March 14, 2022 - No. 17 In This Issue : TransDigm Announces Acquisition of DART Aerospace : Upcoming job fairs offer chance to get your aerospace career off the ground : Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Integrates 8tree's dentCHECK into its Aviation Maintenance Science Curriculum : Sanctions may ground Russia's planes, but the firms that own them can't get them back : Russian airlines will keep planes leased from foreign firms : Bermuda suspends flight certificates for Russian-registered aircraft : Textron Achieves FAA Type Certification on Cessna SkyCourier : Dutch, Australians Launch Case Against Moscow over MH17 : New Owner To Reopen Enstrom Helicopter TransDigm Announces Acquisition of DART Aerospace CLEVELAND, March 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE: TDG), announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DART Aerospace ("DART" or "the Company"), a portfolio company of Greenbriar Equity Group, L.P. and First Aviation Services Inc., for approximately $360 million in cash. DART is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. The Company is a leading provider of highly engineered, unique helicopter mission equipment solutions that predominantly service civilian aircraft. The Company is expected to generate approximately $100 million in pro forma revenues for the calendar year ending December 31, 2022. Approximately 95% of DART's revenues are derived from proprietary products and about 80% of DART's revenues comes from the aftermarket. The products have a strong presence across major commercial rotary-wing platforms as well as select applications for defense and safety services. The Company employs approximately 400 people and operates from four primary facilities in Hawkesbury, Ontario; Portland, Oregon; Fort Collins, Colorado and Chihuahua, Mexico. Kevin Stein, TransDigm's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are excited about the acquisition of DART Aerospace. DART is an industry leader in helicopter mission equipment and its unique helicopter solutions fit well with our proprietary and aftermarket-focused value generation strategy. The Company has established positions on a diverse range of new and existing rotary-wing platforms, strong aftermarket content and an outstanding reputation with its customers. As with all TransDigm acquisitions, we expect the DART acquisition to create equity value in-line with our long-term private equity-like return objectives." The acquisition, which is expected to close during the second calendar quarter of 2022, is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. The acquisition will be financed through existing cash on hand. About TransDigm Group TransDigm Group, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is a leading global designer, producer and supplier of highly engineered aircraft components for use on nearly all commercial and military aircraft in service today. Major product offerings, substantially all of which are ultimately provided to end-users in the aerospace industry, include mechanical/electro-mechanical actuators and controls, ignition systems and engine technology, specialized pumps and valves, power conditioning devices, specialized AC/DC electric motors and generators, batteries and chargers, engineered latching and locking devices, engineered rods, engineered connectors and elastomer sealing solutions, databus and power controls, cockpit security components and systems, specialized and advanced cockpit displays, engineered audio, radio and antenna systems, specialized lavatory components, seat belts and safety restraints, engineered and customized interior surfaces and related components, advanced sensor products, switches and relay panels, thermal protection and insulation, lighting and control technology, parachutes, high performance hoists, winches and lifting devices, and cargo loading, handling and delivery systems. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/transdigm-announces-acquisition-of-dart-aerospace-301501683.html Upcoming job fairs offer chance to get your aerospace career off the ground Oklahoma Aerospace Commerce Economic Services (ACES), a division of the Oklahoma Commerce Department, will be hosting two upcoming career fairs to attract more job seekers to the aerospace industry. Job seekers who are interested in working in the field of aerospace will have an opportunity to explore potential employers during upcoming career fairs. Oklahoma Aerospace Commerce Economic Services (ACES), a division of the state Commerce Department, will be hosting two free career fairs. Some of Oklahoma’s leading aerospace companies will host recruitment booths at the career fairs to discuss open positions in the industry and provide job search tips for attendees, as well as on-the-spot interview opportunities. The first career fair will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 23 in the Rose State Student Union FNB Community Bank Ballroom, 1910 Hudiburg Drive in Midwest City. Industry participants will include AAR Aircraft Services, Tinker Air Force Base, Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Boeing, Computer System Designers, Embry Riddle, Aero Uni., Aerocore X, Bizjet, L3Harris, DRG Pro Service, AK Structures, Field Aerospace, G2 Secure Staff, Electro Enterprises, the Federal Aviation Administration and more. On April 1, Oklahoma ACES will hold a second aerospace career fair in Tulsa at Tulsa Tech—Riverside Campus. To register for the Midwest City event, go to https://bit.ly/ACESCareerFairOKC. For more information about the Tulsa career fair, go to https://bit.ly/ACESCareerFairTulsa. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/lifestyle/2022/03/14/aerospace-career-fairs-set-midwest-city-tulsa/9449856002/ Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Integrates 8tree's dentCHECK into its Aviation Maintenance Science Curriculum • World-renowned aviation school is using dentCHECK at its Daytona Beach, Florida campus to improve student skills and employability. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s premier accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, has begun integrating dentCHECK into its Aviation Maintenance Science (AMS) curriculum. Embry-Riddle’s AMS department prides itself in preparing graduates to work in all sectors of aviation and aerospace maintenance. “Part of that preparation is incorporating cutting-edge technology in our curriculum, especially when that technology is already being used by leading aviation and aerospace maintenance facilities,” said Kris Hammer, associate chair of the AMS department. “Advanced aircraft require advanced inspection methods, and 8tree’s dentCHECK is a perfect example of this type of technology. Our students getting hands-on experience with the dentCHECK equipment gives them an additional edge over graduates from other Part 147 schools.” “This is a major step in our journey to help prepare students for the technologies and practices that await them in the aviation maintenance workplace,” said Arun Chhabra, CEO, 8tree. “By engaging the technical curiosity of today’s students, tools like dentCHECK help increase their interest in aviation maintenance careers. This strengthens their employment prospects with airlines, MROs and OEMs who already use such technologies in increasing numbers. Additionally, it addresses the industry’s chronic shortage of maintenance technicians by creating a strong pipeline of qualified candidates. We are delighted to have Embry-Riddle as the launch partner for 8tree’s Academic Initiative in the aviation industry, and look forward to helping the industry navigate the ongoing generational transition in the workforce.” dentCHECK is the world's only handheld-portable, completely wireless 3D scanner tool with integrated AR that is purpose-built for the aviation maintenance industry. It is now used by the world’s leading commercial, cargo and defense MROs. Delivering real-time ‘go/no-go’ answers at the push of a single-button, the tool significantly reduces damage-mapping and reporting times, compared to traditional manual methods that use depth-gauges and straight-edges. Approved and recognized by all major aerospace OEMs (Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer), dentCHECK is used by the world's leading airlines/MROs for fast and accurate damage-mapping and SRM-compliant multi-dent reporting. When compared to traditional inspection methods, dentCHECK delivers a 90% gain in efficiency and 35x better measurement consistency. OEM-acceptance has led to widespread adoption of dentCHECK amongst airlines/MROs. Detailed case-studies from easyJet, Delta TechOps and TAP-M&E, as well as news from Lufthansa Technik, Kalitta Air, Aeromexico, Airbus’ Flightline, DHL-Express and Zeppelin, demonstrate that dentCHECK drastically reduces inspection and reporting times by up to 90%. This shortens aircraft Turn-aroundTime (TaT), which further reduces lost revenues and very directly improves operational efficiency for airlines. dentCHECK enhances safety through an improved understanding of airframe reliability. https://www.aviationpros.com/education-training/press-release/21259943/embryriddle-aeronautical-university-embryriddle-aeronautical-university-integrates-8trees-dentcheck-into-its-aviation-maintenance-science-curriculum Sanctions may ground Russia's planes, but the firms that own them can't get them back Sweeping economic sanctions appear to be taking a heavy toll on Russia's economy; the ruble has collapsed, companies like Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Boeing have pulled out, and businesses there are struggling. This includes Russia's airlines, which are now almost entirely flying only domestically and could soon be forced to cut back on that. But there's a big problem in that most of the planes the Russian airlines fly are leased from Western companies, and the aircraft owners now fear they'll never get their planes back. Since the end of the Cold War, the aviation industry has become more global than ever, and it is completely interconnected. "The west relies on China and Russia just as much as they rely on the west," says George Dimitroff, head of valuations for the aviation analytics company Cirium. "And I think these sanctions will probably demonstrate how dependent we are on each other." Exhibit A is the airplanes now used by Russian airlines. "They're operating mostly Western-made airplanes, Airbus or Boeing," said Yi Gao, professor in the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology at Purdue University. "So the current sanctions on Russia will have a