Number 48 - 20 June 2024 - African Pilot Magazine (2024)

Saunders Roe SR-A1

(Information from Wikipedia)

The Saunders-Roe SR.A/1 was a prototype flying boat fighter aircraft designed and built by British seaplane manufacturer Saunders-Roe. It was the first jet-propelled water-based aircraft in the world.

The concept behind the SR.A/1 originated during the Second World War as a reaction to Japan’s successful use of military floatplanes and the emergence of the turbojet engine. Saunders-Roe presented an initial proposal of its jet-powered seaplane concept, then designated SR.44, to the Air Ministry during mid-1943. In April 1944, the Ministry issued Specification E.6/44 for the type and supported its development with a contract for three prototypes. Development was protracted by Saunders-Roe’s work on other projects, the war having ended prior to any of the prototypes being completed.

On 16 July 1947, the first prototype made its maiden flight. The SR.A/1 was evaluated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), who concluded that the design was incapable of matching up to the performance of land-based designs. Despite interest from foreign governments, including the United States, no orders for the SR.A/1 materialised. As such, it never entered volume production or saw service with any operators. While interest in the SR.A/1 programme was briefly revived following the start of the Korean War, the aircraft was considered to be obsolete by that point and was again rejected.

On 16 July 1947, the first prototype, piloted by Geoffrey Tyson, conducted its maiden flight. Barely two weeks later, Tyson flew the fifth flight for a crowd of officials representing multiple organisations, including the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Saunders-Roe, Metropolitan-Vickers and at least one unidentified foreign government. Subsequent flight testing with the prototypes revealed that the SR.A/1 possessed a relatively good level of performance and handling. Its agility was publicly displayed when Tyson performed a demonstration of high-speed aerobatics and inverted flight above an international audience at the 1948 Farnborough Airshow. During the flight test programme, two of the three prototypes suffered accidents, leading to an interruption in the trials and modifications being made to the remaining intact aircraft. Although the aircraft never received an official name, it was commonly referred to by company workers as ‘Squirt’.

Those persons that correctly identified this week’s mystery aircraft:
Jeremy Rorich, Thomas Tonking, Michael Schoeman, Bruce Margolius, Colin Austin, Rennie van Zyl, Steve Dewsbery, Ari Levien, Charlie Hugo, Andrew Peace, Karl Jensen, Willie Oosthuizen, Brian Ross, Carl von Ludwig, Wouter van der Waal, Clint Futter, Piet Steyn, Tony Babb, Dave Lloyd, Jan Sime, Ahmed Bassa, Pierre Brittz, Brian Millett, Gregory Yatt, Danie Viljoen, Simon Tladi, Nigel Hamilton, John McCall, Selwyn Kimber, Magiel Esterhuysen, Mike McLaughlin, Barry Eatwell, John Moen, John Talbot, Aiden O’Mahony, Righardt du Plessis, Richard Willemse, Sergio Antao, Erwin Stam, Johan Prinsloo, Lance Williams, (41 correct answers).

Plan to close Beeld and Rapport newspapers confirmed

This week Media24 confirmed it is planning to close several mainstream print publications, including City Press, Rapport, Beeld and Daily Sun. On 19 June Netwerk24 editor Henriëtte Loubser confirmed that Media24 is considering ceasing the print editions of Beeld and Rapport and transitioning to digital formats. In 2014 Netwerk24 started as a digital platform for Afrikaans news, combining the online presence of popular print newspapers, Beeld, Volksblad, Die Burger and Rapport. It aimed to adapt to the changing media landscape where people consume news digitally rather than in print.

Netwerk24 has grown successfully with a strong team of journalists and offers a variety of content, including news articles, videos, podcasts and magazine articles. However, Loubser explained that paper copies are becoming less sustainable as more people read news online. For this reason, Media24 will be stop printing Beeld and Rapport and publish their content exclusively online on Netwerk24. Volksblad and Die Burger Eastern Cape already operate this way as e-publications.

Loubser also confirmed that Die Burger, headquartered in Cape Town will be the only Afrikaans newspaper still printed.

