June 10, 2021 - No. 45 In This Issue : Joby Aviation eyes Asia and Europe as early markets alongside North America : Elon Musk to use satellites to beam WiFi to airline passengers : European Airlines Call For Governments To Fund Sustainable Flying : Honeywell To Provide Cockpit Technologies For 7-Seater Lilium Jet : Kroger launches first drone flight to deliver groceries : Aviation Alliance Highlights Efforts for Future of Industry : Insitu Forms Partnership for Drone Operations in the Arctic : First Rescue Helicopter Flies on Sustainable Aviation Fuel : GE Aviation Begins Construction of Ohio Assembly Plant : An Uncrewed Drone Has Refueled A Piloted Jet In Midair For The First Time : SpaceX drone ship heads to the Bahamas for its ride to California Joby Aviation eyes Asia and Europe as early markets alongside North America While electric vertical take-off and landing passenger aircraft startup Joby Aviation is targeting North America for its initial commercial launch, founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt expects the company to have an early presence in Asia and Europe as well. Bevirt, who joined the TC Sessions: Mobility 2021 on June 9, didn’t give away the first location; although recent announcements suggest it is narrowed down to Los Angeles, Miami, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area. But he did weigh in on what those first cities will look like. “I imagine that we will have early markets in each of the three regions,” he said. “Our initial launch market will be in North America just for proximity to the nexus of where most of our team is currently. But there are incredible opportunities and cities around the world and we want to provide as much benefit to as many people as quickly as we possibly can. And so that’s why we’re so focused on scaling manufacturing.” Joby Aviation is expected to begin construction on a 450,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, designed in conjunction with Toyota, later this year. The company has completed a pilot manufacturing facility already. Joby, once a secretive startup, has had a far more public six months of late. The company reached a deal to merge with special purpose acquisition company Reinvent Technology Partners, formed by well-known investor and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Michael Thompson and Zynga founder Mark Pincus. Hoffman also joined Bevirt at the TC Sessions: Mobility event. Prior to its SPAC deal, Joby had gained attention and investors over the years as it developed its eVTOL. Toyota became an important backer and partner, leading a $620 million Series C round of funding in January 2020. Nearly a year later, Joby acquired Uber’s air taxi moonshot Elevate as part of a complex deal. Today, Joby is focused on certification, which it has been working on with the FAA since 2018, as well manufacturing its eVTOL aircraft. The company is also starting to put the pieces together for how and where it will operate. And that’s adding to its size. In the past year, Joby has doubled its workforce, which now sits at about 800. Earlier this month, Joby Aviation announced a partnership with REEF Technology, one of the country’s largest parking garage operators, and real estate acquisition company Neighborhood Property Group to build out its network of vertiports, with an initial focus on Los Angeles, Miami, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area. When 2024 arrives, Bevirt anticipates launching in one to two cities in that first year of operation. “We do want to provide sufficient depth of coverage that consumers get to experience the transformative experience,” Bevirt said. “There have been cases where if a new service launches, and there’s not enough supply, consumers can be frustrated, right. And so we want to make sure we can, that we can really service, at least a portion of the demand and provide a really gratifying experience to our customers. I think that that’s the piece that we really care about as a company, is making customers into raving fans.” https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/09/joby-aviation-eyes-asia-and-europe-as-early-markets-alongside-north-america/ Elon Musk to use satellites to beam WiFi to airline passengers Elon Musk’s SpaceX might become the provider of in-flight WiFi for airline passengers through its Starlink satellite internet service. First reported by The Verge on Wednesday, SpaceX's vice president of Starlink and commercial sales, Jonathan Hofeller, announced the company is discussing providing its Starlink internet to commercial airlines. "We're in talks with several of the airlines," Hofeller said at the Connected Aviation Intelligence Summit. "We have our own aviation product in development … we've already done some demonstrations to date, and looking to get that product finalized to be put on aircraft in the very near future." SpaceX would create technology specialized to the aircraft to transmit the internet through the use of airline antennas but with "obvious enhancements for aviation connectivity." Every Starlink satellite would be fitted with laser links that wouldn’t require ground stations to transmit, so airplanes would still be able to provide in-flight internet even while traveling over remote areas, such as oceans and mountains. Hofeller