December 3, 2020 - No. 91 In This Issue : Uber reportedly will sell its flying taxi business to secretive startup Joby Aviation : Rackspace Technology and IATA Pilot Next-Generation Airline Standards with DevOps and AWS : Intelsat closes on Gogo Commercial Aviation buyout : Boeing Demos Autonomous Aircraft Teaming System for Australian Gov’t : Embraer Forecasts Increased Demand For Sub-150 Seat Aircraft : Xeriant Announces Strategic Alliance With Dynamic European Aircraft Manufacturer : Bell Textron to Open 600-Employee Commercial Business Center at Former American Airlines HQ : European aviation associations urge governments to abolish quarantine following new guidelines : Collins targets clean-cabin technologies, eyes supersonic future : JetBlue, Virgin, Lufthansa to Offer COVID Health Pass to Passengers : SpaceX's Texas launch site undergoing FAA environmental review for Starship flights Uber reportedly will sell its flying taxi business to secretive startup Joby Aviation Uber’s ambitious and quixotic effort to launch a flying taxi service is coming in for a landing. According to Axios, the ride-hailing company has agreed to sell its Uber Elevate division to secretive startup Joby Aviation. The news comes as Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi attempts to push his company closer to profitability, which includes the sale of the money-losing parts of the business. The company is also said to be exploring the sale of its autonomous vehicle division. A spokesperson for Uber declined to comment. Uber first announced its interest in launching a network of electric flying taxis in a white paper published in 2016. Under Uber’s calculations, a two-hour, 12-minute slog from San Francisco to San Jose would become a breezy 15 minutes by flying car. A two-hour, 10-minute battle through São Paulo gridlock would be transformed into an 18-minute pleasure ride. Last year, Uber starting offering helicopter trips from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport. The trips were meant to offer a taste of what the experience would be like to use the Uber app to summon a flight rather than a car ride, and the company certainly saw it as an opportunity to gather data for its air taxi plans. Those plans were ambitious, and perhaps doomed, from the start. It relied on a technology — electric-powered aviation — that was still under development and had yet to be tested as part of a commercial service. And it would have been costly to implement, requiring the construction of a vast network of rooftop or ground-level “skyports” and regulatory approval from a host of federal, state, and local agencies. The choice of Joby Aviation as buyer makes sense. In December 2019, the ride-hailing company said it would join forces with the Northern California-based aerospace company, which has been working on electric aircraft for over a decade. Joby was the first company to commit to Uber’s aggressive timetable to launch a flying taxi service by 2023. A spokesperson for Joby declined to comment as well. Joby is the brainchild of inventor JoeBen Bevirt, who started the company in 2009 and operated it in relative obscurity until 2018, when Joby announced it had raised a surprising $100 million from a variety of investors, including the venture capital arms of Intel, Toyota, and JetBlue. The money helped finance the development of the company’s air taxi prototype, which has been conducting test flights at Joby’s private airfield in Northern California. Bevirt helps run an incubator outside of Santa Cruz that’s been described as a quasi-commune. Unlike the dozens of other companies that are currently building electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Joby has kept much of its project under wraps. The few renderings that are out there show a plane-drone hybrid with 12 rotors and room in the cabin for four passengers, though a spokesperson previously cautioned that what Joby is working on now is “entirely new.” The company lifted the curtain in January 2020, when it announced it had closed on a massive $590 million round of venture capital funding. Joby also announced that it was teaming up with previous investor Toyota to launch an air taxi service using its new aircraft. The all-electric aircraft has six rotors and seats five, including the pilot. It can take off vertically, like a helicopter, and then shift into forward flight using tilt rotors. Joby says it can reach a top speed of 200 mph, travel 150 miles on a single charge, and is 100 times quieter than a conventional aircraft. Of course, many companies — Joby included — have promised revolutionary new aircraft for years, only to miss deadlines or fail to live up to past promises. Kitty Hawk, the flying car venture backed by Google co-founder Larry Page, had to reorganize amid reports about breakdowns, battery fires, and returned deposits. Another startup, Zunum, is locked in a bitter legal fight with its former investor, Boeing. The jury is still out on whether an electric vertical takeoff and landing-based air taxi system would make an appreciable contribution to a next-generation transportation system, or whether it would simply be an escape hatch for the super-rich to avoid street-level traffic congestion. https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/2/22086597/uber-sells-flying-taxi-elevate-joby-aviation Rackspace Technology and IATA Pilot Next-Generation Airline Standards with DevOps and AWS LONDON, Dec. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rackspace Technology™ (NASDAQ: RXT), a leading end-to-end multicloud technology solutions company, is supporting the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to achieve its goal of developing airline standards for the future. IATA, the trade association for the world’s airlines, represents approximately 290 airlines and 82% of total air traffic, supporting with global standards for safety, security, efficiency and sustainability, but due to COVID-19, airlines on average have been working at 30% capacity in 2020 compared to 2019. IATA decided to turn this slowdown into an opportunity to innovate its IT, starting with an architectural review of its environment with the support of Rackspace Technology. The review revealed that legacy applications were hindering IATA’s digital transformation, but by enhancing the use of Amazon Web Services (AWS) including containers and serverless, it would achieve its goal to becoming leaner, greener and use meaningful data. Through its relationship with Rackspace Technology, IATA has modernised its data management and is now delivering new forecasting applications that provide meaningful information to the whole industry with far less data than it had before. Rackspace Technology assured its compliance with data privacy regulations such as the E.U. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Rackspace Technology also implemented DevOps to save developers’ time with quality reviews and test processes when building software. IATA now aims to use self-service platforms and minimise custom software development. By integrating controls and applying automation, its developers will be able to trigger test automatically and put software into production at the click of a button. IATA is planning to apply this level of automation across some of its back-office activities, such as financial services, as well as to implement contactless processes at the airports. IATA also needed to lower its operational costs to accommodate the reduction in business operations. Rackspace Technology moved the company’s IT infrastructure to Rackspace Service Blocks, a flexible cloud services consumption model that enables IATA to select the services it needs at different stages in its cloud journey. IATA now also has access to CloudHealth for AWS, which provides complete visibility into all of its cloud platforms and can help with cost optimisation. Pascal Buchner, Director of ITS and CTO at IATA, said: “We don’t expect aviation to run at the capacity we were prior to COVID-19 until at least 2025. The pandemic accelerated the need for us to work towards becoming leaner and meaner, in a way that can be learnt from and replicated by our members that are also struggling with the massive impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry. “This means taking advantage of a modern architecture and removing legacy technology and processes from the equation. Doing so at such scale, while aiming to reduce costs significantly, may sound difficult to achieve, but thanks to Rackspace Technology and AWS, we will be ready to operate as we want to by 2022.” Amanda Sleight, SI Partner Lead of AWS EMEA commented: “The travel industry is one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, and pioneering organisations like the IATA have recognised the opportunity that AWS provides to reduce their infrastructure costs, and identify new ways to innovate. “Working with Rackspace Technology, IATA will leverage AWS to transform and automate its operations, allowing developers to quickly test and deploy new ideas at scale. We’re excited to see IATA using the broadest array of cloud services so that it can easily adjust and continue to deliver exceptional security, and efficient services to its members." Simon Bennett, Chief Technology Officer for EMEA at Rackspace Technology, added: “Our expertise in maximising the opportunities of cloud environments enables organisations, like IATA, to confidently embark on significant transformation projects that not only lay the foundations for a more efficient and innovative future, but to do so with resilience, and reducing costs which is critical in these more challenging times.” About Rackspace Technology Rackspace Technology is a leading end-to-end multicloud technology services company. We can design, build and operate our customers’ cloud environments across all major technology platforms, irrespective of technology stack or deployment model. We partner with our customers at every stage of their cloud journey, enabling them to modernize applications, build new products and adopt innovative technologies. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/12/01/2137115/0/en/Rackspace-Technology-and-IATA-Pilot-Next-Generation-Airline-Standards-with-DevOps-and-AWS.html Intelsat closes on Gogo Commercial Aviation buyout Gogo is officially out of the commercial aviation in-flight connectivity business. The company closed its $400 million cash transaction with Intelsat early Tuesday morning, making good on a promise from two weeks ago to complete the deal in early December. Combining Intelsat’s next-generation global telecommunications network with Gogo Commercial Aviation’s leading capabilities and airline relationships will create unprecedented innovation in inflight digital connectivity, unlocking exciting new growth and brand loyalty opportunities across the airline industry. – Intelsat Chief Executive Stephen Spengler The culmination of this transaction further propels Intelsat into vertically integrated managed mobility services, and deeper into the growing inflight connectivity market. Broadband connectivity for nine of the top 20 global airlines and an installed base of more than 3,000 commercial aircraft are now part of Intelsat’s portfolio of services. In conjunction with the deal closing Intelsat announced three major leadership changes. John Wade remains president of the Commercial Aviation division, now owned by Intelsat. In this role, he will manage all aspects of the business, including product, sales, account management, quality and service delivery. Jon Cobin takes over as Intelsat’s Chief Strategy Officer, leading the company’s corporate strategy and business development efforts. He served a similar role at Gogo prior to the transaction. Bruno Fromont becomes Intelsat’s Chief Technology Officer. He will lead spectrum strategy, asset planning, product development and innovation. Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler is optimistic on the opportunity for the commercial aviation portfolio to grow under the new ownership: Demand for inflight broadband is expected to grow at a double-digit rate over the next decade, and we remain committed to long-term success in broadband mobility services… Our ability to initiate, execute and rapidly finalize this transaction demonstrates the forward momentum that Intelsat has maintained over the course of this year. Gogo will now redouble its efforts on the business aviation market. As President and CEO Oakleigh Thorne explains, “We are a leader in business aviation and now turn our singular focus toward serving that attractive market. Our business aviation division has proven resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the number of business aircraft online today has nearly returned to January levels.” Gogo also notes it holds approximately $460 million cash following the closing, with net debt of $770 million. The company next strategic initiative will be a refinancing of its 2022 notes, ideally prior to the first call in May 2021. https://paxex.aero/2020/12/intelsat-closes-on-gogo-commercial-aviation-buyout/ Boeing Demos Autonomous Aircraft Teaming System for Australian Gov’t Boeing and the government of Queensland in Australia have concluded a 10-day flight test involving five autonomous surrogate aircraft that operate as part of the company’s airpower teaming system. Boeing said Wednesday the test took place at the Queensland Flight Test Range and is part of the Advanced Queensland Autonomous Systems Platform Technology Project. The company worked with industry partners such as Amber Technology, Five Rings Aerospace, McDermott Aviation, Premier Box and RFDesigns for the effort. During the assessment, the team implemented a phased approach to testing the 11-foot jets that were built with data-sharing and command-and-control technologies. Emily Hughes, director of Boeing's Phantom Works International business, said the team used artificial intelligence algorithms and datalink elements to train the autonomous system and enable it to communicate with other platforms. Boeing’s airpower teaming system has a flight capacity of over 2K nautical miles and is designed to work with manned platforms for early-warning and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations. https://blog.executivebiz.com/2020/12/boeing-demos-autonomous-aircraft-teaming-system-for-australian-govt/ Embraer Forecasts Increased Demand For Sub-150 Seat Aircraft Despite expecting world passenger traffic to have a compound growth rate of just 2.6% a year over the next decade, Brazilian planemaker Embraer senses an opportunity. They expect a worldwide demand for 5,500 new aircraft with up to 150-seats over the next decade, representing a total market value of US$350 billion. Embraer has just released its 2020 Commercial Market Outlook. The report looks at passenger demand for air travel and new aircraft deliveries over the next 10 years, emphasizing Embraer’s product segment – aircraft up to 150 seats. “Our forecast reflects some of the trends we’re already seeing – the early retirement of older and less efficient aircraft, a preference for more profitable smaller airplanes to match weaker demand, and the growing importance of domestic and regional airline networks in the restoration of air service,” says Arjan Meijer, President and CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation. Embraer gives four reasons why their aircraft are perfect for the times Embraer acknowledges 2020 is reshaping commercial aviation. But they think it might be reshaping it in a way that could benefit Embraer. They cite four reasons why. Firstly, airlines are using the travel downturn to “rightsize” their fleets. “The airline capacity plans of the past will no longer fit,” says Mr Meijer in the report. Embraer thinks there will be a shift to smaller capacity, more versatile aircraft to better match weaker demand. “Overall lower demand, traffic patterns favoring short-haul versus long-haul, and an increasing need for connectivity and efficiency will drive worldwide demand for 4,420 jets with up to 150 seats. Of these, 30% will support market growth, and the remaining 70% will replace