February 21, 2022 - No. 11 In This Issue : FACC develops composite parts for Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X engine : Korean Light Attack Helicopter passes cold weather testing : Public Assistance, Building Lease to Help Cirrus Grow Production in Duluth : Textron Aviation Delivers 8,000th Cessna Citation FACC develops composite parts for Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X engine Aerospace company FACC has been commissioned by Rolls-Royce with the development and manufacture of composite components for the new Pearl 10X engine. British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has used FACC's products in the production of its engines for civil aviation for more than 20 years. Most recently, FACC was commissioned by Rolls-Royce to develop and manufacture the complete composite package for the Pearl 10X engine. In addition to the bypass ducts and maintenance doors, FACC will also be supplying the fan track liners, the spinner and the cable bushing. Robert Machtlinger, CEO of FACC, commented: “With the Pearl 10X, Rolls-Royce is offering the business aviation market a groundbreaking, high-performance engine. The fact that Rolls-Royce has selected us as a technology partner for its new premium product once again confirms our leading position in the field of lightweight solutions for aircraft engines.” The Pearl 10X is the third and most powerful member of the Pearl engine family for the business aviation market. Compared to the previous generation of Rolls-Royce engines for business jets, the Pearl 10X has a 5% increase in efficiency combined with excellent noise and emissions characteristics. “Engines are among the most highly stressed high-performance aircraft components - the production of their component parts is highly complex and requires the skill of experienced experts. The production of the outer skin in particular, i.e. the outer layer of the bypass duct for the Pearl 10X, calls for the highest precision in addition to state-of-the-art manufacturing processes,” added Günter Nelböck, vice president engines & nacelles and aerostructures of FACC. “FACC's outstanding performance and excellent customer support play a key role in meeting the customer’s expectations.” FACC has also been admitted to the exclusive Rolls-Royce High Performing Supplier Group. FACC is part of a select handful of companies to have been a member of this exclusive group of supplier partners since it was created in 2019. “We are very proud that Rolls-Royce has maintained an intensive cooperation with FACC for more than two decades,” added Nelböck. “Being nominated a High Performing Supplier anew and receiving this contract are proof that the outstanding dedication and know-how of our employees are greatly valued by our customers.” www.facc.com Korean Light Attack Helicopter passes cold weather testing Cold weather testing of Korea's Light Armed Helicopter was conducted in Yellowknife, Canada for nine weeks from December 2021 to February 2022 (Image: Korean Defense Acquisition Program) Korea’s Light Armed Helicopter has successfully passed low-temperature testing at Yellowknife in Canada. The low-temperature testing of the attack helicopter took around nine weeks and started December in 2021 and has been returned to Korea. The Light Armed Helicopter (LAH), which performed its maiden flight in July 2019 is an advanced light helicopter being developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) that is based on the Airbus H155. The Korean Government has ordered up to 200 LAHs. The LAH’s main mission is to cover air assault units and destroy enemy tanks. Army Brigadier General Lee Jong-hwa, Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) helicopter division head said, “With the success of this overseas low-temperature flight test, we have crossed the mountain of test and evaluation of small armed helicopters. Development was started by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in June 2015, and prototype No. 1 was unveiled in December 2018, about three years and six months after development began, and in December 2020, it was provisionally judged suitable for combat use. Around 165 items were tested during a total of 40 flights at Yellowknife. This included a cold soak test was conducted, which the aircraft to a cryogenic temperature of -32℃ for 12 hours to check whether the engine is started and various equipment are operating normally. Follow-up testing and evaluation of the LAH is being conducted in Korea and is expected to be complete at the end of 2022. DAPA then plans to further develop the use of the LAH so it can be used in unmanned systems. Jong-hwa said, “We will also lead the development of an unmanned system called Changer, contributing to improving the survivability of pilots and military personnel.” https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/news/helicopters-rotorcraft/korean-light-attack-helicopter-passes-cold-weather-testing.html