Diamond Aircraft and Austro Engine Anticipate Increasing Availability of ASTM D7566 SAF

A Diamond DA42-VI training aircraft powered by Austro Engine AE300 powerplants burning Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) executed a number of circuits around Germany’s Bremen Airport (BRE). The flight—a joint-undertaking of Lufthansa Aviation Training GmbH, Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH, Austro Engine GmbH, World Fuel Services Europe Ltd., and Bremen Airport—occasioned the first flight-operation of a DA-42-VI powered solely by SAF.

Utility of Magni Gyro Gyroplane Model Broadened

The United Kingdom’s  Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved a modification protocol by which Magni Gyro’s M24C autogyro may be granted approval for night flight operations. The modification—designated AAN 29276 Addendum 2—comprises the introduction of a dedicated avionics suite, appropriately-adapted instrument panels, and new internal and external lights. So retrofitted, Magni Gyro’s M24C autogyro may be operated, by qualified pilots, under Night VFR conditions.

Upping the Rank and File

For purpose of contemporaneously keeping pace with emerging technologies and reducing the duration of investigations, the National Transportation Safety Board dramatically increased hiring in 2023. By the end of the prevailing fiscal year, NTSB personnel will number 433—a significant increase from the agency’s August 2019’s roster of 397 employees.

Companies to Develop Oceana Vertiport Network

Volatus Infrastructure & Energy Solutions (VI&E Solutions), a firm specializing in the development of infrastructure germane to vehicle-agnostic electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aviation, has entered into a joint-venture with Australian-based eVTOL concern Ace VTOL. The newly-announced undertaking speaks to the two companies’ shared aspirations to establish an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure network in the Oceania region, develop a wheelchair-accessible solar-powered lift, and integrate Ace’s open-sourced Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based, Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) architecture for purpose of ensuring safety of flight.

29 September Ribbon-Cutting Scheduled

DeKalb County, Indiana Airport (GWB) Fixed Base Operator (FBO) Sweet Aviation will celebrate the reopening of the airport’s runway with a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled to get underway at 11:00 CDT on Friday, 29 September 2023. Subject runway was closed in July 2023 for purpose of undergoing an extension and upgrade. The newly-improved runway measures 7,105-feet—2,105 feet longer than its previous incarnation. The extra length will allow the airport to accommodate the vast majority of general aviation aircraft—from the most gossamer Light-Sport machines to lightly-loaded Gulfstream, Global Express, and Falcon jets.

Sheepskin-Deep

Chicago-based AAR Corporation, a provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators, MROs, and OEMs, has released its 2023 mid skills gap report. The term mid skills denotes careers requiring industry certifications but not college degrees—e.g., pilots, flight attendants, and aviation mechanics. Recognizing the importance of gathering information on the state of mid skills talent development efforts and providing tangible recommendations for collaboration, AAR launched its first mid skills gap report in 2011. AAR has become a trusted source for this information and thought leadership on innovative solutions, launching subsequent editions of the report in 2018 and 2023.