#Aircraft Management Companies

[blu3aero]

Comprehensive Aircraft Management & Engine Services

Discover top-tier aircraft management services and expert aircraft engine management at Blu3 Aero. Our dedicated team ensures peak performance, safety, and compliance for your aircraft, delivering tailored solutions to meet your aviation needs. Explore our services today!

[jcmarchi]

John Brooks, Founder & CEO of Mass Virtual – Interview Series

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/john-brooks-founder-ceo-of-mass-virtual-interview-series/

John Brooks, Founder & CEO of Mass Virtual – Interview Series

John Brooks is the founder and CEO of Mass Virtual, a visionary technology leader with over 20 years of experience driving product and solution innovation across Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Augmented Reality (AR) for both commercial and defense sectors.

Under John’s leadership, Mass Virtual has developed the MassXR platform, an advanced training ecosystem that integrates a Universal Learning Content Management System (uLCMS) with cutting-edge simulations, gamification, and instructional video support. Designed to enhance real-world skills and student performance, the MassXR platform empowers organizations with a secure, sustainable, and cost-effective XR training solution, complete with instructor management tools to create an immersive, results-driven learning experience.

Could you tell us about your transition from serving as an Air Force aircrew member to founding Mass Virtual? What inspired you to start the company in 2009?

My journey from serving in the Air Force to founding Mass Virtual was deeply personal. After years of traveling the globe and dedicating myself to my military duties, I found myself longing to be more present for my family. I wanted to carve out a career where I could blend my love for technology and the arts with the insights gained from my military experience. The world of digital innovation captivated me, but I noticed that the pace within the military was slower than I envisioned. I realized I had the opportunity to create something meaningful and impactful, so I decided to take the leap and start Mass Virtual. It was my chance to not just keep up with the future but to help shape it, and I couldn’t be more excited about that path.

How has your military background influenced the direction and mission of Mass Virtual, particularly in designing solutions for defense and aviation industries?

My military background has played a pivotal role in shaping both my approach and the mission of Mass Virtual. It instilled in me the importance of adaptability and strategic thinking, especially in high-pressure situations. In the military, we often faced complex and dynamic challenges that required us to think on our feet and consider a wide range of possibilities. This experience has translated seamlessly into how we develop our training solutions. At Mass Virtual, we embrace that same spirit of flexibility and thoroughness, ensuring our products are not just effective but also responsive to the unique needs of the defense and aviation industries. It’s about crafting solutions that empower individuals to excel, and I’m incredibly proud to carry those lessons forward in our work.

Since you founded Mass Virtual over 15 years ago, how has VR/XR technology evolved? What were some of the early challenges you faced in building immersive training solutions, and how have those been overcome as technology matured?

The evolution of VR/XR technology has been nothing short of extraordinary over the past 15 years. When we first set out, the landscape was quite different; there was skepticism about the potential of these technologies, and we often faced hurdles with limited adoption. It was a challenge to convince stakeholders of the immense benefits VR and XR could bring to training and education.

However, as advancements in hardware and software emerged, along with significant cost reductions, we witnessed a shift in perception. The door began to open, allowing us to showcase the true capabilities of immersive training. Our team remained steadfast in our vision, believing from the outset that this technology was destined to go mainstream. We dedicated ourselves to refining our products, pushing the boundaries of what was possible, and today, that commitment has truly paid off for us and our customers.

As the market matured, so did our understanding of how to tailor our solutions to meet the evolving needs of our users. The journey has been filled with learning and growth. I’m proud to say that today we are helping companies implement their own XR strategies and road maps to achieve workforce proficiency.

Mass Virtual’s technology is deployed across 135+ locations and supports over 31,000 USAF members annually. How did you scale the platform to such a wide reach, and what role did technological advancements play in achieving that?

Scaling Mass Virtual has been a thrilling journey, driven by our customers’ needs and their belief in the value we bring to their training programs. We recognized early on that our platform had to be adaptable, so we designed it with specific use cases in mind, allowing us to respond quickly to varying requirements across different locations.

The success of our expansion is also a testament to our incredible team, whose passion and commitment to innovation have been instrumental in our growth. They share a vision that goes beyond just delivering a great product; it’s about creating meaningful training experiences that genuinely enhance outcomes for our users.

Technological advancements have played a significant role in this journey. As VR/XR technology has matured, we’ve been able to leverage new tools and methodologies to refine our offerings. This has allowed us to reach a wider audience and meet the needs of the diverse organizations we serve. It’s immensely rewarding to see our solutions making a difference in the lives of thousands of service members, and it motivates us to keep pushing forward together.

You’ve seen firsthand how VR has transformed training in the military. Can you walk us through how immersive simulations can accelerate mission readiness and address skills gaps in industries like manufacturing and aviation?

Immersive simulations have truly revolutionized training, and I’ve witnessed this transformation firsthand. The beauty of VR lies in its ability to create realistic scenarios that allow learners to engage deeply with the subject matter. This accelerates learning and skills acquisition, making training not just effective but also motivating.

Take aviation maintenance training, for example. With VR, maintainers can practice complex tasks in a controlled environment without the need for a real aircraft. This not only enhances their skills but also builds confidence, allowing them to focus on mastering their craft. The result? Better prepared maintainers who can respond swiftly and effectively to real-world challenges.

Moreover, this approach isn’t limited to aviation. Industries like manufacturing are also reaping the benefits. VR can simulate intricate machinery operations, enabling workers to gain hands-on experience without the risk of costly mistakes. By addressing skills gaps and improving knowledge retention, immersive simulations pave the way for a more competent workforce.

Overall, VR training not only enhances mission readiness but also cultivates a culture of continuous learning and improvement. It’s an exciting time to be part of this evolution, and I can’t wait to see how it continues to shape various industries.

The MassXR platform features a Universal Learning Content Management System (uLCMS). Can you explain how this system enhances training experiences, and how it integrates with third-party content and devices to create a seamless training environment?

