April 30, 2025 - No. 18 In This Issue : Inside tests of Honeywell’s tech for preventing runway collisions : Russia’s UAC delivers refurbished Su-34 aircraft to Russian Air Force. Garmin GPS is tapped on the cockpit. : Kansas governor announces over $14 million for aviation projects : First flight after annual ends in crash : Boom Supersonic Announces Symphony Engine Test Site at Colorado Air & Space Port : Embraer selects 8tree's dentCHECK tech for maintenance operations : Boeing Reaches Initial Performance Milestones Under New T-7 Plan : Boeing to seek FAA approval this year to increase 737 Max production as losses narrow : Sikorsky and Bristow Sign Long-Term Agreement Supporting World’s Largest S-92® Helicopter Fleet : Textron Aviation launches A&P training program for veterans Inside tests of Honeywell’s tech for preventing runway collisions By Keith Button April 17, 2025 Text and voice alerts would notify pilots of nearby aircraft Today’s lexicon of automated cockpit alerts include such classics as “Pull up! Pull up!” and “Terrain! Terrain!” If Honeywell Aerospace Technologies has its way, pilots could soon get a new one: “Traffic on runway! Traffic on runway!” The Phoenix-based avionics developer this month concluded the latest round of flight tests and demonstrations of its Surface Alert, or SURF-A. Honeywell is targeting June 2026 to receive FAA approval for this collision alert software to be installed in Boeing 757s. SURF-A is designed to warn pilots when their aircraft is on course to collide with another plane. The software detects the locations of nearby aircraft from the signals broadcast by their Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, transmitters and then plots their positions on a virtual map of the airport runways. If the software’s algorithms determine that a collision may occur, it issues a text alert to one of the cockpit displays. If pilots don’t take action, voice alerts sound 30 seconds and 15 seconds before the aircraft would intersect. SURF-A can access the runway maps of 5,000 airports around the world, which live in a database that is preloaded into Honeywell’s Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System. Some 90% of today’s commercial planes already carry Honeywell’s version of this avionics box, which provides terrain collision avoidance warnings. For an additional subscription, operators can upgrade EGPSW to also issue text and verbal alerts meant to prevent pilots from taking off or landing on a taxiway instead of a runway. SURF-A, if certified by FAA, would be provided as a software upgrade that also requires a subscription. In early April, Honeywell flew its 757 test aircraft equipped with SURF-A at the Mojave Air and Space Port in California in a series of flights that re-created the conditions of various near-collisions that have occurred at U.S. airports in recent years. One of these tests emulated a 2023 close call in Austin, Texas, in which a FedEx 767 cargo plane came within 30 meters of landing on a Southwest Airlines 737 that was taking off from the same runway. The Honeywell 757 played the role of the incoming FedEx plane, and a King Air turboprop stood in for the Southwest airliner. In its final report of that incident, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board largely attributed the mix-up to the air traffic controller’s poor visibility of the runway due to dense fog but noted that some manner of “flight deck alerting system would also help prevent runway incursions by providing timely notification to a flight crew about potential traffic conflicts.” Based on publicly available information of the Austin incident, Honeywell believes events would have played out differently if one or both of the planes had been equipped with SURF-A. The pilot of the FedEx plane would have received a “Traffic on runway!” alert when the plane was at an altitude of 420 feet, and then again at 15 seconds if the pilot did not pull up from the landing trajectory, says Thea Feyereisen, senior technical fellow at Honeywell and creator of SURF-A. As for the Southwest airliner, she says the software would have issued a text message on a cockpit display before the plane reached the runway, another text 52 seconds before the potential collision, and then a “Traffic on final!” voice alert at 30 seconds and at 15 seconds, if one of the planes was not maneuvered from the collision path. The timing of the alerts was something Honeywell paid particular attention to, Feyereisen told me in an interview. The initial SURF-A warnings are sent via text so as not to overwhelm pilots. Because planes frequently take off and land within a minute of each other at busy airports, any voice warning issued more than 30 seconds before a predicted collision could become just a boy-who-cried-wolf annoyance to pilots. “You want to give it to them in