Other ALPA-Represented Airlines Step Up To Assist

Spirit Airlines furloughed 186 more of their pilots on September 1. Their union, backed by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), is showing their commitment to getting these pilots back in the air. As icing on the cake, Spirit announced pay raises for several executives and its CEO right after sending out their initial furlough notices.

DeLand City Commission Yet To Vote On Final Approval

The City Commission of DeLand, Florida, will vote on whether to give final approval to a plan to begin charging landing fees at the DeLand Municipal Airport (KDED), also known as Sidney H. Taylor Field. If the plan is approved, the landing fees will go into effect October 1, 2024 and will apply only to itinerant aircraft. The rate will be $3.00 per thousand pounds of max landing weight. The fees will apply for touch and goes as well as full stop taxi back operations. 

MWSAE Bribed The ANN Crew With Promises of 'Daily Donuts...'

The ANN crew is on our way to one of our favorite sport-aviation events, the 16th ANNUAL MidWest Aviation Expo -- which is on target for September 5-7, 2024 at the idyllic Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (MVN) in Mt. Vernon, IL. The MWAE Midwest Aviation Expo is specifically organized to aid in educating and selling Light Sport Aircraft, LSA Ancillary Services, and LSA-related Services. The airport is a very impressive locale for this operation, boasting lots of runway, excellent facilities, and an outstanding airport restaurant... The event is laidback and dedicated to folks getting up close and personal with the aircraft they are interested in without all the fuss associated with much

Feds Aren’t Shy About Wanting Safety Improvements

The new Boeing CEO, Kelly Ortberg, recently sat down with Federal Aviation Administration leadership to discuss quality improvement efforts. This follows an extensive chain of safety hazards and labor negotiations. With much of their quality reputation already having been lost, Ortberg will have plenty of work to do to restore Boeing’s position in the industry.

No Signs of Foul-Play Found in the Investigation

An investigation into former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s fatal helicopter crash named dense fog and other harsh atmospheric conditions as the accident’s cause. The Bell 212, which was one of 10 owned by the Iranian military, went down in the remote mountains of northwest Iran.

Second Launcher Needed For Larger Variants Of Space Launch System

The NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted an audit to determine how the agency was meeting its cost, schedule, and performance goals, and the actions the agency has taken to control future cost increases and schedule delays. NASA’s Artemis series of space missions will use the Space Launch System (SLS) super heavy lift vehicle to launch the Orion Crew module into space. The SLS booster rockets and Orion are vertically assembled into a single spacecraft on top of the mobile launch platform inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. When complete, the mobile launcher with the spacecraft on top is moved to the launch pad. 

Tugs For Aircraft Of Almost Every Size, Weight, And Footprint

Jim Campbell spied a little something interesting at NBAA-BACE 2023: A remote control aircraft tug. Tracy Haeggstrom, mechanical engineer for AC Air Technology, walked him through the upsides of the easy life without a tow bar. His firm’s RC tug can be had in 7 different models, allowing for the right selection for an aircraft’s size and weight and footprint. It makes wheeling around an aircraft an absolute breeze, with a remote control giving operators complete freedom of movement as they walk around the aircraft. The system can work for pretty much any aircraft u

Last Year’s Inaugural Exceeded Expectations

The NBAA will host a second Career Fair to connect companies with top industry talent at this year’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (BACE). In our new age of digital-first recruiting, opportunities for actual in-person connections with qualified job seekers are rare but very valuable for both parties. 

Pilot Looked Up And Saw Light White Smoke Coming From Around The Propeller Spinner

On August 3, 2024, at 1300 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR22T, N825JC, was involved in an incident near Tulsa, Oklahoma. The airplane sustained unknown damage. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a ferry flight. Prior to the ferry flight, an engine was installed onto the airplane by an airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authorization. The engine installation also included the installation of Alternator 1 and Alternator 2. The mechanic was not affiliated with a certificated aircraft repair station or Cirrus Aircraft.

Aero Linx: International Bird Dog Association Welcome to IBDA! The concept for an organization dedicated to the Cessna L-19/O-1 Bird Dog originated with Mr. Phil Phillips of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Phil had served as a U.S. Army Aviator in Vietnam and had flown numerous combat missions in the Birddog. Once back in the States and beginning a career in the private sector, he thought affectionately about the humble little warbird from Cessna that had served him so well. Unfortunately, he was also frustrated. There was very little printed material about this noteworthy airplane and worse yet there was not a single flyable example anywhere near his hometown that would allow him to borrow a few minut

High Speed Taxiway A long radius taxiway designed and provided with lighting or marking to define the path of aircraft, traveling at high speed (up to 60 knots), from the runway center to a point on the center of a taxiway. Also referred to as long radius exit or turn-off taxiway. The high speed taxiway is designed to expedite aircraft turning off the runway after landing, thus reducing runway occupancy time.

“No doubt the last couple of years have been challenging for Spirit pilots, but through it all we’ve been buoyed by our pilot group’s solidarity, unity, and commitment to supporting one another. Pilots accepting voluntary leaves, in addition to attrition, have greatly reduced the initial furlough and involuntary downgrade projections. In addition, a significant number of those being furloughed chose voluntary furlough, protecting a more junior pilot’s career.” Source: Part of the explanation provided by Ryan Mueller, Spirit Master Executive Council Chairman, following the nearly 200 Pilot furloughs announced by the airline.