February 1, 2021 - No. 09 In This Issue : Elroy Air and NASA Partner to Integrate Advanced Autonomous Cargo Aircraft Into US Airspace : Airbus Helicopters' Flightlab takes to the sky to test new technologies : Emirates trials GE blockchain COVID-19 travel app : Boom Supersonic Hires New Executives To Further Its Growth : AERQ joins the Hamburg Aviation alliance : I Agree With Elon: The FAA Doesn’t Do New Things Very Well : Scientists leading the way in a new generation of cleaner air travel : Honeywell signs deals with GOL, Sky Regional and Satair : LAX Now Offers Touchless ID at All Security Checkpoints : Thales, H3 Dynamics Trial Drone Flight Monitoring System : SpaceX Allegedly Violated Terms of FAA License; Elon Musk Says FAA Have 'Broken Regulations' Elroy Air and NASA Partner to Integrate Advanced Autonomous Cargo Aircraft Into US Airspace San Francisco, California, Elroy Air, the Aerospace + Logistics company developing the world’s first end-to-end automated vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aerial cargo systems, is teaming with NASA to accelerate and improve the safe integration of advanced autonomous cargo aircraft into the United States airspace. The partnership is part of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign to develop key guidance for UAM (Urban Air Mobility) operations, while addressing key challenges such as certification and standards development, in an effort to accelerate U.S. leadership in emerging automated aviation technology. The partnership will initially address critical National Campaign safety scenarios with a focus on autonomous flight and contingency management, including collision avoidance, flight path management and two-way network flight plan communications. Through the partnership, NASA and Elroy Air intend to demonstrate key integrated operational AAM scenarios with flights of Elroy Air’s Chaparral aircraft. NASA and Elroy Air intend to collaborate on flight safety reviews and technical validation approaches, and to integrate Elroy Air’s communications systems into a NASA airspace communications framework for UAM platforms that builds upon lessons learned from the NASA UTM (Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Traffic Management) project. With support from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), NASA and Elroy Air will test and demonstrate AAM scenarios in support of middle-mile aerial logistics. NASA will provide Elroy Air with simulation scenarios and software interface details to validate connection and data formats. “This partnership enables Elroy Air to bring its expertise in developing VTOL aerial logistics platforms together with the groups at NASA driving UAM and RAM (Rural Air Mobility) to be realized in the NAS (National Airspace),” said Clint Cope, Co-Founder of Elroy Air. “The demonstrations we are planning and the frameworks we’ll develop and validate together will showcase that logistics will be a smart and large early use case for this new and exciting chapter in VTOL aerospace.” Starr Ginn, Lead for NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Campaign (NC) series, said “The Elroy Air team impressed us with their innovative approach to automated cargo systems and technical depth in hybrid-electric VTOL vehicle development. Their track record designing, developing, and safely testing the Chaparral and its subsystems made them a great teaming partner. The work with Elroy Air will help accelerate the realization of exciting new Advanced Air Mobility logistics missions.” Elroy Air is the leading company in the race to field an autonomous VTOL platform for aerial logistics, to enable same-day shipping to every person on the planet. For more information about Elroy Air’s team and development trajectory please visit elroyair.com. https://www.suasnews.com/2021/01/elroy-air-and-nasa-partner-to-integrate-advanced-autonomous-cargo-aircraft-into-us-airspace/ Airbus Helicopters' Flightlab takes to the sky to test new technologies Airbus Helicopter's Flightlab flying laboratory based on the H130 copter has taken to the air for the first to perform a series of platform-agnostic in-flight tests of new systems aimed at ushering in next-generation aircraft technologies. Digital simulations and wind tunnels are all well and good, but there comes a point in aerospace engineering when a new technology has to be installed in an actual aircraft to see if it really does what it's supposed to. For this, Airbus has developed a number of Flightlabs, including the A340 MSN1 for studying laminar flow on larger aircraft, and the 350 Airspace Explorer for testing connected cabin technologies while in flight. Now the company has added the H130 helicopter Flightlab. Though it's only now starting technology tests, the flying lab has been conducting urban sound tests with the French civil aviation authority since last April to understand how people perceive helicopter noises and how buildings affect these perceptions, which will be important as Urban Air Mobility (UAM) becomes more Now, the Flightlab is looking at a number of new technologies designed to improve flight safety and operability. These include the EAGLE