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The Popular Rotorcraft Association is reaching out for help in rebuilding their private runway in Mentone, IN -- the home of the PRA, itself. "We are reaching out to you today on behalf of the Popular Rotorcraft Association because we need your help. We are dangerously close to losing a critical resource that if lost, will have a negative and lasting effect on the gyro community..." An interesting surprise occurred this week as Wag-Aero customers logged on to their site in order to order a few things...no Wag-Aero. Instead, the site was redirected to Aircraft Spruce, which has apparently bought out the once popular Wag-Aero operations shortly after the same operation divested itself of its interest in Leading Edge Air Foils. The Young Eagles Program has been one of the Experimental Aviation Association's best tools in their repertoire when it comes to fostering a contin

Aviation Governance Secured...At Least For a While

The National Business Aviation Association similarly applauded the passage of the FAA's recent reauthorization, contentedly recounting its passage through the house by a vote of 387 to 26. Congress really cut things close to the wire, with the current expiration of the FAA's governing bill sitting right around the corner on May 17th. The bill gains the NBAA's blessing for all the usual reasons, but this year's includes a '1st-ever' general aviation title, a "key section of the legislation focused on enhancing safety, streamlining regulations and improving certification processes for general aviation aircraft, supporting certification for advanced air mobility (AAM) powered-lift aircraft and other technologies, and protecting flight privacy." 

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Two aircraft performing at the Fort Lauderdale Air Show clipped wings during a routine last Sunday, spooking onlookers. The aircraft were performing as a part of the Polaris Ghost Squadron, a team of urban-camo milsurplus jets hailing from across Eastern Europe. The Polaris Ghost Squadron features an eye-catching MiG-29, a trio of Alpha Jets, and a quartet of Albatros L39s. The US Air Force won't be bringing back a damaged B-2A Spirit bomber, further whittling away at the irreplaceable fleet of strategic aircraft. The plane in question was contrasted against one that had a minor crash in 2010. That aircraft was shipped back to Northrop Grumman for repair. The latest incident won't see the same amount of TLC, however, as a recent Force Structure Report showed that the B-2 fleet would head into 2025 one plane short. Sierra Space's Dream Chaser has been put through the wringer a

Company Celebrates Niche-but-Important Advancement in Industry Standards

Echodyne has announced full integration of its proprietary 'EchoFlight' radar into the e American Aerospace Technologies, Inc. (AATI) AiRanger aircraft, recently granted its BVLOS approval from the FAA. It's good news for the UAS industry to some small extent, showing that the regulator is content to approve efficient, affordable operations beyond immediate line of sight. That's the way of the future, of course, allowing operators to command a semiautonomous aircraft from a distance, but it's not an easy sell to a very danger-averse administration like the FAA. 

FAA’s Net Controller Count May Only Climb by 10% of Targets

Airlines for America sees a pretty active summer coming up, with more than 271 million passengers expected to use US carriers around the world - but the horizon isn't totally free of clouds. Digging into the numbers, it seems the FAA has brought on just a dozen more controllers than it had targeted in 2023, at 1,512. Thanks to attrition, national ATC lost more than 1,300 employees, accounting for retirements and drop-outs from the industry. After running the numbers to account for those in training, those who will likely wash out of ATC school, and drop out in line with historic trends, and the math works out to maybe a tenth of what the FAA had needed just to maintain ranks. 

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UVify is claiming a new Guinness World Record for the most unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously. This event took place in Songdo, Korea, where UVify orchestrated a display of 5,293 IFO drones that lit up the night sky. The fleet of IFO drones created intricate patterns and visuals above the crowd, showcasing UVify's programming and drone control technology. The record-breaking feat exceeded the previous record. Airbus has completed the acquisition of US-based Aerovel and its unmanned aerial system (UAS), Flexrotor. Flexrotor is a small tactical unmanned aerial system designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions at sea and over land. The AAIB has disclosed its findings after an accident befell an unmanned, remotely pilots test vehicle which suffered a forced landing following power unit failure, at the Cot

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The Perris SkyDive DC-9 is ALIVE! Following initial test flights and practice landings that were flown by a flight crew that had to be brought in all the way from Florida, the California DZ put the DC9 back in service and made at least three jump runs on Saturday, taking about 60 jumpers each to about 15K'. An interesting surprise occurred this week as Wag-Aero customers logged on to their site in order to order a few things...no Wag-Aero. Instead, the site was redirected to Aircraft Spruce, which has apparently bought out the once popular Wag-Aero operations shortly after the same operation divested itself of its interest in Leading Edge Air Foils. The AAIB has disclosed its findings after an accident befell an unmanned, remotely pilots test vehicle which suffered a forced landing following power unit failure, at the Cotswold Airport (Kemble), Gloucestershire on 9

Also: Vertical Flight Society, NBAA Maintenance Conference, GA Honored, AMT Scholarship

For the first time, students from Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus took top honors at the AIAA Design/Build/Fly (DBF) Competition, held in Wichita, Kansas. A second Embry-Riddle squad, this one from the Prescott, Arizona, campus, also placed among the top teams, earning eighth overall. The Leadership in Flight Training, or LIFT Academy, has expanded its training fleet with a recent order with Diamond Aircraft, bringing on 56 new planes. The deal sees LIFT gain 50 new single-engine DA40s, and 6 twin-engine DA42s. The training facility has continued to expand thanks to a steady pipeline of students. Epic Flight Academy has officially launched its new aircraft mechanic school at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), marking a significant advancement in aviation training and workforce development in Kentucky. The opening of this

There Is No Reauthorization Without Ice Cream, Klyde

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Honeywell's Primus Brings New Tools and Niceties for Hawker Operators

Hawker 4000 business jet operators have a new installation on the table, now that the FAA has granted an STC for Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated cockpit suite. The STC gives operators access to some pretty nifty, futuristic gear, thanks to theEpic cockpit featuring Future Air Navigation System (FANS) and Protected Mode Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (PM-CPDLC) systems in addition to the usual host of automation and QoL enhancements. Those in the flight deck should appreciate the improved comms with ATC, too, since they can now enjoy the same Data Link capabilities the heavies do...