Of Opportunities and Lost Frontiers

After a protracted and acrimonious bidding-war with Frontier Airlines that included Capitol Hill-esque mud-slinging and an attempted hostile-takeover, JetBlue Airways has announced that it is merging with Spirit Airlines. The $3.8-billion deal, when complete, will give rise to America’s fifth-largest air-carrier.

And the Bid Jumped Over the Moon

Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module on the surface of the moon at 20:17 UTC on 20-July 1969. Six hours later, at 02:56 UTC Aldrin disembarked the Lunar Module and secured his place in history as the second man to step foot on a world other than the Earth. On their way to the moon, Apollo-11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins wore jaunty mission jackets made of glass-woven beta-cloth. On 26 July 2022, Aldrin’s jacket sold at auction for an eye-watering $2,250,000—the most ever paid for a space-program artifact.

No More Bad Attitude or Sucking Wind

Aspen Avionics, the Albuquerque-based avionics concern offers important information to operators of its Evolution Pro MAX PFD; Evolution E5; Evolution 2000 MAX; and Evolution 2500 MAX systems: The majority of FAA approvals of single Evolution Pro MAX PFD or Evolution E5 systems allow aircraft owners to remove the attitude indicator from the retrofitted aircraft. FAA approval of Aspen’s Evolution 2000 MAX or Evolution 2500 MAX systems permits aircraft owners to remove the vacuum system and all backup indicators... 

Hail the Conquering Wolverine

Textron Aviation Defense—the military facet of the aviation division of the U.S. technology conglomerate Textron—has announced that its Beechcraft AT-6E Wolverine—a weaponized iteration of Beechcraft’s T-6 Texan II based upon Pilatus’s PC-9—has achieved Military Type Certification (MTC) from the United States Air Force. The AT-6 Wolverine is a multi-role aircraft designed to meet a wide variety of warfighting and peacekeeping (high and low-octane appellations for the selfsame enterprise) missions.

Also: ANN OSHKOSH Coverage!, NTSB At OSH22, Delta Contract Woes, Emergency/Drunk Landing

One of the aviation world’s most rugged training aircraft is going electric. CAE will partner with Piper to develop an electric-powered variant of Piper’s Archer. The conversion of the iconic airplane to electric power will be via a kit for which CAE and Piper intend to obtain an STC. CAE expects to convert two-thirds of its Piper Archer training fleet to electric power and develop a curriculum by which to train future pilots in the dark art of operating such machines. EAA has opened its Education Center. The new structure, a two-story, thirty-thousand-

Also: Gulfstream G800 Int'l, Textron OSH 1st Timers, HAWC Flies!, F-35A Buy

Boom Technology is undertaking the bold endeavor of bringing to market a 65-88 passenger airliner capable of 4,250-nautical-miles at Mach 1.7. Named Overture, it is designed to operate at more than twice the speed of today’s airliners. What’s more, Overture intends to accomplish its feats of speed and endurance cleanly—as the aircraft’s four engines operate on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). A more confident Boeing tells us that Delta Air Lines will update its single-aisle fleet with the 737 MAX. In a signing ceremony at the Farnborough International Ai

Also: ANN OSHKOSH Coverage!, NTSB At OSH22, Delta Contract Woes, Emergency/Drunk Landing

One of the aviation world’s most rugged training aircraft is going electric. CAE will partner with Piper to develop an electric-powered variant of Piper’s Archer. The conversion of the iconic airplane to electric power will be via a kit for which CAE and Piper intend to obtain an STC. CAE expects to convert two-thirds of its Piper Archer training fleet to electric power and develop a curriculum by which to train future pilots in the dark art of operating such machines. EAA has opened its Education Center. The new structure, a two-story, thirty-thousand-

AATDs for Cessna, Diamond, Beechcraft, Tecnam and More!

Virtual Fly North America designs and manufactures affordable high quality certified flight simulators. Discover their AATDs for Cessna, Diamond, Beechcraft, Tecnam and several single and twin engine training aircraft. Single seaters, dual seaters, static simulators and even full motion with analogue or glass cockpit configurations, their portfolio just keeps growing.

Aero Linx: The Arizona Pilot’s Association (APA) The Arizona Pilot’s Association (APA) was organized in 1978 to give Arizona’s general aviation community a voice in aviation matters. Our mission remains much the same today as we continue to promote general aviation through advocacy at various levels of state and federal government, as well as through partnering with other aviation organizations in advocating our common interests: promoting aviation safety, pilot education, and public understanding of general aviation; preserving, maintaining, and even re-opening Arizona’s backcountry and recreational airstrips; broadcasting Arizona aviation news; and connecting Arizona pilots

Tetrahedron A device normally located on uncontrolled airports and used as a landing direction indicator. The small end of a tetrahedron points in the direction of landing. At controlled airports, the tetrahedron, if installed, should be disregarded because tower instructions supersede the indicator.