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May 06, 2021

Airborne-Flight Training 05.06.21: Skyborne-US, Leonardo Heli Training, Master CFI

Also: UPRT Partnership, Launch Activity Areas, AF Youth Programs, Virtual Reality FST

Skyborne Aviation Group has completed the acquisition of its new Flight Academy located in Vero Beach, Florida. “Skyborne Airline Academy Vero Beach” will be the first pilot training base in the United States for the UK-headquartered airline academy. “Skyborne Airline Academy Vero Beach” offers prospective pilots a full-time FAA Part 141 approved training on a 12-month residential program, airline pathway programs with leading US airlines, plus Private, Instrument, Commercial and Instructor courses. It will also serve as a fair-weather base for Skyborne’s UK CAA Integrated ATPL programme. Leonardo has opened their new Helicopter Training Academy. It’s located

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Wow, Just Wow... Starship SN15 Launches, Lands... Does Not Blow Up

Beautiful Launch, Return, and Landing Watched by Thousands Online

With hundreds of thousands logging in all over the globe to watch, the 'much upgraded' Starship SN15 aced a test flight that had destroyed four prototypes before it. On Wednesday, May 5, Starship serial number 15 (SN15) successfully completed SpaceX’s fifth high-altitude flight test of a Starship prototype from Starbase in Texas. Similar to previous high-altitude flight tests of Starship, SN15 was powered through ascent by three Raptor engines, each shutting down in sequence prior to the vehicle reaching apogee – approximately 10 km in altitude.

Bid For The Very First Seat On New Shepard

Sixty years after Alan Shepherd got the US firmly into the space race by being the first American to undertake a sub-orbital flight, Blue Origin is offering the public a chance to take a very similar ride--albeit with greatly upgraded technology. On July 20th, Blue Origin's New Shepard launch vehicle will fly its first astronaut crew to space. They are offering one seat on this first flight to the winning bidder of an online auction. Blue Origin has been flight testing New Shepard and its redundant safety systems since 2012. The program has had 15 successful consecutive missions including three successful escape tests, showing the crew escape system can activate safely in any phase of flight.

Also: CAP and USAF Training, Boeing 767-300ER FPT, FAA Task Force, Wings for Val Foundation

EAA notes that, 'Along with all the experienced aviators at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh each year, The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration inspires many others who find themselves asking, "I would love to learn to fly someday. What steps do I need to take to begin flight training?"' The Learn to Fly Center at AirVenture's EAA Four Corners area can provide the information they need and kick-start their flight training journey. The EAA Learn to Fly Center will feature multiple stations, each dedicated to helping indiv

PAX Allegedly Interfered with Flight Attendants

The FAA has proposed civil penalties ranging from $9,000 to $32,750 against four airline passengers for allegedly interfering with and, in two cases, assaulting flight attendants who instructed them to obey cabin crew instructions and various federal regulations.

Areas Are In Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas And Virginia

The Federal Aviation Administration says that it is increasing pilot safety and airspace awareness by marking more space launch activity areas on navigation charts. Adding space launch activity areas to the navigation charts used by pilots who fly visually responds to the recent and expected continued growth of commercial space operations. All 12 FAA-licensed spaceports, and other federal and private launch and reentry sites, are represented on the charts by a rocket symbol. These areas are in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia.

Dream Chaser Spaceplane To Utilize Florida Shuttle Runway

Vehicle Could Land At Cape Canaveral in 2022

Sierra Nevada has completed a Use Agreement for Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) to land the Dream Chaser spaceplane in support of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services-2 (CRS-2) contract. Dream Chaser will service the International Space Station (ISS) under the CRS-2 contract in 2022. “This is a monumental step for both Dream Chaser and the future of space travel,” said SNC CEO Fatih Ozmen. “To have a commercial vehicle return from the International Space Station to a runway landing for the first time since NASA’s space shuttle program ended a decade ago will be a historic achievement."

From 2016 (YouTube Version): EAA’s Pilot Proficiency Center Is Designed to Encourage Proficiency and Provide Actual Training…

While at EAA AirVenture 2016, ANN News Editor, Tom Patton, stopped by the Pilot Proficiency Center in its new location at what was known as the, EAA Four Corners. This new central location brings to light EAA’s position that pilot proficiency is key to aviation safety. Tom met up with Chuck Gensler, who is the Operations Manager for EAA’s Pilot Proficiency Center. Gensler pointed out that the purpose of the Pilot Proficiency Center was not only to promote the concept that

"Safety Is Always Our Number One Priority"

As remote surveillance and communications infrastructure installation is coming to completion at key sites in McKenzie and Williams counties, Vantis, North Dakota's statewide UAS network, is gearing up for testing and validation of the network in line with the rigorous safety measures the aviation industry is known for. The Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS), which administers Vantis, has worked closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to plan testing procedures that are safe, do not interfere with existing manned aviation in the region, and which will prove the safety and reliability of Vantis moving forward.

Costa Rican MRO Provider COOPESA To Open Two 737-800BCF Conversion Lines In 2022

Boeing has announced a new partnership with a Costa Rica-based maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider to create additional conversion capacity for the 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter. Boeing will open two 737-800BCF conversion lines with Cooperativa Autogestionaria de Servicios Aeroindustriales (COOPESA) in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The first of the new conversion lines is expected to open in early 2022, with the second anticipated later that year. Boeing forecasts 1,500 freighter conversions will be needed over the next 20 years to meet growing demand. Of those, 1,080 will be standard-body conversions, with nearly 30% of that demand coming from North America

While Over The Runway The Engine Began To “Cough/Sputter”

On April 3, 2021, about 1248 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20C, N2953L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near College Park, Maryland. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that previously they had found water in the fuel tanks, which necessitated him and the other co-owner replacing the o-rings of each fuel cap as part of preventative maintenance, and also purchasing covers to protect the fuel caps. When he arrived at the airport for his flight, the covers were not on the wings; they had been left off.

Aero Linx: The Lancair Owner & Builders Organization (LOBO) From LOBO's Jeff Edwards: The Lancair Owner & Builders Organization (LOBO) is a collaborative group and type club for all people who own, fly, build, support, maintain and just plain love Lancair and Evolution aircraft. It is the realization of a collective vision to cultivate an organization designed from the ground up to support Lancair and Evolution aircraft enthusiasts. Many aircraft owners enjoy membership in type clubs; I have been involved with a few over the years. My experience with type clubs has been tremendously positive, paying dividends many times the cost of dues, including good friendships, great

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.06.21): Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP)

Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP) A preplanned instrument flight rule (IFR) departure procedure printed for pilot use in textual or graphic form to provide obstruction clearance via the least onerous route from the terminal area to the appropriate en route structure. ODPs are recommended for obstruction clearance and may be flown without ATC clearance unless an alternate departure procedure (SID or radar vector) has been specifically assigned by ATC.

"Federal law prohibits interfering with aircraft crew or physically assaulting or threatening to physically assault aircraft crew or anyone else on an aircraft. Passengers are subject to civil penalties for such misconduct, which can threaten the safety of the flight by disrupting or distracting cabin crew from their safety duties." Source: The not-so-subtle warning language included with a recent FAA Press Release, noting that four more airline passengers have been charged with interfering with flight crew members...