October 1, 2020] [No. 074] In This Issue :: Woolpert Acquires Jviation, Expands Aviation and Airport Infrastructure Services :: Ambry Hill Technologies' Cloud-Based Aviation RFQ and Quote Management Platform, VistaQuote, Deployed to Enhance Mitchell Aircraft's Aviation Distribution and Repair Administration Activities :: World First Hydrogen-Electric Passenger Plane Flight :: How to Fix Plane Certification :: Vincennes University partners with Purdue to provide associate degrees and cybersecurity certificate for apprenticeship program :: Clemson University gets $4 million to expand virtual reality education program :: Rolls-Royce completes ground-testing of technology set to power the world’s fastest all-electric plane: ACCEL :: Indra to deliver air traffic surveillance system at Athens Airport :: Bell and Xwing Complete NASA Unmanned Demo with APT 70 :: Sustainable Aviation Fuels Still The Immediate Future :: SpaceX's next astronaut flight for NASA to include heat shield tweak and more Woolpert Acquires Jviation, Expands Aviation and Airport Infrastructure Services DENVER, Oct. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Woolpert has acquired Jviation Inc., an airport planning, survey, architecture, engineering and construction management firm. Jviation serves general aviation and commercial service airports, state aeronautics departments, as well as airline and related aviation business partners. This acquisition strengthens Woolpert's existing aviation service offerings and expands its geographic footprint in the western U.S. Jviation is headquartered in Denver and has offices in Colorado, California, Utah, Wyoming, Missouri and Ohio. The firm was founded in 2007 and has over 100 employees. By joining Woolpert, Jviation and its clients gain airport planning, engineering and architecture bench strength, in addition to innovative geospatial resources and expertise that include aerial and mobile lidar, subsurface utility engineering, unmanned aircraft systems, urban air mobility, and advisory and technology consulting. Jviation also gains access to Woolpert's global architecture, engineering and geospatial (AEG) markets and services, which include energy, water, roads and bridges, information technology and advanced building design. "The firm's culture, size, and complementary services and geographies make this the perfect fit for Jviation," Jviation Principal JD Ingram said. "We look forward to a highly collaborative and innovative future, in service to our clients." Woolpert Senior Vice President and Infrastructure Sector Leader Tom Mochty said the addition of Jviation reinforces Woolpert's focus on industry excellence and strategic growth. "In Jviation, we found a like-minded, progressive team of exceptional professionals who are driven to perform at the highest level for their clients," Mochty said. "This acquisition gives our teams the ability to provide a greater depth and breadth of AEG service offerings, and it greatly enhances Woolpert's position as an industry leader within the aviation market. We're honored to have Jviation join the Woolpert family." About Woolpert Woolpert is committed to a vision to become the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG) and strategic consulting firm, and one of the best companies in the world. It's a vision we've been fine-tuning for decades. It guides our decisions and investments, provides our clients with optimal solutions and offers our employees unrivaled opportunities. Woolpert is recognized as a Great Place to Work by its employees and is America's fastest-growing AEG firm. With more than a century of experience, over 1,000 employees and 39 offices, Woolpert supports public, private, federal, and U.S. military clients nationally and around the globe. For more information, visit woolpert.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. About Jviation Jviation Inc. is a planning, engineering, architecture, survey and construction administration firm that focuses on aviation-related projects. We provide airport clients, from general aviation to commercial service facilities, with comprehensive consulting services in order to best serve the airport's unique needs. Headquartered in Denver, Colo., Jviation has offices in California, Utah, Wyoming, Missouri and Ohio. For more information, visit Jviation.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Facebook. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/woolpert-acquires-jviation-expands-aviation-and-airport-infrastructure-services-301143973.html Ambry Hill Technologies' Cloud-Based Aviation RFQ and Quote Management Platform, VistaQuote, Deployed to Enhance Mitchell Aircraft's Aviation Distribution and Repair Administration Activities CHICAGO, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ambry Hill Technologies announced today that Mitchell Aircraft has fully deployed and integrated VistaQuote to improve operational efficiency and shorten customer response times. Cloud-based and fully mobile compatible, VistaQuote automatically processes inbound Requests for Quotes (RFQs) from all aviation marketplaces, providing the sales team at Mitchell Aircraft a single integrated platform to review and respond to customer requests. "Traditional email messaging has served our sales team well these past 30 years, though solely using email for managing inbound RFQs is clunky and inefficient. Our sales team uses VistaQuote to automate RFQ gathering, distribution, and association of real-time business system information, optimizing our sales team workflow and speed of service to our customers," said Doug Sebion President, Mitchell Aircraft. "Additionally, when