November 26, 2020 - No. 89 In This Issue : Reduced to meeting online, airlines vow to keep fighting : London Stansted Eyes Zero-Emission Planes : CAU LAUNCHES ITS AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AND MANY PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED! : New Technology in Place at Orlando Melbourne International Airport : CNC Technologies deploys new airborne law enforcement solution for Texas DPS’s Airbus H125 : Etihad Airways and SITA Trial Facial Biometric Check-in for Cabin Crew : Boris Johnson’s 'jet zero' green flight goal dismissed as a gimmick : World's Airports And Leading Airlines Join CommonTrust Network And Begin Roll-out Of CommonPass In December In Support Of Safer Border Reopening : Rolls-Royce To Begin Unblended SAF Tests : Scientists improve 3-D printing technology for aerospace composites using oil waste : SpaceX sets new Falcon 9 reuse milestone on Starlink launch Reduced to meeting online, airlines vow to keep fighting PARIS (Reuters) - For an industry that prides itself on bringing people together, it was a particular humiliation for airlines to have to resort to video conferencing for their annual industry meeting this week - and not one they are ready to repeat. Brought to their knees by the COVID-19 pandemic and struggling to convince governments to replace quarantines with testing, airlines turned to veteran IAG boss Willie Walsh to lead industry association IATA from next April. "My style will be different from what has gone before me," said Walsh, known to British Airways unions as something of a bruiser, as he thanked outgoing IATA chief Alexandre de Juniac. "I too am a businessman and I too understand how governments operate, but I'm even more unhappy and more critical of how they get things done (and) how they've failed to get things done." Without a doubt, this will be Walsh's biggest challenge yet. In three days of media briefings around the meeting, IATA further downgraded its financial outlook for the sector as a second wave of coronavirus cases in Europe and the United States points to more heavy losses and bankruptcies. That may test Walsh's aversion to bailouts and subsidies. Little was said about further aid at the meeting, which ended on Wednesday, though de Juniac called days earlier for $80 billion in support on top of the $160 billion received. Despite vaccines promising eventual relief, executives worry they might reduce the immediate pressure on policymakers to reopen travel safely. In the short term, meanwhile, they are having to roll out apps designed to manage health certificates and the broader chaos. Governments may also use air travel to encourage vaccine uptake - drawing airlines into a political minefield. Australia's Qantas said it expected to require all passengers to show vaccination certificates. "We know in some countries we have some difficulties to convince the population to be vaccinated," de Juniac told Reuters before the meeting - warning that any general requirement could effectively bar people from travel. For airlines that survive COVID-19, intense environmental pressures still lie in wait, as several executives observed; "flight-shaming" has not gone away. In Europe, the industry is battling new green taxes and regulation while facing higher investment demands for cleaner aircraft and fuel technology development. Bailouts and borrowing have swollen global airlines' debt by more than half to $651 billion, IATA Chief Economist Brian Pearce said - a mountain that will undermine their ability to fund more efficient new aircraft, let alone green innovation. Underlining the financial strain, Norwegian Air became the latest crisis casualty when it filed for Irish bankruptcy protection days before the meeting. "Airlines are setting themselves up for horrendous balance sheet structures," said James Halstead, managing partner at consulting firm Aviation Strategy, who believes airlines will continue to struggle to influence policy. "The people in the driving seat are health authorities - it's a massive health crisis, so they don't want people moving around," Haltead said. "The feeling is that aviation can be tackled later." https://wtvbam.com/2020/11/25/reduced-to-meeting-online-airlines-vow-to-keep-fighting/ London Stansted Eyes Zero-Emission Planes Next-generation, zero-emission planes could be operating out of London Stansted within the next 10 – 15 years thanks to a new competition by the airport’s owner to drive advances in aviation technology. Manchester Airports Group (MAG), the UK’s largest airport group, has fired the starting pistol on a competition for the first airline to operate a zero-emission commercial flight from one of its airports. This is the first competition of its kind in the industry, which will see the successful carrier win five years’ free landing fees worth up to £1.3million in today’s prices. The competition comes as the Group publishes its annual CSR Report, which sets out the vital role the airport continues to play in the regional economy and local communities. This includes: Almost 12,000 volunteering hours by colleagues to support projects in the local community A 20% reduction in the amount of waste generated, with the airport continuing its track record of sending zero waste to landfill for the third year in a row, including becoming the first airport in the UK to send all its coffee grounds to be recycled into solid biofuels, An industry-leading trial of fully compostable bags when carrying liquids in hand luggage through security Welcoming a full intake of 500 students to the airport’s dedicated, on-site college for the third consecutive year since it opened in 2018 A special event for 50 young women from across Harlow to mark United Nations International Day of Women and Girls in Science The report also makes a landmark commitment to become a net zero carbon business by 2038, twelve years ahead of the UK’s aviation industry target to become net zero carbon by 2050. Airlines taking part in the competition to win the free landing fees will be given free rein in their choice of low-emission technology, including electric and hydrogen technology. It comes after global manufacturer Airbus last month revealed three concept ‘ZEROe’ hydrogen powered commercial aircraft, which could carry up to 200 passengers from the UK across Europe from 2035. The first commercial-grade six-seater aircraft powered by a hydrogen fuel cell was also showcased at Cranfield University in September. Sustainable Aviation, the UK aviation industry’s sustainability group has forecast that the sector can expect to see the first zero emission regional or short-haul flight in around 10-15 years’ time. MAG’s initiative will complement the full range of measures needed to help the UK reach its Net Zero 2050 target, including modernising UK airspace, sustainable aviation fuels, smart flight operations and new aircraft technology. Today’s announcement comes as the Government’s Jet Zero Council, of which MAG is a founding member, prepares to meet for a second time in the coming days. Read more: The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) today announced the deployment of six 40-foot all-electric zero-emission buses and related electric vehicle charging infrastructure. https://www.rustourismnews.com/2020/11/26/london-stansted-eyes-zero-emission-planes/ CAU LAUNCHES ITS AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AND MANY PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED! California Aeronautical University (CAU) launches their Aircraft Maintenance Technology program and many prospective students could not be more excited! Over the past five years, CAU has received an overwhelming amount interest in the AMT program. The requests have been coming in frequently leaving many prospective applicants chomping at the bit awaiting the AMT program launch. CAU has established itself as the premier aeronautical university on the West Coast, providing training and career opportunities through its professional pilot and aviation business degree programs. As the demand for aviation support professionals presents opportunities in the aviation industry, CAU will be offering the Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) program starting in March 2021 and has begun enrolling students. “I am excited, as this program will help train the next generation of qualified aviation mechanics. Filling this void is part of the strategic vision and necessity for our aviation industry—CAU will play a role in that urgency!” noted CAU Provost Dr. Michael Berry. “There is a great shortage of young, dedicated men and women who are able to inspect, repair and certify the airworthiness of general aviation aircraft.” CAU has received an overwhelming amount interest in the AMT program. The requests have been coming in frequently, leaving many prospective applicants chomping at the bit awaiting the program launch. CAU began its planning in 2017, and a foundational meeting was conducted to establish the path for the approval needed to launch the program. Following that meeting, CAU established curriculum material and textbooks that included countless hours of writing and preparing. CAU had on-campus inspections by the FAA and earned the Part 147 AMT Certificate on September 23rd. “When we set out to promote our professional pilot and businesses aviation degree programs, we were amazed at the overwhelming interest in the potential of an AMT program here at California Aeronautical University and knew we had to work on its development,” said CAU President Matthew Johnston. The courses in the aviation maintenance technology program are designed to provide the necessary educational opportunities through classroom and laboratory instruction for a person to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to enter the industry as an entry-level airframe and powerplant (A&P) technician. Graduates will be eligible to take applicable FAA examinations. Upon successful completion of the written exams, graduates will be eligible to take the oral and practical examinations to complete the requirements for the FAA A&P Certificate. The program will run for seven terms, about 1 year and three months. Graduates may enter a number of employment areas, such as general aviation, fixed-base operations, executive aircraft services, major airlines, aircraft contractors, modification operations, and manufacturers as A&P technicians or technical writers. Students who apply and are accepted into the program have the ability to stay in the CAU student housing at the Bakersfield campus, allowing them to focus on their studies and take part in the CAU culture where they eat, sleep, and breathe aviation. https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2020/november/27/cau-launches-aircraft-maintenance-technology-program New Technology in Place at Orlando Melbourne International Airport The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun using a state-of-the-art computed tomography (CT) scanner in the security checkpoint at Orlando Melbourne International Airport (MLB). “The technology employs a sophisticated algorithm to analyze the content of each bag and allows TSA officers to rotate the image and ascertain that no threats are contained in the bag without needing to open the suitcase,” said TSA Federal Security Director Pete Garcia. “Reducing the number of bags that need to be manually inspected to resolve a possible threat, means fewer touchpoints during the pandemic.” When the CT is in use, travelers do not need to remove electronics, food or travel-size liquids from carry-on luggage. Passengers in the TSA Precheck program have that benefit regardless of whether the CT is in use and all travelers are encouraged to sign up for the program. “We are grateful for our longstanding partnership with TSA and the recent upgrades to our checkpoint, which build on providing an even safer and more convenient experience for our travelers,” said Greg Donovan, executive director at Orlando Melbourne International Airport (MLB). “This is just a glimpse of what’s to come with our terminal expansion project that is underway to prepare for increases in passenger traffic. Plans for a new and expanded TSA checkpoint, along with advanced technology like this, including touchless protocols, will more than double our throughput capabilities.” In addition to the use of technology, TSA has modified its procedures at airports across the country