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Briefing

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A Vast Amount of Data on this Page

Important Safety Messages can be found here!  Featured and Important Stories from SCAUWG.ORG that remain valuable sources of pertinent content can now be accessed here!

Our INFO Warehouse is designed to be a living reference area where certain previously published HOTNEWS articles and previously published aviation data can be memorialized and referred to, so that the message conveyed can continue to benefit site users.

Do you have comments/suggestions/submissions/opposing positions for this page?  They are   welcomed.  Just drop a message for us at SCAUWG@Earthlink.net

 

 

VECTORS FOR SAFETY LOGO

Vectors for Safety - a wonderful source for Aviation News, Professional Commentary and Accident Analysis is published monthly by Gene Benson, and is now a permanent "Top of the Page" feature of our INFO WAREHOUSE.

To View Vectors for Safety CLICK HERE

Have COVID-19 questions?

Check out the FAA’s Coronavirus Information page for regulatory updates as well as helpful guidance/resources at https://www.faa.gov/coronavirus.

Historical Aircraft Owners Affected by COVID-19:

A link has been added to the State Board of Equalization’s website on the home page https://boe.ca.gov/  under the IMPORTANT banner area that links to the California Assessors’ Association’s letter regarding the historical aircraft exemption.   Refer to the screen shot below – the link is from “Historical Aircraft Owners Affected by COVID-19”.  Placing this information on our agency’s website will provide additional exposure beyond the California Assessors’ Association (CAA) website, and the CAA letter that was distributed electronically to each of the 58 California County Assessors from the President of the CAA. - Lisa Thompson, Chief, Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate Office, State Board of Equalization - https://www.boe.ca.gov/tra/  -  Use the following link to access the 2020-11-02 CAA Letter Regarding Historic Aircraft Exemption:  https://calassessor.org/index.php/component/edocman/2020-11-02-caa-letter-regarding-historic-aircraft-exemption?Itemid=0-This information was provided by SCAUWG member Captain John Ringel.

CHART CHANGE (STARTING FEB):

Following up on a SCAUWG MTG.  chart change discussion.  The Western Service Center Operations Support Group provided the attached “CHARTING NOTICE – 56-Day Visual Charts” from the FAA web site; https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/safety_alerts/

The notice states; "Like other FAA Supplement, Enroute and Terminal products, each new visual navigation chart title panel will indicate the applicable AIRAC effective date range and no longer include an edition number.

As the IFR charts on 56-day publishing schedule do not have an edition numbers, the new 56-day visual charts will be identified in the same way using effective dates.

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Let's Begin:

Now Continued on INFO Warehouse Page 3  -   (We have exhausted the site memory limit on this page!)   -  Just select Page 3 from the INFO Warehouse Topic under INFO on the Menu Taskbar - Thanks!!   2/20/2022:  Most Current is Page 4.

 

02/18/2021   Dude, Where's My Clearance? - ARTICLE -From Aviation Safety Magazine - "The FAA wants you to call ATC directly instead of Flight Service, and is publishing the phone numbers. - There are two basic ways to obtain an IFR clearance in the U.S. before departing a non-towered airport. One is to telephone Flight Service directly and get the clearance over the phone. Another is to use a remote communications outlet (RCO) to contact Flight Service or a ground communications outlet (GCO) to reach ATC over your aircraft’s communication radio. In both cases, of course, you’re likely to receive a clearance with a void time, since ATC can’t “see” you on radar until you’re airborne, and has to block off some portion of the airspace around your departure airport to ensure separation, at least until you’re in radar contact." Continue Reading Here.

02/15/2021   Airplane-Effect Snow Falls Near Dallas - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "It was snowing south of Dallas earlier this week but don’t blame the weather, at least not entirely. The area under the southern extended centerlines of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport’s four main parallel runways got a dusting of snow thanks to a phenomenon known as airplane-effect snow, according to the Washington Post. Under the right circumstances..." Continue reading Here.

02/14/2021   UK's Leeds Bradford Airport establishes new partnership for hydrogen power production - ARTICLE - From International Airport Review - LBA has partnered with ITM Power on proposals for a new sustainable energy hub that will fuel the next generation of hydrogen and EV-powered ground handling vehicles.  Read the story Here.

02/14/2021  WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) — From Stars & Stripes - Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopters will keep flying despite a string of crashes and strain on the fleet, the service told McClatchy, amid concerns from some lawmakers and defense experts that doing so could put additional lives at risk. Read the full story Here

02/14/2021   WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation is making nearly $2 billion in federal grant funding available to help airports affected by COVID-19 under the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program.

“President Biden has made it a priority to deliver immediate relief to our transportation sectors and their workers, ensuring they can continue to provide essential services through this pandemic and beyond” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “Today’s announcement is one of many steps we are taking to protect the health of America’s travelers and workers, while keeping our nation’s airport operations and related small businesses up and running.” - The program is funded under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020. It is available to more than 3,000 commercial service, reliever and publically owned general-aviation airports in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.

Most of the funds will go toward helping keep people safe and in jobs by reimbursing operational expenses, debt service payments and costs related to combating the spread of pathogens at the airport. The program also includes money for rent relief to airport concessions and to support FAA contract towers for items such as cleaning and sanitizing facilities affected by COVID-19 cases. - Airports must apply for the grants by June 30, 2021.

02/14/2021  Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Aid Set for Biden $1.9T Plan - ARTICLE - From AINonline - "The T&I Committee’s portion encompassed a $100 billion relief plan for multiple modes of transportation. This would provide an extra $8 billion in airport aid that would be available through 2024, including another $100 million for general aviation and non-primary commercial airports. Further, $800 million would be set aside for airport concessionaires." Continue Reading Here.

02/14/2021  SESAR JU kicks off urban air mobility research project GOF 2.0 - ARTICLE - From sUAS News - "The integration of unmanned traffic management (UTM) into air traffic management (ATM) systems was already the focus of the SESAR JU research project GOF U-space, which successfully tested U-space services in seven advanced live trials with 11 unmanned and manned aircraft operators. The trials, both in controlled and uncontrolled airspace, and below as well as above 500 feet in urban, rural, and maritime environments, demonstrated that an integrated environment where manned and unmanned aviation share the same data will improve situational awareness and safety."  Read the full article Here.

02/14/2021  M-Code Receiver Flown in an Embedded GPS/INS, a First by Honeywell - ARTICLE - From Inside GNSS - "Honeywell has successfully flight-tested new technologies designed to enable alternative navigation offerings, including its Embedded GPS Inertial Navigation System (EGI) supporting M-code, the new standard GPS signal used by militaries around the world. These tests, which involved equipping a Honeywell test aircraft with alternative navigation technologies, demonstrate a major milestone in providing continued navigation solutions in GPS-denied environments. This was also the first time..."   Continue Reading Here.

02/14/2021  I’ve Got the Flight Controls ... Or Do You?ARTICLE - From FAA Safety Briefing - "Have your flying skills accumulated some rust over the past few months? If so, you’ll want to develop a plan for getting back in the air — including a few things that might not have been on your radar. In the FAA Safety Briefing article, “I’ve Got the Flight Controls ... Or Do You? A Game Plan for Getting Back in the Sky,” we provide tips on assessing a proper fitness level for both plane and pilot (you!). The article also covers some “living room learning” you can do to keep your skills sharp. Check out the article here: https://medium.com/faa/ive-got-the-flight-controls-or-do-you-1b05b3afa6ac.  Be sure to check out our entire new issue at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing."

02/11/2021  CORRECTING YOUR MEDICAL APPLICATION AND AVOIDING CERTIFICATE REVOCATION - INFO - From AOPA - "That’s a question every airman (student pilot through airline transport pilot) should seriously consider. Why? Because providing a false response, whether innocently or intentionally, to any question on your FAA medical application (Form 8500-8) is justification for the FAA to revoke all your airman certificates (including your pilot certificates, ratings, authorizations, medical certificate, and A&P certificate," Read it Here.

02/11/2021   Engine-Out Energy Management - ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "Altitude and airspeed, represented as potential energy (EPOT) and kinetic energy (EKIN), respectively, can be thought of as constituting an aircraft’s total energy. Why do we care? Appropriate energy management (EM), maintaining a safe total energy state for all phases of flight, can help avert in-flight loss of control (LOC-I), the unintended departure of an aircraft from controlled flight and the leading fatal-accident cause." Continue Here.

02/10/2021  CDC MASK MANDATE PROMPTS QUESTIONS - INFO - From AOPA- "Some general aviation operations are clearly exempt from the federal order mandating masks throughout much of the transportation system; however, AOPA is having frequent conversations with the FAA and other agencies about some of the specifics."  Read about it Here.

02/10/2021  Hawaii To Get FAA Weather Cameras - INFO ARTICLE - From AVweb - "The FAA is installing 23 weather-camera sites in Hawaii in an extension of a program started in Alaska and expanded to Colorado last year. Each site can carry four cameras and will provide “near-real-time” weather imagery to go with automated weather reports. The cameras will be on the FAA’s weather cam site by June of 2021." Continue Here.

