Ingenuity Unlocked Its Rotor Blades, Allowing Them To Spin Freely, On 4/7

Based on data from the Ingenuity Mars helicopter that arrived late Friday night, NASA has chosen to reschedule the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter’s first experimental flight to no earlier than April 14. During a high-speed spin test of the rotors on Friday, the command sequence controlling the test ended early due to a “watchdog” timer expiration. This occurred as it was trying to transition the flight computer from ‘Pre-Flight’ to ‘Flight’ mode. The helicopter is safe and healthy and communicated its full telemetry set to Earth.

Nightlife At Oshkosh is NOT To Be Missed!

Famous aviators, astronauts, and innovators are among those participating in this year’s Theater in the Woods evening programs, one of most popular annual features at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The evening programs, which are scheduled from Sunday, July 25, through Saturday, July 31, bring these personalities to Theater in the Woods for presentations and conversations that have been a unique part of AirVenture for 50 years.

National Aerobatics Day Is The Fourth Saturday In June Each Year

National Aerobatics Day will debut on Saturday, June 26 as announced by Jim Bourke, President of the International Aerobatics Club (IAC) in March. Since that time, many aviation leaders have expressed much enthusiasm for the new celebratory day. “Aerobatics is another way to improve your overall stick and rudder skills. It is a natural extension to upset training that is often encouraged by plane manufactures and insurance companies,” said Jack J. Pelton, EAA Chairman and CEO.

TBM 940 and Kodiak 100 Expected To Fly In

Despite the many issues involved in international travel these days, Daher is expected to highlight its aircraft product line during next week’s Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo at Lakeland Linder International Airport with a side-by-side presence of the Kodiak and TBM single-engine turboprop airplanes. For the company’s April 13-17 presence on booth #MD22, Daher will exhibit the sport and utility Kodiak 100 – whose Series III version was recently announced; along with a Model Year 2021 TBM 940, equipped with the HomeSafe emergency autoland system.

From 2015 (YouTube version): Innovation, Such As That Seen At Avilution, Is As Much An Evolutionary Process As It Is Revolutionary

At Sun ‘n Fun 2015, ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, came across a company by the name of Avilution and talked with its founder, Mark Spencer. Avilution is in the process of developing an aircraft avionics and flight display system that does what you expect in all such systems, but they do it in a different way. Avilution had an aircraft on display with a system that looked like a typical glass cockpit that included the MFD and the PFD. 

Rocket Lab Hopes to Make 'Electron' The First Reusable Orbital Small Launch Vehicle

Rocket Lab reports that on its next mission the company will attempt to bring a rocket back from space, slowing the Electron launch vehicle down from speeds of >Mach 8 as it re-enters Earth’s atmosphere before splashing the rocket down in the ocean. The complex mission is the next major step toward making Electron the first orbital-class reusable small launch vehicle, enabling rapid-turnaround launches for small satellites.

ALPA Believes That Action In Several Critical Areas Will Allow The US To Break Down Barriers

Jumping on the bandwagon, ALPA has sent a letter to the SecTrans outlining a plan to reduce the costs of becoming an airline pilot and create a more diverse and inclusive air transportation workforce while ensuring that the United States, "continues to stand as the unquestioned global leader in aviation safety."

Controllers Became Concerned About The Pilot Possibly Suffering From Hypoxia

On September 1, 2020, about 2007 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-235 airplane, N8957W, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Walker, Minnesota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The flight originated at Hardy-Anders Field Natchez-Adams County Airport (HEZ), Natchez, Mississippi, about 0912, and landed at Kirksville Regional Airport (IRK), Kirksville, Missouri about 1303. According to records obtained from the FBO at IRK, the pilot purchased 76.1 gallons of 100 low lead aviation gas. The airplane departed IRK about 1436 with an intended destination of Bemidji

Aero Linx: National Aerobatics Day The skill, beauty, and excitement of aerobatic flight will be celebrated on Saturday, June 26, during the inaugural National Aerobatics Day, as announced by Jim Bourke, President of the International Aerobatics Club (IAC). IAC has established National Aerobatics Day as the fourth Saturday in June each year. It will highlight the dedicated pilots who fly these precision maneuvers as well as the support teams and volunteers that make it possible.

Instrument Approach Operations [ICAO] An approach and landing using instruments for navigation guidance based on an instrument approach procedure. There are two methods for executing instrument approach operations: A two-dimensional (2D) instrument approach operation, using lateral navigation guidance only; and A three-dimensional (3D) instrument approach operation, using both lateral and vertical navigation guidance.

“Aerobatics is another way to improve your overall stick and rudder skills. It is a natural extension to upset training that is often encouraged by plane manufactures and insurance companies." Source: Jack J. Pelton, EAA Chairman and CEO, in a statement endorsing the establishment of a National Aerobatics Day on the Fourth Saturday in June each year.

AD 2021-08-09 Prompted By The Discovery Of An Erroneous Value In Some Airplane Data Files

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A330-323, -342, and -343 airplanes. This AD was prompted by the discovery of an erroneous value in some airplane data files that are used for performance computations in the airplane flight manual (AFM). This AD requires revising the existing AFM and applicable corresponding operational procedures, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD becomes effective April 23, 2021.