5 Powerful Principles for Making the Right Decisions: A Framework for making the right decisions both at work and at home

5 Powerful Principles for Making the Right Decisions: A Framework for making the right decisions both at work and at home

Here are five powerful principles that will help you make the right decisions in your aviation maintenance business and in your personal life too. They’re a framework, not a formula, for leading with ethical intelligence.

I’ll show how several aviation companies and the Mechanic’s Creed acknowledge the importance of these principles. I’ll also include questions to reflect upon so that you can enhance the good work you’re already doing.

Principle #1: Do No Harm

The most fundamental principle of ethical leadership is Do No Harm. What group of people immediately comes to mind when you see the phrase, “Do No Harm”? Probably healthcare workers. After all, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and clinical social workers are taught in school, “First, do no harm.”

But this principle applies to the aviation maintenance industry too. The best thing about Do No Harm is that all it takes to apply it is — nothing! It is a principle of restraint.

The least we can expect from one another is that we don’t make matters worse. Leading aviation companies refer to this explicitly in their codes of conduct.

For example, in its document “The Way We Fly,” Delta Airlines states: “We believe no level of harm is acceptable to anyone as a cost of doing business. Take time to understand the safety policies and procedures for your job.”

For reflection: What is one simple thing you can do today to avoid causing harm to the people you serve, the people who work with you and yourself?

A Crucial Corollary: Prevent Harm

Do No Harm is a principle of restraint, but sometimes it is necessary to do something so that harm doesn’t occur. A crucial corollary of Do No Harm, then, is Prevent Harm. You apply this principle in your business by double- or triple-checking your work to ensure that others won’t be unintentionally harmed by your products or services.

In its Standards of Business Conduct, American Airlines notes the central role that Prevent Harm plays in the aviation maintenance industry: “It may seem easier to keep silent or look the other way, but taking no action can result in serious consequences. Remember, we cannot honor our company’s bedrock commitment to integrity if we ignore concerns about suspected illegal or unethical actions.”

Doing nothing is easier than doing something, but aviation maintenance is one industry that cannot abide by anyone at any level of any organization failing to prevent harm to others.

For reflection: What can you do this week to prevent harm to your team members, clients or future passengers?

Principle #2: Make Things Better

It’s not enough to Do No Harm or Prevent Harm. Ethical leaders are also committed to the principle Make Things Better.

The core of your company’s mission is to enrich the lives of others. That enrichment can be partly a financial one, but that is not and cannot be your company’s primary focus. The goal is to make flying a safe and effective means of transportation for the public and for private clients.

The good news is that making money and serving others are not mutually exclusive. The surest way to increase revenue for stakeholders is to focus like a laser on your mission of service.

For reflection: What is one more thing you could do to serve others to a greater degree than you’re already doing?

Principle #3: Respect Others

From an ethical perspective, we show respect for people by keeping our promises, telling the truth, and protecting confidentiality.

Let’s look at each in turn.

Keep Your Promises. We think of contracts between companies and employees as legal documents. They are. Above all, however, they are promises. Employees promise to do what their job descriptions or statements of work require of them. In return, employers promise to pay their employees and perhaps offer benefits like health insurance and sick leave.

For reflection: What can you do to ensure that you are keeping your promises to the people you serve—and who serve your business?

Tell the Truth. Jerome Lederer’s Mechanic’s Creed speaks of the importance of truth telling: “I pledge myself never to undertake work or approve work which I feel to be beyond the limits of my knowledge…” Otherwise, you would be presenting yourself as someone you are not. You would be deceiving the people you are sworn to serve. In so doing, you would be disrespecting them.

For reflection: What can you do to ensure that both you and everyone who works for you will refrain from misrepresentation? Even if you lose business in the short run, how might your company benefit in the long run by doing so?

Protect Confidentiality. AAR’s code of conduct, “Doing it Right,” emphasizes the importance of keeping confidential information confidential. “Doing It Right in the workplace. ..means protecting personal data we may have access to about our fellow employees.”

It’s amazing how frequently one hears confidential information discussed in public. I was once in a hospital elevator and overheard two physicians discussing the surgery they had just performed. They mentioned the patient’s full name and what the procedure was.

