In 1992, Kjell Stakkestad, president and CEO of KinetX Aerospace, helped develop a prototype satellite ground system using off-the-shelf hardware and software products to demonstrate that a satellite ground system could be rapidly, cheaply and reliably developed. (Photo by Mike Mertes, Az Business magazine)

KinetX Aerospace faced a Herculean challenge when it was asked to develop a navigation system to guide the fastest spacecraft ever launched to the farthest destination ever explored.

We have done navigation to a number of planets, but it was a different kind of challenge going to Pluto, says Kjell Stakkestad, president and CEO of KinetX Aerospace. We had to travel 3.5 billion miles and had to hit a very precise box. It was like having to hit a dime from 5 miles away.

But KinetX delivered. After a journey of 9 years and more than 3 billion miles, the team from KinetX helped the New Horizons spacecraft hit its mark and captivate the world with the first close-up images of Pluto.

Operating out of Tempe, KinetX Aerospace is a privately held company that specializes in the design, development and operation of large-scale space systems, in addition to working on deep space missions. It is the only private company involved in deep space exploration.

Az Business had an out-of-this-world discussion with Stakkestad about the state of space in Arizona.

Az Business: Whats the story of KinetX?

Kjell Stakkestad:What we do is we make systems work. We helped the IRIDIUM satellite system get working and we are the longest-running subcontractor for IRIDIUM. We have also worked on defense projects and worked on communications systems for the military.

Now, we are trying to use what weve learned to develop intellectual property that allows soldiers to use cell phones instead of big backpacks for communications. We are using our systems to tie genetics to cancer treatment and drug trials. The medical community has all these great methods to measure everything you could imagine in a patient. But how does it all fit together? Thats what we do: systems engineering.

AB: What are you working on now?

KS: The most flashy stuff we do is space and we are very proud of that. We just launched a mission to get asteroid samples from Bennu. This project is difficult because Bennu is only 500 meters across, so navigation is tricky. There is a lot of physics and a lot of math. Theres no plugging it into a formula and doing it. But the information were going to get from Bennu will help scientists examine the origin of our planet, so its exciting.

AB: How is Arizona as a place to operate an aerospace company?

KS:The state is fantastic and has a lot of spectacular space work going on. ASU, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona have some of the best programs in the world. But the state has some problems, too. Arizona helped put the largest set of satellites into orbit and got almost no press. Arizona is in the top three or four states for aerospace and we tout it far less than other states. I think there are a lot of opportunities for Arizona to get itself more on the map and we miss those opportunities.

AB: What should we be doing so we dont miss those opportunities?

KS: If we had a vibrant advocacy group fighting for (and focused on) the aerospace industry, you would see commercial space and space work in Arizona grow dramatically. Arizona is a place where people want to come. The only drawback is that we have to do something about the education system. When we try to attract people here, they say, Youre 49th in education. It doesnt preclude people from coming, but these are educated people and they want their children to be well educated. So we need to do something about that.

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The centre will help train 1,600 engineers and professionals in industry-specific skills in a bid to meet the rising demand for Make in India products in defence and aerospace

Keeping in mind the Make in India theme and a fast developing ecosystem of aerospace and defence industry, a Centre of Excellence is being set up in Bengaluru in collaboration with a French non-profit for imparting industry-specific, high-end skill training to make the available manpower readily employable.

As part of the centre, two campuses will be started by the government of Karnataka along with French aerospace and defence major Dassault Systems.

Karnataka's IT and BT minister Priyank Kharge told YourStory that the government had been in talks with Dassault since Bengaluru ITE.biz, the countrys premier tech event held last November.

Kharge explained,

We have been working closely with Dassault and the French government as they liked our idea of establishing a Centre of Excellence to address skill requirements for the growth of aerospace and defence. As Karnataka is the first state in the country to have an aerospace policy as well as the first to establish two aerospace manufacturing hubs in Bengaluru and Belagavi, they realised we were also looking at the future with all seriousness, as the total project cost for setting this up is Rs 288.68 crore.

Of the two campuses in Bengaluru, one will come up at Muddenahalli, which will help attract rural talent in this specialised sector. An MoU has been signed with Institut Aeronautique et Spatial (IAS), a Toulouse-based non-profit organisation.

The CoE will provide hi-end training and skill development to about 1,600 engineers every year to make them readily employable in the sector. The course certificate will be given by Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), which governs and oversees engineering colleges and courses in the state.

India is currently the eighth largest spender on defence in the world, and this spending is expected to grow 7-8 percent per annum. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who was in the city last week for the Make in India Karnataka conference, as well as Aero India 2017, said for the first time, the Ministry of Defence had sourced almost 95 percent of defence requirements locally. With an estimated $250 billion worth of procurement seen over the next decade, the defence sector is expected to give a major push to the Make in India initiative.

Bengaluru has for long been the hub for aerospace and defence sector, in terms of manufacturing, testing and R&D, being home to established players such as state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited and DRDO labs and private players like Airbus, Safran, Mahindra, Tata and others. There are also a large number of small and medium enterprises that serve as ancillary units as well as startups that produce hi-end technology for major players.

HAL and the Indian Space Research Organisation alone have together nurtured more than 6,000 manufacturing units, and a large pool of trained manpower is already available.

