May 25, 2017 - No. 042 In This Issue FAA: Airlines must remove unsafe seats from some regional planes MIAT College of Technology Partners with Delta Airlines in order to Meet Future AMT Needs Flydubai Sets Loyalty Standards with Amadeus Technology RISE OF 3D PRINTING IN AVIATION A BIG PLUS FOR COST MANAGEMENT Bombardier Business Aircraft completes biofuel-powered flights White House Seeks Cuts in FAA Budget, Outlines ATC Plan GAMA/Build A Plane 2017 Aviation Design Challenge Winner Announced Rockwell upgrades Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics for Challenger 604 aircraft Rolls-Royce's BR710 Reaches 10M Flight Hour Milestone Former SpaceX technician sues company for cutting corners, falsifying manned rocket test results FAA: Airlines must remove unsafe seats from some regional planes WASHINGTON - The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering airlines to remove a specific kind of seat from some smaller airliners because of the risk of neck injuries in survivable crashes. But airlines complain the order will cost them millions more than the nearly $900,000 that the FAA estimates it will cost U.S. carriers to remove the seats, roughly 10,000 in all. That's because the FAA didn't include replacing the seats in its estimate. Airlines, including some from other countries worried about meeting the standard, complained it would be uneconomical to fly with fewer seats on their planes. SkyWest Airlines of St. George, Utah, for example, said it would cost $250,000 to $500,000 to replace the seats on each of the 120 affected planes in its fleet. SkyWest is a regional carrier that operates feeder flights for the USA's four biggest airlines: American, Delta, United and Alaska. "Calculating these numbers would make the part cost in the millions just for our fleet," Daniel Burkhard, SkyWest's engineering manager for compliance, told FAA when the fix was proposed. At issue are the "Slim" or "Slimplus" seats made by Zodiac Seats California LLC. The seats are on planes such as Boeing's 717-200 and MD-90-30 aircraft, Bombardier's CRJ700, CRJ900 and Q400 aircraft, and Embraer's E170 and E190 planes. Videos reviewed by the FAA and Brazil's civil aviation organization found that in a collision, a passenger might slide down the seat with the chin to hit the tray table on the seat ahead in a way that seriously injures the neck. "The intent of this (airworthiness directive) is to provide a safe outcome for passengers during a survivable crash by preventing serious injuries," said the 29-page order from Paul Bernado, acting manager of FAA's transport airplane directorate. The order is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday. A committee of industry officials questioned the testing and the FAA's proposed order from a year ago, saying the testing was inaccurate and subjective. But FAA stuck to its order for removing the seats. FAA estimated it would cost $85 to remove each unsafe seat, for a total of $890,970 to remove 10,482 seats flying with U.S. carriers within five years. Zodiac, SkyWest and Delta Air Lines asked that FAA allow for modifications of the seats, to make them safer. FAA refused to delay the order, but said if Zodiac develops a remedy short of removing the seats, it could be approved at that time. https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2017/05/24/faa-airliner- seat-order/102075468/ Back to Top MIAT College of Technology Partners with Delta Airlines in order to Meet Future AMT Needs We are excited to announce that MIAT College of Technology (MIAT) has been selected to partner with Delta Airlines to help meet the high demand for Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) positions expected over the next several years. Delta TechOps evaluated numerous AMT schools with a goal to find schools that are committed to meeting FAA standards and Delta's principles of excellence. MIAT College of Technology is one of a small group of AMT schools chosen from across the country to partner with Delta Airlines. Delta will function as a significant resource for MIAT, helping to continually improve the quality and relevance of the school's training programs, increasing access to career opportunities for students and graduates, and improving marketing efforts to prospective students. MIAT's Canton Campus President Jennifer Paugh stated, "For nearly 50 years, MIAT College of Technology has been training tomorrow's leaders in the aviation maintenance field and we are absolutely thrilled to be selected by Delta to partner as an employee training facility. I'm certain that this collaboration will prove to be mutually advantageous as we combine MIAT's proven, practical training models in career technical education with Delta's stature as a global industry leader, and their employees real-world experience. I'm certain that this partnership will prove to be of great mutual benefit to both our students and Delta employees." Accepting the honor and responsibility that come with this partnership, MIAT will continue to uphold the standards and practices that allowed the college to be chosen for Delta's plan to address the growing need for trained aviation maintenance technicians. About MIAT College of Technology MIAT College of Technology was founded in 1969 and operates a 125,000 square foot facility in Canton, Michigan and a 40,000 square foot facility in Houston, Texas. In addition to Aviation Maintenance Technology, MIAT offers programs in HVACR, Energy, and Global Logistics and Dispatch. The school's Aviation Maintenance Technology-AAS degree, Airframe and Powerplant Technician certificate, and Aviation Dispatch course, are FAA certificated and NCATT accredited. MIAT College of Technology has helped thousands of individuals acquire the industry- relevant skills, experience, and connections it takes to pursue rewarding technical careers. After almost 50 years in technical career education, MIAT has built an excellent reputation and strong working relationships with top employers. MIAT programs are developed in direct response to feedback from industry leaders looking for qualified employees, and the school collaborates with these employers to tailor its programs to fit industry needs. MIAT graduates feel confident and fully prepared to make a smooth transition into the workplace after getting so much industry-influenced, practical training. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/05/prweb14357922.htm Back to Top Flydubai Sets Loyalty Standards with Amadeus Technology Today's airline marketplace is characterized by competitive pricing and unbundled offers that offer the traveler greater choice and flexibility than ever before. As a result, securing customer loyalty is increasingly challenging and airlines are taking new approaches to developing and managing their loyalty programs. An innovative loyalty program can help airlines differentiate themselves in a crowded market, and is also capable of generating substantial revenues. That's why flydubai chose Amadeus as a technology partner for its unique loyalty program, "OPEN". Amadeus' cutting edge technology has enabled flydubai to develop a loyalty program with an innovative and flexible approach that truly meets traveler needs. "We had clear objectives when we were designing our Rewards program. OPEN, flydubai's new rewards program, is simple and straightforward. Our rewards program gives our members the ability to earn points easily, spend points at any time, flexibility on how they pay and can earn points together," said Nahed Al Kheily, Vice President of Ancillary Revenue at flydubai. From a traveler's perspective - a key part of the proposition from the OPEN program includes keeping things simple. Rather than complex mileage charts or sector maps to work out earned points, program members earn at least 1 OPEN reward point for every $1 spent (excluding tax & fees). This means members earn reward points with every flight, and they can redeem them for flights on any day, to any destination. Travelers can team up with family and friends to pool points, and the program also includes a co-branded credit card through a partnership with Dubai Islamic Bank. Commenting on the importance of the right technology solution, Nahed Al Kheily, said: "Based on feedback from our passengers we knew that they wanted to be rewarded for their travel with us and to achieve this we needed the right technology partner. We chose Amadeus as a partner, as we believe that its Loyalty Management suite, with its flexible capabilities lays the technology foundation for us as we seek to improve the customer experience and personalize our offering." Maher Koubaa, Vice President, Head of Airline Group, Middle East and Africa at Amadeus said: "Our technology is designed to help airlines effectively manage and leverage their loyalty programs, whatever their size or business model. flydubai's OPEN program shows true innovation in catering to the needs of the airline's customers, and its success is the hallmark of what a successful partnership can deliver." Amadeus Loyalty Management is an end to end and dedicated airline loyalty solution that empowers over 35 airlines with future proof technology that enables them to leverage their loyalty programs to unlock revenues, enhance brand commitment and increase customer loyalty. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12337156/flydubai-sets-loyalty-standards- with-amadeus-technology Back to Top RISE OF 3D PRINTING IN AVIATION A BIG PLUS FOR COST MANAGEMENT The use of 3D printed parts on airliners is taking off, particularly in China where the technology has been recognized by the aviation industry following the successful maiden flight of the first China-built commercial airliner. "Outsourcing 3D printing services will save the initial investment cost and enables manufacturers to focus on product development," says Wendy Mok, Research Manager of IDC's Imaging Printing and Document Solutions research. "Moreover, individual suppliers could provide services and parts according to their product portfolios. Such collaborations will help improve the overall product quality. This business model also provides 3D printer vendors a point of penetration." The C919 took its maiden flight on 5th May, 2017 at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. This marks a historical moment in China's aviation industry. C919 was developed by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (COMAC), who used 3D printing technologies and specialty metals like titanium alloys in the developments of the airliner. COMAC designed and assembled C919 in Shanghai while the parts of the airliner were manufactured by different suppliers in China. Front parts and wings were made in Chengdu and Xi'an. The main body parts were made in Nanchang. "The domestic demand for 3D printed parts will grow with expectations that the orders of 570 units of C919 delivered by COMAC in the future, coupled with an increase in localization rate," says Mok. Suppliers of C919 parts have proven the value of adopting 3D printing in the manufacturing process. Metal 3D printers of foreign brands were used by FalconTech, who supplied a total of 30 metal 3D printed parts to C919. Financial burden Due to its reliability and numerous successful use cases