Tag: ground (Page 3 of 6)

Leonardo Technology Chosen for Milan, Italy Airport Systems

February 13, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Leonardo has strengthened its market position in the airport sector by signing contracts with SEA and SACBO, the respective management companies for Milan Malpensa and Milan Bergamo airports. Malpensa and Bergamo are the second and third busiest airports in Italy.

At Milan Malpensa, Leonardo will replace most of the existing baggage handling infrastructure with a high-tech new system. This will bring the Terminal 1 baggage handling system in line with the new European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) ‘Standard 3’, which requires baggage to be subject to rigorous security checks prior to being loaded onto the aircraft. Components of the system will be replaced gradually in order to ensure continuity of services for passengers.

Once fully operational, the system will comprise two MBHS® (Multisorting Baggage Handling System) cross-belt sorters, approximately two and a half kilometres of belts and associated equipment. The new technology will seamlessly interface with the existing system, ensuring that baggage is identified and tracked right from the collection phase at check in and transfers, through to delivery to the final sorting system.

SEA has also chosen Leonardo to provide a surveillance system at Milan Malpensa, primarily to support the management of aircraft and other vehicles in the ground manoeuvring area. The five-year project is based on an “Extended Squitter – Ground Station Network” ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast) system: 14 fixed stations integrated with 100 VeTWEET transponders on-board airport vehicles. The solution will include a redundant communication system based on the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communication System (AeroMACS), a wireless broadband technology. AeroMACS has been developed under the SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) joint R&D initiative, the technological pillar of Europe’s ambitious Single European Sky (SES) initiative. The innovative technology being supplied by Leonardo is fully compliant with the specifications defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for a “Mission Critical” environment such as an airport.

In another new contract, Leonardo’s technology has also been chosen by management company SACBO to bring the baggage handling system at Milan Bergamo airport in line with ECAC ‘Standard 3’. This new system will include a Leonardo MBHS® cross-belt sorting machine, providing for the smooth and accurate handling of baggage.

Leonardo is committed to supporting and protecting people and communities all over the world and contributing to sustainable growth via latest-generation technologies, including those in air traffic management and airport logistics. In line with its “Be Tomorrow 2030” strategic plan, the company works towards these goals alongside governments, individuals and industrial partners nationally and internationally.

SEA continues to invest in technology to make passenger journeys ever safer and faster.

LGSTX Services Wins U.S. Postal Service Contract for Orlando, Florida Sort Center

February 10, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

WILMINGTON, Ohio – (BUSINESS WIRE) – Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATSG) said today that its subsidiary, LGSTX Services, Inc., was recently awarded a five-year contract with the U.S. Postal Service to install and operate a Surface Transfer Center (STC) in Orlando, Fla., where postal products are sorted and consolidated for further distribution.

LGSTX Services has hired approximately 150 full-time employees at the center, with further hiring possible as product volumes increase. The company manages a similar facility for the Postal Service in Aurora, Ill., and has managed several others over the last two decades.

“To be awarded this contract for a second STC is a testament to the level of service the LGSTX team has provided,” said Jim Pradetto, president of LGSTX Services. “Our extensive history of managing these centers for the Postal Service gives us a unique advantage in understanding and anticipating their needs, allowing us to continually deliver the speed and operational support they require.”

Saab Receives Follow-on Contract for GlobalEye

January 4, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Saab has today received a follow on contract with the United Arab Emirates regarding the sale of two GlobalEye systems, Saab’s advanced airborne surveillance system. The order value is USD 1.018 billion and the contract period is 2020-2025.

The original contract with the United Arab Emirates for GlobalEye was signed in 2015. This contract is an amendment to that signed in 2015.

“We are proud that the United Arab Emirates continues to show great trust in Saab and our solutions. It shows that Saab remains on the cutting edge regarding advanced technology. The GlobalEye program is running according to plan and we have an efficient cooperation with the customer”, says Micael Johansson, President and CEO Saab.

The work will be carried out in Gothenburg, Linköping, Arboga, Järfälla and Luleå in Sweden and in Centurion, South Africa.

The contract was signed by the customer on the 30^th of December 2020, hence the order was booked during the fourth quarter 2020.

GlobalEye provides simultaneous air, maritime and ground surveillance. It combines sophisticated radar technology with the ultra-long range Global 6000 aircraft from Bombardier.

