Along the Slow Road to Hypersonic Flight

Founded in 2011 by software mogul Paul Allen and aerospace engineering legend Burt Rutan, Mojave, California-based Stratolaunch LLC provides high-speed flight test and orbital launch services. Currently, Stratolaunch’s fleet comprises primarily a carrier aircraft dubbed Roc, after the mythical, giant bird of prey; and Talon-A, an autonomous, reusable, rocket-powered, hypersonic flight vehicle. On 13 January 2023 at 14:51 PST, Roc and Talon-A rose as one from the Mojave Air and Space Port, climbed to an altitude of 22,500-feet (6,858-meters), and remained aloft for six-hours—the giant aircraft’s longest sortie to date—before returning to Mojave and landing w

AirVenture 2023 Shaping Up to Be Better than Ever After 7 Decades of Sport Aviation

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is going all out for its 70th anniversary this year, marking the group's inception on January 26, 2023. This year's annual AirVenture Fly-In will be bigger than ever to celebrate the 1953 founding of the org bringing more than half a million visitors and 10,000 light aircraft into Oshkosh, Wisconsin to share in the passion for flight with like-minded members. The EAA has gone on to become one of, if not THE biggest sport and experimental aviation supporters in the world, aiding the development of skills and safety throughout the sport aviation sphere.

Congressman Issa Issues Statement After Navy Cross Upgrade

Congressman Darrell Issa released a statement regarding the upcoming upgrade to the Navy Cross for Navy Captain E. Royce William, California. Williams will be recognized for his 7-on-1 battle in 1952, when he flew his F9F-5 Panther alone against a group of Soviet MiG-15s. After years without recognition, William's previously received Silver Star will be upgraded to the Navy Cross. Williams came away the victor, shooting down 4 before excaping with a 37-mm hole in his fuselage. With his battered aircraft, Williams still managed to bring her home and nail his carrier landing. His Panther, with 263 holes riddling its surface, was tossed into the sea.

New AD Demands 5G-Tolerant Radio Altimeters for Part 121 Operations Near Cell Towers

Carriers will need to equip their aircraft with 5G C-Band tolerant altimeters by February 2024 according to Airworthiness Directive AD-2022-01379. The newly issued AD supersedes 2021-23-12, which applies to all transport and commuter category aircraft equipped with a radio altimeter. The older AD requires revision of the limitation section of the aircraft's POH to incorporate limitations from operations from using radio altimeter data in the presence of 5G C-Band interference identified by NOTAM. 

Graphite-Based Leading Edge Heating Element Shows Promise for Lighter, More Efficient Ice Protection

Qarbon Aerospace, finished their icing tunnel testing of the upcoming Helios Ice Protection System. The system uses a heated graphite layer embedded in a thermoplastic composite leading edge, harnessing the material's improved thermal conductivity to prevent ice buildup in flight. Thanks to the increased efficiency of graphite, the system comes up to operating temperature "significantly faster" than legacy ice protection systems, reducing wasted energy use.

On the Road Again

For the first time in nearly four years, a Boeing 737 MAX narrow-body airliner has taken to Chinese skies. The milestone event occurred on Friday, 13 January 2023 and occasioned a victory in Boeing’s protracted battle to regain its footing in the world’s second-largest aviation market. The China Southern Airlines domestic flight departed Guangzhou at 04:45 GMT and proceeded without incident to Zhengzhou—a flight of some 745-nautical-miles.

From 2010 (YouTube Version): Imagine... Be The Change... Inspire

One of the more unusual phone calls I have ever received occurred a few years ago... from Anousheh Ansari... long distance. About as long-distance as it gets, these days, as Anousheh was calling form the International Space Station where she was plainly having the time of her life. You see, on September 18, 2006, the truly amazing Anousheh Ansari captured headlines around the world as the first female private space explorer. Anousheh earned a place in history as the fourth

(Pilot) Heard What He Described As A “Bang” And Made A Left 180° Turn

On December 22, 2022, about 1518 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 150, N7032X, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident in Santa Monica, California. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the accident flight was to be a local flight, heading northwest along the Pacific Ocean coastline with his passenger.

Aero Linx: International Flying Farmers Of all private pilots, Flying Farmers are perhaps the only ones who will tell you their Cessnas and Beechcrafts and Pipers are no different from their combines, tractors, and pickup trucks. After all, airplanes are workhorses too, for hauling supplies, for checking irrigation systems, for compressing the time between the farm and parts store. Currently based in Mansfield, Illinois, the IFF got its start in 1944 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, when two men decided to visit some flying farmers. H.A. "Herb" Graham, director of Agricultural Extension at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, and Ferdie Deering, farm editor of the Farmer-Stockman magazine, traveled

En Route Low Altitude Charts Provide aeronautical information for en route instrument navigation (IFR) in the low altitude stratum. Information includes the portrayal of airways, limits of controlled airspace, position identification and frequencies of radio aids, selected airports, minimum en route and minimum obstruction clearance altitudes, airway distances, reporting points, permanent SUA, and related data. Area charts, which are a part of this series, furnish terminal data at a larger scale in congested areas.

“Our amazing team is continuing to make progress on our test timeline, and it is through their hard work that we grow closer than ever to safe separation and our first hypersonic flight tests... The thorough evaluation of release conditions will provide data to reduce risks and ensure a clean and safe release of Talon-A during future tests. We are excited for what’s ahead this year as we bring our hypersonic flight test service online for our customers and the nation.” Source: Stratolaunch CEO and President Zachary Krevor commenting as their Roc and Talon-A rose as one from the Mojave Air and Space Port, climbed to an altitude of 22,500-feet (6,858-meters), and remained aloft for six-hours—the giant aircraft&rs