This news comes as almost all print publications in South Africa are struggling to remain profitable amid declining circulation numbers. The latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa (ABC) showed that newspapers saw a 1.6% decrease in circulation in Q1 2024 compared to the previous quarter. Newspapers and magazines saw a 7.5% decline year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024. The ABC said this underscores the ongoing economic challenges and shifts in consumer behaviours impacting the media industry.

Solidarity Chief Executive Dr Dirk Hermann said the letter is written on behalf of the large numbers of Solidarity members employed by these newspapers. “Some of our members, including some in senior management positions, read in the media for the first time about these radical interventions. They were not consulted and received no communication in this regard,” he said. “Our information is that some newspapers apparently set to close in October are still profitable. Printed newspapers still generate significant advertising revenue. Therefore, on behalf of our members and the Afrikaans community, we seek answers.”

African Pilot’s perspective
This news just confirms the fact that the younger generation will not spend R70 plus on a printed magazine when they can receive African Pilot and other international aviation news FREE of charge. Over the ten years before the pandemic, I saw African Pilot’s printed magazine decline from 60 to 70 sales per month at Wonderboom National Airport to just five or ten magazines pre the pandemic. Almost everyone does their business online, via their smart phones and home computer systems these days. Given the fact that the South African Post Office is completely dysfunctional and most of the retail shops that carried African Pilot in the past are no longer in business, what is the point of trying to support the significant cost of printing in this modern age?

The material deadline for the July 2024 edition of African Pilot is on Friday 21 June 2024.

All editorial content should be sent to me Athol Franz
E-mail: editor@africanpilot.co.za

For advertising opportunities please call Cell: 079 880 4359
E-mail: marketing@africanpilot.co.za

The material deadline for the July 2024 edition of Future Flight is on Friday 12 July 2024.

All editorial content should be sent to me Athol Franz
E-mail: editor@africanpilot.co.za

For advertising opportunities please call Cell: 079 880 4359
E-mail: marketing@africanpilot.co.za

SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service (AMS) lottery

The SA Red Cross Air Mercy Service (AMS), a dedicated non-profit aero-medical rescue organisationcommitted to saving lives through the provision of swift and efficient aero-medical rescue and ruralhealth outreach services, needs your support. The mission of the organisation is to innovatively providethese services and programmes to those in need, often in remote or hard-to-reach areas, ensuring thatevery second counts in life-threatening situations. However, they cannot accomplish this alone, yoursupport is crucial for this life-saving work! The AMS has launched a helicopter competition as afundraising initiative to ensure the continuous protection of lives and the sustainability of theorganisation. Your support is crucial in safeguarding lives and securing resources necessary to enactreal change.

“We have teamed up with Cape Town helicopters to provide you with an unforgettable experience tosoar above Cape Town’s iconic landmarks and breathtaking coastlines. For a chance to win a helicopter ride for four plus a scenic boat tour around Cape Town Harbour, purchase your ticket for only R250 online at Quicket. This prize package, valued at an impressive R17,000, promises an unforgettable experience for the lucky winners. Your participation gives you a chance to make unforgettable memories with family and friends while supporting our mission to provide emergency medical care to those in need,” said Farhaad Haffejee, AMS CEO.

The competition is open to anyone 18 years and older, other than paid staff members of the AMS, itsTrustees and the organisation’s auditors. A total of two prizes will be awarded, with draws scheduledas follows: 02 August 2024 and 06 December 2024. Each active entry ticket stands the chance of beingdrawn twice during the year. There is no limit to the number of ticket entries per entrant. “Every entry into the competition helps fund vital resources and enable AMS to expand its reach, ensuring that more lives can be saved and more communities can receive the medical services they desperately need. Please support us by purchasing your ticket today to ensure that healthcare reaches all. Don’t miss out on this chance to win big while making a difference. Secure your ticket today by visiting Quicket https://qkt.io/mmKhog, Haffejee concluded.

