A handful of congressional Republican vets took a leap from a vintage C-47 Skytrain in Florida, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the beach landings on D-Day. A team of House Republicans is set to jump out of a C-47 Skytrain in commemoration of D-Day's 80th Anniversary, joined by a delegation to Normandy, France. The team completed a practice jump last April, getting current and consistent ahead of the big day. At the time, it raised some eyebrows since their side of the aisle only had a single-vote majority, and they could scarcely afford to lose one of their own should the jump go awry.
Deliveries Could be Key to Cleanup Around Base Camps
DJI has shown off some of its mountaineering prowess again, making the first delivery tests on Mount Everest for some serious bragging rights. The company joined hands with Nepalese drone specialist Airlift to complete their trials, making use of the infamously brutal climate in order to show off its FlyCart 30. The little drone is able to haul 33 lbs of payload at a time even at altitude near the mountain. The FlyCart was able to haul a trio of oxygen bottles and 1.5 kilos of other supplies from the Everest Base Camp at 5,300 feet, all the way up to Camp 1 at 6,000 feet. The trip marks a first for the industry, being the first time drones were able to brave the harsh environment to make a succe
Amid Acrimonious Contract Negotiations, NetJets Says Ads hit Too Hard
NetJets Aviation sprung a surprise lawsuit on their pilot union, the JetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots, alleging that the group's fairly public statements over the last year defamed the company. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that the Union has defamed the company in its statements regarding safety, maintenance, and pilot training concerts stretching back nearly a year in total.
At Last, Boeing's Competitor Strikes True in Race to the Top
The United Launch Alliance was proud to announce the successful liftoff of an Atlas V carrying Boeing's CST-100 Starliner out of Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The new launch carries NASA Astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, marking what the Alliance refers to as "the return of human spaceflight to Cape Canaveral" while continuing a storied Atlas legacy.
Also: Hubble On Pause, FedEx Pilots Picket, Nexus eVTOL, VFS Honors
The Rotax folks have published a Service Bulletin after issues were noted that may affect all R915i and R916i series engines. Rotax operators have reported occasional, isolated, cases a momentary slipping of the overload clutch -- which may lead to a slight exceedance of the maximum rpm limit, followed by the engine rpm quickly normalizing. As previously noted, the next Starship launch seems to be pending... soon. According to Elon's troops, the fourth flight test of Starship could launch as soon as June 6 (pending regulatory approval). The launch window will open as early as 0700
A combined Spanish-Portuguese aerobatic demo team suffered a fatality at the Beja AirShow, when one of their aircraft clipped another during a performance. The show was held in the southern region of Portugal, the performing team's own backyard given their base in Ponte de Sor. Apparently, the lost pilot was the only one to die, with the other making a landing without incident. Electra has successfully achieved the first high-performance ultra-short flight operations of its piloted blown-lift hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing(eSTOL) demonstrator aircraft (EL-2 Goldf
Also: uAvionix AV-Link, Does Simming Make Better Pilots?, World Games, AMA National Fun Fly
Czech sportplane manufacturer Direct Fly has finished delivering its 200th ALTO NG, the latest iteration of their 600-kg sportplane. The Alto was previously offered as the Alto 912 TG model, sporting some light tweaks and changes for improved stiffness and durability. The Rotax folks have published a Service Bulletin after issues were noted that may affect all R915i and R916i series engines. Rotax operators have reported occasional, isolated, cases a momentary slipping of the overload clutch -- which may lead to a slight exceedance of the maximum rpm limit,
Massive Aviation News Event Started 2024 Off With a Plethora of Exciting Info
