FedEx Pilot Leadership Approves Strike Authorization Vote

In the wake of stalled talks between FedEx pilots and the Memphis-based shipping titan’s management, ALPA’s FedEx Express Master Executive Council (MEC), on 17 February 2023, unanimously approved a resolution heralding a possible strike authorization vote.

A Matter of Ratios

U.S. taxpayers paid an inordinate, arguably indefensible sum of money to have three unidentified aerial objects removed prejudicially (read “Blasted”) from American and Canadian skies. Between the dates of 10 and 12 February 2023, aircraft of the U.S. Air Force—for purpose of bringing down three interloping aerial objects tracked over Alaska, northern Canada, and Lake Huron respectively—fired a total of four AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles—each of which came with a princely $400,000 price-tag. The destruction of the Lake Huron object, owing to a Sidewinder missing the slow-moving target, required two missiles. Notwithstanding the absence of formal statements asserting such, Pentagon officials suspect the

Piper at the Gates of 2023

Piper Aircraft has announced it had delivered 15% more aircraft in 2022 than it had in 2021. Additionally, Piper’s flagship aircraft, the M600/SLS, a ferocious, turboprop evolution of the storied PA-46 Malibu, was even further improved with innovative updates—as was the company’s Karma, by dint of support it lent to more than 25 philanthropic organizations ...

Also: Pilot Standards, Canadian Helo Pilots, Charles McGee Award, NAFI Conference

The EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship minted its 300th pilot this month, helping to inaugurate the newest class of aviators under the program. The scholarship is funded by the Ray Foundation and managed by the EAA, allowing them to disseminate the process of finding and selecting worthy candidates throughout chapters all over the country. Candidates receive up to $11,000 for their flight training expenses, coming from $1.8 million entrusted to the Foundation for 2023. The FAA published a Notice of Policy in the Federal Register confirming that it would no longer require letter

Flight Training Center Readies for 787 Influx

United Airlines (UAL), the legacy U.S. air-carrier headquartered in Chicago’s iconic Willis (formerly Sears) Tower, is about the endeavor of hiring a multitude of new Denver-based employees to staff planned expansions of the airline’s DEN hub and its Flight-Training Center in Denver’s Central Park neighborhood. The undertaking will see new, technologically-advanced Boeing 787 simulators added to the sprawling flight-training facility along with instructors and technical staff to support the training of United Airlines pilots.

… That Others May Be Free

Aero-News Network is saddened to report Chief Special Warfare Operator Michael T. Ernst of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command (USNSWC) lost his life in a 19 February 2023 military free-fall training accident in Marana, Arizona.

Klyde Checks Out The 21st Century Version Of Let's Make A (Jet) Deal

FMI: www.klydemorris.com 

Also: Air India Boeing Buy, Second Axiom Space Crew, Daher 2022 Report, CA Needs Helo Pilots

DJI has shown off their new DJI Mini 2 SE, a lightweight, fist-sized camera drone. The Mini 2 SE slots in among other DJI models like the Mavic Mini and Mini 3 Pro. The tiny addition to the lineup aims for a tiny, 8.8-ounce (249 gram) compact footprint that can more easily skirt drone rulings that hamper larger, more regulated drone categories around the world. The FAA published a Notice of Policy in the Federal Register confirming that it would no longer require letters of deviation authority (LODAs) for most flight training in experimental aircraft—incl

Also: Pilot Standards, Canadian Helo Pilots, Charles McGee Award, NAFI Conference

The EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship minted its 300th pilot this month, helping to inaugurate the newest class of aviators under the program. The scholarship is funded by the Ray Foundation and managed by the EAA, allowing them to disseminate the process of finding and selecting worthy candidates throughout chapters all over the country. Candidates receive up to $11,000 for their flight training expenses, coming from $1.8 million entrusted to the Foundation for 2023. The FAA published a Notice of Policy in the Federal Register confirming that it would no longer require letter

Mission Will Study Red Planet’s Magnetosphere

On 09 February 2023, NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) awarded Blue Origin’s New Glenn heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) contract. Subject contract is part of NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) program—a dual spacecraft mission intended to study Mars’s magnetosphere.

 From 2010 (YouTube Version): Textron's Leader Talks About the Future Of Aerospace... And Who Will Make It Happen

ANN was blown away by what we saw and learned at the 2010 Team America Rocketry Challenge... all around were GREAT kids... assisted by GREAT adults employed in seeking GREAT goals... and collectively having a ball. What was wrong with that? NOTHING... absolutely nothing. And one of the reasons for the many successes we saw that day was the leadership so generously provided by industry power players who were willing to give of themselves so that they could have a hand in shaping the next generation of Rocketeers. One such power

Gentrifying the Hood

The U.S. Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion enjoys the distinction of being the first Army Aviation Battalion to be equipped with the patented Instrument Conditions Awareness Recognition and Understanding System (ICARUS)—a forward-thinking view-limiting device that replaces the traditional IFR training hood and affords instructor pilots the ability to challenge students with simulated Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) that rival those of Level-D flight-simulators.  

Pilot Transmitted “Mayday” Several Times And Advised The Controller That The Airplane Was Experiencing A Rough Running Engine

On December 13, 2022, at 0925 central standard time, a Mooney M20B, N74586, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Kellyton, Alabama. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a corporate flight conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airplane owner reported that the pilot worked for him flying various airplanes that the owner managed, and that the accident flight was the pilot’s second flight in the owner’s personal airplane. The first flight was the day before the accident, and the owner stated

Aero Linx: Fly For the Culture, Inc. Fly For the Culture, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves young people interested in pursuing professions in the aviation industry throughout the United States. Through exposure, outreach, education, and —where needed— advocacy, Fly For The Culture will become a driving force to expand diversity within the aviation industry, and mitigate the forecasted pilot and aircraft maintainer shortage.

LORAN An electronic navigational system by which hyperbolic lines of position are determined by measuring the difference in the time of reception of synchronized pulse signals from two fixed transmitters. Loran A operates in the 1750-1950 kHz frequency band. Loran C and D operate in the 100-110 kHz frequency band. In 2010, the U.S. Coast Guard terminated all U.S. LORAN-C transmissions.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ernst family. Mike was an exceptional teammate. He was a dedicated NSW Sailor who applied his talents and skills towards some of our nation’s hardest challenges, while selflessly mentoring his teammates. Mike and his family will always be part of the NSW family, and he will never be forgotten.” Source: Rear Admiral Keith Davids, who heads-up Naval Special Warfare Command, commenting on the loss of an extraordinary member of the Navy's elite Naval Special Warfare unit. ANN send our prayers to all involved...