image detection system, which uses computer vision for automatically identifying obstacles and for the 3D reconstruction of landing zones; the Rotor Strike Alerting System (RSAS), which alerts pilots to the danger of rotor collision risks by identifying the direction of the nearest obstacle; the Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS), which keeps an electronic eye on the systems of light helicopters; new UAM controls that improve the ergonomics of helicopter interfaces to make them more intuitive; and the Engine Back-up System (EBS), which is a 100-kW propulsion system connected to the main rotor that takes over in the event of an engine failure. "Investing in the future remains essential, even in times of crisis, especially when those innovations bring added value to our customers by targeting increased safety, reduced pilot workload, and reduced sound levels," says Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. "Having a dedicated platform to test these new technologies brings the future of flight a step closer and is a clear reflection of our priorities at Airbus Helicopters." https://youtu.be/-yQzMzBNrr4 https://newatlas.com/aircraft/airbus-helicopters-flightlab-test-new-technologies/ Emirates trials GE blockchain COVID-19 travel app GE Digital partnered with traceability startup TE-FOOD and laboratory service Eurofins to develop an app that facilitates passenger adherence to Covid-19 related traveling requirements and blockchain verification of test results. These types of apps are sometimes referred to as “immunity passports” or “health passports”. While the GE app was first unveiled in June last year, on Sunday, Emirates Airlines announced it is currently trialing the solution in five countries. Besides mandatory quarantines, many countries require individuals to present a negative Covid-19 PCR test at airport border control. The test must be taken up to 72 hours before departure. Portugal, Spain, France and others imposed the protocol during the Summer, and the UK adopted the measure in mid-December. Some airlines such as United also require individuals to present the negative test before boarding. For passengers, administering the logistics of undergoing PCR tests and getting back the results within the time frames is quite a hassle. Some lab centers only administer rapid or antigen tests and some testing centers can take four to five days to deliver the results. Furthermore, the financial cost adds up. The U.S. is an extreme example where prices can range from $23 to $2,315 without insurance. In Dubai, prices can go up to 250 AED per person ($68) TrustOne, the app developed by GE and TE-Food, will enable Emirates passengers to take a Covid-19 PCR test provided by Eurofins at a discount rate. Users will also be able to search for locations administering tests and book appointments. In addition, the results are delivered straight to the app. GE Digital said other features will be added to facilitate verification and ease the user’s experience of traveling during the pandemic. The app is already available for download on iOS and Android devices. Emirates’ initial trial applies to flights leaving the UAE, France, UK, Spain and the Netherlands and is already in use. For now, passengers are still required to print the PCR test and present a physical copy at the airport, but Emirates expects that the next phase, predicted to commence in a couple months, will enable passengers to use the app to validate test results when checking in. “Travel requirements today are dynamic, and even more than ever, our goal is to give our customers confidence and enable them to travel safely,” said Emirates’ COO Adel al Redha. “With this latest solution, provided in partnership by GE Digital Aviation Software and TE Food, passengers will be able to easily source accurate information on tests, approved laboratories to get tested, as well as other vital measures to be taken prior to travel.” In the past, TE-FOOD focused on promoting its track and trace solutions in the food sector and has deals with French retailer Auchan, Swiss-based Migros and others. The company expanded its portfolio by partnering with GE Aviation which began using blockchain to track the ancestry of certain aircraft components. TE-FOOD technology was initially used to track documents, events, maintenance repairs and other aspects related to aircrafts. The partnership expanded to other initiatives and the companies have been collaborating on solutions, including TrustOne to address travel during the Covid-19 pandemic. The first iteration of TrustOne was unveiled in June 2020 when it was announced that GE Aviation had developed a blockchain solution with TE-FOOD and Eurofins that screens passenger and staff health status before boarding. It also has a protocol to ensure that airports and aircraft follow cleaning procedures. Albany’s Airport was the first to fully integrate the platform by placing QR codes through various spots that could be scanned to track when they were last disinfected. At the time, GE’s David Havera told Ledger Insights, “we need planes to fly in order for us to make money. So we’re invested in solving this in