Airbus Continues Negotiations With Spirit for Assets Under Binding Term Sheet

The Boeing Company has acquired Spirit AeroSystems for $37.50 per share in Boeing common stock and assumption of Spirit’s outstanding debt. The total amount of the transaction is approximately $8.3 billion and the per share price represents 30% premium over Spirit’s last closing stock price of 28.60 on February 29, 2024, the day before the companies announced they were in merger discussions. Spirit’s President and CEO Patrick Shanahan said of the merger, “After carefully evaluating Boeing’s offer to combine, we are confident this transaction is in the best interest of Spirit and its shareholders, and will benefit Spirit’s oth

Crash Victims’ Relatives Blast Deal

Relatives of the 346 victims who died in two Boeing 737 Max crashes five months apart in 2018 and 2019 are roundly criticizing the plea deal being floated by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to resolve criminal charges against the aircraft manufacturer. The DOJ briefed the relatives on the proposed settlement on Sunday June 30 and it was immediately slammed as a “sweetheart deal” while urging a federal judge to reject it. It was anticipated that the DOJ would give Boeing until July 5, 2024 to respond to the offer. If Boeing accepts it, Texas U.S. District Judge Reed O’Conner would have to determine if accepting the deal serves the public interest or reject it.

Iconic Pairing of World War II Aircraft to Land in Columbia Tour Stop

The B-29 Doc’s History Restored Tour will be in Columbia, Missouri, for a brief four-day stop and will be available for flight experience rides Tuesday and Wednesday, July 16 and 17. In a symbolic representation of their World War II history, Doc will be joined by the P-51D Gunfighter, one of the aircraft that provided long-range escort and top-cover for the bombers in the Pacific Theater. The additional protection and firepower was significant in helping Allied air power defeat Japan. Gunfighter was built in North American Aviation’s Inglewood, California plant, and both it and Doc were delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) in March 1945. Doc was bu

Revised Procedures Allow for Oral Fluid Tests and Improved Methodology

The Department of Transportation has now published a pair of final rules governing the procedures and methods to be used in workplace drug and alcohol testing programs. The first new rule revises some procedures put into effect in 2023, which allowed for oral fluid screening as a valid method for employers to check. That has been updated with some lessons gleaned from real-world use in the past year, since some circumstances could add significant difficulty in compliance. The revised procedure adds temporary qualification requirements for mock oral fluid monitors, while providing for more clearly delineated allowances for who is able to see the fluid collection. It also clarifi

After Reinforcing Their Foundations, Manufacturer Begins to Look Forward

MD Helicopters, manufacturers of the legendary MD 500 and MH-6 Little Bird, have shaken up their executive leadership with a new President, Ryan Weeks, with Brad Pedersen remaining in position as Chief Executive Officer. That helps organize some of the responsibilities in the company, putting Weeks on the operations side of things, ensuring everything goes smoothly on a day-to-day basis. Pedersen will remain as CEO, but put his attention towards "strategic initiatives with the Board of Directors."

Improvements, Enhancements, and Refurbishments are Again the Order of the Day for AIP Round 2

The Biden Administration got some good press with their award of $123 million in grants aimed at improving the state of 235 airports across 35 states (and the D.C. area, but who's counting?). The grants fall under the second round of the Airport Improvement Program, allowing for grants that help with material, concrete enhancements to airports and their operating environment. Some of the more expensive grants include $6.8 million to the Miami International Airport in Florida for the rehabilitation of the existing apron; $4.6 million to Eastern Iowa Airport for all-new lighting vault equipment and a wholesale reconstruction for Taxiway Delta; and $3.8

Japanese Spacecraft Provider Readies for Mission 2

Japanese space developer ispace, inc announced the completion of the HAKUTO-R Mission 2 RESILIENCE lunar lander, planning for a launch this Winter. The firm was chosen by NASA to undertake a mission aimed at snatching up some samples of lunar regolith from the surface of the Moon, a fairly involved process requiring the use of a lander and rover system. Their most recent checkouts included a stint in the thermal vacuum testing chamber, assessing how the satellite will fare in the extreme temp swings that orbiters endure.

Also: Issa Urges MoH, Annual Electric Aircraft Symposium, NH90 Standard, Enstrom 

Another day, another Starliner delay... or so it seems. NASA and Boeing leadership report that they are 'are adjusting the return to Earth of the Starliner Crew Flight Test spacecraft with agency astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station.' The move off Wednesday, June 26, deconflicts Starliner’s undocking and landing from a series of planned International Space Station spacewalks while allowing mission teams time to review propulsion system data. Uh-huh.... A Piper PA-34-200 Seneca ditched into the sea about 10 miles off

From 2019 (YouTube Version): Company Updates Its Program For Highly Modifying Lancair IV-P Airframes

RDD Enterprises, a company that was created to modify Lancair IV-P airplanes into a safer, longer-range bird, provided Aero-TV with an update about the program at AirVenture. According to David McRae, the owner of RDD Enterprises, the LX7 is designed to be a faster and safer aircraft than the IV-P from which it is built. The company will help a buyer find a suitable donor airplane, from which the wings and tail are removed. The company installs an entirely new wing and tail, as well as new avionics and other upgrades. McRae said that the work

Tail Rotor Assembly And About Two Ft Of The Tail Cone Was Separated From The Helicopter And Were Located About 340 Ft Southwest Of The Fuselage

On June 19, 2024, about 1620 Pacific daylight time, a Robinson Helicopters R-44 II, N323TT, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Bluestem, Washington. The pilot and the pilot-rated-passenger were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot’s wife, he was returning the helicopter to the Coeur d’Alene / Pappy Boyington Field (COE), Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and invited a friend, who was a certificated airplane pilot. Recorded Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) d

Aero Linx: Globe Swift / Temco Swift Page

The birthplace of the Swift was Ft. Worth, TX, in early 1940. The very first low wing, two-place retractable gear aircraft called "The Swift" was built as what would be called today a "homebuilt," by Mr. R.S. "Pop" Johnson of Ft. Worth. Mr. Johnson was reputed to have taken the trial delivery of a Culver Cadet, measured its vital organs and returned it to Culver, no purchase. Then he built himself an aircraft and began looking for a financier and builder...

Approach Hold Area The locations on taxiways in the approach or departure areas of a runway designated to protect landing or departing aircraft. These locations are identified by signs and markings.

"I can tell you that the families are very unhappy and angered with DOJ’s decisions and proposal...”  Source: Robert Clifford, a lawyer for families in pending civil cases in Chicago, and no doubt looking forward to quite the monetary gravy train that could be coming the lawyer's way if Boeing is made out to be even more of a bad guy than has been done already. In the meantime; relatives of the 346 victims who died in two Boeing 737 Max crashes five months apart in 2018 and 2019 are roundly criticizing the plea deal being floated by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to resolve criminal charges against the aircraft manufacturer.