Launch Targeted For 0549 EDT Friday, April 23

ANN RealTime Update, 04.21.21: The launch now is targeted for 5:49 a.m. EDT Friday, April 23, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, due to unfavorable weather conditions forecast along the flight path for Thursday. The Crew Dragon is scheduled to dock to the space station about 5:10 a.m. Saturday, April. 24. More info to come...

Corona Crisis Forces Decision To Cancel AERO 2021, Aim For 2022 Instead

AERO will not take place this year. The postulated replacement date in 2021 would have put it in direct competition with Oshkosh, and only days apart. Numerous vendors told ANN, "that won't fly" -- so Wednesday's announcement comes as no surprise. Messe Friedrichshafen has stated that they have, "...now taken a decision in view of the travel restrictions in Europe due to the COVID 19 pandemic. The organizers are now turning their focus to the upcoming trade shows.

Also: ANN's SNFDD21 MVP, Panthera Goes Public, Zefhir Helicopter, True Blue Power Ups Game!

What a successful Sun n Fun Aero Space Expo! The first major aviation event in over a year is in the books... Though the numbers are still being tabulated, Sun ‘n Fun Boss Lites Leenhouts declared Saturday the best ever for that day and predicted a strong possibility that SnF21 would break all previous records for the week. Based on what we saw, we  agree. Monday, NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter became the first aircraft in history to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet. The Inge

Proposes Discriminatory Legislation Via 2022 'Luxury Tax'

Next year, 2022, could be bad news for generation and other industries after being targeted by Canadian liberal legislators putting forward a luxury tax so that pilots and boat owners can 'pay their fair share.' The Ottawa government is proposing to charge a luxury tax on new cars and personal aircraft priced over $100,000, and boats, for personal use, priced over $250,000. Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says this is perfectly OK because various legislators expect pilots and boaters to make up for government shortcoming s due to the COVID crisis, even though Canada's response to the crisis has come under heavy criticism.

Aero-Alphabets Seek Clarification In Regulation And Policy

The fallout from a recent court decision regarding compensated flight training in Limited Category aircraft threatens the ability to train and maintain proficiency in a broad spectrum of aircraft, according to letter sent by several general aviation groups to the FAA. The April 20 letter signed jointly by the EAA, GAMA, and others, was sent to Ali Bahrami, FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety. The letter noted that the April 3 judgment issued by the D.C. Court of Appeals in the Warbird Adventures, Inc., et al vs. Federal Aviation Administration case "has created significant confusion and concern in the aviation community regarding the impact of the decision on compensated f

Aviation Empowerment Act, In Particular, Is Raising Eyebrows...

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has introduced four bills, 'to improve and encourage innovation in the U.S. aviation industry: the Aviation Empowerment Act, the Flight Sharing Freedom Act, the Screening Partnership Reform Act, and the Air Traffic Control Safe Operations and Readiness Act.' The Aviation Empowerment Act would address outdated FAA rules and regulations that stifle innovation within the general aviation sector by preventing participation in the “sharing economy.”

Immediate Expensing Allows Eligible Taxpayers To Deduct The Full Cost Of Qualifying Capital Equipment

NBAA has applauded both Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-19-TX) for reintroducing the Accelerate Long-Term Investment Growth Now (ALIGN) Act, legislation that will make permanent immediate expensing, also known as bonus depreciation, which is a proven incentive for business aircraft transactions. Immediate expensing allows eligible taxpayers to deduct the full cost of qualifying capital equipment, including new and used business aircraft, in the first year of ownership. This provision was modified and extended as part of the Tax Cuts and Jos Act, but is scheduled to start phasing out at the end of 2022 and fully phase out by 2027

P3 Prototype Has Now Logged Over 40 Flight Hours In Its New Configuration

One year after completing the acquisition of the Swiss Company Kopter Group AG (Kopter), Leonardo has welcomed the SH09 single-engine helicopter as a full member of its product range by rebranding it as the AW09. This step 'synergizes the two identities of Leonardo and Kopter.'

Also: The Extra NG Is Here, Rotax 915is Powered Bristell, STOL Competition Highlights

With only one day left of the much anticipated SnF21 event, we are hearing that Saturday achieved a record attendance in Sun n Fun’S 47 year history! Thousands of people came to Lakeland to see the Blue Angels execute precision maneuvers in the sky in their new Super Hornets, and let me tell you, they didn’t disappoint.. So we catch up with one of their pilots who says they are excited to be back performing for the public. For those of you who fly long distances, pull a lot of G’s, or simply are tired

At 75 Knots He Rotated The Airplane But Noted That The RPM Was About 2,300 And Decreasing

On April 3, 2021, about 0735 central daylight time, a Beech B35, N5240C, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Pearland, Texas. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane in October 2020. Since then, the airplane has undergone extensive maintenance in attempt to troubleshoot excessive engine RPM. The day before the accident, the airplane flew uneventfully; the pilot also had a mechanic check over airplane one last time.

AD 2021-08-15 Requires Updating The Software Version Of The Affected GTS Processor Units

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Garmin International (Garmin) GMN-00962 GTS processor units (GTS 825, GTS 855, GTS 8000). This AD was prompted by reports of GTS processor units issuing resolution advisories (RAs) when no risk of collision or loss of separation exists between the airplanes involved. This AD requires updating the software version of the affected GTS Processor units. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective May 17, 2021.

AD 2021-08-06 Requires Magnetic Particle Inspections Of The MLG “A” Frame Assemblies

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 97-06-10 for certain Raytheon Aircraft Company (type certificate now held by Textron Aviation Inc. (Textron)) Model 76 airplanes. AD 97-06-10 required repetitively inspecting the main landing gear (MLG) “A” frame assemblies for cracks and replacing any cracked assembly. Since the FAA issued AD 97-06-10, the replacement parts have also experienced failure due to cracking. This AD requires magnetic particle inspections of the MLG “A” frame assemblies for cracks and replacement of the affected parts if necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these

Aero Linx: Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency (CASSOA) The Agency derives its mandate from Article 92 of the EAC Treaty which in summary states that the Partner States shall undertake to make air transport services safe, efficient and profitable; adopt common policies for the development of civil air transport in the region; harmonise civil aviation rules and regulations and coordinate measures and co-operate in the maintenance of high security.

Air Defense Emergency A military emergency condition declared by a designated authority. This condition exists when an attack upon the continental U.S., Alaska, Canada, or U.S. installations in Greenland by hostile aircraft or missiles is considered probable, is imminent, or is taking place.

“If you’ve been lucky enough, or smart enough, or hard-working enough, to afford to spend $100,000 on a car, or $250,000 on a boat—congratulations! And thank you for contributing a little bit of that good fortune to help heal the wounds of COVID and invest in our future collective prosperity.” Source: From an inexplicably smug, and undeniably foolish, statement by Canadian Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland who wants to shove a luxury tax down the throats of a number of aircraft, boat and car owners to shore up the need for more cash after government mismanagement of the COVID pandemic.