I wasn’t eavesdropping. It’s hard not to overhear conversations in an elevator. I knew the physicians in question. They were good people. In discussing confidential information publicly, however, they did not evince the greatest respect for their patient.

For reflection: What is one simple thing you can do to protect your business and your clients from having sensitive information divulged?

Principle #4: Be Fair

The fourth principle of ethical intelligence, Be Fair, requires us to give to others their due. One necessary way that aviation maintenance professionals do this is by ensuring their workforce is a diverse one.

For example, as a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, Lufthansa Technik abides by the following commitment: [D]iversity and equal opportunities are important and necessary. It makes the company more open-minded and creative — essential qualities for remaining innovative and flexible. This also leads to a more varied understanding of customer needs and contributes to the customer-oriented development of products and services. At the same time, the Lufthansa Group’s diversity approach underscores the appreciation of, and equal opportunities for, all employees.

For reflection: What is your company doing to promote diversity and other aspects of fairness? How might the business benefit by making this a priority?

Principle #5: Care

At the beginning of a flight, the flight attendant tells us, “In the event of the loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will drop down. Put the mask on yourself before attempting to help others.” Why? Because if you’re not in good shape, you’re in no position to help anyone else.

Leaders in the aviation maintenance industry care about the people who work for them and the clients they serve. They also care about themselves. They strive to eat healthfully, exercise, and get enough sleep. It’s not always easy to do this, but that’s part of what ethical leadership is about.

For reflection: Are you caring for yourself as well as you care for others? What is one thing you could do to treat yourself in a more caring fashion?

Summary

As a leader in the aviation maintenance industry, it is smart to base your decisions on the following principles:

1. Do No Harm (and its corollary, Prevent Harm)
2. Make Things Better
3. Respect Others, which you do when you:
    – Keep Promises
    – Tell the Truth
    – Maintain Confidentiality
4 Be Fair
5. Care

It is difficult to live by these principles every day, which is why you are to be commended for having read this far. It means you take this matter seriously and are willing to take a few moments from your day to commit to being at your best. Thank you.

Acknowledgment

I adapted these principles from Tom L. Beauchamp and James F. Childress’s masterwork, Principles of Biomedical Ethics (Oxford University Press). I simplified the language (e.g., their Principle of Nonmaleficence becomes Do No Harm here). I also broadened the scope of the principles to include the aviation maintenance industry. You’ve also learned them from your parents, teachers, mentors, and spiritual leaders. In no way do I claim I came up with these principles. Consider this article a brief refresher course. I hope it has been useful.

About the Author

Dr. Bruce Weinstein helps companies ensure ethical conduct at every level of their organizations. Continuing education credits in ethics are available. To invite him to speak to your staff or at your next conference or to create a customized ethics video they can watch when they want, contact him at TheEthicsGuy.com or at (424) 394-0804.

C&L Aviation Group Receives STC Certification for Embraer 135/145 Universal FMS Upgrade

C&L Aviation Services has received STC certification by the FAA for its upgrade of the Universal UNS-1K (SCN600 or SCN800) Series Flight Management System (FMS) to the UNS-1LW (SCN1000-Series) WAAS enabled unit for the Embraer 135/145 aircraft. EASA and UK CAA approval is pending and expected to be completed by spring.  

“We have invested heavily in the success of this aircraft and having a viable option for operators to upgrade their FMS systems as these systems continue to evolve is an important piece of that,” said Charlie Carroll, Avionics sales manager for C&L Aviation Services. “Having our own in-house engineering group allows us to dedicate resources to STC projects like this one that meets customer’s needs.”

C&L has been modifying and upgrading the interiors and systems on ERJs for several years and specializes in converting these aircraft into business-class and luxury jets. C&L also provides on-site engineering, avionics support, aircraft exterior painting, and heavy maintenance services. The company also carries one of the world’s largest inventories of ERJ parts in their warehouse, which helps to reduce maintenance times associated with these types of projects. Currently, the company is developing several other ERJ upgrades including a new 1st-class seat design.

StandardAero to Provide Lufthansa CityLine with GE CF34-8C Engine Support Under Exclusive 7-Year Contract

German airline Lufthansa CityLine has selected StandardAero to provide support for the GE Aviation CF34-8C turbofan engines powering its fleet of MHI RJ Aviation (formerly Bombardier) CRJ900 regional jets.

