Coast Guard, Good Samaritan respond to capsized vessel near Detour Village, MI

MH-60 Jayhawk, ©USCG (archive)

SAULT SAINTE MARIE, Mich. — The Coast Guard responded to a report of a capsized vessel near Detour Passage, Michigan, Wednesday evening.

Watchstanders from Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie command center received a call via VHF-FM radio channel 16 from the cargo vessel Lee A. Tregurtha reporting that a 17-foot pleasure craft had capsized with four people onboard.

Sector Sault Sainte Marie watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast, diverted the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Buckthorn, launched a Station Sault Sainte Marie response boat crew, and requested an MH-60 helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City.

Approximately five minutes later, a good Samaritan who heard the urgent marine information broadcast arrived on scene. The good Samaritan vessel brought all four people onboard their vessel shortly before a response boat crew from Coast Guard Cutter Buckthorn arrived on scene.

The four people were transported to the Detour Village boat launch.

The capsized vessel sank in approximately 135 feet of water near Detour Passage. The Coast Guard is currently monitoring the area for any possible pollution or hazards to navigation. The Army Corps of Engineers will survey the channel.

The Coast Guard reminds boaters to always wear a life jacket. The number one cause of boating fatalities is drowning, most often by sudden, unexpected entry into the water. 

Wearing a life jacket dramatically increases the chances of surviving a boating accident.

-USCG-

The BelugaXL airlifter brings a “smile” to Airbus’ production network

The successful first flight of Airbus’ BelugaXL oversize airlifter marks an important milestone in further enhancing the company’s industrial network to support its production output – including the ramp-up in assembly rates for single-aisle and widebody commercial jetliners.

With an instantly recognisable livery – featuring a whale-type smile that was chosen by Airbus employees in a vote that attracted almost 21,000 participants – the no. 1 BelugaXL’s 19 July maiden takeoff initiated a 10-month, 750-flight hour certification campaign that will use two of the highly modified derivates of Airbus’ A330-200 freighter.

"The aircraft behaves really well in flight," said Christophe Cail, Airbus Chief Test Pilot and captain for the four-hour, 11-minute first flight from the company’s Toulouse, France headquarters site. "It's impressive how close the BelugaXL’s performance is to what we experienced in the ground-based flight simulators. First flights take a lot of preparation and we are just the tip of the iceberg, so ‘thank you’ to the entire team. It's only together that we can make it fly."

The BelugaXL has 30 percent more capacity than Airbus’ current Beluga ST airlifters.

As the replacement for Airbus’ current Beluga ST airlifters – which were derived from earlier-production A300-600 jetliners – the BelugaXL features a fuselage that is seven metres longer and an enlarged upper fuselage that is one metre wider.

BelugaXL’s greater size enables the new-generation airlifter to accommodate a set of A350 XWB wings, for example, speeding up their transport from the Broughton, UK production site to the programme's final assembly line in Toulouse. The aircraft also can carry the A350 XWB's largest fuselage section with room to spare. Additionally, the BelugaXL’s 30 percent extra capacity compared to the Beluga ST provides potential to meet ramp-up needs in meeting the global customer demand for Airbus single-aisle and widebody jetliners.

Once in service, the fleet of five BelugaXLs will replace the similar number of Beluga A300-600 ST airlifters operated by Airbus Transport International – Airbus' fully-owned oversize transport subsidiary. Each aircraft will perform between 900 and 1,000 flights per year, logging some 1,700 to 1,800 hours annually in servicing 11 line stations at locations across the company’s European industrial network.

The initial BelugaXL to enter operation in 2019 with Airbus Transport International will be the second-built aircraft, followed by two BelugaXLs during 2020, and one each in 2021 and 2022 – enabling the Beluga STs to be retired during the 2021-2023 timeframe.

Twin Otter Flight Training Centre Receives CAAC Approval

Type Training of Chinese Twin Otter Crews Begins July 2018

Farnborough, England, July, 2018: At the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow, Pacific Sky Aviation announced that the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) has issued a Flight Training Center Certificate for its Twin Otter Training Centre in Calgary, Alberta.