went on to say that the faster, more reliable access is driven by the increased demand by customers to have internet access during travel. "It's going to be up to the individual airline whether they want to be responsive to that,” he said, “or if they're okay with having a system that is not as responsive to their customers' demand." https://thehill.com/changing-america/resilience/smart-cities/557782-elon-musk-to-use-satellites-to-beam-wifi-to-airline European Airlines Call For Governments To Fund Sustainable Flying Europe’s airlines have committed to achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Under their flagship sustainability initiative, Destination 2050, airlines have set out a roadmap to achieving this goal. However, such a radical change will not come cheap, and some CEOs believe it’s the governments that should be footing at least part of the bill. Keeping the playing field level At today’s Airlines4Europe (A4E) Aviation Summit, European airline CEOs came together to press home some of the most important challenges facing the industry in the current environment. While touching on the reopening of borders, health passports, the Single European Sky and more, the chiefs were clearly aligned on one key issue – sustainability. Within Europe, A4E members have signed up to the ambitious goal of delivering net zero CO2 emissions from aviation by the year 2050. Destination 2050 – A Route To Net Zero European Emissions has been supported by a report conducted by the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre and SEO Amsterdam Economics, which defined a roadmap to achieving this goal. According to the roadmap, the bulk of the necessary savings will be achieved through improvements in engine technologies and new aircraft, as well as through the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Other savings include implementing economic measures and improvements in air traffic management. CEO of Lufthansa, Carsten Spohr, noted that the transition to SAF and ongoing fleet renewal would come at a high costs to the airlines. As such, he said that the government should step in to ensure European airlines are not put at a disadvantage over competitors who are not investing at the same levels. He said, “It is key that these efforts of ours are not distorting competition more than it already has, or in a way that what we do will eventually help others who do less to be more competitive, those outside of Europe. That would be awkward. This is something we couldn’t accept, and we wouldn’t be willing to do. So it’s very important that the level playing field is achieved, or maintained, where it already exists.” CEO of Lufthansa, Carsten Spohr, noted that the transition to SAF and ongoing fleet renewal would come at a high costs to the airlines. As such, he said that the government should step in to ensure European airlines are not put at a disadvantage over competitors who are not investing at the same levels. He said, “It is key that these efforts of ours are not distorting competition more than it already has, or in a way that what we do will eventually help others who do less to be more competitive, those outside of Europe. That would be awkward. This is something we couldn’t accept, and we wouldn’t be willing to do. So it’s very important that the level playing field is achieved, or maintained, where it already exists.” “Secondly, that governments support industry investments, be it in fleet renewal or be it in sustainable aviation fuels, where it just cannot be done by the industry alone. And third, that governments, and regulatory bodies also stimulate further investments in new technologies, innovation, against sustainable aviation fuel, where a lot has to be done.” No supply of SAF For the airlines to transition to a net-zero operation in the next 30 years, there needs to be a comprehensive and affordable supply of SAF across the continent. Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary noted that, if it were available today, airlines would switch immediately. He said, “We’re all signed up to very aggressive, very ambitious environmental targets, both for 2030 and for 2050. We do need government support … the big challenge facing our industry is going to be the availability of sustainable aviation fuels. We would all want to use them now but there’s almost practically no supply of sustainable aviation fuels.” However, O’Leary is a staunch opponent of state support, having successfully campaigned to reverse plans to grant aid to German airline Condor. As such, he could not agree with Carsten that taxpayer money should be used to fund SAF or fleet renewal, but said that there was more to be done. He commented, “I would clearly disagree with Carsten and others as to whether we should do that from our own resources or whether we should get to receive government support, but there’s no doubt in my mind, and I think we’re all in agreement, that the government can and should do more.” Boss of British Airways and Iberia owner IAG, Luis Gallego, noted that, without government support to develop the infrastructure necessary for widespread availability of SAF, the 2050 targets would be impossible to reach. He said, “All of us are investing in new technology and that is the best thing we can do in the short