February 28, 2024 - No. 09 In This Issue : PRISM SMS - SMS designed to scale. : FAA Adopts Carbon Limits For Airliners : ProSafeT - SMS, Quality & Audit Management Software : EAA Wants Piper Rudder AD Rescinded : Pratt Slowly Ramping GTF Spares Production : Environmental Group Says California FBOs Will Be Able To Continue Selling 100LL : Boeing, Airbus struggle to deliver planes as supply chain woes persist : Coalition Formed To Tighten Aviation Supply Chain : Mike Busch To Probe Unleaded Fuel Valve Issues Featured Video: Flying Unleaded : USAF Addressing T-38 Engine Issues While Awaiting T-7 : Garmin adds IFR and 4-axis capability to GFC 600H helicopter flight control system : Donaldson Announces record sales of its popular inlet barrier filter FAA Adopts Carbon Limits For Airliners By Russ Niles Published: February 20, 2024 Updated: February 21, 2024 The FAA has issued a final rule that will require most larger aircraft built after Jan. 1, 2028, to meet new efficiency standards designed to reduce their carbon emissions per passenger mile. The new rule will cover all subsonic jets with a maximum takeoff weight of more than 12,500 pounds and turboprops with an MTOW of 19,000 pounds. The new rules will bring the U.S. in line with ICAO standards and are part of the U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan. “We are taking a large step forward to ensure the manufacture of more fuel-efficient airplanes, reduce carbon pollution, and reach our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. The rule sets fuel efficiency limits based on calculations of the planes’ size vs. fuel burn. The FAA says the rule covers everything from a Citation to a 787 and includes turboprops like Viking Q400s and ATR42s. It will not be applied retroactively to aircraft built before Jan. 1, 2028, but it may end production of one of the longest-running designs currently being built. It’s been years since production of passenger versions of the Boeing 767 have been built but the freight version is still being built, more than 40 years after the type went into service. FedEx and UPS have a total of 37 of the freighters on order but Boeing says orders beyond 2028 are thought to be minimal. The plane would have to get new engines to carry on, and Boeing has already hinted at building a freight version of the much more efficient 787. EAA Wants Piper Rudder AD Rescinded By Russ Niles Published: February 25, 2024 Updated: February 26, 2024 EAA is imploring the FAA to reconsider an AD it says would be impossible to achieve and unnecessarily broad in scope. The agency is proposing action that would require replacing the rudders on almost 31,000 legacy high-wing Pipers. “EAA believes this AD is flawed in regulatory process, scope, and requirements,” the organization said in its comments on the AD. “It is based on limited data, the required action is not possible in the timeframe required, the affected models list is vast, and the action required is excessive.” EAA wants the FAA to rescind it in favor of a Special Airworthiness Bulletin and do more studies on whether it’s needed at all. The incidents involved in-flight rudder post failures on a Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser and a PA-14 Family Cruiser. In both cases, the pilots were able to land safely. Both aircraft were on floats, had aftermarket 160 horsepower and rudder-mounted beacons “which likely altered the stress on the rudder posts.” EAA says. The AD calls for the fleet replacement of stock rudders that were made of 1025 carbon steel with new rudders made with 4130 low-alloy steel in two, three or five years depending on model. EAA said at current production rates, supplying the rudders would take 75 years. EAA’s Vintage Aircraft Association also filed comments and suggested an inspection and repair alternative to replacing the rudders. Proposed Airworthiness Directives: Piper Airplanes; AD–2023–00389–A Pratt Slowly Ramping GTF Spares Production Sean Broderick February 22, 2024 Some Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines undergoing required checks for cracking in certain parts are getting new, full-life components installed during the visits, and the company is on track to swap out more of the defective parts as checks progress. Chris Calio, president of Pratt parent RTX, said the company is producing enough full-life disks without the contaminated powder metal (PM) issue to satisfy all new-engine requirements. Ramping up production to replace contaminated disks, integrally bladed rotors, and other affected parts flagged in the geared turbofan (GTF) fleet management plan is one of Pratt’s priorities as it seeks to mitigate the ramifications of the PM issue. “Today, we are delivering to our airframe customers engines with full-life ... parts in accordance with what we are committed to,” Calio said during a Barclays investor event Feb. 22. “On the MRO side, we are starting to insert those parts into certain visits, and that’s going to ramp throughout the year.” “We’re holding serve at this particular time,” Calio added. “But that’s going to have to continue to ramp throughout the year because we want to insert more and more of these into MRO [shops] to try to drive the time on wing.” The inspections, which currently have about 500 affected aircraft on the ground, are needed on more than 1,000 engines to head off possible premature cracking of certain parts made from 2015-2021. Most of the checks must be done in the next year, and most are unscheduled. In response, Pratt has ramped up parts production and is adding overhaul shop capacity it did not expect to need so soon in the