Under the exclusive seven-year agreement, StandardAero will support Lufthansa CityLine with a range of CF34-8C services from its overhaul facility in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.  StandardAero will also be qualifying its European field service team based in Rijen, the Netherlands to support the CF34, thereby assuring Lufthansa CityLine of responsive local airside assistance.

Lufthansa CityLine is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lufthansa, one of the world’s leading airline groups, operating feeder flights from hubs at Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport.

StandardAero was first appointed as a GE Aviation Authorized Service Provider (ASP) for the CF34-3 and CF34-8 in 2001, and in 2013 was named by GE as the first independent TRUEngine authorized MRO provider for the CF34. In 2020, the company celebrated its milestone 3,000th CF34 engine workscope.

Commenting on the agreement for Lufthansa CityLine, Michael Lariviere, vice president Technical Fleet Management said, “Reliable operations are at the center of our business, and for that we need reliable partners. StandardAero has proven to be a professional and committed service provider to us in the past. That’s why we absolutely look forward to working with the great team of StandardAero in the coming years even closer than before.”

“We are truly honored to have Lufthansa CityLine entrust us with the support of its CF34-8C engine fleet, and look forward to meeting and exceeding their expectations over the coming years,” commented Kevin Cusack, director of Business Development – Airlines and Fleets for StandardAero.  “This exclusive agreement is the culmination of many years of cooperation between StandardAero and Lufthansa CityLine, including support previously undertaken for the airline’s auxiliary power units, and we are delighted to expand our relationship with such a well-known operator.”

In addition to its ASP and TRUEngine approvals, StandardAero also offers CF34 Authorized Line Service maintenance throughout its North American Business Aviation facilities, including Augusta, GA (AGS), Springfield, IL (SPI) and Houston, TX (IAH). StandardAero has supported CF34-3 business jet applications as an Authorized Service Center (ASC) since 2012.

AAR Nabs Multi-Year Agreement with United Airlines for Heavy Maintenance in Rockford, IL , Will Grow Local Workforce

AAR has signed a multi-year agreement to perform airframe maintenance on United Airlines’ narrow-body aircraft fleet at its MRO facility in Rockford, Ill. 

This agreement supports the continued growth of the facility and the local Rockford workforce. AAR also supports airframe maintenance work for United at its facility in Miami, Fla. 

Over the next few years, AAR expects to add up to 250 high quality, year-round aviation maintenance technician jobs in Rockford.

“We are excited to expand our partnership with United Airlines and the city of Rockford,” said John Holmes, AAR president & CEO. “We began operations in Rockford four years ago and have built a track record of solid performance. We are very proud to have secured this long term contract with United.” 

AAR will continue to leverage its EAGLE Career Pathway Program with a nationwide network of schools which includes Rock Valley College. The EAGLE Program provides a direct pathway to aviation technician jobs at AAR´s facilities as well as providing mentorship opportunities for students while they are enrolled in their Airframe and Powerplant program. In addition, AAR has engaged with Rockford Workforce Connection (RWC) through a variety of solutions to grow the number of technicians as well as supporting specialized training in the aviation field.

AAR provides MRO services from facilities in Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Oklahoma, Quebec and Ontario.

Aerospace Tech Week Call for Papers Open

The 2021 Aerospace Tech Week Organizing Committees are inviting abstracts for consideration for inclusion in the conference for the following topics:

– AVIONICS
– CONNECTED AICRAFT
– FLIGHT OPS IT
– MRO IT
– AEROSPACE TESTING
– FACE

Aerospace Tech Week will take place on 25th-26th March 2021 in Toulouse, France and is the premier annual gathering of aerospace technology professionals to discuss and develop systems and solutions for international airlines, avionics, aerospace testing, flight ops and MRO communities in the commercial and defence aerospace sector

If you are interested, you are invited by the conference committee to submit your abstract for consideration at www.aerospacetechweek.com/call-for-papers

#aerospace #avionics #connectedaircraft #aerotesting #aerospacetesting #flightopsit #mroit #face #atw

S7 Technics Adds Retrofitting Wi-Fi to List of Capabilities

S7 Technics has added the installation of Wi-Fi modules to its capability menu of aircraft services. The maintenance provider has entered a developing market to meet the growing needs of airlines in upgrading their aircraft with internet access.

