Proposed Rule Looks to Overhaul LSA Certification

The FAA has made public a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) pertaining to the long-awaited MOSAIC aircraft certification initiative. A stereotypically pithy government acronym connoting Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates, MOSAIC is intended to contemporaneously expand the utility of Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) and opportunities for sport pilots. The FAA will accept public comments on the NPRM for ninety-days after the official date of its publication in the U.S. Federal Register.

Seasons of Life

Two members of Millstadt, Illinois’s EAA Chapter 64 have reached personal piloting milestones. Diane Earhart of Belleville, Illinois has earned the Federal Aviation Administration’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, marking the 50th anniversary of her 27 February 1973 first solo flight. The award was presented to Earhart on 22 April 2023. Serendipitously, Earhart’s student, Mia Petruso, 16, of Waterloo, Illinois made her first solo flight on 13 May 2023.

All Clocks Aboard Read 18:30

A 32-year-old United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER suffered significant damage after a hard landing at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). The cause of the hard landing remains under investigation by the NTSB. The aircraft, in accordance with Federal Aviation Regulation, remains grounded in Houston.

A Mighty Wind

On Saturday, 29 July 2023, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (Republican, Missouri) led a General Aviation (GA) town hall discussion with executives from various GA organizations at the EAA’s AirVenture 2023 event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Joining Chairman Graves for the GA town-hall were Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chairman and CEO Jack Pelton, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO Pete Bunce, Helicopter Association International (HAI) President and CEO James Viola, and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy Jim Coon.

Canarian Airline Aims for Zero-Emission Twin Otter Floatplane

ZeroAvia has inked a deal to provide its ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines to a new Canarian operator, Surcar Airlines. The firm intends to use the hybrid powertrain on a fleet of float-equipped Twin Otter seaplanes, offering zero-emission flights throughout the Canary islands. While the company’s press speaks of lofty, climate-friendly aims and inspirationally sustainable practices, the accountants will undoubtedly be happy to save on fuel costs - if they can source cheap hydrogen, that is.

Mojave STOL-Capable Tech Demonstrator Proves Durable & Capable

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 01 August 2023 that it had completed multiple successful takeoffs and landings of its Mojave Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) on a dirt strip near El Mirage, California. The ability to operate from unimproved surfaces demonstrates the Mojave platform's utility and the extent to which it departs from the limitations by which conventional fixed-wing aircraft are constrained. Moreover, the vehicle’s broadened capabilities afford users opportunity to deploy Mojave in areas previously deemed unsuitable for UAS operations.

Class of 2023 Spans World, War, and Galaxy Alike

William Shatner, Star Trek’s Captain James Tiberius Kirk, award-winning actor, author, philanthropist, and space tourist; Royce Williams, aviator, and Navy Cross recipient; and Robert DeLaurentis, record-setting American aviator; are among the luminaries to be honored at 2023’s International Air & Space Hall of Fame Gala. Additional honorees will be announced as the event nears.

From 2016 (YouTube Version): The CAF Salutes Women Air Force Service Pilots in a New Commemorative Program…

While at EAA AirVenture 2016, ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, came across a story that needs to be told and that’s what this video does. The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is well known for preserving the history of military aviation and, in particular, military aviation as it applies to the fighting forces of the United States. The CAF has been heavily involved in spreading the word of the importance and significance of a group of fighter pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Now, the President and CEO of the CAF, Step

A Unique FlightPlan...

The air-crew of Lufthansa Flight 306 bound from Germany’s Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to Sicily’s Catania–Fontanarossa Airport (CTA) is believed to have grown frustrated after their aircraft was denied landing clearance and rerouted to the Mediterranean island nation of Malta. Prior to proceeding south toward Malta, the Lufthansa pilots skillfully guided their aircraft through a series of courses and turns which resulted in a radar track bearing a striking resemblance to a male organ.

They Had Been En Route For About 2 Hours When The Engine RPMS Decreased

On July 22, 2023, about 1940 central daylight time, an Ercoupe 415-D, N415JC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Waupun, Wisconsin. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the pilot-rated passenger sustained no injuries. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. According to the passenger, they had been en route for about 2 hours when the engine rpms decreased. The pilot immediately turned the carburetor heat on and cycled the engine throttle control.

Contract Negotiations Stagnant as Profits Soar

Air Transport Services Group Inc. (ATSG), parent company of Air Transport International (ATI), reported stronger-than-expected earnings for 2023’s second-quarter, with profits being led by cargo operations. The ATI pilots, whose skill and professionalism sustain the largest cargo carrier in ATSG’s portfolio, urge the company, once again, to invest in the pilot cadre lest company profits suffer substantially.

Class B Airspace Generally, that airspace from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL surrounding the nation's busiest airports in terms of airport operations or passenger enplanements. The configuration of each Class B airspace area is individually tailored and consists of a surface area and two or more layers (some Class B airspace areas resemble upside-down wedding cakes), and is designed to contain all published instrument procedures once an aircraft enters the airspace. An ATC clearance is required for all aircraft to operate in the area, and all aircraft that are so cleared receive separation services within the airspace. The cloud clearance requirement for VFR operations is “clear of clouds.&rdq

“MOSAIC had its genesis with a conversation between EAA and FAA officials nearly a decade ago, as we focused on safely creating more aviation opportunities for those who wanted to participate. Now that the NPRM has been released, we are seeing the results of the hard work and effort that EAA and FAA have put into this game-changing rule. We will continue to study it closely and supply focused comments to the FAA.” “MOSAIC had its genesis with a conversation between EAA and FAA officials nearly a decade ago, as we focused on safely creating more aviation opportunities for those who wanted to participate. Now that the NPRM has been released, we are seeing the results of the hard work and effort that EAA and FAA have put into this game-changing rule. We will conti