August 16, 2021 - No. 63 In This Issue : Aviation Coalition Protests Brazilian Tax Proposal : Bombardier Further Expands Engine Maintenance Offering at Service Centres, Adds Leasing Options for Select Global Aircraft Customers : JSSI, Avfuel Partner on Customer Sustainability : Aero-Dienst to maintain the DLR research aircraft ISTAR : Bridgeport students seek mentors for plane-building program : Aviation roadmap : FG to upgrade country’s airports : Bombardier Now Solely Focused on Aerospace : Developing touchless airport digital solutions with Thales : Iris Automation and UAV Navigation Partner for Drone DAA and Autopilot System : Developing next-gen, smart engine fan blades : How Virgin Galactic Plans to Beat Blue Origin and SpaceX in Space Tourism Aviation Coalition Protests Brazilian Tax Proposal A broad coalition of aviation interests has issued a manifesto opposing the proposed loss of a 30-year exemption from Brazilian import duties and several other VAT-type assessments, which would raise the industry’s tax burden by an estimated $955 million. A legislative committee added the change to a broad tax reform bill promised during the presidential campaign. The taxes would apply to imports and sales in the domestic market for aircraft, spare parts, and maintenance services, and for import duties. Sixty percent of the cost would fall on airlines and cargo carriers, and the rest on general and agricultural aviation. The manifesto argues that the moment is inopportune, given the severe effect of the pandemic on aviation, which suffered a 60 percent drop in revenue in Brazil. International passenger service remains below 20 percent of pre-pandemic levels and analysts don’t expect a full recovery until 2023. The current unfavorable exchange rate of the Brazilian real represents an additional strain for an industry that calculates 50 percent of its costs in dollars. While the associations say they support the idea of a broad reform of the country’s dizzying array of overlapping taxes, the bill’s reduction of corporate profit taxes won’t compensate for the loss of the exemption. The industry’s low margins mean the corporate tax cut wouldn’t be an effective trade-off even in good times. “Civil aviation is characterized by transferring its efficiencies to the user,” said Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) CEO Ricardo Botelho. “Therefore, the additional costs, and especially the costs that do not follow global parameters, go against this effort of encouraging aviation.” For example, increased costs to agricultural aviation might result in higher food prices. The manifesto concludes by recalling how both airlines and general aviation helped transport medical supplies, personnel, and patients at the height of the pandemic. Along with ALTA, the Board of Representatives of International Airlines in Brazil (JURCAIB), the Brazilian General Aviation Association (ABAG), the Brazilian Association of Air Companies (ABEAR), the Brazilian Association of Auxiliary Air Transport Services (ABESATA), the National Union of Air Companies (SNEA), the National Union of Air Taxi Companies (SNETA), and the National Union of Agricultural Aviation Companies (SINDAG) endorsed the manifesto. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2021-08-16/aviation-coalition-protests-brazilian-tax-proposal Bombardier Further Expands Engine Maintenance Offering at Service Centres, Adds Leasing Options for Select Global Aircraft Customers MONTREAL, Aug. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier, in conjunction with Rolls-Royce, announced today it is bolstering its maintenance service capabilities for Global aircraft customers at its service facilities. This unique agreement will enhance the customer experience for Global aircraft customers utilizing the BR710 engine by giving them access to a pool of Rolls-Royce-owned lease engines, located onsite at Bombardier service centres in Wichita, Tucson and Hartford, with Berlin, Biggin Hill and Singapore to follow shortly. These facilities will be the first Rolls-Royce-authorized service centres to offer this service for BR710 engines. Under the new agreement, Global Express, Global Express XRS, Global 5000 and Global 6000 aircraft operators will have all their engine maintenance needs met at various Bombardier service centres, significantly reducing downtime and costs. All post-lease maintenance on the lease engines will be done on location, ensuring faster turnaround time and the elimination of lease engine shipping costs. “Bombardier continues to drive value for its customers through this agreement, which underscores our continued investment in aftermarket infrastructure,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Executive Vice President, Services and Support, and Corporate Strategy, Bombardier. “Aircraft operators will also benefit from the unmatched expertise and proficiency offered by both Bombardier and Rolls-Royce technicians, delivering the service experience customers demand and deserve.” “As the leading engine supplier in business aviation, our customers can trust in us to deliver highly reliable engines and outstanding levels of in-service support,” said Andy Robinson, SVP Customers & Services – Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce. “The expansion of our lease engine pool locations to selected Bombardier authorized service centres ensures quick turn-around times and better accessibility for our BR710 customers, further strengthening our global services network.” The agreement with Rolls-Royce builds on Bombardier’s comprehensive