August 2, 2023 - No. 032 In This Issue : CFM and GE Faced the Same Issue Two Years Ago that Pratt and Whitney Are Facing Now : FAA and Boeing Tangle Over Certification as 737 MAX 7 Delivery Pushed to 2024 : Tunison Foundation Starts PBY Restoration : Boeing Resumes KC-46 Deliveries, But Supply Chain Problems Persist : Piper Aircraft Announces New Parts Manufacturing at Oshkosh : Van’s RV-7 Experimental: particles in the oil screen. : AAR Plans New MRO Facility for United Airlines at Miami : Accessible bathrooms: New planes to face stricter requirements from DOT : Piper Aircraft Forms Manufacturing Subsidiary PIMCO CFM and GE Faced the Same Issue Two Years Ago that Pratt and Whitney Are Facing Now CFM, co-owned by Safran and GE Aerospace, detected a quality issue during an inspection of a rotating part in the summer of 2021 BY BHAVYA VELANI July 31, 2023 in Aerospace, International Aviation News During a quarterly results call, the head of CFM International’s joint owner, Safran, revealed that CFM discovered a quality issue related to powdered metal at an undisclosed supplier in 2021. The company has since completed the necessary repairs to address the problem involving a limited number of parts. CFM GE Early Issue This disclosure comes shortly after RTX unit Pratt & Whitney, a major competitor to CFM, ordered inspections on 1,200 engines of Airbus A320neo jets due to a similar issue with contaminated powdered metal. Aerospace companies commonly use metal powder to create high-performance super-alloys that offer enhanced resistance to the extreme heat inside jet engines. There is no indication of any connection between the CFM and Pratt cases. CFM, co-owned by Safran and GE Aerospace, detected a quality issue during an inspection of a rotating part in the summer of 2021. CEO Remarks Safran’s CEO, Olivier Andries, stated that they do not have specific details about Pratt & Whitney’s case. The problem in CFM’s case was related to contamination of powder metal at a supplier’s facility, affecting only a limited number of batches. A thorough root cause investigation was conducted, and all necessary corrective actions were completed. The company implemented a staggered removal program during shop-visit cycles to address the issue. Andries emphasized that there have been no engine failures or disruptions to customers due to this quality issue. Safran did not provide specific details regarding the cost of the fix. But mentioned that it had already been factored into its financial guidance. CFM is the manufacturer of the LEAP engine, which is utilized in the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft series, while also competing with Pratt’s Geared Turbofan engine in the Airbus A320neo family of airplanes. FAA and Boeing Tangle Over Certification as 737 MAX 7 Delivery Pushed to 2024 JULY 27, 2023 Boeing 737 MAX 7 delivery delayed to 2024 amid certification challenges • Boeing announces a delay in the first delivery of its 737 MAX 7 to 2024, with FAA certification flight testing for the MAX 10 slated for 2023. • Delays could impact Southwest Airlines' expansion plans, as they exclusively operate the 737. • The FAA and Boeing continue to work on safety management system documentation, with no clear timetable for certification completion. ARLINGTON —Boeing faces a setback again, with the first delivery of the 737 MAX 7 now pushed to 2024, according to their recent SEC filing. Interestingly, on Wednesday afternoon, the aviation giant saw a 7.7% increase in its stock, buoyed by the Q2 results that surpassed expectations. Southwest Airlines, known for exclusively flying the 737, had originally hoped for the MAX 7's entry into service by 2022. With this shift, they might have to recalibrate their growth strategy. Bob Jordan, Southwest's CEO, had alluded to this possibility earlier in March, mentioning that the earliest the MAX 7 might see service would be in 2024. The FAA's nod is imperative for Boeing as they seek to move ahead. While the company is optimistic that the FAA will green-light the MAX 7 in 2023, insider sources reveal that there's extensive discussion ongoing about the necessary safety documentation. The FAA maintained its stance on prioritizing safety, refraining from committing to a fixed certification timeline. Dave Calhoun, Boeing's CEO, had painted a hopeful picture earlier this year, forecasting the MAX 7 deliveries to commence within the year and the MAX 10 to follow the next. Contrarily, by May, the tone changed with Mike Fleming, overseeing commercial development programs at Boeing, stating that novel documentation standards have lengthened the certification process for the MAX 7. FAA Introduces Tighter Airliner Design Approval Processes Post 737 MAX Crashes Both the MAX 7 and the MAX 10 stand as crucial models for Boeing