as part of its “Stay Healthy. Stay Secure.” campaign. Departing travelers can expect to see: All security officers wearing face masks and gloves during the screening process. If a security officer is working in close proximity to travelers, they are also required to wear eye protection or a face shield. Security officers will change their gloves after each screening position rotation, after a pat-down or upon a passenger’s request Reduced physical contact due to the installation of acrylic barriers that limit exposure between security officers and travelers when presenting their boarding pass and ID. Social distancing leading up to and in the security checkpoint environment. And through our partnership with Orlando Melbourne International Airport, increased frequency and intensity of cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in the security checkpoint including bins. This is no substitute for practicing good hygiene while traveling. Travelers are encouraged to wash their hands before and after going through the checkpoint. Additional tips for traveling this holiday season include: Step 1: Pack smart Travelers should be aware of the contents of their carry-on bags and make sure they are not bringing prohibited items to the security checkpoint. To determine whether an item is allowed or prohibited in carry-on luggage, go to TSA.gov and use the “Can I Bring?” feature. Or @AskTSA on Twitter. By planning ahead, travelers can avoid a bag check and reduce the potential for cross-contamination. Step 2: Wear a mask TSA strongly recommends all travelers wear a face covering throughout the entire travel experience. Travelers may be asked to adjust their mask for ID verification or if it alarms during the security screening process. If a traveler does not have a mask and they require a pat-down, a security officer will provide a mask. Step 3: Secure items in your carry-on When removing items from pockets such as phones, keys, lip balm, tissues and loose change, travelers should secure those items into their carry-on bags instead of placing them in bins. Bins are a common use item and travelers should use caution when placing personal items in them. Step 4: Traveling with food In general screening lanes, food items should be packed in a clear plastic bag and placed in a bin for screening. This simple step further reduces the potential for cross-contamination and avoids having food sit directly in bins. If you are planning to travel with special foods to contribute to a Thanksgiving meal, be sure you follow this simple rule to ensure your food can travel with you: If you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it or pour it, pack it in a checked bag. For example, cranberry sauce, gravy and wine in quantities larger than 100 ml or 3.4 ounces should go in a checked bag. Cakes, pies and casseroles can travel in carry-on luggage. Step 5: Traveling with hand sanitizer Remember the 3-1-1 rule for your liquids, gels and aerosols, with one exception: TSA is currently allowing one oversized liquid hand sanitizer container, up to 12 ounces per passenger, in carry-on bags. Please remove the hand sanitizer from the carry-on bag and place it in a bin for screening. Passengers may also bring hand wipes of any size or quantity through https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/press-release/21164196/orlando-melbourne-international-airport-mlb-new-technology-in-place-at-orlando-melbourne-international-airport CNC Technologies deploys new airborne law enforcement solution for Texas DPS’s Airbus H125 CNC Technologies, an aviation technology and wireless communications company serving the law enforcement, military and government markets, announced it has deployed a new, state-of-the-art airborne mission suite for the Texas Department of Public Safety’s recently acquired Airbus H125 helicopter. Working with aviation and completion services firm Metro Aviation on the assignment, CNC led development and design of the new system and will provide ongoing training and 24/7 support. The new mission suite provides the Texas DPS with unparalleled capability to stream real-time HD video and data from the H125 to ground based forces around the state and to partners around the world. Key system highlights include the latest generation Wescam MX-10 gyrostabilized gimbal equipped with HD video, advanced video tracker (AVT) and HD infrared payloads; advanced microwave downlink infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted video, audio and data transmission; and a Garmin moving map system that allows operators to seamlessly overlay location specific data on top of live HD video feeds. The system is also fully interoperable with the Texas DPS’ existing ground receive network. CNC currently provides the Texas DPS with ongoing support for the airborne mission suites deployed on the agency’s two Pilatus PC-12 Spectre fixed-wing aircraft. Each of these systems was custom developed by CNC for the Texas DPS and went into service in 2016. Other agencies CNC works with include the NYPD, LAPD, Michigan State Police, Atlanta Police, Florida Highway Patrol and LA County Sheriff’s Department. “The Texas DPS is one of the country’s premier public safety agencies with a broad range of mission requirements spanning law enforcement, counterterrorism, disaster response and search and rescue,” said Ron Magocsi, founding partner and chief technology officer at CNC Technologies. “We are honored for the opportunity to extend our ongoing relationship with the agency with the deployment of the new mission suite for its H125 helicopter.” https://verticalmag.com/press-releases/cnc-technologies-deploys-new-airborne-law-enforcement-solution-for-texas-dpss-airbus-h125/ Etihad Airways and SITA Trial Facial Biometric Check-in for Cabin Crew Etihad Airways has partnered with information technology company SITA, to trial the use of facial biometrics in order to check in cabin crew at the airline's Crew Briefing Centre at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The trial will use facial recognition technology to identify and authenticate crew members, allowing them to complete check-in procedures and mandatory pre-flight safety and security questions digitally via