January 20, 2020 - No. 004 In This Issue Intrepid Aerospace announces plans for one of the largest MRO facilities in Florida Jazz Aviation named one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People Dassault Readies Extra AOG Support for Davos Forum Toyota and Joby Aviation are Flying to New Heights Together. Experts' Review Defends FAA Certification Process That Approved 737 MAX Sun Air Jets achieves highest safety registration level from IS-BAO Melbourne Avalon gains first Indonesia route with Citilink Showcase encourages Indigenous people to pursue careers in aviation industry Clay Lacy's service centre authorisation expanded to Legacy and Praetor jets The Path to Grow Nigeria's Aviation SpaceX's Explosive Test May Launch Year of Renewed Human Spaceflight. Intrepid Aerospace announces plans for one of the largest MRO facilities in Florida Intrepid Aerospace has entered into a lease agreement with the Lee County Port Authority for Intrepid Aircraft Maintenance, a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility and paint hangar encompassing more than 340,000 square feet in a new building to be constructed at Skyplex. The Intrepid Aircraft Maintenance MRO would be one of the largest in the state - with capacity for up to 11 commercial jets the size of Boeing's 737 series - and the paint hangar will be the state's only facility able to accommodate large, wide-body aircraft, including Boeing's 747 and 787. The addition of a large-scale MRO at Southwest Florida International Airport will provide expanded services to all airlines, with 24-7 availability of certified technicians for troubleshooting, repairs, maintenance, aircraft and engine washing, heavy-maintenance service, and more. The dedicated paint hangar will allow airlines to have their large-body aircraft painted within the state of Florida rather than traveling to other states or countries, as is the current practice. "This MRO will be a game changer for Southwest Florida International Airport," said Lee County Commission Chairman Brian Hamman, who also serves as chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. "Once these services become available, both domestic and international airlines will have access to on-site maintenance professionals, and that changes how they schedule flights into our market." Hamman added that the MRO is expected to generate several hundred high-wage jobs in the first phase of operations. "Intrepid said they will need hundreds of heavy-maintenance professionals to work in Southwest Florida, along with aerospace engineers and a variety of other related professionals," he said, "with even more jobs in the future for additional phases. Our region is poised to become a magnet for the booming aerospace sector and all the ancillary services and businesses that support the industry." With the MRO's projected capital investment of more than $100 million and job generation of more than 500 high-paying jobs, Lee County Economic Development Office staff anticipate the economic impact of the Intrepid Aircraft Maintenance MRO will be game-changing for Lee County and Southwest Florida. Intrepid Aerospace was formed in 2010 and provides FAA-certified repair and overhaul services at its current facility in Fort Myers, including structural and advanced composite components, hydraulic, pneumatic, electromechanical, engine mounts, windows, and cabin modules. An application for the Intrepid Aircraft Maintenance MRO has been submitted to the FAA, according to President and CEO Juan M. Mendez. "Southwest Florida International Airport is ready for its own MRO facility, and being near the Skyplex is the perfect location," said Mendez. "We have been envisioning this project for many years, understanding what the market demand is for MRO services and the potential for this airport to be a destination for airlines around the country and the world. "We have been reaching out to educational providers throughout Southwest Florida to begin the work of establishing the training and curricula needed to ensure the workforce is ready to go when the facility opens in 2023," Mendez said. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/maintenance-providers/mro/press- release/21121864/intrepid-aerospace-announces-plans-for-one-of-the-largest-mro-facilities-in- florida Back to Top Jazz Aviation named one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People Chorus Aviation Inc. announced that its subsidiary Jazz Aviation LP was named one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People for the eighth time. Canada's Top Employers for Young People is an editorial competition organized by the Canada's Top 100 Employers project. This special designation recognizes employers that offer the nation's best workplaces and programs for young people joining the workforce. "Jazz is delighted to be recognized for this prestigious award," said Randolph deGooyer, president, Jazz. "By investing in post-secondary programs, we want young people to know that Jazz provides a supportive environment throughout their entire careers." Jazz was selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People for programs such as the Jazz Aviation Pathways Program and aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) programs. Jazz recently expanded its Pathways Program beyond establishing career paths for professional pilots to include a flight attendant pathway. Students who successfully complete this one-year program, and meet eligibility requirements, will interview with Jazz Aviation for open flight attendant positions. Jazz also supports the education of young people interested in a career in the aviation industry by offering a variety of scholarships. The AME programs at local community colleges provide mentorship for apprentices and offer an interest-free payment program to support AMEs with purchases of their toolkits, a necessity in their careers. The Canada's Top Employers for Young People competition is a valuable resource for recent graduates and young professionals in finding the right career fit and provides them with an insider's view of the organization, highlighting their most progressive and innovative human-resources initiatives. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/jazz-aviation-named-one-of-canadas-top-employers- for-young-people/ Back to Top Dassault Readies Extra AOG Support for Davos Forum Dassault Aviation will once again support its Falcon business jet customers traveling to the World Economic Forum 2020 in Davos, Switzerland, by positioning a team of maintenance specialists, equipment, and aircraft at nearby airports, the French airframer announced yesterday. The forum is scheduled for January 21 to 24. "Field support for major events has become woven into our regular product support operations," said Jean Kayanakis, senior v-p of worldwide Falcon customer service and service center network. "It is part of our global commitment to position support as close as possible to the customer. We want to ensure that Falcon operators attending such events have access to the fastest, most comprehensive and highest quality onsite support available." The extra support at Zurich International Airport and St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport will come from Dassault's newly acquired service centers in Switzerland-TAG Maintenance Services and the business aviation operations of RUAG-and elsewhere in the Falcon support organization. Dassault plans to provide similar support for Falcon operators at the Super Bowl early next month in Miami, as well as at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-01-17/dassault-readies-extra- aog-support-davos-forum Back to Top Toyota and Joby Aviation are Flying to New Heights Together SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (January 15, 2020) Toyota is exploring a new flight path for mobility through a new collaboration with Joby Aviation (Joby), an aerospace company that is developing and commercializing all-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to enable the deployment of fast, quiet and affordable air transportation services. The collaboration reflects Toyota's recognition of the long-term potential of the urban air mobility market to meet the evolving needs of society, as well as Joby's position as an industry leader in working to deliver safe and affordable air travel to everyone. "Air transportation has been a long-term goal for Toyota, and while we continue our work in the automobile business, this agreement sets our sights to the sky," said Toyota Motor Corporation President and CEO Akio Toyoda. "As we take up the challenge of air transportation together with Joby, an innovator in the emerging eVTOL space, we tap the potential to revolutionize future transportation and life. Through this new and exciting endeavor, we hope to deliver freedom of movement and enjoyment to customers everywhere, on land, and now, in the sky." As the lead investor in Joby's $590M Series C financing, Toyota is continuing to leverage emerging technologies to provide "Mobility for All." In addition to investing $394M in Joby, Toyota will share its expertise in manufacturing, quality and cost controls for the development and production of Joby Aviation's breakthrough eVTOL aircraft. Joby's design is well matched to serve the needs of an emerging air transportation market where commuters and travelers embrace the benefits of aviation on a daily basis within and between urban centers. More details of the prototype aircraft and production plans will be announced at a later date. Joby Aviation founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt said: "This collaboration with Toyota represents an unprecedented commitment of money and resources for us, and for this new industry, from one of the world's leading automakers. Toyota is known globally for the quality and reliability of their products driven by meticulous attention to detail and manufacturing processes. I am excited to harness Toyota's engineering and manufacturing prowess to drive us toward our dream of helping a billion people save an hour+ commuting time every day." Both companies believe that leveraging synergies with automobile technologies as well as integrating best practices from the Toyota Production System will help facilitate the efficient mass production of these aircraft, while also helping Joby deliver high quality, durable and reliable aircraft, and meeting exacting safety standards. Toyota Motor Corporation Executive Vice President Shigeki Tomoyama will join Joby's board of directors and play an active role in setting strategic direction at the Board level. Automotive Meets Aviation Toyota is embracing emerging technologies as it transforms into a mobility company that is better equipped to meet the unique mobility needs of individuals everywhere. The new collaboration with Joby Aviation is anticipated to help bring urban on-demand air transportation