The uLCMS is truly the backbone of our MassXR platform, designed to simplify the management of complex training infrastructures. Think of it as a central hub that brings together various XR content, making it incredibly easy for organizations to curate and access a vast catalog of simulations and training materials.

What excites me about the uLCMS is how it empowers users. It allows for real-time tracking of progress and performance, ensuring that learners have the right materials at their fingertips. This is crucial for fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among team members, whether they’re in the same room or across the globe.

Moreover, our system seamlessly integrates with third-party content and devices, which means that organizations are limitless in the vendors they may want to utilize because our uLCMS manages any XR content they own within a turnkey system. It provides companies with insights as well as accessible ROI to better understand trends — whether in weeks, months or years, giving them better visibility in decision-making for next steps when it comes to their XR strategy.

This flexibility enhances the learning experience and encourages a culture of continuous improvement and creates a training environment that is both efficient and engaging. I’m proud to say that our uLCMS plays a vital role in achieving that.

With the rise of remote work and distributed teams, how has Mass Virtual adapted to provide flexible learning solutions that are accessible anytime, anywhere?

In today’s rapidly changing landscape, we recognized that flexibility is essential for effective learning. Our system was intentionally designed to support team-based learning experiences, facilitating collaboration in dynamic environments, regardless of where team members are located.

One of the features I’m particularly proud of is how our platform allows users to engage in simulation together, closely emulating real-world scenarios. This virtual environment enables users to learn and practice tasks collaboratively, as they would in real world settings – whether they’re in different buildings, states or even continents.

By learning to work ‘together’ – performing different, simultaneous tasks as a cohesive team – users not only enhance their own performance but also build stronger relationships among colleagues, fostering a supportive and connected culture.

As a technology leader with over 20 years of experience, how do you foster innovation within your team, especially when leading cross-functional and globally distributed teams?

Fostering innovation starts with assembling a team of passionate individuals who bring unique perspectives and experiences to the table. I believe that hiring for passion, rather than just qualifications, sets the stage for creativity and collaboration. Creating a culture where everyone feels valued and heard is crucial.

I strive to cultivate an environment where team members feel empowered to share their ideas and take risks. Drawing inspiration from trailblazing companies, I encourage my team to embrace the mindset of exploration and experimentation. It’s all about nurturing a shared vision and aligning our goals so that we’re all moving in the same direction.

Ultimately, innovation isn’t just about internal processes; it’s also about understanding and supporting the needs of our clients. By staying attuned to their challenges and aspirations, we can tailor our solutions to meet their evolving demands. When we prioritize our clients’ success, we create a collaborative atmosphere that drives innovation and leads to impactful outcomes. It’s incredibly rewarding to witness how this approach helps us build lasting partnerships while continuously pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Looking back on your journey with Mass Virtual, what are you most proud of, and what excites you about the future of immersive technologies?

Reflecting on my journey with Mass Virtual, I find that my greatest pride lies in the incredible people I get to work with every day. We’ve built a compassionate and inclusive environment that fosters collaboration and creativity. There’s nothing quite like seeing our team members grow and flourish and knowing that we’re all contributing to something meaningful makes every challenge worthwhile.

I am equally thrilled about the future of immersive technologies. The possibilities are endless, and it’s exciting to think about how we can continue to innovate and make a positive impact across various industries. We’re on the cusp of a technological revolution, and I genuinely believe that our work will play a significant role in shaping how people learn and interact with technology. The journey ahead is filled with potential, and I can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together!

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Mass Virtual.

[direct2aero]

Maximizing Efficiency with Direct2 Aero’s Aircraft Management Services

When it comes to Aircraft Management Services, Direct2 Aero is the name you can rely on. As a leading Aircraft Management Company, we offer a full suite of services designed to enhance your aircraft ownership experience. Our dedicated professionals manage everything from aircraft maintenance and regulatory adherence to pilot hiring and training. We prioritize your safety and comfort, ensuring that your aircraft is always flight-ready. With Direct2 Aero, you gain a partner committed to maximizing the efficiency and value of your investment. Discover a new standard in aircraft management that puts your needs first.

[goairbrokerage]

Premium Aircraft Management Company | Go Air Brokerage

Our aircraft management company offers a range of services for owners seeking efficient operations and asset optimization. From maintenance to scheduling, we provide personalized solutions to enhance your aircraft ownership experience. Explore our tailored services at Go Air Brokerage.

[merxconstruction]

The Benefits of Engaging an Aircraft Hangar Construction Management Company in Singapore

Introduction

When it comes to constructing an aircraft hangar in Singapore, the importance of engaging a professional aircraft hangar construction management company cannot be overstated. In a dynamic and competitive industry, the right management team can make all the difference in ensuring the successful and efficient completion of your project. 

Benefits of Engaging an Aircraft Hangar Construction Management Company

Expertise in Aviation Regulations

One of the primary advantages of collaborating with a specialized aircraft hangar construction management company is their in-depth knowledge of aviation regulations. Navigating the intricate web of regulations governing the construction of aviation facilities can be a daunting task. However, with a proficient management team by your side, you can rest assured that every aspect of your project will comply with the stringent regulations set by aviation authorities.

Streamlined Project Planning and Execution

Efficient project planning and execution are paramount in the construction industry, and the same holds true for building aircraft hangars. Engaging a dedicated construction management company ensures a streamlined project timeline from conception to completion. Their expertise allows for meticulous planning, resource allocation, and timely execution, minimizing delays and cost overruns.

Cost-effective Solutions

Opting for an experienced aircraft hangar construction management company also brings about cost-effective solutions. These professionals are adept at identifying potential cost-saving measures without compromising the quality of the project. From materials sourcing to subcontractor negotiations, their industry knowledge allows for optimal financial management throughout the construction process.