enough time to respond, but you also don’t want to give it to them too soon, or it becomes a nuisance,” she says. Following the Mojave tests, Honeywell conducted other flights with the software at Southwest Georgia Regional Airport in Albany, Georgia, to demonstrate SURF-A for “major domestic airline operators,” a company spokesman told me. To receive FAA certification, Honeywell must demonstrate that SURF-A correctly alerts pilots to potential collisions, minimizes nuisance alerts when other aircraft are not present and prompts pilots to take the correct action to avoid a collision. One way Honeywell accounted for that in the SURF-A design was considering the tone in which the voice alerts are delivered, Feyereisen says, and she helped coach the voice actors who recorded the SURF-A messages to make sure their intonations were right. “You want to call attention, but you don’t want to cause panic,” she says. “You want a particular cadence to the message as well, and emphasis.” Customers will be able to choose between a male or female version of the voice alerts. Once the 757 version of SURF-A is certified, Honeywell plans to seek FAA certification to install SURF-A in 737s and European Union Aviation Safety Agency certification to put the software in new and existing Airbus aircraft. Russia’s UAC delivers refurbished Su-34 aircraft to Russian Air Force GDC Note: Please see the photo in the original article; Garmin GPS is tapped on the cockpit. An exact model of the hand-held Garmin GPS is on the right side. Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) confirmed this week that it has delivered a new batch of refurbished Su-34 fighter-bombers to the Ministry of Defense. The delivery includes aircraft assembled from the complete recycling of other Su-27 and Su-34 aircraft. Following successful flight evaluations, the aircraft were transferred to an operational airbase. According to UAC, the Su-34 remains a cornerstone of Russia’s frontline aviation, combining strike capabilities with extended range and multi-role flexibility. • Rostec to unveil a new aircraft at MAKS 2021 airshow • Date July 14, 2021 • MiG-35 (MiG-29M2) multi-role fighter jet completes factory trials • Date February 20, 2018 • Ever Declining Sales Order & Reputation of Russia’s MiG • Date April 11, 2018 The aircraft is currently in active use across multiple operational theaters, including the ongoing war in Ukraine. “The Su-34 forms the backbone of Russia’s tactical strike aviation. This combat aircraft has proven itself highly effective in the current Special Military Operation, demonstrating excellent maneuverability and combat performance,” said Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy General Director of the Rostec State Corporation. “It is in high demand, and our factories are increasing output accordingly.” The twin-seat Su-34 is designed to engage both ground and aerial targets, as well as heavily defended infrastructure at long distances. It is capable of operating in contested airspace under heavy electronic and fire countermeasures, day or night, and across various geographic conditions. The aircraft carries a mix of guided and unguided munitions and can also be configured for airborne reconnaissance missions. Vadim Badekha, head of UAC, emphasized the importance of the aircraft in meeting state defense procurement goals, stating, “One of our top priorities is producing effective combat platforms that are urgently needed in current operations. Our enterprises are strictly fulfilling government contracts. The Su-34, in particular, has more than doubled its production over the past two years.” The Su-34, often nicknamed the “Fullback” in NATO reporting, is a heavily armed derivative of the Su-27 airframe. It is engineered to carry a wide array of ordnance while retaining the speed and agility of a fighter, offering Russia an all-weather, long-range precision strike platform in its expanding inventory. © 2025, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. Kansas governor announces over $14 million for aviation projects Apr 24, 2025 Gov. Laura Kelly, shown participating in the ceremonial signing of a bill reforming worker compensation law in Kansas, put her signature to 100 bills approved by the Legislature. • TOPEKA, Kan. (KAKE) - Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced $14.5 million for 47 aviation projects across the state through the Kansas Airport Improvement Program. A release from the governor's office on Thursday said the KAIP provides funding for planning, construction and rehabilitation of public-use general aviation airports. “The Kansas aerospace industry is an essential part of our state’s economy,” Gov. Laura Kelly said. “Keeping our aviation infrastructure in optimal condition is a large part of that economic growth and job creation, allowing local