StateIndustries Minister R.V. Deshpande said,

Karnataka accounts for 65 percent of the national share from this industry and also has notched up several firsts, such as an aerospace policy, an aerospace park on 1,000 acres of land near the Bengaluru International Airport, 600 acres allotted to HAL to set up a helicopter plant in Gubbi, Tumkur district, and the countrys first privately-owed aerospace SEZ in Belagavi.

The CoE will improve the skills of employable engineers and other professionals through industry-focused skill development programmes, he added.

The CoE will use a 3D experience platform developed by Dassault, which has worked with the worlds leading companies for over 35 years. Dassault will also bear the bulk of the project cost, by contributing Rs 251 crore in the form of developing software packages, updation, licence charges, faculty and training. The Karnataka government has provided land and will also contribute around Rs 34 crore over the next three years for the project.

Samson Khaou, Managing Director-India, Dassault Systems, said his company is delighted to partner with the state government in its endeavour. Dassault will draw upon its expertise and experience and ensure that the training imparted at the CoE is of high standards, matching that of the industry around the globe.

Pierre Valenti, Managing Director, Institut Aeronautique et Spatial, said his institute will help turn the CoE into a world-class institution for the aerospace and defence sector.

Academic partner VTU will provide space at both the centres and is also expected to spend Rs 4.5 crore for putting together infrastructure, provide manpower to run the centres, as well as meet costs towards power, Internet and other expenditure, the minister added.

The CoE will ensure that the competitive advantage of Karnataka as an aerospace and defence hub in the country is retained and strengthened. There is an acute shortage of skilled engineers and professionals in the area and CoE will act as a catalyst for growth. The youth here can get exposure in industrial design as a career option, Kharge added.

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Misogyny shows itself up in many ways. In public places, it shows in the way women are denied even the most basic facilities like toilets.

The Indian ministry of defence has just concluded the 11th edition of the biennial aerospace show Aero India in Bengaluru. Superlatives have frequently been used by government officials over the years to describe Aero India, which indeed is Indias biggest defence and aerospace event, attracting the whos who of the global defence industry, including presidents and CEOs.

This year over 250 foreign and roughly 270 Indian companies exhibited in Aero India, which was jointly inaugurated by ministers of defence and civil aviation. As is the trend worldwide, even in the defence industry, the number of women in the workforce has increased over the years. So at Aero India 2017, there appeared to be as many women at Air Force Station Yelahanka, which has been the permanent location of the show for the last two decades, as there were men. Even at extremely conservative estimates, there were at least 2,500-3,000 women at the show every day.

Yet, it didnt occur to the organisers that these women would need access to clean toilets. There were just under a dozen toilets for women at the show, each afflicted with its own unique problem. Some had no water, toilet paper rolls or soaps; some had too much water on the floor, forcing the users to roll up their trousers or hitch up their sarees before entering, while some demanded a cross-country trek over unpaved ground, difficult to negotiate in heels.

One thing united them all: absolute lack of hygiene. For a show of this level, the organisers had hired local cleaning women to attend to the toilets, instead of professional housekeepers.

This makes a mockery of everything we claim and aspire for at so many levels. Lets take each level one by one. We claim to be a leading power in Asia; our prime minister asserts that our time has come and the world must take notice; and he is exhorting global industry to come and Make in India. Yet, at the biggest showcase event, the infrastructure is so abysmal that foreign participants make sympathetic noises while putting India back in the third or the fourth world.

Aero India is basically a national show for us unlike the Dubai or the Singapore Air Shows, which are more regional in nature, one exhibitor told this writer, explaining why they neither expect nor get delegations from other Asian countries to Aero India. To look at the latest trends in defence and aerospace technology, customers from those countries prefer to visit Dubai or Singapore. To attract international customers, you will really need to work on the infrastructure, she said. After all, it stands to reason that if you cannot get something as basic as the toilets right, how can you be trusted with high technology?

But we do get a lot of technology right. Isro has just launched 104 satellites in a single flight. So what is this disdain towards providing toilets for women, if not a veiled attempt at keeping them out of public places? And if this is the state at a premier show crawling with so-called VIPs, one can only shudder to think of the state of toilets in lesser places.

At the second level, what does it say about the governments Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)? Clearly, if usable toilets cannot be provided for women at even high profile events, the fate of the millions of these being built under SBM is not difficult to imagine. In most urban areas, the problem is not of a toilet structure, but its condition.

Finally, the government is committed to giving greater opportunities to women in the armed forces. But by not providing them civilised facilities at their places of work, isnt the government telling them that we may have opened our doors, but our minds remain shut?

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

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What the state of toilets at India's aerospace megashow tells us ... - Times of India (blog)

Tucked deep within Broomfield-based Ball Corporation, far from its globe-dominating can business, is a small division whose growth has become so compelling that it will almost double the size of its Westminster manufacturing center this year, adding hundreds of jobs in the process.

Strolling through the corridors of this classified facility, Ball Vice President of Tactical Solutions Rob Freedman is greeted by young engineers, carrying prototypes of antennas and other devices, some of which, when realized, will be tucked into the wings of military fighter jets.

In 2016, the engineers and technicians who work here shipped 7,000 custom made parts and devices, most of which can't be photographed or discussed publicly.

Ball Aerospace manufacturing center expansion in Westminster. (Courtesy Image / Daily Camera)

Known for dreaming up, then designing and ultimately manufacturing lenses for navy ship scopes, high-tech, ultra-rugged antennas for fighter jets and various pieces of flight hardware for earth and space, the tactical solutions division has seen its backlog surge dramatically. At the end of 2016 it helped grow the backlog at Ball Aerospace to $1.4 billion, its highest point since Ball Aerospace and Technologies was founded 60 years ago.

