May 22, 2017 - No. 041 In This Issue Appeals court strikes down FAA drone registration rule New pop-up compartment UNDER aircraft seats could spell the end of battle for space in the overhead lockers New Technology Drives Expansion of Pratt's Engine Family GE Aviation selects McCormick seniors' work to prototype Bizav Airframers Eye Possibility for FlexSys Wing Morphing Plasma propulsion could become effective and useful for higher altitude aviation, airships and eventually space access Rolls Royce Bolsters Its Strong Position in Bizav Market Bombardier and Rockwell Collins unveil Pro Line Fusion(R) integrated avionics upgrade for Challenger 604 aircraft Industry First: VistaJet Abolishes Positioning Fees Globally New Zealand space launch has nation reaching for the stars Appeals court strikes down FAA drone registration rule DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (AP) - An appeals court on Friday struck down a Federal Aviation Administration rule that required owners of drones used for recreation to register their craft. The ruling was a victory for hobbyists and a setback for the FAA, which cited safety concerns as it tried to tighten regulation of the fast-growing army of drone operators. Some pilots of commercial airliners have reported close calls with drones flying near airports. About 760,000 hobbyists have registered more than 1.6 million drones since 2015, and sales have skyrocketed. The FAA estimates that hobbyists will buy 2.3 million drones this year and 13 million by the end of 2020. Commercial operators from photographers to oil pipeline and cellphone tower owners were forecast to buy another 10 million through 2020. The FAA decided in 2015 to require hobbyists to register their drones, or model aircraft. Violators could be sentenced to prison. The registration requirement was challenged by John A. Taylor, a drone hobbyist in the Washington, D.C., area. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agreed with Taylor, saying that a law passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama in 2012 barred the FAA from imposing new regulations on model aircraft. The three-judge panel said that safety was obviously important and making hobbyists register "may well help further that goal to some degree," but it was up to Congress to repeal the ban on FAA rules for model aircraft. A spokesman for the FAA said the agency was reviewing the decision. The ruling demonstrated the schism in the drone world. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, whose members include big commercial drone operators and manufacturers, expressed disappointment with the court's ruling. The group's president, Brian Wynne, said registration "helps create a culture of safety that deters careless and reckless behavior." He vowed to seek a legislative fix in Congress. A lawyer for China's DJI, the world's biggest drone maker, said registration was reasonable and fostered "accountability and education to drone pilots." Brendan Schulman said he expected more discussion between industry and governments over the program. Some model aircraft enthusiasts had complained that the registration requirement was too burdensome. "On balance this is probably a good thing," said Vic Moss, a commercial photographer and drone operator in Colorado. "The FAA definitely overstepped their boundaries with the registration, and the fact that they called it an emergency action didn't help them look good." Moss was worried, however, that the issue was so contentious that the FAA might successfully lobby Congress for clear authority to regulate hobbyists. Registration cost $5 and had to be renewed every three years. It required owners to mark aircraft with an identification number and imposed civil and criminal penalties on those who did not comply. Taylor also challenged FAA restrictions on where drones can operate in the Washington, D.C. area. The court said that appeal was filed too late. https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2017/05/21/apc-appeals-court-strikes- down-faa-drone-registration-rule/#.WSKsjfUrLrc Back to Top New pop-up compartment UNDER aircraft seats could spell the end of battle for space in the overhead lockers We've all endured the stress of not being able to cram our hand luggage into the plane's overhead lockers. But a new invention could change everything, in the shape of a pop-up compartment which sits under the seat in front, giving each passenger their own personal storage hold. The concept was designed by a team of students at the University of Hong Kong, and won a contest held by aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The winning team came up with the idea in a bid to solve a long-running problem with space - and it could end up on aircrafts around the world. Airbus' annual Fly Your Ideas competition announced its winners in Toulouse, France, granting Ł35,000 in prize money to the champion team. A spokesman for Airbus said: 'The judges were impressed in seeing such a simple but effective solution for improved passenger experience. 'The new aircraft cabin design fully uses the space between the cabin floor and the cargo ceiling to give passengers their own personal luggage space.' In their entries, students had to answer one of five challenges identified by Airbus, ranging from improved passenger experience to manufacturing innovations. A record of nearly 5,500 students from around the world registered to participate in the 2017 competition. Since the Fly Your Ideas competition launched in 2008, more than 20,000 students from over 650 universities in over 100 countries worldwide have taken part. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4527050/Pop-hold-wins-Airbus-Fly- Ideas-2017-contest.html Back to Top New Technology Drives Expansion of Pratt's Engine Family The long-standing and multi-faceted contribution to business aviation made by engine maker Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) is set to reach another significant milestone with the anticipated service entry of Gulfstream's new G500 and G600 jets, which are to be powered by its 16,000-pound-thrust class PurePower PW800turbofans. The engines have now logged more than 13,000 test hours, including more than 6,000 on P&WC's flying test bed and on Gulfstream flight test aircraft. The 15,144-pound-thrust PW814GA engine that powers the G500 is set to enter service ahead of schedule at the end of 2017. The five test aircraft have now logged more than 2,600 flight hours. Fundamentally similar in terms of architecture, the 15,680-pound-thrust PW815GA engine powers the G600, which made its first flight on December 17, 2016. The new turbofan achieved FAA certification on February 14, 2017, and is set to get EASA approval soon. Meanwhile, P&WC has been busy preparing everything required for smooth service entry, according to PW800marketing and customer service vice president Scott McElvaine. Initial technical publications are now ready, as are plans for starting maintenance training, parts distribution, product support capability across the OEM's global network of service centers. Operators are already enrolling for ESP PurePower PW800 power-by-the-hour support plan. According to P&WC, the PW800 will enter service with a dispatch reliability rate of 99.99 percent. McElvaine told AIN the OEM feels confident in this bold prediction based on the many test hours conducted and the fact that the new engines draw on the proven architecture of the existing PW300 family that power other business jets. The engine maker is looking to further bolster the reliability of its products through the extension of its flight acquisition storage and transmission system to more platforms. After a year of trials, the company also is now ready to commercially offer its new oil analysis technology system, which gives early notice of potential maintenance and performance issues. P&WC has promised that the PW800 family will deliver at least a 10 percent reduction in fuel burn (compared with existing engines in the same thrust class) and double-digit reductions in noise levels, even compared with the ICAO's 2010 CAEP 8 standards. The chase for technology improvements continues for P&WC, with the PW306D1 turbofan that powers Cessna's new Latitude aircraft drawing on upgraded performance developed for the PW307B's on the rival Dassault Falcon 8X. Similarly, the PW308C+ engine tapped Talon combustor technology developed for the PW307A, the PW307D used performance improvement mixer technology from the PW306D and D1 turbofans, and the integrally bladed fan on the PW800 has its origins in the PW500 and PW600. Turboprop Power In P&WC's extensive PT6 turboprop family, more capability is also on the way. According to Nick Kanellias, senior director for general aviation programs, the company will be ready to unveil a new 2,000-hp version by year-end and this will incorporate technology from its turbofan cousins, such as reverse flow architecture, as it aims to deliver greater performance and efficiency for operators. EASA's long-awaited approval of commercial single-engine IFR operations is expected to be a fresh stimulus for demand for turboprop-powered aircraft that can profitably perform missions that would not be viable with jets. To ensure that this can be achieved safely, Kanellias explained that P&WC is working to incorporate features such as an electronic control system for PT6 engines as soon as possible. P&WC (Booth O105A) is marking the recent delivery of the group's 100,000th engine. This achievement will be celebrated with OEM partners and operators this week here at the EBACE show in Geneva. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-05-21/new-technology- drives-expansion-pratts-engine-family Back to Top GE Aviation selects McCormick seniors' work to prototype A project created by seven McCormick seniors that more efficiently inspects airplane turbine engines has been selected to be prototyped by GE Aviation, the University announced earlier this month. McCormick senior John Harris, who worked on the team, and fellow McCormick seniors Zachary Fenske, Jonathan Hoffman, Elizabeth McTighe, Matthew O'Hagan, Jacob Schneider-Martin and Jay Welch worked to develop SearchEYE to streamline the turbine inspection process and remove the human element as part of their Capstone Design Project. Currently, engines are inspected using a borescope, a small camera attached to a wire, that is fed into the engine and manually maneuvered through it, said Harris said. The current inspection process is inefficient and can take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours to complete, he said. During the second half of the two-quarter