Despite the Bluster, Russian/US Space Operations Go on As Usual

A trio of Russian Cosmonauts launched on their way to the International Space Station, surprising onlookers given the increased geopolitical tensions following a series of escalating talk and sanctions. The space station has continued operating as usual, with the 3 cosmonauts inbound to rotate in and replace some of the 7 crewmembers currently ending their term aboard the station. The returning trio will be two Russians and one American, Astronaut Mark Vande Hei. They are expected to begin their journey Earthbound on March 30 using a Soyuz capsule, and so far NASA has stated they have no intentions to shake up arrangements so far. 

Airframe and Powerplant Students Now Receive College Credit for their Part 147 AMT Classes

Epic Flight Academy, of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, has signed a deal with Polk State College to allow Epic AMT graduates to receive transfer credit hours. Students must have matriculated from Epic's Part 147 Aircraft Mechanic Program, and submit a transfer of credits request along with their FAA Airframe & Powerplant certificate to Polk state. Once approved, students will obtain 30 credit hours classified as courses performed to obtain an associate degree in Aviation Maintenance Administration.

Application of Employment Law on Crews Would Mandate Lunch Breaks, Off-Duty Time Even in Flight

A proposed rule shift has worried airline brass in California following a 2021 appellate court decision that could enforce state break time laws on the airline pilots based in the region. If the law is applied to pilots and flight attendants, flight personnel will be required to be freed from their duties for 10 minutes every 4 hours, with a 30-minute meal break every 5 hours, even while in flight. So far, such rules have not been applied to flight crew, due to the perception of them being outside their jurisdiction.

Grounds Boeing Fleet After Losing Safety Cert, Sanctions

Russia's biggest cargo airline, the Volga-Dnepr Group, has ended all flights using its fleet of Boeing aircraft until further notice. Volga, among its range of smaller subsidiary lines, has operated a fleet of 18 Boeing 747s, with 6 737s until now, one of the largest cargo operations in Russia. Now, they have issued a statement on a stop for operations of 2 subsidiaries. AirBridgeCargo and Atran are now stopped due to taking a double hit of sanctions and a termination of their safety certificates issued by the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority. 

During The Gear Extension Process, The Passengers Heard A “Loud Bang” Under The Floor Panels

On March 6, 2022, about 2130 central standard time, a Beech 200 airplane, N8170J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT), Gulfport, Mississippi. The pilot and four passengers were not injured. The flight was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, the airplane was on approach to Stennis International Airport (HAS), Bay St Louis, Mississippi, when the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear.

Stakeholders to Draw up Programming for Drone Expo 2022

The organizers of the 8th annual Commercial UAV Expo have announced the roster of speakers and industry figures who will participate in the Advisory board. The upcoming conference will be put together by the board, who will determine the topics, themes, and focuses of programming throughout the week. In years past, nearly every facet of the rapidly growing UAS industry has been the subject of conference interest, with special attention paid to those growing segments of the market that are developing quickly as they leverage new capabilities found through unmanned systems.

Embraer eVTOL Subsidiary Nabs Big Sale 

Global Crossing Airlines, or more stylistically, GlobalX, has secured a deal with Embraer's eVTOL subsidiary, EVE, for up to 200 of their upcoming aircraft. The sale brings Eve's total backlog up to almost 1,800 aircraft, expected to begin deliveries in 2026. The aircraft will go into service with GlobalX's charter fleet, serving customers alongside the company's roster of Airbus A320 and A321s. Along with the purchase, both companies will "explore the development of an ecosystem to scale Urban Air Mobility and reinforce the Concept of Operations in Miami-Dade, Florida."

From AUVSI 2021: Alex Orozco, Vice President at Nippon Kayaku America, Speaks With ANN At XPONENTIAL 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia

ParaSafe is an emergency parachute system for drones. Its parent company, Nippon Kayaku, has been building automotive technology with a focus on safety systems, such as car airbags, for the past 29 years. Creating products for unmanned systems seemed like the next step for the company to embrace the future. Nippon Kayaku created ParaSafe with the aim of protecting people. “We are a company that cares, we w

Aero Linx: Radio Technical Committee for Aeronautics (RTCA) RTCA has provided the foundation for virtually every modern technical advance in aviation. Our products serve as the basis for government certification of equipment used by the tens of thousands of aircraft flying daily through the world’s airspace. A Standards Development Organization (SDO), RTCA works with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop comprehensive, industry-vetted and endorsed standards that can be used as means of compliance with FAA regulations. Our deliberations are open to the public and our products are developed by aviation community volunteers functioning in a consensus-based, collaborative, peer-revie

Minimum Fuel Indicates that an aircraft’s fuel supply has reached a state where, upon reaching the destination, it can accept little or no delay. This is not an emergency situation but merely indicates an emergency situation is possible should any undue delay occur.

Aero-News Quote of the Day AEA Live 2022 Schedule: www.airborne-live.net Monday, March 28th 8:45am-Noon (CDT) Opening Ceremony, Awards, and New Product Introductions   Tuesday, March 29th 1:00pm-4:00pm (CDT) Live interviews from the AEA 2022 convention floor in New Orleans  

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