Whiting gets new simulator

NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD, Fla. – The Navy’s first new TH-57 flight simulator in nearly 40 years will be accepted and available for helicopter training operations beginning Feb. 28. The advanced simulator technology will  improve Crew Resource Management (CRM) training, simulation of challenging weather environments, and visual scene representation. The Navy will receive three of Level 6 simulators, which are stationary cockpits with seat queuing vibration with a full visual screen that wraps around the cockpit. It will receive seven Level 7 devices are full motion cockpits with a slightly larger field of view. Also included in the upgrade will be a central control station that will provide the capability to link all ten simulators together in a single virtual environment. The first Level 6 device will be accepted on Feb. 28, and the other two scheduled for acceptance next month. The Level 7 devices are on contract for delivery beginning in May 2019 and ending February 2020, with the central control station scheduled for acceptance in July 2019. (Source: NAS Whiting Field, 02/25/19)

Group wants to rethink incentives

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Pensacola residents formed a committee that will try to force  a new vote or a city-wide referendum on the agreement to pay $5 million of city sales tax money to fund the $210 million ST Engineering expansion project at the Pensacola International Airport. The group is invoking provision of the city charter that allows for citizens to challenge a vote of the City Council with a city-wide voter referendum if 10 percent of registered city voters agree. The Pensacola City Council voted 4-3 on Feb. 6 to approve an interlocal agreement with Escambia County agreeing to increase the city's funding for the project from $10 million to $15 million. The project will expand ST Engineering's aircraft, maintenance and overhaul campus from one to four hangars and bring in 1,325 jobs on top of the 400 promised for the hangar that opened in 2018. The committee, Citizens Against Corporate Welfare, will have to collect 4,005 verified signatures by mid-April to force a referendum. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, WEAR-TV, 02/22/19)

New Orleans airport sets record

NEW ORLEANS, La. - New Orleans airport passenger traffic hit a new high in 2018, which comes months before the opening in mid-May of a new $1 billion terminal. More than 13.1 million travelers flew in and out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport last year, up 9.3 percent from 2017, when it served some 12 million travelers. It marks a fourth consecutive year of passenger growth at the airport. The new terminal, currently under construction on the north side of the airport property and set to open May 15, will have fewer overall gates than the existing terminal. But several gates at the aging facility have been closed for years, including all of Concourse A. (Source: NOLA.com, 02/21/19)

Contract: Tapestry, $259M

Tapestry Solutions Inc., a Boeing Co., San Diego, Calif., has been awarded a not-to-exceed $259,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Weapon Planning Software (WPS). This contract provides for the development, enhancement, and support of the WPS suite, which is a common component within the Joint Mission Planning System architecture. Work will be performed predominately in St. Louis, Mo.; and Niceville, Fla. Work is expected to be complete by February 2029. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $355,878 are being obligated on an initial delivery order at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity (FA8681-19-D-0006). (Source: DoD, 02/21/19)

Hancock seeks spaceport license

KILN, Miss. – The Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission (HCPHC) has decided to go ahead and seek a spaceport license. HCPHC commissioned RS&H Inc., which previously did a feasibility study, to complete an application for Stennis International Airport (HSA) to obtain a Launch Site Operator License. The license application, to be filed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Commercial Space Transportation, would enable horizontally launched reusable launch vehicles to operate out of HSA and could open the door to commercial space flight out of the airport. The FAA has developed regulations that enable airports to host operations of reusable launch vehicles that take off and land like aircraft. Several kinds of such vehicles are currently under development. The license application will establish regions over the Gulf of Mexico where the launches could be conducted safely and ensure the Airport has the infrastructure required to support those launch operations.(Source: Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission, 02/20/19) Previous

Fort Rucker to get new boss

Brig. Gen. David J. Francis, director, Army Aviation, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, at the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C., will become the new commanding general of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker, Ala. Maj. Gen. William K. Gayler, current commanding general of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker, will become director, J-3 Operations/Cyber, U.S. Africa Command in Germany. They were among the assignments announced Feb. 19 by the Army chief of staff. (Source: DoD, 02/19/19)

February newsletter available

The February 2019 Gulf Coast Reporters League/Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor Newsletter is now available for download. It includes a story about the groundbreaking for the A220 final assembly line in Mobile, Ala., which promises to have a huge impact on the region. There's also a story about the Navy's official opening of Site X in the Santa Rosa County community of Jay, Fla., and it's a more capable outlying field than the one it replaced in Escambia County's Beulah. There's also a summary of key stories that occurred since the last newsletter, including additional funding for Pensacola's maintenance, repair and overhaul project. (Source: GCAC Newsletter, 2/19/18)

Wall could cost Eglin $63M

Money programmed for two construction projects planned for Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., could be moved to construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall under terms of the president's declaration of a national emergency. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., confirmed Monday that a proposed $34.9 million outlay for an F-35A training center and a proposed $28 million outlay for an F-35A student dormitory are part of the $3.6 billion in military construction funding that Trump could tap for the wall. Eglin is the testing center for the F-35 and trains F-35 pilots and maintenance personnel from the U.S. military services and partner nations. In all, Florida bases could lose up to $177 million for planned construction, according to a list compiled by the House Appropriations Committee. (Sources: Panama City News Herald, 02/19/19, Tampa Bay Times 02/18/19)

