September 3, 2020 - No. 066 In This Issue Starburst Announces Inaugural Aviation Tech Accelerator Program, Held in Singapore KLM's Flying-V Scale Prototype Takes Its First Flight Cathay Pacific Group and GE Aviation Expand Digital Partnership CONGRESS URGES DOT, FAA TO RELEASE FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE PROGRAM Gogo Sells Its Commercial Aviation Business To Intelsat UK CAAi to draft drone regulations for Thailand Shell Introduces First Industry Solution to Meet SAP-Free Refueling Deadline New Nextant Partnership Expands NDT Beyond Aviation Multimillion pound prize announced for first zero carbon transatlantic passenger flight Mystery 'Rocket Man' reported near LAX, 2020 keeps getting weirder With latest Starlink launch, SpaceX touts 100 Mbps download speeds and 'space lasers' Starburst Announces Inaugural Aviation Tech Accelerator Program, Held in Singapore EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Starburst, the world's first and only global aerospace and defence accelerator, today announced the launch of the Aviation Tech Accelerator Program, designed to champion technology and innovation in Singapore and strengthen the country's opportunity for future innovation, disruption, and partnerships relating to new aviation technologies. The program is supported by Enterprise Singapore, Singapore Airlines, SATS and Panasonic Avionics Corporation, with mentorship support from community partners including Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore), Microsoft, Cocoon Capital and HFW Starburst's renowned brand strength and reputation as a leader in the aviation industry combined with Singapore's innovative nature will contribute to the program's success and lasting impact on the country's next generation of emerging aviation & aerospace technologies, talent pool of aviation and technology professionals, and accelerated startup ecosystem. The program will primarily focus on relevant challenge areas shared by airlines, airports, ground handlers, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) companies and other connections to the aviation ecosystem. It will also focus on positioning Singapore Airlines Group & SATS for the next upturn by looking at tech to enhance the passenger experience and enable passengers to fly with a peace of mind in view of the COVID situation. The program will accelerate 10 promising Aviation startups per year from a global pool of hundreds of applicants, through an intensive 13-week program with hands-on mentorship from the participating corporations as well as Starburst's global and local network of alumni, who will assist with investment, business development and talent acquisition. Participating early-stage startups will have access to top-tier mentorship from the program's partner corporations as well as experts from the Starburst mentor pool, support from Singapore Government regulators, and access to work with Asian VC companies for the seed stage and a global VC network for later business stages. "These times pose an incredible opportunity for the aviation industry to pioneer boundary-pushing technological innovations," said Francois Chopard, CEO of Starburst. "We're proud and honored to launch this initiative in Singapore and work with such prestigious authorities in the country's aviation community as well as esteemed mentors, to help create a thriving startup ecosystem that's innovating the passenger experience and solving new industry challenges." "Singapore Airlines is glad to be a corporate partner of the Singapore Aviation Tech Accelerator Program. Nurturing the next generation of emerging aviation technologies and talent pool is an area we are passionate about. Collaborating with startups and further elevating our strong ecosystem will help us to emerge stronger after the COVID crisis and strengthen Singapore's position as the aviation hub in the region," said Mr George Wang, Senior Vice President for Information Technology at Singapore Airlines. Mr Law Chung Ming, Director for Transport and Logistics, Enterprise Singapore said, "The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of innovation in the aviation sector to develop new capabilities, spur transformation, and introduce new business models. Held in Singapore, Starburst's inaugural Aviation Tech Accelerator Program in Asia comes at an opportune time when the sector is looking to reinvent new ways for air transport and build Singapore's next generation of talent through partnerships with the local Institutes of Higher Learning. We look forward to collaborating with Starburst to add vibrancy to Singapore's aviation sector." Applications open on September 2, 2020 through October 30, 2020. For further information, visit https://starburst.aero/ or email contact@starburst.aero About Starburst Starburst is an innovation catalyst in the aerospace and defense industry. It is the first and only global aerospace and defense accelerator, connecting industry and government with startups while providing strategic innovation and growth consulting for all. With offices in Los Angeles, Paris, Munich, London, Seoul, Singapore and Tel Aviv the team has built an ecosystem of key players in the aerospace and defense industry as well as 6000+ startups. Every year Starburst hosts numerous international and national events bringing together entrepreneurs in aviation, space and defense putting innovation under the spotlight. Starburst supports its clients to acquire and maintain leadership in new markets and identify and fend off disruptive threats. Starburst invests in leading aerospace and defense innovators. Visit starburst.aero. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/starburst-announces-inaugural-aviation-tech-accelerator-program-held-in-singapore-301122985.html Back to Top KLM's Flying-V Scale Prototype Takes Its First Flight In a press release issued on Tuesday, KLM revealed that the scale model prototype of the innovative Flying-V aircraft made its first flight last month. KLM and Delft University of Technology have been working together on the development for almost two years, and the successful maiden flight brings us a step closer to radical new passenger aircraft design. Development of the Flying-V KLM issued a press release on September 1, announcing that the scale prototype of its Flying-V had taken its first flight last month. A year and a half ago, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) unveiled their revolutionary Flying-V aircraft design. The prototype was presented for the first time in October 2019, appropriately during KLM's 100th anniversary. The prototype has since been subjected to extensive wind tunnel and ground tests and was finally declared ready to take to the skies. The Flying-V is designed to be an extremely energy-efficient long-haul plane. The fuel tanks, passenger cabin, and cargo hold are all integrated into its wing structure. The spectacular V-shape formed by the wings creates an improved aerodynamic shape and reduces the weight of the aircraft. Computer calculations predict that the plane will reduce fuel consumption by 20% compared to the most advanced aircraft flying today. As the Flying-V was about to make its first flight, Pieter Elbers, President and CEO of KLM, said, "We were very curious about the flight characteristics of the Flying-V. The design fits within our Fly Responsibly initiative, which stands for everything we are doing and will do to improve our sustainability. We want a sustainable future for aviation, and innovation is part of that. We are therefore very proud that we have been able to achieve this together in such a short period of time." Flying-V makes its maiden flight At an airbase in Germany last month, a team of engineers, researchers, and a TU Delft drone pilot gathered for the first test flight. According to TU Delft, the scale model weighs 22.5 kg (50 lb) and has a length of 2.76 m (9.05ft) and a wingspan of 3.06 m (10 ft). It's fitted with two 4 kW "ducted fan" engines, a drone control system, and 6 kg of lithium-polymer batteries. The goals of the test flight were to show that the prototype could take off and land safely, and perform sustained flight involving a number of maneuvers. The team was able to gather a great deal of flight data that enables them to calculate what adaptations may need to be made as they prepare the aircraft for new flight tests. Test flight results The maiden flight of the scale prototype was a success, but the team found a couple of issues that will be adjusted for future flights. For example, the aircraft's center of gravity was a little too much to the rear, meaning the landing gear needs to be placed a little further forward. The plane also experienced wobbling, which made it challenging to keep the wings level and caused a rather rough landing. The data will be used to correct the instability. As the team moves forward with the development, they will also be exploring alternative and sustainable methods of propulsion, possibly with liquid hydrogen. https://simpleflying.com/klm-flying-v-first-flight/ Back to Top Cathay Pacific Group and GE Aviation Expand Digital Partnership Austin, TX | September 1, 2020 - GE Aviation and Cathay Pacific Group have signed a five-year agreement to implement GE's Event Measurement System (EMS) for flight analytics and the FlightPulse pilot app. The digital technologies will be deployed across various fleet types in Cathay Pacific Group in September as well as the pilot community later in 2020. The agreement includes Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon and Air Hong Kong. "Cathay Pacific has established our own efficiency best practices for years", said Capt Mark Hoey, GM Operations with Cathay Pacific. "It is vital to have a flight analytics system that can easily adapt to our policies and procedures instead of the other way around. The good connectivity of the GE EMS system reduces the system migration effort, enables interaction with our corporate BI tool and maintains continuity to our users. The system flexibility and extensive library of measurements, parameters and events reduce the efforts in measuring and monitoring new best practices. After a substantial trial period with EMS, we concluded that it was the best fit for our requirements." FlightPulse is a mobile app that uses aircraft data and advanced flight data analytics to enable pilots to securely access their own flying metrics and trends. FlightPulse can be used to optimize efficiency, reduce operational risk and improve pilot awareness. "We are thrilled to be chosen by Cathay Pacific to expand our growing digital partnership into the arena of flight analytics," said Andrew Coleman, senior vice president and general manager of GE Aviation's Digital Group. "We're merging multiple data sources, building on a comprehensive set of analytics and expanding with FlightPulse to help pilots fly more efficiently and reduce carbon emissions." GE Aviation's flight analytics service uses flight data generated by the aircraft and merges it with the airline's operational data. It applies proprietary data management and analytics technology to help Cathay Pacific better manage their aircraft operations and assets, providing previously unavailable insight into efficiency, flight safety, engineering and maintenance. Capt Hoey noted that the FlightPulse tailored information for individual crew members enables Cathay's pilots to conduct their own analyses and compare themselves with their peers. "The interactive report allows them to review their fuel planning, collaborate on focus areas and drive behavior changes. The ability to include safety-related analytics is another added advantage that enhances SOP implementation and improves safety. We believe FlightPulse will be welcome and supported by our crew", said Capt Hoey. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/press-release/21152815/ge-aviation-cathay-pacific-group-and-ge-aviation-expand-digital-partnership Back to Top CONGRESS URGES DOT, FAA TO RELEASE FUNDS FOR WORKFORCE PROGRAM Led by Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) and Sam Graves (R-Mo.), the recent letters from the Senate and House called on the agencies to fulfill the programs as laid out by the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act. The two programs each received funding of $5 million in fiscal year 2020. While the programs are authorized for five years, they require funding each year through the annual appropriations process. Backed with strong bipartisan support, the programs would invest in and expand the development of the next generation of pilots and maintenance technicians. According to the Senate letter, "The grant program for pilot education will support the creation and delivery of curriculum designed to provide high school students with meaningful science, technology, engineering, math and aviation education. This program has the potential to grow our nation's pilot workforce by encouraging our nation's youth to become the next generation of commercial, general aviation, drone or military pilots." Addressing STEM aviation education for high school students is an effort AOPA has backed since establishing its AOPA High School Initiative, a component of the You Can Fly program to support and grow the pilot population. Both letters also addressed the need to close the maintenance industry skills gap by "encouraging and facilitating collaboration between schools, government, labor and industry to recruit and train the technical talent America's aerospace sector will require to keep the nation's aircraft operating safely and efficiently." While the aviation industry has taken a hit as COVID-19 swept the globe, the need for these programs will only be heightened once conditions return to normal. "Due in particular to the increased pace of aviation sector retirements in recent months, when industry business conditions return to pre-pandemic levels, the need for pilots and technicians will be more acute than before. By awarding grants now to encourage innovation in training and recruitment, the federal government can have a positive and lasting impact on the aviation workforce, as intended by Congress," the Senate letter said. "AOPA thanks leaders in Congress for pushing this important initiative forward and urges the DOT and FAA to act quickly to implement these programs," said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Jim Coon. "Given the impacts of COVID-19 on the aviation industry, it's critical this funding be released to support the future vitality of general aviation." Twenty-eight senators signed the September 1 Senate letter, including Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), chairman of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee; Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Aviation and Space Subcommittee; and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), ranking member of the Senate Aviation and Space Subcommittee. Thirty-six representatives signed on to the August 31 House letter, including Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; Sam Graves (R-Mo.), ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee; and Garret Graves (R-La.), ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/september/03/congress-urges-dot-faa-to-release-funds-for-workforce-program Back to Top Gogo Sells Its Commercial Aviation Business To Intelsat Intelsat, one of the world's biggest satellite connectivity companies, has bought Gogo in a deal worth $400 million. The announcement this week will see the formation of a valuable partnership, enabling Intelsat to offer a one-stop service to airline customers. Gogo is sold... to Intelsat Earlier this week, the news was announced that the Gogo sale had indeed gone through. The buyer? Satellite giant Intelsat, which is itself in bankruptcy protection in the United States. Nevertheless, Intelsat sees this as a huge positive for its business. The deal, worth $400 million, will see the pairing of one of the world's leading internet service providers with one of the biggest names in commercial inflight connectivity. Intelsat's Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Spengler, said in a statement to Simple Flying, "Consumer demand for in-flight connectivity is expected to grow at a double-digit rate over the next decade, notwithstanding the impact of COVID-19. The addition of Gogo's commercial aviation business provides compelling strategic value for our stakeholders and makes strong commercial sense. "Gogo's business is