Quality Assurance and Control

The quality of your aircraft hangar is of utmost importance, not only for operational efficiency but also for long-term durability. Construction management companies specialize in maintaining stringent quality control standards. They employ seasoned professionals to oversee every phase of the project, ensuring that industry best practices are adhered to and that the final structure meets or exceeds all relevant quality standards.

Risk Mitigation

Construction projects inherently involve risks, ranging from unforeseen weather challenges to unexpected delays in material deliveries. By engaging an aircraft hangar construction management company, you effectively transfer and mitigate these risks. Their experience allows them to anticipate potential challenges, implement proactive measures, and swiftly address any unforeseen issues that may arise during construction.

Efficient Resource Management

Effective resource management is a key aspect of any construction project. A professional management company brings their extensive network of suppliers, subcontractors, and industry contacts to the table, facilitating efficient resource allocation. This not only ensures the availability of materials when needed but also helps in negotiating favorable terms, further contributing to overall cost savings.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the benefits of engaging an aircraft hangar construction management company in Singapore are multifold. From expertise in aviation regulations to streamlined project planning, cost-effective solutions, and quality assurance, the advantages are undeniable. By partnering with professionals who specialize in aircraft hangar construction, you not only enhance the likelihood of project success but also position yourself for long-term operational excellence.

Merx Construction Project Management - Singapore

30 Cecil St, Tower, #20-03 Prudential, Singapore 049712

+6568366888

[aviationinfra]

Aviation Strategic Development Company

he aim of the strategic development is to achieve a safe, secure and sustainable aviation sector that meets the needs of customers. Contact us on : +1 (843) 412-6881 or visit our website : www.aviationinfrastructure.com for more details.

[baroque-aviation]

What Is Aircraft Management & Why It's Important?

In the realm of chartered air travel, the concept of Aircraft Management takes center stage, providing a comprehensive solution that goes beyond the mere operation of an aircraft. An Aircraft Management Company plays a pivotal role in ensuring a seamless, safe, and efficient experience for those venturing into the skies.

**1. What is Aircraft Management? Aircraft Management involves the oversight and coordination of various elements associated with private aircraft ownership and operation. From maintenance and crew management to regulatory compliance and logistical considerations, an Aircraft Management Company takes on the responsibility of handling every aspect of an aircraft's day-to-day affairs. This allows owners to enjoy the perks of private aviation without the hassle of managing intricate operational details.

**2. Tailored Solutions for Chartered Air Travel: For those opting for chartered air travel, Aircraft Management becomes a key player in delivering a bespoke and hassle-free experience. The management company takes charge of maintaining the aircraft, ensuring it meets regulatory standards and is ready for flights at all times. This meticulous oversight guarantees that passengers enjoy a reliable and comfortable journey, free from the complexities of aircraft ownership.

**3. Regulatory Compliance and Safety Assurance: In the aviation industry, adherence to stringent regulations is non-negotiable. Aircraft Management Companies specialize in navigating the intricate web of aviation regulations, ensuring that chartered flights comply with safety standards and legal requirements. This commitment to regulatory compliance translates into a secure and risk-free chartered air travel experience for passengers.

**4. Maintenance and Operational Efficiency: The reliable operation of a chartered aircraft hinges on meticulous maintenance. Aircraft Management Companies coordinate routine inspections, repairs, and other maintenance tasks to guarantee the aircraft's airworthiness. This commitment to operational efficiency means that passengers can trust in the reliability and safety of their chartered flights.

**5. Cost-Efficiency and Convenience: Engaging an Aircraft Management Company for chartered air travel introduces an element of cost-efficiency. Owners can optimize their expenses by sharing resources and services with other managed aircraft, making private aviation more accessible. Additionally, the convenience of having professionals handle all operational aspects allows owners to focus on enjoying their flights without being burdened by administrative details.

In essence, Aircraft Management emerges as the guardian angel of chartered air travel, ensuring that every flight is a seamless, safe, and luxurious experience. By combining regulatory expertise, operational efficiency, and a commitment to safety, Aircraft Management Companies elevate the private aviation experience, making the skies more accessible and enjoyable for those who seek a personalized and stress-free journey.

[dvaviationllc]

DV Aviation provides comprehensive aircraft management and maintenance services to ensure your aircraft operates at peak performance. Our highly experienced team provides top-notch support. Contact us today!

[yzzart]

ULTRAMAN, WERE YOU AT? ── KENJI SATO

୭˚. ᵎᵎ content warnings: F!reader, mention of Mina and KDF, news about Ultraman, Kenji referring to reader as his wife, reference to Telesdon and Aboras, fluff.

"In the company of the KDF, Ultraman managed, drastically and efficiently, to end yet another Kaiju invasion. However, causing countless damage and devastation throughout the city, and…"

The news is interrupted, not by an urgency or warning of new attacks, but by a turbulent and unexpected grumble, also considered as a scream; reliving a sequence of firm and smug grunts. — As if they had been imprisoned for a long time. — Surprising you.

The image, which remained frozen, showed the aircraft, small drones — Kenji has already seen several of them being destroyed and thrown in some circumstances by Kaijus — of the large organization arresting Telesdon; and behind them was Ultraman, rising from a building. — It seemed as if he had been defeated by the creature, something that was not true.

But, it was something that KDF wanted to convey to citizens; and they did not have the coherence and relevance to disguise this. — Even taking advantage of the hero's small, perhaps big, slip-ups.

"Huh, yeah, in their company." — He declared sarcastically, furrowing his eyebrows with revolt mixed with regret, getting tired of his own emotions. — "They just decide to show up when i'm close to controlling everything!" — Kenji felt a twinge of reason shining through his words, and even if, indeed, he did, he knew there were uncertain things between them.

"Controlling everything isn't about causing a lot of damage, Ken." — Removing the projection that showed the news, Mina spoke to the boy, who clicked his tongue, like a child, feeling reprimanded, with understanding. — "Focus is key."

"Mina, please…" — He begged, giving up sitting on the sofa to lie down on it and put his head in your lap, knowing it would be more comfort and warmth; perhaps, support from you against the robotic assistant's sermons.