into the mainstream and initiate a new category of moving people and goods. It is anticipated that eVTOLs will help to create new mobility services with the potential to help alleviate persistent mobility challenges. Those challenges include traffic congestion in urban areas, increased environmental burden and the lack of transportation in underpopulated areas, among others. Joby is a leader in the development of eVTOL aircraft which combine elements of helicopters and small airplanes, offering benefits that include high reliability, zero emissions, fast flight speeds and quiet operations. The aircraft also offers lower operating costs, lower costs of maintenance, and enhanced safety features. For information about Joby, go to jobyaviation.com https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2020/01/17/797358-toyota-and-joby-aviation-are-flying- to-new-heights-together.html Back to Top Experts' Review Defends FAA Certification Process That Approved 737 MAX Changes need to be made, but the process the Federal Aviation Administration uses to certify aircraft - including the grounded Boeing 737 MAX - is effective and a significant contributor to the world's safest aviation system, according to a panel of outside safety experts. In a report that is sure to rile Boeing Co (NYSE: BA) and FAA critics and the families of the 346 people who died in two fatal MAX accidents, the Special Committee to Review the Federal Aviation Administration's Aircraft Certification Process argued against any actions that would "systematically dismantle" the FAA's current certification system and its use of delegated authority. Organization designation authorization, or ODA, has come under a great deal of scrutiny since the two MAX crashes. Under ODA, the FAA can delegate certain certification responsibilities back to a manufacturer. Critics contend that ODA opens up potential conflicts of interest and that in the case of the MAX, the FAA failed to effectively oversee Boeing. The committee, which was established by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in April, said, "Any radical changes to this system could undermine the collaboration and expertise that undergird the current certification system, jeopardizing the remarkable level of safety that has been attained in recent decades." But attempts to change the system are likely. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said Thursday that his committee's investigation has revealed multiple points at which the certification process failed and that he intends to propose legislative fixes. "I want to be very clear: 346 people died because the system failed," DeFazio said. "Despite the wishes of industry, it would be the height of irresponsibility to leave the ODA system as is and just hope for the best the next time. Not addressing the failures head-on would be a grave mistake and that will not happen on my watch." DeFazio has previously said reforms need to include a larger number of inspectors, mostly paid for by the aerospace industry, and a transparent process for allowing employees to raise safety concerns within an organization. Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri, the ranking Republican on the House T&I Committee, said the report "clearly dispels the narrative that our aviation certification system is broken and must be completely rebuilt in the wake of the two 737 MAX accidents." While finding the certification process to be effective, the special committee also said that reforms must be adopted to help the system become better at identifying and mitigating risk and that some assumptions used to certify aircraft are outdated. The five-person committee made 10 key findings and related recommendations. One was that the FAA should require manufacturers to implement safety management systems. Currently in the U.S., only large scheduled passenger and cargo carriers are required to have an SMS, which is a systematic approach to managing safety. The U.S. lags behind a number of other countries in requiring SMS. Another set of recommendations focused on the FAA workforce, proper workforce planning, the need to aggressively recruit young people into the organization and make sure people with the right range of skills occupy safety-critical jobs. The FAA also should acknowledge the international profile of airlines that fly U.S.-made aircraft and implement necessary changes in the certification system "to consider differences in operations, training and oversight" in other countries, the committee said. The agency also should use its resources to foster higher international safety standards and practices for aircraft certification, operations and maintenance. "The agency will carefully consider the committee's work, along with the recommendations identified in various investigative reports and other analyses, as we take steps to enhance our aircraft certification processes," FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/experts-review-defends-faa-certification-160658177.html Back to Top Sun Air Jets achieves highest safety registration level from IS-BAO Greater Los Angeles Area, California - January 2020 - Sun Air Jets, private charter jet operator and aircraft management company, has advanced to the highest safety registration level from the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), IS-BAO Stage 3. Sun Air Jets attained this voluntary registration level for its high quality, risk-averse safety and operational