December 7, 2021 - No. 92 In This Issue : Flying from London to San Francisco on a single tank of liquid hydrogen: UK unveils taxpayer-backed concept plane : American Airlines Pilots First to Use CEFA Aviation Flight Replay App in the U.S. : Why You Need to Turn Off Your Cellphone When You Fly : Sydney Seaplanes Opts for 50 Embraer Eve eVTOLs : International Cybernetics Acquires NAC-DFT Friction Technology : AIR NEW ZEALAND LAYS OUT NET ZERO 2050 PLAN : Henderson Engineers Shapes Innovative Travel Experience at New KC International Airport : What is eSAF? : Thales completes acquisition of Moog navigation aids : The Role of Safety Sharing in Cultivating a Safer Aviation Ecosystem : NASA says SpaceX is only provider so far able to provide astronaut taxi rides Flying from London to San Francisco on a single tank of liquid hydrogen: UK unveils taxpayer-backed concept plane A concept aircraft that can fly almost 10,000km on a single tank of liquid hydrogen has been unveiled as part of a £15m ($19.9m) UK government-funded project. “Up to 279 passengers could fly between London and San Francisco direct or Auckland, New Zealand, with just one [refuelling] stop with the same speed and comfort as today’s aircraft, revolutionising the future of air travel,” said the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), which led the project. The concept was developed by aerospace and aviation experts from across the country as part of the government-financed FlyZero project. “Big technological challenges exist to realise green liquid hydrogen-powered flight but there is a growing incentive and reward involved in resolving these,” said the ATI. “A new generation of highly efficient hydrogen-powered aircraft with low fuel costs is forecast to have superior operating economics than conventional aircraft from the mid-2030s onwards.” Because liquid hydrogen contains far less energy than fossil-based jet fuel by volume — and needs to be stored at about minus 250°C — new aircraft designs with larger, cryogenic fuel tanks will be needed. The new midsize FlyZero concept has cryogenic fuel tanks in its fuselage and in two bulging “cheek” tanks underneath the front of the aircraft. It would be propelled by two turbofan hydrogen-burning engines on its wings, which span 54 metres. ATI claims that the plane would be able to replace flights that today account for 93% of the aviation industry’s carbon emissions. “These designs could define the future of aerospace and aviation,” said UK business and energy secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. “By working with industry, we are showing that truly carbon free flight could be possible, with hydrogen a front runner to replace conventional fossil fuels.” Despite the bold statements, the concept plane might well still result in greenhouse gas emissions. Burning hydrogen in air releases nitrous oxides (NOx), which form when nitrogen and oxygen in the air combine at high temperatures, as well as water vapour — both of which are greenhouse gases, although the latter is short-lived. Detailed findings from the project, including on three final aircraft concepts (the above midsize, as well as a regional and "narrowbody" plane) will be published early next year, along with technology roadmaps, market and economic reports and a sustainability assessment. The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is also working on its own hydrogen-fuelled planes and last year similarly unveiled three new designs for different uses, the most revolutionary of which was a “blended-wing body” design for up to 200 passengers. Due to the greater energy density by volume of existing jet fuel, many in the aviation sector believe that so-called green “drop-in fuels” that are chemically identical to kerosene represent the clean future of aviation and can thus be used by existing aircraft. These can either be biofuel, also known as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), or synthetic “e-fuel” produced by combining green hydrogen with captured CO2 in refineries. https://www.rechargenews.com/energy-transition/flying-from-london-to-san-francisco-on-a-single-tank-of-liquid-hydrogen-uk-unveils-taxpayer-backed-concept-plane/2-1-1116293 American Airlines Pilots First to Use CEFA Aviation Flight Replay App in the U.S. COLMAR, France & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 7, 2021-- American Airlines, the world’s largest airline, is the first carrier in the U.S. to adopt CEFA AMS, an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) application allowing pilots to virtually review flight data on their tablet after landing. CEFA AMS (Aviation Mobile Services) is the first self-improvement tool allowing individual pilots to access and review the specifics of their flight after landing. CEFA AMS (Aviation Mobile Services) is the first self-improvement tool allowing individual pilots to access and review the specifics of their flight after landing. Captain Neil Raaz, Operations Safety Director at American Airlines, says that CEFA AMS is the next step in American’s data-driven approach to relentlessly advance safety. “By choosing CEFA AMS, we are now able to advance the Safety-II approach in a practical way in our operations. This progressive new debriefing capability will help promote a culture of continuous self-improvement and reinforce American’s safety-first mentality into each and every flight.” “We are delighted to partner with American Airlines, who sets the