Rough and Deteriorating Runway May Be Hampering Annual Fly-In Attendance

The Popular Rotorcraft Association is reaching out to rotor flyers, as well as interested parts of the sport aviation community, for help in rebuilding their private runway in Mentone, IN -- the home of the PRA, itself. "We are reaching out to you today on behalf of the Popular Rotorcraft Association because we need your help. We are dangerously close to losing a critical resource that if lost, will have a negative and lasting effect on the gyro community. Those of you who have attended any of the PRA conventions in the last few years are well aware of the current state of the runway, and the toll the elements have taken on it over the years."

Koppert Breaks Down the Application Process in Quest for Perfection

Embraer's agricultural aircraft has started testing Koppert's new sprayer systems in Brazil, continuing the firm's efforts to refine their long-running workhorse for the next generation. Koppert should be a good partner for the operation, given their experience in the haughtily named world of 'bio-control agents'. Working with Embraer, Koppert wants to develop a regiment that will assess the overall efficacy of sprays, creating a methodology to evalueate a whole host of aspects surrounding sprayer design and utilization.

Some Good, Some Bad, but the FAA is Here to Stay

The Regional Airline Association commented on the recent bipartisan reauthorization of the FAA, thanking everyone involved in keeping the industry going a few years more. RAA president and CEO Faye Malarkey Black highlighted a few of the most standout aspects of the upcoming legislation, commenting on some of the most interesting aspects of what's to come. With the RAA's pet themes seeing mprovements on one hand, and hamperings on another, this year's reauthorization seems to be a little bit of a mixed bag.

Evaluations Aim to Build Experience in Battery Flight for AFWERX Program

The 96th Test Wing of the US Air Force published a handful of shots illustrating its test flights of their new battery-powered Pipistrel Felix Electro, showing two fatigued airmen squished into the 2-seat LSA. The program sees about 20 volunteers put the aircraft through its paces at Eglin AFB, in town for a 3-week tour. Those involved are taking plenty of notes and observations about what works for the aircraft, helping to build a base of knowledge for the AFWERX program, among others.

Drone Systems Keep Moving Off the Shelves As Planners Learn Painful Lessons Abroad

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. The eBee Vision is a sensible choice for the French army, offering a fixed-wing, single-engine camera platform with 32x zoom, HD video capture, and thermal imaging as standard fitment. Add in semiautonomous operations, scanning, and targeting and it makes sense that the platform can be a strong force multiplier when used as a small, mobile scouting unit. 

Nifty Little Cargo Drone Takes Flight

The US Marine Corps’ latest toy is coming along nicely in the form of Kaman Corporation's latest autonomous delivery vehicle, the KARGO UAV. The platform just had its first successful flight test, proving its mettle as a medium-lift multi rotor drone that can be airdropped from afar in order to resupply far-flung units. The KARGO looks much like an upscaled civilian drone sporting 4 arms and rotors with a stubby but streamlined fuselage to carry its components. An underslung cargo pod provides about 800 pounds of payload accessible from the ground. Kaman says the full package is good for a 121-knot top speed, a ceiling of 10,000 feet, and a 500-nautical mile range.

Finish Supplier Gets an 'Attaboy' from Biggest Name in US Aviation

Aero Fluid Power was selected under Boeing's Premier Bidder Program, recognizing its "consistently high-performing suppliers" with a nice little title and preferential treatment. The Premier Bidder Program aims to 'strengthen Boeing's commitment to first-pass quality', granting selected recipients improved visibility towards upcoming bids, additional weight in proposal consideration, and access to exclusive supplier events with the manufacturer. 

Student Pilot Reported That During Rotation, “All Of A Sudden The Back Of The Plane Kicked To The Right..."

Analysis: The student pilot reported that during rotation, “all of a sudden the back of the plane kicked to the right and at the same time caused me to takeoff [to] the left.” He attempted to abort the takeoff; however, the airplane impacted marsh terrain adjacent to the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to right wing and main wing spar.

From 2017 (YouTube Version): Kitfox Introduces A New Version Of The Venerable Speedster…

In 1992, Kitfox brought its first Speedster to Oshkosh. In 2017, the company gave the public the first look at the newly-redesigned variant of the aircraft. Working from the very successful and robust Kitfox S7 Super Sport, Kitfox has created a clipped wing, aerodynamically refined and superbly stylized tail dragger that is guaranteed to get the heart rate up to redline.  With Rotax fuel injected power, the 2017 Kitfox Speedster is signif

Aero Linx: Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) SAFE is a member-oriented organization of aviation educators fostering professionalism and excellence in aviation through continuing education, professional standards, and accreditation. Together with our industry partners and the Federal Aviation Administration, SAFE provides the aviation community with resources to advance the profession and to assist aviation educators in developing skilled, knowledgeable, and safe members of the aviation community. We invite you to get to know us. Explore the SAFE website. Visit us often as we grow. Ask questions. And if you share SAFE’s goals of accountability, transparency, fairness, and

UAS Traffic Management (UTM) The unmanned aircraft traffic management ecosystem that will allow multiple low altitude BVLOS operations and which is separate from, but complementary to, FAA's Air Traffic Control System.  

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"We are reaching out to you today on behalf of the Popular Rotorcraft Association because we need your help. We are dangerously close to losing a critical resource that if lost, will have a negative and lasting effect on the gyro community. Those of you who have attended any of the PRA conventions in the last few years are well aware of the current state of the runway, and the toll the elements have taken on it over the years." Source: Part of the plea from PRA, in an attempt to raise funds for a new runway.