PW1000’s service life. Contaminated parts without cracks can keep flying, but Pratt has reduced both inspection intervals and service lives, meaning more disruption down the road for customers that do not get new, full-life parts installed during initial shop visits. Besides more new parts, Pratt is looking at different work scopes that balance time on wing and turnaround times, which have been running 250-300 days. This wing-to-wing figure, about three times longer than normal, counts both the time waiting for an overhaul shop slot and actual inspection and repair time. The company is also prioritizing repair development so it can keep engines moving and maximize time on wing without relying on getting new parts. The parts crunch goes beyond the contaminated PM material. With so many engines coming in earlier than scheduled, Pratt faces challenges balancing work scopes with spare parts availability. Airlines want their engines to fly as long as possible post-overhaul, which requires a certain number of specific spares. “It’s the powder creation, it’s the machining, it’s the forging, and it’s the inspection capacity,” Calio said. “Those are the key parts” of the fleet management plan,” he added. Environmental Group Says California FBOs Will Be Able To Continue Selling 100LL By Russ Niles Published: February 20, 2024 Updated: February 21, 2024 The lawyer for a California environmental group says a court settlement that will mandate the sale of G100UL avgas will not necessarily prevent FBOs from also selling 100LL. Mark Todzo, who represents the Center for Environmental Health, clarified part of his December 2023 letter to FBOs and fuel distributors informing of the imminent commercial availability of G100UL. In that letter Todzo said G100UL “can and should serve as a lower lead replacement for the 100LL fuel you are presently distributing” but told AVweb the agreement does not expressly stop fuel businesses from selling 100LL also. “They just need to make [G100UL] available for sale.” George Braly, whose company General Aviation Modifications Inc. developed the unleaded fuel, is also a lawyer and said his reading of the consent agreement is that it compels the businesses and distributors to sell the fuel with the lowest lead content available. He said it says nothing about them being able to sell anything else. Regardless of the legal semantics, Braly said practical considerations will exclude 100LL from most airports in the state. He said the vast majority of fuel sellers have only one gasoline tank and pump. Adding a second tank will cost between $800,000 and $1.5 million, and getting all the permits and approvals will take up to three years. Vitol Aviation, which is making the fuel under license, intends to have it commercially available to California distributors and sellers in the first half of this yea Boeing, Airbus struggle to deliver planes as supply chain woes persist Martin ABBUGAO Feb 23, 2024 Updated Feb 24, 2024 Airbus has thousands of direct and indirect suppliers from more than 100 countries from where it sources parts, components, systems and services Roslan RAHMAN Boeing and Airbus struck deals to sell billions of dollars' worth of planes at this week's airshow in Singapore, but supply chain disruptions mean they may struggle to deliver them on time, analysts said. Plane makers are already behind in their current orders due to parts shortages and lack of skilled labour, as the travel sector recovers from the havoc caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. From engines and seatbelts to wiring and screws, a single plane needs millions of parts from suppliers across the world, making them vulnerable to supply chain hiccups. Among the major deals announced at Asia's biggest airshow, which ends Sunday, was an order by Thai Airways for 45 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, while Royal Brunei Airlines bought four of the popular model. Europe's Airbus said it secured a commitment from Vietnamese carrier Vietjet Air to purchase 20 of its A330-900 aircraft, with the first delivery due in 2026. That might be optimistic. Aviation analyst Shukor Yusof said Boeing and Airbus had already indicated that some of their popular models would be unavailable until 2030. "The new orders will struggle to be delivered as continued shortages in labour and raw materials, problems in logistics as well as energy costs prevail," said Shukor, founder of consultancy Endau Analytics. "Raising production rates will be very tough to achieve. You're not making hand phones." The delays mean airlines cannot offer more seats and will be stuck with older, less fuel-efficient planes, which may dent their profits, Shukor said. - 'Major bottlenecks' - Problems across the supply chain were caused largely by the pandemic when restrictions and border closures disrupted shipments of raw materials and led to layoffs of pilots, flight attendants, baggage handlers and aircraft mechanics. The war in Ukraine also interfered with oil supplies and triggered higher costs for goods and services worldwide. As Covid-19 eased, air travel returned with a vengeance on pent-up demand, leaving manufacturers, airlines, airports and suppliers struggling to keep up. The supply chain "has become a major bottleneck, a major issue, holding capacity coming back into the market, aircraft delivery delays," said Brendan Sobie, an analyst with independent consultancy Sobie Aviation. Parts shortages have led to planes spending more time waiting for maintenance, while engine problems have forced aircraft to be grounded, he added. Boeing said each 787 Dreamliner needed around 2.3 