businesses and communities to prosper.” KDOT's Division of Aviation received 81 applications seeking a total project value of more than $42 million for this round of grants, the release said. Projects that were selected focused on pavement preservation, safety and air ambulance accessibility to remote communities. “Combining state and local funds to provide vital improvements to general aviation airports has helped to create a statewide aviation network citizens can depend on,” said Secretary of Transportation Calvin Reed. “This offers more services, like air ambulance accessibility, that can help support transportation needs in all areas of Kansas.” The KAIP receives $15 million annually through the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program and requires local matching funds of 10-50%, depending on the project. With local matching funds, the KAIP total project value this year is $22.9 million. Approved state FY 2026 KAIP projects: Allen County Airport, Iola • $409,500 for design and construction of a taxilane project. Anthony Municipal Airport, Anthony • $153,000 for Jet A fuel system. Atkinson Municipal Airport, Pittsburg • $81,000 for a focused Airport Layout Plan update. Atwood-Rawlins County City—County Airport, Atwood • $270,000 for new Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS). Chanute Martin Johnson Airport, Chanute • $450,000 for design and reconstruction of south apron phased pavement project. Cheyenne County Municipal Airport, Saint Francis • $180,000 for runway pavement rehabilitation. Clay Center Municipal Airport, Clay Center • $468,000 to construct taxilanes and hangar approaches. Clyde Cessna Field, Kingman • $90,000 for fuel system upgrades. Comanche County Airport • $540,000 for runway and taxiway lights. • $90,000 for fuel system improvements. Cook Airfield, Rose Hill • $34,650 for aircraft parking ramp and drainage. • $22,680 for Taxiway A extension. Dighton Airport, Dighton • $274,500 for runway and taxiway pavement crack fill, seal coat, and markings. Emporia Municipal Airport, Emporia • $391,000 to rehabilitate the south apron. • $208,000 to relocate and upgrade fuel system. Fort Scott Municipal Airport, Fort Scott • $684,000 to replace taxiway edge lighting. Freeman Field, Junction City • $189,000 for tip-down rotating beacon. Garnett Municipal Airport, Garnett • $20,000 help with local match for phased FAA runway reconstruction project. Gove County Airport, Quinter • $120,000 for a pilot lounge, restroom, hangar, and snow removal equipment storage. Great Bend Municipal Airport, Great Bend • $450,000 for design of runway 11/29 reconstruction. • $146,000 for local match for FAA funded runway 17/35 rehabilitation. Greensburg Municipal Airport, Greensburg • $191,250 for design of a project to pave runway 18/36. Independence Municipal Airport, Independence • $756,000 for rehabilitating north asphalt apron pavement. Jetmore Municipal Airport, Jetmore • $800,000 for planning and design for runway 17/35 reconstruction project. Johnson County Airport, Olathe • $13,600 for pavement maintenance materials. Kearny County Airport, Lakin • $537,000 for design and construction of runway 14/32 lighting. Lawrence Regional Airport, Lawrence • $666,000 for design and construction of runway 1/19 pavement rehabilitation. Lt. William M. Milliken Airport, Eureka • $385,200 for design and construction of a runway light and PAPI rehab project. Mankato Airport, Mankato • $333,333 for design of a runway extension, rehab, and lighting project. Marion Municipal Airport, Marion • $138,330 to replace the fuel system. Mark Hoard Memorial Airport, Leoti • $373,860 help with local match for FAA funded hangar project. McPherson Airport, McPherson • $350,000 for design and construction for phased fuel system replacement. Miami County Airport, Paola • $765,000 to rehabilitate west taxilanes and hangar ramps. Mid-America Regional Airport, Liberal • $382,500 to replace runway 04/22 PAPI and REIL systems. Ness City Municipal Airport, Ness City • $25,215 for help with local match for FAA funded apron expansion project. New Century Air Center, Olathe • $800,000 for rehabilitation of the central portion of the west apron. • $13,600 for pavement preservation materials. Newton City-County Airport, Newton • $647,361 for electrical upgrades to runway 8/26. Oakley Municipal Airport, Oakley • $180,000 for fuel system improvements. Osborne Municipal Airport, Osborne • $800,000 to rehabilitate runway 02/20 pavement. Pratt Regional Airport, Pratt • $77,490 to update ALP. Scott City Municipal Airport, Scott City • $27,360 to relocate wind cone and upgrade segmented circle. Shalz Field, Colby • $180,000 to construction taxiway extension. Stanton County Municipal Airport, Johnson • $270,000 to install electric vault and relocate airfield electrical controls and regulators. Syracuse-Hamilton