Tactical solutions is one division of Ball Aerospace and Technologies. Within the Westminster manufacturing facility, Freedman is dwarfed by giant autoclaves and warehouse-like rooms whose ceilings top out at 45 feet, more than five times taller than the average office ceiling. Bright yellow pulleys hang down from those towering ceilings, ready to pick up which ever 10-ton part needs to be lifted and moved.

When the division breaks ground on the expansion in April, it will start a months-long process where the existing 200,000 square foot facility will morph to 345,000 square feet, a 72 percent increase in capacity.

Damon Zuetell is industrial operations manager. His job is to ensure the new space is built quickly and that it keeps hundreds of research and design engineers near the test labs and manufacturing rooms where the devices are imagined and then constructed.

"We like to keep smart people close to what they are building," he said.

As the division's backlog has grown so have its projects. "Our stuff is getting bigger as we develop higher value, more complex systems," Freedman said.

Ball Corp. CEO John Hayes told Wall Street analysts last month that the company had decided to expand the Westminster facility.

"It's a capacity issue," Hayes said. "We don't have enough manufacturing space to execute on all the wins we've gotten."

In the years ahead, "hundreds and hundreds" more fighter planes will be made, Hayes said, and Ball Corp. has won contracts to make many of the parts needed for them to be mission-ready.

Chicago-based MorningStar analyst Charles Gross tracks Ball Corp. That the company has opted to invest in a factory expansion is noteworthy, he said.

"In general Ball operates a conservative business and they are cautious about allocating capital," Gross said. "They want to be confident they will have a high return on that capital before they lay it out."

Last year, Ball Aerospace, which includes Freedman's division, generated profits of $88 million, on sales of $818 million, roughly 10 percent more than in 2015, according to the company's year-end earnings statement.

These earnings are just a small piece of Ball's overall global business, which generated profits of $224 million on sales of $9.1 billion.

The exterior of the Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. Manufacturing Center on Monday in Broomfield. Feb. 13, 2016 (Jeremy Papasso / Staff Photographer)

Last year, Ball's aerospace division added 300 workers and this year it plans to add 300 more, according to spokesman William Rigler. That 600 person bump doesn't include additional hires that will come when the manufacturing center expansion is complete.

When the two years of hiring are combined that constitutes a more than 30 percent jump in Ball's overall Colorado employment base of 2300.

That is nearly 10 percent of Colorado's overall aerospace direct employment base of 25,500 people, according to a new industry report by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. When manufacturing sub-sector jobs are counted, the state employs more than 180,000 people in this arena.

That employment base is one of the reasons Colorado ranks no. 2 nationwide for aerospace employment, according to Jay Lindell, who acts as lead on aerospace for the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

Ball is the largest "Colorado-grown" aerospace firm, Lindell said, among eight who have major operations here. It is known as a niche player, one that provides specialized parts and equipment to such behemoths as Boeing, Northrup Grumman, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Corp., among others.

Despite the Trump Administration's concerns about the cost of Lockheed's F-35 figher jet, Ball officials and industry experts are taking a wait-and-see approach on what if any effect politics will have on the long-term defense and aerospace budgets.

"It's too early to tell," Lindell said.

Back at the manufacturing center in Westminster, Freedman reels off each of the quality honors the center has won in the past five years, with awards in gleaming showcases coming from Boeing, Northrup Grumman, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, among others.

His division was named one of the top 25 suppliers out of thousands for its work on the F-35 and it has won similar awards from the other major U.S. defense manufacturers.

"It's our 100 percent 'stick rate,'" Freedman said. "When we go down to the (Lockheed) plant in Texas, and they install our devices on those jets, our's work. So they never have to be taken off to fix. They like that."

Jerd Smith: 303-473-1332, smithj@dailycamera.com or twitter.com/jerd_smith

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Under the radar: Broomfield's Ball Aerospace sees its tactical unit take off - Boulder Daily Camera

At least years Geneva Motor Show, Chinese automotive R&D company Techrules promised us it would be ready to start production of an all-electric supercar within a couple of years. Cue many raisedeyebrows.

Now its back, and will bring to Geneva a car. Techrules says only that it will reveal the dramatic design details of its production supercar (whether its revealing the actual, production car isnt clear), which has an aerospace-inspired design crafted by world-renowned automotive designers, Fabrizio and GiorgettoGiugiaro.

The car will also harbor Techruless Turbine-Recharging Electric Vehicle (TREV, for short) powertrain, which in essence uses a micro-turbine to charge an advanced battery pack. The company promises the system requires very little hardware, saving weight and space, that it may redefine how the next generation of electric vehicles ispowered and deliver a unique blend of ultimate performance, brutal power and unparalleledefficiency.

We know that this years car will have a central driving position and a fighter-jet style canopy. The interior itself will also be aircraft-inspired, and finished with premium qualitymaterials.

Well bring you more from the show floor. For now, we remain decidedlyskeptical.

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Techrules is bringing an 'aerospace-inspired' supercar to Geneva ... - Top Gear

A British aerospace company announced this month the creation of 170 new jobs and a $50 million investment in a new manufacturing facility adjacent to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Bay County.

The facility will be the first for GKN Aerospace in Florida and will be located at the 195-acre Venture Crossings commerce and industrial park near Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.

