February 20, 2020 - No. 012 In This Issue Matternet Partners with Robotic Skies for Global Unmanned Aircraft Maintenance Support. Aviation Employers Flock to Pittsburgh for Skilled Workforce, Demand Increasing Pre-Graduation Commitment Congress Keeps Spotlight on Aviation Workforce Issues United Airlines sponsoring 5 local students for worldwide aerospace competition Growing aviation company is pursuing 2 different expansions in Bangor. FL Technics Expands its Line Maintenance Network to More Than 50 Line Stations Engine STC Gives New Life To Old Hueys AUSSIE AVIATION FIRM HAS ELECTRIC DREAM OF FACTORY FIRST Serious Labs Launches VR Airline Maintenance Module for MEWP Operators U.S. DOT Issues Warning Regarding Use Of CBD Products By DOT-Regulated Employees SpaceX will launch private citizens into orbit. Matternet Partners with Robotic Skies for Global Unmanned Aircraft Maintenance Support Matternet, a pioneer in drone delivery for medical applications, announced the company's partnership with Robotic Skies, a global maintenance network for commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), to provide field service and repair support for operators who fly the Matternet M2 drone logistics system. Matternet is revolutionizing logistics around the world by establishing a new mode of on-demand aerial transportation. In the field of healthcare, Matternet's drone delivery technology allows hospital systems to transport medical items at an unprecedented level of speed and predictability, resulting in improved patient care and operational savings. Matternet's systems are currently operating at WakeMed Health & Hospitals and UC San Diego Health, and have served hospitals in Switzerland since 2017. "Our technology has the power to transform healthcare and the world of logistics at large. As we expand Matternet's U.S. and global operations, maintenance by certified technicians in the geographies where we operate is an important component to scaling our operations. We are excited to partner with Robotic Skies, who share with us a strong safety mindset and have the ability to support us across several geographies," said Matternet CEO and Founder Andreas Raptopoulos. Robotic Skies is a global network of more than 190 independently owned and operated certified aviation repair stations serving the commercial UAS market. Through partnerships with unmanned aircraft manufacturers, Robotic Skies provides operators with local turnkey field service support that enables safer flight operations with more uptime. We are thrilled to partner with an industry pioneer who understands the value that aviation-grade maintenance solutions provide to enable complex commercial unmanned operations," said Brad Hayden, Robotic Skies CEO and Founder. "Our global network will give Matternet's customers the maintenance infrastructure and services that ensure the utmost safety, reliability, and efficiency as they operate beyond visual line of sight and over people." The Matternet M2 drone logistics system, comprised of the Matternet M2 drone and the Matternet Cloud Platform, is enabling the first FAA-approved drone airline. The full Part 135 Standard certification was granted to UPS Flight Forward in September 2019, allowing UPS and Matternet to expand on-demand drone delivery operations to hospitals around the country. The FAA's Part 135 certification includes requirements that operators establish how and when they will perform and document aircraft inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and repair. The professionally trained technicians at Robotic Skies Service Centers combine decades of experience serving manned aircraft operators who fly under Part 135 certification. Robotic Skies will provide the industry expertise and quality practices necessary to ensure Matternet operators meet the same regulatory and safety standards for maintaining commercial unmanned aircraft fleets. Matternet and Robotic Skies are part of the Boeing HorizonX Ventures investment portfolio of companies. Boeing HorizonX Ventures is made up of companies developing technologies and capabilities to advance aerospace innovations, including mobility transformation, space and connectivity, industry 4.0 and digital acceleration. "This partnership between Matternet and Robotic Skies demonstrates how HorizonX works to build bridges, not only between Boeing and our portfolio companies but between our portfolio companies as well," explains Brian Schettler, senior managing director of HorizonX Ventures. "This enables the entire ecosystem to drive innovation and value, together." Matternet Matternet has developed best-in-class technology for on-demand, aerial delivery in urban environments. The company provides its technology platform-as-a-service to healthcare, e-commerce and logistics organizations. In March 2017, Matternet became the first company in the world to be authorized for full operations of drone logistics networks over cities in Switzerland. In March 2019, Matternet and UPS announced a partnership to provide drone delivery services to US healthcare systems, starting with WakeMed Health & Hospitals and most recently UC San Diego Health. In October 2019, Matternet's technology enabled the first FAA-Approved Drone Airline, UPS Flight Forward, providing fast expansion to healthcare facilities across the US. For more information about Matternet, please visit: mttr.net. Robotic Skies, Inc Robotic Skies is a global network of commercial UAS maintenance Service Centers. Founded in 2014, Robotic Skies has more than 190 independently owned and operated certified repair stations in its