aging aircraft,” says the report. Embraer also thinks turboprop operators will drive demand for a further 1,080 turboprop aircraft over the next decade. Secondly, Embraer believes we will see an increasing trend towards regionalization. Companies seeking to protect their supply chains from external shocks will bring businesses closer. That will generate new traffic flows. But that also points to more short-haul flying and less long-haul. Travelers predicted to bypass long-haul in favor of short-haul flying Thirdly, and this is an interesting one; Embraer thinks travelers will remain skittish about long-haul flying for some time, preferring short-haul regional flying. That may or may not be the case. Passenger numbers bounced back well after the 9/11 and SARS shocks. But Embraer does point to an interesting trend that might be here to stay. Working from home and the decentralization of offices from large urban centers will require more diverse air networks. That’s a trend United’s Scott Kirby has already identified. Finally, Embraer flags the trend towards more fuel-efficient, greener aircraft types. “The advent of new state-of-the-art aircraft with excellent cost economics will be the cycle’s hallmarks,” says Arjan Meijer. Embraer notes 76% of global CEOs say that their organization’s growth will depend on their ability to navigate the shift to a low-carbon, clean technology economy. For airlines, Embraer says this will lead to an intense drive to acquire aircraft with higher fuel efficiencies. Naturally, Embraer thinks they are well-positioned to meet the needs of airlines over the next decade. The in-house report and its findings dovetail nicely with the type of aircraft Embraer produces. But the report does highlight some key trends across the broader aviation industry – rightsizing, more efficient planes, and decreased demand. On these criteria alone, Embraer is potentially in the box seat to harness these opportunities over the coming years. https://simpleflying.com/embraer-sub-150-seat-aircraft-demand/ Xeriant Announces Strategic Alliance With Dynamic European Aircraft Manufacturer BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xeriant, Inc. (OTC PINK: XERI), a new aerospace technology holding company, announced today that it has signed a strategic alliance agreement with PRAGA Avia s.r.o. (“PRAGA”), a dynamic aircraft design, development, production and maintenance company headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. The purpose of the agreement is to establish a collaboration framework to potentially evaluate, test and integrate new aircraft technologies, design and develop innovative aircraft concepts, build prototypes, manufacture production aircraft, and open up new markets for PRAGA’s aircraft. PRAGA’s goal is to become a leader within Central Europe in the design, production and maintenance of aircraft in the General Aviation category. The company holds an EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) Approval as a Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO) and an EASA Approval as a Maintenance Organization on a variety of aircraft, and is in the process of obtaining an EASA Design Organization Approval and an EASA Production Organization Approval. The EASA and the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) have agreed to reciprocal acceptance of each other’s technical standards. PRAGA is currently preparing to manufacture several aircraft including its new Praga Alfa, a six-passenger single-engine turboprop aircraft. “PRAGA’s knowledge and experience will greatly benefit the development of some of the aviation technologies and aircraft that we are currently involved with. Each project will be the subject of a separate agreement with PRAGA, depending on what is required, and I expect this arrangement to become one of the foundational elements of the company,” stated Xeriant CEO, Keith Duffy. “There are many opportunities to explore with Xeriant given the numerous technologies being developed in the Czech Republic and across the globe. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with Xeriant, becoming an integral part of their process in bringing new aviation technologies to the market,” commented PRAGA CEO Martin Kopáček. For further information about PRAGA, please visit http://www.orbisavia.cz/en/. The Czech Republic has a long history of aviation industry innovation and excellence, dating back well over a century to the dawn of powered flight. From research and development to final aircraft assembly, the Czech Republic continues to be a major player in the aviation sector, and since joining the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2008, has also become increasingly involved with space activities. The National Space Plan for 2020-2025 represents the Czech Republic’s strategy to further develop space related technologies in industry and academia and to play a more active and visible role within the international community in space and related areas. The European Union Agency for the Space Program (EUSPA) will be based in the Czech capital city of Prague effective January 2021. Many global aerospace companies have recognized the tremendous resources available in the Czech Republic, in terms of technology and human capital, including Honeywell, GE Aviation, Boeing and Safran. ABOUT XERIANT Xeriant, Inc. (d.b.a. Xeriant Aerospace) is a holding and