02/10/2021  NTSB: VFR Into IMC And Spatial-D Caused Kobe Bryant Crash - ARTICLE - From AVweb - Read it Here.

02/08/2021  PHPA (Professional Helicopter and Pilots Association) officially became Southern California Rotorcraft Association, aka SoCal Rotors - You can  get in touch with them by using their website: socalrotors.org

SoCal Rotors recently and, "we would be very grateful if your organization would announce our new name and invite your members to visit us at socalrotors.org."

02/07/2021  AOPA Real Pilot Story: Ambushed by Ice - VIDEO - From ASI - Description: For Dean Clark, the flight was old-hat: a familiar route, a trusted airplane, and no serious weather in the forecast. But that didn’t keep him from picking up enough ice to nearly bring down his Cessna 182. Climb in the right seat as he recounts the tale of his unexpected struggle in ice-filled clouds, and review some critical facts before venturing anywhere near ice. See it HERE.

02/06/2021  Two Piper Spar ADs in Close Succession- but is my airplane affected?  - PIPER INFO - From FAAST - Notice Number: NOTC1681  The release of a Piper wing spar inspection AD in November and another one in January has some owners uncertain if their airplanes are affected.

Published in November, AD 2020-24-05 was the result of some airplanes with severely corroded spar caps that, in some earlier models,  are not easy to access. There is concern that without wing access panels there is a risk for undetected corrosion.  The AD requires an inspection for certain airplanes, and optional methods are provided.  Aside from the AD, all aircraft should have this area inspected as part of a regular maintenance program; the listed aircraft just may not have access panels and may require a bit more effort to inspect.

AD 2020-26-16, published in January, was the result of some wing failures that were traced to fatigue cracks in the spar.  As a method of keeping the focus on the small percentage of higher-risk airplanes, the AD requires us jump through some hoops designed to exclude the majority of (lower risk) airplanes from the inspection requirement. The AD requires any airplane in the applicability chart to meet at least one of three criteria before the AD is applicable.  Then, for some airplanes, the factored service hours must be calculated based on the number of 100-hour inspections recorded in the maintenance logs.  If the factored service hours require the eddy current inspection to be done, then the AD points to the inspection method contained in Piper SB 1345.  Note that the AD only incorporates the “Inspection Method” section of the SB, and not the entire SB.  This is because the AD differs from the SB in terms of applicable airplane models, and the hours at which the inspection is required.

What if I complied with SB 1345 before AD 2020-26-16 was released?  Well, that depends.  If your aircraft has met the above mentioned requirements listed in the AD, then you may request an Alternative Method of Compliance (AMOC).  If the AD is not applicable to your airplane (even though the SB is), then an AMOC is not necessary.  What about those of us who did everything that was in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), before the AD was published?  If you have accomplished everything in the current AD, but before the publication date, then you may request an AMOC.  The FAA has published a flow chart for the AD, and has also provided an AMOC example that should make the AMOC process fairly painless.

Select this link for the AMOC Example or paste this address into you browser   https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2021/Feb/AMOC_Example.pdf

Select this link for the FlowChart or paste this address in your browser https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2021/Feb/Flow_Chart.pdf

For questions, contact William D. McCully (Dan) via email at william.mccully@faa.gov

02/04/2021   Downwind Or Downhill? - ARTICLE - "Pilots are taught to take off and land into the wind, and avoid landing or departing with a tailwind. There is a reason: The performance penalty of a tailwind is much greater than the benefit of a headwind. How big a penalty? Go to your POH and calculate it. The most common figure is to add 10 percent to the takeoff or landing roll for every two knots of tailwind up to 10 knots. The specific penalty will vary based..." Continue to Read Here.

02/03/2021    Las Vegas Metroplex Implementation Begins This Month - NEWS - From NBAA - "Implementation of the Las Vegas Metroplex initiative, including 45 new or changed procedures, will begin later this month, creating efficiencies and deconflicting airspace around McCarran International Airport (LAS), Henderson Executive Airport (HND) and North Las Vegas Airport (VGT)."  Continue HERE.

02/01/2021   What Gaps Still Exist for eVTOL Regulatory Standards? - ARTICLE - From Aviation Today - "There is currently a lack of consistency in regulatory standards for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, industry professionals said during Jan. 27 panel hosted by the Vertical Flight Society’s 2021 Autonomous VTOL Technical Meeting and Electric VTOL Symposium. While these standards are further developed, the industry and regulators will have to tackle issues like finding consensus standards, protecting proprietary information, and regulating new technology like automation.

There are a number of gaps in current standards that have forced applicants to flood regulatory bodies with proposals on means of compliance to special conditions or rules and they each have to be evaluated independently, William Schinstock, strategic policy manager for small airplanes at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said during the panel."  Continue Here.

01/30/2021   Finding Pivotal Altitude - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "If you absolutely, positively have to fly eights on pylons, you need to know how to do this."  You can learn how to do it Here.

01/30/2021   Bowman Field Airport to host exhibit February showcasing achievement in Black aviation - EVENT NEWS - From Louisville Courier Journal - "LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bowman Field Airport will be hosting an exhibit throughout Black History Month to showcase members of the Black aviation community and their achievements, the Louisville Regional Airport Authority announced Tuesday. The exhibit, titled “The Sky’s the Limit: A Celebration of the History of Black Achievement in Aviation,” will run from Feb. 1 to 28 at the airport's terminal building at 2815 Taylorsville Road.

The exhibit will spotlight 14 individuals and organizations, including Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to receive a pilot's license; Katherine Johnson, a Black female mathematician who helped send NASA astronauts on an Earth-orbiting mission; and Robert Lawrence, the country's first Black astronaut. Read About this very neat exhibit Here.

01/30/2021   Aeronautical Decision Making - From FAAST - "The General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC) contends that many general aviation (GA) accidents stem from inadequate Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM) and resource management skills. - We'll show how the 3-P Model can help you integrate ADM principles into your flying. We also review the many benefits of Flight Risk Assessment Tools (FRATs)." READ the ADM BLOG HERE

  • Get a printable HERE
  • Watch : Risk Based Aeronautical Decision Making in 57 seconds HERE.

01/30/2021   House Bill Aims To Incentivize Timely Airport Projects - NEWS - From AIN - "Republican leaders on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) are hoping to help spur expedited airport construction projects under a new bill that facilitates the use of incentives for early completion of runways and other such work. Introduced by T&I committee ranking member Sam Graves (R-Missouri) and aviation subcommittee ranking member Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), the Expedited Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act of 2021 (H.R. 468) would make early construction completion incentives eligible for federal grants through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). ARTICLE Here.

01/30/2021   Lilium flying taxi company plans ‘Vertiport’ hubs across Florida - INFO - From DroneDJ "A very well-financed German startup has announced plans to establish a physical infrastructure in Florida for a fleet of passenger-carrying air taxis. These eVTOL vehicles, powered by multiple small electric engines, can be flown with a pilot – or as an autonomous drone." - An Interesting read - ARTICLE & VIDEO Here.

01/30/2021   From Reuters: NEWS - LONDON (Reuters) - An airport for flying cars will thrust the English city of Coventry into the future later this year, with a project aimed at demonstrating how air taxis will work in urban centres. Urban-Air Port, a British-based start-up, has partnered with car giant Hyundai Motor to develop the infrastructure required for when flying cars take to the skies to ferry around people and goods. Continue Reading Here.

01/26/2021  SpaceX Launches 143 Satellites On One Rocket - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "SpaceX set a new record for payloads on Sunday with the successful delivery of 143 small satellites to various orbits. The Falcon 9 launched from Cape Canaveral at 7 a.m. on Sunday and within an hour it was shedding tiny satellites. On board were 133 spacecraft for missions varying from personal locator beacon detection to symbolic space burial capsules carrying cremated human remains. The last 10 spots were reserved for SpaceX Starlink Internet satellites." Finish Reading Here.

01/26/2021  Fully Autonomous Drone Operation Approved - DRONE INFO  - From AVweb - "The FAA has allowed a Massachusetts company to conduct the first truly autonomous beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operation in the National Airspace System (NAS), opening the door to a wide range of commercial applications. American Robotics is now allowed to fly drones weighing up to 20 pounds in rural areas without a human observer or pilot nearby." Continue Reading Here.

01/25/2021  FAA Solicits Input on Aircraft Noise Research - FAA NEWS - From AIN - "The FAA is seeking comment on a number of noise research projects that the agency has undertaken and has released results of one such study, the Neighborhood Environmental Survey, which found an increased level of annoyance from aircraft noise. These projects could be used to help shape future noise policy, such as a revised use of the Day-Night Average Sound Level (DNL), but the agency said it would not make any determinations until it has considered public and stakeholder input and completed any additional necessary research." MORE  INFO Here.

