April 15, 2021 - No. 29 In This Issue : Blade Secures Up to 20 BETA Technologies Electric Vertical Aircraft for Delivery in 2024 : Shell invests in aviation biofuels startup LanzaJet : Aviation Sector Calls for Unified Cybersecurity Practices to Mitigate Growing Risks : France bans short-haul flights: Industry reacts : Airbus performs first Beluga flight using sustainable aviation fuel : Honeywell UOP technology to be used at biofuel plant in Paraguay : CLEAR Brings Security Screening to Oakland International Airport : Titan Aviation Builds Worlds First 100% Electric Refueler : Designing a Modern Lighthouse : As pilot shortage grows, WMU College of Aviation expansion expected to be completed later this year : SpaceX will launch Astrobotic lander to the moon with NASA's ice-sniffing VIPER rover Blade Secures Up to 20 BETA Technologies Electric Vertical Aircraft for Delivery in 2024 NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blade Urban Air Mobility, Inc. (“Blade” or the “Company”), a technology-powered urban air mobility platform, today announced a binding agreement to secure up to 20 BETA Technologies (“BETA”) ALIA Electric Vertical Aircraft (“EVA”) for purchase by its network of operators, subject to certain conditions. The agreement includes a commitment for Blade operators, or third-party financing sources who will enter into leasing arrangements with operators, to purchase up to 20 of BETA’s first passenger-configured EVAs, scheduled for delivery beginning in late 2024, ahead of the Company’s 2025 target for its launch of EVA services. Blade intends to deploy these initial BETA EVAs on routes between its network of dedicated terminals in the Northeast, where BETA has agreed to provide and install charging infrastructure at certain key locations. Blade has also entered into an arrangement with Jet Linx Aviation, LLC ("Jet Linx"), a leading US aircraft operator supported by equity capital from RedBird Capital Partners ("RedBird"), relating to the purchase of EVAs from BETA. RedBird is also a strategic investor in both BETA and Blade. The arrangement enables Jet Linx to own and operate EVA for Blade flights, subject to entering into definitive agreements. The Company will support EVA purchases by Jet Linx and other Blade operators through minimum flight hour guarantees. Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal said, “Blade is laser-focused on its transition from conventional rotorcraft to Electric Vertical Aircraft. The ALIA’s extremely low sound footprint, coupled with its zero emissions design, will enable us to reduce the noise and environmental impact to the communities surrounding the existing heliport and airport infrastructure we currently use. ALIA is a full-scale EVA flying in piloted configuration almost every day. The team’s progress is formidable. BETA’s scheduled delivery beginning in 2024 is ahead of our current projected deployment of EVA in 2025. The transaction, consistent with our asset-light business model, allows us to leverage our significant flight volumes and third-party financing relationships to enable the purchase of BETA aircraft by our operator partners.” Wiesenthal continued, “We have evaluated the BETA aircraft and determined that, given its six-person capacity, significant range and cold weather capabilities, it is ideal for key Northeast mission profiles and we believe it has a lower risk path to certification. At the same time, we remain focused on our work with other leading aerospace manufacturers, continuing our strategy of deploying the most appropriate EVA model for each of our specific routes.” In addition to Blade, BETA’s first passenger air mobility partner, a broad set of global enterprises have already selected the ALIA aircraft for key aerospace markets, including UPS (cargo), United Therapeutics (organ movements) and the U.S. Air Force (defense). “Blade is flying people in and out of cities every day, and we’re excited to partner with the leader in UAM to create a new paradigm in passenger aviation,” said Kyle Clark, BETA’s founder and CEO. “BETA is a pragmatic company building pragmatic aircraft. It’s clear that the simplicity of our approach, strength of our technology, consistent progress against our timelines as well as the expertise of our team resonates with the best operators in the world. We are extremely excited to partner with BLADE and serve the passenger mission.” The ALIA EVA includes a unique combination of elements that create a smooth, quiet flying experience, with applications for moving both people and cargo, all while producing zero operational emissions. According to BETA, ALIA can fly six people 250 nautical miles on a single charge and the aircraft is more than 10x quieter than a helicopter, imperceptible over normal urban noise and quieter than cars on a highway. As part of the agreement, BETA has committed that ALIA will meet the necessary specifications required to operate on Blade’s key routes prior to delivery. Purchases of ALIA EVA are conditioned on FAA type certification of the aircraft prior to the scheduled delivery date. Blade has committed to facilitate the purchase of at least five and up to 20 aircraft by its network of operators or third parties that will lease the aircraft to Blade operators. Blade recently announced it would become a public company through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, Experience Investment Corp. (NASDAQ: EXPC). Closing of the merger is subject to approval by the stockholders of both Blade and Experience Investment Corp. and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other conditions. The agreement between Blade and BETA relating to the purchase of ALIA EVAs is conditioned on completion of the merger. About Blade Blade is a technology-powered urban air mobility platform committed to reducing travel friction by providing cost-effective air transportation alternatives to some of the most congested ground routes in the U.S. and abroad. Today, the company predominantly uses helicopters and amphibious aircraft. Its asset-light model, coupled with its exclusive passenger terminal infrastructure, is designed to facilitate a seamless transition to Electric Vertical Aircraft ("EVA" or “eVTOL”, as referred to by industry), enabling lower cost air mobility to the public that is both quiet and zero emissions. For more information, visit www.blade.com. About BETA BETA has built a strikingly simple Electric Vertical Aircraft platform with a strategic path to Part 23 FAA certification. Pragmatism motivates Beta’s emphasis on simplicity. The Company’s first goal is safety. ALIA is serviced by elegant redundancy, appropriate diversity of implementation and simplicity of control. ALIA is an inherently stable aircraft with fixed pitch propellers and centralized batteries. The team powering BETA’s progress is deep and experienced. Kyle Clark, BETA’s founder, has accumulated hundreds of hours flying more than 250 electric powered EVA flights. As a company, BETA has completed a comprehensive full-scale, all electric and manned flight test campaign. BETA’s team consists of engineers who have worked at some of the world’s leading technology companies and organizations including the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, Tesla, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin and General Electric. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210413005419/en/Blade-Secures-Up-to-20-BETA-Technologies-Electric-Vertical-Aircraft-for-Delivery-in-2024 Shell invests in aviation biofuels startup LanzaJet Shell has invested in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) firm LanzaJet, joining Japanese trading house Mitsui, Canadian oil and gas firm Suncor Energy and U.K. airline British Airways as an early-stage backer in the U.S. startup. Announced last week, LanzaJet said the undisclosed investment sum would accelerate the commercialization of its innovative "alcohol-to-jet" technology, which converts ethanol gleaned from a range of waste materials into low-carbon jet fuel. The U.S. firm expects to start commercially producing the low-carbon fuel for the aviation sector in 2022, when a plant under construction in Georgia is scheduled to come online. The firm is taking a phased investment approach with its corporate backers, enabling them to invest additional capital as the company scales, it explained. As such, it said Shell also would be able to make further investments to fund the construction of other large-scale plants over the coming years. The startup claims its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can be produced using any source of sustainable ethanol and can deliver a 70 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on a life-cycle basis compared to conventional fossil jet fuel. It predicts roughly 90 percent of its production output will be aviation fuel, with the remaining 10 percent "renewable diesel." We've been at a crossroads for years, and we're now at a point in time when real solutions matter to address the global need to get to net-zero. Shell Aviation president Anna Mascolo said the investment would bolster its existing growing expertise in biofuels, which includes its bioethanol production joint venture with Brazilian energy firm Raizen. "Our access to feedstocks, experience of optimizing supply chains and extensive sales and marketing business will hopefully contribute to LanzaJet creating sustainable, robust and scalable commercial operations, supporting our customers' decarbonization ambitions for many years to come," she said. Mascolo claimed LanzaJet's technology would help address growing demand for aviation fuels across the aviation sector. "LanzaJet's technology opens up a new and exciting pathway to produce SAF using an alcohol-to-jet process and will help address the aviation sector's urgent need for SAF," she said. "It demonstrates the industry can move faster and deliver more when we all work together. Provided industry, government and society collaborate on appropriate policy mechanisms and regulations to drive both supply and demand, aviation can achieve net-zero carbon emissions." Advocates argue that SAFs, which can be mixed into conventional jet fuels to reduce the emissions intensity of plane journeys, offer the fastest way to decarbonize the aviation sector, while also creating jobs as part of a greener economy. The solution enjoys growing support from government and industry; last month, the U.K. government launched a $20.6 million competition geared at spurring the development of a wave of SAF production facilities in the U.K., and earlier this year Boeing revealed plans to produce planes capable of flying on 100 percent SAF by the end of the decade. However, critics have questioned the scale of the emissions savings on offer from such fuels. They also have warned that feedstocks are limited and will not be able to fully displace the sector's reliance on fossil fuels. Some have argued that the sector's embrace of new fuels is a distraction from the need to curb demand for flights and invest in zero-emission technologies, such as electric and fuel cell aircraft, that can deliver more substantive emissions reductions. But LanzaJet CEO Jimmy Samartzis emphasized SAFs were a "real solution" to decarbonization of aviation, a sector he said faced otherwise limited options to reduce its emissions. "We've been at a crossroads for years, and we're now at a point in time when real solutions matter to address the global need to get to net-zero," Samartzis said. "At LanzaJet, we're in a unique position with technology that is ready and scaling today to produce lower-carbon, sustainable fuels. Shell's investment and partnership helps to further advance our work to do our part to decarbonize aviation globally, a sector with limited other options in the near- and mid-term." https://www.greenbiz.com/article/shell-invests-aviation-biofuels-startup-lanzajet Aviation Sector Calls for Unified Cybersecurity Practices to Mitigate Growing Risks The aviation industry needs to unify its approach to prevent cybersecurity shocks, according to a new study released today by the World Economic Forum. The increased level of interdependencies can lead to systemic risks and cascading effects as airlines, airports and aircraft manufacturing take different approaches to countering cyber risks. To guard against these risks and create a streamlined approach with civil aviation authorities, the World Economic Forum has launched the Cyber Resilience in Aviation initiative in collaboration with more than 50 companies. The latest report, Pathways to a Cyber Resilient Aviation Industry, developed in collaboration with Deloitte, outlines how the industry – from airlines to airports to manufacturing and the supply chain – can work with a common language and baseline of practices. The report focuses on mitigating the impact of future digital threats on multiple levels: International: · Aligning regulations globally · Establishing a baseline of cyber resilience across the supply and value chain · Designing an impartial assessment and benchmarking framework · Developing