Griffin Global Asset Management adds five 737-8 jets to portfolio

Boeing and Griffin Global Asset Management announced Wednesday the aircraft lessor is expanding its commercial aircraft portfolio with five new 737-8 jets. The purchase is Griffin’s first direct order with Boeing as it sees strategic opportunities to place the airplanes during the market recovery.

“As market conditions rebound, we are finding opportunities to serve our airline customers in innovative ways,” said Ryan McKenna, founder and CEO of Griffin, in a Boeing press release. “This order lays a strong foundation for more to come with Boeing and Griffin on future opportunities.”

Designed and built in Renton, Wash., the 737 MAX family delivers superior efficiency, flexibility and reliability while reducing fuel use and carbon emissions by at least 14% compared to the airplanes they replace. The 737-8 seats up to 189 passengers and can fly 3,550 nautical miles – about 600 miles farther than its predecessor – allowing airlines to offer new and more direct routes for passengers.

Backed by Bain Capital Credit, Griffin provides commercial aircraft leasing and alternative asset management with offices in Dublin and Los Angeles.

Beechcraft Denali completes initial ground engine runs before first flight

Textron Aviation has successfully completed initial ground engine runs on the prototype Beechcraft Denali single-engine turboprop powered by GE Aviation’s new advanced Catalyst engine. The ground engine runs, which took place at Textron Aviation’s west campus in Wichita, Kansas, verified the functionality of the fuel system and engine, as well as the interface with the avionics and electrical systems. The testing moves the aircraft closer to its milestone first flight, which is anticipated by the end of the year.

GE Aviation’s Catalyst engine has completed over 2,450 hours of testing and is prepping for a first flight on its Beechcraft King Air flying test bed. The 1,300 shaft horsepower-rated turboprop engine eases pilot workload with its single-lever power and propeller control. The Full Authority Digital Engine Controlled engine provides trend monitoring, which allows for on-condition maintenance with no mid-life Hot Section Inspection required.

The Beechcraft Denali development program has achieved several important milestones in recent months. Earlier this summer, GE Aviation Catalyst engine was installed on the Beechcraft Denali prototype airframe and the aircraft was powered on for the first time. Two other Denali flight test articles are also in development. Three additional ground test articles will be used for the airframe static and fatigue tests, and for cabin interior development and testing. The company anticipates certification for the Denali in 2023.

The Denali cockpit features the Garmin G3000 intuitive avionics suite featuring high-resolution screens and touchscreen controllers.

The aircraft boasts a digital pressurization system maintaining a 6,000-foot cabin altitude at a service ceiling of 30,000 feet.

Qatar’s advanced F-15QA jet rollout

Boeing, in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force and Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF), celebrated the naming and rollout of Qatar’s advanced F-15 jet fighter, the F-15QA.

“The relationship the United States shares with Qatar is critical to the stability and security of the central command area of responsibility,” said Lt. Gen. Greg Guillot, commander of 9th Air Force.

The first set of F-15QA jets will ferry to Qatar later this year following the completion of pre-delivery pilot training.

“The Qatar F-15QA program further enhanced next-generation technologies in the advanced F-15 such as the fly-by-wire flight controls, an all-glass digital cockpit and contemporary sensors, radar and electronic warfare capabilities,” said Prat Kumar, vice president of the F-15 program. “The F-15QA will enhance the superiority of the QEAF with more speed, range and payload than any fighter in the world.”

Boeing will establish and operate an aircrew and maintenance training center for the QEAF at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar through 2024 while also providing in-country spares and logistics support once aircraft are delivered.

Navy schedules Classified Industry Day meeting to discuss TACAMO aircraft replacement

The Naval Air Systems Command, Program Executive Office for Airborne Strategic Command, Control, and Communication, issued an announcement Friday for an informational Classified Industry Day for the TACAMO Recapitalization Program.

The TACAMO Recapitalization Program will procure three C-130J-30 aircraft as test assets to replace the aging Boeing E-6B Mercury long-endurance command, control, and communications aircraft. The Navy is accelerating plans to field the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules in the Take Charge And Move Out (TACAMO) survivable nuclear communications role.

The TACAMO mission is flown out of Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma by the Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron. The 16 E-6B Mercury aircraft provide reliable airborne communications between the U.S. National Command Authority and the U.S. strategic forces.

The objective of the Classified Industry Day meeting is to enhance government-industry communication, provide further information on the program, and provide an opportunity for meetings between industry and government personnel, the Navy said in a Special Notice contract document released Friday.

The Classified Industry Day will take place on Aug. 24 at the MITRE Corp. offices in McLean, Va. “One-on-one discussions will also take place at the same location on Aug. 25,” the Navy said in the Special Notice.

