Operational readiness at risk: NOAA scrambles for critical aircraft engines

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) air operations, crucial for protecting life and property across international domains, face an escalating threat due to a critical shortage of essential aircraft engines.

The agency's Air Operations Center (AOC) has issued an urgent requirement for new and overhauled engines for its King Air 350/360 and DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft. The agency warns that current inventory gaps directly jeopardize long-term fleet sustainability and mission continuity. The AOC's current inventory is alarmingly lacking in spare PT6A-60A engines.

To safeguard against potential mission disruption, minimize aircraft downtime caused by scheduled or unscheduled maintenance, and ensure the fleet's viability, the AOC mandates the immediate procurement of at least two overhauled PT6A-60A engines. The absence of readily available engines presents a significant risk of prolonged part shortages and operational delays, severely compromising NOAA’s ability to respond to critical events.

NOAA highlighted the request for engines in a Combined Synopsis/Solicitation contract document released on Friday.

Engines For Otter

Similarly, NOAA's Twin Otter aircraft are facing a precarious situation. To maintain a constant state of operational readiness and secure fleet sustainability, the AOC urgently requires two additional overhauled PT6A-27 engines.

A continued deficit in spare engines could severely impede mission capabilities, leading to extended grounding of aircraft and jeopardizing critical NOAA operations.

The AOC is actively seeking a vendor capable of supplying these essential turbine engines – two newly overhauled PT6A-60A units and two newly overhauled PT6A-27 engines.

A stringent delivery timeframe of within six months after contract award is stipulated, with the agency expressing a strong preference for the engines to be supplied "as soon as practical.”

Once acquired, the engines will be shipped to the AOC facility in Lakeland, Fla., to be integrated into the on-site inventory.

NOAA estimates a contract award for the engines in the third or fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025.

New King Air Arrival

In January 2024, NOAA announced the arrival of its newest aircraft, a Beechcraft King Air 360 CER turboprop.

The new aircraft, designated N65RF, is configured to support NOAA's coastal mapping missions and aerial surveys of damage in communities following events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, or flooding. With a camera bay in the aircraft's belly and workstations for sensor operators, the aircraft will be able to obtain and process vital aerial imagery in-flight, giving emergency managers a rapid understanding of conditions on the ground. 

The twin-engine aircraft was built at Textron Aviation’s factory in Wichita, Kan., and modified by Avcon Industries (Newton, Kan.), as part of a $13.9 million contract to Textron Aviation, Inc.

NASA seeks Rolls-Royce engines for Gulfstream G-IV research aircraft

NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) has initiated a market survey, soliciting information from potential sources to procure Rolls-Royce TAY 611-8 engines for one of its Gulfstream G-IV aircraft. The space agency announced its request through a Sources Sought contract document released on Thursday, indicating an upcoming acquisition.

The primary objective of the request is for AFRC to gauge market interest and assess the capabilities of potential suppliers. By inviting capability statements from all interested engine firms, NASA aims to determine the appropriate level of competition for future procurement. This is a standard preliminary step in government contracting, designed to inform the agency's acquisition strategy.

The Rolls-Royce TAY 611-8 engines are renowned for their reliability and are a common propulsion system for various business jets, including the Gulfstream G-IV series.

NASA's G-IV aircraft at AFRC are typically utilized for a wide range of missions, including airborne science, flight test support, and advanced aeronautics research. Maintaining and upgrading these aircraft with current or new propulsion systems ensures their continued operational readiness and capability for critical missions.

Firms possessing the required capabilities to supply the Rolls-Royce TAY 611-8 engines are invited to respond to NASA’s request. Interested parties must submit their capability statements no later than Sept. 19.

Chipotle begins food delivery by drone in Texas

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced on Thursday that it is partnering with Zipline, the world's largest autonomous delivery system, to deliver digital orders directly to guests' locations in the greater Dallas area. A small number of Zipline users will have access to Zipotle starting Thursday, ahead of a broader service launch in the coming weeks.

Chipotle's new delivery option, Zipotle, will use Zipline's fleet of quiet, zero-emissions aircraft to make super-fast, convenient deliveries that save customers' time and keep orders fresh. Chipotle's entire menu is eligible for Zipotle delivery.

The Chipotle at 3109 Lakeview Pkwy, Rowlett, Texas, will be the first to offer Zipotle deliveries. Zipotle will operate seven days a week, initially from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. CDT, and will soon expand to 10 p.m.

