Welcome to the Avionics Program that would not die…

Update: The 2020 Avionics Innovation Preview went LIVE at 1400 ET today and we've already gotten a lot feedback and attention. Run. Do not walk, to your PC and check out over 20 iterations of modern, innovative, avionics and aviation goodies at www.airborne-live.net !!! We're already getting RAVE reviews, folks... don't miss this! Like all of you, we would much rather have, a couple of weeks ago, have been presenting The 2020 AEA New Product Introduction Live Programming (known as the 'NPI') we were preparing so carefully, as well as an additional seven or eight hours of live interviews. But it appeared that somebody upstairs was bound and determined to give us their best version of the Zombie Apocalypse, and so here we are. One of the hits of our Annual AEA LIVE Coverage was the op

Wrote DOT & FAA Urging Drone Use in COVID-19 Response

In a letter to DOT Secretary Elaine Chao and FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) have called on the DOT and FAA to pursue pathways for the expedited use of drones to address key gaps in the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) response efforts. Specifically, the Senators highlight the need to promote access to key health care essentials for constituents that do not have direct access to needed medications, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other essential supplies by way of an accelerated pathway toward expanded beyond visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations.

Pilot "...Was Unable To Keep The Wings Level"

The pilot reported that, during the first flight test of the antique airplane, which was in the process of being restored, he had difficulty controlling the airplane in the roll axis. After takeoff, he noticed that the airplane required some right aileron to keep the wings level. After turning crosswind, the problem worsened, requiring that he apply more pressure to the control stick (in the right aileron direction). As he turned downwind, he used nearly full right aileron to maintain control, and the force on the control stick was so high that he was unable to hold it with one hand...

Aero Linx: SouthWings The dedicated staff, board of directors and volunteer pilots of SouthWings rally a broad range of environmental, community and government entities around key environmental issues in the Southeast. Founded in 1996, SouthWings is a non-profit conservation organization that provides a network of volunteer pilots to advocate for the restoration and protection of the ecosystems and biodiversity of the Southeast through flight.  We have flown thousands of individuals and organizations to educate community leaders, policy-makers, and the media, and to collect scientific data on forests, watersheds, historic landmarks, and the globally significant ecosystems of the Southeast.  SouthWings is headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, with satellite offices in New Orleans, Louisiana and Annapolis, Maryland.

There's A Lot To Like On ANN's Latest Social Media Site

We all know how important Social Media is to a lot of people, particularly those under 30. We also know how important those folks are to the future of aviation. In so many forums and at so many events, we talk about how to attract the next generation of pilots, mechanics, and enthusiasts to our industry, and social media is certainly critical to getting the message out to those who practically live online.

Fly Heading (Degrees) Informs the pilot of the heading he/she should fly. The pilot may have to turn to, or continue on, a specific compass direction in order to comply with the instructions. The pilot is expected to turn in the shorter direction to the heading unless otherwise instructed by ATC.

"Given our national airspace system's extensive use of GPS, including ADS-B-enabled air traffic control services and GPS-supported terrain warning systems, any question of even the slightest risk of interference should have been enough to pause this approval process. We believe the FCC should promptly reconsider its order and the methods by which it was granted." Source: NBAA Chief Operating Officer, Steve Brown, reaffirming that any impact to existing GPS and satcom signals carries significant safety implications. NBAA joined with other industry stakeholders in a petition filed May 22 requesting the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reconsider its approval of Ligado Networks' proposed high-speed broadband cellular network operating near frequency bands currently used by GPS and satellite communications (satcom) networks.

Also: EAA Confirms COVID-19 SFAR Problems, Tech School Revoked, Rudy Frasca Goes West, FAA Examiner Bribe Attempt

We’re a few steps closer to ‘normalcy.’ With many Ohio businesses open and others preparing for a restart, Sporty's Academy tells us they have resumed training operations last week. Sporty's maintenance staff has carefully examined the entire fleet and cleared each aircraft for return to service, but also notes that each pilot should do the same for themselves as they prepare to return to the flight deck. In light of the new reality, Sporty's has made changes. Getting a pilot’s license is expensive... right? I mean, WAY EXPENSIVE... like over $10K or something... or so they tell us. Well... maybe not. Right Rudder Aviation of Florida’s Inverness Airport (KINF) looked over the regs and then looked over at their Pipistrel Motor-Glider and realized that a gli

Also: SpaceX Demo-2, Hurricane Hunters, NASA Remembers Annie Glenn, Gulfstream G280 Record

Bearhawk Aircraft has announced the introduction of its largest Bearhawk model to date, the Bearhawk 5. The new aircraft was designed by engineer Bob Barrows and is the first in the lineup of Bearhawk aircraft to use a 300-horsepower engine, seating up to six occupants. The Bearhawk Model 5 made its first flight on May 3rd. The prototype has flown more than five hours in testing and is exhibiting excellent flight characteristics. The Bearhawk Model 5 has been under development for two years. Our friends at Virgin Orbit have released details about Virgin Orbit's first attempt to launch a payload into space from a cradle slung underneath a modified Boeing 747. They seem pretty excited... "We are extremely excited to announce that the window for our Launch Demo mission starts on Sunday, May 24th, and extends th

Yup... This Week Is Definitely Looking To Be 'Space Week'

Aero-News RealTime Update--1112ET, 05.24.20: The Sunday launch attempt has been scrubbed til, at earliest, 1000-1400PT, Monday. "We completed fueling of our LauncherOne rocket yesterday for our Launch Demo. Everything has been proceeding smoothly: team, aircraft, & rocket are in excellent shape. However, we have one sensor that is acting up. Out of an abundance of caution, we are offloading fuel to address... This means we are scrubbed for today. Currently, it appears we’ve got a straightforward path to address this minor sensor issue and recycle quickly. The crew are already hard at work putting that plan into action. We’ll provide an update on the new launch target later today."