Vicious Campaign Against Skydiving Operation By Small, But Vocal, Group Loses Court Case

News/Analysis by ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell Those of us who work and play in the aviation world have seen it all before... a small GA airport falls victim to complaints as more and more homes are built/sold/occupied around it and a number of the homeowners (and not necessarily all that many, percentage-wise) decide that their own sensibilities take precedence over those they would seek to displace, silence, even destroy... despite the fact that the airport was (in most cases) there long before they arrived. These are the same people who ignore the noise made by their lawnmowers, motorcycles, music systems, and other audible properties but become positi

CoAxial Helo Heralds Development Of Exciting New Rotorcraft

We knew it was close... and now it's real. Sikorsky has confirmed the successful first flight of the S-97 RAIDER helicopter, a rigid coaxial rotor prototype designed to demonstrate a combination of maneuverability, hover ability, range, speed, endurance and survivability. The first flight was conducted at Sikorsky’s Development Flight Center (DFC) where the two-prototype RAIDER helicopter test program is based.

Progress Continues To Be Made To Return Humanity To The Moon

XPRIZE and Google have officially confirmed a further extension of the $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE. XPRIZE notes that they continue to see substantial progress from their teams, and after months of discussion, they have decided to provide additional time for teams to plan and make arrangements for a future launch. Securing an available window with a launch provider is a calculated logistical process that can be many months in the making, in some cases more than a year, so an extended schedule will benefit the teams a great deal as they move towards taking the next step in the competition.

We Honor Our Brothers and Sisters Who Have Served So Proudly.... 

Lord, guard and guide the men who fly Through the great spaces of the sky; Be with them traversing the air In darkening storms or sunshine fair...

But NASA Denies That The Hack Occurred

Security company founder Chris Roberts, who is being investigated by the FBI for his claim that he hacked into an airliner's flight control system through the onboard Wi-Fi and was able to steer the plane from his seat, at one time claimed he had hacked into the controls of the International Space Station and adjusted the temperature on board the station.

Klyde Gets Positively ElectroMagnetic

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Putting On An Airshow Is A Challenging Task, But A Simpler Air Event May Be The Way To Go

Producing an airshow is a complicated and expensive challenge. We all love them, and it’s a good way to show off the airport. However, if an airshow is not the way to go it might be worthwhile to consider a simpler air event. Such is the case in Watsonville, California.

Market Research Shows People Like What Is Planned

Fantasy of Flight owner Kermit Weeks says that his plans for the aviation attraction going forward have been validated by market research conducted by former Disney IDEAS personnel.

Had Flown His Aircraft Over A VA Hospital In Louisiana

A man has been accused of "unlawful photography" for capturing images of a Veterans Administration hospital in Louisiana using a UAV.

Aero Linx: Pilots For Christ International Pilots For Christ International is a non-denominational organization of pilots and aviation enthusiasts, dedicated to the promotion of the Gospel through aviation and necessary ground transportation. If you are in need of free air or ground transportation, then Pilots for Christ may be able to help.

Lifted Index (or LI) A common measure of atmospheric instability. Its value is obtained by computing the temperature that air near the ground would have if it were lifted to some higher level (around 18,000 feet, usually) and comparing that temperature to the actual temperature at that level. Negative values indicate instability - the more negative, the more unstable the air is, and if thunderstorms develop they are more likely to be stronger.

“It is the Sikorsky Innovations charter to identify the toughest challenges in vertical flight, and to demonstrate solutions to them. Getting an all-new aircraft into flight, especially one with game-changing capabilities, is a remarkable feat. With this first flight of the S-97 RAIDER helicopter, Sikorsky Aircraft is proving once again that the tough challenges will always propel us forward.”  Source: Mark Miller, Sikorsky Aircraft Vice President of Research & Engineering, following the first flight test of the S-97 RAIDER.