Texas Jury Finds Mark Forkner Not Guilty on 4 Counts of Wire Fraud for Role as Chief Technical Pilot

The jury in the case of Mark Forkner, former chief technical pilot for the Boeing 737 Max, has found him not guilty on 4 counts of wire fraud. Forkner, 49, had a major hand in the evaluation and certification of the Max, a position that led to a grand jury indictment alleging that Forkner was "scheming to defraud Boeing’s US-based airline customers," through his actions with the company. The end goal was "to obtain tens of millions of dollars for Boeing," by "withholding critical information about MCAS during the certification process, leading to its omission from the published documentation training pilots on the aircraft."

EAA's Sonex One Week Wonder Will Get one of 10 Custom Schemes Chosen by Members

The EAA is taking requests to decide the paint scheme of this year's One Week Wonder at EAA AirVenture 2022! Oshkosh goers will see the entirety of a Sonex Waiex aircraft built throughout the weeklong shebang, watching as the project  takes shape from zero to hero. The goal is to have the build completed by the last day of the week in order to taxi the aircraft. The paint scheme is open for voting, with 10 options custom created by Craig Barnett, CEO of Scheme Designers. The first round of voting ends on June 15, 2022, leaving 3 finalists for voting at the One Week Wonder tent at AirVenture.

Citing the Mission Timetable Changes, Davidson Cedes Seat to Blue Origin Staff

Blue Origin announced the 6th crew member to join the upcoming New Shepard mission, selecting a company man in Gary Lai - the Shepard's chief architect. Gary will join the previously named crew, rounding out the group to 6 once again. Comedian Pete Davidson, of SNL fame, dropped out of the flight after the NS-20 mission timetable changed. His absence was the result of "a schedule that no longer accommodates" Davidson, leaving room for a last-minute replacement. Blue Origin didn't have to look far for a deserving passenger, finding one willing to hitch a free ride almost immediately. 

Additional Artemis Contractor To Be Sought for Redundancy, Competition

NASA has updated those following the Artemis program with bated breath, going over the current state of the commercial moon lander program. Under the current approach to Artemis, NASA is requesting American companies to propose lander concepts capable of ferrying astronauts between lunar orbit and the surface, and possibly going even further beyond in similar missions to Mars. The new landers will dock with a lunar-orbit space station, Gateway, that will allow for increased crew capacity on the mission with another waypoint to transport, store, and organize cargo between Earth and Luna. 

Headliner Acts for CAF's October Airshow Announced, With More to Come 

The Commemorative Air Force's Wings Over Houston Airshow has announced their performer lineup for their 20th annual event, with the US Navy's Blue Angels picked as headliners. The Naval demonstration team is a solid 'get', showing off their recently renovated F/A-18 Super Hornets with a new routine made for the new, resurgent airshow circuit. The Angels won't be alone, as Wings Over Houston will also see their friends from the Air Force, the F-16 Viper Demo Team. The combination of the 2 will allow spectators a chance to see both of America's frontline fighters in action, as well as an expanding slate of warbirds and exhibitors from around the world. 

From 2009 (YouTube Version): Ed McKeown Introduces His Award-Winning Rearwin Restoration

Inspired by the world’s newfound aviation intrigue, Raymond Andrew Rearwin, along with his sons Royce and Ken, started Rearwin Airplanes in 1928.  Bursting into the industry scene during the “Golden Age of Aviation,” the company designed and built more than 400 aircraft before closing in 1946. Among the instrument trainers and gliders, Rearwin Airplanes debuted the Rearwin Cloudster in 1939; featuring strut-braced high-wings, the aircraft included an enclosed cabin and fixed, tailskid undercarriage.  Though the Cloudster’s commercial

Also: Embry-Riddle, EAA AeroEducate, Flight Sims Donated, One Air Group

Alaska Airlines and its regional partner, Horizon Air, have launched an effort to establish a flight school of their own in the Redmond, Oregon area: the Ascend Pilot Academy. The new program is launched with Hillsboro Aero Academy as an effort to guarantee a steady pipeline of incoming professional pilots as the looming shortage of ATP-qualified personnel approaches. The academy will register and train up to 250 students per year, with support for cadets ranging from low-interest financial aid, a $25,000 stipend to cover their commercial pilot license, mentorship, and the req

During The Gear Extension Process, The Passengers Heard A “Loud Bang” Under The Floor Panels

On March 6, 2022, about 2130 central standard time, a Beech 200 airplane, N8170J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT), Gulfport, Mississippi. The pilot and four passengers were not injured. The flight was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, the airplane was on approach to Stennis International Airport (HAS), Bay St Louis, Mississippi, when the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear.

AD 2021-03-16R1: AD 2021-03-16 Is Removed

The FAA is removing Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-03-16, which applied to all Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350BA, AS350D, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP helicopters. AD 2021-03-16 required inspecting each sliding door and replacing the upper rail or front roller or removing the front roller from service if necessary. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-03-16, inspection results and further investigation have confirmed that the in-flight loss of a sliding door, which prompted AD 2021-0316, was an isolated case resulting from incorrect operation and maintenance error. Therefore, the FAA has determined that no unsafe condition is likely to exist or develop

Aero Linx: The College of Professional Pilots of Canada The College of Pilots is vitally important to the future of the Canadian aviation industry and to the lives of the pilots who work within it. It is the next logical step in the evolution of aviation; not just in Canada, but potentially, around the world. It is similar to what other professions have done and has the potential of changing the culture of aviation. The establishment of the College will serve to unify pilots across all segments...

Local Airport Advisory (LAA) A service available only in Alaska and provided by facilities that are located on the landing airport, have a discrete ground-to-air communication frequency or the tower frequency when the tower is closed, automated weather reporting with voice broadcasting, and a continuous ASOS/AWOS data display, other continuous direct reading instruments, or manual observations available to the specialist.

Transcribed Weather Broadcast (TWEB) A continuous recording of meteorological and aeronautical information that is broadcast on L/MF and VOR facilities for pilots. (Provided only in Alaska.)

“We are very grateful that this jury and judge were so smart, so fair, so independent, that they saw through it...”   Source: Mark Forkner's defense attorney David Gerger, after the jury in the case of the former chief technical pilot for the Boeing 737 Max, was found not guilty on 4 counts of wire fraud. Forkner, 49, had a major hand in the evaluation and certification of the Max, a position that led to a grand jury indictment alleging that Forkner was "scheming to defraud Boeing’s US-based airline customers," through his actions with the company.