March 2, 2020 - No. 015 In This Issue American Airlines Investing $550M At Tulsa Maintenance Base Boeing VIP Work Swings Higher for MRO King Aerospace ACI partners with CANSO for aviation noise reduction guidance Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport Hires Staff, Approves Contract. Making the Case for Managing Avionics Product Obsolescence Sustainably Lilium eVTOL Prototype Damaged in Fire Teching a step forward What it Takes to be a Commercial Aviation Jet Engine Lubricant All Nippon Airways Introduces VR Safety Training SpaceX aims to launch 70 missions a year from Florida's Space Coast by 2023 American Airlines Investing $550M At Tulsa Maintenance Base American Airlines will invest $550 million at its Base Maintenance facility in Tulsa, OK (Tech Ops - Tulsa). It is the airline's largest Base Maintenance facility and is an integral part of operating the carrier's fleet of nearly 1,000 mainline aircraft safely and reliably. This is the largest investment ever made at a maintenance location in American's history. Tech Ops - Tulsa is home to more than 5,500 team members - 600 of those positions were added in 2019 - and conducts nearly half of the airline's overall maintenance work. The new project includes construction of a new widebody-capable hangar and base support building. The investment also provides for improvements to the existing infrastructure, including roof replacements, utility and IT upgrades, and ramp repairs. This investment underscores American's long-term commitment to the Tech Ops - Tulsa team, Oklahoma and Tulsa by making improvements to ensure success. "The American team in Tulsa and around the world is the best in the business when it comes to operating the safest and most reliable fleet of commercial aircraft," said American's Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. "Tulsa has been core to American's operation for more than 70 years, and this investment in the base, along with the new positions we added at Tech Ops - Tulsa in 2019, will ensure our customers can continue to rely on our fleet as the safest and most reliable for decades to come." The new 193,000-square-foot hangar will be able to hold two widebody aircraft - or up to six narrowbody aircraft - and will replace two existing hangars that can no longer fully accommodate the size of American's current aircraft. This will allow team members to continue maintenance work on the more than 900 aircraft that visit the site annually while also adding to the widebody hangar capacity in American's system. The 132,000-square-foot base support building will include offices for teams in administrative functions for aircraft overhaul, engineering and more. "With this historic investment, American Airlines continues to display their commitment to Oklahoma. As one of the largest employers in our state, American Airlines plays an integral role in our economy and provides quality jobs for our citizens," said Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. "I am proud that Oklahoma is one of the top states in the nation for the aviation and aerospace industry, and I am honored to have American Airlines choose Oklahoma, once again, to grow their business." "This investment marks the largest single capital investment in our city's history while also reflecting the long-term commitment of American Airlines to Tulsa," said Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum. "As a city, we are grateful that one of the largest employers in our community is a true partner with the kind of foresight that will create more opportunity in the next era of the aerospace sector." The $550 million investment will take approximately seven years to complete and will involve upgrades to nearly every building. The new hangar and base support building construction is expected to begin in early 2021 and will take approximately 18 months to complete. "If there were any doubts about American's long-term commitment to Tulsa, this transformative investment should put them to rest once and for all," said Tulsa Regional Chamber President and CEO Mike Neal. "Through the Chamber-led regional economic development partnership Tulsa's Future, and in collaboration with the City of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, we've been able to support American's continued growth in northeast Oklahoma. It's been a personal privilege to work with American's leadership team and Tulsa-area employees for more than 14 years, and we at the Chamber look forward to further strengthening this partnership for decades to come." American has maintained the world's largest commercial aviation maintenance facility in Tulsa since 1946, when it moved its main maintenance base there from New York's LaGuardia Airport. Today, Tech Ops - Tulsa is home to 22 buildings, including 3.3 million square feet of hangar and shop space positioned on 330 acres at Tulsa International Airport. It is a hub for American's Base Maintenance system, which also includes key maintenance hangars at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport. The modernization plan is the latest step following a period of growth for the Tulsa base. American insourced CFM56-5B engine overhaul work there in 2018. In 2019, American and the City of Tulsa invested in a new tail slot modification for Hangar 2D at the base to allow space for larger aircraft. The team began maintenance work on the first scheduled line of Airbus A319 fleet as well as scheduled maintenance on the Boeing 787 fleet, and component repair work was insourced to the base's Wheel and Brake Center. To support the additional work, American has added more than 600 maintenance positions. https://businessfacilities.com/2020/02/american-airlines-investing-550m-at-tulsa-maintenance- base/ Back to Top Boeing VIP Work Swings Higher for MRO King Aerospace King Aerospace saw a nearly 38 percent increase in Boeing Business Jets BBJ and other bizliner work in 2019, while that for traditional business aircraft remained flat, the Dallas-based MRO provider announced this week. In all, King completed routine maintenance, avionics, paint, and interior refurbishment on 40 BBJs, Boeing 737s, and Boeing 757s, and 45 corporate aircraft from its Oklahoma facilities. That compares with 29 Boeing and 44 corporate aircraft in 2018. The company partly attributes word-of-mouth to the increase in Boeing jet work. "Our growth reflects a stronger economy, of course, but also a growing awareness of our many advantages-from doing the job right the first time to delivering on time and on budget," said King Aerospace president Jarid King. "Customers have come to trust and rely on us, and they're spreading the word to others." Operating from four hangars comprising 200,000 sq ft at the Ardmore Industrial Airpark (a World War II-era Army base) 117 miles north of Dallas, King also offers aircraft maintenance and logistics services for the U.S. military and government. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-02-28/boeing-vip-work-swings- higher-mro-king-aerospace Back to Top ACI partners with CANSO for aviation noise reduction guidance ACI World has announced a new partnership with the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) in order to deliver guidance material for airports working to reduce aviation noise and emissions, titled 'Use of Performance Based Navigation (PBN) For Noise Management'. In collaboration with aviation industry partners, ACI and CANSO have worked to identify opportunities that enable airports to enhance operational efficiency and capacity whilst maintaining the highest level of safety. The guidance has been developed by CANSO's Performance Based Navigation Workgroup and international contributors from ACI. The publication combines extensive expertise and experience from across the industry, exploring the role of operational improvements - like performance-based navigation - in reducing aircraft noise and emissions. Angela Gittens, ACI World's Director General, said: "If our industry is to grow while continuing to manage and minimise its impact, then effective collaboration and stakeholder engagement is key. ACI welcomed the opportunity to work with CANSO on creating guidance for our members in implementing measures to improve efficiency and safety while also reducing aviation-related noise and emissions - and, importantly, creating dialogue with the noise-affected communities surrounding our airports to explain those improvements." Using an advanced, satellite-enabled form of air navigation, Performance Based Navigation (PBN) is a concept that enhances aircraft routing and procedures, enabling aircraft to fly a precise vertical and lateral flight path. The concept offers a number of operational benefits - these include enhanced safety, increased efficiency and reduced cost. ACI and CANSO's outlined best practice demonstrates how PBN can contribute to the reduction of aircraft emissions and concentration of aircraft noise, making it vital for managing aviation's potential impact on communities. The new guidance material provides an insight into how PBN can facilitate improvements to the sustainability of aviation, strategies for implementation and recent case studies on it being used as an effective noise mitigation technique. Director General of CANSO, Simon Hocquard, said: "Managing aviation-related noise and emissions is a complex issue and requires the whole aviation industry to work together to improve performance, from aircraft design, trajectory and speed, to optimal flight routing and seamless ground-to-air operations. For its part, ATM is helping to optimise the use of airspace and ensure safe, efficient and effective airborne operations by championing the latest best practice and technologies. CANSO is honoured to work alongside ACI in determining how ANSPs can further support efficient operations for airports, airline operators and States, and ensure we are socially and environmentally responsible in everything we do." https://www.internationalairportreview.com/news/112616/aci-partners-canso-aviation-noise- reduction-guidance/ Back to Top Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport Hires Staff, Approves Contract PITTSTON TWP. - The airport board meeting Thursday centered on the new. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport board hired new staff, ratified a new union contract, authorized construction of a new hangar and learned the airport set another new monthly record. The board: Hired Gary Vogue, 56, of Pittston Twp., a 30-year veteran of the state police and a former Dupont police chief, as the airport's new director of public safety. Vogue will earn $70,000 a year when he starts April 3, after retiring from the state police. Vogue serves as director of the State Police Tactical Operations Division in the Bureau of Emergency and Special Operations. He replaces George Bieber, who retired last month to take a private-sector job. Hired Robert Grunza, 58, of Jessup, as superintendent, and Matt Gowat, 55, of Mayfield, as assistant superintendent, effective today. Grunza, who will earn $60,000 a year, replaces Peter Payavis, who died in August. Gowat, who will earn $55,300 annually, replaces Tom Bonin, who retired. Grunza and Gowat have worked at the airport three decades. Ratified a new five-year contract with Laborers International Union of North America Local 1310, which represents about 30 custodians, maintenance staff, mechanics and firefighters. Airport Director Carl Beardsley Jr. credited the group. "They keep this place in tip-top shape," he said. "If it wasn't for them, this terminal building wouldn't be the jewel it is right now." Beardsley called the agreement "fair and reasonable." The contract will extend from Jan. 27 of this year to Jan. 26, 2025. Assistant Airport Director Gary Borthwick said the contract will cost the airport $139,000 over its life. Agreed to lease 18,000 square feet of land to Aviation Technologies Inc., which operates the airport's services for private planes. Aviation Technologies President Jim Gallagher said the company will build a new hangar to store and maintain planes, potentially by the end of this year. The company received an extension of its existing contract with the airport to 2038 to help bolster its case for project financing. Beardsley could not immediately provide an estimate of the revenue the lease will produce. The airport will not contribute to the construction costs, Gallagher said. Heard Beardsley report the airport set a January record for passenger departures with 21,983, up 5.5% from a year ago. Beardsley attributed that to American Airlines' increased service to Chicago. The airport, which has set monthly departures records routinely since Beardsley arrived in 2015, set the January record for the fourth time in the last five years. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/airports- municipalities/news/21127501/wilkesbarrescranton-international-airport-hires-staff-approves- contract Back to Top Making the Case for Managing Avionics Product Obsolescence Sustainably Product obsolescence is not new to aviation, and neither are the costs and inefficiencies caused by this issue. Yet some industry experts say too often, the avionics industry fails to take a strategic view on how to manage obsolescence as a business process. "We need to stop treating obsolescence like an exception; it's a fact of life," Ethan Plotkin, CEO of GDCA, Inc., told Avionics International. "We need to shift obsolescence from this big crisis and scramble to just another manageable business process." Speaking to OEM suppliers at the Embedded Tech Trends forum in Atlanta this past January, Plotkin noted that across industries companies are spending too many resources trying to address the market challenge of older, obsolete products. He cited the 80/20 principle that his company finds that 80 percent of revenue comes from 20 percent of a company's SKUs while only 20 percent of net profit goes toward obsolescence issues. In 2018, airlines spent $75.9 billion on maintenance, repair and operations for their products while obsolete or damaged spares cost airlines over $3.6 billion, according to Frost & Sullivan's 2019 report, Navigating through Operational Turbulence. Dayton, Ohio-based product support solutions provider ONEIL & Associates helps aerospace, commercial, and DoD customers maximize the life of their equipment using big data analytics to analyze and predict parts breakdowns proactively. The company's technology used in commercial aerospace is being evaluated by the Air Force as part of the DoD's SBIR program. Bruce Joiner, director of business development for U.S. Air Force at ONEIL & Associates has witnessed the obsolescence issues that defense acquisition officials have had to deal with in recent years. "Maintaining legacy systems is a big problem within the Air Force and across the DoD. The original OEMs may have the tooling for a lot of those components, but they are no longer in the business of producing them. We see these impacts in the commercial aerospace sector as well," Joiner said. In Joyner's experience there is never a diminishing parts issue until there is a failure, "the higher rate of failure, the faster or more intense the diminishing parts issues are revealed," he said. "The best way aviation companies can manage this challenge is to shift their expectations from crisis management to a solution for sustainment," Plotkins said, noting that companies can re-think how they go about planning for demand of aging product lines. A typical practice to offer a "last time buy of obsolete components" is not a long-term solution. One thing is clear: the need for aftermarket parts in aerospace is not going away. The global commercial aircraft aftermarket parts market size is estimated to reach over $51 billion by 2026, according to Market Study Report's latest study on this issue. Plotkin notes that "a large percentage of that $50 billion is and will continue to be obsolete electronics." GDCA, which provides proactive obsolescence management for embedded computers, is hearing more from aviation customers, especially in defense, of the struggles to keep up with the fast pace of electronics obsolescence, especially in large procurements. Many companies aren't aware of third-party legacy manufacturers such as GDCA, ES Components, xsmicro and eComp. Using Predictive Analytics to Get in Front of Obsolescence Upgrading and recertifying avionics equipment is a costly proposition. ONEIL's Joiner agrees, which is why the Air Force and other military branches are beginning to use AI to predict when parts may need to be replaced and to plan ahead using service life management solutions. The company uses condition-based maintenance analytics to allow them to look down range and give them and suppliers lead time to respond to aging electronics and other parts caused by vibration, corrosion and other contributing factors. "The DoD manages legacy systems that have been in use well beyond their lifecycle. Airframe components and system component failure is just a natural part of the aging process," notes Joiner, citing the B-52, C-130 and the F-15 as examples of aircraft that continue to be maintained for multiple decades beyond their intended life. Plotkin said component issues can occur in defense, medical, and transportation applications while a system is still in design phase. Without the original COTS IP, such programs face critical downtime, redesign and recertification. Even as the aviation sector relies on COTS components and feels the effects of the fast pace of processor and component obsolescence, awareness of real options to tackle obsolescence in a sustainable way eludes many companies. Obsolescence Pushing Some to Return to In-house Development One troubling trend he's noted is companies not liking that they can't own their own Intellectual Property (IP), rejecting commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components right out of the gate in favor of building their own electronics inhouse. Plotkin says turning away from COTS - technology that allowed industries to get to market faster and cheaper while focusing on what they do best - is the wrong approach. "You can build airplanes; you can build computers. I'm not sure you want to try to build both," he cautions. Plotkin said he's seen the pendulum swing toward in-house engineering within both medical device and semiconductor manufacturing but that the same component obsolescence issues remain. "They have armies of electronics engineers who have control over the design but they find it is harder for them to sustain those products than it was for commercial COTS OEMs," he says. Companies often will invest significantly in pre-stocking components for future needs, which creates another problem. Navy Used GDCA for Seahawk Helicopter Circuit Card Assembly As a legacy equipment manufacturer that proactively manages obsolescence in embedded computers, GDCA has helped the aviation sector address the challenge of early part and component obsolescence. For example, it consulted with the U.S. Navy when the MH-60 Seahawk helicopter procurement stalled because of a shortage of a critical circuit card assembly that controlled a weapon system on the aircraft. "The primes were putting pressure on Curtiss-Wright, the OEM supplier, to do another build. Despite some heroic efforts, they couldn't build enough - they were facing $5M to $10M in non- recurring engineering costs for what was a 50-card order, which doesn't make sense. They transferred the technology to us and we were able to solve the obsolescence issue, re-start the production line and crank out the order to the Navy to get them through the acquisition," recalls Plotkin. Experts agree that the entire supply chain serving aerospace across the commercial and defense sectors will need to embrace proactive solutions if they hope to manage the continual challenge of product obsolescence. "We owe it to our suppliers and system owners to provide as much lead time and information as possible for them to design products that are built with longevity, quality and technology in mind for today's environment," concludes Joiner. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2020/02/28/making-case-managing-avionics-product- obsolescence-sustainably/ Back to Top Lilium eVTOL Prototype Damaged in Fire The first prototype of the Lilium Jet eVTOL aircraft was badly damaged in a fire during maintenance work on February 27. The company confirmed that the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and will now be replaced in the flight-test program by a second prototype that was not damaged in the incident at Oberpfaffenhofen Airport in southern Germany. A Lilium spokesman told AIN that it might take a few weeks to understand the root cause of the fire. He said that the company had, in any case, planned to start using the second prototype for flight testing and retire the first example. No one was injured in the fire. The all-electric, five-seat Lilium Jet is being developed mainly for air-taxi services, with operations targeted to start in 2025. The vectored thrust design features 36 ducted fans in the wing and forward canard, with a projected range of up to 186 miles and speeds of 161 knots. This is the second electric aircraft prototype to catch fire in a little over a month. On January 22, the first example of Eviation's Alice fixed-wing aircraft was destroyed in a fire that started in a ground-based battery system. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-02-28/lilium-evtol-prototype- damaged-fire Back to Top Teching a step forward Saudi Arabia has taken another step towards building an aerospace sector with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to create a school for aviation technicians. The agreement, between the Saudi National Center of Aviation (SNCA) and Lufthansa Technik Shannon (LTSL) Aviation Training Academy, will explore the viability of establishing what the partners plan to be a world-class maintenance training organisation. The aim is to locate the new facility at SNCA's new aviation training centre at King Fahd International Airport at Dammam. If it comes to fruition, the new maintenance school will be the largest of its type in Saudi Arabia. "Our vision is to establish a top-class aviation centre that will match the high demand and need in the aviation industry, especially in the Middle East," said a SNCA spokesperson. "We are committed to providing the highest quality of services to become a landmark for Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region." Anthony Miller, SNCA's business development director, told an audience at the signing: "We're delighted to collaborate with another leader in aviation training. It gives us the opportunity to bring global excellence in aviation technician training to our training centre." This, he said, would continue SNCA's vision of meeting both the needs of airlines and also the ambitions of anyone wishing to pursue a career in the aviation sector. For LTSL, previously better-known as Ireland-base Shannon Aerospace, the Saudi Arabian deal represents another chapter in a long history of providing airlines with technical support. "For the last 29 years we have trained aviation technicians to support the world's airlines," said LTSL Aviation Training Academy business development specialist, David Ward. "Through this relationship with SNCA we're looking forward to exploring new opportunities to support the growing needs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's aviation sector with our standards and experience." The intention is that the new facility will have Part 147 certification and provide training, both for new technicians and for those wishing to upgrade their existing skills: "Our goal is for our technicians to be licensed, type-rated and ready for the market," the company said. The signing of the MoU was the latest move by the Lufthansa Technik group into the Saudi market. Earlier this year, the company won the approval of the Saudi regulator, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, to conduct maintenance on Saudi-registered aircraft. In January, Lufthansa Technik Middle East carried out the first A-check on a Saudi-registered Airbus A320 in Dubai. The 400 man-hours procedure included a check of all flight safety-related equipment, the exchange of several components and the completion of service bulletins. Meanwhile, SNCA is steadily building up its facility at Dammam. Its aviation academy now consists of three sections; as well as the maintenance academy that is the subject of the Lufthansa Technik Shannon agreement, there is a flight academy and a simulator facility. All three sections will create a synergy, the SNCA hopes, and become a hub for aviation training. The scale of the kingdom's ambitions for the aviation training centre - and the speed with which it is being set up - can be seen in the announcement at the end of 2018 to acquire no fewer than 60 aircraft from Austria's Diamond Aircraft company for the flight-training part of the centre. This was the largest-ever purchase agreement for a Middle East training school. These will consist of a mix of single-engine Diamond DA40NGs and the twin-engined DA42-V1s. The first aircraft were delivered earlier this year and will continue over five years. The purchase agreement "marks a new era of aviation training in the kingdom, which is well- aligned with the kingdom's 2030 vision", said Miller at the time. The OxfordSaudia Flight Academy, as it is known, will train ab initio pilots for both fixed- and rotary-wing types. "SNCA is determined to provide the aviation industry with highly qualified male and female pilots, who will be part of the development of our aviation industry and serve as an integral tool for development in the region," he added. https://www.arabianaerospace.aero/teching-a-step-forward.html Back to Top What it Takes to be a Commercial Aviation Jet Engine Lubricant Lubricants used in the aviation world are subject to significantly different performance demands than those in other industries. Those demands also change as the engine and airframe designs change. So, as aircraft equipment evolves, so do the lubricants. Also, the restrictive and regimented