“She’s right, Ken.” — Adjusting your posture a little and getting comfortable on the sofa, your hand ran up to your lover's soft black curls; knowing the pressure and tension that was going through Kenji's mind, you tried to comfort, care for him and reassure him.

And it always, always worked; Kenji knew that you were his refuge, light and peace. — Something he will protect and feel protected.

“I’m going to pretend i didn’t hear that coming from your pretty mouth.” — He closed his eyes, wanting to bring the caresses he received closer, feeling a comfort that could never be explained; It felt like paradise.

“Oh, are you going to pretend you don’t remember that time you simply decided to distract yourself, while fighting Aboras, to talk to me?” — You reminded him, arching one of your eyebrows, wanting to see if any response or anything would come out of Sato; quickly, he opened his eyes.

"What?" — Kenji looked stunned by the way he was placed against the wall. — “No, no, i just waved at you…?” — He wasn't sure, this could be considered self-sabotage.

“Go back to the house, young lady.” — He imitated him, making, or trying to, a deep and loud voice, wanting to reference Ultraman. — “The streets have been very dangerous lately.” — Kenji couldn't contain his laughter at your mockery of him. — “And they still wanted to interview me because of it.”

“It’s not my fault if i can’t resist my wife.”

[247-diaperboy]

Friends house

Story of high school friends reunited after several years of not seeing each other.

Max had been my best friend when i was young. We stayed friends all though eliminatory school and high school. After graduation, we went our separate ways.  He went to college on the west coast and i went to college on the east coast. 

He went to school studying to work in cooperate finance. He wanted to be a cooperate vice president of finance for a big compony. He was ambitious and determined. I had a feeling that he would succeed. 

I went to law school and graduated from law school. I prepared for my bar exam.  I decided to start my own law firm.  It was silly but I wanted to try to make a go of it. I actually kept my day job. Just in case. 

My law firm did take off. I was able to get clients. I developed a reputation. I was still young and could make a life for myself. I would have money. I had a purpose. That was what i wanted.  

Max too was going up the letter. He got a job in an accounting department at a fairly well-known company.  He was able to move up to mid-level management.  Then he was offered vice president of finance after his predecessor was moved up in position.  

We had tried to keep in touch after we graduated. We had for a little while. We talked on the phone and email.  Then we got busy and had our own lives. We tried to keep in touch, but it did not work. 

It seemed we had moved on. We were in a different place. Our lives no longer intertwined. Over time we were fine with it. We were so fine with it that we did not notice that we were apart. It was not a major factor in our lives. 

I made a comment on his social media page. He wrote a response.  I followed up with a response of my own.  Then he commented.  We ended up having a long conversation on his wall. The conversation moved from his social media page wall to messenger. We had quite the online conversation. It went on and on for quite some time.  

After a time, I got a call. I answered my phone.  “Hello this is matt. I said. "Matty its Max.” he said. I was thrilled to hear from him. We ended up talking on the phone for an hour in a half. It was like old times. 

We ended up talking on the phone back and forth. we had numerous phone calls. He had suggested that i come visit him and stay over for a week or so. I did not think that he would really happen. I was pretty sure that he did not think it would happen either. I said, sure that sounds great. We did continue to talk about it.it seemed like a pipe dream. It hardly sounded like something that would really happen.  

He kept talking to me about coming to visit him. Over time it became a real possibility. We decided that we were really going to do it. We made arrangement for me to come see him for ten days. I would stay with him in his home. 

I held out my enthusiasm at first. I refused to get excited. Then as we cemented our plans, I got more and more excited.  Then as i got closer to my vacation, I got really excited.  I wanted to see Max again.  I knew that Max wanted to see me. 

I worked my last day before my vacation. I had packed though out the week. After I completed my last shift before the vacation, I went home and finished up the packing. I went to bed and the next day I got ready to go. 

A friend of mine drove me to the airport. I was there in plenty of time. Until I actually boarded the plane, I still did not totally feel that it was real. As the plane neared the airport near Max, I knew that indeed this was really going to happen. 

The plane touched down. We were allowed to disembark. We got up from the plane. I was exhilarated as I departed from the aircraft. I looked for my friend. After a few seconds of canvassing the area, I found him. 

I walked over to him. I gave him a great big hug. I got in his car, and we headed to his house. We arrived. He took out his grill. We got caught up on what we had doing.  We reminisced about our crazy activities as a kid. We laughed a lot. 

It was like no time had passed. We both had a lot of fun. I was enjoying myself. I could tell that he was as well. 

After a long day of hanging out and catching up, we were both tired. We both decided to call it a night. 

“Hey, I am going to have you stay in the guest room. It is the first bedroom up the stairs to your right. Max said. “Oh ok. Sounds good. I answered. “I have another request. I was taken a back. I had no idea what this ‘request’ was. “What is this request? “I asked. 

“I want you to wear a diaper to bed. “A diaper?” I asked. “Yes. I waterproofed the bed but just as a precaution, I want you to wear one. I was totally shocked. I was not expecting that. 

“A diaper? Really max! I have not had a problem with bed wetting sense i was eight. I don't have any problem with incontinence. I assured him. 

“I remember your issues when you were younger. I have not seen you in a while. I think it is a wise precaution knowing your history Matty.

I did not want to fight with him over this. This was his house. I agreed. We went upstairs.  He took out a diaper.  I pulled down my pants.  I took off my underwear. I laid on my back on the bed. He put a diaper under my bum. Max pulled the diaper up between my legs and fastened the tapes. As strange as it may sound, I slept great.

I woke up. I had not peed myself. I hoped maybe I would convince him that I am fully potty trained and wearing a diaper is really not necessary.  I woke up and went downstairs. He was making breakfast.

“How did you sleep?” he asked. “I slept great. I told him. I noticed he was wearing a diaper. I asked why are you wearing a diaper?

