The Little Engine That Can… and Does

In August 2022, Rotax was pleased to welcome over one-hundred guests to its fly-in at the Aerodrome Wels in the central-Austrian city of Wels. Attendees braved heavy-weather to avail themselves of the latest products, technologies, and swag presented by joint event hosts Rotax, Aeroshell, Bose, and Rogers Data.

ASTM Addresses Vertiports and Vertistops

In advance of the rapid rise and imminent certification of numerous Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies and vehicles, ASTM’s unmanned aircraft systems committee has developed a new standard supporting the designs of civil vertiports and vertistops. The newly published standard—dubbed F3423—provides scalable specifications to guide states and municipalities in the development of their respective AAM infrastructures.

Also: Central Colorado UAS, USAF and Aptima, UAL's $10M Deposit on Maker, Commaris-CYTTA

Bristow Helicopters has been awarded a ten-year contract by the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) to support the Second-Generation Search and Rescue (UKSAR2G) program. Subject program tasks Her Majesty’s Coast Guard, and civilian contractors with the establishment and maintenance of a 24-hour maritime and coastal search and rescue (SAR) emergency response service throughout the UK. SAE International’s E-40 Electrified Propulsion Committee—an assemblage tasked with developing and maintaining aerospace standards, practices, and reports germane to

Engine Company Challenges Convention—and Wins

Viking Aircraft Engines, the Edgewater, Florida-based manufacturer of piston aircraft engines, has fashioned a seemingly humble business-model into a genuine, and genuinely American success story. Viking’s praxis is simple. The company buys new and gently-used, late-model Honda automotive engines, and converts them to aircraft powerplants. Conversion, however, is no simple feat. In point of fact, it’s a downright complex process comprising extensive modification of the engine’s cylinder heads, valve-train, cam chain, pistons, oil-system, crankshaft, exhaust manifo

Also: Central Colorado UAS, USAF and Aptima, UAL's $10M Deposit on Maker, Commaris-CYTTA

Bristow Helicopters has been awarded a ten-year contract by the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) to support the Second-Generation Search and Rescue (UKSAR2G) program. Subject program tasks Her Majesty’s Coast Guard, and civilian contractors with the establishment and maintenance of a 24-hour maritime and coastal search and rescue (SAR) emergency response service throughout the UK. SAE International’s E-40 Electrified Propulsion Committee—an assemblage tasked with developing and maintaining aerospace standards, practices, and reports germane to

Looping the Loop

Seeking to study eVTOL operations, ground services, passenger journeys, and operator needs, Eve Holding, Inc. will conduct its first North American Urban Air Mobility (UAM) simulation in Chicago, Illinois. Pending the certification of Eve’s promising and hot-selling eVTOL platform, the simulation will utilize helicopters provided by air-transport broker Blade Air Mobility in the stead of actual eVTOL aircraft.

The Whelps of War

Ukraine’s volunteer armed forces comprise a small but effective group of drone operators who’ve consistently and convincingly demonstrated the efficacy with which consumer drones can be used to identify targets, direct artillery fire, assess battle damage—and drop grenades on Russian combatants.

Shades of Green

Hillsboro Aviation—HIO’s preeminent FBO, charter-operator, maintenance-facility, and aircraft management outfit—recently accepted its first delivery of Neste’s MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel.  In collaboration with Avfuel Corporation and Finnish petroleum company Neste, Hillsboro Aviation has secured the first business aviation foothold for SAF in the state of Oregon.

From Now On, All EADs, ADs, and Biweekly ADs Will be Released on the Dynamic Regulatory System

The FAA has completed the migration of Airworthiness Directives to the Dynamic Regulatory System, or DRS, that will result in all ADs being published on the new system from August 16th, 2022 onward. The change will allow the administration to simplify the recordkeeping and dissemination of documents contained within its Regulatory Guidance Library (RGL). Those who frequently refer to ADs should be familiar with the new system, as fresh directives will be available on the DRS with the retirement of the RGL.

Just Before Water Impact, The Helicopter Counterclockwise Yaw Rate Was 124 Degrees/Second

On July 21, 2022, about 1644 mountain daylight time, a Columbia Helicopters CH-47D, N388RA, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near North Fork, Idaho. The pilot and co-pilot were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a public use firefighting flight. The operator was contracted by the U.S. Forest Service for the Moose Fire and had relocated the helicopter to the area on July 19, 2022, then began firefighting flights on July 20, 2022.

Aero Linx: United States Powered Paragliding Association (USPPA) The Mission Of The USPPA Is To Preserve, Promote, And Enhance The Sport Of Powered Paragliding. The USPPA is a 501(c)3 non-profit with a mission to preserve, promote, and enhance the sport of powered paragliding.

Flight Standards District Office An FAA field office serving an assigned geographical area and staffed with Flight Standards personnel who serve the aviation industry and the general public on matters relating to the certification and operation of air carrier and general aviation aircraft. Activities include general surveillance of operational safety, certification of airmen and aircraft, accident prevention, investigation, enforcement, etc.

“Oregon has been a trailblazing state for clean air legislative initiatives. Furthermore, the team at Portland’s Hillsboro Aviation is passionate about environmental conservation, which made it the perfect first FBO partner to establish SAF supply in the state. We are thankful to its team for leading the SAF initiative in the Pacific Northwest as we work tirelessly with Neste to make SAF an available alternative throughout business aviation.” Source: Avfuel manager of alternative fuels Keith Sawyer, discussing the recently accewptance of the first delivery of Neste’s MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel.  In collaboration with Avfuel Corporation and Finnish petroleum company Neste, Hillsboro Avia