#learning foreflight

[coffeeismycallsign]

study night ✈️

[this-is-your-captain-crying]

6 Things Instrument Training Taught Me

Instrument flight training is an amazing experience. Instrument training makes pilots safer and overall just better. It really enhances the basic pilot skills taught in private training, and sets pilots up for success in commercial training. If you’re going through instrument training, or thinking about it, I highly reccomend it. I have compiled my experiences and advice into one (super long) article... but I hope it is helpful for you!

[This is me immediately after I passed my instrument checkride :) ]

1.       Don’t Always Trust Your Gut

We’re often told to trust our guts. If you have a gut feeling about something its probably for a reason (I believe in this 100%). In instrument flying the exact opposite is true. When you’re in the soup its hard to tell up from down, literally. Disorientation is a pilots’ worst enemy.

The human body uses three systems to determine orientation;

1.       Vestibular- inner ear organs

2.       Somatosensory – nerves in the skin, joints, and muscles that use sensations from gravity

3.       Visual – eyes (duh)

These three systems send information to the brain, and when all three systems send matching information there aren’t any problems. Sometimes these systems send information that don’t match one another, this is what causes disorientation. When in VFR conditions the visual system is the dominant source of information to the brain and will override any false information given by the other systems. However, in IMC the visual system is not dominant, because you can’t see the horizon. Without the visual systems ability to override false information from the other systems, a pilot can become disoriented quickly.

I could go into a detailed explanation of the organs of the inner ear to better explain why orientation occurs, but for times sake I won’t. I will, however, provide the picture from the PHAK. Chapter 17 of the PHAK goes into spatial disorientation at a much deeper level and is a great resource for anyone seeking an instrument rating!

When flying in instrument conditions it is important to trust your instruments. At one point while flying actual, I got this uneasy feeling that I was flying upside down. Luckily, I had another person with me who did not share the sensation. When this happens, it is vital to disregard your feelings and focus on your instruments.

2.       “Seat of Your Pants” Flying Just Won’t Cut It

Before I decided to fly airplanes, I did three years of engineering school at East Tennessee State University, so I was a little weird before I ever stepped into a plane. My mind has always been able to grasp concepts when they are super structured, and math based… have you ever read an approach plate? Those things are crazy structured, and I LOVE it! However, with great structure comes great responsibility.

When you’re flying on an IFR flight plan you are essentially signing an agreement with ATC. You are agreeing that you will follow the plan they give you (approach plate/flight plan/charts) and they will provide you with their services. This includes any altitudes and reporting points. There is a very different relationship between pilot and ATC when flying VFR (who cares if you’re 30-50 feet off altitude because you flew over some cool landmark or wanted to see something cool?). Guilty as charged…

This mentality will not cut it when flying IFR. The IFR must be detail oriented and strive for perfection. This leads me to my next point…

3.       Strive for Perfection, but Accept its Unattainability

As a pilot you should strive to be as close to perfect as possible, but at the same time remind yourself that it wont always happen. When I first started my instrument training, I went into it with the mindset that this course was going to be the hardest thing I would ever attempt in my flying career. I had heard multiple horror stories from those who came before me, and boy was I terrified!

I am VERY type A, and a perfectionist. I am super hard on myself, especially when it comes to flying… so this was the perfect storm for a stress induced mental breakdown (and I had several).

One thing that helped was having a forgiving instructor who didn’t make me feel like an idiot when I made mistakes… although one time he asked me to explain the GPS system and when I finished he looked at me and without so much as a smile said “Everything that just came out of your mouth was wrong”

We don’t talk about that.

One of the biggest pieces of advice I can give in this area is to remind yourself why you’re training. Take breaks when you need them. Don’t stress yourself out so much you develop a drinking problem and end up in rehab (oops).

And most importantly, admit when you’re wrong or don’t know. You can’t fix a problem if you don’t acknowledge that you have a problem.

4.       IFR Flight Plans are a Gift from God Himself

Don’t get it twisted, I love VFR flying. Its always fun to not have to talk to anyone on the radios or obsess over altitudes/routes/what ever else. But when you need to get somewhere, an IFR flight plan is going to be your BFF. ATC is made for IFR traffic, and as one of my pilot friends says “when you fly on an IFR flight plan, ATC treats you like a real pilot”. I used to roll my eyes at that (as I often do with cocky know-it-all male pilots) but now I really see the benefits.

For example, one time I was flying to Philly from Lynchburg with an instructor of mine (we were really craving cheesesteaks). The flight up was uneventful. We had filed an IFR flight plan on a VFR day. We did this because of the simplicity and efficiency it provides us on longer cross countries into large airports like Philly. On the way back, full of cheesesteaks and fries and free FBO cookies, we hit some thunderstorms. My instructor had started dozing off next to me, and I kept an eye on the weather as we made our way back down south. I had been going in and out of clouds all day, but we were on an IFR flight plan so it didn’t really matter. I kept an eye on two cells that had started moving dangerously close to our flight path. I called ATC and asked for a diversion around the clouds. ATC surprised me and told me to fly between the two cells. I had a very uneasy feeling in my gut when I was told these instructions. I pulled up the weather on my IPad (our IPads connect to the G-1000 through Bluetooth) and saw that there was only a 3 NM space between the cells… I was in a SkyHawk… no way.

I woke up my instructor and explained the situation and explained that I would have to divert. Long story short, I ended up calling a weather emergency because ATC did NOT want to give us a diversion. We ended up stuck in Frederick Maryland for a few hours. While we were landing (scariest landing of my life) we were being pelted with hail. So all in all, we were fine, but it taught me a valuable lesson about the usefulness of IFR flight plans. It also taught me to know when to stand up to ATC. ATC are people too, and people make mistakes. So if you feel like something isn’t right, speak up.

5.  Simulators, Simulators, Simulators (and Chair Flying)

I cannot stress enough the importance of simulator practice and chair flying. If you’re lucky enough to have access to simulators, USE THEM! Here at Liberty, we have fancy Frasca FTD5’s for the Skyhawk, Seminole, and even an RJ. We use these a lot during our training! They’re perfect for days where the weather won’t allow us to fly, or even for practicing things such as high-density altitude flight. In one of our courses we have a simulated flight through Colorado where we experience several emergencies, it’s a lot of fun. Another thing Liberty provides its students are tabletop simulators that we can access whenever we want! During instrument training I used these DAILY, I’m not even exaggerating.

 Keep in mind the tabletops aren’t the best simulations, and the control inputs required are not necessarily the same for a real airplane… but they are beyond perfect for learning procedures! One other resource can be found on your Ipad! A lot of pilots have Ipads for ForeFlight, and if you are one of those pilots then you can easily download simulator apps on yours. Personally, I have two Garmin apps. They simulate the G-1000 system and allow me to work on procedures. These apps sometimes cost money, but the less you do in the airplane the more money you save in the long run.

If you don’t have access to simulators, chair fly! Chair flying is the bread and butter for any student pilot. If you sit down before a lesson, or even after a lesson, and walk yourself through the flight you will learn so much and be way more prepared. If you think about it like a movie it makes more sense… The second time you watch a movie you always pick up on things you missed. Chair flying is a lot like that! After you chair fly the lesson, when you do the lesson in the airplane it won’t be the first time you are doing the lesson and you will be able to pick up on more things you would otherwise miss.