Boeing president apologises directly to the families of crash victims at senate hearing

Boeing President Dave Calhoun briefly rose from the hot seat he occupied before a Senate committee to apologise to victims of Boeing plane crashes that filled the gallery on behalf of the company. “I would like to apologise, on behalf of all of our Boeing associates spread throughout the world, past and present, for your losses,” Calhoun said after numerous calls from those in the gallery to turn around and face them. “I apologise for the grief that we have caused.” Calhoun was already in for a rough ride before hundreds of grieving relatives flooded into the chamber carrying posters of their dead loved ones and slogans shaming Boeing.

The night before the hearing, another whistleblower came forward alleging Boeing hid infractions from FAA safety inspectors and allowed unapproved parts to be installed in aircraft. Under questioning from lawmakers Calhoun said he was aware of the company retaliating against whistleblowers. As Calhoun was testifying, the Seattle Times revealed that Boeing’s MAX aircraft have a system in their engines that is not included in their flight manuals and has been activated in a couple of serious incidents.

The load reduction device decouples the primary fan from the engine if the fan becomes unbalanced. That occurred in two serious bird strike incidents which resulted in heavy smoke in the cabin in one and in the co*ckpit in another. The LRD worked as intended to stop the engines from literally shaking themselves apart but in doing so could also have altered the pilots’ response to the damaged fans. The FAA told the Seattle Times there is no evidence the LRD affected pilot responses to the two engine incidents and Boeing said that since the systems cannot be controlled by the pilots there is no need for them to know about it.

But Southwest Pilots Association Vice President Tom Nekouei disagreed. “If I have a system in the airplane that has a function, I need to know about it,” he said, noting the lack of transparency is like the lack of pilot knowledge of the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System that was a major factor in the crashes of two MAXes in Indonesia and Ethiopia.

Cessna 421 crashes into mobile home park, killing two persons

On Monday afternoon a Cessna 421 crashed into a mobile home park in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, setting fire to at least two homes and multiple structures and killing both the pilot and passenger. The FAA reported that the plane was experiencing engine issues when it crashed just short of the Steamboat Springs Airport (SBS), less than two miles north of the neighbourhood.

Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue reported that the plane is believed to have been en route from Longmont, Colorado to Ogden, Utah when it crashed into the West Acres Mobile Park. Multiple 911 calls were received and Fire Rescue and the Steamboat Springs Police were dispatched at 16h23 local time. The full on-duty shift of 10 firefighters and several off-duty personnel worked to extinguish the fire in two homes and several outbuildings, as well as secure the scene for the downed plane.

The Steamboat Springs Police Department reported that all residents in the West Acres Mobile Park have been accounted for. A community room at the Combined Law Enforcement Facility was opened to the impacted residents and the Red Cross and Routt County Crisis Support are there to assist. The mobile home park is open to residents only and emergency responders were on the scene overnight.

Aspen Times reported that the Cessna took off from the Vance Brand Municipal Airport (LMO)at 15h17 for the Odgen Hinckley Airport (OGD) but was diverted to SBS about 40 minutes after taking off due to engine trouble. Flight data shows the plane circling the vicinity of the airport for 25 minutes before the crash and multiple witnesses on scene say they saw the plane flying in a circular motion as it lost altitude. West Acres resident Julia Martin told Aspen Times she saw the plane appear to lose engine power before she heard a loud bang.

Three injured in second Lockheed 12A accident

For the second time in three days a relatively rare vintage Lockheed 12A Junior Electra has crashed, this time in Georgia, this time fortunately with no fatalities. Three people aboard the plane were seriously injured when the plane apparently went off the runway and hit a tree at Seven Lakes Airport in Jackson, Georgia. The airport has a 2950-foot turf runway. The accident occurred at about 20h00. The aircraft is registered to a company based in Jackson and is well known in the area. Also well-known is the occupant who was reportedly in the right seat. According to posts by his son, Dan Gryder, the controversial YouTuber who analyses aircraft crashes, remains in the hospital but was not as seriously hurt as originally thought. Local authorities said he and another man each have broken legs. The pilot has chest and head injuries.

FAA preparing to rule on public charter scheduled services

The FAA says it will soon issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will address safety issues in so-called public charter carriers which operate scheduled services under Part 135 rules. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement that could ultimately result in a separate category for these types of carriers commonly referred to as hop-on charters. “If a company is effectively operating as a scheduled airline, the FAA needs to determine whether those operations should follow the same stringent rules as scheduled airlines,” Whitaker said. Although the public charter option has been available for more than 40 years, it has been in the last decade that Part 135 operators have exploited what some 121 carriers have characterised as a loophole in the regulations.