in related industries, imported 3D printers have held a significant competitive advantage over domestic ones in China's high- end manufacturing sectors. However, it could create financial burden and resources allocation problems to the manufacturers who carry different 3D printers. Mok said that the local aircraft makers will not be the only ones to benefit from the growing aviation industry, with foreign companies also looking at China's airliner market. Boeing is planning to build a facility in China while Airbus have started to assemble their A320s in Tianjin. "Parts supplied by foreign companies could be made in China as well. The huge domestic demand on airliners is attracting more market players and competition. This will further push the growth of 3D printing industry in terms of both hardware and materials," Mok added. The "Made in China 2025" master plan sets the routes for China to radically transform its traditional manufacturing economy. The successful maiden flight of C919 has demonstrated China's ambitions and determination to compete with the high-end manufacturing sector in the West. The "Made in China 2025" master plan focuses on 10 sectors - one of which is the development of aerospace equipment, as well as 3D Printing. The government recognizes that 3D Printing is a strong enabler to China manufacturing's overall growth. 3D printed titanium parts were installed on C919 to reduce the airliner weight and increase its safety. Twenty-eight cabin door parts and two fan inlet structural parts were installed on C919. The existing parts on C919 were largely made in China, or around 60% vs the original target of only 10%. However, critical parts were still made by foreign suppliers namely CFM International, Liebher-Aerospace, FACC and Honeywell. CFM International supplied the jet engines and Liebher-Aerospace made the landing gear. Honeywell made the flight control systems, wheels, brakes, auxiliary power units and navigation systems while FACC supplied the cockpit. The next target is to increase the parts made locally to 90% and install made-in-China jet engines by 2025. The aggressive development of China's aviation industry will lead to increasing demand for 3D printers and metal powders. "We will see more use cases on the adoption of 3D printing technologies in the aerospace industry. For instance, General Electric (GE) acquired two metal 3D printer manufacturers, Concept Laser and Arcam, in which they have been providing 3D printers to aircraft parts manufacturers. Jet engine manufacturer Rolls Royce is one of Arcam's users. Norsk Titanium produces the first Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved 3D printed structural titanium components for Boeing Dreamliner," says Mok. https://www.cfoinnovation.com/story/13100/rise-3d-printing-aviation-big-plus-cost- management Back to Top Bombardier Business Aircraft completes biofuel-powered flights Bombardier Business Aircraft has completed a biofuel-powered flight using its demonstration fleet that includes a Learjet 75, Challenger 350, Challenger 650 and Global 6000 aircraft. Taking off from KLM Jet Centre in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, the flight used biofuel produced by AltAir Fuels. SkyNRG and AEG Fuels have supplied the biofuel to KLM Jet Centre, which performed the refuelling. AEG Fuels general aviation executive vice-president Greg Cox said: "We are taking the right steps in the development of a rapidly growing renewable fuel business. "These sustainable fuels are produced from renewable resources and are considered 'drop-in' fuels that blend with traditional fossil fuels without any equipment changes. "We are taking the right steps in the development of a rapidly growing renewable fuel business." AEG Fuels currently offers aviation jet fuel and related services through a network of more than 2,700 fuelling locations worldwide. Bombardier Business Aircraft customer experiencevice-president and general managerJean-Christophe Gallagher said: "These biofuel-powered flights further demonstrate Bombardier Business Aircraft's commitment to sustainability as an integral part of how it conducts its business. "Ensuring and demonstrating that our products are capable and ready to support industry objectives on emissions reductions is an important part of this commitment." Prior to the latest flight, Bombardier Business Aircraft completed another biofuel-powered flight from Los Angeles International Airport, US. The company has used its demonstration aircraft fleet to complete the flight. http://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/newsbombardier-business-aircraft- completesbiofuel-powered-flights-5824317 Back to Top White House Seeks Cuts in FAA Budget, Outlines ATC Plan The White House yesterday provided a more detailed look at its budget, with plans to cut $300 million from the FAA's funding in the short term and to reshape the tax structure to accommodate a user-funded independent air traffic control (ATC) organization in the long term. While they did not come as a surprise, both the Fiscal Year 2018 budget and ATC reform proposals immediately drew fire from the industry. NATA president Martin Hiller decried the FY2018 budget as setting the table for a "self-fulfilling prophecy" for the need for an independent ATC organization, while NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen called the ATC proposal troubling. In a three-page fact sheet, the White House lays out its case for adopting many of the concepts of last year's House proposal for carving the ATC organization out of the FAA. "The FAA is struggling to keep up with the quickly evolving