According to Boeing, Ortberg will begin in the position on August 8. He replaces Dave Calhoun, who earlier this year announced he was retiring. Calhoun had served as president and CEO since January 2020 and been on the Boeing board of directors since 2009.

Ortberg, 64, comes to the position with more than 35 years of experience in the aerospace industry. He recently served as president and CEO of Rockwell Collins, a position he held since 2013.

Ortberg was instrumental in the company’s integration with United Technologies and RTX. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Iowa, has held numerous leadership positions in the aerospace industry, and is the former chair of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) board of governors.

• READ MORE: FAA Head Vows Increase in Boeing Oversight

“The board conducted a thorough and extensive search process over the last several months to select the next CEO of Boeing, and Kelly has the right skills and experience to lead Boeing in its next chapter,” said Steven Mollenkopf, chair of the board. “Kelly is an experienced leader who is deeply respected in the aerospace industry, with a well-earned reputation for building strong teams and running complex engineering and manufacturing companies. We look forward to working with him as he leads Boeing through this consequential period in its long history.”

The board also thanked Calhoun for his services, noting the past few years have been challenging for Boeing, beginning with the two 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019, respectively, resulting in the deaths of 346 people. The FAA ordered the grounding of the aircraft while the accidents were investigated. Boeing’s manufacturing and certification processes were called into question.

• READ MORE: Boeing Presents Quality Control Improvement Plan to FAA

The aerospace company announced it had worked through the issues and made changes to its manufacturing procedures to mitigate them. Then in January a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airlines lost a door plug shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, resulting in rapid decompression and minor injuries.

Next week the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is scheduled to conduct an investigative hearing on the door plug loss.

In the meantime, the families of those killed in the crashes are campaigning for Boeing to face criminal prosecution and the U.S. Department of Justice to fine the company $24 billion, alleging criminal negligence and violating the 2021 agreement that allowed the company to previously avoid criminal charges.

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The order increase comes about a year after the service awarded Boeing a $136 million contract for four CH-47F Block II aircraft, which went into production in April. With the $63 million Lot 2 order announced Monday, the Army will now have six of the heavy -lift helicopters under contract.

As part of the deal, the service also signed a separate Lot 3 advance procurement contract valued at $29 million, Boeing said.

“CH-47F Block II improves readiness, limits future sustainment costs, and provides commonality across the fleet,” Ken Eland, Boeing vice president and H-47 program manager, said in a statement.

A Long-Term Partnership

When Boeing launched the CH-47F variant of the historic 61-year-old Chinook helicopter, the goal was to meet evolving military needs. For instance, Boeing said the Block II would have redesigned fuel tanks, a strengthened fuselage, and an improved drivetrain. Those things, the manufacturer said, would allow soldiers to complete heavy-lift mission requirements and position the Chinook for additional future upgrades.

According to Boeing, each CH-47F can hold 1,034 gallons of fuel, achieve a maximum true airspeed of 170 knots, and cruise at 157 knots. They have a 20,000-foot service ceiling and a useful load of 24,000 pounds. That means, with a crew of three—a pilot, copilot, flight engineer, or loadmaster—the CH47F can carry between 33-55 troops, or 24 stretchers, and three attendants. 

• READ MORE: U.S. Army Grounds Fleet of CH-47 Chinooks Because of Engine Fire Risk

Up front, pilots have Collins Aerospace [NYSE: RTX] Common Avionics Architecture System, known as CAAS. Pilots can tap into some of the latest glass cockpit features Collins’ CAAS offers.

Some include tactical displays optimized for cargo lift, heavy assault, multi-mission roles, or even a recent upgrade that offers an advanced flight management system. The new FMS provides both certified required navigation performance (RNP) for area navigation and tactical navigation capabilities.

‘The Best Option for the Army’

“We’re dedicated to making CH-47F Block II the best option for the Army’s heavy-lift mission, now and well into the future,” Boeing’s Eland said.