This investment emphasizes our commitment to manufacturing in North America, as this new world-class facility will create jobs and strengthen our competitive position in the US aerospace market for the future, said Mike Grunza, CEO of GKN Aerospaces Aerostructures North America.

GKN Aerospace uses advanced manufacturing technologies to supply integrated assemblies in both metallic and composite materials to the aviation industry. The company employs approximately 17,000 people in more than 60 locations across three continents.

The company will receive a $2 million grant from the Industry Recruitment, Retention & Expansion Fund (IRREF) Grant Program, which is administered by the University of West Florida. The IRREF program was designed to spur research and development, commercialization of research, economic diversification and job creation in Northwest Florida.

The University is proud to provide key support for GKN Aerospaces expansion, which will help strengthen, grow and diversify the regions economy, said Brice Harris, assistant vice president for research and economic opportunity at UWF. This project and others supported by the Industry Recruitment, Retention and Expansion Fund demonstrate our commitment to attracting high-paying jobs to Northwest Florida.

To be operated on lease, the new 126,000 square-foot facility will be developed and owned by a subsidiary of St. Joe Company, and designed to meet GKN Aerospaces specific requirements. When completed, components for the Boeing 737 MAX and future 777X jetliners will be manufactured at the facility.

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Aerospace company to bring 170 new jobs, $50 million investment to Northwest Florida - The Pulse

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20 () The need for domestic startups in the area of science and technology was today stressed at a technical colloquium on 'Aerospace Fastening Systems', organised by the Society of Aerospace Manufacturing Engineers (SAME) here. A number of experts including ISRO's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre Director K Sivan and Liquid Propulsion System Centre Director S Somanath attended the event, a release said. The colloquium was inaugurated by Dr Kuncheria P Isaac, Vice Chancellor, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. During his inaugural address, Isaac said that majority of the 104 satellites launched recently, onboard PSLV-C37, by the Indian Space Research Organisation were from foreign startups with less than eight years experience. Lauding the efforts of Indian Space technologists for their remarkable achievements, he stressed the need for domestic startups in the area of science and technology. He urged space technologists to be part of academics to improve the quality of education in the state. Isaac also wished to look forward for a student satellite from a Kerala-based University. Sivan, who presided over the function, highlighted the role played by manufacturing engineers in the success of rocketry. He wanted aerospace manufacturing engineers to keep abreast with the latest developments taking place in the field. Highlighting the importance of fastening systems in ISRO launch vehicles from fundamentals to the most addressed system in cryo and semi-cryo engines, Somanath stressed the challenges found in the design of fasteners and explained how they were overcome during the development of Launch Vehicle Systems. An exhibition of fasteners was arranged with the participation of seven leading fastener manufacturers as part of the event. Over 200 aerospace technologists participated in the colloquium, the release added. LGK VS

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OGDEN, Utah The Utah Aerospace Pathways Program is expanding to one more school district.

Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox made the special announcement during this years Aerospace Day at Utahs Capitol Hill.

We are excited to continue to talk about the Aerospace Pathways Program, Cox said.

The Utah Aerospace Pathways program is expanding to the Ogden School District. Its already available for high school seniors in Granite, Davis and Iron County school districts.

Aerospace is one of our fastest growing sectors of the economy, Cox said. And the great news is they bring really good paying jobs to the state of Utah, with great benefits.

The students, like Annika Kiedaisch at Ben Lomond High School, spend parts of their days working with aerospace companies and eventually graduate with a certificate in aerospace manufacturing.

I do a lot of repair right now is what Im working on, Kiedaisch said. I just finished the employability skills, I'm just trying to get the prerequisite courses out of the way, so that I can participate in the internship.

Once they graduate, students can choose whether they want to go to college or get a job right out of high school.

I do think it is going to prepare me a lot, it gives me a lot of the hands-on skills that I know Im going to be using within the manufacturing industry, Kiedaisch said.

State leaders say Utah is taking the lead when it comes to aerospace technology.

Some of the biggest airplane manufacturers in the country, Boeing for example is right here in the state of Utah, Cox said. They participate in this, where they make parts for these big jets we see flying over the country.

Students can only sign up where the program is available, but there are other opportunities statewide.

For students across the state, the Talent Ready Utah programthat they can find at talentreadyutah.comis going to start providing opportunities like this, not just in aerospace, but in different industries across the state," Cox said.

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Utah Aerospace Pathways Program expands to Ogden School District - fox13now.com

By: Express News Service | Pune | Published:February 20, 2017 6:16 am

Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (KSSL) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have entered into an MoU to strengthen the air defence systems. Under the Make in India initiative, the MoU, which was signed in Bengaluru last week, aims at setting up a Joint Venture Company (JVC) in India.

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The joint venture will provide indigenously manufactured solutions in niche technology areas of defense sector, thereby furthering the Make in India initiative of the government, said Baba Kalyani, chairman, Kalyani Group. Even though IAIs defence wing has a long-standing relation with India, this will be a different area of focus.

This collaboration brings together the manufacturing and technology excellence of two leading companies. We are hopeful of continuing partnership at KSSL and spread our footprint in India, said Joseph Weiss, IAIs President and CEO.

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KSSL, Israel Aerospace Industries sign pact on air defence systems - The Indian Express

Christopher Buchanan, WXIA 7:49 PM. EST February 18, 2017

(Photo: Courtesy of McDonald's)

ATLANTA -- Drinking a milkshake can sometimes be an arduous task with a straw - especially when trying to get an even mix of two flavors. So if you're a multi-national fast food giant, what do you do to solve such an annoyance?

