The Third of Five Days Of Morning Brief Goodness!

Join us for our first Oshkosh 2023 Morning Brief, live from Wittman Field! We have news from the day before, a little weather report, live interviews, and a look ahead, and the day's events to come! Our luck is holding out so far with the weather, though the Constellation is apparently dealing with some engine gremlins. In the meantime, today is warbird day and there is a night airshow to boot…. With no end of excitement to see hear and endure.

Deal to Close Q3 2023, Pending Approval

Lenexa, Kansas-based private aviation concern Airshare has signed a Letter Of Intent (LOI) to purchase Wheels Up’s aircraft management business. The deal is expected to close in 2023’s third-quarter—subject to customary approvals and closing conditions.

XQ-58A Valkyrie Advances DOD’s LCAAT Aspirations

Utilizing complex Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms and sophisticated automation technologies, United States Air Force researchers have successfully performed the first unmanned, wholly autonomous flight of an aircraft. The three-hour sortie was flown by an XQ-58A Valkyrie, an experimental, stealthy, Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) designed and built by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for the United States Air Force's Low Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator (LCASD) program.

Cessna 172 Presumed Downed in Caribbean

The United States Coast Guard has suspended the search for two occupants of an overdue Cessna 172 Skyhawk last seen Friday, 04 August between the islands of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and Culebra, Puerto Rico. The search for 33-year-old Carl Frederick Reichard Stubbe and 19-year-old Oswald Fuentes Roman was called off at 18:00 Atlantic Standard Time (Zulu -4) on Monday, 07 August 2023. 

Applications Must be Received by 01 September 2023

Students wishing to apply for scholarships granted by the International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) must do so prior to the 01 September 2023 deadline. IADA Foundation scholarship awards range from one-thousand to five-thousand dollars (U.S.). The IADA Foundation supports philanthropic programs providing scholarships to college students preparing for careers in business aviation.

"New Paint Scheme" a Bland Wrapper for Promising Tech

An update to a running partnership between GE Aerospace and NASA fell through the cracks of the Oshkosh news cycle, when the firm "unveiled" the paint scheme for its upcoming Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) aircraft. While the livery itself is pretty bland, consisting of little more than a dark blue swatch covering the empennage and a GE logo, the aircraft represents another public/private program aimed at creating affordable, sustainable commuter transit. The megawatt-class hybrid electric powertrain in development should see ground and flight tests by "the middle of this decade" according to GE.

Slowdown in Bizjet Sales, Increase in Military Spending, and Crackdowns on Aviation Abroad

Dassault's latest half-year profit update has a handful of interesting tidbits surrounding the current state of the international aircraft manufacturing industry, from arms sales and fighter programs to a slowing bizjet market. Dassault noted a "slowdown in sales since the end of 2022", with only a dozen orders received to 41 throughout the same span last year. Deliveries weren't as stressful to see, with 9 aircraft delivered to 14 in the first half of 2022. The firm remains optimistic, with the continued development of the Falcon 10X and impending certification of the Falcon 6X. 

Klyde Is Having Trouble Mastering 'Woke' Terminology

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Putting the GIANT in Allegiant

Allegiant Air posted tremendous 2023 second-quarter operating revenues of $683.8-million—the highest in the company’s history. Moreover, the airline’s Q2 2023 profit soared to a princely $88.5-million—a 411-percent year-over-year increase. Allegiant’s management ascribed the favorable figures to both ongoing demand for leisure air-travel and recent expansion of the airline’s route network. Looking to the future, Allegiant intends to promote operational stability by negotiating binding labor contracts with its pilot and flight-attendant cadres. The airline seeks, also, to further grow its route network and capacity by adding no fewer than fifty Boeing 737-MAX famil

Prohibits Use of Such in Indian-Made Drones

Citing security concerns, officials of India’s Ministry of Defense have prohibited Indian manufacturers of military drones from using components made in China. A group of Indian defense and industry officials set forth the country’s intelligence and security agencies collectively posited Indian intelligence-gathering efforts could be compromised by Chinese-made parts in drones' communication arrays, cameras, radio transmissions, and operating software. India’s concerns vis-à-vis the security risks inherent Chinese drones and Chinese-made drone components are shared by numerous Western governments.

