Also: Walmart Invests in DroneUp, Rocket Lab, Airmen Improvement Act, Crew-3 Launch/Return Updated

One of the ANN's best weeks of the year happens when we gather the crew together to cover all things avionics at the annual Aircraft Electronics Association Convention and Trade Show. ANN, in a 12 YEAR-long partnership with AEA, is pleased to announce the schedule for the upcoming 2021 AEA Convention and Trade Show, to be held in Dallas, TX, June 22-25th, in what will be our record-setting 12th LIVE online programming initiative. Better yet, this programming will also be shared via our worldwide syndication network as well as our highly successful presence on both Roku and Amazon's FireTV. Log into to www.airborne-live.net to see it it all LIVE. magniX has unveiled the magni350 and magni6

An Amazing Experience Awaits The Chosen Few...

E-I-C Note: It seems that 2020 may truly be behind us and that 2021 presents us with an opportunity to come together once again and rebuild the aviation world in the wake of a global pandemic that did a lot of damage to us all. Oshkosh, to us, seems the perfect place to get started on all that... and so ANN is putting EXTRA effort and resources into our coverage of Oshkosh 2021... just a little over 70 days hence. We are now starting the process to seek talented stringers to help us present Oshkosh and the sport and general aviation community to the world around us. If you ever thought about joining us, this is THE year to do it. IF YOU want to be a part of this unique adventure, speak up NOW, rather than later, because we're going to be looking for the best volunteer folks we can find and are planning to do so ASAP. You've been warned (grin)....

Also: F-35 Training Center, Flight School Financing, Runway Safety, Rotorcraft Safety Program

In a June 4th letter from the FAA, a new policy was announced by the FAA aligning the recent Warbird Adventures decision with 91.319 and defining flight instruction as “carrying persons or property for compensation or hire.” This reverses historic FAA guidance and also 8900.1 which defines flight instruction as “educational.” This new policy would also prevent flight instruction in *all* experimental aircraft without a Letter of Deviation Authority (LODA). The additional downstream legal consequences of this FAA policy reversal are also frightening in terms of medical requirements and liability for CFIs. The Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges program office (PMA-205) Normobaric Hypoxia Trainer (NHT) team recently designed, delivered, installed, and began support of the NHT

Also: Eve Urban Air Mobility, Electra Hybrid-Electric, Aerovironment Relocates, ASTM International

Avolon and Vertical Aerospace have agreed on a ground-breaking US$2 billion order for up to 500 electric eVTOL aircraft. Building out of the technologies here-to-fore pioneered by the autonomous air vehicle industries, Avolon and Vertical Aerospace have agreed on a ground-breaking agreement. This agreement, which is subject to certain conditions, will introduce the ultra-short-haul aircraft category to commercial aviation. The agreement will see both companies collaborate throughout the development, road map to certification and subsequent commercial roll-out of the VA-X4. Zenith AeroTech has, over the span of a week, flown its Quad 8 multi-rotor platform for a total of 161 hours and 49 minutes—108 hours of which were continuous, uninterrupted flight. The test, which took place over a seven-day

Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics and True Blue Power AEA Convention 2021 Booth #409

Time’s Up for Aging Analog and Digital Clocks with Limited Functionality Mid-Continent launches new line of CHRONOS™ digital clocks, first to offer 8 modes and USB chargers, all-in-one Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics, a technology company and leader in the design and manufacture of aerospace products, is introducing a complete line of multifunction digital clocks to the AEA audience. The new CHRONOS™ Series features eight modes of operation: Local Time, UTC/Zulu Time, Flight Timer, Countdown Timer, Stopwatch, Volts, Outside Air Temperature (OAT) and Secondary Air Temperature. CHRONOS clocks are available with single and dual USB chargers and deliver up to 75 watts of USB power.

New Super Hornets And A Much Upgraded C-130J Make Their First Appearances At Lakeland

Aero-News Network’s Feature Editor for the Sun n Fun Aerospace Expo 2021, Maria Morrison, won the coin toss and the chance to undertake a coveted interview with one of the pilots for the United States Navy Blue Angels -- This year performing in the new and much upgraded Super Hornets. Even better, the Blue Angels have also deployed a much upgraded C-130 Super Hercules, a J model, to support them in their airshow endeavors.

Also: One Big Surprise From Phil's Retirement... He Built An RV-12!

Former AOPA president Phil Boyer is considered one of aviation's most effective leaders. Over the course of 18 Years, Phil led the organization to greater prominence and built membership numbers to well over 400,000 -- Heights of popularity the organization has not seen since his departure. Upon retirement, Phil, and his wife Lois, moved to an airport home where he continued his love for aviation... for both manned and unmanned aviation. Since leaving AOPA more than ten years ago, Phil has owned two exceptional biplanes (WACO and a Great Lakes), and a Beech A36 traveling machine -- and most recently has completed the building, and test flying, of a Van's RV-12. Phil also served for a number of years on the board of Aspen Avionics, and has become an accomplished drone pilot, as well. Phil and ANN’s Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbe

Carbon A1 Is A Rugged But Lightweight 10 Ounce ANR Headset Offering -- AEA Display #1216

US-based Pilot Communications USA, after a highly visible and popular unveiling at the 2021 Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo, is presenting its next generation of versatile aviation ANR headsets and Bluetooth cockpit accessories to the international avionics industry at the 2021 AEA Convention and Trade Show. Pilot Communication USA's Carbon A1 is a rugged but lightweight 10 ounce, ANR headset offering carbon fiber strength, and detachable comm cord adapters for different headset configurations -- be they fixed-wing, helicopter or military, noise canceling electret microphone, leather ear seals, adjustable headband, flexible mic boom, auto-shut-off, dual volume control, mono-stereo capabilities, with a five year warranty! 

ACR-Artex Brings New Dimensions of Safety To The Aviation World!

ARTEX continues to invest in designing and manufacturing the industry’s most comprehensive line of Emergency Locator Transmitters or ELTs for general, business, commercial and military aviation applications, as well as battery packs and ELT accessories. This piece of life saving technology has never been more affordable or easier to install on your aircraft with the full line-up of ARTEX ELTs.

Hubble Was Launched In 1990 And Has Conducted More Than 30 Years Of Operations

NASA continues to work to resolve a problem with the Hubble Space Telescope payload computer that halted on June 13. After performing tests on several of the computer’s memory modules, the results indicate that a different piece of computer hardware may have caused the problem, with the memory errors being only a symptom. The operations team is investigating whether the Standard Interface (STINT) hardware, which bridges communications between the computer’s Central Processing Module (CPM) and other components, or the CPM itself is responsible for the issue. The team is currently designing tests that will be run in the next few days to attempt to further isolate the problem and identify a potential solution.