Last year, we introduced the SnF Innovation Preview in which 25 companies introduced over 30 new planes, products, engines, accessories, and more… in other words… a LOT of news. Rotax previewed the powerful 916iS, CubCrafters showcased the Carbon Cub UL, Bose introduced the A30, Aerox revealed the Boomula… and so much more. This year, we went beyond that... way beyond all that, with a larger selection of news announcements that covered ALL aspects of sport, general and commercial aviation... all at the start of the
The Project Looks Promising Enough for Procurement Already, but the Order isn't Firm Yet
XTI Aerospace announced that Mesa Airlines has placed an investment-cum-order into their company with an order for 100 TriFan 600 aircraft, a design they call a "fixed-wing, vertical lift crossover airplane" (VLCA) now in development. Should all the stipulations be met, the order could hit a value of $1 billion in revenue for XTI Aerospace. Along with the order, Mesa Airlines has become an investor with warrants and a minority stake in common stock shares. It's more or less a first for the smaller air carrier, who's calling the shot before the crack of the bat: The VLCA should be a winner. Jonathan Ornstein, chairman and chief executive officer of Mesa Air Gro
Also: Starship Set To Launch, Nexus eVTOL, Merlin, SPRINT X-Plane
The Drone industry has raised its hackles regarding the Drones for First Responders Act introduced by Congressional rep Elise Stefanik, describing it as a boon to the EMS/Fire/Police crowd at the expense of the recreational and commercial drone industries. Pivotal signed an 'Other Transaction Authority' contract with the US Air Force and its AFWERX Agility Prime program, providing them with access to testing facilities, segregated airspace, and "expert resources" for a 2-year term. The firm sees the contract as a very solid step in the right direction, where they'll be able to make
Also: NATA CEO In Legal Dilemma, WestJet Encore Settle, Drone Bill H.R. 8416, USN Jet Trainer
GAMA released their 1Q/24 GA Aircraft Shipment and Billing Report -- with mostly mixed news. The results for the first three months of 2024 when compared to the same period in 2023, show deliveries were flat for piston airplanes and piston helicopters, decreased for turboprops and turbine helicopters, and increased for business jets. Total aircraft billings were up 3.2% at $4.7 billion. Czech sportplane manufacturer Direct Fly has finished delivering its 200th ALTO NG, the latest iteration of their 600-kg sportplane. The Alto was previously offered
Also: Midnight eVTOL Certification, Falcon 9 Record, Pro Line Fusion, Europa Clipper
The warbird community celebrated Mark Novak, Chief Pilot of their B-29 'Doc', and his accomplishment of racking up 500 hours in the vintage bomber. On top of that, Novak built up more than 300 hours of time flying the other B-29 'Fifi', making him the modern era's most experienced B-29 pilot. The Airspace Center for Excellence has been given the blessing to begin operating Lakeland Linder International Airport's first concessions store, riding on the tail of new commercial service by Avelo Airlines. Evidently, there weren't too many bidders for the opportunity, wi
Funky SAF Alternative Gets Vote of Confidence from Swiss Manufacturer
Pilatus and Synhelion have announced a partnership aimed at scaling up the use of solar fuels in aviation. Pilatus will lead by example, using Synhelion's fuels in its own operations, and offer them to customers in similar fashion. To that end, Pilatus even became a shareholder in Synhelion, a brand spun off of ETH Zurich in 2016. Synhelion is tackling the fuel issue from a different direction, building an "industrial solar fuel production plant" in Germany as a pilot plant, with a commercial one planned for Spain in 2025. They're understandably cagey about the specifics, given the amount of money spent researching the process, but the basic system coalesces solar rays on a sing
Easy Online Forms Available For Sport Plane Manufacturers And Suppliers To Be Listed In The Upcoming eSPRG
Work on the SportPlane Resource Guide is going well… Albeit a little bit behind schedule, because as we got into this process, things became a bit more complicated simply because we learned we could do an even better job at certain aspects of this project than we thought from the beginning. They say that the enemy of true quality is the phrase "good enough" and we want to be far more than “good enough.”
