Basic Dogfighting Practice Improves Everyone Across the Board

A whole host of aircraft from 9 NATO nations descended upon the Ramstein Air Base in Germany for some good old 1-versus-1 combat, marking off the first-ever basic fighter maneuvers exercise there. Participants came from the USA, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, France, Germany, Belgium, and Denmark, bringing a solid array of fighters from their respective air forces. The ever-present F-16 Fighting Falcon was there, as befitting nearly any NATO fighter exercise, accompanied by some American metal like the F-35A Lightning II, the F/A-18 Hornet, and even the vintage Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. Representing the old world came the Dassault Rafale C and Eurofighter Typhoon.

Turns Out They Don't Like High Profile Conjecture Until the Investigation Is Complete

The NTSB made headlines this month when they publicly chastised Boeing for their interactions with media, noting that the company "providing non-public investigative information to the media and speculating about possible causes of the January 5 door-plug blowout on a Boeing passenger jet in Portland, Oregon." The firm was in such trouble, in fact, that the NTSB announced a series of restrictions and sanctions for the leaks. Boeing will retain its party status in the ongoing investigation, at least, but it will no longer have access to the investigative information that comes into the record as the case develops. 

Program Aims for Quick Progress on Hybrid Flying Wing

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) issued an official designation to the UAV designed under the Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration program, calling it the XRQ-73. The SHEPARD initiative sits under the X-prime program, drawing on lessons learned in the Air Force Research Laboratory's Great Horned Owl project. The XRQ-73 is designed to be a Group 3 UAS tipping the scales at about 1,250 pounds, with a first flight later this year. 

Service Looks to Recruit and Retain Technical Expertise

The U.S. Air Force has not had warrant officers since it dissolved their ranks in 1958 but that is about to change with the opening of its new Warrant Officer Training School. The school was activated in an assumption of command ceremony at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, on June 28. Warrant officers in other branches fill technical roles rather than leadership, and that will be the case with the reintroduction of Air Force warrant officers. To progress through the ranks, enlisted and commissioned officers often have to put their normal duties on hold and step away to attend months-long leadership and development courses.

NBAA, Charter Operators Applaud Removal of Requirement

A final rule just published by the FAA provides relief for check pilots and flight instructors in Part 135 commuter and on-demand operators who are performing those duties in aircraft, so they are no longer required to have a medical certificate. The rule also clears up inconsistencies in different areas of the regulations for medical certificate requirements for those serving as required flight crew members or not, and also inconsistencies between requirements for Part 121 and Part 135 operators.

Busy Monday Follows a Relaxing Weekend

The current residents of the International Space Station (ISS) had a busy day Monday after taking the weekend off. Maintenance and cleaning chores were the order of the day for the crewmembers of NASA Expedition 71 and Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test. Tracy Dyson and Matthew Dominick of NASA loaded discarded gear and trash into the Cygnus (Northrop Grumman) for robotic disposal over the South Pacific. Starliner’s astronauts, commander Butch Wilmore and Pilot Suni Williams, tidied up and organized stowage in the Permanent Multipurpose Module. Wilmore then disassembled a NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer to ready it for upcoming missions.

Klyde Sees The Future... and Hasn't Missed the Fine Print...

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Also: Chute Seals, Asteroid Exercise, Wisk Expands, SmartSky

The Vertical Flight Society is on track for the biggest electric aircraft development conference yet, with more than 40 speakers set to present at the 18th Annual Electric Aircraft Symposium (EAS). It will once again be held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with support for remote attendance. AeroVironment pulled off a demonstration of its JUMP 20 uncrewed aircraft system using a heavy fuel engine, expanding the capabilities and interoperability of the platform in the world of military logistics. The firm successfully bore out the utility of the JUMP 20 with the 'heavy fuel' engine, a more omnivorous lit

Also: Chute Seals, Asteroid Exercise, Wisk Expands, SmartSky

The Vertical Flight Society is on track for the biggest electric aircraft development conference yet, with more than 40 speakers set to present at the 18th Annual Electric Aircraft Symposium (EAS). It will once again be held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with support for remote attendance. AeroVironment pulled off a demonstration of its JUMP 20 uncrewed aircraft system using a heavy fuel engine, expanding the capabilities and interoperability of the platform in the world of military logistics. The firm successfully bore out the utility of the JUMP 20 with the 'heavy fuel' engine, a more omnivor

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 mi

As The Airplane Approached The Water, It Began To Pull Out Of The Dive...

On June 7, 2024, about 1140 Pacific daylight time, a Beech A45, N268AF, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Deer Harbor, Washington. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 91 personal flight. The airplane was based at Skagit Regional Airport (BVS), Burlington, Washington, and stored in a museum facility founded by the pilot. The pilot’s son was working at the museum on the day of the accident and reported that the pilot arrived there that morning and appeared to be in good spirits. He stated that he was going to perform an “Orcas run”, a phrase the pilot used to describ

From 2019 (YouTube Version): Celebrating Women In Aviation At AirVenture 2019

WomenVenture is largest gathering of passionate female aviators and aviation enthusiasts, held each year during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh since 2008. 2019 marked the 12th year for the celebration. Activities included a networking social, annual group photo with more than 1,000 women on Boeing Plaza, and a ‘Power Lunch’ with keynote speaker U.S. Air Force Col. Kim “Killer Chick” Campbell. Since 2008, EAA WomenVenture has offered the opp

Aero Linx: National EMS Pilots Association We, the National EMS Pilots Association, will strive to help the Air Medical Transport industry prosper safely and enhance the delivery of pre-hospital health care. We will provide the leadership necessary to establish standards of operational safety and a forum for the dissemination of knowledge. This organization will continue to be a major advocate for positive change for our industry.

Buffer Area As applied to an MVA or MIA chart, a depicted 3 NM or 5 NM radius MVA/MIA sector isolating a displayed obstacle for which the sector is established. A portion of a buffer area can also be inclusive of a MVA/MIA sector polygon boundary. 

 

"The idea behind a DARPA X-prime program is to take emerging technologies and burn down system-level integration risks to quickly mature a new missionized long endurance aircraft design that can be fielded quickly... The SHEPARD program is maturing a specific propulsion architecture and power class as an exemplar of potential benefits for the Department of Defense.” Source: Steve Komadina, SHEPARD program manager, discussing the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) issued an official designation to the UAV designed under the Series Hybrid Electric Propulsion AiRcraft Demonstration program, calling it the XRQ-73.