term. But also, we need help from the different governments to have enough sustainable aviation fuel, and also to have the sustainable aviation fuel at the right price, because otherwise it’s going to be impossible to arrive to the commitments that we have.” But with governments facing their own economic challenges following the COVID crisis, putting their hands in their pockets for sustainable aviation initiatives might be a tall ask at present. https://simpleflying.com/european-airlines-call-for-governments-to-fund-sustainable-flying/ Honeywell To Provide Cockpit Technologies For 7-Seater Lilium Jet PHOENIX, June 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) has been selected by Lilium to develop the 7-Seater Lilium Jet's avionics and flight control systems. The compact fly-by-wire system will act as the flight control system on the all-electric 7-Seater Lilium Jet, responsible for controlling its moveable parts, including the 36 control surfaces and ducted fans that provide its high levels of maneuverability in every stage of flight. Honeywell, one of the first major aerospace manufacturers to create a dedicated Urban Air Mobility business unit, has designed a flight control system that draws on its decades of experience providing such systems for commercial airliners. This system, which has been tailored for the Lilium Jet's unique design, will play a crucial role in ensuring smooth, comfortable and emission-free air travel for passengers. "The avionics and flight control computers from Honeywell will be a key element for the Lilium Jet's electronic architecture," said Yves Yemsi, chief program officer, Lilium. "Honeywell will integrate an advanced flight deck tailored for the Lilium Jet as the central interface to the pilot with a vehicle management computer and a high integrity flight controls computing platform to provide a state-of-the-art fly-by-wire solution for the Lilium Jet." Alongside the flight control system, Honeywell is delivering the next-generation integrated avionics system, which will provide a simplified user interface for the pilot to fly the Lilium Jet. The selection of Honeywell's next-generation Urban Air Mobility avionics system is the result of ongoing collaboration between Lilium and Honeywell to converge on the specific technical requirements suitable for the Lilium Jet. The avionics system is designed to reduce training time and will support operation by a single pilot, freeing up greater passenger capacity. "At Honeywell, we believe in the promise of the Urban Air Mobility segment, and we see its enormous potential to bring about a new age of aviation and forever transform the way we think about flight and transportation," said Stéphane Fymat, vice president and general manager of Urban Air Mobility, Honeywell. "Lilium shares that vision with us, which has enabled us to forge a fantastic relationship. We're extremely excited for our avionics to be on board the Lilium Jet, where they will help ensure not only safe operation, but also make it easier for pilots to fly and provide a more comfortable journey for those onboard." In addition to its selection as a provider of the flight control system for the 7-Seater Lilium Jet, Honeywell is also participating in the common stock PIPE offering in connection with Lilium's SPAC transaction. "Honeywell has a decades-long track record of developing and certifying avionics and safety systems for leading aerospace companies and has worked alongside Lilium to develop a bespoke solution for our aircraft," Yemsi said. "We are proud that Honeywell is not only joining our roster of world-class aviation partners, but also as one of our investors as we prepare to launch commercial operations in 2024." Following Toray Industries, Aciturri and Lufthansa Aviation Training, Honeywell is the latest in a series of world-class Lilium suppliers whose technology and services have been certified in aerospace around the world for decades. It is joined by infrastructure leaders, such as the Tavistock Development Company, and Ferrovial, a leading airport operator, which have provided approximately $200 million in commitments to support the development of up to 14 vertiports in Florida. For more information on Honeywell's Urban Air Mobility efforts, visit aerospace.honeywell.com. About Honeywell Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on virtually every commercial, defense and space aircraft. The Aerospace business unit builds aircraft engines, cockpit and cabin electronics, wireless connectivity systems, mechanical components and more. Its hardware and software solutions create more fuel-efficient aircraft, more direct and on-time flights and safer skies and airports. Honeywell is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more information, visit honeywell.com. About Lilium Lilium's vision is to create a sustainable and accessible mode of high-speed, regional transportation. Using the seven passenger Lilium Jet, an electric vertical take-off and landing jet, offering leading capacity, low noise and high performance, Lilium is building a transport network and service for people and goods. Working in partnership with world-leading aerospace, technology, and infrastructure leaders, commercial operations are set to launch in 2024. Lilium's 600+ strong team includes