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Pilatus Aircraft announced on August 27 that it has signed contracts to establish a factory-owned “flagship” sales, design, and service center at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ) in Bradenton, Florida. The company plans to develop 17 acres on the north side of the airport property for the facility, which will initially employ over 50 people.
Piper Aircraft announced today that its single-engine turboprop M700 Fury has received type certification from Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA). This certification includes flight into known icing (FIKI) capability. The first delivery in Canada is scheduled before the end of Q3 this year. Approvals and initial deliveries are anticipated soon from the European Union Aviation Safety Association (EASA), the U.K., and Brazil.
Washington, Pennsylvania-based business aviation charter provider Skyward Aviation has joined the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s (ACSF) Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). Founded in 1993, Skyward Aviation aims to identify and reduce potential flight safety concerns through this self-reporting platform.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported yesterday that a federal jury has convicted a pilot of twice making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on his application for a Class 1 medical certificate. The case, dating back to June, involves pilot Olukayode Ojo, 36, of Dallas, Texas. Ojo was found guilty on August 16 on two counts of making false statements.
Two Delta Air Lines maintenance workers died on August 27, and a third was seriously injured when a tire reportedly exploded while being changed at the airline’s Atlanta Technical Operations Maintenance facility (TOC 3). Airline tires are typically inflated with nitrogen to around 200 pounds per square inch of pressure.
SpaceX has postponed the launch of a private mission, originally scheduled for earlier this week, to Wednesday. The Polaris Dawn mission aims to achieve the first civilian spacewalk and will take four private citizens to an altitude of 870 miles. Two crew members are expected to exit the Crew Dragon capsule while more than 400 miles from Earth. The delay was due to a leak in the umbilical that loads liquids aboard the rocket. The rescheduled launch is set for Wednesday at 3:38 a.m.
Airline agents are filling out baggage tags by hand as a cyberattack continues to plague SeaTac Airport's computer systems. The attack was apparently launched on Saturday against the Seattle Port Authority, which runs the airport. It led to numerous delays and cancellations over the weekend. As of Monday, there was no end in sight and no prediction on when operations would return to normal.
A fully autonomous Cessna Caravan shuttled components to support a major military exercise between nine different airports across two states earlier this month. The Caravan, operated by Xwing, which was acquired by Joby earlier this year, covered 3,900 miles with the human monitor pilot onboard never touching the controls. Exercise Agile Flag 24-3 is one of a series of mobilization drills that qualifies new recruits in command and control roles.
A visionary pioneer in homebuilt design and a popular couple whose fatal crash saddened the entire experimental community are among six inductees to EAA's 2024 Sport Aviation Halls of Fame. The inductees are Zenith Aircraft's Sebastien Heintz for the Homebuilders Hall of Fame; Linda Meyers Morrissey, Aerobatics; Frank Strickler, Warbirds; Dave and Jeanne Allen (posthumous), Vintage; and Dave Goulet, Ultralights (posthumous). The ceremony will be held Oct. 16 in EAA's Eagle Hangar at the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh.
Last week's blog provided an update on the progress of replacing 100LL with unleaded high-octane aviation fuels. In the comments section, a reader using the title BestGlideSpeed raised numerous questions and criticisms regarding General Aviation Modifications Inc.'s (GAMI's) G100UL. Many points have been echoed by others, while some were new. GAMI founder and Chief Engineer George Braly addressed these in a detailed response.
The owner of a flight school that went bankrupt while allegedly holding hundreds of thousands of dollars in student deposits has struck a plea deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to tax evasion, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Kevin Rylchik is facing a prison term but by pleading guilty he avoided indictment on a series of serious federal charges relating to his operation of American Aviation at Manassas Airport in Virginia and several other businesses. The charges were filed against Rylchik in May, three months before he abruptly closed...
Customers flying between Invercargill and Auckland were treated to a unique experience as Air New Zealand celebrated five years of direct service on this route. The airline marked the occasion by serving cheese rolls, often referred to as 'Southland Sushi,' at an altitude of 30,000 feet.
Electric aircraft propulsion company magniX has acquired the use of a rare four-engine turboprop airliner as part of the next phase of NASA's Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration program. Eventually, the De Havilland Dash-7 will have two of its four engines replaced with magniX electric motors, reducing fuel consumption and emissions by 40%. "Integrating our game-changing electric powertrains into a regional airliner such as the Dash 7 represents a major step forward in bringing electric solutions into the business of aviation," said magniX CEO Reed Macdonald.
NASA has decided it is too risky to send test pilot astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft that took them to the International Space Station (ISS) in June. What began as an eight-day shakedown mission for the two veteran astronauts has now turned into an eight-month odyssey. They will replace two of the four astronauts scheduled to travel to the ISS on a SpaceX Crew Dragon vehicle in September for a planned six-month stay. Williams and Wilmore are expected to return home in February at the end of this extended mission.
India's largest budget carrier, IndiGo, appears ready to make permanent a trial that allows women to pick seats beside other female passengers. IndiGo officials report positive feedback on a program that shows women passengers a different seating map than the one accessible to men. Female passengers, who must state their gender when booking a flight, see a map that highlights available seats in pink if they are next to another woman. Male passengers receive the standard seat map.
A special charter flight by Air New Zealand took off from Christchurch on Saturday, providing 50 children associated with Koru Care a memorable experience. The flight offered a scenic tour over the South Island, an initiative aimed at giving these children, who have serious medical conditions or disabilities, an opportunity to enjoy flying.
Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand have announced a new agreement that will allow Virgin Australia customers to book flights directly with Air New Zealand into major cities such as Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. This move complements Virgin Australia's existing services to Queenstown. The partnership also extends benefits to Velocity members who can earn and redeem points, while eligible members and guests gain access to lounges on Tasman routes.
After a week of minimal developments in the fuel sector, significant challenges remain in the quest to replace 100LL aviation gasoline. The three main candidates vying for approval face various obstacles, from technical issues to market acceptance.
International cargo carrier Atlas Air announced on Monday, August 19, that it has formed a partnership with Spartan Education Group to create the Atlas Cadet Academy at a dedicated facility in West Chicago, Illinois. The program is designed to train pilots for Atlas’ fleet of Boeing 747, 767, and 777 widebody freighters. According to Atlas, it is the only program formulated to specialize in cargo operations.
A Vancouver-based film company and its drone operator have been fined $30,000 for unlawfully flying a drone too close to endangered killer whales in 2021.