Capstone course, the team found a competition with similar objectives as their class assignment and decided to submit their work. Their design was selected out of 150 submissions worldwide to be prototyped by GE. The team worked with GE affiliates as clients for their Capstone project, though GE affiliates had no connection to the global competition, Hoffman said. The team spent five weeks ideating and came up with about 140 different ideas before settling on the solution they developed for their class project and later submitted to GE, he said. "I don't think any of us had any real expectations besides it being a kick in the pants for us to really get an idea going," Hoffman said. Due to a confidentiality agreement, details about the SearchEYE prototype cannot be released, Hoffman said. "It uses not-obscure technologies in obscure ways," he said. Harris said even after the competition, the group continues to work on the project for its Capstone class. The team's current work and the work being prototyped by GE are similar, but not the same. Hoffman and Harris both said one of the things they enjoy most about the project as a whole is the autonomy they have over their design and the initial ambiguity of the problem statement. "We were very much our own bosses as to how we wanted to figure it out compared to most other projects," Harris said. "We were able to lead our own design." Joseph Holtgreive, an assistant dean in McCormick, said he is thrilled with the team's achievement. The problem statement was rooted in a difficult field and aviation technology has not seen major innovations in the past few decades, he said. McCormick has been working toward building a more holistic engineering program, Holtgrieve said. The seven students and their achievement are an example of what "whole-brain engineering" looks like, he said. "It's a great example of a recognition from industry of the unique qualities our students possess," Holtgrieve said. "Not just the intellectual capacity to solve difficult problems, but also the ability to think in a more integrated fashion." https://dailynorthwestern.com/2017/05/21/campus/ge-aviation-selects-mccormick- seniors-work-to-prototype/ Back to Top Bizav Airframers Eye Possibility for FlexSys Wing Morphing Aviation Partners FlexSys (APF) has been holding discussions with four business aircraft manufacturers on possibilities to bring its FlexFoil wing morphing technology to market. Winglet specialist Aviation Partners (API, Booth Y40) joined forces with Ann Arbor, Michigan-based FlexSys in late 2015 to bring to market the FlexFoil technology that has been in the works for nearly 17 years, and FlexSys has validated the concepts in NASA testing on a Gulfstream III. The patented technology involves variable-geometry control surface mechanisms that use the natural flexibility of aerospace materials to continuously reshape. The technology provides seamless continuous surfaces that can morph from -9 degrees to 40 degrees. Research is leading to clean, unbroken flight surfaces-wings and stabilizers-that can change shape in ways that designers seek for maximum efficiency and performance. This should be far more efficient than changing the wing's shape with mechanical hinge- and track-mounted devices, such as ailerons, elevators and flaps, with all their added weight and complexity, APF maintains. "It is really cool to see this wing-without any lines or hinges-change its shape," Tom Gibbons, president of API, has said describing the technology. The ability to make an entire wing morph is the "holy grail" that would provide numerous possibilities, Gibbons said. "I no longer need to have a segment that is just a flap or just an aileron. If the whole wing can optimize aerodynamic needs in different phases of flight, that simply is not something that has been a tool at designers' disposal until now." Among the possibilities for wings: active flaps, ailerons and leading edges, and a combination of morphing leading and trailing edges that can deliver high-lift, turbulence mitigation, deicing and active load-alleviation configurations. APF has been demonstrating the technology to would-be customers with a 15-foot wing section. "We needed to create something that either flies or demonstrates to the world what we're talking about in its applications," said API COO Hank Thompson. The partnership has identified one of its first applications, a FlexFoil replacement for a KC- 135 inboard flap covering the last 26 inches of chord and spanning 142 inches. "We're taking the section and morphing it to create a mission-adaptive profile that improves fuel efficiency," Thompson said, "estimated by computational fluid dynamics analysis to be 4 percent. We're building the static-test article now." Interest continues to pick up. "We've been fielding inquiries, and we're engaged [in discussions] with four major OEMs," he added. Large airframers are not the only ones interested in morphing technology; drone and rotorcraft OEMs are intrigued as well, the latter for morphing rotor blades. The greatest benefit will be realized with new aircraft designs, but morphing tech could also be retrofitted-and also with all types of materials, not just composites, the executives say. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-05-20/bizav- airframers-eye-possibility-flexsys-wing-morphing Back to Top Plasma propulsion could become effective and useful for higher altitude aviation, airships and eventually space access Berkant Göksel at the Technical University of Berlin and his team now want to fit plasma engines to planes. "We want to develop a system that can operate above an altitude of 30 kilometers where standard jet engines cannot go," he says. These could even take passengers to the edge of the atmosphere and beyond. The challenge was to develop an air-breathing plasma propulsion engine that could be used for take-off as well as high-altitude flying. A new breakthrough in jet propulsion technology since the invention of the jet engine is achieved. The first critical tests for future air-breathing magneto-plasma propulsion systems have been successfully completed. In this regard, it is also the first time that a pinching dense plasma focus discharge could be ignited at one atmosphere and driven in pulse mode using very fast, nanosecond electrostatic excitations to induce self-organized plasma channels for ignition of the propulsive main discharge. Depending on the capacitor voltage (200-600 V) the energy input at one atmosphere varies from 52-320 Joules per pulse corresponding to impulse bits from 1.2-8.0 mNs. Such a new pulsed plasma propulsion system driven with one thousand pulses per second would already have thrust- to-area ratios (50-150 kN/m˛) of modern jet engines. An array of thrusters could enable future aircrafts and airships to start from ground and reach altitudes up to 50 km and beyond. The needed high power could be provided by future compact plasma fusion reactors already in development by aerospace companies. The magneto-plasma compressor itself was originally developed by Russian scientists as plasma fusion device and was later miniaturized for supersonic flow control applications. So the first breakthrough is based on a spin-off plasma fusion technology. We are the first to produce fast and powerful plasma jets at ground level," says Göksel. "These jets of plasma can reach speeds of up to 20 kilometres a second. The team used a rapid stream of nanosecond-long electric discharges to fire up the propulsion mixture. A similar technique is used in pulse detonation combustion engines, making them more efficient than standard fuel-powered engines. * Plasma propulsion was proved on an airship in 2005 * this is a pathway to far more powerful and effective plasma propulsion * this could enable propulsion beyond the height of existing planes * nearterm it could be for routine airships at 50-100 km * it could eventually be used to get to orbit and transform aviation and space access It's the first time anyone has applied pulse detonation to plasma thrusters. Jason Cassibry at the University of Alabama in Huntsville is impressed. "It could greatly extend the range of any aircraft and lower the operational cost," he says. But there are several hurdles to overcome before the technology can propel an actual plane. For a start, the team tested mini thrusters 80 millimetres long, and a commercial airliner would need some 10,000 of them to fly, which makes the current design too complex for aircraft of that size. Göksel's team plans to target smaller planes and airships for now. Between 100 and 1000 thrusters would be enough for a small plane, which the team thinks is feasible. In future experiments the plasma dynamics could be investigated using ultrafast cameras with up to 2 Mio frames per seconds which are available to the corresponding authors. In the present work the maximum voltage and power limits of the new MPC thruster were not tested. The main task was the first demonstration of a pulsed MPC-based plasma thruster with ns-internal excitation for a stabile operation at high atmospheric pressures up to 1 bar. In this regard, a first breakthrough and pulse operation with 4.7 Hz was demonstrated. In the next step, the pulse frequency of the main discharge will be increased up to 10 Hz. Furthermore, a new mobile power generator will be developed for the first flight demonstration onboard of the b-Ionic Airfish, which was the world's first airship propelled by plasma engines in 2005, Only 0.08 N or 8 g would be sufficient to propel this 7.5 m airship at low speeds up to 1 m/s. A 5 Hz thruster has already about 0.02 N. So an array of four plasma pulse "detonation" thrusters with the present power level would make it fly. The available maximum weight for the power generator is about 5.1 kg plus 1.2 kg for LiPo batteries. The general thrust of an array with 10 cells, each operating with a pulse frequency of 50 Hz, is 2.0 N. The total power required for a first high altitude (H=20 km) demonstrator mission using an array with 10 thruster is about 75 kW. With a solar battery effectiveness of 0.2-0.3, the required minimum surface area is 250 m˛. In any case, the new propulsion technology is still away from being competitive but it has to be noted that the research, development and optimization is now at the very beginning. The impulse bit for each thruster unit can be essentially increased by using different ejector schemes and jet focusing nozzle structures. These are items of next investigations. Furthermore, there are also a large amount of other possible technological applications in the field of aerodynamics, material sciences and power engineering. But