RACCA June

2024

Newsletter

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RACCA Fall Meeting Conference Opens for Registration, Sponsorships

Registration is now open for the RACCA Annual Conference scheduled for October 29 to October 31 at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort and Villas.

The exhibit hall often sells out early so book your exhibit area now.

In addition, you can now sign up for corporate sponsorships. Plenty of sponsorships remain available.

Make your hotel registration today to ensure availability at the Hilton.

RACCA Opens Scholarship Applications

Applications are now open for the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) scholarships designed to help aspiring pilots, aircraft maintenance technicians (AMT) and airline managers to pursue their careers.

“Scholarships are one of the most important things the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association does,” said RACCA President James Goddard. “Each year we are impressed with the quality of the applications and what these young people will contribute to the industry once they complete their education. Our members support our scholarships with generous donations because they believe in paying it forward.”

The RACCA Aviation Scholarships were established for the purpose of promoting and assisting in pursuing aviation as a career choice and to make students aware of the opportunities in the air cargo industry. RACCA, representing 50 air cargo carriers, many of which feed the FedEx, DHL and UPS networks, provides scholarships to assist in the payment of tuition, flight training, or to obtain new or additional licenses. The organization makes four awards each year in November.

Start Planning Now for the Silent Auction

Always a highlight of the RACCA Fall Conference, the silent auction, which funds our important scholarship program, needs donations. Plan now on what your organization will donate, and we’ll remind you to remember to pack it!

Why wait? Donate to the Scholarship Fund Now

RACCA set up a QR code for scholarship donations. Click here or use the QR code.

The RACCA Newsletter is also brought to you by ASAP

Reauthorization Offers Increased Funding for Workforce

Rally for Air Service reported important gains in the newly signed $105 billion, 1000-page FAA reauthorization, citing the creation of a new Enhanced Qualification Pilot Training Pathway which will help modernize pilot training, including the integration of flight simulators for the pathway. It also authorizes critical funding for airports to bring the aviation sector into the future. However, the legislation, containing 1200 measures, did not include three important initiatives favored by the regional airline industry including raising the pilot age, relief from the 1500-hour rule or increasing student loan levels.

Workforce Development Grant programs were high on the legislative agenda increasing funding $20 million per year with maximum grant awards rising to $1 million from $500 thousand. It also created another program for aviation manufacturing workers and engineers. The three programs are now grouped under the Cooperative Aviation Recruitment, Enrichment and Employment Readiness (CAREER) Program, managed by DOT. Read more.

AvWeek reported reauthorization did far more good than harm for the MRO industry including the expanded education grant programs which have supported apprenticeships and new college programs for training aviation maintenance technicians. In addition, grant eligibility was expanded to nonprofits and any FAA-approved Part 147 operation, regardless of whether they are linked to a college or university. Providing for a new assistant administrator for rulemaking and regulatory improvement, reauthorization said the post will be responsible for “setting and managing the FAA’s regulatory agenda and periodically reviewing rules. The job also calls for monitoring petitions for exemption and evaluating when it makes sense to update rules to head off future petitions.” Read more.

AvWeb reported reauthorization created a pool of $240 million to help with flight training costs and to expand the pool of prospective candidates. Championed by Senator Raphael Warnock, the funds would be funneled to flight schools and groups focused on training. “It’s in our enlightened self-interest to find that talent and create a robust pipeline so that they can become pilots,” he said according to AvWeb which noted Congress originally earmarked $120 million for flight training initiatives, but Warnock lobbied to double that and include provisions to promote diversity across all aviation careers. Read more.

AvWeek reported the new law also requires the DOT Inspector General to examine how rules and policies are interpreted and applied by Flight Standards and Aircraft Certification services. It also ordered FAA to ensure consistent application of policies, orders and guidance materials. FAA must also streamline military-to-civilian career transitions for qualified technicians.

Former FAA Chiefs Unpack the Agency’s New Congressional Mandates for AAM

Spring AMC Board Meeting Telecom May 17, 2024 Update

Greetings fellow AMC Members. Thank you for all who were able to join us on the telecom Friday afternoon May 17. 2024.

The First RACCA Members Day was Tuesday April 30th in Wichita, was a success! There were over 70 attendees who were treated to several presentations and a tour of Textron’s facilities! We have several members who helped sponsorship appreciate the support. With the success of the first Members Day, there is discussions for next years already. 

Support for our new leader – Jim Goddard! Jim has been busy since taking over at RACCA! You have (hopefully) seen several newsletters from Jim with various updates.

