February 4, 2022 - No. 08

 In This Issue 
: Sierra Nevada picks Dayton for site of new aircraft maintenance facilities 
: Argus Develops New Safety Standard for Part 91 Ops 
: 2022 Aircraft Cabin Air Conference 
: FAA Awards $10 Million to Develop the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals 
: Marshall announces apprenticeship partnership with Bombardier 
: Lawmakers take federal regulators to task over 5G interference debacle 
: Gulfstream Preps To Increase Wing Production Capacity 
: The future of aerospace is…plastics? 
: China’s Deep Blue Aerospace targets big national, commercial launch opportunities 
: GE Aviation to Partner with Boeing on Hybrid Electric Program 

 




Sierra Nevada picks Dayton for site of new aircraft maintenance facilities

Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) plans expands its aircraft footprint in Ohio with two new aircraft maintenance and repair facilities to be built at Dayton International Airport.

Officials said the project will create around 150 new jobs and generate $10.8 million in new payroll. A formal announcement and groundbreaking is scheduled for Wednesday.

The company received a 1.867%, 10-year job creation tax credit for the project.

"SNC is on the leading edge of advanced aerospace technology, and Ohio is proud to partner in this critically important venture," Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said. "The corporation's decision to locate in close proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Life Cycle Management Center, and the Air Force Research Laboratory recognizes the immeasurable value of the Dayton region and its competitive advantage in accelerating our nation’s defense and aerospace programs."

The 16-acre site is expected to be capable of supporting some of the largest aviation projects in the world. Construction already has begun on the first facility and is planned to last throughout the year, according to a news release from DeWine.

The company’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Aviation and Security (IAS) business area is one of the leaders in post-production modifications on commercial and military aircraft. The company’s IAS currently performs special mission aircraft upgrades in production spaces in Colorado Springs and Centennial, Colorado.

“Following a nationwide search to find the location best suited to meet SNC’s growing customer needs, we are excited to continue our expansion in the large aircraft MRO field in Dayton and the Miami Valley,” said Mark Williams, SNC senior vice president strategy. “Dayton’s extensive supply chain, highly skilled workforce and proven standing as a logistics hub make the Dayton International Airport our first choice to further strengthen the expertise and robust production infrastructure that have made SNC the go-to leader in large aircraft heavy maintenance, modification and integration markets.”

DeWine also announced several expansion projects at companies around the state, including five in central Ohio. Each received job creation tax credits.

https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/In-The-News/In-The-News/Article/Sierra-Nevada-picks-Dayton-for-site-of-new-aircraft-maintenance-facilities/2/20/75644


 

 




Argus Develops New Safety Standard for Part 91 Ops

Argus International has established a new safety standard that’s customizable to Part 91 operations of various sizes, the Denver-based business aviation audit organization announced yesterday. The Argus Operator Assessment, AOA:91000, uses the Argus Standard to evaluate private operators’ flight departments, assessing components such as scheduling, safety management, flight operations, and aircraft maintenance.

Argus senior v-p Mike McCready said the new standard was created to address and improve a missing piece in business aviation safety. “Our customers operating privately asked Argus for a safety assessment that fits their exact needs for domestic and international operations,” he explained. “The Argus Pros team built AOA:91000 specifically to meet the evaluation needs of our customers, making sure it is scalable, fitting all operator sizes.”

Founded in 1995, Argus International is a provider of aviation data, software, audits, and certification services with a focus on safety management systems.

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-02-03/argus-develops-new-safety-standard-part-91-ops


 


FAA Awards $10 Million to Develop the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals

Grants will support aspiring pilots, engineers, UAV operators, and future aviation maintenance professionals. 

Half of the development grants will be dedicated to training aspiring A&P technicians.

The FAA recently awarded $10 million to schools around the country to educate aspiring aviation professionals. 

The Aircraft Pilots Aviation Workforce Development Grants and the Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development Grants were awarded to accredited higher-education institutions, high schools, state and local governments, and flight schools. 

Half of the $10 million will be directed to schools to develop the next generation of pilots. The other $5 million is anticipated to be used to train and educate the next generation of aviation maintenance technicians.

