Bystanders Surprised to Learn It Ceased in the First Place

United Airlines said it will restore daily nonstop passenger and cargo service to Tel Aviv, Israel on March 2nd, after suspending all flights since October 2023. It comes as a mild surprise to some, who assumed things had been continuing on as usual even with the nearby hubbub. El Al must have been enjoying the last few months, with the Israeli flag carrier enjoying some time in the sun with American rivals out of the way for a while. In October, a trio of American legacies suspended service almost simultaneously, with United, American Airlines, and Delta pulling out due to what they saw as increased risk of harm to man & metal.

EAA and VAA Both Take Issue With The Broad Scope Of The AD

Over-reach, maybe? EAA and the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association (VAA) have both filed comments opposing a sweeping airworthiness directive (AD) proposed by the FAA affecting almost every high-wing vintage Piper aircraft. The AD would require rudders built of 1025 carbon steel to be replaced with new rudders made from 4130N low-alloy steel. The FAA estimates that nearly 31,000 aircraft would be affected by the proposed AD.

Trans-Atlantic Student Exchange Program Now Open ‘Til March 30

Daher’s Aircraft Division has once again joined hands with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) to offer an international internship program to bring up the next generation of "promising industry leaders". The program plucks lucky students from around the world in a 'trans-Atlantic' program to land them in the beating heart of aviation manufacturing. This year, 2 students from North American and Europe will be selected for placement in 8-week assignments in areas of interest around a variety of Daher Aircraft facilities.

Remote-Piloted UAVs Get Green Light for Sprayer Duty

Volatus Aerospace Corporation has been given authorization from the FAA to use uncrewed drones above 55 pounds for agricultural operations, even beyond visual sightlines. It's a nice niche for the brand to begin tackling, since the agricultural sector is constantly hammered by economic forces and vicissitudes - any penny they can save on aerial application is one they can use to survive another year. Volatus has made some revenue from the AG sector through equipment and data services relating to crop management, but this new approval expands their portfolio.

AI Powered Smart Visual Assistance Systems Making their Way into Genesys Avionics

Genesys Aerosystems has begun working with Daedalean, signing a Memorandum of Understanding to integrate their AI-enabled kit. The deal lays out a roadmap to integrate Daedalean tech throughout the Genesys Aerosystems lineup, adding machine-learning, visual-recognition safety systems to flight-ready avionics. So far, Genesys has already begun testing the OmniX evaluation kit on their OH-58 Kiowa test bed.

Camcopter Continues to Be Popular Seller with Military Operators

German UAV manufacturer Schiebel signed a deal with South Korea's Hanwha Systems to supply the S-300 Camcopter for the South Korean Navy and Marine Corps. The deal is a tad convoluted in theory, being contracted with Hanwha Systems and UI Helicopter through the Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA). The winding bureaucratic road ends in the same place, however: S-300 Camcopters lining the decks of South Korean ships. The Navy has already been in the Chiebel family for more than a decade, using their original S-100 series Camcopters for their intel, surveillance, and patrol missions.

First in the Pacific Will Train Legions of Future RJ Pilots

Embraer and CAE have entered the first E-Jet full flight sim into the Asian Pacific market, bringing the E2 training program to Singapore. The new sim combines Embraer's high-fidelity simulation systems with CAE's CBT courseware and "Simfinity Virtual Simulator" for interactive classroom instruction. Those should provide plenty of structure to students working their way through the curriculum, learning to fly the E-Jet to a professional standard out the gate. The new simulator, a CAE 7000XR Series FFS, is located at the firm's Singapore Flight Training Centre near Changi Airport.

Also: Mandatory CVR Upgrades?, Joby Air Taxi, Hartzell in India, Tuskegee NEXT Summer Program

A rare appearance by the Lockheed VC-121A “MacArthur Bataan” is scheduled for this year's Sun 'n Fun 2024, granting attendees a chance to see one of the last 2 survivors of the type. MacArthur Bataan, manufactured in 1948, cuts a familiar cold war figure as a classic rendition of a 4-engined prop airliner. The quintessentially post-war design language has yet to be seen again, with a distinctive tri-tail design, sloping roofline, rounded wing, and 4 monstrous radial engines. The Academy of Model Aeronautics reiterated a partnership it's held iwth the US D

Seconds Later, The Engine Noise Stopped Again, And The Airplane Banked Left

On January 30, 2024, at 1029 Pacific standard time, an experimental amateur-built Vans RV-6, N30AK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Concord, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A review of preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration disclosed that the pilot departed from runway 19L at Buchanan Field Airport (CCR), Concord, California, at 1019. The data showed that the airplane remained within the airport traffic patten for a series of five touch-and-go take-offs and lan

From 2019 (YouTube Version): Company Updates Its Program For Highly Modifying Lancair IV-P Airframes

RDD Enterprises, a company that was created to modify Lancair IV-P airplanes into a safer, longer-range bird, provided Aero-TV with an update about the program at AirVenture. According to David McRae, the owner of RDD Enterprises, the LX7 is designed to be a faster and safer aircraft than the IV-P from which it is built. The company will help a buyer find a suitable donor airplane, from which the wings and tail are removed. The company installs an entirely new wing and tail, as well as new avionics and other upgrades. McRae said that the work is conside

Aero Linx: European Helicopter Association Representing the helicopter community in 13 Countries across Europe, including HeliOffshore – the Rotorcraft community of specialists within the off-shore sector. Our mission is to speak as THE voice for the European Rotorcraft industry at the European Institutions and elsewhere, promoting the best interests of all sectors.

Hold For Release Used by ATC to delay an aircraft for traffic management reasons; i.e., weather, traffic volume, etc. Hold for release instructions (including departure delay information) are used to inform a pilot or a controller (either directly or through an authorized relay) that an IFR departure clearance is not valid until a release time or additional instructions have been received.

"By continuing to align our drone operations with our commercial aircraft and helicopter operations, we are building confidence with global regulators. This has allowed Volatus to obtain numerous special approvals for operations requiring Beyond Visual Line of Sight flights, higher altitude flights, and heavier aircraft operations not currently covered by today's regulations both in Canada and the United States. Each authority allows us to increase our service offering and generate greater revenues using advanced drone technology." Source: Glen Lynch, CEO of Volatus, chatting about having been given authorization from the FAA to use uncrewed drones above 55 pounds for agricultural operations, even beyond visual sightlines.