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December 01, 2023

Airborne 12.01.23: Sopwith Sim, Senate v FAA, SpaceX Buys Pioneer

Also: New Unleaded Avgas, Gogo Over-The-Air Update, Electrified Caravans, Gone West: Selena Shilad

The Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington recently obtained a pair of Sopwith Camel flight simulators, allowing attendees to experience the closest thing to the original today. These simulators will be one of the jewels of the Museum's WWI exhibit, offering visitors an immersive flying experience in the iconic aircraft. Rather than push newbies through the usual flight training curriculum of a flight sim, the Sopwith Camels will give operators a range of scenarios to play with, reinforcing repeat attendance and fresh experiences. The FAA's 5-year reauthorization bill has remained locked in a constant tug-of-war between stakeholders, a

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FAA Flight Training Dispute in Senator's Crosshairs

Senator John Thune Aims to Resolve Dispute Over Countable ATP Sim Time

The FAA's 5-year reauthorization bill has remained locked in a constant tug-of-war between stakeholders, and Senator John Thune has said he wants to see it all through. He said recent talks had produced an acceptable deal with those involved in putting it to the vote, but things aren't yet final. The Senate bill has been stalled over training requirements for ATP candidates - currently, those sitting for the certificate can only count 100 simulator hours towards their 1,500 required, and the initial House bill would bump that to 150.

Hawaiian Sensitivity Complicates Recovery Procedures

A P-8 Poseidon's impromptu swim into the ocean outside of Kaneohe Bay remains a political hot potato for Naval personnel, thanks to the state's strident environmentalism. The Poseidon remains in its resting place in Kanehoe, a highly sensitive ecosystem with a number of old-growth coral reefs and breeding grounds for sharks and fish. In the immediate aftermath of the November 20th crash, naval personnel placed a series of barriers to hopefully contain any pollutants and fuel from escaping the vicinity, in addition to a skimmer on station to remove any flare-ups or oil slicks.

Plan Hinges on Widespread Use of SAF

A wide arrangement of countries assembled under the United Nations banner to agree on emissions reductions for the global aviation industry, initially targeting a drop of up to 8% but ultimately coming down to a 5% cut by 2030. The goal came following 5 days of talks involving industry stakeholders and ICAO personnel, wrangling the numbers to a point they felt was achievable while sending a “clear and positive signal” to investors and operators worldwide: Invest in alternative fuels, and use them.

USAF Osprey Crashes Off Coast of Japan

A US Air Force V-22 Osprey based in Japan crashed during a training mission off the southern coast, killing at least one of the 8 aboard. The Japanese Coast Guard first received notice of the crash from a nearby fisherman off Kagoshima. Responding patrol boats found one crewman from teh Osprey, along with metallic debris and an empty inflatable liferaft. Coast Guard chief Kazuo Ogawa said the aircraft dropped off radar a few minutes before his people got the first call, adding that the crew had requested an emergency landing at the Yakushima airport 5 minutes prior.

First Foot Forward Comes Courtesy of Pipistrel Velis

SaxonAir’s recent “Elevating Ambitions” event was a signal flare over the domestic British market, signaling their intent to become THE brand that comes to mind when charter customers think of sustainable aviation. The firm showed off two shiny new Pipistrel Velis Electro training aircraft, reportedly modified by NEBO Air. The aircraft was the first to gain EASA certification as a fully electrified aircraft, and despite its LSA origins and 2-seat limitation, remains a common entry point into the world of battery-powered flight today.

Classic Aero-TV: Falling for Para-Phernalia’s Softie Emergency Parachutes

From 2023 (YouTube Version):The Best Option for Pilots’ Worst Days

Since its 1979 founding, Para-Phernalia, Inc. has designed and manufactured the Softie line of pilot emergency parachutes. The products are renowned among aerobatic, glider, and warbird pilots, formation fliers, and kit-plane builders for their high-quality, comfort, and perennial reliability. Emergency parachutes comprise two primary components: the parachute canopy and the harness and container system. The harness attaches a parachute’s canopy to its wearer. The container system

StableLight Adds Easy, Modern Option for Legacy Airbus Aircraft

Thales and StandardAero have announced their receipt of an STC for the StableLight autopilot when installed on Airbus H125 helicopters. "This system significantly reduces pilot workload, improves mission capability and can help reduce risk in critical flight phases," said both parties in a joint announcement. The StableLight system stems from Thales' Compact Autopilot System, itself originating from an autopilot suite used in certified transport category aircraft. The resulting package is a lightweight, easy install to bring older H125s up to speed.

iPads Can Even Replace the Yoke? Not Yet, But Soon

Airbus has completed a series of hands-off helicopter flights using a "simplified human machine interface", controlling it entirely via tablet. The Airbus Helicopters "FlightLab" testbed flew all phases of flight without requiring human intervention directly on the stick. Everything from lift-off, taxi, takeoff, cruise, approach to landing was flown by the system along a pre-planned route.

The Airplane Flew North And East Of PVU And Into Slate Canyon Toward Rising Terrain

On November 14, 2023, about 1008 Mountain standard time (MST), a Cessna 172G, N3971L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Provo, Utah. Both pilots were fatally injured, and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The passenger reported that they were flying from Spanish Fork Municipal Airport/Woodhouse Field (SPK), Utah, to Driggs/Reed Memorial Airport (DIJ), Driggs ID. He believed that the pilot’s intent was to maneuver and to remain outside of the Provo Municipal Airport (PVU) Class D airspace as well as the Salt Lake City Class B Ai

Aero Linx: International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA) IFATCA is the global voice of Air Traffic Controllers. It furthers air traffic safety, influences the sustainable evolution of aviation, and embraces all members of its community. The apolitical federation provides guidance, representation, training, and other services to advance the status and professionalism of air traffic control. It collaborates with other international organizations to achieve mutual goals.

Landing Area Any locality either on land, water, or structures, including airports/heliports and intermediate landing fields, which is used, or intended to be used, for the landing and takeoff of aircraft whether or not facilities are provided for the shelter, servicing, or for receiving or discharging passengers or cargo.

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (12.01.23)

“This successful demonstration of a fully autonomous flight from takeoff to landing is a great step towards the reduced pilot workload and simplified HMI that the Airbus Urban Air Mobility team intends to implement on CityAirbus NextGen. It could also have immediate applications for helicopters in low-level flights close to obstacles thanks to the information provided by the lidars on board." Source: Michael Augello, CEO of Airbus UpNext, chatting about how Airbus has completed a series of hands-off helicopter flights using a "simplified human-machine interface", controlling it entirely via tablet.