FMI: www.sportplane.com,
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Also: VA Scholarships, Certification Standards, 'Staff the Towers', Women in Aviation Advisory
In partnership with Revv Aviation and the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID), Coe College is opening a new flight school and aviation management program. Those interested in becoming a professional pilot can complete their certification while enrolled as students within Coe's new aviation management concentration. Just as they got themselves a new contract, things spiraled out of control as the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots claimed, "Managers use intimidation, aggressive interrogation tactics to silence the Union's voice." Scarcely a few weeks passed si
With The eSPRG Only Weeks Away From Its Start Date, A-AF Will Help To Support Sport Flyers, Worldwide
With the all-new and all-digital SportPlane Resource Guide getting ready for publication early next year, the Aero-News Network is pleased to announce yet another addition to the Airborne video news programming roster… Airborne-Affordable Flyers. Dedicated to keeping people up-to-date on the most affordable aspects of sport and general aviation, Airborne-Affordable Flyers is one of our most exciting offerings yet. A-AF will delve into more than just the current LSA community, but look at all aspects of aviation to examine and ev
From 2016 (YouTube Version): A VW Bug Engine Conversion Has Matured Into an Engine for the Airplane Homebuilder…
While at EAA AirVenture 2016, ANN News Editor, Tom Patton, visited with the folks at RevMaster and talked with Ralph Maloof, who is an aeronautical engineer and inventor. The first thing we find out in this interview is that the RevMaster engine is based on the Volkswagen Bug engine, but it is not simply a Volkswagen engine with slight modifications to make it fit in an airplane. Maloof says it has been modified to the
Large Heavy-Duty Deer Feed Bag Obstructed The Radiator Inlet And Restricted Its Designed Cooling Capability
Analysis: Before departing on the local area flight in the experimental powered parachute, the pilot installed a large heavy-duty deer feed bag that partially covered the radiator. He was concerned that the experimental engine would run “too cold” during the flight unless the radiator was partially covered.The powered parachute was flying about 400 ft above ground level when the pilot noticed that the engine overheat light illuminated. The pilot decided to continue flying.
BIG Upgrades In The Works --- ANN Is Seeking EXCEPTIONAL New Staffers
The last few years have been about as challenging a time as we can recall... but we survive (yeah, we're kinda surprised, too) and look forward to 2023 and what we see as a very rewarding (and yes, still challenging) new generation of activities at ANN. After some truly weird times during the pandemic, ANN continues to expand slowly, but surely, and we have some truly intriguing upgrades coming up over the next few months. In other words, we're about to grow again -- REALLY/TRULY -- and in some novel directions. The much-appreciated expansion of
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And That's But One Of Over A Dozen Major Developments Planned For The Next Year Or So
Aero-News Network is now available on Roku and Amazon FireTV! That’s right folks. You can now get your daily dose of aviation news… right on the ol' giggle box! This is an EPIC development for our network, one of many to come, and we’re thrilled to offer you this new way to watch our news programming. Whether you’re a traditional website reader, podcast listener, or YouTube subscriber, we’re dedicated to giving you quality, honest, aviation news that you can trust and broadening our reach and audience aggressively in the coming years, so that we may both Grow and Inform the aviatio
Brand New! Avoid The Need For A Comeback... Get Your Marketing Right, Right Now!
Some time ago, the Aero-News Network, responding to numerous requests, established a marketing and communications sister company by the name of AEROPRENEUER... and it's been doing amazing work under these difficult circumstances -- and getting results! We're getting rave reviews from our clients, and working hard to earn the trust of a number of new marketing partners along the way. ANN's Amber Cedroni has come up with a few tips to help aero-businesses stay alive in these tough times, and
Emphasis On Growing The Future of Aviation Through Concentration on 'AFFORDABLE FLYERS'
It's been a number of years since the Latest Edition of Jim Campbell's HUGE SportPlane Resource Guide first saw the light of day. That massive 1100 page book last featured over 800 exciting sport aircraft from all over the SportPlane universe... at a time when the SportPlane industry was still a healthy, thriving enterprise (those were the days...). While there has been some consideration, off and on, toward updating the nearly 5 pound book, the near implosion of the SportPlane and kit industry over the last decade has made such a pursuit an unwieldy one... until now.
It’s been a while since we have reminded everyone about all the ways we offer your daily dose of aviation news on-the-go...so here is a full list of ways you can subscribe to our channels and get notifications when there are new episodes or breaking news!
1) Subscribe To Our Newsletter
When surveyed, almost half of our audience shared with us that they rely on our daily newsletter to get their aviation news for the day and stay up-to-date in their field or craft. Are you subscribed yet? If not, use the link below to receive our daily Propwash emails that always feature a feed of our latest stories and breaking news.