processes that permeates throughout company culture, an achievement held only by a select number of global operators and less than 10 operators in California. This exclusive designation highlights Sun Air Jets' constant dedication to aviation safety and professionalism, including employing dedicated safety personnel who ensure its private charter jet fleet adhere to the highest safety standards. "Our organization prides itself on its identity as one of the safest private jet operators in the United States and achieving IS-BAO Stage 3 further solidifies that dedication," commented Andreas Mauritzson, VP of Business Strategy and Director of Safety for the Company. As evident of the private charter jet company's exemplary standards of safety, Sun Air Jets adds the distinction to a long list of safety awards and credentials, including ARGUS Platinum, Wyvern Flight Leader, and Air Charter Safety Foundation IAS. According to Mary Cimbura, Inflight Services Coordinator and Assistant Director of Safety, "this designation is only made possible thanks to the mindset and determination of our crews and employees, who always focus on being vigilant when it comes to serving our clients in the safest and most efficient way possible." The International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations, developed by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and its member associations, is a recommended voluntary code of best practices designed to help flight operations all over the world achieve high levels of safety and professionalism in their operations. IS-BAO Stage 3 is achieved when the operator verifies that safety management activities are fully integrated into the operator's business and that a positive safety culture is being sustained. Since Sun Air Jets implemented IS-BAO standards ten years ago, the company has been visited by IS-BAO auditors once every two years. Sun Air Jets, based in both Van Nuys and Camarillo, California, recognizes each audit as an opportunity to learn and grow. About Sun Air Jets Sun Air Jets operates one of the safest rated private jet fleets in the nation with a flawless safety record spanning over 15 years. Serving the greater Los Angeles area, Sun Air Jets provides aircraft management, maintenance, private luxury hangars, and private charter jet services on a diverse fleet including Gulfstream, Bombardier, and Falcon aircraft. Along with maintaining the highest safety standards in the industry, Sun Air Jets remains dedicated to serving clients with the highest levels of operating expertise and personable customer service. With bases located in Camarillo and Van Nuys, California, including a full-service FBO at the company's KCMA headquarters, Sun Air Jets is a fully certified Part 145 repair station and 135 charter operator. To learn more about Sun Air Jets, visit sunairjets.com. https://www.avweb.com/press-releases/sun-air-jets-achieves-highest-safety-registration-level- from-is-bao/ Back to Top Melbourne Avalon gains first Indonesia route with Citilink Melbourne Avalon will gain its first flight to Indonesia on January 24, when Citilink (QG, Surabaya) will launch a daily service from Denpasar, according to a press release issued by the Australian airport. The city pair is only the facility's second international route, adding to AirAsia X's existing service to Kuala Lumpur Int'l. The Garuda Indonesia (GA, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta) subsidiary began flying between Perth Int'l and Denpasar in November last year, but this will be the airline's first service to Australia's eastern states. The 2,363-nautical mile (4,377-kilometre) sector will be operated by Citilink's 180-seat A320-200neo fleet. The arrival time into Bali will also provide great connections throughout other parts of Asia using the existing Citilink network. "We're excited to be able to make one of Australia's most beloved holiday destinations a more affordable and easier experience for people wanting a great escape. Bali is our most requested international destination and one that we have been actively pursuing for some time," said Avalon Airport Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Justin Giddings. "Citilink has been fantastic to work with, and is highly regarded in the industry. It's an honour to introduce this airline to the region, and make Bali more assessable for Melbourne, Geelong and Regional Victoria in particular. We're certain the flights will be hugely successful." Citilink CEO Juliandra Nurtjahjo also commented on the announcement: "We are thrilled to launch our new route connecting between Denpasar and Melbourne. Citilink has become the first airline serving Denpasar and Avalon Airport route and we hope this will provide more options for people who want to visit Denpasar and vice versa." The CEO added that Australia had the second-highest number of visits to Indonesia in 2019 and as a result Citilink is optimistic to reach its target load factor of 70% on the Denpasar-Avalon route. Avalon is hopeful of securing a Vietnam service in the near future too, having announced an agreement with VietJetAir (VJ, Hanoi) in October last year to commence a service from Ho Chi Minh City, although there were no specifics on a start date. According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, Citilink operates forty-one A320-200s, ten A320-200neo, seven ATR72-600s, a single A330-900neo, and a sole inactive