Honeywell introduces new nav system: Honeywell is introducing the HGuide n380, a new inertial navigation system that communicates position, orientation and velocity of an object — such as an autonomous vehicle or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) — even when global navigation satellite signals are unavailable. Smaller, lighter and lower-priced than previous Honeywell inertial navigation systems, the HGuide n380 is built using Honeywell’s rigorous design standards to withstand harsh environments in the air, on land or at sea. The new inertial navigation system is composed of Honeywell’s HGuide i300 inertial measurement unit (IMU), a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver and Honeywell’s proprietary sensor fusion software, which is based on the algorithms used for navigation on millions of aircraft every day. Inputs from these components are fused together to determine position, orientation and velocity to deliver critical navigation information even in areas where a satellite signal is degraded or altogether unavailable, such as canyons, bridges, tunnels, mountains, parking garages or dense forests.
Travelport launches free COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin: Travelport has launched the Travelport COVID-19 Smartpoint Plugin that provides travel agencies with the latest information on government restrictions, lockdowns and safety measures across the globe – all within the agent workflow. It is available free-of-charge to all Travelport customers globally, using Travelport Smartpoint 8.2 or above, and can be downloaded directly from Travelport Marketplace. The new tool provides detailed information on a range of topics, including: lockdown rules, entry requirements and quarantine measures for travelers. Country-level information can be displayed at the click of a button, allowing agents to advise their customers easily and instantly.
Air New Zealand opens refurbished Auckland domestic lounge: Air New Zealand has opened its refreshed domestic lounge at Auckland Airport. The lounge has 375 seats available for customers. Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Liz Fraser says it’s fantastic to open the refreshed Auckland Domestic Lounge. “We have redone the bar and barista station to provide more space for customers to enjoy a coffee or drink while taking in views of the runway. We’ve also refreshed the café zone and added more showers for those wanting to freshen up before they fly. We now have two Air New Zealand lounges available at Auckland Airport for our customers – our refreshed domestic lounge located through security for those flying on our main trunk routes, as well as our regional lounge located by the regional gates at the far end of the domestic terminal for customers catching a flight on one of our smaller turboprop aircraft. Both lounges have the same food and beverage offering and plenty of space to relax or get some work done before flying. We look forward to welcoming customers to both our lounges in Auckland with more and more New Zealanders beginning to fly again.”
AAR continues successful Unison Industries partnership: AAR and Unison Industries announced the expansion and extension of the longstanding partnership as the exclusive worldwide aftermarket distributor for Unison Industries´ aviation, aerospace, military, civil and land vehicles products. The agreement adds new material content to include new product introduction spanning multiple aircraft platforms. As exclusive distributor, AAR will be responsible for developing customized sales strategies and marketing campaigns, executing growth plans, forecasting, warehousing and performing aftermarket product distribution services of Unison Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) replacement parts. In addition, AAR will provide 24/7 Aircraft-On-Ground (AOG) call center support to deliver rapid-response services to customers using Unison products in the aviation aftermarket. Components covered by the program include turbine ignition systems, engine-dedicated alternators, sensors, switches, wiring harnesses, bellows and metal tubing/ducting consumed by commercial and military aircraft operators, maintenance repair and overhaul facilities and other industry customers, worldwide. The agreement also includes repair services management backed by AAR’s supply chain and customer support network.
PASSUR and Aireon announce agreement: PASSUR Aerospace and Aireon announced an agreement that will integrate Aireon’s global, gate-to-gate ADS-B dataset, into PASSUR’s AR\VA platform. This integration will be the first to feature Aireon’s air traffic service (ATS) surveillance-quality data feed including high-fidelity, low latency airport surface surveillance and global International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)- compliant flight tracking on PASSUR’s AR\VA platform. The partnership will also power PASSUR’s predictive arrival times (ETA) and constraint forecasting services, delivering advanced disruption management, as well as PASSUR’s unique collaborative airfield management solutions, to any airline, airport, or business aviation service provider globally. PASSUR AR\VA — a single platform, cloud based solution, available across multiple devices — delivers greater efficiency in airline and airport operations management, resource utilization and improved throughput through industry-leading flight trajectory forecasting technology; advanced predictability in airline demand and air traffic/airport capacity; collaborative airfield traffic workflow; and operational disruption alerting and resolution.
