February 6, 2020 - No. 008 In This Issue Savannah Tech and Savannah Aviation to begin new Pilot Ground School. Sustainable Aviation sets 2050 net zero carbon emissions goal Leidos to Acquire L3Harris Technologies' Security Detection and Automation Businesses Wisk and New Zealand Government to Partner in World's First Autonomous Air Taxi Trial Rolls-Royce Underlines Singapore's Significance Aeronautics' Subsidiary Forms UAS Division Focused On U.S. Market Air traffic management systems to be characterized by advanced technological developments through 2025 Lockheed Martin Launches Small Business Investment, Innovation Program in Orlando Risk of aviation hacking prompts new training Boeing plays down short-term electric airliner viability Savannah Tech and Savannah Aviation to begin new Pilot Ground School SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Two Savannah institutions are partnering together to help fight the pilot shortage. Savannah Aviation and Savannah Technical College are rolling out a new program to help those interested in obtaining a private pilot license. Aviation company Boeing says the industry could need around 790,000 pilots over the next 20 years. The Federal Aviation Administration requires students to pass a knowledge test to prove they understand the science, theory, history, and regulations linked to flying. Right now, Savannah Aviation and several other area groups offer a one-on-one Pilot Ground School to help students prepare for their knowledge exams. But soon, Savannah Aviation and Savannah Technical College will offer the training in a group setting. Savannah Aviation says the mandatory retirement age for a pilot is in their 60s, and they expect a number of pilots to retire within the next few years. Savannah Aviation and Savannah Technical College's Aviation Training Center want to make sure more pilots are ready to meet the demand. By offering a six week Private Pilot Ground School, they hope to train more students who want to obtain their licenses. "Savannah Technical College's Aviation Technology Campus was essentially created to create a workforce that could sustain the shortage of technically minded folks that could support Gulfstream and other aviation industries here in Savannah. All we're doing is adding the Private Pilot Ground School, so that we could expand the pilot pool to make them available as well. " Once students complete their exams, they can move on to flying lessons followed by a required oral exam and a practical check ride. The course is open to anyone over the age of 16 years old. Registration ends on Tuesday, February 18. https://www.wtoc.com/2020/02/05/savannah-tech-savannah-aviation-begin-new-pilot-ground- school/ Back to Top Sustainable Aviation sets 2050 net zero carbon emissions goal The UK Sustainable Aviation coalition has announced its commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Members of the coalition, including Glasgow Airport, pledged to achieve the goal in an event with UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. The coalition came to the decision after reviewing different industry measures to reduce emissions. The plan forms part of the 'Decarbonisation Road-Map: A Path to Net Zero', which was published by Sustainable Aviation. Sustainable Aviation is a coalition of major airlines, airports, manufacturers, air navigation service providers and other stakeholders in the UK. The report outlines different areas where emissions can be reduced such as smarter flight operations and new aircraft and engine technology. According to the report, the goal can also be met by modernising UK airspace and using sustainable aviation fuels. These actions will help in reducing the emissions from 30 million tonnes of CO2 annually to zero, while UK passenger numbers are expected to increase by 70%. In addition, a 'Sustainable Aviation Fuels Road-Map' was also released, outlining the role of aviation fuels in adhering to the goal. Sustainable Aviation chair Neil Robinson said: "Climate change is a clear and pressing issue for people, businesses and governments across the world. We know aviation emissions will increase if decisive action is not taken, and that's why UK aviation today commits to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, through an international approach, working with governments around the world and through the UN. "The UK is well positioned to become one of the leaders in the green technologies of the future, including sustainable aviation fuels and electric flight, creating highly skilled and well-paid jobs in the process, and we look forward to working in partnership with ministers to help realise these opportunities." Last month, the Business Aviation Coalition for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF Coalition) reached an agreement to make sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) available at Zurich Airport during this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) meet in Davos, Switzerland. https://www.airport-technology.com/news/sustainable-aviation-2050-goal/ Back to Top Leidos to Acquire L3Harris Technologies' Security Detection and Automation Businesses Leidos Holdings, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire L3Harris Technologies' Security Detection and Automation businesses for $1 billion in cash. The Boards of Directors of both companies unanimously approved the transaction. L3Harris' Security Detection and Automation businesses provide airport and critical infrastructure screening products, automated tray return systems and other industrial automation products. With headquarters in Tewksbury, Mass. and Luton, England, the combined businesses have 1,200 employees and a global sales and services operations footprint with more than 20,000 systems deployed world-wide across more than 100 countries. The businesses serve customers in the aviation, transportation, government and critical infrastructure markets. "The acquisition of these businesses will help accelerate our growth and