Also: Pilot Shortage, 777X Hopefuls, Volcano Warning, F/A-18 Anniversary, Pearl Harbor Vet Mistreated by Airline

It flies... and apparently does so fairly well. The joint venture between Textron AirLand and AirLand Enterprises  has produced a flying prototype of the Scorpion Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)/Strike aircraft. The bird completed its first flight at 10:30 AM Central Time. The aircraft took off from McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas and conducted a range of handling maneuvers for approximately 1.4 hours of flight. Today’s flight marks one of the fastest developments of a US-built tactical jet, progressing from initial design to first flight in less than 24 months. A group of lawmakers has decided to try and force the FAA to do what it clearly did not want to do... namely, free many (but not all) Private Pilots of being required to hold a Third Class medical certificate. The International Council

It's For Real! ANN REALTIME NewsBug Released To ANN Readers, Worldwide 

For those of you using a windows PC (MAC version in the works... we promise), a new REALTIME News Service from the Aviation World’s DAILY News Service, the Aero-News Network (ANN), will let you know when our REALTIME, award-winning NewsFeed has been updated.

"We found that a misunderstanding between Ames and DLA-Energy personnel rather than intentional misconduct led to H211 enjoying the discounted fuel rate for flights that had no NASA-related mission." Source: NASA Inspector General's Report.

The function performed by the FMS/ RNAV to alert the pilot at some time or distance prior to, or when reaching, the active waypoint.

The Boultbee Academy

This site came to our attention from a story about actor Brad Pitt purchasing a Spitfire airplane. This is where he will learn to fly his new acquisition.

Also: Bell 47 Update, USSC Aero-Legal Decision Coming, Evergreen Kaput, Blue Angels Full Sked

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team is on the airshow circuit again. Even better, it looks like they may show up at EAA AirVenture 2014. Russian authorities say the pilot of a Russian airliner that went down near Kazan on November 17th may have held an invalid pilot certificate. The accident resulted in the fatal injury of all 44 passengers and six crew members onboard the airplane. Hollywood heartthrob, Brad Pitt, has reportedly dropped $3.3 million on an original Spitfire after landing his role in the World War II movie 'Fury' which is currently being filmed. All this... and MORE in today's episode of Airborne!!!

Everyone Likes A Little Extra For The Holidays, Klyde

FMI: www.klydemorris.com