Also: Vertical Flight Society, NBAA Maintenance Conference, GA Honored, AMT Scholarship
For the first time, students from Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus took top honors at the AIAA Design/Build/Fly (DBF) Competition, held in Wichita, Kansas. A second Embry-Riddle squad, this one from the Prescott, Arizona, campus, also placed among the top teams, earning eighth overall. The Leadership in Flight Training, or LIFT Academy, has expanded its training fleet with a recent order with Diamond Aircraft, bringing on 56 new planes. The deal sees LIFT gain 50 new single-engine DA40s, and 6 twin-engine DA42s. The training facility has continued to expand thanks to a steady pipeline of students. Epic Flight Academy has officia
Celebrates Greatest Achievement in Aeronautics for 2023
The Robert J. Collier Trophy has been awarded by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) since 1911 for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year. This year's award will go to the OSIRIS-REx Team at the Robert J. Collier Dinner on June 13, 2024 in Washington, D.C. In September 2023, the OSIRIS-REx Mission stunned the world when it became the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid and return it to Earth. The material is the most significa
Also: NBAA on FAA Reauth, DJI AG Drones, HI Insurance Bill Defeated, SPSA Airtankers
The Beechcraft Denali continues moving forward towards certification, having received its FAA Type Inspection Authorization early this year. Textron advertised that their single-engine turboprop competitor has logged more than 2,000 flight test hours across 830+ flights, on track for completion in 2025. Aerodyne, a new gyroplane manufacturer, will be commemorating its entry into the market with an attempt at setting some records as it runs a lap around the United Kingdom. Founder, executive chairman, and pilot Rangaraja Iyengar will make a full lap around th
This Will Facilitate Maintenance For The French Piper Fleet From The Archer Up To The New M700 FURY
Piper Aircraft, Inc. and Authorized Piper Dealer, Flying Smart Aero, have announced the appointment of Troyes Aviation as the Approved Piper Service Center in France. Founded in 1973 by Françoise Horiot and transferred to new ownership in 2023, Troyes Aviation is a fully-owned subsidiary of JGH SAS and the sister Company of JG AVIATION, the Authorized Pilatus Service Centre for France. “Flying Smart is proud to add Troyes Aviation to our established network of approved service centers, covering France,” stated David Fabry, Dealer Principal at Flying Smart.
Cessna's brand-new regional turboprop, the SkyCourier, has received type certification from the Australia Certification & Accreditation Service Agency (ACASA). "The SkyCourier's incredible performance makes it a reliable business tool for customers all over the world," said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president, Global Sales and Flight Operations. "This certification marks yet another milestone in the SkyCourier program. With the ability to load, fly, unload and repeat -- along with low operating costs and maximum cabin flexibility -- the SkyCourier is a game-changer in reaching remote destinations."
Also: 1800th E-Jet, Uncle Sam Sues For Landing Gear, Embraer Ag Plane, Textron Parts
A friend of the family reported that Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard Glenn Rutan flew west on Friday, May 3, 2024 at 7:08 PM PDT. The last time Dick Rutan flew towards the western horizon was on December 14, 1986 when he and copilot Jeana Yeager set the last great aviation record by flying around the world, nonstop and unrefueled, in nine days, three minutes and 44 seconds in an aircraft called 'Voyager.' designed by Burt Rutan. As we understand it, a 'stalking horse bidder' is the initial bid on a bankrupt company's assets from an interested buyer -- chosen by the bankru
Though Negotiations Lag the Industry, Breeze Pilots Are Ready for a Fight
Breeze Airways pilots held the company's first informational picket at the Norfolk International Airport, aiming to "send a clear message to Breeze management that it's time to stop putting its profits over its pilots and deliver an industry-standard contract." "The airline is on track for a profitable quarter while our pilots are experiencing unilateral pay cuts and worsening work rules without protections," said Alexander Kluge, Breeze Airways ALPA Master Executive Council chair. "The airline has become profitable on the backs of all labor and especially the pilots through cutting our pay, work rules, and schedules."
Bell Textron showed off its new Bell 429 testbed aircraft for the ALFA project, showing the way forward for an industry eager to advance. The program, 'Aircraft Laboratory for Future Autonomy', seems more like a nice-sounding backronym, but the end result should be the same: Advanced, self-flying aircraft that can be trusted to operate with minimal human oversight. The ALFA platform will be dedicated to performing flight maneuvers with an aircraft safety system and executing autonomous fly-by-wire flights. That integration is a critical aspect of its development, Bell says.