regulatory environment for aviation is like nothing else. The Tasks Lubricants handle many important functions in jet engines. The most important is absorbing and removing heat from bearings. Heat then gets passed from the lubricant to the fuel, heating the fuel and cooling the lubricant. This fuel-to-oil heat exchange is important as the fuel tanks on aircraft are routinely exposed to extremely cold temperatures at high altitudes. Lubricants also reduce friction between moving metal parts and are expected to do this despite a wide swing in outside temperatures. Turbine oils are expected to be fluid at low temperatures with pour points below 54°C (?65°F). (The pour point is the minimum temperature at which an oil can pour down out of a beaker.) They must also have low volatility at high temperatures because they will be exposed to temperatures of about 200°C and have flash points greater than 246°C (475°F). Aviation lubricants must also carry particulate debris to oil filters for removal. They should protect engine parts from corrosion and resist and prevent deposit formation. At the same time, they need to prevent elastomeric seals, O-rings, gaskets and other engine seals from breaking down, which can be particularly challenging based on the chemistry. Chemistries: Esters Performance from today's jet engine lubricants must go well beyond the capability of petroleum- based oils. That's why most of them are based on synthetic polyolesters, which provide the needed thermal stability. Esters are synthetic fluids formed by reacting fatty acids and alcohols, producing water as a byproduct, which is driven off with heat. One of the primary raw materials that serves as the source of fatty acids is palm kernel oil or coconut oil. Esters are polar molecules and very hygroscopic, having a natural affinity for water and readily absorbing it from the atmosphere. So, it is critical to keep ester-based lubricants away from water. Water contamination of ester fluids can cause hydrolysis, which may form acids, especially in sealed systems. This is a battle the aviation lubrication industry fights continuously. To keep lubricants safe from this threat, they are packaged in metal, which should always be kept sealed until use. Opened containers should be used quickly to protect it from absorbing water from the atmosphere. There are two basic types of esters in use today: diesters and polyolesters. Diesters are relatively simple molecules compared to the more complex polyester molecules. Diesters have slightly lower viscosities than polyolesters, and both have good fluidity at cold temperatures compared to other lubricants. This is important because they must routinely work in temperatures of ?50° C when aircraft are flying. Diesters are prone to oxidation, and their kinematic viscosity can change significantly when they oxidize. Polyolesters are better at resisting oxidation, hence the trend toward polyolester-based lubricants as temperatures in engines and lubrication increase. Polyolesters are better at preventing deposit formation. Lastly, diesters are compatible with materials found in seals, base oil seals and additive packages in oils. Specs Over the years lubricants have had to meet changing specifications. For example, the earliest turbine engines relied on mineral oil-based lubricants to meet the now-obsolete mil spec MIL-PRF- 6081. Although no manufacturers make products that meet the spec, it is still in effect for heritage and historical aircraft. Early jets flown in air shows still use 6081 spec fluids. In the 1950s, as the technology of the turbine engine advanced, chemical engineers under military guidance developed the first generation of synthetic Type I lubricants. The requirements became MIL-L (PRF)-7808 and it is administered by the U.S. Air Force. Although most are diester-based, some are polyolester-based. These Type I lubricants had improved thermal and oxidative stability and better low-temperature viscosity compared to mineral oils. 7808 fluids are still used in auxiliary power units (APUs), the small turbine engines in the tail of most commercial airliners. They provide electrical power for the aircraft on the ground and in emergencies. Sometimes APUs need to start quickly at high altitudes in frigid temperatures, so the low-viscosity turbine oil is important. Second-generation (Type II) synthetic lubricants were concocted in the 1960s to keep pace with advancing engine technology that subjected lubricants to higher temperatures. The U.S. Navy wrote the MIL-L (PRF)-23699 specification as it searched for better performing lubricants. Type II lubricants are polyolester-based with much better thermal stability. They also have higher viscosity of 5 cSt at 100 C and better anti-wear protection and resistance to oxidation, meeting a higher set of demands than 7808 fluids. The 23699-specification continued to evolve, and in the early 1980s a new section was written, MIL-L (PRF)-23699 HTS, because the U.S. Navy wanted even better high-temperature thermal stability. Third-generation Type II-HTS lubricants offered enhanced performance over Type II oils for engines running at hotter temperatures and with higher lubricant temperatures. They were polyolester-based had the same viscosity at 5 cSt as at 100 C but additives improved thermal and oxidative stability. By the late 1990s, commercial manufacturers of engines and aircraft became dissatisfied with the MIL-PRF-23699 specification, and the fact that throughout most of the history of turbine lubricants the military made approval decisions. A civil specification emerged as OEMs also wanted a say in the approval process and how lubricants would perform in their hardware. A civil, OEM-based specification was necessary because military and civil gas turbine engine designs and requirements diverged and were operated and maintained very differently. For example, the F/A-18 Hornet-primarily used by the U.S. Navy, but also the U.S. Marine Corps and others-has high good flight performance and a top speed of Mach 1.8 (1,381 mph), thanks to GE F404 engines . But they do not typically remain mounted on the airframe too long. They are removed, cleaned, disassembled and inspected, and parts are replaced after on the airframe and operating for a little under 2,000 hr. Maintenance on military engines is intensive, which is different for civil engines. For example, on a Boeing 737-800 with a top speed Mach 0.82 (629 mph), it's two CFM56-7B engines are left on the airframe for over 20,000 hr without being removed. Maintenance is one while the engine is