international information-sharing standards National: · Enabling reskilling · Rewarding more open communication on aviation incidents Organizational: · Integrating cyber resilience in business resilience practices · Ensuring risk assessment and prioritization · Improving collaboration “The aviation industry has developed a strong track record of safety, resilience and security practices for physical threats and must integrate cyber risks into this culture of safety and resilience,” said Georges De Moura, Head of Industry Solutions, Centre for Cybersecurity, World Economic Forum. “A common understanding and approach to existing and emerging threats will enable industry and government actors to embrace a risk-informed cybersecurity approach to ensure a secure and resilient aviation ecosystem.” “The work of the World Economic Forum on aviation cyber resilience complements these global efforts led by the ICAO and is another excellent example of the importance of broad-based international collaboration among public and private stakeholders,” said Fang Liu, Secretary-General, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “Adopting a collaborative cyber-resilience stance and creating trust between cross-sector organizations, national and supranational authorities is the logical yet challenging next step,” said Chris Verdonck, Partner, Deloitte, Belgium. “However, if the effort is not collective, cyber risks will persist for all. Further solidifying an extensive and inclusive community and developing and implementing a security baseline is key to adapt to the current digital reality.” The Cyber Resilience in Aviation initiative has enabled organizations to create plans as a community to safeguard against current and future risks. It convenes over 80 experts from more than 50 organizations across global aviation and technology companies, international organizations, trade associations and national government agencies. Major collaborators include ICAO, NCSC, EASA, IATA, ACI, Eurocontrol and UK CAA. The recommendations and principles developed by the community have been published in a set of reports, allowing companies worldwide to learn from their insights and develop their own policies to ensure cybersecurity in aviation. https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2021/04/15/aviation-sector-calls-for-unified-cybersecurity-practices-to-mitigate-growing-risks/ France bans short-haul flights: Industry reacts The French Government has banned short-haul internal flights when rail alternatives could cover the journey in 2h30 or less. The bill, which was voted in the French Parliament on 10 April, will only apply to a handful of routes, such as those between Paris and Nantes, and Lyon and Bordeaux. Connecting flights are excluded. Aiming to cut down France’s CO2 emission levels of 1990 by 40%, the measure – which needs to be approved at the Senate level – was applauded by President Macron’s party LaREM. “We are engaging in a profound transformation of the aviation sector,” read a tweet from LaREM MPs. “Favouring the train or other means of public transport for short distances is common sense and a key gesture for the climate.” Political reactions to the bill Not everyone in the political arena agrees with the bill. As reported by Huffington Post France, socialist MPs Joël Aviragnet and David Habib condemned the measure as “a measure of degrowth and unemployment”, whilst republican MPs denounced the move when the industry is already on its knees because of Covid-19. Industry Minister Agnes Pannerier-Runacher responded to comments during an interview with European radio Europe 1. “We know that aviation is a contributor of carbon dioxide and that because of climate change we must reduce emissions,” Reuters reported that she said. “Equally, we must support our companies and not let them fall by the wayside.” To help support the industry, France recently granted €4bn for the recapitalisation of Air France, after previously allocating €7bn to the carrier to help weather the Covid-19 pandemic. Politicians were not the only ones unhappy about the result. According to the BBC, France’s Citizen’s on Climate had initially lobbied to remove planes where train journeys under four hours could be taken instead. French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir produced an analysis of the benefits of trains compared to planes. “On average, the plane emits 77 times more CO2 per passenger than the train on these lines, even though the train is cheaper (- € 4) and the loss of time is limited to 40 minutes,” read the paper. Industry reactions to the bill The bill also received mixed reviews at the industry level. The airline pilot union SNPL said it was “quite disappointed by the government’s decision to ban domestic flights,” a spokesperson for the union told Airport Technology. “There needs to be regulation on an international or at least European level because if we act only at a national level, [we’ll] only reduce capacity of national carriers, without an effect on the environment.” Other transport organisation warmed up to the news, highlighting what still needs to be done. “Shifting short-haul flights to rail is a no-brainer but this is only a small part of aviation’s pollution. On average more than two-thirds of airline emissions are on long haul flights, which can only be decarbonised with cleaner fuels like synthetic kerosene,” said Transport & Environment aviation manager Jo Dardenne. “The French Government should also be mandating the use of greener jet fuel and charging an effective carbon price that forces airlines to fly cleaner.” “Legislation such as this and utilising the National Resiliency and Recovery Plans to advance ERTMS deployment and fleet renewal for the advancement of low and zero-emission technology options are tangible steps towards that green future which we can take today,” added a spokesperson for the European Rail Supply Industry Association. Could other countries join the ban? According to Greenpeace EU spokesperson John Hyland, what France is considering doing should become the norm all around the Union. “Short-haul flights are extremely polluting and should be banned where an alternative connection exists, but the proposed French travel time limit of 2.5 hours leaves a huge number of short flights still in operation, including Paris-Marseille – one of the top three domestic flights in terms of greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “The EU and European governments, France included, should ban all domestic and cross-border