G and is the most advanced of the three new technologies. The three technologies will combine to provide what's known as the Future Communications Infrastructure (FCI), complementing each other to ensure smooth and efficient communications in aviation. "We're foreseeing that in the future there will be a mix of communications," says Pouzet. "On board aircraft there will be VHF/analogue for voice communications. There will also be VDL mode 2 because it's already mandated. We also expect to have SATCOM and LDACS. "So there will be at least three different communication links operating in different frequency bands potentially with different protocols to make sure we are providing the appropriate level of availability and redundancy that is required by aviation." Creating consistency This mix of communication systems also reflects the fact that adoption of IPS around the world is very likely to be inconsistent, says Pendergast. "Change in aviation typically moves slowly," he says. "Airlines are going to have a mix of aircraft, some new and some old. Aircraft still operating with legacy systems have to be able to communicate with aviation authorities that have migrated to the IP-based systems." While the migration to IPS is currently being thought of in terms of its impact on data link communications, Pendergast believes that the real advantages of the change are much broader in scope. "From an operational standpoint it will open up all of the possibilities of IP-based applications used for airline operations that we currently enjoy for our personal and business use," he says. "Airlines will be able to develop applications that can optimize how the aircraft is flying, fuel efficiency and maintenance." Meanwhile, on the ground IP-based systems will allow for greater situational awareness, Pendergast believes: "The latest radar systems have a much higher ability to send weather data. With IP capability in aircraft, they can become flying nodes, capable of receiving weather data down from other aircraft and sharing it so that Air Navigation Service Providers have a much better awareness of developing weather and turbulence." Pendergast envisages applications that use real time weather data to provide much quicker re-routing of flight paths between air traffic controllers and flight dispatchers in the event of extreme weather events. Implementation challenges According to Pouzet there are two key challenges to implementing IPS: mobility and security. "For the OSI protocol the mobility is inherent to the application. In the context of aviation this means that an aircraft anywhere on the Earth can connect to the network," he says. IPv4, the most widely used version of IP, cannot facilitate this level of mobility. But IPv4's successor, IPv6 can. For this reason, ICAO has chosen to base its IPS systems on IPv6, which now accounts for about a quarter of all internet traffic. Perhaps a bigger challenge is overcoming the security risks in migrating to a system which is based on a technology much more widely known, believes senior expert at Eurocontrol, Liviu Popescu. He says, "OSI was not widely used, so there is less risk of hacking. Hackers would first have to teach themselves the system. "But IP is the technological layer supporting all communication in the world. So, the risk for vulnerabilities to hacking, at least theoretically, increase." In practical terms, the widespread use of IPS also brings with it advantages, says Popescu since "there are lots of proven security solutions that have been developed to counter the threat". "We won't have to reinvent the wheel," he says. "We can benefit from the solutions already out for other safety or security critical industries like the military, banking or energy." On top of the conventional cyber security measures the new communications technologies will have an added security layer built in through operating on a protected frequency. Pouzet says, "It's against the law to sell equipment that can operate on this frequency for any other use than aviation. This means you couldn't connect to this network with your laptop at the airport because your computer won't recognize the frequency." Introduction timeline While there are no fixed dates for when the migration to IPS will take place, Eurocontrol predicts that full deployment is unlikely to take place before 2030. While the time frame for air-ground communication might seem a long way off it is important to note that IP-based ground-ground communication is already well-established in aviation, for example amongst European ANSPs. "We started the work on standardization of VOIP ground-ground air traffic management communications about 15 years ago. We're now at the end of the standardization cycle and we're starting the deployment," says Popescu. A ground-ground data link between European air traffic controllers known as the ATC Inter-Centre Data Communication is already 90% migrated to IP, says Popescu. Meanwhile, IP-based voice communication, known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP), is about 60% migrated. In the USA, the migration to VOIP is just getting under way. As part of this migration the FAA held an interoperability event in May 2019 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where 14 vendors from around the world tested the interoperability of their communications equipment using the ED-137 standard, a VOIP standard developed by EUROCAE. "Over the two weeks we had around 1,400 test cases, where we paired vendors to see if their products could operate together," says Dieter Thigpen, air-ground voice communications manager at the FAA. "So if you took a voice switch from one vendor and a recorder from another they were given some pre-defined test scenarios that would be run to validate that they could talk to each other." According to Thigpen the event proved a success, although he acknowledges that the USA still has some way to go before IP-based communications can be