standard when it comes to flight safety,” says Dominique Mineo, CEO of CEFA Aviation, a France-based software company specialized in flight safety and pilot training. “Being able to deploy our innovation in the U.S. was one of our main ambitions. Today we have the opportunity to work with an airline committed to the highest safety standards and, beyond the conventional safety approach, aiming for Safety-II implementation.” Mineo added. The implementation of CEFA Aviation’s EFB flight replay capability is a milestone for American. It demonstrates its will for innovation as well as a strong desire to lead the shift in pilot empowerment through increased access to and awareness of operational flight data. This new partnership between CEFA and American Airlines will create an entirely new and revolutionary approach to proactive safety in airline operations and clearly demonstrates both organization’s commitment to being industry leaders in aviation safety. About CEFA Aviation CEFA Aviation, a privately held French company, enhances pilot training and flight safety, developing world-leading 3D animation software and services for the past 20 years. The innovative solutions developed by its experts recreate flights with high details and accuracy based on data from aircraft flight recorders. More than 100 major and regional airlines, cargo operators, and investigative authorities on five continents are using the company’s core software, CEFA FAS (Flight Animation System), for pilot training and safety analysis. Translating flight data into precise visualization requires an in-depth understanding of the complexity of aircraft systems and software engineering. CEFA Aviation has been a pioneer in easy-to-use flight data animation since Dominique Mineo founded the company in 2000. Its long-lasting success is attributable to a passion for aviation and innovation, listening to its clients, and delivering gold-standard support. CEFA Aviation is headquartered in the Alsace region of France. At the Dubai Airshow 2017, CEFA Aviation unveiled a new breakthrough visualization tool to enhance further and personalize pilot training: CEFA AMS. Additional information can be found at www.cefa-aviation.com Join us on social media and never miss a press release on Twitter @CEFAAviation and LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/cefa-aviation About American Airlines Group American’s purpose is to care for people on life’s journey. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what’s happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines. https://www.wdrb.com/news/national/american-airlines-pilots-first-to-use-cefa-aviation-flight-replay-app-in-the-u-s/article_0507ad56-c98c-5d04-ba66-98e4c971a0fc.html Why You Need to Turn Off Your Cellphone When You Fly David Slotnick has a confession: Even though he writes about aviation and air travel, he has occasionally neglected to turn off his cellphone while flying. “I forget,” he admits. “Plenty of people forget.” Slotnick, who works for the Points Guy travel advice website, may soon be getting extra reminders. Concerned about risks from new cell service, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has asked pilots to emphasize to passengers the importance of turning off cellular devices or putting them in airplane mode in flight. The agency may even limit bad-weather landings at some airports due to safety concerns. Although a cellphone has never definitively been shown to have caused a plane crash, airlines prohibit their use in flight because of the small chance that radio waves might disrupt safety equipment. Now there’s a new worry: that expanded 5G cell service, scheduled to come online in January, could make the problem more likely. The new 5G service, which provides faster downloads and data connections, is already available and in use around the country, but this would represent a significant expansion because it operates in a different spectrum. “It’s probably safe, but the FAA is insistent that it has to be proven to be safe,” Slotnick says. The FAA’s concerns The federal agency issued a bulletin in early November warning that the new 5G spectrum, called C-band, operates at frequencies near ones used by cockpit radar altimeters, which measure an airplane’s distance from the ground. The Wall Street Journal reported that the FAA may tighten standards at dozens of airports where high-frequency cell towers are located near runways. That could slow air traffic or even lead to flight cancellations in bad weather. The Air Line Pilots Association applauded the FAA announcement and urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) — the agency that regulates the allotment of radio spectrum and had approved the use of 5G — to work out a safe solution with the U.S. cellular industry. Two congressional leaders, Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Rick Larsen (D-WA), chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation, have also urged the FCC to conduct a "robust risk assessment" before moving forward. "In aviation, we never roll the dice with safety," the members wrote in a letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Major cell carriers Verizon and AT&T have already delayed their planned 5G expansion from early December to January in response to the FAA’s questions. Other carriers, including T-Mobile, aren’t as affected because most of their 5G service operates in a different spectrum that is of less concern