Mission-Driven Helo Playground Provides Realism in Training
Blackcomb Helicopters announced a new addition to its Advanced Training Center in the Powerline Training Facility, a skill-building emporium of structures suited to proper SAR operations. The location in Pemberton, British Columbia, "stands as a testament to Blackcomb Helicopters’ commitment to excellence in utility operations, offering a controlled and safe environment where crew can hone their abilities and ensure precision performance in the field." Powerline is equipped with a double circuit, 138KV monopole with five structures; a self-supporting lattice tower; a single circuit, 230 KV H-frame with four structures; a practice H-frame structure; 2 culverts for pole sets; and plenty of space to maneuver.
2019 Introduction Becoming a Fast Favorite on the Turboprop Scene
It may seem a bit silly to have a favorite engine in the aviation world, with so many stalwart classics to choose from, but for enjoyers of smaller, more accessible aircraft, the Pratt & Whitney PT-6 series probably finds a spot on the top 10 no matter what. The E-Series, as Pratt & Whitney designates their latest and greatest version, recently shipped out the 500th unit at their Lethbridge, Canada production line. The engines have mostly been delivered to Daher for their TBM 960, and Pilatus for use in their PC-12 NGX.
Boom Supersonic got the first instance of Special Flight Authorization to go supersonic, planning to push their XB-1 aircraft beyond the sound barrier. The FAA granted the authorization for them to test fly at Mach 1+ in the R-2508 Complex and part of the R-2515 High Altitude Supersonic Corridor. The FAA says that it completed a thorough review and Environmental Assessment, paving the way for future supersonic flight testing in the commercial sphere. Paul Poberezny's work needs little introduction in the world of experimental aviation, sport flying, and hobbyist aeronautics, being attached to what has grown into a titan today. Sometimes, growth makes it easy to miss the little things, and today's "little guy" is smarting more than ever just looking at the price tags of "cheap" aircraft. Poberezny, seeing similar things while he w
Shell Game of SAF Storage Shows That Nascent Fuel Industry Requires Some Planning At This Stage
Boeing was pleased to announce the purchase of 9.4 million gallons of blended sustainable jet fuel for use in its US commercial operations, offering a small pocket positive PR in a never ending slurry of drama. The blended fuel sports a 70/30 split, with the lesser portion coming from waste by-products like kitchen fats, greases, oils, and the like. All 10 million gallons will be put into the Boeing ecoDemonstrator program, for one, with the rest spread out over company flights when they can use it. Interestingly, Boeing couldn't just grab all of that fuel in one place, having to spread out their total order across their own facilities and partner tanks. Boeing's own fuel facilities in the Pacific Northwest will see 4 million gallons, while Neste will ship 2.5 million to EPIC Fuels and 1.5 million to Avfuel.
Wilbur Air Goes Shopping for Sustainable Aviation Down Under
Electric air taxi operator Skyportz announced a new subsidiary to provide all-electric operations under the Wilbur Air name, adding another future carrier to the Australian travel landscape. Wilbur Air opted to go with Electra.Aero's eSTOL for their flagship aircraft, inking a deal for 100 units with the American manufacturer. Wilbur Air does say that they won't just rest with the single-model fleet though, future buys will add everything from heavy lift and drone delivery to long-range sustainable passenger transit.
Officially, the Carbon Cub UL and Rotax 916 iS is now in its 'market survey development phase', meaning it's just about to head into the oven, but the recipe isn't inked just yet. CubCrafters VP Brad Damm wants to see everyone chip in with their two cents to see how they feel about the prospective aircraft. So far, everything that's been shown off paints a very attractive portrait of a lightweight, capable, eager little bird, boasting an empty weight "well below 900 lbs..." CKD Aerospace hit innovation preview with a couple goodies right off the bat, updating fans on their line of kit aircraft, Fisher Flying Products. Now, Fisher Flying Products are looking to moving from spruce into rag & tube. The Affordable Flying Expo is on the books for January 9th through the 11th of 2025. The new fly-in offers a well-timed excuse to ta