6.   Get Actual Time

If you read that and asked yourself, “what the heck… isn’t any time in an airplane actual time?” don’t worry… I was also confused when I first started. Actual time is time you can log when you are in actual IFR conditions as opposed to simulated conditions (foggles, bleh).

It is my opinion that the more actual time you get, the better. I would rather be in actual while I still have an instructor with me, than my first time being in actual occurs when I’m all alone (scary stuff). The first time you go into actual, it’s a very strange feeling. You aren’t restricted by the foggles… but you still can’t see the ground. My instructor had to chirp in once in a while and tell me to stop staring at the clouds.

It really is a beautiful sight.

So theres my input on instrument training! Are any of you guys in instrument training/ rated? I hope you found some of this info helpful, and if you have any questions my inbox is always open!

( All of the pictures/ gifs are mine except for the meme and the approach plate {duh} )

Blue skies and tailwinds yall!

[simplepassiveincome]

ForeFlight Gives Pilots a Look Under the Hood

ForeFlight Gives Pilots a Look Under the Hood

Sam Taylor, ForeFlight’s senior video marketing specialist, on April 14 hosted a virtual update at Sun ‘n Fun of new features added to the company’s software in the first quarter of 2021. At the top of Taylor’s list was mention of changes to ForeFlight’s efforts to learn from the successes inherent in the original traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) now standard in most transport category…

[mastcomm]

Live Kobe Bryant Death Coverage

The helicopter carrying Bryant had no ‘black box.’

There was no voice recorder in the helicopter that crashed in Calabasas, Calif., on Sunday, killing the N.B.A. legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people who were on their way to a basketball tournament, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

“There wasn’t a black box, and there isn’t a requirement to have a black box” on this helicopter, Jennifer Homendy, a member of the N.T.S.B., said at a news conference on Monday.

But there was an iPad in the helicopter that included the ForeFlight application, which pilots use while in the air to review flight plans, monitor weather briefings and more, she said. Investigators would review the iPad and other evidence recovered from the crash site, which extended about 500 to 600 feet away from the center of the wreckage.

“It was a pretty devastating accident scene,” Homendy said.

During the flight on Sunday morning, the fog was so thick that the pilot had to get special visual clearance from air traffic controllers before continuing on the route.

The Los Angeles Police Department had grounded its helicopters, but the pilot was licensed to fly in inclement weather and continued toward Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

The helicopter lost contact with controllers at 9:45 a.m., and two minutes later, witnesses called 911 and reported hearing the sound of whirring blades and a fire on the hillside. The aircraft had smashed into a hill at 1,085 feet.

The investigation, which the N.T.S.B. is leading, will include a review of weather conditions, but it will encompass much more, Homendy said.

“We look at man, machine and the environment, and weather is just a small portion of that,” she said, adding that investigators would review records and evidence tied to the pilot, his company, the helicopter and its instruments, and more.

LeBron James was ‘heartbroken and devastated’ by Bryant’s death.

On Monday night, LeBron James posted a tribute to Bryant and his daughter Gianna on Instagram, saying he was “heartbroken and devastated.” He referred to Bryant as his brother.

“Man I sitting here trying to write something for this post but every time I try I begin crying again just thinking about you, niece Gigi and the friendship/bond/brotherhood we had!” James wrote. “I literally just heard your voice Sunday morning before I left Philly to head back to LA. Didn’t think for one bit in a million years that would be the last conversation we’d have.” He added, “My heart goes to Vanessa and the kids. I promise you I’ll continue your legacy man!”

On Sunday, footage emerged of James and other Lakers teammates coming off the team plane and embracing one another. Bryant’s death came the day after James passed him on the N.B.A.’s all-time scoring list.

Separated in age by just six years, the men were friends and regarded as the heirs to Michael Jordan. Their ties had been nurtured over close to two decades, ever since the day in 2002 when Bryant and James met in Philadelphia. The next year, with the league more comfortable with the notion of signing a player straight out of high school thanks to Bryant’s success, James entered the draft.

They eventually played alongside each other in the Olympics and were fierce rivals when they played for opposing teams in the N.B.A. But especially once Bryant retired and James moved to Los Angeles, they were known to share hugs and jokes in public. Bryant’s last Twitter post before his death was a message congratulating James, who had just passed him on the N.B.A.’s career scoring list.

The pilot was called experienced and meticulous.

The pilot on board the helicopter, Ara Zobayan, learned to fly in 1998, after taking a sightseeing flight over the Grand Canyon. He was certified not only to fly under instrument conditions — navigating with the use of instruments — but also to teach other pilots seeking to obtain their own instrument ratings. And he had no accidents or enforcement actions on his record according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

So pilots who knew Zobayan were perplexed by the crash, describing him as an experienced and meticulous operator. He had flown Bryant many times before.

“Supercautious, supersmart,” an instructor said. “I can’t see him making this kind of mistake.”

A movement is building to put Bryant in the league logo.

More than 1.5 million people have signed a Change.org petition suggesting the N.B.A. redesign its logo to honor Bryant.

The petition, started by a teenager, was the first this year to surpass one million signatures, the website said. The idea was supported by some past and present players, including Jamal Crawford, Paul Pierce and Jamal Murray.

The red, white and blue logo was designed in 1969 and features the silhouette of Jerry West, the retired Hall of Fame player for the Lakers. In 2017, West said on ESPN that he was flattered but didn’t relish the attention it brought.

“If they would want to change it, I wish they would,” he said. “In many ways I wish they would.”

Bryant’s every move on and off the court was dissected by rivals and observers.

Bryant was among the most compelling figures in the N.B.A. for years, his rise to stardom, his legal trouble and his final seasons relentlessly chronicled and dissected by rivals, fans and journalists.

He was, the columnist Michael Powell writes, “a confounding and intriguing star, complicated and intelligent and self-aware and nasty, and accepting all of that in himself.”

Reporting was contributed by Dave Phillips, Tim Arango, Louis Keene and Scott Cacciola.

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/live-kobe-bryant-death-coverage/

[onlinektm]

ATP Flight School, and Flight Schools Around the World, Sign for Boeing’s Jeppesen and ForeFlight Solutions

Boeing is supporting flight schools and aviation training organizations by offering its advanced Jeppesen and ForeFlight solutions

OSHKOSH, Wis., July 22, 2019 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] is supporting flight schools and aviation training organizations by offering its advanced Jeppesen and ForeFlight solutions including flight planning, charts, navigation data and dispatch training to help enhance student learning.

One of these agreements is with U.S.-based ATP Flight School, the nation’s largest flight school and a leading supplier…

[smartwebhostingblog]

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

New Post has been published on http://ritzywordpressthemes.com/boeing-737-max-crash-sends-market-cap-lower/

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

Every month, AeroAnalysis International covers the orders and deliveries for Boeing (BA) and Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY, OTCPK:EADSF). Now, there’s a lot more than just orders and deliveries. Some subjects are worthy of more detailed analysis, and some are not. The subjects that are not are not necessarily unimportant. Therefore, AeroAnalysis has been running a monthly series that bundles some of the most interesting news items that do not justify a separate article or deserve to be mentioned again. You can read the February report here. In this report, some news items from March will be highlighted.