After an extensive audit of Pacific Sky Aviation’s facility, Twin Otter training programs, curricula, training equipment, instructor qualifications, and both inspection and compliance management programs, the CAAC concluded that Pacific Sky’s Training Centre complies with all requirements of China Civil Aviation Regulations – Part 142, and has authorized Type rating training for the following courses: Initial, Recurrent, Differences, Upgrade, Re-Qualification and Proficiency Checks.

With receipt of the CAAC Flight Training Center Certificate, Pacific Sky Aviation can deliver Twin Otter Initial training courses for Chinese crews beginning this month.

Pacific Sky Aviation CEO, Michael Coughlin, said, “Within our first year of operation of the Twin Otter Training Centre, we have achieved Transport Canada and EASA approvals of our Level “D” Full Flight Simulator and have been training customers from around the world. The approval of the Twin Otter Training Centre by the CAAC is the final milestone in our efforts to provide type training for Chinese pilots, and follows the CAAC technical approval of the Level “D” simulator we achieved in February of 2018. Our Training Centre team is prepared to welcome the first Chinese crews for Initial type training and are looking forward to a long-term relationship with Twin Otter customers in China.”

David Curtis, Viking President & CEO said, “The demand for the Series 400 in China is infinite, particularly in respect to seaplanes. With the help of Pacific Sky’s Twin Otter Series 400 training program, Level “D” simulator with seaplane capability, and now receipt of the CAAC Flight Training Centre Certificate, we’re confident we’ll be able to meet the flight training demand for the emerging Chinese market.”

Pacific Sky Aviation Inc.

Pacific Sky Aviation, operating from facilities at the Calgary International Airport and the Victoria International Airport, provides Twin Otter flight training, Transport Canada approved flight training (FTU), Twin Otter Series 400 production testing, ferry delivery services, corporate flight operations and Aircraft Maintenance services (AMO).

Viking at Upcoming EAA AirVenture Airshow, Oshkosh WI

From Monday, July 23rd to Sunday, July 29th, Viking is excited to be a part of the 2018 EAA AirVenture Airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with a DHC-1 Chipmunk and DHC-2T Turbo Beaver on aircraft static display. We will also have a CL-415EAF Enhanced Aerial Firefighter conversion candidate on display at the Boeing Square for the duration of the show.

If you are planning to attend, please come visit us at Outdoor booths 424 and 425 to view our aircraft and meet with a Viking representative.

As one of the busiest airshows in North America and with over 500,000 attendees, we are looking forward to joining a mixed crowd of seasoned aviators and new aircraft enthusiasts again at this year’s show!

The EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Airshow

The EAA is an international community, supporting over 200,000 members worldwide through events and outreach programs. Its yearly airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin draws aviation enthusiasts from 80 countries and hosts 10,000 aircraft – including nearly 3,000 show planes. With an array of warbirds, vintage models, homebuilt aircraft, and ultralight planes, visitors are sure to see something they’ve never seen before.

Viking Optimizes Fleet-Wide Distribution of Technical Publications Utilizing ATP Digital Services

Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 23rd, 2018:Viking Air Limited of Victoria, British Columbia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Aircraft Technical Publishers (ATP) of Brisbane, California for the digital conversion and distribution of all technical publications for the entire fleet of Viking aircraft.

As the OEM for the legacy de Havilland fleet (DHC-1 through DHC-7) and Canadair CL-215, CL-215T, and CL-415 aerial firefighters, Viking recognized modernizing and optimizing delivery of technical publications was key to providing global customer support services to a diverse group of aircraft operators.

The digital technical publication services provided by ATP will enable operators of Viking aircraft to gain web-based access to technical publications and tablet-based flight and operation manuals, in addition to the continued provision of paper-based publications.

“The increased delivery response rates, simplified business process, and improved document management derived from digital publications will streamline services and reduce management efforts,” commented Gregory Davis, Viking’s vice president Customer Service and Product Support. “This initiative is another major step in honoring our commitment to providing world-class support to our customers.”

Zephyr S set to break aircraft world endurance record

Zephyr. Airbus Copyright 2018

Farnborough, 25 July 2018 – Zephyr S, Airbus’ High-Altitude-Pseudo-Satellite, has surpassed the current flight endurance record of an aircraft without refueling of 14 days, 22 minutes and 8 seconds and continues to pioneer the stratosphere.

The Zephyr aircraft departed for its maiden flight from Arizona, USA on 11th July 2018.