Boeing has delivered more than 1,000 Chinooks to the U.S. Army over its 60-year partnership. Moreover, 19 allied countries use the platform to support their multi-missions, including equipment and troop transport, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. Boeing says the Chinook program supports more than 20,000 jobs and 360 suppliers in 40 states.

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Rockwell Collins has launched a web-based business jet passenger portal with Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). IPTV is an application that allows viewers to stream live TV through the internet right into the cabin without the need for installing additional antennae on the aircraft. The IPTV application will be the first of multiple apps in the portal, which will provide passengers with more entertainment and productivity tools.

The system can be operated remotely on the ground to control and effectively manage the connectivity of passengers’ devices. Multiple users have the ability to watch live TV on several devices through only one broadband connection. The system allows for the bandwidth to be optimized to control cabin data usage. Standard- or high definition broadcasts are available.

“It doesn’t matter what connectivity service is enabled, whether it is a high throughput satellite service or swiftbroadband, we can provide an IPTV solution globally, wherever the aircraft has an active ARINCDirect broadband service,” said Kim Pendergast, director, ARINCDirect Cabin Services for Rockwell Collins.

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Owners of Cessna Citation CJ1+ and CJ2+ light business jets who are looking to update their instrument panels now have a new option with Rockwell Collins’ touchscreen Pro Line Fusion system. But the owners will have to wait for about a year. Rockwell Collins announced the upgrade program this week and expects the FAA to sign off on the STC toward the end of next year, right in time for the upcoming ADS-B mandate. The upgrade will be available at Textron Aviation’s service centers.

The certification program should be fairly straight forward as the upgrade has already been approved and proven in a larger family member — the Citation CJ3. About 30 CJ3s are currently flying with Pro Line Fusion and another 10 are waiting to have the system installed. “The CJ3 Fusion upgrade has been very popular and we’ve received considerable feedback from CJ1+ and CJ2+ operators that they are eagerly waiting their turn,” said Rockwell Collins’ vice president and general manager of business and regional systems, Christophe Blanc.

The Pro Line Fusion for the CJ1+ and CJ2+ features three 14.1-inch high-resolution user-configurable touchscreens with synthetic vision capabilities that include Rockwell Collins’ patented dome icons for airports, making them easy to spot on the screen. Extended runway centerlines also add to situational awareness. Relevant charts are automatically staged through the patented ChartLink feature, reducing the workload for the pilot. The system allows operators to fly radius-to-fix (RF) legs and approaches with vertical guidance, such as LPV approaches. While the Pro Line Fusion itself does not include ADS-B Out capability, Rockwell Collins has options available that are compatible with the system for ADS-B and SBAS capable GNSS.

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European King Air B200 and B300-series operators can now take advantage of Rockwell Collins’ latest touch screen avionics suite – Pro Line Fusion.

The Pro Line Fusion retrofit was FAA certified in 2016 and represents the panel delivered with new Beechcraft King Airs coming out of Textron Aviation’s factory in Wichita, Kansas. Installed in the panel are three 14.1-inch high resolution touchscreens that allow for multiple configuration options. The suite includes ADS-B equipment to comply with the June 7, 2020 mandate for EASA aircraft, and enables operators to take advantage of SBAS-capable GNSS, LPV approaches, RF legs and more.

The system also features Rockwell’s proprietary synthetic vision system, which includes dome representations for airports, making them easy to identify on the screens. Extended runway centerlines add to the situational awareness as do real time weather radar, high-resolution topography and special-use airspace and search patterns. Geo-referenced navigation charts with own-ship position make shooting instrument approaches a breeze.

Database updates cannot be done wirelessly, but are completed through an easily accessible USB port on the front of the displays.

Amsterdam-based JetSupport B.V. has already completed the first installation of a Pro Line Fusion system into a King Air B200. “Pro Line Fusion breathes new life into these aircraft, bringing compliance with airspace mandates and sets the stage for flying in the Single European Sky,” said Didier Perrin, senior director of commercial sales and services for Rockwell Collins’ European, Middle Eastern and African regions.