short flights when passengers can use less polluting transport like rail or bus.” France is not the first country to ban short-haul flights. In November 2020, Austrian carrier Austrian Airlines substituted its short flights between Vienna and the city of Graz with three-hour train journeys instead. The move – a partnership between the carrier and the Austrian Federal Railways – has already two other routes working as part of the AIRail project. “After Linz and Salzburg, we are now providing another region, namely Graz, with the attractive AIRail offer that guarantees a safe and environmentally friendly journey to the airport including an assured connecting service”, says CEO of the Austrian Federal Railways Andreas Matthä. As the transition from plane to train is now being discussed all over Europe will it be a compelling case for the UK? According to a Twitter poll by British journalist Martin Lewis, a great majority of people would support a ban on all UK domestic flights if trips can be done by train in under 2.5 hours. Out of almost 75,000 votes, 45.4% of people over 40 supported the decision, whilst only 10.8% were against it. Looking at people under 40, 33.7% were in favour with only 10.1% against. https://www.airport-technology.com/features/france-bans-short-haul-flight-industry-reacts/ Airbus performs first Beluga flight using sustainable aviation fuel Airbus has enhanced its commitment to reducing its industrial carbon footprint by conducting the first flight of super-transporter Beluga using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The aircraft maker conducted the test from its plant in Broughton, UK. The company said that the Beluga fleet operating from the plant will initially use a 35% blend of non-fossil derived fuel. This will help cut CO₂ emissions by more than 400t in the coming three months. Airbus sustainable aviation fuels project manager Tony Derrien said: “This first flight by a Beluga transporter from Broughton, partially fuelled with SAF, marks an important milestone in Airbus’ ambition to decarbonise its industrial operations. “Combined with our ongoing research into the potential for 100% SAF in commercial flights, reducing fossil fuels in our own operations underlines Airbus’ commitment to lessening the impact of our manufacturing footprint and contributing towards a more sustainable future for the aviation sector more generally.” The SAF is produced using sustainable feedstocks purchased by Airbus from Air bp. Airbus’ north Wales line station leverages the Beluga fleet to supply aircraft wings to its sites in Toulouse, Hamburg and Bremen. The company’s Hamburg facility was the first European site to use SAF for its cargo activities. Beluga Broughton line station manager Andy Owen added: “The progressive deployment of sustainable aviation fuels at Airbus’ sites is an essential part of our decarbonisation roadmap. We’re proud that Broughton has become the second Airbus site to introduce SAF in its Beluga-fleet operations.” Regulators have currently certified the use of up to 50% SAF on commercial flights. https://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/airbus-beluga-saf-flight/ Honeywell UOP technology to be used at biofuel plant in Paraguay Honeywell has announced that Brazil-based ECB Group will use the UOP Ecofining™ process to convert vegetable oils and inedible animal fats into renewable diesel and jet fuel at the Omega Green production facility in Villeta, near Asuncion, Paraguay. This marks one of the first advanced biofuels projects in Paraguay, as well as one of the largest private investments in the country’s history. Honeywell UOP was selected to provide technology and engineering services for the project, which will produce fuels that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including renewable diesel and aviation jet fuel. Honeywell UOP has designed the Omega Green project to minimise fossil CO2 emissions at the site by using the renewable LPG and naphtha produced in the UOP Ecofining unit to self-sustain the process in energy and hydrogen. In partnership with Wood, a global consulting and engineering company, Honeywell UOP will integrate Wood’s hydrogen plant technology with the Ecofining unit design to produce hydrogen from renewable feedstocks. This will further reduce the overall carbon intensity of the Honeywell Green Diesel™ and Honeywell Green Jet Fuel™. When it enters operation, Omega Green will produce up to 20 000 bpd of renewable diesel and jet fuel. The complex is expected to create more than 3000 jobs during construction and 2400 direct and indirect jobs when fully operational. ECB estimates that more than 20 000 family farms will benefit from social certification programs to produce feedstocks for the plant. The Honeywell Ecofining process, developed in conjunction with Eni SpA, converts non-edible natural oils, animal fats and other waste feedstocks to Honeywell Green Diesel™ and Honeywell Green Jet Fuel™, which is chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. Both products offer improved performance over commercial petroleum-based diesel and jet fuel, and can be used as a drop-in replacement in vehicles and aircraft with no equipment modifications. Honeywell Green Diesel also features an 80% life cycle reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel from petroleum, and features a higher-cetane diesel value to provide better engine performance with fewer emissions. Honeywell Green Jet Fuel can be blended seamlessly with petroleum-based fuel. When used in up to a 50% blend with petroleum-based jet fuel, it requires no changes to aircraft technology and meets all critical specifications for flight. The UOP Ecofining process is used in most 100%-biofeed units producing renewable diesel – and all of the licensed renewable jet fuel production – in the world today. UOP currently has licensed 20 Ecofining units in nine countries around the world, processing 12 different types of renewable feedstocks. https://www.energyglobal.com/bioenergy/13042021/honeywell-uop-technology-to-be-used-at-biofuel-plant-in-paraguay/ CLEAR Brings Security Screening to Oakland International Airport On April 14, CLEAR announced its trusted and transparent identity technology and touchless security lanes are available at Oakland International Airport (OAK). CLEAR members now have the ability to enjoy CLEAR’s frictionless travel experience across the U.S. at 38 airports and with 100+ partners across sports, entertainment, work, and travel. CLEAR is a secure identity company that uses your eyes to