“Our investment in the aviation workforce of the future must begin today,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement. “These grants help nurture interest in aviation at an early age to build a career during one of the most dynamic times in aviation history.”

Development of Pilots
Schools can use the funds to create and drive curriculum to prepare students to become aviation professionals such as: aircraft pilots, aerospace engineers, or unmanned aircraft systems operators. 

The main goal of this program is to establish a pipeline of pilots amid projected shortages in the industry.

The grant recipients are: 

Florida State College, Jacksonville, Florida: $498,000
Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Michigan: $90,000
Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City, North Carolina: $269,000
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota: $488,000
County of Scottsbluff School District #16, Gering, Nebraska: $500,000
Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, Flushing, New York: $498,000
Aerotrek Flight Academy LLC, Wadsworth, Ohio: $77,000
Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: $491,000
Harrisburg University of Science & Technology, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: $135,000
Spartanburg County School District #5 (James. F. Byrnes High School), Duncan, South Carolina: $31,000
South Carolina Department of Education, Columbia, South Carolina: $425,000
Florence School District One, Florence, South Carolina: $339,000
Crowley Independent School District #912, Crowley, Texas: $139,500
Utah State University, Logan, Utah: $238,500
Randolph Macon Academy, Front Royal, Virginia: $307,000
Old Dominion University Research Foundation/Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Norfolk, Virginia: $474,000
Development of Aviation Maintenance Technicians
The schools selected to develop the next generation of aviation maintenance technicians can utilize the funds to create new educational programs and/or award scholarships or apprenticeships to aspiring aviation professionals. 

One of the goals of the grants is to support educational opportunities related to aviation maintenance in economically disadvantaged areas. 

“A career as an aviation maintenance technician opens a wide world of opportunity. These grants will allow us to reach and support individuals who may not have had the chance to pursue this exciting career before,” FAA Deputy Administrator Bradley Mims said in a statement.

Grant recipients:

Macon County School District, Tuskegee, Alabama: $425,000
Pima County Community College District, Tucson, Arizona: $490,000
North Orange County Community College District, Anaheim, California: $250,000
San Bernardino Community College District, San Bernardino, California: $400,000
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Washington, D.C.: $450,000
DLK Aviation Inc., Kennesaw, Georgia: $250,000
Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs, Iowa: $475,000
Southern University at Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana: $500,000
Dutchess Community College, Fairview, New York: $450,000
Guilford County School System, High Pint, North Carolina: $45,500
Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio: $250,000
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma: $450,000
Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania: $214,500
South Carolina Department of Education, Charleston, South Carolina: $250,000
Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Madison, Wisconsin: $100,000

https://www.flyingmag.com/faa-awards-10-million-to-develop-the-next-generation-of-aviation-professionals/


 




Marshall announces apprenticeship partnership with Bombardier

Marshall Skills Academy announces plans to partner with business jet aviation specialist Bombardier to deliver its Level 3, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Apprenticeship from September 2022.

This will be the first time that aviation training specialist Marshall Skills Academy, which rebranded at the start of 2022 to better reflect its core focus and expertise, has delivered an apprenticeship provision externally, building on a proud 100-year history of providing its own award-winning apprenticeship programmes.

The new cohort of Bombardier Level 3 apprentices will complete their first year in Marshall’s workshop in Cambridge before returning to the aircraft manufacturer’s Biggin Hill site, where they will be given day release to continue with their studies.

Marshall Skills Academy will provide continuous on-site learning and assessment at Biggin Hill along with dedicated support to the wider Bombardier team to enable them to develop and grow the apprentices within their workplace.

 Marshall Skills Academy’s Head of Aviation Excellence Matt Siggens, himself a former Marshall apprentice, explains: “The Marshall Apprenticeship programme has long been acknowledged as setting the gold standard in the industry and I am incredibly proud and excited to working with the Bombardier team at Biggin Hill to help them grow the next generation of aviation engineers.

The decision to extend our Aviation Apprenticeship offering beyond those that we need for our own aerospace businesses will enable us to partner with more like-minded organisations to develop a robust pipeline of talent for the future.