Yearly Training Adventure Warms Everyone Up for Summer
As the nation heads full tilt into spring, the northern Coast Guard stations bone up on their rescue ops as they ready themselves for an active Alaskan summer. This year's SAREX was, like so many others in a long string of yearly outings, successful at warming up everyone involved. "The 2024 SAREX enhanced collaboration among different organizations and first responders united by a shared objective of saving lives," said Capt. Vincent Jansen, commanding officer of Coast Guard Air Station Sitka. "Ongoing cooperation and understanding of each other's strengths are essential for overcoming potential challenges and during this SAREX we accomplished that. We are constantly humbled by our partner ag
Massive Aviation News Event Started 2024 Off With a Plethora of Exciting Info
Last year, we introduced the SnF Innovation Preview in which 25 companies introduced over 30 new planes, products, engines, accessories, and more… in other words… a LOT of news. Rotax previewed the powerful 916iS, CubCrafters showcased the Carbon Cub UL, Bose introduced the A30, Aerox revealed the Boomula… and so much more. This year, we went beyond that... way beyond all that, with a larger selection of news announcements that covered ALL aspects of sport, general and commercial aviation... all at the start of the
Also: Skydio Chief, Uncle Sam Sues, Dash 7 magniX, OR UAS Accelerator
US Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was given a turn around the patch in the 'X-62A Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft, or VISTA, to illustrate just how far autonomous aircraft have come. The aircraft sounds much snazzier than it is in reality, being a 30-year old, 2-seat F-16D with a nifty paint job and an R2-D2 in one of the seats. The aircraft has long been in the US Air Force Test Pilot School, where it received modifications for multi-axis thrust vectoring and aerodynamics. AgEagle Aerial Systems will ship 40 of its eBee VISION systems, along with 9 more eB
Also: WACO Kitchen Bails, French SportPlane Mfr to FL, Dynon-Advance Flight Systems, Innovation Preview
Bobby Bailey, a bit of a fixture in sport aviation circles for his work with the Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly (now in production with Pitman Air), has been lost in an aircraft test accident. Shortly after his appearance at SUN n FUN 2024, Bailey reportedly was asked to test fly a customer-built Dragonfly out of the Groveland airport in Florida... Recent investigations and a great deal of data has resulted in ANN’s SportPlane Resource Guide’s report card system having to deal with new and worrisome reports on a number of compan
After dealing with a big letdown after the unexpected decision by Skyreach to discontinue the manufacture of the Bushcat, the Knoll family (AeroSport) has come up with a heck of a second act... and it should be a strong one. Advanced Powerplant Solutions, LLC (APS), under the new ownership of Jeremy and Daniela Knoll has acquired Leading Edge Air Foils, LLC (LEAF). Better yet, effective immediately, APS will serve as the ROTAX independent Service Centre for the Central United States. The Popular Rotorcraft Association is reaching out for help in rebuil
Aviation Education Efforts Capitalize on National Teacher Day
Oklahoman kids got to have a little fun for National Teacher Appreciation Day, in the sense that "fun" means "mandatory after-school education activities". The Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics embarked on its first-ever partnership with the Bessie Coleman Aviation All-Star Program, introducing an after-school activity for 6th and 7th grade students across the state.
Also: WACO Kitchen Bails, French SportPlane Mfr to FL, Dynon-Advance Flight Systems, Innovation Preview
Bobby Bailey, a bit of a fixture in sport aviation circles for his work with the Bailey-Moyes Dragonfly (now in production with Pitman Air), has been lost in an aircraft test accident. Shortly after his appearance at SUN n FUN 2024, Bailey reportedly was asked to test fly a customer-built Dragonfly out of the Groveland airport in Florida... Recent investigations and a great deal of data has resulted in ANN’s SportPlane Resource Guide’s report card system having to deal with new and worrisome reports on a number of companies. Evidence
Easy Online Forms Available For Sport Plane Manufacturers And Suppliers To Be Listed In The Upcoming eSPRG
Work on the SportPlane Resource Guide is going well… Albeit a little bit behind schedule, because as we got into this process, things became a bit more complicated simply because we learned we could do an even better job at certain aspects of this project than we thought from the beginning. They say that the enemy of true quality is the phrase "good enough" and we want to be far more than “good enough.”