the short term and in the longterm and then post COVID. Our solution will have residual value because we’ll work with airlines on track and trace of maintenance.” Meanwhile, Emirates will also trial IATA’s Travel Pass platform, which uses blockchain technology to facilitate the airlines’ verification of passengers and staff’s Covid-19 credentials. Trials for that solution start in April and are initially limited to Dubai, whereas TrustOne trials have already started. https://www.ledgerinsights.com/emirates-airlines-ge-aviation-blockchain-covid-19-travel-testing-app/ Boom Supersonic Hires New Executives To Further Its Growth The ongoing coronavirus-induced downturn in the aviation industry has meant that some companies have had to halt their expansion. However, this has not been the case at Boom Supersonic. The Denver-based startup has kicked off 2021 by hiring two new senior leaders, as it looks to introduce its ‘Overture’ supersonic airliner by 2030. Two key figures inbound As announced in a press release published earlier this week, Boom Supersonic has strengthened its leadership team with two new additions. Joe Massaquoi has been named the company’s CFO, and it has appointed Kathy Savitt as its president and CEO. Boom hopes to “accelerate its next phase of growth and progress” with these additions. Both of the new additions have a lot to bring to the table for the company attempting to build the world’s fastest airliner. Massaquoi has held several roles in the aerospace industry, having previously worked in corporate development at Boeing. More recently, he was the CFO at Initium Aerospace, which develops Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) in conjunction with Boeing and Safran. Having also worked in investment banking, Massaquoi has played a part in “transactions that have resulted in more than $36 billion in new capital infusion.” Kathy Savitt already has a history with Boom, having previously served as an advisor to the company. She recently founded Perch Partners, and this consulting firm specializes in areas such as emerging technology and airlines. This experience will surely render her a good fit for Boom. Another of Savitt’s connections to the aviation industry is her time spent as an Alaska Airlines board member. In addition to Massaquoi and Savitt, Boom has also appointed three new members to its board of directors. What is Boom Supersonic? Boom is a Denver-based startup that was founded in 2014. Its goal is to introduce a flagship supersonic airliner, known as Overture, in 2030. The proposed 55-seat aircraft would have a similar delta-wing design to the legendary Concorde, but a slightly higher speed of Mach 2.2 (2717 km/h, or 1,467 knots). Last year saw Boom reach several important milestones. In October, the company rolled out its 1:3 scale ‘XB-1‘ demonstrator aircraft, which it hopes to fly this year. It also announced last year that it had secured a deal with Rolls-Royce to provide engines for the Overture. While it plans to launch the aircraft as a commercial airliner, it has also stated its intentions to develop a supersonic Air Force One. A big year for supersonic air travel 2021 could mark a significant turning point for the future of supersonic air travel. Earlier this month, Simple Flying reported that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had facilitated the “safe development of civil supersonic aircraft.” This rule, issued in conjunction with the country’s Department of Transportation, will allow companies like Boom and Aerion to take their development of proposed supersonic airliners to the next level. With this in mind, Boom plans to spend this year “[building] on 2020’s momentum by flying the XB-1 supersonic demonstrator, and completing the conceptual design of its flagship supersonic airliner, Overture.” Despite the precarious position that the airline industry currently finds itself in, 2021 certainly represents a year to look forward to in terms of its potential supersonic future. https://simpleflying.com/boom-supersonic-new-executives/ AERQ joins the Hamburg Aviation alliance IFE and cabin technology company, AERQ, has joined the Hamburg Aviation Network in Germany. AERQ is a Hamburg-based joint venture between LG Electronics and Lufthansa Technik that is aiming to digitalise the aircraft cabin experience by implementing a digital ecosystem. Technologies developed by AERQ include the OLED-based Transparent Class Divider concept, which was shortlisted for the Crystal Cabin Award 2020. Hamburg is the third-largest aviation industry location in the world, and enjoys a leading global position in the field of cabin systems, enhanced by hosting the Aircraft Interiors Expo trade fair and the Crystal Cabin Award. The Hamburg aviation cluster is keen to add new members in order to maintain its position of global leadership in the cabin sector. “AERQ contributes to Hamburg Aviation’s value chain by providing airlines with cabin solutions that allow them to tap into new business models, drive ancillary revenues and generate operational efficiencies,” said Arnd Kikker, managing director at AERQ. “Our hardware, software and data solutions drive the aircraft