Category: PRs

Pratt & Whitney Canada Selects Latecoere to Design and Build Structural Composite Assembly for RTX Hybrid-electric Flight Demonstrator Program

Latecoere and its subsidiary company Comtek Advanced Structures have been selected by leading engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Canada to design and build a major structural assembly for the RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator program.

Pratt & Whitney Canada is leading a cross-industry collaboration to develop hybrid-electric propulsion technology which aims to support the industry’s goal of net-zero CO2 emissions for aviation. Latecoere will design and build the underwing fairing, an all-composite 2-meter-long and articulated assembly mounted with the hybrid-electric propulsion system on the starboard inner wing of the experimental aircraft testbed.

“Our aerostructures engineering track record, Comtek’s long history of collaborating with Pratt & Whitney Canada, and our newly combined composite expertise since Latecoere acquired Comtek in 2022, were key assets to win this business,” Greg Huttner, CEO of Latecoere, said. “This further validates our M&A strategy to create value and is fully aligned with our purpose to deliver innovative solutions for a more sustainable world.”

Combining the efficient Pratt & Whitney Canada thermal engine with an industry-leading 1 MW motor developed by Collins Aerospace, also an RTX business, this new hybrid-electric propulsion technology will drive significant improvements in aircraft efficiency by optimizing performance across different phases of flight. The project is targeting a 30% improvement in fuel burn and reduced CO2 emissions, compared to a modern regional turboprop aircraft.

“This project draws together collaborators from around the world, strengthening Canada’s leadership in aerospace innovation,” said Jean Thomassin, executive director, new products and services introduction, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “Since completing our first engine run in December 2022, we continue to make good progress towards flight testing, and welcome the expertise of Latecoere and their Canadian division Comtek Advanced Structures to help realize that goal.”

CAAS, EDB and Supernal Ink Strategic Partnerships

Supernal – Hyundai Motor Group’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company inked two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) respectively to further develop AAM capabilities and expertise in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region today at Singapore Airshow 2024. The partnerships will drive a variety of activities, including developing research and development (R&D) initiatives, identifying potential use cases, exchanging information to support safety regulatory framework and standards development, and driving public engagement for AAM.

Under the MOU between EDB and Supernal:

  • Both organizations will focus on identifying opportunities to enable R&D activities that can build capabilities in key electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology areas.
  • EDB and Supernal will also share knowledge and resources to support the development of AAM operational strategies. This includes conducting market analyses and viability studies to assess the feasibility of AAM in Singapore and  focuses on identifying unique applications in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region.
  • Both organizations will also evaluate the requirements  needed to establish a presence in Singapore and collaborate on feasibility studies concerning operational-readiness activities such as assembly, vehicle operations, and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

Under the MOU between CAAS and Supernal:

  • Both organizations will  exchange information to support CAAS’ development of a framework for aircraft certification, validation, acceptance and entry into service, and shaping interoperability requirements at vertiports to support seamless integration of ground and air operations.
  • CAAS and Supernal will also explore developing standards for AAM infrastructure, charging and electrical energy storage solutions, airworthiness of aircraft and components, and operations.
  • In addition, the two organizations will coordinate efforts with other AAM ecosystem stakeholders to raise public understanding of AAM.

“With the Asia-Pacific region’s growing prominence in the aviation industry, we see the area as vital to Advanced Air Mobility’s future,” said Jaiwon Shin, president of Hyundai Motor Group and CEO of Supernal. “These partnerships mark the latest in Supernal’s growing list of collaborations that are designed to advance its mission of making AAM an efficient and reliable option for everyday transportation. Such partnerships will not only allow us to contribute to AAM’s development and growth while deepening ties with key stakeholders, but they are also essential for using AAM as a catalyst to fuel sustainable economic growth in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.”

“Working with EDB and CAAS exemplifies how collaboration between government and industry can help make AAM a reality,” said Shin. “Our approach is to develop mutually beneficial partnerships like these to create a tenable business and operational case for stakeholders across the value chain – from manufacturers and regulators to operators and passengers. Insights from both entities will maximize outcomes and prove the value of AAM, especially in a forward-thinking market like Singapore.”

