Also: Air Canada ChatBot, USPA Seeks Action, JetBlue Pilots, G700 Records

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) showed that business is doing all right, with all aircraft segments seeing a modest 3.6% increase in shipments over 2022. Overall, the biggest winners were surprisingly piston aircraft, at an 11.8% increase over 2022 shipments. The runners-up were turbine helicopters and turboprop fixed-wing aircraft, training at 10.4% and 9.6% increases respectively. The IRS will begin ramping up scrutiny on the use of corporate jets for flight departments around the country, hammering those who allegedly use their official

NTSB Accepts Company's Evidence, Retracts Full Blame and Shrugs

Tamarack Aerospace Group has highlighted an NTSB reversal of a finding that blamed the manufacturer for an accident that occurred with a modified Cessna Citation 525 in 2018, acknowledging the firm's submitted evidence. The new updated report isn't quite the exculpatory, scot-free release that cursory glance may give. Instead, it's more of a reassignment of blame, a bureaucratic shrug that unloads 100% of the guilt from Tamarack's shoulders without placing it anywhere else. The older Aviation Investigation Final Report had blamed the Tamarack Active Technology Load Alleviation System (ATLAS), and Tamarack Active Camber Surfaces (TACS), modifications made to the aircraft.

B29 Doc To Return To Oshkosh 

Yeah.... it's looking to be an Oshkosh to remember... B-29 Doc, one of 1,644 B-29 Superfortress aircraft built by the Boeing Company in Wichita during World War II and one of only two B-29 bombers still airworthy and flying today, will be among the performers at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024. Doc will host B-29 Doc Flight Experience rides July 22-25 and will be a featured performer at the air show during the week. The historic warbird will also be on static display for ground and cockpit tours on Boeing Plaza on Friday and Saturday, July 26-27.

Hybrid Air Vehicles Ltd Begins Type Certification in UK

Twin-hulled airships made by UK concern Hybrid Air Vehicles, Ltd have entered the type certification process over in Britain, paving the way for passenger and cargo service in the near future. The firm is certifying the Airlander 10, the "world’s most efficient large aircraft" with their local regulator, the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Once type certified, it will likely see reciprocity with the FAA stateside, though the firm doesn't exactly come out and promise so.

Former Astronaut, Admiral, and Administrator’s Life in Review

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson published a short eulogy commemorating the passage of his forebear, former NASA Administrator and astronaut Richard Truly. Truly passed away on February 27th in his home in Genesee, Colorado, at the age of 86. Truly's career saw him take the organizational wheel from '89 to '92, having been brought up in the Space Shuttle program. Truly was a pilot for one of the crews that flew the 747/Shuttle Enterprise approach and landing test flights during 1977. Later, he was a backup pilot for STS-1, eventually working his way to space in 1981 as pilot of STS-2...

Insufficient Brazing Could Lead to Wholesale Replacement of Turbine Shaft

An emergency Airworthiness Directive surrounding a roster of General Electric branded turbine engines has been published following "at least four reports of failures" of a drive shaft assembly. The issue results in a failure of the 'torque reference tube magnetic insert braze joint' located in the 'power turbine drive shaft assembly'. The problem, if not sufficiently addressed, "could result in improper torque and engine speed indications, which in combination with specific phases of flight, could create an unacceptably high flight crew workload in maintaining control of the aircraft, and result in consequent loss of control of the aircraft."

429 Aircraft Bound for Public Service... Somewhere, They Won't Say

Bell Textron snagged an unnamed Middle Eastern country's order for a quartet of Bell 429 helicopters, only letting slip that the birds will go on to "parapublic missions. It's an enigmatic but fun little brag at this year's Heli-Expo, the best time of the year for brands to shake some hands and move some metal. The aircraft will go out to serve in addition to the 90 Bell 429s currently "supporting law enforcement, firefighting and parapublic missions globally", or the greater Bell model family at more than 500 such aircraft around the world.

Also: Air Canada ChatBot, USPA Seeks Action, JetBlue Pilots, G700 Records

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) showed that business is doing all right, with all aircraft segments seeing a modest 3.6% increase in shipments over 2022. Overall, the biggest winners were surprisingly piston aircraft, at an 11.8% increase over 2022 shipments. The runners-up were turbine helicopters and turboprop fixed-wing aircraft, training at 10.4% and 9.6% increases respectively. The IRS will begin ramping up scrutiny on the use of corporate jets for flight departments around the country, hammering those who allegedly use their of

(Pilot) Did Not Realize He Was Approaching The Wrong Airport Until He Was “Too Low And Too Slow”

Analysis: The pilot reported that his intended destination airport was Cedar Ridge Airport (GA62), Griffin, GA, but due to misidentification of the airport while airborne, he landed at Brook Bridge Aerodrome (8GA9), Vaughn, GA. He reported that he did not realize he was approaching the wrong airport until he was “too low and too slow.” The airplane touched down on a shared taxiway/driveway before impacting a utility pole with the left wing. Subsequently, the airplane spun and impacted trees resulting in substantial damage to the left wing, nose structure, and right wing.

From 2016 (YouTube Version): Audio Panels Engineered for Pilots with Features that Make Sense…

At EAA AirVenture 2016, PS Engineering Inc. was talking about, and showing, their PMA450A and PMA8000G audio panels for aircraft. While audio panels started off as simply a box that allowed switching between a couple of radios, we are now a long way from that starting point. About the only thing these audio panels don’t do is start your morning coffee, and we’ll have to see if that shows up next year. ANN News Editor, Tom Patton, stopped by the PS Engineering display and listened about what these audio panels have to offer from Mark Sc

Aero Linx: The Helicopter Safety Advisory Conference The HELICOPTER SAFETY ADVISORY CONFERENCE (HSAC) was formed in January, 1978 after an accident in which 19 people lost their lives when a helicopter came in contact with a platform crane. Realizing there was a lack of communication between oil companies, service organizations, helicopter operations, and the helicopter industry, representatives of these companies agreed to work toward improved safety offshore.

Automatic Terminal Information Service The continuous broadcast of recorded noncontrol information in selected terminal areas. Its purpose is to improve controller effectiveness and to relieve frequency congestion by automating the repetitive transmission of essential but routine information; e.g., “Los Angeles information Alfa. One three zero zero Coordinated Universal Time. Weather, measured ceiling two thousand overcast, visibility three, haze, smoke, temperature seven one, dew point five seven, wind two five zero at five, altimeter two niner niner six. I-L-S Runway Two Five Left approach in use, Runway Two Five Right closed, advise you have Alfa.”

"...the cumulative effect of the errors is to clearly demonstrate that there is no evidence that ATLAS was in any way responsible for the accident."

Source: From the Tamarack petition to the NTSB asking for reconsideration of an accident report that initially targeted their system before the NTSB recanted.