cabin’s digitalisation, which is another competence field of Hamburg Aviation.” Ulf Weber, managing director of Hamburg Aviation, of which Lufthansa Technik is a founding member, added, “The alliance of the city, companies, science and associations creates added value for all players through trusting and efficient cooperation for an innovative aviation location and for the mobility and jobs of tomorrow. We are happy that AERQ with its innovation power has decided to be part of the Hamburg Aviation cluster. Both sides will profit from the collaboration.” “Although it is a challenging time for our industry, we believe that it can mean opportunity, too. We feel that especially now, given the current circumstances, digital and passenger-centric products will flourish,” said Sang Soo Lee, managing director at AERQ. https://www.aircraftinteriorsinternational.com/news/industry-news/aerq-joins-the-hamburg-aviation-alliance.html I Agree With Elon: The FAA Doesn’t Do New Things Very Well In a recent tweet, Elon Musk said that the FAA’s regulations for space launches and rocket testing don’t fit today’s reality. The complex process is meant to enforce safety rules for the days when rockets were launched only a few times a year, and not an aggressive program like SpaceX’s Starship. According to The Verge, the current dispute between Musk and the FAA came about when FAA officials said SpaceX violated its launch license, and they’re also investigating the last test as a “mishap.” If you didn’t watch it or don’t remember, the Starship SN8 test ended in an explosion when the rocket failed to land properly. Being a test, it was expected that things would go wrong, but the FAA doesn’t see it that way. That may be why Musk says the current rules were meant for “a handful of expendable launches,” as an expendable rocket wouldn’t ever have a landing problem in testing (because they don’t land at all). Instead of being able to accept that the fireball was a successful test that gave SpaceX data to improve the design and operating procedures, current rules require them to treat it like an accident that must be investigated. While you’ll find great coverage all over the internet of the ins and outs of FAA’s issues with SpaceX, I want to make a wider point about the FAA that affects not only space programs, but also the most popular form of electric aviation: small unmanned aerial systems, sUAS, or “drones.” The TL;DR here is that the FAA is great at managing long-standing things like commercial airliners and general aviation, where rapid change isn’t happening . When it comes to a new aircraft or space technology, the agency struggles to do anything at all at first, and then is very slow at responding to the changes. This not only hampers the good that new technologies can do, but leads people to believe that the agency isn’t acting in the nation’s best interest. Elon Musk feels that way right now, and I’ve had my own struggles with it in the past that made me feel the same way. I’m going to talk about my experiences with the agency as a drone operator and then get back to SpaceX. The FAA’s Slow Handling of Drones Drones are definitely a technology that caught the federal agency flat-footed. Remote-controlled aircraft are nothing new at all, and people operated them for decades with the understanding that they weren’t subject to the same rules as aircraft. What changed was what they were capable of doing. Older model aircraft weren’t very useful for anything but play in most cases. The technology to do anything useful like a military drone would do was too bulky and expensive for hobbyists and small business owners to get into. The computer and smartphone revolutions upended this quickly, though. Everything got cheaper. GPS got smaller and more accurate. Orientation sensors got cheaper and smaller. Electronic gimbals to stabilize cameras got much better and far cheaper. The computing power to manage all of this and make a quadcopter fly got smaller and cheaper. Finally, radio control got so good that it could handle all this and give the operator a first-person view. The age of being able to use radio-controlled aircraft to make serious money came, and fast. When this happened, the FAA decided that it wanted to clamp down, but didn’t go through the proper rulemaking process that applies to federal agencies. To create a new regulation, a regulator can’t simply say “these are the new rules” in a dictatorial fashion. They’re supposed to create draft regulations, put them out for public comment for a set period, and then, after considering the feedback, make any needed changes and make the rules final. For commercial drones, it just said in a letter that unless one is strictly a hobbyist, that such flights were banned without getting a special certificate from the FAA. Many commercial operators would have gladly obtained such a certificate, but the agency only gave them out to government agencies. The regulatory process was not followed. This led to the FAA initially losing in court when it went after an operator, and many aviation lawyers (including mine) advised their clients that it was OK to fly as long as you don’t do anything that