You bring on some of the most brilliant minds in tech and aerospace science to end the problem once and for all - or at least of a limited time.

McDonald's has introduced a reinvented straw ahead of the introduction of the Chocolate Shamrock Shake - a variant on their seasonal favorite.

The straw is actually designed as a joint venture between McDonald's and engineering firms NK Labs and JACE to help milkshake drinkers get an even mix of chocolate and mint.

It was a puzzling assignment but one with an ambitious goal, said Seth Newburg, principal engineer and managing partner at NK Labs. From a physics perspective, its actually quite difficult to deliver a proportional amount of both chocolate and mint flavors with each sip. But thats exactly what we did. Its a marvel of fluid dynamics. Thanks Fibonacci sequence.

Sound like overkill? To some extent, McDonald's appears to agree calling the limited-edition straw "utterly frivolous" in their own press release.

But McDonald's says the invention is also a hallmark of its customer focus.

"We're always listening to what our customers want and reinventing our menu in response," said Darci Forrest, senior director of menu innovation at McDonald's. "And though it might sound silly to some, putting our guests first sometimes means re-thinking even the humble straw."

Symbolic gesture or not, the "J" shaped straw is actually quite real. But the company is only releasing 2,000 - a limited production strategy recently implemented with the bottling of the company's Big Mac sauce.

The company released limited quantities of the sauce, as well, to promote its new Big Mac sizes - and the public definitely took the bait with some immediately putting it on eBay for prices ranging from $50 to $100,000.

Just like the sauce, the straw announcement precedes the introduction of four new seasonal McCafe drinks along with the famed Shamrock Shake. The limited production straw will also be limited release. So fans will have to head here to find out when and where they will pop up.

At this point, it looks like one Atlanta location will receive the item.

As for sales of the drink to which it will be paired, McDonald's vows to donate 25 cents from each Shamrock Chocolate beverage to Ronald McDonald House between March 11 and 17.

( 2017 WXIA)

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Hey burger fans! This ATM dispenses McDonald's Big Macs

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Yup, McDonald's is giving away big bottles of Big Mac sauce

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McDonald's designs 'utterly frivolous' straw with help of aerospace ... - 11alive.com

Maser Consulting P.A., a nationwide consulting engineering company, is teaming with Pulse Aerospace, a developer of helicopter unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the U.S. The two will work together to integrate Pulses UAS flight control, payload and endurance capabilities technology into high-value UAS solutions.

Pulse Aerospace is the clear leader in UAS technology and we see their platforms being instrumental in our development of quantifiable UAS sensor technology workflows, says Mark Pitchford, national director of UAS technologies for Maser Consulting. Their value proposition in flight control software, flight time, payload flexibility and stability are critical for advanced UAS sensor deployment. Pulses willingness to adapt pricing models to meet the needs of both industry and public agencies puts advanced UAS sensor technology within reach for many organizations.

Maser Consulting recently expanded its expertise in measurement technologies, including terrestrial and mobile LiDAR, into UAS-based measurement solutions. The combination of Maser Consulting as solution provider with Pulses UAS technology is expected to fill a void between understanding customer needs and the development of customized UAS technology solutions for Masers customers.

Maser Consulting currently provides survey and measurement support for construction, transportation and development support, primarily across the U.S. By adding UAS technology, Maser Consulting is able to provide measurement solutions specifically designed for the power utility, oil and gas, environmental, and emergency response markets. The Maser Consulting UAS team has thousands of UAS flight hours and more than 100 years of combined engineering consulting expertise.

Pulse Aerospace designs and manufactures the VAPOR family of UAV aircraft. For over a decade, Pulse has been working with a broad array of industries and UAS users including agriculture, mining, survey (geospatial), emergency management, energy, university, military and non-military government agencies. The companys VAPOR systems carry a wide array of sensors, gamma, magtometers, and both spectral and infrared cameras. This state-of-the-art technology is designed to help customers collect data quickly and efficiently to make actionable decisions.

Its the commitment to drive sensor integration and UAS hardware that makes Pulse Aerospace the ideal partner for Maser Consulting, says Aaron Lessig, Pulse Aerospace CEO. Our capabilities in payload, flight time and mission precision are the perfect complement to the high value workflows Maser Consulting has been developing.

About Maser Consulting

Maser Consulting offers advanced survey services to rail customers nationwide through the use of GPS, geospatial survey including mobile LiDAR and the AMBERG GRP system. The firm employs standard and creative solutions for capturing comprehensive track geometry and corridor data in the unique rail and tunnel environments backed by a full range of engineering and design services.

About Pulse Aerospace

Pulse Aerospace products are designed with flight time, payload and precise flight control in mind. Pulse Aerospace is a commercial unmanned aircraft system (UAS) developer for users in several industries including emergency management, telecom, energy and agriculture.

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Maser Consulting, Pulse Aerospace Announce Partnership | 2017 ... - POB

Bengaluru, Feb 18:

The Karnataka Government has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Institut Aeronautique et Spatial (IAS), a non-profit organisation based in Toulouse, France, which is engaged in designing and implementing training solutions for professionals in the aeronautic and space sector.

The government engagement with IAS will ensure development of relevant and high quality skills through the Centre of Excellence. Karnataka is the leader in aerospace and defence attracting 65 per cent of the investments in the country.