fastened to the airframe. Disassembly is only performed if necessary. Trying to keep the engines in civil service for long periods puts different demands on the lubricant than in the military. Therefore, OEMs decided they needed their own specification. The modern jet oil specification, SAE AS5780, was written in the early 2000s to address next- generation engine requirements. Higher thermal stress in new engines demanded lubricants with better oxidative performance and load carrying without damaging seals and elastomers. SAE AS5780 is essentially a supplement to MIL-PRF-23699, which is still in effect, and will be widely used into the future. SAE AS5780 has additional test requirements that reflect the reality of commercial aviation applications, including long-term seal compatibility and deposition tests. AS5780 also creates two performance categories to qualify jet oils: standard performance and high- performance. Aviation Greases Grease is also used in commercial aviation in many airframe applications as a lubricant. For example, it lubricates drive screws in hydraulically powered actuators that move flight controls and landing gears, trackways for flaps, ailerons, leading-edge slats, and rudder and elevator linkages. Low-temperature performance is critical for aviation. At altitudes of 30,000 ft, the air temperatures can be ?40°F to ?94°F (?40°C to ?70°C.) Overall, Airframe grease must work has to function from ?73°C to 121°C (?94°F to 250°F). Airframe grease products must qualify against both military and OEM specifications if they are to be sold. Military specs include MIL-PRF-23827 and MIL-PRF-81322, and an example of an OEM spec is Boeing's BMS 3-33. Typically, aviation greases contain PAO and ester-based oils with lithium thickeners. There are some clay or synthetic clay thickeners, as well. All the greases have additives, and some specialized aviation greases use solid additives such as molybdenum disulfide. Most aviation greases have consistency ratings between NLGL 1 and 2, with most around 1.5 due to low temperatures. Generally, airframe greases must have low-base-oil viscosities for extremely low temperatures. Wheel bearing greases are put in sealed, tapered roller bearings on aircraft landing gear. There are two sets of bearings to handle axial loads in both directions. Because they're sealed, there is no re- greasing while in-service, but typically wheels are removed and overhauled on an accelerated schedule in commercial aircraft. Because of tire wear, wheels are removed every 100 to 200 landings. While the tires are off being inspected, refinished, retreaded or reused, the bearings also are removed, cleaned and inspected. Those deemed airworthy are repacked with grease and put back into service. The grease is completely removed and replaced each time there is maintenance. This can be often-every two to six months, depending on the aircraft's schedule. Short-haul carriers can make many landings per day, decreasing the service life of lubricants and components. Wheel bearing greases are exposed to conditions different from airframe greases. Wheel bearings see higher temperatures, ranging from (?64°F to 392°F (?54°C to 200°C), and are subject to higher loads. Base oil viscosity is also higher in wheel bearing grease than airframe grease. Wheel bearing grease products are qualified by military (MIL-PRF-81322) and wheel bearing and airframe OEM testing and specifications. A new specification (SAE AMS 3058) is currently in development. Approval Process The aviation industry is highly regulated. Aviation lubricant specifications are quite regimented compared to lubricants used in other industries and have many requirements. They also contain compositional limitations, indicating exactly which chemistries can be used, and demanding that all additives be ashless. There is a long set of minimum physical and chemical properties which stipulate minimum performance requirements, thermal stability, and tribological and deposition properties. They also provide instructions on how to qualify products and make changes to approved materials if substitute materials are needed. For example, if an additive supplier goes out of business, it sets out how to use the same additive from another supplier and the need to get permission from regulatory authorities to do so. If a significant formulation change is made, it specifies the need to re-qualify the fluid, which takes many years of testing. Specifications also say how to products will be supplied to the U.S. government, detailing the authorized package types and labeling specifications. It provides instructions on how manufacturers are expected to certify the quality of their approved materials, by vetting and investigating its own facilities and suppliers. Qualifying a new product now takes a decade, for example. It starts with new product development in which performance goals and objectives are established, and research done to decide which base oils and formulation to use. Once the formula is chosen, qualification requires in-house testing and bench testing in rigs with regulatory agencies. Eventually qualification is performed against specifications, such as MIL-PRF-23699F or SAE AS5780B. Airframe and component manufacturers must then approve the oil for their hardware. Ground testing and/or on-wing service evaluations are carried out with the companies that manufacture engines, components and anything the jet oil will touch. Their requirements vary. Some are happy with extensive ground testing in actual engines, but some require service evaluations on wings in actual aircraft. These can call for 5,000 hours in several different engines, which could include full engine removal and disassembly, and inspection of oil-wetted hardware, as well as oil and filter analysis. Maintenance manuals also must be updated. All data, documents and reports are submitted to either the Federal Aviation Administration or European Aviation Safety Administration. Once they endorse the results and conclusions, OEMs can issue final approval. Final approvals often come in the form of a document known as a Service Bulletin. This is an official communication to commercial airlines that an oil is approved for an application. Getting through all the requirements for all the engines and related hardware, done in parallel, takes 10 to 15 years. It is a daunting process to get new oils approved in the aviation industry. Performance Expectations New turbine oils must be backward compatible with existing lubricants because the preference in commercial aviation is for