poses a real safety hazard, like operate in airport airspace. At this point, many companies decided that because the agency had been swatted down by a court, that their drones would fly. The FAA didn’t go after anyone at this point unless they did something heinous, and would usually issue warnings. The administration knew that its position was fragile, and it tried to act carefully while trying to draft actual regulations. It took until 2016 for the FAA to finally go through the rulemaking process and create enforceable rules. At that point, hobbyists had to register most drones over a certain weight and other pilots had to take an exam and get a license to operate legally. Rules improved further in the following years, and congress took action to clarify things further and streamline the processes a bit. Now, the FAA is on top of things because technology isn’t catching it with its proverbial pants down. It is rapidly improving rules for things like safely flying at night, over people and vehicles, and even beyond where the pilot can see the drone well. Remaining Errors In Drone Rules/Laws While things are much better and clearer for drone pilots now, there are still problems that nobody can get the FAA to address because the processes and laws are still pretty new and there’s a big bureaucracy involved. One great example is the rule banning drones over military bases. It’s a noble goal, and necessary, to not just allow anybody to fly a drone over military bases. We don’t want foreign operatives, terrorists, and other ne’er-do-wells to be able to legally fly over and see what’s there, or worse, use the drone for attacks of various kinds. Nothing would really stop a determined terrorist from doing bad things with drones, because they obviously don’t care about things like laws, but now it’s known that drones aren’t allowed over these bases and law enforcement can go after anyone doing it, assuming they can find them. The problem came when the FAA and military officials got lazy about what data got included in the base bans. In some cases, the military’s real estate data was decades behind the times, leading to the FAA banning flight over places that the military sold years ago. In the example picture you can see the main military base, a large triangle-ish shape to the right. To the left, you can see a more blocky shape where the black marker is placed. That’s what’s known as Castner Range, an area that the military handed off to the City of El Paso decades ago, and in some cases, sold off to developers. The little parts jutting off to the right of the main block shape are neighborhoods, city parks, and even a Walmart. Somehow, the DOD and the FAA decided that these former military lands belong in the ban on flying over military facilities. You know, because a picture of some neighborhood, the local Walmart, and some hiking trails are going to hurt national security. I could write ten articles about these mapping errors and out of date stuff that made their way into the drone rules that everyone has to follow now, but suffice it to say, the FAA still needs to put a lot of work in before the rules will be fair for drone operators. It would be great if the bureaucracy could put a couple of people’s attention on looking through the drone maps, making some local calls, and identifying airspace restrictions that make zero sense. What This Shows Us About the FAA It’s clear that lawmakers and the bureaucracy itself needs reform. Technology moves fast, and we need the agency to actually do the job that voters and their representatives gave them. It is supposed to be making sure that air operations are safe, and shouldn’t be stuck in regulatory and legal molasses. Even on issues that Congress gave full authority to the agency for, there’s a culture of careful consideration (which we need) that isn’t tempered with common sense. It’s common for federal regulators of all kinds to be behind the times and a big pain to deal with, so this isn’t a problem that the FAA exclusively deals with. Much of it isn’t the fault of any individual administrator, regulator, lawyer, or official. They’re all stuck in a bad system that keeps the agency from doing its job. If it was all trivial, this wouldn’t be a big deal, but new technologies save lives. When we can’t save lives with new technologies because O. Fogy at the federal government is mired down by a plethora of conflicting and outdated rules, real people are hurt needlessly. Perhaps Congress should pass a law creating a “Common Sense Department” in each regulatory agency that regulated businesses and hobbyists can contact to get bad or outdated rules a quick review. This department could be empowered to issue temporary rule changes for each situation they find lacks common sense, and those temporary rules apply until the normal regulatory process can incorporate the changes. If something like that could happen, drone operators and space companies could get things done and the public would be safer as a result. https://cleantechnica.com/2021/01/30/i-agree-with-elon-the-faa-doesnt-do-new-things-very-well/ Scientists leading the way in a new generation of cleaner air travel