'High-Level' Federal Investigation Reportedly Underway

Fearing another black eye from yet another irresponsible drone operator, the latest indignity whereby a Michigan based UAV pilot flew into or very close to the flight path of a Blue Angels public flyover, is receiving intense condemnation on social media by drone pilots. The criticism is pretty much unanimous with drone operators and hobbyists greatly concerned about over-reaction by Federal regulators. Worse; the pilot in question has apparently, at one point, blamed the Blue Angels themselves for not flying according to what he thought their flight path was supposed to be -- while apparently ignoring his own alleged illegalities and poor judgement. Inside sources indicate that US Navy a

'Rescheduled For August In Hopes Of Unrestricted Travel At That Time'·

Even drone racing is getting the cold shoulder from the global pandemic. Our good friends at MultiGP have been monitoring the effect of Covid-19 has been having on events, gatherings and travel restrictions and the realities that set for their marquee event, the International Open. They noted that, "As we remain during a time of universal uncertainty, no matter the current outlook, we firmly believe that the experience that we have delivered since 2017 could not be matched should we attempt to maintain our current scheduled date. The safety and health of our pilots, volunteers, staff and their families is a matter we take very seriously. In addition, a vast majority

Reservist Maj. Jeffrey Anderson Now Qualified To Fly The U-2 Dragon Lady

For the first time in Air Force and 9th Reconnaissance Wing history, a reservist, Maj. Jeffrey Anderson, 99th Reconnaissance Squadron pilot, qualified to fly the U-2 Dragon Lady. The U-2 is known as the hardest aircraft to fly in the world. It has been a host to less than 1,500 pilots since the first flight in 1955, and 65 years later the first reserve pilot makes history. “I applied for the U-2 program while in active duty, and then switched to the reserves,” Anderson said. “The last two years I’ve been flying for Delta Air Lines and then I took a two-year break, and now I’m back flying the U-2 as a Reservist.”

Model Aviation Competitions Getting Clobbered by COVID-19 Complications

The 2020 Precision Aerobatics NATS have been cancelled. The board members and officers of NSRCA have unanimously voted to cancel the 2020 Precision Aerobatics Nationals. This decision was made because of the uncertainty and risk of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as time and financial constraints brought on by the virus to competitors and support staff. They believe that, "this is both a logical and safe decision."

Assigned To The 43rd Fighter Squadron

An F-22 assigned to the 43rd Fighter Squadron, part of the 325th Fighter Wing currently based at Eglin AFB, crashed at approximately 9:15 a.m. Friday morning. The location of the accident was 12 miles northeast of Eglin main base on the test and training range. The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft and has been transported to the 96th Medical Group hospital on Eglin for evaluation and observation. He is currently in stable condition. The name of the pilot has not been released. There were no other individuals on the aircraft. There was no loss of life or civilian property damage related to the accident.

From 2017: Airplane Upgraded With 912iS Engine And More

Van's Aircraft has made several upgrades to its popular RV 12 model, starting forward of the firewall and continuing through much of the airplane. The most obvious of the changes is the installation of the Rotax 912iS engine. The new engine produces more torque which improves the climb rate and cruise. But Rian Johnson, Chief Engineer for Van's Aircraft, told ANN editor Tom Patton that the company has been listening to its customers for the past eight years, and put together a list of upgrades to make a better airplane. Among those, are improved st

Former USAF Secretary Heather Wilson Appointed as Chair

SecTrans Elaine Chao has announced the appointment of 30 board members to the newly-formed Women in Aviation Advisory Board (WIAAB). Former U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson (pictured) will serve as chair of the board. “The Department welcomes Dr. Heather Wilson and these accomplished advisory board members, who share a commitment and passion for encouraging women to access opportunities in aviation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Unveiled Before The President At The White House

Defense leaders presented the flag of the Space Force to President Donald J. Trump Friday in the Oval Office. The flag of the newly created armed service will hang alongside those of the other military services at the White House. "I just want to congratulate everybody and thank everybody," the president said. "Space is going to be … the future, both in terms of defense and offense in so many other things." Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper called the presentation of the flag historic. "The United States has been a space faring nation for decades," he said during the short ceremony.

Left Wing Tip Impacted The Ground During Attempt To Avoid Obstacles

On April 9, 2020, about 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Buckman Bucks Special (Kitfox) airplane, N9065F, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at a private grass strip near Prescott, Washington. The flight instructor and pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, during takeoff from a grass strip and shortly after becoming airborne, the airplane was not able to climb. The pilot then initiated a left turn to avoid trees and powerlines at the end of the strip.

Aero Linx: CANSO – the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation CANSO – the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation – is the global voice of air traffic management (ATM) worldwide. CANSO Members support almost 90 percent of world air traffic. Members share information and develop new policies, with the ultimate aim of improving air navigation services (ANS) on the ground and in the air. CANSO represents its Members’ views to a wide range of aviation stakeholders, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, where it has official Observer status. CANSO has an extensive network of Associate Members drawn from across the aviation industry. ANSO’s

Lost Communications Loss of the ability to communicate by radio. Aircraft are sometimes referred to as NORDO (No Radio). Standard pilot procedures are specified in 14 CFR Part 91. Radar controllers issue procedures for pilots to follow in the event of lost communications during a radar approach when weather reports indicate that an aircraft will likely encounter IFR weather conditions during the approach.

“Women are underrepresented in aviation and I look forward to working with Secretary Chao, the FAA, and the advisory board to develop strategies that will encourage more women to consider careers in the aviation industry.” Source: Former U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, commenting on her appointment by SecTrans Elaine Chao to the newly-formed Women in Aviation Advisory Board (WIAAB). Wilson will serve as chair of the board. Dr. Wilson is the President of The University of Texas at El Paso, one of the top 5% of research universities and one of the nation’s leading Hispanic-serving institutions. She previously served as the 24th Secretary of the Air Force and represented New Mexico in the U.S. Congress for