14 Yo Gets a Day on the (Simulated) Flight Deck to Live Out His Professional Dreams

The Allegiant Travel Company illustrated one of their Make-A-Wish cases, showing how they walk a 14-year-old wish kid through the experience of being the "airline's newest pilot". The airline worked with Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada to fly out Ben and his family to their Reno, Nevada training center. The boy was shown the ropes in the carrier's full-motion simulator, given an abbreviated training regime in hand-flying the plane, and then put through a simulated flight into Reno, Nevada. The following day, Ben flew on an Allegiant flight, enlisted to aid in the walk-through preflight.

Magneto Specialist Becomes Latest Electrifying Acquisition

Hartzell Engine Tech has acquired the assets of Kelly Aero LLC, and will rebrand the firm's assets into PowerUp Ignition Systems in 'early 2024'. Kelly Aero, until 2021 Kelly Aerospace Energy Systems, is a manufacturer devoted to aftermarket aircraft magnetos, replacement parts, and ignition harnesses for general aviation applications. The new PowerUp Ignition Systems production line will be folded into Hartzell Engine Tech's existing facilities in Montgomery, Alabama, adding about 40 employees to the family there.

Flight Training Arm to Find New Home in Private Capital Firm

L3Harris Technologies announced an agreement to sell off its Commercial Aviation Solutions arm for $800 to TJC L.P. The acquisition will be made with a $700 million cash purchase price and $100 million earnout based on the achievement of financial performance goals stretching out through 2024. The deal should close in the first half of 2024, subject to regulatory approvals and the usual bureaucracy. The firm employs about 1,450 people offering pilot training, flight data analytics, avionics, and advanced air mobility products and services, among other capabilities.

Lesser-Known French LSA Manufacturer Fails in Search for Buyers

Light plane manufacturer Robin Aircraft has been pushed into liquidation by way of French court order after the judges overseeing the firm’s troubled state declined the bids offered for the classic company. “The Dijon Commercial Court has just ordered the liquidation of Robin Aircraft and declined, for insufficiency or incompatibility, the three proposed takeover bids,” said CEO Casimir Pillissier in a final swan song via Robin Aircraft’s presswire. “A cold shower falls on the shoulders of all those who participated in or encouraged the adventure. The harshness of the times and the human limitations of the crew force us to get down on one knee. But t

Business Aviation Most At Risk From Runway Excursions, Says Group

As Runway incidents became higher profile than ever, a flurry of industry work began earlier this year to put a stop to runway incursions and excursions - and NBAA publications have been issued at a breakneck pace to support the effort. The newest addition to the NBAA library, “Reducing Runway Excursions in Business Aviation: a high-level guide on mitigating the risks” is a 25-page document going over the myriad “psychological and physical factors that cause excursions on takeoffs and landings and explains how to address them in training programs and safety management systems.”

30,000 lbs of Payload Ferried Out West

Civil Air Patrol’s Arizona Wing once again put on the annual Navajo Airlife, flying out donated toys, clothes, household items, and food in a wagon train of aircraft flying out of 24 airports. The occasion marked the 39th iteration of the Airlift, ultimately ferrying donations in clothing, household supplies, educational kit, and the like for Navajo communities via the Southwest Indian Foundation. The 3-day 2023 airlift faced some stiff winds in Gallup, Arizona, leading some flights to be called off or diverted to more calm airports in the region. This year, about 80 pilots and 90 aircraft participated, which papers out to a whole lot of weight using some rough back-of-the-napkin math.

Ingenuity Design Program Ongoing Across Swath of Solar System

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has begun testing a new rotor design for future Martian rotorcraft, building on the lessons learned from the current Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. Testing began at the JPL lab in Southern California, spinning away at a top speed of 0.95 Mach in Earth's atmosphere. The team was happy to point out that the development program has now been ongoing with assets on two separate planets simultaneously. “Our next-generation Mars helicopter testing has literally had the best of both worlds,” said Teddy Tzanetos, Ingenuity’s project manager and manager for the Mars Sample Recovery Helicopters. “Here on Earth, you have all the instrum

Pilot Did Not Have Sufficient Time To Attempt An Engine Restart And Performed A Forced Landing

On October 16, 2023, about 1315 central daylight time, a Magni M24 gyroplane, N90HM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Mount Sterling, Illinois. Both the pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The gyroplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to preliminary information, the experimental gyroplane was on downwind for runway 36 at the Mount Sterling Municipal Airport (I63), when the engine sustained a total loss power.

From 2017 (YouTube Version): Kitfox Introduces A New Version Of The Venerable Speedster…

In 1992, Kitfox brought its first Speedster to Oshkosh. In 2017, the company gave the public the first look at the newly-redesigned variant of the aircraft. Working from the very successful and robust Kitfox S7 Super Sport, Kitfox has created a clipped wing, aerodynamically refined and superbly stylized tail dragger that is guaranteed to get the heart rate up to redline.  With Rotax fuel injected power, the 2017 Kitfox Speedster is significantly larger and faster than its earlier namesake, with a great useful load and excell

Aero Linx: Aerospace Physiology Society (AsPS)

Aerospace Physiology Society (AsPS) Objectives and Purpose: To encourage, promote, and advance the science and practice of aerospace physiology by: Establishing and maintaining cooperation between aerospace physiology and other scientific disciplines, Stimulating and accomplishing physiological investigation, and Studying and disseminating pertinent knowledge and information through teaching and participation in scientific and technical meetings. To enhance the professional stature of Aerospace Physiologists and associated disciplines within the Aerosp

Mach Technique [ICAO] Describes a control technique used by air traffic control whereby turbojet aircraft operating successively along suitable routes are cleared to maintain appropriate MACH numbers for a relevant portion of the en route phase of flight. The principle objective is to achieve improved utilization of the airspace and to ensure that separation between successive aircraft does not decrease below the established minima. 

“The Dijon Commercial Court has just ordered the liquidation of Robin Aircraft and declined, for insufficiency or incompatibility, the three proposed takeover bids. A cold shower falls on the shoulders of all those who participated in or encouraged the adventure. The harshness of the times and the human limitations of the crew force us to get down on one knee. But they don’t force us to give up.”   Source: CEO Casimir Pillissier in a final swan song via Robin Aircraft’s presswire, discussing the forced liquidation of the company.