needs of the nation's airspace users," the White House said of its agency. "Air traffic control has become a technology- dependent enterprise. To accommodate growing air traffic volume and define more efficient flight paths, modern technology is required. However, the FAA must constantly make trade-offs that favor maintaining legacy assets nationwide, rather than investing in cutting-edge technology that other nations use to manage their air traffic." Echoing arguments of other ATC reform backers, the White House noted that 60 other countries have separated ATC from government and work with private capital to modernize technology and facilities "in a more iterative way that focuses on driving stakeholder benefits. It is time for the U.S. to follow suit." The White House called the House proposal, which was spearheaded by House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), "an excellent starting point," and outlines a multi-year process to transfer the day-to-day air traffic control reform to a new "non-governmental, non-profit corporation." The White House vision calls for government to continue to regulate safety and restates the House proposals of a board of directors to manage the organization and a user-fee structure. "These concepts will drive more and better services than the FAA provides today, and therefore create an efficient governance mechanism that is responsive to its users," the White House said. The corporation could develop its own technologies and potentially sell its services to other countries. The White House acknowledged the need to work with the user community over access and to preserve the safety and efficiency of the system, particularly as the airspace expands to include drones. Under the proposal, airline transportation taxes would be eliminated, but other aviation excise taxes would remain-at a rate to be determined. The other taxes would help cover the costs of the remaining portions of the FAA, including its safety and certification functions and the Airport Improvement Program, among other areas. "The precise tax rates for the remaining aviation excise taxes have not yet been developed," the White House said. "The administration will work with Congress to establish successor tax rates." As for the FY2018 budget, the White House is proposing almost $300 million in cuts over the enacted Fiscal Year 2017 budget, with $135 million shaved out of the Operations account, including funding for personnel, and $120 million in Facilities & Equipment. Airport Improvement Program would remain at current levels, but the Research, Engineering and Development program would go down by $26 million, according to an analysis by NATA. "Investment in our nation's aeronautical infrastructure is just as important to our long- term economic prosperity as tax cuts and increased defense spending," Hiller said. "We cannot make the justification for ATCprivatization a self-fulfilling prophecy by making cuts to important programs that need immediate funding. The proposed FAA budget would reduce spending on the modernization of our air traffic control system and continue what has been a six-year downward spiral in airport funding." Hiller further expressed concern about the "potentially detrimental impact on general aviation and rural investment" that the independent ATC proposal would have. "Targeted budget changes, including clear and unambiguous exemptions from the impacts of sequestration and government shutdowns, would be more effective than potentially destabilizing the world's safest, most complex air traffic control system," he added. "We urge Congress to continue to appropriately fund a modernization program that is delivering real benefits and to increase the investment in our airport infrastructure." Bolen agreed, "For several years, NBAA has said the public airspace belongs to the American public and should serve all Americans. The president's budget takes the public's elected representatives out of the equation and leaves it to a private board to ensure the public's interest is being well served." The independent ATC concept, he added, "has raised a host of concerns, not just among aviation stakeholders, but also among congressional lawmakers from both political parties, mayors from across the country, organizations from the political left and right, consumer groups and a majority of Americans." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-05-24/white-house- seeks-cuts-faa-budget-outlines-atc-plan Back to Top GAMA/Build A Plane 2017 Aviation Design Challenge Winner Announced Washington, DC - The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and Build A Plane today announced that Olney High School in Olney, Texas, is the winner of the fifth GAMA/Build A Plane Aviation Design Challenge. The challenge, created in 2013, promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) knowledge among U.S. high school students. As the prize, four students, one teacher and one chaperone will travel to Glasair Aviation in Arlington, Washington, to build a plane from June 19 to July 1. The competition included 93 high schools from 31 states and Washington, DC. The teams used Fly to Learn curriculum to learn the basics of aerospace engineering and then applied that knowledge by modifying a virtual airplane with software powered by X-Plane. The software scored the aircraft based on the payload, the length of the flight and the amount of fuel burned. In addition, judges from GAMA's engineering team evaluated a summary of modifications each team made to the virtual Cessna 172SP, a checklist of steps involved in the demonstration flight and three