worldwide customer service commitment. Bombardier service facilities offer a wide selection of aircraft maintenance and upgrade options across all Bombardier platforms – and world-class engine work is a key component of the company’s service offerings. Bombardier provides operators with a wide selection of engine-related services ranging from mobile repair trucks, to line level work, up to the management of the full repair and overhaul of engines and APUs. About Rolls-Royce Holding plc Rolls-Royce pioneers the power that matters to connect, power and protect society. We have pledged to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations by 2030. We joined the UN Race to Zero campaign in 2020, and have committed to ensuring our new products will be compatible with net zero operation by 2030, and all products will be compatible with net zero by 2050. Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces and navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers. Annual underlying revenue was £11.76 billion in 2020 and we invested £1.25 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research. About Bombardier Bombardier is a global leader in aviation, creating innovative and game-changing planes. Our products and services provide world-class experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montréal, Canada, Bombardier is present in more than 12 countries including its production/engineering sites and its customer support network. The Corporation supports a worldwide fleet of over 4,900 aircraft in service with a wide variety of multinational corporations, charter and fractional ownership providers, governments and private individuals. News and information is available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. Visit the Bombardier Business Aircraft website for more information on our industry-leading products and services. Bombardier, Global, Global Express, Global Express XRS, Global 5000 and Global 6000 are registered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/08/16/2281212/0/en/Bombardier-Further-Expands-Engine-Maintenance-Offering-at-Service-Centres-Adds-Leasing-Options-for-Select-Global-Aircraft-Customers.html JSSI, Avfuel Partner on Customer Sustainability Aircraft maintenance plan provider JSSI is aligning with industry fuel distributor Avfuel to help its clients meet their environmental sustainability goals. In addition to offering an online carbon dioxide calculator to estimate emissions and adding a simple option to purchase carbon offset credits on its online customer portal, JSSI will have resources available to facilitate the purchase of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through Avfuel. Produced from biomatter and residual wastes by Neste, the blended SAF offers lifecycle carbon-reduction benefits over conventional jet fuel. Currently approved for use at blends of up to 50 percent, SAF if used in its neat form can deliver up to 80 less greenhouse gas emissions. “The Avfuel team admires JSSI’s dedication to helping clients cut carbon emissions,” said Craig Sincock, the Michigan-based fuel company’s president and CEO. “We are proud to collaborate to provide efficient tools that make a proven difference in sustainability.” “With approximately 10 percent of the world’s business aviation fleet enrolled on JSSI maintenance programs, we aspire to have a meaningful impact on our industry objective of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050,” said JSSI chairman and CEO Neil Book. “As research and technology continue to advance, we intend to explore many other innovative paths towards decarbonization.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-08-16/jssi-avfuel-partner-customer-sustainability Aero-Dienst to maintain the DLR research aircraft ISTAR Aero-Dienst and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have signed a four-year contract that will see the Nuremberg-based service provider maintain the DLR’s Falcon 2000LX ISTAR aircraft. The contract covers all work to be done on the Falcon 2000LX that is not covered by the DLR’s own maintenance organisation. The scope ranges from base maintenance such as 12M, 24M and 36M inspections to special inspections of engines or structural parts that are required in connection with internally or externally commissioned research projects involving ISTAR (In-flight Systems & Technology Airborne Research). “We are extremely pleased to have been able to conclude this four-year contract with the German Aerospace Center,” said Florian Heinzelmann, Dassault maintenance manager at Aero-Dienst. “The confidence placed in us is the result of our quality work, as well as the performance and enthusiasm of our Falcon team. This definitely underscores our capabilities on the global stage.” ISTAR underwent its initial conversion phase at Dassault, according to the DLR’s specifications, 18 months ago. It is the newest member of the DLR fleet of 12 aircraft (including helicopters). When fully equipped, ISTAR will be capable of testing the flight characteristics of new aircraft designs in real-life operating conditions either directly or virtually, and manned or unmanned. The aircraft is used to ascertain data for optimised aerodynamics, flight guidance and flight control. It is also intended to contribute towards the digital transformation of aviation – the DLR plans to create a digital twin for ISTAR that will accompany it for its entire service life. “This research aircraft plays an essential role in the development of new, environmentally friendly and efficient aircraft, engines