BrownCafe

Multiple converging trends in satellite communications (SATCOM), the Internet of Things (IoT), and connected devices are creating a unique opportunity in the aviation industry. With the amount of data capable of being delivered to and streamed off of planes to stakeholders on the ground, there is a massive opportunity for innovation and advancement inflight safety and efficiency.

One of the companies at the forefront of leveraging data and advanced technologies to make their flights safer and more efficient is the delivery giant, UPS. The company operates more than 1,200 flights per day and owns a fleet of almost 300 aircraft. And they’re constantly looking for ways to make those aircraft and flights more connected so they can streamline operations and make flight crews safer.

We recently sat down with Kevin Swiatek, the Flight Operations Manager at UPS, to take a deep dive into some of the technology trends enabling digital transformation on aircraft, and the advanced technologies that could soon become reality as a result.

UPS Inc. is testing the delivery waters. Literally.

The transport and logistics giant is participating in a trial program to transport five trailers round trip by barge across 4.5 miles of New York Harbor from Red Hook, Brooklyn, to Bayonne, New Jersey. This is the first time UPS has experimented with short-sea shipping, a model designed as a delivery alternative to moving goods on congested roads and bridges.

The trial is being conducted in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MarAd), Red Hook Terminals, Hughes Marine and the New York City Economic Development Corp., UPS said in a LinkedIn post on Monday. It is believed that the journey took place last Friday.

United Parcel Service Inc. retirees who sued the federal government over a 2014 pension law that authorized 29% cuts to their benefits advanced their lawsuit alleging an unconstitutional governmental taking of property, according to a U.S. Court of Federal Claims ruling.

The retirees have a valid property interest in their right to receive unreduced payments of their vested pension benefits under the terms of their plan, Judge Richard A. Hertling said in an April 8 opinion.

He denied the government’s request for summary judgment on the retirees’ claim under the Fifth Amendment’s takings clause.

He said the retirees’ property interest under the plan wasn’t significantly diminished based on the plan’s subjection to the “robust regulatory framework” of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code.

Ending an era, Boeing’s final four 747s—747-8F freighter variants—are expected to be delivered later this year to Atlas Air Worldwide.​

With the delivery of UPS’ final 747-8F order, Boeing  is closing in on the end of production for the historic jetliner that changed aviation forever.

Sporting its familiar brown, gold, and white livery, UPS Airlines’ new 747-8F (registration N633UP) flew Friday from Paine Field (KPAE) near Boeing’s plant in Everett, Washington, to Louisville (KDSF). There, the new “brown tail” joins the UPS fleet at the package delivery company’s main hub, UPS Worldport.

Today, we took delivery of our final @BoeingAirplanes 747-8. Tail N633UP is our 28th @UPS 747-8. This #queenoftheskies will provide a critical link to #deliverwhatmatters for our customers around the world. ✈️🤎✈️ #aviation #avgeeks

📷 @Baqir_KPAE Thanks for tagging us. https://t.co/F6KCuNYbIQ

— UPS Airlines (@UPSAirlines) April 9, 2022