a real flight demonstration is the next milestone goal towards new magneto-plasma flux compression thrusters for stratospheric airships or high altitude platform stations (HAPS) which are currently all limited to about 25 km altitude by using propellers. With future air-breathing magneto-plasma flux compression thrusters next generation solar, beamed or fusion energy powered airships could climb to altitudes up to 50 km and beyond. http://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/05/plasma-propulsion-could-become-effective-and- useful-for-higher-altitude-aviation-airships-and-eventually-space-access.html Back to Top Rolls Royce Bolsters Its Strong Position in Bizav Market The UK's Rolls-Royce (Booth B09) is confident that it can maintain what it claims to be its position as the engine-maker of choice for large-cabin, long-range business jets, despite its competitors introducing new products that compete with its BR700 powerplant family. The 15,000-lb-class BR710 engine, produced by Rolls-Royce Germany in Dahlewitz, powers the Bombardier Global Express XRS and Global 5000 as well as the Gulfstream G500/G550, whereas the larger BR725 powers the Gulfstream G650/G650ER. These large-cabin aircraft still dominate the business aviation market in China and are also increasing in number in other parts of Asia. The key for the future for Rolls-Royce is in both globalized customer service/support (Rolls-Royce CorporateCare has been adopted by the majority of its customers) and new technology. It has a very significant development effort, Advance 2, taking place to develop the next generation of engines and for inserting new, advanced technology in existing engine lines. The company said, in a briefing to journalists at Dahlewitz last month, that it was confident the market for large-cabin business aircraft would continue to grow, partly because the number of billionaires and other high-net-worth individuals continues to grow, especially in China. "In 2007 China had zero billionaires, but by the early 2020s it will overtake the U.S." Meanwhile the main developments that will take the BR710 and BR715 into the next generation include an Advance core, advanced engine-health management, advanced materials and cooling, and a titanium "blisked" fan resulting in an overall pressure ratio of 50. Joe Hoelzl, chief engineer future programs, said Advance 2 was intended for new engines entering service in the 2020s offering, broadly, a 10 percent reduction in specific fuel consumption (sfc), 50 percent improvement in NOx margin, 99.995 percent reliability and a 20 percent increase in thrust-to-weight ratio. The scalable architecture being developed in the 10,000- to 20,000-lb-thrust range can then be fine-tuned when airframers define their needs. But initially, the technology can improve the current BR700 family and also provide a larger sibling, with a 52-inch fan. "We have restructured our technical programs over the last year to get much more synergy across programs and get the benefits for the bizav products," said Frank Moestra, product strategy executive. Advance 3 takes that to large, high-bypass engines for airliner applications, efforts that are designed to take the Trent line of engines forward. This is a huge development effort, so R-R' business aviation engines will benefit from the R&D and development efforts there; with much of the effort taking place at Rolls-Royce Germany in Dahlewitz. With the new blisked fan, said Hoelzl, "Multiple rig demos have been completed already, and the next step is to run this in a full engine. The new core's pressure ratio is from 16 to 24 (+40 percent), and this has already been demonstrated. Moestra said, "We are number one and want to stay number one, though we have lost some platforms as our competitors went in very aggressively." He added that the requirements for business jet engines are different from those of airliners, and bizjets need to fly "fast and high." This means the engines for aircraft below 100,000 lb maximum takeoff weight and with 7,000 nm of range tend to have a low bypass ratio. "So we have to work hard to improve sfc." He added that the BR725 engine is "in a class of its own" at the moment. "But we can't stand still. We have to work hard to improve it and expand our market position again after losing a bit." Developing scalable technology, however, will mean that when airframe manufacturers issue requests for proposals (RFPs), Rolls can bring an engine to market faster, concluded Moestra. "The nice thing is that we can provide the technology without picking an exact application-yet." But at the moment its thinking is that it could center on the 12,000-lb, 15,000-lb and 18,000-lb thrust points. The company is also looking into supersonic concepts and keeping an eye on research programs that are developing supersonic business aircraft so as not to miss out on what it believes could be a lucrative market. Dr. Dean Roberts, market analysis executive for business aviation, said, "We're unique in that we have supersonic civil aircraft experience, and we can draw on our fighter experience as well." He noted that until regulatory hurdles are overcome to allow supersonic flight over land, the "halfway house" would be a hybrid SSBJ. The company has done detailed analysis, Robert said, which showed the hybrid approach is "quite an attractive proposition. Looking at the routes you could fly, there are very clear benefits." On the economic side, R-R's analysis suggests, "The farther you can go [in range] the more people will pay for speed. What we think is that if you radically increase speed, you will get an exponential-not a straight line-relationship so you can substantially increase the price, "which would be needed to make such programs viable." Thus, "It will not destroy the subsonic world," he said, as the number of units would be small. But with the increasing number of billionaires, the market dynamics for supersonic aircraft would change for the better. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-05-19/rolls-royce- bolsters-its-strong-position-bizav-market Back to Top Bombardier and Rockwell Collins unveil Pro Line Fusion(R) integrated avionics upgrade for Challenger 604 aircraft GENEVA, SWITZERLAND--(Marketwired - May 22, 2017) - Bombardier Business Aircraft and Rockwell Collins today announced a new Pro Line Fusion® integrated avionics upgrade for the Challenger 604aircraft. As the only all-in-one solution to comply with aviation regulatory mandates while modernizing the flight experience for pilots, the Pro Line Fusion® upgrade is set to be available throughout Bombardier's highly qualified and extensive network of service centres. "The Challenger 604 is a highly-valued, long-haul aircraft, and this upgrade will allow customers to benefit from the latest technology and continue flying well into the future," said Craig Olson, Vice President and General Manager, Business and Regional Systems for Rockwell Collins. "This will be the third aircraft platform to have the Pro Line Fusion® aftermarket upgrade option, continuing our ongoing effort to provide owners with a means to keep their aircraft relevant with modern technology, enhanced situational awareness for pilots and aviation regulatory mandate compliance." Bombardier is supporting and endorsing Rockwell Collins' development of this service offering. The addition of the Pro Line Fusion® integrated avionics on the Challenger 604 aircraft will enhance the cockpit experience by providing the latest in avionics functionality while increasing the aircraft's value. "We are confident that Rockwell Collins' new Pro Line Fusion® integrated avionics upgrade for Challenger 604 will provide owners with the state-of-the-art technology and added-value that they expect from Bombardier," said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Vice President and General Manager, Customer Experience, Bombardier Business Aircraft. "We are growing our aftermarket service offerings and this is one more example of how we are focusing on adding value to our customers' aircraft. Our service centres are well equipped to ensure all customers find the ideal retrofit option to comply with aviation regulatory mandates, improve onboard technology, and add value to their aircraft." The Pro Line Fusion® upgrade will replace the factory-installed CRT displays with three 14.1-inch widescreen displays, which feature advanced graphics, configurable windows and a touchscreen interface. This upgrade will bring a whole new set of benefits to the Challenger 604 aircraft, including: * The baseline equipment required for operation in modernized airspace, such as ADS-B and LPV approaches, and available FANS and Link 2000 capabilities * Standard synthetic vision system, eyes-forward flight planning and geo-referenced electronic navigation charts * Easy and fast database updates To ensure compliance with aviation regulatory mandates and to take full advantage of this opportunity, owners can contact Bombardier to start planning for the upgrade, which is expected to be certified by fall of 2018. As the Bombardier Business Aircraft fleet continues to grow, so does its award-winning service centre network with additional Customer Response Team trucks in the U.S., and new service centre facilities in Tianjin, China and Biggin Hill, London. The network is equipped to support Learjet, Challenger and Global business aircraft and is connected to Bombardier Business Aircraft's 24/7 Customer Response Centre and world-class Customer Support Team. European customers can benefit from the service centre network's comprehensive capabilities and flexibility, as well as on-site parts inventory and engineering support. They can also maximize their maintenance event to complete additional work during the downtime, such as paint, installation of in-flight internet connectivity, avionics upgrades or interior refurbishment. About Rockwell Collins Rockwell Collins (NYSE:COL) is a leader in aviation and high-integrity solutions for commercial and military customers around the world. Every day we help pilots safely and reliably navigate to the far corners of the earth; keep warfighters aware and informed in battle; deliver millions of messages for airlines and airports; and help passengers stay connected and comfortable throughout their journey. As experts in flight deck avionics, cabin electronics, cabin interiors, information management, mission communications, and simulation and training, we offer a comprehensive portfolio of products and services that can transform our customers' futures. To find out more, please visit www.rockwellcollins.com. Follow us on Twitter: @RockwellCollins About Bombardier Bombardier is the world's leading manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation. Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, we posted revenues of $16.3 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier. https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/17/05/m9496906/bombardier-and-rockwell- collins-unveil-pro-line-fusion-r-integrated-avi Back to Top Industry First: VistaJet Abolishes Positioning Fees Globally LONDON, May 19, 2017 -- VistaJet, the first and only global aviation company, announced today that it has abolished hourly ferry flight fees for new Program customers globally. Uniquely in the industry, the commitment applies no matter where in the world a customer is flying to or from. The move signals a significant commitment to VistaJet's mission to be the first operator to offer a truly global service. Its customers now have complete freedom when booking, without bearing the burden of paying a ferry flight hourly rate for an aircraft to return to a home base or service area, and enjoying truly transparent pricing. Positioning fees have traditionally been a frustrating and unexpected cost for business aviation clients. Currently, most companies in the sector make their customers pay for the cost of returning the empty plane to its home airport or service area after a flight is completed. Depending on location, this can add tens of thousands to the overall cost of a flight. For example, if a customer stepped onboard a London based aircraft towards Australia, the cost of returning the aircraft to its home base could add more than $100,000 to the overall cost of the journey. The revolutionary new offering has been made possible by the $2.5bn investment the company has made to grow its fleet to a global scale, as well as its effort to establish a global customer base through its 10 sales offices around the globe. The company's unique business model, built on removing the notion of a home base for its aircraft, means customers only pay for the time they are in the air: when a VistaJet Program customer books a flight, VistaJet will simply move the nearest plane to pick them up. Unlike business jet charter, VistaJet owns every one of the over 70 silver and red aircraft in its fleet, so customers know what will greet them on the tarmac anytime, anywhere in the world. The company has invested in an industry leading operations centre in the European country of Malta, and created an innovative infrastructure with the capacity to manage global flights 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It has also established offices on 5 continents, managing flights to over 1,600 airports in 187 countries to date. Chairman and Founder Thomas Flohr said: "When you call a taxi, you don't worry about paying for its journey to you. Today's entrepreneur or business executive will be flying to America one week, Asia or South America the next, and Europe in between, so it's become critical to offer them a truly global service. The sustained investment we've made for the past 13 years has been calculated to ensure we can offer our customers something completely ground-breaking: one way pricing around the globe. At VistaJet, we challenge ourselves every day to offer the best experience in the industry. So along with knowing that our customers will only pay for the time they are in the air, when they fly with us they know that they will receive the very best service, with everything tailored to their specific needs." About VistaJet VistaJet is the first and only global aviation company. On its fleet of silver and red business jets, VistaJet has flown corporations, governments and private clients to 187 countries worldwide. Founded in 2004 by Thomas Flohr, the company pioneered an innovative business model where customers pay only for the hours they fly, free of the responsibilities and asset risks linked to aircraft ownership. VistaJet's signature Program service offers customers a bespoke subscription of flight hours on its fleet of mid and long range jets, to fly them anywhere and at any time. More VistaJet information and news at vistajet.com. http://www.econotimes.com/Industry-First-VistaJet-Abolishes-Positioning-Fees-Globally- 712631 Back to Top New Zealand space launch has nation reaching for the stars WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand has never had a space program but could soon be launching commercial rockets more often than the United States. That's if the plans of California-based company Rocket Lab work out. Founded by New Zealander Peter Beck, the company was last week given official approval to conduct three test launches from a remote peninsula in the South Pacific nation. Rocket Lab is planning the first launch of its Electron rocket sometime from Monday, depending on conditions. Rocket Lab hopes to begin commercial launches later this year and eventually launch one rocket every week. It plans to keep costs low by using lightweight, disposable rockets with 3D-printed engines. It's a different plan than some other space companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX, which uses larger rockets to carry bigger payloads. http://kdhnews.com/business/technology/new-zealand-space-launch-has-nation- reaching-for-the-stars/article_73f796d5-00b2-5661-ba81-d5ba92637350.html Curt Lewis