2021 Paris Air Show Canceled Due To Covid Concerns
Organizers of the Paris Air Show today announced that the 2021 edition, slated for June 21 to 27, has been canceled “in light of the uncertainty linked to the current Covid-19 health crisis.” The next Paris Air Show will be held in June 2023, with specific dates to soon be released.
The board of directors of both the International Paris Air Show and French aerospace industries association GIFAS, whose subsidiary SIAE organizes the biennial event, unanimously agreed to skip the event in response to the pandemic and the large number of visitors the show attracts. Exhibitors will receive full refunds of all amounts already paid and the Paris Air Show will take full financial responsibility for the decision, organizers said.
“We are obviously disappointed not to be able to hold the 2021 edition of the Paris Air Show. After many months of all trade show activities being suspended throughout the world, the entire international aerospace and defense community was very much looking forward to being able to meet,” said Patrick Daher, chairman of the International Paris Air Show and chairman of Daher Group. “We have already started work to ensure that the 2023 edition celebrates the resurgence of the aerospace industry on an international scale.”
FAA Prepared To Move Quickly on Covid Vaccines
The FAA is watching the deliberations of the first rounds of possibly available Covid-19 vaccines and plans to evaluate potential pilot use as soon as health authorities issue emergency authorization, the agency said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is weighing emergency-use authorization requests from Pfizer/BioNTech Manufacturing and Moderna this week and next.
Pilots have raised concerns about whether taking the vaccine could affect their medical status. John McGraw, v-p of regulatory affairs for NATA, said the FAA for the most part has approached the Covid-19 virus as it has other viruses such as the flu. “So far what we’ve heard from the FAA has been consistent with how they’ve treated things in the past,” he said.
He added that the agency does recommend pilots schedule waiting periods after taking a vaccine, but “it is not a disqualifying event. Unless there is something truly unique about this vaccine in terms of the side effects, I would expect the FAA to take the same posture.”
Last week at NBAA-VBACE, NBAA v-p regulatory and international affairs Doug Carr agreed. “We think this is going to be a very manageable process for pilots who…get the vaccine,” said Carr. But he cautioned about using the vaccine in absence of authorization, saying that use of unapproved vaccines could result in groundings.
ConnectSkies has launched its new aircraft acquisition consultancy aimed at helping customers choose environmentally sustainable options. The UK-based company, which has built a website to provide information and rate aircraft on their green credentials, is also planning to open a facility in central London to showcase new technology.
Business aircraft and charter flight brokerage veteran Gabriella Somerville is launching the new venture because she believes individuals, companies, governments, and investors are increasingly eager to embrace greener modes of transportation. Initially, ConnectSkies will focus on sales of existing aircraft that have relatively low carbon emissions and reduced fuel consumption. In the longer term, the company aims to work in partnership with developers of new electric aircraft and so-called advanced air mobility business models.
The ConnectSkies platform provides information on “current and emerging sustainable aviation brands, service providers, products and biofuels.” It includes two virtual showrooms, one profiling aircraft such as the King Air 360i and the Piaggio Avanti Evo, and the other spotlighting future eVTOL and other electric- and hybrid-powered new aircraft.
In 2021, the company expects to announce plans to open what it calls a “sustainable center of excellence” in central London. It is also planning to offer local school students the chance to learn more about green aviation.
As a further indication of the growing prominence of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), global energy and commodity price benchmarking index Argus said Friday that it will begin including the SAF price for U.S. West Coast markets as part of its daily jet fuel report.
Due to local government incentives for SAF programs in California and Oregon, the sustainable fuel industry has gravitated to the region as a hotbed for the development and use of the fuels, now derived from several pathways using feedstocks such as used cooking oil, agricultural residues, and wood waste.
Although SAF is currently approved for blending with conventional jet fuels at ratios of up to 50 percent, Rolls-Royce has begun research into the use of pure SAF.
The new U.S. West Coast SAF price will be published in cents per U.S. gallon and will assess the pricing differential between SAF and Los Angeles conventional jet fuel.
“The jet fuel industry will be seeking tools to understand the market value of SAF,” said Argus Media chairman and CEO Adrian Binks. “Argus’s deep understanding of these emerging markets and ongoing market analysis of renewable fuels globally will satisfy these needs.”
Alto Brings New Immersive Audio Features to Bizav Cabins
Cabin management and entertainment system manufacturer Alto Aviation has introduced new immersive audio capabilities, both for individual VIP seats and to create a special media zone for a grouped seating area.
With the new On-Demand Audio Optimization feature, passengers can select a particular seat using the Alto remote control app to be the focus of Alto’s “life-like, realistic, and dynamic audio quality with smooth and powerful bass response.” This includes digitally focusing all subwoofer bass “for maximum impact,” according to Alto. “The mid-high speakers are time-aligned and individually equalized for a perfect sweet spot at the VIP’s ears.” And speakers located behind the VIP seat add surround-sound immersion.
This new capability draws on Alto’s new System Master Controller, which controls the digital signal processor in the Alto amplifiers, allowing users to customize EQ configurations, including surround-sound and spatially balanced speakers at the selected VIP seat. Earlier Alto audio systems can be configured to enable these new features, as well.