County Airport, Syracuse • $27,000 for runway 13/31 pavement crack seal. Tri-City Airport, Parsons • $540,000 to replace fuel system. Wellington Municipal Airport, Wellington • $29,925 fuel system improvement. First flight after annual ends in crash By General Aviation News Staff April 25, 2025 The Beech 95 had been parked on a ramp under a tarp for approximately a year, and this was the first flight after an annual inspection. According to the pilot, on final approach to the airport in Bremerton, Washington, the gear selector lever was down, and the landing gear indicator green light was illuminated. He told investigators the gear collapsed a few seconds after touchdown, and after viewing the damage, he believed the gear never extended. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage at the lateral wing spar carry-through structure. A post-accident examination immediately following the accident revealed that the landing gear did not extend with the gear selector lever in the down position, although the gear status light illuminated green. The aural gear warning horn, which was designed to activate if the gear was retracted with the throttles at low engine power, was also not audible. Further examination of the gear extension system revealed the landing gear down limit and down indicator switch, along with the interconnected warning horn switch, were stuck in the normally open (NO) position. The NO condition had caused this portion of the electrical circuit to falsely indicate a landing gear down and safe position even though the landing gear was retracted. The NO condition also disabled the landing gear motor circuit and the landing gear warning horn circuit. In this condition the down and locked indicator only needed the landing gear position switch selected to the down position to complete the circuit for a green light gear down indication. After restoring normal operation to the switches, the landing gear extension and gear warning horn operated normally. Probable Cause: Failure of the down limit and down indicator switch and the warning horn switch assemblies, which prevented the landing gear from extending and at the same time providing a false indication that the landing gear was extended. NTSB Identification: 107071 To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device. This April 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Boom Supersonic Announces Symphony Engine Test Site at Colorado Air & Space Port Preparations underway at former hypersonic facility where supersonic engine testing will begin by the end of 2025 DENVER, April 25, 2025 — Boom Supersonic, the company building the world’s fastest airliner, Overture, today announced that it has selected a site at the Colorado Air and Space Port in Watkins, CO to conduct engine tests for its Symphony propulsion system. The site was previously used for hypersonic engine development. Symphony, the bespoke engine for Overture, is a medium bypass turbofan optimized for supersonic flight. Boom is investing $3-5 million into the site this year to prepare it for supersonic engine testing, slated to start later this year. “Symphony is rapidly advancing from concept to reality. By leveraging an existing site, Boom will have the first independently-owned supersonic engine test facility for less than it would have cost to rent a government facility,” said Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “By vertically integrating propulsion, we are able to accelerate development, reduce costs, and custom-tailor an engine for Overture—unlocking capabilities like Boomless Cruise.” The Symphony engine test facility, located in Adams County only 35 miles from Boom’s headquarters, will support this year’s test of Symphony’s prototype core. Measuring 12 feet long and 4 feet in diameter, the core is the high pressure spool of the engine, consisting of the compressor, combustor, and turbine—the most critical components of the first independently-developed supersonic jet engine. “This is an exciting moment not just for Adams County, but for the future of aerospace innovation in Colorado,” said Lynn Baca, Chair of the Adams County Board of Commissioners. “Boom’s investment in our community puts us at the forefront of the aerospace industry and reflects our shared commitment to advancing next-generation transportation technologies.” The facility at the Colorado Air and Space Port includes a control room and advanced instrumentation. Data collected from Symphony core tests will allow Boom to refine engineering and manufacturing design for Symphony. Boom expects to expand the site in 2026 to facilitate full-scale testing of the entire Symphony turbofan prototype. “We are very excited to welcome Boom Supersonic to the Colorado Air and Space Port and to support the development of its revolutionary Symphony engine,” said Jeff