This first flight of the Zephyr S aims to prove and demonstrate the aircraft capabilities, with the final endurance record to be confirmed on landing.

The Airbus Zephyr Programme:

Solar-powered aircraft, providing a wide scope of applications, ranging for example from maritime surveillance and services, border patrol missions, communications, forest fire detection and monitoring, or navigation. Operating in the stratosphere at an average altitude of 70,000 feet / 21 kilometers, the ultra-lightweight Zephyr has a wingspan of 25 meters and a weigh of less than 75kg, and flies above weather (clouds, jet streams) and above regular air traffic, covering local or regional footprints. Ideally suited for "local persistence" (ISR/Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), the Zephyr has the ability to stay focused on a specific area of interest (which can be hundreds of miles wide) while providing it with satellite-like communications and Earth observation services (with greater imagery granularity) over long periods of time without interruption. Not quite an aircraft and not quite a satellite, but incorporating aspects of both, the Zephyr has the persistence of a satellite with the flexibility of a UAV. The only civil aircraft that used to fly at this altitude was Concorde and only the famous military U2 and SR-71 Blackbird could operate at similar levels. The Zephyr successfully achieved several world records, including the longest flight duration without refueling.

Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak medevacs man from FV Nordic Cross

Video by U.S. Coast Guard District 17

KODIAK, AK, UNITED STATES

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew hoists a 47-year-old man from the fishing vessel Nordic Cross 20-miles north of Kodiak, Alaska, July 25, 2018. The man sustained a leg injury on the Nordic Cross and needed immediate medical care. U.S. Coast Guard video by Air Station Kodiak.

Photos by Petty Officer 1st Class Charly Hengen

A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak member, Base Kodiak fire department personnel and City of Kodiak emergency medical personnel transfer a 47-year-old man to an awaiting ambulance at Air Station Kodiak, Alaska.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew medevaced a male crewmember from a fishing vessel in Duck Bay, near Kodiak, Alaska, Wednesday.

The Jayhawk helicopter crew hoisted the crewmember from the fishing vessel Nordic Cross and transported him to Kodiak where he was transferred to awaiting emergency medical services personnel.

Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received notification from the crew of the Nordic Cross, who reported a 47-year-old crewman was suffering from a leg injury. Watchstanders requested the launch of the Jayhawk crew for an immediate medevac.

"The Nordic Cross crew did a great job of clearing their fishing gear from the deck so we could conduct a safe basket hoist," said Lt. Joseph Chevalier, aircraft commander of the case. "With that and the adaptability and coordination of the rescue swimmer and health services technician in the Jayhawk's cabin, we were able to get this man to emergency care quickly and efficiently."

Weather on scene was reported as 5-mph winds and 2-ft seas.

-USCG-

New satellite launch extends Galileo’s global reach

Paris, 25 July 2018

Four more Galileo satellites were launched today by an Ariane 5. Their arrival in orbit brings the Galileo constellation to 26 satellites, extending the global coverage of the constellation. Ariane 5 flight VA244, operated by Arianespace under contract to ESA, lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 11:25 GMT (13:25 CEST, 08:25 local time), carrying Galileo satellites 23–26. The first pair of 715 kg satellites was released almost 3 hours 36 minutes after liftoff, while the second pair separated 20 minutes later.

They were released into their target 22 922 km-altitude orbit by the dispenser atop the Ariane 5 upper stage. In the coming days, this quartet will be steered into their final working orbits by the French space agency CNES, under contract to the Galileo operator SpaceOpal for the European Global Navigation Satellite System Agency (GSA). There, they will begin around six months of tests by SpaceOpal to verify their operational readiness so they can join the working Galileo constellation.

“Galileo is ESA’s largest ever satellite constellation, built up to its present size in rapid time, with 22 Full Operational Capability satellites added within just the last four years,” remarked Jan Wörner, ESA’s Director General.

“We must thank our industrial partners OHB (DE) and SSTL (GB) for the satellites, as well as Thales Alenia Space (FR/IT) and Airbus Defence and Space (GB/FR) for the ground segment and all their subcontractors throughout Europe for their continued support to the programme. Together with ESA, the entire industrial team has worked hard for the point at which we now are and this cooperation have proven to be very successful, as we can show in the excellent performance of Galileo.”

