Flight Safety Information February 4, 2020 - No. 025 In This Issue Incident: Canada B763 at Madrid on Feb 3rd 2020, engine shut down in flight, burst tyre on departure Accident: Kalitta B744 at Los Angeles on Feb 3rd 2020, rejected takeoff due to trash bin on runway Accident: Rusline CRJ1 at Tomsk on Feb 3rd 2020, nose gear collapse on landing Aircraft Lands Safely In Austin After Cockpit Smoke Reported EVAS - Cockpit Smoke Protection Charlotte-based pilot shot and killed in Puerto Rico, family says FAA Abruptly Stopped Enforcement Action Against Hawaii Helicopter Tours Flight attendants ask Hawaiian Airlines to permit expanded mask usage amid coronavirus concerns More Charges in Hansen Helo Fraud Case ICAO Issues Travel Advice for Stakeholders and Public as Novel Coronavirus Declared a Global Emergency FAA To Propose Safety Standards For Delivery Drones Etihad Selling 38 Aircraft For $1 Billion Army hikes bonuses for first time in decades to stem pilot exodus The Phenom 300E becomes the first single-pilot jet to reach Mach 0.80 Business aviation set for 10 years of (green) growth Small electrical charges could help airplanes avoid lightning strikes A SMALL ROCKET MAKER IS RUNNING A DIFFERENT KIND OF SPACE RACE Helicopter Accident Investigation from SCSI Investigation Management from SCSI ACSF Safety Symposium Incident: Canada B763 at Madrid on Feb 3rd 2020, engine shut down in flight, burst tyre on departure An Air Canada Boeing 767-300, registration C-GHOZ performing flight AC-837 from Madrid,SP (Spain) to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 128 passengers on board, was departing Madrid's runway 36L when the left hand engine suffered a number of compressor stalls emitting bangs and streaks of flames. The crew shut the engine down, levelled off at 5000 feet initially, later entered a hold at 8000 feet to burn off fuel and had the landing gear inspected by fighter aircraft. The fighter aircraft confirmed one of the left main tyres was blown. The aircraft landed safely on Madrid's runway 32L about 4:10 hours after departure. The airline already reported the aircraft experienced an engine issue shortly after takeoff, a tyre reportedly ruptured on takeoff. The crew decided to return to Madrid and is currently holding to burn off fuel. The aircraft is designed to operate on one engine. An emergency was declared. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d2d213f&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Kalitta B744 at Los Angeles on Feb 3rd 2020, rejected takeoff due to trash bin on runway A Kalitta Boeing 747-400, registration N703CK performing flight K4-368 from Los Angeles,CA to Honolulu,HI (USA) with 7 crew, was accelerating for takeoff from Los Angeles' runway 25R at about 03:06L (11:06Z) when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 110 knots over ground) after colliding with an object on the runway. The aircraft slowed and stopped on the runway, the crew reported severe damage to the aircraft after hitting something big on the runway, they were considering to evacuate the aircraft and requested assistance to check the aircraft for damage and fire. Tower reported there was excessive smoke coming from the nose gear while slowing to a stop. Emergency services responded and found a trash bin, that had been blown onto the runway and had hit the nose gear of the 747. Both tyres of the nose gear had blown as result. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Los Angeles about 11 hours after landing. A replacement Boeing 747-400 registration N741CK is estimated to reach Honolulu with a delay of 9 hours. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d2d41d8&opt=0 Back to Top Accident: Rusline CRJ1 at Tomsk on Feb 3rd 2020, nose gear collapse on landing A Rusline Canadair CRJ-100, registration VQ-BNB performing flight 7R-823 from Ekaterinburg to Tomsk (Russia) with 32 passengers and 3 crew, landed on Tomsk's runway 21, touched down safely and slowed when at about 80 knots over ground the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft skidded to a stop on the runway. There were no injuries, the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Rosaviatsia reported the nose gear collapsed at about 80 knots during roll out, the passengers were evacuated. No injuries occurred, the aerodrome needed to be closed until the aircraft could be moved off the runway onto taxiway D (about 1500 meters/5000 feet down the runway). The West Siberian Transport Prosecutor ordered an examination of the runway. http://avherald.com/h?article=4d2d3e7f&opt=0 Back to Top Aircraft Lands Safely In Austin After Cockpit Smoke Reported A flight from Houston carrying 78 passengers aboard landed safely in Austin just before 11 a.m. on Monday, an airport official told Patch. AUSTIN, TX - A United Airlines aircraft landed safely in Austin after smoke was reported in the cockpit on Monday morning, officials confirmed. In a response to questions from Patch, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport officials said the arriving flight from Houston to Austin with 78 passengers on board prompted mobilization of emergency crews at the ready after the report of smoke. The incident occurred at 10:52 a.m., an airport spokesperson told Patch. "The aircraft landed safely, and the alert 2 has been canceled," Austin-Bergstrom spokesperson Mandy McLendon told Patch. She said the cause of the smoke was not immediately determined pending further evaluation. https://patch.com/texas/downtownaustin/aircraft-lands-safely-austin-after-cockpit- smoke-reported Back to Top Back to Top Charlotte-based pilot shot and killed in Puerto Rico, family says CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A Charlotte-based pilot was shot and killed in Puerto Rico, a family member told WBTV Monday. Family members say 48-year-old Matthew Stapula, a pilot for American Airlines, was killed in a shooting during one of his layovers. The family has a lot of questions, but right now they are in shock and grieving the loss of someone they loved dearly. Stapula's father, Eric Stapula, said Matthew died near some sort of bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico. "You're in shock at first, and of course you feel overwhelmed. You don't know what to do," Eric Stapula said in a phone interview with WBTV Monday night. Eric Stapula says his son had a passion for the aviation industry and loved to fly, even getting a chance to occasionally work with his daughter who had worked as a flight attendant. The elder Stapula noted that his son was a family man. "I'm losing a very close friend and obviously my firstborn son," Eric Stapula said. The grieving father said he learned about his son's death Monday morning, but wasn't given a lot of information. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, told WBTV that the association is aware of Matthew Stapula's death, and is looking into every detail to make sure other pilots and passengers are safe. He said the association is also focused on supporting Stapula's family. Eric Stapula said he plans to be at the airport when his son's body is brought back to Charlotte. Right now he has several unanswered questions. "I would really like to know the whole and true story, but right now it's just a tragedy that's left everybody here numb," Eric Stapula said. "He knows that we love him. He knows that he was my best friend, and he knows that God loves him." WBTV reached out to American Airlines Monday and officials provided the following statement: "On Sunday, we lost a Charlotte-based member of the American Airlines family in a tragic incident which occurred in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleague's family, friends and loved ones. We have mobilized teams to provide care to his family, as well as fellow team members during this difficult time. Local law enforcement is investigating this incident, which occurred during the early morning hours of Feb. 2. We are providing any investigative assistance possible." Eric Stapula said his son was a husband, father and grandfather and has another grandchild that's set to be born in the next week or so. There's no word yet on when Matthew Stapula's body will be returned to Charlotte. https://www.wbtv.com/2020/02/04/charlotte-based-pilot-shot-killed-puerto-rico-family- says/ Back to Top FAA Abruptly Stopped Enforcement Action Against Hawaii Helicopter Tours The agency took 24 actions against three of the four helicopter tour companies with the most crashes over the past 20 years but stopped in 2013. LIHUE, Kauai - The Federal Aviation Administration disclosed Monday that in 2010 it revoked the license of the pilot of the ill-fated Safari Helicopters tour that crashed on Kauai on Dec. 26, killing all seven people onboard, after he tested positive for drugs. His license was restored a year later, but FAA inspector Joseph Monfort had concerns as recently as last year that the pilot's performance had "deficiencies." Monfort emerged last week as a whistleblower who alleged his supervisors interfered with his efforts to pursue enforcement actions against Safari Helicopters and Novictor Aviation in Hawaii. The action against Safari pilot Paul Matero was one of 24 enforcement actions since 2000 the agency took against the four tour helicopter companies in Hawaii that had the most crashes over the past two decades, according to FAA records released to Civil Beat under the Freedom of Information Act. The FAA took 24 enforcement actions since 2000 against the four helicopter tour companies with the most crashes in Hawaii. Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat Civil Beat sought enforcement action data for Safari; K&S Helicopters, which does business as Paradise Helicopters; Helicopter Consultants of Maui, which does business as Blue Hawaiian Helicopters; and Novictor Aviation. The records show enforcement actions stopped after 2013 and no actions were taken at all against Novictor, which operated the helicopter that crashed last April in Kailua and killed all three people onboard. The Matero action was one of two drug-related license revocations imposed by the FAA against Safari personnel. In 2007, the agency revoked the aircraft mechanic's license of Aaron Moniz, after he, too, failed a drug test. Agency records show Moniz's license was restored in 2010. The agency said Matero became eligible to reapply for his private and commercial pilot certificates a year after the revocation and he got new licenses in June 2011. The FAA said that under its procedures, Matero first had to apply for an interim medical clearance, which he received in 2011. It was upgraded to a full medical clearance in 2012. The FAA said that under agency policies, Matero was required to undergo treatment "for substance abuse and dependency." In all, the FAA records identified five enforcement actions against Safari, from 2000 to 2013. In one other, the FAA took no action while it issued correction letters in two others. Safari Helicopters' owner, Preston Myers, did not return calls seeking comment. It was not possible to determine if Moniz still works for the company. Civil Beat was also unable to contract anyone at Sunshine Helicopters. The records also show FAA enforcement actions from 2000 to 2013 against Paradise Helicopters, ranging in severity from no action ultimately taken to a 120-day suspension of the license of one of its pilots after he allowed the helicopter he was flying to run out of fuel and crash. The incident occurred near Hilo in July 2013. The MD369 helicopter sustained substantial damage when it landed hard and rolled over. A skid collapsed. Neither the pilot, Kyuwon Lee, nor any of his four passengers, was injured, according to a report of the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB declined to comment on the new FAA documents received by Civil Beat. The board has called on the FAA to provide stricter oversight of tour aviation companies for years. In June, NTSB officials criticized the FAA for weak regulations after a skydiving plane crashed in Mokuleia and killed 11 people. Records for Sunshine Helicopters include 13 enforcement actions from 2002 to 2013, including suspensions of the licenses of three pilots, who were unnamed, and fines assessed against four unnamed other pilots. The suspensions ranged from 15 to 30 days and the fines from $1,000 to $2,500. The FAA records attributed all but one of the actions to "maintenance" issues, which were not identified. There was only one minor action against Blue Hawaiian, involving a warning related to flight operations in 2013. Paradise Enjoyed Monfort's Oversight At Paradise Helicopters, Calvin Dorn, the company's president, speculated that the absence of enforcement actions against his company after 2013 coincided with its decision to hire a full-time safety officer. But he also said that the FAA's safety inspector workforce for Hawaii appears to have undergone significant attrition during the same period, declining from what he believes was "four or five" inspectors to two. The FAA disputed that estimate and said its Honolulu office currently has seven safety inspectors and is trying to hire four more. A spokesperson said the agency transitioned in about 2015 to a system that uses a more multifaceted approach to "identify the most effective means to address non-compliance with the regulations." Allan Parachini/Civil Beat Under this new system, he said, "the FAA uses tools like training or documented improvements to procedures to ensure compliance." In the case of Hawaii air tour operators, the spokesman said the FAA has pushed for voluntary compliance with "a set of policies and processes that enables operators to identify potential hazards in their operations, assess the risks from those hazards, implement measures to address those risks and ensure those measures are effective." Dorn said Paradise was founded in 1999 and grew rapidly until 2013, and, in the process, experienced what he called "growing company syndrome." "We matured as a company and had much better record keeping and fully embraced the safety program," he said. Dorn was particularly positive about his company's work with Monfort, the FAA inspector who came to prominence in the nationwide controversy over helicopter safety. A report by the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee detailed actions Monfort said his superiors took to thwart his ability to regulate the two companies. In particular, the report said, Monfort was forbidden to travel to Kauai to conduct an inspection at Safari when he concluded after going on a check ride with Matero that the pilot's performance had "deficiencies." Monfort told investigators he had made attempts to come to Kauai to check on Safari and Matero in September and November of last year. Dorn credited the inspector with improvements in safety performance by Paradise. "I worked with Joe Monfort for a number of years," Dorn said. "He was not the easiest. He held us to a very high standard. He worked toward making sure we met or exceeded standards." Federal Shutdown And Helicopter Safety Another possible explanation may be that 2013 was the year in which the federal government underwent a massive budget "sequestration" in which the FAA furloughed air traffic controllers and safety inspectors. Its budgets have struggled in the intervening years. In 2017, Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, alluded to the lingering effects of the budget sequestration and budget cuts in years after 2013 as having seriously damaged the FAA's safety program. Danger labels mark the tail of a helicopter on Maui. Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat His testimony before the U.S. House Transportation Committee was similar to positions articulated by the union in testimony before a U.S. Senate committee last year and today on its website. The organization says it "believes that the most serious challenge facing the FAA ... today is the absence of a stable, predictable funding stream. The most recent illustration ... occurred from Dec. 22, 2018-Jan. 25, 2019 when the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history ended after 35 days. That shutdown was tremendously harmful." Dorn said the public has become hypersensitive to problems in the helicopter aviation industry as a result of a spate of crashes, including 10 in the last two years in Hawaii that killed 10 people. He said the crash last month in Los Angeles of a chartered helicopter carrying former NBA star Kobe Bryant, in which nine people died, has further intensified public scrutiny of helicopter flying. "The crashes involving Safari and Kobe Bryant may look as if (people) have a way of knowing why something happened," he said. "But there are always more factors involved and we can be jumping to conclusions. We are not just a bunch of cowboys. Our people all live here. We're a local company." https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/02/faa-abruptly-stopped-enforcement-action-against- hawaii-helicopter-tours/ Back to Top Flight attendants ask Hawaiian Airlines to permit expanded mask usage amid coronavirus concerns A flight attendants union is asking Hawaiian Airlines to allow its crew to go the extra mile when protecting against coronavirus. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents flight attendants from Hawaiian and more than a dozen other airlines, is asking the airline to allow flight attendants to wear masks on flights to and from Asia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that face masks should be used for airline crew members when they "are helping sick travelers with respiratory symptoms such as coughing or sneezing." They're also advised for sick travelers and those sitting near sick travelers. The CDC's recommendations related to the new coronavirus reiterate using protective equipment when tending to a sick traveler, including face mask, eye protection, disposable gloves and a gown to cover clothing. "The CDC only recommends the use of masks when assisting a passenger who may be showing symptoms of being ill," Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex da Silva said. "We always carry masks and gloves onboard our aircraft as part of our standard medical kits, which are reserved for use when warranted." But that doesn't go far enough, according to the union, which would like flight attendants to be able to wear masks at any time during Asia flights, beyond just time spent interacting with someone who may be exhibiting coronavirus symptoms, which include fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. "Hawaiian must allow and provide masks and gloves to flight attendants during this outbreak, at the very least on flights to and from Asia," Taylor Garland, spokesperson for AFA-CWA, told USA TODAY. The airline does not fly to mainland China but does have Asia flights. Infectious-disease experts say a face mask can offer only slight protection against airborne illness. A more effective defense against a virus is washing your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after using the restroom and before eating. As of Monday, coronavirus had killed 362 people. There are 17,308 cases in mainland China with another 183 spread across 27 countries. There are now 11 confirmed cases in the United States. "They are still refusing to allow flight attendants to wear masks," Garland said of the airline. "This is unacceptable." The request comes ahead of a planned meet-up to "fight for a fair contract" at Hawaiian Airlines' corporate offices on Tuesday, according to the union on Twitter. Hawaiian Airlines is "closely monitoring" developments surrounding the virus, da Silva said, adding that the airline follows CDC guidance by making masks and gloves available for use when warranted. American Airlines said last month it planned to allow flight attendants to wear face surgical masks on Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai flights. That was before American, Delta and United - the only three U.S. airlines that have nonstop China flights - canceled all mainland China flights due to the outbreak. Though the CDC isn't recommending that airline crews wear masks, many American crew members were concerned and asked about the mask policy, American spokesman Curtis Blessing said at the time. "As a result, we have adjusted our policy on a short-term basis as the situation evolves,'' Blessing said in a statement. The policy shift came after the union representing American flight attendants put pressure on the airline. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/02/03/coronavirus-hawaiian- airlines-not-letting-crew-wear-face-masks-union-says/4648100002/ Back to Top More Charges in Hansen Helo Fraud Case The federal government is turning up the heat on defendants in the Hansen Helicopters case in Guam. Last month the federal government added new charges to indictments originally levied in 2018 covering a plethora of federal aviation regulations violations. The new charges cover aircraft parts fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery, aircraft registration violations, and employing an unlicensed pilot and mechanic. The revised charges were levied against Hansen owner John Walker, and three company employees-executive vice president Marvin Reed, director of operations Kenneth Crowe, and director of maintenance Phillip Kapp-as well as a company vendor, Randall Rodgers, of Valdosta, Georgia. Rodgers operates Vanguard Aviation and is accused of providing Hansen with unairworthy helicopters and parts in 2015 and 2016. According to the initial May 2018 indictment, beginning as early as 1997, Walker, Reed, Crowe, and Kapp circumvented U.S. aviation safety regulations to maximize profits at Hansen Helicopters. They allegedly used aircraft that had been deregistered-because they were destroyed, scrapped, or otherwise deemed not airworthy-and concealed that fact in documents and records submitted to the FAA. Late last year Hansen defendant attorneys sought to have the original indictments dismissed, arguing that the helicopters at the nexus of the charges were registered to companies located in the Pacific tax haven Vanuatu and operated in international waters off commercial tuna fishing boats, and therefore outside U.S. jurisdiction. The attorneys also argued that since the helicopters in question held invalid FAA registrations, they were being operated outside the scope of FAA oversight authority. Hansen is headquartered and operates a maintenance base in Harmon, Guam and has operated in the U.S. territory since 1985. Most of the charges in the original indictment stem from an NTSB investigation of a 2015 fatal accident of a Hansen-operated Hughes 369HS, N9068F, on a fish-spotting contract in the Pacific near Manra Island, Kiribati. The NTSB determined, "The pilot did not hold a pilot certificate issued by the United States Federal Aviation Administration, which is required to operate a U.S.