The meeting is open to companies that have developed or are developing new and innovative capabilities to act in a role as a Prime Lead System Integrator. Only contractors performing a current Department of Defense contract containing a DD254 will be allowed to attend the meeting. The day one events will be held at the Secret Level with no foreign nationals permitted. Day two one-on-one discussions will be at the Secret Level with no foreign nationals permitted, with the potential for Top Secret Level discussions. Only those with validated, proper clearances and citizenship will be permitted to attend.

Due to space constraints, attendance to this Industry Day is limited to a maximum of three individuals per company. MITRE company policy requires that all visitors show proof of COVID-19 vaccine (actual vaccination card or a clear photo of the card) to enter the location. Face masks are required for all participants.

Virginia Lottery passes casino gaming regulations, waits on governor approval

Casino gaming in Virginia moved forward on Wednesday with approval by the Virginia Lottery Board of proposed permanent casino gaming regulations. The regulations build upon initial emergency casino regulations previously approved by the board on Feb. 3. The proposed permanent regulations now go to the governor for approval, after which there will be a 60-day public comment period, leading up to final approval by the Lottery Board.

“The Lottery’s Gaming Compliance Department and Office of General Counsel have been diligently working to set up the regulatory and licensing framework to ensure casino gaming in Virginia is secure and transparent,” said Virginia Lottery Executive Director Kevin Hall. “In this role, we see the Lottery as the public’s watchdog, confirming that the law and regulations are followed, and the integrity of casino gambling is protected.”

Currently there are four proposed land-based casinos in Virginia: Bristol, Danville, Norfolk and Portsmouth. Each was approved by voters in local referenda in November 2020. A fifth proposed casino, in the City of Richmond, is on a different timetable and has not yet been approved by local voters. It is expected to be on the ballot in November.

The Virginia General Assembly assigned regulatory oversight of expanded gaming in the Commonwealth to the Virginia Lottery in 2020. Expanded gaming is comprised of both land-based casinos and mobile sports wagering.

There are ten approved permit holders to provide sports betting in the commonwealth, with seven currently accepting wagers: BetMGM, BetRivers, DraftKings, FanDuel, Unibet, William Hill and WynnBET.

Current plans show land-based casinos opening as early as 2023 in the commonwealth.

Contract: Transportation of three P-8A Poseidon aircraft engines

The Naval Air Systems Command in support of the Maritime, Patrol, and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office is seeking quotes to fulfill the requirement for the transportation of three P-8A Poseidon aircraft engines. The three engines: one for the Royal Australian Air Force, one for New Zealand, and one for the Republic of Korea, are manufactured by CFM International.

“The contractor will be required to provide transportation/shipping of three CFM 56-7B27AE engines including engine records and logbooks, shipment trailer, engine stand, and engine cover, from CFM’s facility located in Peebles, Ohio, to Everett, Wash.,” Navy officials said in contract documents released Tuesday.

The contractor shall transport two engines in November, and there is an option that may require transport of one engine on or about July 2022. For the November shipment, two engines can be transported together on one truck, but it is unlikely and there is no guarantee that both will be available for pickup within the same seven day period, and if not, two trucks and two November shipments will be required, Navy officials said.

The selected contractor shall arrange transportation and pick up each engine at CFM's facility within seven calendar days of receipt of the notification of availability from the government. The first engine will be available on or about Nov. 15. Storage is not authorized and therefore the selected vendor will be required to pick up each engine within seven calendar days of notification that it is available and transport it to the location specified as efficiently as possible. Once picked up, the selected vendor will have seven calendar days to deliver the engine to the Everett, Wash., location.

CFM will provide the shipping base which will be attached to the engine, place the engine on the truck, and monitor the chaining and tarping of the CFM56-7 engine by the selected vendor, and then release the engine for transportation. The shipping contractor is not responsible for the unloading of the material and Boeing will assume custody of the engine from the beginning of the off load procedure. Boeing will offload the CFM56-7 engine upon arrival as Boeing has several forklifts available for this specific purpose.

Each engine has an estimated replacement cost of approximately $14 million.

Eviation Aircraft unveils design for its Alice all-electric aircraft

Eviation Aircraft, a global manufacturer of all-electric aircraft, unveiled the design for its Alice all-electric aircraft, which is on track for first flight later this year. The production configuration, optimized based on real-world lessons learned and customer feedback, defines Alice's path to certification and entry into service expected in 2024.

Alice, a nine-passenger, two-crew member aircraft, produces no carbon emissions, significantly reduces noise, and costs a fraction to operate per flight hour. The aircraft is powered by two magni650 electric propulsion units from magniX, the only flight proven electric propulsion systems at this scale. The advanced fly-by-wire system is made by Honeywell, the market leader in such systems. The single-volume, high-energy density Alice battery system is made from currently available battery cells and is not reliant on future advancements.