Sat, Jan 23, 2021
Also: Partial Aero-Recovery in 2021?, Bell 412, 15 More KC-46 Tankers, Super Bowl LV v Drones
Another major aviation event has had to give way to the damage done by the COVID pandemic. Aero Friedrichshafen has made the decision to delay its next show until July... but only a little more than a week before Oshkosh 2021. The 2021 summer edition of AERO Friedrichshafen will run from July 14 to July 17. AirVenture 2021 begins on July 25th. Ouch. Aviation Safety Resources and Grug Group have completed a strategic development and supply agreement that will make ASR’s parachute recovery system standard equipment on Grug's SBX aircraft. “Whole-aircraft vehicle parachute recovery systems are essential to the projected market growth of eVTOL Urban Air Mobility,” said Larry Williams, ASR president and CEO. The SBX is a full electric aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. P
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Sat, Jan 23, 2021
Also: Virgin Orbit Launch Demo 2, Super Bowl LV, Skydio Earns CES Award, Drone Gambling
As previously noted, a CA drone pilot was arrested on suspicion of having flown his hobby drone into an LAPD helo. Now, this overtly errant drone pilot has pleaded guilty to a federal criminal charge that he recklessly operated a drone that crashed into and damaged the fuselage of a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter. Andrew Rene Hernandez, 22, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft. AeroVironment and Arcturus UAV have entered into a definitive agreement under which AeroVironment will acquire Arcturus UAV for a total purchase price of $405 million, including $355 million in cash and $50 million in AeroVironment stock. Founded in 2004, Arcturus UAV has approximately 270 employees, designs and manufactures Group 2 and Group 3 UAS and provides related services, in
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Sat, Jan 23, 2021
Special Activity Airspace (SAA)
Any airspace with defined dimensions within the National Airspace System wherein limitations may be imposed upon aircraft operations. This airspace may be restricted areas, prohibited areas, military operations areas, air ATC assigned airspace, and any other designated airspace areas. The dimensions of this airspace are programmed into EDST and can be designated as either active or inactive by screen entry. Aircraft trajectories are constantly tested against the dimensions of active areas and alerts issued to the applicable sectors when violations are predicted.
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Sat, Jan 23, 2021
Aero Linx: Aces High
Aces High is an international company specialising in the highly collectible field of autographed Aviation and Military Fine Art. With major Galleries in the UK and France, we promote the world's most collected Military artists such as Robert Taylor, Anthony Saunders, Richard Taylor, Simon Smith and many others.
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Sat, Jan 23, 2021
Send Them A Story -- We Don't Mind!
Do you need another set of eyes to see that story you can't believe Jim just wrote? Want to spread ANN's unique wisdom and perspective to the masses, or share the latest Klyde Morris with another member of the flying community? (Or perhaps to someone who just really, really likes ants?)
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Sat, Jan 23, 2021
“Investing in the future remains essential, even in times of crisis, especially when those innovations bring added value to our customers by targeting increased safety, reduced pilot workload, and reduced sound levels. Having a dedicated platform to test these new technologies brings the future of flight a step closer and is a clear reflection of our priorities at Airbus Helicopters.”
Source: Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO, describing Airbus Helicopters' Flightlab, a platform-agnostic flying laboratory exclusively dedicated to maturing new technologies. Airbus Helicopters’ Flightlab provides a test bed to quickly test technologies that could later equip Airbus’ current helicopter range, and even more disruptive ones for future fixed-wing aircraft or (e)VTOL platforms.
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Fri, Jan 22, 2021
Also: Space Florida, Datalink ADS-B, American Rocketry Challenge, 25-Hour Voice/Data Recorders
An ANN visit to Velocity Aircraft this week was an eye opener... one of the few true survivors of the once-bustling sportplane kit industry, Velocity’s decades of experience and a dedicated builder/owner community continue to show signs of strength... And growth. Two ongoing projects, possibly heading for kit production, are pretty exciting. The Velocity V-Twin, which continues to be the hottest product at Velocity is being stretched into a six-place configuration (which may, ultimately be built as a single or a twin) and one of the V-Twins will soon fly... as a turbo-prop! HAI Heli-Expo 2021 is officially cancelled... After an increase in rumors about important cancellations by critical companies in the helicopter industry like Sikorsky, Bell, Airbus, Robinson, and more, HAI has made t
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Fri, Jan 22, 2021
Also: 2021 Reno Air Races, Air Travel Down 60%, SLS Hot Fire Test Terminated, Honda Aircraft
Virgin Orbit confirmed that its LauncherOne rocket reached space during the company’s second launch demonstration, successfully deploying 10 payloads for NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP). Virgin Orbit’s launch system uses a technique called air launch, in which a rocket is launched from under the wing of a jet aircraft, rather than from a traditional launch pad on the ground. In addition to improving the payload capacity of the rocket, this technique allows the LauncherOne system to be the world’s most flexible and responsive launch service — flying on short notice and from a wide variety of locations to access any orbit. HAI is determined to pull this off and restore some normalcy. despite a number of vendors pulling out on the last allowable cancellation day, some
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Fri, Jan 22, 2021
Surveillance Approach
An instrument approach wherein the air traffic controller issues instructions, for pilot compliance, based on aircraft position in relation to the final approach course (azimuth), and the distance (range) from the end of the runway as displayed on the controller’s radar scope. The controller will provide recommended altitudes on final approach if requested by the pilot.
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