Kloska, Director of the Colorado Air and Space Port (CASP). “We look forward to a great partnership with Boom and to advancing our aviation and aerospace ecosystem at CASP.” The Symphony engine continues to progress rapidly. In March, Symphony passed a key technical review—enabling the manufacturing launch. Multiple parts have already entered the manufacturing phase and engine assembly will start later this year. When the Symphony program moves into production, Boom will leverage the skilled team and facility at StandardAero in San Antonio, TX to build Symphony engines at rate. Purpose-building and vertically integrating Symphony enables Boom to unlock additional capabilities for Overture, including flying at supersonic speeds without an audible sonic boom on the ground with Boomless Cruise. Symphony features enhanced transonic performance compared to commercially-derived engines, allowing Overture to efficiently accelerate to supersonic speeds at altitudes above 30,000 feet—where Boomless Cruise is possible. In January and February, Boom’s XB-1 demonstrator broke the sound barrier six times without creating a sonic boom that was heard on the ground, opening the door to supersonic flight over land onboard Overture with Boomless Cruise. Overture has 130 orders and pre-orders from United Airlines, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines, representing the first five years of production at its Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina. About Boom Supersonic Boom Supersonic’s mission is to make the world dramatically more accessible through flights that are faster, more affordable, more convenient, and more sustainable. Boom is developing Overture, the world’s fastest airliner, optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability. Overture will fly at twice the speed of today’s airliners and is optimized to run on up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Overture’s order book stands at 130 aircraft, including orders and pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. Boom is working with Northrop Grumman for government and defense applications of Overture. Suppliers and partners collaborating with Boom on the Overture program include Aernnova, Aciturri, Collins Aerospace, Eaton, Honeywell, Latecoere, Leonardo, Safran Landing Systems, Universal Avionics, and the United States Air Force. Symphony™ is the purpose-built turbofan engine that will enable supersonic flight. The Boom-developed engine is supported by world-class suppliers including Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT), a Kratos company, Colibrium Additive, and StandardAero. XB-1 is Boom’s technology demonstrator aircraft and the world’s first independently developed supersonic jet. First taking flight in March 2024, XB-1 completed a series of flight tests in Mojave, CA, culminating in successful supersonic test flights in January and February 2025. For more information, visit https://boomsupersonic.com. Photos and video available at https://boomsupersonic.com/newsroom/media-assets Embraer selects 8tree's dentCHECK tech for maintenance operations April 24, 2025 dentCHECK is a handheld-portable, wireless 3D scanner tool with integrated augmented reality, purpose-built for the aviation maintenance industry, AviationPros reports. NASHVILLE - 8tree has announced the integration of 8tree’s dentCHECK tool into Embraer’s aircraft maintenance services in Nashville. This tool aims to elevate the efficiency and accuracy of dent and surface inspection across Embraer’s commercial and executive jet fleets, AviationPros reports. Continue reading original article. The Military & Aerospace Electronics take: 24 April 2025 - dentCHECK is a handheld-portable, wireless 3D scanner tool with integrated augmented reality, purpose-built for the aviation maintenance industry. It delivers real-time ‘go/no-go’ answers at the push of a button, reducing inspection and reporting times compared to traditional methods. “We are pleased to partner with 8tree to keep adopting the best-in-class tools to support our customers. We expect that dentCHECK will help us to optimize even more the efficiency of our maintenance operations in Nashville”, says Frank Stevens, vice president of global MRO centers for Embraer Services & Support. Boeing Reaches Initial Performance Milestones Under New T-7 Plan Share Brian Everstine April 23, 2025 Credit: U.S. Air Force; T-7 photo... Boeing has met two milestones under a new agreement with the U.S. Air Force aimed at accelerating the fielding of the T-7A Red Hawk trainer that has been delayed, a sign of improvements for the program, the company says. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg in an April 23 earnings call said the January 2025 memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Air Force is part of an overall push to stabilize fixed-price development programs that the company has struggled with. “This continues to be an important example of how we are working with our customers to find better outcomes for both parties,” Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West added. Boeing in a subsequent statement to Aviation Week said the milestones reached included providing key metrics for aircraft parts and availability during flight test and capability updates for ground-based training system simulators. These milestones were reached in March. The lack of parts has slowed T-7 testing in its early stages. The agreement, announced Jan. 15, restricted how the Air Force would bring on early jets following extensive delays. Under the plan, the Air Force will buy four Production-Representative Test Vehicles (PRTV) using fiscal 2025 research development test and evaluation funds, to be delivered in fiscal 2026. These jets will be used to speed up test plan and curriculum development ahead of the delivery of operational aircraft, with the goal of keeping the initial operational capability target of 2027. The PRTVs are in addition to five already delivered aircraft. Under the previous plan, the Air Force had assumed a production contract award in 2025 with seven Lot 1 production jets in fiscal 2025. The first PRTVs will be delivered by the end of the calendar year, AETC Commander Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson told Aviation Week in March. In addition to the PRTVs, the Air Force has provided Boeing funding for design changes beyond initial requirements. One is focused on increased fuel capacity to allow the aircraft to fly longer for extended training sorties. Boeing to seek FAA approval this year to increase 737 Max production as losses narrow By Leslie Josephs, CNBC Published April 23, 2025 Updated on April 23, 2025 at 5:24 pm A Boeing 737 aircraft fuselage is pictured at the company’s Renton factory in Renton, Washington, on April 15, 2025. • Boeing's first-quarter loss narrowed to $31 million and it burned less cash than analysts estimated. • Boeing's airplane deliveries rose close to 60% from a year ago as the company worked to stabilize production. • The company said it would resell some Boeing planes that were destined for Chinese airlines since China has stopped accepting Boeing aircraft amid the trade war. Boeing narrowed its losses in the first quarter and is preparing to raise monthly output of 737 Max jets, as CEO Kelly Ortberg said the planemaker could send some aircraft destined for China to other airlines amid the trade war. Boeing is planning to seek Federal Aviation Administration approval later this year to increase production of the best-selling jets. Boeing reported a first-quarter net loss of $31 million, improvement from a loss of $355 million a year earlier, as revenue rose 18% to $19.5 billion, slightly ahead of analysts' estimates, and Boeing's aircraft deliveries rose nearly 60%. The company's cash burn of about $2.3 billion was an improvement over the nearly $4 billion it used in the first quarter of 2024, and was better than analysts expected. Ortberg told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" that the company is on track to generate cash in the second half of the year. The results include only the impact of global tariffs as of March 31, the company said. The manufacturer is currently caught in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump's trade war, which is set to drive up prices of aircraft and imported parts and materials. GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp said Tuesday that he's met with Trump and suggested restoring duty-free trade for the aerospace industry, a major U.S. exporter that helps soften the United States' trade deficit. GE, which makes aircraft engines, and RTX said they expect tariffs to cost more than $1 billion combined this year. "While we are closely watching the developments in global trade, our strong start to the year combined with the demand for airplanes and our half trillion-dollar backlog for our products and services gives us the flexibility we need to navigate this environment," Boeing CEO Ortberg said in a staff note Wednesday. Ortberg said on an earnings call that demand remains strong for its aircraft and said the company's backlog is worth more than $500 billion. The company is planning to remarket some of its Boeing jets that were earmarked for Chinese airlines after that country stopped taking delivery of its aircraft due to the trade war with the U.S. "We're not going to continue to build aircraft for customers who will not take them," he said. Here's how Boeing performed compared with what Wall Street analysts surveyed by LSEG expected for the first quarter: • Loss per share: 49 cents adjusted vs. $1.29 loss expected • Revenue: $19.5 billion vs. $19.45 billion expected