California Startup Offers Two Touch Panels, a Joystick, and Clean-Sheet Helo Design for $1.8 Million

An irritatingly silicon-valley name and similarly fashion-forward flight deck mark the "Skyryse One", the "world's first production helicopter operated with a single control stick and two touch screens." The new helicopter model comes courtesy of an LA-based company (Skyryse, of course) looking to bring out a "new era in flight" where "piloting any aircraft is simple and safe". In typical Cali fashion, the biggest impediment to easy flying? Software! As such, the firm is developing its very own proprietary operating system, SkyOS, which will "offer simplified control and an aircraft-agnostic, triply-redundant fly-by-wire system."

Negotiation Process Unearths Uncomfortable Truths Around the Water Cooler

The union for Flight Technical and Safety Pilots took issue with Boeing's Flight Operations Group, citing poor pay scales relative to other pilot groups of similar importance at the company. The Collective bargaining agreement governing their duties expires soon, leaving them in the lurch. In the course of negotiations, SPEEA found that the company is content to offer Tech and Safety pilots 28.6% less than the pilots who fly company execs around on their in-house aircraft. Worse, “Boeing has systematically hollowed out the SPEEA Pilot Instructors Unit, replacing valued Boeing expertise with contractors," said Goforth. "The resulting degradation in expert advice gi

FAA Okays the New 301-Knot Matrix

Piper Aircraft obtained type certification for its new flagship, the M700 FURY from the FAA, marking off a short amount of time since it was announced on February 6th. The Fury will be heading out to customers this week, bringing them the newest evolution to the Piper Matrix platform. The Fury cuts a competitive figure in the single-engine turboprop niche, offering pilots a 301-knot maximum cruise and a range of 1,424 nautical miles. Thanks to a brand new Pratt & Whitney PT6A-52 engine, the Fury has 700 shaft horsepower on tap - with all the accouterments befitting a Piper flagship.

Door Plug Fiasco Continues with Large Suit from 3 Passengers

Three of the passengers aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 have filed suit against the carrier and Boeing, citing the usual host of psychological issues seen in such cases. This trio would carry a hefty price tag in punitive damages for the defendants, $1 billion in all. The plaintiffs' attorney, the titular Jonathan Johnson of Jonathan W. Johnson, LLC, filed suit in Multnomah County, Oregon on behalf of 3 pax aboard the flight. Two of them were located 2 rows back and possibly across the aisle behind the infamous "shirt sucked off" passenger. 

Updated and Improved Lineup Hits Distributor Shelves Soon

Hartzell Engine Tech, has completed a rebrand and refresh on its line of POWERUP Aircraft Ignition Systems, with the new models in full production swing for immediate sale. Hartzell's Engine arm acquired the brand in 2023, building on its collection of historic aviation names like Janitrol Aero, Fuelcraft, Plane-Power, Sky-Tec, and AeroForce Turbocharger Systems. The POWERUP lineup includes FAA/PMA approved aircraft magnetos, ignition harnesses, Slick, Bendix and Continental replacements parts and magneto repair kits.

Canceled Merger Heats Up Bargaining Once Again

The Air Line Pilots Association spoke on behalf of the Spirit Airlines pilots they represent, notifying the carrier's management that they will once again go to bat for an improved contract. The notification of intent tells their employer that Spirit Pilots want to amend their Collective Bargaining Agreement, required as a first step to begin negotiations under Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act. It's just a prelude to the undoubtedly lengthy process of seeing actual gains for those under the Spirit umbrella, but every contract negotiation has to start somewhere. The union and management previously found an accord for an amended 2-year Collective Bargaining Agreement in January of 2023, but

Eliminating The Leading Causes of Aviation Accidents

Wisk policy manager David Oord took a moment out of his 2023 NBAA-BACE attendance to review the state of the industry with Aero News Editor in Chief Jim Campbell, going over some of the challenges faced by a company swimming upstream against old traditions and aging technologies. Wisk is looking to bring their all-electric, 12-engine, autonomous air taxi to the Part 135 market, with all the newfangled software, hardware, and infrastructure that entails.