Part 135 operators are allowed to sell individual seats on aircraft with 30 seats or less. They are also allowed to take advance bookings and advertise the sale of tickets. At the same time, they can hire pilots with the commercial minimum of 250 hours rather than the 1500 required for 121 airlines. They can also operate out of FBOs and hangars and passengers do not have to undergo TSA screening. Dallas-based JSX has built a sizeable network under that regime with about 50 ERJ 135 and 145s configured to 30 seats and hundreds of scheduled flights each month throughout the Southwest. Even JSX calls its service the ‘ultimate travel hack’ and traditional carriers have been bending the ears of FAA officials and politicians about the perceived unfairness.

Whitaker stuck to the safety angle as he outlined the rationale for the new rules but he did not rule out some kind of accommodation for this kind of service assuming it can be safely operated. “At the same time, we want to look at how future innovation might cause us to think differently. Safe air travel options should be available to everyone, not limited to only those living near a major airport,” Whitaker said. “We want to place a safety lens over the options of future innovation, as we work to further connect small and rural communities to open up more options for everyone at the same high level of safety.”

Meanwhile, the issue has also caught the attention of the TSA and it seems likely that more stringent security regulations, up to and including the type of screening done at major airlines, is on the way. The TSA has been reviewing the operations of public charters and has given them a 45-day comment period on its potential actions. The comment period ends 27 June. The TSA says it will take those comments into account when it finalises those changes. JSX does its own security screening and requires passengers to go through a ‘weapon detector’ before boarding.

JSX has been vocal in its criticism of major carriers which it claims are behind the looming rule changes out of fear for their market shares but said it’s looking forward to taking part in their creation. ”As the country’s largest public charter air carrier, JSX has modelled the way forward for safe, secure and reliable regional operations,” JSX said in a statement to the Dallas Morning News. “We eagerly look forward to collaborating with our regulators to cement the importance of public charters and expand access to vital air connectivity in the future.”

Boom Supersonic Superfactory news

Boom Supersonic marked the completion of the Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina. Located at the Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), this facility is the first supersonic airliner factory in the United States. The Overture Superfactory will produce Boom’s Overture supersonic passenger jet, which is designed to seat between 64 and 80 passengers and fly up to 4,250 nautical miles (7,867 kilometres) at a cruising speed of Mach 1.7. The factory is scheduled to begin production of the Supersonic Transport (SST) aircraft in 2024. The factory can produce 33 aircraft per annum, valued at over $6 billion, with plans to double this capacity. It will also serve as an airline delivery center. According to the company, its order book stands at 130 aircraft, including orders and pre-orders from major airlines such as American Airlines, Japan Airlines and United Airlines.

“Construction of the Overture Superfactory represents a major milestone toward ensuring the United States’ continued leadership in aerospace manufacturing,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “Supersonic flight will transform air travel, and Overture provides a much-needed innovative alternative for airlines across the globe.”

On 22 March 2024, Boom Supersonic successfully tested the XB-1 at subsonic speeds. During that test, conducted at the Mojave test ground in California, the aircraft reached an altitude of 7,120 feet and speeds of up to 238 knots (273 miles per hour). The following month, the manufacturer received a Special Flight Authorisation from the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct supersonic flight tests.

Russian Su-24 jet violates Swedish airspace, intercepted by Gripen fighters

The Swedish air combat command issued a verbal warning to the Russian aircraft, which was ignored. Consequently, a pair of Swedish JAS-39 Gripen jets intercepted and escorted the intruding aircraft.

“The Russian action is not acceptable and shows a lack of respect for our territorial integrity. We followed the entire process and were there to intervene,” stated Swedish Air Force Chief Jonas Wikman. The aircraft involved was likely a Su-24MR (NATO reporting name: Fencer-E), a tactical reconnaissance variant of the variable-sweep wing two-seater and twin-engine supersonic aircraft developed in the Soviet Union in the late 1960s. The Finnish Border Guard announced that a flight group of four Russian aircraft, namely two bombers and two fighters, had flown 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) into Finnish territory near Loviisa on 10 June 2024.