-registered aircraft while in international airspace." Nor could the NTSB locate any personal flight records for the pilot at all, including a logbook. Both Crowe and Kapp are accused of lying to investigators and falsifying records in connection with the investigation into the crash, which killed the pilot. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2020-02-03/more-charges- hansen-helo-fraud-case Back to Top ICAO Issues Travel Advice for Stakeholders and Public as Novel Coronavirus Declared a Global Emergency The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is continuing to assist in the coordination of the international response to the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak through the ICAO Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation, or 'CAPSCA' network of governments and international organizations. ICAO is also directly transmitting Electronic Bulletins on the Coronavirus to its Member States, and these are also made available for public view on the CAPSCA website. With the World Health Organization (WHO) now classifying the Coronavirus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and in light of the fact that civilian air transport is the most widely-used means of international travel, ICAO is strongly urging its Member States to monitor the WHO website for updated information and to adhere to the recommendations and guidance provided by the WHO. ICAO is also calling on governments to comply with ICAO's Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) concerning the preparedness and management of public health emergencies. These were detailed in ICAO's first Electronic Bulletin dated 24 January. States are also now being advised by ICAO to implement multi-sector communication and to collaborate with all their relevant stakeholders, at the national and international levels, to keep updated with recent developments in both the aviation and public health sectors. "ICAO recognizes the urgent and important value of cooperation, coordination, and reliable information to help control the international spread of contagious outbreaks such as the Coronavirus," underscored the UN aviation agency's Secretary General, Dr. Fang Liu. "The CAPSCA network is designed for this purpose, and its information is made rapidly available to key global aviation, medical, and travel organizations, as well as being posted online for prompt and easy access by anyone in the world." In addition to the WHO and other public health response bodies such as the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CAPSCA members also include critical organizations involved in the international movement of people and goods such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA), representing scheduled commercial airlines, and the Airports Council International (ACI) for global airports. ICAO and WHO outbreak advisories, in addition to separate health and travel advice from CAPSCA members such as the US CDC, IATA, ACI, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), are also made freely available to be consulted by any government, aviation company, or member of the general public directly from the Coronavirus area of the CAPSCA website https://www.hstoday.us/channels/global/icao-issues-travel-advice-for-stakeholders- and-public-as-novel-coronavirus-declared-a-global-emergency/ Back to Top FAA To Propose Safety Standards For Delivery Drones The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is planning to enact new standards for unmanned drones, which could be the first step toward the eventual mainstream acceptance of deliveries via drones, according to reports. The proposal was disclosed on Monday (Feb. 3) in a Federal Register filing. In the dry and technical language, Amazon scores a win, along with other companies that want to use drones to deliver packages. The policy lays out a set of rules for drones similar to those used to regulate gliders and other light-weight aircrafts. Under the new standards, the FAA certifies the safety of some types of drones, and gives operators some leeway to decide how they're flown. After a model is flown, the FAA would apparently allow it to fly throughout the country if the required maintenance, pilot procedures and other such things were checked off properly. With the rules being proposed in an official capacity, the FAA is moving to classify drones as a "special class" of aircraft, which would give drones the kind of regulatory certainty currently enjoyed by aircrafts like airliners, helicopters, business jets and small private planes. The FAA's standards don't specify a timeline, and widespread drone delivery for common retail use is still years in the future. There are still numerous issues that the FAA has admitted it needs to work on, such as completing rules for the remote registration of hundreds of thousands of drones used for commercial operations. The proponents of drone deliveries, like Amazon and other such companies, have argued that some specific models of drones are needed for the promotion of a more rapid growth of package delivery options. The FAA said it supports transitioning drones into widespread use, along with airborne taxis. For now, though, this policy will be the extent of its action. Drones are increasingly being used to fly medical products, grocery deliveries and more as the technology becomes more advanced. https://www.pymnts.com/news/regulation/2020/faa-to-propose-safety-standards-for- delivery-drones/ Back to Top Etihad Selling 38 Aircraft For $1 Billion Wow. Not only did Etihad cancel a lot of new plane orders last year, but now the airline is selling over three dozen of their long haul aircraft, some of which are still in service, and some of which the airline has already retired. * In this post: * Etihad has been trying to reduce losses * Etihad now selling 38 of their long haul aircraft * This isn't as desperate as it may sound Bottom line Etihad has been trying to reduce losses Etihad has been struggling financially for quite a while, and is undergoing a restructuring, as we see them try to increase revenue and cut costs. The airline has lost $5 billion in the past three years, and is trying to turn that around. In addition to cutting off or reducing support for many of their unprofitable airline investments (airberlin, Alitalia, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, etc.), the airline has been trying to cut costs for their own operations as well. At the beginning of 2019, Etihad had over 150 new planes on order, including A321neos, A350-900s, A350-1000s, 777-8s, 777-9s, 787-9s, and 787-10s. Last year it was revealed that the airline was canceling many of their new aircraft orders, given that the airline is trying to become more "boutique" (aka shrink). The airline still plans to take delivery of 26 A321neos, five A350-1000s, six 777-9s, and some 787s. Etihad now selling 38 of their long haul aircraft KKR (an investment firm) and Altavair AirFinance (a commercial aviation finance company) have announced a definitive agreement to acquire 38 Etihad Airways aircraft for $1 billion. With this, Etihad is selling all of their Boeing 777-300ERs and A330s (both -200s and - 300s) with Trent engines. Etihad has been retiring their A330s over the past year or so. What's interesting is that just because these planes are being sold, doesn't mean they're actually leaving Etihad's fleet: The 777-300ERs will be leased back to Etihad upon the purchase being finalized in early 2020 The A330s will be placed on lease with other operators over the next 22 months, either for passenger operations, or as converted freighters As Tony Douglas, Etihad Group CEO, describes the deal: "We've made great strides in optimising our fleet structure over the past year, and this investment from KKR and Altavair AirFinance will allow us to take