Examples Range From Sailplanes To Hybrid Helicopters Powered By Solar Energy, Batteries

A new study from ASD Reports examines the possible future role of electric aircraft as part of the aviation landscape. The report posits that electric aircraft serve the need for reduced noise, air and ground pollution and reduced global warming. According to the report, electrically propelled manned aircraft are selling profitably today in small numbers.

Scientists Say Third Belt Is 'Transient'

NASA's Van Allen Probes mission has discovered a previously unknown third radiation belt around Earth, revealing the existence of unexpected structures and processes within these hazardous regions of space. Previous observations of Earth's Van Allen belts have long documented two distinct regions of trapped radiation surrounding our planet. Particle detection instruments aboard the twin Van Allen Probes, launched Aug. 30, quickly revealed to scientists the existence of this new, transient, third radiation belt.

Airline Hopes To Add Routes From Los Angeles And Chicago Hubs

American Airlines has filed an application with the U.S. DOT for the right to fly additional United States – Brazil frequencies beginning in 2013 and 2014. American will use these frequencies to add one new daily round trip service from its Los Angeles and Chicago hubs to Sao Paulo, expanding the airline's Latin American network footprint to provide even greater choices to its customers.

Previously Released For iOS Devices

Duncan Aviation recently completed the Android version of its popular AOG Services app, which makes it easy for Aircraft on Ground (AOG) operators to find the nearest Duncan Aviation location to their current position. The app also offers 24/7 phone numbers and technical representative contact information. The first version of Duncan Aviation's AOG Services app was launched in September 2011 for Apple devices. Since then, several improvements have been made. The app is accessible in the field and doesn't require a data connection after it's installed.

Agreement Signed For Collaboration Located In Thailand

Airbus and Thai Airways International (THAI) have signed an agreement for Maintenance Training Collaboration to develop a long term strategic partnership. As part of this, THAI would become Airbus' local maintenance training center in the region and will initially provide maintenance type-training capabilities for A320 and A330.

Aircraft Flew More Than 13,400 Hours Last Year

The U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft program was recently awarded the 2012 Dr. James G. Roche Sustainment Excellence Award for demonstrating the most improved performance in aircraft maintenance and logistics readiness. Northrop Grumman Corporation is the prime contractor for the high-flying fleet of Global Hawks.

Will Produce New PurePower PW1100G-JM And F135 Engines

The first phase of an assembly-floor transformation project at Pratt & Whitney's Middletown, CT, facility has been completed. The completion prepares the Engine Center to produce its portion of PurePower PW1100G-JM engines for the Airbus A320neo and increases production capacity for the F135 engine powering the F-35 Lightning II for the U.S. Military.

Candidate Protoplanet Spotted Inside Its Stellar Womb

Astronomers using the European Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere's (ESO) Very Large Telescope have obtained what is likely the first direct observation of a forming planet still embedded in a thick disc of gas and dust. If confirmed, this discovery will greatly improve our understanding of how planets form and allow astronomers to test the current theories against an observable target.

Authorized To Perform Line Maintenance On The 787

With the recent expansion of its EASA Part 145 approval Nayak Aircraft Services is one of the first maintenance companies that is certified to perform Line Maintenance on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. As from April 1st 2013 Nayak Aircraft Services starts to offer both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on Boeing's flagship at the airports of Stockholm Arlanda (Sweden), Schiphol Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Oslo Gardermoen (Norway).

First Flight Took Place Thursday At Rozas Airfield In Lugo

Cassidian has successfully performed the first flight of the ATLANTE Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). The flight took place at Rozas airfield, in the Castro de Rey municipality of Lugo. Having determined the Spanish industry’s interest in UAS, the ATLANTE program was launched by the Spanish Center for Industrial Technological Development (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial – CDTI).

Lori Carr Brings More Than 25 Years Of Customer Service Expertise To Company's Newly Created Position

Flexjet has appointed Lori Carr as its first "Owner Experience Officer." In this newly created position, Carr is responsible for driving growth and business performance by developing and executing highly personalized, end-to-end experiences for Flexjet's valued owners. 