Experts at Newcastle University are part of a multimillion-pound collaboration to develop a ground-breaking hydrogen propulsion system to make aircraft more environmentally friendly. Hydrogen is expected to play a major role in the Government’s decarbonisation strategy of aviation as it can power aircraft efficiently, leaving water as the only by-product. The H2GEAR programme, involving leading academics at Newcastle’s School of Engineering and led by GKN Aerospace, will be at the heart of the technological developments needed for the future of more sustainable aviation. The technology will first focus on hydrogen powered short-distance aircraft, in turn enabling applications on larger aircraft and longer journeys. Multimillion-pound investment H2GEAR is supported by £27m of Aerospace Technology Institute funding, matched by GKN Aerospace and its industrial partners to make a total investment of £54m. The Newcastle University team spans engineering expertise involving Professors Nick Wright, Barrie Mecrow and Peter Malkin. Professor Nick Wright, Deputy Head of the School of Engineering, Newcastle University, said: “It is fantastic for us to be involved in such an exciting project, contributing towards combating climate change and also creating new opportunities for the UK. “We will be using our understanding of electronic materials, power electronics and electrical power networks to develop an ultra-high efficiency power and propulsion system that will provide the backbone of this advanced technology.” H2GEAR aims to develop a liquid hydrogen propulsion system for short-distance aircraft that could be scaled up to larger aircraft. Liquid hydrogen is being converted to electricity within a fuel cell system. This electricity efficiently powers the aircraft, eliminating CO2 emissions. This would create a new generation of clean air travel, eliminating harmful CO2 emissions. H2GEAR will reinforce the UK’s position at the forefront of aerospace technology research and development. Newcastle University is collaborating with GKN Aerospace, Intelligent Energy, Aeristech, University of Manchester and University of Birmingham, creating more than 3,000 jobs in the next decade. Cleaner air travel The programme will be led from GKN Aerospace’s Global Technology Centre in Bristol, the company’s £32m new collaborative space for research and development. Russ Dunn, Chief Technology Officer for GKN Aerospace, said: “Hydrogen-powered aircraft offer a clear route to keep the world connected, with dramatically cleaner skies. “The UK is at the forefront of this technology, and the H2GEAR project is an example of industry, academia and Government collaboration at its best. “Working with our partners, and made possible by Government investment, GKN Aerospace will develop and industrialise the breakthrough technology to fly aircraft with zero CO2 emissions by the mid-2020s. “This will not only create thousands of jobs, but it will keep the UK at the forefront of the next generation of cleaner air travel for decades to come.” The entry-into-service of the first hydrogen-powered aircraft could be as early as 2026. https://indiaeducationdiary.in/scientists-leading-the-way-in-a-new-generation-of-cleaner-air-travel/ Honeywell signs deals with GOL, Sky Regional and Satair Honeywell announced at the end of January it has signed deals with two airlines and an MRO provider. Honeywell said it had signed software deals with GOL Airlines in Brazil and Sky Regional Airlines in Canada and had signed an aftermarket deal with Satair. Honeywell is providing the two airlines with its Forge software to help increase operational efficiencies and decrease costs associated with several factors, including unnecessary fuel burn. Fleets from GOL Airlines of Brazil and Sky Regional Airlines of Canada have joined a growing list of more than 10,000 aircraft using Honeywell Forge, with more than 3,000 using the Honeywell Forge Flight Efficiency module to make their airline more profitable. GOL Airlines, the largest domestic airline in Brazil, has begun using the software for its fleet of 138 Boeing 737s. “We are committed to running the most efficient operations possible by utilising the latest technology,” said Conrado Burgarelli, fuel efficiency engineer, GOL Airlines. “With Honeywell Forge Flight Efficiency, we’ll get a more accurate and timelier picture of where we are with our fuel-saving initiatives and ideas for new ways to improve flight efficiency.” Sky Regional Airlines, a Canadian airline operating under the Air Canada Express banner, has implemented the software across its fleet of 25 Embraer E175 aircraft. Using Honeywell Forge Flight Efficiency across this uniform fleet of aircraft, the airline generates consistently reliable data it can use to create the most efficient routes possible. Honeywell Forge Flight Efficiency analyses and simplifies streams of disparate data from a wide variety of sources, making it easier for operators to develop, implement and measure initiatives that help reduce costs. The software provides pilots with more efficient flight paths, historical information on airports, and helps them adjust for changing variables. Meanwhile, Honeywell