an RFQ is quoted, the transaction is automatically created inside our existing business software. Even when managing RFQs and quotes through the VistaQuote Mobile app, the experience is reliable and equally impressive. The biggest benefit we gain overall is avoiding manual data entry," Sebion continued, "The fact that we can seamlessly roll an RFQ into a quote and send it out in less than half the time as before is huge. The money saved through efficiency alone is quite impressive." Using VistaQuote has empowered Mitchell Aircraft to fundamentally re-energize operational efficiency in the office. So far this year, it has processed more than 50,000 RFQs using VistaQuote. About Mitchell Aircraft Spares: For over 30 years, Mitchell Aircraft has been providing the world's airlines, cargo operators and MROs with quality aircraft parts and a level of service unlike any other. Founded in 1987, our companies have grown to become among the largest and most respected independent global parts distributors in the industry. We have worked hard to create a company culture that employees want to be part of and continue investing in ways to keep up with the ever-changing marketplace. This allows us to help our customers stay in step with developments in supply chain and inventory management and give them a high level of confidence in our ability to deliver on our commitments. About Ambry Hill Technologies: One of aviation's fastest-growing software companies, Ambry Hill provides SaaS (software as a service) products that are modern, sophisticated, and created by top industry experts. Ambry Hill Technologies delivers affordable, common-sense solutions that make your business more efficient in every aspect. Their suite of cloud-based and mobile applications provides your team with cutting-edge technology to improve process efficiency and increase earning potential. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ambry-hill-technologies-cloud-based-aviation-rfq-and-quote-management-platform-vistaquote-deployed-to-enhance-mitchell-aircrafts-aviation-distribution-and-repair-administration-activities-301141524.html World First Hydrogen-Electric Passenger Plane Flight Given the role that metrology plays in the manufacturing and support of commercial and military aviation Metrology.News believes that the following news story is of measurable significance, and worthy of bringing to the attention of the metrology sector, as the aviation industry takes a step-forward in decarbonising commercial aviation. ZeroAvia, a leading innovator in decarbonising commercial aviation, has completed the world first hydrogen fuel cell powered flight of a commercial-grade aircraft. The flight took place at the company’s R&D facility in Cranfield, England, with the Piper M-class six-seat plane completing taxi, takeoff, a full pattern circuit, and landing. ZeroAvia’s achievement is the first step to realising the transformational possibilities of moving from fossil fuels to zero-emission hydrogen as the primary energy source for commercial aviation. Eventually, and without any new fundamental science required, hydrogen-powered aircraft will match the flight distances and payload of the current fossil fuel aircraft. This major milestone on the road to commercial zero-emission flight is part of the HyFlyer project, a sequential R&D programme supported by the UK Government and follows the UK’s first ever commercial-scale battery-electric flight, conducted in the same aircraft in June. ZeroAvia will now turn its attention to the next and final stage of its six-seat development program – a 250-mile zero emission flight out before the end of the year. The demonstration of this range is roughly equivalent to busy major routes such as Los Angeles to San Francisco or London to Edinburgh. “It’s hard to put into words what this means to our team, but also for everybody interested in zero-emission flight. While some experimental aircraft have flown using hydrogen fuel cells as a power source, the size of this commercially available aircraft shows that paying passengers could be boarding a truly zero-emission flight very soon. All of the team at ZeroAvia and at our partner companies can be proud of their work getting us to this point, and I want to also thank our investors and the UK Government for their support.” comment’s Val Miftakhov, ZeroAvia CEO. ZeroAvia’s innovation programme in the UK is part-funded through the UK Government’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme. Through the HyFlyer project, ZeroAvia is working with key partners the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and Intelligent Energy to decarbonise medium-range small passenger aircraft by demonstrating powertrain technology to replace conventional engines in propeller aircraft. Intelligent Energy will optimise its high power fuel cell technology for application in aviation whilst EMEC, producers of green hydrogen from renewable energy, will supply the hydrogen required for flight tests and develop a mobile refuelling platform compatible with the plane. In addition to all the aircraft work, ZeroAvia and EMEC have developed the Hydrogen Airport Refuelling Ecosystem (HARE) at Cranfield Airport – a microcosm of what the hydrogen airport ecosystem will look like in terms of green hydrogen production, storage, refuelling and fuel cell powered-flight. This also marks another world’s first – a fully operational hydrogen production and refueling airport facility for primary commercial aircraft propulsion. The successful flight represents good news for the aviation industry’s role in supporting the net zero transition, but also raises hopes for innovation that can reduce commercial challenges in the medium term, particularly important for the industry as it considers the post pandemic recovery. ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric powertrain is projected to have lower operating costs than its jet-fuelled competition due to lower fuel and maintenance costs. The company plans to control hydrogen fuel production and supply for its powertrains, and other commercial customers, substantially reducing the fuel availability and pricing risks for the entire market. https://metrology.news/world-first-hydrogen-electric-passenger-plane-flight/ How to Fix Plane Certification After being grounded in March 2019 following two fatal crashes, the Boeing 737 MAX is expected to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly again later this fall. Investigations pointed to a problem with the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS. This automated control system was designed to stabilize the plane and compensate for the more powerful engines used on the 737 MAX compared to previous versions. The FAA’s certification of the plane has come under fire because manufacturers can speed up the process by having only enhancements to a preapproved aircraft reviewed and certified. Ronnie R. Gipson Jr., an expert in aviation law and visiting professor at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, whose work was cited in the House Committee on transportation and infrastructure’s report on this issue, explains what happened and ways to improve these safety regulations. What are the criticisms of the FAA certification process stemming from the 737 MAX crashes? The process for the certification of a transport category aircraft is a very involved and costly process. The aircraft manufacturers that go down this path have to be committed to spending hundreds of millions of dollars. It starts with an initial design, and the aircraft that is produced is then subjected to dynamic flight testing for compliance with all of the Federal Aviation Administration regulations. Once the airplane satisfies all those requirements, the aircraft is given an original type certificate by the FAA. The aircraft manufacturer is then allowed to produce aircraft and sell them. As time goes on, technology advances and the manufacturer identifies ways to improve on that original design. So the manufacturer goes back to the FAA and says, “We want to take this initial design that we have and amend it because we made some changes.” At this point, the aircraft manufacturer files what’s called an amended type certificate application for a derivative aircraft from the baseline aircraft. For example, the original type certificate for the first 737 design was submitted to the FAA in 1967. That original design has had multiple derivative aircraft approved by the FAA, with the 737 MAX being the 13th version. In the amended type certification process, the regulatory authority focuses only on what’s changed. Another thing to keep in mind is that the FAA just doesn’t have the manpower to oversee all the tests that go with an amended type certificate approval. Therefore, the FAA reviews most of the critical changes related to safety and delegates the noncritical changes for review to the manufacturers – in this case to a body in Boeing which consists essentially of Boeing employees. And that’s what happened here. MCAS wasn’t necessarily presented as a change in the design impacting control in flight. As a result, the MCAS was not a priority for the FAA in the amended certificate approval process. The MCAS capabilities and what it was supposed to control were never fully revealed. That’s really where the problem started. It was with the narrative that was being presented to the FAA, and the lack of oversight in the amended type certificate process. The result was that the MCAS system that was initially presented to the FAA at the beginning of the amended type certificate process was not the same system that ended up in the aircraft (view chart in gallery). How will the recent recertification for the 737 MAX ensure that the model is now safe? The FAA has had to backtrack and give the MCAS system the intense level of scrutiny that it deserved. The FAA has required the manufacturer to go back and make significant adjustments to the software, in addition to changes to the operator’s manual, which is what the pilots would see. How can the certification process be improved? I see two paths to take. First, for a transport category aircraft, regulations are changed so that the manufacturer can receive amended type certificates for only 20 years after the original type certificate has been issued by the FAA. Here’s how that would work: An aircraft manufacturer designs an aircraft for certification in the transport category and applies for the original type certificate in 2020. Once the original type certification is awarded in, say, 2025, then the manufacturer should have 20 years. That means that the manufacturer would have until the year 2045 to seek an amendment to that original type certificate. Beginning in 2046, if the aircraft manufacturer wants to make subsequent design changes, they have to start over and get a new original type certificate. The second component to resolving this problem would be to step in and review what areas the FAA can delegate oversight authority for system changes in an amended aircraft certification application review. What are the obstacles to making these changes? One would be money. The FAA has a budget, and these are very costly measures because the FAA will need more engineers and administrators. And