I wear diapers at night now.  It feels so good.  Did you soil yourself?” he asked. “No i did not. “I said. 

“You should. It feels so good. “He said. I was stunned. After breakfast he asked me to help him take off his diaper.  We went to his room. I took off his diaper. It was really wet. I threw it away. 

He told me it would be a shame to waste a diaper.  He told me to pee myself.  I tried and tried. I could not do it. He told me to relax. He told me to picture a toilet.  He told me to tell my brain it was ok to let go. Finally, the urine leaked out. It felt weird. It also felt good. I liked it.

 That night he suggested we sleep in the same bed. I liked that idea.  We laid in bed.

Neither of us was gay.  We both liked girls.  We had had girlfriends.  We were both busy with careers, so we were not dating as of late. We were one of those friendship where we made people wonder. We did not care. 

We hung out all week. We played basketball. We ran together. We watched tv and movies together. At one time he leaned on me. I put my arm around him.

One night we cuddled.  I hated when the vacation was over. He came to visit me a few months later. We continue to correspond.  I started to wear diapers at night.  I wet my diaper at night. I wore regular underwear in the day. I never had an issue.  However now I had an entire stock of diapers in my bedroom.

Max and I kept in touch.  He started his own compony in my town. Eventually we decided to move in together. We sleep in the same bed.  Are we a couple?  It is not clearly defined at least not yet. 

[robertreich]

Boeing Is Everything Wrong With American Capitalism

Excuse my language, but why is Boeing such a shitty corporation?

Their planes are literally falling apart in the sky.

At least six Boeing planes have had parts fall off this year — including an exit door in mid-flight. A whistle-blower has accused Boeing of a “criminal cover-up” of its safety failures.

But beyond this one company, Boeing’s descent is a case study in how American capitalism has become so rotten. Let me explain.

I’m old enough to remember when people used to say “If it’s not Boeing, I’m not going.”

But in 1997, everything changed when Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas and became the only major maker of commercial aircraft in America. With no domestic rivals, it no longer needed to stay on the cutting edge of innovation.

Executives at Boeing who once specialized in engineering were replaced with Wall Street types who looked down on the engineers. One money-hungry CEO described those who cared too much about the integrity of Boeing’s planes, and not enough about its stock price, as “phenomenally talented assholes.”

To keep Wall Street happy, Boeing began spending billions on stock buybacks that pumped up the value of shares — money that could have been spent on safety and innovation.

It doled out hundreds of millions on campaign contributions and lobbying to lower safety standards, rake in massive government contracts, and boost its bottom line.

To cut costs, Boeing outsourced roughly 70% of its design, engineering, and manufacturing rather than rely on its experienced union workforce.

To further undercut its union, Boeing opened an assembly plant in South Carolina, a notorious anti-union state. Executives reportedly told managers not to move any unionized employees there.

This quest for profit resulted in massive quality control problems that were reported by engineers and machinists, but allegedly ignored by management. All of this inevitably led to the deadly safety issues Boeing faces today.

And because of Boeing’s monopoly-like power, it has been largely immune from any repercussions for its poor performance.

Boeing made it seem like it was punishing executives who led it astray by firing them, but still rewarded them with “golden parachutes” on the way out.

Folks, Boeing’s troubles should serve as a cautionary tale. It’s reflective of broader trends in our economy over the past forty years. Monopolization. Wealth siphoned off to rich shareholders at the expense of everyone else. Cutting corners on safety to save a dime. Bashing unions. All while spending big money lobbying the government.

Boeing may have become a shitty company, but that doesn’t mean we have to put up with it.

The government has the power to increase antitrust enforcement to bust up big companies — something that we are already starting to see in other industries.

It should also attach strings to government contracts and subsidies to ensure that private corporations are working in the best interest of the country, and not just their bottom lines.

It should ban stock buybacks, which were illegal before the Reagan administration, so profits are put back into improving the company, including the safety of products, rather than solely padding investors’ wallets.

Union power should be rebuilt, so that workers can once again act as a countervailing force to Wall Street.

And we should continue the fight to get Big Money out of politics.

It’s not too late to reverse course and chart a new flight path.

[blu3aero]

Ensuring Safety and Efficiency: Expert Aircraft Inspection and Management with Blu3 Aero

Blu3Aero is a specialist in aircraft inspection and management, delivering a full range of services designed to ensure peak performance and regulatory compliance. Our skilled team conducts meticulous inspections, develops detailed management plans, and offers strategic oversight to keep your fleet operating safely and efficiently.

[c1qfxugcgy0]

adventures in aerospace

So I recently started working at Large Aircraft Manufacturer. (LAM) The plant I work at employs 30,000 people. The company as a whole employs 170,000. Usually you only hear about LAM when something goes wrong. But no matter how bumbling it seems from the outside, it's way worse on the inside.

Three months after my first day, I have been "graduated" from "training." In reality, I'm still completely worthless on the floor: the training center has given me a paltry subset of the production certificates I need to actually to do my assigned job. A commonly cited statistic at LAM is that a hundred men a day are retiring, each one representing decades of experience, walking out the door, forever. The training center is in the unenviable position of managing a generational replacement, and have resorted to shoveling heaps of zoomers through as fast as possible. (As one of the few people with a visible hairline and who is not wearing a Roblox graphic tee; I am frequently mistaken for an instructor, and asked where the bathroom is, what time the next class starts, etc)

In theory, the training center knows what shop I'm assigned to, and can simply assign me all the required classes. In practice, they do the absolute minimum amount of training in a desperate attempt to relive the crowding in their handful of computer labs and tell graduates to pick up their certs later.

Of course, the irresistible force of the schedule meets the immovable object of the FAA. If you don't have the required production certificate to perform a particular job, you don't touch the airplane. Full stop, end of story.