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Are you on Instagram yet? It's been around for a few years, quietly picking up traction mostly thanks to everybody's new obsession with mobile photography. Instagram is a social networking app made for sharing photos and videos from a smartphone - which has lent itself well to the news industry. Did you know that approx. 62% of adults in the United States get their news from social media? That’s more than you thought right! Aero-News Net
Aero Linx: Helicopter Association of Canada (HAC)
Mandate:
To promote a political and regulatory environment that will foster a prosperous Canadian Helicopter industry;
To educate members, civil servants, and the general public about issues important to the industry;
To promote the continued enhancement of flight safety;
To develop expanded utilization of helicopter transport at all levels of Canadian life; and;
To exchange maintenance practices and common issues among members;
Obstacle
An existing object, object of natural growth, or terrain at a fixed geographical location or which may be expected at a fixed location within a prescribed area with reference to which vertical clearance is or must be provided during flight operation.
"From the end of April, our team embarked on a groundbreaking endeavor to help make cleanup efforts on Everest safer and more efficient. We are thrilled to share that our DJI FlyCart 30 was up to the task. The ability to safely transport equipment, supplies, and waste by drone has the potential to revolutionize Everest mountaineering logistics, facilitate trash cleanup efforts, and improve safety for all involved."
Source: Christina Zhang, Senior Corporate Strategy Director at DJI, in comments made as DJI conducted ops in the lofty neighborhood of Mt. Everest.
Small-Timer Gets a Win in Court, but the Battles Are Far From Over
A lawsuit against Boeing from shuttered electric aircraft startup Zunum went against the big manufacturer, with the jury awarding the little upstart $81 million in damages. Zunum had pressed the case saying that Boeing's investment during a seed round was actually a covert technology transfer, allowing the big dog to snatch its nascent technology and beat the smaller company to market. Zunum was working on a hybrid aircraft to tackle the small regional jet market, anticipating a shift in the travel market. The jury believed its case that Boeing's actions were "willful and malicious", which opens the door for even more damages to be awarded.
Merlin's completed test flights with the KC-135 have borne just some fruit, with the firm's recent publication of updated tasking for their autonomy development team. They point to a trio of tasks that they put at the top of their to-do list, including automated checklist procedures, dynamic navigation, and emergency landing. Merlin stressed that they aren't just doing it all in a vacuum either, since they're working with "human pilot expertise to build a comprehensive autonomy framework that underpins the full suite of pilot skills and supports a safer, more scalable and resilient air network."
A combined Spanish-Portuguese aerobatic demo team suffered a fatality at the Beja AirShow, when one of their aircraft clipped another during a performance. The show was held in the southern region of Portugal, the performing team's own backyard given their base in Ponte de Sor. Apparently, the lost pilot was the only one to die, with the other making a landing without incident. Electra has successfully achieved the first high-performance ultra-short flight operations of its piloted blown-lift hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing(eSTOL) demonstrator aircraft (EL-2 Goldf
Joby Aviation snapped up Xwing Inc. in the hopes of bolstering its Autonomy Division, using the firm's Superpilot software suite. Joby apparently felt that it was easier just to grab something off the shelf instead of starting from square one, and Xwing was fairly good to go. In operation since 2016, the firm had made Superpilot to be the "world’s first fully autonomous gate-to-gate flight technology", using it to complete hundreds of fully automated flights and even more auto-landings.
Also: uAvionix AV-Link, Does Simming Make Better Pilots?, World Games, AMA National Fun Fly
Czech sportplane manufacturer Direct Fly has finished delivering its 200th ALTO NG, the latest iteration of their 600-kg sportplane. The Alto was previously offered as the Alto 912 TG model, sporting some light tweaks and changes for improved stiffness and durability. The Rotax folks have published a Service Bulletin after issues were noted that may affect all R915i and R916i series engines. Rotax operators have reported occasional, isolated, cases a momentary slipping of the overload clutch -- which may lead to a slight exceedance of the maximum rpm limit, follow
Also: Hubble On Pause, FedEx Pilots Picket, Nexus eVTOL, VFS Honors
The Rotax folks have published a Service Bulletin after issues were noted that may affect all R915i and R916i series engines. Rotax operators have reported occasional, isolated, cases a momentary slipping of the overload clutch -- which may lead to a slight exceedance of the maximum rpm limit, followed by the engine rpm quickly normalizing. As previously noted, the next Starship launch seems to be pending... soon. According to Elon's troops, the fourth flight test of Starship could launch as soon as June 6 (pending regulatory approval). The launch window will open as early as 0700CT. As
Last of its Kind to Make Rare Showing at 71st Fly-In
As time runs out before AirVenture 2024, the Royal Canadian Air Force has confirmed it will make an appearance with a vintage WWII Avro Lancaster Mark X, the last example of the breed on the continent. The addition of the Canadian bird will bring out plenty of their other gear, too, with the Lancaster being accompanied by the Canadian Forces CF-18 demo team. It's a rare showing for one of the "rarest warbirds in North America" for the 71st edition of the country's biggest fly-in.