Ms Jacqueline Poh, managing director, Singapore Economic Development Board, said: “Advanced air mobility has the potential to be a new and exciting niche in Singapore’s aerospace sector, creating good business opportunities while also opening new alternatives for getting around the region. As one of Asia’s leading aerospace ecosystems, Singapore offers global companies established capabilities, including a strong talent pool, to undertake a spectrum of activities across Research and Development, manufacturing, and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). We are delighted to partner with Supernal and welcome more players to join us as we grow the AAM ecosystem here.”

Mr Han Kok Juan, Director-General of CAAS, said: “The development and deployment of AAM will require new rules and regulations that allow us to leverage technology while ensuring security and public and aviation safety. Collaboration amongst regulators and with industry to pool expertise and resources and to identify and mitigate risks will help us put in place the necessary regulatory requirements in a more effective and efficient manner. In November last year, CAAS convened the first-ever meeting of Asia-Pacific regulators and engagement with industry for this purpose. The CAAS-Supernal MOU builds on this and is a pathfinder for the larger effort.”

APG Launches NaviGuard, a GPS Anomaly Detection App to Enhance Aviation Safety Amid Growing Spoofing and Jamming Threats

Aircraft Performance Group (APG), a leading provider of performance, weight and balance, and flight planning solutions for the aviation industry, introduces NaviGuard, a free, standalone GPS anomaly detection and verification iOS app designed to address the growing concern of GPS spoofing and jamming incidents that threaten aviators and passengers in crisis zones across the world.

The FAA recently published a Safety Alert for Operators, advising flight crews to monitor their onboard equipment and to be prepared to fly without satellite navigation. NaviGuard offers a crucial solution to safeguard commercial and business flight operators from spoofing threats. The app detects abnormal GPS readings on iPads and verifies GPS data using radio navigation.

Notable features of NaviGuard include:

  1. Anticipate Problems: Real-time monitoring of problem areas enables pilots to foresee and circumvent issues stemming from GPS spoofing and jamming before they occur.
  2. Set Active Alerts: Proactive in-app notifications alerts pilots of known danger zones during flights, presenting the option to reroute or proceed with complete awareness of potential hazards.
  3. Plot & Confirm: In-flight GPS coordinate verification by mapping relative to Navigational Aids (NAVAIDs), removing any uncertainty about location accuracy.

“By launching NaviGuard we reinforce our dedication to safe and precise flight planning across the aviation industry,” said Shawn Mechelke, president of APG. “This groundbreaking software offers peace of mind to pilots and flight operators, assuring that their navigation remains secure and accurate at all times.” The stand-alone iOS app is available for download at the app store.

APG is also integrating NaviGuard technology into other applications such as RocketRoute FlightPlan. APG acquired RocketRoute in 2021. NaviGuard does not store or share users’ GPS data.

Intelsat Achieves Arctic Circle High-Speed Aircraft Connectivity

Intelsat has completed a series of test flights to the Arctic Circle demonstrating that airlines that require inflight internet connectivity on long-haul flights at extreme northerly latitudes can access low-latency, high-throughput service at any point on their route map.

“Airlines and their passengers have never had access to polar connectivity, but Intelsat made history as the first inflight connectivity provider to provide high-speed internet service above the Arctic Circle,” said Dave Bijur, the company’s senior vice president of Commercial Aviation. “This is an important region for airlines operating intercontinental flights. Thanks to Intelsat’s multi-orbit satellite service and ESA antenna, millions of international passengers flying on polar routes will enjoy reliable, non-stop connectivity from gate to gate.”

The test flights were completed on Intelsat’s test aircraft, a CRJ-700 regional jet equipped with an Electronically Steered Array (ESA) antenna. During the test flights, engineers from Intelsat and Ball Aerospace collected data necessary to understand the ESA’s operations and connections with different satellite orbits at different latitudes:

  • On December 17, 2023, Intelsat operated its test aircraft from Seattle, Washington to Anchorage, Alaska. Anchorage is located at roughly 61° north, making it the northernmost city served by major airlines, anywhere on the planet. This flight was operated using Intelsat’s fleet of geostationary (GEO) satellites, proving high-throughput GEO service is available using Intelsat ESA at all global airline hubs.
  • On December 18, 2023, Intelsat operated a roundtrip flight from Anchorage to Utqiaġvik, Alaska (formerly Barrow, AK). Utqiaġvik is situated at a latitude of 71° north, the same as many polar routes connecting Asia, North America and Europe. This flight was operated using OneWeb’s fleet of low Earth orbit satellites and demonstrated that high-speed, low latency performance is available even in a challenging geographic region that previously never had inflight internet service.