Aviation industry improves baggage handling

SITA announced an improvement in the air transport industry’s rate of mishandled baggage. The newly launched SITA Baggage IT Insights 2024 reports the number of bags mishandled by the industry falling from 7.6 to 6.9 per 1,000 passengers in 2023. This is despite passenger numbers rising above 2019 levels for the first time in five years, growing to 5.2 billion. The long-term trend underlines the positive impact of technology investments. A steep 63% drop in the mishandling rate from 2007 to 2023 happened as passenger traffic rose by 111%. But the industry still faces challenges, particularly managing surges in baggage volumes. Pushing ahead with the industry’s digitalisation agenda is vital, argues the survey, focusing on AI for data analysis and computer vision tech in automated baggage handling.

That push must include full automation, good communication and full visibility of each bag’s journey. Other SITA research reveals passenger anxiety about delays and cancellations (32% in 2023). It shows that two-thirds of airlines now offer unassisted bag drop and 85% of airports offer self-service bag drop. This reflects industry demand for self-service tech for better passenger flows. At the same time, passengers want to use their mobile phones as they travel, including at bag collection. Today, 32% of passengers rely on bag collection information sent straight to their mobile. Better communication and visibility for passengers will encourage more use of digital self-service and give passengers control over their journey.

Collaboration is critical. While airlines and airports share baggage data, there is still room for improvement. At baggage collection only 58% of airlines share data. At the same time, 66% of airports share baggage delivery data with airlines. SITA’s Baggage IT Insights survey cites IATA’s call for full baggage tracking and real-time status data as part of its Resolution 753 initiative, with data sharing across the bag journey. The survey also points to Airports Council International’s call for self-service, real-time communication and visibility for passengers to reduce stress and anxiety.

Looking at Asia Pacific, the SITA Baggage IT Insights report shows a steady long term baggage mishandling rate at 3.1 per 1,000 passengers in 2007 and 3.0 in 2023. However, this still reflects the best rate globally in terms of mishandled baggage. The report comments on the commendable and consistent levels in the region despite the challenges of recovery. It highlights the success of investments in digitalising the baggage handling process.

Bell awarded funding for Phase 1B of DARPA speed and runway independent technologies

Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, has been down-selected for Phase 1B of Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) X-Plane programme. The SPRINT programme intends to design, build and fly an X-Plane, an experimental aircraft to demonstrate enabling technologies and integrated concepts necessary for a transformational combination of aircraft speed and runway independence for the next generation of air mobility platforms. In Phase 1A, Bell executed conceptual design review and will move into preliminary design efforts for the SPRINT X-plane.

“Bell is honoured to be selected for the next phase of this revolutionary programme and ready to execute preliminary design,” said Jason Hurst, executive vice president, Engineering, Bell. “We completed our initial risk reduction efforts with our sled test demonstration at Holloman Air Force Base, and we look forward to building on this success with our continued work with DARPA.”

Bell completed risk reduction testing at Holloman Air Force Base in late 2023, showcasing folding rotor, integrated propulsion and flight control technologies. Bell is building on its investment in High-Speed Vertical Take-off and Landing (HSVTOL) technology and past X-plane experience to inform the X-plane development for this programme. Bell’s HSVTOL technology blends the hover capability of a helicopter with the speed (400+ knots), range and survivability of jet aircraft. Bell has developed high-speed vertical lift technology for more than 85 years, pioneering innovative VTOL configurations like the X-14, X-22, XV-3 and XV-15 for NASA, the US Army and US Air Force and continues to build on its proven history of fast flight from the Bell X-1.

XTI Aerospace secures major order from Mesa Air Group

XTI Aerospace has released that Mesa Air Group (Mesa), the holding company of regional air carrier Mesa Airlines, is the purchaser under a previously disclosed conditional purchase order with XTI Aircraft Company (XTI), a wholly owned subsidiary of XTI Aerospace, for up to 100 TriFan 600 aircraft. The TriFan 600 is a fixed-wing, vertical lift crossover airplane (VLCA), currently in development. If all conditions are met and the order is fully exercised, it could represent up to approximately US$1 billion in revenue for XTI Aerospace.