And so the curtain opens on the stage. It reveals a single senior mechanic, supervising a mechanic who finally received all the certs and is being qualified on this particular job, surrounded by another three trainees. Trainees are less than nothing, absolute scum. At best we can fetch and carry. Mostly we are expected to stay out of the way. And the senior mechanic is only senior in title. He is one of six assembler-installers who is certified to actually work on the plane, out of twenty people on the crew, and spends every day with a permanent audience. He is 23 years old.

("Mechanic"? If you think the jargon at your job is bad, try joining a company that's a century old. Assembler-installers are universally referred to as "mechanics", despite doing work that's nothing like what a car mechanic does, and who are generally paid far worse than FAA certified A&P mechanics. Mechanics are the 11 bravos of LAM, grunts, the single largest category of worker. The tip of the spear. Hooah!)

Large Aircraft Manufacturer is in a dilly of a pickle. All of its existing airframe designs are hilariously antiquated. It tried designing a brand new plane from a clean sheet, and lost billions of dollars to a decade-long integration hell. After that, to save money, it tried just tacking bigger engines on an older design without changing anything else, and the stupid things plowed into the ground in an excruciatingly public manner.

LAM is now trying a middle road. It is upgrading one of its designs that is merely middle aged, rather than ancient, and with proven, de-risked components built in-house, rather than scattering them to subcontractors across the world. And it's still blowing past deadlines and burning billions of dollars LAM really doesn't have to spare.

This is the program I've been assigned to.

Advanced Midbody - Carbon Wing has taken the bold step of just tacking on carbon fiber wings to a conventional aluminum fuselage. Shockingly, AMCW is now stuck in lightning strike testing, due to that troublesome join between conductive aluminum and conductive...ish carbon fiber. But LAM, confident as ever, or perhaps driven by complaints of its customers, has announced that full rate production will begin just next year. Thus the tide of newhires. According to the schedule, we're supposed to jerk from one wingset a month to one wingset a week. That's not going to happen, but, oh well, orders from above move down at the speed of thought, while reality only slowly trickles upwards.

"120 inch pounds? Really?"

I startle upright. I have observed one hundred pi bracket installs, and I will observe a hundred more before I can touch aircraft structure. This is the first disagreement I've witnessed. A more advanced trainee is questioning the torque spec on a fastener. It is not an entirely foolish question-- most sleeve bolts we use are in the 40 in-pounds range. Doubling it that is unusual. I cough the dust off my unused vocal cords and venture an opinion.

"Well hey I could look it up? I guess"

The lead mechanic glances at me, surprised that I'm still awake, then looks away. Excuse enough for me!

I unfold myself from the stool I've been sitting on for the last four hours then hobble over to the nearest Shared Production Workstation.

We do not get Ikea-style step by step instructions on how to put together the airplane. Like any company that's been around for long enough, LAM is a tangled wad of scar tissue, ancient responses to forgotten trauma. If you state a dimension twice, in two different places, then it is possible for an update to only change one of those dimensions, thereby making the engineering drawing ambiguous. Something real bad must have happened in the past as a result of that, so now an ironclad rule is that critical information is only stated once, in one place, a single source of truth.

As a result, the installation plan can be a little... vague. Step 040 might be something like "DRILL HOLE TO SIZE AND TORQUE FASTENERS TO SPEC". What hole size? What torque spec?

Well, they tell you. Eventually.

(Image from public Google search)

You are given an engineering drawing, and are expected to figure out how things go together yourself. (Or, more realistically, are told how it's done by coworkers) Step by step instructions aren't done because then dozens of illustrations would have to be updated with every change instead of just one, and drawings are updated surprisingly frequently.

Fasteners are denoted by a big plus sign, with a three letter fastener code on the left and the diameter on the right, like so: "XNJ + 8"

To get the actual part number, we go to the fastener callout table:

(Note the use of a trade name in the table above. There is nothing a mechanic loves more than a good trademark. Permanent straight shank fasteners are always called HI-LOKs™. It's not a cable tie, it's a Panduit™. It's not a wedgelock, it's a Cleco™. Hey man, pass me that offset drill. What, you mean a Zephyr™? Where'd the LAMlube™ go? This also means you have to learn the names of everything twice, one name on the installation plan, and one name it's referred to in conversation.)

We find XNJ on that table, and fill in the diameter: BACB30FM8A. Now we look up the spec table for that fastener:

The eagle eyed among you might note that there is no "diameter: 8" on that table. As a LAM mechanic, you are expected to simply know that "diameter" is measured in 32nds of an inch, which simplifies down to 1/4.

(LAM preserves many old-school skills like fraction reduction and memorizing decimal equivalents like this, like flies caught in amber. Not least is the universal use of Imperial units. Many American manufacturers have been browbeaten into adding parenthetical conversions. Not LAM! Any risk at all of a mechanic seeing a second number and using it by accident is too great, and anyway, it violates SSOT. Lengths are in inches and feet, weights are in pounds, volume is in gallons and if you don't like it then you can go eat shit!)

After 10 minutes of following references, I arrive at that table, print it off, highlight the correct row, and hand it off to my senior mechanic.

"Great, thanks."

Gratified that I have enhanced shareholder value, I sit back down, and immediately fall asleep. Another day living the dream.

(next post in this series)

[direct2aero]

The Ultimate Guide to Private Aircraft Management Services with Direct2 Aero

Choosing the right aircraft management company is crucial for your private aircraft's safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. With Direct2 Aero, you get a trusted partner who understands the intricacies of aircraft management and is dedicated to providing superior service. Their expertise, comprehensive services, and commitment to customer satisfaction make them the best choice for private aircraft management.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Boeing’s deliberately defective fleet of flying sky-wreckage

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TOMORROW (May 2) in WINNIPEG, then Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), Tartu, Estonia, and beyond!

Boeing's 787 "Dreamliner" is manufactured far from the company's Seattle facility, in a non-union shop in Charleston, South Carolina. At that shop, there is a cage full of defective parts that have been pulled from production because they are not airworthy.