implemented in aviation. "The event that took place was looking at the end equipment that hooks to the phone lines," says Thigpen. "But we're getting ready to put out a Request for Bid on a new telecommunications system that would then bring the IP core to the FAA. We're just getting on that road now because the whole telecommunications system needs to go IP as well as all the edge equipment." https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/features/the-move-to-ip-based-communications-in-aviation.html Back to Top Skyryse shows off end-to-end autonomous flight technology with helicopter demonstration Skyryse is a three-year-old transportation startup that is approaching the future of aviation from a different angle when compared to most. You often see startups building new kinds of aircraft, with electric powertrains, multiple rotors for vertical take-off and landing, and more: Skyryse thinks the smarter approach is to start at a more fundamental - and comprehensive - level, building an autonomous technology "stack" that can work with existing flight and safety-certified aircraft. The Skyryse model, as explained to me by CEO and founder Mark Groden, is all about broad applicability, reliability, redundancy and safety. The startup's main product, which it is unveiling today, along with the demonstration below of the tech in action on a Robinson R-44 helicopter, is the "Skyryse Flight Stack," which includes simplified flight controls to either fully automate flight, or provide assistance to human pilots; flight control automation that can still operate safely even in case of failure; safe operational limit monitoring and intervention; connected, intelligent helipads that provide monitoring and alerts; and an air traffic control component designed to work with existing FAA systems. Introducing Skyryse's Luna: The World's Most Intelligent Helicopter Skyryse and its approach comes from Groden's belief that city infrastructure has developed to the point where solutions about managing movement within and around them isn't addressable simply by adjusting the grid or changing the flow of people and things along the paths of the network; instead, he thinks what's needed is a much more basic perception shift about the potential solutions available. "At a fundamental level, I realized at a very young age that the transportation system that's built on the infrastructure that cars follow was no longer serving us," explained Groden. "Rather the other way around, we are now serving our transportation systems - for example, where I live in Los Angeles, and many of the people that work at Skyryse, we choose where we live based upon the way the transportation system may or may not be able to get us to the places that we need to go." "The reality is that it just hasn't evolved in roughly 100 years," he added. "We're trying to push more and more throughput through existing transportation infrastructure. And the only way to solve this problem is to get away from infrastructure - any infrastructure-dependent approach is going to have some fixed throughput." Groden's reasoning isn't that far off from that of others pursuing autonomous aerial transportation technology. Kitty Hawk and Google self-driving car project founder Sebastian Thrun, for instance, has often talked about how it's actually likely more easily achievable to tackle autonomy in the air than on the ground, for similar reasons. But Skyryse's approach differs from others tackling this problem because they's intent on building the full system, not just the flying car. "We want to deliver the fastest and safest transportation system to the people and communities that we serve," Groden says. "We think automation is really critical to making it affordable and ultimately accessible to everyone - but more than automation is necessary. This is like a metaphorical train system, and so you need the tracks, you need the switches, you need the communications architecture, you need all these other things going on, in order to allow the 'locomotives,' to roll down the 'track' and be automated to whatever level that it is. That full-stack technology system to support this transportation system is what we're focused on." To that end, Skyryse has a team made up of talented transportation experts and engineers with history at companies including Airbus, Boeing, Ford, JetBlue, Moog, SpaceX and more. The startup's CTO is Dr. Gonzalo Rey, who previously was CTO at Moog, where he oversaw the development of flight control actuation systems for the Boeing 787 and Airbus 350. Skyryse COO Brian Coulter previously co-founded both JetSuite Air and JetBlue, which adds into the mix experience operating in the airline industry. Today, the company is demonstrating that its technology can already work with existing aircraft and air traffic management systems - that's a promising achievement that shows more in terms of real-world feasibility than many of the new vehicle technology demonstrations you see in this industry. Skyryse is also revealing that it now has $38 million in total funding, including an additional $13 million on top of the Series A it announced last August. This round includes participation by Ford Motor Company Chairman Bill Ford, a sign that Groden says shows confidence the startup's approach has the potential to upend traditional transportation models. Car sharing, ride hailing and now on-demand electric bike and scooter services have all made claims around being able to alleviate congestion and traffic within cities, but so far none has really helped reverse the problem. Autonomous air transportation might be the solution that actually makes a difference, and Skyryse might be the startup that helps make that possible with its full-stack approach. https://techcrunch.com/2019/12/17/skyryse-shows-off-end-to-end-autonomous-flight-technology-with-helicopter-demonstration/ Back to Top Delta to purchase 10 million gallons per year of sustainable aviation