A-4 Skyhawks, F-100s Return To The Air Show Circuit Next Year

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) 

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are going retro, bringing back some of their classic airplanes for the next air show season. The two teams jointly announced April 1 that the Blue Angels will fly the next season in A-4 Skyhawks, while the Thunderbirds will take to the skies in F-100 Super Sabres. The Blue Angels flew the A-4 Skyhawks from 1974 to 1986. The Navy determined that they had the best chance of finding and getting a team of seven A-4s in the air, rather than going back to something earlier.

Nicknamed The 'Crab Cub' -- A Quincycle Gear Equipped NX Cub Is Now Taxi Testing

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition OK... you had to know that they'd attempt something like this... CubCrafters is testing a new backcountry landing gear configuration that the company conceived to dramatically reduce the potential for ground loops in backcountry flying. Recognizing recent industrywide calls from regulators, insurance companies, and many in the pilot community to continue with safety innovation in the backcountry, the company sees broad applications for this new technology with flight training companies, various Government customers, and private aviators that just want a safer way to experience flying

Rumored Falcon Booster Display At SUN n FUN Cancelled As A Result 04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) As previously reported in a number of ANN's continuing investigative stories on the subject, the State of Florida thinks that if you buy a new or used aircraft and sign the bill of sale... this starts "the clock." It is Florida's position that for the next six months (possibly thereafter, though the burden of proof reportedly changes at that point), the state has the right to exact the requisite "Use Tax" (Sales Tax) for the fact you partook of the state's services unless you can show an equivalent Use or Sales Tax receipt from another state... now, in addition to a number of other possib

Increased Interest in Freighters, Demise of A380, Sees Market

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) To the surprise of... well, everyone... Boeing has taken the wraps off its newest and biggest airplane to date, the 747-1000 MAX Extra-Super Jumbo airliner -- and just as everyone was convinced we'd seen the last of its kind. In a ceremony held April 1 at the company's Everett, WA manufacturing facility, soon-to-be outgoing Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said that with the demise of the A380, and the increased need for LARGE freighter capable transport, there was an opportunity for Boein

'We CAN Do Away With Air Travel', AOC Says

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) An added proposal in the Green New Deal to do away with air travel in the next 10-12 years has drawn derision from many sectors, including the aviation industry and conservative media, but its principal champion says that new technology will make air travel obsolete. Congresswoman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was captured on an open microphone at a fundraising event telling supporters that she has information indicating that Star Trek-like transporter technology is about to be unveiled, which will end the need for climate-destroying airplanes. "They're on the verge of a breakthrough," AOC

Asks For $250K (Each), Apologies To Flock -- "But We Can Do Without Apologies"

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) Saying the 2009 downing of a US Airways Airbus A320 following an inflight  encounter with geese was "an avian tragedy unprecedented in the course of modern human events," on Monday the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed suit in US District Court of New York against the airline for the "unwarranted slaughter, fricasseeing, slicing, dicing, julienning and barbequeing of at least four Canadian Geese." "It's unconscionable such a tragedy has been laud

FAA Declares TFR Over Taylor Swift

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition In an unprecedented move that has left the aviation industry both amused and perplexed, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR), like that mysteriously gifted to the Special Interests that run the Disney locales, to none other than pop sensation Taylor Swift. The peculiar decision, which goes into effect on April 1st, 2024, has sparked a flurry of speculation among pilots and aviation enthusiasts.

Company Hopes To Offer Airplane At Under $100,000 04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) A startup company has launched a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of reviving the inflatable airplane concept explored by Goodyear 60 years ago, and which was cancelled in 1973. The company, HotAirAirplane LLC, says on its GoFundMe page that it has acquired the rights to the Inflatoplane from Goodyear, and plans to offer an LSA for under $100,000. “This would be the ultimate LSA,” said HotAirAirplane cofounder Scotty “Crackin’” Wise. “I was deep-diving Wikipedi

Dornier Amphibian To Fly DC-NY Route

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) U.S. Airways is making a comeback and says it will be the first major airline in more than 65 years to offer amphibious seaplane service to Manhattan, the company announced in a news conference Monday. The service is expected to be popular among Wall Street bankers, who often need to travel quickly to Washington, according to a company spokesperson. Since the seaplane service is "a regularly scheduled flight," bankers can avoid the political sensitivities associated with flying to Washington in a private jet. Passengers would also save time, since they can leave directly from Manhattan instead of traveling to an airport o

"Some Folks Simply Can't Be Trained To Deal With The Public"

