Pilot Group Rings in New Year With Request for Contract that ‘Recognizes Value’

“As we sat down at the bargaining table for the first time in 2024, it was disappointing to read management’s comments made to a small group of pilots that downplayed their prospects to provide an industry-leading contract,” said Captain Billy Wilson, chair of the FedEx ALPA Master Executive Council. “Everything attributed to FedEx management in a recent media piece has been used before to excuse a plodding pace at the bargaining table and overall failure to recognize the value of FedEx pilots. It should be clear by now that we aren’t buying it, and I’m proud to say that our leadership and negotiating team are holdin

Lunar Rover Offers Boarding Passes in Redux of Perseverance Program

NASA is once again soliciting names to be included aboard the upcoming VIPER moon mission, allowing Earthbound civilians a chance to get their name inscribed in spacefaring history. Much like the Perseverance Rover program, applications are accepted to have NASA enthusiasts' names added to a small, lightweight chip mounted on the drone, forever cementing their mark on the one-day derelict lunar monument. VIPER is another cool-sounding acronym from the NASA minds, short for "Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover".

Search for Malaysian Airline Continues?

Underwater surveyor Peter Waring is determined to follow up on a tip from a fisherman who said he encountered part of a wing structure - and he suspects it could come from MH370. The fisherman, Kit Olver, had once reported hauling up a "bloody great wing of a big jet airliner" while bringing up their day's catch from the deep sea. The location, a secret spot of his, rests somewhere off the coast of the French isle Reunion....about 5,000 miles off. Olver said he'd reported his find, after they cut it loose, but nobody along the chain of command seemed to care enough to pass word along.

Kenya Proves Unusually Enthusiastic About Renewables

Surf Air's recent electrification hobby has been chosen by Kenyan Caravan operators Safarilink and Yellow Wings. Surf Air Mobility, an "air mobility platform transforming regional flying through electrification,", signed agreements with both Safarilink and Yellow Wings Air Services Limited. Yellow wings unlocks more than 500 airfields throughout East Africa, providing the necessary infrastructure to keep battery-powered Cessna Caravans flying month after month in the harsh environment.

Experimental Design Could Fly Sans Control Surfaces

Aurora's X-65 has been started under DARPA's Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program. The flow control system supplies pressurized air to more than a dozen "effectors" embedded across all flying surfaces and wing sweeps. The system, should it be effective, could provide "simpler" aircraft that no longer need traditional articulated flight control surfaces. Rudders and ailerons could be replaced by distributed outlets strewn about the stabilizers and wings.

A Classic Klyde Toon From 05.05.14

FM: www.klydemorris.com

40,000 Hours of Simulated Wear and Tear Test the Future Drone's Mettle

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc passed a "major milestone" in their development of the MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft, completing the "1st lifetime" of fatigue testing successfully. The test is is equivalent to about 40,000 operating hours in real-world service, showing that the Bravo model of the MQ-9 has what it takes to go the distance when pressed into service.The testing is part of the aircraft certification to the NATO standard STANAG 4671, where the design is put through 3 simulated lifetimes of wear and tear.

Also: VelocityOne Flightdeck, StandardAero AMTs, Air Inuit Pilots, CAE-Riyadh Air 

Elixir Aircraft sold a handful of brand-new 4th generation Part 23 aircraft to Airbus Flight Academy Europe, highlighting their approved all-glass cockpit. The new EASA-certified flight deck layout allows the French concern to offer customers an affordable, but still sufficiently future-forward product for the training market. Thrive Aviation announced a new partnership with Southwest Airlines, allowing graduates to head into the carrier's Destination 225° Pilot Pathways Program. The program works in the usual cadet program manner, with students working their way

Boeing Alum Recognized for Advancement of Vertical Flight

The Vertical Flight Society has announced its selection for the 2024 Alexander A. Nikolsky Honorary Lectureship, granting him a chance to speak on his areas of expertise. His Nikolsky Lecture, “Rotorcraft Aeromechanics Methodology and its Application to Rotor Dynamics, Loads, Vibration and Aeroelastic Stability at Boeing”, provides an interesting capstone to 44 years of engineering study and application. Doctor Panda spent more than 4 decades in the industry, with 33 years in the Boeing family.

Helicopter Departed Normal Cruise Flight With An Abrupt Increase In Altitude, Followed By A Dive

Analysis: Flight track data from the helicopter air ambulance flight indicated that, while in cruise flight at an altitude of about 1,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the helicopter departed normal cruise flight with an abrupt increase in altitude, followed by a dive. The recovered data from various sources onboard the helicopter did not contain information as to whether the helicopter rolled inverted during this altitude excursion, as recalled by the crewmembers. 

From 2022 (YouTube Version): Tempest Aero Group Rides Out the COVID Storm

In 1984, Tim Henderson founded Aero Accessories, a general aviation component overhaul shop. The business focused initially on dry air pumps and mechanical fuel pumps, but steadily evolved into a manufacturer of OEM and PMA parts. In time, Aero Accessories’ specialties came to include numerous and diverse aircraft components, equipment, and systems. In 2001, a chap called Stan Fletcher teamed with Henderson to create the Tempest Aero Group—a consortium of independent aviation brands recognized for its pneumatic, ignition, and filtration products.

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