“We are very happy to be working with Marshall Skills Academy on this critical programme to develop future generations of aircraft technicians,” said Paul Thompson, General Manager of Bombardier's Biggin Hill Service Centre. “This world-class facility will provide a solid training ground for our apprentices in a technologically advanced workplace environment – with the possibility for full-time employment at the facility upon graduation.”

Commenting on the partnership with Bombardier, Dan Edwards, General Manager of Marshall Skills Academy said, “There is a growing concern across the aviation sector over the massive skills gap in competent aircraft maintenance professionals. Marshall Skills Academy is proud to be involved with doing its part to close that gap so that the world’s fleet of aircraft can continue to fly safely.”

Dan continued, “It is also an exciting time for the business as we have started working more collaboratively with industry professionals to help them solve their biggest challenges by delivering the world-class training that puts Marshall apprentices above and beyond the competition.

As we move towards blending traditional delivery methods with technical learning, we aim to build strong collaborative relationships with future customers rather than transactional ones. Therefore, Marshall Skills Academy’s holistic approach to apprentice training, support and wellbeing is truly unique.”

Marshall Skills Academy is working with Bombardier to support their recruitment efforts to onboard up to 20 new apprentices in 2022.

https://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/news/marshall-announces-apprenticeship-partnership-bombardier


 




Lawmakers take federal regulators to task over 5G interference debacle

FAA head Steve Dickson and aviation industry reps blame a broken process for the standoff over 5G interference with airplane altimeters.

Lawmakers bashed federal agencies Thursday over the chaotic rollout of 5G wireless services earlier this year, accusing them of failing to communicate about potential aviation safety concerns. 

The criticism came during a House aviation subcommittee hearing where Steve Dickson, head of the Federal Aviation Administration, and trade group representatives of the airline and wireless industries testified about the standoff that resulted in a delayed rollout of 5G in January and in several canceled flights.

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The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee called the hearing because of an ongoing clash involving the FAA and the Federal Communications Commission, along with the aviation and wireless industries they regulate, over the deployment of 5G using the newly acquired C-band wireless spectrum. 

The hearing was streamed live on the House Transportation Committee's website. 

Rep. Peter DeFazio, a Democrat from Oregon, who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, criticized the FCC for approving the sale of C-band spectrum to wireless carriers last year without seriously considering concerns from FAA officials, who are tasked with regulating the safety of air travel in the US. 

"It's a pattern of ignoring consequences beyond the consequences to the profitability of the telecom industry; that's their only focus," DeFazio said of the FCC. The agency's chair, Jessica Rosenworcel, had been invited to testify but didn't attend, citing a scheduling conflict.

"Having a dropped call is way less serious than having a dropped airline out of the sky," DeFazio added.

Rep. Garret Graves, a Republican from Louisiana, who's the aviation subcommittee's ranking member, accused the FAA and FCC of "playing chicken with each other." He called the interagency standoff "embarrassing, ridiculous and inexcusable." He said it all could've been avoided had the agencies communicated better with each other from the start.

"We already have enough uncertainty related to schedules and weather and other things that we don't need to create our own problems further disrupting or creating uncertainty in airline travel," he said.

Who's to blame?
Though most of the public started hearing about 5G interference concerns only at the end of last year when the FAA issued its first public warning, the dispute has roots that go back more than a decade. For years, the FAA and the aviation industry have worried about whether C-band 5G signals could interfere with airplane altimeters. Their fear is that any disruption to the altimeters, which pilots rely on during low-visibility landings to know how close they are to the ground, could lead to a crash. 

The FCC, which regulates the nation's airwaves, disagrees with the assessment of the risk by the FAA and the aviation industry. It says the evidence shows there's no harmful interference between 5G using C-band and the vast majority of altimeters used in planes. Still, AT&T and Verizon agreed to voluntary measures to mitigate possible concerns. 

The clash between the two sides came to a head on Jan. 16, just days before AT&T and Verizon were set to turn on their C-band 5G services. Despite two delays and voluntary agreements from the wireless carriers to alter their deployment plans, the FAA began issuing warnings regarding the 5G interference near airports, and airlines started canceling flights.