Improvement Brings LSA to Poland, Germany, & Hungary
Czech LSA manufacturer Direct Fly has given its low-wing, tricycle geared LSA an upgrade, with a bump to a max takeoff weight of 600kg. The news comes after their Light Aircraft Association, their domestic aero regulator, approved the takeoff weight increase for the Alto NG. The change isn't anything too new for US buyers, since local Alto NG's are good to go at our full 1,320-pound max, but the approval does pave the way for the firm to begin selling the Alto NG in Poland, Germany, and Hungary.
Also: Starship Set To Launch, Nexus eVTOL, Merlin, SPRINT X-Plane
The Drone industry has raised its hackles regarding the Drones for First Responders Act introduced by Congressional rep Elise Stefanik, describing it as a boon to the EMS/Fire/Police crowd at the expense of the recreational and commercial drone industries. Pivotal signed an 'Other Transaction Authority' contract with the US Air Force and its AFWERX Agility Prime program, providing them with access to testing facilities, segregated airspace, and "expert resources" for a 2-year term. The firm sees the contract as a very solid step in the right direction, where they'll be able to make the bes
Also: NATA CEO In Legal Dilemma, WestJet Encore Settle, Drone Bill H.R. 8416, USN Jet Trainer
GAMA released their 1Q/24 GA Aircraft Shipment and Billing Report -- with mostly mixed news. The results for the first three months of 2024 when compared to the same period in 2023, show deliveries were flat for piston airplanes and piston helicopters, decreased for turboprops and turbine helicopters, and increased for business jets. Total aircraft billings were up 3.2% at $4.7 billion. Czech sportplane manufacturer Direct Fly has finished delivering its 200th ALTO NG, the latest iteration of their 600-kg sportplane. The Alto was previously offered as the Alto
After Years of Lag, Stakeholders Discover 'Prevention' Worth Just as Much as 'Cure'
In the usual run-up to summer, the wildfire industry is getting ready for another "hot one", as they seemingly have every year for the last decade or more. Even if it's just media bluster, it's nifty to know someone's on the case, ready to strike pop up fires and head off crises before they can spin out of control. The US National Guard signaled their readiness after a small roundtable designed to bring attention to readiness, though not everyone is on the same level of wildfire risk.
Also: Midnight eVTOL Certification, Falcon 9 Record, Pro Line Fusion, Europa Clipper
The warbird community celebrated Mark Novak, Chief Pilot of their B-29 'Doc', and his accomplishment of racking up 500 hours in the vintage bomber. On top of that, Novak built up more than 300 hours of time flying the other B-29 'Fifi', making him the modern era's most experienced B-29 pilot. The Airspace Center for Excellence has been given the blessing to begin operating Lakeland Linder International Airport's first concessions store, riding on the tail of new commercial service by Avelo Airlines. Evidently, there weren't too many bidders for the opportunity, with most
Also: VA Scholarships, Certification Standards, 'Staff the Towers', Women in Aviation Advisory
In partnership with Revv Aviation and the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID), Coe College is opening a new flight school and aviation management program. Those interested in becoming a professional pilot can complete their certification while enrolled as students within Coe's new aviation management concentration. Just as they got themselves a new contract, things spiraled out of control as the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots claimed, "Managers use intimidation, aggressive interrogation tactics to silence the Union's voice." Scarcely a few weeks passed si
Helix Grants Optimized, Lighter, Slimmer Seats with Bigger IFE
RTX's Collins Aerospace showed off its new Helix main cabin seat suite aimed at aircraft overhaulers and operators, providing an in-flight system that cuts weight and adds comfort for those in the cattle car. The Helix seat is more than just a bigger screen in a traditional seat, being a full product in its own right. The Helix suite sports increased underseat storage and minimized weight impact while supposedly providing a similar level of comfort to legacy seating. Seatbacks can be had with a large touchscreen for those raking it in with in-flight entertainment. In a more down-to-Earth approach to saving money and keeping things timeless, Collins offers the Helix without any of that
From 2012 (YouTube Version): Updates To Proven Zenith Designs...
