July 15, 2021 - No. 55 In This Issue : SWISS Becomes First Commercial Airline to Fly from Switzerland with Sustainable Aviation Fuel : Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF): the future fuel of aircraft? : SITA buys sustainable aviation tech provider Safety Line : Exclusive-Canada to back Pratt & Whitney turboprop hybrid engine technology -sources : GKN Aerospace leads new Swedish National project on hydrogen propulsion : Qarbon Aerospace Launches Helios Ice Protection™ System: A Generational Leap in Aircraft Icing Protection and Performance : New EU fuel tax can prompt funds for electric and hydrogen aircraft, says GlobalData : United Airlines signs up for electric aircraft launching by 2026 : Universal Hydrogen signs LOIs with 3 carriers for hydrogen-powered aircraft : JetBlue To Replace All The iPads It Has Given To Pilots : U.S. warns SpaceX its new Texas launch site tower not yet approved SWISS Becomes First Commercial Airline to Fly from Switzerland with Sustainable Aviation Fuel Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has teamed up with Neste, one of the world’s leading sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) providers to establish the first-ever end-to-end logistics chain for importing SAF to Switzerland. This makes SWISS the first commercial airline to use SAF in its scheduled flight operations from Switzerland. Aircraft fuel with a biogenic component has been importable to and usable in Switzerland since 1 July 2021, thanks to new customs provisions. “We are delighted to have received the first delivery of our own-sourced SAF into Switzerland so soon after these new customs regulations came into force,” says SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx. “For years now, SWISS and the Lufthansa Group have been lobbying for the import of sustainable aviation fuels, because these will be the key technology for the mid-to-long term future in enabling us to achieve our climate goals for 2030 using present aircraft powerplant technologies. We would like to thank everyone who has been involved in establishing this new process and has worked to make it happen – especially the Swiss customs authorities, Flughafen Zürich AG, Avenergy and Neste.” First SAF Delivery Sufficient for Over 175 Flights SWISS’s first delivery of neat SAF amounts to more than 460 tonnes. With SWISS’s highly advanced aircraft such as the A32Xneo family, this is mathematically sufficient to fuel more than 175 flights. SAF will be fuelled at Zurich Airport via the conventional hydrant system. The Neste SAF blend is Jet A-1 certificated, and can be used just like fossil jet fuel on all aircraft types without any modifications required to the aircraft or its engines. “This is a milestone for Swiss aviation on the sustainability front,” Vranckx continues. “We are proud to be the first airline to have laid the foundations for SAF to be used in scheduled flight operations in Switzerland. Because this, combined with our highly advanced aircraft fleet, really enables responsible air travel.” Neste’s SAF is made from sustainably-sourced renewable waste and residue raw materials. In its neat form, and viewed over its full life cycle, its use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 per cent compared to fossil fuels. Its production was certificated for its sustainability credentials by the independent Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) in April of this year. Neste can draw on many years of experience in producing biofuels, and also on a long-standing and fruitful collaboration with the Lufthansa Group. “We are very pleased to welcome SWISS to the ever-growing ranks of major airlines that are using SAF,” says Jonathan Wood, Neste’s vice president Europe, renewable aviation. “This first-ever delivery of SAF to Switzerland for commercial airline use is a major milestone for us at Neste, too.” SWISS customers can use Compensaid to help promote the use of SAF This first SAF import is thanks not least to the environmental commitment of SWISS’s customers via the Compensaid platform. Through a partnership that was established in 2019, SWISS offers its customers the option, when booking their flight, of buying sustainable aviation fuel via Compensaid to reduce the carbon emissions caused by their air travel. “A next step,” says SWISS CEO Vranckx, “must be to scale up the production of SAF, which is still very expensive, to bring its price down closer to those of fossil fuels. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers who have opted to buy SAF via Compensaid and, in doing so, have made their own valuable contribution to reducing carbon emissions.” SAF a Key Technology for Carbon-Neutral Flying SAF has a vital role to play in decarbonizing air transport. In view of this, SWISS considers it crucial that the commercialization and market introduction of SAF should be driven and promoted in an internationally coordinated way. With its first import of SAF to Switzerland and its associated actions to establish full SAF logistics, SWISS is underlining its own intention to support SAF’s market introduction. “We have set ourselves ambitious climate goals,” Vranckx confirms. “We aim to halve our net carbon dioxide emissions from their 2019 level by 2030, and to have net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. By investing billions in a state-of-the-art aircraft fleet, partnering to promote SAF and making further product and process refinements, we are playing our own SWISS part in giving travel a more sustainable future.” SWISS has been working together with the Lufthansa Group for several years now to promote research into and the trialing and adoption of sustainable aviation fuels. The Lufthansa Group was doing pioneering work here as early as 2011, when it conducted the world’s first long-term trials of biofuels in Lufthansa’s scheduled flight operations in cooperation with Neste. https://www.aviationpros.com/airlines/press-release/21230399/swiss-international-air-lines-swiss-becomes-first-commercial-airline-to-fly-from-switzerland-with-sustainable-aviation-fuel Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF): the future fuel of aircraft? Derived from biomass, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use can result in an 80% drop in CO₂ emissions, as well as significantly less particulates and sulphur, in comparison to fossil fuel-derived kerosene. Under current regulations, most SAFs are certified for a blend of up to 50% with kerosene. Lack of suitable infrastructure and supply chains means the use of SAF accounts for less than 1% of flights globally, but environmental pressures faced by governments and the aviation industry look to change this. According to GlobalData’s thematic report ‘ESG in Aerospace and Defense’, defence accounts for 50% of emissions made by the central Government in the UK. Therefore, to meet net-zero targets by 2050, there will be increasing pressure to reduce this. Whilst hydrogen and electric aircraft are both promising technologies, both are future technologies so they cannot be used to reduce current emissions. In contrast, SAF has already been in use for ten years. However, the heavy investment required has prevented its widespread use. Rebecca Tearle, intern at GlobalData comments: “Success in the research into 100% SAF jet engines by companies like Airbus and Rolls-Royce can allow for SAF to maintain a strong position even with the introduction of hydrogen and electric aircraft, that need special storage tanks or batteries which add considerably to aircraft weight. It is also highly likely that current technology can be repurposed, or modified minimally, rather than requiring completely new infrastructure. “Recent news of a £15m grant scheme run by Jet Zero Council UK looks to develop production at scale from everyday household waste is a step in the right direction. If properly invested in, SAF has huge potential to grow as it is the current solution to decrease aircraft emissions. Whilst electric and hydrogen aircraft will be a major turning point for the industry, such technology requires further development before it can be widely used. Emissions need to be cut, from both an ethical and economic standpoint, as governments tackle the climate crisis and will look to target big emitters. “Looking to the future, it is likely SAF will have a place alongside both hydrogen and electric aircraft which is demonstrated by the research done into all three technologies by the major players in aircraft manufacturing. These three individual technologies will provide their own advantages, with aircraft of the future likely to have the fuel most suited to their application.” https://www.aerospace-technology.com/comment/sustainable-aviation-fuel/ SITA buys sustainable aviation tech provider Safety Line Information technology company SITA has taken over Safety Line SAS, a France-based start-up focusing on digital technologies for aviation safety and efficiency, to facilitate sustainable aviation. The deal is expected to fortify SITA’s Digital Day of Operations portfolio, enabling airlines to operate more efficiently and reduce their carbon footprint by minimising fuel consumption. SITA stated that the acquisition will speed up its development of sustainable technologies that can be incorporated into its current suite of airline and airport solutions. The company further noted that Safety Line offers ‘significant improvements’ to aircraft operations through predictive analytics, complementing SITA’s current portfolio. The takeover comes on the heels of the commercial partnership that was signed between the two firms last September. The partnership was aimed at aiding airlines to cut down their carbon emissions with OptiFlight. A predictive in-flight fuel efficiency solution, OptiFlight uses machine learning performance models for each aeroplane to improve all flight phases such as climb-out, cruise and descent. This solution, which is completely integrated with current applications in SITA’s Digital Day of Operations portfolio, has been installed by Air France, Transavia Airlines, Aerologic and Condor. As part of the deal, Safety Line’s AirsideWatch will enable SITA to develop its airport offering to airside operations. This solution deploys surface movement radar data for optimising and assessing the ground traffic of aircraft between gates and runways, aiming to minimise