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The month-long suspense that’s been building over about a possible United Technologies/Rockwell Collins deal finally ended Tuesday morning with an announcement Bloomberg called “one of the biggest in aviation history.” United Technologies chairman and CEO Greg Hayes confirmed his company will purchase Rockwell Collins for $30 billion.

Rockwell shareholders will receive $140 per share of the Cedar Rapids maker of leading-edge avionics, flight controls, aircraft interior and data connectivity solutions, with $93.33 in cash and the other $46.67 in United Technologies stock. Rockwell Collins said on a pro forma basis its estimated sales are greater than $8 billion. Using the same math, UTC expects 2017 global sales of $67-$68 billion. United Technologies will assume $7 billion in Rockwell Collins debt making the equity value of the transaction worth approximately $23 billion.

Once the deal closes, Rockwell Collins and UTC Aerospace Systems will join forces under the Collins Aerospace Systems banner. Current Rockwell Collins chairman Kelly Ortberg will serve as the new organization’s chief executive officer while UTC Aerospace Systems’ president David Gitlin will become its president and chief operating officer. Greg Hayes said the deal will “enhance customer value in a rapidly evolving aerospace industry by making aircraft more intelligent and more connected.”

Announcement of the UTC-Rockwell Collins hookup did not sit well with everyone, however, since the deal could offer Collins Aerospace Systems fresh negotiating leverage with suppliers and customers. The Boeing Company said in a statement, “We intend to take a hard look at the proposed combination of United Technologies and Rockwell Collins. Until we receive more details, we are skeptical that it would be in the best interest of — or add value to — our customers and industry … Should we determine that this deal is inconsistent with those interests, we would intend to exercise our contractual rights and pursue the appropriate regulatory options to protect our interests. Also, both companies are significant suppliers to Boeing and other OEMs, and at a time of record industry production, their first priority should be delivering on existing cost, schedule and quality commitments for their customers and ours.”

Barring any unforeseen roadblocks, the UTC Rockwell Collins transaction is expected to close by the third quarter 2018.

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A decade ago, some people scoffed when Embraer announced its intention to create a complete line of business airplanes, from entry-level jets to behemoth bizliners, especially when the sum total of the company’s bizav experience to that point had been creating the Legacy 600 from the ERJ-135 regional jet. But once the Phenom series of light jets — the 100 and the 300 models, both capable of operation with a single pilot — appeared, people began paying much closer attention to what the Brazilian company was creating. By the end of 2014, the Phenom 300 had become the most delivered business jet in the world and earned the same honor again in 2015. By then, nobody was scoffing anymore.

In April 2008, Embraer announced another series of jets designed to neatly fit between the Phenom 300 and the Legacy 600/650. The company again surprised some observers when it revealed that the new airplanes, called the Embraer Legacy 450 and the 500, would be completely fly-by-wire machines, something unheard of in the midsize jet category. Also, the two new aircraft are so similar that only the sharpest eyes will notice the Legacy 500 is a slightly longer cabin version of the 450. The Embraer Legacy 450’s first flight in December 2013 came about a year after the 500 first took to the sky. By mid-2016 the company had delivered 31 Legacy 500s and three 450s.

When the mid-light Legacy 450, as Embraer calls it, was being engineered, the expected range stood at approximately 2,300 nm with four passengers on board. By the time the 450 was officially announced at the 2013 NBAA Convention in Las Vegas, the airplane’s range had climbed to 2,500 nm after a slight increase in engine thrust. When Flying evaluated the 450 at the company’s Melbourne, Florida, production facility recently, test pilots had already proven the machine capable of flying nearly 2,600 nm with the same load. Then, just to keep things interesting, Embraer recently announced another range boost to just over 2,900 nm, with a 329 nm reserve and no payload changes thanks to some minor wing alterations that made room for more fuel. Not wanting early-delivery 450 owners to be left behind (since the first aircraft left the factory in December 2015), the mod was announced as retrofittable at no cost.