B737-500. https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/85263-melbourne-avalon-gains-first-indonesia-route- with-citilink Back to Top Showcase encourages Indigenous people to pursue careers in aviation industry Nicole Kemp was still in high school when she decided that she wanted to work in aviation. "It's just something my uncle told me about when I was 16 years old," said Kemp. "He was describing his friend's job to me and I guess that's when I decided that this is what I'm going to do." On Wednesday, Kemp was one of the keynote speakers at an aerospace and aviation showcase aimed at getting more Indigenous people involved in the industry. Speaking to a group of over 200 Indigenous adult education students at the Neeginan Centre in Winnipeg, Kemp talked about having a son while she was still in high school and having to wait an extra year to apply for the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer program at the Stevenson Campus at Red River College. Kemp had another child before she finished the program and has been working as an aircraft maintenance engineer for 13 years. One of her favourite things about fixing planes is that her days are never filled with the same tasks. "I get to think outside the box a lot... I'm small so I can't physically do some of the things a man can do, but I can get the job done," said Kemp. Now working at Keewatin Air, an air medical and air transport service operating in Manitoba and Nunavut, Kemp said that there are still very few Indigenous people that she knows who are working within the industry. According to a 2018 labour market report by the Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace, Indigenous people make up four per cent of the general workforce but only three per cent of the total aerospace workforce. Getting more Indigenous people involved Kimberly Ballantyne has wanted to be a pilot since she was four. Her career journey has seen her go back and forth between her community, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, and Winnipeg, working in human resources and marketing, and now she's working on getting her private pilot's licence. In 2019 she applied for a job as a recruitment specialist with Manitoba Aerospace. Not too long after being hired, she pitched to them the idea of hosting a career fair aimed specifically at Indigenous people. According to a 2018 labour market Information study compiled by Manitoba Aerospace, there will be a need for over 2,000 workers in Manitoba's aerospace and aviation industries over the next three to five years. The industry is hoping to tap into an underutilized Indigenous workforce. Ballantyne said one of the common misconceptions that Indigenous people have about gaining employment within the industry is that you need a lengthy post-secondary education. "Some of the training can take up to 10 months," she said. "And like I mentioned Neeginan College of Applied Technology offers that training right here in-house." Ballantyne invited over 20 different aviation companies and organizations to set up a booth at the event. One of them was Michelle Carrier's. Carrier is a recruiter for the University of Manitoba's Engineering Access Program (ENGAP). The program has an aerospace option and she said it's important for Indigenous people to be a part of designing things in the future. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/aviation-careers-event-winnipeg-1.5431510 Back to Top Clay Lacy's service centre authorisation expanded to Legacy and Praetor jets Clay Lacy Aviation's Embraer service centre authorisation has been expanded with the addition of the Legacy and Praetor models. The company first gained authorised service centre status in 2009, and its work on Phenom 100 and 300 models exceeds more than 10,000 hours. This includes some of the first Phenom 10-year inspections, performed recently. Clay Lacy's FAA Part 145 repair station at Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles, California, now provides factory-trained MRO services for Legacy 450, 500, 600 and 650 models; Praetor 500 and 600 jets; and Phenom 100 and 300 aircraft. The new 152,000ft² (14,121m²) service centre provides heavy airframe inspections, engine and APU maintenance and light line maintenance. On-site capabilities include a multi-million-dollar parts inventory, warranty administration and a Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR). The service centre also provides avionics, wi-fi connectivity, cabin entertainment and interior modifications and upgrades. Clay Lacy is a long-time authorised dealer for Rockwell Collins - including Pro Line Fusion avionics - as well as for Honeywell, Garmin and other avionics manufacturers. Additionally, custom interior design and refurbishment services are available at its on-site interior shop. Clients can minimize downtime by pairing interior upgrades with scheduled maintenance events. The company also offers 24/7 mobile AOG support from four US sites. "We have been an authorised service centre for Phenom aircraft since 2009, and are honoured by Embraer's continued trust and support," said Ed Mirzakhanian, Clay Lacy's vice president of maintenance. "We are excited to support all Embraer owners and these outstanding aircraft with our growing team of factory-trained experts and continued investment in specialised tooling to provide superior service." https://www.businessjetinteriorsinternational.com/news/cabin-completion-refurbishment- maintenance/clay-lacys-service-centre-authorisation-expanded-to-legacy-and-praetor.html