Leonardo and CrowdStrike collaborate on security: Leonardo announced a partnership with cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike to make the CrowdStrike Falcon platform available to Leonardo customers and offer a combined solution portfolio that provides all stages of threat response, including identification, protection, detection, response and remediation. As businesses throughout the globe have transitioned employees to remote work and moved more of their operations outside corporate offices, security gaps in corporate networks have been exposed. As such, adversaries around the world have quickly taken advantage of the chaos. The cloud-native CrowdStrike Falcon platform is a transformative solution that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and unifies next-generation antivirus (NGAV), IT hygiene, endpoint detection and response (EDR), cyber threat intelligence and proactive threat hunting via a single, intelligent agent to stop breaches in today’s complex threat environment.
Thales Alenia Space technology to enable VIPER rover: Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales and Leonardo, has signed a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Centre (JSC) for the delivery of the X-Band transceiver and X-Band diplexer, which will ensure communications for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER). NASA’s lunar rover will explore the South Pole of the Moon in search for water ice and other potential resources by means of its three instruments and a 1-meter (3.28-foot) drill. The data collected by the rover will show where the Moon’s water ice is most likely to be found and easiest to access. The first water maps of the Moon will mark a critical step forward in NASA’s Artemis program to establish a sustainable human presence on the surface of the Moon later this decade. Furthermore, the exploration of lunar resources to produce oxygen and propellants could enable new mission architectures to human space exploration. The VIPER rover will be delivered to the Moon as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS). With a launch foreseen in late 2023, the mission will have a duration of 100 Earth days, covering 3 cycles of lunar day and night. Thales Alenia Space in Spain will design, manufacture, test and deliver the X-Band transceiver and X-Band diplexer, which are responsible for the rover communications with direct links between the lunar rover and Earth over NASA’s Deep Space Network.
Metrojet MRO continues work in age of COVID-19: The maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) station of Hong Kong-based Metrojet has been busy with engine changes, base maintenance, modification programs and aircraft disinfection projects throughout these COVID-19 pandemic times. From January through to July this year, the Rolls-Royce-exclusively-certified MRO has completed multiple engine changes on BR725/710 and Tay 611-8C for various types of Gulfstream aircraft, alongside scheduled maintenance inspections, maximising the use of ground time due to the current limited flying. In addition to performing maintenance, aircraft interior hygiene levels have become a new priority concern to all aircraft users. Metrojet’s aircraft disinfection services are both Gulfstream and Bombardier proven, with all work performed in accordance with Gulfstream MOL-20-0005 or Bombardier AW000-25-001 REV2 guidelines.
HAECO Xiamen Airbus A320 part-out capability recognised: HAECO Xiamen, a member of the HAECO Group, announced that its Airbus A320 part-out capability has been formally approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The company is the only MRO in Eastern China to have obtained this approval, following which it has undertaken its first A320 part-out project for Yan Wu Group, disassembling four aircraft for the Chinese mainland operator. In recent years, the aviation industry has seen a growing number of aircraft retirement. Disassembling retired planes in order to re-use parts and recycle materials enables operators to optimise the residual value of the aircraft, whilst minimising environmental and safety risks. The aircraft part-out service complements HAECO Xiamen’s comprehensive suite of service offerings, from parts manufacturing for new aircraft, cabin design and completion, to airframe maintenance, modification, and cabin reconfiguration, HAECO Xiamen will continue to leverage its strong engineering capabilities to create sustainable value for the region’s aviation industry.
Honeywell expands GoDirect: Honeywell’s aviation parts e-commerce platform, GoDirect Trade, has enabled a new leasing inventory listing feature, with the Honeywell Engine and APU Rental Bank as one of the first participants. The new leasing inventory listing feature allows registered sellers on the platform to offer products under a lease option — providing loaner or rental aircraft parts online to the buyers. In recent months GoDirect Trade has seen a growing number of airlines begin using the e-commerce platform. They join the many companies, both big and small, selling and trading aircraft parts through storefronts on the site. Honeywell is continuing to improve GoDirect Trade to enhance the user experience. The platform now has quick-ship functionality, which allows sellers to mark inventory eligible for near-immediate shipping. The seller can process the selected quick-ship parts within 24 hours of checkout to meet customers’ urgent needs. Launched in December 2018, GoDirect Trade is the first online marketplace for aircraft parts using blockchain technology to help increase buyer trust, hold sellers accountable and improve the efficiency of the sales process. To date, it has more than 7,000 registered users and sales of more than US$8 million worldwide, with more than US$1.5 million in sales from the APAC region.
Pacific Airlines enters partnership with Sabre: Low-cost carrier Pacific Airlines and Sabre announced a strategic new agreement under which Pacific Airlines will adopt the Sabre Passenger Service System (PSS). Sabre PSS is designed to automate sales and reservations as well as to help airlines to maximise revenue opportunities, enhance partnerships and create the most efficient airport experiences possible for travellers. The Sabre PSS comprehensive system has already allowed Sabre’s valued partners to realize increased revenue through merchandising, codeshare agreements and alliance partners, plus cost savings from better managed inventory and schedules, and shopping and reservations capabilities. Airlines are also able to gain an improved understanding of market trends through the use of real-time data which finds problems and creates solutions to maximise the value of every seat sold.
