Mon, Mar 18, 2024
FAA Ends 'Discretionary Enforcement Policy' Regarding Broadcast Identification
The FAA is now playing for keeps against those who operate UAVs without proper, compliant broadcasting equipment as outlined under the Remote ID rule. That was put on the books in the fall of 2023, soft shoed to an extent by a regulator that could see just how unprepared the industry stood at the time. Despite their efforts, the drone industry at large sat unprepared, with an under-educated pilot base in regards to exactly what was needed to 'fly legal'. They granted some wiggle room, establishing a final date of March 16th of 2024 as a suitable endpoint to their magnamity. After the 16th, the FAA feels there really isn't much excuse to remain out of compliance.
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Mon, Mar 18, 2024
"Nonstop to Net Zero" Strategy Finds New Project
Southwest Airlines is joining an initiative to bring the Regent Seaglider to the Hawai'ian travel market. The novel hybrid aircraft/watercraft isn't exactly a totally brand-new idea in theory, but making one a profitable passenger carrier is. Southwest, reeling from a lack of Boeing deliveries, an expensive new contract with pilots, and a downsized flight schedule may be looking to garner some good press at a nice low cost. As such, they hopped along with the Hawai'i Seaglider Initiative, a consortium of local, government, and private sector folks in the island state that believe the Seaglider is key to rejuvenating point-to-point transport.
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Mon, Mar 18, 2024
Everyone's Remote Instructors John and Martha Look Back on a Lifetime of Teaching
To commemorate a full five decades since starting off their remote learning aviation empire, John and Martha King were commemorated with some special events by the King Schools family. A "year of celebration" will be the order of the day throughout 2024, with events, appearances, and speeches accompanied by special deals and updates. Today's CEO assures followers and friends that the Kings aren't retiring any time soon, with plenty more to do. “2024 marks 50 years since John and Martha began what has turned into a lifelong passion and an exceedingly successful business,” Barry Knuttila, King Schools CEO, said.
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Mon, Mar 18, 2024
Clubs Will Hold a Show & Tell to Boost Funds for Future Activities, Competition
A handful of student clubs and teams will hold a little shindig of their own during their school's open campus day at Kansas State University Salina, next April 6th. The "Flight Fest" will be put on by the Flight Team and Women's Air Race Team, featuring a WINGS seminar about Controlled Flight into Terrain, on the K-State Ramp of Salina Regional Airport. After the course, the event will take everyone along on a tour of the schools aeronautics program, followed by children's activities and a pancake breakfast. That last part is where they'll angle for donations to support the clubs, which are undoubtedly an expensive affair like all aviation seems to be.
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Mon, Mar 18, 2024
Bruce Grammon and Mid-Continent Avionics Snag Popular Vote
The annual Aircraft Electronics Association International Convention & Trade Show will open with recognition for its member of the year, commemorating Bruce Grammon. In conjunction with Grammon's snag of the lion's share of the votes, corporate member Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics got its own recognition as the AEA Associate Member of the Year. Bruce Grammon joined the same in 1990, working his way up as an avionics lab technician, lab manager, right on up to his current post as senior field service engineer. He first came through the AEA's doors 3 years after joining the industry, and now stands as one of the old salts with experience at events around the world.
