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July 03, 2023

FAA Seeking AirVenture-Bound Pilots for Paid Research Study

What Could Go Wrong?

The FAA is recruiting pilots attending EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 to participate in a paid research study. To complete the study in question, the FAA needs adult pilots (aged 18-years or older) who’ve flown at least once in the last six-months, to include Part 142 simulator training time, and who hold current Class I, II, or III (not BasicMed) medical certification. The test session spans approximately four-hours and pays $300, $400, or $500—dependent on medical certification class. Payment is dispersed immediately following participation.

Also: Joby Flight Testing, FAA OSH Research, LEMO-Ready Handheld, ATC Staffing Woes

The pilot and sole occupant of a single-engine ICON A5 that went down in east-central Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Lake on Friday, 30 June 2023 has been identified as 47-year-old Ryan Comer of Blane, Minnesota. Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton reported personnel of his department recovered Mr. Comer’s body from approximately 26-feet of water... After 19 years, Virgin Galactic, the California-based spaceflight subsidiary of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, has actualized its founder’s ambition to transport paying passengers to the edge of space... though the short number of actual flights in the test program leaves many questi

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Airbus Helicopters H160 Granted FAA Type Certification

Light Makes Right

Airbus Helicopters has received FAA type-certification for its H160 medium utility helicopter, thereby marking a milestone in the aircraft's development, and heralding its imminent entry into the U.S. market. Intended to replace the AS365 and EC155 models in Airbus’s rotary-wing lineup, the H160 is a multi-role utility helicopter suited to missions the likes of offshore transportation, private and business helicopter charter, emergency medical services, commercial passenger transport, Search and Rescue, and law enforcement. The model was granted EASA type-certification in July 2020; first deliveries commenced in December 2021.

Galactic 01 Safely Departs and Returns to Spaceport America

After 19 years, Virgin Galactic, the California-based spaceflight subsidiary of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, has actualized its founder’s ambition to transport paying passengers to the edge of space... though the short number of actual flights in the test program leaves many questioning the safety of the program. The historic, 29 June flight saw Virgin Mother-Ship (VMS) Eve, a four-engine, twin-fuselage, twin-empennage behemoth named for Evette Branson, Sir Richard’s mother, lumber skyward from Virgin Galactic’s New Mexico Spaceport America facility at 08:30 MDT.

Also: Wheels Up Stock Fall, Aura Aero, ZeroAvia ZA2000 Hydrogen-Electric Engines, Destinus

Four weeks from today, the ANN, Airborne, SportPlane Resource Guide and Aero-TV crews will be heavily involved in bringing you our usual comprehensive unparalleled coverage of all things Oshkosh. If the weather holds, and based on the stunning numbers seen just a few weeks ago at Sun ‘n Fun, this year’s Oshkosh event could set records. And along with that, this will be ANN CEO, Jim Campbell’s 50th visit to Oshkosh. NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP)—the labor union representing the three-thousand-plus aviators currently

Work to Resume 05 July

Spirit AeroSystems workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) voted on Thursday, 29 June to accept a contract offer tendered by the company’s management. The vote occasioned the end of a strike that commenced Saturday, 24 June following the rejection of the company’s previous offer.

Airbus Adds SAF Production Partnership with LanzaJet

New MOU to Lend ‘Alcohol-to-Jet SAF Brewing Tech to Airbus Methodology

A memorandum of understanding between Airbus and LanzaJet will result in the production of facilities using the latter’s “leading, proven, and proprietary Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) technology.” Airbus says the agreement will speed along the certification and adoption of 100% drop-in SAF, allowing increased output and lower carbon emissions from aviation sources around the world. ATJ tech uses lower=carbon ethanol as an initial feedstock for synthesis, cutting overall gas emissions by more than 70% over traditional petroleum jet fuels.