FMI: www.sportplane.com,
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Also: NAAA Asks UAVs To Give Way, Viasat-uAvionix, Oshkosh Defense, Wright Intros WEAETC
Skydweller Aero successfully completed the first flight of its solar-powered aircraft, the Skydweller, earlier this month. This groundbreaking aircraft, which boasts a wingspan exceeding that of a Boeing 747, undertook its inaugural flight autonomously--without any human pilot onboard or in direct control--from Stennis International Airport in Bay St Louis, Mississippi. VoltAero has commenced certification testing for the innovative electric-hybrid powertrain of its Cassio 330 aircraft. This testing phase marks a crucial step in the development of the Cassio e
With The eSPRG Only Weeks Away From Its Start Date, A-AF Will Help To Support Sport Flyers, Worldwide
With the all-new and all-digital SportPlane Resource Guide getting ready for publication early next year, the Aero-News Network is pleased to announce yet another addition to the Airborne video news programming roster… Airborne-Affordable Flyers. Dedicated to keeping people up-to-date on the most affordable aspects of sport and general aviation, Airborne-Affordable Flyers is one of our most exciting offerings yet. A-AF will delve into more than just the current LSA community, but look at all aspects of aviation to examine and ev
Pilot Started The Engines, He Noticed The Fuel Gauge Was Flickering And Thought It Was Malfunctioning
Analysis: The pilot was taking the airplane on a flight to another airport for maintenance. During the preflight inspection, the pilot turned on the electrical power and noticed that the fuel gauge was indicating 80 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported the airplane holds a maximum of 156 gallons of fuel and he calculated that he needed 113 gallons of fuel to legally complete the flight. He informed the fixed base operator (FBO) that he wanted the fuel tanks topped off, but was informed by the ramp technician that the fuel tanks were full and he did not need fuel.
From 2017 (YouTube Version): Zenith Offers Workshop For Beginners At Sebring Sport Expo…
The concept of building your own airplane can be daunting for a lot of people. Most wouldn't consider building their own car, much less an airplane. In an effort to demystify the process, Zenith Aircraft held a four-day workshop at the Sebring Sport Aircraft Expo in January to introduce beginners to the process of building their own airplanes. Zenith Aircraft owner Sebastian Heintz told ANN news editor Tom Patton that there were 17 rudder
BIG Upgrades In The Works --- ANN Is Seeking EXCEPTIONAL New Staffers
The last few years have been about as challenging a time as we can recall... but we survive (yeah, we're kinda surprised, too) and look forward to 2023 and what we see as a very rewarding (and yes, still challenging) new generation of activities at ANN. After some truly weird times during the pandemic, ANN continues to expand slowly, but surely, and we have some truly intriguing upgrades coming up over the next few months. In other words, we're about to grow again -- REALLY/TRULY -- and in some novel directions. The much-appreciated expansion of
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And That's But One Of Over A Dozen Major Developments Planned For The Next Year Or So
Aero-News Network is now available on Roku and Amazon FireTV! That’s right folks. You can now get your daily dose of aviation news… right on the ol' giggle box! This is an EPIC development for our network, one of many to come, and we’re thrilled to offer you this new way to watch our news programming. Whether you’re a traditional website reader, podcast listener, or YouTube subscriber, we’re dedicated to giving you quality, honest, aviation news that you can trust and broadening our reach and audience aggressively in the coming years, so that we may both Grow and Inform the aviatio
Brand New! Avoid The Need For A Comeback... Get Your Marketing Right, Right Now!
Some time ago, the Aero-News Network, responding to numerous requests, established a marketing and communications sister company by the name of AEROPRENEUER... and it's been doing amazing work under these difficult circumstances -- and getting results! We're getting rave reviews from our clients, and working hard to earn the trust of a number of new marketing partners along the way. ANN's Amber Cedroni has come up with a few tips to help aero-businesses stay alive in these tough times, and
Emphasis On Growing The Future of Aviation Through Concentration on 'AFFORDABLE FLYERS'
It's been a number of years since the Latest Edition of Jim Campbell's HUGE SportPlane Resource Guide first saw the light of day. That massive 1100 page book last featured over 800 exciting sport aircraft from all over the SportPlane universe... at a time when the SportPlane industry was still a healthy, thriving enterprise (those were the days...). While there has been some consideration, off and on, toward updating the nearly 5 pound book, the near implosion of the SportPlane and kit industry over the last decade has made such a pursuit an unwieldy one... until now.
It’s been a while since we have reminded everyone about all the ways we offer your daily dose of aviation news on-the-go...so here is a full list of ways you can subscribe to our channels and get notifications when there are new episodes or breaking news!
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Aero Linx: B-21 Raider
The B-21 Raider will be a dual-capable penetrating strike stealth bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. The B-21 will form the backbone of the future Air Force bomber force consisting of B-21s and B-52s. Designed to operate in tomorrow’s high-end threat environment, the B-21 will play a critical role in ensuring America’s enduring airpower capability.
Hold Procedure
A predetermined maneuver which keeps aircraft within a specified airspace while awaiting further clearance from air traffic control. Also used during ground operations to keep aircraft within a specified area or at a specified point while awaiting further clearance from air traffic control.
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"Fly-by-wire flight, coupled with additional capability that are being integrated into ALFA, provide a great foundation for Bell to expand on its autonomous capabilities. This aircraft will serve as a flying lab that will inform future autonomous technology development, which we can ultimately leverage to deliver the best rotorcraft solutions to global operators."
Source: Jason Hurst, executive vice president, Engineering, Bell, in comments made as Bell Textron showed off its new Bell 429 testbed aircraft for the ALFA project, showing the way forward for an industry eager to advance.
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