operating company focused on acquiring, developing, and commercializing revolutionary, eco-friendly technologies with applications in aerospace, including innovative aircraft concepts targeting emerging opportunities within the aviation industry. In 2019, Xeriant acquired a unique, scalable, multi-purpose VTOL aerial platform called Halo, which is protected under a broad utility patent. Xeriant is located at the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida adjacent to the Boca Raton Airport. The Company is an OTC Markets public company trading under the stock symbol, XERI. For further information, please visit https://xeriant.webflow.io/. ABOUT PRAGA AVIA PRAGA Avia, s.r.o., established in 1999, is a general aviation design, development, manufacturing and maintenance organization that is headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. The company originally specialized in the installation of Walter Aircraft turboprop engines (now part of GE Aviation) and providing international support for the Let Kunovice L-410 twin-engine turboprop aircraft manufactured in the Czech Republic. PRAGA has a relationship with TECHNOAVIA, a Russian aircraft manufacturer located at the Smolensk Aviation Plant, for current production of the SM-92TE model Praga Alfa aircraft. The company’s objective is to produce the Alfa in the Czech Republic, where the company has three locations, including one at the Hradec Králové International Airport. http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/12/02/2138306/0/en/Xeriant-Announces-Strategic-Alliance-With-Dynamic-European-Aircraft-Manufacturer.html Bell Textron to Open 600-Employee Commercial Business Center at Former American Airlines HQ Fort Worth-headquartered Bell Textron, a leading aerospace manufacturer and Textron Inc. company, has signed a new lease in Fort Worth for the four-story building that formerly housed the American Airlines Federal Credit Union. The long-term, 109,187-square-foot lease includes the entire Class A building on Amon Carter Boulevard. Inside, Bell plans to house its Commercial Business Center (CBC) for some 600 employees, including all commercial programs, global sales, customer support, and services. It would also support personnel in business functions, supply chain, IT, human resources, and finance. Bell’s lease is the first major one since the campus was sold. Transwestern Real Estate Services’ Duane Henley and Nathan Durham provide leasing services, with property management led by Transwestern’s Becky Dennis. Earlier this year, Transwestern executed the sale of the 1.39 million-square-foot office campus, which was previously the global headquarters for American Airlines, to Austin-based Capital Commercial Investments. The announcement comes at a time when Bell has ramped up its local expansion efforts. Bell has been increasing its presence to accommodate for growing operations throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, according to a news release. In August, a new 140,000-square-foot Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC) in Fort Worth was unveiled, which would serve as a testing ground for technologies and processes. Bell’s relationship with North Texas dates back to 1951 when it established a footprint here. Since, its facilities have been widely known as a spot for developing new aviation technology. In January, Bell revealed its plans to make on-demand air mobility available to everyone. Since more than 70 percent of the population are expected to live in urban areas by 2050, urban mobility will become increasingly important. Bell intends to be part of providing solutions to transportation infrastructure. Bell’s Mobility as a Service (MaaS) vision is based on figuring out how to integrate into communities and make on-demand air mobility accessible to all. Bell aims to lead the conversation “beyond the aircraft,” offering multi-modal transportation solutions and experiences in an interconnected digital network. Bell also revealed its newest iteration of the Bell Nexus, a full-scale vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) air taxi. https://dallasinnovates.com/bell-textron-to-open-600-employee-commercial-business-center-at-former-american-airlines-hq/ European aviation associations urge governments to abolish quarantine following new guidelines Following new guidelines being published by the EASA and ECDC, European aviation associations have called for an end to quarantine measures due to being proven as ineffective. European and international aviation associations are urging European governments to immediately abolish quarantine measures and other travel restrictions following new recommendations published by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC), which unequivocally reject their use in the current situation – where transmission of the virus is already widespread. The EASA and ECDC ‘Guidelines for COVID-19 Testing and Quarantine of Air Travellers’ also confirm that air travellers account for less than one per cent of all detected COVID-19 cases and do not increase the rate of virus transmission. Director General of Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, Olivier Jankovec, said: “These guidelines unequivocally show quarantines to be essentially politically-driven, non-risk-based measures which bear no relation to what is actually needed to safeguard public health. As