and assistance systems, because the technology needed for climate-neutral aviation will be pushed ahead with the aid of ISTAR,” said Martin Gestwa, head of the research flight department and technical operations at the DLR. “In view of extensive modifications to DLR research aircraft, maintenance and repair procedures differ significantly from those used for unmodified aircraft. So, we are very grateful to have found an extremely competent partner for our ISTAR research aircraft in Aero-Dienst.” Major maintenance work, such as the annual inspections, will be carried out by the Aero-Dienst team directly at the ISTAR base in Braunschweig, Germany. This allows the DLR specialists to make efficient use of the research aircraft’s downtime for instrument installations and modifications as part of upcoming research projects. Aero-Dienst employs around 30 technicians in its Falcon team, bringing decades of experience and expertise in the maintenance of Falcon series business jets. Depending on the scope and type of work involved, specialists from the airframe, avionics or engine divisions will be assigned to ISTAR. “We’re proud to be indirectly involved in aviation research projects that are so important for aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, structural engineering and propulsion,” said Viktor Peters, managing director at Aero-Dienst. “We will also be using the know-how, expertise and experience of our teams to provide the DLR with our utmost in flexible support in relevant areas for future research projects, such as experimental aircraft flight control and inflight simulation.” https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/news/flight-testing/aero-dienst-to-maintain-the-dlr-research-aircraft-istar.html Bridgeport students seek mentors for plane-building program BRIDGEPORT — Students at Bassick High School had the unique opportunity last year to start building an airplane. Now Principal Joe Raiola wants to extend the program to two sessions for about 50 kids, but to do that Bassick will need more mentors to work with students. The tentative expansion comes as more students leave behind virtual classes, and computers and tablets, for full-time, in-person learning this fall. “(The program) is a hands-on experience,” said Aaron Hollander of First Aviation, a Westport-based aircraft maintenance service. “You’re not sitting in front of a computer and learning how to rivet aluminum. You’re doing it.” Hollander is a board member of Tango Flight, an educational non-profit that partnered with Bassick to provide curriculum and the kit for a two-seat, single-engine RV-12 plane. “The biggest key to the whole program being successful is the mentors,” said Hollander. Steve Blume, a veteran teacher at Bassick, leads the classes alongside mentors who help students build the aircraft. To expand the program, Hollander said Tango is aiming for about one mentor for every two students. Despite doubts about the hands-on course’s viability during the pandemic and school closures, students were able to work on the plane in-person throughout the last school year. The plane is about half-finished, according to Hollander, including most of the wings and the tail section of the aircraft. Students this fall will tackle some of the most intricate parts of building the plane, including the center section, where the pilot and passengers sit, and the “firewall forward” end of the aircraft, which includes the engine. “There’s a good chance the airplane will be done and flying at the end of the year,” said Hollander. Many of last year’s mentors plan to return, but if the number of students doubles, Bassick will need more skilled pilots and mechanics to volunteer. Raiola, the principal, said the program offers mentor training for those who are new to the aerospace industry. He recommended becoming a mentor for anyone who has “a mechanical background and desire to work in a shop-type setting” — and wants to help out in a school setting. “It’s enjoying working with kids,” said Raiola. With more mentors, program leaders hope to reach more kids. Hollander said one of his goals is to expose students to a hiring and well-paying industry, but he also hopes to equip them with broadly applicable skills — from reading and math to inventory management and organization. Raiola agreed: “The skills that kids are getting are going to pipe them right into these career paths,” he said. Besides the hard skills he mentioned, Raiola said the students would be getting a lot of soft skills - like teamwork and collaboration. “All the things you need to succeed in 21st Century society,” he said. For more information about being a mentor, contact Joy Karageorge at jkarageorge@firstaviation.com. https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Bridgeport-students-seek-mentors-for-16386092.php Aviation roadmap : FG to upgrade country’s airports The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has disclosed that part of the government’s aviation roadmap is the upgrading of the airports in the country and make them viable. He also said through the concessioning of the airports, due to paucity of government funds to undertake the repairs itself, the private handlers of the terminals and facilities will turn the derelict state of the airports to what Nigerians will be proud of. Sirika said : “The airport upgrade is part of the Aviation master plan that seeks to revamp the aviation sector through the active participation of the private sector and make it self-sustaining”. ” Some of the core objectives of the aviation masterplan