01/22/2021  Walmart to begin drone delivery pilot this summer - INFO - From Freightwaves.com - "Walmart (NYSE: WMT) customers along the Arkansas and Missouri state line will soon be able to receive their e-commerce orders via drone delivery. The retailer and drone provider Zipline International have announced that a pilot program operating out of Walmart’s Pea Ridge, Arkansas, store will begin this summer." Read HERE.

01/22/2021   Going to the Moon Was Easy Compared To 100UL - INFO - From AVweb - "As summarized in our news report, the National Academies examined the unleaded avgas problem because of a requirement inserted into the 2018 FAA Authorization Act. And why not? The FAA couldn’t figure this out and neither could the airframers, the engine builders or, so far, the oil companies."  Read the Entire Article HERE.

01/21/2021  Stumbling Around In The Rain - SAFETY - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "Thunderstorm avoidance begins at home, by picking your timing and route. When it gets up close and personal, remain in visual conditions." "It’s not unheard of to think thunderstorms are only a product of summer weather, like we’re experiencing now in the Northern Hemisphere. Certainly they are more common in warmer months, but wintertime “thundersnows” are common enough that I’ve seen a few. The point is that we can encounter thunderstorms any time of year, not just in the summertime." Continue Reading HERE.

01/19/2021  FAA Issues Commercial Space Reentry Site Operator License to Space Florida - After completing an assessment of potential environmental impacts, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Space Florida’s application for a commercial space Reentry Site Operator License (RSOL) at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) in Titusville, Fla. - The FAA determined that no significant environmental impacts would result from operations at the site. The license, which was issued after the company met all safety and risk requirements, is valid for five years. - The Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) are posted on the project web page. The RSOL is posted here.

Space Florida is expanding the capabilities of the SLF to allow commercial space operators to horizontally land reentry vehicles. It anticipates up to one reentry in 2021, and increasing to up to six reentries annually by 2025. Each commercial space operator applying to reenter at the SLF will develop a separate environmental document to support its specific vehicle requirements. These documents will be subject to FAA approval and will be tiered from the recently completed environmental assessment. - Information about the FAA’s environmental review process for commercial space transportation is posted at faa.gov/space/environmental.

01/19/2021  Are You Up to the Challenge?The January/February 2021 issue of FAA Safety Briefing takes a unique look at the "challenge and response" environment that is prevalent within the aviation community. Feature articles and departments provide a variety of tools and resources that can help you rise to the challenge, whether it’s shaking off rust from inactivity, pursuing new aeronautical goals, or leveraging technology to stay at the top of your game. For starters, have a look at the feature “On Recovering from Rustiness,” which looks at productive ways to use your winter down time to plan your next aeronautical goal (https://medium.com/faa/on-recovering-from-rustiness-47f880339814). Maybe it’s a new rating or endorsement, or maybe you’re interested in flying a drone. You can also use this time to sharpen your aeronautical skills. The sky’s the limit. Be sure to check out our entire new issue at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing.

Produced by the FAA Safety Briefing editors, www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing
Address questions or comments to: SafetyBriefing@faa.gov
Follow us on Twitter @FAASafetyBrief or https://twitter.com/FAASafetyBrief

01/16/2021   FAA Air Traffic Facilities Affected By COVID-19 - Notice Number: NOTC1650 - This Notice is intended to alert General Aviation (GA) pilots of the conditions they may encounter while operating in terminal airspace or controlled airspace surrounding an airport tower when those ATC facilities close for COVID cleaning. Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the FAA has temporarily closed certain ATC facilities, which may impact or reduce ATC services or leave the airspace uncontrolled or handled by another facility. Often these closures have been in high volume airspace with a mix of GA and Air Carrier operations. - Please take the time to consider the following if you are planning a flight to and from airports with ATC Towers.

  • Check Notices To Airmen (NOTAMS) and thoroughly review your pre-flight briefing. NOTAMS for ATC Zero can pop up quickly.
  • If the airport is familiar to you, realize that the normal ATC procedures such as arrival routes, traffic patterns, etc. may not be in place during non-towered operations.  It is now up to the pilots arriving and departing the airport to provide separation and sequence landing and takeoff operations.
  • Tune in to the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) well in advance to raise your situational awareness of the flow of traffic already established at the airport.
  • Whether you are VFR or IFR, announce your position and intentions prior to the Final Approach Fix (IFR) or at least ten miles prior to entering the established traffic pattern (VFR).
  • If you cannot adequately determine the flow of traffic and your position in the flow, do not hesitate to hold a safe distance from the airport until your situation is clear to you.  You can always fly to an alternate until things settle down at your destination.
  • Once on the ground exercise extreme caution taxiing to and from the runway AND make sure that the runway and extended centerline in both directions is clear of traffic before crossing any runway.
  • Above all keep your eyes and ears outside the cockpit as much as possible so you can see and avoid an unintended occurrence.

Here are some online resources that may help:

A map showing ATC Facilities affected by COVID-19  https://www.faa.gov/coronavirus/map/

The Airmen’s Information Manual – Airport Operations  https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap4_section_3.html

FAA Advisory Circular 90-66B – Non-Towered Airport flight Operations  https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentid/1032988

Safety Alerts For Operators (SAFO) 20012 https://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo/all_safos/

Please fly safely.  Be prepared.  Have a plan of action and proceed to your alternate airport when your situation does not look or feel right.

01/10/2021   EPA Releases First US Airplane Emissions Rules, Environmental Groups Express Criticism - NEWS - From Aviation Today - "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the first U.S. airplane emission rules which will align with the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) carbon dioxide emission standards, the agency announced on Dec. 28. However, environmental groups and the agency itself say these rules will not reduce emissions. Read More Here.

01/10/2021   Japan joins forces with U.S. Space Force - NEWS - From Spacewatch Asia Pacific - "The U.S. Space Force and Japan’s Office of National Space Policy signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch two U.S. payloads on Japan’s Quasi Zenith Satellite System."  More? HERE.

01/10/2021   Ground Control - VIDEO - From ASI - "Consistently practicing the proper control placement in crosswinds on the ground builds an excellent habit that will kick in when the winds kick up and help avoid ground loops." Watch the AOPA Air Safety Institute video >

01/09/2021  MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN NASA AND THE FAA REGARDING ACHIEVEMENT of MUTUAL GOALS in COMMERCIAL SPACE ACTIVITIES - "The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ("NASA") and the Federal Aviation
Administration ("FAA"), through this Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU"), affirm their
intent to continue their longstanding partnership on mutually beneficial commercial space
activities in furtherance ofU.S. national space policy and commercial space transportationrelated interests. In this MOU, NASA and the FAA may be individually referred to as a "Party"and collectively referred to as the "Parties."  Read it HERE.

01/05/2021   COMING TO THE COCKPIT: REAL-TIME SPECIAL-USE AIRSPACE UPDATES - "An AOPA-championed effort to push real-time status of military operations areas (MOAs) and other types of special-use airspace (SUA) into the cockpits of aviators has been included in the National Defense Authorization Act." "Led by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), the top Republican on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and a member of the House Armed Services Committee, a provision in the act was included that requires the FAA and the Department of Defense to establish an automated real-time broadcast..."  Continue Reading HERE.

01/05/2021   New Members Appointed to the Drone Advisory Committee - PR NEWS - FAA - WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced new appointments to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Drone Advisory Committee or DAC. - “The Drone Advisory Committee is key to helping the FAA keep pace with innovation while protecting safety,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Members are executives who represent a variety of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) interests, including industry, research, academia, retail, technology, and state and local government. - The DAC is a broad-based, long-term federal advisory committee that provides the FAA advice on key UAS integration issues by helping to identify challenges and prioritize improvements. The committee helps to create a broad strategy for the safe integration of UAS into the National Airspace System.

“As the UAS industry continues to evolve, it is important to have DAC members who mirror the many facets of this fast-growing industry. We know the members will help the FAA ensure the highest level of safety while keeping pace with the new and innovative technology for UAS,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. - The DAC is chartered to have up to 35 members and today’s announcement will fill 12 vacancies. The new members listed below will serve a two-year term and join DAC Chairman Michael Chasen, Chairman of the Advisory Board for PrecisionHawk USA, Inc.

The new members are:

  • Seleta Reynolds, General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Transportation
  • Dr. Paul Hsu, Founder and Chair, HSU Foundation
  • Matt Parker, President, Precision Integrated Programs
  • Molly Wilkinson, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, American Airlines
  • Brad Hayden, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Robotic Skies
  • David Carbon, Vice President and General Manager, Amazon Prime Air
  • Adam Bry, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Skydio
  • Kenji Sugahara, President and Chief Executive Officer, Drone Service Providers Alliance
  • Brandon Torres Declet, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, MEASURE
  • Dr. Jaiwon Shin, Executive Vice President, Head of UAM Division and Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Air Mobility
  • Dr. Catherine Cahill, Director, Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration
  • Vic Moss, Owner, Moss Photography

For more information on the Drone Advisory Committee, visit our website.