million parts, with some made by the company and others sourced from suppliers worldwide, according to its website. Airbus has thousands of direct and indirect suppliers from more than 100 countries from where it sources parts, components, systems and services, the company said on its website. International Air Transport Association director-general Willie Walsh told a seminar ahead of the airshow that supply chain issues were "likely to continue for a few more years". Labour shortages were another problem. Boeing said last year the industry would need 649,000 pilots, 690,000 maintenance technicians and 938,000 cabin crew members over the next 20 years "to support the commercial fleet and meet long-term growth in air travel". Shukor said some airlines that let go of pilots during the pandemic were finding it hard to hire them back, while manufacturers were struggling to find highly specialised aircraft mechanics and technicians, who need time to be trained and get licenced. Many were "no longer interested in coming back" to the industry because Covid proved their jobs were not secure, Shukor said. Michael Szucs, chief executive of Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific, said his airline had been forced to ground 10 planes which may increase to 16 this year due to problems in the Pratt & Whitney engines. The carrier was also affected by delays from Airbus. "We've got a shortfall in capacity either through aircraft grounded or aircraft not arriving on time," Szucs told AFP at the airshow. "It's just never been more difficult to keep the fleet flying." Coalition Formed To Tighten Aviation Supply Chain By Amelia Walsh Published: February 23, 2024 Updated: February 26, 2024 Aerospace leaders in the United States and Europe have joined forces to establish a coalition aimed at preventing unauthorized parts from entering the global supply chain in an effort to improve its overall integrity. The newly formed group, Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition, was announced in a Feb. 22 press release and includes senior representatives from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Safran, StandardAero and United Airlines. Additionally, former National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Robert Sumwalt and former U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary John Porcari will serve as coalition co-chairs. The coalition’s establishment follows a high-profile investigation into U.K.-based parts distributor AOG Technics after the company was accused of being involved in a counterfeit parts scheme. According to the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA), AOG Technics forged at least 70 Authorised Release Certificates covering some 50 parts for CFM56 engines that power the Boeing 737NG, Airbus A320 and several other types. “We were able to stop a rogue actor and quarantine the parts last year thanks to swift action from the aviation industry, but more is needed to stop anyone who tries to take a shortcut in the future,” said co-chair Robert Sumwalt. The coalition says it has initiated a 90-day assessment to explore potential actions to strengthen the supply chain. The group says it will release a comprehensive report with recommendations aimed at upholding safety regulations later this year. Mike Busch To Probe Unleaded Fuel Valve Issues By Russ Niles Published: February 21, 2024 Savvy Aviation master mechanic Mike Busch is questioning the methodology of tests done by the University of North Dakota that resulted in it abandoning the use of Swift 94UL and going back to 100LL in its training fleet. The school made the switch back to leaded fuel last fall because it detected significant valve seat recession (VSR) in the Lycoming engines in its Piper Archers. VSR occurs when the valve seat erodes and the valve sinks deeper into the seat over time, possibly resulting in burned valves. UND and Lycoming have not discussed the test results publicly but Busch, in his regular online newsletter, speculates that UND’s measurement of dry tappet clearance, the distance between the tappet and the top of the valve, may be imprecise. “A decrease in dry tappet clearance might indicate recession, but it might also be caused by other things, notably failure to ensure that the tappet body is totally devoid of liquid,” Busch wrote. “As one experienced engine builder told me, ‘There’s really no such thing as a dry tappet.’” Busch said if UND has found that unleaded fuel causes VSR it will cause a serious wrinkle in the transition to unleaded fuel. He said the phenomenon was unheard of in engines using all types of unleaded fuel until UND detected it. Busch said that in the absence of available data from the UND Archers, he’ll do his own analysis on AOPA’s Beech C55 Baron, which is now flying on freshly overhauled engines, one burning 100LL and the other General Aviation Modifications Inc.’s G100UL, which is being touted as a drop-in replacement for avgas. He said his company will be doing the maintenance and data monitoring of both engines over the next couple of years and will be precisely measuring VSR down to the one-thousandth of an inch. USAF Addressing T-38 Engine Issues While Awaiting T-7 Brian Everstine February 20, 2024 A Boeing T-7A Red Hawk arrives at Edwards AFB, California, in November 2023. Credit: U.S. Air Force AURORA, Colorado—A new effort to build and refurbish engine parts in-house has started to turn around powerplant problems with the U.S. Air Force’s T-38 trainer, while the schedule for its replacement has started to hold steady though officials warn further delays are possible. The service