New Floor Plan Splits The Difference Between Freighter and Passenger Operations

Textron has been granted certification of a new interior conversion for passenger-layout SkyCouriers, allowing operators to carry 9 pax and a load of cargo at the same time. "This newly certified combi kit adds to the growing list of options for the versatile Cessna SkyCourier," said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, Global Sales and Flight Operations. "The Combi will allow operators to use the aircraft for an even broader range of missions globally and quickly change configurations to best serve their needs."

Agriculture Association Takes Little Whirlybirds Seriously

The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) Board of Directors held a vote to bolster their activities in the uncrewed sphere, coming away in favor of creating an Uncrewed Aerial Application System (UAAS) Committee. The Committee will advise the Association on uncrewed aircraft systems issues, development, and regulation, as well as give them a useful way to weigh in on the topic in the public eye. The Committee will "ensure the low-altitude airspace is safe for crewed and uncrewed aircraft as the number of UAS in low-altitude airspace grows", while becoming the local expert on all things uncrewed within the NAAA.

Deal Expands Fleet With New Helos for Variety of Missions

Airbus Helicopters managed to grab itself a pretty big order for a change, inking a deal with LCI and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company, Limited (SMFL) for 21 of its latest generation helicopters. It's good news for the brand, since the rotary wing industry often survives on much smaller orders, but this time around they even got the better of the firm:option breakdown. Of the 21 aircraft 'ordered', 14 are firm, with 7 options should Sumitomo decide to exercise them later on. The purchase includes a mix of options, with a pair of Airbus' light twin H145, a medium twin H160, and their oddly named 'super medium' H175.

This Year’s Theme Is 'Connected Skies / Connected Communities'

This year's FAA Drone and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Symposium will focus on how the FAA continues (or tries...) to safely integrate these aircraft while creating a framework to accelerate advanced operations. The event, which runs from July 30 – Aug 1 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland, will bring together representatives from the FAA, other government agencies, international aviation experts, industry leaders and academia. 

From 2017 (YouTube Version): A New Way To See Where Your Drone Is Going…

One of the new entrants into the FPV world is the Cinemizer, which the company says is a versatile and comfortable way to see where your drone is going. Annette Tindall, Sales and Marketing director for Cinemizer, USA, told ANN's CEO and Editor in Chief Jim Campbell, at the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo in January, that the new FPV device is made by a 160-year-old German optics company. They are designed to be very comfortable for the wearer, and feature a focus adjustment for each eye for almost any visual correction from -5 to +2.

(Witness) Observed An Airplane “Falling Out Of The Sky, Twirling” And Descending Below The Clouds Until He Lost Sight

On April 12, 2024, about 1633 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301, N9236J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The flight was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. According to the pilot’s spouse, the pilot was returning to home on the day of the accident. Preliminary flight track data obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration showed that the airplane departed from St. Petersburg, Florida, about 1130 and landed at Mc Ghee Tyson Airport (TYS), Knoxville, Tennessee, about 1530. The airplane was refueled and subsequently departed at 1617, on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan with a planned destination of Gerald R Ford International Airport (GRR), Grand Rapids, Michigan.