said it had signed a multi-year commercial agreement with Satair covering the exclusive worldwide distribution for mechanical and air thermal components for use on Airbus A320, A330, A340, and A380 aircraft. Additionally, the distribution agreement covers the A350 platform on a non-exclusive basis. The new agreement expands an existing relationship between the two companies in the business jet market, and represents Satair’s and Honeywell’s first joint advancement into the global commercial aviation aftermarket. Bart Reijnen, CEO of Satair, said, “we are very pleased to develop our partnership with Honeywell Aerospace and build our commercial aviation aftermarket support. With this new program, we enhance our commitment toward continuous customer satisfaction through the fulfilment of on-time delivery for Airbus operators and maintenance providers worldwide.” Honeywell’s range of electronic and electro-pneumatic systems for air and thermal management deliver highly reliable and efficient operations with lower total costs of ownership for aircraft operators. These lightweight systems monitor and control cabin temperature and airflow in the cockpit, passenger, and cargo areas and provide cooling for avionics. They also manage the aircraft’s engine bleed air systems and pneumatic de-icing systems. https://asianaviation.com/honeywell-signs-deals-with-gol-sky-regional-and-satair/ LAX Now Offers Touchless ID at All Security Checkpoints Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has become the first large airport in the country to offer touchless, automated photo identification scanners at all of the airport’s security screening checkpoints, further reducing contact with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and enhancing the passenger experience. TSA is now using Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) at every security checkpoint at LAX. When a traveler approaches any document checking podium at the entrance of the security checkpoint, the TSA officer will ask them to insert or scan their own photo ID into a small machine. With CAT, there is no need for travelers to give their photo ID or boarding pass to the TSA officer. Through a secure Internet connection and a scan of the photo ID, CAT confirms the traveler’s identity on a screen and verifies that the individual is ticketed for travel that day, all in real-time. Previously, TSA had 30 CAT units deployed at LAX. Earlier this month, an additional 50 units were installed, making LAX the first airport in the country with full CAT capability in every lane at every security checkpoint. Travelers under the age of 18 will still need to provide an electronic or paper boarding pass to the TSA officer. In addition, all travelers will need to check in with their airline and show their boarding pass to the airline gate agent before boarding their flight. Currently, TSA has deployed more than 1,500 CAT units at 125 airports nationwide. In addition to providing a touchless experience, this technology also enhances TSA’s ability to detect fraudulent documents and those that have been tampered with. CAT units can authenticate several thousand types of identification including passports, state-issued driver licenses and identification cards, as well as U.S. and foreign passports. As part of its “Stay Healthy. Stay Secure” campaign, TSA has implemented multiple proactive and protective measures to enhance the security screening experience and make it safer and healthier for travelers and the airport community. In addition to the use of CAT, TSA has expanded its use of 3-D X-ray scanners to improve threat detection capabilities during the screening of carry-on luggage. This state-of-the-art computed tomography technology reduces the number of bag checks of travelers’ personal property. There are currently seven scanners in use at LAX. TSA has also instituted physical distancing measures, installed acrylic barriers where travelers and TSA officers interact most, requires the wearing of personal protective equipment among its employees and conducts increased cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces in the security checkpoint. https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/airport-aviation-security/lax-now-offers-touchless-id-at-all-security-checkpoints/ Thales, H3 Dynamics Trial Drone Flight Monitoring System Late last year, Thales and H3 Dynamics tested a real-time autonomous drone flight monitoring system in Singapore. H3 Dynamics’ DBX autonomous drone charging box was tested in an urban environment with a drone electronically registered and identified using Thales’ Remote Identification tracker, according to a news release. The UAS was monitored in real time via the Thales UAS Airspace Management solution to enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. This development is expected to accelerate the adoption of IoT technology to manage Singapore’s complex urban airspace. The solution can help UAS operators and others precisely monitor unmanned traffic in dense urban areas, securely and in real time. Singapore start-up H3 Dynamics has been working with government and corporate clients on