Paul Verhoef, ESA’s Director of Navigation, added, “Galileo has been providing Initial Services on a worldwide basis since 15 December 2016, and today has more than 100 million users, and rapidly increasing. Today’s satellites will increase the global coverage of Galileo with a performance that is widely recognised as excellent.

“This is the end of the current phase of Galileo deployment, but our pace is not slacking. A further 12 Galileo ‘Batch 3’ satellites are in preparation as in-orbit spares and as replacements for the oldest Galileo satellites, first launched in 2011 in order to keep the system working seamlessly into the future.

“Then a new generation of Galileos are planned for the middle of the next decade, offering improved performance and added features, maintaining Galileo as a permanent feature of the global GNSS landscape.”

Galileo

Galileo is Europe’s civil global satellite navigation system. Once complete, the system will consist of 24 operational satellites plus orbital spares, and the ground infrastructure for the provision of positioning, navigation and timing services. But the system is already available to users with recent receivers which combine the Galileo and GPS navigation messages for a more precise positioning.

The Galileo programme is funded and owned by the EU. The European Commission has the overall responsibility for the programme, managing and overseeing the implementation of all programme activities.

Galileo’s deployment, the design and development of the new generation of systems and the technical development of infrastructure are entrusted to ESA. The definition, development and in-orbit validation phases were carried out by ESA, and co‑funded by ESA and the European Commission.

GSA is ensuring the uptake and security of Galileo. Galileo operations and provision of services were entrusted to the GSA in July 2017.

Eagle eyes

Project EAGLE sets its sights on helping autonomous aircraft see

Before tomorrow’s vision of autonomous flight takes off, its groundwork needs to be set. With EAGLE, autonomy’s basic building block – sight – is being developed by experts at Airbus Helicopters.

Alone pilot, an injured hiker. 

Faced with an unexpected humanitarian flight, the pilot engages his helicopter’s image-processing system; it flies them to a hospital while the pilot divides his time between the radio, his patient, and the final approach.

This is the future as seen by Airbus’ experts in autonomous solutions. In developing groundbreaking technology for self-piloting aircraft, they envision safer and more efficient means of transport—and the benefits that go with it.

Before a car can drive or a helicopter fly by itself, it needs images of the environment around it—onboard technology for image collection and analysis, linked to its central processing system and autopilot modes. At its helicopters division, Airbus is developing EAGLE as the “eyes” of autonomous aircraft. While it may not be applied on fully autonomous vehicles yet, EAGLE (Eye for Autonomous Guidance and Landing Extension) is an important step in making them available.

What is EAGLE?

EAGLE is a real-time video processing system for aircraft. In flight, it collects data from various sources, such as cameras, and analyses it by means of a computer algorithm that has been “trained” to use the imagery in conjunction with the autopilot.

“It’s a complete loop,” explains Nicolas Damiani, Senior Expert in Systems Simulation at Airbus Helicopters. “EAGLE provides information to the autopilot. The autopilot displays how it intends to manage the trajectory to the target point. And the pilot monitors the parameters to make sure they are coherent with the image that is being acquired by EAGLE.” The ultimate goal? Fully automating the approach, thereby reducing pilot workload during this critical phase.

What is EAGLE, in tangible terms?

EAGLE is comprised of cameras and a computer. The present prototype, for example, uses three cameras inside a gimbal gyrostabilised pod. The cameras are extremely high definition; each produces around 14 million pixels.

Why three? Damiani’s team set EAGLE an ambitious test-case: detect a helipad 2,000 metres away on a shallow four-degree slope approach. The resolution needed to zero in on such a target explains the combination of cameras. As the aircraft (in the test, an H225) starts its approach, the camera with a narrow field of view sends its input to the system. Medium-range, the system switches to the camera with a larger field of view, again switching during the landing to one with a fish-eye lens.

The optronics are pure prototype at this stage. “EAGLE is compatible with different camera options,” says Damiani. “Because we need to analyse 14 million pixels at around 30 Hz, its interface is made for high-resolution video stream. But EAGLE is also capable of using input from standard cameras.”

This may mean using a simpler optical part based on cameras that are installed on today’s helicopters, to automate approaches when it isn’t necessary to see the target in such detail.