XTI Aerospace also announced that Mesa is an investor in XTI Aerospace, holding warrants and a minority stake in common stock shares. Jonathan Ornstein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mesa Air Group, stated, “Over the past thirty years, we have witnessed the regional aviation industry evolve from flying piston-engine, nine-passenger aircraft, to turboprop aircraft, to large regional jets. Advanced air mobility is a new chapter that I am particularly excited about, given radical improvements in design versus existing regional alternatives and resulting progress toward a more sustainable future. XTI’s TriFan 600 is poised to create a unique new category within the industry, an aircraft with VTOL capability coupled with the longer range and speed of a business airplane. Given the state of development in innovative propulsion for its proposed longer-range, higher-speed VTOL flights, we believe XTI’s phased approach, starting with certified turboshaft engines capable of burning 100% sustainable aviation fuel and transitioning to hybrid-electric propulsion as the technology develops further is pragmatic.”

XTI Aerospace, an aviation business based near Denver, Colorado, is currently developing the TriFan 600, a fixed-wing business aircraft designed to have the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability of a helicopter fly at speeds of up to 345 mph and a range of 700 miles, creating an entirely new category, the vertical lift crossover airplane (VLCA). Additionally, the Inpixon (inpixon.com) business unit of XTI Aerospace is a leader in real-time location system (RTLS) technology, with customers around the world who use the Company’s location intelligence solutions in factories and other industrial facilities to help optimise operations, increase productivity and enhance safety.

NORD/LB withdraws from aircraft financing business

Following a strategic review, NORD/LB Norddeutsche Landesbank has decided to exit the aircraft financing sector. As part of this decision, the bank has reached an agreement with Deutsche Bank to sell a substantial portion of its aircraft financing portfolio, valued at €1.67 billion. The completion of this transaction is subject to approval by antitrust authorities and is anticipated to be finalised in the latter half of 2024. The purchase price remains undisclosed by mutual agreement. The remaining portfolio, approximately €1.1 billion, will be retained within the NORD/LB Group and gradually phased out, with no new business activities planned in this segment.

This move is part of NORD/LB’s strategic realignment, focusing more intently on its core business areas after a successful transformation. Jörg Frischholz, CEO of NORD/LB, stated, “With the consistent implementation of our strategy, we are focusing on continuously increasing the bank’s profitability. This decision represents the next logical step, enabling us to direct more resources towards our growth areas such as renewable energies, commercial real estate and corporate customers, which we can strengthen with the capital released. We did not take this decision lightly, as aircraft financing has been a significant part of our business model for many years.” NORD/LB has been involved in the aircraft financing business globally for more than forty years. As of 31 March 2024, its aircraft portfolio is valued at around € 2.75 billion, comprising approximately 300 financed aircraft and engines.

airBaltic to expand training fleet with all-electric eD40

Diamond Aircraft and airBaltic have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to deliver three electric aircraft to airBaltic’s pilot training academy. According to Diamond, airBaltic Training, a subsidiary of Latvian airline airBaltic, will take possession of three all-electric eD40s and two DA42-VIs. That will give the academy a total of 15 airframes for its clients to utilise. “The upcoming arrival of these innovative aircraft is a significant milestone in our mission to provide top-tier, sustainable training for future pilots,” said Pauls Cālītis, chief operations officer of airBaltic. “We are dedicated to expanding our fleet with cutting-edge technology to meet the growing demand for highly skilled aviation professionals.” Deliveries will be made to airBaltic Pilot Academy by 2030, Cālītis said.

ICON in a flat spin as bankruptcy looms

Do you want to purchase an aircraft manufacturer with a certified product and also selling in the Light Sport Aircraft class for, say R2.3 billion? No think again and think jus R230 million. This is precisely the value of the winning bid for the assets of ICON Aircraft, the developer and manufacturer of the ICON A5 amphibious aircraft. $170m (just over R3 billion) worth of debt was written off during the bankruptcy case for ICON Aircraft when it came before Judge Craig Goldblatt in Delaware last week. The winning bid came from a unit of 160-year-old German textile machinery producer Durkopp Adler. Why would a manufacturer of textiles want an amphibious aircraft maker?