innovation and enable us to offer the market a comprehensive security platform," said Leidos Chairman and CEO Roger Krone. "The businesses further our commitment to a diversified revenue stream, by expanding our customer penetration into 75 additional countries. This transaction is projected to be immediately accretive to revenue growth, EBITDA margins, and non-GAAP EPS upon closing." Krone continued, "This powerful portfolio of technology and the outstanding team of employees that support it complement the Leidos team well. The work this team performs is vital to securing so many important locations - where passengers count on equipment reliability and efficiency to keep them safe. This mission is consistent with our company's goal of making the world safer, healthier and more efficient. Together, we will advance our strategy of helping secure some of the world's most critical infrastructure and the individuals who travel through it. I look forward to welcoming these L3Harris employees to Leidos and working together to continue our important work." The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to Leidos' revenue growth, EBITDA margins, and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share upon closing. Leidos expects to fund the $1 billion cash transaction through a combination of cash on hand and incremental debt. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the second quarter of 2020, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals. https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/airport-aviation-security/leidos-to-acquire-l3harris- technologies-security-detection-and-automation-businesses/ Back to Top Wisk and New Zealand Government to Partner in World's First Autonomous Air Taxi Trial The New Zealand Government and Wisk, an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) company, have announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a passenger transport trial in Canterbury, New Zealand. Wisk's self-flying, all-electric air taxi, called Cora, is the aircraft selected for the trials. In October 2019, the New Zealand Government announced that it was establishing an industry- wide Airspace Integration Trial to work with leading, innovative domestic and international industry partners to safely test and demonstrate unmanned aircraft. Wisk, based in the United States and New Zealand, was announced as the first industry partner to join this program. Wisk CEO, Gary Gysin, said: "We are delighted to now have a signed agreement with the New Zealand Government, which will propel Cora's entry to the air taxi market. We see this agreement as a sign of confidence in our product and abilities to develop and deliver a safe and reliable air taxi service, starting in New Zealand. As the Minister of Research Science and Innovation Hon. Dr. Megan Woods said in her announcement: "This trial is the first of its kind and Wisk's innovative technology and commitment to New Zealand make them an ideal partner for advancing the future of travel in New Zealand and the world." "Wisk has been working with the Government and people of New Zealand since 2017," said Gary Gysin. "We are excited about what this agreement and trial represents in our journey to bring safe everyday flight to everyone. New Zealand values innovation, excellence and technology that is safe for people and the environment. Being selected as the partner for this program is an honor and testament to our hard work and steady progress." Around the globe, Urban Air Mobility is an emerging, high-value industry and New Zealand is an attractive location because of its thriving innovation ecosystem with unique expertise, people and technology. With the agreement now in place, the planning for a passenger transport trial in Canterbury is now underway. The passenger route is a world's first and will commence after Cora's certification by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/unmanned/press-release/21124235/wisk-and-new-zealand- government-to-partner-in-worlds-first-autonomous-air-taxi-trial Back to Top Rolls-Royce Underlines Singapore's Significance As its iconic Trent engine family reaches the 25-year mark, Rolls-Royce (Stand N23) is also celebrating more than 10 years since its Singapore base at Seletar Airport was established. It has grown from a moderate outfit in 2009 into one of the five global hubs of the technology giant-the other four being the United Kingdom, China, India, and the Middle East. Located at Seletar Aerospace Crescent, 15 miles outside the city, the facility was built on the former army barracks and in 2012, began assembling Trent engines, a major step forward. According to Rolls-Royce president for Southeast Asia, Pacific, and South Korea Bicky Bhangu, before plans were firmed up to set up the Seletar campus, Rolls-Royce evaluated the company's needs and the country's strengths, which include the expertise of its people and the friendly business culture. Bhangu sees huge potential in Rolls-Royce's Singapore operation, which covers Southeast Asia, the Asia-Pacific region, and Turkey. Rolls-Royce has formed a partnership with the National Technology University of Singapore and its 150 researchers, the company's largest such collaboration in the world (Rolls-Royce also has ties with 31 other universities). Through these collaborations, Rolls-Royce runs research facilities that focus on new manufacturing and remanufacturing methods, while its other research laboratories focus on areas such as electrical power and control systems, manufacturing and repair, technologies and computational engineering, automation, and digital technologies. Bhangu said that Rolls-Royce hopes to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions from the Singapore facility by 2030. Beyond the Trent engine family, he explained that Rolls-Royce technologists are targeting 25 percent more fuel efficiency from new fan blade designs. To that end, the company has invested £25 million ($32 million) to set up a new manufacturing facility in Bristol to