Three cameras, so what?

EAGLE also comprises a many-core processor that is able to equate advanced algorithms. These are the centre of the project’s focus, because before EAGLE can be industrialised, the algorithms and the processing unit – made of 768 shading units dedicated to graphics – as well as 12 processors must first be certified.

“As soon as an algorithm is based on image processing, it is difficult to get it certified because it relies on technologies that are currently hard to confirm,” says Damiani. “The paradox is that the algorithms, especially those that are working on machine learning, are based on training the algorithm to learn by itself. In the end, even if the performance is good, it’s very difficult to predict its result because of operational conditions that differ from the image setsused for the training.” In other words, the algorithm may demonstrate a high level of problem-solving, but nobody really knows at the end what computations it had been running.

Research and development

To function in practice, EAGLE applies mathematic algorithms to detect the expected (helipads, for example) and others based on artificial intelligence for the unexpected (“intruders” like birds, private drones, etc.). Spotting a helipad uses algorithms that are not based on machine learning—a helipad’s standard shape is one the algorithm can count on. In the case of seeing and tracking intruders, developers are investigating deep learning algorithms. “The problem is that before the algorithm can become intelligent, you have to train it,” says Damini. “You have to get data on different approaches, in different environmental conditions.” In other words, a huge amount of data that is expensive to acquire and annotate—so as to “explain” the data to the convolutional neural networks (artificial neural networks used in machine learning, usually to analyse visual imagery).

To facilitate training the algorithm, Damiani’s team is developing an approach where 90% of the training could be done through simulation. Real-world data might be mandatory to complete the learning process, but simulators may be a cost-efficient complement.

The project’s next steps are to certify the product to make it available operationally, and to research additional algorithms and optronics, with the aim of developing a small, low-cost and accurate “eye” associated to a powerful “brain.”

By using computer technology in the service of autonomous flight, Airbus seeks to offer its customers more and better solutions. Systems such as EAGLE are at the heart of Airbus’ aim to provide global vertical flight solutions. Optimising flight trajectories, reducing pilot workload—technology that lets them focus on their missions and, sometimes, take easy decisions in unexpected situations.

Leonardo launches LEAP2020 programme to optimise its supply chain

- The  LEAP2020  programme  (Leonardo  Empowering  Advanced  Partnership  2020)  is  a  new model  for  Leonardo’s  supply-chain  which  will  drive  growth  in  the  Aerospace,  Defence and  Security  sector.  Visible  results  in  scale  and  quality  are  expected  in  the  short  and long  term   

- Profumo:  “LEAP2020,  one  of  the  strategic  drivers  of  our  Industrial  Plan,  is  an  innovative approach  to  supply  chain  management,  creating  a  virtuous  circle  that  will  strengthen both  Leonardo  and  the  industrial  structure  of  the  country  system” 

- In  its  initial  phase,  the  programme  will  focus  on  strategic  suppliers,  those  which  the Company spends  around  1 billion  Euros  with

Rome,  25  July  2018  –  Leonardo  has  launched  the  LEAP2020  (Leonardo  Empowering  Advanced Partnerships  2020)  programme,  an  initiative  outlined  in  the  Company’s  2018-2022  Industrial  Plan  which will  create  a  new  model  for  the  relationship  between  Leonardo  and  its  suppliers.  The  project’s  aim  is  to drive  the  growth  of  Leonardo’s  supply  chain  in  terms  of  both  scale  and  quality,  starting  with  the Company’s  Italian  supply  chain  but  extending  internationally.  Named  to  evoke  the  concepts  of momentum  and  progress,  LEAP2020  will  see  Leonardo  and  its  suppliers  sharing  future  challenges  and opportunities,  enabling  Leonardo  to  improve  its  performance  in  areas  such  as  quality  and  on-time delivery. 

“The  LEAP2020  programme,  one  of  the  initiatives  in  our  2018-2022  Industrial  Plan,  is  an  innovative approach  to  supplier  management”  said  Alessandro  Profumo,  CEO  of  Leonardo,  adding  “It  will  create  a virtuous  circle  that  will  strengthen  the  Company  and,  more  broadly,  the  industry  as  part  of  country system  as  well  as  presenting  more  consolidation  opportunities  in  the  sector.  The  project  is  based  on  an open  platform  that,  starting  with  one-to-one  relationships  with  each  supplier,  will  lead  to  real,  mutually beneficial  partnerships”.   

