Thu, Mar 28, 2024
Also: Moron With A Laser, EAA Aviation Museum, FAA v Santa Monica Propeller Service, Frontier MEC Lauds FO
Boom Supersonic has confirmed details surrounding the successful first test flight of XB-1, reportedly the world’s first independently developed supersonic jet, at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. XB-1 was flown by Boom Chief Test Pilot Bill “Doc” Shoemaker, and Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg flew the T-38 chase aircraft which monitored the flight. XB-1 took off from the Mojave Air & Space Port. XB-1 met all of its test objectives, including safely and successfully achieving an altitude of 7,120 feet and speeds up to 273 mph. Joby Aviation committed to delivering an additional 2 eVTOL aircraft to MacDill Air Force Base under the branch's continued testing of novel tech. The delivery is set to take place next year under the AFWERX Agility Prime contract. Joby
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Thu, Mar 28, 2024
Recipients to Be Recognized at AirVenture 2024
For more than half a century the FAA and the General Aviation Awards program have recognized professionals for their contributions to the world of aviation safety, instruction, and maintenance. This year, the CFI of the year is Adam Magee of Swisher, Iowa, an instructor that has overseen the training of thousands of candidates on their way to the Lighter-Than-Air certification. Magee administers an eye-popping 10.5% of all LTA-Balloon practical exams as a Designated Pilot Examiner. He's taught more than 200 CFIs in his own aerial niche, too, further bolstering the numbers of balloon trainers around the country.
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Thu, Mar 28, 2024
Also: MASSIVE Innovation Preview, 2024 AMA National Fun-Fly, Hartzell Acquires WhirlWind, Drone Safety Day
CKD Aero has partnered up with Kite Magnetics to create the Dakota e-Hawk, the “world’s most cost-effective two-seat electric aircraft”. The e-Hawk is intended to be the first in a lineup of kit aircraft using Kite’s KM-60 electric engine and running gear. The KM-60 is much like an old-school piston engine, offering air-cooled, direct drive propulsion with 60 kW (about 80 horsepower). Mark your calendars for April 9th at 1030ET... and log on to www.airborne-live.net to see this year’s MASSIVE LIVE SUN n FUN Innovation Preview... which the SnF folks promise to be bigger, better and badder than ever before. "After Turning 70 years old twenty months ago, I began to think it was time to let someone younger take charge of the company," said Bearhawk Aircraft's outgoing owner Mark Goldberg. The new company head, Virgil
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Thu, Mar 28, 2024
Also: 2024 AMA National Fun-Fly, B-29 Doc and B-25 Berlin Express, Rex B737 FFS, Dreamliner Pilot Seats
The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center has embarked on a search for the remains of its WWII ace namesake's aircraft, working with preservation specialist Pacific Wrecks in an effort to find the P-38 Lightning "Marge". Richard, or 'Dick' as friends and internet-adepts today know him, racked up a healthy medal case throughout his time in the Army Air Corps, downing 40 Japanese aircraft in the Pacific Theater. Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lunar lander is not answering their calls, despite hopes that its solar system would possibly provide enough juice to answer the phone. They called an official "time of death" on March 23, 10:30 CST, officially ending the program. Those displeased with the sometimes spotty outcomes of manual food delivery are in luck now that DoorDash is partnering with Wing to provide drone deliveries to customers in selec
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Thu, Mar 28, 2024
Sun 'n Fun Home Sees Grown-Up Airline Service
Avelo Airlines will be opening a route between Lakeland International Airport (LAL) and Southern Connecticut’s Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN). With the new route, Avelo has become the first, and now only airline to serve the airport in more than 10 years. Lakeland offers a few travel benefits that make it a well-placed, central Florida hub. The nearby I-4 corridor and Americana vibe combine to make it a "refreshingly small, easy, and fast alternative to the much larger and busier airports in the region." The route will be run twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, using Avelo's new Boeing 737s. Introductory rates will see tickets between New Haven and Lakeland start at $72.
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Thu, Mar 28, 2024
Also: Altitude Angel, AeroMech Starlink STC, True Blue Power TB50, Remote ID Authorizations
Joby Aviation committed to delivering an additional 2 eVTOL aircraft to MacDill Air Force Base under the branch's continued testing of novel tech. The delivery is set to take place next year under the AFWERX Agility Prime contract. Joby originally delivered the first of its eVTOLs to Edwards AFB in 2023. Netherlands ANSP LVNL and Altitude Angel broke news of a revamped iteration of GoDrone's flight planning app. GoDrone has managed to secure a strong foothold in the domestic Dutch market since its launch in the Spring of 2020. The company's UTM software has continued to build speed at a number of British airfields, too. end Solutions brought out their Spoof Proof Airtext+ product line, capping off "extensive research and development efforts" with an independently created, secure GPS receiver. The threat of GPS spoofing hasn't yet caught on too deeply in the
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Thu, Mar 28, 2024
Just in Time for Block 4, the Finicky F135 Gets Some Much Needed Polishing
Pratt & Whitney has gotten full funding in the new fiscal year 2024 Defense Appropriations bill for an F135 Engine Core Upgrade, a program that will "modernize the F-35's propulsion system to increase durability and fully-enable Block 4 capabilities and beyond starting in 2029." The funding sets aside almost $500 million just for the F135's ECU, allowing Pratt & Whitney to really go to town on the system. The final result will be something that can fit in the A, B, and C model of F-35s, be retrofittable to older Blocks of aircraft, and universally available to all in the program.
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Thu, Mar 28, 2024
From 2016 (YouTube Version): Fly Along With Chief Pilot Hissem…
Goodyear’s Wingfoot One Zeppelin is not the blimp (Navy slang, “Poopy Bag”) that you have known from the past. It’s a modern lighter-than-air machine, and this video will provide a fascinating insight as to how it operates and what makes it work. Your guide in this captivating video is Spirit of Goodyear chief pilot, Gerald Hissem. The first part of the video discusses the operational requirements of the zeppelin, and you’ll probably hear things that you have never thought of before. Hissem formats his discussion by describing his trip from Akron, OH to Oshkosh WI for AirVenture 2015.
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Thu, Mar 28, 2024
Lost Engine Power And Settled With The Right Skid On The Platform And The Helicopter Rolled To The Left Resulting In The Rotor Blades Contacting The Ground
On March 16, 2024, about 1645 central daylight time, an Enstrom 280C Helicopter, N280WR, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Port Lavaca, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he was repositioning the helicopter from his front yard to a moveable landing platform.
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