We have several members reaching out to help the new Aviation Advisory Committee. We are still looking for AMC members to help join Tom’s committee and lend their expertise. We believe that input from out Legal, Insurance and Supply Chain membership, as well as anyone else who believes their capabilities can help Tom, the Committee and RACCA move forward is welcome help.

Fall RACCA Show Sponsorships Open

We have already received several sponsorships for the Fall show. Take a few minutes and use the links above to get your booth space and Hotel reservations done, so you don’t forget. There will be the normal Golf outing (WE-KO-PA) and “other fun tour” scheduled.

Lastly, as discussed, we are looking to expand roles within the AMC community. We will be looking to add a new position for Vice Chair and look for several committee leads within the AMC itself.

Looking forward to catching up with all soon.



Keith McGann, FlightSafety keith.mcgann@flightsafety.com

Please Welcome New Member Aviation InterTec Services

James Cuglietta of Aviation InterTec Service, joined RACCA as its newest Associate Member. Aviation InterTec Services Inc. (AIS) was established in 1997 to develop a suite of highly functional, enterprise-level, browser-based products for the aviation maintenance management industry. It provides clients with highly functional, cost-effective information and works management systems that support people involved in aircraft operations and maintenance worldwide.

AIS offers its flagship RAAS™ product providing the comprehensive, integrated functionality of the best aviation maintenance management systems at a cost that’s within reach of the mid-tier market. RAAS brings quick deployment, ease of support and low TCO inherent in cross-platform browser-based information systems.

Member News

FedEx Donates Engines to Maintenance Training

FedEx donated $50,000 worth of state-of-the-art engines to Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Morristown Aviation Maintenance Technology for use by students in each of the colleges' Aviation Maintenance Technology programs. Read more.

Tecnam Gains EASA Steep Approach Certification for P2012

Tecnam received EASA certification for steep approaches of up to 10° for its P2012 STOL, reaching a milestone in the endorsements of the of the P2012 design and further expanding the aircraft's operability. The P2012 STOL aircraft, specifically designed for short take-off and landing operations, is designed and tailored to operate from airports and airstrips characterized by extremely short runways and extreme operational constraints. Read more.

Textron Gains Combi Certification for SkyCourier

FAA granted Textron Aviation certification of a new Combi interior conversion option for the passenger variant of the twin-engine, Cessna SkyCourier turboprop aircraft. The Combi option enables operators to transport nine passengers and cargo simultaneously. Deliveries of Cessna SkyCourier Combi option will begin later this year. Read more.

UPS Named to Civic 50 List

UPS, Delta and RTX were cited for their community service making them part of the 2024 Civic 50, an initiative of Points of Light, recognizing the 50 most community-minded companies in the nation each year. For more than 10 years, the program has served as benchmarking tool and platform for sharing best practices in the corporate citizenship sector and creates a roadmap for companies committed to using their time, talent and resources to drive social impact in their business and communities. Read more.

ATR Sees Record Service Sales

With turboprop deliveries declining, according to Aviation Week’s Commercial Fleet & MRO Forecast 2024, ATR is turning attention to its aftermarket business where it reached $400 million in revenues in 2023, a third of the group’s total revenues. The company cited support to customers during the pandemic, better parts availability despite supply chain constraints, customization and flexibility and new products such as E-power reliability engineering service, wrote the publication. Read more.

In other news, ATR named Andrea Coccetti as the company’s new Senior Vice-President Finance and Chief Financial Officer, effective May 1, 2024. In his new role, he reports to Chief Executive Officer Nathalie Tarnaud Laude and will play a pivotal role in shaping ATR’s financial strategies and contributing to ATR’s continuous innovation and development initiatives. Read more.

MidContinent Mourns Loss of Former CEO John Winter

Former Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics President and CEO, John W. Winter, a well-known and beloved member of the aviation community whose ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit helped shape the industry, passed away on May 27, 2024, in Wichita, KS. In 1980, Winter purchased Mid-Continent Instrument Company in Wichita, Kansas. Over the next two decades, he and his son, Todd (now CEO), grew the organization and its commitment to serving aviators around the globe. Today, Mid-Continent operates one of the largest full-service instrument repair stations in the world. Read more.

Elroy Air Chaparral to Launch Flight Testing in July

Elroy Air will begin flight testing for its Chaparral autonomous aircraft in July when the US Marine Corps takes delivery of the test vehicle. The company, in collaboration with Leidos, will demonstrate the Chaparral system, which Elroy describes as a lift-plus-cruise, hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (hVTOL) cargo aircraft. Among the company’s stated use cases for Chaparral are commercial logistics, industrial cargo, humanitarian aid shipments—and military resupply. Read more.