In  its  initial  phase,  LEAP2020  will  focus  on  suppliers  which  are  considered  of  strategic  importance  to Leonardo,  those  that  the  Company  spends  around  1  billion  Euros  with  and  which  supply  to  multiple Leonardo  divisions.  The  programme  defines  a  model  for  the  selection  of  a  new  “growth  partner”  based on  an  independent  assessment  of  a  supplier  in  terms  of  capability,  competitiveness,  transparency, traceability  and  sustainability.  Clusters  of  similar  suppliers  will  be  created  (from  peers  to  “national  and international  champions”)  and for  each  cluster  Leonardo  will  establish  an  approach  tailored  to  drive  their growth  in  size  and  levels  of  quality.  Leonardo  is  looking  to  grow  alongside  suppliers  which  offer  high levels  of  technology  and  capabilities,  offering  support,  closer  integration  and  new  business opportunities. 

The  LEAP2020  programme  will  generate  benefits  in  the  short  term,  with  larger  gains,  in  some  cases  in the  region  of  20%  improvements  in  deliveries  and  quality,  expected  in  2020.  The  programme  will  help meet  the  objectives  of  Leonardo’s  Industrial  Plan  which  credibly  foresees  medium  to  long-term  growth with  a  strong focus  on  execution.

Wider  benefits  of  the  programme  will  include  more  solid  and  sustainable  relationships  between Leonardo  and  its  best-performing  partners,  a  strengthening  of  the  supplier  base  in  identified  highimpact  categories,  and  a  level  of  promotion  for  the  companies  who  play  a  part  in  Leonardo’s  productive eco-system.  The  long-term  partnerships  will  also  benefit  from  capacity-building  initiatives  aimed  at transferring  technical  and  management  skills  and  improving  supplier’s  business  relations  with  the sector’s  main  international  players. 

Overall,  LEAP2020  is  a  win-win  approach  that  offers  meaningful  opportunities  for  both  Leonardo  and  its suppliers.  Leonardo  will  be  able  to  improve  the  sustainability,  performance  and  capability  of  its business,  allowing  it  to  more  effectively  meet  the  requirements  of  its  customers,  achieve  important  cost savings  and  streamline  its  purchasing  activity.  On  the  supplier’s  side,  the  “country  system”  will  benefit from  better-performing  and  more  innovative  companies  with  a  stable  investment  horizon,  better  able  to compete  in  the  global  marketplace. 

Coast Guard medevacs mariner near Galveston, Texas

Video by U.S. Coast Guard District 8

TX, UNITED STATES

An Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew hoists a 23-year-old mariner from the 800-foot tanker Eagle Louisiana near Galveston, Texas, July 24, 2018. A representative of the vessel contacted the Coast Guard after a crewmember reportedly began exhibiting symptoms of heat exhaustion.

HOUSTON — The Coast Guard medevaced a 23-year-old mariner from an 800-foot tanker near Galveston, Texas, Tuesday.

Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a report from a representative of the vessel Eagle Louisiana of a crewmember who reportedly began exhibiting symptoms of heat exhaustion. Watchstanders notified the duty flight surgeon who recommended the medevac.

An Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew on a training mission was diverted to the scene. The mariner was hoisted and transported to awaiting emergency medical services personnel at University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

The mariner was reported to be in stable condition.

-USCG-

Coast Guard searching for man missing in Hudson River near Poughkeepsie

HH-60 Jayhawk, ©USCG (archive)

NEW YORK — Coast Guard crews are searching for a person in the Hudson River near downtown Poughkeepsie, New York, Tuesday afternoon.

Missing is Paul Machettia, a 48-year-old man.

Watchstanders at Sector New York command center received a call from the City of Poughkeepsie of a person in the water in the vicinity of Waryas Park, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Tuesday.

It was reported that five people entered the Hudson River and one of them began to struggle to stay afloat. The missing person then entered the water to help, but he failed to resurface.

Assisting in the search are:

• Crewmembers from Aids to Navigation Team – Saugerties
• A Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew
• A Station New York rescue crew aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-medium
• Dutchess County Sheriff
• Poughkeepsie Fire Department
• Poughkeepsie Police Department

If anyone has any information regarding the missing person, please call Sector New York at 718-354-4353.