Icon Aircraft had already selected SG Investment America Inc. as the stalking horse bidder, the back-up in case of no better bids. However, SG Investment is a newly formed subsidiary of Durkopp Adler GmbH, now owned by ShangGong Group based in Shanghai, China, which makes sewing machines.

According to Law360, a legal reports website, a group of Icon investors, including former directors, officers and founders and other equity holders filed legal claims against the company’s Chinese majority shareholder in the bankruptcy court, urging it to halt the company’s proposed sale. The group said the stalking horse bidder is indirectly controlled by the debtor’s current majority holder. ‘The group of equity holders had asked the court to evaluate what they called ‘insider relationships in play’, said Law360. ‘They alleged that the majority shareholder, Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology Investment Co. Ltd., which has been the controlling equity holder of ICON since 2017, seized control of the management, operated the company as its own property and systematically dismantled it to expropriate Icon’s intellectual property to China.’ In other words, ICON has been bought for a song from its main shareholder, writing off its debts in the process and ending up with the Intellectual Property of the aircraft OEM. The Delaware court is due to approve (or not) the deal this week.

Alder Renewables opens SAF laboratory in Colorado

Sustainable fuel technology company Alder Renewables (formerly Alder Fuels) has established a dedicated laboratory facility in Boulder, Colorado, to accelerate the commercialisation of its Alder Renewable Crude (ARC) and Alder Pyrolytic Sugars (APS) platform, which can be used to produce products such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from biomass. Alongside the company’s private and public technology partners, the laboratory provides increased operational capabilities, allowing it to launch newly funded projects and continue grant work from the Department of Energy’s bioenergy technologies office. The 4,200-sq-ft space now houses Alder’s laboratory test stand equipment, pre-pilot reactors and the company’s fully integrated pilot plant.

This plant is zoned to produce small quantities of ARC and APS and, through hydrotreating, converts them into SAF and other renewable fuels. The new laboratory’s purpose will be to establish the end-to-end pilot capabilities to de-risk the scale-up of the proprietary process and optimize product quality and yields while streamlining operational and equipment costs. “The technical team at Alder Renewables deserves a lot of credit,” said Tim Obitts, Alder’s CEO and former head of the National Air Transportation Association, adding that they have worked tirelessly to reach this phase in development. “As we continue progressing towards commercialisation, I am confident that this investment in our people and operations will deliver an immediate impact on our mission to decarbonise key sectors in our society.”

Signature signs MOU on chainwide eVTOL charging

Signature Aviation has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with eVTOL manufacturer Archer Aviation to identify the initial opportunities for electric air taxi services. These include United Airlines hubs at Newark International (KEWR), Chicago O’Hare (KORD), Los Angeles International (KLAX), San Francisco International (KSFO) and George Bush Intercontinental / Houston Airport (KIAH) airports, as well as all homes to Signature FBOs. This agreement is part of a wider deal that focuses on providing electric charging at the FBO chain’s more than 200 locations globally, with those initial major air taxi locations coming online as early as next year.

Signature and Archer intend to further partnerships with Beta Technologies to install rapid recharging systems across the Signature network. The Beta system features a Combined Charging System that can charge electric aircraft, cars, aircraft tugs, buses and other vehicles found at airports. Recently endorsed by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the system has already been installed at more than 20 airports in the US with an additional 50 locations under development. “We are committed to shaping the future of aviation through sustainability and thrilled to work alongside Archer as we expand our infrastructure to support the electrification of the industry,” said Signature CCO Derek DeCross. “This collaboration unlocks new possibilities in the design and introduction of innovative sustainable aviation solutions while also bringing our guests greater access to the future of urban air mobility.”