over 400 aerospace engineers and a leadership responsible for delivering some of the most successful aircraft in aviation history. Founded in 2015, Lilium's headquarters and manufacturing facilities are in Munich, Germany, with teams based across Europe and the U.S. To learn more, visit lilium.com. https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/honeywell-to-provide-cockpit-technologies-for-7-seater-lilium-jet/article_cd20d8a9-086c-5597-8341-7cd11f34feda.html Kroger launches first drone flight to deliver groceries DAYTON, Ohio — Never mind the rain. Kroger took flight with its first retail drone delivery Wednesday morning in Centerville, Ohio, flying a box containing two packages of long-grain rice to Centerville Mayor Brooks Compton on the front lawn of city offices. Also delivered with the rice — a piece of cloth from the first Wright Brothers Flyer, shared by the Wright family and the Dayton History organization. After the drone lightly dropped the box on the lawn of City Hall, Compton opened the package, pronouncing himself proud “to be part of this community, the birthplace of aviation.” The flight was historic, participants said. Ethan Grob, Kroger’s director of last-mile strategy and product, and Beth Flippo, principal engineer for TELEGRID, the New Jersey company piloting the drones, said that with the exception of test flights in Centerville to “friends and family” of Kroger employees, this was the first official commercial drone delivery of a grocery purchase. Kroger has not done this anywhere else, Grob said. For the time being, there is no charge for delivery via drones. The Kroger drone delivery order website was not live and accepting orders Wednesday afternoon, but Grob said the intention was to take orders from customers living within a mile of the Centerville Kroger Marketplace store “very soon.” For the pilot program, “we’re going to have three live [drones] at a time,” Grob said Wednesday. “But if you think about it, at scale, we should be able to serve as many customer orders that are coming in, within that immediate time slot, right now within a mile of the store, and we hope to expand that going forward.” Today, flights will carry curated, prepackaged orders weighing five to 10 pounds, but probably weighing closer to five pounds, he said. The area of flight is prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration. “We’ll be able to expand that radius as we grow and get more flight hours,” Grob said. The drones are flying beyond the line of a pilot’s visual line of sight, with the pilot assisting and operating the drones mostly during takeoffs and landings. The inaugural flight was not conducted around TELEGRID’s New Jersey headquarters or Kroger’s Cincinnati headquarters. There are good reasons for that, participants said. Beyond-visual-line-of-sight control of drones — sometimes called “BVLOS” — is not new to the Dayton area. In spring 2019, the FAA granted Air Force Research Laboratory a certificate of authorization to test defense-related drone technology without reliance on a visual observer or chase aircraft in and around Springfield. “It’s in the backyard of Kroger,” Grob said. “It’s in the backyard of the birthplace of aviation. It’s a really, really awesome story to bring it here to this community, and all the conditions are right — population density, geography, topography, all those kinds of things.” https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/kroger-launches-first-drone-flight-to-deliver-groceries/ Aviation Alliance Highlights Efforts for Future of Industry As emerging technologies and sustainability continue to capture the attention of the aviation industry and government leaders alike, the Alliance for Aviation Across America is hoping to raise awareness of the importance that such developments play within local communities and the need for collaboration across federal, state, and local leaders to lay the groundwork for these efforts. The Alliance—founded in 2007 to help educate government leaders and the public of the integral role general aviation and airports play in local communities—is building on these efforts with the rollout today of a new microsite that focuses specifically on emerging technologies and sustainability. Also, the organization is hosting a panel discussion this afternoon with local leaders and organizations to discuss the benefits of general aviation investments in emerging technologies and sustainability, and the need for collaborative support. “The general aviation industry has made impressive investments in sustainable fuel and technologies,” the organization stated. “These developments, along with advancements in new and emerging technologies, all represent important areas of growth at a critical time when recovery and mobility remain more important than ever.” To showcase those efforts and grow its outreach, the Alliance developed the microsite in partnership with organizations such as the Main Street Project and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), among many others. The site provides key figures that can be used to educate decision-makers as the aviation community seeks backing for investments, including the fact that advanced air mobility is expected to generate $115 billion in economic output by 2035 supporting 280,000 