Hundreds of parts from that Material Review Segregation Area (MRSA) were secretly pulled from that cage and installed on aircraft that are currently plying the world's skies. Among them, sections 47/48 of a 787 – the last four rows of the plane, along with its galley and rear toilets. As Moe Tkacik writes in her excellent piece on Boeing's lethally corrupt culture of financialization and whistleblower intimidation, this is a big ass chunk of an airplane, and there's no way it could go missing from the MRSA cage without a lot of people knowing about it:

https://prospect.org/infrastructure/transportation/2024-04-30-whistleblower-laws-protect-lawbreakers/

More: MRSA parts are prominently emblazoned with red marks denoting them as defective and unsafe. For a plane to escape Boeing's production line and find its way to a civilian airport near you with these defective parts installed, many people will have to see and ignore this literal red flag.

The MRSA cage was a special concern of John "Swampy" Barnett, the Boeing whistleblower who is alleged to have killed himself in March. Tkacik's earlier profile of Swampy paints a picture of a fearless, stubborn engineer who refused to go along to get along, refused to allow himself to become inured to Boeing's growing culture of profits over safety:

https://prospect.org/infrastructure/transportation/2024-03-28-suicide-mission-boeing/

Boeing is America's last aviation company and its single largest exporter. After the company was allowed to merge with its rival McDonnell-Douglas in 1997, the combined company came under MDD's notoriously financially oriented management culture. MDD CEO Harry Stonecipher became Boeing's CEO in the early 2000s. Stonecipher was a protege of Jack Welch, the man who destroyed General Electric with cuts to quality and workforce and aggressive union-busting, a classic Mafia-style "bust-out" that devoured the company's seed corn and left it a barren wasteland:

https://qz.com/1776080/how-the-mcdonnell-douglas-boeing-merger-led-to-the-737-max-crisis

Post-merger, Boeing became increasingly infected with MDD's culture. The company chased cheap, less-skilled labor to other countries and to America's great onshore-offshore sacrifice zone, the "right-to-work" American south, where bosses can fire uppity workers who balked at criminal orders, without the hassle of a union grievance.

Stonecipher was succeeded by Jim "Prince Jim" McNerney, ex-3M CEO, another Jack Welch protege (Welch spawned a botnet of sociopath looters who seized control of the country's largest, most successful firms, and drove them into the ground). McNerney had a cute name for the company's senior engineers: "phenomenally talented assholes." He created a program to help his managers force these skilled workers – everyone a Boeing who knew how to build a plane – out of the company.

McNerney's big idea was to get rid of "phenomenally talented assholes" and outsource the Dreamliner's design to Boeing's suppliers, who were utterly dependent on the company and could easily be pushed around (McNerney didn't care that most of these companies lacked engineering departments). This resulted in a $80b cost overrun, and a last-minute scramble to save the 787 by shipping a "cleanup crew" from Seattle to South Carolina, in the hopes that those "phenomenally talented assholes" could save McNerney's ass.

Swampy was part of the cleanup crew. He was terrified by what he saw there. Boeing had convinced the FAA to let them company perform its own inspections, replacing independent government inspectors with Boeing employees. The company would mark its own homework, and it swore that it wouldn't cheat.

Boeing cheated. Swampy dutifully reported the legion of safety violations he witnessed and was banished to babysit the MRSA, an assignment his managers viewed as a punishment that would isolate Swampy from the criminality he refused to stop reporting. Instead, Swampy audited the MRSA, and discovered that at least 420 defective aviation components had gone missing from the cage, presumably to be installed in planes that were behind schedule. Swampy then audited the keys to the MRSA and learned that hundreds of keys were "floating around" the Charleston facility. Virtually anyone could liberate a defective part and install it into an airplane without any paper trail.

Swampy's bosses had a plan for dealing with this. They ordered Swampy to "pencil whip" the investigations of 420 missing defective components and close the cases without actually figuring out what happened to them. Swampy refused.

Instead, Swampy took his concerns to a departmental meeting where 12 managers were present and announced that "if we can’t find them, any that we can’t find, we need to report it to the FAA." The only response came from a supervisor, who said, "We’re not going to report anything to the FAA."

The thing is, Swampy wasn't just protecting the lives of the passengers in those defective aircraft – he was also protecting Boeing employees. Under Sec 38 of the US Criminal Code, it's a 15-year felony to make any "materially false writing, entry, certification, document, record, data plate, label, or electronic communication concerning any aircraft or space vehicle part."

(When Swampy told a meeting that he took this seriously because "the paperwork is just as important as the aircraft" the room erupted in laughter.)

Swampy sent his own inspectors to the factory floor, and they discovered "dozens of red-painted defective parts installed on planes."

Swampy blew the whistle. How did the 787 – and the rest of Boeing's defective flying turkeys – escape the hangar and find their way into commercial airlines' fleets? Tkacik blames a 2000 whistleblower law called AIR21 that:

creates such byzantine procedures, locates adjudication power in such an outgunned federal agency, and gives whistleblowers such a narrow chance of success that it effectively immunizes airplane manufacturers, of which there is one in the United States, from suffering any legal repercussions from the testimony of their own workers.

By his own estimation, Swampy was ordered to commit two felonies per week for six years. Tkacik explains that this kind of operation relies on a culture of ignorance – managers must not document their orders, and workers must not be made aware of the law. Whistleblowers like Swampy, who spoke the unspeakable, were sidelined (an assessment by one of Swampy's managers called him "one of the best" and finished that "leadership would give hugs and high fives all around at his departure").

Multiple whistleblowers were singled out for retaliation and forced departure. William Hobek, a quality manager who refused to "pencil whip" the missing, massive 47-48 assembly that had wandered away from the MRSA cage, was given a "weak" performance review and fired despite an HR manager admitting that it was bogus.

Another quality manager, Cynthia Kitchens, filed an ethics complaint against manager Elton Wright who responded to her persistent reporting of defects on the line by shoving her against a wall and shouting that Boeing was "a good ol’ boys’ club and you need to get on board." Kitchens was fired in 2016. She had cancer at the time.