the end-to-end digitization of various maintenance and monitoring processes. One of the first use cases involves imaging high-rise building facades using HD and thermal camera drones. Anticipating scalability challenges, H3 Dynamics developed autonomous charging shelter systems and drone data hubs, with some already installed in Singapore and other locations for initial testing. This end-to-end solution seamlessly links with the unmanned traffic monitoring technology from Thales. The Thales Remote Identification tracker weighs less than 70 grams and features Network remote ID function through LTE and Direct Remote ID function through Wi-Fi/Bluetooth. It allows authorities to register, identify, monitor and track drones in real time. It is the visible asset of a complete IoT ecosystem featuring cloud-based web server access and a mobile application so operators also can track their own fleet of UAS in real time. All communications are end-to-end cyber-secured. The demonstration showcased real life and stress test flight scenarios, including geofencing and mission deviations. “For the first time in the world and in a live test conducted in Singapore, Thales and H3 Dynamics integrated autonomous drone docking stations with real-time drone tracking, and a world-class unmanned air traffic control system capable of being deployed today,” H3 Dynamics Founder and CEO Taras Wankewycz said, according to the release. “The broad coverage of Thales digital aviation capabilities, tied to our remote mission control and aerial data acquisition systems, places the combined system at the edge of drone technology and demonstrates the true potential of safe BVLOS operations.“ https://insideunmannedsystems.com/thales-h3-dynamics-trial-drone-flight-monitoring-system/ SpaceX Allegedly Violated Terms of FAA License; Elon Musk Says FAA Have 'Broken Regulations' Elon Musk recently crashed and burned a SpaceX rocket attempting to fall from his first high-altitude ride. The billionaire is in hot water with the federal government for breaching his test permit's conditions, The Verge wrote. Shortly after the December 9 launch of the Starship spacecraft, the Federal Aviation Administration opened an inquiry concentrating on both the catastrophic landing and SpaceX's enforcement with the license conditions, according to the two people familiar with the matter. They didn't say what requirements were broken. SpaceX did not answer Reuters' request for information. When the 16-story Starship struck the deck, the flight terminated in a fiery explosion. The rocket was the concept for the heavy-lift launch vehicle of SpaceX, developed to transport passengers and freight to the moon and Mars on flights. Elon Musk Shares SN9, SN10 Starships Pictures; Did It Launch? Recently, CEO Elon Musk posted pictures of SN9 and SN10 Starships' towering pair standing alone on an open field waiting for the former's launch in Boca Chica, South Texas. The picture shows the SN9 and SN10 that have yet to get their training round until it goes to test the Raptors in the air alongside SN8 and SN9 in their feat. On Monday, February 1, SpaceX seems to be planning to try another Starship SN9 launch attempt, but it is uncertain whether it would have FAA clearance by then. It has also started carrying out its next concept, SN10, for its near-future test flight, caught by photographers in some breathtaking photos. FAA Has a Fundamentally Flawed Regulatory Structure, Musk Says; Who Agrees? The technology CEO has been irritated with the numerous delays this week, especially with the Space Division of the FAA or Federal Aviation Authority, which is the key agency implementing laws among space agencies. Musk also went so far as to label the rules and regulations of the FAA Space in a tweet to be 'broken system,' with the CEO voicing his dismay orally. The CEO of SpaceX has stated that under the FAA's rules and regulations, "humanity will never get to Mars," which is the target of Musk, supported by his organization. One of the reasons for the lack of clearance, though, according to Joey Roulette's reporting for The Verge, was that the explosion of SN8 in December upon landing actually breached the conditions of the launch license for SpaceX. Some sided with Musk in the lines, per Forbes report. David Masten, CTO of Masten Space Systems, a California-based aerospace startup, described the "BS" regulations on Twitter. Although Masten acknowledged that regulation is not always harmful, he said in another post that the particular rules are often not right for a scenario and can often encourage less protection rather than more safety. But others leaped to the FAA's protection, especially in a week that included the anniversary of the NASA Space Shuttle Challenger crash that killed all seven astronauts on board on January 28, 1986. Madison Telles, the Project Assurance Services Engineer for Virgin Orbit, the U.K.-owned launch firm, said SpaceX, like anyone else, would comply with commercial licensing criteria. https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/29399/20210130/spacex-allegedly-violated-terms-of-faa-license-elon-musk-says-faa-have-broken-regulations.htm Curt Lewis