Karnataka Minister for IT, BT and Tourism, Priyank Kharge, said, Bengaluru is a globally recognised technology hub. The endeavour of the state government is to further strengthen its position through the Centre of Excellence in aerospace and defence sectors.

There is an acute shortage of skilled engineers and professionals in the aerospace and defence sector. The Centre of Excellence will act as a catalyst of growth by making world-class skilled professionals available for the aerospace and defence sector, he added.

Expressing enthusiasm at the announcement, Samson Khaou, Managing Director-India, Dassault Systemes said, We are extremely delighted to partner with Karnataka government in setting up the Centre of Excellence in Aerospace and Defence. Dassault Systemes would draw upon its expertise and experience in ensuring that the training imparted in the Centre of Excellence is of a high standard.

Pierre Valenti, MD of IAS, Toulouse, said We are happy to engage with the Karnataka government in developing the proposed Centre of Excellence into a world-class institution for the aerospace and defence sector.

Skill development through the Centre of Excellence will strengthen Karnataka as a hub for the aerospace and defence sector with several companies and organisations such as HAL, ISRO, BEL, ADA, DRDO Labs, Airbus, Safran, Mahindra Aerospace, Tata Power SED, Tata Advance Material, Quest and Bombardier having operations here.

(This article was published on February 18, 2017)

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Karnataka inks pact with French institute for aerospace training centre - Hindu Business Line

Feb 17 LMI Aerospace Inc

* LMI Aerospace enters into merger agreement to be acquired by Sonaca Group

* Under agreement, LMI shareholders will receive $14 per share in an all-cash transaction

* Offer represents a 52 percent premium over LMI's closing share price on Feb. 16, 2017, of $9.19 per share

* In connection with merger agreement, Sonaca has obtained debt and equity financing commitments

* LMI Aerospace - Upon transaction close, lmi will operate as LMI Aerospace - a Member of Sonaca Group, with headquarters remaining in St. Louis.

* Korte will continue to serve as LMI Aerospace CEO and will report directly to Delvaux

* Lazard served as financial advisors to LMI; Credit Suisse served as financial advisors to Sonaca

* LMI's independent directors unanimously approved transaction

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Further company coverage:

* Monotype announces fourth quarter and full year 2016 results

* Researchers reported that hs-410, in combination with bcg, continues to be generally well-tolerated

Feb 17 Enbridge Inc , Canada's largest pipeline company, reported a 3.4 percent fall in fourth-quarter profit, hurt by charges, including for asset impairment and restructuring.

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BRIEF-LMI Aerospace to be acquired by Sonaca Group - Reuters

Abu Dhabi-basedStrata Manufacturing PJSC (Strata) and Reliance Defence Limited (RDL, Mumabi, India) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on aerospace composites manufacturing capabilities between India and the United Arab Emirates. The partnership will look at opportunities in the production of carbon fiber aerostructures, prepegs as well as 3D printing of aerospace components and airframe panels.

The Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park, located at the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN), is being considered by Reliance Defence Limited (RDL) for a new facility to support its aerospace ambitions, and forms part of the emerging aerospace industry in India.

As an established player in the advanced manufacturing of aerostructures, we are keen to grow our capabilities globally with Reliance and expand our operational footprint by capitalizing on innovative, cost-effective solutions that can benefit our customers whilst enhancing our financial performance. The collaboration between the UAE and India has been instrumental in promoting knowledge transfer and strengthening ties between businesses to jointly invest in developingworld-class products, says Badr Al Olama, CEO of Strata.

He says by working with Reliance, the company sees a significant opportunity that can lead to the creation of a new tier-one global supplier: designing, developing and manufacturing major aircraft components - such as wings and empennages - for the next generation of aircrafts.

The project has the potential to bring in significant foreign direct investment and cutting-edge technology in this niche composite aircraft manufacturing segment, says RajeshDhingra, president of Reliance Defence & Aerospace. 3D printing enables us to produce assembly and machining fixtures in one-quarter the time and at one-half the cost as conventional machining.

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Strata, Reliance form partnership to advance aerospace composites - CompositesWorld

The Western Aerospace Launch Initiative is on the brink of exploring space with their latest project. Dr. Kristina Lemmer, one of the heads of the group and a professor of Mechanical and Aerospace engineering, is helping WALI achieve getting a satellite into space.

WALI is all about the people who make up the group. It is mostly made up of engineering students, but any student is welcome to join.

Satellite design takes all types, Lemmer said.

For this reason, a large combination of different engineering students are in this club. They are a group of highly skilled and motivated students who strive to gain skills that they can apply to their future. They also work with local schools and students to further their experience and learning.

Their biggest project right now is working with the Air Force to design a CubeSat to launch into space. A CubeSat is a very small, cubic satellite that is about 10 cm by 10 cm. Depending on the designer of the satellite, its mission can change, but its basic mission is to send data from space back to Earth.

There are two ways that a CubeSat can be launched, either directly off a launch vehicle or from the International Space Station. WALI is unsure which route they will take because they are still in the first phases of designing, developing, and putting the satellite out into space. The Air Force helps that process along.

The Air Force put out a call to universities to design a satellite to be launched into space. This started a year ago with eight other universities involved along with WMU. It is a program that has been around since 1999, and its goal is to train tomorrows space professionals.

It provides the students with experiences that they cant get anywhere else, Lemmer said.