As Houthi attacks in Red Sea persist, DIU, Navy seek ‘kinetic defeat’ for medium aerial drones

According to a new solicitation, directly citing the ongoing engagements between the US Navy and Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, the Defence Innovation Unit is seeking industry’s help for a ‘kinetic defeat solution’ for medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicles. “It is expected that solutions will be capable of expeditious worldwide deployment, integrated with a variety of naval platforms and must display the ability to be easily integrated into the existing sensors onboard a naval vessel,” DIU said in the solicitation, released on 17 June.

“Solutions may assume they will receive a track from the naval vessel’s combat systems to facilitate find and fix. The solution must be able to integrate with the naval vessel’s existing combat systems but may also utilise an adjunct passive system (e.g., Electro-Optical / Infrared) that does not interfere with the ship’s organic sensors,” the solicitation continues. ‘Kinetic defeat’ in Pentagon lingo is essentially short for a weapon that physically destroys an enemy’s asset, as opposed to electronic warfare technology which can temporarily disable a drone without causing permanent damage. For DIU, medium sized refers to drones in ‘group three,’ which are UAS as large as roughly 330 pounds (150Kg).

DIU is seeking relatively mature technologies, requiring the assets be available for testing within 90 days of a prototype award and for the company to be capable of delivering five ‘production representative prototypes within 12 months’ of an award. ‘The solution must minimise the cost per defeat to reduce the asymmetry of the current cost of traditional air defence defeat solutions compared to the threat,’ the DIU adds.

Countering aerial and seaborne drone threats has become a top priority for the Pentagon’s research and development enterprise in the recent months in response to persistent attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea aiming to disrupt both military operations as well as commercial shipping. DIU said the attacks to date have killed three people, destroyed one vessel, severely damaged numerous ships and resulted ‘in a 9% reduction in effective global shipping capacity.’

While the US Navy’s carrier strike groups in the region have been effective at destroying hundreds of incoming threats since Hezbollah’s October 2023 attack on Israel, Navy brass back in Washington have come under scrutiny by lawmakers, third-party analysts and even industry who question the sustainability of firing multimillion dollar missiles to destroy what one Marine Corps general characterised as ‘jet skis packed with explosives.’

This questioning has frequently led to observers, such as Maine Sen. Angus King (I), urging the US Defence Department to more heavily invest in directed energy technology, which promises a capability to defeat an incoming missile at a fraction of the cost of an SM-6. However, curiously, at least this time, DIU pre-empted any solution involving directed energy, saying the agency and its mission partners are not considering directed energy or laser-based solutions for this solicitation.

HHLA Sky technology supports automated drone flights at dronePORT Hamburg

As part of the dronePORT opening in Hamburg, HHLA Sky, a subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), presented its solutions for efficient drone operations in Hamburg. This week the dronePORT Hamburg is the first location for unmanned aviation and mobile sensor technology and was opened by the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), the Hamburg Police and Hamburg Aviation. The dronePORT is the first ground infrastructure of its kind in Europe. HHLA Sky provides drones for inspecting the Port of Hamburg and shipping lanes as well as the technology required for automated drone control and management of the drone fleet: the Integrated Control Center.

Mathias Gronstedt, Managing Director of HHLA Sky said, “Automation is the key to efficient drone operations: HHLA Sky’s Integrated Control Center makes flights beyond visual range possible and drone operations scalable – safe and cybersecure. We are delighted to be part of dronePORT with this technology and to offer our services here.”

The Integrated Control Center is a highly automated process management and control center software, a Mobile Robot Management system with integrated hardware that enables drone flights over long distances and without visual contact with the pilot (Beyond Visual Line of Sight – BVLOS): For example, when inspecting infrastructure objects such as bridges, roads and large areas. An operator in the control center monitors these flights and can intervene at any time. He is able to monitor several drone flights at the same time. In total, more than 100 BVLOS-automated drone flights can be carried out simultaneously via the Integrated Control Center.

In addition to HHLA Sky, the HPA and the Hamburg Police, other partners such as Hamburg’s State Agency for Roads, Bridges and Waterways (LSBG), Beagle Systems, Flynex, ZAL Center of Applied Aeronautical Research, the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) and EmQopter also presented their products and projects (e.g. CITYAM, BLU-Space) at the dronePORT opening.

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