-USCG-

Boeing Delivers First Direct Next-Generation 737-800 to Jeju Air

Jeju Air becomes first low-cost carrier in Korea to own and operate 737-800

Delivery marks the first of three new 737-800 NGs the airline has on order with Boeing

SEATTLE, July 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE:BA] and Jeju Air celebrated the delivery of the airline's first direct-buy Next-Generation 737-800 airplane today during a ceremony at the Seattle Delivery Center. With this delivery Jeju Air will become the first low-cost carrier (LCC) in Korea to own and operate a Next-Generation 737-800.

"This milestone delivery marks the beginning of a new era for Jeju Air as we continue to revolutionize Korea's dynamic commercial aviation industry," said Seok-Joo Lee, President and CEO of Jeju Air. "Owning and operating our own airplanes will further differentiate Jeju Air and our local competitors. We are fully prepared to introduce this new airplane into our expanding fleet and they will play an integral role in our growth strategy."

This delivery marks the first of three Next-Generation 737-800s the airline has on order with Boeing. Based in Jeju Island, South Korea, the all-Boeing carrier currently operates a fleet of 34 Next-Generation 737-800 airplanes.

"We are proud to deliver the first directly purchased Next-Generation 737-800 to Jeju Air," said Rick Anderson, vice president of Northeast Asia Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "This milestone represents the strong partnership that we share with Jeju, whom we have shared an intimate partnership with since their inception more than 10 years ago. I look forward to further strengthening our partnership with Jeju Air."

Jeju Air currently serves 40 domestic and international routes with approximately 150 daily flights. The carrier is also a founding member of the Value Alliance, the first pan-regional low-cost carrier alliance formed in 2016 comprising of eight airlines based in Asia.  

The 737-800 is one of the best-selling versions of the highly successful Next-Generation 737 family.

Trabajando en equipo en África

Alrededor de 600 helicópteros de Airbus HC están en servicio en toda África. Para proporcionar el mejor soporte para sus clientes, la compañía está asociada con operadores locales para ofrecer así mejor servicio.

NHV Service Center en Ghana

No todo el mundo conoce las dimensiones reales de África. Sobre el mapa parece tener el mismo tamaño que Groenlandia, pero en realidad es 14 veces más grande, para hacerlo aún más fácil: África es tan grande como Estados Unidos, China, India, Japón y Europa juntos. El gran tamaño del continente es una de las razones por las que es necesario un enfoque inteligente para que una compañía como Airbus Helicopters brinde soporte y servicios -como mantenimiento o entrega de repuestos- a todos sus clientes en el continente. 

Alto nivel de servicio garantizado

"Para hacer frente a este desafío, estamos estableciendo asociaciones con operadores locales", explica Gerard FRANCHINI, Director de Ventas de Airbus Helicopters para África. "Pueden proporcionar ciertos servicios más rápido que nosotros desde Europa". La última asociación, NHV en Ghana, recibió el certificado de Service Center que permite a la compañía ofrecer una completa gama de servicio técnico y soporte operacional a otros operadores de Airbus Helicopters en toda la región. El operador belga tiene una sucursal en Ghana, desde donde opera helicópteros AS365 N3 Dauphin 2 para Oil & Gas (transporte de personal y carga a plataformas petrolíferas offshore). "Debido al conocimiento de nuestros helicópteros en la industria del petróleo y gas, NHV es la elección perfecta para ofrecer los mejores servicios a otros clientes africanos en la región" (Franchini).

Koen Neven, CEO de NHV Ghana, explica por qué el certificado tiene un alto valor para su compañía: "Para nuestros clientes ofrece más confianza que podamos hacer frente a los elevados niveles de calidad de Airbus Helicopters". Para asegurarnos de que los clientes reciban la información exacta y con el mismo nivel de servicio que en Airbus Helicopters, las empresas asociadas deben pasar dos exigentes auditorías para obtener la certificación, así como una renovación de la misma cada año para mantenerla. Siguiendo el mismo principio, también hay centros de mantenimiento en Costa de Marfil (IAS) que operan helicópteros Alouette, AS350 Ecureuil y AS365 Dauphin, y en Túnez (Tunisavia), donde operan AS365 N2 y N3 Dauphin, desde donde también proporcionan servicio para clientes de Airbus Helicopters en los países vecinos. 