for that to happen, Congress has to be prepared to spend the money to make that happen by increasing the FAA’s budget. There’s also going to be a cost to the industry. Implementing the proposal of a 20-year cap on the validity of that original type certificate is going to impose a greater financial cost on the aircraft manufacturers of transport category aircraft. They’re not going to have as much time to get a return on their investment for the aircraft that they produce. So the aircraft are going to end up costing more, which means the airlines are going to end up paying more for those planes. And that cost is going to trickle down to the flying public in those seats. https://www.mbtmag.com/home/news/21196218/how-to-fix-plane-certification Vincennes University partners with Purdue to provide associate degrees and cybersecurity certificate for apprenticeship program VINCENNES and WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind - Vincennes University has announced a partnership with Purdue University’s Cyber Apprenticeship Program (P-CAP) to provide two online associate degree programs and an online cybersecurity certificate for students registered in Purdue’s innovative apprenticeship program. Vincennes is the only university providing the opportunity to earn stackable degree programs at the one-year or two-year degree programs level as part of the Purdue Cyber Apprenticeship Program. Students in the Vincennes University programs will have the opportunity to transfer credits to Purdue University, including the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs offered within the Purdue Cyber Apprenticeship Program. “We are excited to partner with Purdue on this initiative that allows employers and employees to engage in the learning process. Cybersecurity is not just an IT initiative, and the apprenticeship program will bring awareness to the hundreds of cyber-related competencies needed across the organization to secure digital assets,” said Jaci Lederman, associate professor and chair of the information technology department at Vincennes University. Apprentices pursuing an online IT Support and Cybersecurity associate degree from Vincennes University study the forensic investigative side of cybersecurity along with the information and network security side. Students learn how to protect information systems from threats as well as how to administer servers and build, repair, and troubleshoot computers and servers. The online computer science associate degree from Vincennes University provides a unique opportunity to learn how a computer works while learning to code in the first year. Students learn specific skills in coding and computational algorithm development, explore how to push the limits of what a computer can accomplish, and learn a variety of computer languages that prepare them to develop applications for multiple platforms. Apprentices registered in Vincennes University’s online Cybersecurity and Network Operations Certificate program learn a variety of different applications, equipment, tools, and scenarios that are all designed to provide the necessary skills for a quick response to security incidents. Students will also learn how to assess, design, and implement security solutions to strengthen the security posture of an organization. Purdue University and Vincennes University are configuring a one-of-a-kind cyber competency-based dashboard built using the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, a nationally-focused resource that establishes a taxonomy and common lexicon to describe cybersecurity work, and workers, regardless of where, or for whom, the work is performed. By offering two online associate degree programs along with a certificate for the Purdue Cyber Apprenticeship Program curriculum, Vincennes University will equip future cyber professionals with advanced skills and expertise by providing a wide range of innovative education and training, allowing students an opportunity to be part of the solution to growing cybersecurity threats. To learn more and apply for the Purdue Cyber Apprenticeship Program, visit purdue.edu/pcap/candidates. About Vincennes University – Indiana’s First College Vincennes University in Indiana is state-supported with campuses in Vincennes and Jasper, the Aviation Technology Center and American Sign Language program in Indianapolis, Early College Career and Technical Education Centers, and additional sites such as the Gene Haas Training and Education Center in Lebanon, the Logistics Training and Education Center in Plainfield, and the Gibson County Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics in Fort Branch. Vincennes University’s tuition and fees are the lowest among Indiana campuses with residence halls. In addition to offering more than 200 associate degree, bachelor’s degree, and certificate programs, VU offers online degrees and classes to students who need access to college courses and flexibility through its distance education. A leader in dual-credit and career and technical education statewide, VU provides instruction at military sites throughout the nation. VU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and enrolls students from throughout Indiana, 36 other states, and 21 additional countries. Founded in 1801, VU is Indiana’s first college and is the only college in the nation founded by an individual who would later become president of the United States. William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. president, founded VU while serving as governor of the Indiana Territory. More information is available at www.vinu.edu. About Purdue Cyber Apprenticeship