network, spanning more than 40 countries. The company's comprehensive turnkey field service programs are designed to provide scalable local maintenance solutions for manufacturers and operators. https://www.suasnews.com/2020/02/matternet-partners-with-robotic-skies-for-global-unmanned-aircraft-maintenance-support/ Back to Top Aviation Employers Flock to Pittsburgh for Skilled Workforce, Demand Increasing Pre-Graduation Commitment Representatives of numerous employers will travel to Pittsburgh for the opportunity to connect with potential students in high demand for today's jobs in aviation maintenance. Feb. 19 is an event planned to address rising employer needs making it necessary for employers to develop creative and lucrative ways to recruit qualified candidates. Many factors, including an aging aviation maintenance workforce and shortage of trained airframe and powerplant (A&P) technicians, have precipitated the need for PIA to host career fairs more frequently at each of the non-profit's four campuses in Pittsburgh, Youngstown, Hagerstown and Myrtle Beach. Employers are feeling the challenges that come with aviation maintenance professionals departing longtime positions and make it abundantly clear that the demand in the industry is real. "Employers are traveling to PIA to begin the recruiting process as early as 1st semester and the volume of employers we're hosting on Feb. 19 shows that employers are seeking ways to excite the next generation of mechanics," said Jason Mongan, director of education at PIA. "Career growth opportunities and benefits are some of the things that today's aviation employers are using to fuel student interest." Additionally, employers are extending employment offers prior to graduation contingent on successfully completing the federal exam often with signing bonuses ranging from $2,500 to as high as $18,000. Additionally, relocation packages, job growth and management planning, and in-kind donations such as maintenance tools are becoming more common to support graduates in choosing an employer. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/maintenance-providers/press-release/21125766/pittsburgh-institute-of-aeronautics-aviation-employers-flock-to-pittsburgh-for-skilled-workforce-demand-increasing-pregraduation-commitment Back to Top Congress Keeps Spotlight on Aviation Workforce Issues While Congress passed comprehensive legislation in late 2018 to take a multifaceted approach to address workforce shortage concerns, lawmakers are keeping a spotlight on the issue as the numbers surrounding future employment needs remain daunting. "Challenges in sustaining this workforce are looming, if not already upon us," said House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Pete DeFazio (D-Oregon) in testimony for a recent aviation subcommittee hearing on the subject. Citing FAA data, DeFazio noted half of the 330,000 aviation maintenance technicians in the U.S. were between 50 and 70 years old at the end of 2018. The Labor Department, meanwhile, is predicting that roughly 11,800 maintenance and technician jobs will need to be filled each year over the next decade, but the FAA certified only about 8,600 per year over the last four years. In all, the industry is estimating a need for 193,000 new mechanics and technicians in North America over the next 20 years, DeFazio added. WORKFORCE DIVERSITY Troubling to the lawmakers is the lack of diversity in the current workforce-3 percent of maintenance workers are women, for instance. "To expand the pipeline and meet the growing industry demand for FAA-certified workers, we can and must do better," DeFazio said. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 included a number of measures to address the workforce in general and the diversity of the workforce. These include authorization of an aviation maintenance education and recruitment grant program, the establishment of a Women in Aviation Advisory Board, and the development of a Youth Access to American Jobs in Aviation Task Force to encourage apprenticeships. "The future of America's aviation maintenance and manufacturing workforce is bright, but it is clear Congress can do more to ensure the U.S. remains at the forefront of the aviation and aerospace," said House aviation subcommittee chairman Rick Larsen (D-Washington), adding that the hearing provides the subcommittee "the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to supporting U.S. jobs and the aviation workforce." Larsen stressed that working to improve skills training and workforce diversification would be an "all-around win" for job seekers and the industry. This is particularly critical, DeFazio added, since the current generation of airplanes has become extraordinarily complex. "There are between 60 and 70 miles of electrical wire in a single Boeing 787. The Airbus A350 performed the world's first fully automated takeoff last month. Gulfstream's G650 is built using significantly different manufacturing techniques than previous designs, which required the company to provide specialized training to manufacturing workers," he said. INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS As for the FAA's part, one of Steve Dickson's first acts as FAA Administrator was to create a position to serve as a focal point to engage with industry, the academic community, and other government industry to collaborate on workforce issues, according to Catherine "Kate" Lang. She is a veteran FAA official who recently returned from an assignment as regional director for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East in Brussels to become