01/03/2021   FAA Announces New Airport Grant Program - FAA PR - WASHINGTON – The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSAA) (H.R. 133) (PDF), signed into law by the President on December 27, 2020, includes $2 billion in funds to be awarded as economic relief to eligible U.S. airports and eligible concessions at those airports to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency.

“This new grant program will provide much-needed economic relief to airports around the country as they address the COVID-19 public health emergency,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao. - To distribute these funds, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program. The FAA will make grants to all eligible airports that are part of the national airport system, including all commercial service airports, all reliever airports, and some public-owned general aviation airports.

Under this new Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program:

  • Primary commercial service airports, those with more than 10,000 annual passenger boardings, will share $1.75 billion based on the number of annual boardings, in a similar way to how they currently receive Airport Improvement Program (AIP) entitlement funds.
  • Primary commercial service airports will share an additional $200 million based on the number of annual boardings, and these funds will then be available for these airports to provide relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees to on-airport car rental, on-airport parking, and in-terminal airport concessions. Airports will provide this relief to each airport concession based on its proportional share of the total annual rent and minimum annual guarantees for the airport.
  • Non-primary commercial service and general aviation airports will share $45 million based on their airport categories, such as National, Regional, Local, and Basic. Of that $45 million, airports that participate in the FAA Contract Tower Program will divide $5 million equally.

These funds will provide economic relief to airports around the country affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency. - The FAA intends to implement this program quickly to support the economic recovery of the national airport system. The FAA will provide further updates over the coming days and will release allocation amounts under each formula when they are finalized. - Visit the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program website for additional information. For additional questions related to this new program, email CARESAirports@faa.gov.

01/01/2021   Power And Pitch - ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety "Using them together means understanding how they affect each other, and that can depend on the airplane. If you’re like me, you’ve been watching the ongoing saga of Boeing and its 737 MAX. The gist of it for our purposes is that the new MAX versions of the 737 are powered by larger-diameter engines than the type was originally designed to accommodate. Since the 1980s—when Boeing switched from the type’s original low-bypass Pratt & Whitney JT8D engines to the CFM International CFM56—the reduced ground clearance when mounting high-bypass powerplants featuring improved fuel economy has required flattening the bottom of the cowlings. It was cheaper and easier than redesigning the landing gear, which is too short to accommodate the larger engines." Continue HERE.

12/29/2020   FAA Issues Final Remote ID Rule for Unmanned Aircraft - NEWS - From AIN - Read it HERE.

12/25/2020   FAA GUIDANCE for (COVID-19) for the traveling public and airline and airport workers when using the air transportation system. Version 1.1, referred to as R2R 1.1, which updates, refines, and expands upon the recommended risk mitigation practices outlined in the previous Runway to Recovery framework issued in July 2020.  - R2R 1.1 is informed by the U.S. Government’s evolving understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the current level of community spread in the U.S. and other countries, as well as the effectiveness of certain risk mitigation strategies.

12/25/2020   PINCH HITTER - Become more than just a passenger with this safety spotlight - "As a non-pilot who occasionally flies in light aircraft, you may have wondered what it would take to be more than a passenger and be involved with the flight and help your pilot—even becoming a pilot yourself. Good news! This spotlight will help you understand certain principles of flight and how to safely maneuver an airplane in flight.

When used in conjunction with flight lessons, this spotlight will also help you learn to land the airplane safely in the unlikely event of pilot incapacitation. In fact, many non-pilots who have learned about pinch-hitting and flying an airplane have gone on to become pilots themselves. So, let the fun journey begin!" This is a nifty course that you and/or others can share. A certificate of completion is available too!  Visit the COURSE HERE.

12/25/2020   Holiday Flying – Good Decisions Make Happy Memories! -  VIDEO - From ASI - "Flying GA over the holidays—it can’t get any better! Beware, though, that the added pressure and stress of the season can negatively impact your decision making, which can put you and your family at risk. The AOPA Air Safety Institute together with GA industry supporters are committed to make this the safest GA flying season on record."  See it HERE.

12/25/2020   AIAA December 2020 NEWSLETTER with Very Interesting snapshots of Recent Events and News. The MOON, GPS, UAV, ISREAL & more. Download it HERE.

12/25/2020   NBAA Welcomed Congressional Passage of New COVID Relief Legislation - the bill NOT SIGNED  yet - HERE IS WHAT it DOES FOR AVIATION and BEYOND - PR from NBAA - Washington, DC, Dec. 22, 2020 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today applauded congressional passage of a bill to deliver additional coronavirus relief and provide government appropriations for fiscal year 2021. The legislation is expected to be signed into law by President Trump this week.

The $900 billion in COVID-19 relief, attached to a $1.4 trillion year-end omnibus spending bill to fund the federal government for the next fiscal year, provides additional relief for citizens and companies, including air carriers. The bill also advances numerous NBAA priorities, including the availability of payroll support for general aviation air carriers.

View a summary of the bill.

Among the many provisions in the bill is an additional $15 billion to fund and extend the air carrier payroll support program, for which general aviation air carriers are eligible. The bill also contains $2 billion in relief for the nation’s airports, with $45 million specifically allocated for general aviation airports

“This new, bipartisan relief package provides an important and helpful path forward as we all work to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “Our industry continued to make our voices heard in Congress, ensuring these important provisions to support general aviation airports, air carriers, businesses and workers were maintained and expanded as we continue to navigate through this unprecedented crisis.”

The appropriations portion of the bill contains NBAA-supported language calling for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop a program that allows private aircraft operators to block their Mode S transponder code and similar identifying information from real-time or near real-time public tracking.

“This important victory for our industry codifies the enhanced privacy and security protections available to business aircraft owners and operators under the Limiting Aircraft Data Displayed (LADD) program,” Bolen explained. “Implementation of a dedicated FAA privacy program will mark the culmination of NBAA’s steadfast efforts to ensure operator anonymity protections are successfully maintained in the ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast) environment.”

The COVID relief measure also allocates $284 billion for first and second forgivable loans under the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), which further allows loan recipients to deduct payroll costs and other expenses covered by forgiven loans from their taxes.

Also, the bill provides $20 billion in new funding to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program for small businesses and extends the employee retention tax credit, passed under the CARES Act, allowing qualifying employers to take a tax credit on a portion of their employment tax obligations.

12/25/2020  Aircraft Performance Monitoring - INSTRUCTIONAL - GAJSC - 'While it’s true that most general aviation (GA) aircraft don’t have dedicated automatic flight data recording devices now, we will be able to enjoy the benefits of equipage in the future. In the meantime, it’s often surprising to see what we already have.  See it HERE.

12/25/2020   What’s Your Angle? - INSTRUCTIONAL - From AVweb - "In the April issue of Aviation Safety, we explored the theories of generating lift from Bernoulli and Newton, and how neither of them alone fully explains how airfoils work. Bernoulli’s basic understanding of low pressure above an airfoil is correct, but the math is wrong and his assumptions are faulty. He also doesn’t explain inverted flight. Meanwhile, Newton has a decent handle on using angle of attack to generate lift and his Third Law— every action has an equal and opposite reaction—tidily handles inverted flight, but he has little to offer us in explaining low pressure above the airfoil." Continue HERE.

12/25/2020   Who’s Flying What? - Airline vs. C-172 - From AVweb - "Airline traffic over the Thanksgiving holiday was widely lauded as at least a modest success. Despite urgings from public health officials, all four days of the holiday showed substantial traffic growth over the previous weekend, but all things are relative. Thanksgiving Day itself is the heaviest traveled day in the U.S. for all modes, but the TSA’s data is a little murky here." Read the REST of the STORY Here.

12/25/2020   HYDROGEN ATTRACTS DOLLARS - INFO - From AOPA - ZeroAvia, the California startup that built a hydrogen fuel cell power system for a single-propeller Piper, announced a fresh influx of funding that will enable it to scale up. Read it HERE.

12/24/2020    Fuel Quantity Error Affects Some G3x Certified and GI-275 Installations - Notice Number: NOTC1620 - When operating at low fuel, the Garmin G3X and GI 275 fuel quantity gauges may erroneously indicate up to four gallons, when the tank is actually empty.

More information can be read in the Garmin Service Alert:  https://www.garmin.com/en-US/aviationalerts/service-alert-20137-fuel-quantity-indication-error/ Follow this link to a copy of the Service Alert https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2020/Dec/Service_Alert_20137A.pdf

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Garmin at: Tim Larberg - avionics@garmin.com - 866-739-5687

12/20/2020   Making Fabric Fabulous - INSTRUCTIONAL  OPINION - From AVweb - Originally appeared in KITPLANES - Story and instruction re: How to apply fabric.  Read it HERE.