unnecessary emissions. In a statement, SITA said: “With safety being a key pillar in aviation alongside efficiency, the acquisition also covers SafetyCube, a solution that enables aviation stakeholders to pro-actively manage their safety and compliance. “Key customers include large airports such as Paris-CDG and Paris-Orly or OEMs such as Airbus Helicopters, as well as airlines and ATM providers, all of which also compose SITA’s main customer base. SITA will, therefore, be able to expand its offering to include safety-enhancing services to existing customers.” In 2019, SITA acquired Software Design, an Italian firm specialising in custom software solutions for airports. Software Design was acquired from its managing shareholders and 2i Aeroporti, a joint venture (JV) between Italian infrastructure fund F2i and private investment house Ardian. In 2018, SITA purchased MEXIA Interactive, a Canada-based curb-to-gate passenger analytics provider for the air transport industry. https://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/sita-buys-safety-line/ Exclusive-Canada to back Pratt & Whitney turboprop hybrid engine technology -sources MONTREAL (Reuters) -Canada is expected to announce government support for Pratt & Whitney to bring a hybrid engine to first flight, as the country eyes a broader role in developing new technologies to lower emissions, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The unspecified "co-investment" toward a demonstration flight of the hybrid engine for regional turboprops is part of a wider announcement for aerospace expected on Thursday, they said. It would be Canada's latest support for the local branch of the U.S. engine maker, a division of Raytheon Technologies Corp. Canada is part of a select group of aircraft-producing nations, alongside the United States, Europe and Brazil, but its most well-known planemaker, Bombardier, exited commercial aviation in 2020. Pratt & Whitney, which dominates the turboprop market, has been working toward a flight demonstration of an integrated hybrid engine under an effort called Project 804. Testing is to be performed on a De Havilland Canada Dash-8 100 turboprop. Previously, Pratt said the hybrid-electric propulsion system could yield an average fuel savings of 30% for regional prop planes. Pratt, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd, and a spokesman for Champagne declined comment. Sources declined to be identified as the information is not public. Separately, Pratt’s senior fellow for advanced technology, Michael Winter said in a June interview with Reuters that the pandemic led the company to review its plans for a demonstration of the hybrid prop engine. It was supposed to make its initial flight by 2022, according to news reports. Pratt expects a demonstration flight to occur "between now and the middle of the decade," he said. "We used the opportunity – again the tactical pause if you will – to think very hard and carefully about what the right partnership should look like in order for us to go do ultimately a flight demonstrator of a regional turboprop," he said. Pratt is also working with U.S. space agency NASA over a competition to help fund a flight demonstrator of a hybrid engine for narrowbody jets by around 2025, Winter said. Some technology developed from Pratt's hybrid prop engine in Canada could transfer to other products, such as engines for air taxis and lucrative single-aisle jets. In April, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government outlined C$1.75 billion ($1.41 billion) for aerospace, while boosting its Net Zero Accelerator initiative, which helps large emitters reduce their carbon footprint, to C$8 billion. The net zero program offers companies loans, but some portion of the loan may not have to be repaid if certain targets are met, a government spokesman said. Previous Canadian government loans for Pratt & Whitney Canada and other Canadian aerospace firms have drawn criticism from the World Trade Organization in a series of trade cases, though Ottawa says it has complied with all WTO rulings. This year, Brazil ended a trade complaint against Canada over aircraft subsidies, instead calling for broader negotiations. "Our government takes international obligations seriously and our innovation support measures are compliant with international trade rules," said John Power, a spokesman for Canadian Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne. Regarding previous loans, Power said "Pratt and Whitney is fulfilling its contractual obligations to the government of Canada." https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-canada-back-pratt-whitney-163430401.html GKN Aerospace leads new Swedish National project on hydrogen propulsion GKN Aerospace is leading a Swedish national collaboration programme called H2JET, aiming to develop technical solutions for three important engine subsystems for H2-propulsion of medium range civil aircraft. The two-year project, which started this month, sees GKN Aerospace collaborate with the Swedish Energy Agency,Chalmers University of Technology, Lund University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, University West, Research institutes of Sweden (RISE) and Oxeon. Hydrogen is expected to play a key role in the decarbonisation strategy of aviation as it can power aircraft efficiently, leaving water as the only by-product. Power can be generated by either direct combustion, the focus of H2JET, or by generating onboard electrical power by use of a fuel cell, the focus of GKN Aerospace’s ‘H2GEAR’ program launched earlier this year. Whilst H2GEAR is exploring a liquid hydrogen propulsion system for sub-regional aircraft, H2JET will explore hydrogen combustion powered turboprop or turbofan engines for the single aisle market for potential entry into service on intra-European routes in 2035. H2JET puts GKN Aerospace at the heart of the technology developments needed for the future of more sustainable aviation. This would create a new generation of clean air travel, eliminating harmful CO2 emissions. By validating subsystem- and component technologies for hydrogen combustion engines, H2JET will speed up the development of vital international engine- and aircraft demonstrator programmes, such as Clean Aviation Partnership in the recently launched EU framework programme Horizon Europe. Europe’s aviation sector has committed to an ambitious plan to reach net zero CO2 emissions, presented earlier this year as Destination 2050. The Destination 2050 roadmap shows a possible pathway that combines new technologies, improved operations, sustainable aviation fuels and economic measures. Hydrogen propulsion technology provides one of the most promising opportunities to decarbonize global aviation. Henrik Runnemalm, Vice President GKN Aerospace Global Technology Centre in Trollhättan, Sweden said: ”We are excited by this project and with the support from Swedish Energy Agency which makes it possible. We will be able to build on our long experience of hydrogen technology from Europe’s Ariane rocket launcher, as well as our unique capabilities in light-weight design and advanced manufacturing technology to help shape a sustainable future for aviation.” https://www.suasnews.com/2021/07/gkn-aerospace-leads-new-swedish-national-project-on-hydrogen-propulsion/ Qarbon Aerospace Launches Helios Ice Protection™ System: A Generational Leap in Aircraft Icing Protection and Performance RED OAK, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Qarbon Aerospace, Inc. (Qarbon Aerospace) announced today the launch of the Helios Ice Protection™ System. This exciting new system advances aircraft icing protection technology, overcoming challenges that exist with legacy systems. Helios is an all composite, highly efficient and reliable electro-thermal icing protection system that embeds a carbon fiber thermoplastic heating element into the leading edge structure of wings, nacelles, or empennages. Qarbon Aerospace views this technology as a natural fit to replace pneumatic boots, bleed air, and other legacy icing protection technology. Qarbon Aerospace has chosen to partner with AIR Group as the worldwide distributor of Helios. Together, Qarbon Aerospace and AIR Group will target airlines operating turboprop aircraft where there would be value in reducing the maintenance costs, replacement expenses, and operational limits imposed by pneumatic boots. “Significant technology and manufacturing development have positioned Helios Ice Protection™ to be a leap forward in safety when flying into known icing conditions. Extensive icing tunnel and operational evaluation tests have proven Helios is an efficient, low power and reliable solution for icing protection.” – Evan Young, Head of Engineering for Qarbon Aerospace “AIR has been supporting turboprop operators around the world for over 20 years. Our team of highly experienced professionals offer class leading around the clock AOG service from our distribution facility near DFW Airport in Texas. We believe Helios brings our customers a whole new level of value and safety, and we are proud to have been selected as Qarbon Aerospace’s partner for the supply of Helios and look forward to stocking and supporting this advanced technology system.” – Morgan Whitehead, Vice President of Operations for AIR Group About Qarbon Aerospace: Qarbon Aerospace, headquartered in Red Oak, Texas, is a leading provider of large, complex composite and metallic structural components and assemblies such as fuselages, wings, flight control surfaces, and engine nacelles and components. Qarbon Aerospace operates nearly two million square feet of factory space across three facilities located in Red Oak, Texas, Milledgeville, Georgia, and Rayong, Thailand. Qarbon Aerospace has vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities from component fabrication through large-scale assembly as well as world-leading proprietary thermoplastics technologies. Qarbon Aerospace has longstanding relationships with blue-chip OEM customers and a diversified product portfolio across a variety of successful commercial, defense, and business jet platforms. Qarbon Aerospace has the capabilities and resources to solve the market’s toughest challenges with Quality Assured. About AIR Group: AIR Group is a vertically integrated regional and turboprop aviation organization with capabilities in global distribution and parts support programs (Aviation Inventory Resources - www.avinvres.com), manufacturing and FAA/EASA 145 repair station operation (Aviation Repair Resources - www.goarr.com) and airborne research, development and testing (Airborne Imaging - www.airborneimaging.net). Through a philosophy of tight integration with our customers operations, we provide insight, expertise and resources to maximize dispatch reliability and profitability. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210714005929/en/Qarbon-Aerospace-Launches-Helios-Ice-Protection%E2%84%A2-System-A-Generational-Leap-in-Aircraft-Icing-Protection-and-Performance New EU fuel tax can prompt funds for electric and hydrogen aircraft, says GlobalData For the first time, Brussels is proposing the introduction of an EU wide tax on aviation kerosene, in order to advance its attempts to meet key climate goals – including a core goal of reducing carbon emissions by 55% by 2030. The proposed legislation will slowly ramp up taxes on polluting aviation fuels over the next ten years, and over the same period zero-emission fuels, such as green hydrogen, will face no taxes. William Davies, associate analyst at GlobalData comments: “Research and investment in new technologies, including electric aircraft and hydrogen aircraft, has already been increasing in recent years, but higher fuel taxes will provide more incentive for the growth of green technologies and motivate key industry players to take the technologies more seriously” The GlobalData report Electric Aircraft in Aerospace and Defense highlights that increasing consumer demand for climate-friendly aviation is a primary driver behind industry investment and government support for these projects, including EU funding as part of its ‘Clean Sky 2’ project. However, the report also highlights that technological constraints, including battery energy density, stand in the way of wide-body commercial electric aircraft. Davies continues: “Funding for clean aircraft will increase as a result of this tax, but there are significant technological hurdles that will need to be overcome in order for alternative fuels to become widespread. Electric and hydrogen aircraft are both in the nascent stage of development and are unlikely to enter widespread commercial use in the next ten years.” Another alternative, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a ready alternative to kerosene, this can be made using biological sources and produces up to 80% less carbon over its lifecycle. Companies including Airbus and Rolls Royce are investing in the development of jet engines that can be powered purely on SAF, instead of a blend with traditional jet fuel presently used. The tax faces political hurdles, and all 27 member states will have to agree for the bill to become law – but there is strong support within the EU for the movement and specifically the promotion of environmentally friendly fuels. Previously, aviation fuel was exempt from fuel taxes, but the EU says that exceptions for cargo flights would remain in place and a minimum tax for commercial flights is yet to be decided. https://www.aerospace-technology.com/comment/eu-fuel-tax-electric-hydrogen-aircraft/ United Airlines signs up for electric aircraft launching by 2026 United Airlines’ venture capital fund, United Airlines Ventures (UAV) has announced that it has invested in Heart Aerospace, an electric aircraft startup developing the ES-19, a 19-seat electric aircraft that has the potential to fly customers up to 250 miles. In addition to UAV’s investment, United Airlines has conditionally agreed to purchase 100 ES-19s, once the aircraft meet its safety, business and operating requirements. Mesa Airlines, United’s strategic partner in bringing electric aircraft into commercial service, has also agreed to add 100 ES-19 aircraft to its fleet, subject to similar requirements. In June United Airlines also signed a commercial agreement with Boom Supersonic to purchase up to 50 Mach 1.7 Overture airliners, which will run on up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel UAV is a fund focusing on sustainability concepts that will complement United’s goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets. UAV is working with Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), both among the first investors in Heart Aerospace, and they believe they can help fast-track the ES-19’s introduction to market as early as 2026. “Breakthrough Energy Ventures is the leading voice of investors who are supporting clean-energy technology creation. We share their view that we have to build companies who have real potential to change how industries operate and, in our case, that means investing in companies like Heart Aerospace who are developing a viable electric airliner,” said Michael Leskinen, United’s VP of corporate development & investor relations, as well as UAV’s president. Heart’s zero operational emissions target for the ES-19 would be achieved by using a proprietary electric motor technology instead of jet engines, and batteries instead of jet fuel. With seating for 19 passengers, the ES-19 would be larger than any of its all-electric competitors, operate using the same types