6000 Feet? The Experts REALLY Don't Think So...

Last August's hysteria over the reports of a jetpack and pilot flying at high altitudes near LAX is back. Another sighting was filed with the LAX tower as pilots from an inbound China Airlines flight reported another sighting at 6000 feet. 'A flying object, like a flight suit just passing us by at 6000' was the callout from the inbound Airbus. The target painted no known radar return, as before, and no one on the ground in the vicinity of LAX, has reported anything like this landing... Experts remain highly doubtful that what was seen was an actual jet pack, as the technology currently is not advanced enough to allow for the time aloft and altitudes required to perform such a stunt.

The Flight Constituted The 6th Re-Use Of The First Stage Booster

On Sunday, October 18 at 8:25 a.m. EDT, 12:25 UTC, SpaceX launched 60 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The flight constituted the 6th re-use of the first stage booster, the 62nd launch of a Falcon and the 32nd time that a booster was recovered on the seaborne droneship, "Of Course I Still love You." The early Sunday morning launch was the thirteenth Falcon 9 mission to deploy portions of the Starlink program and carried the designation of Starlink v1.0 L13. SpaceX is keeping up quite pace of Starlink launches in order to an initial operating capability said to require some 1440 sats.

Johnson And His Command Team Produced More Than 270 MH-60S Fleet Replacement Pilots And Aircrewmen

During the same week our Navy celebrates its 245th birthday, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 2 held its aerial change-of-command ceremony to mark the transfer of leadership Oct. 15 -- the air. Capt. Edward Johnson, who took command of HSC 2 in September 2019, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic’s largest MH-60S squadrons, was responsible for maintaining 22 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) assigned aircraft during his tenure. He turns over the command to Capt. Steve Thomas.

Aw... Heck No! Klyde Has Jetpack Fever!

FMI: www.klydemorris.com 

From 2017: EASA Certification Process Nearly Complete…

The Rotax 915 iS engine has been in the pipeline for some time, but now the engine is nearly ready to get flying. Marc Becker, Aircraft Business Manager for Rotax, told ANN editor Tom Patton at AirVenture that the company is nearly finished with the EASA certification process, but there is still some testing to be done. According to the company website, the Rotax 915 iS offers more power, the best power-to-weight ratio in its class, full take-off power up to at least 15,000 feet and a service ceiling of 23,000 feet.

The School of Aeronautics Currently Offers a B.Sc. in Aeronautics – Unmanned Aerial Systems

The FAA has selected the Liberty University School of Aeronautics UAS Program for its Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Collegiate Training Initiative (UAS-CTI), becoming one of only 26 schools nationwide to participate. “The FAA selected Liberty University because they recognize the effectiveness of our program in preparing students for careers in the unmanned aircraft systems industry,” said Dr. Rick Roof, dean of the School of Aeronautics. UAS is commonly referred to as drones. “Through this selection, the FAA is certifying to students, graduates, and employers that Liberty University has one of the premier UAS programs in the country. Th

Offers 'Powerful' Full-Frame Camera Payload For Aerial Surveying

DJI has unveiled two new payload solutions for its Matrice 300 RTK commercial drone platform. "With these two new payloads, we are providing an all-integrated complete solution to our enterprise customers active in accurate geospatial data acquisition," said Arjun Menon, Engineering Manager at DJI in the US. "Having a fully integrated capable and affordable Lidar seamlessly integrated into our best commercial drone is a dream that becomes reality for surveying, mapping and construction professionals. They will be able to see, cover and understand the geospatial context from a totally new perspective thanks to the high level of accuracy and quality of the data collected from these too

All Employees Of The UAV Subsidiary Will Transition To Honeywell

Ballard Power Systems has sold the UAV business assets of its subsidiary located in Southborough, Massachusetts to Honeywell International. All employees of the UAV subsidiary will transition to Honeywell Aerospace. Financial terms have not been disclosed. The companies are also committed to a long-term strategic collaboration to combine Ballard's expertise in fuel cell technology with Honeywell's leadership in aerospace and are working on agreements in respect of this collaboration.

Also: Expedition 64 Arrives, NTSB Corrects Media, New RAF Red Arrows Leader, Upgrade For A330-900

We have a packed episode today filled with the latest news, let's start with some exciting news... the Merlin Lite, A Real Ultralight, Makes its First Flight. We recently noted that Aero-marine-LSA's Merlin Lite made its first flight, quite successfully. The Merlin-Lite is an uncommon aircraft meeting the FAA's part 103 rules like no license or registration is required. The all-aluminum construction.. Merlin Lite is Ready-To-Fly which includes the engine, EFIS, GPS, and Electric Trim as well as a BRS-500 Em

Pilot Was Landing On A Remote Off-Airport Gravel Bar Located Along A River

On September 22, 2020, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N4380B, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska. The pilot was not injured. The Cessna was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations CFR Part 91 flight. According to the pilot, he was landing on a remote off-airport gravel bar located along a river. During short final, at about 20 ft above ground level (AGL), the airplane’s engine sputtered followed by a partial loss of power. The engine then surged briefly followed by a total loss of engine power as the propeller continued to windmill. Subsequently, the airplane touched down in the river short o

Aero Linx: The Lindbergh Foundation The Lindbergh Foundation continues the legacy of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s lifetime of service by spearheading bold solutions and inspiring talent to help balance technology and the environment. Founded in 1977 by Neil Armstrong, General James Doolittle and other friends of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, the Lindbergh Foundation has a distinguished history of enabling innovation at the nexus of technology and the environment. Through its awards, it has honored many prominent individuals for their extraordinary contributions to aviation and the environment. Through its grants, it has helped nurture talent and launch promising careers. Through its

ARINC An acronym for Aeronautical Radio, Inc., a corporation largely owned by a group of airlines. ARINC is licensed by the FCC as an aeronautical station and contracted by the FAA to provide communications support for air traffic control and meteorological services in portions of international airspace.

China Airlines 006: “We just saw a bright object at 6,000.” LAX Tower: “006 heavy can you say that one more time please?” China Airlines 006: “We saw a flying object like a [this part is hard to decipher, but it sounded like] flight suit jetpack at 6,000.” LAX Tower: “Was it a UAV or was it a jetpack?” China Airlines 006: “Like a jetpack. Too shiny. It’s too far.” LAX Tower: “006 heavy, roger, thank you… Emirates 215 heavy there was a jetpack reported about 13 miles ahead.”

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