12/20/2020   Seat Belt Bracket Failures on Cessna 120/140 Airplanes - Notice Number: NOTC1613 - The FAA is investigating overload failures of Cessna 120 and 140 aluminum seat belt mounting brackets.  After a fatal accident in 2014, the FAA issued Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-15-13, which recommended that owners, operators and maintenance personnel of the affected airplanes replace aluminum brackets with steel brackets following Cessna Single Engine Service Bulletin SEB-25-03.  Since then, a second fatal accident occurred where the aluminum seat belt mounting bracket failed.

The Wichita ACO Branch recently issued an Airworthiness Concern Sheet (ACS) to address failures of aluminum seat belt mounting brackets of Cessna 120 and 140 airplanes.  The FAA is requesting information on damage or known failures observed on the seat belt mounting brackets common to Cessna 120 and 140 airplanes, including description of damage, available photos, airplane serial number, type of seat belt installed, and details of failure discovery.

https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2020/Dec/Cessna_Seat_Belt_Mounting_Bracket_ACS.pdf
https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2020/Dec/SEB-25-03.pdf
https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2020/Dec/SAIB_CE-15-13.pdf

If you have any questions or comments, contact the Wichita ACO Branch at:
Bobbie Kroetch, 1801 Airport Rd., Wichita, KS 67209 (316) 946-4155

12/20/2020   Urban Air Mobility - Developements to Watch - ARTICLE - From Aviation Week Network - A survey of current company expectations - Refer to it HERE.

12/20/2020  Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers May Receive Moderna Vaccine, With Appropriate Precautions - FAA NEWS - "WASHINGTON — Following the Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, the FAA has determined that pilots may receive the vaccine under the conditions of their FAA-issued airman medical certification. FAA Air Traffic Controllers, who are subject to FAA medical clearance, may also receive the vaccine.

To maintain the highest level of safety in the National Airspace System, the agency will require pilots with medical certifications or air traffic controllers with medical clearances to observe a period of 48 hours following the administration of each dose of this vaccine before conducting safety-sensitive aviation duties, such as flying or controlling air traffic.

The required waiting period applies to those holding an Airman Medical Certificate issued under 14 CFR Part 67 or a Medical Clearance issued under FAA Order 3930.3C. - Because the vaccine requires two doses, 28 days apart for maximum effectiveness, the waiting period applies after each dose. The Pfizer vaccine, which was approved last week, requires two doses 21 days apart, but the waiting period after each dose applies to both brands. Read More HERE.

12/18/2020   Management: Best Practices for Aviation Cybersecurity - ARTICLE - From Business Aviation Insider - "The recent Garmin hack showed how serious cyber threats can be. “Recent incidents continue to demonstrate that any of us are vulnerable to these scenarios because of the dependence we all have on software,” said Jim Kazin, senior captain and aviation security advisor for a Southeast-based Fortune 150 flight department. “Scheduling, flight planning, maintenance and even the operation of the aircraft itself can be corrupted by malware.” How can you protect your organization from a cybersecurity attack?"  Read the article HERE.

12/18/2020   Mayor Garcetti announces first in the nation Urban Air Mobility partnership - NEWS - From NBAA - "LOS ANGELES — Mayor Eric Garcetti today announced the Urban Air Mobility Partnership, a first-in-the-nation initiative to make Los Angeles an unmistakable leader on urban air mobility. A product of a public-private partnership between the Mayor’s Office, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), and Urban Movement Labs (UML), this effort will educate and engage the city’s residents around a new and dynamic transportation technology — the introduction of low-noise, electric aircraft flying in our local airspace by 2023."  More Here

12/18/2020   NBAA Welcomes New Kansas Air Corridor to Advance Supersonic Aircraft Development - AIRSPACE NEWS - "NBAA welcomes the official establishment of a new Kansas Supersonic Transportation Corridor (SSTC) for use in testing non-military aircraft that fly faster than the speed of sound, announced Dec. 17 by Gov. Laura Kelly and the state’s Department of Transportation (KDOT) Secretary Julie Lorenz." Continue Reading More.

12/17/2020   Drones Now an Essential Part of TV Broadcasting - NEWS - From TVtechnology - "Fast forward to today, with hundreds of drones now being owned by U.S. TV broadcasting teams, the aerial footage captured on these platforms has gone from being a visual novelty to an essential part of TV newsgathering."  Continue Reading HERE.

12/17/2020  PILOTS URGED TO OPPOSE DEATH VALLEY AIRPORT CLOSURE - NEWS - Pilots have until December 23 to file comments with the National Park Service objecting to the closure of Stovepipe Wells Airport—one of two airports in Death Valley National Park—as proposed under a facilities upgrade strategy. - The proposal to shut Stovepipe Wells Airport and designate the land as a night-sky viewing area is included in a package of modifications for Stovepipe Wells Village, Emigrant Junction, the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes trailhead, Mosaic Canyon Road and trailhead, and the Devils Cornfield pullout.

The National Park Service has invited public comments and requested responses to specific questions including, “What suggestions do you have regarding the proposal to remove the airstrip and create a night-sky viewing area?”  Continue reading Here.

12/17/2020  NBAA Announces Recipients of 2020 International Operators Scholarships - NBAA NEWS - Washington, DC, Dec. 17, 2020 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today announced the selection of four recipients of 2020 International Operators Scholarships. The International Operators Scholarship provides recipients with funding to pursue professional development within business aviation careers, with a focus on international operations.

The scholarship winners are:

  • Chelsea Montgomery: Montgomery attended ATP Flight School in Mesa, AZ, using the award toward her tuition. She is involved with several local and regional groups within business aviation. Montgomery has completed her license and is now a certified flight instructor at the KIWA Mesa, AZ location for ATP.
  • Jean Denis Marcellin: Marcellin is a captain on a Global Express for Chartright Air. He is using his award to pursue the Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) program. He began working in business aviation in 2012, and has enjoyed investing in his career within the industry.
  • Adam Toombs: Toombs is currently a contract pilot and has most recently flown a Challenger. He is using his award toward professional development courses and will graduate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2021. Toombs started his career in the airline industry, but felt he would enjoy the business aviation community as his long-term career choice.
  • Elayna Hall: Hall is a student at the University of North Dakota where she is pursuing her degree. She has been involved in business aviation for many years and looks forward to continuing to be a part of the industry. Hall is using her award for tuition.

The 2020 International Operators Scholarship was made possible by funding providing by the following donor companies:

  • UAS
  • Universal Weather and Aviation
  • Jeppesen/Boeing

Travel considerations for scholarship winners provided by:

  • Aviation Personnel International

NBAA offers several scholarships to promote professional development and business aviation careers. For more information about NBAA scholarships or to download application forms, visit www.nbaa.org/scholarships.

 

12/14/2020   LA City Council seems to be possibly inappropriately assesing the community value of KWHP and has stated that the airport should be closed. The airport is not under the LA City juristriction.  KWHP is owned and operated by LA COUNTY.  There appears to be a feud brewing between the two spearheaded by 7th district councilwoman Monica Rodriquez.  Same is not an admirable circumstance. AOPA has commented on Twitter as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12/14/2020    City Council Wants Los Angeles County’s Whiteman Airport To Close - NEWS - From MyNewsLA.com - "A resolution calling for the eventual closure of Whiteman Airport was unanimously supported Wednesday by the Los Angeles City Council. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez called the 182-acre general aviation airport a blight on the Pacoima neighborhood, where it was founded as Whitman Air Park in 1946 and eventually purchased by Los Angeles County in 1970." Here is a link to the story. Just Click Here.

12/14/2020   U.S. DOT Supports Record Number of Licensed Commercial Space Launches - PRESS RELEASEWASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation is having a record year with supporting 35 licensed commercial space launches thus far in 2020 with the potential for even more before the year ends. The prior record of 33 was established in 2018.

“The record number of launches demonstrates this administration’s commitment to support the innovation and growth of the U.S. commercial space transportation industry and lead the world in aerospace capabilities,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

For 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is forecasting a continued growth in licensed commercial space launches that could possibly reach 50 or more.

The 2020 commercial space launches cover a diversity of missions including the first FAA licensed crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS), cargo-only resupply of the ISS, delivery of private enterprise satellites into orbit and the testing of space capsules and rocket systems. The launches occurred from seven locations both domestic and foreign:  Alaska, California, Florida, New Mexico, Texas, Virginia and New Zealand.

The FAA recently streamlined and modernized the regulations governing commercial space launch and reentry licensing as directed in the President’s May 2018 Space Policy Directive -2.  The new rule facilitates greater growth and innovation in the aerospace industry, maintains public safety, and helps the U.S strengthen its leading position in the world.