Source: Axios

Share Price Development in March

In March 2019, Boeing’s shares lost 13.4% compared to a 13.6% gain a month earlier. Boeing’s shares significantly underperformed the Dow Jones, which was flat for the month.

The reach for the downward pressure on Boeing shares during the month is clear: The crash with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Ethiopian Airlines marking the second fatal crash.

A look at some price target announcements in March:

Argus initially gave Boeing shares a $460 with a buy rating but reverted to a Hold rating after the Ethiopian Airlines crash with a $371.30 price target.

Edward Jones downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

DZ Bank downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

Norddeutsche Landesbank set a $300 on Boeing shares with a Sell rating.

Tigres Financial reiterated its Buy rating.

Citi Group resumed with a Buy rating.

What we did see in the aftermath of the second fatal crash with the Boeing 737 MAX is that analyst sentiment deteriorated, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. This stepdown in sentiment was expected, but it remains to be seen whether going forward, with fixes implemented and a return to service for the MAX, this negative sentiment will endure.

Commercial Airplanes News

Source: Boeing

During the month of March, the crash with the Boeing 737 MAX captured most attention. Boeing shares declined in value after the crash on fears that there is a design flaw on the Boeing 737 MAX. In the aftermath of the first crash, I already pointed out that the MCAS design might not have been robust and that it was unclear as to how this part of the speed trim system was certified by the FAA and aviation administrations around the globe. While I consider this a shortcoming on Boeing’s side, even with a preliminary report out, it is not clear why the pilots flew the aircraft at a very high speed which might have made regaining control over the aircraft nearly impossible. Currently, Boeing is working on a fix, which will likely be closely eyeballed by administrations around the globe because confidence in Boeing as well as the FAA has been severely dented. Until the fix is approved, the fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will remain on the ground and no deliveries will occur. The crash is likely going to impact Boeing’s earnings for the simple reason that the grounding is costing money, possibly beyond the amount Boeing is covered for by insurers, and revenue is being delayed due to the production stop resulting in working capital increases.

I’ve written a few reports on the subject, which you can read here:

In the aftermath of the two crashes, Indonesian carriers are looking for cancellations of their direct orders for the MAX with Boeing and agreements with lessors while Boeing is being probed.

The only other noteworthy news item regarding commercial aircraft was the order for 20 Boeing 787-9s from Lufthansa (OTCQX:DLAKF). Boeing had been battling Airbus for an order for months, and Lufthansa eventually ended up splitting the order between both jet makers.

Investment News

Source: The Boeing Company

Fitting its after-sales and digital solutions strategy, Boeing acquired ForeFlight, a leading provider of innovative mobile and web-based aviation applications.

ForeFlight has partnered with Boeing for the past two years to bring aviators Jeppesen’s aeronautical data and charts through ForeFlight’s popular mobile platforms. Now, the teams will integrate talent and offerings to bring innovative, expanded digital solutions to all segments of the aviation industry.

As part of the joint venture between Boeing and Embraer (ERJ), Boeing announced three leadership moves aimed at further strengthening the company’s global presence and partnerships:

Marc Allen has been named senior vice president of Boeing and president of Embraer Partnership and Group Operations;

Sir Michael Arthur has been named president of Boeing International;

John Slattery announced as president and chief executive officer of the commercial aviation and services joint venture between Boeing and Embraer.

Global Services

Source: Aviation Jobs and Aviation Employment – AviationCV.com

In March, there was no notable news for Boeing’s Global Services division.

Defense News

Source: The Boeing Company

For Boeing Defense, there were a couple of news events. A program capturing some negative attention was the KC-46A. In February, the USAF stopped accepting tankers from Boeing as foreign object debris was found inside the tankers. Deliveries resumed in March, which should have been a good thing were it not that the USAF halted deliveries again in early April. While the second delivery stop is an April news event, I think it is important to highlight it in this report, which covers the March news events as well.

More positive news came from Boeing’s F-18 fighter jet program. Boeing was awarded a three-year contract award for 78 F/A-18 Block III Super Hornets. The contract is valued $4B and is expected to save US taxpayer $395 million.

A major milestone was also achieved by the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT; The Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT™ helicopter achieved first flight. The helicopter is participating in the Army’s Joint Multi-Role-Medium Technology Demonstrator program. Data from DEFIANT will help the Army develop requirements for new utility helicopters expected to enter service in the early 2030s. This flight marks a key milestone for the Sikorsky-Boeing team and is the culmination of significant design, simulation, and test activity to further demonstrate the capability of the X2 Technology.

X2 Technology is scalable to a variety of military missions such as attack and assault, long-range transportation, infiltration and resupply. DEFIANT is the third X2®aircraft in less than 10 years.

During the month, there also was a milestone for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense [GMD] system as the US Missile Defense Agency and Boeing for the first time launched two GMD system interceptors to destroy a threat-representative target, validating the fielded system protects the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles.

In the test, one interceptor struck the target in space. The second interceptor observed that intercept before destroying additional debris to ensure missile destruction. The test is known as a “two-shot salvo” engagement. The target launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean while the interceptors launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Conclusion

Without doubt, March was a bad month for Boeing. For a company’s share to perform well, you ultimately need a good product, coupled with good execution or you need good execution to make a good product. With the second crash of a Boeing 737 MAX, it does seem like Boeing has failed miserably on the execution part, which I expect will affect their current year performance.

Boeing had some highlights as well with a milestone order from Lufthansa and a production contract for its Super Hornet fighter, but not nearly enough to mitigate the pressure the Boeing 737 MAX cash cow is currently putting on Boeing. During the month of March, Boeing’s market cap declined by $33.4B. This decline cannot be fully explained by closing math (there is no calculation to support the cap decline), but such a big decline in market cap is perfectly understandable, given the importance of the Boeing 737 program to Boeing and the uncertainty regarding the aircraft. I expect that the Boeing 737 MAX will eventually be approved for flight again, and as investors and stakeholders around the world regain confidence, Boeing should see recovery in its market cap. In fact, in the first days of March, nearly $9B in market cap was recovered. At the end of the day, Boeing should be learning lessons from this.

If you enjoyed reading this article, don’t forget to hit the “Follow” button at the top of this page (below the article title) to receive updates for my upcoming articles.

If you like our regular coverage, please consider joining The Aerospace Forum which gives you more indepth tools to understand the industry, access to over 750+ previously published reports and ways (Live chat with the group and one-on-one conversations) to discuss the aerospace industry. *Start your free trial today*

Disclosure: I am/we are long BA, EADSF. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

[awesomecolorfulcollectorwombat]

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

New Post has been published on http://ritzywordpressthemes.com/boeing-737-max-crash-sends-market-cap-lower/

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

Every month, AeroAnalysis International covers the orders and deliveries for Boeing (BA) and Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY, OTCPK:EADSF). Now, there’s a lot more than just orders and deliveries. Some subjects are worthy of more detailed analysis, and some are not. The subjects that are not are not necessarily unimportant. Therefore, AeroAnalysis has been running a monthly series that bundles some of the most interesting news items that do not justify a separate article or deserve to be mentioned again. You can read the February report here. In this report, some news items from March will be highlighted.

Source: Axios

Share Price Development in March

In March 2019, Boeing’s shares lost 13.4% compared to a 13.6% gain a month earlier. Boeing’s shares significantly underperformed the Dow Jones, which was flat for the month.