Airbus in Mobile eyes ex-military

MOBILE, Ala. - With Airbus expecting to need more workers for its A320 assembly line and the new A220 line that's currently being built, the aerospace giant is holding recruiting drives at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., Tuesday and at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., Feb. 28. Military I.D. is required to attend to recruiting open houses. Airbus and its hiring partner, AIDT, are seeking candidates - retired military, Guard, Reserve or active duty - to fill positions at the A220 assembly line. The open house at NAS Pensacola is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Building 741. To register. The open house at Keesler AFB is 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Sablich Center, Room 108B. To register. (Source: Airbus Facebook page, 02/15/19)

NASA resumes RS-25 testing

NASA resumed RS-25 rocket engine testing for its new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with a hot fire test today on the A-1 Test Stand at Stennis Space Center (SSC). It marked the first RS-25 test of the year at SSC, continuing a series with developmental engine No. 0525 that began last August. The test again featured a flight controller to be used on an SLS mission and marked the third time since last February that NASA has powered its RS-25 engine up to 113 percent of original thrust. NASA is testing RS-25 engines to help power the SLS rocket, being built to send humans deeper into space than ever before. Four RS-25 engines, firing simultaneously, will produce 2 million pounds of combined thrust during SLS launch and ascent. RS-25 engines for initial missions are former space shuttle engines, designed to provide a power level categorized as 100 percent thrust. For SLS, engineers are modifying RS-25 engines to provide up to 111 percent of original thrust. Testing at 113 percent at SSC demonstrates a margin of safety for operating the engine at the higher thrust. A key component of the modifications is the new flight controller, which acts as the "brain" to help control engine operation and facilitate communication between the engine and SLS rocket. Aerojet Rocketdyne has received delivery of 18 new controllers from subcontractor Honeywell International Inc., 16 to be used on the first four SLS missions, one qualification unit and one engine spare. NASA has been testing the new controllers at SSC since March 2017. The RS-25 hot fire also continued testing of two engine components – a 3D-printed pogo accumulator to dampen pressure oscillations that can cause flight instability and a main combustion chamber fabricated using a hot isostatic pressure (HIP) bonding technique. The test today was the first since mid-December, when a test was terminated early due to an observed anomaly.(Source: NASA/SSC, 02/13/19)

Contract: Lockheed, $14.5M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $14,498,758 for modification P00009 to a previously awarded fixed-price incentive firm contract (N0001918C1048) to provide for initial lay-in of repair material for seven F-35 Lightning II systems at various depots in support of the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla. (34 percent); Fort Worth, Texas (27 percent); Jackson, Miss. (16 percent); Windsor Locks, Conn. (16 percent); St. Louis, Mo. (4 percent); and East Aurora, N.Y. (3 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2024. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps, and Navy); fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Air Force); non-U.S. DoD participant; and FMS funds in the amount of $14,498,758 are being obligated at time of award, $4,582,113 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the Air Force ($6,332,003; 43.68 percent); Marine Corps ($3,128,745; 21.58 percent); Navy ($1,453,368; 10.02 percent); non-U.S. DoD Participants ($2,470,964; 17.04 percent), and FMS customers ($1,113,678; 7.68 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/13/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

MRO project lands $20M more

PENSACOLA, Fla. - The ST Engineering MRO expansion project got another $20 million Wednesday when the Florida Department of Transportation upped its commitment to a total of $45 million. "I am proud to announce City of Pensacola has secured the remaining funding for Project Titan, which will expand the Aviation Maintenance Overhaul Repair (MRO) campus at the Pensacola International Airport," said Mayor Grover Robinson."I am excited for this transformational project to move forward." He received the confirmation letter today. FDOT is amending its work program to removing funding from several other projects to fund the airport project, an eight-week process. FDOT's work program and budget will still need to be reviewed by the Florida Legislature, but if approved, Pensacola will receive the funding in 2021. The $210 million expansion would add three more hangars to the one already in place at Pensacola International Airport. It would add another 1,325 jobs. (Sources: GCAC, Pensacola News Journal, 02/13/19) Previous

VPS gets new Allegiant routes

VALPARAISO, Fla. - Allegiant Airlines announced the debut of non-stop service from the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) to seven cities: Des Moines, Iowa; Huntington (Tri-State), W. Va.; Little Rock, Ark.; Rockford/Chicago, Ill.; Shreveport, La.; Toledo, Ohio/Detroit, Mich.; and Wichita, Kan. “We couldn’t be more proud of our partnership with Allegiant Air and the seven new non-stop flights from the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, bringing our total to 37 non-stop destinations,” said Tracy Stage, Okaloosa County Airports Director. All seven nonstop routes will operate twice weekly. (Source: Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, 02/12/19)