Textron eAviation Expected to Fly Nuuva This Year

Textron eAviation is preparing to begin flight testing its hybrid-electric Nuuva V300 cargo drone, reports AIN. The company’s Pipistrel Aircraft subsidiary is preparing to fly its first prototype of the Nuuva V300 cargo drone in the second half of this year with the prototype is now in assembly in Italy, according to a media briefing by Kriya Shortt.

"The Nuuva V300 is a hybrid-electric, ultra-long-range eVTOL aircraft designed to carry around 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of cargo up to 300 kilometers," said AIN. "Textron eAviation intends to produce a smaller but otherwise nearly identical version called the V20. With a cargo capacity of about 20 kilograms (44 pounds), the V20 is intended for short, light courier, last-mile delivery services." No timeline for EIS and the company is not taking orders yet. Read more.

In separate news, the Textron Aviation reported the SkyCourier has been certificated in Australia, paving the way for the aircraft to serve remote communities, improve regional connectivity in Australia. Read more.

Mountain Air Cargo and CSA Air attend RACCA Spring Member Conference

Mountain Air Cargo (MAC) and CSA Air leadership recently attended the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association Spring Member Conference in Wichita, KS. During the conference, MAC and CSA leadership engaged in insightful discussions about the latest trends and challenges in the air cargo sector, as well as legal and business updates. Networking with other air cargo carriers provided valuable connections and potential collaborations to further strengthen Mountain Air Cargo’s position in the market. By staying active and engaged within the industry, MAC and CSA Air remain proactive in meeting the evolving needs of its customers.

Electra Reaches Milestone Flight

Electra.aero successfully achieved the first high-performance ultra-short flight operations of its piloted blown-lift, hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) demonstrator aircraft (EL-2 Goldfinch). During the flight test campaign, the longest flight lasted 1:43 hours, taking off in less than 170 feet, reaching an altitude of 6,500 feet and landing at 114 feet and flying as slowly as 25 kts on takeoff and landing. Read more.

Watch a video of the first Electra eSTOL flight

Beta Trains Local Talent for Manufacturing

Beta Technologies is teaming with the local vocational education systems in Burlington, VT and Plattsburgh, NY to train its future workforce. The seven-year-old company, as are other New England manufacturers, is struggling to build its workforce and exhibited to local high school and middle school students at a career and technology expo at Logan Airport recently, bringing its Alia aircraft for demonstrations of manufacturing technologies. Read more.

ATR Inks Maintenance Deal with Fly91

Indian pure play regional airline FLY91 inked a Global Maintenance Agreement (GMA) with ATR, a pivotal step towards providing reliable and cost-effective regional air travel across India. Under the agreement, ATR will provide repair, overhaul and pooling services of Line Replaceable Units, propeller availability and repair services, as well as engineering and on-site support for FLY91’s growing fleet of ATR aircraft. Read more.

De Havilland Studies Resurrecting Sherpa

De Havilland is eyeing the defense and firefighting markets as it studies reviving the military variant of the former Short Brothers Sherpa utility aircraft. It launched a market survey earlier this year with strong response from the US Forest Service which has over a dozen ex-Army C-23 Sherpas delivering smoke jumpers. The company reported international demand prompted it to launch the study. Read more.

Merlin Data Collection Advances Autonomous Capabilities for Air Force

Merlin recently participated in data collection flights in the KC-135 Stratotanker at MacDill Air Force Base to better understand crew workload drivers and gather data to expand the autonomous capabilities of the Merlin Pilot for military use cases. Read more.

In other news, it reported material advancements of safety-critical flight capabilities for the Merlin Pilot. Supporting its phased approach to autonomous flight, Merlin is pairing its advanced automation capabilities with human pilot expertise to build a comprehensive autonomy framework that underpins the full suite of pilot skills including automated checklists, autonomous navigation and dynamic replanning, and automated emergency landing. Read more.

Embraer Scientists Nominated for

Brazilian scientists Micael Carmo and Fernando Catalano were selected as finalists by the European Patent Office (EPO) in the Non-EPO Countries category of the European Inventor Award 2024 in recognition of their contribution to sustainable aviation. Chosen from over 550 candidates, the two scientists were funded through a collaboration that included Embraer and the Brazilian Silent Aircraft Program participating in studies to implement engineering methods and solutions to design quieter aircraft, contributing to noise footprint reduction of 65% for Embraer’s new generation E2. It also resulted in a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions per passenger promising a 85% reduction when using SAF. Read more.

UND Expands Vets2Wing Nationwide

The University of North Dakota is expanding its Vets2Wing program nationwide. It is part of the American Aviator Act embedded in the FAA reauthorization and is set to make V2W permanent through 2028, after which it can be renewed. That means schools across the US can begin to offer this program to their veteran students and that they have a working, UND-created blueprint that they can follow. Read more.

