Thu, May 16, 2024
Also: 'Space Weather', USAF Rescue, Atlanta Warbirds, WestJet Encore Pilots Vote NO
The Perris SkyDive DC-9 is ALIVE! Following initial test flighta and practice landings that were flown by a flight crew that had to be brought in all the way from Florida, the California DZ put the DC9 back in service and made at least three jump runs on Saturday, taking about 60 jumpers each to about 15K'. An interesting surprise occurred this week as Wag-Aero customers logged on to their site in order to order a few things...no Wag-Aero. Instead, the site was redirected to Aircraft Spruce, which has apparently bought out the once popular Wag-Aero operations shortly after the same operation divested itself of its interest in Leading Edge Air Foils. The AAIB has disclosed its findings after an accident befell an unmanned, remotely pilots test vehicle which suffered a forced landing following power unit failure, at the Cotswold Airport (Kemble), Gloucestershir
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Thu, May 16, 2024
Also: Flt School Security, G600 Steep-Approach, Honduran Aid, PW545D Cert
Two aircraft performing at the Fort Lauderdale Air Show clipped wings during a routine last Sunday, spooking onlookers. The aircraft were performing as a part of the Polaris Ghost Squadron, a team of urban-camo milsurplus jets hailing from across Eastern Europe. The Polaris Ghost Squadron features an eye-catching MiG-29, a trio of Alpha Jets, and a quartet of Albatros L39s. The US Air Force won't be bringing back a damaged B-2A Spirit bomber, further whittling away at the irreplaceable fleet of strategic aircraft. The plane in question was contrasted against one that had a minor crash in 2010. That aircraft was shipped back to Northrop Grumman for repair. The latest incident won't see the same amount of TLC, however, as a recent Force Structure Report showed that the B-2 fleet would head into 2025 one plane short. Sierra Space's Dream Chaser has been put through the wr
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Thu, May 16, 2024
Massive Aviation News Event Started 2024 Off With a Plethora of Exciting Info
Last year, we introduced the SnF Innovation Preview in which 25 companies introduced over 30 new planes, products, engines, accessories, and more… in other words… a LOT of news. Rotax previewed the powerful 916iS, CubCrafters showcased the Carbon Cub UL, Bose introduced the A30, Aerox revealed the Boomula… and so much more. This year, we went beyond that... way beyond all that, with a larger selection of news announcements that covered ALL aspects of sport, general and commercial aviation... all at the start of the 50th Annual SUN n FUN Aerospace Expo... the undisputed start to the aviation year. This year was also a major news-breaker... especially with the announcement that the DeltaHawk Diesel engine folks were working with Piper Aircraft on an STC for the PA44 Seminole. It also hosted the first forma
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Thu, May 16, 2024
Also: Axon Acquires Dedrone, 'Space Weather', SOCOM Goodies, Pivotal Awards
UVify is claiming a new Guinness World Record for the most unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously. This event took place in Songdo, Korea, where UVify orchestrated a display of 5,293 IFO drones that lit up the night sky. The fleet of IFO drones created intricate patterns and visuals above the crowd, showcasing UVify's programming and drone control technology. The record-breaking feat exceeded the previous record. Airbus has completed the acquisition of US-based Aerovel and its unmanned aerial system (UAS), Flexrotor. Flexrotor is a small tactical unmanned aerial system designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions at sea and over land. The AAIB has disclosed its findings after an accident befell an unmanned, remotely pilots test vehicle which suffered a forced landing following power unit failure, at
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Thu, May 16, 2024
Also: NBAA on FAA Reauth, DJI AG Drones, HI Insurance Bill Defeated, SPSA Airtankers
The Beechcraft Denali continues moving forward towards certification, having received its FAA Type Inspection Authorization early this year. Textron advertised that their single-engine turboprop competitor has logged more than 2,000 flight test hours across 830+ flights, on track for completion in 2025. Aerodyne, a new gyroplane manufacturer, will be commemorating its entry into the market with an attempt at setting some records as it runs a lap around the United Kingdom. Founder, executive chairman, and pilot Rangaraja Iyengar will make a full lap around the whole lot with his 8-year-old daughter assisting, aiming to complete a 3-day, 5,000-mile journey. The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) that alerts all owners, operators, maintenance technicians, and inspectors of Revo Incorporated Model Colonial C-1, Colonial C-2,
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Thu, May 16, 2024
Also: Vertical Flight Society, NBAA Maintenance Conference, GA Honored, AMT Scholarship
For the first time, students from Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus took top honors at the AIAA Design/Build/Fly (DBF) Competition, held in Wichita, Kansas. A second Embry-Riddle squad, this one from the Prescott, Arizona, campus, also placed among the top teams, earning eighth overall. The Leadership in Flight Training, or LIFT Academy, has expanded its training fleet with a recent order with Diamond Aircraft, bringing on 56 new planes. The deal sees LIFT gain 50 new single-engine DA40s, and 6 twin-engine DA42s. The training facility has continued to expand thanks to a steady pipeline of students. Epic Flight Academy has officially launched its new aircraft mechanic school at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), marking a significant advancement in aviation training and workforce development in Kentucky. The opening of this
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Thu, May 16, 2024
Also: SkyReach Parts Support, Piper Service Ctr, Airliner Near-Miss, Airshow London
The Judge overseeing Icon's convoluted Chapter 11 process has approved $9 million in Chapter 11 financing and set a June asset auction for the Icon A5 Program -- and said that objections had apparently been resolved (for the moment) by shareholders who claimed (not surprisingly) that Icon was being sold to an 'insider.' Judge Craig T. Goldblatt gave final approval to Icon's (DIP) debtor-in-possession financing and approved the sales schedule... but has yet to approve that previously disclosed stalking horse bidder. On April 12, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky sentenced Morgan J. Wiljanen, former helicopter pilot for Air Evac EMS, Inc., to 8 months of incarceration, 18 months of supervised release, 4 months of home detention, and a $100 special assessment. In December 2023, Wiljanen pleaded guilty to operating an air common carrier while
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Thu, May 16, 2024
Easy Online Forms Available For Sport Plane Manufacturers And Suppliers To Be Listed In The Upcoming eSPRG
Work on the SportPlane Resource Guide is going well… Albeit a little bit behind schedule, because as we got into this process, things became a bit more complicated simply because we learned we could do an even better job at certain aspects of this project than we thought from the beginning. They say that the enemy of true quality is the phrase "good enough" and we want to be far more than “good enough.”
FMI: www.sportplane.com, Online eSPRG Vendor Survey Form, Online eSPRG Sp
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Thu, May 16, 2024
Also: Skydio Chief, Uncle Sam Sues, Dash 7 magniX, OR UAS Accelerator
US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was given a turn around the patch in the 'X-62A Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft, or VISTA, to illustrate just how far autonomous aircraft have come. The aircraft sounds much snazzier than it is in reality, being a 30-year old, 2-seat F-16D with a nifty paint job and an R2-D2 in one of the seats. The aircraft has long been in the US Air Force Test Pilot School, where it received modifications for multi-axis thrust vectoring and aerodynamics. AgEagle Aerial Systems will ship 40 of its eBee VISION systems, along with 9 more eBees, with all the parts, support, connections, control stations, and miscellany required to keep the fleet operational in French army service. Maxar Intelligence has confirmed that the first two WorldView Legion satellites are performing well after being launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket last wee
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