In Other Words, Nothing New

Day 4 of EAA’s Oshkosh AirVenture featured an underwhelming conference from Federal Aviation Administration leadership, thanks to a surprise absence of Administrator Michael Whitaker. In his place was Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson, who took the stage for a little too much presentation, and not enough Q&A for the usual AirVenture crowd. It's no surprise that the biggest event in hobby aviation is just about the only time in the year the that so many pilots can actually talk to the theoretical buck-stop that sits atop the FAA's org chart, so Whitaker's absence was sorely felt by those with specific concerns only a head honcho could tackle. That's not to belittle Thomson's work by any means, but to a grumpy

Expands Order Book and Meets With Suppliers, FAA Officials

French airplane manufacturer Elixir’s third year exhibiting at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh was very productive for the company as it preps to start U.S. deliveries when FAA Part 23 certification of its two initial models is issued as anticipated in early 2025. The company announced it had signed 80 letters of intent for 110 aircraft as well as 20 pre-orders, swelling its order book from 200 to 330 aircraft including orders, pre-orders, and letters of intent. The letters of intent will convert to pre-orders when certification is received. Elixir brought two of its models to AirVenture, where its display was set up in the middle of the student pilot area near the flight schoo

Exchange Program Gives Students a Taste of the Exotic GA Business

Those chosen for the Daher Aircraft internship program got to enjoy the sights and sounds of a busy week at Oshkosh, as they worked through the annual EAA AirVenture gathering. The internship program is an annual affair held between Daher Aircraft and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), giving young students a chance to cut their teeth in a real aviation business and begin building a professional network that will last them their whole careers. The books are closed for internships at the moment, but Daher reminds would-be applicants that the program will return next year, too. Applicants can prepare by visiting the GAMA or Daher site for more details, and possibly

'B-1 Pilots Too Fat for Ejection Seats' and Other Embarrassing Snippets Make the Rounds Online

A B-1B bomber crash from last January has been fully investigated, and the online commentariat was quick to dive into the report to see just what went wrong to cause the loss of an irreplaceable strategic bomber. "The accident occurred during the landing sequence following a training flight with another B-1B, also stationed at Ellsworth AFB," said the USAF investigation announcement. It described the incident as a fairly understandable series of events, where a pair of aircraft conducted low-vis approaches into low-laying cloud decks. The second aircraft "attempted to land but struck the ground short of the runway and began skidding across the overrun be

Behind the Scenes of the Airshow’s “Lindy” Awards

Since 1954, EAA’s Oshkosh Airventure has hosted the “Lindy” Awards. Airventure is the biggest, most widely attended airshow on the planet, so the winners are considered to be some of the best in the world. “I don’t think many people know that they can get their aircraft judged,” said Alaina Lewis, the owner of Culver Propellers and a part of this year’s Ultralight judging panel, “I’d like to see more people that are willing to put their plane out there, and be a part of this experience. People are reluctant to have their planes judged, but we don’t pick it apart. We love looking at all airplanes.” The 2024 Oshk

Twin 30-Watt Ports Offer USB-C Performance in Small Form Factor

A new charging option for aircraft owners has entered the scene courtesy of Appareo, offering dual USB-C ports for up to 60 watts of charging power. That's good news for those who like to work on the road, since 30 watts at each port is perfect for fast charging phones, tablets, and even some energy-efficient laptops. The new Stratus Power Max is FAA TSO-C71 Certified, with extra safety mechanisms built in on the back end. That's good news for operators who can't always vet their passenger's devices - and sloppy quality control abroad has made more than a few trinkets that could cause an issue. That's no problem for the Power Max, since it's got protection from overcurrent, overvoltag

Exhibition of the METS Nets Some Quick Sales of Mission-Ready King Airs

Textron must have seen some success thanks to their nice little King Air 260 display model at the Farnborough International Airshow, since they capped off their exhibition there with a sale for 3 cargo craft to the Scottish Ambulance Service. It's a little fortuitous how Textron showed up to Farnborough with a new Special Mission King Air in tow, hoping to drum up awareness of the type's wide mission capabilities. The order will see the delivery of 3 cargo door Beechcraft King Air 360Cs some time next year, helping to support the buyer, Gama Aviation UK Limited, in their mission to support the Scottish Ambulance Service. The SAS provides airborne medevac to the mainland and it

