United Airlines maintenance technicians rally at Orlando International Airport

After a week of contract negotiations, United Airlines Teamsters aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) are rallying at Orlando International Airport (MCO) to reject the company’s most recent proposal.

Following an overwhelming 99.5 percent rejection, Teamsters at United Airlines said, “We will accept nothing less than an industry-leading contract that keeps jobs in America," Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said in a press statement. "United's greedy executives disrespected our members with an insulting, un-American proposal last month. It's time for this company to stop playing games and put real proposals on the table — ones that don't outsource jobs to China but deliver the dignity and respect our members have earned."

The Teamsters Union represents over 10,000 United Airlines AMTs across the country. The group is demanding a contract with top-tier pay, a faster wage progression for new technicians, and protection from United's growing practice of outsourcing critical maintenance work to China and other countries.

"United Airlines is one of the most profitable in the entire industry, yet it refuses to reward the workers responsible for those profits with a fair contract," said Chris Griswold, director of the Teamsters Airline Division. "We will continue to hold United's feet to the fire until it recognizes the indispensable role United Airlines Teamsters play in the carrier's success and the safety of the flying public."

"United's previous offer would have slashed our wages and shipped more of our work to China," said Martin Acosta, a United technician at MCO and member of the United Airlines Teamsters National Negotiating Committee. "If United prioritizes safety like it says it does, it wouldn't be trying to outsource critical maintenance work overseas. We aren't just fighting to protect our work — we are fighting to protect the American aviation industry. United has the power to do both by agreeing to our demands for a fair contract.”

Army Special Operations orders five Boeing MH-47G Block II Chinooks

The U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC) has awarded Boeing a $240 million contract for the remanufacture of five MH-47G Block II Chinook helicopters.

This order underscores the Army's commitment to modernizing its special operations aviation capabilities and ensuring its forces have access to the most advanced heavy-lift platforms available. Deliveries of these remanufactured Chinooks are slated to commence in 2027.

"Supporting the needs of our special operators continues to be critically important," stated Heather McBryan, vice president and program manager for Cargo Programs at Boeing Defense, Space & Security. She emphasized the significance of providing USASOAC with the enhanced capabilities of the MH-47G Block II, given their unique and complex mission requirements: "USASOAC has unique and complex mission requirements, so it’s vital we provide the enhanced capabilities of the MH-47G Block II as quickly as possible."

This latest contract follows USASOAC's acquisition of four MH-47G Block II aircraft earlier in 2024. With this recent award, the Army now has a total of 51 MH-47G Block II aircraft under contract, solidifying its investment in this advanced platform. Boeing anticipates completing the remanufacturing and delivery of the entire USASOAC Chinook fleet by the early 2030s.

The MH-47G Block II represents a significant upgrade to the Chinook platform, enhancing USASOAC's global reach and heavy-lift capabilities.

According to a Boeing press release, the aircraft is designed for long-term operational effectiveness, boasting a reinforced airframe, redesigned fuel tanks, and a modular design that facilitates future modernization efforts. These improvements ensure that the MH-47G Block II remains a relevant and capable asset for decades to come, supporting critical special operations missions around the world.

Special maintenance crane under development for president’s Boeing 747

In the shadowy world where aviation maintenance meets national security, a new crane is under development for the Commander in Chief’s Boeing 747-200B aircraft.

Defense contractor S.A.F.E. Structure Designs announced on Monday that it has secured a contract with L3Harris Technologies to develop a bespoke aircraft maintenance crane for the president’s aircraft.

The new crane will support the delicate installation and removal of the radome, the very crown of the presidential aircraft.

A radome is the protective aerodynamic covering that houses the radar antenna, essential for various functions like weather radar, communication, and navigation. The radome on the president’s plane, like those on other aircraft, serves to protect the radar antenna from environmental factors such as rain, ice, hail, and bird strikes.

S.A.F.E. Structure Designs is no stranger to the veiled world of military aviation. Their past exploits include the creation of two custom cranes, already in active service, supporting maintenance operations on other presidential planes. This new contract deepens their involvement, solidifying their position as guardians of presidential fleet maintenance.

"Our team at SAFE Structure is humbly honored to support the operational readiness of Air Force One and Air Force Two," declared Johnny Buscema Jr., president & CEO of S.A.F.E. Structure Designs. Both aircraft are designated VC-25A and have tail numbers 28000 and 29000.

Contrary to popular belief, "Air Force One" isn’t a plane. It’s a radio call sign used by any plane the president travels in.

Beyond this singular contract, S.A.F.E. Structure Designs operates in the shadows, specializing in customized aviation maintenance platforms, ground support equipment, and aircraft maintenance tooling for military, government, and commercial aviation operations.

Lilac Club Casino grand opening this week in New Hampshire

The new Lilac Club Casino in Rochester, N.H., held a special VIP ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday ahead of opening its doors to the public. The exclusive ribbon cutting welcomed local dignitaries, business leaders, and special guests to celebrate the unveiling of the new casino.

Lilac Club Casino will hold a grand opening to the public on Friday. The new location will operate under the state’s charitable gaming model. In New Hampshire, casinos must donate at least 35% of table game revenue to charities and nonprofits and 10% to the state and can retain the remaining share. There are no commercial/retail casinos in the state.