The Air Force provides a team of dedicated professionals that always keep in check with the students and go over all the different aspects of the satellite project. The students have to document everything in their specific mission called the P-spec mission.

The P-spec mission goal is to analyze plasma produced by an electric propulsion device while in orbit. They will have a six unit satellite that separates into a four unit and a two unit. They have yet to determine exactly how to analyze electric propulsion thrusters while in orbit, so there is still a lot of work to do.

The soonest launch wouldnt be until January of 2020. The Air Force encourages the whole community to get behind the project. There are multiple phases that go into the making and launching of this satellite, but they are hoping to get it done well in the quickest time they can.

Link:

WMU's aerospace initiative launches new project - Western Herald

LMI Aerospace, a St. Charles-based aerospace components manufacturer, has entered into a merger agreement to be acquired by Sonaca Group of Belgium.

Under the agreement, LMI shareholders will receive $14 per share in an all-cash transaction, the company said. The offer represents a 52 percent premium over LMI's closing share price Thursday of $9.19 per share.

After the deal closes, LMI will operate as LMI Aerospace - a member of Sonaca Group, with headquarters remaining in St. Charles, the company said in a statement. Daniel Korte will continue to serve as LMI Aerospace's CEO.

This deal brings our combined company to the forefront as a leader in the design and manufacture of complex aerostructures while working to diversify our global customer base, Korte said in a statement. In addition, LMI and Sonaca have complementary product portfolios while largely serving different aerospace primes and Tier 1 suppliers around the world, enabling us to better serve our customers.

Lazard served as financial advisors to LMI and Credit Suisse served as financial advisors to Sonaca.

The addition of LMI Aerospace to the Sonaca Group supports our vision to expand our capabilities in the United States, Bernard Delvaux, Sonaca's CEO said in the statement. Sonaca and LMI have both distinguished themselves in the industry through capabilities such as wing movables, wing panels, complex fuselage and structural assemblies, and together we will be able to strengthen our competitive advantage in the global aerospace market.

LMI also announced expectations for full-year 2016 results. The company said it expects its fiscal year net sales to range between $345.7 million and $346.7 million. The company said financial results for 2016 were negatively impacted by lower sales primarily due to customer delays, higher-than-expected medical costs and unanticipated engineering changes on a design-build contract.

Reuters contributed to this story.

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LMI Aerospace being acquired by Belgium's Sonaca Group - STLtoday.com

by Sanghamitra Saha Published on February 17, 2017

XAR

For investors seeking momentum, SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR - Free Report) is probably on radar now. The fund just hit a 52-week high and is up about 46.3% from its 52-week low price of $46.37/share.

But are more gains in store for this ETF? Lets take a quick look at the fund and the near-term outlook on it to get a better idea on where it might be headed:

XAR in Focus

This ETF tracks the S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry Index, giving investors exposure to the U.S. aerospace & defense industry. The fund holds 38 stocks in its basket. It charges 35 bps in fees and expenses. The product has Arconic Inc., Huntington Ingalls Industries, TASER International Inc., BWX Technologies Inc. and Boeing Company as the top holdings (see: all the Industrials ETFs here).

Why the Move?

This Aerospace & Defense ETF has been gathering momentum recently on decent earnings. President Trumps promises of increased military spending are possibly giving a boost to the sector. Plus, Trump is likely to visit Boeings North Carolina facility for the rollout of the first 787-10 Dreamliner on Friday. This possibility of a better relation between Boeing and Trump (who previously accused Boeing for charging high costs for Air Force One) is benefiting the fund.

More Gains Ahead?

It seems that XAR might continue with its strength given a Zacks ETF Rank of 1 or Strong Buy rating with a Medium risk outlook. Moreover, the fund has a positive weighted alpha of 39.90. A positive weighted alpha hint at more gains. As a result, there is definitely still some promise for investors who want to ride on this surging ETF.

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Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Get it free >>

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Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) Hits New 52-Week High - Zacks.com

SpaceX just launched ten Iridium Communications satellites into low-Earth orbit. These satellites will beam phone and data service to tens of thousands of Americans who live or work in areas too remote for regular coverage.

Until recently, blasting bus-sized satellites into space using rockets that can be reused belonged in the realm of science fiction. Now, such activities seem routine.

Policymakers should take note. Americans are set to reap the benefits of aerospace firms race to tame the Final Frontier and the industrys investments in manufacturing will create new jobs and wealth in the United States, not just shuffle around current jobs by moving around government dollars.

Since its inception, the aerospace industry has produced technologies that improve Americans quality of life. NASA helped invent memory foam, scratch-resistant glasses, insulin pumps and hundreds of other products we use every day.

Now, private companies are driving aerospace innovation. Thanks to satellite Internet firms, airplane passengers can enjoy Wi-Fi while cruising at 30,000 feet. That has made flying more enjoyable and far more productive. The technology also makes it possible for Americans in remote areas to access high-speed Internet.

Satellite internet has yet to reach its full potential. The satellite internet of things market is expected to grow nearly 20 percent each year through 2022. Improved connectivity made possible by new satellites will improve the efficiency of a wide range of appliances, not just computers and smartphones.

Launching new satellites to support this increased connectivity would have been far too expensive a few years ago. But today, thanks to California-based SpaceX and Washington-based Blue Origins advances in rocket manufacturing, the cost of launches has plummeted. The Air Force is showing interest in ultra-low cost access to space, where reusable launch technologies stimulate tactical innovation in space operations.