as they jostle with Airbus in the narrowbody airplane market. The MAX 10 is positioned to take on Airbus' A321 neo, while the more compact MAX 7 is set against the Airbus A220. Ben Minicucci, the CEO of Alaska Airlines, last month expressed the airline's keen anticipation to integrate the larger 737 MAX 10, which would allow them to accommodate a higher number of passengers. The green light for the MAX 10 is tied to the certification of the smaller MAX 7. Their journey to certification has been riddled with obstacles, especially in the wake of the MAX 8's earlier challenges, including the tragic accidents in 2018 and 2019. © Airlinerwatch.com Copyright © 2023 Airlinerwatch Tunison Foundation Starts PBY Restoration July 19, 2023 Vintage Aviation News Warbird Restorations by Luc Zipkin NOTE: Be sure to see all the cool photos in the original article. :-) Without a doubt, World War II fighters and bombers are fantastic machines. As they once were critical to the war effort, they are now critical to preserving the memory of the brave men and women who fought in this global battle, too. Walk around any air show, and it’s easy to see; the Tuskegee Airmen, the Doolittle Raid, Memphis Belle, and more are passionately commemorated by many thoughtful and active flying museums and private individuals. Indeed, many of us will be fortunate enough to see a gathering of Corsairs at this year’s EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. But in recent years, as operating and acquisition costs for fighters and other warbirds have risen due to a variety of cultural and market factors, some organizations have found a new opportunity to honor the service of those whose stories only rarely made it to Hollywood. Today, a strong contingent of transport, liaison, and training aircraft form a growing proportion of the types which are actively flown by volunteer-led museums – of which the Tunison Foundation in Oxford, Connecticut is a great example. Like many warbirds today, Placid Lassie would not be airworthy were it not for her rescue spurred on by one passionate private individual. Lassie, the Foundation’s 1943-built Douglas C-47 Skytrain, served in WWII Operations Neptune, Market Garden, Repulse, and Varsity; in other words, she is a combat veteran with a significant to her name. Until rescued by James Lyle, a New York-based British businessman, Lassie lay derelict in Covington, Georgia. When he purchased the C-47 in 2010, Lyle was already fascinated by interesting aircraft. An active pilot with a particular passion for amphibious flight, he purchased a Consolidated PBY Catalina project in 2008, amongst other amphibians. Although the C-47’s restoration to wartime configuration took place relatively quickly, with the Skytrain making it to Normandy in time for D-Day’s 70th anniversary, her owner’s personal life underwent changes over time and he eventually chose to step away from warbird flying. His C-47 and PBY moved on to the then-new Tunison Foundation in 2017, which intended to preserve and operate both aircraft. By 2019, commemorative festivities for the 75th anniversary of D-Day were in full swing, with the Tunison crew at the head of the U.S. contingent of C-47s – 15 in total – which crossed the Atlantic for the occasion. The project was a success, with few mechanical issues and resulted in many flights over historic sites and interactions with thousands of Europeans grateful for America’s contribution to the war effort. Upon their return to the U.S.A. in July 2019, the Tunison Foundation’s crew set about creating a DC-3/C-47 operators support group; the Foundation started to use the Normandy trip as a launchpad for a more secure future for Placid Lassie and the PBY, which included a permanent hangar. Lassie had lived outdoors, mostly, since about 2018, shifting between Fort Pierce and New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Oxford, Connecticut, and eventually Schenectady and Albany, New York – never a good thing for an antique airplane. Fate, however, had other plans, with the Covid-19 pandemic canceling Oshkosh and many other events crucial to the survival of the warbird industry; a great deal of momentum was lost as a result. Fast-forward to 2022, however, and things began looking up again. With the Foundation making a conscious effort to grow its volunteer corps, a new group of passionate people became involved in the preservation and operation of Placid Lassie – almost 100 fresh faces in total. In the fall, a hangar became available in Poughkeepsie, New York, and the Foundation jumped at the chance to secure it. The C-47 could now get in-depth maintenance attention and a permanent home! The PBY, however, was still languishing in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, sitting outside with less of a chance of