produce ultra-lightweight components for the ultra-fan blade that should reduce fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions by about 25 percent compared to the first Trent engine. The Bristol facility commenced operations in January 2020. The Singapore facility is the only one outside the UK to produce titanium fan blades for the Trent engine series. The test-and-assembly site produces the Trent 900 engine for the Airbus A380, Trent 1000s for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and Trent 7000s for the Airbus A330neo. In 2019 Rolls-Royce had 5,200 engines operating across the globe, with 1,000 in the Asia Pacific region. The company did not comment on its plans for the Trent 900 following Airbus's decision to scale down production of the A380. The Trent 900 was the first Trent engine to be produced in Singapore, and it was delivered to Airbus in Toulouse, France in November 2012. Rolls-Royce's Seletar Assembly and Test Unit will increase production of the Trent engine series from 200 in 2018 to 230 in 2020. The facility's design production capacity is 250. Bhangu said Rolls-Royce will expand its MRO services in the future, with a focus on new technologies. It already has more than 1,000 employees in Seletar and plans to hire another 80 technicians in 2020, he said. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2020-02-04/rolls-royce-underlines- singapores-significance Back to Top Aeronautics' Subsidiary Forms UAS Division Focused On U.S. Market CP Technologies, a subsidiary of Israel's Aeronautics, has established a business unit to pursue U.S. defense and civil markets for the parent company's range of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). San Diego-based CP Technologies, a longtime producer of ruggedized computing systems, was acquired by Aeronautics in June 2018. Subsequently, in September 2019, a 50% stake in Aeronautics itself was acquired by Israel's state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The CP Aeronautics business unit has been established to produce the Israeli company's UAS for the U.S. market, and for overseas customers that prefer to buy equipment from the U.S., says Brad Pilsl, vice president of business development at the new division. Parent Aeronautics is a private company, and not Israeli government owned, Pilsl says, and the new division is "firewalled off" so it can take on U.S. programs. CP Aeronautics is already actively working on proposals through partnerships with U.S. primes, he adds. "We are moving pretty fast," Pilsl says. CP Aerospace plans to sell or lease UAS, or provide services, to U.S. federal and state agencies, defense primes, public utilities and other customers, and to begin with assembly, flight testing and services before moving on to manufacture in the U.S. "in the near future." The goal is to be able to assemble aircraft in the U.S. by the fall and to supply aircraft off a U.S. production line by the end of this year or in early 2021, he says. "Initially we intend to partner. We have had success with large primes and are actively looking at opportunities," Plisl says. "Long term, we are looking at programs of record that we may prime or partner on. We are also looking at doing services in the U.S. and are working through the regulatory steps." The new division is offering the full range of Aeronautics' aircraft, including the Orbiter 2 mini-UAS, Orbiter 3 and 4 small tactical UAS, Aerostar tactical UAS and Dominator XP, a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS based on the Diamond DA42 twin-engine light aircraft. Attention is focused on the Orbiter family, which has the capability to launch and recover on a ship and to perform missions such as point-to-point resupply, Plisl says, adding "There is some U.S. demand for some of our larger aircraft." There is also some interest in the Pegasus 120, a new Aeronautics vertical-takeoff-and-landing tactical UAS with a 110-lb. payload, in the market for last-mile resupply, Plisl says. The new division is also targeting the market for expeditionary UAS ground control stations building on CP Technologies' experience with ruggedized, compact computing based on modified commercial off-the-shelf technology. "That is why Aeronautics looked at us the first place," he says. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aeronautics-subsidiary-forms-uas-division-focused-us- market Back to Top Air traffic management systems to be characterized by advanced technological developments through 2025 Air as a mode of transportation, being highly effective and less time consuming, is witnessing a massive momentum currently. According to the World Bank statistics, nearly 4.233 billion people across the globe preferred air as a mode of transportation in 2018 in comparison to the previous year. The consistently increasing numbers and the ease and convenience of air transportation have prompted the burgeoning world population to choose this mode, thereby robustly increasing air traffic. This allegedly calls for the need of air traffic management to ensure safe and sound air transits. The concept has now emerged to be more significant than ever, given the risks that inaccurate management may lead to. An instance of how a loophole in the management could produce fatal results can be stated with 1985's deadliest Japanese Airlines crash. The fundamental reason behind this crash had been accounted to the miscommunication between plane crew and air traffic controllers which almost left 505 passengers and approximately 15 crew members surviving to live. Post this tragic accident, different aviation boards and governments amended initiatives and laws to take note of smooth air transits worldwide. Development of Greenfield airports by the Indian government is one of the major breakthroughs in this realm, that reiterates the necessity of air traffic management. Additionally, the world's National Apprenticeship Training Scheme, NATS, contributed significantly to SESAR, a program that closely works with the concepts of