seeks to establish a national carrier; have a ready maintenance, repair and overhaul center; establish an aviation leasing company; establish five airport free zones; and the development of an agro-allied cargo terminal”. The Minister who made the federal government plans known at a virtual stakeholders meeting, asserted that the four major airports in Nigeria located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano were not designed as international facilities. He added that the airports were not designed as international hubs but operate separate international and domestic terminals. “The airports in Nigeria are currently operating in a suboptimal environment as there is relatively low asset utilisation due to the limited opening hours of other smaller Nigerian airports; lack of terminal capacity as the airports fall short of gates, stands and check-in desks’’. ” An overstretched facility is the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos terminal, built in 1979 for 200,000 passengers, but currently processes nearly eight million flyers,” he said. He further pointed out that there was an urgent need for infrastructure investments and modernisation as all airports require investments in runway maintenance, navigation aids as well as terminal facilities. The minister also said the Aviation master plan include a comprehensive upgrade of aviation infrastructure in the country and a major component of this vision is the proposed concession of the airports to start with the four international airports. This will make them viable and generate revenue to the government coffers through the optimal usage of all of the facilities. ” The immediate solution is to concession the airports and activities are on to make this happen through the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). The inefficient use, and the airports operating below expectations was why the facilities had been put up for concession”. ” The facilities to be concession are the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos: international and cargo terminals; and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja: international, domestic and cargo terminals”. “Others include the Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt: international, domestic and cargo terminals; and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano: international, domestic and cargo terminals.” “Concession of the airport facilities mean the government has relinquished management to private investors who automatically become responsible for developing the airport and making sure it measures up to global standards. The airports are expected to be improved upon to meet modern demands which most Nigerian airports lack and the operational efficiency and profitability of the airports will thus increase”, Sirika revealed. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/aviation-roadmap-fg-to-upgrade-countrys-airports/ Bombardier Now Solely Focused on Aerospace With the disposal of its rail-related transportation division, Bombardier has reached the zenith of its restructuring efforts. After years of divestments and restructurings, today’s Bombardier is a pure-play aerospace company focused on large-cabin business jets. Prior to this most recent divestment, Bombardier completed four major sales in the aerospace sector – the CSeries to Airbus, the Q400 to Longview Aircraft, the CRJ to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), and its aerostructures operations to Spirit AeroSystems. The most dramatic of these steps was the formation of a joint venture, majority led by Airbus, to take over the CSeries program. This effort, begun in late 2017, became official in July 2018 when Airbus assumed a 50.01 percent controlling stake in the program. Airbus quickly rebranded the CSeries as the A220. The CSeries had been a risky venture for the company insofar as it straddles the high end of the regional jet market and the low end of the narrowbody market – hypercompetitive Airbus and Boeing territory. Debt burden over the delayed program had also been a drag on Bombardier in recent years – so much so that in 2016, Québec’s provincial government finalized a $1 billion investment to bail out the CSeries program. In return, Investissement Québec became a minority partner in the CSeries program. As part of the deal, A220 operations will remain in Québec for at least 20 years. The investment introduced a new flow of cash to support the aircraft’s entry into service and production ramp-up. In June 2019, the CSeries Aircraft Limited Partnership (CSALP) joint venture was renamed Airbus Canada Limited Partnership to better reflect Airbus’ majority stake. In February 2020, Bombardier exited the commercial aviation business entirely when it sold its remaining 34 percent stake to Airbus and Investissement Québec. Airbus now holds 75 percent, and the government of Québec 25 percent. By cutting its stake, the debt-ridden Bombardier no longer had to make investments of approximately $700 million in the program, according to news reports. This deal was followed by the sale of Bombardier’s Q400 turboprop operations in mid-2019. The program, as well as the storied de Havilland trademark, was acquired by Longview Aircraft Company of Canada Ltd, which is now known as De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. Longview Aircraft is owned by Longview Aviation Capital, which owns Viking Air. Back in 2016, Viking Air bought out Bombardier’s amphibious aircraft programs: the CL-215, CL-215T, and Bombardier 415. With these two acquisitions, all