survival and airworthiness every day she lay in the salty Floridian air. The team cringed to think about the potential corrosion issue which they might find upon returning her to New York. Although it could prove to be a great opportunity to preserve another lesser-told story, as in the case of the C-47, the Catalina restoration project would clearly be a huge lift! For one, they are huge aircraft, with a wingspan of 104 feet and a gross weight of over 35,000 pounds, and the type possesses numerous mechanically complex and difficult-to-source components. While the team felt fairly confident that they could operate the aircraft in her eventual airworthy state thanks to several multi-engine seaplane-rated pilots being in the group and lots of experience working with Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 engines, the volunteers who had restored Placid Lassie a decade earlier had by this time left the group – leaving the team without the experience of a major restoration project. Money and time, too, were going to be huge hurdles to overcome. Estimates for the restoration timeline and budget burgeoned to US$1 million over 10 years. It quickly became clear to the Tunison crew that this could become a daunting proposition if not managed properly. Beyond the scope of the restoration, the Catalina itself was something of an enigma. Manufactured in 1943 at Consolidated’s plant in San Diego, California, PBY-5A Calatina BuNo 48423 served with VPB-73 out of Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York during 1944 and 1945, before performing air-sea rescue operations out of San Juan, Puerto Rico until 1946. Like many PBYs, she ended up in storage for a decade and then passed through a variety of Canadian survey companies until about 1997. Although BuNo 48423 lacks the same kind of distinguished identity and combat provenance as Placid Lassie, she too has had her moment of fame. In 1997, she was purchased by a company associated with Greenpeace, an environmental advocacy group. For several years, the Catalina served the enviro-warriors as a reconnaissance aircraft helping police overfishing practices in the Mediterranean in rather spectacular fashion, with a huge rainbow on the tail and “Greenpeace” emblazoned on her sides. Unsurprisingly, there was soon a newspaper exposé in Europe and Greenpeace quickly did away with the PBY. Following this, the PBY lay dormant in Duxford, England for a number of years, changing hands repeatedly and generally deteriorating despite several efforts to restore the airframe. It is believed that this PBY has flown only three times since 1998. While James Lyle sponsored restoration efforts for the PBY, first at Lee on Solent, then later at North Weald and Biggin Hill, he decided to change direction in 2015, choosing to restore the aircraft in North America. As a result, he relocated the PBY to Florida, where the project sadly lost momentum. When Tunison took ownership, the fledgling Foundation could not support both a massive restoration project and the operation of the C-47, so the Catalina continued to sit in Florida. However, the new hangar in Poughkeepsie has raised new possibilities for the project! The passionate new corps of volunteers set about moving the aircraft and a mountain of spare parts from Florida to New York – no small endeavor! First, a particularly hardworking, heat and humidity-resistant contingent of volunteers loaded thousands of components, ranging from all manner of hardware and fittings to entire, crated Pratt & Whitney R-1830s, into six full tractor trailers for the journey north. Donations began to trickle in, and the money was soon put to good use. The two most promising core R-1830 engines made their way to J & E Aircraft Co. (a noted radial engine overhaul shop in Miami, Florida) for evaluation pending the completion of the airframe. The aircraft’s center section, consisting essentially of the pylon on which the wings rest and the middle part of the wings from the center of the aircraft out to the engine nacelles, had significant corrosion and was judged to be nearly unsalvageable. As a result, it was traded for a potentially airworthy section with the Collings Foundation of Stow, Massachusetts. The center section was promptly dispatched for restoration to Charles “Tuna” Hainline in Houston, Texas. Through the winter of 2022-2023, the team made progress sorting through the huge cache of PBY parts at the hangar in New York, with the biggest hurdle being shipping the PBY fuselage north from Florida. After months of negotiating with trucking companies and the issuing of oversize transport permits for numerous states, the flying boat finally made its way out of Florida. Work on Catalina’s restoration is planned to begin this summer, with the eventual hope being the production