First Commercial Space Flight to Feature Spacewalk

Polaris Dawn is the first of the Polaris Program, a series of three planned space missions all funded and commanded by Jared Isaacman, the billionaire founder of Shift4. The privately funded mission is slated to be launched July 31. SpaceX has announced it will provide the launch capability with its Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon crew capsule. The upcoming flight will be the first-ever to feature a commercial astronaut Extravehicular Activity (EVA) or spacewalk.

Flying The First Major Hurricane Of What’s Predicted To Be A Very Active Season

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, a component of the Air Force Reserve’s 403rd Wing at Keesler Air Force Base, has been working around-the-clock flying data-gathering missions into Hurricane Beryl, the first major hurricane of what’s predicted to be a very active season. The National Hurricane Center, with the Chief Aerial Reconnaissance Coordination All Hurricanes, tasked the Hurricane Hunters with flying Beryl June 30 out of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Mitchell, 53rd WRS, assistant director of operations.

Affects Rescue From Tórtolos Beach in Culebra, Puerto Rico

Wow... these Coast Guard helo crews stay BUSY... A Coast Guard aircrew working with local emergency responders rescued an injured woman from Tórtolos Beach in Culebra, Puerto Rico, Thursday. Rescued was a 35-year-old woman who became stranded at the beach after falling off the rocks and sustaining an ankle injury. Watchstanders at Sector San Juan received a communication from Puerto Rico Emergency Medical Services Bureau personnel reporting the distress and requesting assistance to recover the woman due to the isolated and difficult access to the area. Watchstanders directed the launch of Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Borinquen to provi

From 2021: The Inside Skinny On What Being An ANN Oshkosh Stringer Is All About

By ANN Senior Stringer Extraordinare, Gene Yarbrough The annual gathering at Oshkosh is a right of passage or a pilgrimage to Mecca for many. However the rank and file public rarely have the opportunity to experience the FULL Oshkosh experience. Oshkosh, like onions and ogres, is a multi-layered microcosm within the enigma of the greater Wisconsin county in which it transpires. The Aero-News Network stringer has opportunity, and if so inclined, the access to every aspect of general aviation including the "behind the scenes" view few even know exist.

Block II Chinook Offers Increased Capability And Survivability For Global Missions

A highly-regarded rotary workhorse is coming back to the US Army, but in a much improved configuration. In support of ongoing Army modernization efforts, Boeing delivered the first CH-47F Block II Chinook. The aircraft is one of up to 465 in the Army’s fleet that will be modernized to the new Block II configuration. “The CH-47F Block II provides capability improvements allowing the U.S. Army to lift more, fly farther and maintain their aircraft better than ever before,” said Heather McBryan, vice president and program manager, Cargo Programs.

Also: FAA Research Study, Junior Gliding Championships, WestJet Mechanics, Gulfstream-Specific Training

The idea of offering a training program for aviation mechanics and service technicians is finally coming to fruition at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) in Troy, New York. The 12-month training will take place in a hangar referred to as HVCC West at Albany International Airport (KALB) in Albany. The official name of the facility is the Aeronautical Technology Institute, which is about to receive FAA certification as a Part 147 Aviation Maintenance Technical School. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) announced that the winner of

Desert Heat No Problem for AgEagle Systems

AgEagle Aerial Systems, a provider of full-stack drone solutions based in Wichita, Kansas, announced the successful completion of a training exhibition for the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin, California. The exhibition was a display of the capabilities of AgEagle’s eBee VISION for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and eBee TAC for multi-spectral imaging and mapping. The exhibit demonstrated all elements of the aerial systems: drone hardware, sensors, and control software, and also included multiple flights Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS).

Klyde... Bigger Ain't Always Better...

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

The airplane came to rest inverted in about 3 ft of water. There was no postimpact fire.

On June 17, 2024, about 1415 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Vans RV-6A airplane, N715PA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Methuen, Massachusetts. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A preliminary review of air traffic control communications and radar data revealed the airplane was cleared for takeoff from runway 23 at the Lawrence Municipal Airport (LWM), Lawrence, Massachusetts, about 1411. The pilot planned to stay in the traffic pattern and practice full stop landings.

From Earlier in 2024 (YouTube Version): New Capabilities For Business Aviation

CiES Corporation President Scott Philiben walked Aero-News Editor in Chief Jim Campbell through some of what sets his products apart from the rest of the market. Cies units are “the only proven, all-digital fuel senders” around, a vast improvement from early float-type sensors equipped on centennial legacy systems. The latest and greatest from Cies includes greater compatibility with varied systems and avionics, tip and tilt compensation, damping, an

'Negotiated Solution is Always the Preferred Outcome'

Much like the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), the Allied Pilots Association caught up with the industry as the world headed into the week of July 4th, telling the world that "a course change is past due". They commented on the negotiations update disseminated by APFA, bridging the gap between pilots and flight attendants by updating the flight deck folks on where things are at this point in the contract process.

Aero Linx: Soaring Safety Foundation (SSF) The Soaring Safety Foundation (SSF) is the Training and Safety arm of the Soaring Society of America (SSA). Our mission is to provide instructors and pilots with the tools needed to teach/learn both the stick & rudder skills and the Aeronautical Decision Making skills needed to safely fly a glider. We also provide information and analysis of incident and accident trends in order to develop better training tools. 

“Our purpose during hurricane season is to collect and quality check the data in storm environments before sending it, in-flight, to forecasters to inject into models and to try and pinpoint the true center of a storm. We’re often flying in data-sparse regions, so being in a storm for as long as possible closes the gap of information that satellites may not be able to determine.” Source: Lt. Col. Jeffrey Mitchell, 53rd WRS, assistant director of operations, whose crews are currently flying surveillance missions inside Hurricane Beryl. 

Global Positioning System GPS refers to the worldwide positioning, navigation and timing determination capability available from the U.S. satellite constellation. The service provided by GPS for civil use is defined in the GPS Standard Positioning System Performance Standard. GPS is composed of space, control, and user elements.