videos submitted throughout the competition, culminating in the students sharing what they learned. "These students are about to have the experience of a lifetime building a plane with Glasair's talented staff, and learning about the many career options that exist in general aviation," GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said. "We look forward to spending two weeks with this outstanding group, which is the first winning team of the design challenge to include two girls. We thank our generous sponsors for making this experience possible for them, and for providing the curriculum and software to all the schools that participated in the Aviation Design Challenge this year. Although the grand prize for this competition is the actual build, the holy grail of the effort was 93 teams of high school age young men and women, along with their teachers and volunteers, applying their knowledge and skill to collectively unlock a passion for many aspects of aerospace through which they will help ensure a bright future for our industry." "As a GAMA board member I am proud of the young men and women of Olney High School and their teacher for their hard work and dedication that allowed them to win the GAMA/Build A Plane Challenge," said Air Tractor President Jim Hirsch, who delivered the exciting news to the students and their teacher. "Congratulations to these fine students." Glasair Aviation President Nigel Mott added, "This is such an extraordinary experience for everyone involved. The high school students who win the Aviation Design Challenge have already accomplished so much, and then to spend two weeks hands-on assembling an exceptional aircraft - what an incredible achievement! We call it Build A Plane, but really it's all about building futures, those of students with an interest in science and that of general aviation. The industry needs the promise of bright young people like these. We are absolutely delighted to be a part of this program." "The chance for our students to compete in the Aviation Design Challenge broadened horizons in ways that we would not have been able to do without GAMA," said Olney High School Principal Matt Caffey. "Our students winning is one of the most exciting things to happen at Olney High School this year. The best part is that their learning will continue through the enriching experience they will have at Glasair this summer. We also thank Jim Hirsch of Air Tractor for the time he took to deliver the news to our students in person." Builder Ken Baur will not only let the students help build the airplane, but is bringing his son, Mike, to assist him throughout the two-week build. "We are looking forward, with excitement, to the experience of building the plane and especially to our interaction with the winning team," said Baur. "It is always enjoyable working with young people as they are learning. I've communicated with a past builder who was also fortunate enough to work with a previous winning group and he said it was a really wonderful experience!" "This is such an amazing program," added Build A Plane Founder Lyn Freeman. "These kids come from around the country to build an airplane. They have no idea that for many of them, their lives are about to change forever." Sponsors will provide round-trip airfare, hotels and meals for the winning team. They include Air Tractor, Bombardier Business Aircraft, ClickBond, Embraer, Garmin, Gulfstream Aerospace, Jet Aviation, Jeppesen, JSSI, Redbird Flight Simulations, Siemens, Textron Aviation, Wipaire and Bose. In addition, staff from GAMA will support the build. To watch a video announcing the winner and see the students' reaction, please visit the GAMA YouTube Channel. More information about the competition organizers can be found at gama.aero, buildaplane.org, glasairaviation.com and flytolearn.com. http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/12337407/gama-build-a-plane-2017- aviation-design-challenge-winner-announced Back to Top Rockwell upgrades Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics for Challenger 604 aircraft Rockwell Collins has developed an upgraded version of its Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics for Bombardier's Challenger 604 aircraft family. Developed in collaboration with Bombardier, the Pro Line Fusion upgrade is expected to be certified by next year. Nextant Aerospace was also involved in the upgrade as the installation design certification lead. To be available through Bombardier and Nextant Aerospace, the upgrade replaces Challenger 604's factory-installed CRT displays with three 14.1in widescreen displays that feature advanced graphics, configurable windows and touchscreen interfaces. Rockwell Collins business and regional systems vice-president and general manager Craig Olson said: "The Challenger 604 is a highly valued, long-haul aircraft that owners want to continue flying well into the future. "This becomes 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." According to Rockwell Collins, the new Pro Line Fusion upgrade contains a fully loaded package of baseline equipment for global airspace modernisation. It includes ADS-B mandate compliance, SBAS-capable GNSS, localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approaches, radius-to-fix (RF) legs and other solutions. Enabling the users to comply with future regulations, the upgrade fulfils optional FANS and Link 2000+ European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) mandate compliance. Among other features, the Pro Line Fusion upgrade includes synthetic vision as a standard feature, covering extended runway centrelines with mile markers