of an airworthy (and seaworthy) aircraft that can tour and fly for extensive periods. The Catalina would be joining the small class of around 15 airworthy examples commemorating the service of this unique type. While the Foundation has yet to choose a Catalina identity or type of service to commemorate this restoration, their earnest effort is already an example of the shift taking place in the warbird industry. As fighters and bombers become prized collectors’ items, we as warbird enthusiasts are increasingly reliant on the transports, search-and-rescue, liaison, and trainer aircraft to interact with our shared history. Thankfully, organizations like the Tunison Foundation are responding with thoughtful, passionate, and authentic restorations which will return the emblems of the Greatest Generation’s sacrifice to the skies. The compelling story of the Tunison PBY means that the Foundation has already raised more than $500,000 – or half of the estimated $1 million restoration cost. They will still need lots of help from all of us though, not to mention the dedication of numerous volunteers to bring another example of this under-appreciated airplane to the skies! To support the Tunison Foundation and this restoration, visit www.tunisonfoundation.org Boeing Resumes KC-46 Deliveries, But Supply Chain Problems Persist July 26, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak Boeing has resumed deliveries of KC-46 tankers after a prolonged halt due to quality problems with fuel tanks, company president and chief executive officer David Calhoun said July 26 during a second quarter earnings call. Yet company officials said supply chain problems continue to afflict Boeing programs, particularly defense-oriented ones, and full recovery will take some time. “On the tanker, we have now completed rework on the production aircraft requiring it, and we have resumed deliveries to the Air Force,” Calhoun said. Boeing first notified the Defense Contract Management Agency in January that there had been a process problem with KC-46 center wing fuel tanks, built by Triumph Aerostructures. The tank interiors had not been properly cleaned before being primed and delivered to Boeing. There was a possibility that the paint could flake off and clog fuel lines to the engines. The issue also affects the 767 freighter, on which the KC-46 is based. At the time, Boeing determined there was no safety of flight issue, but deliveries of the jet were halted in March pending rework. The Air Force had only accepted one of 15 KC-46s planned for delivery this year before the problem emerged, and has taken none since. The service agreed with Boeing in January that there was no immediate risk to flight crews. Fuel filters installed in the jet are capable of detecting and catching paint flakes, and flight crews were instructed to watch for readings that would indicate paint flakes being caught in the filters. An Air Force spokesperson was not immediately able to confirm that Boeing had resumed deliveries of the tanker, but the next two aircraft are slated to go to Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Boeing officials did not say whether they will be able to deliver the remaining 14 tankers required by the end of the year. Aviation Week reported July 13 that Air Mobility Command boss Gen. Mike Minihan said the delivery goal would be met. Boeing officials also did not discuss progress on development and testing of the KC-46’s Remote Viewing System 2.0, which is supposed to conclude by the end of 2025. That effort calls for a complete changeout of the boom operator station behind the KC-46 cockpit, as well as the cameras used to provide the boom operator with three-dimensional views of the refueling operations at the tail of the airplane. Despite the delay in deliveries, Boeing did not report any losses in the quarter on the KC-46, leaving the company’s total losses at a little more than $7 billion on the fixed-price program. However, Boeing did record losses on three other fixed-price defense projects: the T-7A Advanced Trainer, at $189 million; the Navy’s MQ-25 refueling drone, at $68 million, and NASA’s commercial space crew transport, the Starliner, at $257 million. “The T-7A impact was not due to any performance challenge within the quarter, [but] was more associated with our estimates for higher supply chain and production costs in the future,” Calhoun said. He noted, though, that “even with the cost growth, we’re hitting some key milestones on the program. The Air Force successfully completed its first flight of the T-7 [and] we’re heading toward the start of flight test in earnest.” The Air Force conducted the first test flight of the T-7A with a USAF pilot on June 28. Four more production-representative airplanes are slated to comprise the test fleet, but