"Serious Breach" of Procedures During Layovers

Cathay Pacific fired 3 of its pilots reportedly infected with Covid-19, citing a breach of company procedures while on overseas layovers. The company was taciturn as to the details involved in the decision to terminate flight crews, with little official information to fill in the gaps. Other Cathay staff who stayed at the same hotel in Frankfurt since November 1 were ordered into a Hong Kong government-mandated quarantine upon their return home. Rumors around the Hong Kong approach to Covid policy have assumed the country's top priority is to reopening travel with China as soon as possible.

2020 Sees a Little Less of Everything

The NTSB has announced a decrease in fatalities for 2020, with sweeping reductions in flight activity across the country, according to its most recently compiled statistics. For a country with spotted lockdowns, a patchwork of travel regulations, and consumer pessimism, it's somewhat unsurprising to see the depression in travel throughout the year. The report is happy to note that for the first time in two consecutive years, no Part 121 air carriers were involved in fatal accidents, a return to normalcy. As per the usual course of things, fatalities came almost entirely from general aviation operations, where 332 lives were lost, down from 414 the year before. The overall fatal accident rate was 1.049 acc

Heartening News: Aircraft Shipments and Billings Lookin' Good

The General Aviation Manufacturer's Association released the third quarter report on GA shipments and billings, showing strong increases in 2021 when compared to an anemic 2020. Turboprop, business jet, and helicopter deliveries saw increases during the first 9 months of the year, with near parity in piston airplane shipments. Overall, statistics for the industry have improved across the board, no difficult feat for a year that was frought with economic uncertainty and erratic travel conditions. More interesting the the recovery seen compared to 2019 figures, where most categories show near parity to modern quantities. Piston aircraft sales in 2021 only lagged from 2020 numbers by

Targets Luxury Sports Car Market for Personal G-250 Variant

Swedish helicopter specialty company Savback is working with Italian outfit GHT Helicopters to create an ultra-light helicopter, an affordable, reliable product suitable for personal ownership and flight training. With an eye towards Italian automotive styling and design history, Savback's expertise in rotary-wing technology, and some outside-the-box thinking the pair see their offering as a dynamic addition to the quickly growing air mobility market. Using the base of GHT's G-250 Eagle, a small capsule helicopter boasting low fuel consumption, FADEC, and performance belying its size, the companies are looking to create a more premium, upmarket version with striking styling and turbi

From 2017: Bringing Back The Round Cowl…

There is just something about a radial engine. They harken back to what many call aviation's "Golden Age" of classic airplanes and barnstorming. Now, the radial engine is making something of a resurgence, thanks to Rotec Aerosport, which had several engines and airplanes on display at Sun 'n Fun in April, including a Vans RV-8 with a round cowl. Paul Chernikeeff, Founder and Director of Rotec Aerosport, told ANN new editor Tom Patton that the company didn't start with much of a business plan. "We thought radial engines are cool, and if we build one small and compact enough, people will use it." And that h

Maintenance Changes to Legacy 600, Lineage 1000

Embraer Services & Support announced a new maintenance program for their Legacy 600 and Lineage 1000 business jets at the 2021 Dubai Air Show. For those operating the Legacy 600 and 650 aircraft, Embraer has done away with the need for an intermediate stop for low utilization customers, allowing the inspection package of tasks formerly completed every 6 months to now be extended to an annual inspection for low-use operators. The announcement is good news for those operators with a total of 291 aircraft. Legacy 600s account for the slight majority at 157 in operation, with their Legacy 650 sibling making up 108 of the flight. The ultra-large Lineage 1000, a derivation of the successful E190 commer

Museum Commemorates Pan American World Airways

As the calendar approaches December 4th, a small aerospace museum in Garden City, New York readies itself to celebrate 64 years of service for the foundational, defining work of Pan Am. The seminal airline that wrote the book on luxury, sophistication, and service closed its doors for the last time in 1991 in a world of increasing fuel costs, economic difficulties, and security woes. On December 5, 2021, the Pan Am Museum Foundation will host a public event to celebrate the legacy of the airline, and those who built it, with the unveiling of its newest exhibit: The Pan Am Saga, following the life of the company from its humble beginnings in 1927 to it’s fall amongst the world’s giants year

Also: Bristow Group, B757-200 FFS Certified, EXP Safety Record, Rostec Training Chute

Sarah Tamar, a Caravan seaplane pilot for Tailwind Air in New York City, is the 6th annual recipient of the WAI / Martha King Scholarship for Female Flight Instructors. Prior to winning this year’s Women in Aviation assistance, she worked at an advertising job in an office by New York’s East River, watching float planes come and go. She felt a calling then, saying, “I didn’t know I was meant to fly, I didn’t know I had the potential to become a pilot. I didn’t know flying seaplanes for a living would become my life’s purpose.&

The Canopy Was About 1.5 Miles From The Main Wreckage

On October 31, 2021, about 1320 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Vans RV-4, N479JJ, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Chattahoochee, Florida. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot departed the Tallahassee International Airport (TLH), about 1303 destined for Monroe County Aeroplex Airport (MVC), Monroeville, Alabama. After departure, the air traffic controller terminated radar services and approved the pilot to change radio frequencies. According to preliminary radar data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, the airplane continued westbound for abo

Aero Linx: The Civil Aviation Authority of Norway The Civil Aviation Authority of Norway’s main objective is to contribute to safe civil aviation in Norway. CAA Norway’s main office is in Bodø in the northern part of Norway. We have 190 highly competent employees covering all fields of aviation. CAA Norway is an autonomous and independent administrative body responsible for ensuring safe and efficient operation of civil aviation in Norway. CAA Norway issues regulations in the field of aviation. CAA Norway has the responsibility to oversee and regulate all aspects of civil aviation in Norway, implementing and customising national and international legislation and regulations. CAA No

Mach Technique [ICAO] Describes a control technique used by air traffic control whereby turbojet aircraft operating successively along suitable routes are cleared to maintain appropriate MACH numbers for a relevant portion of the en route phase of flight. The principle objective is to achieve improved utilization of the airspace and to ensure that separation between successive aircraft does not decrease below the established minima.

“The general aviation manufacturing industry has shown perseverance with continued growth, all while still navigating pandemic-related setbacks, including ongoing supply chain and workforce challenges. Despite the constraints imposed by shortages of parts and people, our manufacturers and maintenance providers are working hard to meet the growing demand for both new and used aircraft, which we obviously welcome and embrace. Our members are also leading the way in new innovations and technologies, which will shape the future of aviation. The first nine months of 2021 have shown great progress and we look forward to seeing how the year closes out...” Source: GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce, commenting the Q3/21 Sales Numbe