The FAA has addressed the situation by issuing notices and directives to commercial airline pilots and requiring them to have alternate means of landing in low-visibility situations. So far the agency has cleared 90% of commercial aircraft flying in the US to operate at airports where 5G C-Band transmitters are deployed.

The very public disagreement between the federal agencies that played out over the past two months shone a bright light on the dysfunction that exists within the government's process for repurposing valuable wireless spectrum for new services. Lawmakers during the hearing wanted to know why the FCC and FAA had failed to coordinate in the years leading up to 5G deployment. 

FAA Administrator Steve Dickson, who testified first, acknowledged the issue should've been handled differently. 

"I think everyone realizes the process didn't serve anyone well," he said. But he acknowledged his agency is working cooperatively with the wireless industry to resolve concerns. 

Dickson said that for more than a year, the FAA had asked the FCC for more information to assess the effects of 5G on its altimeters. But it was only within the past few months, once the FAA engaged directly with wireless carriers, that it was able to get the information it needed, such as specific 5G tower locations and transmission power levels. 

"As it turns out, the FCC didn't even have the data that we needed," Dickson said. "We discovered that when we started to work directly with the telecommunications companies. They never had to provide this to the government."

Dickson said the FAA is working to develop new standards that'll require airlines to upgrade or replace older airplane instruments that are disrupted by 5G signals. 

An ongoing problem
Though the FAA says it's working toward a permanent resolution, lawmakers and airline officials who testified at the hearing noted that the situation is still problematic. The temporary restrictions the wireless carriers have agreed to will expire in six months and the current practice of issuing warnings and requiring alternate landing patterns for certain situations is unsustainable for long term practice, especially as carriers continue to turn on more 5G service throughout the country.

As a result, airline flight crews have been forced to sift through new FAA restrictions that vary by different runways even at the same airport, requiring pilots to perform extensive work-arounds.

"This is no way to run a railroad," Joe DePete, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, said in his testimony. "And it's certainly no way to operate the world's safest air transportation system."

Lawmakers and aviation industry representatives urged regulators to come up with a permanent solution to allow 5G service without sacrificing passenger safety. 

"The truth of the matter is that both of our industries have been thrust into this avoidable economic calamity by a government process that failed," Nicholas Calio, president of the Airlines for America trade group, said in his testimony at the hearing.

Faye Malarkey Black, who heads the Regional Airline Association, complained that smaller regional airlines haven't received as many FAA clearances, which has put them at greater risk of canceling flights when bad weather occurs. 

"Leaving dozens of airports and millions of passengers vulnerable to sweeping disruptions is unsustainable and unacceptable," she said. 

Communication breakdown
The consensus among lawmakers and all those testifying was that there was a breakdown in communication among federal agencies. 

But where or how that breakdown occurred is still unclear. While some lawmakers blamed the FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which represents the president on spectrum issues, for ignoring the FAA, Meredith Atwell Baker, CEO of the CTIA wireless industry trade group and a former FCC commissioner and NTIA official, said the agencies have historically worked very well together "on really hairy spectrum issues" to free up commercial and federal spectrum. She said that in her experience the interagency process has always been able to work out "multiple, really complex deals."

"This was auction number 107," she said. "And I've never seen anything like this before. So I would say this is an anomaly."

She said what this situation illustrates is that "we need to get the agency input early and let the spectrum engineers do their job because this is an engineering issue." 

https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/lawmakers-take-federal-regulators-to-task-over-5g-interference-debacle/


 




Gulfstream Preps To Increase Wing Production Capacity

In mid-2019, Gulfstream dedicated this 290,000-sq-ft production facility in Savannah, Georgia, to wing and empennage work. 

Gulfstream Aerospace is expanding the capacity to manufacture wings for its large-cabin twinjets as the Savannah, Georgia-based company prepares to ramp up aircraft production in the coming years, according to Phebe Novakovic, the chairman and CEO of parent company General Dynamics. In 2019, the company opened a 290,000-sq-ft production facility dedicated to wing and empennage work at its Savannah headquarters, vertically integrating wing manufacturing for its large-cabin in-production G500, G600, and G650ER jets, as well as the forthcoming G400, G700, and G800.