Back to Top The Path to Grow Nigeria's Aviation For a long time, aviation stakeholders have been expressing concern over the stagnant or retarding predicament of this massive sector, considering our natural, human and economic potentials. Perhaps based on these factors, including the $1.3 billion annually repatriated by foreign airlines, Senator Hadi Sirika put out a plan over four years ago to set up a national airline. Various media reports said Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines were jointly or separately likely technical partners. However following a mock up launch of the carrier at the Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom about two years, the project suffered a mild set back, albeit it is quietly being resuscitated at the moment. My friend and senior colleague Chris Aligbe wrote an article last November condemning the suggestion by the Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation (AMCON), Ahmed Kuru, calling for the merger of Aero Contractors and Arik Air to form the national carrier. Sirika without doubt quickly pushed down that proposal, insisting only a new carrier will work. Chris argued on the ownership of the two airlines in Receivership by AMCON - Arik and Aero, viz a viz the ministry of aviation, and raised an issue of the international encumbrances of the two airlines as a harbinger to interested investors. The argument of Sirika and his supporters in setting up a national carrier is indeed baffling. A UK- based respected Nigerian aviation expert Nick Fadugba said in 2018 it is only Nigeria that owns two national airlines and is struggling to set up a third one! The argument by Chris that Arik and Aero are not government owned because they are under Receivership by AMCON is surprising. Gleaning through past reports, Sirika is working to get private participation to set up the national airline, although nearly N50 billion ($140 million) was budgeted for that purpose in 2019. The question to ask is why is government spending a whopping N50 billion on a project that will lose money in the first three-five years and with little assurance for success? Why is the government spending this amount of money considering the dire needs in other sectors like education, health and social services? Why is a government that is almost borrowing to service debts setting up a national carrier while it has a better option? Considering the recent downgrade of Nigeria by rating agencies, which investor will risk investing in a completely new venture? For Arik and Aero which have tasted the waters, and are regaining customer confidence in their respective markets, and equally making revenues to cover working capital, it makes better sense for government to merge them, while they secure solid technical partners. The reference of Chris to the legal disputes is not altruistic, because once creditors are engaged, and given sufficient confidence, investors will play ball. After all the current Arik management have been engaging all the airline's creditors locally and internationally, and have gained their confidence through constant engagements, and repayment of debts. It is crucially important to look at the massive advantages of merging Aero and Arik to form a flag carrier. Aero is Nigeria's oldest carrier with solid experience servicing the oil and gas sector, rotary wing and aircraft repairs. It has a Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) license to undertake C check for Boeing 737s, perhaps the only facility with that competence in west and central Africa. Arik is the first airline to operate brand new Boeing and Airbus new generation aircraft and since the days of Nigeria Airways, the only Nigerian airline with the best international exposure. Most aviation experts have fingered huge maintenance cost as one of the major problems for Nigerian airlines. Just imagine a combination of Arik and Aero under one entity, where Aero can also offer services to third parties. Sirika should work to fix our airports, and not just focus on the current traffic, but think long term. He's truly putting the cart before the horse. It's like building a house in an area where there's no electricity, water, road and gas. Of what use is a national carrier with the airports we have today? There's no seamless national and regional connection. There's even no solid plan to accommodate increasing traffic for the next 10 -15 years, or massively boost traffic. Sirika should be aware of what is happening with Kotoka international airport in Accra who are quietly building a west African hub. Yes, they may not have the traffic like Nigeria, but never mind, their economy is one of the fastest growing in the world with a solid investment climate. Qatar a country of about 2 million equally doesn't have the traffic (based on its population), but its yearly throughput is projected to hit 53 million this year, and at least 80% of its traffic is transit. Nigeria is the only emerging market (country) in the world with a nine- digit population that has no global hub - São Paulo (38 million - population of Brazil, 209 million in 2027), Delhi (69 million), Mumbai (48 million - population of India 1.4 billion in 2027), Cairo (16 million - 100 million in 2019), Mexico City (47 million - population, 129 million in 2017), ( Jakarta, 60.25 million - population 264 million in 2017), Kuala Lumpur (100 million in 2018 - population of Malaysia 32.6 million