Distributed Propulsion TBM Takes Flight Under Hybrid Power

A Daher TBM equipped with a suite of 6 electric motors took its first flight, going up for 100 minutes as the crew established function checks of major systems. The EcoPulse sports a hybrid powertrain, taking flight with a combined battery and turbogenerator arrangement that provides power to a series of electric motors mounted on each wing's leading edge. To power all those spinning props, the EcoPulse sports an 800 volt battery pack that can deliver up to 350 kilowatts of power, and keep them topped off with its turbogenerator to ensure the design does not suffer from the usual constraints of an all-battery aircraft.

What's a Cool Billion Between Taxpayers, Anyway?

The International Space Station's impending disposal could prove quite costly for NASA, as the beancounters begin to count up the damage. The administration began running some figures for the overall cost of decommissioning all 450 tons of the ISS, and the rough figure sits at almost $1 billion. The costs wouldn't have been so bad in previous years, if they could make use of Russian assistance and their Progress vehicles. Under that older plan, the Russians would provide a series of the spacecraft to be connected to portions of the ISS to provide for a stabilized, controlled deorbit procedure.

Single-Engine Turboprop Gets All-Weather Capability

Epic Aircraft's E1000 GX turboprop gained FAA certification for Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI), improving livability and safety for operators in an even greater number of missions. The certification was a long time coming, said Epic CEO Doug King. He said it was "one of the most challenging" that the company had faced during E1000 development. "We began testing several years ago, flying the E1000 GX in all of the FAA-specified natural icing conditions. This FAA certification establishes that the E1000 GX can withstand known icing conditions in a real-world operating environment with minimal changes required of the airplane."

2024 Bash Bigger than Ever

SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo 2024 will sport some big names from the country scene next year, with performances on tap from Trace Adkins and special guest Sara Evans starting off the week. Their show will kick things off on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, starting at 6 PM local, taking place on Warbird Ramp and its wide assortment of eye candy. It will start the show off on a high note, which will hopefully only get higher as the rest of the week's performers take to the skies.

NPRM Would Require Foreign Repair Stations to Implement Testing Program

The FAA wants certificated repair stations outside the USA to be held to the same standards as those inside it when their employees work on air carrier aircraft, according NPRM FAA-2012-1058. The rule would align domestic and international maintenance facilities, ensuring that "employees are held to the same high level of safety standards regardless of where they are physically located," according to the FAA. At the moment, they say "few countries require testing of aviation or maintenance personnel," a discomfiting idea to those familiar with the much more stringent programs in place stateside.

American-Made Crop Duster Offers 200-lb Payload, 1-Minute Downtime

Guardian Agriculture says it's the first to utilize eVTOL aircraft in traditional agriculture operations, using a fleet of 4 "aviation-grade" aircraft to spray crops in the Salinas Valley. The company says its eVTOL drones "spray crops more efficiently, sustainably, and safely than traditional crop-dusters or ground-based equipment". Just one of their Guardian eVTOLs can cover "up to 60 acres per hour" and "carry a 200-pound payload". Downtime is pretty short, too, with a combined refueling and recharging time of "less than 1 minute".

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Van’s aircraft has filed for reorganization under the chapter 11 bankruptcy code. Van’s Founder Dick VanGrunsven said  "I realize that the word "bankruptcy" here is shocking, however the key word here is "reorganization", which implies continued operation and improvement. Our doors will remain open and we will continue to work hard to serve our customers." The Collings Foundation have announced an end to their flying WWII aircraft wing, deciding to ground all aircraft and intern them on display at the American Heritage Museum. The turning point appears to be the October 2020 crash of "Nine-O-Nine", a B-17 that saw the deaths of 7 in the process. In the years since, a worsening economy and the continual passage of government-trained WWII mechanics have been taking their toll, making it harder to find qualified personnel to both maintain and fly the vintage air

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Skyworks Aeronautics has been busy in recent months, announcing sales, developments and patents in a matter of weeks. Its most recent was an issued US patent for its Precision Airdrop System, an airborne vehicle designed to deliver payloads much like a standoff munition. The PAS offers intermediate-distance deliveries with a gliding stage to target before autorotating down to ensure precise landings. ZeroAvia found a like-minded partner abroad, finding a deal with up-and-comer Ecojet. Ecojet, a nascent carrier promising to be the "flag carrier for green Britain", will be open for business in 2024 using a fleet of standard transport aircraft for its routes to and from Edinburgh. Not long after, thanks to a deal with ZeroAvia, the carrier hopes to retrofit the entire fleet with the firm's ZA600 engines. Airbus finalized a deal with the Spa

Klyde Can't Wait For The Chance To Make More Trouble

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

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A Piper PA-28R-201 crashed in Conway, South Carolina on September 14, 2022, causing fatal injuries to 2. "Shortly after departure, on the first flight following maintenance, the pilot reported a loss of engine power," reads the NTSB report. "The pilot attempted a forced landing onto a gravel road, but the airplane impacted trees and powerlines on final approach. The airplane came to rest against a berm and a post crash fire ensued." During their investigation, the NTSB found a good deal of engine damage, oil, and heat discoloration. Rolls-Royce's recent strategy release showed a minor pivot in the firm's plans to shore up its cash base over the coming years, even to the point of selling off their electric aviation wing to third parties. "We are creating a high performing, competitive, resilient and growing Rolls-Royce that will have the financial strengt