Public Assistance, Building Lease to Help Cirrus Grow Production in Duluth Feb. 17—DULUTH — The Duluth Economic Development Authority called a special meeting at noon Wednesday to enable Cirrus Aircraft to proceed with its expansion plans immediately. Members of the authority were unified in their support of a proposal to lease an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility formerly occupied by AAR Corp. to Cirrus for up to 16 months at a cost equivalent to the building's holding costs, including property taxes. At the end of that term, Cirrus will have the opportunity to purchase the facility outright for $1. The maintenance building belongs to DEDA and has sat almost entirely vacant since AAR left Duluth resulting in the loss of more than 240 jobs in May 2020, as the commercial airline industry reeled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining the cavernous building with its complex fire-suppression systems, absent a suitable tenant, costs DEDA about $57,000 to $58,000 per month, said Chris Fleege, director of the Duluth's planning and economic development division. The highly specialized facility was designed to service large wide-body commercial jet aircraft. But Cirrus is poised to sink about $3.6 million into the structure, converting it to accommodate office and operations staff and freeing up space on the south side of a current company facility for expanded manufacturing capacity. The airplane maker already employs more than 1,200 people in Duluth and expects to hire at least 80 more to meet growing demand for its popular general aviation piston-engine and jet aircraft. Cirrus will get some local help to advance its plans. Both the city and St. Louis County have agreed to abate $600,000 in future property taxes, for a combined tax break of $1.2 million. However, a procedural error will force the Duluth City Council to take up anew the tax abatement request councilors thought they had already approved earlier this week. That pending special meeting with a public hearing at the front end is slated for March 1. Additionally, Cirrus is seeking $500,000 in assistance from the Minnesota Jobs Creation Fund and a $1.5 million forgivable loan from the Minnesota Investment Fund. If the sale of the maintenance building goes through, the city of Duluth also will be asked to offer Cirrus a forgivable loan of up to $300,000 to cover the cost of removing and properly disposing of the facility's fire-suppressing foam containing hard-to-break-down per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals that have been flagged as a public health concern in recent years. DEDA Commissioner and 3rd District Duluth City Councilor Roz Randorf said Cirrus' occupancy of the maintenance building could save DEDA nearly $700,000 annually, allowing the authority to redeploy those funds for other valuable economic development purposes. "Just imagine all the other things DEDA could invest in," she said. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/business-general-aviation/news/21257548/public-assistance-building-lease-to-help-cirrus-grow-production-in-duluth Textron Aviation Delivers 8,000th Cessna Citation The milestone jet was purchased by Scotts Miracle-Gro and presented in a special ceremony. Textron Aviation and Scotts Miracle-Gro celebrated the milestone with a special delivery ceremony at Textron Aviation headquarters in Wichita, Kansas. [Courtesy: Textron Aviation] Textron Aviation (NYSE: TXT) has delivered its 8,000 Cessna Citation Jet, 50 years after the OEM began manufacturing the model series. Scotts Miracle-Gro, an Ohio-based company specializing in lawn and garden products, took ownership of a new Citation Longitude in a special delivery ceremony last week at Textron Aviation headquarters in Wichita, Kansas. This addition is the fifth Cessna Citation for the company. “A milestone like this wouldn’t be possible without all the owners and operators who love to fly our aircraft and trust the reliability and versatility of our Citation products,” Textron Aviation president and CEO Ron Draper said at the ceremony. “With more than 41 million flight hours across the globe, our customers continue to make Citation jets their aircraft of choice,” Draper said. Jim Hagedorn, CEO of Scotts Miracle-Gro and a long-time pilot who also personally owns a Citation CJ4, congratulated Textron during the ceremony. “The Citation is one of the most functional and reliable brands in the general aviation industry, and I, along with the members of our flight department, congratulate Textron Aviation on the delivery of its 8,000 Citation aircraft,” Hagedorn said. “Reaching this milestone is a credit to the Cessna brand, which represents quality, design, and attention to the entire flying experience—all things we were looking for as we add to our fleet of business jets.” https://www.flyingmag.com/textron-aviation-delivers-8000th-cessna-citation/ Curt Lewis