jobs. Further, the organization points out that the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) market is anticipated to grow from a $66 million market in 2020 to a $15.3 billion market by 2030 and reiterates that general aviation supports $247 billion in economic impact per year and 1.2 million American jobs. The site leads to other web pages, including one on sustainability that highlights efforts underway and explains concepts such as book-and-claim and carbon offsets. Included is a map pointing to areas where SAF may be available. Another webpage details policy and legislative efforts in the areas of workforce development, sustainability, and advanced air mobility. Future plans call for building out the site further with pages that will detail initiatives within the individual states. The Alliance has already developed a full database and an interactive map that discusses the economic impact of general aviation of aviation within each state. Noting the “great hit” that general aviation has taken throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Alliance executive director Selena Shilad said, “When we look toward the future, it is not only about recovery but it is also about growth. What many people don’t realize is that general aviation and business aviation are making significant investments in sustainability and emerging technologies. What many also don’t realize is how these investments are going to benefit local communities and how federal investments and local support are so critical at this time.” Barbara Tolbert, mayor of Arlington, Washington, who is in the district of House aviation subcommittee chairman Rick Larsen (D-Washington), emphasized the need of supporting future technologies and sustainability in her district. Speaking to AIN, she called her local airport, Arlington Municipal, “a key part of the economic engine for the region” and stressed that it underscored its value not only during the pandemic but also the 2014 Oso mudslide that devastated part of the region. Tolbert, who is a pilot, said in the aftermath of the mudslide city officials contemplated how to rebound, they looked to the airport and, in particular, zoning to not only preserve it but boost the economy. They decided to build an industrial region but “didn’t just want to build your grandfather’s industrial center.” Rather, they wanted one that attracted “clean-tech” industries. And she said the city is already seeing the fruits of that effort with Eviation, developer of the nine-seat electric Alice aircraft, moving there as well as the area being in the final running for another company looking to produce a zero-emission electric hydrogen aircraft. “We’re making headway—sooner than I thought on that front,” she said. Key to this is support from federal and state officials. “It’s absolutely, fundamentally important that Congress is behind this,” Tolbert said. “We won’t get there locally.” With the high costs of investment into such technologies, federal investment is critical, she said. Tolbert also believes it is necessary to get the public on board. “I think with the general public, we will always be in an education mode.” But since these technologies focus on the climate and environment, “it is something everyone understands.” But as local leaders educate, Tolbert, who is participating in Thursday’s panel, also stressed the importance that the focus is not only on investment but workforce development. Kansas Secretary of Transportation Julie Lorenz echoed those sentiments, emphasizing “the importance of partnership at the federal, state, and local level to advance on the technology side and sustainability side.” Each partner plays an integral role, she told AIN. “We need to have a three-legged stool.” Moving forward, Lorenz added, “technology is super important and it will help us solve a lot of problems, but it will only help if we adapt and use those technologies.” This will require working through a range of jurisdictional issues to help facilitate that adoption, she added. At the federal level, such efforts could be boosted through legislation exploring the range of issues around the development and implementation of advanced technologies, particularly on the safety side, said Lorenz, who is also participating in Thursday’s panel. At the same time, Lorenz added, “I thoroughly believe that the federal level has a big role to play in foundational research and development. Those sorts of investments pay dividends that you might not see in two seconds but in 20 and 30 and 50 years both in national defense and in commercial development.” The technology side will be easier to manage than the adaptive side and is something that will take collaboration throughout the U.S., she said. Airspace doesn’t end at state boundaries, she said, adding a connected system will require a “ton of collaboration and cooperation and coordination in putting those collective pieces together. I believe that will be the challenge of the next decade. As we move through a transformational time, all those pieces the safety aspect is key for our safety. We have to have proving grounds for that technology.” Within the state, these efforts will require strong partnerships in areas such as workforce development and facilitating initiatives, such as the supersonic corridor