Also: Boeing Pilot Development, FAA Aircraft Registry, Aviation Workforce Shortage, SpaceX TX Launch Site

One of aviation’s greatest programs, Able Flight, is announcing its 2018 class... which includes a woman paralyzed due to an accident, two future pilots who are deaf, a former Navy crewman who became disabled due to disease, a man who became paralyzed due to an auto accident, a man who was born with a condition affecting all four limbs, and a soldier wounded in combat.

In May, five of the aspiring new pilots will report for training at Purdue University and two will train at The Ohio State University. While there are those who say that LSA aircraft are built too lightly and cannot handle the strain of the training environment, Pipistrel reports that one of their ALPHA trainer aircraft now has 4000 hours as a training aircraft. Located in New Caledonia, the aircraft is only 500 feet from the ocean, it's a humid tropical climate and this is where composite aircraft excel in durability compared with their metal cousins. Flight School "Hibiscus" in New Caledonia got their first Alpha Trainer in July 2014. Immediately they started to offer flight training and sight-seeing flights. The weather and the landscape in New Caledonia are so incredible that it is possible to fly all year round. The Alpha reached 2100 flight hours in just 2 years. During the third annual FAA UAS Symposium, cosponsored by AUVSI, FAA officials said repeatedly that they want to talk to industry about ways to help companies achieve their goals, including for beyond-line-of-sight flights and package delivery. “The message of (the) whole conference is, the FAA is open for business,” said Derek Kan, undersecretary for policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation, summing up the FAA's stance at the symposium. All this -- and MORE in today's episode of Airborne!!!

Airborne 03.12.18 is chock full of info in this Daily News Episode, Monday, March 12th, 2018... Presented by Aero-TV veteran videographer and Airborne Hosts Brianne Cross, Christopher Odom, and Laura Hutson, and is supported by ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell, Chief Videographer Nathan Cremisino, and Aero-Journalist Tom Patton, this episode covers:

• Able Flight Announces 2018 Scholarship Recipients
• New Caledonian Alpha Trainer Accumulates More Than 4000 Hours Of Flight
• Symposium Message: FAA Is 'Open For Business'
• Boeing Expands Pilot Development Program With Okay Airways
• DOT Inspector General To Audit FAA Aircraft Registry
• Industry Supports Senate Bill On Aviation Workforce Shortage
• SpaceX Bullish On Timeline For Texas Launch Site

 
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