Un servicio único

Más al sur, el vasto continente está cubierto por Airbus Helicopters Southern Africa (AHZA), que proporciona soporte a más de 250 helicópteros en servicio con más de 60 operadores. "El territorio que cubrimos abarca 20 países", CEO de AHZA, Arnaud Montalvo. Además explica que se han tomado varias medidas para mejorar el tiempo de respuesta y la disponibilidad de piezas y componentes en toda la enorme región, dentro de la que algunos clientes se encuentran en zonas remotas. Estas acciones comprenden, por ejemplo, la implementación de un libro de registro electrónico que hace que el intercambio de información del estado de la flota sea en tiempo real, más rápido y más preciso, mejorando así las previsiones para tener el stock adecuado de recambios y no retrasar el mantenimiento de las máquinas. También se ha implementado un sistema de pronóstico para anticipar las necesidades de piezas y componentes con hasta 18 meses de antelación. 

En términos de entrenamiento, AHZA también está asociada con operadores y empresas locales para las capacitaciones de tripulaciones de vuelo, ingenieros y técnicos. Además, la compañía también opera el único simulador de vuelo para el Super Puma en África, ubicado en las proximidades de Johannesburgo. 

AHZA también está desplegando un simulador de vuelo del H125 (FNPTII) en sus instalaciones de Grand Central con un objetivo claro, el de mejorar la seguridad y capacidad de la misión en toda la región, manteniendo costes asequibles para los operadores.

No importa dónde se encuentren sus clientes, Airbus Helicopters presta un servicio que no ofrece ningún otro fabricante del negocio: "Tenemos un equipo de representantes técnicos listos para volar a cualquiera de las bases de nuestros clientes en África, con el fin de brindar asistencia cuando un problema requiere de una acción inmediata", Explica Franchini, "Lo único que el cliente tiene que hacer es llamar y los técnicos se trasladan a sus instalaciones". "Aunque Airbus Helicopters no puede estar presente en los 54 países africanos, estamos cubriendo el continente de la mejor manera posible".

Coast Guard icebreaker deploying for Arctic deployment

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Meredith Manning

SEATTLE – Coast Guard Cutter Healy is scheduled to depart Tuesday from its homeport in Seattle for a four-month deployment to the Arctic Ocean to carry out multiple scientific research missions.

Healy will provide presence and access to the Arctic while conducting three major science research missions. In partnership with the National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Office of Naval Research, scientists will conduct physical and biological oceanographic research in the Arctic Ocean.

Healy’s first mission is a NOAA-sponsored mission to increase understanding of biological processes along Alaska’s Continental Shelf. This mission is comprised of three mission subsets: Distributed Biological Observatory; Northern Chukchi Integrated Study; and the Ecosystems and Fisheries-Oceanography Coordinated Investigations.

The second mission of Healy’s Arctic deployment is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and is focused on understanding how upper level ocean stratification and sea ice in the Beaufort Sea is responding to inflow and surface forcing changes. The Stratified Ocean Dynamics of the Arctic project aims to increase understanding by deploying subsurface moorings and specialized on-ice instruments to observe the fluctuations across an annual cycle.

Healy’s final mission is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and will examine the effects of the Pacific water inflow into the Arctic and its associated boundary current on the ecosystem. This study is part of a multi-year endeavor that combines shipboard measurements taken in the spring and fall, with measurements from a subsea mooring deployed in the center of the boundary current.

Currently under the command of Capt. Greg Tlapa, Healy is the nation’s premiere high-latitude research vessel and is one of the only U.S. military surface vessels that deploys to and is capable of operating in the ice-covered waters of the Arctic. In addition to science operations, Healy and the crew are capable of conducting a range of Coast Guard operations such as search and rescue, ship escorts, environmental protection and the enforcement of laws and treaties in the Polar Regions. Healy provides access and presence throughout the Arctic region to protect U.S. maritime borders and to safeguard the maritime economy. Homeported in Seattle, Healy is the largest ship in the U.S. Coast Guard at 420-feet long with a displacement of over 16,000 tons and a permanent crew of 87.

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