Eva Air Addresses COVID-19 Infected Pilot Dismissed for Cause

December 29, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

On behalf of EVA Air, we offer our sincere apology to frontline epidemic prevention teams, health-care workers and the general public for the impact on public epidemic prevention efforts our dismissed pilot’s regulation violations have caused.

We treat all our employees equally and apply the same standard to each and everyone who works at EVA, no matter what rank or title. If anyone is found to have violated epidemic prevention rules, we will immediately investigate and take disciplinary action if it’s warranted.

On December 23, 2020, after a thorough evaluation of facts and evidence, EVA’s Disciplinary Committee dismissed a Captain for violating epidemic prevention rules and filing an untruthful report. He disregarded Taiwan Civil Aeronautics Administration and Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) Operational Principles, requiring Air Crew Members of Taiwan-based airlines to comply with health controls in addition to Article 43, Paragraph 2 of the Communicable Disease Control Act, stating “relevant personnel shall not refuse, evade or obstruct the laboratory testing, diagnosis, investigation…, jeopardizing the good name and reputation of the company.”

The dismissed pilot’s irresponsible disregard for the well-being of First Officers in the cockpit with him, ground crew and others he came in contact with also meets criteria for disciplinary termination under Article 12, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 4 of Taiwan’s Labor Standards Law. Following Articles 13.3.6 and 14.3 of its Pilot Administration Manual, EVA’s Disciplinary Committee made a unanimous decision to terminate the pilot, effective immediately.

The dismissed pilot failed to mention his own noncompliance or epidemic prevention rule violations by any other crew member in reports he submitted for the cargo flights he commanded. On the evening of December 17, a female First Officer who had flown with the dismissed pilot notified EVA that she had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and mentioned that the dismissed pilot had not worn a mask when they were on duty in the cabin. Following Central Epidemic Command Center guidelines, we began investigating the dismissed pilot on December 18. Another First Officer who had flown with the dismissed pilot tested positive for COVID-19 on December 19. EVA contacted both First Officers to ensure their wellbeing and verify details of the situation. The First Officers confirmed that the dismissed pilot had not worn masks when he was on duty in the cockpit with them though he was asked to do so. The EVA Disciplinary Committee considered this information within the evidence they reviewed.

The dismissed pilot is from New Zealand, the female First Officer is Taiwanese and the other First Officer, Japanese.

We also immediately began improving our epidemic prevention practices and management procedures. For example, we established more rigorous rules for crew members when they collect food during overseas layovers in hotels. We now require everyone to wear masks, goggles and gloves when they receive food. During flights, only one pilot at a time can remove his or her mask to eat or drink. We equipped our dormitories with new door locks that record all entries and exits. We also created a new reporting mechanism to make it easy for employees to report violations they may witness, regardless of the offender’s position in the company. EVA will investigate all reports of violations and take disciplinary action whenever it is warranted.

EVA strictly complies with all government epidemic prevention policies and requires all crew members and staff to follow applicable rules. Unfortunately, one irresponsible employee’s thoughtless behavior spoiled the hard-earned success that other EVA pilots, crew members and staff have worked so hard to achieve. While EVA does not ever cut corners in practices or procedures, this situation exposed vulnerabilities in our epidemic prevention efforts. We met with Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center and Civil Aeronautics Administration to discuss additional measures we can take to make our operations more secure. And we will use what we learned from this situation as we continue to do our best to strengthen and improve our epidemic prevention practices and management procedures.

Collins Aerospace to Provide Army with Anti-Jam Technology

October 13, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

– The highest anti-jamming and anti-spoofing PNT technology providing access and trusted data for success of critical missions

Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE: RTX), has been selected to provide Mounted Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing System (MAPS Gen II) for manned and unmanned ground vehicles to combat Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) threats.

MAPS II provides a high-assurance, accurate navigation solution across GPS threat environments with industry-leading NavFusion of multiple sensors and is interoperable with the Collins Aerospace PRC-162 manpack radio to ensure mission success in the Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) battlespace.

Its advanced anti-spoofing and anti-jamming technology addresses evolving enemy threats and technologies. The warfighter can navigate through high threat environments with the confidence of knowing where they are, where they need to go, at the precise time with weapons on target.

