Also: CF-18 Demo Team Cancels, Spirit Admits To Interruptions, Hilton Software Win$, GPS Sat Named

In one of the most expensive ground accidents of recent note, a ramp collision between a Skydiving operation's DHC-6 Twin Otter and a USMC MV-22 Osprey may set some kind of record... both in terms of money, as well as paperwork/heartburn. The May 30th mishap took place at Brown Field Municipal Airport. An MV-22 Osprey belonging to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163, based at Miramar MCAS, had been conducting some 'routine' training operations in the area and parked the Osprey at Brown. No Marines w

"...Will Only Return To Service Following The Completion Of A Comprehensive And Rigorous Review Process"

Put on the hot seat by the US Senate, FAA Boss, Stephen M. Dickson, has affirmed that the Boeing 737 MAX will only return to service following the completion of a comprehensive and rigorous review process. Before the aircraft returns to the skies, the FAA must sign off on all technical reviews of Boeing’s proposed safety enhancements, Administrator Dickson said during testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the families of the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air accidents. Furthermore, Dickson pledged that he will fly the aircraft himself and must be satisfied that he would put his fam

Talk About An Impromptu Fly-In Is Not Getting Support From Wittman Field Or EAA

2020 will go down in aviation history as a very tough year... we lost the AEA Convention, dozens of Airshows, military teams had to stand down, Sun 'n Fun didn't happen and worst of all, Oshkosh was killed off... all due to a virus and the panic that surrounded it. Looking at the matter carefully, EAA really didn't have much of a choice in the matter as the state was taking a pretty strong stand about such gatherings and the many uncertainties about the state of the pandemic simply made it impossible to plan the event in the time necessary. Still; even with an iron-clad cancellation, talk has been popping up here and there about venturing to Oshkosh for the week of the

An Uncommonly Kind and Skilled Aviator Has Gone West

Personal Note: I got to know Dick Rihn when we were both in Red Deer, Alberta Canada, for the WAC, as part of the 1988 US Aerobatic Team. A kind and affable guy, he was easy to talk to, and really a team player in every sense of the word. During that week, I tweaked my neck in the midst of some pretty heavy duty air-to-air photography and wound up in a great deal of pain. Dr. Rihn noticed my discomfort without being asked, and quickly helped me get past it so that I could continue to get on with my photo work. His immediate and simple kindness made a huge impression on me. You see; I grew up in a family in which we were proud to have one of the finest Doctors I'd

From 2019: Coast-To-Coast Solo In A Pipistrel Sinus Motorglider

Riley Speidel is not like most 14-year-old girls. Instead of living on social media, talking about boys, fashion, and anything else many other 14-year-old girls do, Riley’s interests are navigation, aircraft performance, and fuel consumption. Finishing the school year on June 7, most of Riley’s classmates would be thinking about summer vacation, summer jobs and chasing boys, but Riley is different! Riley left school that day and just a few hours later, at around 1:30pm, she departed on an epic solo trip flying a Pipistrel Sin

First Operational Block III Jets To Be Delivered In Early 2021

The first two F/A-18 Block III Super Hornets have been to the U.S. Navy for flight testing. One jet is a single-seat E model and the other is a two-seat F model. “The aircraft will be used for carrier suitability and integration testing of all Block III mission system components,” said Steve Wade, Boeing vice president, F/A-18 & E/A-18G programs. “These test jets will ensure crews have plenty of time to become comfortable with the new, next-generation systems before receiving operational aircraft.”

Production Winding Down For Pivotal Aircraft

If you were looking to get your hands on an iconic but otherwise brand new Bizjet, you blew it. Gulfstream has sold the last commercially available Gulfstream G550, clearing the way for production to wind down. The final commercial aircraft will be delivered to a customer in 2021. “The G550 set the standard for subsequent aircraft and the industry,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream.

The Return To Flying Operations Follows A Thorough Risk Assessment

The Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division, Lieutenant-General Alain Pelletier, has lifted the operational pause on the CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter fleet, following a 29 April 2020 accident that took the lives of six persons. The return to flying operations follows a thorough risk assessment that outlined mitigation measures to ensure aircrews understand the conditions that led to the crash and how to avoid or resolve them. The accident took place during a return for shipboard recovery, as the aircraft made a pass on the port side of the ship, from stern to bow. The aircraft then executed a left hand turn to establish a downwind leg in preparation for approach to the ship. Ast

Department of Transportation Further Modifies June 3 Order

Since March, Chinese government policy had blocked U.S. air carriers from resuming passenger service between the United States and China. Chinese air carriers continued to fly between the two countries. The United States responded with an order, effective June 16th, that would limit Chinese air carriers to the total number of flights U.S. air carriers were allowed to fly. "Today, on June 15th, the U.S. Department of Transportation was notified that U.S. carriers have been approved to fly 4 weekly flights to China. The affected U.S. airlines have confirmed this. We welcome this action by the Chinese government, as an important first step to fully restore air travel. Consequently, the Depart

Atmospheric Conditions Were Conducive To "Serious Icing At Descent Power."

On May 19, 2020, at 0920 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Challenger Special, N97KV, was involved in an accident near Titan Field (TN23), Clarksville, Tennessee. The commercial pilot and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector, the pilot provided a written statement and discussed the accident with him. The pilot stated that he completed a 30-minute local flight and returned to TN23 for landing. He described the descent and the arrival over the river that ran perpendicular to the approach e

Aero Linx: Piedmont Silver Eagles Explore The History Of Piedmont Airlines. Our organization is dedicated to the flight crews and all the employees that made Piedmont Airlines one of the most successful airlines in North America. We started as a group of retired Piedmont Airlines Pilots and grew to include their families and other airline employees.

Circle-To-Land Maneuver A maneuver initiated by the pilot to align the aircraft with a runway for landing when a straight-in landing from an instrument approach is not possible or is not desirable. At tower controlled airports, this maneuver is made only after ATC authorization has been obtained and the pilot has established required visual reference to the airport.

"We’re all disappointed with the cancellation of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2020, as it means so many different things for everyone who attends. For thousands of aviators, flying to Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) is a highlight in the logbook. As AirVenture 2020 is not taking place, Wittman Regional Airport will operate normally as a public use airport with contract tower services. For those considering flying to Oshkosh in late July, it’s important to manage expectations about what is permissible: Aircraft parking for itinerant traffic is available on the Terminal / Basler FBO Ramp. No permit has been obtained for aircraft parking or camping on any turf areas of the airfield and therefore is not permitted.