confirm you are you and help you move through experiences fast and effortlessly. With CLEAR’s launch in OAK and ongoing presence at San Francisco International Airport and San Jose International Airport, CLEAR now operates in the three busiest airports in the Bay Area, all of which typically serve millions of passengers a year. On the heels of last month’s launch in Sacramento International Airport, the company’s announcement marks its continued growth and investment in California. CLEAR is excited to help passengers and people across the country return to their normal lives. As you travel to see your loved ones or take a well-deserved vacation, you should be able to do so as safely and responsibly as possible. CLEAR’s touchless travel experience minimizes unnecessary passenger and airport personnel interaction by eliminating the need for CLEAR members to hand travel documents to agents during the security screening process. “Our partnership with CLEAR elevates the customer experience while prioritizing the health and safety of airport travelers” said Bryant L. Francis, director of aviation at the Port of Oakland. “We are excited to join the robust network of national airports providing this trusted technology.” “With CLEAR, all you need is you to open up a world of frictionless experiences,” said CLEAR Chairman and CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker. “We deliver peace of mind to our customers and get them back to doing what they love.” CLEAR is an opt-in membership service that never sells an individual’s information. The rigorously tested and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) certified CLEAR identification technology relies upon double-encrypted biometric data. A CLEAR membership is billed annually and costs $15 a month with discounts available for select rewards programs, including Delta Airlines, United Airlines and American Express. Family Plans are also available for an additional $50 per adult per year. Children under 18 do not need to be added to your Family Plan and can join for free. CLEAR offers a free mobile application unlocking benefits such as Health Pass, Curb-to-Gate and mobile passport at no charge to participants. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/press-release/21218645/clear-clear-brings-security-screening-to-oakland-international-airport Titan Aviation Builds Worlds First 100% Electric Refueler On April 13, 2021, the TITAN-eRR20, the world’s first 100% electric refueler, will be commissioned at Le Bourget Airport where it will be operated by Total. A major innovation for the decarbonization of airport operations, this zero-emission refueler was designed and manufactured by Titan Aviation. For Titan Aviation, the electrification of refueling solutions is an essential step in its commitment to reduce CO2 emissions at airports. With the introduction of the TITAN-eRR20, the family-owned company confirms its role as a leader in the sector and its desire to offer ever more innovative, safe and efficient solutions, supporting the aviation industry and the drive for a greener recovery. The TITAN-eRR20 is designed on a PVI electric chassis, a subsidiary of the Renault Group, specifically adapted for refueling operations by Titan Aviation. Its electric refueling system can deliver more than 100,000 liters of kerosene or biofuel in a single charge, at a flow rate of 55 m3/h and its battery can be recharged in just five hours. The TITAN-eRR20 is also equipped with the EZ Control digital refueling interface, which guides the user through every step of the job, facilitating maintenance and optimizing operational safety. ‘‘It is our role, as a French manufacturer in the aeronautical sector, to actively participate in the reduction of CO2 emissions in airports and to offer our customers concrete solutions. Innovation has always been part of our DNA, the electrification of our solutions was a logical next step, and we are not going to stop there.’’ says Laurent Pourprix, managing director of Titan Aviation. The company is working on a hybridization kit for diesel refuelers currently in operation in order to electrify their refueling system and eliminate the use of their diesel engine during refueling. A 100% electric hydrant dispenser, the TITAN-eHD150, will also be commissioned at Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport by the summer. Delivery of the TITAN-eSPR35, a large capacity (35 to 65,000 liters) fully electric, ultra-ergonomic refueler, is scheduled for early next year. Hydrogen versions are also under consideration. https://www.aviationpros.com/gse/gse-technology/green-alternative-energy-gse/press-release/21218528/titan-aviation-titan-aviation-builds-worlds-first-100-electric-refueler Designing a Modern Lighthouse McConnell Air Force Base has itself a new 10-story air traffic control tower (ATCT) – a much needed upgrade from its former ATCT built in the 1950s. “It [the former ATCT] was much smaller, it was outdated – didn't have nearly as much of the current technology and it was much shorter,” said Andy Mashek, project manager, Burns & McDonnell. “So, if you think about what an air traffic control tower does, line of sight is the first thing you always think about and talk about when you're designing an air traffic control tower. So, it was fairly short. Because obviously, when it was built in the fifties, they weren't trying to see and stretch that line of sight nearly as far as they are today. It definitely had significant system challenges throughout its lifespan.” As such, when designing the new tower the first thing the team at Burns & McDonnell did was a line of sight study, making sure that the new tower had ample view of all the areas and aspects of the airfield and different aircraft movements. Design of the project began in 2016 and lasted roughly eight months, with construction beginning near the summer of 2017. The work faced two major hurdles from the get-go. The first was the challenge of working on an active military airfield, needing to phase work to not interrupt the ongoing missions. “With having an active mission, again, we couldn't just shut down the old tower, build a new one and be good to go,” said Mashek. “It's one thing just to show up with your truck, pull into a construction site and start working. Whereas when you're working on a military base, everybody has to go through the gate every morning, just like everyone else, so that slows down say if you have a concrete pour, a steel delivery, all that fun stuff has to go through the gate,” he continued. “And then