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April 20, 2020

Airborne 04.20.20: SpaceX MANNED Mission!, Arlington20 Cancelled, Lindbergh Chat

Also: The World Games Cancelled, $10B for America’s Airports, Air Canada Face-Covering, Van's Bonus For Tail Kits

SpaceX and NASA are targeting May 27 for Falcon 9’s launch of Crew Dragon’s second demonstration mission (Demo-2) from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley will be the first two NASA astronauts to fly onboard the Dragon spacecraft as part of the Demo-2 mission to and from the International Space Station, which will return human spaceflight to the United States since the Space Shuttle was retired in 2011. Our dear friends at the Arlington Fly-In sent us the bad news yesterday... "Due to the worldwide public safety a

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Airborne 04.17.20: NTSB on Halladay-Icon A5, Pipistrel eCourses, DC-3s Damaged

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

Also: Airborne-Flight Training, Additional MQ-25 Aircraft, UA Traffic Management Pilot Program, Abionica Solutions-UAV Navigation

Transportation Secretary Chao recently announced that the FAA is awarding $2.6 million in research, education, and training grants to universities that make up the agency’s Air Transportation Center of Excellence (COE) for UAS, which is also known as Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE). The grants are designed to advance specific goals and projects. The U.S. Army has begun evaluating tactical unmanned aircraft systems intended to repla

$3.2 Million Training Bill Questioned by College

A collegiate flight training program has gotten itself into a major kerfuffle with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Central Oregon Community College (COCC) has sued the VA, claiming that the agency incorrectly billed them for some $3.2 million. According to the suit, "Following a lengthy but incomplete compliance survey and through a series of debt collection notices sent to COCC, the VA arbitrarily and incorrectly claimed that COCC's actions caused the VA to overpay on behalf of COCC's student-veterans for flight training education. The VA is seeking reimbursement from COCC in the approximate amount of $3.2 million..."

Strategies For Innovative Aerospace Startups To Navigate These Disruptive Times

The Lindbergh Innovation Forum, a global platform to showcase breakthrough innovation in aviation, presents an innovative new format: a series of online, livestreamed, open and collaborative panel discussions with industry leaders moderated by Erik Lindbergh. Fireside Talks with Erik Lindbergh will feature in-depth discussions with industry leaders on current, innovation focused, aviation industry topics. The first event, on Earth Day April 22, 2020, will be on the topic: Strategies for innovative aerospace startups to navigate these disruptive times. It will feature Richard Kane, CEO of Verijet and Eric Bartsch, CEO of VerdeGo Aero.

The Impact Of UAVs On The National Airspace

In part two of our interview with Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) at AirVenture this summer, Jim Campbell discusses the impact of UAVs on the national airspace. From the small hobby drone to the promise of home delivery by drone and autonomous air taxi and cargo transportation services, drones are poised to be a major factor in how the United States utilizes its airspace. Senator Inhofe says that the Commerce Committee, of which he is a member, is working on how to effectively integrate unmanned aircraft into the NAS. While they have not yet developed a firm plan,

More Signs of the Times... JetSuite Shuts Down

The Effect On The Commercial Aviation Industry Continues to Be Ponderous

The last month is unlike any that we've known... even when weighed against such extraordinary times as 9/11. While many business experts do expect an aggressive and vibrant recovery once we get the 'all-clear' -- no one truly know when that will be and how much damage will be done as a result. One of the more recent victims is bizjet operator, JetSuite, who posted the following notice recently on their website -- "The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting state of emergency around the country has caused an unforeseeable, dramatic downturn in the entire aviation industry and our business in particular...

Klyde: TSA Is Ready To Make Sure You're Safe For Air Travel... One Way or Another

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

VAW-120 is a Fleet Replacement Squadron

The “Greyhawks” of Airborne Command & Control Squadron (VAW) 120 achieved a significant milestone by achieving its 1,000th Aerial Refueling (AR) contact for the squadron, April 16. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft and crew were conducting an initial AR qualification flight off the East Coast of the United States training Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) Instructors in aerial refueling procedures. Aerial refueling will nearly double the available on-station time and significantly increase the mission effectiveness, scope, and reach of the world’s most dominant Airborne Command & Control platform.

About 35 Minutes After Take-Off, The Engine Started To "Surge"

On March 4, 2020, about 1240 mountain standard time, a Flight Design CTLS airplane, N505MA, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following a partial loss of engine power near Encino, New Mexico. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to an individual and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that originated from Moriarty Municipal Airport (0E0), Moriarty, New Mexico.

Airworthiness Directive AD 2020-07-15, PZL Swidnik S.A. Helicopters

SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all PZL Swidnik S.A. Model PZL W-3A helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of a cracked nose landing gear (NLG) bellcrank assembly. This AD requires a one-time inspection of the NLG bellcrank assembly for discrepancies and replacement if necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD becomes effective April 29, 2020.

AD 2020-08-04; International Aero Engines LLC, Turbofan Engines

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain International Aero Engines, LLC (IAE) PW1133G-JM, PW1133GA-JM, PW1130G-JM, PW1129G-JM, PW1127G-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1127G1-JM, PW1124G-JM, PW1124G1-JM, and PW1122G-JM model turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by reports of failures of certain low-pressure turbine (LPT) 3rd-stage blades. This AD requires replacement of the affected LPT 3rd-stage blades. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective May 21, 2020.

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (04.20.20)

Aero Linx: The John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences The second-largest degree-granting college at UND, the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences operates one of the largest fleets of civilian aircraft in North America. UND Aerospace is a world-renowned center for aerospace learning, nationally acclaimed for our achievements in collegiate aviation education, atmospheric research, space studies, and earth system science and policy research. With more than 500 faculty and staff members, 1,800+ students from around the world, and myriad programs and projects, the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences is setting the pace for the future of flight.

"The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting state of emergency around the country has caused an unforeseeable, dramatic downturn in the entire aviation industry and our business in particular. As a result, effective April 15, 2020, we have grounded our fleet and furloughed most of our crewmembers. For those of you who were scheduled to fly this week or in the weeks ahead, please accept our deepest apologies for this sudden, but unavoidable and necessary, cancellation of all flights until further notice..." Source: From a notice posted to their website by JetSuite, who shut down operations out of concern raised by the hazards of the COVID-19 pandemic.