'Unacceptable To EAA And The Rest Of The General Aviation Community, Says The Organization'

Despite the fact that Oshkosh is now done and that the FAA Administrator made some banal statements mollifying recent misguided decisions about flight training, EAA is asking its members to rally and provide a unified voice with our elected officials. Earlier this year, a federal court determined that compensated flight instruction in experimental, limited, and primary category aircraft, even instruction obtained in an individual’s own aircraft, was contrary to FAA regulation. While the FAA has used letters of deviation authority (LODAs) and exemptions to temporarily address the issue, a long-term fix is years away under the normal rulemaking process.

Event Participation Doubled Has Since Last Year

Spectator registration is now open for ArkanSTOL’s “Ozark Backwoods Challenge.”This September 29th - October 3rd marks the dates for the event, inspired by the challenging terrain of the Arkansas Ozarks. The terrain involves actual backwoods flying while adding the elements of time trials and river valley winds. All of these factors combine to make for a challenging competition. Last year (2020) was the first year for the challenge, held at Byrd’s Adventure Center in western Arkansas along the Mulberry river. The owners Zen (a pilot) and Pam Boulden carved out a series of runways years ago for their friends who came to visit, which ended up as the beginnings for ArkanSTOL.&nbs

Engineering Teams Have Been Working To Restore Functionality To Several Valves

NASA and Boeing have decided to postpone the launch of Orbital Flight Test-2 to the International Space Station as teams continue work on the CST-100 Starliner propulsion system. Engineering teams have been working to restore functionality to several valves in the Starliner propulsion system from inside United Launch Alliance’s Vertical Integration Facility that did not open as designed during the launch countdown for the Aug. 3 launch attempt. The valves connect to thrusters that enable abort and in-orbit maneuvering.

But… Pilot Is Charged With More Than A Craving For Sweets

Royal Canadian Mounted Police received a call on July 31st regarding a helicopter that touched down near Dairy Queen in Tisdale, Saskatchewan. Originally worried that there could be an emergency, due to the helicopter’s red color, onlookers watched astounded as a passenger exited and returned back to the Robinson R44 with an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. The parking lot belonging to the town’s middle and high schools was empty when the pilot descended, blowing up clouds of dust and debris as it touched down. Luckily, it was a summer Saturday. The small town’s mayor, Al Jellicoe, watched the scene unfold. 

Invictus Team Has Completed Multiple Design And Risk Reviews With The Army

Bell Textron has released new data on the build and testing for the Bell 360 Invictus competitive prototype. The Bell 360 program is reportedly rapidly progressing through manufacturing, assembly, components testing, and systems integration work for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program. The team has completed multiple design and risk reviews with the Army and is on schedule for all program requirements. The Bell 360, a low-risk, high-speed platform with proven technology and inherently reliable designs, will deliver soldiers transformational operational capabilities.

Of Critical Importance.... Cygnus Is Carrying An Order Of Pizza

After launching at 6:01 p.m. EDT Tuesday from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, the Cygnus spacecraft’s solar arrays successfully deployed to collect sunlight to power Cygnus on its journey to the station. The International Space Station's crew welcomed Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo resupply ship Thursday morning. The spacecraft’s arrival brings more than 8,200 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and hardware for a future spacewalk (plus an order of pizza). NASA astronaut Megan McArthur used the space station’s robotic Canadarm2 to capture Cygnus upon its arrival early Thursday morning, while ESA (European Space Agency) astronau

First Aviation-Iridium Satcom To Demonstrate Connectivity At Up To 700 kbps

Honeywell and Iridium have partnered to become a Value-Added Manufacturer for aviation terminals operating on the Iridium NEXT network. Honeywell’s Aspire 150 and 350 systems are the first aviation Satcom systems that will demonstrate connectivity under Iridium Certus service at up to 700 kbps. Easy to install, these new systems minimize costs and aircraft downtime. After downsizing from previous generations, the Aspire 150 and Aspire 350 will help minimize fuel consumption as well. Aspire 150 provides operators with fast and cost-effective connectivity. Aspire 350 provides these same benefits but with the addition of global Future Air Navigation System datalink

Completes Test Flight With New Hybrid UAS Propulsion System

LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion Solutions reports the successful flight trials, in collaboration with Offshore Aviation. The announcement comes three months after introducing their hybrid GenSet technology for drones. The OA-8C (ER) Dragonfly, an unmanned quadcopter aircraft, was equipped with LaunchPoint’s integrated 5.5 kW hybrid-electric HPS055 GenSet. The flight-extending technology allowed the Dragonfly’s hover endurance to increase to more than 90 minutes in 90-degree Fahrenheit ambient temperature without refueling. Forward flight and lower temperature is expected to increase endurance. Weight reported was 62lbs. empty with 13 lbs. of fuel bringing the total take off we

Loaded With 420 Gallons Of Fungicide And Climbed To About 30 Ft AGL Before The Engine Lost Power

On July 19, 2021, about 1410 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164B agricultural airplane, N8422K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Amana, Iowa. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The initial report indicated that the airplane’s engine lost power shortly after departure from runway 22. The airplane was loaded with 420 gallons of fungicide and climbed to about 30 ft above ground level before the engine lost power.

Aero Linx: Professional Aviation Maintenance Association Dedicated to promoting and recognizing the aviation maintenance technician. PAMA initiatives are directed by the Board, a group of individuals that represent all segments of membership. Under their leadership, the trade association pursues its mission to promote professionalism among aviation maintenance personnel. Since 1972, PAMA has been dedicated to promoting professionalism and recognition of the aviation maintenance technician through communication, education, representation, and support of continuous improvement in aviation safety. Their mission is to promote continuous improvement in aviation safety through communication, education, rep

Terminal Data Link System (TDLS) A system that provides Digital Automatic Terminal Information Service (D-ATIS) both on a specified radio frequency and also, for subscribers, in a text message via data link to the cockpit or to a gate printer. TDLS also provides Pre-departure Clearances (PDC), at selected airports, to subscribers, through a service provider, in text to the  cockpit or to a gate printer. In addition, TDLS will emulate the Flight Data Input/Output (FDIO) information within the control tower.

"That is why we are backing the Certainty for General Aviation Pilots Act to quickly address the issue. With the help of EAA, twin bills have been introduced in the Senate and House that would require the FAA to recognize flight training and the Additional Pilot Program for homebuilt flight testing as permitted activities not requiring any special authorization. The Senate bill is S.2458, introduced by Senators James Inhofe (R-OK), John Boozman (R-AR), and Angus King (I-ME), and the House bill is H.R.4645, introduced by Representative Sam Graves (R-MO)." Source: From a statement by EAA to its members, and the rest of the Sport and GA community, asking them to reach out to their elected officials to find a solution for atrocious recent FAA