France’s Decellières & Havret Prevail

The 66th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett gas balloon race concluded with a pitched final-leg battle from which France’s Eric Decellières and Benoit Havret emerged victorious over German father-and-son team—and 2022-winners—Wilhelm and Benjamin Eimers. The victory occasioned the Frenchmen’s first win in aviation’s oldest surviving competition—which spanned a grueling 85-hours, 49-minutes.

Alaska Airlines Flight Diverts, Lands Safety at PDX

On 22 October 2023, Alaska Airlines Flight 2059—an Embraer E-175 regional jet operated by Alaska’s regional subsidiary, Horizon Air—diverted en route from its filed destination of California’s San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Oregon’s Portland International Airport (PDX) after Joseph David Emerson, 44, an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot traveling in the E-175’s flight-deck jump seat, allegedly attempted to purposefully shut-off both the jet’s engines.

EAA Chapter 534 Up to Its Usual Good

EZ-UP inspection covers were conceived of and developed by Marty Harris, whose fingers found themselves one-too-many-times at odds with the murderous springs characteristic of legacy, riveted inspection covers. Weary of bandaging his digits and touching up his aircrafts’ liveries, Mr. Harris—who sits on EAA Chapter 534’s board of directors and is eminently active in Squadron 534, the Chapter’s youth program—graciously donated the rights to his EZ-UP Inspection Cover to EAA Chapter 534. The monies raised by sales of the contraptions helps the Chapter fund Squadron 534.

eVTOL Maker to Establish Middle Eastern Presence

Archer Aviation Inc., the California-based designer of electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has entered into an agreement with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) by which the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—the Middle Eastern nation of which Abu Dhabi is the capital city—will have the distinction of being the eVTOL maker’s inaugural international launch partner. The newly-penned agreement calls for Archer to commence air-taxi operations in Abu Dhabi in 2026. For its own part, ADIO will incentivize Archer to establish the company’s first international headquarters and manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi’s Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) Cl

Tulsa Company Bets Big on GoGetAir’s G750

As MOSAIC continues to gestate in the nebulous nihility between NPRM and bona fide Federal Aviation Regulation, aircraft designers and manufacturers are making ready to avail themselves of the broadened certification criteria salient to the proposed legislation. Among the concerns confidently shooting its proverbial sleeves in anticipation of MOSAIC’s codification is Scissortail Aerosport LLC, the authorized, Oklahoma-based North American dealership and completion center for the GoGetAir G750, a sleek, Slovenian-built machine at once top-performing, affordable, attractive, and safe.

Also: AH-64E Apache, AAR Elects Billy Nolen, Automated Air-to-Air Refueling, Reg Overhaul

The Aero-News team is in Las Vegas to bring you all the news from NBAA-BACE 2023... though it may not be the newsiest such event of recent note. With the absence of mighty Gulfstream and the alleged loss of other vendors, this may be a slightly muted undertaking. What IS at NBAA is much increased security due to concerns about previous incidents with eco-protesters that have harassed and attacked business aviation aircraft and events. Bob Davis, EAA 33006 and IAC 103, passed away Sunday, October 8, 2023. In addition to his decades of dedication t

Broadband Connectivity Authorized Across all Aviation Segments

SKYTRAC Systems Ltd., a Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada-based maker of aerospace intelligent connectivity and satellite communications solutions has announced its Low Earth Orbit (LEO) broadband Iridium Certus communications system, the SDL-350, has been granted official Iridium approval to provide global L-band connectivity at up to 704 K The new system, which provides a leap in truly global bandwidth, features low size, weight, and power (SWaP), making it the ideal satellite communications system for fixed-wing, rotorcraft, and advanced air mobility platforms alike.

At the Confluence of Safety and Innovation

For purpose of elevating safety standards within the aviation industry and providing flight instructors and pilots innovative tools and equipment by which to enhance the experience of flight, the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) has partnered with MyGoFlight| Flight Flix.

Also: AH-64E Apache, AAR Elects Billy Nolen, Automated Air-to-Air Refueling, Reg Overhaul

The Aero-News team is in Las Vegas to bring you all the news from NBAA-BACE 2023... though it may not be the newsiest such event of recent note. With the absence of mighty Gulfstream and the alleged loss of other vendors, this may be a slightly muted undertaking. What IS at NBAA is much increased security due to concerns about previous incidents with eco-protesters that have harassed and attacked business aviation aircraft and events. Bob Davis, EAA 33006 and IAC 103, passed away Sunday, October 8, 2023. In addition to his decades of dedication t

My Hero, Zero …

Cranfield University—a British postgraduate-only public research university specializing in science, engineering, design, technology, and management—has joined the European Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation, a voluntary initiative comprising public and private partners endeavoring to prepare the aerospace market for the emergence of zero-emission hydrogen-powered and electric aircraft. Cranfield is the Alliance’s only U.K. university.

Do Jungle Jet ao Transporte Militar Legítimo

Embraer S.A., the multinational aerospace manufacturer of commercial, military, executive, and agricultural aircraft founded in 1969 and headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, reported in October 2023 that the Portuguese Air Force (FAP) has fielded its first KC-390 Millennium—a medium-size, twin-engine, jet-powered military transport aircraft designed and produced by the Brazilian plane-maker. Subject aircraft meets the requirements set by the National Aeronautical Authority (AAN) of Portugal and is equipped with standard NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) equipment. Integration of the NATO-standard accouterments was predicated, in part, upon an extensive flight-test campaign joi

Aero Linx: Wings of Hope Wings of Hope is a global humanitarian nonprofit organization that has been helping the world’s most vulnerable communities since 1962. As our name suggests, we use our wings to connect people to the resources they need to meet their development goals.

Aero Linx: The Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference (HSAC) The Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference (HSAC) was formed in January, 1978 after an accident in which 19 people lost their lives when a helicopter came in contact with a platform crane. Realizing there was a lack of communication between oil companies, service organizations, helicopter operations, and the helicopter industry, representatives of these companies agreed to work toward improved safety offshore. The HSAC continues to identify critical issues that affect safety in the Gulf of Mexico. Through interaction of HSAC subcommittees and associated responsible organizations, HSAC has been, and continues to be, proactive in resolving

Vertical Takeoff And Landing Aircraft (VTOL) Aircraft capable of vertical climbs and/or descents and of using very short runways or small areas for takeoff and landings. These aircraft include, but are not limited to, helicopters. 

“We’ve got the guy that tried to shut the engines down out of the cockpit. It doesn’t seem like he’s causing any issue at the back. I think he’s subdued. Other than that, we want law-enforcement as soon as we get on the ground and parked."   Source: Part of the air to ground comm's that occurred as Alaska Airlines Flight 2059—an Embraer E-175 regional jet operated by Alaska’s regional subsidiary, Horizon Air—diverted en route from its filed destination of California’s San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Oregon’s Portland International Airport (PDX) after Joseph David Emerson, 44, an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot traveling in the E-175’s flight-de