another step forward in this area. This deal will ensure we stand by our strategic and financial sustainability targets by replacing aircraft with the most technologically-advanced and fuel-efficient fleet types. The structure of this transaction also provides us with significant flexibility, meaning we are well placed to respond to future growth requirements." This isn't as desperate as it may sound On the surface you might say to yourself "wow, Etihad must really be in a cash crunch." But this actually doesn't seem like a horrible idea. I mean, they're getting an average of ~$26 million per plane, which isn't exactly great when you consider the list price for these planes is about 10x that much. Then again, airlines never pay listed prices, and realistically that's just how much planes sell for on the secondhand market. Furthermore, Etihad already has many of these planes parked, so... Realistically this actually seems like a fair enough strategy for Etihad. The airline is no longer looking to become a massive global airline, but rather wants to become a smaller airline primarily serving Abu Dhabi. They still have 787s, 777X, and A350s on order, so even if they take delivery of only a portion of them, realistically they'll be looking to retire other planes in the process. This allows them to lease the 777-300ERs for the time being, and then eventually replace them with newly delivered aircraft. Bottom line Etihad is selling over three dozen aircraft for $1 billion. This includes their 777-300ERs, which they'll be leasing back in the short term, as well as their A330s, which they've been in the process of retiring. Airplanes come at a huge discount on the secondhand market, so the pricing seems reasonable, and the strategy seems to make sense when you consider Etihad still has wide body planes on order. https://onemileatatime.com/etihad-sells-planes/ Back to Top Army hikes bonuses for first time in decades to stem pilot exodus A U.S. Army AH-64 Apache pilot conducts final preflight checks before taking off in Afghanistan in April 2019. The Army announced new bonuses for pilots to try to keep them from being lured away by higher pay and better benefits paid by commercial airlines. The Army will pay up to $1,000 a month in aviation incentives, the first increases it has offered in decades, as it tries to remain competitive with commercial airlines offering higher salaries. The higher pay, which covers most pilots in the Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve, became effective Jan. 1. "This increase in (incentive pay), the first for Army pilots in over 20 years ... is just one of many efforts underway to maintain aviation readiness and ensure support to the joint force," Maj. Gen. David J. Francis, head of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, said in a statement Friday. Pilots with two years of Army service would receive $125 a month and those with more than 10 years of service would get $1,000 monthly under the new bonus plan, the Army statement said. The monthly incentive rates hadn't increased since 1999, when they represented almost 25% of base pay. Last year, incentive pay was equal to about 11% of base salary, the service statement said. The Army also offers targeted retention bonuses to midcareer and senior pilots. Last year, the Army's pilot attrition rate grew to a record 10% of its force, due largely to aging aviators and competition. More than 40% of its warrant officers had more than 17 years of service, Army officials said in April. Each of the Pentagon services has struggled to retain pilots, who are often lured away from the military by companies offering enticements such as signing bonuses, tuition reimbursement and a more predictable work schedule. The exodus is likely to get worse. In North America alone, airlines will require some 200,000 new pilots in the next two decades as older pilots retire, industry analysts have predicted. The other services also offer monthly incentive pay and have recently upped their retention bonuses. The Navy will pay pilots $175,000 in bonuses over five years for staying in the service, it announced last month. The size of the bonus depends on the aircraft and length of reenlistment. The Marine Corps in December announced it was offering bonuses of between $45,000 and $280,000 to reserve pilots who are willing to return to the cockpit. The Air Force faced a shortage of about 2,000 pilots - 800 active duty and around 1,120 reserve pilots - at the end of 2018. The Rand Corp. has estimated that the active duty pilot deficit will double to around 1,600 by 2023. Although the Air Force says its pilot retention rate has improved, the airlines value the aviators because they require only brief retraining before they receive a type rating for a commercial jet. Similarly, Army helicopter pilots need just 90 days of additional fixed-wing training to qualify for a type rating. https://www.stripes.com/news/us/army-hikes-bonuses-for-first-time-in-decades-to- stem-pilot-exodus-1.617419 Back to Top The Phenom 300E becomes the first single-pilot jet to reach Mach 0.80 Business jet receives performance, comfort and technology enhancements. MELBOURNE, FL - Embraer's Phenom 300 series, the most successful business jet of the past decade, is made even better with enhancements in performance, comfort and technology. In the Embraer tradition of constantly striving to deliver even more value to customers, the Phenom 300E is now the first single-pilot jet to reach Mach 0.80, offering a quieter cabin and upgrades to its avionics that include predictive windshear and a runway overrun awareness and alerting system, Embraer exclusive intellectual property and the first technology of its kind to be developed and certified in business aviation. To deliver the best performance in the category, the Phenom 300E now has more speed. The enhanced aircraft is the first single-pilot jet to reach Mach 0.80, making the fastest and longest-ranged single-pilot jet in business aviation even faster. With the new enhancements, the Phenom 300E now delivers a high-speed cruise of 464 knots and a five-occupant range of 2,010 nautical miles (3,724 km) with NBAA IFR reserves. In terms of comfort, the Phenom 300E now enjoys an even quieter cabin, pilot and co- pilot seat tracking that's close to 40% more, thus providing more legroom in the cockpit and a brand-new premium interior option, known as Bossa Nova. The noise-reduction improvements lower overall in-flight cabin noise, high-frequency noise and significantly reduce noise during boarding. To deliver unparalleled technology in the category, the Phenom 300E is receiving an avionics upgrade to include a runway overrun awareness and alerting system, predictive windshear, Emergency Descent Mode, PERF, TOLD, FAA Datacom and many others. The runway overrun awareness and alerting system acts as an additional pilot and warns if the aircraft's approach is too steep or too fast, increasing situational awareness. Embraer has patented this technology and is the first OEM in business aviation to develop and certify it. New predictive windshear warns pilots about windshear conditions in advance to help them prepare and maneuver the airplane in order to best minimize adverse conditions. Additionally, the Phenom 300E now comes with a 4G connection via Gogo AVANCE L5. "Despite the Phenom 300's extraordinary success in the past decade, our team of visionaries is always striving to deliver the ultimate experience to our customers, which means taking an industry-leading aircraft and making it even better, faster and safer," said Michael Amalfitano, President & CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. "Boundless imagination