Falling Fuel Tank Barely Misses Homes and an Elementary School

An F-16 Fighting Falcon fuel tank detached and fell into a Florida neighborhood on January 9. Luckily, no injuries were reported and no damage to property has been confirmed.  The F-16 is part of the 96th Test Wing, stationed at Eglin Air Force Base in the western Florida Panhandle.

Family of the Victim Holds Manufacturer Accountable for Design Flaws

The family of Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who was killed along with four others in a helicopter crash, has brought a $2.6 billion lawsuit against manufacturer Leonardo S.p.A. The claim alleges that Leonardo’s failure to address design flaws caused the fatal accident.

Unmanned Aircraft Used to Increase Security As Inauguration Day Nears

The US Secret Service is overriding Federal Aviation Regulations in order to use drones around DC this month. The unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are serving as an additional security measure with inauguration day chaos rapidly closing in. There are three National Special Security Events happening in the month of January.

Airports in 32 States to Receive Funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

On January 8, the Federal Aviation Administration announced over $322 million in grants to modernize US airports. The 171 grants will be spread across 32 states through the Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program. To date, almost $12 billion has been dispersed to airports nationwide through AIG funding.

Acquires Glendale Aero Services Maintenance Division

The Blackhawk Group (TBG) announced the acquisition of the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) business unit of Glendale Aero Services (GAS), bolstering TBG’s Performance Center network and reaffirming its commitment to innovation in aircraft modernization.

Aircraft Grounded Due To Drone Strike

The FAA released the following statement after a firefighting aircraft, a Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper, was struck by a civilian drone while it was operating over the Palisades Fire near Los Angeles, California:

Skydiver, Innovator, Instructor, USPA Gold Medal Winner

Bill Jones passed away on Christmas Eve at the age of 93. He made his first skydive in 1950 as part of a government project and went on to become a legendary skydiver, instructor, drop zone owner, innovator, and recipient of the 2016 United States Parachute Association’s (USPA) Gold Medal for Meritorious Service.

From 2015 (YouTube Edition): The Stunning Technology Behind What Keeps Much Of The Aero-World Flying

In this video we have the pleasure of meeting, J.J. Frigge, the Executive Vice President for Hartzell Propeller, and we receive a personal guided tour of the Hartzell production facility. The Hartzell Propeller Company goes back to the early days of aviation when they were innovators in airplane propeller research and development. The spirit of those days has not been lost on the modern company. The video takes us through the production process of Hartzell propellers that are found on some of the highest performance propeller-driven airplanes.

An In-Flight Bird Strike Which Resulted In An Engine Compartment Fire That Ultimately Destroyed The Airplane

Analysis: The pilot reported that he was on approach to land when he saw birds in his peripheral vision and then heard and felt them impact his airplane. The pilot landed, taxied to the runup pad, and shut down the engine because he smelled something burning. After exiting the airplane, he saw smoke. The pilot used the on-board fire extinguisher in an attempt to extinguish the engine compartment fire but was unsuccessful, and the fire subsequently destroyed the airplane.

Aero Linx: The Vertical Flight Society (VFS) The Vertical Flight Society, formerly the American Helicopter Society (AHS), is the non-profit technical society for the advancement of vertical flight. It has 21 different technical committees and two dozen active chapters around the world. There are over 100 corporate members and 28 educational members. 

Permanent Echo Radar signals reflected from fixed objects on the earth's surface; e.g., buildings, towers, terrain. Permanent echoes are distinguished from “ground clutter” by being definable locations rather than large areas. Under certain conditions they may be used to check radar alignment. 

“It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands. Additionally, the FAA can impose a civil penalty of up to $75,000 against any drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement or emergency response operations when temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) are in place. The FAA treats these violations seriously and immediately considers swift enforcement action for these offenses. The FAA has not authorized anyone unaffiliated with the Los Angeles firefighting operations to fly drones in the TFRs..." Source: Following the incredibly stupid flight of a drone near firefighting operations in SoCal, resulting in a collision and damage to a CL-415