PNS begins new service

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Silver Airways will begin daily nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Pensacola International Airport (PNS) beginning tomorrow. To celebrate the new nonstop service, Silver is offering introductory fares from $89 available at SilverAirways.com for a limited time for travel between Feb. 13 and May 22 for ticketing before Nov. 19. “The commencement of direct service to Ft. Lauderdale and the South Florida area provides another link to one of the Pensacola Gulf Coast Region’s top ten market areas and important connecting opportunities on the Silver network to Key West and the Bahamas,” said Pensacola Airport Director Dan Flynn. (Source: Pensacola International Airport, 02/12/19)

Silver announces non-stop flights

VALPARAISO, Fla. - Silver Airways has announced the debut of daily non-stop service from the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) to Orlando International Airport (MCO) beginning on May 17, 2019. Silver will announce its flight schedule and propose fares Feb. 19, when tickets will go on sale. The airline this week is also starting daily nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Pensacola International Airport (PNS). (Sources: Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport, Silver Airways, 02/11/19)

Contract: McKinsey, $15.7M

McKinsey & Co. Inc., Washington, D.C., is awarded $15,730,560 for modification P00002 to a firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-price delivery order N6833518F0362 previously issued against blanket purchase agreement (N68335-18-A-0042) in support of the F-35 Lightning II affordability campaign for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. The modification provides for maturation of the current effort through expansion and refinement of existing scope, including strategic sourcing, senior leadership team offsite, and major contract actions. Work will be performed in Arlington, Va., and is expected to be completed in June 2019. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy); and fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps and Air Force) funds in the amount of $15,730,560 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($6,001,250; 38 percent); Marine Corps ($6,001,250; 38 percent), and Air Force ($3,728,060; 24 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/11/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Contract: Lockheed, $52.4M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $52,367,561 for modification P00002 to a previously issued cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N0001918F0472) placed against basic ordering agreement N00019-14-G-0020. This modification provides for additional ancillary mission equipment for F-35 Lightning II aircraft in support of the Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, non-U.S. Department of Defense (non-U.S. DoD), participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth and is expected to be completed in June 2022. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy); fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps); non-U.S. DoD participant; and FMS funding in the amount of $52,367,561 will be obligated at time of award, $35,913,912 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Marine Corps ($20,791,984; 39 percent); Air Force ($11,338,222; 22 percent); Navy ($5,016,648; 10 percent); non-U.S. DoD participants ($12,112,092; 23 percent), and FMS customers ($3,108,615; 6 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/08/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.

Cntrct: Hmlnd Scty Solutions, $10.2M

Homeland Security Solutions Inc., Hampton, Va., is awarded a $10,250,351 firm-fixed-price, six-month contract for program management support, training, human resources services and non-guard security support services. This contract includes three one-year option periods, and one six-month option period which, if exercised, could bring the cumulative value of this contract to $35,291,550. Work will be performed in: Camp Lejeune/New River, N.C. (11 Percent); Camp Pendleton, Calif. (10 percent); Washington, D.C. (9 percent); Cherry Point, N.C. (8 percent); Miramar, Calif. (8 percent); Quantico, Va. (8 percent); Camp Smith and Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (7 percent); Beaufort/Parris Island, S.C. (6 percent); Yuma, Ariz. (5 percent); Barstow, Calif. (5 percent); San Diego, Calif. (5 percent); Albany, Ga. (5 percent); Okinawa, Japan (5 percent); Bridgeport, Calif. (2 percent); Blount Island, Fla. (2 percent); New Orleans, La. (2 percent); and Iwakuni, Japan (2 percent). Work is expected to be completed September 2019. If all options are exercised, work will continue through March 2023. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) in the amount of $10,250,351 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via solicitation on the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Marine Corps Installations National Capitol Region - Regional Contracting Office, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity for M00264-19-C-0007. (Source: DoD, 02/08/19)

MRO project gets more money

Triumph Gulf Coast agreed today to provide another $10 million for Pensacola's ST Engineering expansion project. The funding was $2.5 million less than what the city wanted. The initial grant from Triumph Gulf Cost of $56 million called for a commitment to Pensacola that would create 1,325 jobs and keep them in the community for at least three years. Friday's vote upped that commitment to seven years. Earlier this week, the Pensacola City Council and Escambia County Commission each approved committing an additional $5 million a piece to the project, bringing the local governments' contribution to $15 million each. The $210 million project would expand ST Engineering's aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) footprint at Pensacola International Airport from the current one to four hangars. ST Engineering has said its first hangar, which opened in June and cost $46 million, would generate 400 jobs. With Triumph's vote Friday, the city is still on the hook for about $24.8 million. Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson is optimistic that $20 million of that will come from the state through the Florida Department of Transportation. Triumph's vote Friday removed the March 31 deadline the city was facing to find all of the other sources of funding. Triumph Gulf Coast is the group formed to distributed funds provided by BP to Northwest Florida counties most impacted by the 2010 oil spill. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 02/08/19). Previous

Contract: Lockheed, $90.3M

Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $90,345,180 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0001). This modification provides for the identification and execution of cost reduction initiatives to reduce the cost of the F-35 Lightning II Air System. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in June 2022. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $90,345,180 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($44,929,818; 50 percent); Navy ($26,000,000; 29 percent); and the Marine Corps ($19,415,362; 21 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 02/05/19) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 integrated training center.