John Woods, yet another quality engineer, was fired after he refused to sign off on a corner-cutting process to repair a fuselage – the FAA later backed up his judgment.

Then there's Sam Salehpour, the 787 quality engineer whose tearful Congressional testimony described more corner-cutting on fuselage repairs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP0xhIe1LFE

Salehpour's boss followed the Boeing playbook to the letter: Salehpour was constantly harangued and bullied, and he was isolated from colleagues who might concur with his assessment. When Salehpour announced that he would give Congressional testimony, his car was sabotaged under mysterious circumstances.

It's a playbook. Salehpour's experience isn't unusual at Boeing. Two other engineers, working on the 787 Organization Designation Authorization, held up production by insisting that the company fix the planes' onboard navigation computers. Their boss gave them a terrible performance review, admitting that top management was furious at the delays and had ordered him to punish the engineers. The engineers' union grievance failed, with Boeing concluding that this conduct – which they admitted to – didn't rise to the level of retaliation.

As Tkacik points out, these engineers and managers that Boeing targeted for intimidation and retaliation are the very same staff who are supposed to be performing inspections of behalf of the FAA. In other words, Boeing has spent years attacking its own regulator, with total impunity.

But it's not just the FAA who've failed to take action – it's also the DOJ, who have consistently declined to bring prosecutions in most cases, and who settled the rare case they did bring with "deferred prosecution agreements." This pattern was true under Trump's DOJ and continued under Biden's tenure. Biden's prosecutors have been so lackluster that a federal judge "publicly rebuked the DOJ for failing to take seriously the reputational damage its conduct throughout the Boeing case was inflicting on the agency."

Meanwhile, there's the AIR21 rule, a "whistleblower" rule that actually protects Boeing from whistleblowers. Under AIR21, an aviation whistleblower who is retaliated against by their employer must first try to resolve their problem internally. If that fails, the whistleblower has only one course of action: file an OSHA complaint within 90 days (if HR takes more than 90 days to resolve your internal complaint, you can no have no further recourse). If you manage to raise a complaint with OSHA, it is heard by a secret tribunal that has no subpoena power and routinely takes five years to rule on cases, and rules against whistleblowers 97% of the time.

Boeing whistleblowers who missed the 90-day cutoff have filled the South Carolina courts with last-ditch attempts to hold the company to account. When they lose these cases – as is routine, given Boeing's enormous legal muscle and AIR21's legal handcuffs – they are often ordered to pay Boeing's legal costs.

Tkacik cites Swampy's lawyer, Rob Turkewitz, who says Swampy was the only one of Boeing's whistleblowers who was "savvy, meticulous, and fast-moving enough to bring an AIR 21 case capable of jumping through all the hoops" to file an AIR21 case, which then took seven years. Turkewitz calls Boeing South Carolina "a criminal enterprise."

That's a conclusion that's hard to argue with. Take Boeing's excuse for not producing the documentation of its slapdash reinstallation of the Alaska Air door plug that fell off its plane in flight: the company says it's not criminally liable for failing to provide the paperwork, because it never documented the repair. Not documenting the repair is also a crime.

You might have heard that there's some accountability coming to the Boeing boardroom, with the ouster of CEO David Calhoun. Calhoun's likely successor is Patrick Shanahan, whom Tkacik describes as "the architect of the ethos that governed the 787 program" and whom her source called "a classic schoolyard bully."

If Shanahan's name rings a bell, it might be because he was almost Trump's Secretary of Defense, but that was derailed by the news that he had "emphatically defended" his 17 year old son after the boy nearly beat his mother to death with a baseball bat. Shanahan is presently CEO of Spirit Aerospace, who made the door-plug that fell out of the Alaska Airlines 737 Max.

Boeing is a company where senior managers only fail up and where whistleblowers are terrorized in and out of the workplace. One of Tkacik's sources noticed his car shimmying. The source, an ex-787 worker who'd been fired after raising safety complaints, had tried to bring an AIR21 complaint, but withdrew it out of fear of being bankrupted if he was ordered to pay Boeing's legal costs. When the whistleblower pulled over, he discovered that two of the lug-nuts had been removed from one of his wheels.

The whistleblower texted Tkcacik to say (not for the first time): "If anything happens, I'm not suicidal."

Boeing is a primary aerospace contractor to the US government. It's clear that its management – and investors – consider it too big to jail. It's also clear that they know it's too big to fail – after all, the company did a $43b stock buyback, then got billions in a publicly funded buyback.

Boeing is, effectively, a government agency that is run for the benefit of its investors. It performs its own safety inspections. It investigates its own criminal violations of safety rules. It loots its own coffers and then refills them at public expense.

Meanwhile, the company has filled our skies with at least 420 airplanes with defective, red-painted parts that were locked up in the MRSA cage, then snuck out and fitted to an airplane that you or someone you love could fly on the next time you take your family on vacation or fly somewhere for work.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/01/boeing-boeing/#mrsa

Image: Tom Axford 1 (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blue_sky_with_wisps_of_cloud_on_a_clear_summer_morning.jpg

CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

--

Clemens Vasters (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:N7379E_-_Boeing_737_MAX_9.jpg

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

[merxconstruction]

The Benefits of Hiring a Professional Aircraft Hangar Construction Management Company in Singapore

When it comes to constructing an aircraft hangar, there are a variety of factors to consider. From cost and timeline to technical proficiency and safety regulations, the process of building an aircraft hangar can quickly become overwhelming. That’s where a professional aircraft hangar construction management company comes in.

By hiring a professional project management company, you can rest assured that your project will be handled with technical expertise, diligence, and attention to detail. A project manager with experience in the construction of aircraft hangars can provide a tailored solution, factoring in the specific needs of your aircraft, as well as the geographical location of the hangar.

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Merx Construction Project Management - Singapore

30 Cecil St, Tower, #20-03 Prudential, Singapore 049712

+6568366888