Production Milestone by RV-7A Makes Company History

Recent years have been kind to Van's Aircraft, with their RV-series airplanes increasingly becoming a regular fixture at airports throughout the country. Their blend of sportiness and affordability have made them the go-to name for home-built low-wing aircraft. Originally begun as a kit manufacturer in 1970, the company opened their RV portfolio with the single seat RV-3, eventually growing the line into aircraft with a host of landing gear, seating, and performance options. As time passed, Van's addressed the needs of nearly every builder/pilot on the market, whether looking for maximum performance, comfortable cross country handling, or economical ownership.

Pat Moorehead's Team Completes 9 Jumps At 90 Years Old

To celebrate his 90th birthday, long time skydiving legend Pat Moorehead completed 9 jumps over the morning of November 20th, 2021. Across all methods of support, his work raised over $15,000 for the International Skydiving Museum, while setting a world record for the oldest skydiver to tackle the feat in history. Pat was accompanied by additional parachutists in the region flying 90-shaped formations over the drop zone while a crowd of hundreds watched on from below. The donations will go towards operations for the International Skydiving Museum & Hall of Fame to keep future generations apprised of the history, the travails, and the victories of the sport.

Joint Effort With IdeaNova Will See DRM, Secured Video Feeds

SmartSky Networks has announced its work with joint partner IdeaNova Technologies to offer secure streaming and digital rights management tech aboard aircraft in-flight following successful testing and rollout. The change will see IdeaNova's Intouch and Inplay services available through scalable coding and encryption. IdeaNova's applications provide à la carte media selections and video teleconferencing geared towards airborne consumption. While media consumption has little need for ironclad encryption and security, private video calls and meetings require higher standards of guaranteed privacy.

Former Honeywell VP Mike Ingram Installed as Chief Executive Officer

Maverick Investment Company, the parent corporation of Shadin Avionics, has announced the newest man to head the small aerospace company. Mike Ingram, industry veteran, will take the helm as Chief Executive Officer and President. His background in avionics, systems engineering and design, software development, certification, and product management made him a good choice to help Shadin Avionics grow into its next era. Maverick hopes his guidance will help sharpen the companies growing Flight Performance and Aircraft Interface Systems in the wider market. 

From 2019: Yak 52s Have Been Replaced With Extra Aerobatic Airplanes For 2019

The Phillips 66 Aerostars have been performing together, side by side at around 250 mph, for more than a decade, and the story of how the team came to be is like so many other such stories ... it happened almost by accident. Team member Paul "Rocket" Hornick told that story to Aero-News at AirVenture 2019. Essentially, Harvey "Boss" Meek was looking to buy an aerobatic airplane, and answered an ad for a Pitts for sale. But through a sequence of events that you'll have to watch the video to learn, he wound up forming the Aerostars with Dave "Cupid" Monroe flying Yak-52s. The team fle

Moog Company's 2018 S-Tec 3100 Proven Popular

Genesys Aerosystems (part of infamous Moog, Inc.) announced the recent shipment of its 1000th S-Tec 3100 autopilot since the model's release in 2018. Certified for multiple fixed and rotary wing aircraft, over 200 in total, the 2 axis (and 3, where appropriate for the installation) autopilot has given owners and operators a bevy of enhanced, modern features most often found in more expensive systems. The S-Tec includes automatic trim, envelope protection, one-button straight and level recovery, indicated airspeed hold, altitude preselect, and alerting capability for inappropriate flight conditions. The autopilot can be used in the traditional modes, coupled to GPS, VOR, LOC, HDG, LPV, FMS, as well

Air Ambulance Fleet Gains Wireless Comm Suite

A new upgrade for Utah's largest, most well known aerial medical provider has simplified airborne medical operations, improving their communications with a cordless, streamlined intercom system. Salt Lake City's Life Flight air ambulance service equipped their new Leonardo A109SP helicopters with Axnes PNG Wireless Intercommunication Services (WICS) for ease of use, safety, situational awareness, and communications both in and out of the aircraft. Accurate, clear crew comms are vital in the rocky mountain rescues often flown to by the service, fraught with densely wooded forest and unforgiving cliff faces.

Japanese Venture Company Buys In As Wingcopter Vets Local Companies for Partner Program

The Japanese venture capital investment company DRONE FUND III, an advanced air mobility and unmanned systems partnership, selected German outfit Wingcopter for their first eVTOL and drone investment target. The move follows Wingcopter's association with another of Japan's aerospace companies, ANA Airlines, in 2020. That joint effort separately plans to roll out a drone delivery network to improve product availability in the sparsely populated, demographically geriatric rural regions of Japan. The investment caps off a good year for Wingcopter, filling their coffers after a series of successful test rollouts to hit the ground running in 2022.

Pilot Reported That The Airplane Had Experienced Engine Issues

On November 8, 2021, about 1620 central standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Sonex airplane, N432SX, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Malone, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to a friend of the pilot, on the day of the accident the pilot reported that the airplane had experienced engine issues, which included a total loss of engine power on two occasions during a flight earlier that day. The friend questioned the pilot to get more details, but the conversation was interrupted, and the pilot did not explain what actions he perfo

AD 2021-23-07 Requires Replacing A Certain Circuit Breaker With A Part Having A Higher Rating

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Saab AB, Support and Services Model SAAB 340B airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that the circuit breaker for the emergency cabin lighting tripped without fault in the system. This AD requires replacing a certain circuit breaker with a part having a higher rating, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective January 5, 2022.

Aero Linx: The Soaring Association of Canada (SAC) The Soaring Association of Canada (SAC) is the governing body for the sport of gliding in Canada. Mandated to safeguard and promote our sport, we render support and representation to glider pilots and gliding clubs across the nation through a variety of committees. On a national level, we represent our affiliated clubs and members on issues related to licensing, medical requirements, airspace and regulation. Internationally, we maintain representation within the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale and the International Gliding Commission. We invest in the renewal and expansion of our sport by offering bursaries for y

Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) A search and rescue (SAR) facility equipped and manned to coordinate and control SAR operations in an area designated by the SAR plan. The U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Air Force have responsibility for the operation of RCCs.

“First flight couldn’t have gone better! Aircraft flew hands off. Handled like an RV should! So glad I got to do the initial flight before it goes to it’s new owner.” Source: RV-7A builders, Lennard Nichols and Jay Conlin, commenting on the milestone of the 11,000th RV to fly -- their first flight took place in Alberta, Canada.