you add one more level of complexity with this being on the airfield. So not only do you have to go through the base gate, then you're also going through the airfield access gate. So, you've got that one more layer. Then you're building adjacent to an active airfield, so everything you do, you have to have that mindset.” Then, when the team went to view the initial site selected for the ATCT, they found there was a main communication line running just underneath the building’s footprint. “So again, not wanting to disrupt the base as best we could, we ended up working with McConnell Base CE to move the tower slightly. But again, even any slight adjustment to the site location, is going to impact your line of sight,” Mashek said. It was decided that the best spot for the new ATCT was right behind the old one, about 50 feet away. “We positioned it right behind the old tower. That way the old tower could still function, do its purpose, do its mission, while the new tower was just maybe 50 feet right behind it, give or take, and so we were able to phase the construction,” said Mashek. “The new tower was about 10 stories-ish with the control cab on top. So, it was significantly taller. We essentially built it so you could see over the top of the existing tower. So, we could keep the construction going while still keeping that existing tower active,” he continued. The proximity of construction had little impact on the existing ATCT’s operations. “The control tower guys that we talked to during the ribbon cutting, they were all very, very, very pleased with how everything went. I would say definitely, it probably impacted a little bit of their day to day. You've got an active construction site that you're walking through. Receivers all set up where they can park and safely get to and from the tower to where they needed to be without going through any unsafe areas. But I think for the most part, it was the best-case scenario,” Mashek said. The construction headaches were worth it, as the new ATCT is not only taller than its predecessor, but it is significantly more advanced in design and technical capabilities. “We actually included so many different new aspects that the old tower didn't have. Head functional spaces, including the chief and assistant chief control tower or controller offices, administration offices. We had a computer training room, even had restroom with the showers. We had a control tower equipment room, a break room,” Mashek said. The break room featured glass designs, bringing in some natural light to the environment for crews to enjoy. “Obviously being cooped up in a control tower isn't fun all day long. So, we made that break room where you could get more glass and get exposed while you're still inside the tower,” added Mashek. The climate of the area was also brought into the design. Located in Wichita, KS, the air base is prone to tornadoes and a storm shelter was built into the ATCT. “We gave them a storm shelter down on the first floor. It was a half conference room, half storm shelter. So, should there be an event they wouldn't have to abandon the tower, they could just go downstairs,” he said. “If you think about whenever you see a control tower, it's usually out in the middle of nowhere, if you will, relative to all the other buildings grouped together. So, we wanted to give them something safe in an event.” Designing an ATCT with all the bells and whistles comes with its own challenges. By nature, an ATCT is a more difficult building to fit everything needed, requiring greater precision in the narrow, tall space to include it all. “A bigger building, you have a little bit of flexibility if you will, whereas a tower footprint, everything has to go right in its place, right? It's a narrow shaft to get out to the cab. So, any field adjustment through construction could have a ripple effect or a snowball effect on the rest of the design. Everything has to be laid out in much more finite level of detail. How are you going to run your column, your utilities? How are you going to stack the elevator? How are you going to do the stairs?” Mashek said. “All that good stuff has to be very well coordinated during design because when you start construction, even just something as simple in any other building as rerouting some duct work or adjusting a comm line, could have quite the impact.” Getting wires up and down the tower proved to be a challenge in and of itself. The team worked out a way to have the main mullions help hold up the cab roof that splits the glass, where they then ran all the critical elements through the mullions to avoid any impediment to line of sight. “Same thing as you design it and you work through it, the equipment room and then if you go off the comm room was directly below. That way, everything we needed was feeding all into that main area of the cab,” Mashek said. Mashek added that they employed 3D modeling “on another level” during the design process to make sure that they laid out every aspect of the design, looking for any clash detection or inferences that might be run into during construction. “We were trying to make sure that we nailed down exactly where everything had to be routed. So, during construction, all those interferences or clashes have already been found. One, making the construction much easier and two, limiting any of those issues as they're working through the build,” he said. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/defense/article/21214616/designing-a-modern-lighthouse As pilot shortage grows, WMU College of Aviation expansion expected to be completed later this year “A madhouse,” that’s how Dave Powell describes what it may look like as domestic and international airlines scramble to find pilots to fill predicted shortages that will begin in 2023 and grow in severity by 2025. The timing couldn’t be worse as the United States and the rest of the world begin a cautious recovery from the havoc wreaked by a global pandemic and growing numbers of people resume air travel. Based on a modest recovery scenario, industry analysts with Oliver Wyman, a New York-based management consulting firm, a global pilot shortage will emerge in certain regions no later than 2023 and most probably before. However, they say, with a more rapid recovery and greater supply shocks, this could be felt as early as late this year. “Regarding magnitude, in our most likely scenarios, there is a global gap of 34,000 pilots by 2025. This could be as high as 50,000 in the most extreme scenarios. Eventually, the impact of furloughs, retirements, and