their own mobile devices. The new initiative will replace the current kiosk-based check-in process which requires crew to use their staff identity cards as a form of authentication. Captain Sulaiman Yaqoobi, vice president flight operations, Etihad Aviation Group said, “Etihad is constantly on the lookout for innovative solutions and new technologies that will drive improvements in the airline’s operations and enhance the experience for guests and employees. Etihad is excited to partner with SITA to explore the potential that facial biometric services has for the aviation industry. By integrating contactless technology, biometric services will increase efficiency while simultaneously cementing our commitment to reducing the spread of COVID-19 by limiting physical touch points and maximising social distancing measures.” As part of the airline’s digitalization strategy, facial biometric technology is expected to improve operational efficiency by speeding up the existing check-in process and automating crew time and attendance management and access controls. Cabin crew will also experience a seamless and contactless check-in experience. Roger Nakouzi, vice president sales, SITA added, “We are proud to partner with Etihad to design and implement a secure biometric system that offers a smarter and more efficient working environment for crew while solving a key operational challenge of the pandemic by reducing contact points. SITA has extensive experience in both mobile and biometric technology solutions having developed and implemented SITA Smart Path at airports globally, enabling a seamless, low touch passenger experience while increasing airport efficiencies.” The trial will continue until February and will provide the airline with invaluable data to explore future exploration of biometric technology for use in guest operations, such as check-in and boarding. https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/press-release/21164182/etihad-airways-and-sita-trial-facial-biometric-checkin-for-cabin-crew Boris Johnson’s 'jet zero' green flight goal dismissed as a gimmick Boris Johnson’s “jet zero” goal of a commercial transatlantic flight producing no carbon emissions by 2025 is a “gimmick”, according to experts, who say technology alone cannot solve the impact of global aviation on the climate crisis. Such a flight would not be impossible, the experts said, but could only be a one-off and would encourage the view that other measures such as taxing jet fuel and frequent fliers were not needed to tackle aviation’s carbon problem. The jet zero technology idea was part of Johnson’s 10-point “green industrial revolution” plan launched last week. But experts called jet zero “severely underfunded”, and pointed out that the government would not begin consulting on a strategy to decarbonise aviation until next year. The UK has also not demanded green action from airlines in return for coronavirus bailouts, unlike France. The pandemic has halved passenger numbers but the industry expects them to recover by 2024. However, the experts also praised the UK for taking some action, given that only a few countries are even beginning to tackle an issue seen as one of the most difficult climate challenges. The aviation industry says more efficient planes and buying millions of tonnes of carbon offsets can compensate for big future increases in passenger numbers. Independent experts say new taxes to deter flying are vital, and agree with the aviation industry that green jet fuels are needed too. These exist and could power long-haul flights, but are currently expensive. Long-haul electric or hydrogen planes are unlikely before the middle of the century, if ever, by which time emissions should already have been cut to zero. “We will position the UK at the forefront of aviation,” says Johnson’s green plan. “British innovation will unlock the world of sustainable fuels [to] allow the opportunity of global travel whilst also safeguarding our planet.” The jet zero council, which brings together ministers and industry chief executives, has met once, in July. The prime minister told the group he wanted “ambitious goals for aviation, such as the first zero-emission commercial transatlantic passenger flight by 2025”, according to published minutes. Johnson’s green plan said a £15m competition to support the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in the UK would be held in 2021, alongside a consultation on introducing a requirement to blend green fuels into kerosene, “possibly starting in 2025”. Another £15m is to be spent on a 12-month “fly zero” study examining zero-emission aircraft that could fly from 2030. “I guess enough [SAF] could be produced to fuel a single, one-off operation in 2025 but that would of course just be a gimmick – anything beyond that would be very much unrealistic,” said Chris Lyle, the chief executive of the Air Transport Economics consultancy and a former official at the International Civil Aviation Organization, a UN agency. Regulations would also have to be changed to allow 100% SAF to be used. Dan Rutherford, a programme director the International Council on Clean Transportation, said: “It would be like a crash space programme to plant a flag on the moon, without knowing when you’d go back again.” Stefan Gössling, a professor at Linnaeus University in Sweden, said such a flight might even be technically feasible by 2022, but would reinforce the industry’s suggestion that “we will resolve the problem [with technology] – keep flying”. Lyle said: “Technology alone can in no way get close to solving aviation’s emissions problems.” The omission from the UK plans of other measures such as taxes was “emphatically a mistake”, he said. The lack of tax on jet fuel gives aviation an unfair advantage against train and coach travel, Lyle added. Gössling said: “The challenge of greening aviation is massive. I cannot see any other option than non-biogenic synthetic fuels.” These are fuels made using green electricity to combine CO2 and hydrogen. Biofuels made from crops can have large carbon footprints and compete with food production. Producing jet fuel from non-recyclable waste is another possibility. Gössling said a carbon tax on kerosene was