Next-generation rockets have even made space-based businesses look viable.

Made in Space, a California startup, recently sent a 3D printer to the International Space Station, laying the groundwork for manufacturing in zero gravity. The firm plans to produce optical fiber in space, which would eliminate the microscopic imperfections caused by gravity. This high quality fiber could revolutionize everything from medical devices to telecommunications.

Aerospace firms arent just spurring technological progress; theyre supporting millions of jobs. Americas aerospace sector employs over 1.2 million people and indirectly supports an additional 3.2 million jobs.

These jobs are helping to replace losses weve seen in the broader manufacturing sector. While the number of overall American manufacturing jobs dropped 22 percent from 2002 to 2012, jobs in the aerospace industry grew 7 percent. Aerospace exports also generated a trade surplus of over $80 billion in 2015 the highest in the manufacturing sector.

Aerospace companies are even leading the charge to revitalize the manufacturing workforce.

Firms are designing their own educational programs, often at community colleges, to train workers. Northrop Grumman, for instance, has partnered with Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, California to create a sixteen-week vocational program in aircraft manufacturing. The firm recruits many of the students upon graduation. Such public-private partnerships could serve as a model for manufacturers in other sectors.

Private aerospace companies are strengthening the labor force and pouring billions of dollars into new technologies that will improve Americans lives. Thats a reason to cheer every liftoff.

Rebecca Grant, Ph.D., is president of IRIS Independent Research, a public-policy research organization, and director of the Washington Security Forum. She is the former director of the General Billy Mitchell Institute for Airpower Studies at the Air Force Association.

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Aerospace can make America great again - Sonoran News

Industry analyst Richard Aboulafia predicts tough years ahead, with Boeing depending heavily on increased 737 production as demand for its Everett-built twin-aisle jets slows and it struggles to fund development of the next airplane.

The great boom in the aerospace industry is over, and in the next few years Boeing will have to make even bigger cuts to large jet production in Everett than it has publicly announced, aviation-industry guru Richard Aboulafia predicted Wednesday.

His analysis for the Teal Group aviation-consulting firm predicts just 34 large twin-aisle 777s being delivered in 2020, less than three per month, compared with the lowest projection from Boeing of 42 deliveries per year, or 3.5 per month.

As for Boeings hope to raise production of the 787 Dreamliner from the current rate of 12 per month up to 14 per month, Aboulafia declared himself a serious nonbeliever.

Demand just isnt there in a twin-aisle-jet market that is flooded with way too many airplanes, he said.

In a downbeat speech to an audience of local suppliers and local government officials at the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance (PNAA) conference in Lynnwood, Aboulafia also said Boeing faces a real dilemma in how to make its next move against Airbus.

And he spoke of a risk that the industry could slide from the current growth pause into outright recession if anti-trade and anti-globalization measures take hold around the world.

While a gentle dip for the airliner market is most likely, Aboulafia said, the building of walls and trade barriers could take this rather fragile industry into bust-cycle territory that would hurt Boeing more than any other company.

Referring to President Donald Trumps suggestion that the U.S. might slap a 45percent tariff on imports from China, Aboulafia said, Thats toxic.

The easiest place for China to retaliate is Boeing jetliners, switching to Airbus, he said.

A 12-yearlong boom in airliner-market growth came to an abrupt halt last year. The boom was driven by the high cost of oil, making new and more efficient planes more attractive, and the low cost of borrowing money to buy new aircraft.

The price of oil fell. The cost of financing has crept up and looks likely to go higher. And meanwhile both Airbus and Boeing pumped out record numbers of airplanes, creating a glut in the widebody-jet market.

Even the big, expansionist Gulf airlines have seen their revenue per passenger slump. When the Gulf carriers start to soften, you know you have an overcapacity issue, Aboulafia said.

Luckily for Boeing, demand for single-aisle jets remains very strong, so Renton will continue to increase production between now and 2019, he predicted.

As Boeing copes with the challenges of cutting production in Everett and raising it in Renton, it must also worry about its future competitive position against Airbus, Aboulafia said.

He said Boeing will likely have to develop a new middle-of-the-market (MOM) twin-aisle jet sized between the largest 737 and the smallest 787 and also develop a larger 737, the MAX 10, to stall the runaway sales of the Airbus A321neo.

The problem is, Boeing wont have the money to pour into a MOM development project until early next decade, Aboulafia said. All of Boeings research and development money is already earmarked through 2019 for its 737 MAX, 787-10 and 777X projects.

In contrast, he said, Airbus is free of all major development spending from 2018 on, and may well choose to move ahead of Boeing with a MOM development project.

Also holding Boeing back from new airplane development is the $27 billion overhang it still has in deferred production costs from its last new airplane project, the 787 Dreamliner.

In the aftermath of this major money-losing effort, Aboulafia suggested Boeing corporate in Chicago could be gun-shy about doing something all-new and potentially loss-making.

Always fluent and funny in his exposition, Aboulafia came up with a novel metaphor for Boeings pushing out nearly $30 billion in 787 production costs to be paid back from future revenue.

Its like, We cant save the patient, but we can put his head in a jar and hope future generations can revive him, Aboulafia said.

In the tough years ahead, he sees Boeing depending heavily on increased 737 production and further cost-squeezing.

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Boom period for Boeing is over, leading analyst tells aerospace suppliers - The Seattle Times