the new senior advisor to the FAA Administrator on aviation workforce outreach. "The FAA is committed to partnering with industry, the academic community, and government agencies to remove unnecessary barriers for entry to the aviation workforce, enhance education pathways, and build the pipeline of qualified aviation professionals," she said in her testimony to the subcommittee. Lang is steering an FAA Aviation Workforce Steering Committee that is tasked with identifying concrete steps that can be taken to address shortages. And the agency is taking a number of steps, from hosting a STEM symposium for future professionals to hosting a summit that gathers industry leaders to discuss potential solutions. NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen, meanwhile, told the subcommittee in testimony submitted for the hearing, "We must come together and take bold actions" given that worldwide demand for air travel is increasing. Bolen offered support for a bill that Larsen introduced with fellow lawmakers-H.R.5118, the Promoting Service in Transportation Act-that would authorize the Department of Transportation to develop a series of broadcast, digital, and print public service announcements to promote transportation careers. "Through these public service announcements, we will raise awareness of careers across all modes of transportation, including aviation," Bolen said. "While momentum around the future STEM workforce is strong, aircraft pilot and aviation technician careers are often not considered by students. That is why the passage of H.R.5118 is critical as it will help address these challenges." https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-02-19/congress-keeps-spotlight-aviation-workforce-issues Back to Top United Airlines sponsoring 5 local students for worldwide aerospace competition VIENNA, Ohio (WKBN) - United Airlines is sponsoring local aviation maintenance students to compete in a worldwide competition. United will pay for five Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) students to attend the Aerospace Maintenance Competition in Dallas, Texas, this April. The competition showcases the skills of current and future aviation maintenance professionals. Lead instructor at PIA Youngstown Tom Repula said these opportunities give his students an advantage once they graduate from the program. "They had to put in extra time just to get there. So if I can tell an employer that I stayed after school for X number of hours just to practicing for this and I didn't have to do that, that gives them something that the guy next to them didn't do," he said. United's sponsorship will cover travel costs, hotels and registration fees. It will also cover training at its maintenance base in Houston. https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/united-airlines-sponsoring-5-local-students-for-worldwide-aerospace-competition/ Back to Top Growing aviation company is pursuing 2 different expansions in Bangor A growing aviation servicing company based at Bangor International Airport is moving ahead with two different expansions on land that either currently belongs to the city or recently did. Last week, C&L Aviation closed a deal to buy 4 acres of municipal property at 395 Griffin Road with a condition that it create at least 25 new jobs within two years or pay a penalty to the city, according to Tanya Emery, Bangor's community and economic development director. C&L Aviation has also purchased the private building on that property that once was the Spectacular Event Center. And on Tuesday, Bangor's planning board approved a proposal by the airport to build two new structures that would be leased by C&L Aviation. One of them would be a new 12,000-square-foot building that C&L Aviation would use for the maintenance of aircraft interiors, while the other would be a 5,000-square-foot addition to one of the four hangars that it already leases. If city and federal officials greenlight the project, the company would be required to reimburse the airport's share of the construction costs - $1.2 million - in the form of higher rent payments, according to Bangor International Airport Director Tony Caruso. The expansion would also be funded by a matching $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Now that the project has received a permit from the Bangor Planning Board, it needs to go back to the federal agency for final approval, according to Caruso. If it receives that approval, the City Council would then have to award it to a bidder. Caruso estimated the project could start in the spring. C&L Aviation CEO Chris Kilgour did not respond to requests for comment. A decade ago, his company which services, refurbishes and markets aircraft relocated from Australia to Bangor. Since then, it has grown from 20 to nearly 200 employees, Kilgour said in 2018. Caruso said that the new 12,000-square-foot maintenance space at Bangor International Airport would include an upholstery shop, a precision cabinetry shop and a high-gloss paint booth. After undergoing two previous expansions, the company has been seeking additional space in the Queen City for a while. In 2018, Kilgour told city officials it was "bursting at the seams" of its facility in the airport and that an expansion could bring in another 50 to 75 jobs. In 2017, the company also said it was having difficulty recruiting mechanics and would have to expand outside of Bangor if a program to train aircraft mechanics didn't open nearby, but that proposal never went forward. It's unclear what the company has planned for the 4 acres that it just acquired on Griffin