The Piper Never Stood A Chance Against The Mustang

Ask any taildragger pilot about the issues inherent in taxiing the average conventional geared airplane around a busy ramp... and then ask those who have to do with a taildragger with even less than ideal forward visibility... like the Pitts Special, Cessna 195, Russian SU26/29/31 Sukhoi series... or... the P-51 Mustang. So... as the year was coming to a close, two aircraft met in the worst possible way... the oft-warned nose to tail collision.

New Depictions to Use Circles for 'Ground Movement', Cylinders for 'Wrong Surface' Hot Spots

The FAA has published its new hot spot symbology, which will go into effect in the May charting cycle. Hot spots have been an item of particular attention for the administration, a cause of many incidents and injuries throughout the last 50 years as aging airports are expanded and revised amid increasing aviation traffic. Often, the hot spots arise from a complex or confusing taxiway or runway intersection, an area of transit that increases the chances of an accidental collision or incursion. In order to bring attention to areas of concern, the FAA has taken to publishing circles, squares, ovals, or ellipses in a manner that varies from one airport to anot

The Guesswork Has Only But Begun, Klyde

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

New Home at Pima Air Museum Will Provide Home for Atmospheric Research Craft

SOFIA, NASA's faithful 747SP, is all set for delivery to its new home at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. The plane took off for the last time from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California, seen off by the local community of maintainers and program personnel before heading out to remain on display. Throughout her time as the SOFIA program's mobile laboratory, the aircraft granted the astrophysical community "unprecedented access to the mid- and far-infrared wavelengths of light," thanks to her considerable data gathering capability far above the 'dirty' magnetic fields of the earth below.

U.S. Contends with Unprecedented Illegal Immigration

The U.S. Border Patrol credited its eyes in the sky for leading agents to more than fifty-thousand immigrants who illegally crossed the nation’s southern border during the outgoing fiscal year. The agency attributed the apprehensions of 51,248 illegal immigrants and the seizure of 2,238-pounds of narcotics directly to the strategic use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)—known colloquially as drones—over the U.S. federal fiscal year ending 30 September 2022.

Turboprop Modification Specialist Joins the NS Aviation Fold, Will Remain Independent

New State Aviation Holdings (NS Aviation) has acquired Blackhawk Aerospace, adding it to the firm's anchor aviation investment AVEX. Avex maintains its focus as a sales and maintenance provider for the lineup of Daher TBM turboprops, which was acquired in December 2021. AVEX and Blackhawk will continue to function independently, while lending their expertise to expand NS Aviation's offerings. Blackhawk's management will remain, though additional details have not yet been disclosed. 

From 2016 (YouTube Version): Hartzell’s Joe Brown Promotes Pilot Proficiency, and Takes Action to Help it Happenen…

While at EAA AirVenture 2016 ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, sat down to talk with Joe Brown, the President of Hartzell Propeller. You would think they were going to talk about props, but the topic of this conversation was actually about pilot proficiency. It so happens that Brown is not only responsible for the production of great propellers, he is dedicated to pilots becoming and remaining proficient. This was demonstrated at EAA AirVenture at the Pilot

Adapter Panel Allows Easy Installation of Replacement ESI

Southeast Aerospace has obtained a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)for installation of the GI 275 in Part 25 aircraft as an Electronic Standby Instrument (ESI). SEA joined hands with Peregrine to develop an easy-to-install, simple solution for cost-effective replacement of aging mechanical and electronic standby instruments, landing on the 3.125-inch round display as a perfect fit for Part 25 operators.

At The Same Time, He Called “V1” the PIC Noted A Second “Boom”

On November 30, 2022, about 0730 eastern standard time, a Lear Jet Corp. 36, N12FN, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF), Newport News, Virginia. The pilot-in-command, second-in-command, and flight crew member were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to the pilot-in-command (PIC), the preflight inspection, engine start-up, and taxi were “normal.”

Radar Monitoring The radar flight-following of aircraft, whose primary navigation is being performed by the pilot, to observe and note deviations from its authorized flight path, airway, or route. When being applied specifically to radar monitoring of instrument approaches; i.e., with precision approach radar (PAR) or radar monitoring of simultaneous ILS,RNAV and GLS approaches, it includes advice and instructions whenever an aircraft nears or exceeds the prescribed PAR safety limit or simultaneous ILS RNAV and GLS no transgression zone.

Aero Linx: The Brodhead Pietenpol Association The Brodhead Pietenpol Association is a newly reorganized (in 2017) non-profit educational corporation that grew and developed from an earlier type club for owners, pilots, builders, and aficionados of the Pietenpol Aircamper and Sky Scout. The original BPA was started in 1975 (then called the National Pietenpol Association) as a social and builder support group. It has evolved over the years and now, after four decades, has blossomed into a newly re-organized Pietenpol-focused educational organization with part of its mission now including among other activities, promoting aviation safety related to antique amateur-built aircraft, disseminating safe amat

"The FAA has taken a number of steps to address wrong surface events. But there is still a need to provide a more permanent awareness of these events, especially to general aviation pilots, who comprise 83 percent of wrong surface events. The remaining percentage is pilots operating commercially. The FAA is standardizing hot spot symbology to prevent pilot confusion regarding the meaning of or depiction of hot spots." Source: From an FAA Notice detailing how the FAA has published its new hot spot symbology, which will go into effect in the May charting cycle.