Wins 2022 William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance Presented by Snap-on.
Hard work and perseverance paid off again for the team from Indiana.
FedEx® Indy bested 73 global teams to win the famed William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition (AMC) Presented by Snap-on® in Dallas, Texas. FedEx Indy won the title in 2015 as well.
“When they announced Indy as the winner, we were all just in shock,” said Joe Schmalz, Captain of FedEx Indy. “We’ve fielded a team from Indy for the past 10 years; we have worked really hard to get to this point. I am just so proud of my teammates working together to capture the O’Brien Award. I’d also like to thank FedEx for their continued support of our team. We could not do it without their unwavering support and encouragement.”
Joining Schmalz on FedEx Indy were Scott Johnston, Jim Hoag, Rob Shrum, Travis Donald, and Darin Campbell (alternate).
Schmalz also wanted to thank several people within the FedEx family for helping them capture the title, including Scott Ogden, Les Frank, Rich Ugarte, Mike Sanford, Chris Hart, Gary Lyons, Christian Kline, and Meschelle Barnes, as well as Ken MacTiernan and John Goglia and their team for hosting the AMC.
The William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance is the grand prize for the team with the overall winning score in the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. The 4ft-tall O’Brien trophy will be on display at FedEx Indianapolis’ maintenance facility for the next 12 months. The trophy features a bust of aviation pioneer Charles E. Taylor who built and maintained the first aircraft engine used by the Wright Brothers. Sponsorship of the award is part of Snap-on’s continued commitment to the Aerospace Maintenance Competition and aviation maintenance technicians around the world.
“Technicians play such a crucial role in keeping aircraft and passengers flying safe, and the Aerospace Maintenance Competition is the perfect venue to shine a spotlight on the critical work they perform every day,” said Joe Chwan, director worldwide aerospace, Snap-on Industrial. “On behalf of the thousands of Snap-on professionals around the world, I would like to congratulate the skilled technicians at FedEx Indy, and all 74 teams, for their accomplishments at this year’s AMC.
“The dedication and professionalism displayed by FedEx exemplify the true spirit of what the William F. O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance is all about.”
The Aerospace Maintenance Competition Presented by Snap-on, and hosted by the Aerospace Maintenance Council, gives teams of licensed AMTs, AMEs, international military personnel and qualified aviation maintenance students the chance to test their aviation maintenance skills against those of their peers. The competition included 26 challenges in areas such as avionics; safety wiring; fiber optics/flight control rigging; hydraulics; jet engine troubleshooting; workplace safety SMS; and other tasks. Teams had 15 minutes to accurately complete each task; teams that finished their tasks in less than the allotted time received higher scores.
“The Aerospace Maintenance Competition is a venue for aircraft technicians and students from around the world to come and compete against each other. But the competition is designed to show the public what our responsibilities are; the knowledge, skill and integrity that we all possess,” said Ken MacTiernan, chairman of the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. “We have teams competing from three different countries. The airplane does not care where you come from. It just cares about the knowledge of the technician holding that tool, and the knowledge here at the competition is off the scale.”
International Category / Paul Cousins Award
United Competing with Professionalism Award
Charles E. Taylor Professional AMT Award
Phoebe Omlie Scholarship Award (Phoebe Omlie was the first female to receive an FAA aircraft mechanic’s license in 1927).
In addition to the William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance, Snap-on provided all the tools and equipment used by the participants during the competition and donated more than $75,000 in tools and equipment prizes to top finishers in the competition. More than 50 other companies, educational institutions, community organizers and individual volunteers contributed time, resources, prizes, product and airline miles to the event. Other top sponsors include American Airlines and Pratt & Whitney (Platinum); International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, PPG, SkyWest Airlines, Teamsters, TAMC, and United Airlines (Gold).
Partners with Aeroauto Aeromall to assist with the 2024 rollout of AIR ONE flying vehicle.
AIR, creator of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for the consumer market, unveiled the full-scale prototype of its inaugural vehicle, AIR ONE, at the Kentucky Derby. AIR hosted celebrities and VIPs at the AIR ONE kickoff event in the exclusive Green Room reception area on-site. Guests were able to sit inside the aircraft and experience virtual flight with AIR’s simulation technology. AIR simultaneously announced a partnership with Aeroauto to establish a specialized urban air mobility vehicle showroom and dealership in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Complementary to ongoing development of air taxis for commercial use, AIR ONE allows individual consumers to experience the freedom of flight on their own terms. Capable of taking off and landing on any flat surface, the all-electric aircraft offers a range of 110 miles (177km) on a single charge at speeds up to 155mph (250km/h). With collapsible wings, AIR ONE can be stored in garages, driveways, and is suitable for trailer hauls.
“It is thrilling that we were able to celebrate this milestone and unveil AIR ONE at a truly iconic event like the Kentucky Derby, with the help of Churchill Downs,” said Rani Plaut, CEO and co-founder of AIR. “Alongside our newest partner, Aeroauto, the trailblazers we met at the Derby will play a crucial role in gaining public acceptance of personal eVTOLs, propelling the entire industry forward, transforming the way we move, and adding a dose of adventure to everyday life.”
The Kentucky Derby marked the first of several stops on AIR ONE’s prototype tour. Between events, AIR ONE and its virtual flight simulation technology will be on display at the Aeroauto showroom. As the latest AIR Brand Ambassador, Aeroauto will assist in local infrastructure establishment for personal EV aviation and serve as a maintenance provider. AIR ONE customers will also have access to Aeroauto Flight Academy, equipped with flight simulators and classroom learning.
