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Airbus Wins First Syracuse IV Ground Segment Program Contract

Paris, France 4 March 2020 – Within the Syracuse IV programme, Airbus (Paris: AIR.PA) has been awarded a 10-year framework agreement called Copernicus for the construction and upgrading of part of the ground segment for the telecommunications satellites used by the French Armed Forces. As part of Copernicus, the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has placed an initial order worth more than € 100 million.

Dominique Maudet, Head of French Defence Sales at Airbus Defence and Space said: “We are building the future broadband and multi-satellite ground segment for France’s Armed Forces. It will be fully integrated, intelligent and dynamic, giving operators access to a decision-making tool unique to satellite communications management.”

This first order specifically covers the development of the future satellite communications management system for the French Ministry of Defence. This unique portal called Pegasus, accessible to all units, will enable the French Armed Forces to optimise use of the available capacities on military and commercial satellites. It will make it possible to coordinate requests entered by central military staff or any unit deployed on the ground, at sea or in the air. Allocation of satellite capacities will be optimised in terms of operational criteria completed by the units, such as the type of terminals used, ground cover, level of cyber security, jamming resistance, as well as the need for availability.

The Copernicus project also aims to increase the operability of Comcept, the multi-satellite communications network designed by Airbus and commissioned by the French armed forces in 2017. Comcept uses the broadband Ka-band transmission capacities of the Franco-Italian military satellite ATHENA-FINDUS, in addition to the Ku- and C-band capacities of commercial satellites. Thanks to these developments, Comcept will also be able to use the high-speed Ka-band of future satellites SYRACUSE 4A and 4B.

Different elements of the SYRACUSE IV programme’s future ground segment and the Pegasus portal will enable the French armed forces to use the entire spectrum of satellite capacities efficiently and dynamically, from the most secure and resilient to the high-speed and wide coverage capacities, in all areas of operations.

Amtrak Expands Carry-On Pet Program to Weekday Acela Trains

WASHINGTON – Amtrak announced today the expansion of its pet program allowing customers to travel with their dogs and cats up to 20 pounds onboard weekday Acela trains for only $26 or 800 Amtrak Guest Rewards points. Previously available for only weekend trips, there will be eight pet spaces for sale per departure (one per customer) and are booked on a first-come, first-served basis.

Pets will be allowed in all cars, except for First Class or Café cars. Pets must remain in a carrier at all times and carriers should remain under their seat. Amtrak continues to welcome service animals on board at no charge. To confirm pet eligibility, all customers must read and sign a Pet Release and Indemnification Agreement for each travel segment. 

This new amenity is part of several recent upgrades on the Acela, including the expansion of the Reserved Seating offering for Acela Business Class customerswhich allows travelers to view and select their seats before traveling, including those available in the Quiet Car, and provide a snapshot of the overall of the train’s capacity. In addition, Amtrak has continues its enhanced cleaning protocols at stations and on trains and new measures to deliver a New Standard of Travel, including:

  • Requiring face coverings: Per federal law and Amtrak policy, all customers and employees must wear a face mask or covering that fully covers the entire mouth and nose, fits snugly against the side of the face, and secures under the chin at all times while onboard and in stations.
  • Air Quality: All of our trains are equipped with onboard filtration systems with a fresh air exchange rate every 4-5 minutes.
  • Physical distancing: Signage has been displayed at our busiest stations to indicate safe distances in high traffic areas. In addition, protective plastic barriers have been installed at customer counters at our busiest stations.

More than 174,300 pets and their human companions have traveled around the country since the program launched on the Northeast Corridor in October 2015. The program has also generated more than $4.338 million in revenue since its inception. For more information visit Amtrak’s Pet policy

Lufthansa Supervisory Board Nominates Britta Seeger, Extends Detlef Kayser

Stephan Sturm will resign from the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG (XETRA: LHA.DE), which will go into effect after the Annual General Meeting on May 4, 2021. The Chairman of the Executive Board of Fresenius has been a member of the Lufthansa Supervisory Board since April 2015 and has chaired the Audit Committee since January 2018.

The Supervisory Board Nomination Committee has proposed that Britta Seeger fill the vacancy. The 51-year-old business economist has been a member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG (XETRA: DAI.DE) since 2017 and is responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales. The Bonn-born manager will be nominated for election at the Annual General Meeting on May 4.