Qatar Executive introduces Diamond Agreement: Qatar Executive announced the introduction of its new Diamond Agreement, which enables customers to pre-purchase flight time at fixed-hourly rates on state-of-the-art long-range and ultra-long-range private jets. The Diamond Agreement is precisely tailored to the individual customer’s needs and requirements, offering a truly unique flying experience. The Diamond Agreement guarantees unrivalled service on board Qatar Executive’s state-of-the-art fleet of private jets. To join this programme, customers purchase a minimum of 50 hours flight time, without any associated membership fees. The all-inclusive and fixed-hourly rates cover both flight hours and taxi time. Designed to simplify private jet travel, pre-purchased Diamond Agreement hours have no minimum annual usage and no maximum carry-over, making the Diamond Agreement programme unrivalled in terms of its flexibility. Qatar Executive’s customers are also offered guaranteed availability for reservations booked from just 72 hours in advance.
Indra tests optionally piloted vehicle: Indra has successfully completed the first test flights with its Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) Targus and achieved a milestone of the Civil UAVs Initiative, promoted by the Government of Galicia to make the region a leader in this industry. Indra carried out the flights in non-segregated airspace with a drone that weighs 1.25 tons and has an 11-meter wingspan. The first flight took place on 24 June and a special communication protocol was established with the air traffic control of Santiago de Compostela Airport. Aboard the Targus, a test pilot carried out the take-off maneuver and once the aircraft was airborne handed over control to the ground control center. The project now enters its final stage to finish the development of the OPV this year.
Rolls-Royce says no AOG due to Trent: Rolls-Royce announced that there are zero Boeing 787 aircraft on the ground (AOG) due to Trent 1000 durability-related issues. In the latest trade statement, Rolls-Royce mentioned that they have surpassed their own commitment to reduce AOGs to single digits by the end of Q2 this year. Rolls-Royce is taking its levels of Trent 1000 service further through a variety of measures such as increased spare engine availability to make sure customers have additional engines in their fleet to avoid operational disruption, along with continued progress on the introduction of their technical solutions. The modifications include the Intermediate Pressure Turbine (IPT) blade, Intermediate Pressure Compressor (IPC) blade and High Pressure Turbine (HPT) blade.
Bye Aerospace closes US$10 Million in funding: Bye Aerospace, developer of the all-electric eFlyer family of FAA Part 23-certified aircraft, announced completion of a US$5 million strategic investment by a venture capital group earlier this year that was followed by the completion of a US$5 million venture raise. Bye noted that although the two financial transactions successfully closed during coronavirus restrictions, much of the due diligence and planning was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic escalated. Previously, in late 2018 Bye Aerospace completed a major investment by SUBARU-SBI Innovation Fund. Bye Aerospace is developing the FAA FAR 23-certified family of all-electric eFlyer general aviation aircraft, starting with the two-seat eFlyer 2, for the professional flight training mission and the eFlyer 4 for air-taxi and advanced training uses.
First ALSIM AL42 simulator to be sold in New Zealand: Alsim announced its first sale in New Zealand. Ardmore Flying School, based in Auckland, has acquired an AL42 simulator, the exact replica of the Diamond DA42, built using genuine aircraft parts and equipped with the latest real-world Garmin G1000 avionics suite. It also comes with latest generation visual system, GFC 700 autopilot and PBN/LPV capabilities. Ardmore Flying School is a privately-owned aviation training organization established in 1961 and has trained over 10,000 pilots for private or commercial licenses. The school is CAANZ Part 141 approved and is NZQA approved as a PTE delivering the Level 6 New Zealand Diploma in Aviation. The school has a fleet of 16 C172 single engine, and 2 Diamond DA42 Twin Star multi-engine aircraft. These are complimented by 3 simulators including single engine, multi-engine and a Pacific Simulators Euro Jet PS4.5 A320 fixed base simulator. The school is well regarded for training flight instructors and offers courses in Airline Preparation training for budding airline pilots.
Malaysia’s first aircraft training centre get dual approval: The Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) Aerospace Training Centre is the first aircraft maintenance training centre in Malaysia to get dual approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in Part 147 to conduct Category A1 Aircraft Maintenance Technician training. With this dual approval, graduates will obtain two licenses enabling them to not only work within the local aerospace industry but also internationally. The establishment of KKIP Aerospace Training Centre is expected to give Sabah a position to tap into the high value-added aerospace industry, further propelling Sabah into a high- income state. Looking at the projected revenue from the aerospace industry, the return is expected to reach US$12.938 billion in 2030.
Sabre announces leadership changes: Sabre announced that Dave Shirk will continue in his role of president of Sabre’s newly, realigned Travel Solutions business reporting to CEO Sean Menke. Shirk will oversee all aspects of the company’s agency and airline-focused business segments including product management, global product development, sales and account management, delivery and professional services, as well as strategy. Wade Jones has been appointed executive vice president and chief product officer; Roshan Mendis was appointed executive vice president and chief commercial officer; Cem Tanyel has been named executive vice president and chief services officer; Blair Austin has been named vice president, global business operations; and Kristin Hays has been named senior vice president, global communications.
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