former De Havilland Canada aircraft are once again under the same roof. Next on the auction block was the CRJ regional jet program. Under a $550 million deal, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries acquired maintenance, support, upgrade, marketing, and sales activities for the CRJ Series aircraft, including service and support network activities located in Montreal and Toronto as well as in Bridgeport, West Virginia and Tucson, Arizona. The deal gives MHI ownership of Bombardier’s regional airliner support network, something MHI will eventually need to support its own regional jet – the Mitsubishi SpaceJet – in North America. In the meantime, it can operate the facilities profitably by supporting the large CRJ fleet in operation. Under MHI, the CRJ program will be operated under the newly created group entities of MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ). Most telling is that the deal does not include the CRJ production facility in Mirabel, Quebec. This facility continued to assemble the CRJ family on behalf of MHI until Bombardier’s backlog was exhausted in December 2020. Finally, in October 2020, Bombardier completed the sale of its aerostructures and aftermarket services businesses in Belfast, Northern Ireland (known as Short Brothers); Casablanca, Morocco; and Dallas, Texas, United States to Spirit AeroSystems for $275 million. The divested Bombardier operations employ approximately 3,300 people at three sites comprising approximately 3.4 million square feet. The backlog of work includes long-term contracts on the Airbus A220 and Bombardier business jets, along with aftermarket service facilities at two of the acquired sites. Today, Bombardier is a pure-play business jet manufacturer, generating revenue of $6.5 billion in 2020. Nevertheless, even now the company has once again adjusted its focus, announcing that production of the storied Learjet brand would end in 2021. Once this occurs, Bombardier will be a pure-play supplier of large-cabin business jets via its Challenger and Global aircraft families. In order to better support this sector, the company has been expanding its aftermarket activities. As part of its ongoing strategy, Bombardier has ramped up investment in and acquisition of maintenance and distribution facilities around the world, including a fresh push into Asia. Since 2017, Bombardier has been rapidly expanding its service center footprint worldwide and is currently on the way to growing its Services and Support infrastructure footprint by 50 percent. With this dedicated focus on business jet production and aftermarket support, the company hopes to reach $7.5 billion in revenue by 2025. As the world begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, early results may help the company meet its goal. By mid-2021, demand for business jets had rebounded, with the company upping its aircraft delivery forecast for the year from 110-120 units to over 120. Worldwide business jet utilization continued to rise, nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels in North America and Europe, the company said. Should the trend continue, the company hopes to hit its revenue goal of $5.7 billion for the year. Interestingly, another option for the slim-downed Bombardier could resurface: a possible tie-up with Textron. In early 2020, the two companies had reportedly been in talks over the sale of Bombardier’s business jet division. The merger would be complementary, as Bombardier’s large-cabin models would fill out Cessna Aircraft’s small-cabin models. Such a move would allow Textron to offer a larger range of aircraft similar in scope to competitors Gulfstream and Dassault Aviation. Bombardier’s management team has taken tough medicine in deconstructing its commercial aerospace operations. With Bombardier’s difficulties behind it and a clear strategy to guide it, its outlook is much brighter than it has been in several years. https://dsm.forecastinternational.com/wordpress/2021/08/16/bombardier-now-solely-focused-on-aerospace/ Developing touchless airport digital solutions with Thales The introduction of touchless technology has seen the aviation industry open its boarding gates to biometrics, virtual boarding passes and much more. Leading technology and solutions provider Thales recently unveiled a project which aims to assist the industry on its touchless journey. The Covid-19 pandemic has heightened the need for contactless technology and aviation is one of the foremost industries adopting it. Many companies have been developing touchless airport tech in the form of virtual boarding passes, biometric face scanners and biometric boarding passes, which recognise the passenger’s face. Opened at Cranfield University in July, the Digital Aviation Research and Technology Centre (DARTeC), is a research facility built with the aim of making the UK a global leader in digital aviation research. At its centre, Thales – one of the founding partners of the centre – has unveiled its ‘touchless journeys’ concept, which aims to offer contactless technology for the aviation industry to provide faster and more efficient travel. The centre aims to address some of the main challenges currently facing the aviation industry such as airport efficiency, health procedures and end-to-end capabilities. Julia Jiggins, head of strategic marketing, aviation, and space at Thales UK, discusses the solutions being developed at the centre and highlights the benefits of this technology. Frankie Youd (FY): Thales is one of the founding partners of the centre; when did this concept