the Government Accountability Office has warned that the service and Boeing have not finalized what the aircraft are to include ahead of low-rate and full-rate production, and this could lead to misunderstandings later. Calhoun said Boeing is working through problems on its defense programs and has confidence after hitting milestones. He also claimed that the programs affected “will meet or beat the high performance standards of the warfighter.” ‘Given the fixed-price nature of some of our contracts, we’re very transparent about the financial impacts and we’re working to stabilize, to de-risk and mature them through development,” he added. Expressing confidence in Boeing’s defense business, Calhoun also noted that analysis indicates a demand for 42,000 aircraft through 2043, “and with demand strong, the supply side of the system is beginning to settle down.” There are still supply chain issues, however. Brian West, executive vice president and chief financial officer, said “we continue to see operational impacts from labor instability and supply chain disruption and other programs that contributed to lower margins.” For the defense-side of the business in particular, West said the company is “focused on the path to high single digit margins in 2025, 2026.” Calhoun said his workers and vendors are “still in an extremely supply-constrained world, everything they do is supply constrained. … My prediction is it’s going to be quite a while” before the situation changes. “Everybody’s fighting for the next part,” he said. “I think that’s just this moment we’re in.” Piper Aircraft Announces New Parts Manufacturing at Oshkosh Piper reports growth in a ‘pull’ market and announces expanding its Global Flight School Alliance and a new industrial manufacturing enterprise. By Amy Wilder July 25, 2023 Piper Aircraft delivered 236 aircraft in 2022, about 14 percent more than recorded in 2021. [Credit: Stephen Yeates] Editor’s Note: This story first appeared in Plane & Pilot. Ron Gunnarson, Piper Aircraft vice president of sales and marketing, said his company has continued to grow in a “pull market.” “It’s probably the strongest market that many of us have ever seen, including those of us that have been here for 33 or more years,” said Gunnarson at a Monday press conference at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. But Gunnarson said it’s not pulling as hard as it was a year ago during an economic situation that was unsustainable. “It was collapsing our traditional supply chain and pulling on the resources of every major OEM and supplier,” he said, noting that the market is leveling. “It’s a good place to be right now, a year after what is probably the peak. “In 2022 we delivered 236 aircraft. That was about 14 percent higher than we did in 2021. That increase was realized in both primary segments: We’ve got the trainer class and the M class.” Gunnarson added that this year the dealer networks report being sold out of 2023 inventory and projected that Piper is on track to deliver about 270 aircraft by end of year in spite of market pressures such as inflation and supply chain issues that continue to plague OEMs and suppliers. Because of those pressures, Piper Aircraft is pushing the envelope in terms of innovation and development of its brand. In addition to its announcement earlier this year that all M600s would sport the latest capabilities offered by Garmin for G3000-equipped aircraft, Gunnarson unveiled the company’s newly formed manufacturing enterprise at the press briefing in Oshkosh. We Fly: Piper M600 The new manufacturing enterprise would seem to be a natural one. “We are probably the most vertically integrated OEM in the industry,” Gunnarson said. “If it’s not an engine, avionics, or a tire, it’s probably made in the four walls of Piper Aircraft. It’s what we know best.” According to Gunnarson, over the last four years nearly $30 million has been invested in facility and equipment upgrades for the company, including robotic riveting, state-of-the-art 3D printing, laser cutting, and more. He said these investments are key to improved product quality, employee well-being, enterprise productivity, long-term value for the company, and the ability to diversify in a challenging industry. Gunnarson said the new business enterprise, Piper Industrial Manufacturing Co. (PIMCO), “…will leverage and capitalize on these recent production improvements and investments. We are also adapting our own existing quality management system and pursuing AS-9100 certification.” The Garmin capabilities for G3000-equipped airplanes include synthetic vision (SVT) enhancements, like 3D Safe Taxi, taxiway routing, cabin briefer, and GWX 8000 StormOptix weather radar with lightning and hail prediction. “Also those same new M600s will include a news suite of