All range numbers were quoted at long-range cruise power setting, of course, although shoving the throttle full up doesn’t slice much from the total distance. The new longer-distance version of the 450 will also operate with a 35,274-pound maximum takeoff weight. The range updates make trips from Shanghai to Jakarta, San Francisco to Hawaii, or Munich to Bahrain possible, with the jet’s speed hovering around 463 knots or about Mach 0.83 at max cruise.

August 2016 prices for a Embraer Legacy 450 stood at $16.57 million, with buyers waiting approximately 12 months from order to delivery. Interestingly, the 500 model sells for just $3.4 million more, but it offers only 200 additional miles of range, although capacity issues change when both airplanes are fully fueled. The Legacy 450 seats a maximum of nine, while the 500 carries as many as 12 people in the cabin. Both the 450 and the 500 share a 9.6 psi max differential pressure, creating a comfortable 6,000-foot maximum cabin pressurization level at 45,000 feet. The two business jets also share a common type rating, making operating a couple of each a snap from a pilot-training perspective. The first Embraer Legacy 450 is expected to roll out of Embraer’s new expanded Melbourne manufacturing facility in December.

Inside the Jet

Embraer sees Textron’s Citation Latitude as the closest competitor to the Legacy 450. It says the Legacy 450 bests the Latitude in speed, payload and range, but not in cabin comfort, where the two aircraft are pretty evenly matched.

The 450’s cabin, 6 feet high on a flat floor and 6 feet 10 inches wide, comes standard with four fully reclining club seats that easily convert into a pair of sleeping berths. An optional wet galley in the forward fuselage can be traded for a two-seat belted divan. An optional belted potty seat on the 450 will bring the seating capacity to nine. The slightly longer cabin of the Legacy 500 offers the option for two three-seat divans in the rear to increase the passenger complement to an even dozen.

The 450’s standard cabin includes a small refreshment center near the door, a rear private lavatory with a vacuum toilet that includes a window for natural light and an inflight-accessible baggage area. Embraer said the Legacy 450’s 150-cubic-foot baggage space — 110 cubic feet in the main externally accessed compartment and 45 cubic feet accessible from the rear of the cabin — is the largest in the 450’s category. Honeywell’s Ovation Select cabin management system runs the optional high-definition video and surround-sound audio environment, while the optional voice and Wi-Fi-enabled connectivity offer Inmarsat, Gogo or Iridium platforms with inflight data speeds of up to 3.1 Mbps.

The Legacy 450 is the first business jet under $50 million to offer full fly-by-wire technology featuring sidestick flight controls and a Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics suite with four 15.1-inch high-resolution LCD displays. The cockpit offers an optional enhanced-vision system with a head-up display.

A pair of Honeywell HTF7500E turbofans provides 6,540 pounds of thrust per engine to rocket the Embraer Legacy 450 off the ground to 43,000 feet in just 22 minutes. A climb to FL 450 will be possible later as the aircraft becomes lighter. While the maximum payload of the 450 — 2,921 pounds — is slightly more than that of the 500 — 2,800 pounds — the larger model can carry nearly twice the load of the 450 when also carrying maximum fuel. At the 35,759-pound maximum takeoff weight, the Legacy 450 typically requires about 4,000 feet of takeoff runway.

Flying the Embraer Legacy 450

I couldn’t have asked for a better summer day as I approached N801EE at Melbourne International Airport (KMLB). The winds were light with just a few clouds in the area. The aircraft door was already open and the APU running as I was introduced to my right-seat instructor, Embraer senior demo pilot Rich Brimer.

As I entered the airplane and looked back, I had the feeling I had just climbed into an expensive automobile, with a clean, comfortable cabin staring back at me. As it turns out, Embraer used the BMW folks early on to help design the cockpit and the cabins, although that work is now carried out in house.

But the moment I entered the cockpit, it was clear that something was missing — the control wheel, which was replaced by the sidestick to operate the fly-by-wire controls. Because of the seat placement and flexibility, getting settled required no special gymnastics. The flight deck has a clean look with no switches sticking out anywhere. The cockpit windows are large, admitting plenty of light, which I assumed would make it easier to search for other traffic, something we old-time pilots still do quite a bit.