Leveraging Collins Aerospace’s NavHub™-100 navigation system and Multi-Sensor Antenna System (MSAS-100), this navigation capability distributes Assured Position, Navigation and Timing (APNT) information to all systems onboard the platform through one device. The MAPS Gen II system includes Military Code (M-Code) capability and improved levels of reliability through patented Modernized Signal Tracking (MST) that enhances GPS integrity. Additionally, the open architecture, modular, and scalable technology lets the Army add additional sensors and capability with a much lower life-cycle cost, such as alternative Radio Frequency (RF) and Line of Bearing (LOB).

“Building upon our expertise in open architecture and NavFusion, this modular, and scalable system helps the warfighter keep pace with evolving threats and technologies. They can confidently know their location and destination at the precise time with weapons on target,” said Ryan Bunge, vice president and general manager, Communication, Navigation and Guidance Solutions for Collins Aerospace.

Emirates Starts on Greener road journeys for crew in Dubai

October 1, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Emirates has revealed that nearly a third of its dedicated fleet of transport buses for cabin crew in Dubai will now operate on biofuel, taking another step forward on its environmental mission to reduce emissions.

The airline’s contracted service provider, Al Wegdaniyah, has committed to operating all road trips with biodiesel provided by Neutral Fuels, one of the UAE’s leading producers of biofuels, utilising locally-sourced, used cooking oil as feedstock.

Emirates commissions a fleet of nearly four dozen buses in Dubai alone, to safely shuttle its cabin crew between their homes and the workplace, clocking an average of 700,000 kilometres in a normal month. Similar to operations in the air, route and schedule planning for ground transport is also an important aspect to maximise transport efficiency and reduce emissions.

The estimated carbon dioxide savings from this initiative alone is 75,000 kg annually, and the airline continues to work with its other transport suppliers to extend this initiative across the transport fleet.

Karl W. Feilder, CEO of Neutral Fuels congratulated Emirates and Al Wegdaniyah for the initiative, pointing out that it is in line with the energy-related sustainability goals that the UAE has committed to achieve by 2050. Using biofuel reduces greenhouse gases and other pollutants, and the change can be easily made because switching from fossil fuel to biofuel requires no modification to diesel engines. It has a positive effect on engines because its lubricating properties help prevent premature wear and failure, and it even acts as a detergent in fuel systems, removing sludge deposits which improves efficiency and reduces maintenance costs.

In addition, Emirates is also currently trialling the use of electric buses airside at Dubai International airport, to transport its crew between the terminal and aircraft.

Over the years, the airline has invested in electric vehicles for its on-ground operations where feasible. For instance, at its state-of-the-art Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai, which comprises a complex of hangars, workshops, material stores and offices, over 130 electric buggies and 80 electric material handling vehicles including forklifts, are being utilised for day-to-day operations.

Emirates is committed to environmental stewardship, focusing its ongoing efforts in three main areas: emissions reduction, responsible consumption, and the preservation of wildlife and habitats.

Emirates has a comprehensive fuel efficiency programme that actively investigates and implements ways to reduce unnecessary fuel burn and emissions wherever it is operationally feasible, whether in the air or on the ground.

Operating modern and fuel-efficient aircraft has been central to Emirates’ business model from the airline’s inception. This ongoing, multi-billion dollar investment, is Emirates’ biggest commitment – not only to passenger comfort, but also to reducing our environmental impact.

Leonardo Adding Airport Ground Operations Safety Technologies

September 30, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

– Leonardo’s U.S. subsidiary Selex ES Inc. launches AeroBOSS solutions to prevent runway incursions and protect global air travelers

– AeroBOSS provides a common operating platform enabling command and control of airport operations, maintenance and emergency resources

Leonardo’s U.S. subsidiary, Selex ES Inc., developer of en-route navigation, precision approach and landing, and surveillance systems, recently added airport surface management technologies to their air traffic control solutions.

Marketed under the name AeroBOSS, the technologies offer real-time, collaborative decision-making, flight and ground vehicle tracking, and runway safety systems that allow all surface vehicles to operate safer and more efficiently. AeroBOSS provides an airport-wide common operating platform enabling command and control of airport operations, maintenance, and emergency resources. One of the core AeroBOSS solutions is the AeroBOSS Runway Incursion Warning System (RIWS) that prevents runway accidents by alerting vehicle drivers of hazards before entering the runway area.

