Redefining Island Hopping

On 23 May 2023, Textron Aviation, the parent company of Beechcraft, Hawker (formerly), Cessna, and Lycoming, announced the first passenger configured specimen of Cessna’s SkyCourier twin turboprop had been delivered to Western Aircraft, Inc.—doing business in Hawaii as L?na’i Air. The company offers luxury air service connecting Oahu to the island of Lana’i.

Also: Ukrainian Drone Order, Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, FlightSafety-Lilium, Forever Flight Alliance

The FAA has awarded Merlin a $1-million contract for purpose of demonstrating the capabilities of its Merlin Pilot product along Alaskan air-routes—albeit under the watchful eyes of onboard safety pilots. Merlin announced that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of New Zealand had concluded its review of the company’s first Stage Of Involvement (SOI-1) and approved a Plan for Software Aspects of Certification (PSAC). Archer Aviation’s eVTOL, dubbed Midnight, had recently completed a six-week series of tests in RUAG’s Large Subsoni

Gogo Galileo Product Line Debuts

Gogo Business Aviation, the American provider of in-flight broadband Internet and connectivity solutions for business aircraft, has unveiled a second electronically-steered antenna (ESA) compatible with the company’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) broadband network. The new antenna’s debut occasions the introduction of Gogo’s Galileo product line.

Grand Indeed

A subsidiary of Aircat Global Aeronautical Group, VirtualFly is an aircraft simulator concern with offices in Chicago, Illinois, Tampa, Florida, Los Angeles, California, and Castellgaì, Spain. In addition to designing and manufacturing certified and non-certified flight simulators for aircraft training and personal entertainment, VirtualFly functions as a flight-school and a distributor of aircraft and UAVs. VirtualFly’s products include FAA approved Flight Training Devices (FTD), full-motion flight-simulators, and simulator control interfaces such as yokes, power-quadrants, and rudder-pedals. The company’s $5,000 VF-G1000

Initial Order of Sustainable Fuel Comes to Geneva

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will soon be offered at Geneva Airport (GVA), offering Swiss operators a chance to take part in sustainable aviation ahead of widespread industry use. The change coincides with the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, set to be held from May 23rd to the 25th. Every new event is a good chance to bring some visibility to the shift to sustainable fuels, a brief moment when local operators have their attention focused on industry issues.

G700 Makes the Savannah to Tokyo Run in 13 Hours at Mach 0.89

As tradition dictates, Gulfstream readied itself to appear at another trade show with a fresh new speed record under its belt, this time taking a G700 from Savanna, Georgia to Tokyo, Japan at an average speed of Mach 0.89. The company's demonstrator made the sprint in 13 hours, also ticking off the G700's first trip to Japan. The record also put a cap on more than 2 million SAF-powered nautical miles flown by Gulfstream in its in-house flight programs. Gulfstream has continued to scoop up some records, as its G700 testbed added a city-pair record for Tokyo to Seoul, ROK; Seoul to Manila, Philippines; Manila to Singapore; and Bangkok to Amalty, Kazakhstan in the weeks leading up to

Smaller, Non-Moving Flight Training Device is More Efficient, Low-Profile Aid

Department of Defense contractors at Naval Air Station Whiting Field have completed new design to provide affordable flight training to pilots of the Navy's upcoming TH-73A. The TH-73A Part Task Trainers (PTT) and Desktop Avionics Trainers (DAT) could prove to be a cheap, simple training option for future naval pilots, allowing instructors to perform basic flight procedures and lessons without using up the extensive footprint of a full-flight moving sim.

Facility to House Europe’s First Global 7500 FFS

CAE, the Canadian technology concern and maker of world-renowned aircraft simulators, announced on 22 May 2022 that it is expanding its global network of simulator training centers to Central Europe. The announcement, made at 2023’s European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE 2023), set forth that CAE will presently open a new business aviation training center in Vienna, Austria. Operations at the new facility are slated to get underway in the latter half of 2024.

Also: Ukrainian Drone Order, Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, FlightSafety-Lilium, Forever Flight Alliance

The FAA has awarded Merlin a $1-million contract for purpose of demonstrating the capabilities of its Merlin Pilot product along Alaskan air-routes—albeit under the watchful eyes of onboard safety pilots. Merlin announced that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of New Zealand had concluded its review of the company’s first Stage Of Involvement (SOI-1) and approved a Plan for Software Aspects of Certification (PSAC). Archer Aviation’s eVTOL, dubbed Midnight, had recently completed a six-week series of tests in RUAG’s Large Subsoni

Perils of Open Water Twin Otter Operations

Federal authorities are endeavoring to determine if a Saturday, 20 May 2023 accident in which a de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter went down off the Pacific coast California’s San Mateo County is attributable to a malfunction of the aircraft’s fuel system. The mishap claimed the lives of the twin-engine turboprop’s two pilots.

$3M in Funding to Require $750,000 in Matched Local Money

Dalton City, Georgia is expanding its local airport, with the city council voting 3-0 to accept a $3 million contract with the State DoT for new hangars at Dalton Municipal Airport. The vote follows a request made last year for only $2.25 million in state funding for the same purpose. The General Assembly granted the request during the 2023 legislative session and included the funding in the 2022 fiscal year state budget. Of the $3 million, however, $750,000 must be found in local match funding, forcing Dalton City to have just a little skin in the game.

Aero Linx: The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, bearing the name of pioneer aviator and Hammondsport’s favorite son, is located on State Route 54, one half mile south of the village of Hammondsport, New York. Dedicated to the memory of Glenn Hammond Curtiss, the museum contains a priceless collection relating to early aviation and regional history. The museum also features a 75-seat theater, large open area for special events and a museum store. In addition to seeing the museum displays and exhibits, visitors are welcom

Ground Controlled Approach A radar approach system operated from the ground by air traffic control personnel transmitting instructions to the pilot by radio. The approach may be conducted with surveillance radar (ASR) only or with both surveillance and precision approach radar (PAR). Usage of the term “GCA” by pilots is discouraged except when referring to a GCA facility. Pilots should specifically request a “PAR” approach when a precision radar approach is desired or request an “ASR” or “surveillance” approach when a nonprecision radar approach is desired.

“We are innovating for a sustainable future and have been a leader in SAF use over the past decade. Our latest city pair speed record further showcases the investments we are making in our next-generation fleet, as well as the commitment we’ve made to the industry to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by 40% over a 15-year span, leading into 2034.” Source: A little bit of bragging from Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream, following some record-setting flying from their G700.