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) An experimental outreach program with private industry seems to have gone astray as the mammoth Burger King food chain has terminated an agreement with the Transportation Security Administration. The agreement, announced with great fanfare in late 2007, was designed to soften the image of the TSA by cross-training their personnel in an environment where good solid customer service disciplines were actually taught and practiced. They chose Burger King for their "

Denial-of-Service, Anti-Satellite Product Removes the Competition with Eco-Friendly Flair

A lean little space startup is making waves with a new, no-holds-barred approach to coming out on top among dozens of satellite constellations - and not everyone is happy to see how. ConkSat has shown off ambitious plans to offer their new FragSat, an orbital denial-of-track system that grants total control to disable entire swathes of orbit at a very low cost. Using affordable, basic parts systems, ConkSat believes they can sell a perfectly functional Denial of Track, Denial of Path (DOT/DOP) anti-satellite system for pennies on the dollar compared to traditional weapon systems. FragSat's simple solution to preventing the competition from exploiting a s

Purchase Of American Companies Part Of A Larger Scheme

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) While campaigning for President, Donald Trump tweeted on April 1 that among the intelligence collected in the debunked Russian hacking probe is evidence that China’s years-long acquisition of U.S. aviation companies is part of a more nefarious plot to completely undermine US aviation. “China crashing US Aviation? Why else would they be buying all those companies … and we now have PROOF!” the President said on social media.

Here It Is! Our April 1 Edition Is Back In Action For 2024… With An Emphasis on The 'Classics'

I hate to say this but a couple of issues have arisen that have directed what we're doing with this year's April 1st issue... and not in the usual way. We've had way too many recent requests (over a hundred in the last few months) for us to send a link to one of the favorites that has appeared over the last 27 years... and we have more on our plate this year than ever before with SUN n FUN breathing down our necks, massive editing chores on the SportPlane Resource Guide and some work on a new project that we're finally going to st

‘Breathing Or Not-So-Much’ Could Soon Be A Question For Passengers

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) An internal memo from Spirit Airlines president and CEO Edward M. Christie III, obtained by ANN, indicates that the carrier is considering airplanes with graduated cabin pressure zones, with fees scaled for the different cabin pressurization. “Everyone will be able to breathe,” the memo states, “though some will complete the entire flight wearing an oxygen mask. The back of the plane will be pressurized to about the altitude of base camp on Mt.

Eye-Hand Coordination To Be A Major Factor

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) The FAA has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing a 4th Class medical certificate for Part 107 applicants. Under the proposed rule, those wishing to operate drones would be required to pass a medical exam showing they are physically able to fly the aircraft, focusing on eye-hand coordination and cognitive abilities. A psychological examination would also be required as part of the process. According to the NPRM, applicants would be required to demonstrate that they can quickly react

Confusion Over VP's Location Cited 04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) "It had to happen sooner or later," says one Air Force official who spoke to ANN, on background. The Capitol is all abuzz over the revelation that Air Force One, carrying the President, has been cited for a violation of an in-force TFR that was instituted to protect the Vice President. The details are being debated by a few in the know, but what we can piece together is this... Some time after Air Force One had taxied for take-off on Friday, a TFR was implemented (with the usual short notice) to cover the

Clamps Down On Medical, Police, News Aircraft Flights

04.01.24 Aero-News April 1 Special Edition (Classic) The City of New York announced April 1 that it is seeking to expand its restrictions on helicopter operations to include emergency medical transportation, Police helicopters, and news aircraft. “Those noisy choppers continue to disturb the peace and quiet that embodies New York City,” said New York City Mayor Adams over the blare of 10,000 car horns on a nearby street. “So we have asked medical transport companies and news operations to cut the number of flights they m

Klyde Bemoans The Fate Of A Windsock... Among Other Things

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

From 2023 (YouTube Version): Putting the ANT in Antihero

A Beech Starship speeds along at altitude. “Deflectors on!” a voice from within the aircraft cries. “Look! Over there!” the voice continues, “A droid battle star. I’ll bet they’ve detected us!” A second voice, this time from the Starship’s cockpit. “It’s a real pain being the pilot of a Beech Starship the day after the owner saw Star Wars.” “Forget TCAS,” the first voice exclaims. “Use the Force!” Such are the anecdotes and inside aerospace jokes by which cartoonist Wes Ol

BizAversion Reality Avoidance Syndrome (BRAS) BRAS is the curious tendency of certain federal lawmakers to shame users of corporate aircraft into giving up their jets... while at the same time relying on US Air Force aircraft (or even private Airbus A380s, apparently) to fly their families, friends, constituents, and good old-fashioned under-the-table special interest donors around the country.