such, quarantines fail the test of proportionality, a key principle of EU law – particularly since there are no equivalent measures at land borders. This has resulted in unprecedented limitations to the freedom of movement and the freedom to provide services. We call on national governments to immediately abolish their quarantine restrictions and restore freedom of movement for European citizens.” A more harmonised, coordinated approach among European Union (EU), European Economic Areas (EEA) and UK States is essential to increase clarity and predictability for citizens and businesses following the latest recommendation of the EU Council. This is essential for the recovery of the sector. The EASA/ECDC guidelines consider 14-day quarantines to be effective only in the “exceptional situation” where a country has achieved full control over the virus and reduced transmission levels to close to zero, and only then for travellers entering from countries where the virus keeps circulating. Apart from the data presented by the guidelines, several other analyses confirm the absence of a correlation between passenger traffic and prevalence rates at national level: ACI Europe’s analysis of airport passenger data in the third quarter of 2020 unequivocally rejects any relationship between air travel and increasing COVID-19 transmission rates. The brief increase in air passenger traffic during this period was proven to have no statistically significant relationship with the COVID-19 test positivity rate, based on aviation, public health and community mobility data. Similarly, Oxera Consulting LLP’s study confirmed that the risk of introducing infections from international travel should be assessed relative to domestic infection levels. It projected that, among weekly incoming passenger volumes of 409,800 from the EU to the UK, only 0.01 per cent of air travellers were expected to be infectious travellers being released into the UK population – this is the equivalent of one infectious person per 10,000 travellers McMaster HealthLabs in Canada has also published its interim report on their COVID-19 study of arriving international passengers, which again backs up the figure of 99 per cent of passengers testing negative. This, says the labs, is a powerful tool to make ‘science-based policy decisions’ and reject quarantines as a relevant approach to containment. Airlines and airports continue to believe that rapid testing of passengers travelling between high and low-risk areas can contribute to and support the early detection of cases amongst asymptomatic travellers. European air passenger traffic has been among the most heavily impacted of any region, and recently plunged by 89 per cent at EU/EEA/Swiss and UK airports. To date, 102 airports across Europe – accounting for 47 per cent of passenger traffic on the continent – have deployed testing facilities under the supervision of their competent health and aviation authorities. These testing facilities have allowed a number of airlines and airports to propose ‘COVID-19-free flights’ and quarantine-free travel corridors on certain air routes – including, most recently, between Italy and the United States – based on a testing protocol for air travellers. This proves the all-important role that testing can play in re-establishing connectivity. Thomas Reynaert, Managing Director of Airlines for Europe (A4E), said: “Rapid testing, which utilises the latest technologies available and meets the high sensitivity and sensibility criteria established by ECDC, can help restore predictability, reignite passenger confidence and thus reestablish flight connectivity for European passengers.” Europe’s aviation associations are now urging European States to work together bilaterally to replicate such initiatives and develop more quarantine free travel corridors. Director General of European Regions Airline Association (ERA), Montserrat Barriga, said: “Testing technologies are evolving quickly, and we stand ready to work with EASA, the ECDC and national governments to implement the most efficient and effective methods to get Europe moving again.” Rafael Schvartzman, the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Regional Vice President for Europe, said: “Rapid testing of passengers for COVID-19 opens the door to restarting air travel by eliminating quarantine. The public agrees: Some 65 per cent of travellers surveyed suggest quarantine should not apply to passengers who have tested negative. The EASA/ECDC protocol makes it clear that quarantine is not an effective measure in the present circumstances. It is important that the protocol should also be applied to remove the temporary travel restrictions on non-essential travel into the EU from third countries.” https://www.internationalairportreview.com/news/146380/european-aviation-governments-abolish-quarantine/ Collins targets clean-cabin technologies, eyes supersonic future Amid the pandemic, Collins Aerospace continues investing in supersonic aircraft technology while eyeing aspects of business and commercial aviation that will be “systematically” changed by Covid-19. For instance, business jet customers will, from now, expect aircraft to have the types of touchless technologies that are commonplace on the ground. That is according to Collins president of customer and account management Colin Mahoney, who spoke with FlightGlobal ahead of VBACE, the virtual business