The reach for the downward pressure on Boeing shares during the month is clear: The crash with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Ethiopian Airlines marking the second fatal crash.

A look at some price target announcements in March:

Argus initially gave Boeing shares a $460 with a buy rating but reverted to a Hold rating after the Ethiopian Airlines crash with a $371.30 price target.

Edward Jones downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

DZ Bank downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

Norddeutsche Landesbank set a $300 on Boeing shares with a Sell rating.

Tigres Financial reiterated its Buy rating.

Citi Group resumed with a Buy rating.

What we did see in the aftermath of the second fatal crash with the Boeing 737 MAX is that analyst sentiment deteriorated, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. This stepdown in sentiment was expected, but it remains to be seen whether going forward, with fixes implemented and a return to service for the MAX, this negative sentiment will endure.

Commercial Airplanes News

Source: Boeing

During the month of March, the crash with the Boeing 737 MAX captured most attention. Boeing shares declined in value after the crash on fears that there is a design flaw on the Boeing 737 MAX. In the aftermath of the first crash, I already pointed out that the MCAS design might not have been robust and that it was unclear as to how this part of the speed trim system was certified by the FAA and aviation administrations around the globe. While I consider this a shortcoming on Boeing’s side, even with a preliminary report out, it is not clear why the pilots flew the aircraft at a very high speed which might have made regaining control over the aircraft nearly impossible. Currently, Boeing is working on a fix, which will likely be closely eyeballed by administrations around the globe because confidence in Boeing as well as the FAA has been severely dented. Until the fix is approved, the fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will remain on the ground and no deliveries will occur. The crash is likely going to impact Boeing’s earnings for the simple reason that the grounding is costing money, possibly beyond the amount Boeing is covered for by insurers, and revenue is being delayed due to the production stop resulting in working capital increases.

I’ve written a few reports on the subject, which you can read here:

In the aftermath of the two crashes, Indonesian carriers are looking for cancellations of their direct orders for the MAX with Boeing and agreements with lessors while Boeing is being probed.

The only other noteworthy news item regarding commercial aircraft was the order for 20 Boeing 787-9s from Lufthansa (OTCQX:DLAKF). Boeing had been battling Airbus for an order for months, and Lufthansa eventually ended up splitting the order between both jet makers.

Investment News

Source: The Boeing Company

Fitting its after-sales and digital solutions strategy, Boeing acquired ForeFlight, a leading provider of innovative mobile and web-based aviation applications.

ForeFlight has partnered with Boeing for the past two years to bring aviators Jeppesen’s aeronautical data and charts through ForeFlight’s popular mobile platforms. Now, the teams will integrate talent and offerings to bring innovative, expanded digital solutions to all segments of the aviation industry.

As part of the joint venture between Boeing and Embraer (ERJ), Boeing announced three leadership moves aimed at further strengthening the company’s global presence and partnerships:

Marc Allen has been named senior vice president of Boeing and president of Embraer Partnership and Group Operations;

Sir Michael Arthur has been named president of Boeing International;

John Slattery announced as president and chief executive officer of the commercial aviation and services joint venture between Boeing and Embraer.

Global Services

Source: Aviation Jobs and Aviation Employment – AviationCV.com

In March, there was no notable news for Boeing’s Global Services division.

Defense News

Source: The Boeing Company

For Boeing Defense, there were a couple of news events. A program capturing some negative attention was the KC-46A. In February, the USAF stopped accepting tankers from Boeing as foreign object debris was found inside the tankers. Deliveries resumed in March, which should have been a good thing were it not that the USAF halted deliveries again in early April. While the second delivery stop is an April news event, I think it is important to highlight it in this report, which covers the March news events as well.

More positive news came from Boeing’s F-18 fighter jet program. Boeing was awarded a three-year contract award for 78 F/A-18 Block III Super Hornets. The contract is valued $4B and is expected to save US taxpayer $395 million.

A major milestone was also achieved by the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT; The Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT™ helicopter achieved first flight. The helicopter is participating in the Army’s Joint Multi-Role-Medium Technology Demonstrator program. Data from DEFIANT will help the Army develop requirements for new utility helicopters expected to enter service in the early 2030s. This flight marks a key milestone for the Sikorsky-Boeing team and is the culmination of significant design, simulation, and test activity to further demonstrate the capability of the X2 Technology.

X2 Technology is scalable to a variety of military missions such as attack and assault, long-range transportation, infiltration and resupply. DEFIANT is the third X2®aircraft in less than 10 years.

During the month, there also was a milestone for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense [GMD] system as the US Missile Defense Agency and Boeing for the first time launched two GMD system interceptors to destroy a threat-representative target, validating the fielded system protects the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles.

In the test, one interceptor struck the target in space. The second interceptor observed that intercept before destroying additional debris to ensure missile destruction. The test is known as a “two-shot salvo” engagement. The target launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean while the interceptors launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Conclusion

Without doubt, March was a bad month for Boeing. For a company’s share to perform well, you ultimately need a good product, coupled with good execution or you need good execution to make a good product. With the second crash of a Boeing 737 MAX, it does seem like Boeing has failed miserably on the execution part, which I expect will affect their current year performance.

Boeing had some highlights as well with a milestone order from Lufthansa and a production contract for its Super Hornet fighter, but not nearly enough to mitigate the pressure the Boeing 737 MAX cash cow is currently putting on Boeing. During the month of March, Boeing’s market cap declined by $33.4B. This decline cannot be fully explained by closing math (there is no calculation to support the cap decline), but such a big decline in market cap is perfectly understandable, given the importance of the Boeing 737 program to Boeing and the uncertainty regarding the aircraft. I expect that the Boeing 737 MAX will eventually be approved for flight again, and as investors and stakeholders around the world regain confidence, Boeing should see recovery in its market cap. In fact, in the first days of March, nearly $9B in market cap was recovered. At the end of the day, Boeing should be learning lessons from this.

If you enjoyed reading this article, don’t forget to hit the “Follow” button at the top of this page (below the article title) to receive updates for my upcoming articles.

If you like our regular coverage, please consider joining The Aerospace Forum which gives you more indepth tools to understand the industry, access to over 750+ previously published reports and ways (Live chat with the group and one-on-one conversations) to discuss the aerospace industry. *Start your free trial today*

Disclosure: I am/we are long BA, EADSF. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

[lazilysillyprince]

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

New Post has been published on http://ritzywordpressthemes.com/boeing-737-max-crash-sends-market-cap-lower/

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

Every month, AeroAnalysis International covers the orders and deliveries for Boeing (BA) and Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY, OTCPK:EADSF). Now, there’s a lot more than just orders and deliveries. Some subjects are worthy of more detailed analysis, and some are not. The subjects that are not are not necessarily unimportant. Therefore, AeroAnalysis has been running a monthly series that bundles some of the most interesting news items that do not justify a separate article or deserve to be mentioned again. You can read the February report here. In this report, some news items from March will be highlighted.

Source: Axios

Share Price Development in March

In March 2019, Boeing’s shares lost 13.4% compared to a 13.6% gain a month earlier. Boeing’s shares significantly underperformed the Dow Jones, which was flat for the month.

The reach for the downward pressure on Boeing shares during the month is clear: The crash with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Ethiopian Airlines marking the second fatal crash.

