Autonomous Falcon Shows Just how Far the Tech Has Come

US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was given a turn around the patch in the 'X-62A Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft, or VISTA, to illustrate just how far autonomous aircraft have come. The aircraft sounds much snazzier than it is in reality, being a 30-year old, 2-seat F-16D with a nifty paint job and an R2-D2 in one of the seats. The aircraft has long been in the US Air Force Test Pilot School, where it received modifications for multi-axis thrust vectoring and aerodynamics. It went on to be used in the Skyborg program, equipped with an autonomous control system. Its latest guise now holds an updated and upgraded AI 'pilot', making it the very first AI fighter to dogfight against a human opponent. Kendall took a turn on the stick - well, near the stick - and went out for a spin in the VISTA, to USAF note. While it's ultimately a small thing in the grand tradition of powered flight, it's notable that the Air Force was willing to put someone of rank at the mer

Despite Somewhat Realistic Beginnings, State Committee Reaches Too Far, Faceplants

A state bill that would have required air tour operators in Hawaii to hold liability insurance over $20 million per person, per incident did not stick the landing, to the collective release of pilots in the area. Hawaii State Senate Bill 2747 was introduced by State Senator Chris Lee, D-25, with the requirement being $1 million in liability coverage per person, per incident. That didn't last long, though, since a Senate Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts removed the price requirement and punted the bill over to the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce (CPC) for review. They were supposed to check the language and find a more workable liability coverage amount for both the state and the industry at large, given their "expertise" in insurance limits in similar areas. 

NBAA Honored Yeager And Rutan With The Association’s 'Meritorious Service To Aviation' Award

As expected (and is proper), the aviation world is expressing their feelings about the loss of LtC Dick Rutan... The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has therefore marked the passing of acclaimed pilot and aviation pioneer Dick Rutan. “We join with our global aviation community in mourning the loss of a true aviation trailblazer,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “Dick Rutan was a legend who will be profoundly missed.”

First Of The Four Airplanes Is Expected To Arrive In Late Summer Of 2025

Premier Scott Moe and Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Paul Merriman have disclosed details on the four re-purposed land-based airtanker aircraft, consisting of two Dash 8-Q400AT models and two Dash 8-Q400MRE models, being purchased for the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) at an approximate cost of $187.06 million. The planes will replace the current fleet of land-based airtanker aircraft, which consists of four Convair 580 airplanes. Those planes will approach the end of their useful lifespan in 2027.

As Always, the Furnace of Battle Winnows Out Impurities

Ukrainians reportedly aren't too impressed with US drone tech, according to rumor, finding it more costly, finicky, and unreliable compared to Chinese equivalents. The Ukrainian battlespace has become the world's premier combat laboratory for anyone in the military industry, with all manner of funding and procurement routes to get untested-but-promising gear up to the frontlines of the most high-intensity combat allied armies have seen in years. The result? Cheap drones that can stay in contact with their command structure rule the day, allowing simple, effective placement of small ordnance on target, scouting from a safe distance, or intelligence gathering to form an accurate picture of the field from minute to minute.

NASA Demo Program Starts Doing the Legwork on Electrified Commuter Planes 

Indian regional carrier Air Tindi has promised one of its De Havilland Dash 7 aircraft for use under the magniX electric powertrain program, where it will be used as a testbed to establish the feasibility of their magni650 engine in a real-world environment. The news follows magniX’s successful completion of their 1st phase of testing in the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed facility in Sandusky, Ohio. Testing there focused on assessing its power us, 800-volt operations, and thermal performance using their magni650 engine at altitudes up to 27,500 feet. The company snagged a $74.3 million contract in 2021, assisting with NASA’s testing facility as a corporate partner.

AMTs and Company Descend on Portland, Oregon in Force

The National Business Aviation Association capped off a successful 2024 NBAA Maintenance Conference, and already started looking forward to next year. The NBAA saw attendees make the rounds from all over the continental US, bringing those who want to foster a stronger generation of maintenance professionals. Keynote speakers included Greg Wooldridge, a 3-time CO of the US Navy's Blue Angels and Amy Grubb, an FBI psychologist who walked audiences through proper organizational handling.“I’ve taken the adage, ‘You fly the airplane, don’t let it fly you,’ and I’ve applied it to everything in my life,” said Wooldridge. 

Student Pilot’s Failure To Maintain Helicopter Control Which Resulted In Impact

Analysis: The operator reported that the student pilot had completed three solo touch and go landings and was returning to land on the ramp. While approaching the parking area, he was distracted by two aircraft on the ramp, and the helicopter began an uncontrolled yaw. The student pilot lowered the collective and arrested the yaw, but as the helicopter entered ground effect, he raised the collective, and the uncontrolled yaw resumed. The helicopter impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, main rotor, and tail rotor.

From 2017 (YouTube Version): Pilots Competed For $10,000 For A First Place Finish…

Drone Racing came to the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo in January, with pilots competing for a $10,000 first prize. But the event was about more than just the money, according to Chris Thomas, founder and president of MultiGP, which organized the event. Thomas told ANN CEO and Editor in Chief Jim Campbell that the Sebring event was the first time MultiGP had worked with the FAA to conduct a drone race in close proximity to General Aviation activity. Thomas said that the drone racers are potential future pilots, and one of the advantages of FPV drone racing is that while the pilot is "on board" the aircraft, they are not injured, or worse, in an accident.