Mission 10th Crew Rotation Set For Commercial Launch Provider

NASA has named the four crew members for the 10th launch provided by commercial space company SpaceX. The mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is not currently scheduled but the agency says it will take place no earlier than February 2025. The team consists of two NASA astronauts, Commander Anne McClain and Pilot Nichole Ayers, Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov, and astronaut Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi of JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. 

Jump Filmed in March to Hand Off Flag for 2028 Games

Tom Cruise will play a principal role in the closing ceremony at the Paris Olympic Games on August 11, 2024. He will reportedly carry the official Olympic flag from Paris in a symbolic handoff to Los Angeles, host city for the 2028 Summer Olympiad. In Los Angeles he will skydive to the iconic Hollywood sign, prominently mounted in the Santa Monica mountains above the city. Fulwell 73, the London-based production company, is creating the Los Angeles segment of the ceremony, which consists of live and prerecorded elements.

All New Flight Deck Unveiled, Engine Testing Underway

Boom Supersonic made some exciting announcements at the recently concluded Farnborough International Air Show. The Denver, Colorado-based company unveiled a re-imagined cockpit for its Overture airliner with a brand new flight deck that focuses on safety as a prime consideration. The company also announced that hardware testing of the Symphony engine has commenced and the first full-scale engine core is expected to be operational in 18 months. Boom further announced that Symphony will be assembled via an expanded agreement with StandardAero at its San Antonio, Texas plant.

Hydrogen Power Key for 'Green Britain's Flag Carrier'

As the ZeroAvia ZA2000 hybrid engine gets closer to full production, the firm is making deals with regional airlines wherever it can to showcase the new powerplant to clients and passengers alike. Their newest partner is Ecojet, a firm that bills itself as "the world's first electric, commercial airline". They've already added 22 ZA2000 hydrogen-electric engines to their cart, with options for 40 more on top of that. The agreement builds on a relationship started in November of 2023, when they set up a deposit schedule that would put Ecojet in a nice, early place in line for when certified ZA2000s run off the production line. Ecojet isn't quite active, yet. They plan to launch services later th

Data Support Plausible Mechanism in Certain Lycoming Engines

General Aviation Modifications, Inc., (GAMI) announced at EAA AirVenture that after performing extensive testing of 94UL avgas in a Continental IO-550 engine operating at the equivalent of 73% power, the data indicated moderate to severe detonation that was absent when operating with 100LL. The detonation observed with 94UL provides a reasonable explanation of the cause of valve seat recession reported in Lycoming engines in the training aircraft at the University of North Dakota (UND).

Updated Primer Gives Young'uns One-Stop Reference to Sound Like a Pro

An update to 'The Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual  has brought the classic primer up to its fifth edition, covering changes in practices, procedures, regulation, and technology since its original publication. The Turbine Pilot’s Flight Manual has long been a favorite of those gearing up to go to turbine aircraft ground schools, studying to earn their Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, prepping for an interview with the big leagues, or simply upgrading to a bigger, better, and more demanding aircraft. Of course, the book is a professional text, meaning it carries a 'professional' price tag: The Turbine Pilot's Flight Manual can be had in softcover form, or a ligh

New Satellite Refueling Ecosystem Aims to Become the Standard

Dawn Aerospace, a little-known space engineering firm from the Netherlands, showed off its new Docking and Fluid Transfer (DFT) port, a system that will enable satellite upkeep by refueling in the years to come. The firm has made waves with its Nitrous-based SatDrive propulsion systems, grabbing the attention of 20 clients as they developed their own satellite systems. Now, Dawn says they're "uniquely suited to solve the “chicken and egg” problem of satellite refueling." Their new DFT port replaces the standard fill/drain valves in use today, basic systems that require manual actuation on the ground, and will never be refilled again, bar some enterprising company sending up

Flight Instructor Took Off, Turned Prematurely, And Clipped A Fence With The Right Wing

Analysis: The flight instructor reported that he was practicing short-field takeoffs and landings with the pilot-rated airplane owner. After multiple takeoffs and landings on the owner’s field, the flight instructor took off, turned prematurely, and clipped a fence with the right wing. The airplane flipped over, impacted terrain, and came to a rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the forward fuselage and both wings. The flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

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 compa

Aero Linx: European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

For over 20 years, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has been the dynamic centrepiece of aviation safety and environmental protection in Europe. As an independent and neutral body, EASA ensures confidence in safe air operations in Europe and world-wide by proposing and formulating rules, standards, and guidance; by certifying aircraft, parts, and equipment; and by approving and overseeing organisations in all aviation domains. With over 800 employees from 31 European countries, the Agency is an inclusive and diverse workplace. EASA is constantly innovating through specialist research on emerging themes and technologies.

Safety Alert A safety alert issued by ATC to aircraft under their control if ATC is aware the aircraft is at an altitude which, in the controller's judgment, places the aircraft in unsafe proximity to terrain, obstructions, or other aircraft. The controller may discontinue the issuance of further alerts if the pilot advises he/she is taking action to correct the situation or has the other aircraft in sight. Note: The issuance of a safety alert is contingent upon the capability of the controller to have an awareness of an unsafe condition. The course of action provided will be predicated on other traffic under ATC control. Once the alert is issued, it is solely the pilot's

“We really love what the team are doing at Ecojet. Dale speaks powerfully on the future ubiquity of renewable power and is already helping to make that a reality in the UK. Hydrogen-electric aviation can be a big part of that journey, opening up low-cost, efficient and safe true zero-emission transport between UK destinations like never before.” Source: Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO, ZeroAvia, explaining that as the ZeroAvia ZA2000 hybrid engine gets closer to full production, the firm is making deals with regional airlines wherever it can to showcase the new powerplant to clients and passengers alike.