connected aircraft management capabilities leveraging Garmin’s new PlaneSync technology,” said Gunnarson. This technology includes remote access to an aircraft through a 4G or Wi-Fi connection. “It automatically logs flight and engine data and uploads it to the cloud…after you’re out of the clouds on the ground,” he said. Remote aircraft status can show an owner where an aircraft is and check fuel and oil levels, systems, battery, and more. “Piper will be the first to market with this…full functionality of the Garmin PlaneSync system,” Gunnarson said. “[The] FAA just granted Piper ODA authorization,” said Gunnarson, adding that the engineering team expects to have it certified within a few weeks. “There will be no-charge kits available for M600s serial numbers 198 and up—we’re delivering serial number 260 this week.” The company is also developing a kit for M600s with serial numbers 81 through 197, and is predicting year-end availability for those kits. Gunnarson also highlighted the growth of Piper’s Global Flight School Alliance and three new fleet customers in India, with a total of 47 training aircraft fleet deliveries projected for 2024 and 2025. April 8, 2023, Morgan, Utah Van’s RV-7 Experimental: particles in the oil screen. At about 1937 Mountain time, the airplane was substantially damaged in an off-field landing following engine failure. The solo pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. Earlier, an engine condition inspection revealed particles in the oil screen. After consulting a mechanic, the pilot decided to continue flying the airplane and closely monitor the engine. (Emphasis CLL) About 15 minutes into a local flight, the pilot noticed a burning odor when he activated the heater, turned back toward the departure airport and then noticed a vibration, followed about a minute later by a “sudden shudder” and then observed oil covering the windshield. The engine subsequently lost power. The pilot had no forward visibility due to the oil ob-structing the windscreen. The airplane landed in a field, flipped over and came to rest inverted. AAR Plans New MRO Facility for United Airlines at Miami AAR's agreement is set to strengthen its workforce development efforts, benefitting both the company, the industry, and multiple labor markets. BY KASHYAP VELANI July 27, 2023 in Aerospace, Airline News, News, US Airlines News, USA Aviation News MIAMI- AAR CORP, a leading aviation and MRO service provider, announced a significant development in its partnership with United Airlines (UA). The agreement, set to run through 2030, extends the existing airframe MRO services relationship and expands heavy maintenance commitments. Under the new agreement, AAR commits to ramping up its dedicated airframe narrow-body capacity. The aim is to provide United Airlines with a minimum of 10 lines of maintenance support across AAR’s MRO facilities in Miami, Florida, and Rockford, Illinois. AAR United MRO Partnership To accommodate the increased maintenance workload, AAR plans to construct a new three-bay hangar adjacent to its existing nine-bay facility at Miami International Airport. However, the project is pending approval from the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners, with the county expected to reimburse the construction costs of the hangar. With United Airlines’ expanded maintenance commitment, AAR foresees a substantial boost in career opportunities, creating more than 250 AAR positions in the Miami and Rockford communities. This expansion benefits the workforce and contributes to Miami International Airport’s revenue growth. AAR aims to enhance its workforce development efforts by hiring a diverse, highly-skilled team to support the additional maintenance workload. This approach aligns with the company’s well-established reputation for safety, quality, and reliability. Strong Partnership Mike Arata, Managing Director of Base Maintenance for United Airlines, expressed enthusiasm for the extended partnership. He emphasizes AAR’s strong track record and the importance of meeting the growing fleet’s maintenance demands. Chris Jessup, Chief Commercial Officer for AAR, shared his excitement about the extended support for United Airlines. He emphasizes the positive impact on both the aviation industry and the local communities in Miami and Rockford. In conclusion, the extension and expansion of the partnership between AAR and United Airlines hold significant promise for workforce development. Subsequently, the growth of the aviation sector in Miami and Rockford. Accessible bathrooms: New planes to face stricter requirements from DOT ZACH WICHTER, USA TODAY July 26, 2023 at 3:11 PM The Department of Transportation announced a new rule on Wednesday requiring airlines to make airplane bathrooms more accessible in the coming