Also: GAMA 3.6% Rise, Daher Internships, JetBlue Pilots, Set Jet Kaput

The American Bonanza Society has announced it will wind back on in-person educational events, ending its direct participation in real-life flight training. The group said that it decided to pivot away from flight training after a year of member study, looking directly at what educational resources saw the most demand in the group. As it happens, flight training wasn't nearly as popular as internet-based offerings. FlyHouse has partnered with the Southwest Airlines Destination 225° Pilot Pathways Program. Destination 225° is a springboard at Southwest for those seeking an aviat

Also: GAMA 3.6% Rise, Daher Internships, JetBlue Pilots, Set Jet Kaput

The American Bonanza Society has announced it will wind back on in-person educational events, ending its direct participation in real-life flight training. The group said that it decided to pivot away from flight training after a year of member study, looking directly at what educational resources saw the most demand in the group. As it happens, flight training wasn't nearly as popular as internet-based offerings. FlyHouse has partnered with the Southwest Airlines Destination 225° Pilot Pathways Program. Destination 225° is a springboard at Southwest for those seeking a

Also: Genesys AP on E-480B, Seaplane Mishap, B-29 Doc Resked, Mississippi ANG AH-64 Down

The team behind the Switchblade 'flying car' has updated their fanbase on the aircraft's current state, describing their recent issues, challenges, and desires for the program. The most recent news pertains primarily to polishing certain aspects of the design, less than a year after they first completed a successful test flight. Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) is demanding answers from FBI Director Christopher Wray on the agency’s knowledge of, and analysis performed on, the Chinese spy balloon that traveled more than 4,000 miles across the United States just

Software Seeing Continued Uptake in World of Mission-Driven Aviation

Mission Mountain Flying Services, a specialized aerial service provider, has jumped on the novoFlight bandwagon as an "early adopter client". The operator takes on a pretty wide array of general aviation services, including fire patrols, aerial survey, and charter transport. They will begin integrating novoFlight's Aviator Platform into their daily operations, using it to log flights, schedule block times, and manage 'aircraft discrepancies'. Aviator acts as a one-stop shop for all the usual scheduling uses, with additional layers of use that enable it to keep track of FBO service requests and aircraft status.

Also: Genesys AP on E-480B, Seaplane Mishap, B-29 Doc Resked, Mississippi ANG AH-64 Down

The team behind the Switchblade 'flying car' has updated their fanbase on the aircraft's current state, describing their recent issues, challenges, and desires for the program. The most recent news pertains primarily to polishing certain aspects of the design, less than a year after they first completed a successful test flight. Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) is demanding answers from FBI Director Christopher Wray on the agency’s knowledge of, and analysis performed on, the Chinese spy balloon that traveled more than 4,000 miles across the United State

Reported Seeing A “Fireball” Or Something On Fire While Airborne Before The Impact

On February 1, 2024, about 1907 eastern standard time, a Beech V35B, N6659L, was destroyed when it impacted two residences and the ground near Clearwater, Florida. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. Additionally, two occupants of one residence were fatally injured, and one occupant of a second residence sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14?Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data and preliminary air traffic control radar and audio information, the flight departed about 1809 from Vero Beach

Aero Linx: The International Civil Aviation English Association (ICAEA)

The International Civil Aviation English Association (ICAEA) exists to promote the development and understanding of the use and effective application of English in aviation. ICAEA works to improve standards and understanding of the role of English as used by all aviation professions: by pilots and air traffic controllers in air-to-ground communications, by multi-national crews on the flight deck and in the cabin, by maintenance personnel, ground staff and aviation training organisations.

Decision Height (DH)

With respect to the operation of aircraft, means the height at which a decision must be made during an ILS or PAR instrument approach to either continue the approach or to execute a missed approach. 

"The Skyryse One might look familiar on the outside, but the similarities to any other aircraft end there. Since the invention of vertical flight, pilots have juggled four controls simultaneously, using both hands and both feet just to keep it airborne - until today." Source: Mark Groden, Founder & CEO of Skyryse, detailing their effort to bring out a "new era in flight" where "piloting any aircraft is simple and safe."