fuel from Gevo US airline Delta has signed a long-term offtake agreement with renewable fuel producer Gevo for the purchase of 10 million gallons per year of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). SAF provides significant environmental benefits, as the lifecycle carbon footprint of the fuel can be up to 75% lower than conventional jet fuel. The agreement complements the airline's recent $2 million (€1.79 million) investment in Northwest Advanced Bio-fuels for a feasibility study of a facility to produce SAF and other biofuel products in the US state of Washington. Delta's investment in sustainable fuel is just one element of its commitment to carbon neutral growth and the reduction of emissions by 50% by 2050. "Long-term investments such as our agreement with Gevo are critical to Delta's goal to lower our carbon footprint while planning for a more sustainable future," said Graeme Burnett, senior vice-president of fuel management at Delta Air Lines. "Fuel is an airline's biggest area of impact and therefore presents our greatest opportunity to drive solutions that care for the planet." "We have such great potential in our business system to break paradigms as to what is possible," added Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo. "We are working to create a business system that works hand-in-hand with agriculture to improve sustainability and lower the carbon emissions of jet fuel while producing protein for food chain use. "Not only does our system produce enormous quantities of protein, we are working to get off the grid by installing wind power for electricity and manure digesters to produce biogas. We want our Luverne Facility to embody the 'circular economy'." The SAF is expected to be produced following completion of an expansion to Gevo's advanced biofuel production facility in Luverne, Minnesota, and is anticipated to be available to Delta between 2022 and 2023. https://biofuels-news.com/news/delta-to-purchase-10-million-gallons-per-year-of-sustainable-aviation-fuel-from-gevo/ Back to Top Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Bell Announce Agreement as Part of the FAA UASIPP The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) and Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company announced an agreement to add Bell to the CNO UASIPP team and begin testing some of the Bell innovations and systems on CNO-owned property in rural southeastern Oklahoma. The flights and tests will be conducted as part of the FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program (UASIPP) in preparation for future planned beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and other more advanced UAS operations. CNO is one of nine UASIPP sites selected by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao in May 2018. CNO, Bell and their partners plan to work with the FAA and other federal agencies to enhance emerging aviation technologies and operations to help keep the United States a leader in aviation. "The Choctaw Nation continues to be excited to work with our key strategic teammates like Bell as we begin to foster innovation and utilize new technologies in today's world," states James Grimsley, Executive Director of Advanced Technology Initiatives. "Working with an industry leader like Bell validates our investment and highlights all the hard work and success our team has had to date." "We are proud and excited to be a part of the CNO UASIPP team," said Scott Drennan, Bell's vice president, Innovation. "This agreement will enable us to continue to test our vehicles and work in a collaborative effort with CNO and the FAA to improve aviation technologies and achieve new possibilities together." Future missions for the CNO UASIPP team include advanced drone operations - including BVLOS - for agricultural applications, public safety operations, infrastructure inspections, safe operations over people, and weather related missions. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/unmanned/press-release/21118520/bell-choctaw-nation-of-oklahoma-and-bell-announce-agreement-as-part-of-the-faa-uasipp Back to Top Aerion Supersonic Announces Agreement with International High-Technology Group, Safran RENO, Nev., Dec. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Aerion Supersonic, the leader in supersonic technology, today announced it has selected Safran, an international high-technology group, operating in the aircraft propulsion and equipment, space and defense markets as a major partner for the AS2 supersonic business jet. By joining forces, these companies will bring over a century of aerospace experience to support the preliminary design of the first-ever modern supersonic business jet. Two Safran companies have already joined the project to support the AS2. Safran Landing Systems will design the complete braking and landing gear system, from main and nose landing gears, to wheels and brakes, including extension / retraction, monitoring and steering systems, at their engineering centers in Canada and France. Safran Nacelles will design the AS2 nacelles, including the engines' inlets, fan cowl doors and thrust reverser in France. "Safran is a well-known global group that has been designing, developing and manufacturing aircraft equipment for over a century," says Aerion CEO Tom Vice. "It is that wealth of experience, paired with Safran's eye toward the future and our shared commitment to sustainability, that makes us feel so confident about this relationship." Aerion's AS2 is the first-ever privately built supersonic commercial aircraft. Designed to be inherently environmentally responsible, the AS2 is the first supersonic aircraft with the ability to accept 100 percent synthetic fuel. It is also the first to be designed without an afterburner. The 12 passenger business jet is scheduled to begin flight testing in 2024. "We are thrilled to be part of this extraordinary technological project which requests from our engineers