first come about? Julia Jiggins (JJ): Thales became involved in 2016 and built up the conversation about what do you mean by digital aviation, what’s the requirement? It’s looking at the key technologies that can open up an aviation whole ecosystem. It’s a recognition that historically you’ve had everything segmented with the airport, the aircraft, the airline operations, or the airspace – everything had its little segment, and they were never connected. With modernisation, digital tools and going into open networks, there seemed to be a real opportunity to improve the efficiency of the whole ecosystem. It’s talking about end-to-end processes, and it’s doing it across those spaces. We’ve been working with Cranfield at the DARTeC facility to really help shape the research themes. What facilities are located within the new centre? In the building itself, there’s a number of focused innovation labs that are quite unique. One of them is the ‘passenger experience lab’ which is really an ability to follow a passenger as they come into the building and as they go on to an aircraft, which allows Thales to simulate all the touch points and what you need to do. The thing I’ve learnt with digital technology is it’s very difficult to visualise. Whereas, if you see it in use and you see demonstrations and people can experience it, then it’s much easier to adopt. By having it operating in the DARTeC environment we’re gathering data all the time, particularly about the behaviour of people using this type of technology. Thales has unveiled ‘touchless journeys’, could you tell me about the solutions that are currently being developed? The objective of the ‘touchless journeys’ is to allow the passenger to pass through an airport using their face as one ID. It makes the journey much faster and efficient but also more secure. The intention is for the passengers to pre-register, so they will create their identity documents with their faces. This then allows them to do the checking in, to walk through the various airport checkpoints and the gates as they go through, there’s no need for paper documents. We’ve also developed a high-temperature detection technology. The airports found that passengers wanted to have reassurance that you and other passengers didn’t have temperatures, but they didn’t want to have a thermometer stuck in their ear. It’s advanced technology within a camera that allows you to walk past it which allows for a much quicker filtering, which is a health benefit with people being nervous about being in crowds. What are the main benefits that these solutions offer? I see that by integrating data you get a much better view of what’s going on, but also if you’ve got people efficiently moving and faster moving through the system, they’re less stressed. One of the things we’re seeing around the behaviour is with this technology people are less stressed and they’re more relaxed in the environment, which means they do more shopping, they do more social elements of the journey rather than the stress of the security and clearing through the checkpoints. There’s also evidence building that you need fewer staff to be managing the process of the passenger going through, because passengers are doing more self-help airports can redeploy their people into different means to make sure that experience is better. The third area is it allows this process of getting people through the airport to be much shorter. Historically, you’ve got that two-hour period because you’ve got to get through security and get through the various checkpoints. With biometric and touchless solutions there are often concerns around data privacy. How does this technology ensure data privacy? The major thing for the technology is that Thales doesn’t store any data centrally, there’s no stored data. By designing the process so that the passenger’s control when they share the data that avoids a lot of the concerns around privacy. What the passenger doesn’t see is the complex protection behind the scenes which is continually improving. Thales uses a lot of the security work we do behind the scenes to support a lot of IT systems to help support this application. The fundamental thing is it’s not controlled centrally, stored centrally and the passenger controls when providing their data. Would you say that the pandemic has accelerated the creation of touchless technology? I would say that the technology was in the works, you can see by Thales participation with DARTeC, we were thinking about that from December 2016, it was starting to get into that whole aspect. What I do think is that the adoption of this technology has been accelerated by the pandemic. One of the benefits from the pandemic is that people are much more comfortable about confirming their identity through a phone, using their phone to register for access to buildings so it’s not an alien concept. The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of the technology – you can see that by lots of proof of concepts, the government trying to get demonstrations in place so that people can really evaluate the benefit. I think the technology was there in its infancy beforehand, but its adoption has been accelerated. Do you see this as being the future of the industry? I would say that it will become a paperless experience, certainly. I think it will also move to being more self-controlled, so that you control your whole journey from when you leave your house to the airport, through the airport, on the plane, off the plane, and to your destination. It will all be digitally managed, and you can do