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Mon, Mar 18, 2024
Also: Boeing Whistleblower, Joby Aviation, Aircraft Parts Bust, AF Crew Trains w USCG
Our Airborne schedule will be interrupted next week as we live-stream AEA2024. AEA Dallas 2024 is coming up soon, running from March 19th to the 22nd -- and the Aero-News network, in over 15 years of expert coverage, will bring you the very best of it LIVE at www.airborne-live.net. ANN LIVE Coverage of the 2024 AEA Convention and Trade Show Starts Tuesday, 03.19, at 0915ET With the New Product Introduction Session! LIVE Interview Segments Start at 1500ET, on Wednesday and 1200ET on Thursday! The initial bolus of investigative material has been published in the ongoing search into the cause of the fatal collision between a P-63 and B-17 at the 2022 Wings Over Dallas Airshow. It's too early to begin making too many assertions, since none of the 49 documents really points to a definitive solution to the whodunnit. A prominent member of the sport aviation community ha
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Mon, Mar 18, 2024
Also: Women Of Aviation Worldwide, APA Backs '65', Skyborne Buys Piper, Duncan Drone Repair
Stratolaunch is reporting that it has successfully completed the first powered flight of the Talon-A test vehicle, TA-1. This first flight represents a major milestone in the development of the country's first privately funded, reusable hypersonic test capability. Primary objectives for the flight test included accomplishing safe air-launch release of the TA-1 vehicle, engine ignition, acceleration, sustained climb in altitude, and a controlled water landing. SpaceX is gearing up for the third flight test of its Starship rocket, tentatively scheduled for March 14, pending regulatory approval. The aerospace giant has announced that a live webcast of the flight test will commence about 30 minutes prior to liftoff. President Biden's State of the Union address ruffled feathers at NBAA, thanks to comments pointing to a crack down on one of his easier targets&hell
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Mon, Mar 18, 2024
Also: FAA's New Budget, EUTELSAT Via BelugaST, SnF Warbirds, 2025 World Games Drone Race
ANN had an exceptional opportunity this week, with a chance to get a little operational experience flying an aircraft equipped with the Deltahawk DHK180 aviation diesel engine. The flight down from Racine, WI, the day before, covered a total of 818 NM, at an average 148 Kts True Airspeed and a total fuel burn of 45 gallons of Jet A -- nonstop. CKD Aero has partnered up with Kite Magnetics to create the Dakota e-Hawk, the “world’s most cost-effective two-seat electric aircraft”. The e-Hawk is intended to be the first in a lineup of kit aircraft using Kite’s KM-60 electric engine and running gear. The KM-60 is much like an old-school piston engine, offering air-cooled, direct drive propulsion with 60 kW (about 80 horsepower). The legendary sound of the old V-1 of WWII fame is back, except this time it's powering an uncrewed, combat-ready,
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Mon, Mar 18, 2024
Also: FAA's New Budget, EUTELSAT Via BelugaST, SnF Warbirds, 2025 World Games Drone Race
ANN had an exceptional opportunity this week, with a chance to get a little operational experience flying an aircraft equipped with the Deltahawk DHK180 aviation diesel engine. The flight down from Racine, WI, the day before, covered a total of 818 NM, at an average 148 Kts True Airspeed and a total fuel burn of 45 gallons of Jet A -- nonstop. CKD Aero has partnered up with Kite Magnetics to create the Dakota e-Hawk, the “world’s most cost-effective two-seat electric aircraft”. The e-Hawk is intended to be the first in a lineup of kit aircraft using Kite’s KM-60 electric engine and running gear. The KM-60 is much like an old-school piston engine, offering air-cooled, direct drive propulsion with 60 kW (about 80 horsepower). The legendary sound of the old V-1 of WWII fame is back, except this time it's powering an uncrewed, combat-
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Mon, Mar 18, 2024
Also: TRU Simulation, FedEx Strike?, Women Of Aviation Worldwide, Ansett Av Training A320 FFS
United Airlines will pause pilot hiring like its Boeing-family companion Southwest. United won't be expanding its fleet as planned, leaving it with a large pilot base following its hiring bonanza in 2021 and beyond. Carriers feel they have enough personnel to weather through the rest of the year, even accounting for attrition. United Airlines' VP of flight operations Mar Champion said that new hire classes would be paused in May and June, possibly to resume sometime in July. The Allied Pilots Association says it believes the pilot supply is "sufficient to meet forecast demand", so the mandatory Part 121 retirement age of 65 should not be changed. “The perceived pilot shortage is over, eliminating any further need for policymakers to consider changing the retirement age,” said APA President Ed Sicher. Piper's trainer-specific iteration of the Pa
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