In a Funny Twist, IT Problems Hobble Everybody But Southwest

The airline industry has been given another harsh lesson in IT reliance after thousands of flights were canceled and delayed amid the downstream effects of a bungled software update.An IT issue caused at least 2,500 flight cancellations across the USA, while delaying north of 8,000 more, all thanks to a botched software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Locked-up computers around the country confounded flight ops personnel as they struggled to keep up the routine, but without a solid backbone of scheduling, airlines quickly admitted defeat against the tide, preferring to hand out travel waivers for affected passengers. It wasn't just the customer-facing systems that got hit, eith

IM-2 Search for Water Ice Slated for Late 2024 Launch

Intuitive Machines (IM), a provider of lunar landing capability, as well as infrastructure and ancillary exploration services, announced that it has selected a landing site near the Lunar South Pole for its upcoming IM-2 mission. The goal of the IM-2 mission is to prospect for water ice and other volatile organic compounds on the Moon’s South Pole using NASA’s PRIME-1 lunar drill. The drill requires the landing site to be sufficiently stable to support the spacecraft and have a high probability of ice within one meter of the surface. Working together with NASA, the company has identified a small elliptical region about 200 meters in diameter on the Shackleton Connecting Ri

After Weeks of Study, Ground Testing, Engineering Says it Has the Thruster Thing All Squared Away (Probably)

Boeing said it's come pretty far in understanding what went wrong in its recent Starliner launch, after deep scrutiny of its sundry propulsion systems. Boeing's test personnel have reportedly been able to replicate the errant thruster conditions up to the point of capsule contact, in addition to the thruster's operations that will be a part of its flight back home. Using ground-based replicas of the Starliner's propulsion systems, Boeing thinks it has the issue nailed down. First, it will disassemble the test-fired thruster and analyze all the data it has on hand before clearing the Starliner's trip back to Earth.

Initial Deliveries Expected In 2026

German eVTOL jet maker Lilium has inked a binding sales deal with Saudia Group for an initial 50 Lilium Jets with options for an additional 50, the companies announced July 18. The signing was done by Fahd Al-Jarbou, CEO of Saudia Private, representing Saudia Group, and Lilium's CEO Klaus Roewe, in a ceremony that was held with several distinguished guests present including H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, Michael Kindsgrab, German Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Tom Enders, Lilium Chairman.

Klyde Tries to Find the Brighter Side of A Rare SpaceX Launch Issue

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Digital Features Improve Operational Capabilities for Specific Models

Genesys Aerosystems announced that its next-generation S-TEC 3100 Digital Flight Control System autopilot completed testing requirements to receive FAA Supplemental Type Certification (STC). The upgraded attitude-based autopilot is now approved for installation on the Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner aircraft. Models approved under the STC include the SA226-TC, SA227-AT, SA227-AC, SA227-BC, SA227-CC, and SA227-DC. The 3-axis autopilot features automatic trim, envelope protection and alerting, one-button straight and level recovery, and presets for indicated airspeed and altitude holds. It also comes with traditional vertical and horizontal navigation modes and supports many

Odys Aviation To Begin Pilot Programs in Oman

Odys Aviation has announced a partnership with MWASALAT, Oman's National Transport Company to begin development on 25 of Odys' Laila UAVs. The collaboration will be aimed at getting all 25 of the Laila's working on unpopulated or predefined routes by 2025. The Laila design is a hybrid-elected VTOL with variants for cargo transport and parcel service, sporting a payload up to 132 pounds and a range of about 250 miles. In Oman, that could be a very handy tool to move high-value, important parcels from one end of it's harsh geography to the other.

(Airplane) Passed The Lodge At A Low Altitude, And While In A Nose High Attitude

On June 28, 2024, about 1728 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182, N6210A was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Big Creek, Idaho. The pilot was fatally injured, and the pilot-rated-passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to a witness who spoke to the pilot, he and his son arrived at a fly in at Smiley Creek Airport (U87) Smiley Creek, Idaho, the day of the accident and planned to fly to the Big Creek Airport (U60) Big Creek, Idaho, for the evening. The witness recalled seeing the airplane depart U87 around 1630 to 1645.

From 2010 (YouTube Version): Museum President Details Exhibits Featuring Women’s Aviation Accomplishments

On November 2nd, 1929, 117 American female pilots gathered at Curtiss Field in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York; their goal was simple:  to create an organization dedicated to the advancement of aviation. Three years later, Amelia Earhart became the first president of the “Ninety-Nines, Inc.,” named for the 99 charter members of the first organization composed entirely of licensed female pilots. Today, the Ninety-Nines has over 5,500 members throughout the world.

Aero Linx: WACO Historical Society The WACO Aircraft Company was the largest manufacturer of civil aircraft in the country in the late 1920's and early 30's and this museum is dedicated to the plant and the employees that made it great.

Radar Flight Following The observation of the progress of radar-identified aircraft, whose primary navigation is being provided by the pilot, wherein the controller retains and correlates the aircraft identity with the appropriate target or target symbol displayed on the radar scope.

“A sold-out commercial and civil government mission early in our commercialization roadmap validates our approach to supporting an economy in deep space. Our expertise in landing site selection is world-class, and we believe the ability to identify landing areas with valuable resources will be essential to the future of the lunar economy.” Source: Steve Altemus, Intuitive Machines CEO explaining the importance of the company's having selected a landing site near the Lunar South Pole for its upcoming IM-2 mission.