Because the cockpit was already powered up, the resolution on those four big LCD displays that bring the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion system to life was immediately clear. Colors didn’t just appear, they popped from the screens. Our demo aircraft was fitted with light-beige leather seats and side panels in both the cockpit and cabin that added to the feel of a premium machine. Because today’s flight decks require regular software updates to keep them operating at peak performance, the Legacy 450 rid operators of the need to download updates to a flash drive and carry them out to the airplane. Rockwell Collins servers can accomplish most of the heavy lifting via Wi-Fi or even cell data connections in as little as 15 minutes. The system is so simple that it allows the cockpit crew to handle the duties.

Once the engines were powered up using the simple stop-run-start switches, Brimer explained there were only six items to consider for the after-start checks before we moved to the subtleties of taxiing using the 450’s steer-by-wire function. All steering is handled through the rudders, even when the pilot is getting into and out of tight spots on the ground. At 10 knots or less, the nosewheel swings 62 degrees either way. As the 450 picks up speed, the amount of available turn decreases.

The basic operating weight of N801EE the day we flew it was 23,280 pounds. With an outside air temperature of 24 degrees C, 125 pounds of stuff and about 6,000 pounds of fuel, the 450’s ramp weight was well below the maximum of 35,274 pounds (35,759 in the 2,900 nm versions). The combined weight of the three of us on board added another 525 pounds. All fuel (10,851 pounds max) is carried in the wings. We calculated a requirement for 3,574 feet of runway for takeoff.

Initial and recurrent pilot training for the Embraer Legacy 450 is conducted by FlightSafety International and runs three weeks, with a week and a half of that time devoted to ground school, including the avionics. That’s where the crew learns the 450 uses three generators: two mains (one on each engine) and a third mounted to the APU. In an emergency, there’s also a deployable ram air turbine. Both of the 24-volt DC NiCad batteries sit inside the pressure vessel, although there are also two lead-acid backup batteries, one to power the flight controls and the other for the fuel system. The 450 comes standard with a triple-redundant hydraulic system powered by two engine-driven pumps and a single electric backup. Fueling the 450 is handled by a single-point system.

Brimer and I reviewed the intricacies of the FBW system that uses no mechanical linkages to the ailerons, rudder or elevator, saving weight and avoiding potential maintenance problems. The FBW operates in one of two modes: normal, in which everything is computer controlled, providing total flight envelope protection, or direct, when the 450 will behave more like a regular airplane.

As we lined up on Runway 9R at KMLB, I advanced the throttles with the auto-throttles, bringing them to maximum. Steering was solid and the ground roll swift. With only a slight move with my left wrist on the sidestick, the 450 was climbing. At maximum power down low, the vertical speed hovered between 3,000 and 3,500 fpm at an airspeed of 200 knots. I hand-flew the airplane into the mid-teens, occasionally noticing again that only minimal wrist movements on the sidestick were needed to convince the 450 to follow my turn commands. We made a few intermediate stops in the climb to check handling and fuel flow.

At 18,000 feet I wanted to experience how the envelope protections might handle a pilot who mismanaged the bird. With the autopilot and autothrottles on, I commanded an airspeed that pitched the nose of the 450 down. As the tape along the left side of the primary flight display approached the red overspeed region, the autothrottles came back and the nose pitched up on its own to remain within engineered safety parameters. When we tried a few stalls, the airplane handled much the same and pitched down to reduce angle of attack with no input from me. We also tried operating in direct mode and slowed the aircraft again to near stall. Even holding the stick back all the way, the airplane descended at 500 fpm but remained pretty much wings level.

Continuing the climb again, the 450 held 2,000 fpm, and near FL 290 the speed changed to Mach 0.76, with the Honeywell turbofans burning about 1,400 pounds per side. Trying a few manual turns, pilots not used to FBW will be surprised to see the aircraft simply maintain a 35-degree angle of bank when they release the side-stick. About then, they’ll also notice there’s no trim button on the Legacy 450 because the FBW is way ahead of the pilot on that. Through 37,000 feet, fuel flow dropped to 1,100 pounds per side with a vertical speed of 1,500 fpm. Once we leveled off at FL 410, I climbed out of the left seat to walk back to the cabin to listen for a while. Besides the cabin looking quite swank, the noise level at Mach 0.82 was better than OK; it was truly superb. I asked Brimer to pull the power back to long-range cruise, which slowed the 450 some, but I didn’t notice any difference in the cabin sound level at the slower speed.