Road. The Bangor City Council previously approved the sale of that land to C&L Aviation last summer for $265,000, which was its fair-market value according to a 2018 appraisal. The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the purchase of the land. Besides requiring C&L Aviation to create 25 jobs within two years, the terms of the sale also qualify the company to receive a 75 percent tax rebate on any expansions it makes within two years. It would then be eligible to receive that rebate for five years. https://bangordailynews.com/2020/02/19/news/bangor/growing-aviation-company-is-pursuing-2-different-expansions-in-bangor/ Back to Top FL Technics Expands its Line Maintenance Network to More Than 50 Line Stations FL Technics has begun 2020 by strengthening its position in Europe with the acquisition of Italian company Flash Line Maintenance S.r.l. The company provides line maintenance services for the Mediterranean region, and its acquisition will enable FL Technics to expand its line maintenance network to more than 50 line stations across Europe. With its expansion, FL Technics will become one of the largest providers of line maintenance services in Europe. Zilvinas Lapinskas, CEO of FL Technics commented, "This acquisition represents another strategic move by FL Technics into becoming a high-performance line maintenance network located in the globally significant aviation market. So with this new investment, our own line maintenance station network, and the previously acquired Storm Aviation station network, FL Technics is able to significantly strengthen its partnership with existing clients across the continent. FL Technics intends to invest in this newly acquired business by capitalizing on development opportunities within the market." Flash Line Maintenance S.r.l. acts as a line maintenance service provider for narrow- and wide-body aircraft and provides line maintenance services in 15 line maintenance stations operating in various airports in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. The company's client portfolio includes regional, international, cargo and low-cost airlines such as Volotea, EasyJet, British Airways CityFlyer, Wizzair, ASL Airlines, Air Dolomiti. "With this acquisition, Flash Line Maintenance S.r.l. enters in a major network and makes a serious move towards its ambition to become a leading provider of aircraft line maintenance services in the Mediterranean region", announced Dr. Ing. Daniele BALANI, founder and director of Flash Line Maintenance S.r.l. https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft/maintenance-providers/mro/press-release/21126197/fl-technics-fl-technics-expands-its-line-maintenance-network-to-more-than-50-line-stations Back to Top Engine STC Gives New Life To Old Hueys British Columbia-based Trinity Aviation Services has acquired the STC to install the 1,938-shp Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67D engine into the Bell UH-1H (Huey) platform. Trinity's "Huey Talon" engine installation can be accomplished in 30 days. Trinity claims the conversion reduces fuel consumption by 30 percent-down to 60 gallons per hour-and increases available high/hot power compared to the stock T53 engine. Trinity forecasts fuel savings at $144,000 per 600 flight hours. "We feel these amazing aircraft are here to stay. They are well known, forgiving, maintenance-friendly, and with the proper TLC, will keep on providing us with a cost-effective workhorse for many years to come," said Warren Malmberg, Trinity Aviation general manager. The new engine comes with a four-year, 1,500-hour warranty and a 4,000-hour TBO. The line-maintenance interval is quadrupled to 600 hours/one year. Overall maintenance cost and hourly operating costs are predicted to be 30 percent less those of aircraft with the legacy engine. The new engine installation also yields a weight savings of 50 pounds, eliminates bleed-air requirements via installation of an electric oil cooler blower, and has a 15,000-foot relight certification. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2020-02-19/engine-stc-gives-new-life-old-hueys Back to Top AUSSIE AVIATION FIRM HAS ELECTRIC DREAM OF FACTORY FIRST An Adelaide company hopes to be the first to produce commercial electric aircraft in Australia after signing a deal with Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel. Eyre to There Aviation will initially import 15 assembled Pipistrel Alpha Electro aircraft but says the plan is to set up a manufacturing facility in Adelaide to produce up to 100 aircraft annually. Pipistrel's electric aircraft first flew in Australia in Perth in 2018 after being granted a special Certificate of Airworthiness by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The certification means it can be used for pilot training and the South Australian company has a market of more than 250 registered flight schools in mind. It says electric aircraft are ideally suited to the roughly 25 percent of flight training involving beginner-level circuit training and flying close to an airfield. Eyre to There managing director Barrie Rogers said Australia had an opportunity to be a world leader. "Electric aircraft are cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, are significantly quieter than conventional aircraft and don't rely on fossil fuels,'' he said. "And they are ideally suited for short-range flight training activities." A problem that had previously hindered the development of electric aircraft, according to Rogers, was the battery weight. "We believe we're now at the stage where technological advances have reduced