needed to pay for the climate damage it caused and deter the growth in air travel, adding that such a tax would also make green synthetic fuels more cost-competitive. He said a frequent flyer tax was unlikely to curb demand among the wealthy “super-emitters” who cause half of all emissions, but could help fund synthetic fuel development and other research. According to Rutherford, the UK’s jet zero goals are “aggressive” but also “severely underfunded”. He said the latest research estimated commercial SAF plants were likely to cost £600m–£700m while new conventional aircraft cost at least $10bn (£7.5bn) to develop. “Fifteen-million-pound investments are something that could excite academics but aren’t going to move the needle in any significant way on electric or hydrogen aircraft, for example,” Rutherford said. Tim Johnson, the director of the Aviation Environment Federation, who sits on the jet zero council, said: “A few funding initiatives plus lots of ambition won’t get the industry anywhere near net zero.” He said regulation and taxes were needed, as well as the inclusion of international aviation emissions in the national carbon plans submitted to the UN. Currently they are exempt. Removing the exemption, said Lyle, “would give individual countries more incentive to do something about them”. Lyle was dismissive of the UN aviation body’s efforts to cut emissions, saying: “The ICAO is still studying the ‘feasibility’ of an aspirational long-term emissions goal for aviation, which it was given a mandate for by its assembly in 2010.” Gössling said the UK’s aviation goals placed it among the leading nations, but only because ambition was absent in most countries. A spokesman for the IATA, which represents the airlines industry, said: “The UK is a leading country when it comes to action on emissions.” Gössling said rather than a single transatlantic zero-emissions flight in 2025, a better UK goal would be to ensure that by 2025, 10% of all fuels used will come from renewable sources, or even better, will be non-biogenic synthetic fuels. A few other nations including France already have such fuel mandates. Norway’s is the most ambitious, requiring 30% from renewable sources by 2030. But airlines, such as those in the US, oppose SAF mandate proposals. “The timing needs to be realistic,” said the IATA spokesman. “It will take time to scale up production. It usually takes three to four years to build a plant, so I think a five-year window [to 2025] to get supply up and running is necessary.” He added: “We believe we can solve the problem of CO2 emissions with technology. There is a growing body of research that says we have clear pathways to achieving our 2050 goals of a 50% reduction in emissions from 2005 levels and quite possibly zero emissions from 2060-65, through the scaling up of SAF, and future technology like electric and hydrogen-powered flight, from 2035. Offsetting is also available but we currently see this as a short-term measure while technology is scaled up.” Sustainable Aviation, a UK industry group, has set out a road map to net zero emissions that allows for a 70% growth in passengers by 2050 and relies heavily on buying carbon offsets elsewhere. Andy Jefferson, the group’s programme director, said there was no “silver bullet” for dealing with aviation carbon emissions but there was clear evidence that taxes had no environmental benefits and were the least effective way to reduce emissions. “With the right [government] support, we do not see the need to impose additional demand reduction measures,” he said. Tim Johnson said any financial assistance to aviation from taxpayers should come with the requirement of action: “Talk of incentives and funding is misplaced when the industry is only offering voluntary commitments in return. Technology aspirations shouldn’t provide continued cover for the industry to get away with no effective accountability, tax or regulation on its emissions.” “Jet zero isn’t a substitute for the government setting out the policies required to set the UK aviation sector on a trajectory to net zero emissions,” said Johnson. “A cleaner and leaner air travel sector will mean we need to fly less, and we shouldn’t be expanding our airports.” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/25/boris-johnsons-jet-zero-carbon-flight-goal-dismissed-as-a-gimmick-experts-technology-avaiation-emissions World's Airports And Leading Airlines Join CommonTrust Network And Begin Roll-out Of CommonPass In December In Support Of Safer Border Reopening GENEVA, Nov. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Economic Forum and The Commons Project Foundation today welcomed the Airport Council International (ACI) World, representing nearly 2,000 airports globally, and five leading global airlines as members of the CommonTrust Network. "The members of the CommonTrust Network are coming together to implement an inclusive global network designed to empower individuals with digital access to their health information so they can protect and improve their health, and demonstrate their health status to safely return to travel, work, school, and life, while protecting their data privacy," said Paul Meyer, CEO of The Commons Project Foundation. "We welcome collaboration with public and private stakeholders across many sectors, including ACI World and IATA in aviation." "As the world works to overcome the pandemic, all countries face the challenge of how to reopen borders for travel and commerce while protecting their populations' health," ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. "Key to this will be a globally-harmonized approach underpinned by cooperation and consistency between all players in the aviation industry." "The CommonTrust Network and CommonPass will help to foster this consistent approach, especially as it will include more than just the aviation industry," said de Oliveira. CommonPass was first successfully trialed in October on Cathay Pacific Airways and United Airlines flights between Hong Kong, Singapore, London, and New York. Government observers of the trials included the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and the United Kingdom Border Force and Ministry for Transport. CommonTrust