Fri, Apr 17, 2020
Rocket Lab has successfully completed a mid-air recovery test – a maneuver that involves snagging an Electron test stage from the sky with a helicopter.

The successful test is a major step forward in Rocket Lab’s plans to reuse the first stage of its Electron launch vehicle for multiple missions. The test took place in early March, by dropping an Electron first stage test article from a helicopter over open ocean. A parachute was then deployed from the stage, before a second helicopter closed in on the descending stage and captured it mid-air at around 5,000 ft, using a specially designed grappling hook. After capturing the stage on the first attempt, the helicopter safely carried it back to land. An EAA HQ communication to EAA Chapter Leaders throughout the country has confirmed that another iconic sport aviation undertaking has been felled by the Coronavirus pandemic. Hopefully, AirVenture is not the next event to be taken out of rotation for the coming year. The EAA communique stated, "I am reaching out to you to let you know that EAA Air Academy Camps for 2020 are cancelled. The current situation surrounding COVID-19 has made it much more
difficult to secure all the necessary logistics needed for a successful camp experience at this summer’s Air Academy sessions. Aspen Avionics has upgraded a number of items in its product line... and reduced some pricing. Multi-display systems now get a price break and will also offer Evolution Synthetic Vision as standard for new installations of the MAX series of primary and multi-function displays. Upgrades such as Angle of Attack, ADS-B enablement software have also been reduced. All multi-display systems and will include the external battery ($1,000 value) as standard which enables current and future Aspen owners to remove their existing vacuum back-up system with an Evolution 2000 MAX (Pro MAX PFD, MFD1000 MAX PFD) or an Evolution 2500 system (Pro MAX PFD, MFD1000 MAX and MFD500 MAX). All this -- and MORE in today's episode of Airborne!!!

Airborne 04.13.20 is chock full of info in this Daily News Episode, Monday, April 13th, 2020... Presented by Aero-TV veteran videographer and Airborne Host Sophie Hurlock. Sophie is supported by ANN Chief Videographer Nathan Cremisino, as well as ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell. This episode covers:
- Move Over, SpaceX? Rocket Lab Successfully Completes Electron Mid-Air Recovery
- EAA Air Academy Camp 2020 Cancelled
- Aspen Avionics Enhances Product Line
- Boeing Admits Starliner Refly Necessary
- Airbus A350-1000 Deployed In Fight Against COVID-19
- Skydiving Museum HOF Ceremony Still On As Planned
- 2020 Avionics Innovation Preview is LIVE
Get Comprehensive, Real-Time, 24/7 coverage of the latest aviation and aerospace stories anytime, at aero-news.net. And be sure to join us again tomorrow, for the next edition of "Airborne Unlimited" here on Aero-TV. Thanks for watching. See you, again, tomorrow!
© 2020, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.



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