An FAA license is required to conduct any commercial launch or reentry, the operation of any launch or reentry site by U.S. citizens anywhere in the world, or by any individual or entity within the United States. Once the FAA issues a license or permit, the agency works with operators to make sure they are meeting the requirements to conduct launches and reentries. This includes having FAA safety inspectors monitor licensed activities.

12/14/2020   Hydrogen-Powered HY4 Rolled Out - NEWS - From AVweb - "A consortium of European companies and organizations rolled out a hydrogen-powered research aircraft Friday that they hope will provide the technical bedrock for commercial transport aircraft carrying up to 40 passengers. The airplane is called the HY4 and was displayed briefly at a hangar at the Stuttgart Airport."  More HERE.

12/13/2021   Letter Voices Concern Over Forthcoming Drone Rules - "The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials issued a joint letter with four other organizations that criticized the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration for developing new rules regarding drone operations without the input of state and local governments." Read More.

12/13/2020   National Space Policy of the United States of America - NEWS - Click HERE to Read It.

12/13/2020   Ag Pilots - Flying low and heavy, dodging obstacles. - SAFETY - INSTRUCTIONAL - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "The old stereotype of crop dusters—excuse me, aerial applicators—is that they are scofflaw daredevils, perhaps with behavior issues. That caricature is a relic of the past, when an enterprising farmer would buy a $300 war-surplus Stearman, put a hopper in the front cockpit and fly the plane hard until it broke. It follows that some might think ag pilots are an unlikely source of safety wisdom, and have fallen far behind aviation’s cutting-edge technology, but the truth is quite different." - Continue Reading

12/13/2020   FAA Issues New Dry Ice Handling Guidance as FDA Weighs Emergency Approval for Vaccine - ARTICLE - From NBAA - "The FAA has released Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 20017 outlining guidance for use of dry ice in shipments traveling by air. The SAFO comes as a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) committee voted Dec. 10 to recommend emergency use authorization (EUA) of a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech that must be kept chilled during shipping."  - Continue Reading HERE.

12/12/2020  Wing Lift Struts, Sealed / Unsealed makes all the difference (FAA ACS; Piper,FS200X) - FAAST Notice Number: NOTC1606 - AD 93-10-06 was issued to address an unsafe condition caused by corrosion in wing lift struts. AD 93-10-16 was superseded by AD 99-01-05, and AD 99-01-05 was revised in 2014 to correct the list of affected aircraft. AD 99-01-05 R1 was superseded by AD 2015-08-04 which added airplane models to the effectivity.   AD 99-26-19 also relates to this subject.  The subject ADs require a repetitive inspection of the wing lift struts either by ultrasonic methods contained within the AD or by the use of a Maule fabric tester as outlined in Piper Service Bulletins 528D or 910A, as applicable.  The AD also provides options for terminating the repetitive inspections by installing certain sealed wing struts as specified in the AD.  The FAA is concerned that the Maule fabric test method of evaluating remaining material thickness is unreliable.  The FAA is seeking more information regarding the number of remaining unsealed wing lift struts in current use.  Select the title to view a copy of the:
Lift Strut Airworthiness Concern Sheet,
AD 2015-08-04
Piper SB 528D
Piper SB 910A

If you have any questions please contact William McCully via e-mail (William.McCully@faa.gov) or by phone (404-474-5548)

12/09/2020   Uber sells its flying taxi business - NEWS - From CNBC - "The air taxi business is at least a couple of years from taking off, but it’s already seeing consolidation among start-ups. California-based Joby Aviation, which is developing all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, is acquiring Uber Elevate, the aerial ride-hailing division of Uber." Read the story HERE.

12/07/2020   Helicopters: the crack troops of the war on wildfires - INFO - HELICOPTER REPORT - From FlightGlobal - "Helicopters played a crucial role in this summer’s campaign against devastating fires on the US West Coast and are likely to be in the thick of the action again during the season in Australia and elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere, where out-of-control burning brush is an ever-present hazard for hundreds of thousands of homeowners."  Read the article HERE.

12/05/2020  Are We There Yet? - SAFETY INFO - From FAA Safety Briefing - "Management of external pressure is an important key to risk management because it can cause a pilot to ignore all other risk factors. Time-related pressure figures into a majority of loss of control accidents, especially on base to final. When flying with non-pilot passengers, prepare yourself for the all-too-common "Are we there yet?" Even if you just rolled your eyes at those words, you were affected by the “E” (External Pressures) in the PAVE risk assessment checklist. Learn more on how to deal with backseat flyers here: https://medium.com/faa/are-we-there-yet-49b8f33fc969."

12/05/2020   Aircraft Connectivity Will Soon Enable Predictive Diagnostics, Other Innovations - TECH INFO - From NBAA - "Aircraft connectivity is powering innovations for new levels of efficiency and safety, experts said during the NBAA GO Virtual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (VBACE)" - You can read the article HERE.

12/05/2020   NTSB Asks FAA to Address Oil Filter Adapter Leak Hazard in Some General Aviation Airplanes - Notice Number: NOTC1590 - from FAAST - WASHINGTON (Dec. 3, 2020) — The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that oil leaks from aftermarket oil filter adapters have led to at least 11 general aviation accidents since 2004.

The NTSB called on the Federal Aviation Administration to issue an airworthiness directive to address an unsafe condition associated with oil filter adapters installed through a supplemental type certificate on Continental engines. Oil leaks from these oil filter adapters can lead to a loss of engine power if not properly installed or maintained.

After uncovering the safety issue during its investigation of two crashes in 2019, the NTSB identified nine other accidents between 2004 and 2018 in which airplanes equipped with these adapters had a loss of engine power. These accidents resulted in three fatalities and five serious injuries.

Select this link for a photo taken on May 4, 2019, shows the oil filter adapter with a protruding gasket on an airplane that crashed following an oil leak and loss of engine power on May 1, 2019, in Mill Creek, California. Photo by NTSB.

The oil filter adapter, originally manufactured by F&M Enterprises from 1996 to 2015, and now manufactured by Stratus Tools Technologies, is an after-market product that can be installed on certain models of engines; it allows owners and operators to use a conventional spin-on oil filter in place of the brass screen on the original engines. Both F&M and Stratus oil filter adapters are affected by this safety issue.

Torn and unevenly compressed gaskets and loose adapters are among the safety issues the NTSB identified in the 11 accidents. In response to these problems and other reports of oil leaks, Stratus issued a service bulletin in October 2019 to instruct mechanics on how to install and maintain F&M and Stratus oil filter adapters and to advise owners on how often they need to be inspected.

Select this link for a photo of the torn gaskets from three airplanes that lost engine power following oil leaks. Source: NTSB.

Because compliance with service bulletins is not mandatory for Part 91 operators, the NTSB is asking the FAA to issue an Airworthiness Directive to require owners of airplanes equipped with an F&M or Stratus oil filter adapter to repetitively inspect, and if necessary, reinstall the adapter to bring it in compliance with the service bulletin.

Press Release: https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20201203.aspx

Webpage: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/ASR2005.aspx

The advisory to mechanics, airplane owners and operators is available at https://go.usa.gov/x7t3q.

The complete six-page safety recommendation report is available at https://go.usa.gov/x7tqm.

Contact: NTSB Media Relations - 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW - Washington, DC 20594  - Peter Knudson - (202) 314-6100 - peter.knudson@ntsb.gov

12/04/2020    Towered Field Ops - INSTRUCTIONAL - From AVweb - "What are the chances of pilots missing something critical or letting expectation bias hit? That risk is not just for the pilots, it is also shared by controllers as well."  Covers Non-Standard Instructions - Runway Safety - Phraseology - Expectation Bias - Wake Turbulence - Getting Help -  Review these topics HERE.

12/03/2020   Failure To Communicate - PROCEDURE - From Avaition Safety Magazine - "On one of those clear days, as ATC vectored my wife and me to intercept the localizer for a practice approach, I noticed static in my headset. The controller also noticed it and said, “That static may be on my headset; I’ll check.” What appens when Radios Fail?  Read the answer.

11/30/2020   Canada Mandates 406 ELTs, Foreign Aircraft Need Beacon - NEWS INFO - From AVweb - "Foreign-registered aircraft flying to Canada after Nov. 25, 2021, will have to have either an ELT capable of broadcasting simultaneous 406 and 121.5 MHz emergency signals or have a portable 406 beacon on board as part of the country’s new ELT rules. Transport Canada published notice in the Canada Gazette, the equivalent of the U.S. Federal Register, of amendments to its regulations regarding ELTs." More Here.

11/28/2020   FAA Investigates Uses For Aireon Space-Based ADS-B - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "Aireon has entered into an agreement with the FAA to see how its space-based ADS-B can play a role in the U.S. air traffic management system. Aireon uses a constellation of satellites to track ADS-B signals from aircraft all over the world with no gaps in service." Additionally, there is the thought expressed in "comments" that ELT concept might need re-thinking. You can read the article Here.