has been awaiting the Boeing T-7A Red Hawk to take over the training role from the aging Northrop T-38C Talon II, though repeated delays have pushed back initial operational capability to 2027. Andrew Hunter, the service’s assistant secretary for acquisition, tells Aerospace DAILY that the Red Hawk schedule has largely become steady following delays related to the jet’s cockpit and flight control systems. Recent disclosures of parts delays from Boeing have not been new to the program, and are built into the current schedule, Hunter says. “Having said that, we are not out of the woods on T-7 because flight test is the hard part of any aircraft program and we have just started flight tests on T-7,” Hunter said on the sidelines of the Air & Space Force Association’s conference here on Feb. 13. As the flight test program at Edwards AFB, California, proceeds “delays could become apparent,” he says. That is the nature of flight testing. The highest-profile issues facing the T-7 have been the ejection seat system, which uses blast cords to open a hole in the cockpit during an ejection. The system had too high a risk of pilot injury during testing and requires a redesign, and the Air Force had approved a waiver for pilots to fly the aircraft in the meantime. Issues with the aircraft’s flight control software have also focused on high angle of attack stability and wing rock. These are also begin addressed. “Engineering-wise, we’re on the right path to fix all of that, but again the proof will be in the flight test,” he says. In the meantime, the service has been addressing reliability issues with the aging T-38s that have been used for training for decades. Last year, the service reported mission capability rates for the fleet in the low 50% range, largely attributed to issues with the GE Aerospace J85 engine. The powerplant is not in production and the main contractor charged with maintenance, StandardAero, has struggled to source needed parts. In response, the newly named Airman Development Command (previously known as Air Education and Training Command) worked with Air Force Materiel Command on a new plan to produce and refurbish parts in-house to be fed into depot maintenance. ADC boss Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson tells Aerospace DAILY that this process has already showed results, getting a “better quality engine to come out of depot maintenance. So, that’s proven out to have good results here in the last couple of months,” In addition to the engine effort, the Air Force has begun a broader program called Talon Repair Inspection and Maintenance that focuses on inspecting and repairing critical structure areas. This replaces nearly 200 primary structure components, including longerons, bulkheads, skins, and others, along with inspections of more than 150 other components. These are all interim steps as the service awaits the T-7. Robinson says the concern with the T-7’s delayed timeline is having to put more resources into extending the life of the T-38, as it prefers to have a Red Hawk that is much more advanced, capable and safer. Under the current T-38 training syllabus, much of the early stages of training are on simply being able to safely fly the old aircraft and its unique characteristics as opposed to military airmanship. The more advanced T-7 will allow the service to provide much improved training, he says. Earlier this month, the Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, in its yearly report, said the Air Force is planning to add an automatic ground collision avoidance system (GCAS) to the T-7 fleet. Robinson says this plan will come later on, as an automatic GCAS is not a part of the requirements and will come after production jets are delivered. An automatic GCAS would be needed for the T-7 because the aircraft has a much higher thrust-to-weight ratio than the T-38 and substantially more than the initial trainer, the propeller-driven T-6 Texan II. Because of that, there is a concern that new pilots could maneuver outside of the parameters they are prepared for, and experience G force-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC) and pass out. Auto GCAS systems take over control of the aircraft to avoid crashing, and have successfully saved the lives of pilots in other aircraft, including the F-16. Garmin adds IFR and 4-axis capability to GFC 600H helicopter flight control system NEWS PROVIDED BY Garmin International, Inc. Feb 20, 2024, 7:01 AM ET Modern flight control system supports IFR flying with Stability Augmentation System OLATHE, Kan., Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today announced the GFC™ 600H Helicopter Flight Control System is now available in an IFR configuration with a Stability Augmentation System (SAS). This configuration includes collective control, bringing 4-axis capability to the GFC 600H system for the first time. Leonardo Helicopters' AW109 Trekker is the first platform to incorporate the GFC 600H with IFR and collective axis capabilities, providing operators with an advanced flight control solution that reduces pilot workload and improves mission effectiveness. "We are very excited to now offer a 4-axis, IFR flight control system for the helicopter market. This technology will provide IFR operators with advanced automated flight capabilities and bring added protections to one of the most challenging flight categories in aviation. We're confident AW109 Trekker operators will be impressed with the performance of GFC 600H." –Carl Wolf, Garmin Vice President of Aviation Sales and Marketing The GFC 600H features a console-mounted mode controller with push-button