most of it before you leave the journey, you can do bits in the journey, and you then can control what you do with your time. If you want to have two hours spent shopping in the airport you can spend two hours, but if you only want 30 minutes because you just want to arrive and get straight on the plane you can do it, the airports will be much more flexible and much more tailoring. I think the airports are going to be changing how they offer the experience. I also think it will be a much less stressful experience generally whether you want to get through an airport quickly or want to spend time there. https://www.airport-technology.com/features/developing-touchless-airport-digital-solutions-with-thales/ Iris Automation and UAV Navigation Partner for Drone DAA and Autopilot System Iris Automation and UAV Navigation are integrating their autopilot and detect and avoid (DAA) system to allow unmanned aircraft to find uncooperative aircraft in their airspace and autonomously take action to avoid them, according to an Aug. 16 press release. UAV Navigation will use Iris Automation’s Casia DAA software in its VECTOR autopilot systems to enable these operations, according to the release. "The pace of innovation around autonomous aerial vehicles is rapid as the industry recognizes the potential for creating value,” Carlos Lázaro, Head of the Commercial Department at UAV Navigation, said in a statement. “Integrating Iris Automation's Casia detect and avoid technology into our VECTOR autopilot is another important step in the safety of autonomous flights for commercial operations. Our customers can now automatically command the drone to perform appropriate avoidance maneuvers, resuming their original flightpath once completed." Iris Automation recently updated its Casia software to improve performance, track fusion, and flight data uploads. Casia uses computer vision and artificial intelligence to enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight. It has previously been used by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Transport Canada. "Partnering with UAV Navigation brings together two significant breakthroughs in safe, autonomous flight. Integrating autopilot systems with true detect and avoid, inclusive of uncooperative aircraft, is critical to enabling commercial operations at scale,” James Howard, co-founder and VP of Technology and Innovation at Iris Automation, said in a statement. “Given the wide deployment of UAV Navigation's autopilot solution this is major progress in opening up the skies." VECTOR autopilots from UAV navigation allow aircraft to fly autonomously even in the case of lost remote-control datalinks. They can be used in rotary-wing and fixed-wing drones and VTOL aircraft. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2021/08/16/iris-automation-uav-navigation-partner-drone-daa-autopilot-system/ Developing next-gen, smart engine fan blades The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) is transforming the way companies in many industries are manufacturing their products, and the aerospace industry is no exception. For example, aircraft manufacturers are improving manufacturing processes by embedding sensor technologies into engine components. An EU-funded project called MORPHO has also jumped on the Industry 4.0 bandwagon with an innovative proposal: embed printed and fiber optical sensors in aircraft engine fan blades to endow them with cognitive capabilities while they are being manufactured. Smart, multifunctional and multi-material fan blades "The fan blades are designed and manufactured using a hybrid material. The core body of the fan blades is built up with a 3D-woven composite, while the leading edge is made of titanium. As an example, this material technology is used in the LEAP Engine family (1A, 1B, 1C), allowing them a mass gain while exhibiting high strength and fracture toughness," the MORPHO team reports in a press release posted on "The Aviation Times." Project team members will develop and test core technology building blocks on a demonstrator called a Foreign Object Damage (FOD) panel. FOD is a major cause of metal failure in aviation and other environments that are prone to damage from debris or loose objects. The MORPHO FOD panel represents the chord of a fan blade—in other words, the blade's width from the leading (or foremost) edge to the trailing (or rear) edge—at a specific height. The panel's main purpose is to test the fan blade's design before manufacturing so as to minimize risks. The press release provides further insight into the project's use of FOD panels: "MORPHO proposes to embed printed and fiber-optical sensors in FOD panels, thus providing them with cognitive capabilities from the moment they are manufactured. The parallel development of digital/hybrid twin models will drastically improve the FOD Life Cycle Management. Throughout the project, demonstrators will be developed to analyze and validate the proposed methods and tools." Caring about the environment MORPHO also intends to ensure efficient, profitable and eco-friendly manufacturing, maintenance and recycling of its next-generation, smart engine fan blades, in line with the EU's new Circular Economy Action Plan. Another priority is the environmentally friendly recycling of costly components. The project aims to develop a methodology that combines two innovative processes: laser-induced disassembly, and pyrolysis technology for the optimal recycling of end-of-service-life parts. MORPHO (Embedded Life-Cycle Management for Smart Multimaterials Structures: Application