a perfect fit with Intelsat's expansive satellite network and infrastructure due to the breadth of Gogo's technological solutions, global reach and operational excellence." This vertical integration of Intelsat's network with Gogo's customer-facing services will allow the internet provider to offer services to airlines directly. Conversely, it will give Gogo assured capacity on the Intelsat network, something that will be of great value going forward as companies vie for a space in the networks. Intelsat operates a fleet of some 50 satellites, with launches for more scheduled this year. What's Intelsat's plan for Gogo? The pairing of the high capacity global satellite and ground network of Intelsat with Gogo's existing customer base and fleet of 3,000 plus equipped aircraft is a match made in heaven. It's a rare and interesting collaboration that will see both parts of the business benefitting. Gogo's robust partnerships with the likes of Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, and Delta and its proven 2Ku antenna technology will allow Intelsat to solidify its position in the market. Spengler stated, "A priority growth objective for Intelsat is to extend our reach closer to the millions of customers who use our satellite capabilities to stay connected around the world. The addition of Gogo's commercial aviation business is a significant step toward this goal. We are growing beyond satellite connectivity to expand into consumer-optimized managed services." Despite bankruptcy protection Of course, all this comes amid the worst crisis the world of aviation and IFEC has ever had to deal with. Intelsat itself entered bankruptcy protection in mid-May, in a bid to ease the burden of a $15 billion debt load. Nevertheless, Spengler sees this as a positive thing, saying, "We are excited to welcome the talented people of Gogo's commercial aviation business to the Intelsat family and look forward to pairing their aviation expertise with Intelsat's owned network capability to unlock new opportunities for growth. Our ability to execute this transaction in the midst of our financial restructuring speaks to the strength of our underlying business, our vision for the future, the commitment of key Intelsat stakeholders and the momentum that we have maintained over the past several months." Intelsat's debtor-in-possession (DIP) lenders have agreed to amend the DIP credit agreement to facilitate the transaction. It is expected to close before the end of Q1 2021, subject to approvals. https://simpleflying.com/gogo-sells-its-commercial-aviation-business-to-intelsat/ Back to Top UK CAAi to draft drone regulations for Thailand London, United Kingdom | CAA International (CAAi), the technical cooperation arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA), has been appointed by CAA Thailand (CAAT) to draft new drone regulations. The nine-month project will allow CAAT to safely integrate the operations of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) into Thailand's aviation system. UAS experts from the British aviation regulator will start by assessing Thailand's primary legislation and determine any areas for consideration for UAS regulations. UK aviation regulators will work with CAAT to draft new ICAO compliant operating UAS regulations, harmonised with EASA standards. CAAi will also support CAAT with industry engagement to ensure air transport and UAS operators understand how to comply with the new standards. Drones are widely used in Thailand. In the agricultural sector that accounts for 8.6% of Thai GDP, farmers have increased crop yields by saving time spraying and fertilising crops using drones. With drones becoming an increasingly familiar aspect of life and work, a solid regulatory framework is vital for safe operations and achieving further socio-economic benefits. Commenting after the contract signing, Rob Erskine, Head of International Operations at CAAi said, "We are delighted to be working with our regulatory counterparts in Thailand again, and we look forward to maturing Thailand's aviation system in the areas of drones. As the UK CAA was one of the first regulators to announce UAS regulations back in 2013, we're pleased to leverage our niche regulatory experience to pave the way for the future of Thai aviation oversight." Dr Chula Sukmanop, Director General of CAA Thailand, said "As UAS has become more common to our daily life, CAAT intends to provide a regulatory system to ensure that new technology and innovation fits well with aviation safety. CAAi has been a trusted partner of CAAT in regulation development from the beginning. It is, therefore, our delight to work with them again on this issue and look forward to the new successful outcome of the Drone Regulations." CAA International (CAAi) is the technical cooperation arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority. CAAi provides regulatory advice, training, capacity building programmes and examination services to aviation regulators and industry organisations across the globe. Drawing on world-leading expertise from within the UK regulator, CAAi helps organisations design and implement regulatory best practice to comply with international regulatory standards. In 2019, CAAi trained over 2,500 aviation professionals and worked in over 60 countries. https://caainternational.com/ https://www.suasnews.com/2020/09/uk-caai-to-draft-drone-regulations-for-thailand/ Back to Top Shell Introduces First Industry Solution to Meet SAP-Free Refueling Deadline London, United