Despite Initial Glitches, SpaceX Performs and Delivers

The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Dragon spacecraft was berthed to the International Space Station at 8:56 a.m. EST Sunday. The delivery flight was the second contracted resupply mission by the company under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract. Space station Expedition 34 crew members Kevin Ford and Tom Marshburn of NASA used the station's robotic arm to successfully capture Dragon at 5:31 a.m. The capture came one day, 19 hours and 22 minutes after the mission's launch. The station was 253 miles above northern Ukraine. Following its capture, the spacecraft was installed onto the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module through ground commands issued by mission control at NASA's Johnson Space

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AOPA has confirmed a story first reported here on ANN that AOPA President and CEO Craig Fuller is stepping down. Fuller took office on January 1, 2009 with a five year contract. Now as he nears the end of that agreement Fuller said in a statement that he is looking forward to new challenges and opportunities. The U.S. Air Force has selected the Embraer Super Tucano for its Light Air Support (LAS) aircraft. Embraer partnered with Nevada-based Sierra Nevada Corporation for its bid. ICAS – the International Council of Airshows

Klyde Weighs In On The AOPA President Search

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

But Say That They Want To Be Sure The Airplane Is Safe

Pilots in Japan and elsewhere who are trained to fly the 787 Dreamliner don't have a lot to do while the airplanes are grounded by battery issues, but in Japan, the pilots say they want to be sure the airplane is safe to fly.

16th Country To Approve Increased Gross Weight For The Helo

Bell Helicopter said Thursday that the Bell 429 has earned Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI) type acceptance to operate in Israel, as well as approval to fly at an increased maximum gross weight of 7,500 lbs. Israel marks the sixteenth country to approve the increased maximum gross weight. The CAAI's approval is based on Transport Canada's certification earlier this year and allows the aircraft to carry an additional 500 lbs. of fuel and/or payload.

Colorado College Students Dance In The Aisle Of An Airliner

The FAA is investigating an incident in which students from Colorado College on their way to an Ultimate Frisbee tournament performed the "Harlem Shake" in the aisle of the Frontier Airlines Flight 157. A video of the dance posted on YouTube has drawn more than 400,000 views, and an investigation by the FAA.

Commentator Says FAA, Secret Service Focus On The Wrong Aircraft

Temporary flight restrictions designed to protect the President or put in place during major sporting events are targeted at exactly the wrong type of airplanes, according to a commentator writing recently in the UNLV Rebel Yell.

Second Time The Air Force Veteran Has Been Blocked From Flying

A U.S. Air Force veteran of Muslim descent was blocked from boarding an airplane in Oklahoma City OK, last Saturday because he is on the no-fly list. It is the second time in a month that Saadiq Long has been prevented from flying.

Orders, Deliveries For Helo FFSs Increasing

Frasca International Inc. says it continues to see an increase in helicopter business over the last decade and continues to receive orders for flight training equipment for both civil and military training applications. Recent orders include a Bell 206 TruFliteH and a second TruFliteH FTD configured as an S300 for the Bristow Academy located in Tutusville, FL.

Dihedral Dihedral is where the right and left wing tips are higher than the fuselage. More dihedral generally means that a plane will be more stable in the air, but will be more difficult to turn in an aggressive way (as it's more stable). Many planes require a bit of dihedral to fly well. For model planes (and some ultralights) that only have rudder and elevator controls, but no ailerons, dihedral is a necessity. Some planes have more than One wing section at a different angle, this is known as polyhedral.

Aero Linx: The Texas Soaring Association The Texas Soaring Association (TSA) is a non-profit corporation devoted to motorless flight. Established in 1947, the club is located 15 minutes south of Midlothian, Texas, which is itself at the southern edge of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The club is maintained and operated by the voluntary efforts of its more than 200 members. The club operates from its own airfield and owns six single and four two-place sailplanes, plus four Pawnee towplanes. TSA operates year round on most flyable Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The club also operates on an unscheduled basis on other weekdays when the flying weather is really good!

"The newly arrived scientific experiments delivered by Dragon carry the promise of discoveries that benefit Earth and dramatically increase our understanding of how humans adapt to space. Spaceflight will never be risk-free, but it's a critical achievement that we once again have a U.S. capability to transport science to and from the International Space Station. The science delivered and to be returned from the space station has the promise of giving us a unique insight into problems that we face on Earth. As the patch of Expedition 34 states: 'Off the Earth...For the Earth.'"  Source: William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate in Washington, following the doc