Backlog at the company’s aerospace unit increased by $4.7 billion last year and Novakovic said the sales pipeline is “robust” and termed sales activity as “brisk.” Thus, the company is projecting a ramp-up to 170 jet deliveries in 2024, compared with 119 last year. This presents a “rich problem” for Gulfstream, namely if the supply chain can keep up with aircraft demand, she noted.

“We will increase production in 2022, but not to where it needs to be,” Novakovic said. “The long pole in the tent is manufacturing wings, which we do ourselves. We need to expand our new line wing facility and acquire another set of tools and fixtures. All of this is underway and will be in place to satisfy our needs for 2023 and beyond.”

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2022-02-01/gulfstream-preps-increase-wing-production-capacity


 




The future of aerospace is…plastics?

In a famous quote from the timeless 1967 movie "The Graduate," a young Dustin Hoffman receives some prescient advice. His father's friend tells him about the path to future success: "One word…plastics." Few would have believed then that even airplanes would one day be built out of plastics.

Today, thanks to advances in thermoplastic manufacturing, more and more aircraft components are being created out of advanced composite materials – a form of plastics. These composites are helping make the aviation industry more sustainable, and they can be manufactured via a more streamlined and sustainable process. Collins Aerospace is helping shape the future of thermoplastics by pairing its long history of aerostructures manufacturing with newly expanded capabilities augmented by its 2021 acquisition of another leader in the field, Dutch Thermoplastic Components BV (DTC).

"Collins was already an industry leader with its specialized capabilities in advanced composites, and for DTC to join that team creates expanded capabilities and the opportunity to bring even more innovations to the marketplace," said David Manten, founder of DTC and current General Manager of Engineered Thermoplastics for Advanced Structures at Collins Aerospace. "Not only does Collins have the proven manufacturing expertise required to offer next-generation products, but we also have a loyal and established customer base that we will continue to support and grow."

Bringing the benefits of thermoplastics to the aerospace industry

In an effort to create compelling, more sustainable solutions for its global customers, Collins is continuously seeking advancements in nacelle systems, fan cowls, thrust reversers and other highly engineered aerospace structural components that are lighter, more efficient and produced at rapid rates to enable more sustainable flight.

"By shifting to large thermoplastic composite manufacturing, we can leap forward in all these areas by replacing energy- and labor-intensive assemblies of thermoset composite and metallic structures with more automated, out-of-autoclave, weldable structures that result in less energy consumption, reduced weight and cost, and higher production rates," explained Manten. "And as an added advantage, thermoplastics are recyclable and more environmentally friendly."

These new materials, and their methods of manufacture, have the potential to:

•	Reduce manufacturing cycle time by 80 percent;
•	Decrease the weight of structures by as much as 50 percent compared to earlier iterations; and
•	Incorporate sustainability improvements resulting in fewer emissions, a fully recyclable product and lower landfill output.
•	Shaping a more sustainable future

When you narrow it down, thermoplastic composite technology plays an important role in energy efficiency. With traditional aircraft components made of bonded metallics and thermosets, the manufacturing process requires products to be cured in large autoclave ovens that consume large amounts of energy to get the necessary amount of heat and pressure.

In contrast, thermoplastic composites don't require the same chemical reactions so they can be manufactured via more efficient, out-of-autoclave processes that greatly reduce energy usage. With thermoplastics, manufacturing processes can be reduced from hours to minutes while the material is shaped into its desired geometry. In addition, thermoplastic composites can be incredibly robust and more resistant to impact and high temperatures.

While thermoplastics manufacturing is quicker and more efficient, it also provides sustainability benefits because the resulting components are re-moldable and therefore recyclable – making them more attractive than metallic and thermoset parts. As fuel efficiency grows in importance for mission performance, aerospace customers are counting on manufacturers for lighter-weight products that address specific fuel-consumption metrics. Thermoplastics can reduce the weight of structural components by up to 50 percent as compared to metallic solutions.

"We're developing key technologies for our customers that not only provide the results that matter to them, but also have the potential to transform the way we do business," Manten said. "By enabling their visions, we can better ensure we reach our own."