aviation conference replacing this year’s NBAA BACE event. “Our focus in the industry needs to be… on those things that are systematically changed forever,” Mahoney says. “This [pandemic] has changed our expectations as humans.” Customers will expect that touchless technologies be standard on aircraft, he says. Such systems include automated cabin management systems, already found on new jets, which allow passengers to control various cabin functions – lighting or entertainment – using personal devices. Customers will also expect hands-free systems in aircraft lavatories and galleys – like hand-motion activated sinks, toilets and sanitiser dispensers. Such technologies are found at airports everywhere – but are not common in aircraft. Collins, a Raytheon Technologies subsidiary, is also examining technologies that sanitise cabin air and items that passengers and crew cannot avoid touching – such as seats, tables and video screens. The question to be answered is, “How do we make that safer, in terms of antimicrobial treatments on those surfaces, so that they can’t retain bacteria or viruses?” Mahoney says. Likewise, he sees increased demand for technologies that ease the process of travelling between countries – systems that streamline flight operations and limit personal interactions, such as with customs officials. Longer term, Collins continues pursuing a segment Mahoney suspects will eventually make a comeback: supersonic travel. “The great equaliser with human beings is that we all have 24h in a day,” he says. “Anything I can do to maximise my use of time… is of interest.” Mahoney says Collins can help address the noise and fuel-burn challenges that hamstrung the Aerospatiale/BAC Concorde. Toward that end, Collins recently announced it was partnering with Boom Supersonic to develop inlets, nacelles and exhaust systems for that company’s in-development supersonic commercial airliner Overture. Also this year, Collins secured work to design the flight control actuation system for AS2, a supersonic business jet under development by Aerion Supersonic. And in 2019, Collins partnered with Lockheed Martin to provide avionics for X-59, a supersonic experimental aircraft being developed for NASA. Lockheed is designing that jet to have a quieter sonic boom. https://www.flightglobal.com/systems-and-interiors/collins-targets-clean-cabin-technologies-eyes-supersonic-future/141415.article JetBlue, Virgin, Lufthansa to Offer COVID Health Pass to Passengers The airlines are the latest to adopt CommonPass, a digital health app that allows travelers to show they are COVID-free. Following a test run with United Airlines in October, four more airlines—JetBlue, Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, and Swiss International Air Lines–will adopt a digital health pass this month that allows passengers to provide their COVID test results before and after select flights out of New York, Boston, London, and Hong Kong. The airlines join a rapidly growing list of carriers, airports, and governments coming together to create a global health information network—with digital health app CommonPass at its center—in a bid to help facilitate safer global travel amid the coronavirus pandemic. Developed by Swiss-based nonprofit the Commons Project and the World Economic Forum, CommonPass is gaining ground as the leading tech to share our personal health information, be it COVID test results or vaccination information in the future. The Airport Council International (ACI) World, representing nearly 2,000 airports globally (including most major international hubs in the United States and abroad), has also joined the CommonTrust Network—the collection of entities that have agreed to recognize and work with CommonPass. The network also consists of vaccine distributors, health care providers that can provide individuals with digital access to their test results and vaccine information, and testing labs around the world (airport-based labs include XpresCheck in the United States, Collinson in London, and Prenetics in Hong Kong). CommonPass allows users to upload health data such as certified COVID test results and vaccination information and provide verified health records to airline and airport staff as well as border officials. In October, the CommonPass was successfully trialed on a Cathay Pacific Airways flight from Hong Kong to Singapore and on an United flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. Passengers were able to download the app, upload their COVID-19 test information to it, and have the health data be scanned upon arrival. The idea is that if and when governments allow travelers to provide negative COVID-19 test results or proof of a coronavirus vaccination in lieu of outright travel bans or quarantine requirements, the CommonPass would offer a convenient and reliable method for supplying confirmed testing and vaccination information to border officials. Along those line, the Commons Project has been inviting government observers and public health officials to witness the trials so that they can take the technology into consideration when contemplating border reopening plans. Observers have included representatives from the U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.K. Border Force and Ministry for Transport. “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 in a statement. “Key to this will be a globally harmonized