The responsibility as Chairman of the Audit Committee, which is currently held by Stephan Sturm, will be transferred to Harald Krüger at the Annual General Meeting, according to the will of the Supervisory Board.

At a meeting today, the Supervisory Board also decided to extend Detlef Kayser’s (55) contract ahead of schedule for three more years until December 31, 2024.

Dr. Detlef Kayser has been a member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG since January 1, 2019. As “Chief Operations Officer” he is responsible for the operational processes and fleet and infrastructure management of the Lufthansa Group along with the Group-wide “ReNew” restructuring program.

Air New Zealand Flight NZ993 Carries Samoan Workers to New Zealand

Yesterday’s flight was the last of five Air New Zealand (NZSE: AIR.NZ) services that have transported more than 700 workers from Apia to Auckland over the past six weeks under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme.

The airline has transported workers on three charter and two commercial services between Samoa and New Zealand to support a sustainable seasonal labour force for orchards and vineyards in Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury and the upper South Island. Once the workers have completed two weeks of managed isolation, they will disperse around New Zealand to support the country’s horticulture and viticulture industries for the next seven months.

Air New Zealand’s Country Manager Samoa Karen Gatt says the airline’s team based at Faleolo Airport in Apia was excited to see so many travellers and their families arriving at the terminal again when the RSE programme kicked off in January.

New Zealand High Commissioner to Samoa, HE Dr Trevor Matheson, has worked closely with the RSE industry and Air New Zealand to enable the workers to travel to New Zealand.

https://www.escape.com.au/destinations/the-essential-guide-to-hawkes-bay-and-napier-new-zealand/news-story/384b46eb67398e716cb6aa6e768ff9d0

Delta and LATAM Receive Final Approval in Brazil for Joint Venture Agreement

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and LATAM (Santiago: LTM.SN) have received final approval, without conditions, of their commercial agreement (“trans-American Joint Venture agreement” or “JVA”) by the Brazilian competition authority – the Administrative Council for Economic Defense – after initial approval was granted in September 2020. The JVA seeks to enhance the route networks served by both airlines, delivering a seamless travel experience between North and South America. The Delta-LATAM agreement has also been approved in Uruguay while the application process continues in other countries, including Chile.

“This final approval in Brazil furthers our mission to provide customers in this important market with the world-class travel experience and options they deserve,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “Moving forward, we will continue working with LATAM to unlock more benefits for our customers and create the premier airline alliance of the Americas.”

LATAM Airlines Group CEO Roberto Alvo added, “This ruling  reinforces the benefits of this type of agreement for travelers and enables us to advance in our commitment to delivering greater and better connectivity between South America and the world.” 

The ratification by the Brazilian authority supports the work of both airlines to deliver a broader and more competitive network of benefits for their customers that will include, among others:

  • Code-share agreements between Delta and certain subsidiaries of the LATAM group, which allow the purchase of tickets to a larger network of destinations.
  • Members of the Delta SkyMiles and LATAM Pass programs can redeem points / miles on both airlines, accessing more than 435 destinations around the world.
  • Shared terminals and faster connections at Terminal 4 of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and at Terminal 3 of São Paulo’s Guarulhos Airport.
  • Reciprocal lounge access: Customers can access 35 Delta Sky Club lounges in the United States and five LATAM VIP lounges in South America.

Boeing Begins T-7A Red Hawk Advanced Trainer Production

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 23, 2021 — A new era in aircraft design and build has begun as the first U.S. portion of the T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer has officially entered the Boeing [NYSE: BA] jet’s state-of-the-art production line.

The training jet, designated the eT-7A Red Hawk by the U.S. Air Force because of its digital heritage, was fully designed using 3D model-based definition and data management systems developed at Boeing during the last two decades. The T-7A Red Hawk employed the digital engineering and design of the Boeing T-X aircraft that went from firm concept to first flight in just 36 months.

The Advanced Pilot Training System also incorporates leading-edge ground-based live and virtual simulators to give students and instructors a “real as it gets” experience.

In September 2018, the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a $9.2 billion contract to supply 351 advanced trainer aircraft and 46 associated ground-based training simulators. Saab is teamed with Boeing on the trainer and provides the aft fuselage of the jet.

Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As a top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.

Lufthansa Group Streamlines Pilot Training Program within ReNew Framework

The global aviation crisis caused by the pandemic continues to have serious consequences for employees working in the airline industry. As a result, pilot training has also been severely affected by the repercussions of the crisis, as the need for recruitment has decreased.