Korean Air makes Top 10 in Travellers’ Choice awards: Korean Air has entered the “Top 10 Airlines in the World” in the third position. The airline was also voted the “Best Airline in Korea” and “Travellers’ Choice Major Airline in Asia” at the 2020 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards for Airlines. Tripadvisor is the world’s largest travel platform, with more than 860 million reviews of airlines, accommodations, restaurants, experiences and cruises. The Travelers’ Choice Awards are based entirely on the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for a 12-month period, which makes the results extremely reliable. According to Tripadvisor, Korean Air has high ratings in multiple areas, including customer service, cleanliness, legroom, food and beverage, and in-flight entertainment. The reviews of Korean Air are from approximately 5,200 people in 26 different languages. “We sincerely appreciate the continuous support of all our customers,” said a Korean Air spokesperson. “We will continue our efforts to provide excellent customer service and ensure safe travel.”
AJW Group renews supply chain contract with easyJet: AJW Group has been selected by easyJet, as its supply chain management provider, following a successful partnership since 2015. AJW will continue to be responsible for the 24/7 planning and delivery of the airline’s demand and supply requirements from inventory management across easyJet’s extensive network; full component repair and overhaul services as well as the provision, storage and distribution of all rotable, consumable and expendable material. A key operational enhancement will be the introduction of an EU-hub in Malpensa, Italy, which will serve to further enhance operational efficiency across Europe. The EU-hub will supplement the current UK-hub to maximise up-time, availability and dispatch reliability. The new seven-year contract introduces innovative solutions that will provide step-change improvements for the airline. AJW is developing and investing in process re-engineering and automation tools to drive superior performance, cost reduction and operational excellence across the board. AJW Technique, the Group’s Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility, will continue to play a significant role in the new contract as it repairs and overhauls easyJet components.
GEODIS names MD for Ireland: GEODIS has appointed Gary O’Connor as its managing director for Ireland where he will oversee the operations of the GEODIS Group that encompasses Contract Logistics, Overland Transport, Freight Forwarding, Supply Chain Optimisation, Express & Parcel Deliveries and effectively manages customers’ supply chains in their totality. O’Connor joins a GEODIS team that recently established itself in a new state of the art logistics facility at Dublin Airport Logistics Park. The property extends to almost 20,000 square meters. With a fully secured yard and 15 dock levellers, the new operation benefits from its proximity to the airport as well as swift access to the city centre and road links to the rest of the country.
Vistara named ‘Best Airline’ in India: Vistara has been crowned as the ‘Best Airline – India’ and ‘Travellers Choice Regional Airline, Asia’ in the fourth edition of Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2020 for Airlines. Vistara has been named the ‘Best Airline – India’ by the world’s largest travel site, Tripadvisor, for the third consecutive year. Tripadvisor has awarded the world’s top airlines based on the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for airlines by flyers, gathered over a 12-month period. Leslie Thng, Vistara’s CEO, said “it is a matter of great pride for all of us at Vistara to be consistently rated not only the best airline in India, but also among top carriers in the continent. These awards are a testimony of our customers’ trust in us and also a great recognition of the passion that unites everyone at Vistara to provide an extraordinary flying experience to travellers every day. I thank our customers for their affection and assure them of our unstinting care and attention at all times.”
ICAO sets implementation roadmap for COVID-19 responses: ICAO has begun the global roll-out of a civil aviation recovery Global Implementation Roadmap (GIR) , providing an important enabling framework for countries as they begin to apply the COVID-19 pandemic restart and recovery measures in the ICAO Council’s Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) recommendations and annexed ‘Take-off’’ guidance document. The UN agency for civil aviation began conducting a series of GIR preview webinars at the end of July with directors general of Civil Aviation (DGCAs) from all world regions, explaining its priorities and describing the important monitoring and reporting platform, and ‘Implementation Packages’ (iPack) resources, which ICAO has established to support it. Global and regional GIR initiatives will be aligned, documented and updated, and these initiatives, along with the associated timelines, will be compiled in the GIR’s Online Roadmap. ICAO conducted a series of earlier webinars to present the content and functionalities of ICAO’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Implementation Centre (CRRIC), in particular its gap analysis tool and database of risk mitigation measures. The agency also announced to its DGCA audiences that it is working on an interactive dashboard for COVID-19 Operational Impacts on Air Transport, which ICAO is now monitoring worldwide.
Jin Air opts for Collins ARINC: South Korea-based Jin Air has selected Collins Aerospace Systems’ full suite of ARINC aviation resource management systems and ARINC Integrator — a software tool that integrates data across new and existing airline IT and operational environments to streamline operations. The combination brings together 50 systems on a single-optimised platform to maximise the flow and use of data to optimise airport operations. The aviation resource management system is a turnkey, cloud-based platform comprised of modules that help airlines manage aircraft, fuel and cabin crew expenses and enable around-the-clock global operations. The ARINC Integrator simplifies the complexities involved in managing various data sources by connecting applications not designed to work together into a fully integrated solution. The ARINC aviation resource management system is a collaboration with Laminaar Aviation Infotech, which designs and produces innovative solutions for the global aviation and airline markets.
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