In the course of preparation for the first project that was launched with one of its strategic customers last year, specialists from Moscow‘s S7 Technics Domodedovo airport base, visited the Czech Republic facilities of JOB AIR Technic, which has extensive expertise in such modifications.

Having learned from the experience of their Czech counterparts, S7 Technics specialists, together with a project developer organization, have installed Wi-Fi modules on several narrow-body aircraft in Aeroflot’s fleet.

The retrofitting is divided into two stages. First modules for distributing information from the on-board server and all necessary wiring are installed; then, secondly, the aircraft are equipped with external internet communication modules to connect to passengers’ personal devices.

Since March of last year until September 2019, 34 Airbus A320s have undergone the first stage of retrofitting and S7 Technics specialists are now planning to carry out the second retrofitting stage on 26 Aeroflot aircraft during 2020.

“Aeroflot expands capability of its in-flight entertainment (IFE), based on passengers’ needs. The introduction of such services is a global trend,” says Kirill Bogdanov, Deputy CEO for IT at Aeroflot. “There is a growing passenger demand for onboard Internet services. Our response to customer wishes is a gradual implementation of wireless Internet access across our entire fleet. As a result, all Aeroflot’s long-range aircraft are already fitted with wireless Internet access, and we gradually rolling out appropriate equipment on our medium-range aircraft. Today, 62 A320s are equipped with a free IFE; passengers can connect to multimedia content uploaded to the on-board server from any mobile device during the flight. ‘Internet on board’ service, which provides Wi-Fi Internet access during the flight, will be available on these aircraft next year.”

Moscow’s S7 Technics has performed all the work on retrofitting the aircraft under the company’s EASA Part 145 certificate. Three avionics experts, three structural repair specialists, a structural engineer, and logistics and technological support engineers were all involved in the work. Interiors staff were also involved to ensure easy access to places where modifications were being made.

“New technologies and passengers’ needs will drive the implementation of internet access services on board. Some air carriers, for example in the USA, already offer passengers their choice of on-board internet provider, which means that access to the worldwide web from the sky has become simple, mundane, and even an obligatory attribute of a modern airline,” observes Oleg Glukhov, Moscow’s S7 Technics base deputy production manager.

“Over time, it will come to Russia and neighboring countries as well. Therefore, we consider that retrofitting aircraft with wi-fi modules is a promising prospect in the very near future. Some of Russia’s airlines are already actively working on this issue and plan to equip their aircraft with internet access points in the near future,” Glukhov adds.

 

Honeywell Launches Advanced Software Platform To Help Airlines Be Efficient

Honeywell has launched Honeywell Forge for Airlines, an analytics-based platform for airlines that the company says helps increase profit while improving efficiency and passenger experience.

Honeywell Forge for Airlines collects, cleans and analyzes streams of data from a wide variety of airplane, airport, government and Honeywell sources, and offers actionable insights and alerts that can help improve an airline’s understanding of its fleet, profitability and passenger experience. Honeywell Forge for Airlines is a single, integrated software solution combining a broad range of individual aircraft and overall airline data into one easy-to-use and individually customizable dashboard.

“Airlines want an easy solution to analyze and manage their costs in one place, and Honeywell is providing it through unlocking their data to create what is essentially their own profit calculator,” said John Peterson, vice president and general manager, Software and Services at Honeywell Connected Enterprise, Aerospace. “This tool will forecast how much money airlines can save based on the data-driven decisions they make by using it. It’s a modular, adaptable and easy-to-personalize service that meets a specific or critical airline need. It puts them in control.”

Honeywell Forge for Airlines includes solutions for flight operations, flight efficiency and connected maintenance in a single user interface. By providing alerts and identifying savings opportunities, the solution can help airlines maximize their profits while improving workflows between pilots, ground maintenance and operations to increase productivity. In addition, the suite of solutions can be scaled, allowing airlines of all sizes to tailor it to address their specific operational pain points, such as flight delays due to unexpected aircraft maintenance.