Nevertheless, Lufthansa has decided to use the interruption caused by the crisis to fundamentally modernize the existing training concept at its in-house flight schools. The principle of ab-initio training will remain in place, as it has been proven to be successful for decades. However, in the future, a so-called “campus model” framework will provide modern, digital forms of training along with new selection procedures. These will enable more needs-based training for the various airlines of the Lufthansa Group and take into account the volatile demand in air traffic.

The campus training will be comparable to a university study program with defined qualification and training standards resulting in an institutionalized, internationally recognizable degree. After completing the training, graduates will be recruited depending on the demand situation of the respective flight operations of the various airlines of the Lufthansa Group.

Consequently, this gives the current generation of student pilots another perspective on a possible entry into cockpits at Lufthansa Group Airlines later on. In view of the current lack of prospects for pilot careers within the Lufthansa Group, last year the Group’s training division, Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT),  offered all flight students the option of ending their training without incurring any costs or, alternatively, continuing their training at another flight school.

Part of the new training concept is to provide theoretical and practical training, which is located closer to the customer. In the future, the theoretical part will be concentrated at the traditional Bremen location, where the digital modules for theoretical pilot training will also be developed. The practical part of the training, which is scheduled to take place in Germany, will be consolidated at Rostock-Laage: LAT already operates a modern and recognized training facility at “RLG” airport, the site of its largest external customer.

Shell Selects H160 for Operation by PHI in Gulf of Mexico

Marignane, France, 15, February, 2021 – International energy group Shell has selected leading US offshore helicopter operator PHI to operate four Airbus H160’s to service a support contract in the Gulf of Mexico. The contract marks the entry into the oil and gas market of the H160 with a wealth of design features promising new levels of safety, comfort and schedule reliability in offshore operations.

The three companies – Airbus, PHI and Shell – are cooperating in a unique partnership. In a pioneering move, Airbus will provide one H160 ahead of final deliveries to PHI and Shell for a year-long route-proving programme to enable the operator and the final customer to familiarize themselves with the type’s advanced features and mitigate the normal challenges around entry into service.

At PHI it will be based at Houma, Louisiana and join a large company fleet of H125’s and H135’s deployed in emergency medical service throughout the United States, as well as two H145’s operating for Shell on pipeline survey work in Louisiana, and two H145’s flying the world’s longest harbour pilot shuttle in Mackay, Australia.

With 68 patents, the H160 is the world’s most technologically advanced helicopter and features an unprecedented suite of pilot aids delivered through its Helionix avionics which substantially reduces crew workload and decreases the risk of pilot error.

They include the world’s first ground helipad assisted take-off procedure, a vortex ring state pre-alerting system and a recovery mode to automatically regain steady flight in difficult circumstances.

The H160 is powered by two of the latest Arrano engines from Safran Helicopter Engines and incorporates an embedded monitoring system and a redundancy of sensors, and can be maintained autonomously far from base. The design emphasises robust corrosion defence specifically envisaging offshore missions.

Delta Named Best Airline for American Travelers by USA Today

USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards announced their list of best airlines, airline amenities and airports of 2021 – naming Delta (NYSE: DAL) the best airline for American travelers, the Delta Sky Club at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York as the best airport lounge and Delta flight attendants as the best cabin crew.

Nominees in all categories are chosen editorially by a panel of experts. Once the nominees were selected, readers could vote once per category, per day for four weeks. The winners indicate which airlines, airline amenities and airports make getting to your destination a pleasure rather than a pain.

The Delta Sky Club at New York-JFK features a Sky Deck overlooking Terminal 4, free WiFi, fresh food, premium drinks and more. During the ongoing pandemic, guests can expect to see a new standard of Club cleanliness that includes the same Delta CareStandard practices found throughout the airport and onboard aircraft. This includes but is not limited to: individually packaged fresh food options; plexiglass partitions at check-in, at the bar and between seating areas; limited capacity and blocked seats to promote more space; and enhanced cleaning measures. Learn more on delta.com

In September 2020, the airline opened its newest and largest Delta Sky Club as a part of Salt Lake City International Airport’s newly opened terminal. Delta’s support of the new Salt Lake City Airport build is part of the airline’s ongoing strategy to modernize our hub infrastructure and customer experience by investing more than $12B in airport projects.

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