broad application. Managing several turbine oils for several engines becomes a significant challenge for airlines. So, using a single lubricant in as much of the hardware as possible is greatly desired, making universal approval highly desired. General trends in engine temperatures in terms of gas path continue to increase, which may translate into still-higher lubricant temperatures. Although alternative chemistries are being assessed, the high heat capacity of esters is one reason why they continue to be used over other chemistries. The materials in engines themselves also change. There are new alloys in bearings, gears and gear boxes, so new additives are developed. There's also a greater use of non-metallic components. So, oils must have wider compatibility with seals, paints and various composites. Additives are expected to have fewer volatile antioxidants and better anti-wear properties, while carrying more contaminants and degradation products would protect elastomer seals over long periods. The military sector is researching enhanced esters that carry more dirt and debris. There also are several exotic synthetic chemistries under consideration that have promise for turbine-engine use. New oil technologies in commercial aviation follow the military experience which has more latitude to take risks. The commercial aviation lubrication industry is extremely conservative and careful, which is why it takes 15 years for new products to get approved. It's all about safety and carrying paying civilians. A Short History of Aviation Lubricants In the early days of aviation, natural mineral or castor oils lubricated the piston engines that powered airplanes. These lubricants were used and improved through World War II. Mineral lubricants for piston aircraft were also acceptable for first turbine engines. The jet age began in the late 1940s and put new demands on lubricants. The fuel temperatures in turbines increased, and so too did temperate of the lubricants. More capable chemistries were needed, and found, changing the chemistries of lubricants. By the 1970s, Pratt & Whitney's JT9D, one of the first high-bypass turbofan engines powering the Boeing 747, had turbine inlet temperatures of around 1,100°C. Technology continued to progress and temperatures increased. For example, the GE90-115B, a Boeing 777 engine, had turbine inlet temperatures at around 1,500°C. As engine temperatures increased, the only lubricants that could meet the needs were synthetics. Diester synthetics appeared in the 1950s, and they are still used. In the 1970s, however, polyolester synthetics became the more popular choice. The newest engines have temperatures above 1,800°C, and some reach 2,000°C. These engines are constructed of ceramic matrix composites because titanium turbine components can no longer "take the heat." So, lubricants have been continually changed as engine temperatures have climbed. In the 1940s and 1950s, lubricant temperatures peaked at around 120°C. Today, they can handle up to about 200°C. Aviation lubricants continue to do their jobs as engineers continue to formulate synthetics that can withstand the temperatures and stresses put on them in modern jet engines. https://www.machinedesign.com/mechanical-motion-systems/article/21124388/what-it-takes-to- be-a-commercial-aviation-jet-engine-lubricant Back to Top All Nippon Airways Introduces VR Safety Training Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) is planning to introduce a Virtual Reality safety training program that is designed to improve safety in all aspects of the aircraft operation and also assist its mechanics in identifying and predicting future risks. According to ANA press release, the new Virtual Reality training system will be using the 3D simulations of the work environment to generate real-world scenarios which will be based on the common work-related accidents. During the VR training program, workers will be involved in various narrated simulations and will follow instructions as they perform a series of basic safety actions. Some of the narrative simulations will recreate the real-life workplace as well as flying accidents while showing the trainees how to react to these. When the trainees make any mistakes that compromise aircraft safety, they experience sensory cues and are also prompted to review their actions so as to know the exact steps missed or the exact mistakes made. The simulated virtual training environments allow trainees to make mistakes and even be reprimanded for these mistakes without causing real-world, potentially life-threatening safety issues. Going through the simulated VR training will enable trainees to work in the real-world environment with greater confidence. ANA hopes this immersive learning process will better prepare its mechanics when they are reacting to real-life situations. In a press release, the company stated that safety has always been a top priority and that the incorporation of Virtual Reality into its training procedures is a next step towards building a safer working environment for its employees. The company said it has embraced advanced technology in its training procedures for its employees because it wants to be at the cutting edge when it comes to workplace safety. The VR training will be rolled out to the airline's aircraft maintenance crews as well as to its cabin crew team members. Virtual reality training is seeing serious uptake in diverse industries even though the airline industry has been slow to embrace immersive technology, particularly in training applications. In-flight VR entertainment is already a thing in the commercial aviation sector and has been adopted by a number of airlines. However, in-flight VR entertainment is still largely an exclusive product that is limited to first-class passengers. https://virtualrealitytimes.com/2020/03/01/all-nippon-airways-introduces-vr-safety-training/ Back to Top SpaceX aims to launch 70 missions a year from Florida's Space Coast by 2023 SpaceX is planning a huge boost to the number of rocket launches from its Florida launch sites in the next few years as the company builds its Starlink satellite megaconstellation while meeting flight demands from its customers, according to a federal environmental report. The missions for SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets will also have more options than in the past, according to the report, which was first reported by SpaceNews. One change will be a new mobile service tower allowing some missions to be assembled vertically, rather than horizontally. Another will be