The new 3D Immersive Media Zone audio is a response to customer requests for immersive audio to complement credenza-mounted video monitors in midsize and larger jets.
The 6.2-channel setup includes left, center, and right speakers installed in the passenger service unit and surround-left, -right, and -center speakers mounted behind passengers, along with two compact subwoofers under seats or divan bulkheads and a Class-D amplifier.
Baldwin Safety & Compliance Offers Virtual SMS Training
Baldwin Safety & Compliance has introduced several new initiatives to its slate of safety management programs. Like many other face-to-face products that have required changes in the no-travel post-Covid world, last week at NBAA-VBACE the company introduced its e-Training program for safety managers, a self-paced virtual program for those seeking certification in safety management.
Unlike many other learning offerings, Baldwin’s program is intended to mimic the normal course as much as possible. “There’s no computer-animated graphics, no computer voices, it’s a real instructor in front of a camera, helping to explain how to get things done within the safety management system (SMS),” said Jason Starke, Baldwin’s director of standards. “Part of having that real instructor is there is feedback provided on assignments to help steer progress.” Course attendees will also be able to contact the instructor for individual help and a training course outline to help satisfy organizational requirements.
The safety manager certification program consists of a dozen individual courses, each of which includes multiple modules encompassing topics essential for the implementation and management of a company’s SMS, and according to Starke, the focus is on how to do the job, not simply on what SMS is. As part of the offering, Baldwin also provides recurrent and initial SMS training for frontline employees such as pilots, technicians, dispatchers, and administrators.
Jet Aviation will debut its new FBO and hangar complex at Arizona’s Scottsdale Airport this month. Last year the company acquired a stake in the Scottsdale Jet Center project and later expanded that to include the entire location, which will be the third FBO on the field. It consists of an 8,500-sq-ft terminal and a 30,000-sq-ft hangar, which can accommodate aircraft up to a G650.
“We have promised our customers that we will expand to locations where demand is high and are fully committed to delivering industry-leading services as required,” said David Best, the Switzerland-based company’s senior v-p of regional operations and U.S. general manager. “With Scottsdale Airport in the top 15 business aviation hubs in the U.S., this new opening underscores our commitment to strengthening our position as a leading FBO provider.”
"This is our sixth U.S. FBO network project in the past two years, including acquisitions in San Juan [Puerto Rico], Scottsdale, and Bozeman [Montana], coupled with hangar and FBO facility investments in Teterboro, Van Nuys, Palm Beach, and now the facility opening in Scottsdale,” noted v-p of business development and real estate Danny Larsen. “Built to complement existing facilities at Scottsdale Airport using cost- and energy-efficient construction practices, we further plan to install solar panels at the site next year.”
Which of the following are the safety management system (SMS) functional components?
A. Safety policy, risk management, safety assurance, safety promotion.
B. Risk assessment tool, reporting system, safety culture.
C. Confidential reports, no-blame culture, corporate attitude to safety.
D. All of the above.
Universal Weather To Donate Services for Covid Relief
Universal Weather and Aviation will donate feasibility and consulting services to general aviation operators wanting to use their aircraft to support humanitarian missions delivering Covid-19 vaccines, the Houston-based company said yesterday. Through June 30, 2021, Universal Trip Support will waive fees for trip feasibility assessments, research, and consultation services for any private aircraft mission classified as a humanitarian Covid-19 vaccine delivery flight.
“In the early months of the pandemic, the world needed PPE, masks, and tests. Many flight departments answered the call for help, and we were proud to donate our services in support of so many of those missions,” said Universal chairman Greg Evans. “Now that we have approved vaccines, the business aviation industry will undoubtedly play an important role in helping deliver them where they are needed. We want to use our expertise in global aviation restrictions and logistics to help ensure these life-saving missions can happen and are a success.”
Universal Trip Support will perform—at no cost for these humanitarian missions—scenario-specific research and consulting to help private operators understand things such as mission feasibility, identifying operating restrictions and the best options to navigate through them, documentation requirements, crew/passenger requirements, what to expect on arrival (including questions authorities will ask), and local health and safety requirements.
Meanwhile, Universal frequently updates its Covid-19 webpage with the latest operating restrictions at no cost to users.
Tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. EST, Dassault is holding a virtual rollout for its “ultra widebody” Falcon 6X business jet. Available on YouTube, the rollout will be emceed by pilot and broadcasting veteran Miles O’Brien, who will help unveil the new jet at Dassault’s Bordeaux-Mérignac final-assembly facility in France.
“The rollout is a special symbolic moment that represents a milestone in the life of an aeronautical program,” the company said in advance of the event. “It is a milestone eagerly awaited by our customers, partners, and employees, united around the new aircraft that will soon be ready for takeoff.”
Clarification
We inadvertently omitted the link to Friday's AINsight blog. Go here to read Jay Mesinger's full post.
AINalerts News Tips/Feedback: News tips may be sent anonymously, but feedback must include name and contact info (we will withhold name on request). We reserve the right to edit correspondence for length, clarity and grammar. Send feedback or news tips to AINalerts editor Chad Trautvetter.
AIN Alerts is a publication of The Convention News Company, Inc., 214 Franklin Avenue, Midland Park, New Jersey. Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.