to Engine Components) is coordinated by École nationale supérieure d'arts et métiers, France, and brings together aircraft equipment manufacturers and software and sensor-system developers, as well as recycling technology and intelligent process monitoring companies, universities and research organizations from six European countries. External guidance and expert advice will be provided by an international advisory board possessing diverse skills and expertise that reflect the range of organizations that the project seeks to engage. The 3.5-year project ends in September 2024. https://techxplore.com/news/2021-08-next-gen-smart-fan-blades.html How Virgin Galactic Plans to Beat Blue Origin and SpaceX in Space Tourism Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) is completing final test flights for its Unity spacecraft and will begin revenue-generating flights soon, opening an entirely new space tourism industry to the world. When Sir Richard Branson took his flight in July, it created a lot of attention for the company, and Virgin Galactic soon said it was raising the price of tickets to $450,000 apiece and up, a possible indication that demand for tickets is high. But there have been skeptics who don't believe that Virgin Galactic will succeed financially, especially as competitors begin their own service. Despite the press reactions recently, I think this is a space tourism stock that may redefine how we think about space and experiential tourism, and that's why it continues to be one of my favorite growth stocks. The Virgin Galactic experience As companies like Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, and potentially SpaceX start to offer commercial space tourism, I think it's important to think about the experience they're offering from start to finish. Customers are paying $450,000 or more for an experience. It's not just the moments in space, but the full experience, that we should consider as investors, just like a customer would. Virgin Galactic hired Joe Rohde as its experience architect to plan the three-day experience that will be followed by an early morning flight to space. Rohde spent four decades at Disney Imagineering, serving as the lead designer for Animal Kingdom and working on Pandora-The World of Avatar, among many other projects. He is in charge of the three-day experience leading up to the flight will not only get the crew prepared for the space flight, but also be a vast majority of the experiential and entertainment time that people are paying for. And Rohde has spent decades building great experiences. The full experience hasn't been outlined yet, but Virgin Galactic describes its three-day training like this: Pre-flight training will ensure that each astronaut is mentally and physically prepared to savour every second of the spaceflight and fully equipped to fulfil any personal objectives. Our aerospace medical experts will be constantly on hand to offer advice and help, and to check pre-flight fitness. Most of all we aim to make the training and preparation a fun and rewarding experience; a part of the Future Astronaut journey delivered in true Virgin Galactic style. The company has a custom-built spaceport for these days of training, and it even has a custom Land Rover to transport astronauts to their accommodations nightly. We also know there's a distinct difference that can be seen in the flight itself. Unlike Blue Origin and SpaceX, Virgin Galactic's mothership takes off horizontally, just like a commercial aircraft. After climbing to about 50,000 feet, the spacecraft is released and the rocket motor is fired, beginning the climb into space. On the return to land, the spacecraft becomes a glider and returns to the spaceport runway just like a commercial aircraft. The multi-day experience and the familiar take-off and landing could be big selling points for customers looking to drop half a million dollars on a few minutes in space. And it's that full experience that people pay for. People pay for experiences and exclusivity all the time It's hard to quantify the value of the "experience" of going to space or the prestige that comes with it, but we can get an idea of how experiences are valued by looking at other items and services that people pay a premium for. A Ferrari will get you from point A to point B as well as a Kia, but it can cost 10 times as much. Ferrari found 9,119 buyers last year willing to spend over $200,000 for a vehicle, and it has generated a $1 billion profit in the past year as a result. Ferrari is a small, high-cost market just like Virgin Galactic, and it shows there's a big business in exclusive experiences. Yachts serve very little practical purpose versus other forms of transportation, other than being an exclusive experience; and according to Grand View Research, the yacht charter market was worth $6.5 billion in 2019. The price to charter a yacht can be more than a flight to space, which could make the space experience compelling. Understanding that people pay a lot of money for experiences is key with Virgin Galactic. With Joe Rohde leading the way, the company is building a complete experience that will put guests in the exclusive company of fewer than 1,000 people who have visited space for any period of time. That's something I think people will pay for, and if you have the money then a $450,000 price tag may not be too high if the full experience is as good as we should expect from Virgin Galactic. https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/08/16/how-virgin-galactic-plans-to-beat-blue-origin-and/ Curt Lewis