The Upcoming Sun ‘n Fun 2022 Event Appears To Be Gaining A Serious Head Of Steam ANN’s Jim Campbell was asked to address a mass meeting of the Sun ‘n Fun senior staff and volunteers this past weekend (see the pictures for proof that this actually happened)... which certainly provided something of a twilight zone moment... It was an immensely positive meeting and we learned that the upcoming Sun ‘n Fun 2022 event appears to be gaining a serious head of steam... as evidenced by stunning advance sales numbers. Across the board, when compared to previous RECORD stats, Sun n Fun 2022 is already a record breaker... and after last year’s successes, that’s saying a LOT.

Multiple WWII Warbird Exhibitions to Take Place in May

The CAF has repositioned a few of its bombers to their Georgia airbase, moving the B-17 Flying Fortress "Texas Raiders", with the B-29 Superfortress "Fifi" and B-24 Liberator "Diamond Lil'" to appear in the area next May. The state will see a number of warbird exhibitions throughout the month, beginning with the Flags for the Fallen display on Memorial Day weekend in Savannah. A smattering of additional displays will pass through Columbus, Savannah, and Douglas, making their way to the Georgia WWII Heritage Trail, the National Infantry Museum, the Museum of Aviation, the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth,  and the World War II Flight Training Museum.

Also: King FOI Course, AUVSI Changes Name, Dassault, Flightradar24 Takedown

In light of the many tragedies we are seeing arising out of the wanton destruction of Ukraine by Russia, it almost seems silly to note that a one-of-a-kind aviation treasure also appears to have been destroyed. While still not quite official, numerous reports strongly suggest that the world’s largest operational transport aircraft, the Antonov AN-225 ‘Mriya’ (‘Dream’ in Ukrainian), may have been destroyed in the Russian invasion. The massive six-engine transport was the only one of its kind, after insufficient money was allowed to finish an in-proce

Committee on Foreign Investment Finds A5 has Little Chance for Conversion As Military Aircraft

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the US has tendered its verdict on the Icon Aircraft deal, finding that the misgivings held by domestic investors were unfounded and things may continue on as they have been at the company. The scrutiny came as a result of an Icon investor group's wariness surrounding the sudden funding of the state-owned Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology Investment Company into the manufacturer. Their concerns were that nearly half of Icon shares were purchased less so for the chance to invest in a young, up and coming aircraft, and more for the inherent utility of a lightweight, carbon-bodied seaplane as the basis of fut

Passengers Wanted for Panchito's Flights On April 10th

Anyone who's ever wanted to hitch a ride in an authentic WWII bomber has a chance, thanks to the owners of a surviving B-25 Mitchell named "Panchito". The owners have made a number of slots available for the aircraft during its flights on April 10th out of Florida's Kissimmee Gateway Airport. Interested parties should be aware that space aboard is limited, and reservations are recommended. Vintage, flying WWII aircraft are always a draw, and Panchito is no exception. 

British Satellite Launch Canceled in Row Between Nations

OneWeb's cancellation of the next low-orbit satellite launch is set in stone now, as its steed, the Soyuz 2.1b rocket assigned to the mission, has been removed from its launch pad and will proceed to be disassembled in the coming days. The rocket's 36 satellites remain on board at the moment, without any indication if they will be returned or seized. OneWeb's target to have 648 satellites in orbit by year's end has been proceeding exclusively with the Russian space agency, a relationship made all the more complicated by the fact that OneWeb's ownership lies partially with the United Kingdom’s government, the result of a near-bankruptcy and government investment.

Ban Affects Nearly Any Flight Performed By, Chartered For, Russian Nationals

The FAA has released a NOTAM prohibiting a series of aircraft and operators from American airspace, banning all Russian aviation until further notice. The specific text states "all Russian air carriers and commercial operators, regardless of the state of registry of the aircraft; all aircraft registered in the Russian federation; all Russian state aircraft, regardless of the state of registry of the aircraft; and all aircraft, regardless of the state of registry, owned, chartered, leased, operated or controlled by, for, or for the benefit of, a person who is a citizen of the Russian federation are prohibited from operating to, from, within, or through u.s. terri

County Offers 58 Acres of Unused Land for Recreational Expansion

Model aircraft enthusiasts in the small town of Lockport, New York got some good news this week when they learned of a planned extension of the Niagara County Model Plane Field. The County Legislature voted to give some land adjacent to the current airfield, originally acquired in 1962 for use as a recreational area. Since then, however, the 58 acres has sat unused until Lockport Supervisor Mark Crocker showed an interest in the plot. The cost to the town, as it turns out, was quite low.

From 2016 (YouTube Version): The Stemme S12 Powered Glider Offers Cadillac Features and a Glide Ratio of 53 to 1…

While at EAA AirVenture 2016, our ANN news crew visited with the Director of Flight Operations and Maintenance for Stemme USA. Wes Chumley gave us an inside view of their new motorglider, known as the Stemme S12. The aircraft’s appearance at AirVenture is the first time it has been shown in the USA. Motorgliders come in various sizes and shapes, but the Stemme is quite different from most of them. It’s unique in that the engine is mounted in the front of the aircraft and the propeller is retractable

While Cruising At 4,500 Ft Mean Sea Level (Msl), The Engine Started To Sputter, Then Stopped

On January 11, 2022, about 1247 eastern standard time (EST), a Piper, PA-32-300, N475RT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Edisto Island, South Carolina. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, who was also the owner of the airplane, the first leg of the flight was uneventful. After landing at Columbus County Municipal Airport (CPC), Whiteville, North Carolina to get fuel, he resumed the flight to Florida.

Aero Linx: The Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa The Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa NPC (CAASA) is a non-profit organisation formed in 1944 to promote and protect the commercial interest of the general aviation industry in South African Aviation. Our member companies include airport operators, non-scheduled operators, business aircraft operators, flying training organisations, aircraft maintenance companies and companies offering a whole range of supporting and retail services.

Meter List Display Interval A dynamic parameter which controls the number of minutes prior to the flight plan calculated time of arrival at the meter fix for each aircraft, at which time the TCLT is frozen and becomes an ACLT; i.e., the VTA is updated and consequently the TCLT modified as appropriate until frozen at which time updating is suspended and an ACLT is assigned. When frozen, the flight entry is inserted into the arrival sector’s meter list for display on the sector PVD/MDM. MLDI is used if filed true airspeed is less than or equal to freeze speed parameters (FSPD).

"The Soyuz-2.1b rocket with the Fregat booster and OneWeb satellites has been taken to the assembly and testing facility. Roscosmos specialists will disassemble it into integral parts in the coming days."  Source: From a Roscosmos statement as OneWeb's cancellation of the next low-orbit satellite launch is set in stone now, as its steed, the Soyuz 2.1b rocket assigned to the mission, has been removed from its launch pad and will proceed to be disassembled in the coming days.