A look at some price target announcements in March:

Argus initially gave Boeing shares a $460 with a buy rating but reverted to a Hold rating after the Ethiopian Airlines crash with a $371.30 price target.

Edward Jones downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

DZ Bank downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

Norddeutsche Landesbank set a $300 on Boeing shares with a Sell rating.

Tigres Financial reiterated its Buy rating.

Citi Group resumed with a Buy rating.

What we did see in the aftermath of the second fatal crash with the Boeing 737 MAX is that analyst sentiment deteriorated, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. This stepdown in sentiment was expected, but it remains to be seen whether going forward, with fixes implemented and a return to service for the MAX, this negative sentiment will endure.

Commercial Airplanes News

Source: Boeing

During the month of March, the crash with the Boeing 737 MAX captured most attention. Boeing shares declined in value after the crash on fears that there is a design flaw on the Boeing 737 MAX. In the aftermath of the first crash, I already pointed out that the MCAS design might not have been robust and that it was unclear as to how this part of the speed trim system was certified by the FAA and aviation administrations around the globe. While I consider this a shortcoming on Boeing’s side, even with a preliminary report out, it is not clear why the pilots flew the aircraft at a very high speed which might have made regaining control over the aircraft nearly impossible. Currently, Boeing is working on a fix, which will likely be closely eyeballed by administrations around the globe because confidence in Boeing as well as the FAA has been severely dented. Until the fix is approved, the fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will remain on the ground and no deliveries will occur. The crash is likely going to impact Boeing’s earnings for the simple reason that the grounding is costing money, possibly beyond the amount Boeing is covered for by insurers, and revenue is being delayed due to the production stop resulting in working capital increases.

I’ve written a few reports on the subject, which you can read here:

In the aftermath of the two crashes, Indonesian carriers are looking for cancellations of their direct orders for the MAX with Boeing and agreements with lessors while Boeing is being probed.

The only other noteworthy news item regarding commercial aircraft was the order for 20 Boeing 787-9s from Lufthansa (OTCQX:DLAKF). Boeing had been battling Airbus for an order for months, and Lufthansa eventually ended up splitting the order between both jet makers.

Investment News

Source: The Boeing Company

Fitting its after-sales and digital solutions strategy, Boeing acquired ForeFlight, a leading provider of innovative mobile and web-based aviation applications.

ForeFlight has partnered with Boeing for the past two years to bring aviators Jeppesen’s aeronautical data and charts through ForeFlight’s popular mobile platforms. Now, the teams will integrate talent and offerings to bring innovative, expanded digital solutions to all segments of the aviation industry.

As part of the joint venture between Boeing and Embraer (ERJ), Boeing announced three leadership moves aimed at further strengthening the company’s global presence and partnerships:

Marc Allen has been named senior vice president of Boeing and president of Embraer Partnership and Group Operations;

Sir Michael Arthur has been named president of Boeing International;

John Slattery announced as president and chief executive officer of the commercial aviation and services joint venture between Boeing and Embraer.

Global Services

Source: Aviation Jobs and Aviation Employment – AviationCV.com

In March, there was no notable news for Boeing’s Global Services division.

Defense News

Source: The Boeing Company

For Boeing Defense, there were a couple of news events. A program capturing some negative attention was the KC-46A. In February, the USAF stopped accepting tankers from Boeing as foreign object debris was found inside the tankers. Deliveries resumed in March, which should have been a good thing were it not that the USAF halted deliveries again in early April. While the second delivery stop is an April news event, I think it is important to highlight it in this report, which covers the March news events as well.

More positive news came from Boeing’s F-18 fighter jet program. Boeing was awarded a three-year contract award for 78 F/A-18 Block III Super Hornets. The contract is valued $4B and is expected to save US taxpayer $395 million.

A major milestone was also achieved by the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT; The Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT™ helicopter achieved first flight. The helicopter is participating in the Army’s Joint Multi-Role-Medium Technology Demonstrator program. Data from DEFIANT will help the Army develop requirements for new utility helicopters expected to enter service in the early 2030s. This flight marks a key milestone for the Sikorsky-Boeing team and is the culmination of significant design, simulation, and test activity to further demonstrate the capability of the X2 Technology.

X2 Technology is scalable to a variety of military missions such as attack and assault, long-range transportation, infiltration and resupply. DEFIANT is the third X2®aircraft in less than 10 years.

During the month, there also was a milestone for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense [GMD] system as the US Missile Defense Agency and Boeing for the first time launched two GMD system interceptors to destroy a threat-representative target, validating the fielded system protects the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles.

In the test, one interceptor struck the target in space. The second interceptor observed that intercept before destroying additional debris to ensure missile destruction. The test is known as a “two-shot salvo” engagement. The target launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean while the interceptors launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Conclusion

Without doubt, March was a bad month for Boeing. For a company’s share to perform well, you ultimately need a good product, coupled with good execution or you need good execution to make a good product. With the second crash of a Boeing 737 MAX, it does seem like Boeing has failed miserably on the execution part, which I expect will affect their current year performance.

Boeing had some highlights as well with a milestone order from Lufthansa and a production contract for its Super Hornet fighter, but not nearly enough to mitigate the pressure the Boeing 737 MAX cash cow is currently putting on Boeing. During the month of March, Boeing’s market cap declined by $33.4B. This decline cannot be fully explained by closing math (there is no calculation to support the cap decline), but such a big decline in market cap is perfectly understandable, given the importance of the Boeing 737 program to Boeing and the uncertainty regarding the aircraft. I expect that the Boeing 737 MAX will eventually be approved for flight again, and as investors and stakeholders around the world regain confidence, Boeing should see recovery in its market cap. In fact, in the first days of March, nearly $9B in market cap was recovered. At the end of the day, Boeing should be learning lessons from this.

If you enjoyed reading this article, don’t forget to hit the “Follow” button at the top of this page (below the article title) to receive updates for my upcoming articles.

If you like our regular coverage, please consider joining The Aerospace Forum which gives you more indepth tools to understand the industry, access to over 750+ previously published reports and ways (Live chat with the group and one-on-one conversations) to discuss the aerospace industry. *Start your free trial today*

Disclosure: I am/we are long BA, EADSF. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

[hostingnewsfeed]

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

New Post has been published on http://ritzywordpressthemes.com/boeing-737-max-crash-sends-market-cap-lower/

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

Every month, AeroAnalysis International covers the orders and deliveries for Boeing (BA) and Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY, OTCPK:EADSF). Now, there’s a lot more than just orders and deliveries. Some subjects are worthy of more detailed analysis, and some are not. The subjects that are not are not necessarily unimportant. Therefore, AeroAnalysis has been running a monthly series that bundles some of the most interesting news items that do not justify a separate article or deserve to be mentioned again. You can read the February report here. In this report, some news items from March will be highlighted.

Source: Axios

Share Price Development in March

In March 2019, Boeing’s shares lost 13.4% compared to a 13.6% gain a month earlier. Boeing’s shares significantly underperformed the Dow Jones, which was flat for the month.

The reach for the downward pressure on Boeing shares during the month is clear: The crash with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Ethiopian Airlines marking the second fatal crash.

A look at some price target announcements in March:

Argus initially gave Boeing shares a $460 with a buy rating but reverted to a Hold rating after the Ethiopian Airlines crash with a $371.30 price target.

