A Return to Reason?

A confutable FAA policy detrimental to pilots seeking training and flight review in experimental category aircraft—homebuilt or otherwise—may well be abrogated by bipartisan provisions within the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) currently before Congress. Subject policy, established in July 2021, required certain aircraft owners and flight instructors to obtain a letter of deviation authority (LODA) prior to providing flight training in experimental aircraft—including the owners of homebuilt aircraft seeking training in their own machines.

2022 Sees More Than 49,000 Participants in Intro Flights

EAA’s Young Eagles program has rebounded after languishing in low turnout since the pandemic, with more than 49,000 participants taking part this year. Almost 50,000 youths ages 8 to 17 got to see, feel, and hear the thrill of aviation with the aid of a free introductory flight through the Young Eagles in 2022, and it was all made possible by 4,078 pilots who volunteered to help. Of those volunteers, 1,159 had never before been a part of the Young Eagles program before this year.

As Need for New Blood Mounts, Education Brass Considers Changes to Traditional Training Pipeline

The Air Force's recruiting and training situation is scarcely better than it was last year, amid a growing industry-wide pilot shortage. The USAF thinks it can train 1,470 new pilots in fiscal year 2023, something its own AF Times calls a "lofty goal amid an enduring shortage of flyers". The target is not far off the original plan to graduate 1,500 new, combat-ready pilots per year by 2024, but so far its efforts to even reach its overarching goal of 21,000 pilots haven't panned out. Usually, the service is only about 19,000-strong, across active duty, reserve, and Guard pilots overall. 

Red Hawk Trainer Now Landing Q4 2024

Complications with the ejection seat system of Boeing’s T-7A Red Hawk have delayed delivery of the new advanced jet trainer to its United States Air Force launch customer until the third quarter of 2024.

As the Aerospace Expo Approaches, Headlining Acts Call their Shots

The Blue Angels unveiled their 2023 air show schedule, and their first headline act? The 49th annual Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo. Their upcoming performance will feature the upgraded, newer F/A-18 Super Hornets after making the switch from their older legacy aircraft. Moving away from  the smaller, lighter fighter for their display has necessitated a few changes in devising their new routines, namely because of the increased size and planform of the Super Hornet.

Overcoming a String of Failures, America's Hypersonic Missile Program is Stronger than Ever

The Air Force announced the completion of its first operational hypersonic missile, designated the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon. Lockheed Martin's AGM-183A ARRW, was tested off the coast of Southern California, launched from an underwing polyon from a B-52H from the 412th Test Wing. The prototype was launched at altitude before accelerating to 5 times the speed of sound and self-destructing at the end of its designated flight path.

Cometh the Raptor to Sawdust City

The U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Demo team announced its 2023 schedule at this week’s International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) convention in Las Vegas. Happily, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is among the events at which the storied outfit is slated to make an appearance. The F-22 Demo team, known formally as the F-22 Demonstration and Heritage Flight Team, will arrive Oshkosh in the fullness of its dull-gray, high-decibel splendor on 27 July, and remain thereabouts until 30 July—which is to say the final four days of AirVenture 2023.  

Re: Suspected Lockerbie Bomb Maker’s Capture

On 15 December 2022, four organizations representing the vestiges of Pan Am Airlines—the Pan Am Historical Foundation, the Pan Am Museum Foundation, World Wings International, and the Clipper Pioneers—released a joint statement pertaining to the 11 December capture of Abu Agila Mohammad Masud, the Libyan man charged in the U.S. with having built the explosive device that brought down Pan Am flight 103.

From 2017 (YouTube Version): New Composite Prop Introduced For King Air 350…

Hartzell Propeller and Raisbeck Engineering are collaborating on new structural composite swept blade props for the Beechcraft King Air 350 turboprop. The prop was introduced at AirVenture 2017 in July. The new King Air 350 propellers are an extension of the propeller blade technology advancements developed jointly by Hartzell and Raisbeck for the King Air 90, King Air B200 series and King Air 300 series aircraft. The new composite propellers have an extended 3,000-hour, three-year warranty.

Puerto Rican Air Carrier’s Pilots Suspected Underqualified

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $134,475 civil penalty against Vieques Air Link (VAL) of Puerto Rico for allegedly crewing passenger flights with unqualified pilots. The agency alleges the air-carrier employed and dispatched pilots lacking requisite certification to operate under Part 135 of the U.S. Federal Aviation Regulations. Subject pilots reportedly served as flight-crew members aboard 11 commercial, passenger-carrying flights conducted in the air-carrier’s multi-engined, Britten-Norman aircraft between July and August 2022.    

Five Kilometer BVLOS Route Links Swiss Hospitals

On 12 December 2022 Matternet, a California-based developer of commercial drone delivery systems, announced it had commenced test operations along a five-kilometer BVLOS route over the west-central Swiss city of Zurich. Subject route, the longest of its type, will be used to transport diagnostic samples between Zurich’s Triemli and Waid Hospitals—both part of Stadspital Zürich, a municipal hospital owned by the city of Zurich.

Happy Hooligans Named RPA Squadron of the Year

The North Dakota Air National Guard’s 178th Attack Squadron (ATKS) has been recognized as the General Atomics Remotely Piloted Aircraft Squadron of the Year. The honor was conferred at the Fargo Air Museum during a 09 December 2022 event hosted by the Mitchell Institute—an independent, nonpartisan aerospace research organization established to guide U.S. defense policy. The award is presented annually to the U.S. military squadron that distinguishes itself by expertly and effectively deploying Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in meritorious service. The victory occasioned the 178th’s first receipt of the prestigious award, for which no fewer than thirt

After Lifting Off, The Airplane Porpoised And Entered A “Steep” Left Turn

On November 28, 2022, at 0820 central standard time, a Cessna 170B airplane, N2710D, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Gage, Oklahoma. The airplane owner and second occupant were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. GPS data revealed that the airplane departed from Vici Municipal Airport (5O1), Vici, Oklahoma, at 0652, and proceeded northwest.

Aero Linx: Piper Apache Club In 1978 a group of Piper Apache owners from the USA and Canada gathered in Hazleton, PA and formed the "Flying Apache Association".  The Association produced a monthly newsletter and had an annual fly-in in various locations in the  United States and the Bahama Islands. The Piper Apache was primarily owned by individuals that were long time owners and some flight schools for multi-trainers.  As time went on many of the owners moved on to larger twins and a lot of the planes were sold to individuals that were only interested in building multi time to get an airline job.  There was still a group of dedicated Apache Lovers out there that kept in touc

Refined Hazard Area (RHA) Used by ATC. Airspace that is defined and distributed after a failure of a launch or reentry operation to provide a more concise depiction of the hazard location than a Contingency Hazard Area.

“We are thrilled to see an increase in the number of pilots looking to help inspire the next generation of aviators. For pilots, the rewards of flying Young Eagles are immeasurable. The only way we get more young people involved in aviation is to have more pilots participate, so the open invitation is always there.” Source: David Leiting, EAA Eagles Program Manager, in recent comments celebrating the fact that EAA’s Young Eagles program has rebounded after languishing in low turnout since the pandemic, with more than 49,000 participants taking part this year.