Lake Amphibian Club (LAC) Received Approximately 27 Reports Of Cracks In The Wing Rear Spar Web

The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) that alerts all owners, operators, maintenance technicians, and inspectors of Revo Incorporated Model Colonial C-1, Colonial C-2, Lake LA-4, Lake LA-4A, Lake LA-4P, Lake LA-4-200, Lake Model 250 (including those modified in accordance with Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SA469NE) and Lake 270 Turbo Renegade (Model 250 with STC AS469NE as noted in TCDS 1A13 Note 8) aircraft to potential cracks in the wing rear attach beam assembly and hole-quality issues that have been identified in a significant number of aircraft.

Zastrow Has Been Placed as The New CEO

Bye Aerospace, currently undertaking a slow path to the development of a number of electric aircraft... has replaced founding CEO George Bye with Rod Zastrow. Familiar with the territory, Zastrow had been serving as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Bye, before taking the top seat. Bye reportedly remains Chairman and now fills in as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The reasons for these changes in leadership have not been disclosed. Zastrow reports that the company will continue to pursue 'the final stages' of FAA certification and commence production of the eFlyer 2 -- which they say may ultimately be the first FAA Part 23 certified electric airplane -- but they're going to have to pick up the pace to make that happen as this has become an area of much development and activity.

State Has its Game Face On for Building New Industry

The Oregon UAS Accelerator, announced the installation of Joseph Wyno as its new executive director, noting that he took office from the interim director on April 15th to train into the role. Wyno will see the state's "only Center of Innovation Excellence dedicated exclusively to unmanned aircraft systems and robotics" through the coming years, drawing on his resume of business and entrepreneurial work in years past. Wyno got his start more than 25 years ago, working his way up to a position as a senior advisor and director for Octane's LaunchPad SBDC Accelerator.

New Order Expands Training Fleet to the Tune of 56 Aircraft

The Leadership in Flight Training, or LIFT Academy, has expanded its training fleet with a recent order with Diamond Aircraft, bringing on 56 new planes. The deal sees LIFT gain 50 new single-engine DA40s, and 6 twin-engine DA42s. The training facility has continued to expand thanks to a steady pipeline of students, some coming in from Republic Airways on one hand, and just as many brought into the industry thanks to record pay for airliners on the other. As such, LIFT has had to stretch operations a bit, bringing in fresh aircraft to take advantage of record attendance. 

New Facility Adds Even More Stocking Space for 150,000 Part Numbers

Another 180,000 square feet of storage space has opened up in Textron's hands after the grand opening of the company's biggest distribution facility in Wichita, Kansas. The company now has even deeper pockets to draw on when keeping its Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker lines going around the world, helping to sustain their mobile service unites and 24/7 1Call AOG support line. It's a daunting task to keep up with the better part of a century's worth of aircraft parts, particularly with so many legacy brands in the company's catalog.

Koppert Breaks Down the Application Process in Quest for Perfection

Embraer's agricultural aircraft has started testing Koppert's new sprayer systems in Brazil, continuing the firm's efforts to refine their long-running workhorse for the next generation. Koppert should be a good partner for the operation, given their experience in the haughtily named world of 'bio-control agents'. Working with Embraer, Koppert wants to develop a regiment that will assess the overall efficacy of sprays, creating a methodology to evalueate a whole host of aspects surrounding sprayer design and utilization.

Finish Supplier Gets an 'Attaboy' from Biggest Name in US Aviation

Aero Fluid Power was selected under Boeing's Premier Bidder Program, recognizing its "consistently high-performing suppliers" with a nice little title and preferential treatment. The Premier Bidder Program aims to 'strengthen Boeing's commitment to first-pass quality', granting selected recipients improved visibility towards upcoming bids, additional weight in proposal consideration, and access to exclusive supplier events with the manufacturer. 

Drone Systems Keep Moving Off the Shelves As Planners Learn Painful Lessons Abroad

AgEagle Aerial Systems will ship 40 of its eBee VISION systems, along with 9 more eBees, with all the parts, support, connections, control stations, and miscellany required to keep the fleet operational in French army service. The eBee Vision is a sensible choice for the French army, offering a fixed-wing, single-engine camera platform with 32x zoom, HD video capture, and thermal imaging as standard fitment. Add in semiautonomous operations, scanning, and targeting and it makes sense that the platform can be a strong force multiplier when used as a small, mobile scouting unit.