We headed back to KMLB for a few approaches and landings. In the descent, the 450 easily descended at 3,200 fpm with no noticeable rumble when the speedbrakes were deployed at about 280 knots. I let the autopilot conduct the 9R ILS down to 800 feet, at which I disconnected and hand-flew the remainder of the approach. The transition to manual flight in the landing configuration was smooth. Because our demo aircraft was equipped with autobrakes, I let the 450’s brake-by-wire system handle the stopping. We were slowed to taxi speed in about 1,600 feet.

My landings? I’d call them perfect, of course, but it would be really tough to tell for sure, because the trailing link gear on the 450 will probably make all but the worst pilots look pretty impressive to the folks riding in the cabin.

Legacy 450

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Bombardier and Rockwell Collins jointly announced at last week’s EBACE in Geneva that the Venue cabin management system will be available in the Global 5000 and 6000 bizjets, providing passengers with a full range of options for entertainment and business solutions in the cabin. The ultra-long-range business airplanes will have a dedicated media bay near the entrance where USB and HDMI ports allow for the connection of virtually any portable device, such as a computer, Apple TV, Xbox and more, to the CMS. High-speed internet connectivity completes the experience.

The goal with Venue, Rockwell Collins says, is the ability to bring any home-based system and enable the same quality of presentation to the aircraft cabin. Venue also provides the ability for passengers to control the cabin environment and see flight information. Only one seat can be designated as the “VIP” station, which maintains control of main features such as the lighting and environmental controls. Venue also has an interactive Airshow feature, with 3-D maps, time zones, route views and more.

The flexible system allows for data to be shown on Rockwell Collins’ Venue displays, portable Apple and Android tablets and wall-mounted screens in the cabin as large as 65 inches.

Venue is expected to start delivering in new Global 5000 and 6000 airplanes in the third quarter of this year. Existing Global aircraft owners will be able to retrofit the system to their airplanes as well.

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Rockwell Collins partnered with Duncan Aviation, which will initially start with an STC retrofit for the CJ3. Craig Olson, Rockwell Collins’ vice president and general manager of business and regional systems, and Duncan Aviation’s vice president of sales, marketing and business development, Steve Gade, inked the deal at Rockwell Collins’ booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center on the opening day of NBAA2015.

The supplemental type certification is expected by the end of next year. The retrofit will take approximately three weeks to complete at a cost ranging from $315,000 to $325,000 depending on the previous configuration of the panel, said Adam Evanschwartz, director of marketing, business and regional aviation commercial systems at Rockwell Collins.

In addition to modernizing the panel with three 14.1-inch touch screens, the system incorporates the latest in avionics technology including ADS-B In and Out; precision GPS approaches; Rockwell Collins’ synthetic vision, including the patented airport domes; and much more. The system can be upgraded with the company’s head-up guidance system, enhanced vision system, MultiScan weather radar and more.

The Pro Line Fusion retrofit is already available for the Beechcraft King Air series. Evanschwartz said the Citation CJ1+, CJ2 and CJ2+ will be next in line for the STC.

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The change has reduced the approach speed by as much as 9 knots, which has resulted in a reduction of landing distance by 270 feet. The G280 can now land in 2,380 feet.

In addition to the performance improvement, the software upgrade has made the flight management system better. Time and fuel predictions, optimum and maximum altitude and best rate-of-climb speed are now more accurate. Long-range cruise, maximum cruise and maximum endurance cruise speeds can now also be calculated automatically with the flight management system.

The new software is now included in newly delivered G280s. Operators can update their systems for free by visiting one of Gulfstreams service centers in Savannah, Dallas or Luton, England.

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