huge impact on their operators." According to Cirium's data, of the 861 passengers and cargo aircraft currently in service in Russia, 332 of them were manufactured by Boeing, and 304 were made by Airbus. Dozens of the rest are from Bombardier and other western manufacturers, while only 136 are Russian-made Sukhoi planes (Sukhoi merged with MiG last year to create a joint airplane manufacturing venture called UAC). Boeing, Airbus and other western companies that manufacture planes and aircraft components, such as engine makers GE and Pratt and Whitney, have suspended supplying spare parts and no longer provide maintenance and technical support services, and that could soon make it difficult for Russian airlines to keep their airplanes flying. "There's been talk again of what they call cannibalizing other aircraft to support the flying active ones," said Eddy Pieniazek, head of advisory for the London-based aviation analytics firm Ishka. "They might start robbing parts of some aircraft, maybe the leased aircraft, to keep their own aircraft flying." As the airlines pull some planes out of service to provide working parts for others in their fleets, Russian airlines will likely have to significantly reduce the number of their flights. And in a country as vast as Russia, reduced service between far-flung cities could have a big impact. "Without proper maintenance and parts and equipment, I think a lot of [these] remote regions may lose (their air service) connection to the rest of the economy," said Gao of Purdue. "I think that's a threat to their domestic economy as well." Russian airlines are also losing access to funds in Western banks, the use of reservations systems and other software provided by Western venders and their customers can no longer use their Visa, Mastercard or other Western credit cards. The largest Russian airline, Aeroflot, is majority state-owned, and some experts speculate that the economic crisis there may lead the Putin regime to take over the other airlines. "A possible approach will be that the government of Russia will nationalize their airline industry," said Gao. "Otherwise these airlines will not be able to survive through this," especially if the sanctions and travel bans last a long time. But there's another problem, Russian airlines don't own most of their planes. About 80-percent of them are leased, mostly from Western leasing companies, which now appear unable to get their airplanes back. "It's over 500 aircraft currently operated by Russian airlines, which are leased from Western lessors," Dimitroff said. "And so now that puts these lessors in a very tricky situation." Sanctions require the lessors to terminate their leases by March 28 and repossess their aircraft. In recent weeks, owners have been frantically trying to seize the few planes that were still flying to international destinations. But they've been unable to repossess all but a handful of those planes because they are being kept inside of Russia. Dimitroff said it appears that the Putin government has "issued a mandate" that prohibits Russian airlines from returning planes to Western lessors "because these aircraft are strategically important to Russia," he said. Although Russian airlines are in default on their aircraft lease payments, they're still able to fly their planes domestically, for now. But they may have to ground much of their fleet soon because they lack the support needed to keep the planes flying. https://www.npr.org/2022/03/13/1086219973/sanctions-may-ground-russias-planes-but-the-firms-that-own-them-cant-get-them-ba Bermuda suspends flight certificates for Russian-registered aircraft Aviation authorities say they can’t verify planes are airworthy The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority on Sunday suspended the flight certificates of Russian-operated aircraft registered in the country because of concerns international sanctions have degraded the ability to ensure they meet airworthiness standards. Sanctions “have had a significant impact on the ability to sustain safety oversight on Russian operated aircraft,” Bermuda aviation regulators said in a statement. Flight, technology and other restrictions are so severe that aviation authorities are “unable to confidently approve these aircraft as being airworthy.” The United States and European Union have closed their airspace to Russian aircraft and prohibited the sale of most avionics and aircraft components to Russia to punish the Putin government for its invasion of Ukraine. Aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus, which have supplied a large portion of the Russian commercial airfleet, have suspended parts, maintenance and technical support for Russian airlines. The EU also banned leasing, maintenance and insurance of aircraft in Russia. Other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom, have barred Russian aircraft from overflying their territory too. Russian flag-carrier Aeroflot mostly flies Boeing and Airbus aircraft. The sanctions and Bermuda’s airworthiness decision essentially limit Russian aviation to domestic flights and could quickly bring the whole system to halt if operators can’t keep aircraft maintained and certified. The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) warned that Bermuda’s decision covers hundreds of Russian aircraft and could result in aircraft currently in countries without sanctions being denied the ability to return to Russia. Three-quarters of Russia’s commercial airfleet – 745 aircraft – are registered in Bermuda, according to aviation advisory firm IBA. The exact number of aircraft impacted by Bermuda’s decision is difficult to determine because airlines have been busy transferring aircraft registry to Russia. The Ministry of Transport’s plan to take over the airworthiness certificates of foreign aircraft and their maintenance has raised safety concerns among aviation experts because Russian carriers won’t have access to software updates and manufacturer support, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported. Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency last week urged national carriers to significantly reduce their scheduled international flights and recommended that carriers with aircraft from overseas lessors should suspend international flights to prevent the seizure of aircraft by other governments, which has happened in several cases. The Federal Air Transport Agency also recommended that Russian citizens use foreign air carriers to return home, with routes via Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan possible options or flying to Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland and completing their journey by ground transportation. https://www.freightwaves.com/news/bermuda-suspends-flight-certificates-for-russian-registered-aircraft Textron Achieves FAA Type Certification on Cessna SkyCourier The FAA’s Paul (Vu) Nguyen, acting manager of the Wichita ACO Branch (left), presents type certification of the Cessna SkyCourier to Chris Hearne, Textron Aviation’s senior vice president of Engineering. (Textron Aviation) Less than five years after announcing FedEx Express as its launch air cargo airline customer, Textron Aviation Inc. has received type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration for its large-utility turboprop twin Cessna SkyCourier. Textron first launched the SkyCourier in 2017, originally targeting a 2020 entry-into-service date, with FedEx agreeing to purchase 50 SkyCouriers to become its launch customer, with options to purchase 50 more. The high-wing twin-engine turboprop has a cargo variant—that FedEx Express will operate—with a 6,000-pound maximum payload, a maximum cruise speed of up to 200 knots true airspeed, and a 900 nm [nautical mile] maximum range. SkyCourier's freighter version is capable of transporting up to three LD3 shipping containers. The SkyCourier passenger variant can seat up to 19 passengers and a 5,000-pound maximum payload. Ron Draper, president and CEO, Textron Aviation, said receiving the SkyCourier's type certification "demonstrates the expertise and hard work of our employees." Representatives from the FAA and Textron Aviation stand in front of the Cessna SkyCourier as they celebrate the aircraft's certification. (Textron Aviation) “Our clean-sheet design brings to this segment what customers said they need: the ability to load, fly, unload and repeat with low operating costs and maximum cabin flexibility and efficiency. We expect the SkyCourier to be a workhorse of the fleet for FedEx and many other customers around the globe for decades to come," Draper said in a March 14 press release. The SkyCourier cockpit features the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite, under a January 2020 agreement between Textron and Garmin. Textron has also stated that it is using some of the latest "advancements in aircraft manufacturing, including the use of monolithic machining throughout the airframe" in the SkyCourier production process. Textron rolled the first production SkyCourier out of its Wichita facility last month. (Textron Aviation) "With this technique, major assemblies are milled from a single piece of metal rather than assembled from smaller pieces, reducing the overall number of parts and resulting in more precise tolerances for easier assembly," according to a Feb. 4 press release from Textron marking the rollout of the first production SkyCourier from the company's manufacturing facility in Wichita. Three SkyCourier aircraft accumulated more than 2,100 hours throughout the flight test program, which formally started with an inaugural flight in May 2020. Textron previously stated that the first SkyCourier delivery to FedEx will occur following certification, sometime within the first half of the year. https://www.aviationtoday.com/2022/03/14/textron-achieves-faa-type-certification-cessna-skycourier/ Dutch, Australians Launch Case Against Moscow over MH17 The Dutch government said the timing of the case isn't connected to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. AMSTERDAM (AP) — The Dutch and Australian governments have launched a legal case against Russia at the International Civil Aviation Organization seeking to hold Moscow accountable for its alleged role in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. The case announced Monday in The Hague and Canberra is the latest bid to hold Russia legally responsible for the missile strike that brought down the passenger jet over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 people on board. An international investigation concluded that the Amsterdam-to-Kuala Lumpur flight was shot down from territory held by separatist rebels using a Buk missile system that was driven into Ukraine from a Russian military base and then returned to the base. Moscow denies involvement. The Dutch government said the timing of the case isn't connected to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but alluded to the devastating conflict in its announcement. Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra stressed that the Dutch government would continue to do all it can to hold Russia responsible. “The deaths of 298 civilians, including 196 Dutch citizens, cannot remain without consequences,” he said. “The current events in Ukraine underscore the crucial importance of that.” The Australian government said in a statement that “Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and the escalation of its aggression underscores the need to continue our enduring efforts to hold Russia to account for its blatant violation of international law and the U.N. Charter, including threats to Ukraine’s sovereignty and airspace.” Among the victims were 38 residents of Australia. The latest legal action comes as the Dutch murder trial in absentia of three Russians and a Ukrainian for their alleged roles in the downing of MH17 continues. Verdicts are expected late this year. Prosecutors have sought life sentences for the suspects. Three of the suspects have boycotted the trial, one is represented by a Dutch legal team, which insists he is innocent. The new ICAO case follows Russia's decision to walk away in October 2020 from negotiations with the Netherlands and Australia over state responsibility for the flight's downing. Dutch Infrastructure Minister Mark Harbers said the latest legal action is aimed at securing international recognition “that Russia is responsible for the MH17 disaster. Next of kin have a right to that.” https://www.manufacturing.net/aerospace/news/22118386/dutch-australians-launch-case-against-moscow-over-mh17 New Owner To Reopen Enstrom Helicopter Enstrom’s new owners are resuming product support and plan to restart production of the iconic helicopter. Enstrom Helicopter has a new owner. An ownership group that includes the owners of Midlothian, Texas-based MidTex Aviation has entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Enstrom Helicopter and plans to reopen it in mid-April, it was announced on Wednesday at Heli-Expo 2022. Customer service could be restored earlier via Enstrom’s existing repair station certificate, perhaps later this month. The asset purchase agreement was approved on Tuesday by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Michigan as part of Enstrom’s Chapter 7 bankruptcy process. After 64 years of near-continuous operation and building 1,300 helicopters, Enstrom filed for bankruptcy in January and said it would liquidate. MidTex (Booth 8206) expects to operate the helicopter manufacturer through a new entity, Enstrom Aerospace Industries. “We are extremely excited about acquiring these assets, restarting the former Enstrom facility, and expanding the scope of the business," said MidTex principal Ken Griffin, who owns an Enstrom helicopter. "We already have a number of former Enstrom employees working with us on a contract basis. After closing, we expect to make job offers to a substantial number of former Enstrom employees.” The new company’s first priority will be providing product support to existing customers while continuing to work on FAA approval of a crash-resistant fuel system for its new-build model 480B turbine single. Crash-resistant fuel tanks became mandatory in 2020. A long-standing Enstrom employee told AIN that the company had been working with Safran on that system and that it was “80 percent there.” He said similar work had yet to begin on Enstrom’s piston models but that those helicopters were a lower priority as almost all are sold into the export market, which is not governed by the U.S. standard. The new Enstrom Aerospace Industries will provide parts and support to existing owners, and eventually resume manufacturing new helicopters, according to Michael Dixon, former Enstrom managing director of support, who left the company in 2018. In addition, the new company plans to expand into providing engineering services and component manufacturing for other OEMs and will offer services to the nascent eVTOL/advanced air mobility industry. Upon closing, MidTex will acquire all of the former Enstrom parts, owned aircraft, tooling, materials, drawings, intellectual property, factory buildings, and airport lease. "We'll be going after all our markets pretty hard," he said. Dixon, who is also aviation manager for MidTex, said acquiring the helicopter OEM’s assets were “just too good of an opportunity to pass up.” He added that Enstrom Aerospace Industries will remain in the company's historic Menominee, Michigan location. "The Enstrom know-how is in Michigan," he said. "We want to be a leader in this industry." A source close to the transaction told AIN, “The court and the [bankruptcy trustee] realized Enstrom had more value as a going concern” as opposed to being liquidated for its component parts. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/general-aviation/2022-03-10/new-owner-reopen-enstrom-helicopter Curt Lewis