controls and a night vision goggle (NVG) compatible display. Digitally controlled, high-performance servos and new Garmin developed linear actuators allow for faster, crisper, more powerful responses – enabling the GFC 600H to perform with smooth handling throughout the flight envelope. Autopilot modes supported include altitude acquire, altitude hold, approach auto-level, radar height hold, as well as vertical speed, indicated airspeed, heading select, attitude hold, and more. Using navigation system inputs, GFC 600H can also fly various approach types. IFR capable with Stability Augmentation The IFR configuration of the GFC 600H consists of a GMC 605H mode controller, GFS 83 smart servos in each of the four axes, and three GLA 85 smart linear actuators (pitch/roll/yaw) resulting in a reliable digital system that is lightweight, yet rich in features. Unlike traditional IFR helicopter flight control systems, the GFC 600H uniquely leverages its smart servos to eliminate the need for dual linear actuators in each axis along with flight control computers – resulting in a digital system that is lightweight and cost-effective while still the providing redundancy required for IFR flight. The GFC 600H SAS functionality improves the helicopter's basic flying characteristics throughout the flight envelope, as well as enhancing pilot handling and precision. Using the smart linear actuators, the GFC 600H provides rate damping without moving the cyclic, providing a highly capable SAS solution for operators. Collective control In addition to pitch, roll and yaw axis control, the GFC 600H can now control the collective. Power management enables additional functions that can enhance safety and reduce pilot workload. For example, GFC 600H can allow a pilot to cruise, transition to hover, and hover, all completely hands-off. New safety features available with 4th axis include low height protection and power limiting. Low height protection can help prevent controlled descent into terrain by automatically raising the collective to reduce descending vertical speed. Power limiting can keep engine parameters below maximum limits by lowering the collective, in order to prevent engine exceedances. Proven, robust capabilities The new capabilities in the IFR configuration of GFC 600H expand a portfolio of previously certified features in the VFR configuration of GFC 600H available for AS350 and Bell 505 helicopters1. Safety tools such as Garmin's Helicopter Electronic Stability and Protection (H-ESP™) to help the pilot remain within a safe flight envelope when hand-flying the helicopter. A dedicated LVL button can be engaged by the pilot to return to straight-and-level flight, helping to avoid potential disorientation in degraded visual environments (DVE) or inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The IFR configuration of the GFC 600H flight control system has received European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval on the AW109 Trekker helicopter. FAA approval is expected later. To learn more, visit garmin.com/GFC600H. Garmin products and services have revolutionized flight and become essential to the lives of pilots and aircraft owners and operators around the world. A leading provider of solutions to general aviation, business aviation, rotorcraft, advanced air mobility, government and defense, and commercial air carrier customers, Garmin believes every day is an opportunity to innovate. Recipient of the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy for Garmin Autoland, Garmin developed the world's first certified autonomous system that activates during an emergency to control and land an aircraft without human intervention. Visit the Garmin Newsroom, email our media team, connect with @garminaviation on social, or follow our blog. 1Features may vary by specific aircraft configuration. About Garmin International, Inc. Garmin International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin is a registered trademark and GFC and H-ESP are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Notice on Forward-Looking Statements: This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at https://www.garmin.com/en-US/company/investors/earnings/. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Donaldson Announces record sales of its popular inlet barrier filter Donaldson Aerospace & Defense Press Release | February 22, 2024 Donaldson Aerospace & Defense, a division of Donaldson Company, Inc., announced record sales of its industry leading inlet barrier filter (IBF), and invites customers to Heli-Expo Booth #8102 to see the first ever display of its Leonardo AW169 IBF. “The success of our IBFs is testament to our ongoing commitment to our helicopter OEM customers—listening to them and continually adding new products to support the industry,” said Tom Newman, Donaldson rotorcraft business director. Year-over-year sales increases for IBFs have also benefited by continued sales strength in defense aircraft and helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS). Donaldson first launched its cost-saving IBF in 2001, which revolutionized engine protection for helicopter operations, especially those conducted in particularly harsh, off airport locations. Reduced engine maintenance costs, consistent flight operations and extended engine time on wing are experienced by aircraft operating with Donaldson’s IBF onboard. In addition to the Leonardo AW169 IBF, Donaldson will be exhibiting its Bell 407 Inducer Vent Filtration System and most of its legacy IBF systems in booth #8102 at Heli-Expo 2024 in Anaheim, California, Feb. 27-29. Curt Lewis