and intelligent engineering gave birth to the Phenom 300E, and it is with that same spirit that we continue enhancing the most popular business jet of the decade." With these enhancements, the award-winning Bossa Nova Edition interior, originally introduced in 2018 with the debut of the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600, now becomes an available option for the Phenom 300E. The premium interior features carbon fiber materials, sophisticated stitching and piano-black coloring. Inspired by the famous sidewalks of Rio de Janeiro, the custom quilted design is complemented by the tuxedo stitching and color accent details on the divan. Embraer's latest and most advanced interior, the Bossa Nova interior in the Praetor 600 won best design in the 2019 International Yacht & Aviation Awards in Venice (Interior Design/VIP Completion category). Deliveries of the new Phenom 300E with these enhancements will begin in May of 2020; some features are optional. Originally launched in 2005, the Phenom 300 series has sustained more than half of the light jet market share since 2012. The aircraft is in operation in more than 30 countries and has accumulated more than one million flight hours. Embraer is continuously investing in the competitiveness of the Phenom 300E with enhancements to its performance, comfort, technology and operational efficiency. In October 2017, the new Phenom 300E was announced and entered service just five months later. The new aircraft will continue to be designated "E" for "Enhanced." https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/the-phenom-300e-becomes-the-first-single- pilot-jet-to-reach-mach-080 Back to Top Business aviation set for 10 years of (green) growth Corporate Jet Investor's 10th London 2020 conference opened today under typically grey, chilly February skies. But inside, the atmosphere was distinctly warmer, and definitely greener, as delegates heard predictions of strong prospects for business aviation over the next 10 years - provided the sector could win over its environmental critics. David Coleal, President Bombardier Aviation, highlighted the industry consensus that there will be 7,000 new aircraft deliveries between 2019 to 2028, representing growth of about 28% on the previous nine-year period. "The years up to 2028 will see a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 2.4%, which is not unusual for a lot of industries," Coleal told the 250-plus conference delegates. The biggest growth was likely at both ends of the size category. Large category business jet deliveries would rise by 52% to 2,400 deliveries, with light jets deliveries climbing by 22%. The medium size category was likely to rise by 14% with 2,200 deliveries. Coleal said growth would be underpinned by strong industry fundamentals with industry drivers focusing on the continuing rise in wealth creation, the globalisation of trade and strong demand from emerging markets. In the near term, he picked out three factors that would have an impact on demand for business jets: accessibility to airports, a focus on passenger well-being and smart cabins. Accessibility referred to improving journey times to airport using technology such as eVTOLs. "These aircraft will not take demand away from business aviation, it will enhance customers' ability to get to the airport to take a private jet. So, the industry should embrace eVTOLs." 'Industry should embrace eVTOLS' The trend towards passenger health and well-being would be reflected in an increasing preference for flight at low pressure altitudes, he said. There would also be an expectation for lower noise and vibration levels, using light settings to synchronise with circadian rhythms to help passengers feel healthier. Also smarter cabin technology would enable the growing popularity of voice-command systems to close the shades, he continued. "Cutting edge connectivity will continue to improve," said Coleal. "Even now a lack of connectivity is AoG [Aircraft on Ground event] and the aircraft would not be launched. Passengers expect to stream real-time data in large volumes and do that wherever you are in the world." But in order to realise the potential growth in business aviation, the industry needs to persuade younger generations that it is part of the solution to climate change not the problem. "We need to demonstrate leadership in this area because headlines are translating to real activism [against business aviation]." Coleal said the industry needed to remind particularly young people that the industry was contributing to climate change solutions - with fuel efficiency improving by 40% over the past 40 years and the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). "These are the future buyers [for private aviation]," said Coleal. "We have to demonstrate that we are a forward-thinking industry that is taking action on climate." The need to communicate more effectively with younger generations was picked up in following sessions. Aoife O'Sullivan, Partner with The Air Law Firm, was blunt: "There is a general perception we are flying fat cats about and I don't think, as an industry, we do enough to combat view." Clive Jackson, Victor's founder and CEO, said: "Generation Z is driving the debate. When they think about climate emergency they look up to the skies. So, we have to think about how we project ourselves." For example, commercial aviation accounted for about 4% of carbon dioxide emissions, while business aviation was responsible for just 0.04%. Better communication of key facts about the industry - including its contribution to economic growth and job creation - together with the widespread adoption of SAF and carbon offsetting were viewed as important means of the industry answering its many critics. Mark Masluch, Bombardier Aviation's director of public affairs and communications, had some simple advice for business jet operators: "Purchase SAF and when you've purchased it, purchase some more. You can look at carbon offsetting but, in practice, buying SAF will drive demand and increase supply." At present, SAF is up to four times more expensive than SAF and is produced in only three or four locations worldwide. But growing demand would both improve its availability and reduce its price. 'Must be SAF' A number of speakers saw a role for governments in helping to stimulate demand for sustainable fuel. Tom Parsons, Air BP's low carbon commercial development manager, said that last month Norway became the first country to require the use of SAF. "From January, 0.5% of all aviation fuel consumed in Norway must be SAF and Sweden is expected to follow suit." Nancy Bsales, carbon offset provider and strategist, with Aero Carbonfund, said carbon offsetting by planting trees could make a major contribution to helping business aviation respond to climate change during the time it took for SAF to become more widely available. Mike Silvestro, CEO Flexjet, detected a new trend towards big corporate operators making more considered decisions about fleet extensions. "We are seeing corporate flight departments become more thoughtful about how they deploy capital," said Silvestro. "Instead of buying a fourth or fifth plane, they are asking about a shared solution, such as ours, to supplement their existing fleet." Don Dwyer, Guardian Jet managing partner, said that he noted High Net Worth Individuals now g the market to buy a used airplane but still spending $20-30bn. Dassault's Anne Devilliers believed environmental criticism was driving some to consider fractional ownership rather than outright purchase. "We hear people say they don't want to be on the frontline of the battle [over private jet ownership] and that will