Program Purdue Cyber Apprenticeship Program (P-CAP) was developed in response to the federal government’s desire to fill an industry need of as many as 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs by 2021 (The New York Times). A $12 million U.S. Department of Labor Education and Training Award granted to Purdue Polytechnic Institute has tasked the University with providing a path to higher education, certifications, and cybersecurity on-the-job-learning through apprenticeships to at least 5,000 students by 2023. For more information, visit purdue.edu/pcap. https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2020/Q4/vincennes-university-partners-with-purdue-to-provide-associate-degrees-and-cybersecurity-certificate-for-apprenticeship-program.html Clemson University gets $4 million to expand virtual reality education program A workbench outfitted with tools. A helicopter waiting for inspection on the landing pad. An airplane sitting inside a hangar. And a top-of-the-line manufacturing plant. These are just a few of the locations and experiences students at Clemson University have had the chance to investigate over the past year, even with COVID-19 precautions in place. That’s because all of them happened in virtual reality. The school first began offering VR simulation “modules” back in 2019, with students in the school’s Center for Aviation and Automative Technological Education learning through a combination of VR, augmented reality, videos and programs, many of which can feel a lot more like video games than lectures. Now the center has just received a $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation, which will allow for the expansion of its VR program. A2, as Clemson’s VR program is called, aims to build upon the success of the school’s original VR offerings by creating a scalable and flexible e-learning delivery model that combines hands-on classroom learning with remote interaction. And it couldn’t have come at a better time, according to the program’s creators. “We will have an immersive virtual reality environment whereby the instructor and the students who are geographically separated will be able to join in this online virtual environment and will be able to complete activities,” said Kapil Chalil Madathil, the center’s director of technology. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened the awareness of the need to address the limits of online learning, according to Madathil. In a recent poll conducted by the e-learning company OneClass, 75% of college students said they were not receiving a quality e-learning experience. And while Madathil and the other minds behind the VR modules don’t see it as a replacement for traditional in-person labs, they do see it as a key addition that will alleviate some of the issues that have been laid bare by the pandemic. “This will be more in terms of augmenting the students with the right kind of skills they need prior to completing these activities in an in-person setting,” Madathil said. The modules, of which there are currently 48 in operation, deal primarily in workforce preparation, teaching skills in the areas of automotive and aviation technology. Angie Leidinger, Clemson’s vice president for external affairs, said the program will be a boon for economic development in the state. “Industries continue to evolve, especially as they advance into Industry 5.0,” she said, referring to a pending industrial phase in which those in the manufacturing sector work alongside robots and smart machines. “And [to succeed] they need a qualified workforce with technical skills.” https://greenvillejournal.com/education/clemson-university-gets-4-million-to-expand-virtual-reality-education-program/ Rolls-Royce completes ground-testing of technology set to power the world’s fastest all-electric plane: ACCEL Rolls-Royce has completed testing of the technology that will power the world’s fastest all-electric plane. All the technology has been tested on a full-scale replica of the plane’s core—called an ‘ionBird’—including a 500hp electric powertrain powerful enough to set world speed records and a battery with enough energy to supply 250 homes. The plane is part of a Rolls-Royce initiative called ACCEL, short for “Accelerating the Electrification of Flight”. The ACCEL project team includes key partners YASA, the electric motor and controller manufacturer, and aviation start-up Electroflight. The team has been developing the technology while adhering to the UK Government’s social distancing and other health guidelines; the systems will soon be integrated into Rolls-Royce’s ‘Spirit of Innovation’ plane. There is a long history of iron-birds in aviation for testing propulsion systems ahead of flight; in this case Rolls-Royce named the test airframe “ionBird”, after the zero-emission energy source propelling the aircraft. The dedicated team have tested each and every component of the system including running the propeller up to full speed (approximately 2,400 rpm) using the most power-dense battery pack ever assembled for aircraft propulsion. When at full power during the flight-testing phase, it will propel the aircraft to more than 300 mph setting a new world speed record for electric flight. More than 6,000 cells are packaged in the battery for maximum safety, minimum weight and full thermal protection. Since January, engineering and test pilots have spent many hours optimizing the system and developing operating procedures for electric flight. GBs of data—generated every hour of operation—are analyzed to improve performance wherever possible. Rolls-Royce is committed to playing a leading role in reaching net