defections will create very real challenges for even some of the biggest carriers,” according to an article on the Oliver Wyman website. “One cushion airlines have created consists of 100,000 pilots still on payroll but flying reduced schedules or on voluntary company leave. In the US, such programs have been very popular and will provide the airline some flexibility once the industry begins to recover.” Powell, Dean of Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation, has been talking about these shortages for several years. This is why he was relentless in his efforts to secure funding to expand the school that's based at Battle Creek’s Executive Airport from its current 16,000 square feet to 70,000 square feet. The $22 million project received about $15 million in state funding with the remainder coming from WMU. “Everything we’ve done in this college has been pretty much on our own,” says Powell who joined WMU in 2003 as assistant dean of its College of Aviation and became dean in 2008. “We’ve had 19 budget cuts since I’ve been here. We’ve never had a budget increase and that’s driven primarily by state cuts to higher education. Of all of the universities inside the state, the big three get a larger share than the small 12.” As an example of these funding imbalances, he compares the University of Michigan’s $5 billion endowment to WMU’s $400 million endowment. To secure the funding for the expansion Powell says he “courted a lot of state legislators to come out and see our program. It had to be justified. The university’s been supportive but it took a groundswell of other support to make that happen. I’ve got to find different avenues and I’ve got to keep working at it.” The expansion, he says, is needed to accommodate growing numbers of students seeking careers in all areas of the aviation industry. The new facility will officially open on Sept. 17. Powell says he chose this date because it’s close to the actual date of the 24th anniversary of the WMU’s aviation school's move to the airport. “On Sept.19, 24 years ago it opened for the first time,” he says. “I tried to get it as close to the 24th anniversary to honor the past and look with excitement to the future.” Currently, there are 1,200 students enrolled in the College of Aviation. While the majority seek to become professional pilots, others are focusing on careers in airline management and administration and aircraft mechanics and maintenance. The new facility will enable the college to increase its enrollment to a total of between 2,000 and 2,400 students. It will offer new classroom space, a computer room, composites/paint laboratory upgrades, a state-of-the-art simulation center, a premier research center, student briefing rooms, faculty office space, a café, and other amenities, as well as the latest technology. During the past 11 years, Powell says there has been an 80 percent increase in enrollment at the Aviation College. On Dec. 16 the program was forced to stop accepting flight students because of the lack of funding, faculty, and staff to adequately support their studies – a frustrating decision for Powell to make. “There were other programs students could get into rather than waiting. I was telling them that if they had a second or third choice, they need to look at that,” Powell says. Having to turn prospective students away only strengthened his resolve to address an issue he became aware of in 2000 while working in employment processes at United Airlines. He was hired there in 1986 as a pilot eventually going on to become a flight manager, assistant chief pilot, and instructor chief pilot at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. “A year later 9/11 happened and it shut things down. In 2007, the need for pilots wasn’t there and in 2008 we had the next recession, and that killed things for a couple of years,” he says. Three years later major domestic carriers, including American, Delta, and United airlines were faced with the impending retirements of mechanics and pilots who are part of the baby boomer generation. These major carriers were looking at losing half of their pilot force over the next 10 years. Out of the shadows, on everyone’s radar As it positions itself for additional growth, there are still too many people who don’t know that Battle Creek is home to the country’s third-largest aviation college. Or that the Executive Airport where it’s located is the third busiest for aircraft traffic in Michigan, says Battle Creek City Manager Rebecca Fleury. “This expansion will help bring it out of the shadows,” she says of the College of Aviation and the airport. The expansion also will strengthen a unique synergy that includes the space the college shares on the airport grounds with Duncan Aviation and the nearby Fort Custer Training Center for the Michigan Army National Guard. “I think it elevates Battle Creek and what we know of Battle Creek as being a wonderful place for students and that brings a whole other layer of new vibrancy here,” Fleury says. “To have Duncan right next to the College of Aviation is a natural fit for students to seek jobs there.” Powell says his graduates are as highly sought-after as students who graduate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida and the University of North Dakota, the number one and two aviation colleges respectively. “What we have is absolutely the finest equipment in collegiate aviation today. We deliver a higher level of sophistication,” he says. “Embry and North Dakota have hundreds of millions of dollars in endowments and we compete very well.” There’s no disputing the importance of WMU’s Aviation College to the community and the airport, says Joe Sobieralski, President and CEO of Battle Creek Unlimited. “We take for granted that it’s there,” he says. But recent and future plans for growth may go a long way to changing that. The opening in January of WACO Kitchen, a restaurant on the second floor of WACO Aircraft Corp. based at the airport, has helped to get the airport on the radar of many people who may have never had reason to go there before, Fleury says. Airport officials have been putting together events to draw in people from all over the United States, including an AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) fly-in for pilots to showcase the resources available to them at the airport. Fleury also cites the expansion of WACO and the focus on the production of unmanned aircraft as potential game-changers for the airport and tangentially the aviation college. “We are looking at development