New acquisition expands Collins' capabilities
For more than 20 years, DTC developed and manufactured thermoplastic-composite aerospace parts used as structurally loaded components in applications including fuselages, doors, wings and flight control surfaces. A pioneer in this field, DTC has evolved into an industry leader.

As a supplier of thermoplastic composite parts to 20 different aircraft types, DTC developed strong customer relationships while being highly engaged in the development of new material and process specifications. Key to its success was the company's ability to invest in new advanced processing technologies that were embraced by its customers.

Now that DTC has become part of Collins Aerospace, Collins will leverage this unique expertise as part of a broader initiative to bring develop a new level of advanced, in-house thermoplastics capabilities and a distinctive product portfolio for the benefit of current and future customers.

The thermoplastic technologies in this new toolbox include automated fiber placement and multiple advanced welding technologies that allow Collins to build larger, more complex and integrated aerostructures compared to the components currently fabricated by the former DTC (and current Collins) team in the Netherlands.

"Right now, we're on track to demonstrate a thermoplastic fan cowl by welding a large, curved frame to a fiber-placed skin in 2022," added Manten.

Latch housing stiffener
Advancing manufacturing is not new for Collins Aerospace. Since the 1940s, Collins has pioneered the use of cutting-edge process and material technologies to create nacelle systems and engineered structures for commercial and military aircraft. Long recognized as a leader in advanced metals and composites, the company has continually expanded, explored and incorporated modern material and process applications into its products. Today, Collins is actively engaged in the research and development of modern materials that are redefining the industry, such as composites, ceramics and titanium.

By virtue of its acquisition of DTC, Collins has operated in the epicenter of thermoplastic composite technology for more than 20 years while remaining committed to future development. With two advanced thermoplastic manufacturing sites in the Netherlands and California, Collins is bringing process efficiency along with lightweight, durable and sustainable products to the global aerospace industry.

https://www.collinsaerospace.com/what-we-do/Commercial-Aviation/Aerostructures/Advanced-Structural-Materials/Thermoplastic-Composites/Feature-Stories/2022/The-future-of-aerospace-is-plastics


 




China’s Deep Blue Aerospace targets big national, commercial launch opportunities

HELSINKI — Commercial space activities have developed rapidly in China in recent years, with major government policy shifts allowing a series of launch startups to emerge and compete for new opportunities.

Deep Blue Aerospace, one of a second wave of companies that followed the first few early entrants, is now pushing to reach orbit with its Nebula-1 rocket in 2023 — while also landing the first stage.

In October at an aerospace test base in Tongchuan, Shaanxi province, Its Nebula-M test stage rose to a height of 103.2 meters above its verdant surroundings before beginning to descend, engine still burning. The variable thrust Leiting-5 electric-pump-fed kerosene-liquid oxygen engine brought the vehicle slowly back to Earth and, despite a bounce and a wobble, the Nebula-M remained upright. 

It was a tiny hop by new standards set by SpaceX, trailblazers of reusable orbital launch vehicles, but also a nod as to the direction of the future of China’s commercial launch sector.

In an interview with SpaceNews, Huo Liang, CEO of Deep Blue Aerospace, says he was always interested in aerospace. In primary school he would make model airplanes and also look at the stars, wondering what could be out there in the cosmos. Later, Huo watched the 2003 Shenzhou-5 mission on TV as Yang Liwei became the first Chinese national in space. “I hoped that one day maybe I could work in that industry and get involved in things.”

Huo worked at the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), a defense contractor engaged in space activities. In 2016 he left CASIC to enter the commercial space sector, after China allowed private capital into portions of the space sector in 2014 and upgraded “military-civil fusion” to a national strategy, which helps facilitate the transfer of restricted technologies.

He joined OneSpace, a launch company aiming to make low-cost, reliable commercial solid rockets, but then changed direction, establishing Beijing Deep Blue Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd., in 2017, which is headquartered in Nantong City near the mouth of the Yangtze River.

Deep Blue Aerospace have not followed the route taken by other Chinese companies of first developing and launching a solid launch vehicle, like Landspace, iSpace and Galactic Energy. The success of the SpaceX Falcon 9 was an inspiration for the direction Deep Blue Aerospace have taken. 