to the FAA. Assessing the risk The cellular industry insists there’s no danger, and has even launched a website, 5GandAviation.com, to calm fears. It notes that 5G is being used in nearly 40 countries without reported problems, and has been studied for years by U.S. regulators and others around the world. “5G networks using C-band spectrum operate safely and without causing harmful interference to aviation equipment,” Meredith Attwell Baker, president and CEO of CTIA, an organization representing the U.S. wireless communications industry, said in a statement. “Any delay in activating this spectrum risks America’s competitiveness and jeopardizes our ability to ensure global 5G leadership.” However, engineers say the risk is real. “The lack of an accident does not mean safety,” says Al Secen, vice president for aviation technology at the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics, which develops standards for airline safety equipment and issued a report raising concerns about 5G interference. “This is a very serious thing.” Ludovic Chung-Sao, who has worked on airline parts certification with the FAA and its European counterpart, agrees: “A safe flight depends on many flight instruments that also work with radio frequency communication. Wrong information on the flight instruments can lead to confusion in the cockpit, which can have a catastrophic impact. Would you risk it?” Still, even if 5G rolls out, Secen says he would get on a plane in January, expecting he could be more likely to face weather delays and cancellations. “I would feel safe getting aboard,” he says. “The industry is built around safety, and it will do what it takes to maintain safety.” https://www.aarp.org/travel/travel-tips/transportation/info-2021/turn-cellphone-off-when-flying.html Sydney Seaplanes Opts for 50 Embraer Eve eVTOLs Sydney Seaplanes has agreed to add 50 of Eve Urban Air Mobility’s four-passenger eVTOLs to its fleet from 2026. The provisional order, announced today, is the second commitment from a prospective Australian operator in two days, after Queensland-based helicopter operator Nautilus Aviation said it would take 10 of the all-electric aircraft from the Embraer subsidiary. Like Nautilus, Sydney Seaplanes plans to use the eVTOLs for tourist flights from Sydney Harbour as part of its wider plan to establish all-electric, zero-emissions scheduled flights. In 2020, it announced plans to set up a new regional airline from 2022 with all-electric flights using converted Cessna Caravans using MagniX motors. “Eve’s eVTOL technology will integrate seamlessly with our electric amphibious fleet to deliver a range of tourism and commuter journeys,” said Sydney Seaplanes CEO Aaron Shaw. “Subject to community consultation, we expect some flights will operate from our iconic Rose Bay aviation terminal in Sydney Harbour. This service will have a widespread appeal which will allow us to open new routes beyond the harbor and throughout the greater Sydney region.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2021-12-06/sydney-seaplanes-opts-50-embraer-eve-evtols International Cybernetics Acquires NAC-DFT Friction Technology International Cybernetics (ICC) announces the acquisition of the NAC-Dynamic Friction Tester technology (NAC-DFT) from NAC Dynamics, LLC. The NAC-DFT is an aerodynamic tow-behind continuous friction measurement device (CFME), approved for use on airport runways by the FAA. Over 130 units have been sold, and the device is optimally suited for both summer and winter testing. “The NAC-DFT has been used by airport authorities across the country and around the world for many years,” said Michael Nieminen, P.E., CEO of ICC. “Our objective is to combine this proven, patented friction measurement technology with our runway profiling and distress survey technologies to offer a comprehensive solution for airports.” ICC has been designing and building pavement friction testers for over 40 years. ICC’s existing locked wheel friction testers are the industry standard for Departments of Transportation (DOT) and civil engineering firms for road friction measurement. They have been certified to meet ASTM standards by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) and Transportation Research Center (TRC). Tim Neubert, the inventor of the technology and founder of NAC Dynamics, commented, “This transaction is good news for my customers. I know they will appreciate the responsive support and fast build times from ICC. I am pleased that my technology will continue to be manufactured in the United States by a company with the depth of industry knowledge that ICC has.” The NAC-DFT complies with ASTM E2340 Standard Test Method for Measuring the Skid Resistance of Pavement. It creates and measures the frictional force between an ASTM E1551 test tire operated at a 12% slip while towed across the runway surface. The transaction includes all NAC-DFT intellectual property and the assignment to ICC of U.S. Patent 7,117,716 (Title: Dynamic Friction Testing Vehicle to Measure Fluid Drag and Rolling Friction). “We see value in bringing data from different types of test equipment into one integrated software solution,” said Nieminen. “Our Unify suite is designed to analyze many types of measurements and to show how those values are changing over time. We will be adding support for NAC-DFT friction data." https://www.aviationpros.com/aoa/runway-management/press-release/21249158/international-cybernetics-a-international-cybernetics-acquires-nacdft-friction-technology AIR NEW ZEALAND LAYS OUT NET ZERO 2050 PLAN Air New Zealand has laid out a clear plan to achieve its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, outlining the action it will take over the next decades to improve its sustainability. Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Greg Foran said “despite the Covid-19 pandemic grinding our business to halt, we believe climate change is the biggest crisis facing our airline. And, if anything, our commitment to take real action has only strengthened. “It has never been more important for airlines to take bold steps to ramp up the pace and scale of genuine climate action. We want our customers to know that not only do we have a clear plan, but we already have multiple runs on the board on our journey to becoming a more sustainable airline” The airline’s 2021 Sustainability Report lays out the airline’s path to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with four main levers to reduce gross emissions as much as technology will allow before utilizing offsetting: Zero emissions aircraft Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) Operational efficiency (for example, efficiencies from flight planning) Fleet renewal The airline said that by far the biggest contribution to decarbonization will come from the airline accessing SAF. The airline’s Sustainability Report outlines good progress made this year, including taking steps towards making SAF a reality in New Zealand. In July Air New Zealand signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment to determine the feasibility of producing SAF in New Zealand. Air New Zealand is also working with aircraft manufacturers including Airbus as it looks to hasten the arrival of zero-emissions aircraft. The report states the airline is pursuing opportunities around electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft as an option for shorter domestic and regional flights, with ambitions to have electric aircraft in its fleet by 2030. “Air travel is critical to New Zealand’s export and tourism industries, connecting people and products to the world, and the world to us. But this isn’t an excuse to do nothing – it underlines why climate change action is so critical and why we need to get this right. This is why we’re prepared to take ambitious action to decarbonize,” Mr. Foran said. “We don’t believe our customers will have to choose between flying with us and doing what’s right for the planet”. Air New Zealand said that it is also announcing a new Sustainability Framework which is focused on taking bold and genuine action as “we aspire to lead the aviation industry globally in sustainability and decarbonization.” The framework has four key focus areas: Caring for New Zealanders Genuine climate action Driving towards a circular economy Sustainable Tourism https://www.airlineratings.com/news/air-new-zealand-lays-net-zero-2050-plan/ Henderson Engineers Shapes Innovative Travel Experience at New KC International Airport Henderson Engineers, a national building systems design firm, is leading the charge on cementing the new single terminal Kansas City International Airport (MCI) as a world-class facility. As the lead engineer on the $1.5 billion project, the firm is working closely with project partner Siemens to equip MCI with innovative technology for a cutting-edge experience for both travelers and the facility’s operations team. “We’re excited to be delivering a cutting-edge terminal within our hometown region,” said James Dietz, aviation practice director at Henderson Engineers. “A key advantage we bring to the table at MCI is more than 50 years of expertise in design and construction. We help merge wonderful ideas from various project partners and make sure they’re constructable and that they work together both aesthetically and functionally.” Henderson designed the technological infrastructure that enables key features including touchless kiosks, intuitive display systems and video walls, and visual paging boards for passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing – all intended to make it easier and accessible to navigate through the building. This infrastructure will also support a biometric verification system that will enable travelers to use their faces as boarding passes during check in and boarding for international flights. Henderson is helping with planning and coordinating the installation of biometric equipment to ensure it works smoothly with other technological systems throughout the airport. Safety is also a key touchpoint. To minimize blind spots at the expansive 1,000,000-square-foot terminal, Henderson used 3D BIM software to determine the best placement for security cameras. Using a virtual replica of the facility, engineers were able to evaluate what cameras would capture at various terminal locations and make expert recommendations accordingly. Furthermore, Henderson is collaborating with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) throughout the selection and installation process for security systems to ensure the terminal is equipped with state-of-the-art safety technology. “Convenience, well-being, and safety are front and center of the work we’re undertaking, and we believe it will resonate well with the passengers and airport staff once the terminal opens in early 2023,” explained Dietz. Upon the project’s completion, MCI will be confronted with smoothly transitioning away from