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August 10, 2017

Airborne 08.10.17: 'Careless' A-10s, Female Enlisted Pilot, Eclipse By Balloon

Also: RVSM Update, AIP 2017, AMA Foundation, Naval Milestone, F-35A Grads, SWA, A-29 Super Tucano

The pilots of four A-10 'Warthog' aircraft acted in a manner that was "careless and reckless" when they made a low pass over Bank Of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC last August. That is the assessment of the FAA in a preliminary report, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act requests. The planes flew as low as 500 feet AGL -- lower than the top of the nearby Duke Energy Center. Federal regulations require a waiver to fly lower than 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle “within a horizontal rad

Also: Volaero Tracks Pythons, Army v DJI, Snap Acquiring Drone?, Orlando Backs Down

There’s no rest for the folks at AMA that deal with the politics that comes with flying hobby aircraft... especially drones. The AMA staff reports that, “As you know, we have been working tirelessly with Congress to preserve and strengthen the Special Rule for Model Aircraft and to affirm the importance of the community-based model for managing the recreational community. Due to Congressional recess in August, we do not expect any further action on FAA reauthorization legislation until September. National Mod

Also: Volaero Tracks Pythons, Army v DJI, Snap Acquiring Drone?, Orlando Backs Down

More Videos

Airborne 08.10.17: 'Careless' A-10s, Female Enlisted Pilot, Eclipse By Balloon

Also: RVSM Update, AIP 2017, AMA Foundation, Naval Milestone, F-35A Grads, SWA, A-29 Super Tucano

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AAAA Releases Video Featuring Capt. Sullenberger On ATC Privatization

Calls U.S. System 'Best And Safest In The World'

The Alliance for Aviation Across America released a video from Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, where he details, in his own words, why we should not hand over control over our air traffic control system to the major airlines who put expedience and cost reduction ahead of the safety.

Has A 30-Year Career With The Air Force Auxiliary

Civil Air Patrol’s next national commander, Maj. Gen.-Select Mark Smith, has chosen Great Lakes Region Commander Col. Edward Phelka as his national vice commander. The announcement was made Tuesday after Phelka was approved by the organization’s Board of Governors.

Airline Bumping Rate Lowest In Decades

Rate Falls To 0.52 Percent Per 10,000 Passengers Boarded

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released its August 2017 Air Travel Consumer Report, compiling air carrier data for the month of June 2017, second quarter of 2017, and first half of 2017. For the first six months of this year, the 12 U.S. carriers who report involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, data posted a bumping rate of 0.52 per 10,000 passengers, the lowest January through June rate based on historical data dating back to 1995 and down from the rate of 0.62 posted during the first six months of 2016.

Closed To Within 200 Feet Lateral Separation From An F/A-18 Hornet

While operating in international airspace in the central Persian Gulf, an F/A-18E Super Hornet with Strike Fighter Squadron 147, assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, had an unsafe and unprofessional interaction with an Iranian QOM-1 unmanned aerial vehicle today, U.S. Central Command officials said.

More Than 300 Million People In The U.S. Could Potentially View The Event

More than 300 million people in the United States potentially could directly view the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse, and NASA wants everyone who will witness this celestial phenomenon to do so safely.

Says He Had To Take Evasive Action To Avoid Collision

The U.K. Airprox Board has released a report stemming from a possible near miss between a helicopter and an aircraft described as a "tandem-rotor drone".

Will Be Used For Multiple Missions That Require Night Operations

The N.C. Department of Transportation now has the ability to operate its drones at night. On June 19, the FAA granted NCDOT a waiver for the federal regulation that prohibits nighttime drone use.

More Than Such 1,300 Grants Have Been Made So Far This Year

U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao has announced the FAA will award $167.6 million in airport infrastructure grants to 64 airports in 30 states across the United States as part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

Bombardier C Series Aircraft Completes First Commercial Flight Into London City

SWISS Flight Arrived From Zurich Into The Challenging Airport

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft marked another important milestone for the C Series aircraft program with the first revenue flight into London City Airport, a Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) CS100 jetliner from Zurich.

Official Says Space 'Is A Warfighting Domain'

Space is a "warfighting domain just like air, land and sea", according to Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, commander of Air Force Space Command. Gen. Raymond made the declaration August 8 at the annual Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, AL.

Agreement Also Includes Two New Orders For The 787 Dreamliner

Boeing and Air Lease Corporation have finalized an order for 12 737 MAXs first announced at the 2017 Paris Air Show. The agreement also includes two new orders for the 787-9 Dreamliner.

