Also: Citation 560XL #1000, Erickson & USFS, NC Airports Funded, KC-390 Refueling

EAA has reported that the FAA has published draft guidance to implement an optional task-based Phase I program for Experimental Amateur-Built (E-AB) aircraft. Under the program, once an aircraft completes a flight test plan that meets FAA standards, Phase I is complete.

The standard 25- or 40-hour flight test period for Phase I will remain an option for all E-AB, and Experimental Light-Sport (E-LSA) continues to carry a 5-hour test period. At 4:50 a.m. (AKST), last Monday, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Region, in support of NORAD, positively identified and tracked two Tu-142 Russian maritime patrol aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone. The Russian aircraft, which are currently operating in international airspace, have not entered United States or Canadian sovereign airspace. The Tupolev Tu-142 is a Soviet/Russian maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft derived from the Tu-95 turboprop strategic bomber. The Aero-News Network and Sun 'n Fun have teamed up to add something timely, mobile-centric and vital to the upcoming Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo, set for April 13-18 in Lakeland FL on the campus of the Aerospace Center for Excellence. We call it the ‘Sun ‘n Fun Digital Daily.’ This year’s event is set to be the first major aviation gathering since the onset of the pandemic. The Digital Daily will be taking on the speedy and mobile capabilities of the best in online media to offer exciting daily news programming via a number of rich media assets, in Realtime, throughout each day of the long-awaited event. Be sure to check out www.snfdd.com. All this -- and MORE in today's episode of Airborne!!!

Airborne 04.05.21 is chock full of info in this Daily News Episode, Monday, April 5th, 2021... Presented by Aero-TV veteran videographer and Airborne Host Kimberly Kay. Kimberly is supported by ANN Chief Videographer Nathan Cremisino, as well as ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell. This episode covers:

• Amateur-Built Flight Testing Criteria About To Change
• NORAD ID's And Tracks More Russian Aircraft Inside ADIZ
• Pass The Word! This is How YOU Get Access To The Sun 'n Fun Digital Daily!
• Textron Aviation Celebrates 1,000 Deliveries Of The Citation 560XL Series
• Erickson Wins 3 U.S. Forest Service Contracts For Upcoming Wildfire Season
• Improvements Funded at 10 NC Airports
• Embraer Concludes Aerial Refueling Qualification Between Two KC-390's

Get Comprehensive, Real-Time, 24/7 coverage of the latest aviation and aerospace stories anytime, at aero-news.net. And be sure to join us again tomorrow, for the next edition of "Airborne Unlimited" here on Aero-TV. Thanks for watching. See you, again, tomorrow!

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