On a per-share basis, the company reported a loss of 16 cents, compared with a loss of 56 cents during the same quarter a year earlier. Adjusting for one-time items related to pension costs and income taxes, among others, Boeing reported a loss of 49 cents per share. Ortberg, who was hired last year and tasked with getting the manufacturer past a series of safety and manufacturing crises, outlined progress, including production rates of its bestselling 737 Max. The CEO has in recent months touted improved safety and manufacturing processes at Boeing's factories as he tries to guide the company past several accidents, including a door plug that blew out from a packed flight midair in January 2024 after the 737 Max left Boeing's factory without key bolts installed. There were no fatalities or major injuries. Last week, Boeing released results of an employee survey that showed only 27% would highly recommend working at Boeing and that 67% felt proud of working at Boeing, down from 91% in 2013. Less than half of employee respondents said they had confidence in senior leaders' ability to "make decisions, communicate direction and respond to concerns raised by employees." Since the January 2024 accident, Boeing must receive approval from the FAA to increase output of the 737 Max to above 38 jets a month. Boeing had been producing significantly below that level after the accident and a nearly two-month union strike last year halted much of the company's manufacturing. Boeing said once it has stabilized its production rate at 38 per month, it will move up to 42, if it receives approval, and then increase it in five-per-month increments, up to about 52 a month, with about six months in between each hike. Revenue in Boeing's commercial airplane unit rose 75% during the first quarter from a year ago to $8.1 billion, with deliveries up to 130 planes from 83 a year ago. "We are moving in the right direction and making progress as we reported our first-quarter 2025 results today," Ortberg said in Wednesday's staff memo. "From delivering more airplanes to scoring a transformational win for the fighter of the future, there is a lot of good work happening across our teams, and we are seeing positive results in the four key areas of our recovery plan that will position us for the rest of the year and beyond." Boeing has been refocusing its efforts on its core businesses. On Tuesday, it announced it would sell parts of its digital aviation businesses, including its Jeppesen navigation unit, to Thoma Bravo for $10.55 billion in an all-cash deal. Revenue in its defense unit, which has been plagued with cost overruns and quality issues, fell 9% during the first quarter to $6.3 billion, though the company recently scored a major win after Trump awarded Boeing a contract to build the U.S. Air Force's all-new fighter jet, dubbed the F-47. Sikorsky and Bristow Sign Long-Term Agreement Supporting World’s Largest S-92® Helicopter Fleet Industry leaders look to the future with multi-year deal Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, and Bristow Group Inc. announced a long-term agreement to support Bristow's S-92® helicopter fleet. Photo courtesy Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company. STRATFORD, Conn., April 24, 2025 – Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), and Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: VTOL), the global leader in innovative and sustainable vertical flight solutions, today announced a long-term agreement to provide enhanced support for Bristow's S-92® helicopter fleet. This agreement deepens the decades-long collaboration between the two companies and provides enhanced support for Bristow’s more than 60 S-92 aircraft operating in key markets around the world, including offshore energy and search and rescue (SAR). The long-term package extending into the next decade includes Sikorsky's Total Assurance Program (TAP), which provides Bristow with continued aftermarket support to operate its S-92 fleet within a known budget, reducing the risk of unplanned costs. "We are proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Bristow, one of the world's leading providers of helicopter services to the offshore energy industry," said Leon Silva, vice president of Global Commercial and Military Systems at Sikorsky. "We are committed to providing exceptional support to our customers and ensuring the continued success of the S-92 helicopter, which has a lifetime availability average of over 90% and many aircraft achieve more than 1,500 flight hours per year on average in the demanding offshore energy industry." "Bristow is the largest operator of the S-92 globally,” said Stu Stavley, Bristow's Chief Operating Officer, Offshore Energy Services. "This long-term support agreement will enable us to maintain our high level of service to our