Network airlines JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss International Airlines, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic will begin the roll-out of CommonPass in December on select flights departing from New York, Boston, London, and Hong Kong. CommonTrust Network airport labs include XpresCheck (JFK, EWR, BOS), Collinson (LHR, LGW), and Prenetics (HKG). This support from the world's airports for the CommonTrust Network and CommonPass comes a week after the three airline alliances - oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance - called for a globally harmonized approach for validation and authentication of testing and vaccination, highlighting CommonPass. "The recent digital 'health pass' trials, such as CommonPass, are presenting a strong case for using digital technology to deliver harmonized standards in the validation and verification of accredited passenger health data," said the statement from airline alliances, whose 58 member airlines represent over 60% of world airline capacity. "Together with our partners, we support all efforts to make traveling under Coronavirus conditions safer and easier in the future. We are pleased that Lufthansa Group airlines can be pioneers on selected routes in the USA and Europe by offering the use of CommonPass to our passengers," said Christina Foerster, Lufthansa Group Executive Board Member Customer, IT and Corporate Responsibility. "Through our 'Safety from the Ground Up' program, JetBlue has been a leader in providing a layered approach to safety on the ground and in the air, including being the first U.S. airline to require facial coverings," said Joanna Geraghty, president, and chief operating officer, JetBlue. "We are excited to be one of the first airlines in the world to partner with CommonPass to provide another layer of safety to air travel in the United States and around the world. Reliable testing, combined with digital health passes, is another way to restore customer confidence and safely restore air travel." "United has consistently demonstrated its leadership in developing innovative solutions to help ensure a safer travel experience for our customers during these challenging times, which now includes being one of the first airlines to join the CommonTrust Network," said Steve Morrissey, United's vice president, regulatory and policy. "We were proud to be the first U.S. carrier to trial CommonPass on October 21st from London Heathrow to Newark. Testing is a key component of our multi-layered approach to safely reopening travel and ensuring our customers' wellbeing, and we look forward to using technology platforms like CommonPass to provide travelers and governments confidence in verified COVID-19 testing results." "Our partnership with CommonPass adds to the multi-layered health and safety measures that Virgin Atlantic has in place to ensure that our customers fly safe and well. Ahead of a vaccine, ensuring customers understand the latest testing requirements to travel is vital to building consumer confidence and the CommonPass solution is an important step towards offering a common international standard," said Corneel Koster, Chief Customer and Operating Officer, Virgin Atlantic. "We expect governments to move with urgency towards aligned testing standards and in parallel, to implement a robust pre-departure testing regime that supports international travel, safely replaces quarantine as soon as possible and enables the skies to reopen at scale." "As the Forum, we are committed to bringing our health, supply chain, aviation, and maritime sectors together to ensure the success of this global common utility," said Christoph Wolff, Head of Mobility at the World Economic Forum. "The CommonTrust Network is the kind of concrete, swift, cross-sector collaboration needed to enable a unified action to restore confidence in travel. Siloed efforts will only create more confusion and hinder the industry's recovery." The CommonTrust Network is enabled by a global network of labs, vaccine distributors, and health care providers that agree to provide individuals with digital access to their own health information using open, globally-interoperable standards (e.g. HL7 FHIR, W3C verifiable credentials). The network includes hundreds of health systems covering thousands of locations in the United States and a growing network of labs and health care providers around the world. "Airport COVID testing and a safe, consistent approach to digital information management are key unlock to restoring passenger confidence in air travel. XpresCheck is very pleased to be a lab and testing partner in the CommonTrust Network," XpresCheck's Chief Executive Officer Doug Satzman said. "New York and Boston represent major commercial hubs to the world which can soon be activated through innovative partnerships like this." "We're proud to be part of this collaboration, and working with CommonTrust Network and other partners to create a solution that will help more people return to work and travel safely during the pandemic and beyond," said Joan Harvey, president of care coordination at Cigna. The Commons Project Foundation A non-profit public trust established with support from the Rockefeller Foundation, The Commons Project Foundation builds and operates digital platforms and services for the common good. Our mission-driven structure is designed to attract world-class talent to build and sustain digital public services in a way that serves people's interests above all. Beginning with health information, we are focused on empowering people to access and control their personal data and put it to use for their own benefit. The World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests. The Forum strives in all its efforts to demonstrate entrepreneurship in the global public interest while upholding the highest standards of governance. Moral and intellectual integrity is at the heart of everything it does. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/worlds-airports-and-leading-airlines-join-commontrust-network-and-begin-roll-out-of-commonpass-in-december-in-support-of-safer-border-reopening-301179752.html Rolls-Royce To Begin Unblended SAF Tests With the intense focus of the aviation industry on the lowering of its carbon footprint, Rolls-Royce is looking ahead to the day when sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) becomes more widely available and will begin exploring the use of 100 percent SAF on one of its engines this week. The powerplant maker will conduct ground testing with one of its Trent engines on a stand at its Derby, UK test facility, using SAF produced by World Energy in California and delivered by SkyNRG. The program is aimed at determining how the company’s current engine designs operate on “neat” or unblended SAF and what future modifications could benefit them. According to Simon Burr, the company’s director of product development and technology, Rolls-Royce will induct an engine from its Pearl family—which powers the in-flight-test Gulfstream G700 and Bombardier Global 5500 and 6500—into the 100 percent SAF test program in the new year at its Germany location. “I would just say I am less worried about relight and the operability of the engine,” Burr told AIN. “I don’t think those things are a major consideration, it’s mainly the issue of [fuel system] sealing in particular that is the prime anxiety.” Currently, to be considered a drop-in replacement for standard jet-A and to meet the specification for ASTM D7566, SAF must be blended to ensure the presence of proper amounts of aromatic compounds, which are generally lacking in neat SAF. “These fuels have low aromatic content, and that will give a positive in that you are likely to get less emissions of particulates,” Burr explained. “The downside is that in sealing systems, certain types of seals, particularly nitriles, they swell in jet fuel and the problem is if you go and switch from jet fuel to SAF with a low aromatic content, the seals can then shrink and the consequence to that is you get leakage.” Burr noted that in the company’s modern engines, nitrile seals have been supplanted with those made from synthetic materials such as fluorocarbon and fluorosilicon, which are unaffected by aromatic content. “I’m confident the fuel we’re testing would work quite happily on all our current engines,” he said, adding that he would expect to soon see an airframer such as Gulfstream announce a test flight on 100 percent SAF. “But we have to support our engines going back decades and so we have to be diligent and say, 'What would we require if we want to run 100 percent SAF on an engine that was built 30 years ago?'" As the test program continues, Rolls-Royce will continually reassess the status of the market to decide if it needs to begin backtesting its legacy engines. In addition to lower lifecycle carbon emissions, SAF has other benefits over conventional jet fuel, including slightly higher energy density and better thermostability. “Jet-A is actually quite a wide spec, and sometimes the fuels are not terribly thermally stable, so you end up with gumming for the fuel system and there’s more maintenance required,” Burr said. With 100 percent SAF offering improvement in that area by as much as 50 degrees, that could open up new possibilities for engine-makers in terms of engine architecture, “but it would be a brave person that just designed for an SAF-only world at this moment in time,” he added. It isn’t only the engines that need to be considered when contemplating the use of unblended SAF, but the aircraft’s entire fuel system as well. Those systems might also contain nitrile-based seals, which could cause leakage concerns. While airframers may incorporate specific changes into their new designs to accommodate the eventual use of 100 percent SAF, until then that presents other concerns. “The issue we’re sensitive about is you don’t want to have a situation where you have different infrastructure for two different types of fuel, the kind of diesel-petrol thing where people are worried about putting the wrong stuff in their machine, with all the safety hazards that go with that in flight,” said Burr. “In a perfect world, the oil companies will be able to create a formulation of [neat] SAF that is a drop-in replacement, so it will have enough aromatic content so it's just a subset of jet-A, you can plug it in, mix it up, it doesn’t matter.” The Trent engine selected for the test is equipped with the manufacturer’s new ALECsys (advanced low emissions combustion system), part of its UltraFan next-generation high-bypass ratio engine demonstrator program that is anticipated to offer a 25 percent fuel savings over the standard Trent. Burr insists that the test results, which Rolls-Royce will share, will be applicable to regular engines. “Just to be clear, the test has nothing to do with the combustion system, it just happens we’ve got an engine test vehicle with very sophisticated emissions measurement on it, so we’re using that.” With the total SAF available at present only equating to 0.1 percent of global jet fuel production, but with aspirations to boost that level to 2 percent in the coming decade, Burr acknowledged that these tests are looking out over the horizon, in terms of furthering the industry’s goals as well as Rolls-Royce’s own efforts, even as the world remains fundamentally changed. “Covid squeezes every budget,” he said. ”The fact that we’re doing this tells you that we regard it as important.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-11-24/rolls-royce-begin-unblended-saf-tests Scientists improve 3-D printing technology for aerospace composites using oil waste Scientists from NUST MISIS have improved the technology of 3-D printing from aluminum, having achieved an increase in the hardness of products by 1.5 times. The nanocarbon additive to aluminum powder, which they have developed, obtained from the products of processing associated petroleum gas, will improve the quality of 3-D printed aerospace composites. The research results are published in the international scientific journal Composites Communications Today, the main field of application for aluminum 3-D printing is the creation of high-tech parts for the aviation and space industries. The presence of even the slightest defects in printed structures is critical to the safety of the technology being created. According to NUST MISIS scientists, the main risk