its current outdated three-terminal layout to the new single terminal. Since airport operations will need to remain functional during the transition, Henderson collaborated with project partner SITA to design a virtualized IT network that will prevent interruptions to security and other vital systems during the changeover. Overall, Henderson worked closely with the operations group at MCI to ensure the project would be state of the art at opening and have capacity for future growth, technological advancements, and everchanging travel regulations. “Virtually every design that is going into this project has an eye toward the future,” said Dietz. “We’re making sure it’s innovative now but can easily be updated as technology evolves and in case the requirements surrounding airline travel are updated. This flexibility will help keep MCI at the forefront of travel for decades to come.” In addition to technology, Henderson’s array of building systems design services for the new single terminal MCI includes acoustics, audio-video, electrical, fire alarm, mechanical, and plumbing. Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM) is the lead architect and Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate is the developer. https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/press-release/21249133/henderson-engineers-henderson-engineers-shapes-innovative-travel-experience-at-new-kc-international-airport What is eSAF? Andreea Moyes, Air BP’s sustainability director, and Peter Nowobilski, BP’s senior advisor for hydrogen and eFuels, explain how eSAF is key to achieving the aviation industry’s low-carbon goals. With the aviation industry committed to curtailing lifecycle carbon emissions, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) has an important role to play. Air BP is already working alongside airlines and airports around the world to deliver increasing volumes of SAF. However, while SAF is an integral part of aviation decarbonization, most of the current supply is from a pathway known as HEFA (hydrotreated esters and fatty acids), which includes waste oils and fat, but quantities of these feedstocks are limited. As such, achieving the industry’s low-carbon goals will require a mix of different pathways to produce SAF, including the growth of eSAF. So, what exactly is eSAF and why is it creating a buzz? In a nutshell, eSAF, like all SAF pathways, is compatible with jet engines and offers a similar performance to fossil fuels. eSAF is a synthetic fuel derived from renewable energy. Renewable electricity generated from hydro, solar or wind power is the low-carbon energy of the future. However, we already know that electric-powered flight will only be possible for short-haul journeys in the foreseeable future due to the weight of the batteries required. For larger aircraft and long-haul flights electricity needs to be converted into a synthetic fuel. One option is to convert electricity into hydrogen, which can then be used as an aviation fuel. The problem here is that hydrogen has an energy-density-per-unit volume that is one quarter of traditional jet fuel1, so a redesign of much of the aircraft from the propulsion system to fuel storage is necessary, as are changes to airport and refueling infrastructure. This is where eSAF derived from power-to-liquid (PtL) technology comes in. Renewable electricity (from sources such as solar, hydro or wind) is used to break water into its components of hydrogen and oxygen via an electrolysis process. Carbon Dioxide captured from the air, or from biogenic or industrial sources, together with this hydrogen are then converted to carbon monoxide and water through the reverse water gas shift process. Using Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis technology, more hydrogen and carbon monoxide is converted into a wax – a sort of synthetic crude oil that can be upgraded to different fuels, including eSAF. Legislation currently allows us to use FT technology to blend eSAF by up to 50 percent with conventional jet fuel (although in the future it is hoped 100 percent synthetic fuels will be approved and available) and it can be used as a drop-in fuel. It can be easily stored, transported and distributed using existing infrastructure. The carbon neutrality of eSAF originates from the fact that the fuel only emits when burnt as much carbon as was input into the production process from direct carbon capture or existing emissions from other industrial sectors. Electricity from renewable sources is used in the production. So, what’s stopping eSAF from being produced at scale today? Essentially, it comes down to cost. To be commercially viable and competitive with conventional jet fuel, eSAF needs to be produced at low cost. At the moment eSAF is still in the development stage and is considerably more expensive to produce and purchase - it can currently be eight times the cost of conventional jet fuel and two to three times the cost of SAF made from HEFA or municipal solid waste (MSW)2. These fuels are already approved by ASTM international for use in jet engines with up to a 50 percent blend rate with conventional jet fuel. However, based on the significant role eSAF is expected to play in the future, investment in the development and scaling of these fuels is critical. The good news is there is already legislation in Europe that places the development of eSAF at the forefront of aviation’s sustainability agenda. Germany for example has agreed a