The U.S. Army has awarded prime contractor MAG Aerospace and team partner L3Harris Technologies a contract to deliver two enhanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft. Based on the Bombardier Global 6500 airframe, the aircraft will support the Army Theater-level, High-altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar (Athena-R) program.

This effort is primarily a technology demonstration for a future high-altitude radar/ISR platform to support and enhance the Army’s ability to conduct long-range precision fires. A parallel Athena-S program is concerned with a passive detection system. The long-term program is known as the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (Hades), which is likely to combine active and passive sensors in a single platform. Fielding of this yet-to-be-defined system is planned for later in the decade.

In addition to its demonstration role, Athena-R is also seen as an operational bridge between current ISR systems and the future Hades. The Army intends to employ the aircraft operationally on a contractor-owned, contractor-operated basis.

The program also drew proposals from Sierra Nevada Corp. with its Global 6500-based Rapcon-X, and Leidos with the development of its Artemis, a modified Bombardier Challenger 650. Both Artemis and an L3Harris-modified, Global 6500-based ISR platform known as Ares have been flying contractor-owned, contractor-operated missions for the Army in the European and Pacific theaters, respectively.

The July 10, 2021, fatal crash of a Beechcraft King Air C90 was caused by “separation of the left wing’s outboard section due to a fatigue crack in the lower spar cap,” according to the NTSB final report published late last week. “Contributing to the accident was the failure of the non-destructive-testing (NDT) inspector to detect the crack” and the “operator’s decision to repair the wing spar instead of replacing it as recommended by the aircraft manufacturer,” the safety agency said.

The turboprop twin was being operated as a public-use firefighting aircraft conducting reconnaissance and supervision. It was about 2,300 feet agl over an area of fire near Wikieup, Arizona, when the left wing separated. Killed were the pilot and an aerial tactical supervisor. Missions are typically flown at speeds from 120 to 150 knots and require steep bank angles.

During an inspection two months before the accident, eddy-current NDT of the left wing’s lower forward spar cap detected a crack in a fastener hole. Though Textron Aviation advised the operator to replace the spars, a repair was made instead.

Two sustainable aviation fuel groups, the SAF+ Consortium and the eFuels Alliance, have joined forces to further the growth of the electro-sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) segment. The production of such e-fuels requires large amounts of electricity but has the benefit of near-limitless feedstock, using water and CO2 derived from the air.

Canada-based SAF+ Consortium—a conglomerate of several companies in the synthetic aviation fuel chain—has previously partnered with companies such as Airbus, Pratt & Whitney, Air Transat, Air France-KLM Group, Aèroports de Montréal, and Aèro Montréal to provide technology integration solutions for the decarbonization of the aviation industry. The eFuel Alliance is a trade group of SAF producers and potential fuel users that seeks to promote the political and social acceptance of e-fuels and spur production capacity to provide the aviation sector with tools for decarbonization.

“E-SAF is an immediate and effective option available to industry players to achieve zero emissions by 2050,” said SAF+ Consortium president and CEO Jean Paquin. “We are proud to bring together a coalition of prominent international players from across the aviation value chain to provide the industry with a sustainable commercial solution for low-carbon aviation that is compatible with existing infrastructure and ready for deployment.”

Brazil’s largest private helicopter service provider is launching an upscale urban air mobility brand called Revo. Parent Omni Helicopters International (OHI) said the service will use two-pilot, twin-engine Airbus helicopters and provide scheduled luxury passenger service between São Paulo and Guarulhos Airport with 40 flights per week, as well as regular charters.

Revo will be targeting high-net-worth individuals and plans to offer a full door-to-door service integrated with ground transportation. While passengers will be allowed to bring alcohol on flights, pepper spray, electroshock weapons, e-bikes, safes, money bags, and lithium batteries will be prohibited.

“Ultimately, this is the first step in what we envision as a long journey for Revo,” said CEO Joao Welsh. “With the brand infrastructure in place, it’s our ultimate ambition to introduce electric vertical takeoff and landing [eVTOL] aircraft into our fleet in the near future, providing our users with unparalleled comfort in a climate-conscious manner.”

OHI’s subsidiaries include Omni Taxi Aereo Brazil, the country’s largest helicopter service provider with a fleet of some 70 aircraft, eight active fleet programs, and more than 10 bases. It also operates Omni Helicopters Guyana, supporting offshore energy companies there with crew change and search-and-rescue services.

Duncan Aviation has obtained FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval to upgrade Gogo Business Aviation legacy air-to-ground (ATG) connectivity systems in Hawker 800XPs to newer Avance L3 units. The MRO company completed this STC work and installation at its satellite facility at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Missouri.

“We were pleased to accommodate our customer's Wi-Fi needs by installing the Avance L3 in his Hawker 800XP,” said Ed Reeve, manager of Duncan Aviation’s satellites in St. Louis and Nashville. "As long as you're upgrading from one of the Gogo legacy ATG systems originally installed with a Duncan Aviation STC, we can prepare the aircraft and install the Avance L3.”  

Duncan estimates a five-day downtime for the upgrade in most cases. The upgrade entails removing the existing ATG line replaceable unit (LRU) and replacing it with the Avance L3 LRU. The antennas installed with the legacy system won’t need replacement and will provide access to the upcoming Gogo 5G/LTE network.

To help make the upgrade more affordable, Gogo is offering incentives for customers to upgrade to an Avance system, namely $50,000 and $25,000 rebates for Avance L5 and L3 Max/Plus, respectively, upon service activation. 

Separately, Duncan Aviation has begun developing a similar STC for Dassault Falcon 2000/2000EXs and expects approval for this later this year.

Air bp has started supplying jet-A1 to aircraft operators using the general aviation terminal at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. This follows a newly agreed collaboration with the ExecuJet FBO at the German capital’s international airport in Schönefeld, about 11 miles south of the city center.

ExecuJet, which is part of the Luxaviation business aviation services group, handles arriving and departing aircraft at the Berlin airport's general aviation terminal. Facilities for passengers and crew there include a lounge, showers, and a work area.

“We are extremely pleased to announce our new collaboration with Air bp, with whom we share a long-standing and mutually trusted relationship,” said ExecuJet Europe managing director Jürgen Kuper. “Our clients will benefit from a highly efficient service, flexibility, and short response times resulting in virtually no waiting time. This is made possible by six experienced employees, two fuel trucks, and the back of our entire FBO handling service.”

The Berlin GA terminal is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Air bp is now present at more than 35 airport locations across Germany.