While at the U.S. LSA Expo 2012, ANN News Editor Tom Patton speaks with Sebastien Heintz, the Owner and President of the Zenith Aircraft Company. Tom’s first question was to ask what’s new with the Zenith Zodiac 650. Heintz said the Zodiac 650 is the newest in a long line of successful Zodiac aircraft. The 650 has a new style canopy, a new style rudder assembly, and the demonstrator is fitted with the new UL Power 350iS engine. The discussion moved on to the Zen
Pilot’s Failure To Engage The Turbocharger For Takeoff And His Improper Decision To Continue The Takeoff...
Analysis: The owner recently purchased the experimental amateur-built, modified airplane. He did not have a lot of experience in the make and model airplane, so he hired the accident pilot to conduct the first flight since recent modifications. Witness statements and recorded video showed that during the takeoff roll from the 5,500-ftlong asphalt runway, the airplane accelerated slower than normal, used more runway than normal, and lifted off the runway in a nose-high attitude.
Aero Linx: MC-12W Liberty
The MC-12W is a medium-to low-altitude, twin-engine turboprop aircraft. Its primary mission is providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support directly to ground forces. The MC-12W is a joint forces air component commander asset in support of the joint force commander.
Designed to expedite the efficient and safe flow of ground traffic at an airport. These charts are identified by the official airport name; e.g., Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Choose How YOU Want To View Your Aero News: 'Headlines Only' Mode
We're all pretty excited about the current website design here at ANN, but we HAVE heard from some of you that you liked the way that content was displayed on the old site. We hear you, and before you chuck your bitgrinder out a 5th story window, you should know that there are several ways that you can view your Aero-Content.
"To advance autonomous flight systems, our focus remains on automating pilot skills that enhance efficiency but most importantly, prioritize safety at every stage. Progressing these skills underscores our commitment to gradually integrate automation with human pilots so that eventually these systems can autonomously perform tasks and alleviate the current constraints aviation faces such as pilot availability, training requirements, and crew rest."
Source: Alex Naiman, Merlin Chief Technology Officer, remarking as Merlin's completed test flights with the KC-135 have borne just some fruit, with the firm's recent publication of updated tasking for their autonomy development team.
Yak 52 Display Turns Fatal, But Still No Answers Yet
A combined Spanish-Portuguese aerobatic demo team suffered a fatality at the Beja AirShow, when one of their aircraft clipped another during a performance. Apparently, the lost pilot was the only one to die, with the other making a landing without incident. The other pilot, also a Yakstars man, was taken to the hospital despite light injuries just to make sure everything turned out okay. In the end, they expect the case will be complete with only one fatality, making it a rarity for Continental Europe, but another somewhat high-profile reminder for summertime show runners. As always, the incident is under investigation there.
Aerox has now made its Cylinder Sentinel application compatible across the board, allowing operators to wirelessly check the current condition of their aviation O2 bottles wherever they are in the plane from a simple phone. The system doesn't require the installation of any extra batteries or wiring, either, though that doesn't quite mean it does the job with air pressure. Instead, a CR2050 battery is retained in the install kit, which includes a T-fitting to retain the manual pressure gauge as backup. The Aerox app is available for both iOS and Android systems.
Rescheduled Launch Schedule Results in First Refund
A Japanese billionaire announced he would be pulling out of a prospective flight aboard one of SpaceX' Starships about 6 years after buying a ticket, citing a morass of delays and scheduling issues. The basic problem comes down to the launch schedule, as it always does. SpaceX hoped to help bootstrap development with fresh funding from would-be space tourists, but NASA's selection of the Starship platform for serious space missions threw all those plans into disarray.
