Those Pinnacles of Aviation Expertise, the US House, Hammer Boeing and the FAA -- Again

A long awaited report from the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure has been published and as many government reports are wont to do, they place a lot of blame... but not always prioritized according to the realities of the situation at hand. While the politicians were patting themselves on the back generously, the report fails to prioritize the ponderous issues involved with the airlines (and the training issues associated with them), that the airlines involved in the two accidents, presented. It also makes sweeping judgments about improper/fraudulent intent on the part of Boeing and the FAA when the aero-community scu

Also: Bombardier Safety Standdown, New CAE Financing Initiative, AMA And Others Urge FAA, EASA 737 MAX Tests

An unfortunate Mooney was forced to execute a deadstick landing on an Eastbound lane of Florida's Interstate 75, Wednesday morning. A twitter post by FHP summed up the scenario... "A small airplane made an emergency landing on EB I75 (?? Alley) @ 40 mm. Once landed, a pickup truck collided with the left wing of the plane. Thankfully no injuries. The EB right lane of I75 remains closed at this time." An engine failure downed the M20R Mooney over Broward County. The 2007 M20R Ovation 3 GX, N120GX,

Part 25 Certification Is A Big Step Forward For This Program

Avidyne has received STC approval for the IFD540 Multifunction Flight Management System in Citation 560 Excel/XLS aircraft equipped with Primus 1000 electronic flight instrument systems. “We are pleased to have completed our first in-house Part 25 Transport Category STC for the IFD series of Multifunction Flight Management Systems. This STC covers the installation of IFD540s in Citation Excel and XLS aircraft, and will be the basis for additional STC amendments and field approvals by Avidyne and our MRO partners for the entire range of Avidyne Multifunction Flight Management Systems in a wide variety of turbine aircraft,” said John Talmadge, Avidyne’s Vice President of

Model Aviation Community Gets Meeting With 'Top Brass'

AMA recently met with the White House National Economic Council regarding a proposed executive order on foreign-made UAS and the FAA’s proposed rule on Remote ID. The proposed executive order that has been drafted by President Trump’s administration, if signed, would ban the federal government’s use of foreign-made UAS, including model aircraft. The executive order would bar federal government departments and agencies from procuring, repairing, or servicing a UAS manufactured “in whole or in part” by any company from a foreign country viewed to be “engaged in a long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security o

Four USAF Demo Teams, Three Aerobatic Shows, and Tora! Tora! Tora!

The 36th Annual Commemorative Airforce (CAF) Wings Over Houston Airshow will take the air on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 9-11, and will offer fans a drive-in viewing experience to ensure safe social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The final lineup for an unprecedented three-day show includes will showcase the skills of four United States Air Force demonstration teams - F-22 Raptor, F-16 Viper, A-10C Thunderbolt II and the C-17 Globemaster III. The show will also include several aerobatic performers, fan favorite Tora! Tora! Tora! and an array of vintage World War II aircraft.

Next Test Priorities Will Explore Capabilities Of The New Tail Rotor And Recent Aerodynamic Mods

Since the resumption of the test flight activities in June in Pozzallo, Sicily, Kopter's third prototype (P3) has completed 40 flights, allowing testing of multiple aerodynamic modifications and configurations. The current configuration fitted on P3 has seen a significant improvement in smoothness and stability. Recent upgrades include an engine cowling extension for improved aerodynamics, a variable asymmetric tail plane at the best available incidence, the removal of the end plates and a larger upper vertical fin improving stability.

From 2013: One Of Aviation's Most Positive Efforts... The VAC!!!

In all the doddering, misleading, anti-aviation blather we've had to deal with over the last few years, we've been waiting for the world to wake up and discover just how cool aviation, and its pilots and aircrews, are. We present a case in point and while it was a quick impromptu interview amid the heights of excitement at NBAA 2011 (a more extensive interview is coming shortly!), the message is clear, that aviation has a heart, that pilots are citizens of the world and that if you want to show aviation in its bes

"We Have Learned Many Hard Lessons As A Company From The Accidents..."

Boeing cooperated fully and extensively with the Committee’s inquiry since it began in early 2019. We have been hard at work strengthening our safety culture and rebuilding trust with our customers, regulators, and the flying public. The passengers and crew on board Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, as well as their loved ones, continue to be in our thoughts and prayers. Multiple committees, experts, and governmental authorities have examined issues related to the MAX, and we have incorporated many of their recommendations, as well as the results of our own internal reviews, into the 737 MAX and the overall airplane design process. The revised design

Accident Flight Was The Pilot's First Day Working The Hills Fire

On August 19, 2020 about 0945 Pacific daylight time, an Arrow-Falcon Exporters, Inc. UH-1H, N711GH, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Coalinga, California. The pilot, the sole occupant was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a public use firefighting flight. The accident flight was the pilot's first day working the Hills Fire, which had started four days prior. The pilot departed at 0846 followed by another pilot that was flying a Bell 212 helicopter for another operator. Investigators reviewed flight track data covering the area of the accident during the time surrounding the accident. Additionally, the Bell 212 pilot had an app recording his track t

AD 2020-19-08 Prompted By Reports Of Corrosion On Main Rotor Hub Tension-Torsion Strap (TT strap) Assemblies

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Textron Inc. (Type Certificate previously held by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.) (Bell), Model 204B, 205A-1, and 212 helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of corrosion on main rotor hub tension-torsion strap (TT strap) assemblies. This AD requires reducing the life limit of a certain part-numbered TT strap assembly and prohibits installing this TT strap assembly on any helicopter. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective October 21, 2020.

Aero Linx: Texas Pilot's Association We Are... The TPA is a statewide nonprofit General Aviation (GA) organization of both pilots and non-pilots who are committed, first and foremost, to preserving and advancing GA in the great State of Texas, then the U.S., to be followed by the rest of the world, via forging relationships and supporting sister interest groups in their respective and relating domains... The passion for flight and aviation has no boundaries nor nationality! Education & Preparation... One of our primary goals continues to be: proactively encouraging and supporting education in all fields that cater to GA with emphasis -when possible- on traditional schooling programs from the earl

ICAO Three−Letter Designator (3LD) An ICAO 3LD is an exclusive designator that, when used together with a flight number, becomes the aircraft call sign and provides distinct aircraft identification to air traffic control (ATC). ICAO approves 3LDs to enhance the safety and security of the air traffic system. An ICAO 3LD may be assigned to a company, agency, or organization and is used instead of the aircraft registration number for ATC operational and security purposes. An  ICAO 3LD is also used for aircraft identification in the flight plan and associated messages and can be used for domestic and international flights. A telephony associated with an ICAO 3LD is used for radio communic

"Boeing’s design and development of the 737 MAX was marred by technical design failures, lack of transparency with both regulators and customers, and efforts to obfuscate information about the operation of the aircraft. During development of the 737 MAX, Boeing engineers raised safety concerns about MCAS being tied to a single AOA sensor. Another Boeing engineer raised concerns about not having a synthetic airspeed sensor on the 737 MAX. In the wake of the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines tragedies, Boeing has now acknowledged some of these issues by planning to have two AOA sensors feed into MCAS, for instance. In January 2020, despite the fact that Boeing’s internal directive for the 737 MAX program made crystal clear that nothing should jeopardize Level B non-simul