After flying to its destination, the aircraft will hover about 300 feet in the air, while the Zip lowers to the ground. Zip automatically avoids obstacles and gently and precisely places the order at the guest's address.

"With Zipline, you tap a button, and minutes later food magically appears - hot, fresh, and ultra-fast," said Keller Rinaudo Cliffton, CEO and Co-Founder of Zipline. "What once felt like science fiction is soon going to become totally normal.”

Initially, Zipotle will carry orders up to 5.5 pounds and will increase to eight pounds over time.

Rocket Cargo initiative advances with universal Payload Container design study

A significant step forward in the development of rapid military global logistics deliveries via space was announced by the U.S. Air Force this week.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded a $1 million contract to Anduril Industries, Inc. for a design study focused on a universal Payload Container for their Rocket Cargo Vanguard program (also referred to as Point-to-Point Delivery (P2PD)). The program envisions swift, point-to-point cargo delivery anywhere on Earth using advanced rocket technology.

The core objective of this newly awarded contract is to procure a design study for a "Payload Container" capable of integrating with multiple launch platforms, AFRL said in contract documents released Wednesday.

Unlike specialized single-purpose containers, this innovative system is intended to be highly versatile, allowing for the seamless integration of various government-defined payloads. This standardization is crucial for optimizing efficiency, reducing preparation times, and enhancing the overall flexibility of future space-based logistics operations.

By enabling a wide array of payloads – from humanitarian aid and disaster relief supplies to critical equipment – to be rapidly deployed across different rocket types, the program seeks to revolutionize global supply chains and response capabilities.

The future vision involves a system that can deliver cargo to remote or time-sensitive locations within hours.

The competitive contract was awarded as a firm fixed price agreement, emerging from the Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics Payload Reentry from Space Development and Demonstrations program.

Space launch companies like SpaceX and Rocket Lab USA, Inc., have already been awarded contracts to demonstrate the Rocket Cargo concept.

Demonstration Flights

In May, Rocket Lab announced that it will launch its new medium-lift reusable rocket Neutron for the AFRL to perform a Rocket Cargo mission to support point-to-point cargo transportation. The mission is scheduled no earlier than 2026.

SpaceX’s Starship vehicle was awarded a similar contract in 2022 to investigate Point-to-Point Delivery.

Ecuador needs spare parts for A-29B aircraft

In April 2024, Ecuador announced plans to invest $56.8 million to recover most of its A-29 Super Tucano aircraft from storage. The United States is contributing $10 million to the recovery program.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Air Force released a Request for Information (RFI) document to gather details from qualified suppliers and vendors capable of providing spare parts for the aircraft.

“This RFI will assist the government in identifying vendors with the capabilities to meet our current and future requirements, leading to a potential Request For Proposal,” the Air Force said in the RFI.

Contractors capable of supplying spare parts are invited to respond to the RFI. The document provided the following parts list:

• OXYGEN REGULATORS APPLICABLE TO SUPER TUCANO AIRCRAFT
• TRANSCEIVER VHF COMM APPLICABLE TO SUPER TUCANO AIRCRAFT
• RUDDER TRIM TAB ACTUATOR APPLICABLE TO SUPER TUCANO AIRCRAFT
• TURBINE OIL APPLICABLE TO SUPER TUCANO AIRCRAFT
• HYDRAULIC FLUID APPLICABLE TO SUPER TUCANO AIRCRAFT
• TRIM TAB ACTUATOR AILERON, APPLICABLE TO SUPER TUCANO AIRCRAFT
• PMU APPLICABLE TO SUPER TUCANO AIRCRAFT
• DIRECTIONAL GYRO UNIT APPLICABLE TO SUPER TUCANO AIRCRAFT
• LEG ASSEMBLY, RH MLG
• LEG ASSEMBLY EQUIPPED, LH MLG
• (LT) MAIN DRAG STRUCT, ASSEMBLY MLG
• (RT) MAIN DRAG STRUCT, ASSEMBLY MLG
• LEG ASSEMBLY, NLG
• NLG DRAG STRUCT, MAIN ASSEMBLY
• NLG SIDE STRUCT, SECOND ASSEMBLY

Flight attendants' strike ends, Air Canada restarting operations

Air Canada announced that it will gradually restart its operations on Tuesday after reaching a mediated agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Mediation discussions were initiated on the condition that the union commit to having the airline's 10,000 flight attendants return to work immediately, allowing Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge to resume operations, which have been grounded since Saturday.

