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The 2020 DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase is being rescheduled due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Officials at the DeLand Municipal Airport had hoped to continue on with the annual showcase as scheduled (Nov. 12-14, 2020) to help salvage the embattled tradeshow industry but it became increasingly apparent that the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Florida would make the event unsafe at this time for guests, exhibitors and volunteers. Well... we can't say that we didn't see this coming... Start

First A Tornado, Then MORE Storms Through The Week

DeLand, Fl, got hammered this past week... first by a tornado that did extensive damage to the city and its residents and businesses, and then later in the week, severe storms hammered the popular airport best known for being the home of the annual DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase. Airport officials noted that, "Three aircraft were severely damaged at DeLand Municipal Airport after a storm producing gusts of more than 70 mph ripped through north DeLand Thursday night. At around 6:35 p.m., the storm, which produced a wind gust of up to 72 miles per hour according to a National Weather Service station at the airport, flipped one plane upside down and severely damaged two others. Several other planes s

7 Months Out, No Need To Go Virtual... Yet.

HAI's much-anticipated Heli-Expo 2021, scheduled for New Orleans, is still about seven months away, but the organization states that this doesn't mean that preparations for the world's largest civil helicopter show and exhibition are lagging. The first stage of the show floor lottery closed in July, and over 300 companies — including most of the major OEMs — have already booked more than two-thirds of the available show floor. Housing for the show just opened this week, and over 10,000 room nights were secured the first day. Some hotels have already sold out. "We fully expect to be able to hold HAI Heli-Expo 2021 in New Orleans," says James Viola, HAI president and CEO. "Our early numbers tel

Flycom Technologies d.o.o. Takes Delivery Of A DA42 MPP GeoStar Special Mission Aircraft

Diamond Aircraft's Special Mission Division has handed over a DA42 aircraft to Flycom and successfully completed the FAT at Diamond’s HQ in Wiener Neustadt. The aircraft is configured to carry various Riegl LIDAR sensors as well as Medium Format Camera payloads, all mounted in the dedicated Nose Pod using the German IGI Flight Management System. This delivery brings one more turnkey solution into the European market to be operated by a highly professional end-user. The entire design, integration, and most important, the certification of the aircraft’s modifications, required to install the mission equipment, was conducted by Diamond’s Special

Charity Fundraiser Offers Chance To Win A Once-In-A-Lifetime Experience

You don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate the legacy of the P-51 Mustang. Introduced in 1940 to provide air protection during bombing missions, the Mustang was a formidable foe to the enemy while being an Allied pilot’s dream to fly. The dream to fly the iconic pane could soon be yours. The drawing is only a month away. Stallion 51 is partnering with Mercy Flight Southeast to raffle off a chance to take control of the World War II legend while helping the charity’s worthy mission. Angel Flight Southeast’s network of 700 volunteer pilots provides free air transportation to life-saving medical appointments for people who otherwise not get there. W

From 2018: Textron Unveils X5-55 Experimental Platform At AUVSI

Textron Systems unveiled its new X5-55 engineering test bed at AUVSI earlier this month. Textron’s senior vice president and general manager for unmanned systems, Bill Irby, told ANN at the show that the X5-55 aircraft is a blended-wing design that is powered by four independently-controlled rotors. There are no traditional control surfaces on the aircraft, giving it better maneuverability and greater resilience in windy conditions. The aircraft is an electric-powered aircraft, a departure from the company's Aerosonde UAV. It was designed as a VTOL ai

Feds Will Test and Evaluate UAV Detection & Mitigation Equipment at Airports

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that it plans to evaluate technologies and systems that could detect and mitigate potential safety risks posed by unmanned aircraft. The effort will be part of the agency’s Airport Unmanned Aircraft Systems Detection and Mitigation Research Program. The FAA plans to test and evaluate at least 10 technologies or systems. The evaluations are expected to begin later this year and will initially occur at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center, located adjacent to the Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey. After the initial testing and evaluation in New Jersey, the agency expects to exp

The Helicopter "Started To Settle" And He "Pulled Max Power To Stop The Settling;"

On August 3, 2020, at 1941 eastern daylight time, a Eurocopter EC130-B4 helicopter, N55GJ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Knoxville, Tennessee. One passenger was fatally injured, and the pilot and two additional passengers were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. After refueling the helicopter, the pilot and his passengers departed McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), Knoxville, Tennessee, about 1826 for a flight in the local area. About 1940 the pilot made a right circling approach over the Tennessee River toward a landing site near the river's edge on his property. He

AD 2020-16-20 Due To Incorrectly Marked And Annunciated Low Oil-Pressure Indication Warnings

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD 2018-04-09 for Pacific Aerospace Limited Model 750XL airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as incorrectly marked and annunciated low oil-pressure indication warnings. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. This AD is effective September 22, 2020.

Aero Linx: British Microlight Aircraft Association The BMAA is a members' organisation that exists only to benefit the members. Over the years the BMAA has influenced the legislation that governs microlight flying in the UK, always looking to guide its development to be the most beneficial for the members. The BMAA also provides an information source for microlight pilots and organises or supports flying events to encourage skills development and a social side to the sport. When microlight flying first started in the late 1970s aviation legislation was inappropriate for very lightweight simple aircraft. The BMAA formed partly to represent the new breed of pilots and protect them from growin

Airport Marking Aids Markings used on runway and taxiway surfaces to identify a specific runway, a runway threshold, a centerline, a hold line, etc. A runway should be marked in accordance with its present usage such as: a. Visual. b. Nonprecision instrument. c. Precision instrument.

"We fully expect to be able to hold HAI Heli-Expo 2021 in New Orleans. Our early numbers tell me there is an entire industry that is eager to come out of quarantine and get together to do business. We know people are concerned, It's our job to manage the risk for attendees and exhibitors and ensure their safety during their visit with us, just as our members do for their customers." Source: James Viola, HAI president and CEO, discussing preperations for the 2021 Heli-Expo set for this March in New Orleans.