approach underpinned by cooperation and consistency between all players in the aviation industry.” How does the CommonPass work? For the CommonPass to be effective, each participating country or government must decide on two things: Which COVID-19 tests (and eventually vaccines) are credible? Is a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test required? Or will a rapid antigen test pass muster? What are the entry requirements? Is it one test prior to entry? Or another several days after arrival as well? Once those rules are established, the CommonPass creates a digital network with certified labs so travelers’ results can be uploaded to the platform. When travelers enter their destination into the app, they’re given the entry requirements they need to fulfill. After travelers take a COVID-19 test at a certified lab and upload the results to their mobile phone, they can then complete any additional health questionnaires required by the destination country. CommonPass confirms compliance and generates a QR code that can be scanned by airline staff and border officials either from a mobile device or a printout. International aviation group launches its version of a global health pass The Commons Project isn’t the only organization working to get an international health pass up and running. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) last week reported that it’s in the final development phase of a digital health pass called IATA Travel Pass to help support the safe reopening of borders. Similar to the CommonPass, the IATA Travel Pass intends to help manage and verify health information for governments, airlines, and travelers. The biggest hurdle? A reliable global health information infrastructure—which the IATA Travel Pass hopes to provide with the following: A global registry of health requirements, which allows passengers to find accurate information on travel, testing, and eventually vaccine requirements for their journey. (IATA already has a version of this with its very useful interactive COVID-19 travel restrictions map.) A global registry of testing and vaccination centers, which lets passengers know where to find testing centers and labs at their departure and arrival locations. A lab app that enables authorized labs and test centers to share test and vaccination information securely with passengers. A contactless travel app that serves as a “digital health passport” allowing travelers to verify that their COVID tests and vaccines are sufficient for their itinerary and to share that information with airlines and border officials. The first international IATA Travel Pass pilot is set to take place before the end of 2020, and the pass itself is slated to launch in the first quarter of 2021. “Our main priority is to get people traveling again safely,” IATA senior vice president Nick Careen said in a statement. “In the immediate term that means giving governments confidence that systematic COVID-19 testing can work as a replacement for quarantine requirements. And that will eventually develop into a vaccine program.” https://www.afar.com/magazine/jetblue-lufthansa-virgin-to-offer-covid-health-pass-to-passengers SpaceX's Texas launch site undergoing FAA environmental review for Starship flights SpaceX's new Texas launch site will undergo an environmental review to prepare for the first flights of the company's new Starship spacecraft. The private spaceflight company owns a launch site in South Texas, near the village of Boca Chica, where Starship prototypes are currently being built and tested. The Starship spacecraft is SpaceX's next-gen transportation system designed to take people to and from the moon, Mars and beyond. On Nov. 23, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that SpaceX plans to apply for licenses for suborbital and orbital launches of Starship. The FAA will conduct an environmental review of the site before SpaceX can launch its new spacecraft, which is powered by the Super Heavy rocket. "The proposed update to Starship/Super Heavy operations falls outside of the scope of the existing final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision for the launch site and requires additional environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)," the FAA said in a statement. The NEPA helps ensure that environmental impacts are assessed during the launch licensing process. In order to receive the appropriate licenses for suborbital and orbital launches, SpaceX must follow environmental and safety regulations. In addition, the company must develop agreements for the license application, according to the statement. Currently, the FAA is in the beginning stages of conducting the environmental review of the launch site and developing a public outreach plan. SpaceX is drafting an environmental assessment (EA), which will determine the impact of launching Starship from the Texas site, as well as appropriate mitigation measures. The EA will also be subject to the FAA's evaluation and approval SpaceX has started hiring offshore operations engineers to help develop the floating, superheavy-class spaceports that will be used to launch Starship. If all goes according to plan, SpaceX representatives have said that the first operational Starship missions could launch as early as next year. https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-texas-site-faa-environmental-review Curt Lewis