that Kansas has established in concert with the FAA. Meanwhiles, local leaders can stress job creation as well as support a range of applications from package delivery to life-supporting flights. “Our state role is to bring the right people to the table to identify with clarity and with safety data what is going to be the requirements to deliver air mobility,” added Bob Brock, aviation director for Kansas. Moderated by Politico transportation report Sam Mintz, the Alliance panel also includes the participation of Bill Holen, commissioner for Arapahoe County in Colorado who is involved with the National Association of Counties; Michael Alaimo, director of environmental and energy affairs for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce; and Niel Ritchie, senior advisor for Main Street Project. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-06-10/aviation-alliance-highlights-efforts-future-industry Insitu Forms Partnership for Drone Operations in the Arctic Insitu, a Boeing subsidiary, has formed a partnership with two Norwegian companies, Robot Aviation and Andøya Space, to build an unmanned aviation ecosystem made for the Arctic and High North, the company announced in a June 8 press release. “The Arctic is a place where, you know, one of the world's most inhospitable environments, kind of collides with the tyranny of incredibly vast distances, right,” Dave Funkhouser, Insitu's Global Growth Executive for Northern Europe, told Avionics International. “There's just nowhere else like it really on Earth, but it also presents enormous opportunities and untapped potential that if it's responsibly developed, it could benefit the entire planet food resources, energy resources mineral resources, things like that. Unmanned aircraft and autonomous systems in general, basically exists to do all dirty and dangerous jobs, but, quite honestly, the reality is most unmanned aircraft systems available on the market today can't handle the Arctic because they were designed to operate primarily in the deserts and mid-latitudes, since that's where most of the conflicts over the past 20 or 25 years.” Most unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that have operated in these environments up to this point have not been optimized for the harsh environments of the region, Funkhouser said. The current technology that would equip an aircraft for these environments is made for larger commercial aircraft that can break or shake ice off of the airplane, however, drones have strict weight and power limitations that would make current methods unusable. “Traditionally the way you fix that on a commercial airliner is a lot of heating elements and or pneumatic equipment that basically breaks and shakes the ice off the airplane,” Funkhouser said. “Well, that's great on a big airliner but on smaller aircraft such as Insitu makes, it's difficult to implement those kinds of technologies either because of the size weight and power limitations, or just the complexity.” The partnership will focus on the whole UAS ecosystem including drone services. An example of this would be the Integrated Remote Sensing for the Arctic Project (IRSA) which Boeing and international partners participate in, Funkhouser said. This project would create a persistent network of autonomous systems to monitor the Arctic, North Atlantic, the Norwegian Sea, etc. “Basically, imagine if every fishing fleet, every shipping company, every offshore energy company…have the ability to log on to a network and take a real-time look at what's happening in a given spot in the Arctic,” Funkhouser said. “We think that would be a pretty valuable service, and in order to provide that we would need platforms that are able to not just survive but thrive in the arctic environment.” The partnership will start with an exercise hosted this summer called ArcticX21 which will be a demonstration of the IRSA Development Group’s capabilities for Arctic service, Funkhouser said. “At Andøya’s facility, the IRSA Development Group…will be hosting the first ever exercise called ArcticX21, where we bring several of these capabilities together same time, same place, link them all together, develop the techniques and procedures for employing them together basically in a controlled exercise style environment,” Funkhouser said. “The idea is to learn how to make everything communicate together and function together as one system and present all of that data in a common operating picture that eventually will become the basis of the IRSA project.” https://www.aviationtoday.com/2021/06/10/insitu-forms-partnership-drone-operations-arctic/ First Rescue Helicopter Flies on Sustainable Aviation Fuel A rescue helicopter has flown on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the first time, achieving a new milestone in international aviation. Operated by the German non-profit organization ADAC Luftrettung, the Airbus H145 rescue helicopter has its Arriel 2E engines ceremonially refuelled with biofuel, a type of SAF, at the air rescue station at Munich's Harlaching Clinic in the presence of the ADAC Foundation's board of directors, as well as the managing directors and top management of ADAC Luftrettung, the engine manufacturer Safran Helicopter Engines, the helicopter manufacturer Airbus Helicopters, and the