Also: NetJets Pilot Sues, United 'Bottle to Throttle', Inhofe Workforce Development, Earnhardt Update

An aircraft brokerage and leasing firm in Palm Beach, FL has listed an F-16AM Block 20 Mid-Life-Update aircraft for sale on its website, and the company says it has three similar aircraft available that could form a "mini-squadron" of the airplanes for a private owner. The plane is being offered by Jet Lease. It was acquired from Jordan which has been liquidating some of its older-model F-16s after that country bought newer models from Belgium and the Netherlands between 2008 and 2017. What is different about this sale is that these are not demilitarized airplanes to be used as status symbols for the uber-wealthy. A five-foot, two-inch tall female pilot has sued her former employer, NetJets, after being told she was too short to fly one of the company's planes. Pilot Shari Drerup filed the lawsuit

Also: AIR PIX Selfie Drone, Another NIMBY City, Drone Food Delivery, 'Monumental' Drone LIDAR Map

While the Federal regulatory scene is getting a LOT of attention from AMA theses days, they remind us that they haven’t state and local regulatory issues go ignored. Many of the state legislative sessions have come to an end for the current cycle. This year, we continued to see many UAS-related proposals. However, as legislators begin to have a better understanding about the importance of our long-standing hobby, most of these bills were not overly concerning. Depending on the proposed restrictions or requirements, the AMA Government Affairs team has determined a level of engagement... The FAA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking to work with stakeholders on the administration of a new aeronautical knowledge test for recreational drone operators. Section 349 of the FAA Reauthorizat

Also: Saildrone Circumnavigates Antarctica, Falcon Research Project, AUVSI Innovation Challenge, Drone Traffic Testing

The Air Force Research Laboratory and DZYNE Technologies successfully completed a two-hour initial flight of a revolutionary Robotic Pilot Unmanned Conversion Program called ROBOpilot Aug. 9 at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. “Imagine being able to rapidly and affordably convert a general aviation aircraft, like a Cessna or Piper, into an unmanned aerial vehicle, having it fly a mission autonomously, and then returning it back to its original manned configuration,” said Dr. Alok Das, Senior Scientist with AFRL’s Center for Rapid Innovation. ROBOpilot interacts with an aircraft the same way as a human pilot would. Amazon has petitioned the FAA for a waiver from several current rules governing UAVs to allow the company to begin delivery services with its MK27 drone.

Congressional Funding Is Required To Establish The New Command

Speaking at Tuesday's meeting of the National Space Council, Vice President Mike Pence said that the U.S. Space Command will officially start on August 29th. Air Force General John Raymond has been selected and confirmed as the first leader of the command.

Authorized To Conduct Operations Over Populated Areas In North Dakota

The FAA has granted a waiver to Airbus Aerial authorizing Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) operations in Grand Forks, ND without the need for a visual observer. The waiver allows Airbus Aerial to conduct such operations as part of North Dakota Department of Transportation’s UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP).

Allocates 12 Slot Pairs For Both U.S. And Japanese Airlines

U.S. and Japanese delegations met Wednesday in Tokyo to sign an agreement that would increase daytime services between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and U.S. destinations.  The proposed amendment to the U.S.-Japan Open Skies Agreement allocates 12 new slot pairs (12 arrivals and 12 departures daily) for U.S. air carriers and 12 new slot pairs for Japanese air carriers. 

Says NPRM Lacks Adequate Clarity, Supporting Guidance Documents

The Commercial Spaceflight Federation has filed comments and recommendations to the FAA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for streamlined launch and re-entry licensing requirements. And while the CSF appreciates the FAA's efforts to modernize its regulations, it sees potential issues with the NPRM as it is currently written.

Meryl Delferriere Wins Women's Gold

Italian paraglider Joachim Oberhauser has won the 16th FAI World Paragliding Championship after a nail-biting two-week-long competition in Krushevo, North Macedonia, August 7-17, 2019.

Brings New Jobs And Future Growth Opportunities

State and local officials joined executives from Allegiant Travel Company Tuesday as the company announced plans to establish a two-aircraft base at Lehigh Valley International Airport (KABE) in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Allegiant's growth plans in the state include creating at least 66 new, high-wage jobs.

Something Tells Us That They'll Develop That Skill Pretty Quickly ...

FMI: www.klydemorris.com