Applications included in Honeywell Forge for Airlines have already been implemented globally across a diverse range of airlines and aircraft, the company says. Fuel savings of up to $140,000 per aircraft, per year, as well as maintenance savings of up to $40,000 per aircraft, per year may be realized with the use of Forge for Airlines, Honeywell says.

“Honeywell is pushing the envelope by offering airlines an analytics platform that can intake and process critical data at the edge of an aircraft network and inform the airline to act on that time-sensitive information,” said Ben Driggs, president, Honeywell Connected Enterprise, Aerospace. “Many airlines attempt to analyze disparate data sources to try to create value, but what we aim to do is to put the right data in front of decision-makers so that the savings present themselves clearly. Airlines don’t have to go hunting for efficiencies.”

This is the next evolution of what was formally known as Honeywell’s GoDirect Connected Maintenance and GoDirect Flight Efficiency solutions. Honeywell Forge for Airlines is part of the larger Honeywell Forge Honeywell Forge family of software solutions serving the building, industrial, worker and cybersecurity segments.

Zeusch Aviation Successfully Completes First Broadcast Relay Flight

Netherlands-based Zeusch Aviation completed its first broadcast relay flight this month when it worked with media technology company NEP The Netherlands (NEP) to support live television coverage of this year’s Volta Limburg Classic single-day bicycle race in Limburg, The Netherlands. The aircraft flew above the circular route as live images were captured from the ground, relayed to the base station which immediately sent footage to the Outside Broadcast Vehicle ready for broadcast.

To support the aerial relay Zeusch deployed its King Air C90A which is specially outfitted with dedicated antennas on the underside of the fuselage and wings to capture the images and relay them to the NEP ground station. A two-meter relay boom can be extended and retracted during each mission to strengthen the relay reception range. An extra camera fitted to the belly of the plane ensures pilots can verify the boom is retracted prior to landing. The Zeusch aircraft formed an integral part of the broadcast team working alongside two motorcycles tracking the race and a helicopter filming the event.

With the start and finish of the race in Eijsden, just south of Maastricht, the Zeusch Aviation aircraft flew a circular route above the race for the three-hour broadcast. The skies above Maastricht are well known for being some of the busiest in Europe. In addition, its location on a three-border triangle between The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, involved continuous flying across three separate air traffic control spaces. Careful flight planning was undertaken by the crew to ensure uninterrupted relay services during the three-hour 45-minute flight.

“Our mission is to act as a satellite for the camera operators on the ground and in the helicopter as we provide an aerial bridge between the film crew and the director. The operational capabilities of the King Air make it the perfect aircraft for the relay role. It’s endurance, flexibility and capacity to fly for hours at a time supports the requirements to conduct reliable relay missions. We even landed back at base with fuel to spare,” said Boudewijn Schaapveld, first officer for Zeusch Aviation.

The NEP relay-flight was the first of many confirmed on the books for Zeusch.  NEP has already confirmed 10 European sporting events this year with Zeusch providing aerial relay support in the skies above Slovenia, Norway, Hungary, Croatia and Germany. The next relay flight will be providing broadcast support the Hammer race, a three-day cycling event, in Norway in May.

“NEP is known for providing robust, reliable broadcast services and media solutions. Our people and know-how facilitate viewing of some of the world’s largest live broadcast events. We need to provide an end-to-end  workflow, from capturing images to delivering them to the viewers, and must have reliable relay services to ensure seamless content delivery on any platform and on any device. We were completely satisfied with the efficient, effective performance of Zeusch Aviation and now consider the aircraft a regular part of our broadcast services unit. In fact, we have signed a five-year agreement with them and are looking forward to the next race already,” said an NEP spokesperson.

Aerospace Technology Week dates announced for 2020

Aerospace Technology Week has announced dates for next years event as 18th-19th March 2020 to take place at the Diagora Congress Center in Toulouse, France, and is set to be the largest gathering for the avionics, electronics, connectivity, aerospace testing and airline communities.