the capability to launch to polar orbits - quite the feat, since Florida is located close to the equator and better optimized for missions that operate close to the equator. SpaceX also plans to test recovering payload fairings as the company pushes for greater mission reusability. By 2023, the company wants to launch 70 missions a year from its two Florida launch sites at the Kennedy Space Center and nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, using Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. This rate is a seven-fold increase from the 11 missions SpaceX put into orbit in 2019, and almost double the 38 planned launches in 2020. That information comes from a draft environmental assessment published Thursday (Feb. 27) by the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation. "This launch schedule is based on SpaceX's anticipated need to support NASA and DoD [Department of Defense] missions, as well as commercial customers," the assessment reads in part. "In addition to its typical launch trajectories, SpaceX is proposing ... to include a new Falcon 9 southern launch trajectory to support missions with payloads requiring polar orbits. SpaceX estimates approximately 10 percent of its annual Falcon 9 launches would fly this new southern launch trajectory." SpaceX has two launch sites in Florida. One is at the historic Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) of NASA's Kennedy Space Center and the other is located Space Launch Complex 40 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The company also has two rocket landing pads at the Air Force Station. Its drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You," used for rocket landings at sea, is based in Cape Canaveral, as are two payload fairing recovery ships and a Dragon spacecraft recovery ship. The Hawthorne, California-based company also has a West Coast launchpad at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, with a second drone ship available for offshore landings. SpaceX's first rocket, the Falcon 1, launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands of the Pacific Ocean. Polar launches and a Mobile Service Tower The new polar trajectory would require missions to fly alongside the Florida coast to reach the correct orbit, which could generate sonic booms. The SpaceNews report, citing a March 2019 assessment by Blue Ridge and Consulting included as an appendix to the FAA's document, says there would be a "low probability of structure damage (to glass, plaster, roofs, and ceilings) for well-maintained structures" in that area, assuming a peak overpressure of 4.6 pounds per square foot under typical flight trajectory and atmospheric conditions. The mobile service tower would be used for a variety of launches, including security missions from the United States Air Force. The FAA states it will be built on SpaceX's existing launch pad at LC- 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, standing about 284 feet (86 meters) tall and 118 feet (35 meters) wide on its longest side. Any lighting for the tower would be constructed to comply with local environmental regulations concerning sky glow, the FAA added. SpaceX plans to recover payload fairings, in which satellites are stored during launch, "using power boats to 'chase and catch' the chutes and the fairings," FAA said. SpaceX caught half of a fairing on June 25, 2019 after a Falcon Heavy launch, and it hopes to recover three payload fairings a month between 2020 and 2025. This could lead to an environmental problem. "During these six years, SpaceX anticipates up to 432 drogue parachutes and up to 432 parafoils would land in the ocean," the FAA stated. "SpaceX would attempt to recover all parafoils over this time period, but it is possible some of the parafoils would not be recovered due to sea or weather conditions at the time of recovery." There is a backup available if the power boats fail, which is using a salvage ship that could track down the fairing using GPS data and strobe lights located on the fairing data recorders. That said, recovery could be impossible "if sea or weather conditions are poor," the FAA said. SpaceX's rocket fleet Of note, the report covers activities from Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches and makes few mentions of Starship, which is SpaceX's forthcoming larger rocket system that could take on even heavier launches. The FAA noted, however, that "as Starship/Super Heavy launches gradually increase over time to 24 launches per year, the number of Falcon launches would decrease." FAA issued the report because "SpaceX's launch manifest includes more annual Falcon launches and Dragon reentries than were considered in previous ... analyses," the FAA stated in the executive summary. This launch activity could affect both humans and animals in the region - which is relevant since part of the downrange launch zone is a protected area filled with marine mammals, sea turtles, and sharks, the FAA said. That said, the report does not contain a detailed list of which missions would be launched under the accelerated launch schedule. While few details are available about SpaceX's plans, in general the company has made announcements that do point to far more launch activity in the coming years. SpaceX is in the midst of building out its Starlink constellation, which could include as many as 42,000 individual satellites. The satellites are being launched into space at a rate of one launch every few weeks. The company is also planning to launch humans from Florida's Space Coast for the first time when its Dragon spacecraft is certified under NASA's Commercial Crew program, which could happen as early as this year. No astronauts have been launched from this area since the end of the space shuttle program in 2011. That said, the normal pace of International Space Station flights from Kazakhstan (the only spot that sends humans to space right now) is about four launches a year, which is an appreciably lower rate than the Starlink lauches. FAA proposes to modify or issue new launch licenses to SpaceX for Falcon rocket launches, and to issue new licenses for Dragon spacecraft reentry operations. The report is open to public comment until March 20, and the FAA urges all commenters to make their remarks "as specific as possible, and address the analysis of potential environmental impacts and the adequacy of the proposed action or merits of alternatives, and any mitigation being considered." https://www.space.com/spacex-rocket-launch-rate-boost-mobile-service-tower.html Curt Lewis