NASA’s SOFIA Discovers Water on The Sunlit Lunar Surface

NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has confirmed, for the first time, water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. This discovery indicates that water may be distributed across the lunar surface, and not limited to cold, shadowed places. SOFIA has detected water molecules (H2O) in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth, located in the Moon’s southern hemisphere. Previous observations of the Moon’s surface detected some form of hydrogen, but were unable to distinguish between water and its close chemical relative, hydroxyl (OH). Data from this location reveal water in concentrations of 100 to 412 parts per million –

Also: Patented: uAvionix UAS RID, Fortress UAV, Drone Bridge Inspection, DroneSeed FAA Approval

AUVSI and AMA, along with the FAA have confirmed that the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has joined the UAS education campaign titled “Know Before You Fly.” This program provides prospective UAS operators with the information and guidance they need to fly safely and responsibly. “Know Before You Fly” was founded in 2014 as a collaborative effort between industry and government to inform consumers and businesses about what they need to know before taking to the skies with a drone

The Spacecraft’s Collector Head Is Overflowing With Material Collected From Bennu

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is ready to perform an early stow on Tuesday, Oct. 27, of the large sample it collected last week from the surface of the asteroid Bennu to protect and return as much of the sample as possible. On Oct. 22, the OSIRIS-REx mission team received images that showed the spacecraft’s collector head overflowing with material collected from Bennu’s surface – well over the two-ounce (60-gram) mission requirement – and that some of these particles appeared to be slowly escaping from the collection head, called the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM).

Aircraft Has Been Under Restoration For About 21 Years

The CAF’s A-26 Invader, which has gone by many names, most recently Lil Twister, is set to return to the skies on November 1. This aircraft has been in restoration for about 21 years. Volunteers are very excited to finally see the warbird in the air but will err on the side of caution and safety to ensure the airplane, the flight crew, and the weather are all ready to go before take-off. A-26 Invaders didn’t enter use until later in World War II but have the unique prestige of serving in three combat wars, as they saw action in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The aircraft is also well known for its speed and use in night missions. The CAF has three A-26s in the fl

Long Beach Gets The Axe... Van Nuys Picks Up The Slack

Gulfstream is 'streamlining and modernizing' its customer service and support experiences by leveraging new and expanded facilities throughout its network. Gulfstream calls this facility optimization the next step in a series of long-range facility modernization investments they launched in 2019 with the construction of the Van Nuys, California, service center and the expansion of its Savannah and Appleton, Wisconsin, facilities. The company also built new, more modern facilities in Palm Beach, Florida, and Farnborough, England, and announced plans to build a new service center in the Fort Worth area, as well.

From 2019: Gulfstream G700 Is Expected To Enter Into Service In 2022

A new flagship for the Gulfstream business jet line has been introduced at NBAA-BACE 2019 in Las Vegas. The G700 blends proven ultralong-range, speed and performance with flight-deck innovation and cutting-edge cabin creation to offer customers an unprecedented aircraft experience. Gulfstream announced the G700 on the eve of the 2019 National Business Aviation Association Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas. During the event, Gulfstream president Mark Burns revealed a full-scale mockup of the G700 and showed a video of the aircraft taxiing under i

FAA Will Be Partnering With The Know Before You Fly Campaign, And The UAS Safety Team

The FAA reports that the first National Drone Safety Awareness Week in 2019 was a great success! This year they are looking to build on that and continue the conversation about drone safety. The FAA will hold its second annual National Drone Safety Awareness Week, Nov. 16 to 22, 2020. The FAA is committed to ensuring the safety of the National Airspace System as we continue to integrate drones and other new technologies. Drone Safety Awareness Week is an opportunity for others to share their commitment to drone safety.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Are Expected To Play A Role With Global Humanitarian Organizations

The Flight Safety Foundation has undertaken a collaborative initiative to work with several leading international humanitarian relief organizations to facilitate and promote the safe use of unmanned aircraft systems to support humanitarian operations. The multilateral collaborative effort, with initial participation by the U.N. World Food Programme, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Medecins Sans Frontieres, was announced in conjunction with the Foundation's virtual 73rd annual International Air Safety Summit.

'Full Product Line Of Whole-Aircraft Emergency Recovery Parachute Systems Is Seeing Growing Acceptance'

Aviation Safety Resources recently noted that it has passed an ISO 9001:2015 registration audit and is now qualified under the high-level ISO standard. “We have focused on ensuring our quality system performs at the highest level and this qualification solidifies our commitment to meeting our customers’ quality requirements,” said Larry Williams, ASR president and CEO.

Airplane Cleared The Airport Perimeter Fence And Continued To Bank Right Until It Was Out Of Sight

On October 4, 2020, about 0935 Pacific daylight time, a weight shift control (WSC) light sport airplane, commonly referred to as a “Trike,” N449WB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hawthorne, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A witness was driving his vehicle near the Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR), Hawthorne, California, when he observed the airplane depart the runway and turned right at a height of about 500 ft above the ground (agl). Another witness and friend of the accident pil

Aero Linx: The Ultralight Pilots Association of Canada, UPAC The Ultralight Pilots Association of Canada, UPAC, is the national voice for Canadian Ultralight Pilots. The organization was formed in 1986 when the Ultralight Aircraft Association of Canada (UAAC) and the Microlight Owners and Pilots of Canada (MOPAC) joined forces. UPAC speaks for Canadian ultralight aviation interests in discussions with the federal government. We are committed to protecting the rights and privileges of all ultralight pilots and owners to assure freedom of flight in a minimally controlled flying environment. Our only focus is ultralight flying.

DME Fix A geographical position determined by reference to a navigational aid which provides distance and azimuth information. It is defined by a specific distance in nautical miles and a radial, azimuth, or course (i.e., localizer) in degrees magnetic from that aid.

"The abundance of material we collected from Bennu made it possible to expedite our decision to stow. The team is now working around the clock to accelerate the stowage timeline, so that we can protect as much of this material as possible for return to Earth." Source: Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, Tucson, discussing how NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is ready to perform an early stow on Tuesday, Oct. 27, of the large sample it collected last week from the surface of the asteroid Bennu to protect and return as much of the sample as possible.