Aerospace Technology Week has developed greatly over the past two years and 2020 sees the introduction of 3 new areas of cous for the aerospace tech professional and now comprises of SIX complementary co-located Events:

(1) AVIONICS
(2) CONNECTED AIRCRAFT
(3) AEROSPACE TESTING
(4) FLIGHT OPS IT
(5) MRO IT
(6) FACE – Future Airborne Capability Environment

Each Event has a dedicated High Level Conference and there is a LARGE central Exhibition with sections for each and further details can be found at www.aerospacetechweek.com.

Each Event has a dedicated High Level Conference and there is a LARGE central Exhibition with sections for each and further details can be found at www.aerospacetechweek.com.

Avionics

Established for over 10 years, Avionics Expo is the leading exhibition and conference for both the commercial and defence sectors, fixed wing and rotorcraft.

Both SESAR and Next-Gen recognise the need to integrate the air and ground parts of their air traffic management systems by addressing efficiency needs of flight trajectories planning and execution and the seamless sharing of accurate information.

This framework provides a vehicle for the US and Europe to work together towards interoperable standards and in support of efforts towards achievement of ICAO global Harmonisation. For example, a significant achievement in the NextGen and SESAR collaboration is the delivery of an agreed-upon baseline NextGen/SESAR Joint Avionics Roadmap.

ICAO estimates that 120 billion US dollars will be spent on air transportation systems transformation in the next 10 years. While the NextGen and SESAR modernisation programmes account for a large share of this spending in Europe and the US, there are parallel investment initiatives in other regions.

Connected Aircraft

Launched in 2019, Connected Aircraft covers all the connectivity systems that airlines use (air-to-ground and nose-to-tail) including IFC, cabin IFEC, AI, M2M, VR, connected EFBs and ETLs, airline e-Enablement processes and strategies, ancillary revenues, IoT, big data analytics, flight tracking, cyber security, application disrupters, connectivity systems for operational efficiency and connectivity for predictive maintenance. The aviation industry is undergoing a technological transformation, as more aircraft are becoming “fully connected” machines in order to benefit the passenger experience, increase revenues for airlines and to improve safety, operations and maintenance – from the flight deck to the cabin.

Aerospace Testing

Launched in 2018, Aerospace Testing covers the hardware and software aspects of testing and certification related to the design, manufacture and maintenance of commercial and military aircraft (fixed-wing and rotary-wing), plus UAVs and space testing. Aerospace Testing is the key gathering for manufacturing and inspection professionals to learn about the latest regulations, challenges and technical developments for testing systems and products related to: Flight testing, Environmental testing, Climatic testing, Shock and Vibration testing, Structural testing, Avionics testing, Instrumentation testing, Fatigue testing, Test automation, MIMO testing, Wind tunnel testing, Measurement solutions, Pressure measurement, Lightning testing, Gap measurement, Air data testing, Non-destructive (NDT), Engine testing, Materials testing and Dynamics measurement.

Flight Ops IT

Launching in 2020, Flight Ops IT will cover all the software systems that airlines use for flight planning, aircraft scheduling, performance calculations, weight and balance, operations control, ground operations management, pilot training, paperless manuals, weather data, ACARS data management, crew management, EFBs and ETLs, big data analytics, e-signature, engine failure procedures, cyber security, environmental impact and noise reduction, fuel efficiency savings and CO2 emissions tracking for EU-ETS.

MRO IT

Launching in 2020, MRO IT will cover all the maintenance software systems that airlines use for legacy systems integration, digital transformation, job cards and MRO records, parts tracking and inventory management, payroll, procurement, training, supply chain logistics, fleet management, MRO scheduling and planning, blockchain, mobile maintenance Apps, voice-activated tooling, VR devices, predictive maintenance, forecasting, work orders, systems optimization, component and document tracking, reliability, planning, tech logs, maintenance control and anything else to do with aircraft fleet maintenance.

Aerospace Technology Week

Aerospace Tech Week is the annual gathering of the world’s leading aerospace companies to discuss and develop the systems and solutions to meet the needs of the evolving commercial aviation and aerospace defence industries. The show brings you the latest developments in aircraft connectivity (air-to-ground and nose-to-tail), airline e-Enablement, flight operations software, fuel efficiency, MRO software, regulatory, policy, technical SES and next-generation challenges for avionics, plus the testing systems that affect the design, construction and maintenance of all commercial and military aircraft (both hardware and software).