energy company TotalEnergies. Together, these companies will be a driving force in the decarbonisation of helicopter flight by moving away from fossil fuels. The biofuel fueling the H145 is a second-generation biofuel - the SAF of choice of the aviation industry - which significantly reduces CO2 emissions because they are produced from residual and waste materials, usually from the food industry, such as used vegetable oils and fats. As a result, the fuel has no negative impact on agricultural food production. The fuel used for the first rescue helicopter flight in Munich was produced by TotalEnergies at its refinery in Normandy from used cooking oil. With this SAF, the ADAC Luftrettung fleet could achieve a 33 percent reduction in CO2 emissions, which, with more than 50,000 rescue missions and more than 3.3 million kilometers flown per year, equates to a reduction of around 6,000 tons of CO2. ADAC Luftrettung and engine manufacturer Safran Helicopter Engines share the same ambition to contribute to the development of SAF usage including up to 100%. To this effect they are launching a project with one ADAC rescue helicopter in Cologne. The project will study all aspects of biofuel usage on the H145, with an operational campaign to start as early as summer 2021. Following the biofuel premiere, the managing directors of the two companies, Frédéric Bruder, managing director of ADAC Luftrettung, and Franck Saudo, CEO Safran Helicopter Engines, signed a long-term agreement on SAF, which envisages increasing the blending ratio of biofuel to up to 100 percent in the coming years and subsequently also promoting the use of synthetic e-fuel, also known as Power-To-Liquid kerosene (PTL), another drop-in alternative to fossil fuels, which along with the use of biofuel will allow aviation to get closer to climate-neutral aviation. PTL refers to the generation of liquid fuels produced using electrical energy from renewable sources. Biofuel is currently certified and approved for aviation use in a maximum blend of 50 percent with conventional kerosene of the JET-A1 type. The ADAC rescue helicopter was flown on a 40 percent blend. Dr. Andrea David, CEO of the non-profit ADAC Foundation, to which ADAC Luftrettung belongs, said that, "for us, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel pilot project is a first big step on the way to a climate-neutral ADAC Foundation and air rescue service, and our contribution as a non-profit organisation to achieving the climate protection goals of Germany and Europe." "We want to be a pioneer in reducing CO2 in emergency medical services with environmentally friendly kerosene. This means we must also develop air rescue technologically so that the use of SAF is future-proof in the longer term. To achieve this, we have strong partners at our side,” addedFrédéric Bruder. “Importantly, SAF is an officially approved fuel, which means that flight and patient safety remain at the highest level.” Franck Saudo says: "Safran is leading engine industry efforts to reduce helicopter carbone dioxyde emissions. Along with this historic first flight, we signed an agreement with ADAC Luftrettung to expand the use of SAF in their Safran-powered helicopter fleet. All Safran engines are certified to operate on up to 50 percent sustainable fuel, including biofuel. Our goal is to reach 100 percent." Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, says: “Pioneering sustainable aviation is a clear ambition for Airbus and enabling the use of sustainable aviation fuel is an important milestone for our industry. Today's event is the first step in reinforcing Airbus Helicopters' position of having the lowest CO2 emission product range in the world.” Christian Cabrol, Managing Director TOTAL Germany, adds: "TotalEnergies has set itself the target to get to net-zero emissions together with society by 2050. By developing biofuels, we are helping our aviation industry customers reduce the carbon intensity of the energy products they use. Our biokerosene (SAF) can be used directly and without any modification to the logistical infrastructure for storage and distribution or to the aircraft and engines. We are experiencing this in practice today. Last March, we successfully started producing sustainable aviation fuels in France and will now continue this in Germany.” https://www.aviationpros.com/engines-components/aircraft-engines/electric-green-engine-technology/press-release/21225915/safran-group-first-rescue-helicopter-flies-on-sustainable-aviation-fuel GE Aviation Begins Construction of Ohio Assembly Plant BEAVERCREEK, OH—GE Aviation has begun construction of a new assembly plant here that will make components for jet engines to power civil and military aircraft. “This project is setting the stage for the future of this business by allowing us to serve our customers better due to lean productivity and an increase in flexibility as a workforce, that will improve and maintain our competitiveness for the future,” said Kristie West, general manager of GE Aviation. The 280,000 square foot facility is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2022 and fully operational by the end of 2022. The new facility will optimize manufacturing operations and advanced technology development into one facility, combining operations from seven