11/28/2020   Executive Order Bans U.S. Investment In AVIC - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "A Chinese company that has invested heavily in U.S. general aviation companies is on the list of “Communist Chinese military companies” affected by an executive order banning U.S. investment in them. The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), which owns Cirrus Aircraft and Continental Aerospace Technologies and whose subsidiaries are involved with a broad range of U.S. aviation companies, is one of dozens of state-owned companies affected by the investment ban, which comes into effect Jan. 11" Continue reading here.

11/28/2020   Study Finds Pilots’ Brains Work Differently - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "Medical science has now confirmed what your family and friends have been telling you since the first time you strapped in and maybe before that. Your brain works differently than that of non-flying folks..." Short article, that may inspire you to do a bit of additional research. Read the article here.

11/28/2020   FAA To Begin Environmental Review at SpaceX Texas Launch Site - NEWS - From FAA - "SpaceX has informed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that it plans to apply for licenses for suborbital and orbital launches of its Starship spacecraft powered by the Super Heavy rocket at its launch site in Boca Chica, Texas.

The proposed update to Starship/Super Heavy operations falls outside of the scope of the existing final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Record of Decision for the launch site and requires additional environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The FAA is in the beginning stages of conducting the environmental review of the SpaceX proposal and developing a public outreach plan.  The FAA intends to provide scoping information for the project soon. SpaceX is working with the FAA to prepare a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) which will be subject to the FAA’s evaluation and approval.

The EA will allow the FAA to determine the appropriate course of action: preparation of an EIS because the proposed action’s environmental impacts would be significant; issuance of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI); or issuance of a “Mitigated FONSI” providing for mitigation measures to address the proposed action’s environmental impacts. The FAA may make its determination during the EA process or after SpaceX presents a draft EA for FAA approval.

To receive the licenses, SpaceX must complete a safety review and develop agreements for the license application in addition to the environmental review. Information about the FAA environmental review process as it relates to commercial space transportation is posted at faa.gov/space/environmental.

11/28/2020   FAA Moving Forward to Enable Safe Integration of Drones - NEWS - From FAA -  WASHINGTON – The FAA published airworthiness criteria for the proposed certification of 10 different Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drones as special class aircraft. This is a crucial step to enabling more complex drone operations beyond what is allowed under the small unmanned aircraft rule (Part 107), including package delivery.

“The development of airworthy, durable, and reliable unmanned aircraft is a crucial step forward for this innovative sector,” said Dr. Michael C. Romanowski, director of Aircraft Certification Service Policy and Innovation. “Type certification will help increase both public and regulatory confidence in drone technology as operations become more advanced.”

The airworthiness criteria provide a level of safety equivalent to that provided by existing airworthiness standards applicable to other categories of aircraft, and establish a defined path to type certification for specific drones. Each applicant seeking a type certificate must follow FAA’s requirements and safety objectives.

Airworthiness criteria notices are published in the Federal Register for the following applicants:

The applicants’ drones range from five to 89 pounds and include several types of vehicle designs, including both fixed wing and rotorcraft, and are all electric powered. Each notice outlines the applicant’s proposed UAS for certification and the airworthiness criteria proposed by the FAA.

This is a step in the certification process and does not imply these applicants have earned type certificates. Final determination of whether a specific drone meets FAA safety requirements will occur after the applicant demonstrates they have complied with these requirements.

The public has 30 days to comment on each applicant’s airworthiness criteria, and deadlines are specified in each individual notice. The FAA will consider the comments as it establishes criteria for type certifying each UAS and will publish final airworthiness criteria after the comment period closes.

11/28/2020   AOPA Launches New Weather Tool - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has released a new weather product as part of a series of upgrades to its flight-planning tools. According to the organization, AOPA Weather is designed to provide “national and airport-specific data in a mobile-friendly format” with features such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) charts, AIRMETs/SIGMETs, the ability to check temporary flight restrictions and layerable radar, satellite, and wind stream images. AOPA Weather is available online and through the AOPA app." Want to read more?  Click Here.

11/28/2020   The Glider Accident That Never Happened - Glider pilots and other interested pilots. - VIDEO - SAFETY & ADVENTURE - Join us on a hike to an "unknown" and "unreported" aircraft accident site along the Appalachian Trail. In the 1970's a glider crashed near Mt. Kinsman in New Hampshire, and little is known about it. Listen to what we do know and learn a little about some related aviation safety topics that could help you. We will touch base on pilot health, regulations, planning, glider soaring, commercial operations and a myriad of other topics, including drones. It is an interesting way to help you become a more astute pilot. This is a first trial on others we have planned, so let us know what you think. Watch the video on the Boston FAASTeam YouTube Channel: Click Here 

11/27/2020   AN EYE ON 2021: WINGS AND WHEELS - INOVATIVE IDEA - From AOPA - "As the flying season closes for a lot of the country, and the promise of a COVID vaccine on the horizon, I ask you to consider what your airport can do to encourage visitors to come to your home ‘drome.  Hopefully in 2021 we will fly more frequently for pleasure, business, recreation and charitable purposes.  Wouldn’t it be nice if after the wings are done flying we had some wheels to get us to a nice restaurant for lunch, or to our hotel or nearby scenic attraction?"  Read it Here

11/27/2020   Home Schooling - EDUCATIONAL - From AVweb - "A good pilot is always learning and practicing. Whether your aviating is geared toward a ratings-oriented career or just going for the occasional $100 hamburger, we all should put some effort into maintaining proficiency and enhancing related knowledge. If you’re stuck at home with nothing to do and can’t fly, how can you spend the time adding to the aviation skills and knowledge you want?" Continue Reading Here.

11/26/2020   Aircraft Stalling: 3 Basic Kinds - EDUCATIONAL - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "Each of the three basic stall types demands both competence and respect. Mastering them isnt hard, and these tips may help make it easier." Continue Reading Here.

11/22/2020  Best of the Web - VIDEO - From AVweb - a Paul Bertorelli article - always worth reading Mr. Bertorelli - "How to land an Otter Really, Really, Short."  Read the piece and see the video Here.

11/22/2020   FAA and NASA Complete Drone Demonstrations - 11/17 NEWS RELEASE FAA - UTM Pilot Program - WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has concluded the second phase of its Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Traffic Management Pilot Program (UTM/UPP). The agency ended the phase with virtual demonstrations in partnership with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and two UAS Test Sites: the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) and the New York UAS Test Site (NYUASTS).

The UPP results will provide a proof of concept for UTM capabilities and serve as the basis for policy considerations, standards development and the implementation of a UTM system. - “The demonstrations will help move us closer to safe beyond-visual-line-of-sight drone operations,” said Pamela Whitley, the FAA’s acting assistant administrator for NextGen. “Flight testing UTM capabilities in high-density airspace will help us develop policy for safely and efficiently integrating drones into our national airspace while benefiting and serving communities.”

The demonstrations showcased emerging UTM capabilities that will support beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations:

  • The FAA UTM Flight Information Management System prototype and infrastructure, which gives the FAA access to information from industry and other stakeholders.
  • New technologies and data to validate the latest international standards for remote identification and support authorized users with specific operator data.
  • In-flight separation from other drones or manned aircraft in high-density airspace to validate recently proposed international UTM standards to help drones avoid each other.
  • UAS volume reservations to notify drone operators of emergencies and make sure other UTM capabilities work properly in these scenarios.
  • Secure information exchanges between the FAA, industry and authorized users to ensure data integrity.

Check out the demonstrations in action

Each event attracted more than 100 participants and included local and state elected officials and representatives from international civil aviation authorities. Both test sites collaborated with drone operators and local public safety agencies to demonstrate scenarios that featured various complex UTM capabilities working together to support BVLOS operations with increasing volumes and densities. - MAAP hosted an event on Oct. 28 in partnership with UAS Service Suppliers (USS) AirMap, AiRXOS, ANRA Technologies, and Wing. On Nov. 9, NYUASTS hosted its showcase in coordination with the Griffiss International Airport, Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR), and USS partners AiRXOS, ANRA Technologies, AX Enterprize, and OneSky.

The FAA has worked closely with NASA, industry and other stakeholders since 2017 to identify the initial set of capabilities needed to support small drone operations and advance UTM. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 extended the objectives of the program to further enable safe BVLOS drone operations, paving the way for the program.

11/22/2020   Wisk, NASA Partner On Autonomous Aircraft Integration - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "Urban air mobility (UAM) company Wisk has announced that it is partnering with NASA to explore the “safe integration of autonomous aircraft systems into Urban Air Mobility applications at a national level.” According to the company, its work will initially focus on safety scenarios related to autonomous flight and contingency management including collision avoidance and flight path management. The partnership is part of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign." Continue reading here.