customers, while also controlling our operational costs and improving our overall efficiency." The TAP package includes the following support provisions for Bristow's global fleet: • Power-by-the-Hour (PBH) agreement for offshore energy services and search and rescue helicopters; • Coverage for over 90 percent of replacement costs for parts including airframe, drive train, gearboxes, avionics and consumable parts; • Enhanced global fleet support with access to Sikorsky’s worldwide network of forward stocking locations (FSL) and field service representatives (FSR); and • Access to Sikorsky360 customer portal, providing Bristow with the ability to place orders, check parts status, access services and financial information, and view aircraft data. This agreement reflects Sikorsky's continued commitment to the commercial market and investment in the S-92 platform, which is well-positioned to support the increasing demands of deepwater operations. Sikorsky recently unveiled the S-92 Phase IV main gearbox featuring an auxiliary lubrication system that automatically engages in the event of primary oil pressure loss, eliminating the need for immediate landing and allowing operators to safely reach their destination. This revolutionary solution has been validated through more than 800 hours of rigorous testing, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification is anticipated in 2025. Sikorsky also increased scheduled inspection intervals for the S-92 helicopter and offered a one-time life extension for specific main gearbox housings. These enhancements eliminate more than a full year of downtime caused by inspections and allow operators to safely keep their aircraft in service and generating revenues longer. The earned life credit is up to 1,200 hours / 3,600 ground-air-ground cycles, representing an additional 12 to 18 months for an average S-92 offshore oil operator and more than 24 months for others. For additional information, visit our website: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/s92 About Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at lockheedmartin.com. About Bristow Group Bristow Group Inc. is the leading global provider of innovative and sustainable vertical flight solutions. Bristow primarily provides aviation services to a broad base of offshore energy companies and government entities. Our aviation services include personnel transportation, search and rescue ("SAR"), medevac, fixed wing transportation, unmanned systems and ad-hoc helicopter services. Our business is comprised of three operating segments: Offshore Energy Services, Government Services and Other Services. Our energy customers charter our helicopters primarily to transport personnel to, from and between onshore bases and offshore production platforms, drilling rigs and other installations. Our government customers primarily outsource SAR activities whereby we operate specialized helicopters and provide highly trained personnel. Our other services include fixed wing transportation services through a regional airline and dry-leasing aircraft to third-party operators in support of other industries and geographic markets. Bristow currently has customers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Dutch Caribbean, the Falkland Islands, India, Ireland, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Spain, Suriname, Trinidad, the United Kingdom ("UK") and the United States ("U.S."). Textron Aviation launches A&P training program for veterans By General Aviation News Staff April 25, 2025 Textron Aviation has joined forces with the Heroes MAKE America Airframe & Powerplant certification training program. Working in conjunction with The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Textron Aviation initiative will prepare active duty, transitioning service members and veterans for careers as A&Ps. The six-week accelerated program, held at Textron Aviation’s Career & Learning Center, includes two weeks of training prep and career readiness, followed by four weeks of A&P certification training and testing. “This comprehensive approach ensures that participants are well-prepared for their new careers,” Textron Aviation officials said. “America faces a skills gap and our veterans are uniquely positioned to bridge that gap,” said Maggie Topping, senior vice president, Human Resources & Communications at Textron Aviation. “By supporting the Airframe and Powerplant Certification Training program, we will make a significant difference in the lives of our service members by providing a streamlined pathway to quality manufacturing jobs following their exceptional service to our country.” The first participants of the program are already in training. Interested candidates can apply for the Heroes MAKE America A&P Certification Training program here. For more information: TxtAv.com Curt Lewis