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September 14, 2020

Airborne 09.14.20: Mooney Hit By Truck!, One Aviation BK Saga, Pawnee Dunked

Also: Bombardier Safety Standdown, New CAE Financing Initiative, AMA And Others Urge FAA, EASA 737 MAX Tests

An unfortunate Mooney was forced to execute a deadstick landing on an Eastbound lane of Florida's Interstate 75, Wednesday morning. A twitter post by FHP summed up the scenario... "A small airplane made an emergency landing on EB I75 (?? Alley) @ 40 mm. Once landed, a pickup truck collided with the left wing of the plane. Thankfully no injuries. The EB right lane of I75 remains closed at this time." An engine failure downed the M20R Mooney over Broward County. The 2007 M20R Ovation 3 GX, N120GX, had two persons on board and executed a safe emergency landing on the right side of the road with no known damage as it came to a stop. Whew... right? All's well that en

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Commercial Space Race Adds New Player, But First Launch Fizzles

Elon Musk Sent A Classy and Encouraging Tweet Noting SpaceX's Early Woes

Space is hard... rockets are harder... so says one of the many variations on a theme that is echoed here and there throughout the commercial space community. A new commercial space player, Astra, planned a major launch attempt this [part weekend from their facilities in Alaska, stating that they expected to make three tries before they were successful in launching a vehicle into Low earth Orbit... they weren't wrong. The Saturday launch attempt took place at 2019PT with "Rocket 3.1" -- and launch they did. However; shortly after launch, the vehicle reportedly encountered problems, as noted in the Astra post-flight blog entry...

Also: uAvionics AV-30-C STC, Rocket Lab Licensed, USAF Supersonic Deal, Av Maintenance Program

Diamond Aircraft has confirmed EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) certification for the new DA50 RG single engine piston with retractable gear. This paves the way for initial EASA customer deliveries in Q1/2021. General Aviation’s new piston single offers retractable gear, double slotted flaps for high lift and superior slow speed behavior, good handling and flight characteristics, a 5-seat luxury cabin with a generous rear baggage compartment, Diamond’s well-known safety features, ramp a

The Marines Know All Too Well... Good Pilots Are Hard To Find... And Keep

It may be good to be a Marine... especially if you're a pilot looking to re-up and stick around for the foreseeable future. A Marine Admin notice (MARADMIN) is offering SERIOUS bucks to keep their valued flying personnel on the job through the initiation of a Marine Corps Aviation Bonus (AvB) Program for FY21. The MARADMIN documentation states that, "The AvB is a special pay utilized to increase the inventory stability of the aviation officer population. The program provides a proactive, short-term incentive for aviation officers in certain grades and communities with current or forecasted inventory shortfalls. Contract lengths and monetary amounts are set based on current a

CAF Will Send 18 Warbirds From 13 Units Across Seven States To Participate

On Sept. 25, 2020, approximately 70 vintage aircraft will take to the skies over Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Arsenal of Democracy (AOD) Flyover will feature historically sequenced formations representing the war’s major battles – from the Battle of Britain through the final air assault on Japan. More than 20 different types of vintage military aircraft are scheduled to fly in formations beginning over the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The airshow is scheduled to begin at 11:30 EST with planes flying in two-minute intervals over the skies of the nation’s capital. The commemoration is expected t

Klyde Gets A Chance to Take A Look On The Other Side...

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Eastern Michigan University Aviation Program Confirms New Partnership

University Signs 5-Year Partnership Agreement With Crosswinds Aviation

After a few questions arose following the news that a prior partnership was heading for discontinuation, the Eastern Michigan University Aviation Program has signed a 5-year partnership agreement with Crosswinds Aviation. “We are thrilled to partner with Crosswinds Aviation and know that this strategic partnership will ultimately ensure that Eastern Michigan University aviation students can graduate with the highest standard aviation education and training,” said Dr. Jerard Delaney, Aviation Program Coordinator. “Crosswinds’ resources, access to the latest avionics technology, and its commitment to encouraging middle and high school students to careers i

Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) Prove Themselves

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) logged its 4,000th aircraft launch and recovery on Sept. 10, showcasing the performance capabilities of the ship’s Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG), as part of the aircraft carrier’s 18-month Post Delivery Test & Trials (PDT&T) period. Capt. Kenneth Sterbenz, Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) program manager (PMA-251) for EMALS and AAG, noted the milestone is a significant achievement for both the ALRE program and the Ford crew.

January Record, "...Wasn't The Most Palpitating Flight"

For 9 hours and 57 minutes, on January 30, 2020, Sébastien Poupart and Johann-Francois Ouellette-Frève floated over rural Québec on their way to shattering the Canadian record for flight duration in the AX7 Balloon Category. It would not have been boring, but considering they eventually landed less than 10 kilometers from where they launched, the scenery did not change much! "It wasn't the most palpitating flight," admitted the understated Poupart who, along with his co-pilot, are part of a resurgence of younger pilots in Québec. This new group is seeking to repeat and expand upon the adventures of the previous generation of balloon pilots.

From 2009: Organization’s Annual Fly-In Makes ‘Golden Age’ Come Alive for Enthusiasts

Founded in August of 1953 by Robert L. Taylor, the Antique Aircraft Association is the world’s oldest organization specifically devoted to antique and classic aircraft. Committed to “keep the antiques flying,” the AAA has dedicated its fifty-six years to the preservation of this “Golden Age of Aviation.” AAA members have access to the organization’s vast historical library, as well as its large assortment of spare engine and aircraft parts

The 7,300-Gallon Load Of SAF Makes For A Two Metric Ton Reduction In CO2 Emissions

Avfuel has delivered a load of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Atlantic Aviation at New Castle Airport (KILG) for one of the airport’s private flight department tenants. This marks the fuel supplier’s first such delivery for a corporate flight department customer following an array of demonstrations with FBOs, airports, OEMs and charter companies. Delivered on September 9, the 7,300-gallon load of SAF makes for a two metric ton reduction in CO2 emissions for the customer, supporting a mutual mission to advance sustainability goals.

Aero Linx: National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena NARCAP has investigated, documented, and analyzed aviation safety-related observations and incidents that may involve Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, UAP, since 1999. Many reports by pilots and aviation professionals of observations and incidents involving unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP, include aviation safety factors. NARCAP documents and researches these reports and advocates for education and further research by the aviation and science community.

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (09.14.20): VFR Not Recommended

VFR Not Recommended An advisory provided by a flight service station to a pilot during a preflight or inflight weather briefing that flight under visual flight rules is not recommended. To be given when the current and/or forecast weather conditions are at or below VFR minimums. It does not abrogate the pilot’s authority to make his/her own decision.

"This was our first orbital launch attempt, and the first flight of a rocket designed from the ground-up for low cost mass production and highly-automated launch operations. The entire launch system was deployed by six people in less than a week – completely unprecedented. Astra’s strategy is to learn fast through iterative development. Although we’re pleased with today’s outcome, we still have more work to do to reach orbit. Once we reach orbit, we will relentlessly continue to improve the economics of the system as we deliver our customers’ payloads. Over the next several weeks, we’ll be taking a close look at the flight data to determine how to make the next flight more successful. Rocket 3.2 is already built and ready for another big step