zero carbon by 2050. The completion of ground-testing for the ACCEL project is a great achievement for the team and is another important step towards a world record attempt. This project is also helping to develop Rolls-Royce’s capabilities and ensure that we remain a leader in delivering the electrification of flight, an important part of our sustainability strategy. —Rob Watson, Director – Rolls-Royce Electrical Bremont will be the official timing partner for the all-electric speed record attempt. The British luxury watch maker has also helped develop the design of the plane’s cockpit which will feature a stopwatch, while the company has machined canopy release parts at its Henley-on-Thames manufacturing facility. The first flight is planned for later this year; the aim is to beat the current all-electric flight world record early next year. Half of the project’s funding is provided by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Innovate UK. The ACCEL project is the first Rolls-Royce project to use offsetting to make the whole program carbon neutral. The company also hopes to inspire young people with the ACCEL project to consider STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). https://www.greencarcongress.com/2020/10/20201001-accel.html Indra to deliver air traffic surveillance system at Athens Airport Indra has received a contract from Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) in Greece to deliver an air traffic surveillance system and radars at Athens International Airport. Under the contract, Indra will deliver a new InNova Ground Advanced Surface Movement Guidance & Control System (A-SMGCS) that will enable air traffic controllers to ensure the safe movement of aircraft and vehicles. The contract also includes the delivery of multilateration systems to identify ground and approaching aircraft. Indra will also replace the surface movement radar (SMR) with a modern system from Terma. The deployment of new technologies will help Athens Airport to better manage air traffic when demand recovers from the impact of Covid-19. Indra Tower Systems director Elin Blakstad said: “It is encouraging to see that air traffic authorities in Greece and other countries use the pandemic to prepare for better days by upgrading the infrastructure. “We are delighted to be awarded this project by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority.” Indra is a technology and consulting company headquartered in Spain. It primarily caters to transport and defence markets. In the 2019 financial year, Indra reported annual revenue of €3.2bn, with business operations in more than 140 countries. In July, Spanish airport operator Aena contracted Indra for the deployment of passenger temperature control systems with thermographic cameras at 13 airports. The solutions are capable of measuring body temperatures without any human intervention, reducing disease transmission risks and limiting overcrowding at checkpoints. The systems are already operational at the airports. https://www.airport-technology.com/news/indra-air-traffic-surveillance-system-athens-airport/ Bell and Xwing Complete NASA Unmanned Demo with APT 70 Bell Textron this week demonstrated its Autonomous Pod Transport 70 (APT 70) vehicle as part of NASA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the National Airspace System program. The flight on September 28 was made using detect-and-avoid (DAA) hardware and software developed by autonomous technology specialist Xwing, which is separately advancing plans to certify a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft for unmanned operations. Xwing’s DAA system consists of cameras, radars, and satellite-based automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, with these situational awareness and positioning inputs being integrated by the California-based company’s software. The technology can be used by a ground-based remote pilot or be coupled with an aircraft’s flight-control system to provide automated collision avoidance. The APT 70 flight, which was conducted in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, marked the first time Bell’s new unmanned vehicle was able to fly in controlled airspace without a pilot. According to Bell and Xwing, a significant portion of the flight was made in Class B airspace, which surrounds major airports and requires authorization and coordination with air traffic control. The flight took off from Bell's Floyd Carson airfield and flew a 10-mile circuit along the Trinity River at an altitude of 500 feet. According to Bell, the route included a road crossing and transition in and out of Class B airspace. Communication between the ground station and the aircraft was maintained through a redundant datalink. The Bell and Xwing teams have been working together for two years, and they have previously tested the DAA technology on one of the U.S. manufacturer’s helicopters. Over the summer they transitioned to the APT 70, which has now made several flights, including one during the last week of September to demonstrate full integration for the purposes of the NASA program. "This successful demonstration highlights the great potential for the APT 70 to complete complex missions for businesses and healthcare providers," said Michael Thacker, Bell's executive vice president for Innovation and Commercial Business. “The final flight was the first that involved going into Class B airspace and getting authorization from air traffic control,” Xwing chief technology officer Maxime Gariel told AIN. “There was plenty of traffic coming close [to the APT 70].” Bell’s APT 70 is intended to be used for autonomous