“The two tests validated the capabilities of Intelsat’s multi-orbit solution for airlines,” said Pat Walsh, senior vice president of engineering. “As the aircraft traveled due north from Anchorage into the Arctic Circle, we seamlessly connected to the OneWeb low-earth orbit constellation delivering 150 megabits per second inflight and on the ground in Alaska. In addition, near the polar region, Intelsat’s GEO operations exceeded expectations, delivering a reliable, high-speed connection all the way to Anchorage.”

Commenting on the test flight, Ben Griffin, VP mobility at Eutelsat OneWeb said, “We congratulate Intelsat on this milestone moment, made possible by OneWeb’s low Earth orbit constellation. This continuous connectivity across all routes and latitudes is a game changer for international airlines flying between East and West across the polar region. This historic flight validates the 5C’s of connectivity that together OneWeb and Intelsat can deliver to our airline customer namely – coverage, capacity, connection, consistency, and community.”

G Systems Promotes Mark Krause to Chief Executive Officer

G Systems, an internationally recognized aerospace and defense systems integrator, promotes experienced executive Mark Krause in a planned leadership transition to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective January 1, 2024. 

Krause succeeds Lynda Harrell, who has served as CEO of G Systems since she founded the company 34 years ago. Harrell will continue to serve as chairman of the board and support G Systems operations and key strategic initiatives in a leadership function.  

Krause’s decades of unique experience in business leadership, entrepreneurship, and strategic insight in the aerospace and defense industry led to his selection to join G Systems’ executive team in 2019 as vice president of sales and marketing with a transition plan to CEO. Krause’s results driven sales leadership resulted in market expansion for G Systems engineering and production build services and double-digit revenue growth.  

Founder Lynda Harrell said in a statement, “Mark’s promotion to CEO is the culmination of a strategic leadership succession plan to ensure the long-term success of G Systems. With the recent expansion of the company to a new manufacturing facility and a growth strategy in place, I have complete confidence this is the right time to transition leadership to Mark, a proven leader and experienced executive. His commitment to our success, and his alignment with our culture and core values, make Mark a continued strong fit to build upon our vision and lead the company into the next phase of growth. We are fully aligned on the power of our team to create quality solutions for our customers to support the missions of the aerospace and defense industry, the importance of strong customer relationships and the steps needed to position the company to reach its potential.”    

Krause’s vision for the company includes continued sustained growth with the addition of and diversification of products and services in the Aerospace and Defense market. G Systems is positioned to double in size yet again within the next three years under the leadership of Krause.  “G Systems will expand our capacity to engineer state-of-the-art products to meet customer needs. We will continue to support our customers with modernized systems of the highest reliability and quality. We will maintain the small business culture that our employees enjoy. We will maintain the same flexibility, agility, and speed upon which our customers depend,” said Krause.    

StandardAero Redelivers 200th Rolls-Royce RB211-535 Engine in Support of Global Boeing 757 Operator Community

StandardAero’s San Antonio facility recently celebrated delivery of its milestone 200th Rolls-Royce RB211-535 turbofan engine, less than five years after inducting its first powerplant.  StandardAero provides RB211-535 maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services in support of the global fleet of Boeing 757 aircraft, serving the needs of cargo and passenger operators worldwide.

StandardAero entered into a life-of-type maintenance services partnership with Rolls-Royce on the RB211-535 in 2018, under which StandardAero is fully committed to support customers worldwide from its 810,000 sq. ft. facility in San Antonio for the life of the program.  The facility inducted its first customer engine in April 2019, finalizing test cell certification in November 2020, and is currently accepting bookings for 2024 induction slots.

“Redelivery of our 200th RB211-535 engine is a testament to the technical excellence and customer focus of our San Antonio team,” said James Campbell, vice president & general manager of StandardAero’s San Antonio facility.  “StandardAero continues to expand its RB211-535 capabilities, including the addition of new regional certification approvals, and our recent introduction of CFM International LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B capability at the San Antonio facility will further extend our ability to support the cross-fleet MRO needs of operators worldwide.”

Generating 40,100 to 43,100 pounds of thrust, the RB211-535 powers the Boeing 757, which is flown by many of the world’s major airlines, with half of the fleet in-service in North America.  The RB211-535 powers nearly 60% of all Boeing 757s delivered, and is expected to remain in commercial service until the year 2040, thanks in large part to the 757’s popularity with cargo airline operators.

