FAA's MD-11 Grounding Pushes Western Global Airlines to Furlough Pilots

Western Global Airlines (WGA) is facing its most severe operational crisis to date after the federally mandated grounding of all MD-11 aircraft pushed the company to furlough all pilots assigned to its aging tri-jet fleet. The FAA’s order was issued on November 8 following the deadly UPS MD-11 crash at Louisville’s Worldport hub.

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An interesting moment came about this past Sunday as ANN CEO, Jim Campbell, noted that the Aero-News Network came into being 30 years ago. ANN was the first actual aviation online news service, and in the ensuing 30 years, has amassed an extraordinary record... over 600,000 stories, a total of videos, podcasts, Airborne and Aero-TV features surpassing 10,000 programs... The debut of SpaceX’s Starship Version 3 booster didn’t exactly go as planned, with its test campaign starting and ending before the sun even rose. Booster 18 suffered a major structural failure partway into what was supposed to be a long list of cryogenic checks and pressure trials at Massey’s Test Site. The US National Archives has declassified more than 4,600 pages of radio communications, maps, tables, and logs related to the disappearance of legendary aviator Amelia

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EHang has logged a major milestone in the development of its pilotless air taxi, logging its first human-carrying flight in the urban Middle East. Working alongside Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, the company flew its EH216-S autonomously between the Port of Doha and Katara Cultural Village in a series of trials designed to validate real-world air taxi operations. The Army’s 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade is running with the service’s push to boost drone integration by pairing Apaches, Black Hawks, and Chinooks with small unmanned aircraft to handle reconnaissance, route surveillance, and other jobs that used to rely on pilots squinting out the window. One of the bigger shifts is happening in the field workshops. The debut of SpaceX’s Starship Version 3 booster didn’t exactly go as planned, with its test campaign starting and endin

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Textron Aviation has confirmed it will be ending production of the Beechcraft Bonanza G36 and Baron G58, after nearly 80 years of continuous manufacturing. The company is moving toward  new products such as the Beechcraft Denali, but promises to support the thousands of Barons and Bonanzas currently flying worldwide. The announcement brings to an end one of the longest production runs in the history of aviation. The first flight of the Bonanza was in December 1945 and production began in 1947. Archer Aviation’s plan to turn Hawthorne Airport into the heart of its Los Angeles air-taxi network earned it a big “WELCOME” from the mayor… and exactly the opposite from local NIMBYs. Members of the community started the predictable “Hawthorne Quiet Skies” group to express both confusion and disappointment with the decisio

Aviation Workers Spent More than 40 Days Working Without Pay

The US aviation system was pushed to its breaking point during the 43-day shutdown, and unions are urging Congressional action to prevent a repeat by passing the Aviation Funding Stability Act. This would allow the FAA to borrow funds from the Airports and Airways Trust Fund to keep critical employees paid for 30 days in the face of another shutdown.

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Like most of the industry, kit manufacturer Sonex has been hit by the ever-increasing costs of parts and materials, and is being forced to pass some of the burden off to customers beginning December 15. Still, Sonex’s prices remain well under par, with many of its complete airframe kits available for under $40,000. The company detailed the price shifts for Complete Airframe Kits, Quick Build Kits, and AeroVee engine packages. Produced jointly by the Aero-News Network and SUN ’n FUN—in addition to the pre-show SNF Innovation Preview, the all-week SUN ’n FUN Digital Daily, Saturday Flight Live coverage, and our extensive daily news and video output—we are introducing something significant. MOSAIC Day Debuts Thursday at SUN ’n FUN and will designate Thursday as MOSAIC Day, featuring a full day of focused

State-Of-The-Art Research Aircraft To Be Propulsion System Testbed

Diamond Aircraft announced that the Technical University of Dresden has taken delivery of a state-of-the-art research aircraft, the DA62 MPP or multi-purpose platform. The twin-engine aircraft will be utilized as a flying laboratory to conduct research in hydrogen-based propulsion systems.

Will Be Deployed In Charter Operations

Tecnam announced that it successfully delivered two of its P2012 Traveller aircraft to SaiAir Gmbh, an emerging operator in Germany offering flexible air travel with customer-focused solutions. The handover took place at Tecnam’s headquarters in Capua, Italy, where the SiaAir team received their new aircraft, which will initially conduct operations between Lahr and Nürnberg.

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The NTSB's preliminary report on the UPS Flight 2976 crash has focused on the left engine pylon's separation and a subsequent fire that started even before impact. Imagery released by NTSB shows a clear left engine and pylon failure as the aircraft rotated for departure. The report indicates that the left engine and pylon separated from the wing shortly after takeoff, leading to a fire that ignited near the pylon's attachment point. NBAA, along with its fellow 60-plus aviation stakeholders in the Modern Skies Coalition issued the following statement supporting legislation that would prevent the FAA from being affected by future government shutdowns to ensure the continuation of normal FAA and aviation operations: “As members of the Modern Skies Coalition, we urge Congress to ensure that our nation’s aviation system and those who rely upon it are never subject

From 2024 (YouTube Edition): Volatus Infrastructure Paves The Way

The name “Volatus” seems to be everywhere these days, popping up in a series of partnerships and projects around the country. ANN correspondent Rex Alexander got to the bottom of things by popping in on Volatus Infrastructure’s tent at AirVenture 2023, checking in with CEO Dan Sloat and co-founder Grant Fisk. Volatus wants to be the go-to in building up the charging, refueling, and operational infrastructure required of the next-gen Advanced Air Mobility industry. Their big claim to fame is their distinctive red charger, the keystone of what Fisk calls a “full, turnkey infrastructure solution for EVTOL”.