Bringing together the best aspects for aerospace technology, Aerospace Technology Week, comprising of Avionics, Connected Aircraft, Aerospace Testing, Flight Ops IT, MRO IT and Future Airborne Capability Environment delivers greater connectivity between these exciting, fast moving aerospace industry sectors.

CALL FOR PAPERS – deadline 21st June 2019
The conference committees for Avionics, Connected Aircraft, Aerospace Testing, Flight Ops IT and MRO IT are inviting abstracts for consideration for inclusion in the conference programme.

Representatives from airlines, airframers, prime contractors/integrators and the industry supply chain can benefit from sharing knowledge and experiences, to enhance the industry developments and solutions.

Abstracts can be submitted at www.aerospacetechweek.com/cfp. Deadline for abstracts is 21st June 2019.

Single European Sky and NextGen continue to dominate the aerospace industry, with targets of ensuring the utilisation of technology to increase traffic, improve aircraft and control communications whilst enhancing safety in an ever increasingly busy sky.

Passengers are demanding more from the aircraft in which they fly – 61% of passengers see high-quality inflight Wi-Fi availability as more important to them than onboard entertainment.

Airlines are wanting to see greater efficiencies whilst enhancing safety.

Adrian Broadbent, Event Director of Aerospace Technology Week, said, “There is much for the aerospace industry to discuss and develop in terms of safe and secure solutions for aircraft. Our increasing demand for air travel creates busier skies and higher expectations on aircraft to be online 24/7 means huge investments in greater connectivity. This in turn leads to increased security risks for aircraft and its passengers devices from being permanently online.”

“Aerospace Technology Week will look at these challenges across commercial, military and space crafts to understand the issues and challenges, from a regulatory perspective through to implementation and technology solutions, through the different elements of the programme – avionics, connect aircraft and testing or hardware and software applications. Aerospace Technology Week delivers an exciting programme for the global industry to explore and question the experts,” concluded Mr Broadbent.

For further information on Aerospace Technology Week visit www.AerospaceTechWeek.com.

Iridium Enhances Network with New Southern Hemisphere Ground Station

Iridium announced today the commercial service activation of a new southern hemisphere ground station, located in Punta Arenas, Chile. The addition of the Punta Arenas teleport network site adds geographic diversity to Iridium’s ground stations as its only southern hemisphere site, establishing a new layer of network redundancy for the constellation. This new site strengthens an already exceptional space and ground network by enhancing Iridium’s ability to manage network traffic, capacity and availability rates. The Punta Arenas site was built in partnership with Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) of Norway, a long-time Iridium partner in supporting celestial-to-terrestrial connectivity.

Due to Iridium’s status as the only low earth orbiting commercial satellite network to utilize intersatellite cross links, network traffic can be transferred in real-time along the most efficient route, now including this new southern site. These cross links automatically direct traffic from satellite to satellite and then down to a ground gateway.  This feature helps make Iridium the world’s first and only truly global network, enabling communication from remote waterways and mountainous regions to the north and south poles.

While the Iridium network can support all traffic through a single gateway, the company has always operated multiple ground stations, previously all situated in the northern hemisphere.  With the new Chilean gateway, Iridium now has both increased visibility to its satellites as they travel along the southern hemispheric portion of their orbits, and geographic diversity to further enhance overall network resilience.

“We’d like to thank our partners at KSAT and the Chilean government for helping us add this important southern hemisphere ground station to the Iridium network,” said Walt Everetts, vice president, satellite operations and ground development, Iridium. “This move essentially creates a southern doorway for us to both access our satellites for any telemetry, tracking and control (TTAC)-related needs and to deliver data or carry phone calls, to and from terrestrial networks, through our primary commercial gateway.”

The Punta Arenas site now joins existing operational Iridium commercial ground stations in Fairbanks, Alaska; Svalbard, Norway and Tempe, Arizona.  Due to the Iridium constellation’s crosslinked satellite architecture featuring six orbital planes with 11 operational satellites per plane, the network provides a web of coverage around the entire planet, with minimal need for local infrastructure or ground stations.  Iridium recently completed its $3 billion satellite upgrade campaign known as Iridium NEXT and launched the world’s first truly global broadband service, which is designed for specialized applications, Iridium Certus.