“Our goal is to develop new kinds of launch vehicles to reach space. So, we are developing reusable rockets and so these must be liquid rockets,” Huo stressed.

“Reusable liquid rockets like those from SpaceX have already changed the launch market completely and demonstrated that space can be accessed much more efficiently and much cheaper,” Huo explains. “Therefore, we don’t think we need to use time and money on the aspects like solid propellant rockets, it’s not our goal.”

Along with a reusable first stage, DBA are also 3D printing engine components to bring down costs. The techniques, technologies and processes for these have been challenging, especially under the time pressure brought by a crowded field of fellow entrants into China’s commercial launch sector.

Launch and landing tests
The company took two small steps towards the planned Nebula-1 reusable orbital rocket in the second half of 2021, conducting first a successful 10-meter and then the 100-meter-level vertical takeoff, vertical landing tests with the Nebula M1 test stage.

“Technically, it is not a very big achievement compared to orbital recovery. That’s the height above the Karman Line recovery. But it is indeed the first step for a Chinese company and for us to reach that goal. From these tests, we have verified that the technology we chose for achieving vertical takeoff and vertical landing.”

From here, the next test is a kilometer-level test, using the Nebula-M. A larger Nebula-2M test article which will use the Nebula-1’s Leiting-20, 20-ton-thrust kerolox engine, would be used for 100-kilometer-level tests. “Our plan is to produce the Nebula-1 liquid rocket orbital launcher as early as possible. And we will start orbital recovery simultaneously.”

Deep Blue Aerospace currently employs nearly 100 people, with some coming from China’s traditional space industry institutes and companies, and some from areas such as the automobile and aviation industries. Around 70 percent of the team are engineers.

Chinese authorities provided a sum of money to help companies get going, and Huo notes that the “national team” or state-owned space players, and agencies have been open and inclusive towards new commercial players. Yet, Huo says, “we operate separately, we make our own plans, and implement different kinds of measures and things to provide different services to our customers.”

Satellite internet, space station and commercial opportunities
On Jan. 18 the company secured nearly $31.5 million in funding with investors including Zhencheng Capital, DT Capital and Galaxy capital. 

“The main opportunities for us and other competitors in this area are the rapid growth of the satellite launch market in China and the policy and finance support from government and private investment.

“I think if commercial rocket companies like us can prove that we can provide reliable and cost effective launch services, then the national satellite Internet project and even the space station program will be our customers.”

In 2021 China established a new state-owned company to oversee a national Satellite Internet project that, according to filings with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 2020, plans to construct low Earth orbit constellations totaling 12,992 satellites. 

In January 2021 a call for proposals was issued by China’s human spaceflight agency, CMSA, soliciting low-cost cargo transportation solutions for the Chinese space station, apparently signaling that commercial actors can get involved in the project in the future, in a similar fashion to NASA’s commercial cargo program. 

Regulations and frameworks have been formulated to provide guidance in areas including commercial launch vehicles and small satellites.

The competition
Progress is clearly being made by Deep Blue. The company has earned support and opportunities appear present. Yet there is competition.

Other Chinese startups are developing rockets with reusable first stages. A 2019 test by Linkspace reached an altitude of 300 meters with a small rocket using ethanol and liquid oxygen propellant engines. After a lengthy apparent hiatus, the firm is once again active and targeting its own, 100-kilometer-altitude launch and landing test by the end of the year.

Space Pioneer and iSpace are preparing their own hop tests using the Tiansuo-1 and a Hyperbola-2 first stage test vehicles respectively. Landspace is meanwhile planning to upgrade its Zhuque-2 methalox orbital launcher for reusability following its first launch which is expected as soon as the first quarter of 2022. A new launch complex to handle commercial liquid launch vehicles has been constructed at the national Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

Galactic Energy, which has twice reached orbit with its Ceres-1 solid rocket, are also developing a VTVL-capable liquid rocket, Pallas-1, targeting launch around early 2023. Orienspace emerged last year and has already raised around $110 million.