Edward Jones downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

DZ Bank downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

Norddeutsche Landesbank set a $300 on Boeing shares with a Sell rating.

Tigres Financial reiterated its Buy rating.

Citi Group resumed with a Buy rating.

What we did see in the aftermath of the second fatal crash with the Boeing 737 MAX is that analyst sentiment deteriorated, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. This stepdown in sentiment was expected, but it remains to be seen whether going forward, with fixes implemented and a return to service for the MAX, this negative sentiment will endure.

Commercial Airplanes News

Source: Boeing

During the month of March, the crash with the Boeing 737 MAX captured most attention. Boeing shares declined in value after the crash on fears that there is a design flaw on the Boeing 737 MAX. In the aftermath of the first crash, I already pointed out that the MCAS design might not have been robust and that it was unclear as to how this part of the speed trim system was certified by the FAA and aviation administrations around the globe. While I consider this a shortcoming on Boeing’s side, even with a preliminary report out, it is not clear why the pilots flew the aircraft at a very high speed which might have made regaining control over the aircraft nearly impossible. Currently, Boeing is working on a fix, which will likely be closely eyeballed by administrations around the globe because confidence in Boeing as well as the FAA has been severely dented. Until the fix is approved, the fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will remain on the ground and no deliveries will occur. The crash is likely going to impact Boeing’s earnings for the simple reason that the grounding is costing money, possibly beyond the amount Boeing is covered for by insurers, and revenue is being delayed due to the production stop resulting in working capital increases.

I’ve written a few reports on the subject, which you can read here:

In the aftermath of the two crashes, Indonesian carriers are looking for cancellations of their direct orders for the MAX with Boeing and agreements with lessors while Boeing is being probed.

The only other noteworthy news item regarding commercial aircraft was the order for 20 Boeing 787-9s from Lufthansa (OTCQX:DLAKF). Boeing had been battling Airbus for an order for months, and Lufthansa eventually ended up splitting the order between both jet makers.

Investment News

Source: The Boeing Company

Fitting its after-sales and digital solutions strategy, Boeing acquired ForeFlight, a leading provider of innovative mobile and web-based aviation applications.

ForeFlight has partnered with Boeing for the past two years to bring aviators Jeppesen’s aeronautical data and charts through ForeFlight’s popular mobile platforms. Now, the teams will integrate talent and offerings to bring innovative, expanded digital solutions to all segments of the aviation industry.

As part of the joint venture between Boeing and Embraer (ERJ), Boeing announced three leadership moves aimed at further strengthening the company’s global presence and partnerships:

Marc Allen has been named senior vice president of Boeing and president of Embraer Partnership and Group Operations;

Sir Michael Arthur has been named president of Boeing International;

John Slattery announced as president and chief executive officer of the commercial aviation and services joint venture between Boeing and Embraer.

Global Services

Source: Aviation Jobs and Aviation Employment – AviationCV.com

In March, there was no notable news for Boeing’s Global Services division.

Defense News

Source: The Boeing Company

For Boeing Defense, there were a couple of news events. A program capturing some negative attention was the KC-46A. In February, the USAF stopped accepting tankers from Boeing as foreign object debris was found inside the tankers. Deliveries resumed in March, which should have been a good thing were it not that the USAF halted deliveries again in early April. While the second delivery stop is an April news event, I think it is important to highlight it in this report, which covers the March news events as well.

More positive news came from Boeing’s F-18 fighter jet program. Boeing was awarded a three-year contract award for 78 F/A-18 Block III Super Hornets. The contract is valued $4B and is expected to save US taxpayer $395 million.

A major milestone was also achieved by the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT; The Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT™ helicopter achieved first flight. The helicopter is participating in the Army’s Joint Multi-Role-Medium Technology Demonstrator program. Data from DEFIANT will help the Army develop requirements for new utility helicopters expected to enter service in the early 2030s. This flight marks a key milestone for the Sikorsky-Boeing team and is the culmination of significant design, simulation, and test activity to further demonstrate the capability of the X2 Technology.

X2 Technology is scalable to a variety of military missions such as attack and assault, long-range transportation, infiltration and resupply. DEFIANT is the third X2®aircraft in less than 10 years.

During the month, there also was a milestone for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense [GMD] system as the US Missile Defense Agency and Boeing for the first time launched two GMD system interceptors to destroy a threat-representative target, validating the fielded system protects the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles.

In the test, one interceptor struck the target in space. The second interceptor observed that intercept before destroying additional debris to ensure missile destruction. The test is known as a “two-shot salvo” engagement. The target launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean while the interceptors launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Conclusion

Without doubt, March was a bad month for Boeing. For a company’s share to perform well, you ultimately need a good product, coupled with good execution or you need good execution to make a good product. With the second crash of a Boeing 737 MAX, it does seem like Boeing has failed miserably on the execution part, which I expect will affect their current year performance.

Boeing had some highlights as well with a milestone order from Lufthansa and a production contract for its Super Hornet fighter, but not nearly enough to mitigate the pressure the Boeing 737 MAX cash cow is currently putting on Boeing. During the month of March, Boeing’s market cap declined by $33.4B. This decline cannot be fully explained by closing math (there is no calculation to support the cap decline), but such a big decline in market cap is perfectly understandable, given the importance of the Boeing 737 program to Boeing and the uncertainty regarding the aircraft. I expect that the Boeing 737 MAX will eventually be approved for flight again, and as investors and stakeholders around the world regain confidence, Boeing should see recovery in its market cap. In fact, in the first days of March, nearly $9B in market cap was recovered. At the end of the day, Boeing should be learning lessons from this.

If you enjoyed reading this article, don’t forget to hit the “Follow” button at the top of this page (below the article title) to receive updates for my upcoming articles.

If you like our regular coverage, please consider joining The Aerospace Forum which gives you more indepth tools to understand the industry, access to over 750+ previously published reports and ways (Live chat with the group and one-on-one conversations) to discuss the aerospace industry. *Start your free trial today*

Disclosure: I am/we are long BA, EADSF. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

[shichanscollection]

Tweeted

Using the ForeFlight Video Library helps you to really learn ForeFlight. Check it out! #PKW #CFIGUYARIZONA https://t.co/IyAwsnBYp2

— shi chan (@shichan625) March 14, 2018

[aplanehebuilt]

Collecting Stories - Part One

Roy and I packed our RV-7A with our sleeping bags, our lightweight air mattresses, hiking shoes, my crocheting bag, and two duffel bags – one each, and each with a week of clothes. We also brought along two of our bear family. We planned to be gone for a month, and it didn’t feel right to leave them all in the Airstream, although they do have a nice view up there in our friend’s horse pasture.

It was the last day it would be fly-able for a while. Rain was forecast to arrive in the Pacific Northwest, and continue for at least a week. If we didn’t take advantage of the weather window, we’d miss meeting our friends in the Smokey Mountains – a trip we’d planned for a year, and we’d miss the annual Petit Jean RV Fly-Inn, which was a blast last year and we definitely wanted to be there this year. It was now or never. And what a perfect day to beat tracks. The sky was sparkling clear. The leaves were all red and gold and the Cascade Range was brilliant white-capped in the east. A few minutes after taking off from KHIO, Roy and I were counting the peaks of volcanoes.