in 2019), etc. Sirika's focus should be to transparently concession Lagos and Abuja airports by engaging stakeholders with the aim of attracting a traffic of 30 million passengers in the first 10 years and 50 million passengers in the second phase - another 10 years. Our airports must compete internationally and drive our economic growth, and significantly contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) not the other way round. We have everything to achieve that. The Dangote refinery will be completed this year. What is the minister and his relevant agency doing to attract foreign airlines into our airports with cheaper aviation fuel when the refinery comes on stream? Does Federal Aviation Authority of Nigerian (FAAN) pitch for airlines to come to their airports as Ghana is now obviously doing by offering cheap aviation fuel and other concessions? Akbar Al Baker the CEO of Qatar Airways while responding on the Nigerian Air project in 2018 suggested that developing airport infrastructure should be the focus of Nigeria rather than a new airline. Alexandre de Juniac, the CEO of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said a similar thing while talking last month to some African journalists, when he lamented that poor airport infrastructure is hindering the growth of the industry in Africa. It was time we thought big and planned long term in this sector with the aim of creating jobs and stop being fixated by reducing foreign airlines' repatriation of $1.3 billion a year which is chick feed. The world is moving at a fast pace. It is still in our hands. We must THINK and ACT right, and quickly too. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/01/18/the-path-to-grow-nigerias-aviation/ Back to Top SpaceX's Explosive Test May Launch Year of Renewed Human Spaceflight KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - The rocket launched. It exploded. SpaceX and NASA declared the blast a success. Usually the destruction of a rocket means a failed mission. But on Sunday, SpaceX was demonstrating a crucial safety system of its Crew Dragon spacecraft, a capsule that is to carry astronauts for NASA to the International Space Station. There was no one on board during Sunday's flight. The passengers this time were two test dummies with sensors to measure the forces that real astronauts would experience if the capsule's escape system were ever needed. The system proved itself, even during a phase of the flight when atmospheric forces on the spacecraft are most severe. About nine minutes after the test, the intact capsule landed in the Atlantic Ocean. "Overall, as far we can tell thus far, it was a picture-perfect mission," said Elon Musk, the founder and chief executive of SpaceX, during a news conference after the test. This accomplishment may set the stage for opening a new era in spaceflight. For more than eight years since the last space shuttle flight, no person has launched to orbit from the United States. Instead, NASA has had to rely on Russia for the transportation of its astronauts. Now SpaceX and Boeing, the companies hired by NASA, are nearly ready for their first crewed flights, and probably not just of NASA astronauts. "We're on the cusp of commercializing low-Earth orbit," said Jim Bridenstine, the NASA administrator. "I want to see large amounts of capital flowing into activities that include humans in space. And those activities could be industrialized biomedicine. It could be advanced materials, and it could be people that want to go to space for tourism purposes." Boeing and SpaceX may not be the only companies taking people to space from the United States. Two companies, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, seem to be on track to carry their first customers on expensive, short-hop space tourism flights soon. The number of people heading toward space could surge, even if most experience weightlessness for just a few minutes. The abort test was postponed one day because of rough seas and gusty winds on Saturday at the planned splashdown site. On Sunday, the waves were beginning to calm, but a storm was moving toward the launchpad. At 10:30 a.m., conditions on both land and sea were good enough to allow the Falcon 9 rocket to blast off into the sky. At 84 seconds after liftoff, powerful thrusters on the Crew Dragon pushed the spacecraft away from the rocket quickly, reaching a speed of more than twice that of sound. The rocket then exploded. Mr. Musk said the capsule, with its heat shield, should be able to survive fiery conditions that erupted before the capsule made its escape. "It could quite literally look like something out of Star Wars, fly right out of a fireball," he said. "We want to avoid doing that." Coasting to an altitude of more than 130,000 feet, the capsule then performed a carefully designed choreography - jettisoning the bottom of the spacecraft, firing small thrusters and deploying its parachutes - before it splashed into the ocean about 20 miles from where it started. The next Crew Dragon mission is to take two NASA astronauts, Douglas G. Hurley and Robert L. Behnken, to the space station. Mr. Musk said that flight would likely occur in the second quarter of the year, between April and June. The Falcon 9 rocket and a new Crew Dragon capsule for that flight will be ready in Florida by the end of February, he said, but safety reviews will take some time. The crew on the space station is to drop to three in April when three astronauts