Professional Development

Last-Mile Delivery Conference

The Last-Mile Delivery Conference & Expo will be held June 24-25 in Las Vegas where attendees will hear from FedEx Business Strategy Principal Gururaj Rao. The conference brings together major consumer organizations with the logistics community. Register here.

RAA Summer Seminars

Registration is now open for RAA's Summer Seminars, July 28-30, 2024 in Denver, CO, at the Jacquard Hotel & Rooftop. The Regional Airline Association organizes the Summer Seminars to meet the professional development of airline professionals. The event provides subject matter expert briefings and peer discussions that are essential to keep new and veteran management current on the latest legal guidelines and best practices in the areas of Human Resources, Inflight/Cabin Services and Drug & Alcohol Testing programs. Read more.

RAA Conference Set for September

RAA Leaders Conference provides a unique opportunity to connect with airline CEOs, industry experts, and friends. Content will include insights from industry experts and policymakers, while attendees can engage with customers, industry influencers and decision-makers. This event will take place on September 24-25 in Washington, DC. Read more.

Workforce

Pilot Certification Rises 19% YOY

A new report from AIN shows ATP certificates granted by the FAA rose 14% while overall pilot certificates rose 19% in April from the year-ago period. Despite the good news, the number of ATPs issued was down 4% from 2019, according to Jeffries. The agency issued 999 ATPs in April. Total pilot certificates in April were 9,899, down 13% from March which saw 11,324 issued. “Jefferies said the YOY increase in ATPs suggests US airlines should have success in finding pilots. ATP issuances were 5% above the 12-month average. Read more.

Little Progress on Achieving AMT Goals

The Aviation Technical Education Counsel shows how little progress in meeting the need for 31,000 aviation maintenance technicians by 2031 with latest FAA stats showing growth in AMTs at only 2.3%. New AMT entrants increased by just 1.8% last year and the percentage of military veterans transitioning to civilian maintenance jobs grew by double digits for the second consecutive year, ATEC said in its latest pipeline report.

One of the biggest issues is competition from other industries and the barriers to testing including fear of testing which prevents students from sitting for A&P exams. ATEC is working to make testing part of the curriculum and University Aviation Association mentioned this is a priority along with approving designated examiners at the schools. Read more.

United on Hiring Spree

United Airlines will hire 15,000 new employees nationwide including customer service ramp and airport support workers, technicians and maintenance personal, digital technology and corporate support employees. It received 260,000 applications this year and 40,000 interns applied for 300 positions. Read more.

FSA Says Home Sims Shorten Hours Needed for Certification

Flight Simulation Association concluded students who use home flight simulation during private pilot training receive their certificates with 5.5 fewer flight training hours. Surveying more than 1,000 certificated pilots and air traffic controllers found pilots using at-home simulation technology best the FAA average by 20 hours in gaining their certification. Results from air traffic controllers showed “home flight simulation could be an undiscovered source of air traffic control recruitment — perhaps even training — that is likely being overlooked by regulators and civil aviation agencies, association officials said.” Read more.

Employee Retention Remains Key Issue

While mostly geared toward business aviation, this article has deep implications for any airline in hiring mode as more flight department personnel are enticed away by mainline airlines. Aviation Personnel International Sheryl Barden indicated the dwindling pilot pipeline keeps her awake at night. She found she was not alone with most flight department managers she surveyed indicated keeping their teams intact is challenging owing to the demand for work/life balance, flexible schedules, compensation and employee conflicts. Retention, she said, relies on prioritizing these demands and fostering a culture of teamwork and trust. Read more.

Attracting and Retaining Talent Often Calls for Simple Solutions – A Personal Relationship

Wanted: 1.3 Million New Civil Aviation Professionals

FAPA May Hiring Bulletin

Industry Watch

GA Survey Still Open

The final stretch of the 46th Annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, but there are still a week left to submit survey responses (the last day aircraft owners/operators can respond to the survey is July 12). RACCA urges members to complete the survey.

Passenger Regionals Consolidate Around Handful of Companies

In a recent market analysis of SkyWest Airlines, Cowen Research said the regional passenger airline industry is down to a handful of carriers both owned and independent as the result of “multiple existential crises” include the pandemic and mainline poaching of pilots. It noted the weaker balance sheets, chronic staffing challenges and diminished revenue production ability of many operators as a result. Notable exceptions were SkyWest, Republic and owned regionals Endeavor, Envoy, TSA, Piedmont and Horizon. The consolidation has come at the expense of smaller carriers.