“It is a great honor to become the world’s first specialized urban air mobility vehicle showroom and dealership, bringing an international manufacturer to North America as an AIR brand ambassador, while becoming their North American flagship retailer for sales, service, and customer training center,” said Sean Borman, CEO of Aeroauto. “We feel that AIR’s advanced technology will be a great asset to the industry of personal transportation as a whole. The AIR ONE is an exciting addition to the US’s personal transportation market and for all the people that have been dreaming of these incredible machines for decades.”
AIR has completed a successful drop test and has finalized the first stage of the power and communication system integration. The company is also currently preparing to begin hover testing and continues to work closely with the FAA to finalize its formal application en route to Step 2 of the G1 Certification Basis Document.
AIR has begun taking preorders for AIR ONE on its website.
Also orders additional 777 freighters and 787 Dreamliners.
Lufthansa Group will continue to strengthen Lufthansa Cargo with an order for seven Boeing 777-8 freighters.
The group also placed a new order for two 777 freighters to add to its cargo fleet, providing extra cargo capacity in the near-term until the delivery of its first 777-8 freighter.
In addition, the Lufthansa Group continues to accelerate the modernization of its long-haul passenger fleet with a new purchase of seven 787-9s. The order for more 787s brings Lufthansa Group's total order book for the 787 Dreamliner to 32 firm orders. The group also is a launch customer for the 777X passenger airplane, with 20 firm orders.
"The continuous modernization of Lufthansa Group's long-haul fleet is one of our top priorities. Therefore, we are very pleased to further invest into the newest generation of Boeing aircraft. The purchase will complement our existing orders and further reduce our operating costs, enhance fuel efficiency, and provide state-of-the-art customer experiences. Moreover, the purchase highlights our commitment towards enhancing sustainable aviation," said Dr. Detlef Kayser, Member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.
Boeing launched the new 777-8 freighter in January and has already booked 34 firm orders for the model. With advanced technology from the new 777X family and performance of the 777 freighter, the 777-8 freighter offers high payload and low fuel use, emissions, and operating cost.
"With the selection of our newest freighter, Lufthansa continues its long history of firsts with Boeing airplane programs, becoming the first European customer for the 777-8 freighter," said Ihssane Mounir, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. "Each of these airplanes reduces emissions by 15% to 25% compared to previous models with a noise footprint up to 50% smaller than their predecessors, helping to advance the Lufthansa Group's sustainability objectives."
First delivery of the 777-8 freighter is anticipated in 2027.
The single seat Sherwood eKub made its first flight of 10 minutes and then a second flight later in the day of 22 minutes from Little Snoring airfield in Norfolk.
A project managed by Cranfield University to advance electric aviation has achieved a significant milestone, with what is thought to be the first ever flight by a British designed and built, all-electric conventional airplane. After taxi tests and “low hops”, the single seat Sherwood eKub made its first flight of 10 minutes and then a second flight later in the day of 22 minutes from Little Snoring airfield in Norfolk. Huge step forward for electric aviation The flights were piloted by Dr Guy Gratton, Associate Professor of Aviation and the Environment at Cranfield University and an Associate Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, who is also program manager for the Enabling Aircraft Electrification (EnabEl) project. “The airplane flew very much as predicted from our analysis and ground tests; this is a new way of flying, and we’re at the start of a steep learning curve on electric flight,” says Dr. Gratton. “The support from everybody on the team, as well as colleagues, funders and authorities has been fantastic in making this possible. As a test pilot, an aeronautical engineer, and as a researcher, learning all about this new class of airplane is one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done.” Paul Hendry Smith, Managing Director of The Light Aircraft Company (TLAC), which built the eKub and from whose Little Snoring site the airplane was test flown, says, “This is clearly a milestone in electrically powered flight and we are delighted to be at the cutting edge.” Delivering safe and environmentally efficient aircraft The eKub is a British designed and built all-electric microlight airplane and has been developed by a consortium of Cranfield University, TLAC, Flylight Airsports, and CDO². Funded by consortium partners and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the Future Flight Challenge (FFC) initiative, the eKub is part of the broader EnabEl project focused on delivering safe, viable, and environmentally efficient airplanes. “One of the key outcomes of the project so far is the work that has been undertaken in the background to facilitate the development and operation of all-electric aircraft," says Dr Thomas Delaney, project electrical engineer and Cranfield Research Fellow. "The eKub has been developed as a learning platform so that the project outcomes can now directly advise microlight builders and aviation regulators on both design best practice and new certification standards for the new era of electrified flight.” EnabEl is building two all-electric airplanes and the eKub flights will be followed by testing of a larger two-seat electric Skyranger Nynja Aircraft being built at Flylight Airsports' base of Sywell Aerodrome in Northamptonshire. Cranfield is the academic and research partner for the EnabEl consortium, one of nine projects that researchers from the University are taking part in which were announced as winners of UKRI’s FFC last year. Along with consortium partners, EnabEl is also being supported by the Civil Aviation Authority and the British Microlight Aircraft Association. A focus on aviation and the environment Cranfield University, which has committed to its own target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030, has a long-standing focus on aviation and the environment. It became a member of the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) in 2020 and has hosted its FAAM Airborne Laboratory since 2007.
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