operations, such as medical deliveries, third-party logistics, offshore support, and humanitarian relief. The helicopter manufacturer, which is also working on a passenger-carrying eVTOL called Nexus, intends to develop a family of freight-carrying unmanned APT aircraft with a payload eventually as high as 1,000 pounds. The APT 70 can carry 70 pounds up to around 35 miles at speeds of around 125 mph. Meanwhile, Xwing says it is on track to start freight operations in its modified Grand Caravan aircraft by the end of 2020. The company plans to run a commercial operation on a trial basis for about a year to prove the DAA system as part of its complete Autoflight system, which will also include flight controls. The Grand Caravan has a payload of 4,000 pounds, and Xwing intends to operate on sectors of between 100 and 500 miles. The company indicated that it may soon announce a launch customer for its trial cargo operations. “We want to unlock the potential for BVLOS [beyond visual line of sight] flight,” explained Gariel. He said that by running its own flight trials to demonstrate the technology’s performance under different flight conditions, Xwing aims to solve the “chicken and egg” problem in which early adopters are reluctant to take a risk without first seeing evidence that the system will work in real-world conditions. Initially, Xwing’s system will be used for safety enhancement to improve situational awareness for the Grand Caravan, which will still use its standard avionics suite and have a pilot on board. This gradual approach makes it easier to get FAA approval for the flight trials, and the data gathered will support the certification of the system. In August, Xwing reported that it had already made more than 70 pilotless takeoffs and landings in the converted Grand Caravan. Subject to FAA approval, the company hopes to begin autonomous operations in early 2022, although these will initially be conducted with an operator on the ground, mainly to handle interactions with air traffic controllers. The company claims that autonomous flight can resolve what it says is still a growing pilot shortage, while also increasing the productivity of aircraft operators by a factor of three, potentially resulting in cost savings of 20 to 30 percent. NASA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems flights in the National Airspace System program started in 2018 when the agency began selecting partners to test the enabling technology. Its goal is to support the safety case for routine autonomous flights for commercial aircraft operations. The APT 70 trial flights were also supported by the University of Massachusetts Amherst's Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of Atmosphere, which developed an intuitive, integrated display to provide remote pilots with local weather risk awareness and route-based weather alerts. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-09-30/bell-and-xwing-complete-nasa-unmanned-demo-apt-70 Sustainable Aviation Fuels Still The Immediate Future The prevailing view at Air Transport Action Group’s (ATAG) Global Sustainable Aviation Forum (29-30 September) was that the immediate future for decarbonization remains the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). Robin Hayes, CEO of US low-cost carrier JetBlue, says the airline chose SAFs as a focus for the next five to ten years, because new zero-emission aircraft will come later. JetBlue found that SAFs, which are already being used on flights from San Francisco, are a cost-effective way of reducing emissions, he adds. Another way is having more efficient air traffic control in congested regions, he says, adding that JetBlue has noticed that fewer flight delays – in the current low traffic COVID-19 period – has resulted in lower fuel burn for each flight. JetBlue recently became the first US airline to achieve carbon neutrality for all domestic flights through the purchase of carbon offsets. Hayes say the airline did this because “customers, regulators and communities want [tangible] action now.” During the forum’s chief technology officers’ (CTO) panel, Safran CTO Stéphane Cueille said ATAG’s Waypoint 2050 target – of halving aviation’s global emissions by 2050 as compared to 2005 – is achievable. France’s government has announced that it expects to see a regional aircraft – powered by either hybrid-electric or hydrogen technology – enter service around 2030 and see a more fuel-efficient Airbus A320 aircraft enter service from 2033-2035. Cueille says conventional turbine powered aircraft will still be the mainstay of the global commercial aircraft fleet in the early 2030s, so Safran is working to ensure the turbines are 100% compatible with alternative fuels like SAFs. Safran is also working on hydrogen-powered propulsion systems, Cueille says. Paul Stein, Rolls-Royce CTO, says disruptive technologies are unlikely to arrive in the short term, and that it first aims for efficiency gains of about 10% using its upcoming UltraFan technology. Rolls-Royce also plans for its engines to be 100% compatible with SAFs, he adds. Rolls-Royce is also active in disruptive technologies including hydrogen, hybrid and battery-electric, Stein says. Early next year it will attempt to break the speed record for the world’s fastest zero-emission aircraft using its electric aircraft demonstrator ACCEL, he adds. GE Aviation general manager advanced technology, Arjan Hegeman, says GE is working on a wide range of technologies, including allowing engines to utilize SAFs and aiming for double-digit efficiency improvements in its open-rotor engine technology. He also says GE is developing megawatt-scale