07.25.24: King Schools Expansion, Avilution Update, Gogo Communicates!, Pelton Int'vw-Part 4 

The annual Meet The Administrator event was not what we hoped for. The Administrator didn’t show up and apparently disappointed, neither did Jack Pelton (who often oversees this event). From the allotted time of 1130 to 1245 CT, the FAA talked, answered some prepared questions from EAA and ignored the audience. Finally, after the official end time, they took a few questions... but offered little in the way of answers. Year after year, MOSAIC has been promised to an aviation community hungry for progress and the chance to build a new industry th

07.26.24: Checking Out An Ornithopter, Kay’s Speedster, Electric Aircraft Symposium, Night Air Show, Jack Pelton Pt5

One of the highlights of ANN CEO and Test Pilot, Jim Campbell’s 51st Oshkosh was the chance to fly the latest bird from CubCrafter, powered by a Rotax 916... and built to be tough and light. Even through some off airport landings on a recently plowed field, the Carbon Cub UL stood up in a great way... this may be their best effort yet. Even with Oshkosh in full swing, we can’t wait for the 51st rendition of the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo, where, once again, ANN will serve as their media partner. Big upgrades, numerous new

07.24.24: Extra's Latest, GoAero, Kiddie Pedal Plane Parade, Pelton On Safety

We’ve seen some extraordinary homebuilt projects, several of them replicas of historic aircraft, but a gorgeous, stunning and all-around incredible 2/3 scale P-38 may top them all... and then there’s the story about how it came to be and the folks that are it’s caretakers now. Come Wednesday morning, the female staff of the Aero-News Network disappear... to attend various WomenVenture functions and enjoy the partnership WAI has created amongst a growing segment of the aviation community. The LSA crowd has been going ga-ga- over various promised high-win

07.23.24: VerdeGo Powers Up, Frecce Tricolori, Pelton Int'vw - Part 2: MOSAIC!!!!

They flew the Samson Sky earlier this year… and the data is yielding some exciting updates and modifications for the unique roadable airplane/flying car program. The Able Flight ceremony at Oshkosh is one of our favorite events, as a number of new pilots, who have proven themselves to be ‘hand-capable’ join our ranks. How aviation will power its convoluted future is a question that some of the best minds in aviation are trying to answer… and MagniX is competing for a share of what that will look like. Hartzell continues to build an incredibl

From 2009 (YouTube Version): Granley Describes His Passion for Aviation and Air Show Performance

Bud Granley is certainly not a new face on the air show circuit; after 47 years as an aerobatic pilot, Granley now performs with his company, “Granley Family Airshows,” alongside his son Ross. Their hair-raising formation act has garnered much acclaim among the aerobatic community. In 2005, Bud Granley received the Art Scholl Showmanship award and just recently, he also accepted the Bill Barber Showmanship a

Examination Revealed That The Tailwheel Was Jammed 45° Relative To The Direction Of Travel

Analysis: When the airplane’s tailwheel touched the ground during landing, the airplane immediately swerved and ground looped, causing substantial damage to the fuselage due to sideloads on the landing gear. The weather conditions were not a factor, and examination revealed that the tailwheel was jammed 45° relative to the direction of travel.

Aero Linx: Gulf Coast Wing of the CAF, Houston, Texas, USA The Gulf Coast Wing (GCW) was chartered on September 19, 1971 with the original document displaying the signatures of Lloyd Nolan, the founder of the CAF and Deputy Commander Van Skiles. Van Skiles was also the first Wing Leader of the GCW with Eddie Burke serving as his Executive Officer. Eddie, Van & wife Betty Skiles were the cornerstones of the fledgling CAF unit. Right from the start, the group had a tight-knit dynamic punctuated with lots of energy, excitement, and camaraderie.

Airstart The starting of an aircraft engine while the aircraft is airborne, preceded by engine shutdown during training flights or by actual engine failure.

"The accident occurred during the landing sequence following a training flight with another B-1B, also stationed at Ellsworth AFB.... The second aircraft, "attempted to land but struck the ground short of the runway and began skidding across the overrun before coming to a stop between two taxiways. The aircraft caught fire... resulting in a complete loss of the $450 million dollar bomber." Source: From portions of an Air Force Accident report following the loss of a 450 million buck B-1B Lancer bomber... we're afraid to ask what the deductible was.