to better orient the pilot from top of descent through final approach. http://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/newsrockwell-upgrades-pro-line-fusion- integrated-avionics-for-challenger-604-aircraft-5821740 Back to Top Rolls-Royce's BR710 Reaches 10M Flight Hour Milestone Introduced in 1995, the Rolls-Royce BR710 powerplant has passed the 10 million flight hour mark, in the process earning a reputation for reliability and fuel efficiency. The engine-which powers large-cabin business jets such as the Bombardier Global 5000 and 6000, as well as Gulfstream's GV and G550-has helped achieve numerous records for speed and range during its two decade-plus career. Currently, there are more than 3,200 of the engines in service, with more than 70 percent of them enrolled in the engine- maker's CorporateCare support program. "We're very proud to have reached this milestone," noted Stephen Friedrich, the company's vice president of sales and marketing for business aviation. "The BR700 family, with its combination of modern technology and proven performance, has been very successful for us and the BR710 has propelled our market leadership in this sector." http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-05-24/rolls-royces- br710-reaches-10m-flight-hour-milestone Back to Top Former SpaceX technician sues company for cutting corners, falsifying manned rocket test results Ever since the sudden explosion earlier last year, SpaceX has been having a great year till date. It has either landed or expended its Falcon 9 rocket booster but the allegations brought to the table today are quite surprising. A former employee Jason Blasdell claims he was fired from the company for flagging off the senior management, including CEO Elon Musk, about their lacking test protocols and falsified results. With regards to the same, Blasdell (who is also a former marine) is suddenly waking up to realize that he was wrongfully terminated from Hawthorne-based SpaceX way back in 2014. It is, however, only after nearly two years that he is breaking silence and dragging the private space company to court for its unlawful practices. He is now suing the private space company for his wrongful termination when he raised concerns about deviating from defined test procedures and putting most engineer in harm's way. His stint at SpaceX came to an abrupt end after three long years, during which he was working on the team that tests avionic components of Falcon 9 launch vehicles and the Dragon spacecraft. For those unaware, SpaceX has long been working on the development of its latest rocket booster - Falcon Heavy (which was tested just earlier this month) and its flagship Dragon capsule (which will some day carry humans to space). The private space firm signed an agreement with NASA to send off astronauts to the International Space Station in this combined setup. The project has, however, been plagued with numerous delays and SpaceX has aligned itself with a scheduled timeline for next year. It is not only planning to deliver humans to the ISS but will also conduct its first-ever independent space exploration mission, as it will send off two (presently anonymous) humans around the moon later in 2018. The said mission could, however, hit another snag if the allegations brought forth by Blasdell prove to be true. His claims were earlier thrown out of court on SpaceX's request. Their complaint document filed now reads as under: The practices were extremely dangerous and could possibly lead to a damaged or faulty part ending up in a SpaceX rocket, which could result in a rocket exploding in orbit, and worse, could result in the catastrophic loss of human life. He further alleges that senior managers, who presided above him, pressured technicians to steer in a direction different than the one defined in test procedure manuals. As Bloomberg mentions, the complaint says that they even signed off the rocket parts that hadn't been conducted according to protocols. In an opening statement to the jurors, Blasdell's lawyer, Carney Shegerian said: "He went up the chain of command as he had learned in the Marines was the proper procedure. He had nothing personal to benefit from this other than to do the right thing." On the other other hand, SpaceX's lawyer, Lynne Hermle in her opening statement told the lawyers that their former employee was removed from him position due to his unacceptable job performance - earlier back in 2014. She mentioned that his fellow Falcon 9 engineers were worried about everyone's safety because of his incompetancy. In her statement, with regards to the surprising allegation, Hermle claimed that Blasdell was never pushed to conduct any unlawful testing of rocket components. She added that the lawsuit is completely baseless as the former employee neither complained about a rocket testing concern before nor did he bring his concerns about the said practice in front of the federal authorities. Hermle added, "Jason Blasdell is not a whistle-blower and this is not a whistle-blower case." Blasdell and his souped up lawyer team hasn't provided any evidence to support his claims as of yet and we're awaiting that pivotal information that'll back his allegations against Musk's space company. California's Superior Court Judge William Fahey ruled that the jury won't second-guess the scientific decisions and judgements passed by internal employees. Blasdell has also been asked not to speculate if any other SpaceX employee is faking the results. The trial expected to happen in two weeks. https://thetechportal.com/2017/05/25/former-technician-sues-spacex-falsifying-test- results/ Curt Lewis