Kingdom - Sept. 1, 2020: Shell Aviation, working with filtration experts FAUDI Aviation, has launched Shell Jet Protection, the only Superabsorbent Polymer (SAP)-free refueling system available to the aviation industry today. The technology is also the first SAP-free system capable of utilizing existing filter monitor vessels to be adopted into standards by the Joint Inspection Group (JIG), the world-leading organization for the development of aviation fuel supply standards. From 2021, aircraft systems that refuel using SAP will no longer be considered airworthy as in rare cases SAP can leak from water filters into engines during refueling, causing operational issues. Shell Aviation will convert its entire fleet of refueling trucks to Shell Jet Protection at all Shell-operated locations worldwide, with the aim of being SAP-free by the end of 2020. Thomas de Boer, Head of Operations at Shell Aviation, stated: "At a time when aircraft operators are focused on the path to recovery, we are committed to supporting our customers and partners across aviation in preparing for the industry's transition away from SAP-based water filters. Filtration experts at Shell and FAUDI Aviation have been working together to find alternatives to SAP since 2015, well before the Energy Institute's mandated change in 2017. It is a real point of pride that we have been able to deliver a solution for the industry well ahead of this year's deadline." Shell Jet Protection is specifically designed to protect aircraft and engines from the risk of SAP contamination. It replaces the SAP-based water filter with a separate AFGUARD Electronic Water Sensor (EWS) and uses it in combination with a Dirt Defense Filter. The AFGUARD EWS, extensively tested by Shell and qualified to the Energy Institute (EI) standard EI1598, continuously monitors the refueling process and safely turns off the fuel flow to the aircraft, on the rare occasions when water is detected. As well as safely turning off the fuel flow to the aircraft on the rare occasions when water is detected, Shell Jet Protection can be easily retrofitted into existing vessels and vehicles. In addition, while SAP filters are changed annually, Shell Jet Protection filters have a five-year service life, providing both financial savings in change-out costs and helping to reduce waste through less frequent filter replacements. Marcus Wildschütz, President of FAUDI Aviation, stated: "With the deadline for moving away from SAP fueling systems fast approaching, it is important that the aviation industry prepares for this change now. We're proud to have worked with Shell Aviation on the only SAP-free drop in solution to protect aircraft engines from the very real risk that SAP migration poses to engine operations." https://www.aviationpros.com/gse/fueling-equipment-accessories/press-release/21152801/shell-aviation-shell-introduces-first-industry-solution-to-meet-sapfree-refueling-deadline Back to Top New Nextant Partnership Expands NDT Beyond Aviation Nextant Aerospace is partnering with Veracity Technology Solutions to offer non-destructive testing (NDT) to industries outside aviation, including industrial, power generation, and amusement park rides. Under the agreement, Nextant will provide five NDT technicians while Veracity will supply 15. David Davies, CEO of Nextant parent company Constant Aviation, noted that Nextant's NDT technicians already travel in the field to provide NDT on storage tanks, pressure vessels, and roller coaster tracks. "Starting this fall, we are going to share technicians to better serve all these external industries," he said. When NDT requests are received, Nextant and Veracity will dispatch technicians from their pool of 20. "The great thing about this partnership is that all the technicians within the pool are highly skilled with Level II or higher certifications, and they are accustomed to working in the demanding FAA-certified environment of aircraft testing," said Veracity v-p of emerging markets Chris Chadwick. "Clients in power generation, manufacturing, and other fields benefit from the use of this pool of technicians because they will receive the most thorough, highest-quality inspection available." Each company is expected to benefit from their pooling of resources, enabling them to expand their reach while ensuring that they have enough NDT technicians to support their primary businesses. "Their team specializes in areas where we can grow, and vice versa," said Nextant NDT director of operations Shawn Ehrhart. "We're all going to make new contacts and bring our NDT expertise to new clients. And with careful planning, having a pool of technicians ensures we can grow into new markets while maintaining focus on our primary work." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-09-02/new-nextant-partnership-expands-ndt-beyond-aviation Back to Top Multimillion pound prize announced for first zero carbon transatlantic passenger flight A new competition launched this week is set to reward the next great leap forward in sustainable flight, offering a cash prize expected to be in the millions of pounds for the first zero carbon transatlantic passenger flight between London and New York. Launched by sustainability consultancy Carbon Footprint, the Freedom Flight Prize is open to manufacturers, researchers, and inventors to design and fly a 100+ seater passenger aircraft powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. The plane must complete a return trip between London and New York, with each leg of the trip taking under 10 hours, while the return leg must be finished within 24 hours of starting out on the round trip, the organisation said. "The Freedom Flight Prize puts 100 per cent renewable flights right in the spotlight in order to address the climate emergency we face," said John Buckley, MD of Carbon Footprint. "The Prize does not accept the compromise that long haul travel produces a high carbon footprint - in fact it recognises that the technologies to power flights solely on sustainable renewable energy are available." Carbon Footprint is inviting businesses, organisations, philanthropists and the general public to support the project through a range of promotion, sponsorship, and donation opportunities. Elsewhere in the drive for low-carbon aviation, ATI Boeing Accelerator this week opened applications for the second cohort in its programme bringing together investors and sustainability start-ups. The initiative launched last year, with its inaugural cohort securing £6m in investment and engaging organisations such as Rolls-Royce and Chevron Technology Ventures, the firm said. Among the programmes it supported was Circulor, a startup that helps businesses demonstrate responsible sourcing through supply chain traceability, which raised £3.5m form Volvo Cars Tech Fund and Total Carbon Neutrality Ventures. This year's programme will focus on three main areas, the firm said: industry 4.0, lifecycle and resilience, and energy. Successful companies selected to the programme may receive £100K equity investment from Boeing HorizonX Global Ventures, and first-hand access to strategists, technical experts, and advice from partners ATI, Boeing, and GKN Aerospace, the firm said. "Aerospace looks very different as we head into the second year of our programme," said Gabi Matic, programme director at ATI Boeing Accelerator. "COVID-19 has had a big impact on the state of air travel, and we have seen unprecedented change. This provides an opportunity for startups developing technology that can make a huge difference to aerospace businesses and related industries, and gives them a chance to really grab the attention of sectors looking to innovate." Eligible seed and Series A startups have until 27 September to apply, the firm said. The latest moves follow an eventful summer for the fledgling green aviation sector. The French government recently announced a multi-billion Euro green aviation R&D programme as part of its bailout package for the airline sector, while the UK government launched a new Jet Zero Council to bring together experts from across the industry to advance efforts to develop a zero emission transatlantic flight. The unveiling of the advisory council was followed by the launch of a £400m FlyZero R&D programme, which is bringing together public and private funding to accelerate the development of low and zero emission aviation technologies. https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4019615/multimillion-pound-prize-announced-zero-carbon-transatlantic-passenger-flight Back to Top Mystery 'Rocket Man' reported near LAX, 2020 keeps getting weirder Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... a guy in a jetpack? Pilots flying into Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday evening reported seeing a man in a jetpack flying at an altitude of around 3,000 feet and about 10 miles from the airport. The first pilot to see the mysterious aviator said he was only about 300 yards away from the plane. You can hear the exchange of the actual transmission here. "Tower, American 1997 - we just passed a guy in a jetpack". A second pilot also reported seeing a flying apparition in the sky in the same area. The air traffic controller acknowledged the message and quipped, "Only in LA". He then sent a warning to other pilots to use caution when approaching LAX. While one might think the pilots were seeing things or tired, aviation experts doubt that. Pilots are highly trained and have a great sense of vision and perception. For two pilots on two separate flights to notice the same man in a jetpack gives credibility to the story. That begs the question. Who was this Rocketeer? The FAA reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department to investigate it, but after a flyover of the area, the LAPD did not see any flying men. Jetpack technology has been around for awhile. Anyone old enough to remember will recall the wonder of seeing one at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1984 Olympics. But the technology of jetpacks is limited by two things: altitude and fuel efficiency. Jetpacks can't get too high off the ground and they can only be in the air for moments at a time. That is what makes this case so perplexing. Was it actually a jetpack? Was it actually a man? Maybe it was a drone, balloon or something else? Was it David Blaine practicing his balloon stunt? Was it a new military device? Did SpaceX create a new jetpack for their Mars mission? Is there a new tech company that is testing a new device? Well, if there is one way to find out it's the Feds. The FBI is now looking into the mystery and is hoping to find answers soon. While there is some type of levity to the story (not the craziest thing to happen in 2020), there is concern of someone or something drifting into the path of an approaching plane. Pilots already must deal with birds and natural objects, but lately also have to keep an eye for drones, balloons and now.... Jetpacks. https://www.wearethemighty.com/news/lax-rocket-man?