Q2 Air Cargo North American Rises 7%

Continuing sea and ground disruptions drove strong growth in April, according to IATA’s latest report which cited the Purchasing Managers Index, noting the “roots of air cargo’s strong performance are deepening.” Total demand, measured in cargo ton-kilometers (CTKs*), rose by 11.1% compared to April 2023 levels (11.6% for international operations). This is the fifth consecutive month of double-digit year-on-year growth. Capacity, measured in available cargo ton-kilometers (ACTKs), increased by 7.1% compared to April 2023 (10.2% for international operations). North American carriers saw 7.0% year-on-year demand growth for air cargo in April —the weakest among all regions. Read more.

The shifting landscape of the world’s air cargo carriers

GAMA reports 2Q Shipment & Billing Report

The general aviation aircraft manufacturing industry’s results for the first three months of 2024 when compared to the same period in 2023, show deliveries were flat for piston airplanes and piston helicopters, decreased for turboprops and turbine helicopters, and increased for business jets. Total aircraft billings were up 3.2% at $4.7 billion. Read more.

Fed Watch

FAA Grants BVLOS to Prime Air

Permission to go beyond visual line of sight for Amazon’s Prime Air’s drone program was granted by FAA recently after the company showed how it used onboard detect-and-avoid programs to avoid obstacles including aircraft, helicopters and hot air balloons. Read more.

FAA Grants Archer Aviation Part 135 Certificate

Archer Air received its Part 135 Air Carrier & Operator Certificate from the FAA, allowing Archer to begin operating aircraft commercially to refine its systems and procedures in advance of launching Midnight into service for airlines like United Airlines when it receives Midnight’s Type Certification. Read more.

Emerging Technologies

Eve Progresses in Full-Scale Prototype

Eve unveiled a teaser video of its first full-scale eVTOL non-conforming prototype as it continues production of the aircraft in Brazil. Eve released the video on its social media channels and will continue to share more updates on its progress in the coming months. It reported it had nearly 3,000 prospective orders. Read more.

Watch the video here.

Textron eAviation Shows Off Nexus Progress

With the mating of two halves of the Nexus eVTOL full-scale model which holds passengers, crew and cargo, Textron eAviation ticked off a milestone in the program as the aircraft took shape. It also released the first photo of its progress on the technology demonstrator, along with a time-lapse video of the build. Read more.

Drone Delivery Canada in Merger

Drone Delivery Canada Corp. and Volatus Aerospace Corp. entered into a business combination in a merger of equals transaction, with the combined company to continue under the name “Volatus Aerospace Corp,” reported State Aviation Journal. Read more.

Drone Express Taps Hard Tech AI for Development

Express is integrating cutting-edge engineering with advanced AI for development of its autonomous delivery drone technology. Its drones use advanced AI algorithms and real-time data processing to autonomously plan routes, avoid obstacles, and execute deliveries seamlessly, reported State Aviation Journal, which indicated it will solve logistical challenges and pave the way for a more connected and efficient future. Hard Tech integrates state-of-the-art hardware with intelligent systems. Read more.

SkyPorts Talks Infrastructure for AAM, Cargo Drones

Noting the increased capital flowing to advanced air mobility, SkyPorts CEO Duncan Walker, says the focus is now turning toward AAM’s “supporting ecosystem” in addition to uncrewed cargo drones. He indicated the emerging industry will not happen unless vertiport development, airspace management, maintenance and repair and pilot training comes together on time. Developments are now focused in the Middle East which will likely host the first public commercial network. Lagging developments is the drone technology, he said.

“We’re beginning to see the first of the bigger drones come through, carrying higher payloads, which is good because most of our customers, in particular on the delivery side, want to carry higher payloads,” he said. “That will be a real enabler, and everything we have built in drone services has always been geared up to be able to fly as broad a range of drones as possible. So we’ve spent a lot of time onboarding new vehicles into the fleet and using them to serve our clients. Read more.

Joby Acquires Xwing Autonomy

Focusing on advanced air mobility crewed passenger operations, Joby is moving to autonomous technology by acquiring the autonomy division of Xwing which has been using its Superpilot software for its operations since 2020. The technology enables uncrewed operation supervised from the ground and is the world’s first autonomous gate-to-gate flight technology. Read more.

Heart Reveals Redesigned ES-30 Hybrid Propulsion System

Harbour Air Gains Outside Customer For Electric Beaver Conversion

Sounding Board: Five Minutes With Lannie O’Bannion, Textron Aviation SVP Of Sales, Flight Ops

Amazon Is Reviving Its Logistics Expansion and Reshaping Its U.S. Distribution

Amazon’s Delivery Drones Won’t Fly Above 104 Degrees F