As Meir, Morgan and Skripochka Departed, Expedition 63 Officially Began

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan returned to Earth Friday, along with Soyuz Commander Oleg Skripochka of the Russian space agency Roscosmos. The trio departed the International Space Station at 9:53 p.m. EDT Thursday and made a safe, parachute-assisted landing at 1:16 a.m. Friday in Kazakhstan (11:16 a.m. local time), southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan. During their first spaceflight, Morgan and Meir contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology development.

Also: AEA Names 2020 Awards, First Production Viking CL-415EAF, EAA Chapter 534 Awards $10K, Hangarbot 2.0

The NTSB has filed the final report on the tragic crash that took the life of a baseball legend, Roy Halladay. In his Icon A5. On November 7, 2017, about 1204 eastern standard time, an Icon Aircraft A5 special light sport amphibious airplane, N922BA, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Clearwater, Florida. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The CAP system was not deployed, and the CAP cockpit handle pin was in its installed position. The pilot had 14.5 hou

Pilots Bill Of Rights 3 Is Working Its Way Through Congress

One of the highlights of AirVenture for the Aero-News team is a chance to sit down with U.S. Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) to get his insights into what is happening in Washington as it relates to our industry. This year, Senator Inhofe has introduced the Security and Revitalizing Aviation (SARA) Act of 2018. In addressing the pilot shortage in the U.S., the SARA Act lays out a number of initiatives to help revitalize the future of general aviation. A proposed Aircraft Pilot Education Program would make aviation careers more accessible through en

SAFO Cancels And Replaces SAFO 20003

The FAA is frantically trying to keep up with all the issues forced upon it by the global pandemic. A recent SAFO was published to provide updated interim occupational health and safety guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for air carriers and crewmembers regarding Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The CDC and FAA are providing this additional occupational health and safety guidance for air carriers and their crews to reduce crewmembers’ risk of exposure to COVID-19 and decrease the risk of transmission of COVID-19 on board aircraft and through air travel.

"This Relief Would Also Help Small Community General Aviation Airports"

EAA joined several prominent general aviation organizations in requesting temporary relief from noncommercial fuel taxes, a measure already taken for commercial fuel taxes paid by air carriers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The request, which was made in a letter addressed to the leaders of the House and Senate, applauded efforts already taken to help the aviation industry at large in these trying times and noted the difficulties GA is enduring due to the coronavirus.

The VMU-1 “Watchdog” Crews Took Control

U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) pilots and sensor operators from Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 1 (VMU-1) conducted their first operational flight of GA-ASI's MQ-9A Reaper UAS in the Middle East on March 20.  The VMU-1 “Watchdog” crews took control of a Company Owned/Company Operated (COCO) MQ-9A supporting forward deployed Marines, while the GA-ASI team provided oversight. This achievement by the USMC comes shortly after 7,000 hours of COCO flight operations since Sept. 2018 was surpassed. “This achievement represents a unique milestone and example of the Marine Corps’ legacy of innovation,” says David R. Alexander, president, GA-ASI.

540,000 Medical-Grade Face Masks Transported

Boeing has completed its first COVID-19 transport mission, using a 737-700 aircraft from its corporate fleet to bring personal protective equipment (PPE) from China to the United States. Working in partnership with FIRST® Robotics Founder Dean Kamen, the company transported 540,000 medical-grade face masks that will be delivered to healthcare professionals battling COVID-19 in New Hampshire. Kamen, who has a longstanding relationship with Boeing through FIRST Robotics, is also a founder of DEKA Research and Development Corporation. He worked with DEKA to secure the face masks from manufacturers in China and turned to Boeing to facilitate their transport. DEKA is the importer of record for the delive

382 Search And Rescue Cases Resulting In 58 Lives Saved

The crew of Coast Guard Air Station Savannah conducted a change of command ceremony Friday at Air Station Savannah. During the ceremony, Cmdr. Brian Erickson transferred command of Coast Guard Air Station Savannah to Cmdr. Brendan Hilleary. Erickson served as the commanding officer of Air Station Savannah since June 2018 and has lead the unit to achieve exceptional results including a 99.7% dual B-0 readiness rate, executing more than 5,700 flight hours across 4,550 missions to include 382 search and rescue cases resulting in 58 lives saved and 66 lives assisted. Erickson guided Air Station Savannah through the unprecedented lapse in the appropriation of 2018, response to the capsizing o

Slot In The Tailwheel Fork That Held The Spring-Actuated Key Slide Was Slightly Deformed

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a normal landing approach to the runway with a direct crosswind of 15 knots and gusts reaching 23 knots. The pilot reported that he was initially able to maintain directional control with normal flight control inputs after the airplane touched down on the main landing gear; however, when the tailwheel touched down the tail began to weathervane and the airplane veered to the right. The pilot was unable to regain directional control with an application of full left rudder and left brake before the airplane departed the right side of the runway and struck a precision approach path indicator lights

Number One Priority... 'Protecting The Health And Safety Of Our Employees'

During the scheduled two weeks of suspended operations at the Boeing Philadelphia facility in Ridley Township, the company has been working to restart production with enhanced safety measures. Boeing will resume operations in their production facilities and other areas deemed essential on Monday, April 20. The number one priority is and will continue to be protecting the health and safety of employees, their families and all stakeholders.

Applications May Be Accepted Through May 1

The annual Avionics Training Excellence award recognizes AEA members for their total commitment to training. Pilots and aircraft owners may not be aware of the avionics industry’s dedication to technician training. For decades, the AEA has led the way with comprehensive programs to cover everything from the basics to advanced avionics instruction. A total commitment to training by AEA member companies and the recognition of the Avionics Training Excellence Award are an easy way for members to demonstrate their dedication to professional career development and assure their customers of a higher level of service.

AD 2020-08-10; Robinson Helicopter Company Helicopters

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Robinson Helicopter Company (Robinson) Model R44 and R44 II helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of cracking in certain tail rotor blades. This AD requires visually checking each tail rotor blade for a crack. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective May 22, 2020. The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14 CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to Robinson Model R44 and R44 II helicopters with a tail rotor blade part number (P/N) C029-1 or P/N C029-2 installed.

Arresting System A safety device consisting of two major components, namely, engaging or catching devices and energy absorption devices for the purpose of arresting both tailhook and/or nontailhook-equipped aircraft. It is used to prevent aircraft from overrunning runways when the aircraft cannot be stopped after landing or during aborted takeoff. Arresting systems have various names; e.g., arresting gear, hook device, wire barrier cable.

Aero Linx: The National Test Pilot School (NTPS) A graduate, himself, ANN's Jim Campbell has fond memories of the the National Test Pilot School (NTPS). The claim the title of being the Premier Total Flight Test Education and Training Organization in the World. A lofty claim perhaps, yet the diversity and breadth of the flight test education and training conducted at NTPS is unsurpassed in the industry. NTPS is the World’s first and only Accredited Test Pilot School and the first to attain EASA certification. We offer over 30 different flight test courses, from the year-long Professional Courses to numerous short courses to our Master’s degrees. NTPS can truly meet all your flight te

"With general aviation operations sharply decreasing by nearly 60 percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic, relief from the noncommercial fuel taxes would incentivize operators to preserve jobs and resume flying once we begin to emerge from this crisis... This relief would also help small community general aviation airports, which are reporting that aircraft operations and fuel sales are down by more than 50 percent." Source: From a letter addressed to the leaders of the House and Senate, applauding efforts already taken to help the aviation industry at large in these trying times and noted the difficulties GA is enduring due to the coronavirus.