There are nearly thirty-one hundred airports in the world with commercial air carrier service, but only a small percentage have runway incursion prevention systems. Selex ES Inc. AeroBOSS technologies, developed for Air Navigation Service Providers and airports is able to improve airport safety efficiently and cost-effectively.

The addition of AeroBOSS solutions to Leonardo’s portfolio comes as the result of collaboration with U.S.-based INDMEX. The timing is critical, as the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization and Flight Safety Foundation have expressed concerns regarding the risks of airport runway incursions as air travel begins to return to normal following the sharp declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Azul Receives Certification for First E195 Adapted Cargo Aircraft

September 27, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

– Four aircraft to be converted initially to support the company’s e-commerce solutions

Azul S.A., “Azul” (NYSE: AZUL), announces today that it has received certification for the world’s first Embraer E195 adapted dedicated cargo aircraft. The first aircraft began commercial services on Saturday, September 26th. Another three aircraft are expected to be adapted by the end of 2020, delivering a unique and focused solution to the Company’s e-commerce customers. Two of the four planes have already been dedicated to an e-commerce provider for a period of at least six months.

The four E-jets will join the Company’s two dedicated Boeing 737-400 freighters, for a total of six aircraft dedicated for Azul Cargo Express, Azul’s cargo business unit. In addition, the Company’s dedicated fleet capabilities are further expanded by its five ATR 72-600 Quick-Change aircraft. These dedicated cargo aircraft, together with belly capacity on Azul’s passenger network, the largest in Brazil, gives the Company’s customers exclusive access to the broadest, fastest and most efficient range of logistics services.

“We are excited to continue diversifying our business model with the adaptation of these four Embraer aircraft. The size, range, and performance of the E195, gives it the perfect combination of payload capacity, volume capacity and low trip-cost economics allowing fast and efficient logistics access all around Brazil. We are seeing record demand for the services provided by Azul Cargo Express and are pleased to innovate to further meet the needs of our customers. With the combination of our dedicated aircraft, belly capacity on the largest domestic network in Brazil, and our extensive ground partnerships, we are ready to meet the growing need of all our logistics and especially all our e-commerce customers. Our logistics solutions have the potential to transform e-commerce in Brazil”, says John Rodgerson, CEO of Azul.

Boeing Australia Fires Up Engine on First Loyal Wingman Aircraft

September 14, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Boeing Australia powered up the commercial turbofan engine on the first Loyal Wingman aircraft in September, as part of ground testing and preparations for first flight.

This milestone comes on the heels of Boeing completing the first unmanned Loyal Wingman aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force earlier this year, a major step forward for the unmanned vehicle serving as the foundation for the global Boeing Airpower Teaming System, an artificial intelligence-powered teaming aircraft developed for the global defense market.

“This engine run gets us closer toward flying the first aircraft later this year and was successful thanks to the collaboration and dedication of our team,” said Dr. Shane Arnott, program director of the Boeing Airpower Teaming System. “We’ve been able to select a very light, off-the-shelf jet engine for the unmanned system as a result of the advanced manufacturing technologies applied to the aircraft.”

EU Clears 7 Billion Euros in State Aid for Air France-KLM

May 4, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union’s competition watchdog on Monday approved French state aid worth 7 billion euros ($7.66 billion) for Air France <AF.PA>, saying the support would provide cash to soften the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic.

Airlines across Europe have sought state rescues as coronavirus lockdowns have forced them to ground their fleets for more than a month, with no end in sight.

“This 7 billion euro French guarantee and shareholder loan will provide Air France with the liquidity that it urgently needs to withstand the impact of the coronavirus outbreak,” the EU’s top competition official Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

The European Commission noted the importance of Air France, with more than 300 planes, to the French economy and the role it has played in repatriating stranded citizens and transporting medical supplies.

The Commission said in its statement that the support will take the form of a state guarantee on loans and a subordinated shareholder loan to the company by the French state.

The French and Dutch governments each hold close to 14% of the Air France-KLM group, which was created by the 2004 merger between the two national carriers.

(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska and Robin Emmott, editing by Ed Osmond and Barbara Lewis)

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