of such defects is the high porosity of the material, caused, among other reasons, by the qualities of the original aluminum powder. To ensure a uniform and dense microstructure of printed products, scientists from the MISIS Catalis Lab proposed adding carbon nanofibers to the aluminum powder. The use of this modifying additive makes it possible to ensure a low porosity of the material and an increase in its hardness by 1.5 times. "Changing the chemical and phase composition of the powder for printing by introducing additional components into the main matrix allows improving its properties. In particular, carbon nanofibers have high thermal conductivity, which helps to minimize temperature gradients between printed layers during product synthesis, at the stage of selective laser melting. Thanks to this, the microstructure of the material can be almost completely eliminated from inhomogeneities," said the head of the laboratory, professor at NUST MISIS, Ph.D. Alexander Gromov. "The technology for the synthesis of nanocarbon additives developed by the research team includes methods of chemical deposition, ultrasonic treatment, and IR heat treatment. The used carbon nanofibers must be a by-product of associated petroleum gas processing. During its catalytic decomposition, carbon accumulates in the form of nanofibers on dispersed metal particles of the catalyst. Usually, at present, associated gases are simply burned in the fields, which harms the environment. Therefore, the application of the new method also has a serious environmental significance," said Professor Gromov. The study has been carried out jointly with specialists from the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS. In the future, the research team plans to determine the optimal conditions for selective laser melting of new composite powders, as well as to develop a technology for post-processing and industrial use of synthesized products. https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-scientists-d-technology-aerospace-composites.html SpaceX sets new Falcon 9 reuse milestone on Starlink launch WASHINGTON — SpaceX set a new milestone in Falcon 9 reuse with the latest Starlink satellite launch Nov. 24 as the company seeks permission to deploy Starlink satellites into a new orbit. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 9:13 p.m. Eastern. The rocket’s upper stage released its payload of 60 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit about 15 minutes later. The rocket’s first stage landed on a droneship in the Atlantic, completing its record-setting seventh launch. The stage first flew in September 2018 launching the Telstar 18 Vantage satellite, followed by the final Iridium mission in January 2019. The rocket then launched four Starlink missions starting in May 2019, most recently Aug. 18. The launch was also the 100th overall for the Falcon 9, a total that includes a June 2015 launch failure but not the destruction of another on the pad during preparations for a static-fire test in September 2016. SpaceX has now launched 955 Starlink satellites, of which 895 are in orbit. The company has started a beta test of the broadband internet service provided by those satellites in the northern U.S. and southern Canada. During the webcast of this launch, the company said it would expand that beta test “in a notable way” in late January or early February. To date SpaceX has launched Starlink satellites into orbits at an inclination of 53 degrees, maximizing coverage over mid-latitude regions but excluding higher latitudes, including Alaska, northern Canada and northern Europe. The company’s original authorization from the Federal Communications Commission called for other satellites at higher orbits and inclinations, but the company filed a proposed modification in April that would lower all the satellites into orbits between 540 and 570 kilometers, including those in high-inclination orbits. In a Nov. 17 filing with the FCC, SpaceX sought permission to start launching satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. It requested permission to launch 58 satellites into one of six orbital planes at an inclination of 97.6 degrees as soon as December, arguing that doing so would allow the company to begin to provide broadband service in rural Alaska. “SpaceX submits this request now because it has an opportunity for a polar launch in December that could be used to initiate its service to some of the most remote regions of the country,” the company stated in the filing, arguing that “launching to polar orbits will enable SpaceX to bring the same high-quality broadband service to the most remote areas of Alaska that other Americans have come to depend upon, especially as the pandemic limits opportunities for in-person contact.” The company didn’t elaborate on the details of this launch opportunity, but claimed that its request was justified because it had resolved a concern with Amazon about a potential conflict with that company’s proposed Project Kuiper constellation. SpaceX agreed to tighten the orbital tolerances on the Starlink satellites at 570 kilometers such that they would not fly higher than 580 kilometers, avoiding Kuiper satellites at 590 kilometers. Another satellite operator, though, objected to SpaceX’s proposal. “But commercial expediency is hardly a valid reason for the Commission to bypass the requirements of the Communications Act and grant an application prematurely, in the face of significant doubts as to whether SpaceX has met the public interest standard,” countered Viasat in a Nov. 19 FCC filing. Viasat, which has criticized the reliability of Starlink satellites in earlier filings, again raised concerns about premature failures of Starlink satellites. It noted there was no evidence the December launch opportunity was the only one for those satellites, particularly since SpaceX controls the launches. “The Commission should balk at SpaceX’s request to provide it with additional authority that it does not yet need when doing so could endanger orbital safety,” it stated. The FCC has yet to act on SpaceX’s request for the polar launch. https://spacenews.com/spacex-sets-new-falcon-9-reuse-milestone-on-starlink-launch/ Curt Lewis