roadmap which will come into effect in 2026 for the development and use of eSAF for the aviation sector. The European Union proposal ‘Fit for 55’ includes ambitious goals for eSAF starting in 2030 with 0.7 percent of jet fuel and reaching 28 percent in 20503. While these mandates mean initially at least that the cost of eSAF to customers will be around eight times more expensive than fossil fuel and at least twice as expensive as alternative SAF pathways, it’s about creating demand for renewable energy and ultimately driving down the price. As such government mandates will push the industry to learn faster and move towards reducing the costs on this technology, with eSAF expected to be commercialized after 2030 and more widely available post 2040. With the price of renewable electricity for hydrogen production, alongside the high cost and logistics of rolling out electrolyzers being key challenges with respect to eSAF production and cost, it’s encouraging to see that renewable energy costs have dropped 90 percent in the last decade. There’s still of course a long way to go. However, with these costs expected to continue decreasing and innovations in carbon sourcing - by securing carbon monoxide from existing industrial sources instead of having to process carbon dioxide from the atmosphere helping to cut energy costs by around 30 percent - it is feasible that eSAF could reach cost parity with other jet fuels, including other SAF pathways. Meanwhile, further investment in the development of refineries will also help scale production and therefore drive costs down. Although it’s not going to be easy, Air BP is committed to achieving its net-zero ambitions incorporating SAF strategies through a mix of different viable technology pathways to develop the sustainable fuels of the future. Some regions will prioritize specific pathways with a strong focus on sustainable feedstock and land use as well as low carbon hydrogen sources, resulting in the growth of eSAF and second generation biomass (which uses agricultural and forestry residue as feedstock). Others could favour domestic supply resulting in the production of alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) from ethanol or SAF from municipal solid waste. It’s clear that PtL technology and the development of eSAF will play an integral role in reimagining the energy of tomorrow. And with government mandates driving the development of eSAF, they are not only an area that’s ripe for development, but also ripe with potential to play an integral role in enabling decarbonized air travel. https://www.aviationpros.com/gse/fueling-equipment-accessories/fuel-distributors-suppliers-manufacturers/blog/21249060/air-bp-what-is-esaf 1 Source : US Energy Information Administration (EIA) article https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=9991 2 Source : ATAG Waypoint 2050 report – page 79 https://aviationbenefits.org/media/167187/w2050_full.pdf 3 Source : EU Fit for 55 document https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52021DC0550 Thales completes acquisition of Moog navigation aids Thales has acquired the Moog ground-based navigation aids business located in Salt Lake City, Utah, enabling it to provide a more comprehensive navigation aid offering to its customers worldwide. The acquisition was completed after Thales received the required regulatory approvals in October 2021. Both Thales and Moog have recognized histories and deployments in the United States (U.S.) and around the world. A trusted partner of the aviation industry, Thales provides air traffic management solutions and navigation aids to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and airports worldwide. Similarly, Moog has demonstrated the quality, reliability and longevity of its navigation aids to the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, and global ANSPs and military forces. “Radio air navigation offers unmatched reliability and convenience for all aviation stakeholders from pilots to ANSPs,” said Kais Mnif, Managing Director, Navaids and Surveillance Business, Thales. “Additionally, the ways we design our navigation aids and bring them to the market have dramatically evolved with technological advances and creative delivery models. Our civil and military customers are discovering the value of investing in high performance, digital, compact, low consumption and low maintenance systems. Through the acquisition of Moog, we can offer them an even more advanced technology with varying solutions for their specific needs.” About Thales Thales is a global high technology leader investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations –connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technology – to build a future we can all trust, which is vital to the development of our societies. The company provides solutions, services and products that help its customers –businesses, organisations and states – in the defense, aeronautics, space, transportation and digital identity and security markets to fulfil their critical missions, by placing humans at the heart of the decision-making process. Thales has 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2020 the Group generated sales of €17 billion. About Thales in the USA In the United States, Thales has conducted significant research and development, manufacturing, and service capabilities for more than 100 years. Today, Thales is present in 22 states, operating 46 different facilities