the battery weight to a point where electric aircraft are now commercially viable in Australia,'' he said. "Electric aircraft don't yet have the range of other aircraft, but they're perfect for short flights such as flight training and particularly circuit training, which is a core activity in obtaining a private pilot licence. " The two-seater trainer has a maximum take-off weight of 550kg, weighing 368kg empty, and a maximum climb rate of more than 1000 feet per minute. It can fly for an hour, with a 30-minute reserve, and has an energy cost of $A1.40 an hour. Total running costs - including battery replacement, maintenance and overhaul - come in at $A26.70 per hour. https://www.airlineratings.com/news/aussie-aviation-firm-electric-dream-factory-first/ Back to Top Serious Labs Launches VR Airline Maintenance Module for MEWP Operators Serious Labs, a leader in virtual reality (VR) solutions for training and operation of heavy equipment such as cranes and mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs), announces a new airline module for MEWP operators as part of its latest software update. Now globally available, the module provides advanced hands-on training and assessment in a risk-free environment for airline maintenance crews. The airline module offers MEWP operators advanced training that tests precise positioning and placement near challenging curved structures. Created by MEWP industry experts, these challenging scenarios allow the operator to increase risk awareness and develop the operational skills needed to position the MEWP within inches of the aircraft when performing real-world maintenance tasks, while reducing the risk of touching or damaging the aircraft with the equipment. "One of the challenges in the aviation industry is airplane maintenance, and this type of work is frequently done through the use of scissor and boom lifts," said Darren Verschuren, International Account Director, Serious Labs. "Typically, when you train airplane maintenance crews how to operate MEWPs, you have to do it far away from the actual aircraft. There are significant financial repercussions for even minor mistakes. Training through the use of VR simulation is an ideal way for the operators to gain hands-on experience and hone skills before they get close to the aircraft." The 23 task-based scenarios are easy to set up, easy to run, and are focused specifically on operating near the parabolic structure of an aircraft. The airline module challenges the operators to have smooth control of the equipment at all times, use the joystick controls to demonstrate correct feathering of the functions, alter the machine speed when approaching the fuselage, and more. Serious Labs' ESP Scoring system provides quantifiable feedback to understand operator performance in terms of efficiency, safety, and proficiency. "Because the ESP Scoring data is captured from the scenarios where we control the conditions, we are able to isolate the operator's skills and really begin to understand how to help them improve. We are the only ones in the world to offer this capability, and it's tremendously advantageous from a training and results perspective," said Verschuren. "The airline industry is an excellent niche for our VR MEWP simulators," said Jim Colvin, CEO, Serious Labs. "Decades ago, the airline industry adopted simulators as a training technology for pilots, so it's easy for them to understand how their maintenance crews could benefit from its effectiveness as well. They know it works." Airlines and airline maintenance contracting companies can rent or buy Serious Labs' VR MEWP simulators through its global rental partners. Serious Labs will demonstrate its new airline module at the CONEXPO trade show in Las Vegas from March 10th to March 14th. The company will be exhibiting in booth 100901 located in the Festival Hall. To learn more about Serious Labs and VR at CONEXPO, CEO Jim Colvin will present on the topic "Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and the Future of Work: Are You Ready for the New Realities?" in the Westgate Ballroom C on March 12th from 3pm - 4pm. An education pass is required. https://www.forconstructionpros.com/construction-technology/press-release/21117011/serious-labs-serious-labs-launches-virtual-reality-airline-maintenance-module-for-mewp-operators Back to Top U.S. DOT Issues Warning Regarding Use Of CBD Products By DOT-Regulated Employees The U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy Compliance published a notice on February 18, 2020 concerning the use of hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) products by safety-sensitive employees regulated by DOT's agencies (including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard). Among other things, ODAPC stated the following: "The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115-334, (Farm Bill) removed hemp from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. Under the Farm Bill, hemp-derived products containing a concentration of up to 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are not controlled substances. THC is the primary psychoactive component of marijuana. Any product, including "Cannabidiol" (CBD) products, with a concentration of more than 0.3% THC remains classified as marijuana, a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. We have had inquiries about whether the Department of Transportation-regulated safety-sensitive employees can use CBD products. Safety-sensitive employees who are subject to drug testing specified under 49 CFR part 40 (Part 40) include: pilots, school bus drivers, truck drivers, train engineers, transit vehicle operators, aircraft maintenance personnel, fire-armed transit security personnel, ship captains, and pipeline emergency response personnel, among others. It is important for all employers and safety-sensitive employees to know: The Department of Transportation requires testing for marijuana and not CBD. The labeling of many CBD products may be misleading because the products could contain higher levels of THC than what the product label states. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not currently certify the levels of THC in CBD products, so there is no Federal oversight to ensure that the labels are accurate. The FDA has cautioned the public that: "Consumers should beware purchasing and using any [CBD] products." The FDA has stated: "It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement." Also, the FDA has issued several warning letters to companies because their products contained more CBD than indicated on the product label. The Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulation, Part 40, does not authorize the use of Schedule I drugs, including marijuana, for any reason. Furthermore, CBD use is not a legitimate medical explanation for a laboratory-confirmed marijuana positive result. Therefore, Medical Review Officers will verify a drug test confirmed at the appropriate cutoffs as positive, even if an employee claims they only used a CBD product. It remains unacceptable for any safety-sensitive employee subject to the Department of Transportation's drug testing regulations to use marijuana. Since the use of CBD products could lead to a positive drug test result, Department of Transportation-regulated safety-sensitive employees should exercise caution when considering whether to use CBD products." https://www.natlawreview.com/article/us-dot-issues-warning-regarding-use-cbd-products-dot-regulated-employees Back to Top SpaceX will launch private citizens into orbit SpaceX is planning to send up to four private citizens into space to take a trip around Earth sometime at the end of 2021 or in early 2022. The spaceflight company announced an agreement on Tuesday with Space Adventures, a space tourism business that has helped seven different private citizens take trips to (and from) the International Space Station aboard Russia's Soyuz rocket and spacecraft. Space Adventures said the price of the mission will not be disclosed, and the two companies were light on other details, like what kind of preparation the tourists will have to go through. The companies did say Tuesday that the tourists will fly in the human-rated version of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft and that they will orbit Earth at two to three times the roughly 250-mile height of the ISS. SpaceX has spent the last few years building and testing out this new version of Dragon as part of a contract with NASA to shuttle astronauts to and from the ISS, after years of using the spacecraft to shuttle cargo to the space station. The private spaceflight company recently completed the second major flight test of the Crew Dragon, as it's called, which demonstrated the capsule's ability to escape an exploding rocket. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has teased the idea of space tourism as a business for a few years now, though he's been overly optimistic about how soon that could happen. The company announced in early 2017 that it had accepted undisclosed payments from two customers for a trip around the Moon using Crew Dragon and the Falcon Heavy rocket. SpaceX said at the time that the trip would happen by the end of 2018. But in September 2018, the company announced that it now intends to send one of those passengers - Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa - around the Moon using the company's massive, yet-to-be-built Big Falcon Rocket. (It's still unclear what happened to the second customer.) SpaceX has similarly had to delay the first Crew Dragon flight with NASA astronauts as it worked through the process of certifying the spacecraft with NASA. That flight is now supposed to take place later this year. Other private spaceflight companies are vying to establish the space tourism market. Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin are in the running, though both of those companies are promising far briefer experiences. Virgin Galactic says it plans to send its first space tourists up later this year where they will experience a few minutes of weightlessness in the company's plane-like spaceship. Blue Origin is promising customers a similar amount of time in space, though in a spacecraft that's more similar to SpaceX's Dragon capsule. (Both of those tickets cost in the neighborhood of $200,000 a pop.) While little is known about the newly-announced flight, SpaceX has detailed the inside of the Crew Dragon spacecraft that will ferry the tourists around the Earth. The capsule's interior is a minimalist affair, with just a few suspended seats and an array of touchscreens. The spacecraft is ringed with windows, though they're not as large as the ones Blue Origin built into its own capsule. SpaceX has also shown off sleek, custom-designed spacesuits and helmets that Crew Dragon passengers will wear. The suits are less bulky-looking than past designs, but are still pressurized, cooled, and flame resistant. They come with touchscreen compatible gloves, and will lock into the seats for the ride up to space. https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/18/21142137/spacex-tourism-orbit-earth-private-citizens-dragon-space-flight Curt Lewis