Next-Gen Industries Invited to Bed Down in the Uintahs
Utah publicized a bevy of AAM plans centered around their new Air Logistics Transportation Alliance project, or Project Alta. They describe it as a "collaborative partnership with a mission to establish an advanced air mobility system for Utah," but it seems to be closer to a public-private middleman designed to ease integration into existing infrastructure. New tech brings a lot of new headaches, with all kinds of demands for each little system and design. Having a public bridge to help ease installation, or agree on standards ahead of time, should help Utahns roll out AAM with minimal waste and orphaned infrastructure in the far future.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced a fresh order for a dozen Gray Eagle 25M UAVs with accompanying equipment, for fulfillment to the Army National Guard (ARNG). The manufacturer will see the order paid out of 2023 congressional funding, which helps to bring them ups to speed. Tossing some Gray Eagles into the mix provides the ARNG with full multi-spectrum intel gathering capability, even a modest complement of ordnance from the air, which greatly enhances their capacity to leverage their artillery and field components. With a few Gray Eagles on Tap, they can be more or less self reliant in planning, targeting, coordinating, and communicating.
The Air Force's toy box has granted a contract for $10 million to UASD developer RapidFlight, specifically to 'develop and produce a 3D-printed, autonomous, fixed-wing aircraft system. The contract's Phase 1 will put RapidFlight to the grindstone designing SPX UAVs for T&E at the Autonomy Prime Proving Ground, after which it will conduct demonstrations of its performance before the USAF at their corporate flight test facility. Throughout the process, RapidFlight will train USAF operators on "comprehensive operations and maintenance training".
John W. Winter brought Mid-Continent Instrument Company into the modern era in 1980, purchasing the firm and using it as a base for expansion throughout the aviation industry. “My father mastered a unique trio of skills, being an exceptionally good mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, and astute businessman,” said Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics President and CEO, Todd Winter.
From 2014 (YouTube Version): After Restoring Mustangs, What Could Possible Be Next? A JN-4D Jenny, Of Course!
While at EAA AirVenture 2014, Special Aero-News Correspondent Michael Maya Charles has a chance to take a step back in time with Bob Baker from Alva, Oklahoma who is restoring a World War I era Curtis JN-4 Jenny. Baker is well known and recognized for his restoration of two P-51 Mustangs, and he tells Charles that he wanted to try something different. The JN-4 Jenny certainly qualifies as something being different from a P-51.
Less Than 8 Ounces Of Fuel Was Drained From The Fuel System
On April 24, 2023, at 1030 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built, Thatcher CX4, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot was unable to provide an initial statement due to his injuries. Witnesses at a golf club reported that the airplane struck palm trees during an emergency landing, resulting in substantial airframe damage.
Aero Linx: National Air and Space Museum
Take your curiosity to new heights. Explore the world’s premier collection of air and space artifacts, stories, and expertise. One museum, two locations. Discover the wonder of air and space by exploring our two premier locations, where you can see artifacts that took humans to new heights and truly were out of this world.
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Standard Terminal Arrival (STAR) Charts
Designed to expedite air traffic control arrival procedures and to facilitate transition between en route and instrument approach operations. Each STAR procedure is presented as a separate chart and may serve a single airport or more than one airport in a given geographical location.
“My father mastered a unique trio of skills, being an exceptionally good mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, and astute businessman. He set the bar high for himself and all to follow; supporting the pursuit of education as a means to achieve success. He taught us all not to shy away from obstacles or challenges, to be action oriented, and focus on achieving results. When I became President of the company, he handed me a commemorative plate with a picture of President Harry Truman, and one of his favorite quotes: The buck stops here!”
Source: Current Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics President and CEO, Todd Winter, remembering his late Father, John W. Winter, who brought Mid-Continent Instrument Company into
Parallel ILS Approaches
Approaches to parallel runways by IFR aircraft which, when established inbound toward the airport on the adjacent final approach courses, are radar-separated by at least 2 miles.
Hi Folks...
This is a special issue of the Propwash newsletter, dedicated only to its being a personal message from the ANN gang to you. I promise not to do this too often, but hope that I can impose on you for a few minutes in order to seek your continued support. We'd like to make one last pitch for book orders while they might affect the total print order. We have sent this book to the printer and are in pre-press prep right now (proofs expected today)... and the more we can add to the print tally, the more cost-effective our printing prices (per book) become.
As you