Also: uAvionix Update, Samaritan Aviation, Night Airshow, Jack Pelton-Pt 4

People flock to Oshkosh from all over the world to see the latest and greatest in aviation innovation and design… and the Opener Blackfly definitely gets attention! It looks like it ate a DC-9… but the Super Guppy is an unconventional hard-working airplane… that dropped in to Oshkosh to show one and all a different side of the aviation workforce. Over the years, the ANN crew, especially Jim Campbell, has flown just about everything this company has built… and approves. Now, with new direction, the Murphy gang is back on the job. The display included a f

Also: Able Flight, Comp Air 6.2, Hartzell is EVERYWHERE, Pelton Part 2

Catalina Aircraft, holder of the Type Certificates for the 28-5ACF Catalina, has announced the rebirth of the iconic and legendary Catalina as the Catalina II Amphibious Turboprop. A production re-start program has been formalized for the Next Generation Amphibious Aircraft (NGAA) Catalina II twin turboprop amphibious flying boat, and the company is preparing to take pre-orders. One of the more avidly anticipated displays is the promised Wisk flight demonstration here at Wittman Field. Oshkosh is becoming more and more of a hub for such demonstrations and the EAA crowds are loving every se

Also: King Schools, Parade of Aero-Nations, C5 Galaxy, SnF2024!, Jack Pelton #5

Extra Aircraft’s pursuit of the ultimate aerobatic mount appears to have reached a new plateau… the 330 SX is a new breed of aerobat with aggressive tweaks to make it a future leader in world aerobatic competition. It looks good, it sounds great and it can carry up to six people with twin-engine redundancy… is this the best Velocity yet? Great performance, solid economy and room for the family… what’s not to like. A unique replica of an aircraft that has not gotten a lot of attention. The Verner radial powered P-36 is starting to shape up, while ki

Also: Daher Upgrades, AEA’s Giveaway, Pelton on MOSAIC, MOSAIC, MOSAIC!

STICK Around for the latter end of this episode of Airborne… Got question about MOSAIC… EAA Boss Jack Pelton has a lot of info to impart! It's been years since we’ve seen a new AMERICAN powerplant…. Much less one that takes advantage of MODERN technology… but DeltaHawk will be going to production in the first half of next year and helping to modernize GA in a big way. Sadly; we lost Tom last year while Oshkosh 2022 was in the works, after a prolonged illness and we will really miss the guy. But his work lives on and now he has been memorialized with

Also: New Warbird Org, Gogo Update, Pedal Plane Parade, Pelton on Fuel

The term 'Esprit de Corps' is often associated with parts of aviation that tend to one gender... but NOT at Oshkosh... where the WAI and 99s communities (among others) have proven that women have more than the right stuff... they ARE the right stuff. How do you train the next generation of aviators to prepare for aircraft that are unlike anything they have flown before??? You simulate it... ANN’s Rex Alexander gives it a try. A Kitfox can go just about anywhere... and sometimes that means really rough turf... but a new offering makes it possible for the iconic Kitfox to go just about

The Second of Five Days Of Morning Brief Goodness!

Join us for our first Oshkosh 2023 Morning Brief, live from Wittman Field! We'll have news from the day before, a little weather report, live interviews, and a look ahead and the day's events to come! We predicted a massive opening day for OSH23 and we weren’t wrong. We’re approaching gridlock, airplane-wise and road traffic was significant…. Despite some bizarre traffic patterns installed by Oshkosh PD. We are seeing some amazing airplanes here… the Super-Guppy is as ugly and fascinating as ever while a real-live Constellation should be flying several times this week. An

From 2018 (YouTube Version): Stratos Jets Will Initially Be Offered As Kits

Stratos Aircraft presented an update on its VLJ program and introduced the Stratos 716 model at AirVenture this summer. The Stratos 716X is an evolution of the 714 Proof of Concept (PoC) aircraft. The all carbon fiber 716X features trailing link gear, is powered by a Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5 and is configured with dual G3X screens, GTN 750 MFD, integrated Garmin Autopilot, dual standby attitude indicators, custom switch panels, fully automated pressurization system

Witness Reported Seeing The Airplane In A Steep Left Bank “With The Wings Perpendicular To The Ground”

On July 25, 2023, about 1906 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200, N34PT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Churchville, Maryland. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A mechanic at Harford County Airport (0W3), Churchville, Maryland, reported talking with the pilot around 1850 while the pilot was performing the preflight inspection of the accident airplane. The pilot told him that the purpose of the flight was to fly in the airport traffic pattern a few times in preparation for an upcoming cross

Aero Linx: Piper Aviation Museum Piper Aviation Museum... Preserving the history and legacy of the Piper Aircraft Corporation and its founding family. Located in Lock Haven, PA... where it all started!

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.”

Go Around

Instructions for a pilot to abandon his/her approach to landing. Additional instructions may follow. Unless otherwise advised by ATC, a VFR aircraft or an aircraft conducting visual approach should overfly the runway while climbing to traffic pattern altitude and enter the traffic pattern via the crosswind leg. A pilot on an IFR flight plan making an instrument approach should execute the published missed approach procedure or proceed as instructed by ATC; e.g., “Go around” (additional instructions if required). 

“AI will be a critical element to future warfighting and the speed at which we’re going to have to understand the operational picture and make decisions. We need the coordinated efforts of our government, academia, and industry partners to keep pace.” Source: USAF Research Lab commander Brigadier General Scott Cain explaining how by utilizing complex Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms and sophisticated automation technologies, United States Air Force researchers have successfully performed the first unmanned, wholly autonomous flight of an aircraft.