Daughter Reports He Passed Away With His Hand Over His Heart... And With A Smile

One of the last true legends of WWII, Brigadier General Charles McGee, passed away this weekend at the age of 102. A warm, talented, affable man; his historic life spans decades of American strife and war, and ended with his never-ending efforts to engage and educate the next generation of American flyers. BGen Charles E. McGee,  USAF, Ret., was a WW-II P-51C Mustang combat pilot of the European Theater; a 100-mission 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing (67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron), a P-51D pilot in Korea, and flew 173 Tactical-Reconnaissance missions in F-4s over Vietnam; he was Commanding Officer of the 44th Fighter Squadron, is a Life-member of 18th Fighter Wing Associ

Also: Planes of Fame Museum, MagniX CEO Steps Down, Whiteman Airshow Canceled, VG Stock Slump

The  United States Parachute Association announced that their overall safety rate that has been improving year over year has again beat the previous year, with 10 civilian skydiving deaths throughout 2021. The downswing began in 2018, when deaths dropped to 13, bringing the fatality index to 0.39 out of every 100,000 jumps. The year after saw a rise to 15, until 2020's drop in overall skydiving activity brought the index to mirror to its 2018 record. Frasca International has been sold to FlightSafety International, marking the end of 6 decades as a family

Once Again Proves Utility of Air-Launch as Quick Option As Last-Minute Payload Delivered Successfully

The most recent satellite launch from Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket has successfully deployed all 7 of its assigned customer satellites after a flawless launch on January 13. The Boeing 747 mothership Cosmic Girl took off from the Mojave Air and Space Port to a launch site over the Pacific before detaching the rocket. LauncherOne successfully ignited and launched into space, delivering its payload into a precise target orbit just over 300 miles in orbit. The mission is the 3rd for the company, quickly on its way to establishing a successful track record of orbital equipment placement for clients around the world.

New Virginia Tech School AMT Program Gets Helpful Training Aid

A small technical school in Harrisonburg, Virginia received an impressive gift for their AMT program, a 6-place Cessna 320E Executive Skyknight (file photo). Massanutten Technical Center received the aircraft from George Roussel following an unsuccessful repair process before entering storage. The school is beginning to offer a new 2-year aviation maintenance program for the 2022-2023 school year, and the Cessna is a vitally needed piece of training equipment for incoming students. Roussel's aircraft was purchased as a convenient runabout for his medical practice, but a troublesome experience with an inept cut-and-run mechanic resulted in "near destruction," he said.

Connecticut Invests in Aviation Heritage and Preservation in Post-Pandemic Rebound

The New England Air Museum is the lucky recipient of nearly $90,000 of grant money from the Connecticut Humanities, a statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities that focuses on supporting culturally important pursuits within the area. The funding will got to support 3 main goals for the museum in its quest to retain visitor engagement and growth. First, the addition of interactive, digital technology to preserve the history of those who designed and flew the aircraft featured in the museum's collection. Second, it will create a new public-facing website to provide interactive ticketing, merchandising, and exhibit previews. Final

Funding Given to Foster Next Generation of Aviation Maintenance Personnel

The US Department of Transportation has awarded $5 million in grants in an effort to "develop a diverse talent pool of aviation maintenance technicians," ahead of a forecasted shortfall in qualified personnel in the coming years. The Aviation Maintenance Technical Workers Workforce Development Grant is awarded to those organizations that teach technical skills and prepare participants for future careers in aviation maintenance. This iteration of grants has gone to a variety of locations, ranging from school districts, community colleges, training facilities, universities, and even state departments of education and transportation. One DC-area organization, the Internati

Gendarmerie Operators First to Buy LE Version of Medium Helicopter

The first law enforcement customer to adopt the newer Airbus H160 medium helicopter will be the Gendarmerie Nationale, after a purchase for 10 aircraft in suitable tactical configuration was made by the French Armament General Directorate. The purchase comes as part of a stimulus plain aimed at supporting the national aeronautical industry in France, as well as retaining domestic aircraft expertise. The deal will include a global support contract managed by Airbus for the provision of tech support, spare parts stocks on 4 Gendarmerie bases, and associated services. 

From 2017: STOL CH-750 Super Duty Introduced At AirVenture…

Zenith Aircraft Company introduced a new airplane designed for fun at AirVenture in July. The STOL CH-750 Super Duty is a "big version of our STOL CH-750", according to Sebastian Heinz, CEO of Zenith Aircraft. Heinz told Aero-News editor Tom Patton that the company has added a jump-seat in the rear of the airplane. The wing area has been increased to 162 square feet with a 33-foot wingspan. The gross weight of the airplane is 1,900 pounds, which takes it out of the Light Sport category, Heinz said. The changes came from customer recommendations, Heinz said. But is was also driven in par

63% CAGR Expected, Top Brands Released

As the eVTOL industry moves onwards, investments and promises abound, building hype for an imminent future in which the everyday convenience of automotive ride share apps with an aircraft's limitless freedom of mobility. The Markets and Markets company released their forecast for the aerial unmanned taxi industry, which they see reaching $860 million. The industry for drone taxis is expected to hover over 60%, a lucrative prospect with an even better individual rate for the North American region. Smarter companies designing their aircraft have been designing their aircraft with an eye towards eventual unmanned flight, even with the flight controls and cockpit in place for a pilot.

Also: Planes of Fame Museum, MagniX CEO Steps Down, Whiteman Airshow Canceled, VG Stock Slump

The  United States Parachute Association announced that their overall safety rate that has been improving year over year has again beat the previous year, with 10 civilian skydiving deaths throughout 2021. The downswing began in 2018, when deaths dropped to 13, bringing the fatality index to 0.39 out of every 100,000 jumps. The year after saw a rise to 15, until 2020's drop in overall skydiving activity brought the index to mirror to its 2018 record. Frasca International has been sold to FlightSafety International, marking the end of 6 decades as a family

Fallen Hero Remains of fallen members of the United States military are often returned home by aircraft. These flights may be identified with the phrase “FALLEN HERO” added to the remarks section of the flight plan, or they may be transmitted via air/ground communications. If able, these flights will receive priority handling.

Aero Linx: International Air & Transportation Safety Bar Association Originally founded in 1984 as the National Transportation Safety Board Bar Association, today’s International Air & Transportation Safety Bar Association (IATSBA) has grown to comprise attorneys from across the United States and other parts of the globe.  Many routinely practice before the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

“Our customers are starting to hear back from their satellites that are checking in from orbit --- and for us, that’s what success looks like. It’s a thrill for our team that this mission included our first repeat customers as well as our first ‘last minute ticket’ customers and reached an orbit that no one had ever reached from the West Coast before, all of which confirms the team’s ability to provide top tier launch service anywhere, anytime. On top of that, we flew through weather and a cloud layer that would have grounded any other launch I’ve worked on in my career, something only made possible by air-launch and our incredible team. We can say with confidence that in this new era of regular, frequent, successful missions, we can hel