ATR and Air Algérie Sign First Digital Maintenance Documentation Package

Largest public Algerian carrier Air Algérie and world’s number one regional aircraft manufacturer ATR, announced the signature of the first Digital Maintenance Documentation package to further strengthen the airline’s maintenance documentation system and optimize the maintenance and engineering operations for its fleet of 15 ATR aircraft.

A new service provided by ATR to its operators, this three-year digital maintenance documentation contract consists in providing customers with raw data of line maintenance publications in XML format, to be uploaded into the airline’s Maintenance Information System via ‘AMOS’, the comprehensive solution designed by Swiss-AS to optimize the digitalization of airline maintenance management.

Through this three-party cooperation and innovative service, Air Algérie will benefit from both time and costs savings, and improved safety and compliance. The airline will be able to shorten revision processes, make the distribution of publications swifter and paperless, reduce preparation time for maintenance checks, standardize the structure and format of its documentation, improve information consistency across all aircraft manuals, automate revision tracking and document control, therefore saving time while preparing regulatory audits.

“We are proud to be the launch customer of this new service that will help us streamline our daily maintenance procedures, reducing downtime and increasing our fleet’s availability,” said Laid Bouchama, technical director of Air Algérie. “This three-party cooperation ensures that we all benefit from the greatest expertise in terms of on-the-ground operations, engineering insights and digitalization, to the benefit of our passengers who will appreciate the reliability of our service.”

Fabiano Faccoli, CEO of Swiss-AS, commented: “We are pleased to see that the partnership agreement recently signed with ATR already benefits our customers, and that our digitalization solutions are a real support to their daily operations. It’s technology at its best, making our customers’ daily tasks easier and ensuring they can focus on core and value-added activities.”

Stefano Marazzani, ATR’s SVP customer support and services, added: “Seeing an established customer like Air Algérie placing its confidence in one of our new products is the best recognition of the value of our expertise. ATR’s new Digital Maintenance Documentation package will be a decisive tool, empowering Air Algérie to further optimize its maintenance management processes, which ultimately means more reliable and accessible connectivity for the local communities.”

Amentum Awarded $946M Contract to Manage U.S. Army Fixed Wing Aircraft Fleet Used in Transport Missions

Amentum was awarded a $946 million contract to provide complete system maintenance and modernization solutions for the U.S. Army’s government-owned fixed wing transport aircraft fleet. Leveraging advanced technologies and best practices, the company will provide life-cycle transport aircraft system modernization, integration, logistical and operational solutions, as well as pilot services and management processes.

“Leveraging Amentum’s expertise performing these services, this win demonstrates the U.S. Army’s confidence in Amentum’s ability to manage a large-scale complex program while maintaining a quality and long-term solutions approach,” said Dr. Karl Spinnenweber, president of the critical missions group. “Amentum’s approach to delivering life-cycle aviation solutions enables us to distinguish what we can do for our customers and be the key partner to the customer for this critical mission.”

Under this contract, Amentum performs life-cycle services including sustainment, modernization, and logistics for a combined fleet of 150 aircraft. The Army’s transport fleet includes C-12, C-26, T-6, and UC-35 aircraft. Amentum has teamed with Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems of Greenville, South Carolina as the primary depot maintenance facility.

To ensure a technical advantage, Amentum can incorporate the use of its Augmented Reality Remote Expert™ offering and other maintenance-augmenting technologies. Advanced technologies like augmented reality headsets can connect resources at the work location with off-site subject matter experts such as engineers, safety experts, program management offices and other government points-of-contact in real time.

“Integrating our advanced technologies into our system maintenance and modernization offerings continues to provide our customer with industry leading solutions,” said Joe Kelly, SVP of sustainment analytics and aviation solutions.

The hybrid firm-fixed price contract will begin January 2024, has one base year and five one-year options, and is contracted through Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal. The customer is the U.S. Army’s Program Executive Office – Aviation, Fixed Wing Project Office. Work on the contract will be performed in various domestic and international locations.

AMFIL Aviation Consulting & Celtic Aerospace Announce Strategic Partnership 

Effective immediately, AMFIL Aviation Consulting and Celtic Aerospace announced that they have entered into a teaming agreement designed to offer their clients enhanced levels of revenue and growth potential, supported by exceptional business support services and increased international market exposure.