Spinoffs from state-owned entities CASC, CASIC and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are developing solid and liquid propellant rockets for commercial markets.

Towards full reusability?
“Nowadays there are several rocket companies in China, and we all make different kinds of vehicles. At Deep Blue Aerospace, we want to develop only rockets, and go from partially reusable and extend to fully reusable vehicles. And we launched to do something special and have different kinds of operational measures and culture.

“The second stage could be made reusable, like a space shuttle. That could dramatically reduce the cost of the vehicle to enter space and return to Earth. That we will be our dream,” says Huo.

Huo also believes the choice of RP-1 fuel over methane brings advantages, such as being easy to handle and being cheaper. A price per kilogram to orbit was not offered, as this will only become apparent following development of Nebula-1. Prices of around $5,000 per kilogram have circulated in Chinese press reports.

The factories for engines and rockets are located in the south of China in Jiangsu Province, in a place named Nantong city, very near to Shanghai. The area is beside the Yangtze and very near the coast. So, after we have built our rockets, they can be transported to the launchpad by ships.”

With some of the infrastructure in place and work on Nebula-1 ahead, plans for the future are emerging. In November firm unveiled a concept for the Nebula-1H, a three-core rocket which would apparently take a similar approach to SpaceX in its development of the Falcon Heavy from the Falcon 9.

“After we have the ability to launch satellites we will think about other areas. That means not only satellites, but other missions, such as exploration, and in the future, even human spaceflight missions in the future. But not yet.”

China’s space ecosystem is somewhat closed off from the rest of the world, for internal and external reasons. But Deep Blue Aerospace and other companies in China will also be looking abroad.

“China’s private commercial sector is still in its infancy, we are very pleased to cooperate with various regions and peoples and nations.

“The global space market is rapidly growing and we think we can be one of the launch service providers on the global market,” Huo concludes.

https://spacenews.com/chinas-deep-blue-aerospace-targets-big-national-commercial-launch-opportunities/


 




GE Aviation to Partner with Boeing on Hybrid Electric Program

GE Aviation and Boeing (NYSE:BA) have announced a partnership under a NASA project to begin a hybrid-electric flight test demonstration program.

GE Aviation, as part of NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project, has enlisted the help of Boeing to support flight tests of its hybrid electric propulsion system on a modified Saab 340B aircraft and CT7-9B turboprop engines.

Boeing, alongside its subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, will offer GE Aviation services for airplane modification, system integration, and flight-testing.

“We’re inspired to be joining GE Aviation in demonstrating the viability of hybrid-electric propulsion technology,” said Naveed Hussain, Boeing chief technology officer and vice president and general manager of Boeing Research and Technology. “We’re pleased to contribute our extensive research and testing of hybrid electric propulsion systems—including a longstanding development partnership with NASA—for a project that will no doubt be an important milestone on the path to more sustainable air travel.”

Last year, NASA and GE Aviation announced the launch of their research partnership to develop a megawatt (MW) class hybrid-electric propulsion system for single-aisle aircraft. Over the past five years, NASA, GE, Boeing, and others have gathered $260 million in investments toward the project. The program intends to begin ground and flight tests in the mid-2020s.

“We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Boeing to advance hybrid electric and electric propulsion systems,” said Mohamed Ali, vice president and general manager of engineering for GE Aviation. “NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration project is an opportunity for GE Aviation and Boeing, world leaders in aviation technologies, to show hybrid electric propulsion is real and possible for the future of commercial flight to reduce carbon emissions.”

Aurora’s headquarters in Manassas, Virginia, will host aircraft systems engineering and testing, while nacelle manufacturing will be hosted at facilities in Mississippi and West Virginia.

“We are proud to contribute Aurora’s expertise in aircraft components, systems engineering, and testing to this important project,” said Per Beith, president and CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences. “Working with GE Aviation, we will make a significant impact on the advancement of electrified propulsion for commercial air transport.”

According to GE Aviation, the company has been maturing high-power hybrid electric systems for over a decade, and it hopes to advance the aviation industry toward its goal of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050

https://www.flyingmag.com/ge-aviation-to-partner-with-boeing-on-hybrid-electric-program/


 


Curt Lewis