To Bell With It …

On 05 December 2022, in a controversial decision disparaged by many in the aerospace and defense communities, Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor beat out the joint Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant X coaxial rigid rotor helicopter—thereby winning the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) contract. On 19 April 2023, Sikorsky and parent company Lockheed-Martin stated they harbor no intentions of filing a lawsuit protesting Bell Helicopters’ receipt of the potentially $7-billion FLRAA contract.

Backcountry Triumph in the European Theater

Daher—the French industrial conglomerate and parent company of general aviation aircraft concerns TBM, Kodiak, and SOCATA, and model rocket producer Quest Aerospace—announced on 20 April 2023 that its Kodiak 900 turboprop utility aircraft had been granted type-certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The newly-earned certification enables Daher to commence Kodiak 900 deliveries within the European Union.

Optimistic Musk Suggests Follow-Up Launch in Months

On 20 April 2023, SpaceX's Starship exploded some four-minutes into its inaugrual orbital flight. In the uncertain moments following the mishap, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk, in a meritorious act of leadership, congratulated his launch team, stating: "Learned a lot for next test launch in a few months."

Downed Aircraft’s Pilot Affiliated with Darkstar Air Racing Team

On Wednesday, 19 April 2023, the pilot and passenger of a 1992 Aero Vodochody L-139—a high-performance jet trainer designed and produced in Czechoslovakia by Aero Vodochody—were transported to hospital after the light jet impacted and crashed through an unoccupied building near Bridgeport, Texas’s Bridgeport Municipal Airport (XBP).

Austro Engine Launching SAF Program for Turnkey Sustainability

Diamond Aircraft Austria and its sister company Austro Engine have launched a dedicated Sustainable Aviation Fuel program. The duo will work to validate and approve SAF blends expected to become the norm at airports around the world before they reach widespread availability. Testing and analysis have so far been promising in the Austro Engine lineup, with its piston engine offerings expected to offer the quickest customer-level benefits.

Rotating Kneeboard Aimed at Replacing Single-Position EFB Holders

Sporty's has continued to whittle away at cockpit annoyances with their new iPad Kneeboard, providing a small, compact tablet holder that fits most EFBs. The Slimline iPad Kneeboard comes from the firm's Flight Gear line, allowing pilots to strap a tablet on and rotate it between portrait or landscape mode. Fitment is accomplished with elastic straps on the corners of the tablet, allowing it to fit iPads in cases or without, with room for charging cables as needed.

Dearth of Check Pilots Hits Operators in the Pocketbook, but Fixes May Be Inbound

The FAA Responded to the NBAA's Part 135 Subcommittee regarding checkride operations for business crews, issuing guidance in the form of a letter from Robert Ruiz, director of the FAA Office of Safety Standards. The NBAA raised the issue in 2016, inquiring about the ability to accomplish business aviation checkrides through traditional means. Their concerns were strong enough for the NBAA Part 135 Subcommittee to begin hunting down guidance on the issue in November of 2022, after worsening industry conditions further increased the burden on operators.

From 2016 (YouTube Version): The Stemme S12 Powered Glider Offers Cadillac Features and a Glide Ratio of 53 to 1…

While at EAA AirVenture 2016, our ANN news crew visited with the Director of Flight Operations and Maintenance for Stemme USA. Wes Chumley gave us an inside view of their new motorglider, known as the Stemme S12. The aircraft’s appearance at AirVenture is the first time it has been shown in the USA. Motorgliders come in various sizes and shapes, but the Stemme is quite different from most of them. It’s uniq

Tail Failure Results In Landing Accident

An investigation report regarding a scary flight lesson in an American AA5 has been released, describing a crippled left elevator that collapsed from its outboard support assembly. The report describes a routine training flight between a CFI and student, proceeding normally until the “airplane began shaking and buffeting violently and loudly. The control yoke was also shaking violently (left, right, fore, and aft), and the airplane was pitching up and dow

Aero Linx: The Beech Aero Club The Official Type Club of the Beechcraft Musketeer, Sport, Super, Sundowner, Sierra, Duchess and Skipper. The Beech Aero Club (BAC) provides a wealth of services, information and events to promote the enjoyment of Beech Aero Center aircraft. These include a website loaded with technical information, ownership and maintenance clinics, newsletters, regional fly-ins and activities, assistance with maintenance and operational issues and so much more. BAC is the definitive information source for all things Musketeer!

Braking Action Advisories When tower controllers receive runway braking action reports which include the terms “medium," “poor," or “nil," or whenever weather conditions are conducive to deteriorating or rapidly changing runway braking conditions, the tower will include on the ATIS broadcast the statement, “Braking Action Advisories are in Effect." During the time braking action advisories are in effect, ATC will issue the most current braking action report for the runway in use to each arriving and departing aircraft. Pilots should be prepared for deteriorating braking conditions and should request current runway condition information if not issued by controllers. Pilots shou

"We are disappointed with the Government Accountability Office decision and remain convinced that our [Defiant X] offering represented both the best value for the taxpayer and the transformational technology that our warfighters need to execute their complex missions. We value our long-standing partnership with the U.S. Army, and serving their missions remains our top priority."

Source: Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky commented via a corporate statement after they apparently decided that next steps were either pointless or ill