of batteries used in electric vehicles, and offer low operating costs. As Anders Forslund, CEO of Heart Aerospace stated, “Electric aircraft are happening now – the technology is already here.” Once operational the ES-19 could operate on more than 100 of United’s regional routes out of most of its hubs, including Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Purdue University Airport (LAF) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Modesto City-County Airport (MOD). “Aviation is such a critical piece of our global economy. At the same time, it’s a major source of carbon emissions and one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise,” said Carmichael Roberts, founder of Breakthrough Energy Ventures. “We believe electric aircraft can be transformational in reducing the emissions of the industry, and enable low cost, quiet and clean regional travel on a broad scale.” “We expect the short-haul regional air travel market to play a key role in the evolution of the electric aircraft. As battery technology improves, larger-gauge aircraft should become viable but we’re not going to wait to begin the journey,” added United’s Michael Leskinen. “That’s why we’re looking forward to beginning our work with Heart, so that, together, we can scale the availability of electric airliners and use them for passenger flights within the next five years.” https://www.aircraftinteriorsinternational.com/news/airline-news/united-airlines-signs-up-for-electric-aircraft-launching-by-2026.html Universal Hydrogen signs LOIs with 3 carriers for hydrogen-powered aircraft Universal Hydrogen (earlier post) has signed LOIs with Icelandair Group (Iceland), Air Nostrum (Spain), and Ravn Air (Alaska) for aftermarket conversion of aircraft to hydrogen propulsion and for the supply of green hydrogen fuel using Universal Hydrogen’s modular capsules. Icelandair. Universal Hydrogen signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Icelandair Group under which Icelandair and Universal Hydrogen will pursue the implementation of green hydrogen as a propellant for Icelandair’s domestic aircraft fleet. Universal Hydrogen is enabling this transformation with its aftermarket hydrogen conversion kit for regional aircraft, as well as its fuel distribution system based on modular hydrogen capsule technology. For Universal Hydrogen and Icelandair, this LOI is the first step of an ambitious multilateral initiative, which requires working with Icelandic hydrogen producers, transportation companies, and airports. In a country with an electricity network powered by renewable energy, this represents an opportunity to decarbonize one of the most challenging industries—aviation. Given a positive outcome of the project and upon completion of the Dash 8 conversions of the Icelandair domestic fleet, Universal Hydrogen and Icelandair would enter into a long-term fuel services contract to provide cost-effective green hydrogen for Icelandair’s fleet at scale. The net outcome of this relationship is to realize operational efficiencies as sustainability objectives are achieved. Air Nostrum. Under the terms of the LOI with Air Nostrum, a regional airline based in Valencia, Spain, Air Nostrum would purchase eleven of Universal Hydrogen’s turboprop conversion kits for use across its existing and future fleet. These kits encompass a hydrogen fuel cell and electric motor that replaces the aircraft’s existing turboprop engine. They also provide for compatibility with Universal Hydrogen’s modular hydrogen capsule technology that allows for the delivery of hydrogen to any airport without any purpose-built infrastructure. Alongside the aircraft conversions, Universal Hydrogen would become Air Nostrum’s long-term green hydrogen service provider. The conversion of Air Nostrum’s turboprop fleet to a Universal Hydrogen-powered, zero-carbon configuration would be concluded after an operational evaluation of the design and performance. The aircraft are expected to have equivalent or better unit economics compared to the existing fleet. Ravn Air. Under the terms of this LOI, Ravn is committed to purchasing five of Universal Hydrogen’s conversion kits that will integrate the company’s modular hydrogen capsule technology and hydrogen powertrain into Ravn’s growing regional turboprop fleet. In a transportation segment that is critical to the way of life in Alaska, the conversions will provide a zero-carbon solution for both passenger and cargo services. https://www.greencarcongress.com/2021/07/20210715-uh.html JetBlue To Replace All The iPads It Has Given To Pilots JetBlue will replace all of its iPads issued to pilots in the coming months and years. The airline is upgrading to the new M1 chip iPad Pro, released by Apple in April. The new device will future-proof JetBlue’s cockpit and ensure pilots have access to the most modern technology while flying. Upgrade In a statement yesterday, JetBlue announced that it has begun equipping its pilots with the new Apple iPad Pro, featuring the M1 chip. New pilots will receive the device immediately, while existing ones will see replacements for their older iPads over time. The carrier has not set a timeline for the phase-out of older devices, likely