AMFIL and Celtic Aerospace share extensive experience in the areas of operational consulting, business-to-business networking, business development and strategy, sales, and supply chain and network development. For both companies, the goal of the teaming arrangement is to combine their experience and expertise to offer elevated levels of support to the international base of aviation clients, and new customers that require their specialized portfolio of services. 

“At AMFIL, we strive to develop and support excellence in every aspect of the aerospace and defense industry,” said David Clark, CEO and president of AMFIL (US Navy-Retired) “said his motivation for the teaming agreement with Celtic Aerospace. “Our team of experienced professionals provides unparalleled service and expertise to ensure our client’s success. I firmly believe that adding the experience, skills and expertise of Celtic Aerospace to our team will enable us to offer enhanced levels of customer-focused market expertise that will serve to improve our capability to meet the expectations of our clients and distribution partners.”

Clark cites Celtic Aerospace’s proven experience in providing its clients services that include maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), aviation operators, mission equipment manufacturers and distributors and airport and fixed base operators (FBO) as well as a diverse range of value-added services including strategy development, business planning, rotary-wing maintenance, repair and overhaul and mission equipment supply services, sales and marketing, corporate communications and media relations and brand development and management.

Dave McGrath, president of Celtic Aerospace (Canadian Airforce-Retired) echoes Clark’s enthusiasm for the collaboration between their mutual companies. ‘I’ve known David and have been following AMFIL’s activity for several years. I have been impressed with the level of service and support they provide to clients. As we share many similar attributes that can be applied to the success of our clients – each company also brings additional capabilities and resources that augment the other, resulting in a joining of forces that offers competitive advantages to our clients; whether it be fixed or rotary-wing, government and defense, or commercial operations.’ 

Clark and McGrath encourage organizations that require assistance in growing their aviation business via strategy, sales and marketing – or any other the other services they provide, to contact them to learn how AMFIL and Celtic Aerospace can assist in achieving their business objectives.

StandardAero Inducts First Customer CFM LEAP Engine, Completing Another Critical Industrialization Step Ahead Of Schedule

StandardAero has Inducted its first customer CFM LEAP engine, marking a major milestone in the company’s introduction of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B at its facility in San Antonio, TX.

Since signing the first North American non-airline CFM Branded Service Agreement (CBSA) for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B in March 2023, StandardAero’s team of MRO experts have made strong progress in establishing a dedicated LEAP line at the 810,000 sq. ft. San Antonio facility.  In October, the site added the LEAP to its U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Operations Specifications, two months ahead of schedule.  This achievement triggered FAA authorization of StandardAero for the LEAP -1A and LEAP-1B, which led in turn to European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) authorization through bilateral agreement with the FAA.  

StandardAero will offer LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B Continued Time Engine Maintenance (CTEM) services to customers beginning in Q1 2024, with Performance Restoration Shop Visit (PRSV) capability coming online in early 2025, including engine testing.  The company continues to grow its team of LEAP technicians through CFM-delivered training courses, and recently took possession of a LEAP training engine to further advance its technician ramp-up.  StandardAero also recently graduated the third and fourth classes from its in-house Aviation Mechanic Training Program at the San Antonio site’s Training Academy.

“StandardAero is pleased to demonstrate its commitment to CFM’s LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B operator base by inducting its first customer engine in less than nine months after joining CFM’s LEAP MRO ecosystem,” said Lewis Prebble, president of airlines & fleets for StandardAero. “It is a testament to great teamwork and the rigor of our formal New Product Introduction (NPI) process that this milestone was achieved two months ahead of schedule. We are confident of delivering on our commitment to introduce LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B CTEM services from February 2024, followed by PRSV capability in Q4 of the same year, and look forward to supporting the global A320neo and 737 MAX customer base with responsive, reliable support for decades to come.” 

In addition to establishing MRO capability for the LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B at its San Antonio facility, StandardAero is also developing new engine component repairs for the LEAP family through its Components & Accessories division’s network of locations and its Repair & Development Center of Excellence.

“StandardAero’s induction of its first CFM LEAP engine is another key milestone for our open LEAP MRO ecosystem,” said Gaël Méheust, president & CEO of CFM International. “We commend their dedication to supporting our customers and are very confident in their capabilities to provide world-class MRO support.”