and employing nearly 5,000 people. Working closely with U.S. customers and local partners, Thales is able to meet the most complex requirements for every operating environment. https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2021/12/06/thales-acquisition-moog-navigation-aids/ The Role of Safety Sharing in Cultivating a Safer Aviation Ecosystem With the help of various voices across the business aviation community, Connected Aviation Today has explored trends and insights around the adoption and integration of safety management systems (SMS). As a tool designed to sharpen safety practices across the aviation ecosystem, an SMS helps broaden the scope of safety concerns for decision makers to various causal factors, instead of merely aircraft deviations. As a result, aviation decision makers are seeing the impact of concepts like safety sharing and how they contribute to the betterment of the industry’s safety practices. It’s worth noting that governing bodies like the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the U.S. Congress are starting to mandate the monitoring of flight data by manufacturers and owners. While there is a growing number of operators voluntarily adopting SMS to streamline and sharpen their safety practices, it’s a particularly crucial time for aviation leaders to be ready for mandatory adoption and regulation of the technology. In the final installment of our series around SMS adoption, we spoke with Jens Hennig, VP of Operations with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Steve Bruneau, VP of Aviation Services with Polaris Aero, and Andrew Donnelly, Senior Marketing Manager, Business and Government Aviation with Collins Aerospace. They each offered their own unique perspectives on the widespread effect of SMS adoption and safety sharing and how business aviation can take the appropriate next steps to bolster its safety practices. Connected Aviation Today (CAT) Editors: Why is safety sharing critical to the future of business aviation? Jens Hennig: Today, monitoring and sharing of safety data equates to baseline safety for business and general aviation operators. We expect that the interest of the NTSB and the U.S. Congress in mandating the monitoring of flight data will push SMS expansion to manufacturers and certain operators on the front burner in the agency’s rulemaking plan during 2022. Andrew Donnelly: The reality of safety programs such as SMS is that they are built on lessons learned. Which is to say, that flight safety is a cumulation of knowledge and best practices derived from safety related experiences, reported incidents, and investigated accidents across every part of the aviation ecosystem. And with airspace capacity increasing, air traffic management becoming more complex, and aircraft technologies constantly evolving, it’s clear just how critical safety sharing is to the future of aviation. In its simplest form, safety sharing improves access to critical flight risk data that can help save lives, reduce loss and minimize the time it takes for the aviation community to adopt and employ SMS. Steve Bruneau: Safety is not something that organizations should compete on and safety issues at one flight department aren’t always unique to that one department. The point of sharing isn’t to throw organizations or people under the bus and shame them; it’s to highlight the safety outcome, deviation, or malfunction, and the causal factors behind it, ultimately leading to corrective action. Fixing a safety problem is great for your own business reputation and operational effectiveness while also helping others avoid the same “pothole.” CAT Editors: Expand on the systems integration strategy for operators and how it influences SMS adoption. Andrew Donnelly: I think it’s important for operators to find an integration strategy that works for them and not against them. The concept of safety sharing and the tools that enable it create efficiencies for operators by automating, aggregating, and distributing safety data quickly and accurately, all serving the goal of minimizing risk. When an operator elects to subscribe to a safety services platform that is integrated with industry tools such as ARINCDirect flight planning, additional operational efficiencies are created that further streamline a flight department’s operations. Steve Bruneau: To Andrew’s point, when these different systems are integrated together, the result is a technology environment that handles the heavy lifting of these myriad datapoints without burdening your line personnel and safety managers with duplication, siloed information, and a host of administrative activities. Having an SMS environment that is simple to use and seamless across all the systems can profoundly impact safety engagement and insight, as well as an organization’s operation. CAT Editors: What are some misconceptions around safety data and systems that should be debunked? Jens Hennig: There is a misconception that establishing a safety data sharing and analysis program is complex, but experience has shown that programs can be scaled to the size, complexity, and type of operation of most organizations today under existing regulations and guidance. We have already seen over 140 businesses and on-demand Part 135 operators elect to sign up to partake in the joint-industry/FAA Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) program and feedback has been positive. Andrew Donnelly: One of the flight safety challenges