Ongoing Airport Construction Delays Lake Cumberland Air Show

Organizers of the Lake Cumberland Air Show ruefully announced on Tuesday, 14 March 2023 that ongoing construction at the Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME)—a facility comprising a single, paved, 5,801-foot runway situated 2.3-nautical-miles south of Somerset, Kentucky—has compelled them to push the show to 2024.

B-24 Pilot Lt. William Montgomery Bound for Arlington

The remains of a U.S. airman who lost his life in the Second World War World have been discovered and formally identified 79 years after his death.

Rash of Close Calls Brings Industry Together for Solutions

Personnel from the Air Line Pilots Association spoke at an FAA safety summit, throwing the group's weight behind ongoing safety programs across the aviation industry. In giving a post-game of their efforts to ALPA membership, the group said it aims to ensure the US "continues to maintain the gold standard of global aviation amid several recent high-profile incidents."

The Wages of Idiocy

An as-of-yet unidentified Virginia man was arrested in early-March 2023 after directing a laser pointer at a police helicopter actively searching for a fugitive.

FBI Investigating SAC Incident

On Wednesday, 15 March 2023, sometime between 04:00 and 06:00 PDT, a thief broke into the grounds of the Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC) and endeavored to abscond with a multi-million dollar Bell 429 civil utility helicopter. Lacking circumspection and airmanship in equal-measure, the crook—while attempting to fly the ill-gotten aircraft to wherever he thought he could conceal it—crashed the contraption on the airport ramp.

Hex Appeal

Sikorsky, the storied rotorcraft builder and Lockheed-Martin subsidiary, announced on 14 March 2023 that it is building a fully autonomous hybrid-eVTOL which will serve as a flying testbed by dint of which the company will evaluate new designs and vet novel propulsion systems for future, longer-range aircraft. The hybrid-electric demonstrator, to be ascribed the delightfully pagan moniker Hex, will have an ample maximum gross weight of seven-thousand-pounds (3,175-kilograms).

Also: SnF Innovation Preview, ANN's April 1st Edition, Enstrom Update, NAA Boss Steps Down

If anyone needed another reminder that aviation is a bit troubled this, tragically, is it. The Reno Air Racing Association has announced that 2023 will mark the last race of its kind! RARA states that, “It is with heavy hearts that we write this to let you know that, after nearly 60 years of air racing in northern Nevada, 2023 will be the last National Championship Air Races at the Reno-Stead Airport. While we knew this day might come, we had hoped it wouldn’t come so soon. The Biden Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit seeking to block JetBlue Ai

From 2013 (YouTube Version): Dracula Lives On Through Kyle Franklin... and We're NOT Scared!

ANN CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Jim Campbell speaks with Aerobatic and airshow master, Kyle Franklin, at EAA AirVenture 2013. Kyle puts on a show that is fun to watch, exciting, and most important, it’s entertaining. Every airshow pilot has a carefully crafted flight routine, but Kyle is also known for being a showman. He works the crowd, will talk to anyone, and plays to

...Friend Recommended He Receive Some Training Before He Operated The Aircraft

On October 25,2022 at approximately 1800 Pacific standard time, an unregistered Airborne Windsports Edge X weight-shift control aircraft was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Alturas Municipal Airport (AAT), Alturas, California. The noncertificated pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, personal flight. There were no witnesses who observed the accident flight and no flight track data that captured the event.

Also: Freezing SkyGuardian, Vertiia Test Flight, USCG Balloon Search, USAF Task Force 99

Nampa, Idaho’s Spirit of Flight Foundation museum announced that a rare WWII era Culver target drone has been donated to the museum’s collection. Spirit of Flight Foundation president Gordon Page stated: “We have had a Culver PQ-14 Target Drone on our wish list for years, but there aren’t many left of the over three-thousand built.” Australian developer Kite Magnetics announced the completion of their 120-kilowatt electric propulsion unit (EPU), a small, self-contained alternative to traditional light sport engines. Their model sports a well-

Aero Linx: Professional Aviation Maintenance Association Since 1972, PAMA has been dedicated to promoting professionalism and recognition of the aviation maintenance technician through communication, education, representation, and support of continuous improvement in aviation safety.  Our mission is to promote continuous improvement in aviation safety through communication, education, representation and support of our members.

Aircraft Conflict Alert A safety alert issued by ATC to aircraft under their control if ATC is aware of an aircraft that is not under their control at an altitude which, in the controller's judgment, places both aircraft in unsafe proximity to each other. With the alert, ATC will offer the pilot an alternate course of action when feasible; e.g., “Traffic Alert, advise you turn right heading zero niner zero or climb to eight thousand immediately.”

"On the 22nd June 1944, a USAF B-24H Liberator crashed in front of this plaque. Three lives were lost. For our lost heroes, long-gone but not forgotten. Your sacrifice ensured the freedom of the world." Source: From the newly-erected memorial stone at a West Sussex crash site, remembering the sacrifice of WWII crews like that of Lieutenant William Montgomery... whose B-24 Liberator was shot down by anti-aircraft flak on 22 June 1944 while carrying out an attack on a German airfield in northern France. The stricken B-24 managed to limp across the English Channel before losing altitude off the Sussex coast and ultimately crashing on an English farm near Arundel, West Sussex.