North Carolina Takes Up Host's Mantle for October Events

Israel has announced that they won't be able to hold the 2024 Féderátion Aéronautique Internationale World Championships of Artistic Events, Formation Skydiving, Wingsuiting and Speed Skydiving as planned, reopening the bid to interested host nations. The situation there makes the Israelis understandably put upon to host a large international event, but surprisingly the world had few takers on their slot as host. The US Parachuting Association said that surprisingly, only a single host bid was placed. The winner was announced on the 1st of December, with North Carolina's Crystal Coast Skydiving hosting the Championships out of their home port of Michael J. Smith Fie

All Aboard Veterans of Withdrawal, Caravan Pilots

Three former members of the US-supported Afghan Air Force passed away after a crash involving a 1966 Cessna 172G in Independence, Oregon. The incident occurred when Mohammad Husain Musawi, the pilot in command, struck power lines while flying into the Independence area. Local officials say that the aircraft had little warning before contacting the power lines, thanks to fog throughout the region around 1700 hrs. The Cessna knocked out power downstream from the crash site, and caused a small brush fire as it sat.

Autonomous Industry Benefits From NASA Developments

NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia has been hard at work, testing out the viability of multiple BVLOS drones flying routes sans a human operator. “Flying the vehicles beyond visual line of sight, where neither the vehicle nor the airspace is monitored using direct human observation, demonstrates years of research into automation and safety systems, and required specific approval from the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA to complete,” said Lou Glaab, branch head for the aeronautics systems engineering branch at NASA Langley.

VP Racing Fuels Branches Out

VP Racing Fuels, Inc has announced the formation of VP Aviation, Inc, a new arm of the brand aimed squarely at providing unleaded fuels to general aviation. The brand recently passed a "major hurdle" in the FAA's Piston Engine Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI), saying their sample was "the first-ever such effort to enter into full-scale engine testing since the FAA's initiative to remove lead from aviation fuel began decades ago." Other unleaded avgas developers might have beaten them to the punch on that one, but their enthusiasm is understandable.

FAA-2023-1893 Is An Extension Of The Comment Period For The Referenced NPRM

This document announces an extension of the comment period for the referenced NPRM, which proposed the adoption of a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain FS 2001 Corp, FS 2002 Corporation, FS 2003 Corporation, Piper, and Piper Aircraft, Inc. (Piper) airplanes. This NPRM invited comments concerning the proposed requirement of replacing any rudder equipped with a rudder post made from a certain carbon steel with a rudder equipped with a rudder post made from a certain low-alloy steel. This extension of the comment period is necessary to provide all interested persons an opportunity to present their views on the proposed requirements of this NPRM.

Pilot’s Inadequate Fuel Planning And Fuel Management, Which Resulted In A Loss Of Engine Power...

Analysis: The airplane departed from its home airport for an airport about 802 nautical miles away with the airplane’s fuel tanks filled to their total fuel capacity of 98 gallons. The pilot planned for the flight to only be a single leg, but about 1.5 hours into the flight he decided to land for fuel due to the 20-knot headwind, which he had not accounted for during his flight planning. About 2 hours and 53 minutes into the flight, the pilot advised air traffic control (ATC) that he wanted to divert for fuel and then resume his instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan to his destination.