Our Annual April 1 Edition Doesn't Seem Apropos In A Pandemic Year

Like all of you, I look forward to the day when all the woes of this horrific pandemic are well behind us, and receding rapidly into history. But, we're not quite there yet. Normally around now, we'd be putting the finishing touches on our Annual April 1 Edition, and looking forward to cracking you all up with the zaniest stuff we can come up with. But again, we just really aren't there yet. So… If you don't mind -- ANN's Annual April 1 Edition will take a hiatus this year.

Growth Of Sport Parachuting Has Been Remarkable

Matthew Teetshorn, an engineer and former Green Beret, made his first skydive—a gift from his parents—in Las Vegas at age 18. Fifteen years later, he went through the AFF program at Jumptown in Orange, Massachusetts and has been jumping there ever since. On March 25, Teetshorn became the 40,000th USPA member to earn the D license, a little more than 52 years after Lew Sanborn earned D-1 on March 1, 1959. Randy Thurston earned D-10000 on April 1, 1983; President George H.W. Bush received honorary D-20000 on September 11, 1997; and Josh Schellenberg earned D-30000 on July 23, 2009.

There Were More Than 227,000 Wildlife Strikes To Aircraft Between 1990 And 2019 In The US

As an instructor at the Brazilian Air Force Academy, Flavio Antonio Coimbra Mendonça was flying in formation when one of his colleagues experienced a bird strike to the leading edge of his aircraft’s right wing. It was a relatively minor incident — not nearly as dramatic as the U.S. Airways Flight 1549 landing on New York’s Hudson River following a bird strike in 2009 — but it got Mendonca wondering about ways to reduce wildlife collisions with aircraft. The problem of wildlife strikes to aircraft is huge and growing. According to a 2021 study, there were more than 227,000 wildlife strikes to aircraft between 1990 and 2019 in th

Four Flight Simulators Outfitted With EAA's Virtual Flight Academy Will Be In Place

EAA notes that, 'Along with all the experienced aviators at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh each year, The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration inspires many others who find themselves asking, "I would love to learn to fly someday. What steps do I need to take to begin flight training?"' The Learn to Fly Center at AirVenture's EAA Four Corners area can provide the information they need and kick-start their flight training journey. "The ultimate mission of the Learn to Fly Center is to motivate, excite, and show attendees a clear pathway to those who are inspired to earn a pilot certificate," said David Leiting, EAA's membership development manager. "We love to see the pass

True Blue Power TB17 Lithium-ion Battery Now Standard Option on R44 Helicopters

True Blue Power, the first company to receive FAA TSO certification for lithium-ion batteries, has announced the company's TB17 (17 amp-hour) lithium-ion main ship battery is now a standard option on Robinson Helicopter Company's R44. Weighing only 16 pounds, the TB17 gives R44 operators an additional 13 pounds of useful load compared to the helicopter's standard lead-acid battery. The TB17 is ideally suited for use in extreme environments and engineered with a built-in automatic heater. It outperforms lead-acid and NiCad batteries in extreme temperatures, from -40°C to 70°C.

Airbus Is Pitching NYPD To Buy SAR H175 Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters has submitted a bid to the New York Police Department (NYPD)’s request for proposal for two new helicopters to partially replace their aging fleet of rotorcraft. Airbus is prepared to equip the New York Police Department with search and rescue H175 helicopters. “Airbus is honored to have the opportunity to present the capabilities of the H175 to this iconic customer as they make an informed decision as to the best possible path forward to protect and serve the citizens of New York who count on them,” said Treg Manning, vice president of Sales and Marketing at Airbus Helicopters, Inc.

Another Aviation Event Has To Reconfigure Operations

Based on recent info, we have learned that over the last few months, the National Intercollegiate Flying Association Council has met several times to discuss the 2021 National SAFECON. NIFA reports that, "In an effort to make the best decision possible for the organization and its membership, data was collected from multiple school and volunteer surveys. In addition, the Council reviewed and discussed CDC guidelines and host location restrictions. As many of you are aware, the situation is dynamic; the data and responses are constantly changing."

From 2012 (YouTube Version): One Of The Many Hits Of The Oshkosh Experience...

If you think when the sun slips beyond the western horizon and the calm of night spreads over EAA AirVenture that this is the time for quiet contemplation of the day’s activities, then you haven’t been to AirVenture since the advent of the nighttime airshows. Nighttime airshows are new to the airshow world and EAA AirVenture is the place to see the greatest of nighttime aerial activities.

Lilium 7-Seater Jet Has A Projected Cruise Speed Of 175 Mph At 10,000 Feet

Lilium GmbH has entered into a business agreement with Qell Acquisition Corp. Upon closing of the transaction, the company will be called Lilium, and it is anticipated that ordinary shares will be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LILM. In concert with the business news, Lilium is talking up their 7 seat Lilium Jet program. The Lilium 7-Seater Jet has a projected cruise speed of 175 mph at 10,000 feet and a range of 155+ miles, including reserves. It is the culmination of five years of technology development across four generations of technology demonstrators, including Lilium’s full-scale 5-Seater.

Also: National Air and Space Museum, NAV Canada Taking Flak, CBP Rescue, Gulfstream Milestone

Flight Design USA has selected Professional Instrument Courses (PIC) to assist in developing a simulator training course for the upcoming certified version of the new Flight Design F2, called the F2-CS in the United States. "We are very excited to be working with PIC for our planned simulator syllabus for the F2-CS, which is planned to be sold in the USA as an IFR approved certified aircraft, said Flight Design USA  President, Tom Peghiny. PIC has been in business for over 40 years now and there is a good

He Pulled Both Throttles To Idle And Initiated Maximum Braking

On March 11, 2021, about 1953 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 421B, N80056, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at the Macon County Airport (1A5), Franklin, North Carolina. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, this was a planned local flight. The pilot stated that it was a normal start, taxi, and run-up before takeoff. He initiated the takeoff roll and called out speeds in 10 knot (kts) increments looking for a rotation speed of 100 kts. He said the airspeed reached 90 kts and the aircraft acceleration “lagged” while only r

Aero Linx: Alaska Air Carriers ?Association What Is The Alaska Air Carriers Mission? ??Our mission is to support and advocate for the commercial aviation community.  AACA fosters aviation safety in Alaska and promotes the uniform treatment of aviation businesses. We promote the welfare of our members by advocacy, cooperation and education and provides a forum for members to express their views while providing accurate information. AACA can help your aviation business stay on top of the latest regulations and maintain a powerful industry presence. Our office works daily to advocate for passage of wise federal and state regulations that affect our membership, and challenge those regulati

Final Monitor Controller Air Traffic Control Specialist assigned to radar monitor the flight path of aircraft during simultaneous parallel (approach courses spaced less than 9000 feet/9200 feet above 5000 feet) and simultaneous close parallel approach operations. Each runway is assigned a final monitor controller during simultaneous parallel and simultaneous close parallel ILS approaches.

"The ultimate mission of the Learn to Fly Center is to motivate, excite, and show attendees a clear pathway to those who are inspired to earn a pilot certificate. We love to see the passion of people who are eager to learn because of AirVenture, but we also know they need answers to their many questions." Source: David Leiting, EAA's membership development manager, describing how the EAA Learn to Fly Center will feature multiple stations, each dedicated to helping individuals take a step forward in their desire to learn to fly. CFIs, experienced pilots, and those fresh out of flight training will be on hand to help answer any questions about the flight training process.