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September 20, 2024

Airborne 09.20.24: Musk May Sue FAA, Van's Parts Issues, USMC Honors Hero

Also: Sky-High Harassment, Starlink Expands To 2,500 Airliners, Skyborne Academy, Air Canada

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has threatened to sue the FAA over recent fines. He claims that the agency’s proposed penalties are an overreach of power and politically driven. Musk’s threat follows just a few hours after the FAA suggested a $633,009 fine for alleged violations during two Falcon 9 launches last year. He characterized the FAA’s actions as regulatory overreach and an example of “lawfare”. Van’s Aircraft says it has been questioned by several builders recently regarding variations in the depth of stiffening rings and beads in formed aluminum ribs. While understanding the reason for the questions,

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Starlink Expands To 2,500 Airliner Installation Contracts

United Adds Free In-Flight Satellite WiFi To 1,000 Aircraft

Starlink announced it has signed a deal with United Airlines to install the satellite internet service terminals in 1,000 main line and regional airliners. This brings Starlink’s total to 2,500 aircraft under contract that will be fulfilled over the next several years. The service will provide passengers with in-flight internet connectivity (IFC) free of charge, the company said.

SpaceX Accuses Agency of Regulatory Overreach and Political Motivations

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has threatened to sue the FAA over recent fines. He claims that the agency’s proposed penalties are an overreach of power and politically driven. Though the fine isn’t much of a financial hit for the multi-billion dollar company, it serves as an indirect warning for future SpaceX operations.

Workers Must Still Approve Tentative Deal

In a tentative four-year agreement that still requires a vote by union members, Air Canada and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) avoided a costly strike that would have affected more than 100,000 passengers per day as well as freight. Air Canada said the terms of the agreement will remain confidential until after the vote by ALPA members. The vote is anticipated to be completed over the next month.

Pilot Dealt 6 Months For Stalking Woman From Above

66-year-old pilot Michael Arnold was recently sentenced to six months in the can and five years of probation for violating an order of protection. He allegedly used his Cessna 180 to stalk and harass a Schuylerville woman. The stalking began nearly five years ago when Arnold visited the victim’s workplace.

More Than 100 Attend Ceremony At Naval Support Activity Philadelphia

Leonardo announced the 100th delivery of the TH-73A Thrasher helicopter to the U.S. Navy on September 17. The milestone was celebrated at the Naval Support Activity Philadelphia base in northeastern Philadelphia’s Lawncrest neighborhood. Attendees included Vice Admiral Daniel L. Cheever, Commander, Naval Forces/Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Lt. Gen. Bradford Gering, Deputy Commandant for Aviation for the U.S. Marine Corps.

C206 v Swift: One Dead After Mid-Air Collision Near Tahoe

Airport’s Second Fatal Crash This Month Under Investigation

A mid-air collision between a Globe GC-1B Swift and a Cessna 206 has left one confirmed fatality and two survivors. The accident occurred just before 10:00 am on September 16 near Nevada’s Minden-Tahoe Airport (MEV). The accident is Minden-Tahoe Airport’s second fatal crash within a month.

Classy Aircraft Nears Production After Successful Ground Tests

Timber Tiger Aircraft is nearing the manufacturing phase of its Speedster after successfully completing ground and taxi testing. Following in the footsteps of previous Timber Tiger designs, the aircraft blends classic style with modern engineering. Flight testing of the Speedster was originally scheduled to take place in time for the 2024 EAA Oshkosh AirVenture, but faced several delays due to weather risks. However, Pfannenstiel and Timber Tiger are confident in the aircraft's performance, stating that it "handles really well” on the ground.

Claims To Have Chronic Post-Concussion Syndrome

A passenger recently filed a lawsuit against JetBlue for an incident in 2022. She claims to have life-altering head injuries resulting from a hard stop on the runway. JetBlue has yet to make a public statement in regards to the latest suit.

China Development Bank Places Mondo Order with Boeing Rival

China Development Bank Financial Leasing has announced plans to order an eye-popping 80 planes from Airbus, adding a whole fleet of A320neo aircraft to their collections in 2030 and beyond. The purchase will bolster the lessor's collection with a next-gen narrowbody airliner that's grown to embody the stable, consistent choice in a market more hit-and-miss than once expected. While Boeing has found itself mired in one embarrassing faceplant after the other, Airbus has quietly kept up its modest tempo and capitalized on consumer doubt.

The Airplane Came To Rest Inverted In A Soybean Field About 1,250 Ft From The Start Of The Takeoff Roll

On September 10, 2024, about 1345 eastern daylight time, a Sonex experimental airplane, N966DP, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Sulphur Springs, Indiana. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to a witness, the pilot stated he was going to conduct a short local flight. The pilot, who hangered the airplane at his residence, taxied the airplane from his residence to the private grass airstrip. The witness observed the pilot perform an engine run-up, and then proceed to takeoff. Due to terrain obscuration, t

Aero Linx: East Hill Flying Club East Hill is a multi-faceted group of aviators and aviation enthusiasts. The original organization, the East Hill Flying Club, was created in 1952 by employees of Robinson Airlines who wanted to learn to fly. Over the years, other groups have been created or sponsored by East Hill. These include the not-for-profit East Hill Aviation Foundation, Aviation Explorer Post 62, and the East Hill Flying Academy.

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (09.20.24): VFR Not Recommended

VFR Not Recommended An advisory provided by a flight service station to a pilot during a preflight or inflight weather briefing that flight under visual flight rules is not recommended. To be given when the current and/or forecast weather conditions are at or below VFR minimums. It does not abrogate the pilot's authority to make his/her own decision.

“I am highly confident that discovery will show improper, politically motivated behavior by the FAA... NASA puts their faith in (SpaceX) for all astronaut transport to and from the (Space Station), but somehow (FAA) leadership thinks they know better…” Source: Excerpts from some posts by Elon Musk published on social media, calling out FAA leadership for what he sees as 'lawfare' against him and his companies.