buildings into one. GE currently has approximately 400 hourly and salaried employees who will be located at the new facility. GE Aviation’s new facility will focus on new technology development as well as new product introduction. The facility will develop and manufacture gas turbine engine components and mechanical systems for a variety of industries, including aviation, space, defense, and oil and gas. https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/96420-ge-aviation-begins-construction-of-ohio-assembly-plant An Uncrewed Drone Has Refueled A Piloted Jet In Midair For The First Time On June 4, the uncrewed Boeing MQ-25 T1 test asset demonstrated for the first time air-to-air refueling with a F/A-18 super hornet. As you can see in the footage released by the U.S. Navy, the drone extended its hose and rogue and was able to deliver jet fuel to the military aircraft behind it, fulfilling its primary mission. Although a test, both aircraft were flying at the speed and altitudes expected in an actual scenario. This was the 25th T1 flight. The uncrewed aircraft has been tested extensively in preparation of an actual refueling event. The Navy paid Boeing $805 million to build the first four MQ-25 aircraft and then paid another $84.7 million to bring the number of drones to seven. "This team of professionals was integral in the successful flight," Rear Adm. Brian Corey, who oversees the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, said in a statement. "Over the next few years, we will work side-by-side with Boeing to deliver this capability that will greatly enhance the future carrier air wing." "This history-making event is a credit to our joint Boeing and Navy team that is all-in on delivering MQ-25's critical aerial refueling capability to the fleet as soon as possible," added Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. "Their work is the driving force behind the safe and secure integration of unmanned systems in the immediate future of defense operations." The testing will continue in preparation for MQ-25 T1 to be tested on a U.S. Navy carrier later this year. https://www.iflscience.com/technology/drone-performs-first-uncrewed-aerial-refuelling-of-another-vehicle/ SpaceX drone ship heads to the Bahamas for its ride to California SpaceX’s longest-lived and most prolific drone ship has departed Port Canaveral just a few days after preparations appeared to begin for a several-thousand-mile journey from Florida to California. Known as Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY), a name derived from late science fiction author Iain Banks’ Culture universe, the drone ship supported its first Falcon booster landing attempt in March 2016 and successfully recovered a booster two months later. In the five years since that inaugural ocean landing, drone ship OCISLY has supported 52 attempted Falcon booster landings and successfully recovered Falcon 9 first stages 45 times – all in the Atlantic Ocean. Formerly stationed in California, drone ship Just Read The Instructions (JRTI) was transported from Port of Los Angeles to Port Canaveral, inspected, and substantially upgraded between August 2019 and May 2020. SpaceX relocated the vessel to give its East Coast fleet a redundant pair of drone ships and enable a launch cadence boost otherwise unachievable. That decision proved smart and SpaceX has made excellent use of both drone ships, completing an incredible 36 orbital Falcon 9 launches, 36 landing attempts, and 35 successful booster recoveries in the 12 months since JRTI entered service alongside OCISLY on the East Coast. Now, though, SpaceX once again needs a drone ship on the West Coast to support a significant number of polar Starlink launches and missions for US government customers after completing just two launches out of Vandenberg Air/Space Force Base (VAFB) in the last 24 months. Targeting an average cadence of one VAFB launch per month, the first phase of SpaceX’s Starlink constellation – ~4400 satellites – will require approximately two dozen dedicated Falcon 9 launches to fill out three ‘shells’ of polar-orbiting spacecraft. Once the constellation is outfitted with laser interlinks, polar-orbiting Starlink satellites will allow SpaceX to truly deliver internet anywhere on Earth while also enabling access to growing markets for in-flight and maritime connectivity. Curiously, SpaceXFleet.com and NextSpaceflight’s Michael Baylor have confirmed that drone ship OCISLY is headed for the Bahamas before traveling to the Panama Canal and will reportedly be loaded onto a semi-submersible heavy-lift transport ship called Mighty Servant 1. Normally tasked with lifting multiple stacked barges, building-sized oil and gas equipment, and entire ships, MS1 will instead transport OCISLY through the Panama Canal and to Port of Long Beach with the drone ship resting on its raised deck. Why isn’t entirely clear but using a transporter like Mighty Servant 1 – while expensive – could expedite the journey by ~30%, make squeezing a ~53-meter-wide barge through a 55-meter-wide canal less anxiety-provoking, and ultimately allow SpaceX to stick to a schedule that would see it kick off West Coast Starlink launches this July. https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-drone-ship-ocisly-bahamas-california/ Curt Lewis