making air travel safe, affordable, and manageable. Air traffic management is a pivotal service established with an objective of supporting a safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic. Air traffic management is also affected by the intervention of ongoing technological upgradations in the field. * For instance, the introduction of Time-Based Separation (TBS) at Heathrow Airport, UK in 2016 is evidently a drastic move signifying the technological advancement in air traffic management. The technology allows air traffic controllers to dynamically manage the separation between arriving aircrafts dependent on prevailing wind conditions. * Elaborating further on technological advancements, NASA on October 2018, presented its new air traffic management technology- Flight Deck Interval Management, to the Federal Aviation Administration. This technology is expected to help air traffic controllers and pilots efficiently manage time and safety between airplanes landing on runway. * Industry conglomerates have put their best foot forward to develop technologies and systems which would contribute towards air traffic safety. In this regard, Honeywell International, a prominent name in air traffic management business, introduced NAVITAS, an IoT supporting technology. NAVITAS collects and organizes real-time data to provide a bird's eye view across air traffic control enabling insight sharing amid the airport authorities. The Asia Pacific is also depicting notable signs of bringing about developments in air traffic management market. This is attributable to the burgeoning air passenger traffic and penetrating aviation industry across region. Numerous studies have claimed that the region is experiencing unprecedented growth in aviation sector, which would help APAC surge far ahead in terms of air travel. Indeed, it may be at par with Europe and North America combined, by the end of 2030, paving way for development in air traffic control and management. Although air traffic management has been termed as a one-stop solution for all air travel pertaining issues, there are some challenges that have somehow had an impact on the smooth management of air traffic. One of these is the drastically changing climatic condition. Changing climatic conditions could shift demand and create pressure on the capacity of airport network, leading to a threat to infrastructure and daily operations. However, various industry players are putting in efforts on developing systems which could help the airport authorities have control over traffic and airplane management while abiding to stringent governmental aviation laws. With technology being the need of the hour, the introduction of remote air traffic control techniques could prove to be a breakthrough for air traffic management industry in the future. Making use of data networks to transfer images and data digitally, remote ATC would significantly change the face of industry in the upcoming years. Not to mention, large scale technological deployments are also likely to bring about a revolution in air traffic management market. https://ajot.com/news/air-traffic-management-systems-to-be-characterized-by-advanced- technological-developments-through-2025 Back to Top Lockheed Martin Launches Small Business Investment, Innovation Program in Orlando Sensors, artificial intelligence and autonomy are just three technology areas where Lockheed Martin seeks support from small businesses as part of its Lockheed Martin Invests: Orlando initiative, which launched today. The innovative program invites small businesses in Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties to submit proposals and compete for $100,000 to execute a variety of research and development projects. As part of the program, small businesses must also hire a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) intern to support their efforts. "Orlando is an emerging technology hub with an influx of start-ups, entrepreneurs and small businesses," said Dr. Scott Roberson, director of Advanced and Special Programs at Lockheed Martin in Orlando. "Lockheed Martin has a strong history of innovation investments, supplier diversity initiatives and STEM projects and is fortunate to be experiencing significant business growth locally. This program will not only help us partner with local technical talent, but also strengthen the community's business ecosystem." Senator Rick Scott said, "It's great to see companies investing in Florida's entrepreneurs and encouraging innovation throughout the industry. Florida's small businesses are the backbone to our growing economy, and this investment will go a long way to support them and create more opportunities throughout our state." Dr. Roberson spoke with more than 100 Orlando executives and community leaders about Lockheed Martin Invests: Orlando during an event today with the Orlando Economic Partnership (OEP), which highlighted community innovation. "Innovation is in Orlando's DNA, thanks in large part to Lockheed Martin's 60-plus year history in the region, when the company established a program to support the nation's Space Race," said Tim Giuliani, president and CEO of OEP. "This new program will further align the efforts of Orlando's entrepreneurial ecosystem and increase collaboration among companies of all sizes within the Orlando region." Small businesses interested in Lockheed Martin Invests: Orlando must submit their proposals by April 20, 2020, with selections announced in May 2020. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/defense/press-release/21124341/lockheed-martin-lockheed- martin-launches-small-business-investment-innovation-program-in-orlando Back to Top Risk of aviation hacking prompts new training ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 5 (UPI) - A Florida university has started a new program to train students how to prevent hacking airplane systems and devices carried by airborne travelers - a growing concern, according to aviation industry experts. The program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University began in the fall after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned that hackers who gain physical access to a plane could attach a device and possibly could cause pilots to lose control. Cybersecurity experts said hackers also might gain access to onboard electronics by invading in- flight entertainment systems. "Many people think that because they're flying they're secure. They're not, and it's a growing threat" because flyers often view the airplane as a mobile office, said Neill Fulbright, an instructor of aviation maintenance science at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach, Fla., campus. Embry-Riddle's new program teaches students how to apply common cybersecurity tools and strategies in an aviation setting. They also learn how to identify and block bad actors and suspicious behavior on aircraft or at aircraft facilities. As part of the course, the students are to gain a basic understanding of laws and government policy regarding cybersecurity in the air and how data can be encrypted in flight. Coursework also describes threats faced by airport operations, airlines, and manufacturers of aircraft and aviation technology. Classes will offer insight cybersecurity trends, how hackers identify weaknesses and how the information technology industry anticipates or responds to attacks. "Cybersecurity experts have been working in aviation for years, but they are usually coming from pure computer science programs," Fulbright said. "With our program, they will get both aviation training and computer science." The school's aviation cybersecurity certificate program is tailored to aircraft maintenance personnel who work on systems such as navigation, communications and collision avoidance. "With all the networks we have on an airplane, you've got a lot of technicians who aren't trained in IT. So they are going to be tasked with installing and maintaining IT networks ... and they have to teach other people," Fulbright said. The growing interest in avionics cybersecurity comes as business travel is booming - expected to reach $1.7 trillion in spending by 2022, up from $1.33 trillion in 2017, according to the Global Business Travel Association. "There's a lot of cybersecurity research and development being done in aviation now," said Guy Smith, president of the Aviation Accreditation Board International. He said the board accredits several avionics programs, but none that specifically target avionics cybersecurity. The aviation industry has many active training programs led by companies like Honeywell and Garmin to address the threat of being hacked in flight, said Doug Carr, vice president of regulatory and international affairs at the National Business Aviation Association. New programs by any institution are welcome, he said. "There has been a lot of investment to make these systems nearly impossible to breach, but it's helpful to have new graduates entering the market with skills and abilities," Carr said. "We saw this after 9/11, as well, where you had institutions developing aircraft security programs." Carr said training all employees to be aware of hacking risks is crucial, no matter where they work. "Once you're connected to the Internet, regardless of whether you're thousands of feet in the air or in a bunker underground, you're at risk to some degree," he said. https://www.breitbart.com/news/risk-of-aviation-hacking-prompts-new-training/ Back to Top Boeing plays down short-term electric airliner viability An all-electric or hybrid-engined aircraft capable of carrying the same number of passengers as a Boeing 737 is still decades away, the airframer believes, with smaller regional types arriving as a precursor only at some point in the 2030s. Sean Newsum, Boeing's director of environmental strategy, says that although the electric propulsion systems being developed for urban air mobility vehicles will offer a "technological bridge" to future aircraft, they will initially only be for "smaller, regional-type airplanes in the 2030s". And scaling up that technology to power a "737-sized" aircraft, is "a long way off", he says. "Technological innovation can surprise you, but extrapolating today's battery technology doesn't get you there," said Newsum, speaking at a London media briefing on 31 January. Although other means of energy storage are being researched - direct air carbon capture and conversion into synthetic fuel, for example - there "is a ways to go before they are economically viable", he says. In addition, such advanced technology is not "backward compatible" and can only be used on future-generation aircraft designs, he adds. Therefore, it does not offer a short- or medium-term path to significantly reducing aviation emissions. Hydrogen fuel cells suffer from a similar problem, Newsum says, plus a lack of distribution infrastructure to support their widespread use. While declining to comment directly on other manufacturers who are aggressively pursuing all- electric designs, Newsum says that the constraints of physics means that compromises will inevitably have to be built in to the end product. "They are not working with any technology that no-one else knows about," he says. Boeing believes a more effective means for the industry to achieve its environmental goals - notably a halving of net carbon emissions against 2008 levels by 2050 - is a wider uptake of sustainable aviation fuel. Similarly, the uptake of new-generation aircraft will also help: Boeing's new 777X promises a 13% improvement in specific fuel consumption over the current-generation 777-300ER, or a 33% improvement, on a per-seat basis, over the 747-400. He also cautions against the implementation of additional environmental taxes on aviation, asserting that, unless linked to carbon offsetting initiatives, they do little to reduce emissions and can instead simply "de-democtratise" air travel. https://www.flightglobal.com/engines/boeing-plays-down-short-term-electric-airliner- viability/136528.article Curt Lewis