Spacefaring Parachute Company in Rocketeer's Sights in Rare Purchase

Pioneer Aerospace will be bought up by SpaceX thanks to its parent company's bankruptcy (and the many creditors who appear to be getting screwed over in the process) to the tune of a paltry $2.2 million, bringing the spacecraft parachute specialist under the SpaceX umbrella. The last acquisition by SpaceX came at a much stiffer $524 million, when it bought up satellite network underdog Swarm. They're getting a lot for their money this time around. Pioneer has a storied history that stretches all the way back to its 1938 foun

"The Only Part 127 Certified Gyroplane in the World" Back in the Sport Aviation Fray

ARC AeroSystems announced the return of the Avian Pegasus Gyroplane. Avian stemmed from employees of Avro Canada, designing their gyroplanes in Canada and ultimately producing 3 prototype pre-production aircraft to work through the certification process. Ultimately, the firm died out in the early 70s, with its assets put up for sale. One remaining prototype, along with the design's rights and type certification, found their way into ARC AeroSystems' hands in 2023. Their rendition, the Pegasus, will sport the same 'jump take-off' and zero-roll landing capability as the original design.

Unleaded Fuel Candidate Advances into Next Stage of PAFI Testing

Members of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative announced that the first candidate fuel has passed the toughest part of the toughest PAFI phase, paving the way for another lead-free alternative to traditional 100LL. The Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) sports an initial phase testing for detonation with a 150-hour engine durability exam, seen as a simple way to weed out unworkable fuel types from a field of submissions. The winner this time comes from LyondellBasell Industries and VP Racing, known as UL100E. Now the fuel will move on to full-scale engine and airframe tests, with 10 different engines and 8 aircraft. The process will take anywhe

"Members Should Know If They Have a New Deal by Thurs" says Pilot Union

The Southwest Pilots Association had some news, telling membership that " members should know by Thursday (November 30) if they have a new deal after three and a half years of negotiations." Ahead of the news, whether good or bad, the union briefed members on the 3 possible outcomes that would follow: First, the Federal mediators from last year could set a new deadline and tell both sides to continue negotiations. Should they feel that SWAPA is not acting in good faith, it could suspend the process entirely. Lastly, if mediators feel the company is not acting in good faith, they could release both sides to a 30-day "cooling-off" period.

Easier Maintenance and Less Downtime in Store for Business Internet Customers

Gogo Business Aviation has Opened up Over-the-Air update capability for AVANCE customers, simplifying the ownership lifecycle with an app-based toolkit. The change prevents the need for additional downtime and manual access to the AVANCE unit, being accomplished entirely via hands-off. Cloudport connection through Gogo’s content delivery network, Gogo Cloud, or Terrestrial Modem. While it may not be the biggest change in the world for single-plane operators, fleet owners will love the convenience of being able to roll out updates across all aircraft at once from the comfort of their office.

Popular Model Makes First Appearance from New Cradle

After some shuffling around its manufacturing facilities to accommodate its high-demand A321neo, Airbus has rolled out its first brand-new aircraft after a relatively short retooling period. The A380 assembly line began changing over in late 2022, when demand for the large aircraft had been eclipsed by its more economical, narrowbody sibling the A321neo. The neo builds on the single-aisle A320, offering “unbeatable fuel efficiency” and range at the acknowledged cost of passenger capacity and luxury accommodations.

GCP Adds Versatile Option to Radio Panel Installations

Genesys AeroSystems has obtained FAA TSO Approval for their Genesys Control Panel, or GCP in company parlance. The Genesys Control Panel is "two products in one" according to the Moog subsidiary. It can "control COMM radios, tactical radios, DME, ADF, transponder, and HF" as a standard panel mounted comms controller, or as an interface with their Genesys Digital Radio (GDR). When paired with a Genesys IDU-680 compatible EFIS panel, the GCP acts as a Communications Display Unit (CDU), with up to 5 GCP's able to connect with the glass panel's radio controls.

From 2015 (YouTube Version): Single and Two-Place LSA Offerings Offer Easy Construction, Economical Operation

While at EAA AirVenture 2014, ANN News Editor, Tom Patton, visited with the President of BedeCorp, James Bede, about their line of aircraft that were on display. Tom’s first question was about the Bede 22. He pointed out that it seems similar to the Bede design that later became the American Yankee, and he asked about the similarities. Bede pointed out that it uses a bonded honeycomb structure similar to the American Yankee but that the production process is simpler. In the video, he goes on to explain the differences between the pro

He "Mistakenly Flew Into Weather,” "It's Completely White,” And He Could Not See Anything Outside

On November 14, 2023, at 1409 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N7806W, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Micanopy, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to preliminary air traffic control (ATC) communications, prior to departure, the ground controller at Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM), Orlando, Florida, reported that the weather conditions were “IFR” indicating the ceiling was broken clouds at 800 ft above ground level (agl). About 1 minute later the controller stated there were up

Aero Linx: Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) Since 1972, PAMA has been dedicated to promoting professionalism and recognition of the aviation maintenance technician through communication, education, representation, and support of continuous improvement in aviation safety.  Our mission is to promote continuous improvement in aviation safety through communication, education, representation and support of our members.

Minimum En Route IFR Altitude (MEA) The lowest published altitude between radio fixes which assures acceptable navigational signal coverage and meets obstacle clearance requirements between those fixes. The MEA prescribed for a Federal airway or segment thereof, area navigation low or high route, or other direct route applies to the entire width of the airway, segment, or route between the radio fixes defining the airway, segment, or route. 

“This industry-first capability for connectivity systems demonstrates our deep understanding of business aviation, and the maintenance required of aviation-grade technology. OTA software updates can be done completely hands-free, saving our customers time and money, and ensuring that they have the latest AVANCE features and functionality.”   Source: Sergio Aguirre, Gogo’s president and chief operating officer, noting how Gogo Business Aviation has Opened up Over-the-Air update capability for AVANCE customers, simplifying the ownership lifecycle with an app-based toolkit.