Data, Radar, And Flight Combine to Locate Remote Mountain Plane Remains

The first mission of the year came only days after January 1st, as a missing plane was reported overdue on its flight from Marana, Arizona to Riverside, California. The CAP National Radar Analysis Team received the alert from the FAA to begin their search with available data, looking for the aircraft along its projected route. The team is no stranger to the process, using data pulled from the pilot's cell carrier and Google account to locate the last known on-network position as a base to begin extrapolation. 

From 2014: Simple Solutions Allow For More Efficient and Versatile Cockpits

While at the AEA Southern Regional Convention 2014, ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, went in search to find a solution for a key aviation concern. That concern is: where can you plug in a USB charger in your aircraft? It seems in this modern day of aviation that finding a place to keep your PED charged is almost as important as flying the aircraft. Jim’s quest brought him to Tim Fidler, the Mid-Continent Instruments Eastern Regional sales representative. Mid-Continent Instruments already has a USB charger system designed for aircraft, but they have now innovated an additional use for the panel-mounted clock. Their new system is a digital clock that also includes 2 USB charger ports.

The Helicopter Continued Westbound For About 2 Minutes Before Radar Contact Was Lost

On December 30, 2021, about 2029 eastern standard time, a Robinson R44 II, N442VB, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Bronson, Florida. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot departed a private residence located in Bronson, Florida, about 2020 destined for his personal residence in Bell, Florida. According to preliminary radar data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, the helicopter continued westbound for about 2 minutes before radar contact was lost. A witness, out walking her dog, stated that she heard a helicopter in flight about 2025.

Connecticut Invests in Aviation Heritage and Preservation in Post-Pandemic Rebound

The New England Air Museum is the lucky recipient of nearly $90,000 of grant money from the Connecticut Humanities, a statewide, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities that focuses on supporting culturally important pursuits within the area. The funding will got to support 3 main goals for the museum in its quest to retain visitor engagement and growth. First, the addition of interactive, digital technology to preserve the history of those who designed and flew the aircraft featured in the museum's collection. Second, it will create a new public-facing website to provide interactive ticketing, merchandising, and exhibit previews. Finally, the grant will allow for hiring to bolster the current staff, which is said to be "urgently needed to manage the museum's growth". 

Youtuber Shenanigans May Have, Once Again, Embarrassed General Aviation

One creator has made some waves with his latest video, a quickly edited affair packed with jump cuts that he says shows his recent cross country flight ending in an ‘unavoidable’ plane crash. In an internet ecosystem packed with fakes and imposters, it didn't take long for incongruities in the video to catch the eyes of knowledgeable viewers. The 16-minute video is, to the critical eye, packed with oddities from the start. It features Jacob flying a 1940 Taylorcraft to spread the ashes of his friend, Johnny Strange, who died in a 2015 wingsuit crash in Switzerland. With his aircraft sporting cameras affixed to the tail, the port wing, and the cabin, Jacob had been filming a supposed cross country journey to make a video later. While seated, he tells viewers that he always flies with a parachute, sporting a large, fully-equipped skydiving pack tightly affixed to himself, before his engine cuts out. He reacts with some profanity and pulls back on the yoke, sayi

ASR Takes Over The Iconic Strong Enterprises Parachute Operation

Aviation Safety Resources has acquired Strong Enterprises, turning them into one of the world’s parachute technology powerhouses overnight. In addition to announcements in which ASR chutes will be included in a number of new airframes, the strong deal is a massive development in the civil, commercial, and military segments. ASR reached an agreement with Marcie LaVanway to acquire 100% of the stock of Strong Enterprises -- who designs, engineers, tests, and manufactures complete parachute systems.

The Engine Started To Run Rough And Lose Power

On December 11, 2021, about 1455 Pacific standard time, a Beech K35 airplane, N654HR, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Temecula, California. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that about eight minutes after takeoff, while at a cruise altitude about 3,000 ft mean sea level, the engine started to run rough and lose power. He was operating off the left fuel tank and therefore activated the fuel pump and switched to the right fuel tank but that did not resolve the issue. The engine continued to lose power until the pilot said that it was not producing any power.