Affordable, LIght Helicopter Manufacturers Continue to Collect Intriguing Clientele Around the World

Enstrom Helicopter Company announced the delivery of a pair of 480B turbine helicopters to the Zambian Air Force, inaugurating the new aircraft type with a ceremonial handover. The ZAF was happy to add the novel aircraft to its fleet, planning to put them into use as general utility, patrol, rescue, and training aircraft. Perhaps most interestingly, the Zambians will use the aircraft as anti-poaching birds when the occasion calls for, always a popular mission out West. The ceremony raised some eyebrows with quite a bit more pageantry than most aircraft deliveries are met with. Enstrom senior tech rep Bayard DuPont said the ceremony was really

NASA Astronaut Loral O’Hara, Crewmates Return from ISS

NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara returned to Earth after a six-month research mission aboard the International Space Station on Saturday, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and Belarus spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya. The trio departed the space station aboard the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft at 11:54 p.m. EDT on April 5, and made a safe, parachute-assisted landing at 3:17 a.m., April 6 (12:17 p.m. Kazakhstan time), southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. O’Hara launched Sept. 15, 2023, alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub, who both will remain aboard the space station to complete a one-year mission.

This Year Is The 26th Race! More Than 70 Aircraft Are Expected.

Fire 'em up, boys and girls... Applications to enter the 2024 EAA AirVenture Cup race are now available online. This year is the 26th race! The annual AirVenture Cup race begins at 9 a.m. CDT on July 21, when more than 70 aircraft are expected to travel the course of more than 400 nautical miles. The round-robin course starts and ends in Wausau, Wisconsin.The race concludes a weekend of aviation activities at Wausau Downtown Airport, the starting point of the air race. Many participants travel on to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh at the conclusion of the race.

Rolls-Royce Has Commenced Testing of It's 10X Engine for Dassault Falcon 10X

Rolls-Royce has initiated the flight test campaign for its latest aviation engine, the Pearl 10X, aboard the company's dedicated Boeing 747 flying testbed. This engine has been chosen by Dassault to power its new flagship aircraft, the Falcon 10X, exclusively. The commencement of flight testing marks a significant milestone for the Pearl 10X program and for Rolls-Royce as it aims to expand its presence in the business aviation market. The Pearl 10X is the latest addition to the cutting-edge Pearl engine family and is the first Rolls-Royce engine to be featured in a Dassault business jet. The selection of the Pearl 10X by the French OEM for its premier product further

BAA Training Launches "Pilot Runway", Financed Training with "Guaranteed Job"

BAA Training has announced their own pilot training program along the same lines as US schools like ATP Flight Schools, training students while offering financing and a firm pathway to post-certification employment. BAA Training says the time is right to establish a greatly expanded pilot minting industry, with the IATA estimating the global industry will require more than half a million new bodies to fill flight deck seats over the next 20 years. Regionals have been hit pretty hard in recent years, as legacies dip deeper into their pilot pools in order to address the wave of retirements caused by a timed-out Baby Boomer generation. That means it's a good time to of

State of Kentucky Grants $4 Million to Aviation Museum

The Aviation Museum of Kentucky, a gem situated 6 miles west of Lexington, is about to spread its wings even wider. Thanks to a generous $4 million boost from the state, the museum is gearing up for a major upgrade. Let's dive into this exciting journey and discover what's in store for this beloved institution. The Aviation Museum of Kentucky was established in 1995 at the Blue Grass Airpot (KLEX) as a haven for aviation enthusiasts. The $4 Million Grant is a game changer for the museum upgrade project because it will cover half the cost of the new facility. The museum is seeking donations to cover the rest. The new building promises a more interactive and engaging experience.

Also: SUN ‘n FUN Innovation Preview, Boeing Execs Out, GA Awards, Avelo Adds Lakeland

Aviterra of Dubai has signed off on a deal to purchase more than a hundred PAL-V flying cars for its regional aviation ops in Dubai. The PAL-V has been in a slowly simmering battle for the right to dominate the "flying car" market. Unlike the fixed-wing pusher-prop Switchblade, the PAL-V opts to take flight as a gyrocopter. In both cases, they sidestep exceedingly strict automotive regulations with the omission of a single tire, making them "trikes" that are legislated more in line with motorcycles than autos. Women in Aviation International capped off its 2024 Co

Domestic Chinese Aircraft Shows Off for the Home Front

The Aviation Industry Corporation of China sent up an AS700 airship on its first flight, leaving Wingmen Zhanghe Airport for an hour and 46 minutes as they put the new design through its paces. The flight marked a first for the aircraft type, apparently completing a ferry flight to the Jingzhou Shashi General Aviation Airport. As is often the case, some confused the ferry flight with a test flight, but the maiden voyage of the AS700 appears to be a completed customer delivery. The single-gondola design sports enough space for 9 passengers with a single pilot, fostering a good deal of interest from the Chinese tourism industry given its affordable piston-powered engines.

Also: SUN ‘n FUN Innovation Preview, Boeing Execs Out, GA Awards, Avelo Adds Lakeland

Aviterra of Dubai has signed off on a deal to purchase more than a hundred PAL-V flying cars for its regional aviation ops in Dubai. The PAL-V has been in a slowly simmering battle for the right to dominate the "flying car" market. Unlike the fixed-wing pusher-prop Switchblade, the PAL-V opts to take flight as a gyrocopter. In both cases, they sidestep exceedingly strict automotive regulations with the omission of a single tire, making them "trikes" that are legislated more in line with motorcycles than autos. Women in Aviation International capped off its

From 2017 (YouTube Version): Making Older Aircraft New Again…

Founded in 2007, Cleveland, Ohio based Nextant Aerospace is recognized as the first company in the world to introduce aircraft remanufacturing to the business jet market. The company started with the Nextant 400XTi, a completely-rebuilt Beechjet 400A/XP with Williams FJ44-3AP engines and the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 integrated avionics suite up front.

Pilot Reported That He Was Repositioning The Helicopter From His Front Yard To A Moveable Landing Platform

On March 16, 2024, about 1645 central daylight time, an Enstrom 280C Helicopter, N280WR, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Port Lavaca, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he was repositioning the helicopter from his front yard to a moveable landing platform.

Aero Linx: International Federation of Airworthiness (IFA) We aim to be the most internationally respected independent authority on the subject of Airworthiness. IFA uniquely combines together all those with responsibility for policies, principles and practices concerned with the continuing airworthiness of civil transport aircraft throughout the world. IFA’s mission is to contribute to the debate and formation of policies, which affect the Airworthiness of civil aircraft worldwide, and to influence Regulators, Airlines, Maintenance Organisations and Governments to constantly improve aviation safety. 

Gross Navigation Error (GNE) A lateral deviation from a cleared track, normally in excess of 25 Nautical Miles (NM). More stringent standards (for example, 10NM in some parts of the North Atlantic region) may be used in certain regions to support reductions in lateral separation. 

Engaging The Aviation World's Pivotal Organizations, Interests And Viewpoints

The Airborne Partnership Initiative, we call it the API, is a plan developed by ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, to build a synergistic, industry-wide, aviation/aerospace news program. Our aim is to grow this program to include a significant portion, if not a majority, of the aviation world’s pivotal organizations, interests, and viewpoints.

"The first race in 1998 started in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, with 10 aircraft, and has grown to the major aviation event it is today, drawing thousands of spectators. The AirVenture Cup race is a timed race, with participants competing against the clock."

Source: A little background provided by the organiz\ers of the AirVenture Cup... who are looking to pout on a heck of a race this year.