The next day it did rain in Portland and Roy I were well away. We weren’t in a hurry. We took our lunch cooler to the picnic shelter outside the FBO at Gooding, Idaho (KGNG), then enjoyed tailwinds across Wyoming, and stopped for the night in Rawlins, Wyoming (KRWL). The FBO had been sold recently, we learned, which explained why none of the phone numbers listed in the Foreflight application worked. Self-serve fuel was no longer available, neither were courtesy cars, and the FBO closes promptly at 6pm. The good news was the EconoLodge was a short one mile walk, and the Line Guy offered to give us a ride back the next morning. 

The next day, we arrived in Searcy, Arkansas (KSRC) under a blue October sky. And it was pouring rain in Portland. 

Except for few “we were here” photos to joggle our memories later when one or the other asks, “What was that stop we made on that trip to the Great Smoky Mountains?” we didn’t take many snap-shots. Instead, I found myself listening to stories. It’s funny how people will open up to a stranger, a passer-by. Each story is a gift. I hope that I was a patient listener. The first story was given to us by LeRoy in Searcy, Arkansas:

The Airport Guys sat around the table in the FBO watching Roy pull our airplane up to the fuel pump. “That’s one of them home-built things,” I heard one of them say. I finished washing my coffee cup, dried my hands and reached in my pocket for one of our cards. “My husband built the plane,” I said, laying the card on the table. “We flew here from Portland, Oregon for the BBQ.” It was a great conversation starter, and it was true. The Whistle-Stop restaurant makes wonderful BBQ ribs.

LeRoy introduced himself. He may have been driving a tractor yesterday, or fifty years ago. He may have flown in the Korean War, or Vietnam. He’s weathered and wise in a plaid cotton shirt and I’ve learned long ago not to judges these books by their cover. “My wife and I made a trip out to the Northwest a few years ago,” he said. “Real purdy out there. We drove from Seattle and Puget Sound down to Orygon. Went drove out to the beach. We was standing there on a cliff looking out over the ocean, and waddaya know, and a P51 flew by! It circled around and flew right under us, below the cliff-line, so as we could see down at the pilot. That plane flew right under us! Then we drove down to McMinnville. That place where they have the Spruce Goose. Ever been there? Well, this friend of mine was working on recovering the rudder for that thing out in Porterville when they was moving it up there from California. He gave me a piece of fabric from that original rudder. I still have that piece of fabric.”

[dillten]

As a part of our partnership with @ForeFlight we're excited to announce that users of their app can now enable live global traffic streaming directly with the Internet Traffic feature. Learn more here: https://t.co/cfDZYTfydP

— FlightAware (@flightaware) May 27, 2020

[mastcomm]

Live Kobe Bryant Death Coverage

The helicopter carrying Bryant had no ‘black box.’

There was no voice recorder in the helicopter that crashed in Calabasas, Calif., on Sunday, killing the N.B.A. legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people who were on their way to a basketball tournament, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

“There wasn’t a black box, and there isn’t a requirement to have a black box” on this helicopter, Jennifer Homendy, a member of the N.T.S.B., said at a news conference on Monday.

But there was an iPad in the helicopter that included the ForeFlight application, which pilots use while in the air to review flight plans, monitor weather briefings and more, she said. Investigators would review the iPad and other evidence recovered from the crash site, which extended about 500 to 600 feet away from the center of the wreckage.

“It was a pretty devastating accident scene,” Homendy said.

During the flight on Sunday morning, the fog was so thick that the pilot had to get special visual clearance from air traffic controllers before continuing on the route.

The Los Angeles Police Department had grounded its helicopters, but the pilot was licensed to fly in inclement weather and continued toward Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

The helicopter lost contact with controllers at 9:45 a.m., and two minutes later, witnesses called 911 and reported hearing the sound of whirring blades and a fire on the hillside. The aircraft had smashed into a hill at 1,085 feet.

The investigation, which the N.T.S.B. is leading, will include a review of weather conditions, but it will encompass much more, Homendy said.

“We look at man, machine and the environment, and weather is just a small portion of that,” she said, adding that investigators would review records and evidence tied to the pilot, his company, the helicopter and its instruments, and more.

LeBron James was ‘heartbroken and devastated’ by Bryant’s death.

On Monday night, LeBron James posted a tribute to Bryant and his daughter Gianna on Instagram, saying he was “heartbroken and devastated.” He referred to Bryant as his brother.

“Man I sitting here trying to write something for this post but every time I try I begin crying again just thinking about you, niece Gigi and the friendship/bond/brotherhood we had!” James wrote. “I literally just heard your voice Sunday morning before I left Philly to head back to LA. Didn’t think for one bit in a million years that would be the last conversation we’d have.” He added, “My heart goes to Vanessa and the kids. I promise you I’ll continue your legacy man!”

On Sunday, footage emerged of James and other Lakers teammates coming off the team plane and embracing one another. Bryant’s death came the day after James passed him on the N.B.A.’s all-time scoring list.

Separated in age by just six years, the men were friends and regarded as the heirs to Michael Jordan. Their ties had been nurtured over close to two decades, ever since the day in 2002 when Bryant and James met in Philadelphia. The next year, with the league more comfortable with the notion of signing a player straight out of high school thanks to Bryant’s success, James entered the draft.

They eventually played alongside each other in the Olympics and were fierce rivals when they played for opposing teams in the N.B.A. But especially once Bryant retired and James moved to Los Angeles, they were known to share hugs and jokes in public. Bryant’s last Twitter post before his death was a message congratulating James, who had just passed him on the N.B.A.’s career scoring list.

The pilot was called experienced and meticulous.

The pilot on board the helicopter, Ara Zobayan, learned to fly in 1998, after taking a sightseeing flight over the Grand Canyon. He was certified not only to fly under instrument conditions — navigating with the use of instruments — but also to teach other pilots seeking to obtain their own instrument ratings. And he had no accidents or enforcement actions on his record according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

So pilots who knew Zobayan were perplexed by the crash, describing him as an experienced and meticulous operator. He had flown Bryant many times before.

“Supercautious, supersmart,” an instructor said. “I can’t see him making this kind of mistake.”

A movement is building to put Bryant in the league logo.

More than 1.5 million people have signed a Change.org petition suggesting the N.B.A. redesign its logo to honor Bryant.

The petition, started by a teenager, was the first this year to surpass one million signatures, the website said. The idea was supported by some past and present players, including Jamal Crawford, Paul Pierce and Jamal Murray.

The red, white and blue logo was designed in 1969 and features the silhouette of Jerry West, the retired Hall of Fame player for the Lakers. In 2017, West said on ESPN that he was flattered but didn’t relish the attention it brought.

“If they would want to change it, I wish they would,” he said. “In many ways I wish they would.”

Bryant’s every move on and off the court was dissected by rivals and observers.

Bryant was among the most compelling figures in the N.B.A. for years, his rise to stardom, his legal trouble and his final seasons relentlessly chronicled and dissected by rivals, fans and journalists.

He was, the columnist Michael Powell writes, “a confounding and intriguing star, complicated and intelligent and self-aware and nasty, and accepting all of that in himself.”

Reporting was contributed by Dave Phillips, Tim Arango, Louis Keene and Scott Cacciola.