currently there return to Earth on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. The mission for Mr. Hurley and Mr. Behnken is currently scheduled to last two weeks, but could be extended, which would prevent a drop-off in scientific research at the station. For a longer stay, the astronauts would need additional training. "So far on space station, our responsibility is to take care of ourselves while we're there, not make a mess," Mr. Behnken said. Mr. Bridenstine said that a decision on whether Mr. Hurley and Mr. Behnken would stay longer would be made in a few weeks. He also said that NASA was still negotiating to buy an additional seat on a Soyuz. "I think it's important we have options," Mr. Bridenstine said. A slow trek back to orbit The last time NASA astronauts launched from the United States was July 8, 2011, when the space shuttle Atlantis blasted off on its last flight from Florida. Thirteen days later, it glided to a landing back at the Kennedy Space Center, where it is now a museum piece. Since then, astronauts from NASA and other nations flying to the space station have been hitching rides on Russian Soyuz rockets, at a current price of more than $80 million each. From Alan Shepard's first flight in 1961 through the Apollo moon landings to the space shuttles, NASA was in charge of designing, building and operating its rockets and spacecraft. After the retirement of the shuttles, NASA planned to continue that approach with the Constellation program started under President George W. Bush. NASA aimed to develop the Ares 1 rocket to take astronauts to the space station. But costs for Ares 1 and the accompanying Orion capsule kept rising and the schedule slipped repeatedly. The Obama administration canceled the program. To replace Ares 1, NASA turned to commercial companies, the approach it uses for launches of satellites, cargo to the space station and robotic planetary probes. But relinquishing the transportation of astronauts was a bigger shift for the space agency. When NASA awarded the commercial crew contracts to Boeing and SpaceX in 2014, the hope was that the flights carrying astronauts would begin by the end of 2017. The contracts set fixed prices, unlike earlier big NASA contracts where contractors were reimbursed for costs with an additional fee. Watchdogs in government have questioned the management and costs of the program, and both Boeing and SpaceX have suffered technological setbacks along the way. SpaceX successfully sent an uncrewed Crew Dragon to the space station a year ago, and the company was gearing up to conduct the in-flight abort test. But in April, during a ground test, the capsule that was to be used for the abort test - the same one that had gone to orbit - exploded. No one was injured, but that pushed back SpaceX's schedule as it figured out what happened and how to fix it. In December, Boeing launched one of its Starliner capsules without crew, but the mission ended early, without going to the space station, because of a problem with the spacecraft's clock. All aboard? Many space enthusiasts hope that the commercial crew program will spur new business in space. Last June, NASA announced that it would allow space tourists to make trips to the space station, and one company, Axiom Space, says it has one passenger signed up already for a 10-day trip that will cost $55 million. An Axiom mission could launch as soon as summer 2021. However, another company, Bigelow Space Operations, which also said it planned to launch space tourists to the station, backed away a few months later. "NASA still has a substantial amount of work to do," said Robert T. Bigelow, the founder and chief executive of the company. "We learned last year when we secured a SpaceX launch and options for three others that unfortunately it was premature. So, therefore, we had to cancel those agreements." NASA is also expected to soon announce the winner of a competition to attach a commercial module to the International Space Station, providing more room for visitors. Still, putting people in orbit will most likely remain a small slice of the money invested on space ventures. "There's certainly a business to made with human spaceflight," said Chad Anderson, chief executive of Space Angels, an investment firm focused on start-up space companies. But, he added, his company saw human spaceflight more as a high-profile catalyst than a big business. The areas of major growth, he said, will be global positioning systems, earth observation and communications, none of which require astronauts. Closer to the ground, another pair of American companies could take passengers on brief trips to the edge of space. The spacecraft built by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic basically just go up and down like a big roller coaster and never accelerate to the speeds needed to reach orbit. Virgin's officials are optimistically saying that commercial flights will begin this year. Blue Origin has not yet carried any passengers. Neither company's trip to space will be in financial reach of the average person. Virgin Galactic charges $250,000 for a seat. Blue Origin has not yet said what it will charge. But the companies could greatly increase the number of people who travel to space. In the nearly 59 years since Yuri Gagarin became the first person in space, fewer than 600 people have followed him there. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/19/science/spacex-launch.html Curt Lewis