to imagine beyond their usual environment and design breakthrough technologies for the future of aviation," comments Philippe Petitcolin, CEO of Safran. About Aerion Corporation Aerion, the industry leader in supersonic travel, is pioneering a new generation of efficient, economical, and environmentally responsible supersonic aircraft. The Mach 1.4 AS2 business jet is scheduled to begin flight testing in 2024. Aerion entered into a partnership with Boeing in February 2019 to develop the AS2 and advance the supersonic market. In October 2018, Aerion and GE Aviation unveiled the quiet and efficient GE AffinityTMengine, the first civil supersonic engine in more than 50 years. More information can be found at www.aerionsupersonic.com. About Safran Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aircraft propulsion and equipment, space and defense markets. Safran has a global presence, with more than 95,000 employees and sales of 21 billion euros in 2018. Working alone or in partnership, Safran holds world or European leadership positions in its core markets. Safran undertakes Research & Development programs to meet fast-changing market requirements, with total R&D expenditures of around 1.5 billion euros in 2018. Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange, and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices For more information : www.safran-group.com / Follow @Safran on Twitter https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aerion-supersonic-announces-agreement-with-international-high-technology-group-safran-300976665.html Back to Top Bombardier delivers aircraft powered by sustainable aviation fuel to Latitude 33 Aviation Airplane manufacturer Bombardier has announced that California, US-based private jet charterer Latitude 33 Aviation has taken delivery of the first customer aircraft to be powered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Latitude 33 Aviation will manage and charter the Challenger 350 business jet in Seattle on behalf of the aircraft owner. "We are very pleased that the customer and Latitude 33 Aviation joined us in demonstrating that SAF can become a mainstream, drop-in alternative to traditional jet fuel for general aviation aircraft," said Peter Likoray, senior vice-president, worldwide sales and marketing at Bombardier Business Aircraft. "We are actively promoting the use of SAF as a regular part of flying business aircraft and Latitude 33 Aviation's trust as the first customer to fly away from our delivery centre on these fuels represents a turning point in the longstanding and industry-wide pledge to reduce CO2 emissions." Latitude 33 Aviation's commitment to sustainable flying marks a significant milestone in the increased use of SAF throughout the industry. It follows Bombardier's inaugural shipment of SAF, a key element in the company's plan to secure long-term partnerships with fuel suppliers to deploy SAF across the globe. "We're excited about our continued relationship with Bombardier," added Solomon Short, director of operations at Latitude 33 Aviation. "Our company is known for its exceptional service and seamless travel experience, so this factory-new delivery will help us continue to provide one of the best charter flight experiences, as well as help address the industry's environmental impact." https://biofuels-news.com/news/bombardier-delivers-aircraft-powered-by-sustainable-aviation-fuel-to-latitude-33-aviation/ Back to Top Regulators probe sale of Ukraine's Motor Sich to China Vyacheslav Boguslaev, president of Motor Sich, confirmed on December 13 the sale of the Ukrainian aviation engine manufacturer to Chinese investors, the news agency Ukrinform reported. But the takeover is "still under review" until February, officials told the Kyiv Post on December 16. "I could close the plant, I could cut the number of employees. That was the problem before me. So we decided to find an investor. We were told who the investor was, we went to China and talked. The owners of the stock sold it through our stock exchange, and I sold my shares," Boguslaev said. The sale of Motor Sich, which manufactures aviation technology as well as industrial gas turbines, has been opposed by the United States, which argues it could boost China's military forces. In particular, Motor Sich produces the ZMBK Ivchenko-Progress D-18 turbofan which powers variants of the An-124 and An-225 freighters. China has been linked to the purchase of the program from Antonov Design Bureau (ADB, Gostomel) through the Aerospace Industry Corporation of China (AICC) which aims to restart the An-225's production. Motor Sich's subsidiary Motor Sich Airlines (M9, Zaporizhzhia) operates scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services. According to the ch-aviation capacities module, its four scheduled routes link Kyiv Igor Sikorsky with Zaporizhzhia (12x weekly), Lviv and Odesa (each 6x weekly), as well as Zaporizhzhia and Minsk National (4x weekly). Boguslaev claimed the Chinese had pledged to invest USD250 million in the plant over two years: "They gave us USD100 million. [...] Another USD150 million will come next year. If we hadn't found it, you would not be standing here and I would not be talking to you," he told Ukrinform. Skyrizon Aircraft and Xinwei Technology Group have reportedly already acquired more than 50% of Motor Sich's shares, according to Ukrinform. In the event of approval by the purchase by the Anti-Monopoly Committee of Ukraine (ACMU), the investors have pledged a grant of USD100 million. More than 25% of the shares remain with the state-owned defence group UkrOboronProm, whose chairman confirmed that Chinese investors had bought shares in Motor Sich and that the deal was currently under review by the anti-monopoly committee. Competition regulators confirmed to the Kyiv Post that they have the final say on the deal. "It is still under review. The case is still open at least until the end of January," said Yuriy Terentyev, the ACMU's chairman, adding that the committee was waiting for UkrOboronProm to provide further data on the proposed investment. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/84461-regulators-probe-sale-of-ukraines-motor-sich-to-china Back to Top Beyer Introduces Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today introduced the Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act, legislation that would bolster NASA's efforts to reduce emissions from the aviation industry while also reducing the impact of airplane noise in airport-adjacent communities. "The Cleaner, Quieter Airplanes Act would address climate change and noise pollution from aircraft, two of the most persistent problems I hear about from Northern Virginians," said Rep. Beyer. "As the climate crisis continues to inflict damage on American communities, Congress must look at every available option to reduce emissions, and that should include the aviation industry. In addition to being better for the planet, this legislation will also lead to quieter skies above and peace of mind to communities near airports. I appreciate the support for this bill on both sides of Capitol Hill, and will be making the case for it in the House as our Committee takes up NASA's authorizing legislation." Companion legislation was previously introduced in the Senate by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), with cosponsors including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD). Aviation currently accounts for approximately 3 percent of the nation's total greenhouse gas emissions, and emissions from this sector are expected to triple by 2050 given the projected growth of passenger air travel and freight. In addition, as air traffic volumes increase, communities are increasingly impacted by noise pollution from airplanes. This legislation sets a goal for cleaner, quieter airplanes by 2030 (regional transport planes) and 2040 (single-aisle planes), and it authorizes NASA to accelerate its work developing and demonstrating the technologies to make this goal a reality. Specifically, this bill: Establishes an ambitious goal of commercial airplanes emitting 50 percent less greenhouse gas and 50 percent less noise compared to 2019 levels by 2030 for regional planes and 2040 for larger, single-aisle planes. Authorizes NASA to accelerate its work on electrified propulsion systems and the integration of multiple technologies and airframe concepts to achieve noise and emissions reductions. Challenges NASA to work with industry partners to carry out flight tests by 2025 and to bring new airplanes into service between 2030 and 2040. Requires NASA to provide guidance on new technologies to help the FAA's work to ensure the safe and effective deployment of these technologies. Besides the benefits of less pollution and lower noise impacts on our communities, the initiative established in this legislation will help drive industry growth and innovation, maintain our competitiveness with other countries that are moving aggressively on electrified propulsion technologies, and ensure that United States airlines can fly with U.S.-generated technology to other countries that adopt stricter standards for noise and emissions. By setting an ambitious goal and challenging NASA to work in collaboration with industry partners, this bill will help drive innovation, economic competitiveness, and a transformational shift to a cleaner, quieter, more sustainable aviation industry. Text of the bill is available here. Original cosponsors include Paul Tonko (D-NY), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Joe Neguse (D-CO), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). Beyer serves on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology's Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, is co-chair of the Congressional Safe Climate Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition's Climate Change Task Force, and is a Member of the Quiet Skies Caucus, which works to reduce noise pollution from aircraft. https://www.arlnow.com/press-releases/beyer-introduces-cleaner-quieter-airplanes-act/ Back to Top SpaceX's satellite launch on Monday almost went perfectly... almost SpaceX has had an incredibly busy year. The company has been sticking to a schedule of satellite launches for a variety of clients, while also continuing to develop its Starship rocket-of-the-future, and running resupply missions to the International Space Station for NASA. With all that in mind, SpaceX's latest launch, which took place on Monday night, was like icing on an already delicious cake. The mission, which saw the deployment of an internet satellite designed to service the South Pacific ocean, went rather smoothly. Everything went perfectly... almost. The launch, the deployment of the satellite, and even the landing of the booster on SpaceX's drone ship went as planned. Unfortunately, SpaceX's plan to snatch the nosecone fairings didn't go as planned, and both of the halves splashed down in the ocean instead of landing in the nets attached to SpaceX's barges. Catching the nosecone fairings has proven difficult for SpaceX. The company has honed its technique over many failed attempts and has seen limited success. SpaceX has managed to grab and refurbish some of the nosecones it's used in the past, including some which have splashed down in the ocean. Refurbishing the nosecones and reusing them could potentially save a lot of money for SpaceX. The company's entire business model is built around the idea of reusing hardware several times over. In that regard, it makes sense for SpaceX to attempt to reuse as many components as possible. Despite failing to capture the nosecone fairings in the net-equipped barges, SpaceX says it may still be able to reuse them. Seawater can seriously damage sensitive rocket components, but SpaceX may still be able to work its magic. https://bgr.com/2019/12/17/spacex-fairing-recovery-nosecone/ Curt Lewis