power generation for electric motors. Raytheon Technologies head of technology and global engineering, Mark Russell, says the company is working on a wide range of carbon-cutting technologies, through improved efficiency, SAFs and hybrid-electric propulsion. Airbus CTO Grazia Vittadini says hydrogen fuel can be used for about 50% of the journey to a carbon neutral industry. She says Airbus’ zero-emission hydrogen-powered aircraft will be available by 2035, but that SAFs will also play a part in the journey as well, she adds. ATR senior VP engineering and head of design organization, Stéphane Viala, says: “ATR has looked at battery technology, but it is not the way to go [as it is too heavy]. We are not carrying enough payload.” Viala says the only technology they are considering are those using hydrogen. He says they are looking at hydrogen fuel cells and burning hydrogen in turbines. A challenge we face is producing hydrogen in a ‘green way’ and at affordable cost, says Viala, adding that the other issue is developing the infrastructure to support a hydrogen-powered aviation industry. http://www.smartaviation-apac.com/2020/10/sustainable-aviation-fuels-still-the-immediate-future/ SpaceX's next astronaut flight for NASA to include heat shield tweak and more SpaceX and NASA are preparing for the first full-fledged crew flight to the International Space Station, which will look similar — but not identical — to the crewed test flight the pair ran this summer. That test flight, dubbed Demo-2, saw veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken spend two months living and working in the orbiting laboratory while SpaceX and NASA confirmed that SpaceX's brand new Crew Dragon vehicle, the first new spacecraft to carry humans in decades, was functioning safely and as expected. Now, the astronauts' successors will follow on the first operational mission for the vehicle, which will send three NASA astronauts and a Japanese colleague to spend six months in orbit. On their way up to space and back, much will look the same for the new crewmembers as it did during Demo-2, assuming everything goes smoothly. "It will be a great mission if Crew-1 goes exactly the same way," Kathy Lueders, associate administrator for human exploration and operations at NASA, said during a news conference held yesterday (Sept. 29). "I'm counting on a beautiful mission." That said, the test flight wasn't just for show. Following Demo-2 and using Hurley and Behnken's experience, NASA and SpaceX have made several tweaks to the Crew-1 mission hardware and procedures. Those changes will shape both the departure and return of the new mission. Perhaps the most dramatic difference for this flight is that SpaceX has made changes to Crew Dragon's thermal protective shield, or heat shield, based on examining the Demo-2 capsule, Hans Koenigsmann, a vice president at SpaceX, said during the news conference. When SpaceX engineers looked over the Demo-2 capsule, they noticed more wear-and-tear in a few specific areas of the heat shield, where bolts connect the capsule to the spacecraft's trunk. They hadn't noticed the phenomenon when studying the uncrewed Crew Dragon that flew on the first test mission, dubbed Demo-1, in 2019, Koenigsmann said. He emphasized that the Demo-2 heat shield was safe for the astronauts during their reentry. But SpaceX tested upgraded protection for these small areas in a wind tunnel at NASA's Ames Research Center in California earlier this month and both NASA and SpaceX are satisfied with the results of those experiments, Koenigsmann and Lueders said. In addition, the heat shield changes will be implemented on a cargo Dragon spacecraft that is currently scheduled to launch in November but return to Earth before Crew-1 does. A second tweak to the spacecraft adjusted the pressure sensor that triggers the drogue parachutes to deploy during the splashdown process, Koenigsmann said. During the Demo-2 return, those parachutes unfurled at a slightly lower altitude than would have been ideal, he added, noting that the deployment was still within nominal range. This sensor adjustment should ensure an earlier, higher deployment when the Crew-1 astronauts return. Based on Demo-2 data, the teams have also decided to slightly loosen weather restrictions for launch and splashdown, Anthony Vareha, NASA's lead flight director for Crew-1, said during a second news conference held on Tuesday. Weather scrubbed the first Demo-2 launch attempt. And NASA and SpaceX have reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard for help enforcing a 10-mile (16 kilometers) keep-out zone around the planned splashdown area when the astronauts are scheduled to arrive, a partnership meant to avoid a repeat of the boaters who gatecrashed the Demo-2 splashdown in August. The news conferences were held the day after NASA announced that it was delaying the launch by a week, to Oct. 31, to facilitate traffic management at the International Space Station. The next Russian Soyuz capsule, which will carry two cosmonauts and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, is currently scheduled to launch Oct. 14. Their predecessors, who include NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, will return to Earth on Oct. 21 and the Crew-1 launch had previously been targeting Oct. 23 — a very tight timeline for crewed spaceflight missions. "We will use the additional time to review … whatever we have, over and over again until we're really sure we are safe to fly," Koenigsmann said of the schedule change. https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-1-heat-shield-update-from-demo-2 Curt Lewis