increase NetJets' share." So, while there were few green shoots in evidence outside the CJI London Conference venue in the chilly February weather, inside much of the debate about the future of business aviation was coloured by green topics. https://corporatejetinvestor.com/articles/business-aviation-set-for-10-years-of-green- growth-054/ Back to Top Small electrical charges could help airplanes avoid lightning strikes Side view of the 1-meter wingspan model plane used in the experiments with both positive and negative lightning. Credit: Carmen Guerra-Garcia There may be a way to make airplanes less prone to lightning strikes, according to new research exploring the role of the aircraft in the electrical events. The trick, surprisingly, might be to give airplanes a bit of an electrical charge when they are in the air, say scientists reporting their experimental work in AGU's Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. The average commercial aircraft gets struck once or twice per year by lightning. Every time a plane is struck, it is taken out of service for inspections and repairs. This causes flight delays and cancellations. Finding a way to reduce lightning strikes could save time and money. To that end, a team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC) built an apparatus around a model plane to learn how airplanes interact electrically with the charged sky around them. This includes examining the counter-intuitive way bolts of lightning begin at the edges of the aircraft and move out into the sky. "Planes don't fly into lightning. They actually trigger lightning," said Carmen Guerra- Garcia, an assistant professor at MIT involved in the study. The planes create what are called positive and negative leaders, which are the fast-moving ionized channels that develop into lightning bolts. "Lightning would not have happened if the aircraft wasn't there," she said. In the apparatus, the researchers simulated an electric field between the clouds and the ground then changed the charge of the model airplane. For this they used a static electricity generator-like those that make your hair to rise at a science museum- attached to the model airplane. This allowed them to see how the charge on the airplane modified the thresholds to trigger lightning. Actual commercial aircraft are designed to constantly bleed away any static charge that builds up while they are in the air, said Colin Pavan, a graduate student at MIT and lead author of the new study. This is because static electricity can interfere with and damage electronics. As a result, commercial aircraft are close to electrically neutral as they fly through the air. A schematic of the apparatus used to test aircraft charging and lightning strikes. Note the Van de Graaf (VDG) generator used to charge the model plane. Credit: Pavan, et al., 2020, JGR Atmospheres Neutral would seem to be a good way to fly, when in the vicinity of charged masses of air in storm clouds. However, that's not what the MIT/UPC team found. Instead, they discovered that their model plane was more prone to lightning strikes when it was neutral. "In terms of lightning avoidance, these experiments suggest that you can fly safely through ambient fields that are 30% higher if the aircraft has some charge," said Guerra Garcia. Just how that might translate into aircraft operations and design is not yet known. For now, the MIT team is hoping to explore the details of how lightning leaders are created and propagate from aircraft and into the sky. "We also are looking into methods of charging of aircraft," said Guerra-Garcia. "Can you do it and control it?" She stresses that like a lot of questions involving lightning, there is still a lot to learn, because lightning is notoriously hard to study. "It's surprising" said Guerra-Garcia. "It's a really old problem but there are a lot of unknowns." https://phys.org/news/2020-02-small-electrical-airplanes-lightning.html Back to Top A SMALL ROCKET MAKER IS RUNNING A DIFFERENT KIND OF SPACE RACE Astra, Darpa's rocket startup of choice, is preparing to launch satellites into orbit in record time The 40-foot-long, 4-foot-wide rocket loomed over the quiet suburb of Alameda, Calif., on the morning of Jan. 18, near the Pottery Barn Outlet. A handful of engineers and metal wrenchers got to work early, setting up the rocket and connecting it to a mess of electronics and tubes. The device stood up straight, with the help of some black metal scaffolding. Its bottom third gleamed aluminum; the rest, actor-teeth white. Over the course of the day, the team pumped in various gases and liquids to prepare the rocket's valves, chambers, and other components for a crucial test. Shortly after midnight, the rocket was ready for an exercise called a cold flow, meant to ensure that its propellant tanks can handle liquid fuel. Once the team had filled the rocket, taken the needed measurements, and checked for leaks, they simply evacuated the machine by releasing huge volumes of liquid nitrogen into the air. The thing about liquid nitrogen is that it must be kept supercold to remain liquid. It boiled instantly on contact with the outside air, creating a billowing white cloud that stretched out more than 200 yards. With the team's floodlights beaming down on the test site, this odd fog monster easily could have been seen by anyone living in the houses as close as 2,000 feet away. Soon, though, the rocket was trucked off toward its next temporary home, a spaceport in Kodiak, Alaska. ? Adam London (left) and Chris Kemp (right), the cofounders of Astra, inside a rocket engine test chamber Until speaking with Bloomberg Businessweek, Astra, the three-year-old rocket startup behind the test, had operated in secret, rolling nitrogen clouds aside. The company's founders say they want to be the FedEx Corp. of space. They're aiming to create small, cheap rockets that can be mass-produced to facilitate daily spaceflights, delivering satellites into low-Earth orbit for as little as $1 million per launch. If Astra's planned Kodiak flight succeeds on Feb. 21, it will have put a rocket into orbit at a record-setting pace. Chief Executive Officer Chris Kemp says he's focused less on this particular launch than on the logistics of creating many more rockets. "We have taken a much broader look at how we scale the business," he says. Going fast in the aerospace business is a rarity and doesn't usually work out so well. But the U.S. government has made speedy rocket launches something of a national priority, and Astra stands as a Department of Defense darling right now. The Pentagon's R&D arm, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or Darpa, made Astra one of three finalists in a contest called the Launch Challenge. The terms: Whichever startup could send two rockets from different locations with different payloads within a few weeks of each other would win $12 million. Astra is the only finalist still in the running. Virgin Orbit, part of billionaire Richard Branson's spaceflight empire that's been working on its rocket for about a decade, has withdrawn from the contest. Vector Launch Inc., the third finalist, filed for bankruptcy in December. That's left Astra in a competition against itself and physics, which may be why Kemp, a relentless ball of confident energy who dresses in head-to-toe black, is uncharacteristically trying to set modest expectations for the Kodiak launch. "It would be unprecedented if this was a successful orbital flight," he says. "We want to emphasize that this is one of many launches we will do in an ongoing campaign." The 42-year-old CEO spent almost five years at NASA, but he's not a rocket scientist by training. He joined NASA in 