Also: Airbus to Recruit 13,000, Prop Shop Seminar, Looming Machinist Strike, Aviation Talent Forecast

A number of anti-aviation environmental and outdoor recreation groups have filed a lawsuit against U.S. Forest Service officials. The suit alleges the agency, by dint of the named officials’ malfeasance, allowed and even encouraged the 'illegal' use of remote airstrips in an Idaho wilderness. Aerobility is a U.K. charity about the commendable mission of providing disabled individuals access to the liberating, self-affirming, independence-fostering challenge of piloting an aircraft. Through various fundraising initiatives and thoughtful management strate

Faced with Sufficient Growth, Textron Invests in In-House Education

Textron has announced its own workforce development location in a 100,000-square-foot facility at its Wichita Campus, the Hiring and Learning Center. While manufacturer's construction plans are rarely noteworthy, Textron's aim could be seen as a bellwether for future career prospects for those throughout the maintenance, logistics, and production side of aviation. Textron wants to foster its own professionals in-house, ensuring greater fealty to the company over time and guaranteeing a constant supply of newcomers.

Next 20 Years Looking Good for Sub-150-Seaters

A fresh market outlook came courtesy of Embraer’s analytics at the recent Paris Air Show, showing $650B up for grabs and a need for 11,000 new regional aircraft. As global passenger volume rose to 3.2% annual growth, the industry watched its fortunes rise in turn, seeing widespread demand for narrowbody and short-haul aircraft. A long list of growing markets throughout the East have also served to boost interest in smaller aircraft suited to shorter, rougher fields, too.

From 2016 (YouTube Version): The RANS S-21 Kit-Built Airplane Encompasses a Unique Building Concept…

While ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, was stomping around EAA AirVenture 2016 on his “What’s New” rounds, he stopped to talk with Randy Schlitter, the founder and owner of RANS Designs, which is the company that produces the RANS line of kit-built airplanes. While RANS has been around for a long time, they still managed to come up with something new in the RANS S-21. For those of you who are familiar with the RANS airplanes this truly is “Breaking News.”

U.H. Moves Flight Testing from MWH to MHV

Universal Hydrogen, the California energy concern about the business of making hydrogen-powered commercial flight a near-term reality, has selected California’s Mojave Air & Space Port as its new flight-test center. The move occasioned the commencement of the next phase of Universal Hydrogen’s flight-testing campaign, the ultimate purpose of which is the vetting and certification of the company’s hydrogen-electric aero-powertrain.

NTSB Prelim: Avid Magnum

Pilot Reported That He Was On A Local Sightseeing Flight At The Time Of Accident

On June 23, 2023, about 0844 eastern daylight time, an Avid Magnum airplane, N103DG, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Beaver Island, Michigan. The pilot sustained minor injuries. 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 he was on a local sightseeing flight at the time of accident.

Agency Condescends to Stranded Air-Travelers

A poorly-timed joke set forth by the FAA has engendered umbrage in the hearts of U.S. air-travelers contending with thousands of delayed or canceled flights at the onset of the frantic July Fourth holiday weekend. Since Monday, 26 June, upwards of nine-thousand Part 121 airline flights have been canceled and another 116,000 delayed. United Airlines has been compelled to cancel some five-hundred flights at Denver International Airport (DEN) alone.

Aero Linx: The International 180/185 Club

The International 180/185 Club is a social organization whose 1200+ members have one thing in common: they all own or have a passion for Cessna Skywagons. Pilots pride themselves in flying these “workhorses” of the sky. These planes have fixed gear and a tailwheel framework. The Skywagons’ unique characteristics require these planes be flown on the ground as well as in the sky.

Hazardous Weather Information Summary of significant meteorological information (SIGMET/WS), convective significant meteorological information (convective SIGMET/WST), urgent pilot weather reports (urgent PIREP/UUA), center weather advisories (CWA), airmen's meteorological information (AIRMET/WA), graphical airmen's meteorological information (G-AIRMET) and any other weather such as isolated thunderstorms that are rapidly developing and increasing in intensity, or low ceilings and visibilities that are becoming widespread which is considered significant and are not included in a current hazardous weather advisory.

“Branson founded Virgin Galactic almost twenty-years ago. He’s been very patient with trying to see this company through to success. I would say the time is coming where they really do need to deliver on that.” Source: Caleb Henry, director of research at the space advisory firm Quilty Analytics, commenting on the odds of success of the long-suffering Virgin Galactic space tourism program.