on the west side of the airport. We think it’s a very developable area for the aeronautics industry — whether it be unmanned aircraft or other businesses like Duncan to further support aviation careers and the profession,” Fleury says. “It opens up a lot of potential if we can site prep that area.” She says she’s hopeful that funds for the development of the 10 acres available will come through President Biden’s new infrastructure plan. “The airport is one of our biggest infrastructure assets,” Fleury says. A slow and steady ascent As Fleury and economic developers address the physical growth of the airport, Powell will be focusing on controlled growth in his program to maintain the quality of what’s being offered. There are currently 24 faculty within the College of Aviation and there are plans to hire two more, bringing to about 90 the number of full-time and part-time employees. Additional faculty and staff will be brought in as needed, Powell says. “I’m not a pilot anymore; I’m a passenger. I want to make sure our graduates will be able to take care of me and my loved ones when we’re flying,” he says. He also wants to ensure that those graduates look like the real world. While the expansion was his number one priority, diversifying his student population has been an ongoing focus. Powell says that about 7 percent of all pilots and airline mechanics in the United States are minorities. WMU's College of Aviation is at 33 percent. “We’re doing better, but we’ve got a long way to go. There are a lot of people of color and half of the world is female. Even though we’re doing better, it isn’t good enough,” Powell says. “We’re working now with trying to start a relationship with a high school in Detroit. We hope to get that going. We have a nice mix of diverse students and they’re stepping up in leadership positions.” Pre-COVID the Aviation College hosted anywhere from 1,500 to 1,800 local students from first grade up to middle school who visited to learn about the program in the summer months. Powell says he had student ambassadors who gave tours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., six days a week. Despite this exposure, Powell says he thinks people don’t appreciate that they can get into aviation or the opportunities they can realize from enrolling. He says his students graduate on time and have the opportunity to earn more than $300,000 annually at the height of their careers. “Since 1989 we’ve been working on diversifying aviation. When I came here in 2003, I asked ‘why aren’t we?’” he says. “We are the third-largest aviation program in the country and we reside in a very, very diverse community. How can you not want to engage in that?” https://www.secondwavemedia.com/southwest-michigan/features/As-pilo-shortage-grows-WMU-College-of-Aviation%20expansion-expected-to-be-completed-lat-04142021.aspx SpaceX will launch Astrobotic lander to the moon with NASA's ice-sniffing VIPER rover NASA has a launcher for its ice-hunting rover that will land on the moon in 2023. SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket — the same booster type that once sent the "Starman" mannequin to space in a Tesla Roadster — will send the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the moon, on private company Astrobotic's lunar landing system. Astrobotic's contract with NASA required the Pennsylvania-based company to independently select a launch contractor, and it chose SpaceX through a competitive procurement. As with previous Falcon Heavy missions, SpaceX will launch VIPER from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center near Orlando, Florida — a longtime launching location of moon missions, including the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972. VIPER is a key element of NASA's long-term plans to plant humans on the moon later in the decade — as soon as 2024 if the Donald Trump-era deadline remains under the new Joe Biden presidential administration. The NASA Artemis program will see crews of humans working alongside robotics to explore the moon and its resources, using NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Key among the Artemis program's goals is to learn how to live off the moon sustainably, potentially using resources such as lunar water ice at the moon's south pole to help astronauts and machinery function adequately for longer missions on the lunar surface. Humans last visited the moon during the Apollo missions, only staying for a few days at a time and bringing everything they needed from Earth. "Gaining a better learning of resources on the moon is critical to advancing humanity's reach beyond Earth, and we are honored to support this exciting mission and NASA's CLPS program," Stephanie Bednarek, SpaceX senior director of commercial sales, said in a statement. Astrobotic received a task order from NASA in 2020 to send VIPER to the same approximate region as the first planned lunar landing mission with astronauts, called Artemis 3, in the south pole region of the moon. The mission plan calls for the Falcon Heavy to launch Astrobotic's Griffin lunar lander towards the moon; Griffin will then touch down on the surface and provide a platform from which VIPER can disembark to move around autonomously. No American hardware has landed softly on the moon for decades, but VIPER could be Astrobotic's second effort if its Peregrine lander touches down safely in July at Lacus Mortis, a hexagonal-shaped plain on the near side of moon. Peregrine, if successful, would be the first-ever commercial American lander on the moon — and the first United States spacecraft to touch down at all since Apollo 17 in 1972. For VIPER, Astrobotic said it was looking for a "complete mission solution" to make sure that all pieces of the launching and landing process are ready to bring the rover to the south pole. "SpaceX's Falcon Heavy completes our … solution by providing a proven launch vehicle to carry us on our trajectory to the moon. SpaceX has the team, vehicle, and facilities to make this happen," Daniel Gillies, mission director for Astrobotic, said in the same statement. The Griffin lunar lander is going through qualification testing and should be finished that process around the end of 2021, Astrobotic added in the statement. Griffin will be a hefty lander capable of supporting the 1,000 lbs. (450 kilograms) VIPER; Astrobotic's overall fixed-cost contract with NASA for the mission is $199.5 million, covering everything from launch to landing. https://www.space.com/spacex-falcon-heavy-launching-astrobotic-moon-lander Curt Lewis