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/live-kobe-bryant-death-coverage/

[smartwebhostingblog]

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

New Post has been published on http://croopdiseno.com/boeing-737-max-crash-sends-market-cap-lower/

Boeing 737 MAX Crash Sends Market Cap Lower

Every month, AeroAnalysis International covers the orders and deliveries for Boeing (BA) and Airbus (OTCPK:EADSY, OTCPK:EADSF). Now, there’s a lot more than just orders and deliveries. Some subjects are worthy of more detailed analysis, and some are not. The subjects that are not are not necessarily unimportant. Therefore, AeroAnalysis has been running a monthly series that bundles some of the most interesting news items that do not justify a separate article or deserve to be mentioned again. You can read the February report here. In this report, some news items from March will be highlighted.

Source: Axios

Share Price Development in March

In March 2019, Boeing’s shares lost 13.4% compared to a 13.6% gain a month earlier. Boeing’s shares significantly underperformed the Dow Jones, which was flat for the month.

The reach for the downward pressure on Boeing shares during the month is clear: The crash with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Ethiopian Airlines marking the second fatal crash.

A look at some price target announcements in March:

Argus initially gave Boeing shares a $460 with a buy rating but reverted to a Hold rating after the Ethiopian Airlines crash with a $371.30 price target.

Edward Jones downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

DZ Bank downgraded Boeing shares from a Buy to Hold with a $300 price target.

Norddeutsche Landesbank set a $300 on Boeing shares with a Sell rating.

Tigres Financial reiterated its Buy rating.

Citi Group resumed with a Buy rating.

What we did see in the aftermath of the second fatal crash with the Boeing 737 MAX is that analyst sentiment deteriorated, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. This stepdown in sentiment was expected, but it remains to be seen whether going forward, with fixes implemented and a return to service for the MAX, this negative sentiment will endure.

Commercial Airplanes News

Source: Boeing

During the month of March, the crash with the Boeing 737 MAX captured most attention. Boeing shares declined in value after the crash on fears that there is a design flaw on the Boeing 737 MAX. In the aftermath of the first crash, I already pointed out that the MCAS design might not have been robust and that it was unclear as to how this part of the speed trim system was certified by the FAA and aviation administrations around the globe. While I consider this a shortcoming on Boeing’s side, even with a preliminary report out, it is not clear why the pilots flew the aircraft at a very high speed which might have made regaining control over the aircraft nearly impossible. Currently, Boeing is working on a fix, which will likely be closely eyeballed by administrations around the globe because confidence in Boeing as well as the FAA has been severely dented. Until the fix is approved, the fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will remain on the ground and no deliveries will occur. The crash is likely going to impact Boeing’s earnings for the simple reason that the grounding is costing money, possibly beyond the amount Boeing is covered for by insurers, and revenue is being delayed due to the production stop resulting in working capital increases.

I’ve written a few reports on the subject, which you can read here:

In the aftermath of the two crashes, Indonesian carriers are looking for cancellations of their direct orders for the MAX with Boeing and agreements with lessors while Boeing is being probed.

The only other noteworthy news item regarding commercial aircraft was the order for 20 Boeing 787-9s from Lufthansa (OTCQX:DLAKF). Boeing had been battling Airbus for an order for months, and Lufthansa eventually ended up splitting the order between both jet makers.

Investment News

Source: The Boeing Company

Fitting its after-sales and digital solutions strategy, Boeing acquired ForeFlight, a leading provider of innovative mobile and web-based aviation applications.

ForeFlight has partnered with Boeing for the past two years to bring aviators Jeppesen’s aeronautical data and charts through ForeFlight’s popular mobile platforms. Now, the teams will integrate talent and offerings to bring innovative, expanded digital solutions to all segments of the aviation industry.

As part of the joint venture between Boeing and Embraer (ERJ), Boeing announced three leadership moves aimed at further strengthening the company’s global presence and partnerships:

Marc Allen has been named senior vice president of Boeing and president of Embraer Partnership and Group Operations;

Sir Michael Arthur has been named president of Boeing International;

John Slattery announced as president and chief executive officer of the commercial aviation and services joint venture between Boeing and Embraer.

Global Services

Source: Aviation Jobs and Aviation Employment – AviationCV.com

In March, there was no notable news for Boeing’s Global Services division.

Defense News

Source: The Boeing Company

For Boeing Defense, there were a couple of news events. A program capturing some negative attention was the KC-46A. In February, the USAF stopped accepting tankers from Boeing as foreign object debris was found inside the tankers. Deliveries resumed in March, which should have been a good thing were it not that the USAF halted deliveries again in early April. While the second delivery stop is an April news event, I think it is important to highlight it in this report, which covers the March news events as well.

More positive news came from Boeing’s F-18 fighter jet program. Boeing was awarded a three-year contract award for 78 F/A-18 Block III Super Hornets. The contract is valued $4B and is expected to save US taxpayer $395 million.

A major milestone was also achieved by the Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT; The Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 DEFIANT™ helicopter achieved first flight. The helicopter is participating in the Army’s Joint Multi-Role-Medium Technology Demonstrator program. Data from DEFIANT will help the Army develop requirements for new utility helicopters expected to enter service in the early 2030s. This flight marks a key milestone for the Sikorsky-Boeing team and is the culmination of significant design, simulation, and test activity to further demonstrate the capability of the X2 Technology.

X2 Technology is scalable to a variety of military missions such as attack and assault, long-range transportation, infiltration and resupply. DEFIANT is the third X2®aircraft in less than 10 years.

During the month, there also was a milestone for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense [GMD] system as the US Missile Defense Agency and Boeing for the first time launched two GMD system interceptors to destroy a threat-representative target, validating the fielded system protects the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles.

In the test, one interceptor struck the target in space. The second interceptor observed that intercept before destroying additional debris to ensure missile destruction. The test is known as a “two-shot salvo” engagement. The target launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean while the interceptors launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

Conclusion

Without doubt, March was a bad month for Boeing. For a company’s share to perform well, you ultimately need a good product, coupled with good execution or you need good execution to make a good product. With the second crash of a Boeing 737 MAX, it does seem like Boeing has failed miserably on the execution part, which I expect will affect their current year performance.

Boeing had some highlights as well with a milestone order from Lufthansa and a production contract for its Super Hornet fighter, but not nearly enough to mitigate the pressure the Boeing 737 MAX cash cow is currently putting on Boeing. During the month of March, Boeing’s market cap declined by $33.4B. This decline cannot be fully explained by closing math (there is no calculation to support the cap decline), but such a big decline in market cap is perfectly understandable, given the importance of the Boeing 737 program to Boeing and the uncertainty regarding the aircraft. I expect that the Boeing 737 MAX will eventually be approved for flight again, and as investors and stakeholders around the world regain confidence, Boeing should see recovery in its market cap. In fact, in the first days of March, nearly $9B in market cap was recovered. At the end of the day, Boeing should be learning lessons from this.

If you enjoyed reading this article, don’t forget to hit the “Follow” button at the top of this page (below the article title) to receive updates for my upcoming articles.

If you like our regular coverage, please consider joining The Aerospace Forum which gives you more indepth tools to understand the industry, access to over 750+ previously published reports and ways (Live chat with the group and one-on-one conversations) to discuss the aerospace industry. *Start your free trial today*

Disclosure: I am/we are long BA, EADSF. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.