The airline said it will not comment on an agreement with the flight attendants until the ratification process is complete. During any ratification or under the binding arbitration process, a strike or lockout is not possible, meaning customers can plan, book, and travel with Air Canada with certainty.

"The suspension of our service is extremely difficult for our customers,” said Michael Rousseau, president and chief executive officer of Air Canada. “We deeply regret and apologize for the impact on them of this labor disruption. Our priority now is to get them moving as quickly as possible. Restarting a major carrier like Air Canada is a complex undertaking. Full restoration may require a week or more, so we ask for our customers' patience and understanding over the coming days. I assure them that everyone at Air Canada is doing everything possible to enable them to travel soon.”

The first flights are scheduled for Tuesday evening, but customers are advised that the airline's return to full, regular service may require seven to ten days as aircraft and crew are out of position. During this process, some flights will be cancelled over the next seven to ten days until the schedule is stabilized.

Only customers with confirmed bookings whose flights are shown as operating should go to the airport. Air Canada will offer options to those with cancelled flights, including obtaining a full refund or receiving a credit for future travel. The carrier will also offer to rebook customers on other airlines, although capacity is currently limited due to the peak summer travel season.

Flight attendants continue strike, all Air Canada flights suspended, again

Air Canada said it has suspended its plan to resume limited flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge on Sunday after the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) “illegally directed its flight attendant members to defy a direction from the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to return to work.” The airline now hopes to resume flights tomorrow evening.

All operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge were initially suspended on Saturday due to a strike by CUPE. By the Government of Canada's direction, "the CIRB ordered a resumption of our activities and directed our flight attendants to return to work," Air Canada said in a press release.

Approximately 240 flights scheduled to operate beginning this afternoon have now been cancelled by the airline. Typically, the carriers operate 700 flights a day.

Customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and are strongly advised not to go to the airport unless they have confirmed flights with other airlines. Air Canada will offer those with cancelled flights options, including obtaining a full refund or receiving a credit for future travel. The carrier will also offer to rebook customers on other carriers, although capacity is currently limited due to the peak summer travel season.

Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz or PAL continue to operate as normal.

“Why have a union?” public reaction to Air Canada flight attendants' strike

Air Canada said it plans to resume flights on Sunday after the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) acted on a directive from Canadian Labor Minister Patty Hajdu to end a flight attendant strike. The strike resulted in the suspension of more than 700 flights.

The CIRB has directed Air Canada to resume airline operations and for all Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flight attendants to report to work by 2 p.m. EDT on Aug. 17. The strike began early Saturday. Meanwhile, reaction to the strike over social media is asking the question, “So why have a union then?”

Arrest 10,000 Flight Attendants?

Users of the social news and discussion website Reddit believe the power of unions is being undermined by governments once again.

“Gotta love it when the government completely undermines the power of unions,” a reader said in a post on Reddit.

“Not even 12 hours. The federal government not even trying to hide the fact they’re union busting for Air Canada. Setting the precedent for future airlines and companies. Why bargain in good faith when the government is just going to bail you out.

“What are they going to do, arrest 10,000 flight attendants? Levy sanctions?”

The federal government's order to end the strike should put workers back on the job immediately, but it will be several days before Air Canada operations are back to normal.

Cleared For Takeoff

Restart of operations will begin immediately, with first flights this evening, but Air Canada expects it will take several days before its operations return to normal.

“During this process, some flights will be canceled over the next seven to ten days until the schedule is stabilized,” the airline said in a press release. “Air Canada deeply regrets the inconvenience for its customers.”

Information For Customers

Customers whose flights were cancelled and did not travel and who did not accept a refund or credit for future travel will be notified and provided a new itinerary.

Air Canada strongly recommends against customers going to the airport unless they have a confirmed booking and their flights are showing as operating.

Air Canada Express flights operated by its regional partners, Jazz Aviation LP and Provincial Airlines (PAL), remain operational throughout the strike.

Under Canada's Airline Passenger Protection Regulations, customers in Canada are not eligible for compensation for delayed or cancelled flights, meals, hotels, or other incidental expenses for situations outside the carrier's control, such as a labor disruption.