Currently Sitting It Out Through May 1st

While pundits, galore, prophesy the return of 'normalcy' as the global pandemic continues to rear it's ugly head, the overall effect on aviation continues to be ponderous. With businesses shuttered by choice or government degree, and workers trying to stay at least 6 feet apart for those still punching the clock, the normally conservative world of aviation is taking a slow approach to potential recovery. A case in point is Honda Aircraft. Last week they confirmed that it was extending a previously announced suspension of production of its HondaJet Elite bizjet -- at least through May 1.

Acoustic Signature Testing Conducted At The Buttonwillow Airport

Everything is calm and quiet at the Buttonwillow Airport in northwest Kern County, California, as the Bell 525 Relentless reportedly moves one step closer to becoming the first certified-commercial fly-by-wire helicopter in the market. In the past month, the Bell team reports they completed another stage of flight testing – acoustic signature testing. They conducted the tests at the Buttonwillow Airport, an ideal location due to its lack of background noise and proximity to Bakersfield to support the test operation technicians. Adapting to the current global environment, the teams were able to maintain safe distances from each other during testing.

$100,000 in Scholarships Awarded to 29 Students

The Vertical Flight Society is pleased to announce its 2020 Vertical Flight Foundation (VFF) scholarship recipients. Scholarships totaling $100,000 are being awarded again this year to 29 of the world’s most talented engineering students interested in vertical flight. “Since 1977, our Vertical Flight Foundation scholarships have helped inspire generations of students to pursue careers in vertical flight, with many now holding leadership positions in industry, academia and government,” said VFS Executive Director Mike Hirschberg. “We have greatly expanded the program in recently years, tripling the total award given in the past decade and reaching more students than ever.&rdquo