Spanning 32,000 square feet, the new Lilac Club Casino features over 200 exciting gaming machines and a wide variety of popular table games like Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, a mix of Carnival Games with progressive jackpots and a 12-table Poker room. Guests can even try locally brewed New Hampshire beers on tap at Lucky Oak Bar & Grill.

The new facility is the second location for Granite State Gaming & Hospitality. The company has a casino in Hampton.

"We are truly honored to have celebrated this milestone with our fellow community leaders," said Eric Barbaro, chief operating officer of Granite State Gaming & Hospitality. "As we prepare for our grand opening, we are thrilled to welcome guests from near and far to experience everything our casino has to offer. Lilac Club Casino is more than just a business; it's a vital part of our community that will create jobs, foster local partnerships, and contribute to the region's growth. We are excited to play a role in the continued success of Rochester and look forward to serving our guests and community for many years to come."

The new casino expects to contribute an estimated $3 million each year to a projected 73 nonprofits in Rochester and surrounding communities while supporting up to 80 full- and part-time positions.

Will you sleep through the total lunar eclipse this week?

During the early morning hours of Friday, March 14, the Moon will enter Earth's shadow and appear red, a phenomenon known as a "blood moon.”

To see this event, you must be up at 2:26 a.m. EDT on Friday and have clear skies. A large portion of the U.S. population will probably be asleep during the eclipse.

For viewers on the U.S. East Coast, the eclipse begins at 12:55 a.m. with the Moon entering the “Deep Penumbral” stage of the eclipse. You won’t see much of a change in the Moon at this point. The first indication of Earth’s shadow covering the moon will occur around 1:47 a.m., entering the “umbra” stage.

The full eclipse phase will begin at 2:26 a.m., with the Greatest Eclipse point at 2:59 a.m., followed by the end of totality at 3:31 a.m.

The event will conclude with the Moon emerging from Earth’s shadow completely (Deep Penumbral) at 5:05 a.m.

Aircraft leased to China Airlines and EVA Air acquired by Phoenix Aviation Capital

Phoenix Aviation Capital, along with AIP Capital and LuminArx Capital Management, announced Monday that they have jointly acquired a portfolio of three Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

The portfolio includes two 2012 vintage Airbus A330-300 aircraft (MSN 1346 and 1367), both powered by GE CF6 engines and leased to China Airlines. The third aircraft, a 2015 vintage Airbus A330-300 (MSN 1690), is also powered by GE CF6 engines and leased to EVA Air.

"We are pleased to have executed this transaction with LuminArx," said Mathew Adamo, managing partner at AIP Capital and board member of Phoenix. "LuminArx was an exceptional partner – creative, solutions-oriented, and highly efficient in execution. Their ability to understand our position, then structure and close made this acquisition seamless. We look forward to building upon this successful partnership in the future."

"We are delighted to have partnered with AIP Capital to complete the financing for the purchase of these three aircraft," said Sanjeev Mordani, partner at LuminArx. "AIP's ability to navigate complex aviation transactions and find long-term value made them an invaluable partner in this acquisition. We found their hands-on approach and deep understanding of the aviation finance market instrumental. We look forward to expanding our collaboration and exploring new opportunities across adjacent asset classes."

Phoenix Aviation Capital is a full-service aircraft lessor. AIP Capital is a global alternative investment manager focused on opportunities in asset-based finance. LuminArx Capital Management is a global alternative investment manager.

One moon landing in March isn’t enough; Athena prepares for touchdown this week

Carrying NASA technology demonstrations and science investigations, Texas-based Intuitive Machines is ready to perform its second Moon landing. The company put its first lander, Odysseus, on the Moon last year and performed experiments on the surface for six days. The new lander, Athena, will land on the Moon no earlier than 12:32 p.m. EST on Thursday.

Athena is slated to land in Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon's South Pole. The unmanned robot lander is the third spacecraft actively heading for the moon. Firefly Aerospace, also based in Texas, successfully placed its Blue Ghost lander on the moon on Sunday. From Japan, a lander named Resilience carries a micro rover named Tenacious that will travel to the surface of the moon.

Intuitive Machines-2

The Intuitive Machines-2 mission for Athena was launched on Feb. 26 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander is carrying NASA technology that will measure the potential presence of resources from lunar soil that could be extracted and used by future explorers to produce fuel or breathable oxygen.

A passive Laser Retroreflector Array on the top deck of the Athena lander will bounce laser light back at any orbiting or incoming spacecraft to give future spacecraft a permanent reference point on the lunar surface. Other technologies on the mission will demonstrate a robust cellular network to help future astronauts communicate and deploy a propulsive drone that can hop across the lunar surface to navigate its challenging terrain.

Commercial Lunar Payload Services

NASA continues to work with multiple American companies to deliver technology and science to the lunar surface through the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. CLPS is a pool of companies that can bid on contracts for end-to-end lunar delivery services, including payload integration and operations, launching from Earth, and landing on the surface of the Moon. NASA's CLPS contracts are indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a cumulative maximum value of $2.6 billion through 2028.

NASA awarded Intuitive Machines a $62.5 million contract to send NASA science investigations and technology demonstrations to the Moon using its American-designed and -manufactured lunar lander Nova-C.