making this a multi-year or months-long process. Pilots use iPads while flying for several important tasks, including operational tracking, weather and turbulence monitoring, system maintenance checks, and accessing manuals in-flight. This makes these devices critical to a safe flight and explains why JetBlue is willing to spend thousands of dollars in modernizing its technology. JetBlue employs over 3,600 pilots in total, making this an expensive undertaking for the airline. However, the airline believes inducting the latest M1 iPad Pro will bring a host of benefits for pilots. The latest iPad is lighter, features a new, brighter retina display, and comes with cutting-edge performance thanks to the M1 processor (the same one found in the new Macbook Air and Pro). The addition of the M1 iPad Pros will mean JetBlue won’t have to invest in new ones for at least a few years too. In a statement, JetBlue’s Director of Communications, Navigation, Surveillance and Technical Programs, Captain Chuck Cook, said, “Not only will the new iPad Pro with M1 take our pilots to the next level of advanced technology, but also future-proof JetBlue with top-of-the-line hardware for years to come.” Up-to-date When it comes to technology, JetBlue prides itself on being up-to-date. The carrier received FAA approval to use iPads in the cockpit in 2013 and has since issued them to all pilots. Access to real-time information can be extremely helpful during the flight, allowing for easier communications and active monitoring of weather activity to avoid turbulence. However, JetBlue is not the only airline pursuing a modernization program. In April, Delta announced that it would issue 19,000 iPhone 12s to its flight attendants across the airline. This would allow access to AT&T’s 5G network, making Delta the first carrier to offer coverage. The iPhone 12 offers cabin crew several benefits, namely faster access to passenger information, access safety videos, and even use Augmented Reality (AR) to locate items. The coming years will see airlines globally shifting towards modern technology for inflight operations. By reducing paper usage and offering real-time updates, mobiles and tablets are a huge boost for crew everywhere. https://simpleflying.com/jetblue-ipad-replacement/ U.S. warns SpaceX its new Texas launch site tower not yet approved WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned Elon Musk’s space company SpaceX that its environmental review of a new tower at its Boca Chica launch site in Texas is incomplete and the agency could order SpaceX to take down the tower. An FAA spokesman said on Wednesday that the agency’s environmental review underway of SpaceX’s proposed rocket assembly “integration tower” is “underway,” and added that “the company is building the tower at its own risk.” A May 6 letter from the FAA to SpaceX seen by Reuters said recent construction activity on one of the two proposed towers “may complicate the ongoing environmental review process for the Starship/Super Heavy Launch Vehicle Program.” The FAA letter said the tower could be as high as 480 feet. Based on the environmental review, the FAA could order SpaceX to take down the tower. “It is possible that changes would have to be made at the launch site, including to the integration towers to mitigate significant impacts,” the May 6 letter said, adding the FAA learned of the tower’s construction “based on publicly available video footage.” SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment but Musk has repeatedly criticized the FAA and the U.S. regulatory system. SpaceX told the FAA in May that it did not believe the review was necessary because it only intends to use the “integration tower for production, research, and development purposes and not for FAA-licensed or -permitted launches,” the FAA said. But the agency said description in documents “indicates otherwise.” The FAA cited a SpaceX document that the towers would be used to integrate the Starship/Super Heavy launch vehicle. “Super Heavy would be mated to the launch mount, followed by Starship mated to Super Heavy,” the FAA letter said quoting SpaceX’s May 5 submission. The FAA and Musk have clashed on several occasions. On June 29, Musk lamented the delay of the launch of Transporter-2 mission in Florida. He tweeted “an aircraft entered the ‘keep out zone’, which is unreasonably gigantic. There is simply no way that humanity can become a spacefaring civilization without major regulatory reform.” Earlier this year, the FAA said SpaceX’s December launch of Starship SN8 violated its license requirements. Effective March 12, the FAA began requiring an agency safety inspector at all SpaceX launches to “ensure compliance with federal regulations to protect public safety.” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson spoke with Musk on March 12 for 30 minutes to stress “the FAA’s role in protecting public safety by ensuring regulatory compliance. He made it clear that the FAA expected SpaceX to develop and foster a robust safety culture that stresses adherence to FAA rules,” the agency said in April. https://kfgo.com/2021/07/14/u-s-warns-spacex-its-new-texas-launch-site-tower-not-yet-approved/ Curt Lewis