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3 Back to Top With latest Starlink launch, SpaceX touts 100 Mbps download speeds and 'space lasers' During the launch of its latest batch of internet-beaming Starlink satellites, SpaceX revealed key details about the planned constellation's abilities, claiming that the satellites have shown "super low latency and download speeds greater than 100 mbps." The speeds are still not as fast as what SpaceX originally claimed for the constellation, but they are slightly faster than what early user testing has shown. Starlink is SpaceX's ambitious plan to launch nearly 12,000 satellites into low orbits around Earth in order to provide broadband coverage to the ground below. Users of the system are meant to tap into the constellation using personal antennas on the ground, what SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has described as looking like a "UFO on a stick." Early photos of the device have been revealed in the source code of SpaceX's Starlink website. After today's launch, SpaceX has put more than 700 satellites in orbit, more than the 400 needed to provide "initial operational capability," according to Musk, and close to the 800 needed to provide "significant operational capabilities." This summer, SpaceX began early beta testing of the constellation, with employees using Starlink to test out the download speeds. "The Starlink team has been collecting latency statistics and performing standard speed tests of the system," Kate Tice, senior program reliability engineer at SpaceX, said during the launch broadcast today. "This means that we're checking how fast data travels from the satellites to our customers, and then back to the rest of the internet. Initial results have been good." Tice stated that the download speeds were greater than 100 megabytes per second (MBps), while SpaceX's Twitter account repeated that claim. The statement seemed to be an error, though, as SpaceX then deleted the tweet to clarify that the download speeds were actually 100 megabits per second (Mbps). Tice also said the latency speeds have been "low enough to play the fastest online video games, and our download speed is fast enough to stream multiple HD movies at once and still have bandwidth to spare." It sounds impressive, but it's still not quite the gigabit speeds that SpaceX promised in its original filing with the Federal Communications Commission. SpaceX noted in the filing that it would need to deploy its first full constellation of more than 4,400 satellites to get up to those speeds. Tice also clarified that there is still a lot of work to be done with Starlink, too. "Our network, of course, is very much a work in progress," she said. "And over time, we will continue to add features to unlock the full capability of that network." The 100 Mbps speeds are also slightly more impressive than what early tests have shown through Ookla's speedtest.net tool, a service designed to test download and upload speeds. In mid-August, Reddit users posted tests from supposed beta testers using the Starlink constellation who were receiving average download speeds of between 11 Mbps and 60 Mbps. Such speeds are on the low end compared to traditional broadband internet, although they may still be faster than speeds currently available in many rural areas of the US. SpaceX does hope to roll out the Starlink service to rural or hard-to-reach areas where even lower speeds might be an improvement of the status quo. Still, demonstrating faster speeds is going to be key for SpaceX, as it's vying for funds from an FCC auction slated for October of this year. The FCC is offering up to $16 billion to companies that can help bring broadband services to "over six million homes and businesses in census blocks that are entirely unserved by voice and broadband." And the FCC is looking for downloads speeds of at least 25 Mbps, with upload speeds of at least 3 Mbps. SpaceX claims that it has just achieved a big breakthrough with its Starlink satellites that could help with data sharing. During the webcast, Tice noted that SpaceX had successfully tested two satellites in orbit that had inter-satellite links, "space lasers" that allowed the satellites to transfer "hundreds of gigabytes of data" between the two spacecraft. Prior to launching its first Starlink satellites, SpaceX said that all of its satellites would have inter-satellite links like the one demonstrated recently. "Once the space lasers are fully deployed, Starlink will be one of the fastest options available to transfer data around the world," Tice said. In the meantime, SpaceX is about to open up public beta testing. Interested users can sign up through the company's Starlink website, providing their email and address to see if they qualify for the program. In an FAQ found in the source code of the Starlink website, SpaceX said that beta testing would focus first on rural communities in Washington, expanding to the northern United States and southern Canada. Public beta tests should provide better real-world results than these early beta tests, though users will likely have to sign nondisclosure agreements, according to SpaceX's original source code. "You may NOT discuss your participation in the Beta Program online or with those outside of your household, unless they are SpaceX employees," the website's FAQ stated. https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/3/21419841/spacex-starlink-internet-satellite-constellation-download-speeds-space-lasers Curt Lewis