driving misunderstandings across the space is culturally driven. For example, pilots have expressed to me that the corporate Flight Operations Quality Assurance program, or C-FOQA, is nothing more than “big brother” scrutinizing every aspect of their job. They think safety data gleaned from a flight is more likely to be used as a tool for disciplinary action than a non-punitive tool for improving flight safety. This is one of the reasons it is so important for everyone in the flight department to be involved in SMS. When that’s the case, individuals are less likely to feel as though the weight of flight safety falls solely on them. Steve Bruneau: Building on some of the sentiments Andrew has heard about programs like C-FOQA, safety data should serve the mission of safety, first and foremost. When the event is submitted, an organization can determine why it occurred and provide future risk controls to avoid it moving forward. Safety data, whether reported by a human or the airplane itself, needs to be used entirely for process improvement, lessons learned, and future avoidance of hazards. When managers use this data for reprimanding, discipline, or other inappropriate uses, your team will not be eager to contribute. CAT Editors: What are the top factors business aviation leaders need to keep in mind regarding a potential 2022 safety mandate? Jens Hennig: Companies that are interested in establishing an SMS should review Part 5, as we expect the regulatory requirements for an SMS to align with the existing regulation when advanced based on feedback from operators that have pursued a voluntary program. Andrew Donnelly: Assessing the many SMS solutions out there today to get ahead of a potential SMS mandate in the U.S. would help operators avoid an unnecessary scramble for compliance that could result in rushed decisions. Now is the right time to prepare. A great resource to better understand what FAA SMS compliance could look like is the European Union Safety Agency (EASA), which already requires SMS for all aviation domains. Steve Bruneau: Safety management is essentially process improvement. If managers of any sized organization embrace SMS to track and mitigate safety problems, they can improve their business risk profile, create a positive work culture, and likely see that propagate to an improvement in their customer brand recognition. So why not start now? https://connectedaviationtoday.com/role-safety-sharing-cultivating-safer-aviation-ecosystem/#.Ya9ZwNDMKUk NASA says SpaceX is only provider so far able to provide astronaut taxi rides SpaceX is the only American company right now capable of sending astronauts to the International Space Station, NASA said in awarding the company additional flights. The Hawthorne, California-based firm received a sole-source modification to the existing contract between NASA and SpaceX. The modification will allow the agency to acquire up to three additional flights to the International Space Station using its Crew Dragon system; these would follow the six crewed flights already arranged. NASA did solicit other companies before awarding the contract, by asking in October for any other offers for astronaut taxi rides. But SpaceX remains the only firm currently capable of the service under its Commercial Crew Transportation Capabilities (CCtCap) contract, first awarded in 2014. "SpaceX's crew transportation system is the only one certified to meet NASA’s safety requirements to transport crew to the space station, and to maintain the agency’s obligation to its international partners in the needed timeframe," NASA said in a Dec. 3 statement. The agency is working to send larger crews to the space station to boost its science and to make the facility attractive to commercial companies, such as Axiom Space, which will launch the first all-private mission to the complex in early 2022. NASA used to send astronauts aloft in the space shuttle, but retired the program in 2011 following 30 years of service. The agency then spent several years helping American companies develop replacement commercial crew vehicles before awarding SpaceX and Boeing transportation contracts in 2014. (In the interim, NASA astronauts flew on Russian Soyuz capsules, paid for by the seat.) Although SpaceX sent the first crewed spacecraft to the ISS in 2020, Boeing's Starliner is not ready for flight yet. Starliner had a difficult uncrewed test flight in December 2019 that did not reach the orbiting complex due to a series of glitches. Boeing's attempt to run a second uncrewed test flight in 2021 got derailed by problems with an oxidizer valve, sidelining the system until at least 2022. So NASA awarded the new contract, which is expected to take effect in 2023, to SpaceX, allowing the agency to turn its attention back to helping Boeing with the flight certification, according to the statement. NASA's eventual plan is to alternate flights between SpaceX's and Boeing's systems once Boeing is ready, the agency said, and it is prepared to add more spacecraft systems as the need expands. Commercial service to the ISS will likely expand rapidly in the coming years, as the complex pivots to allow more companies on board to do experiments and research. It may be that SpaceX and Boeing could be used for future space stations as well; last week, NASA revealed a set of early-stage commercial designs it hopes will be ready to replace the ISS by 2030. https://www.space.com/nasa-spacex-commercial-crew Curt Lewis