Rumors of Apple Drone Exaggerated

UAS enthusiasts may have felt a pang of excitement or anxiety upon seeing the news that clickbait fodder favorite Apple, Inc. received a drone-related patent. Whatever projects they pursue, their market penetration and unique approach towards the end-user tends to have an effect on every product ecosystem they enter. It’s not an overstatement to say that whatever they do, there will be an industry reaction. The imperious swiss watch industry had a brief, if muted panic upon release of the highest tier Apple watch in 2014, fearing their intricately hand-built watches would be knocked from their $5,000+ thrones, with the ‘quartz crisis’ still lingering in the back of their minds. UAS manufacturers

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Swedish company Jetson has officially launched their ONE, a commercially available, personal electric aircraft with VTOL capabilities. The cockpit is flanked by four twin rotors, and the folding, ultralight vehicle appears ready for sale in its recently released promotional video. The ONE appears suited for the recreational crowd, with space for a single pilot and… well, there’s probably somewhere to wedge a granola bar somewhere in that tubing. Piloting is accomplished by a fighter like HOTAS configuration, with the right hand controlling three axes

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An interesting rumor has made its way through the inboxes of aviation enthusiasts this week. A business for sale, labeled “Legendary Aircraft Manufacturer”, with an asking price of $15 million, accompanied by a short video of the Mooney factory. The unusual listing includes the owners’ 2020 overview and strategy document, now nearly a year out of date. The price may seem somewhat small in an industry that regularly headlines hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions, but some fans of the troubled marque worry that there isn&

It Will Be Here Before You Know It... Oshkosh 2022 Prep Begins! 

The biggest aviation event of the year has opened up ticket sales for advanced purchase. EAA AirVenture, everyone’s favorite summer time fly-in, is coming up, offering seven days of everything aviation can offer in one place. Each year, more than 10,000 aircraft make their way to OshKosh, with over half a million attendants. A full spectrum of airplanes from a century of aviation history, as well as the newest the industry has to offer, will all be there for exhibition. Throughout the week, viewers will see nine air shows, as well as over 1,500 forums, workshops, and seminars from over 800 aviation exhibitors.

Order of 12 Set for 2022 Delivery

Bell has completed the first of 12 Bahraini AH-1Z Vipers, the most recent iteration of their classic Super Cobra attack helicopter. Through the Foreign Military Sales program, the Royal Bahraini Air Force will receive their newest additions in 2022, when they are delivered through the Defense Contract Management Agency. The sale is one of a few slated for production in the near future, for the U.S. Marine Corps and the Czech Republic. Buyers will receive planned capability improvements throughout its service life, to maintain their performance edge in a world escalating peer competition. The -1Z model improves on decades of the classic AH-1 family, first introduced in -1J guise in 1971. 

Cessna’s BizJet Operators Tout Safety Record

The Citation Jet Pilots Owner Pilot Association (CJP), the largest organization for operators of the Cessna Citation series of light jets, has successfully completed 12 months of accident and incident-free flights. They say their dedication to safe operation through continual education is key to the accomplishment. David Miller, director of programs and safety education for the CJP Safety and Education Foundation, believes their efforts have paid off. “This achievement is the culmination of our efforts including our Gold Standard Safety Awards, a groundbreaking study on single pilot go-around decision making and pilot performance analysis through flight operational quality assurance data col

Business, Light Jets Popular Even in Strange World Economy

Embraer released its 3rd quarter delivery results for this year, having fulfilled 30 jets in total. Surprisingly, only 9 of them were commercial jets, with the other 21 split between the company’s executive jets. Selling 2 of their Phenom 500 and 5 of their 600’s, Embraer delivered an impressive 14 Phenom 300 aircraft. The Phenom 300E continued its streak of popularity again this year, still the best-selling light jet for nearly 10 years. Their 1500th business jet was delivered to a Swiss customer, with more to come, if this year’s BACE is indicative of customer enthusiasm. The company is proud of its orders, noting the outstanding value of their book stands north of

Nashville Flight Training Expands to Maury County

Tennessee area flight school, Nashville Flight Training, has begun operations this month to open a satellite location at Maury County Regional Airport (MCRA). With an open house planned for October 28, the school is looking forward to creating more aviators to add to their 3,000 alumni taught over ten years of education. The new facilities at Maury will feature new aircraft, flight simulators, and classrooms with plenty of space for ground training. “We’re thrilled to be joining the many businesses and organizations that call Maury County home,” said Chris Erlanson, president of Tennessee Flight Training. “Pilots are in-demand, and we’re excited to provide a local path

From 2017: Not Everything At Heli-EXPO Was Brand New…

People attend shows like Heli-EXPO to see what is the latest and greatest in aircraft and associated systems and equipment. But not everyone exhibiting at the show in Dallas in March had something brand new on display. Such was the case with the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), which is dedicated to restoring and flying vintage military aircraft. At their booth, attendees saw the bones of an iconic rotorcraft, the Sikorsky Hoverfly. Keegan Chetwynd, Curator for the Commemorative Air Force, told ANN CEO and Editor in Chief Jim Campbell that the Hoverfly was the first mass-produced, practical hel

As The Tailwheel Touched Down, The Airplane Veered To The Right

On October 4, 2021, about 1200 Pacific daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N3453K, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Garberville, California. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, as the tailwheel touched down, the airplane veered to the right. He applied power to abort the landing; however, the airplane did not have enough airspeed, exited the right side of the runway and impacted an unoccupied parked airplane.

Aero Linx: International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations IFATCA is an international collective of air traffic controller associations. It was established in 1961 and is the largest and most comprehensive representative body for air traffic control in the world. Objectives of the Federation: The objects of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations are: To operate as a non-­profit and non-­political federation of air traffic controllers' associations; To promote safety, efficiency and regularity in International Air Navigation; To assist and advise in

Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) MANPADS are lightweight, shoulder-launched, missile systems used to bring down aircraft and create mass casualties. The potential for MANPADS use against airborne aircraft is real and requires familiarity with the subject. Terrorists choose MANPADS because the weapons are low cost, highly mobile, require minimal set-up time, and are easy to use and maintain. Although the weapons have limited range, and their accuracy is affected by poor visibility and adverse weather, they can be fired from anywhere on land or from boats where there is unrestricted visibility to the target.

“This achievement is the culmination of our efforts including our Gold Standard Safety Awards, a groundbreaking study on single pilot go-around decision making and pilot performance analysis through flight operational quality assurance data collection." Source: David Miller, director of programs and safety education for the CJP Safety and Education Foundation, commenting on the report that the Association (CJP), the largest organization for operators of the Cessna Citation series of light jets, has successfully completed 12 months of accident and incident-free flights.