Both Pilots Safe After Ejections at 1500-2000 Feet

ANN is monitoring details released by the Breitling Jet Team's PR folks as reports come in following the loss of a team L-39 and the safe ejection of pilot Bernard Charbonnel, and technician, Raphael Savoye. The Saturday accident resulted in the team's repositioning back to their home base in Dijon, France. According to Breitling, "As the team transitioned from Den Helder (Netherlands) to Kleine Brogel (Belgium) pilot Bernard Charbonnel reported an engine problem with the No. 2 aircraft. Following standard team procedures, he calmly informed the team and left the formation accompanied by a second aircraft. Selecting the safest place for the aircraft to come down, an empty field away from people and livestock, he and his

Seven Deliveries, Nine Contracts Highlight The Last Quarter

Bell Helicopter has continued to increase its sales and customer support activities in Europe, delivering seven aircraft and signing nine contracts within the last three months, as well as launching Bell 407GX and Bell 429 flight demonstration tours, and gaining EASA approval for a new customer support facility.

Upgrades Enhance Performance, Capability, Safety, Company Says

The UK Ministry of Defence Puma aircraft upgrade program reached a significant milestone Wednesday when Eurocopter handed over its first Puma Mk2 aircraft to MOD. This upgrade will significantly enhance the aircraft’s performance, mission capability and safety. The first modified aircraft will fly from Oxford to QinetiQ’s Boscombe Down facility in the UK where it will support trials.

Expects To Hand Out 20 Undergrad And Five Graduate Awards

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate is accepting scholarship applications from graduate and undergraduate students for the 2013-2014 academic year. The application deadline is Jan. 14, 2013. NASA expects to award 20 undergraduate and five graduate scholarships to students in an aeronautical engineering program or related field.

Two Units Tasked With Keeping The Airplanes Flying

As the Air Force begins its Operational Utility Evaluation of the F-35A Lightning II, maintenance training to support the joint strike fighter is also preparing for key program milestones. Though the first "pipeline" students -- basic military training graduates -- don't begin training until January 2014, the two units in charge of F-35A maintenance training are already hard at work.

Rockwell Collins’ App Available For Download From iTunes

Rockwell Collins’ Airshow 3D moving map is now available for download in the Apple iTunes App Store. The iPad app delivers a unique, interactive way for business jet passengers to view the world around them and stay informed during their journey.

Delivered To Germany's Armed Forces At The ILA Berlin Air Show

Eurocopter’s delivery of the first production modernized CH-53GA transport helicopter to the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) was celebrated during a ceremony Tuesday at the ILA Berlin Air Show. The Eurocopter Military Support Center Germany currently is performing the comprehensive upgrade of 40 Bundeswehr CH-53G aircraft to the CH-53GA specification for both national and international deployment.

ARC Offers Robust Research Capabilities And Streamlined Functionality

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is making its Aerospace Research Central (ARC) electronic database available to users.  The site was produced in partnership with Atypon, an established provider of software to the scientific and scholarly publishing industry.

Order Will Fulfill Sweden's ISAF Requirement

Sikorsky Aircraft is planning to deliver the final two of 15 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to the U.S. Army for further transfer to the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) later this month. All 15 aircraft will have been delivered in just 16 months, a record acquisition pace for a squadron-sized fleet of Black Hawk helicopters procured via the U.S. Government's Foreign Military Sales program.

Academia, Industry, Government Agencies Will Have Access To The SCAN Technology

NASA is announcing opportunities for academia, industry and government agencies to develop and carry out research and technology demonstrations on the International Space Station using the newly installed Space Communications and Navigation (SCAN) testbed.

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CA Arrival Plans Currently Unchanged

It looks like Endeavour is not going to her retirement without a fight... NASA's planned ferry flight of space shuttle Endeavour atop the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) has been postponed until Tuesday, Sept. 18 due to an unfavorable weather forecast for Monday, Sept. 17. To ensure a safe flight for Endeavour and the SCA, NASA managers, in consultation with the California Science Center decided Sunday to delay the flight because of inclement weather predicted along the flight path between Houston and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, where the flight will originate.

Also: Freq. Flyer Survey, FAA Challenge, Phenom 300, AA's iPads, Electric Planes

The House Committee on Small Business conducted a hearing titled "User Fees in the Aviation Industry: Turbulence Ahead" on Wednesday. The purpose of this hearing was to discuss the financial and regulatory impact of additional user fees on the aviation industry. Ninety percent of frequent flyers think that the TSA is doing either a poor or only a fair job in performing security screenings at the nation's airports, according to a new survey of frequent flyers conducted by Frequent Business Traveler magazine. Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL), and Chairman of the Subcommittee o

ISS Astronauts Land Safely In Kazakhstan

Three members of the Expedition 32 crew undocked from the International Space Station and returned safely to Earth on Sunday, wrapping up a mission lasting more than four months. Flight Engineer Joe Acaba of NASA, and Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin of the Russian Federal Space Agency, undocked their Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft from the space station at 7:09 p.m. EDT and landed north of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, at 10:53 p.m. (8:53 a.m., Sept. 17, Kazakhstan time). The trio arrived at the station May 17 and spent 125 days in space, 123 of which were aboard the orbiting laboratory.

More 'A-POO' Insanity Ensues!

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Virtual Flights Being Conducted With 'Aircraft 0'

Assembly of the test airframe for Bombardier's all-new CSeries aircraft is well underway at the company's Experimental Test Facility in St-Laurent, Quebec, the company said in a news release Friday. The test article will be used during the Complete Airframe Static Test (CAST) that is designed to demonstrate the static strength of the airframe and show compliance with certification requirements.

'The Spirit of Lindy' Features Historic Plane To Inspire Youngsters To Reach For Their Dreams

Kermit Weeks, founder and owner of Fantasy of Flight in central Florida, has just released his second children's book entitled "The Spirit of Lindy." The author, aviator and attraction owner feels his second book, which has been in the works for two years, has even more potential than his first.

Fly-In Fly-Out Services Provided For Xstrata Nickel Australasia

A two-year Fly-in Fly-out (FIFO) contract to fly Xstrata Nickel Australasia (XNA) employees by jet for the first time to the remote gravel airstrip at the Cosmos Nickel Mine in Western Australia has been awarded to Cobham.

MAVEN To Be The First Mission To Study The Martian Atmosphere

NASA's Mars Atmosphere And Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission has passed a critical milestone, Key Decision Point-D or KDP-D. The project is officially authorized to transition into the next phase of the mission, which is system delivery, integration and test, and launch.

Canadian, French Space Agencies Prep For Trial Launch Next Year

This week, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the French space agency (Centre national d'études spatiales or CNES) traveled last week to the future stratospheric balloon launch site in Timmins, Ontario and successfully completed a series of tests for the first trial launch scheduled for 2013.

Runway Visual Range (RVR) It is the maximum distance at which the runway, or the specified lights or markers delineating it, can be seen from a position above a specified point on its center line. This value is normally determined by visibility sensors located alongside and higher than the center line of the runway. RVR is calculated from visibility, ambient light level, and runway light intensity.

"Every day brings a new development and it's very exciting. Whether it's the start of a new test, the results of a new test, or the arrival of a new production part, the team is very enthusiastic about all these milestones. The assembly of the test airframe is another significant development as we make headway in the intense ground testing phase before the CSeries aircraft's flight test program. The fuselage sections in the test airframe are being joined and we're looking forward to adding the wings and the empennage, and starting the stress tests." Source: Rob Dewar, Vice President and General Manager, CSeries, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, commenting on the ongoing assembly of the test airframe for Bombardier's all-new CSeries air