Also: Layoffs At Bombardier, DoT Modifies June 3 China Order, Aerox and Aithre Team Up, Amazon Air Expands

Transport Canada has announced temporary provisions for the renewal of medical certificates permitting the use of virtual visits... Government documents note that the program has resulted from the need, "... to adopt measures in the public interest to reduce the immediate and longer-term regulatory demand on healthcare resources in Canada following the declaration of a pandemic outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020 and reduce the unnecessary ex

First Type Certification For Fully Electric Plane, World-Wide

Though expected several months ago, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has finally announced the certification of an electric airplane, the Pipistrel Velis Electro, the first type certification world-wide of a fully electric aircraft and an important milestone in the quest for environmentally sustainable aviation. “This is an exciting breakthrough,” said EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky. “This is the first electric aircraft EASA has certified but it will certainly not be the last, as the aviation industry pursues new technologies to reduce noise and emissions and to improve the sustainability of aviation.”

Premier Model Aviation Event Is A "Go"

We've been reporting on cancellation after cancellation... so it's an uncommon pleasure to report that a major aviation event, albeit a model aviation event, is set to proceed as planned. After careful deliberation, the AMA Executive Council has agreed to not cancel the 2020 Outdoor Nats. This decision is aligned with state and federal guidelines for events concerning COVID-19. The 2020 AMA Nats will take place to the extent that individual Nats organizers plan and conduct their respective events. Additional safety measures will be in place to protect our members, staff, and community. Nats participants and visitors to the International Aeromdeling Center will have limited access to AMA facilities and should

Adds Approximately 2 Lbs To The Aircraft’s Empty Weight

Robinson Helicopter Company is now offering Shadin Avionics’ fuel flow meter on new R66s equipped with Garmin GTN 6xx or 750 GPS navigators. The fuel flow meter provides real-time fuel flow data to the GTN which in turn displays the fuel consumption rate along with fuel range rings on a moving map. Fuel used, fuel remaining, fuel to destination, and other real- time information is also available on accessory pages. The installation adds approximately 2 lbs to the aircraft’s empty weight and lists for $6,800.

The First Production V-22 Was Delivered On May 24, 1999

The V-22 team recently delivered its 400th aircraft, a CV-22 for US Air Force Special Operations Command. The first production V-22 was delivered on May 24, 1999, and today deliveries occur under the Multi-year Procurement III contract valued at $5 billion. That contract runs through 2024 and includes variants for the Marines, Air Force, and Navy, as well as the first international customer, Japan. “I want to thank everyone who has made the V-22 successful for their hard work and dedication to the women and men who operate the Osprey,” said Shane Openshaw, vice president of Tiltrotor Programs and deputy director of the Bell Boeing team. “We’re focused on building and s

From 2011: Is This The First Of A New Generation Of Airplanes???

If you wanted to see aviation history in the making this week, you needed to join ANN's Nathan Cremisino at the CAFE Green Flight Challenge, where the fine folks of NASA awarded the largest prize in aviation history, created to inspire the development of more fuel-efficient aircraft and spark the start of a new electric airplane industry. The technologies demonstrated by the CAFE Green Flight Challenge, sponsored by Google, competitors may end up in general aviation aircraft, spawning new jobs and new industries for the

USNTPS Requires An Intense 11-Month Course Of Instruction

One of the most respected test pilot education programs in the world, the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS), held a graduation ceremony for Class 157 at USNTPS’ hangar June 5, 2020. Thirty-four students successfully completed an intense 11-month course of instruction for designation as Engineering Developmental Test Pilots, Test Flight Officers, and Test Engineers. Rear Adm. John S. Lemmon, Commander of Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and Assistant Commander for Research and Engineering at Naval Air Systems Command, delivered the keynote address. The Class 107 graduate is former Chief Test Pilot and Commanding Officer of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron

Opposition Continues To Grow Against Dangerous Ligado/Lightspeed FCC Approval

Citing multiple ongoing and unresolved concerns about potential harm to the GPS-based National Airspace System (NAS), the NBAA joined with a broad coalition of aviation stakeholders to forcefully respond to Ligado Networks' dispute of a petition from NBAA and others asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to pause its approval of Ligado's latest proposed broadband cellular communications network. Ligado, formerly known as LightSquared, filed its dispute last month after the 11 aviation groups cited numerous apparent discrepancies in a petition questioning the FCC's decision to allow deployment of a high-speed 5G nationwide cellular service operating within ban

MEA Aircraft Is A Certified, Highly-Missionized Version Of The King Air 350

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) was awarded an order for two additional Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft (MEA) by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). SNC has been the prime systems engineer and integrator for the MEA fleet since 2009. “We are honored that Customs and Border Protection continues to entrust SNC with the development of this mission-critical aircraft,” said Tim Owings, executive vice president of SNC’s Integrated Mission Systems business area. “These aircraft have proven to have the endurance and special mission systems uniquely suited to meet the challenges of protecting the United States border.”

Witness: The Tail Rotor Separated From The Helicopter

On April 24, 2020, about 1600 mountain standard time, a Bell UH-1H helicopter, N3276T, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Mesa, Arizona. The pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger was seriously injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 relocation flight. Witnesses reported they observed the helicopter flying low towards Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona, with white smoke coming from the rear rotor area. Suddenly, the tail rotor separated from the helicopter and landed in a dirt lot below. The helicopter continued northeast as it started to spin and impact the ground.

Aero Linx: International Aviation Fire Protection Association The International Aviation Fire Protection Association was formed in 2000 by a group of airport / municipalfire service professionals and industry specialists as a professional and fraternal association of international airport, municipal, and military fire and emergency services professionals to promote the information exchange, study, and improvement of aircraft rescue fire fighting and airport facility fire protection. The IAFPA believes that through closer personal interaction of worldwide airport, municipal and industry specialists we can foster and enhance all aspects of training and operational procedures dealing with aircraft rescu

Class B (Airspace) Generally, that airspace from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL surrounding the nation’s busiest airports in terms of airport operations or passenger enplanements. The configuration of each Class B airspace area is individually tailored and consists of a surface area and two or more layers (some Class B airspace areas resemble upside-down wedding cakes), and is designed to contain all published instrument procedures once an aircraft enters the airspace. An ATC clearance is required for all aircraft to operate in the area, and all aircraft that are so cleared receive separation services within the airspace. The cloud clearance requirement for VFR operations is “clear of clo

“The type certification of the Pipistrel Velis Electro is the first step towards the commercial use of electric aircraft, which is needed to make emission-free aviation feasible. It is considerably quieter than other aeroplanes and produces no combustion gases at all. It provides optimism, also to other electric aircraft designers, that the type certification of electric engines and aeroplanes is possible.” Source: Ivo Boscarol, founder and CEO of Pipistrel Aircraft, commenting following the long-awaited announcement by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency about their certification of an electric airplane, the Pipistrel Velis Electro -- the first type certification world-wide of a fully electric aircraft and an import