Chandler Riesterer Seriously Injured In August 1 Accident In Arizona

A GoFundMe page has been established on behalf of one of two people seriously injured when the Grumman AA-1B airplane they were aboard went down August 1 shortly after takeoff from Deer Valley Airport near Phoenix, AZ.

Bill's Authors Say Goal Is To Protect Air Traffic From Collisions With Unmanned Aircraft

U.S. Representative Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have introduced the Drone Operator Safety Act in the U.S. House of representatives, a bill to they say is intended to help protect American air traffic from the "misuse" of drones.

ADS-B Out Installations Must Support Pilot-Entered Data

The FAA recently published a Legal Interpretation regarding Flight ID that essentially requires the aircraft Flight ID (either aircraft call sign or aircraft registration number) to be accurate to the aircraft's flight plan. Therefore, if the aircraft operates or is likely to operate with a dynamic call sign, the ADS-B Out installation must be able to support pilot-entered Flight ID in order to be rule compliant.

FAA And International Leadership In Mongolia

Huerta: Safety Has No Borders

FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta, speaking at an Asia-Pacific civil aviation conference in Mongolia, said that the FAA and its Asia-Pacific counterparts must continue to work together to promote oversight operations and certification systems that will ensure the safety of passengers around the world as demand increases.

Requires Inspection Of Aft Wing Spars

The FAA has issued an AD for Piper's new M600 airplanes, citing a possible issue with some wing spars in the aircraft.

Race Broadcasts Via TV And Online Are Expected To Reach More Than 300 Million Homes In Over 100 Countries

DHL has signed on as the new title sponsor for a new racing series - DR1 presents the DHL Champions Series, Fueled by Mountain Dew. This new racing championship is organized by DR1 Racing, the premiere drone racing organization that is bringing together top pilots and racing teams to compete at exhilarating locations throughout the world, including the Post Tower in Bonn, Germany, the headquarters of Deutsche Post DHL Group.

UAVs May Be Disabled Or Destroyed If They Are Flown Over Military Bases

The increased use of commercial and privately owned small unmanned aircraft systems has raised Defense Department concerns for the safety and security of its installations, its aviation and its people, a Pentagon spokesman told reporters Monday.

Plane Made Several Ascending And Descending Turns Before Disappearing From Radar

The NTSB has released a preliminary report from an accident in Hawaii that resulted in the fatal injury of the four people on board a Beach BE-19A (Musketeer) July 28th.

Also: Pelton v Privatization, Pilatus Update, Army v DJI, Master Instructors, Cessna, Williams FJ44-4A-QPM, Airliner Threat

The sixth glide test of Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity was conducted in Mojave, CA Friday, and for the first time, the propulsion system for the suborbital spacecraft was installed and "live" ... but not engaged. According to Virgin Galactic, "with the exception of the rocket motor fuel grain, called the CTN (Case-Throat-Nozzle), Unity flew with all the spaceship’s principle propulsion components on-board and live. This meant that Unity took off with her forward pressurant

AMA Drone Report 08.03.17: Drones Fly Over Oshkosh!, Heli-Nats, Drones v Whales

Also: 4th Int'l Drone Photography Contest, Public Safety Training, UAS Facility Maps, Aero-TV: MultiGP Drone Racing

Oshkosh 2017 is now in the history books, and by all accounts, it was both a sucessful as well as safe event. The annual event boasted nearly 600,000 attendees and a record number of aircraft of all types... including a number of display and demonstration UAVs. EAA, this year, upgraded both the Drone Cage and the Drone pavilion, located close to their Innovation buildings in a spot that was both highly visible as well as well-trafficked. Yeah... Oshkosh takes drones seriously. This week, a

“When it comes to UAS or drones operating over military installations, this new guidance does afford us the ability to take action to stop those threats.” Source: U.S. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, commenting on guidance issued by the Department of Defence concerning operation of drones over U.S. military bases.

The maneuver prescribed when it is necessary to reverse direction to establish an aircraft on the intermediate approach segment or final approach course. The outbound course, direction of turn, distance within which the turn must be completed, and minimum altitude are specified in the procedure.

International Aerobatic Club The International Aerobatic Club, Inc. is a division of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Inc (link is external). All IAC members are required to be members of the parent organization, the EAA. Membership is open to all who are interested in aviation.