Tracy Dyson Completes Six-Month Research Expedition

NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, along with Roscosmos crewmates Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, safely returned to Earth on September 23. This follows their successful completion of a six-month International Space Station (ISS) research mission. The spacecraft’s undocking, trip, and landing were streamed live through NASA’s social media and are still up for viewing.  

Textron Is NOT Having A Good Week

After weeks of wrangling, Textron finds itself at the helm of a company at a standstill. And they're not happy about it. Textron Aviation's Stephanie Harder, VP of Communications and Public Affairs, opines, "Textron Aviation is disappointed that IAM District 70, Local Lodge 774 members did not vote to accept the proposed four-year contract with Textron Aviation and have chosen to strike. The contract offer, which took six weeks of thoughtful and good-faith negotiations by both the Union and the company negotiating committees, provided a plan that aimed to protect the future of all Textron Aviation employees and the Wichita community..." 

The 'Ripple Effect' of Staffing Changes

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) relocated 24 air traffic controllers from Long Island to Philadelphia on July 28, 2023. This move has taken a significant toll on Newark Liberty International Airport operations, resulting in 817 flight delays over a two-week period. While delays can often be blamed on weather and maintenance issues, the relocation played a major role in the recent disruptions.

Scheduled Hull Swap Enables Full Wing Participation

The U.S. Navy’s Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 completed its Air Wing Fallon (AWF) training on September 13. The scheduled hull swap between USS George Washington and USS Ronald Reagan at Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, California, allowed the units to train as a fully integrated air wing.

Search Involved Hundreds of Volunteers and Agencies

Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office reported a ten-year-old girl, Peyton Saintignan, missing late on September 22. After a several-hour search including hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement agencies, a thermal sensing-equipped drone was able to save the day.

Aircraft Shows Off eSTOL and Maneuvering Capabilities

Electra recently showed off its Ultra Short demonstrator in front of prospective U.S. military buyers. The flights focused on the aircraft’s dual-use potential for logistics operations in challenging environments, particularly where traditional airstrips may be unavailable or compromised. Electra will be working to expand the Ultra Short’s flight envelope through further testing.

ERAU Professor Recalls The Fateful Morning Of 9/11

Dr. Mike McCormick was the FAA’s Air Traffic Manager of the Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) in the New York sector, referred to as New York Center, on September 11, 2001. His story is as harrowing as they come, on a day no American will soon forget.

The Cicaré 8 Features Bigger and Better Technology

The Cicaré 8 is an advanced ultralight helicopter kit. It was showcased at the Cicaré booth at EAA’s Oshkosh Airventure. The company’s “adventure machines” are some of the most powerful on the market. The latest design, the Cicaré 8, is a two-seater side-by-side ultralight helicopter with a 140hp Rotax 915 iS engine. It was built with several features for increased function and comfort, such as ample instrumentation, a carbon fiber semi-monocoque cockpit, adjustable tail rotor pedals, and a configurable dashboard. Development was comple

Also: Girls in Aviation Day, B-29 Doc Heads 4 Chino, C-17 Tail Cone Detaches, Bulgaria Airshow Accident 

One of two private aircraft that launched from Apatity Airport near Murmansk in the Russian Federation with filed flight plans to Arkhangelsk was apparently mistaken for a drone and was fired upon on September 11. The airspace surrounding the Murmansk and Apatity airports had been closed under a temporary flight restriction (TFR) due to Ukrainian drone activity. The EAA recently expressed its concern about a new FAA policy that would limit Phase I testing operations. The order, 8130.2K, is expected to take effect on October 27. Order 8130.2K cuts

Directive Follows Airline's Violation of a Payment Agreement

The Supreme Court of India recently approved a Delhi High Court order requiring SpiceJet to return three leased aircraft engines due to its failure to pay dues. The ruling, delivered on September 19, threw out the airline's appeal and encouraged direct negotiation with the engine lessors. The legal dispute began in December 2023 when two French companies filed a lawsuit against SpiceJet.

Also: Girls in Aviation Day, B-29 Doc Heads 4 Chino, C-17 Tail Cone Detaches, Bulgaria Airshow Accident 

One of two private aircraft that launched from Apatity Airport near Murmansk in the Russian Federation with filed flight plans to Arkhangelsk was apparently mistaken for a drone and was fired upon on September 11. The airspace surrounding the Murmansk and Apatity airports had been closed under a temporary flight restriction (TFR) due to Ukrainian drone activity. The EAA recently expressed its concern about a new FAA policy that would limit Phase I testing operations. The order, 8130.2K, is expected to take effect on October 27. Order 8130.

Pilot Attempted To Troubleshoot The Issue And Restart Both Engines But Was Unsuccessful... He Subsequently Ditched The Airplane

Analysis: The pilot was enroute to the destination airport and overflying the Gulf of Mexico when about 15 nautical miles from the airport and at an altitude of 3,000 ft, the right engine suddenly lost power. The pilot described that about that time, the fuel totalizers indicated that 48 gallons of fuel were onboard, and his fuel quantity gauge indicated similarly. He then contacted air traffic control and declared an emergency. Shortly thereafter, the left engine also suddenly lost power. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the issue and restart both engines but was unsuccessful.

Aero Linx: The Aviation Museum of Kentucky Since its founding in 1978, members of the Kentucky Aviation History Roundtable have dreamed of an aviation museum. To this end, the group was incorporated in 1981 as the Kentucky Aviation History Round Table. 1984 the IRS granted 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt status. On 10/7/1991, the name was amended and changed to The Aviation Museum of Kentucky, Inc. On April 5, 1994, the General Assembly designated the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame as the Commonwealth's official Aviation Hall of Fame. On April 15, 1995, the dream came true, and the Museum first opened its doors to the public with the help of the Dolittle Raiders annual convention held at the Museum. Since

VFR Conditions Weather conditions equal to or better than the minimum for flight under visual flight rules. The term may be used as an ATC clearance/instruction only when: An IFR aircraft requests a climb/descent in VFR conditions. The clearance will result in noise abatement benefits where part of the IFR departure route does not conform to an FAA approved noise abatement route or altitude. A pilot has requested a practice instrument approach and is not on an IFR flight plan...

"Textron Aviation is disappointed that IAM District 70, Local Lodge 774 members did not vote to accept the proposed four-year contract with Textron Aviation and have chosen to strike. The contract offer, which took six weeks of thoughtful and good-faith negotiations by both the Union and the company negotiating committees, provided a plan that aimed to protect the future of all Textron Aviation employees and the Wichita community..."  Source: Textron Aviation's Stephanie Harder, VP of Communications and Public Affairs, opining on the strike that has brought Textron a fair amount of grief.