2007 after running a string of internet startups, eventually becoming the space agency's chief technology officer. While at NASA he shepherded an open source software project called Open Stack, which turned into a data center and cloud computing phenomenon. He left in 2011, hoping to capitalize on Open Stack's success, but his next company, Nebula, found itself outgunned by Amazon.com Inc.'s cloud computing services; Oracle Corp. acquired Nebula's piece parts in 2015. Unsure what to do next, he spent a couple of years hunting for fresh ideas, which is when he ran into Adam London, Astra's co-founder and CTO. London is the rocket man, a 46-year-old with a doctorate in aerospace engineering from MIT and a talent for calculating drag coefficients and gravity losses in his head. He spent 12 years running a small rocket company called Ventions in the heart of San Francisco. Ventions's handful of employees focused on miniaturizing rocket technology in their makeshift lab, living on NASA and Darpa contracts and the odd consulting gig. By 2016, London had grown determined to build the rocket of his dreams, but he needed a lot more capital. Kemp and his talent for winning over investors seemed like a good match, so after many chats, they joined forces. "I liked Chris's enthusiasm, his ability to think about the story, and certainly his network," says London, the measured counterpoint to Kemp's bravado. The rest of Astra's 150-person team includes some legit aerospace veterans-former SpaceX employees such as Chris Thompson (part of the SpaceX founding team), Matt Lehman (propulsion), Roger Carlson (the Dragon capsule), and Bryson Gentile (the Falcon 9 rocket). But there's also a large contingent of people who came either from gritty, bootstrapped rocket outfits or from other fields entirely. Much of the engine building has been done by Ben Farrant, a former Navy engine man who's spent the bulk of his career in the auto racing world tuning vehicles. Les Martin, a launch and test infrastructure engineer, built test stands for SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Firefly Aerospace after learning electronics in the Marines. "I didn't know the first thing about rockets, whenever I got into it," he says. "But with these startups, you're involved pretty quickly in just about every single aspect." Astra has raised more than $100 million from investors including Acme, Advance, Airbus Ventures, Canaan Partners, Innovation Endeavors, and Salesforce co-founder Marc Benioff. Billions have flowed into commercial spaceflight ventures over the past few years, often to newcomers that, like Astra, have shied away from competing directly with Elon Musk's SpaceX and government-backed makers of large rockets. The jumbo end of the market centers on rockets that fly roughly once a month and cost $60 million to $300 million per launch, typically carrying tons of cargo. Astra says its daily launches, meant to carry about 450 pounds of cargo to orbit, will be pitched to the dozens of companies making a new breed of small satellites, such as Planet Labs, Spire Global, and Swarm Technologies. Whereas conventional orbital networks are composed of a relative handful of satellites the size of a car, Planet and its rivals produce tens to hundreds of basketball-size satellites for use in very specific orbits to photograph, track, and connect things on Earth in near-real time. At the moment no one really knows how big or viable the market for smaller rockets to ferry these satellites might be. Rocket Lab, a company founded by Peter Beck in Auckland in 2006, is the only small-rocket maker that's actively launching. Rocket Lab enjoyed a banner 2019, putting six rockets into space, and has about a dozen more launches scheduled for this year. Its success has placed immense pressure on companies such as Astra and Virgin Orbit to catch up. A rocket factory coming to life inside of a 250,000 square foot-facility next to an Alameda neighborhood Astra has operated in secrecy partly to avoid being pushed to set unrealistic deadlines. Most of its workers have online résumés that list their employer as "Stealth Space Company," and there hasn't been a website. At the former Alameda Naval Air Station, Astra took over a decrepit building used decades ago to test jet engines indoors, which has helped keep its secrecy intact. The facility has two long tunnels that send fire and scorching hot air up through exhaust towers and thick concrete walls capable of absorbing the explosive impacts of tests gone wrong. This setup has allowed Astra to conduct thousands of runs on its rocket engines without its neighbors noticing much of anything. It's also meant Astra can put the engines through their paces on-site and make adjustments to the hardware quickly, instead of going to the Mojave Desert or an open field in Texas where other rocket makers typically run engine trials. Kemp says that Rocket Lab's going launch rate of about $7.5 million a pop is too high and that the company's Electron rocket has been overengineered. Instead of using carbon fiber for the rocket body and fancy 3D-printed parts as Rocket Lab does, Astra has stuck with aluminum and simplified engines built with common tools. London's team has tried to make the Astra radios, igniters, and even the rocket transport vehicle low- cost, high-performing, and easy to re-create. Alongside its rocket test building, Astra has been assembling a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that Kemp says will be able to churn out hundreds of rockets a year. "Our strategy is to always focus on the bottom line," he says. "Nothing is sacred. We're able to profitably deliver payloads at $2.5 million per launch, and our intent is to continue to lower that price and increase the performance of our system." The proof is in the orbital launch. Most spaceflight companies' first crafts go boom in a bad way, but Rocket Lab has an almost flawless launch record. Beck, a self-taught rocket engineer, says his perfectionism is a selling point. "If someone wants to build a rocket that is super inaccurate, let them," he says. "I'm not built to build shit." Astra's previous two launches, each of a smaller version of its current rocket, tumbled back onto the Kodiak coastline in 2018, breaking apart in spectacular pyrotechnic displays. To win the $12 million, Astra will need to place a satellite of Darpa's choosing into the right orbit. The Pentagon agency will then select another launch site-probably somewhere in California, Florida, or Virginia-and give Astra a few weeks to get a fresh rocket to the new launchpad. It would be an incredibly quick turnaround for an industry in which six to 12 months is a typical time span needed to calibrate the specifics around new launch sites and payloads. "That is what was expected," Kemp says. "Many of our objectives on those launches were achieved, and I guarantee we couldn't have built our orbital rocket in three years if the team hadn't benefited from that experience." London is more circumspect-but comparably optimistic. "I did expect or at least hoped we would be in orbit by now," he says. "But outside of things being a little harder than you would like, the broad direction and slope of things line up pretty well with our original plan." Astra has several rocket bodies awaiting the challenge on its Alameda factory floor. Kemp says the company has signed contracts for more than a dozen launches with paying customers, and it plans to create a launchpad in the Marshall Islands to match the one in Alaska. So far, he says, there are no plans to launch directly from the Alameda Pottery Barn. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2020-astra-rocket/ Curt Lewis