years. According to the DOT, new single-aisle aircraft will eventually need to be fitted with fully-accessible lavatories under the new regulation. “Traveling can be stressful enough without worrying about being able to access a restroom; yet today, millions of wheelchair users are forced to choose between dehydrating themselves before boarding a plane or avoiding air travel altogether,” Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “We are proud to announce this rule that will make airplane bathrooms larger and more accessible, ensuring travelers in wheelchairs are afforded the same access and dignity as the rest of the traveling public.” Previous regulations only required accessible lavatories to be available on widebody planes, but as technology has improved over the years, single-aisle aircraft like Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s increasingly fly greater distances. Such planes are commonly used on coast-to-coast flights today, which can be scheduled for six hours or more. The rule will require enhanced accessibility features in lavatories on newly-delivered single-aisle airplanes starting in 2026. These include grab bars and accessible faucets and controls, accessible call buttons and door locks, minimum obstruction to the passage of an on-board wheelchair, toe clearance and an available visual barrier for privacy, according to the DOT. For new single-aisle aircraft with 125 seats or more ordered starting in 2033 or delivered starting in 2035, fully-accessible lavatories will be required. “These aircraft must have at least one lavatory of sufficient size to permit a passenger with a disability (with the help of an assistant, if necessary) to approach, enter, and maneuver within the aircraft lavatory, to use all lavatory facilities, and leave by means of the aircraft’s onboard wheelchair if necessary,” the DOT said in a statement to USA TODAY. The rule does not require retrofits for aircraft that are already flying before the phase-in begins, but the DOT said they will apply if an airline fully replaces onboard lavatories on existing aircraft as part of an interior renovation after the regulation comes into force. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOT moves to require accessible bathrooms on new planes Piper Aircraft Forms Manufacturing Subsidiary PIMCO Molly McMillin July 25, 2023 Vero Beach, Florida-based Piper Aircraft is opening up a new parts and services business. Credit: Piper Aircraft OSHKOSH—Piper Aircraft, based in Vero Beach, Florida, has formed a subsidiary called Piper Industrial Manufacturing Co. (PIMCO), to provide parts and services to new outside customers. Over the past four years, Piper has invested $30 million in production improvements and in machinery, tooling and technology, including robotic riveting and 3D-printing equipment, Ron Gunnarson, Piper Aircraft vice president of sales, marketing and customer support, says during a media briefing at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. “These investments are the key to many things like improved product quality, employee well-being, enterprise productivity and long-term value for our company,” Gunnarson says. “They also allow us to diversify in what we all know is a very challenging but fun—almost addictive this industry is—but it’s a cyclical business we’re in.” Thus, Piper’s new business entity will expand its business into new and adjacent markets, such as contract manufacturing, aerostructures and project services. Initially, it will specialize in sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, hydro- and stretch-forming and tube bending and cutting. It also will offer laser cutting, fluid cell forming, welding and 3D printing. Piper unveiled the PIMCO logo during EAA AirVenture 2023. Credit: Piper Aircraft “To support this effort, we’re also adapting our own existing quality management system and pursuing AS9100 certification,” he says. Piper is currently running small jobs through the factory to learn “where our muscles are and where they’re not,” Gunnarson continues. It is performing work doing laser-cutting and 3D printing for a customer. Piper has operated as one of the most vertically integrated original equipment manufacturers in aviation, Gunnarson says. Its production facility is busy today with more aircraft orders than it can produce, he reports. “But we all know the cyclical nature of this industry,” Gunnarson says. “And after those investments, to be able to be suppliers for other aerospace companies …, it’s a nice place to have that.” Piper does not have a lot of excess machine capacity today, but “if and when a downturn does come, we’ve got the latest and greatest equipment. We’ve been bending metal and welding metal for 86 years,” Gunnarson says. “So, nobody knows it better.” Curt Lewis