 11/22/2020  FAA Administrator Steve Dickson on 11/18 ungrounded the 737 Max. He discusses the final requirements for allowing Boeing's grounded 737 Max airliner to return to commercial service. For more information on the FAA's statement on the Boeing 737 MAX return to service, please visit https://bit.ly/2KlgcNd.-For a VIDEO of Mr, Dickson announcing his decision by CLICKING HERE,
11/22/2020   SAFO 20014, Boeing 737-8 and 737-9 Airplanes: Pilot Training and Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTD) Updates, is now published. - DATA - From FAA - "This SAFO provides information to air carriers (domestic and foreign), operators, and training providers regarding additional pilot training needed due to The Boeing Company, Inc. implementation of design changes and Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) revisions for Boeing 737-8 and 737-9 airplanes." See the SAFO Here.

11/22/2020   Contolled Flight into Terrain in 57 Seconds - VIDEO - FAASTeam Safety Video with Phil Dixon - Watch it here.

11/22/2020   Experimental Amateur Aircraft Fatal Accidents Drop In 2020 - ARTICLE - From Plane and Pilot - "The FAA recently released its most recent numbers for fatal accidents in Experimental Category aircraft, which includes amateur-built aircraft (E-AB), and the results are encouraging. That said, there are complicating circumstances. The FAA uses fatal accident numbers as a benchmark of the safety of the Experimental segment, and while the measure is not necessarily reflective of overall safety, a long downward trend is a big deal, and that’s what the FAA is seeing." Continue Reading Here.

11/22/2020  Drone Crashes Into LAPD Copter: Operator Nabbed - NEWS - From MyNewsLA.com - "... in what’s believed to be the first criminal case in the nation on that allegation. Read the story Here.

11/21/2020   How NASA Is Working to Give Us the Flying Taxis We Were Promised - ARTICLE - From the Robb Report - "The space agency has moved beyond the ISS and Mars, and is now working with eVTOL manufacturers on the next generation of urban aircraft." More Info Here.

11/19/2020   FAA WORKING TO ENHANCE ALASKA WEATHER AND AVIATION INFRASTRUCTURE - INFORMATION - From AOPA - "AOPA welcomed FAA announcements of several significant infrastructure improvements that will help close gaps in pilot access to weather information at airports and along Alaska flight routes."  Read More Here.

11/19/2020    Aviation pollution targets set out in new US bill - ARTICLE NEWS - From Biofuels International - "A Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act, an innovative bill that takes a first step toward cutting the climate-harming pollution from aircraft, has been introduced in the US.  The bill, introduced by Julia Brownley (D-CA), sets clear targets for the aviation sector to cut emissions to put the sector on a path to net-zero emissions by 2050." Read More Here.

11/15/2020   Air Mass Storms - INFORMATION  - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "They're generally easy to identify and circumnavigate, since they usually don't move much. But they still have a few tricks up their sleeves and must be avoided."  Read More Here.

11/15/2020   To Autopilot Or Not - INSTRUCTIONAL ARTICE - From AVweb - "There has been debate in the airline industry whether all the automation has caused a deterioration in piloting skills. The answer is an unequivocal yes." Continue Reading Here.

11/15/2020   Report: SAF Most Promising Decarbonization Option in Near Term - From AINonline - "The World Economic Forum says a transition to carbon-neutral flying is possible, with sustainable aviation fuel serving as a pathway to net-zero aviation emissions."  Read More Here.

11/15/2020  "The US Government Accountability Office recently published a report about the methodology used by the FAA’s Office of Aviation Safety to assess the competency of its engineer and inspector force. The GAO says there’s a need to respond to workforce changes brought on by retiring personnel, as well as the host of new technologies needed to ensure all the agency’s employees are able to maintain a safe and efficient national airspace system (NAS)." Read the Story Here.

11/08/2020   FAA Funds Second Phase of Cybersecurity Assessment - ARTICLE - From AINonline - "Astronautics has received additional FAA funding to continue with the second phase of its Aircraft Systems Information Security/Protection (ASISP) research and development risk assessment contract. The work by the Wisconsin-based company will continue to explore areas such as air-to-ground communications to identify risks and develop mitigation strategies." Read the Story Here.

11/08/2020   New NBAA Resource Provides Guidance for Safe UAS Operations - ARTICLE - From NBAA - "NBAA’s Emerging Technologies Committee recently published the first entry in a new content series on safety management system (SMS) guidance for UAS operators, which addresses risk factors brought about by drones. “SMS is all encompassing,” said. Jon Hegranes, CEO and founder of Kittyhawk and primary author of the guidance document."  Continue Reading Here.

11/08/2020   'A VERY TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW' BAKER ADVISES FAA AGAINST NEW EQUIPMENT MANDATE - ARTICLE - From AOPA - "AOPA President Mark Baker urged fellow members of the FAA Drone Advisory Committee (and the FAA officials present) to find ways to integrate drones without requiring current airspace users to add more equipment." Continue Reading Here.

11/08/2020   NASA Begins Wind Tunnel Testing For Electric X-Plane Props - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "The propeller designs for NASA’s all-electric X-57 Maxwell have now undergone two weeks of wind tunnel testing, the agency said on Monday. The propeller assemblies, supplied by California-based contractor Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero), logged 14 hours of powered operation during testing with wind speeds up to around 90 knots." Continue Reading Here.

11/7/2020    FAA Issues Aircraft Interior Disinfection Safety Bulletin - SAIB NEWS - FAA / AVweb - The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) focusing on potential airworthiness implications of increased aircraft interior disinfection due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The bulletin emphasized that owners and operators should be aware of the potential negative impacts of disinfectants and make sure aircraft manufacturers’ disinfection guidelines are followed.  See it Here.

11/04/2020   Accident Probe: Full Deflection? - ACCIDENT EVALUATION - From AVweb - "Maneuvering speed is something fledgling airplane pilots learn about early in their training. It’s one of the more important details to know about any airplane because it has implications for structural integrity. It’s also relevant to operating in turbulence and performing maneuvers, although its value isn’t on an airspeed indicator, mainly because it varies with weight." Continued Reading Here.

11/02/2020   Dust Devil Downs Powered Paraglider - SAFETY ARTICLE - From AVweb - "Add dust devils to always-growing list of things that can kill a pilot, according to an accident investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The TSB issued a report last week that concluded the pilot of a powered paraglider was killed after flying through a dust devil while on his second attempt to land at an airfield in Alberta last May."  Continue Reading Here.

11/01/2020  Impact Finding Paves Way for New Florida ATC Procedures - ARTICLE - From AINonline - "The U.S. FAA issued a “Finding of No Significant Impact” in its Record of Decision for the South-Central Florida Metroplex, clearing the way for the agency to move forward with satellite-based arrival and departure procedures in the region." Continue Reading Here.

10/31/2020  Real-World Takeoff Performance - INSTRUCTIONAL ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "Hint: You've probably got less than you think." "There’s a reason most of us don’t calculate takeoff requirements, weight and balance, crosswind components or fuel requirements before absolutely every flight: Having previously done so for similar or less favorable conditions, we already know everything’s okay. If there was room to get off the runway with your two 250-pound cousins on board, departing solo shouldn’t present a problem. - It’s a perfectly reasonable shortcut provided you’re mindful of the unstated assumption of “other things being equal.”  However, what if if all other things are not?  Read the story Here.

10/31/2020   Great Plains Weather - INSTRUCTURAL ARTICLE - From AVweb - "For some, flying is just braving the traffic pattern or short, local flights. But serious long-distance flying or commercial operations will eventually bring you to the heart of the Great Plains. Meteorology captivated me because of the incredibly turbulent and strange weather in this area. I chased tornadoes for 15 years and forecasted weather for B-1B training routes in remote parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. So sit back and enjoy: Here’s an insider’s perspective..." Learn about Winter Patterns, Spring, Summer and Fall Patterns as well.  Read this HERE.

10/25/2020   Real Pilot Story from the Field: No Go-Around - A lesson from the Backcountry - VIDEO - "Backcountry flying is mesmerizing and rewarding, but it also presents unique challenges. For example, exploring a remote airstrip—especially a no go-around field surrounded by high terrain—requires that pilots conduct thorough briefings and perform extra planning before committing to the flight. Join the Air Safety Institute’s executive director Richard McSpadden in "No Go-Around" as he speaks with four experienced pilots who discuss lessons learned from a flight that went terribly wrong."  View the story Here.

10/25/2020    HARRISON FORD DEBUTS AS SPOKESMAN FOR AIRLINK - ARTICLE - From AOPA - "Actor Harrison Ford has taken on a new role as spokesman for Airlink, a rapid-response humanitarian relief organization serving communities in crisis."  Read More Here.

10/25/2020   Flying the Weather: Picking up Ice - VIDEO - From ASI - "Early detection of ice accumulation is critical to the safe outcome of a flight—even for pilots flying in aircraft equipped with de-icing equipment. In this video, Tom Horne talks about what to look for, and where, to determine if your aircraft is starting to pick up ice." See it Here

10/25/2020   Shock And Yaw - ARTICLE / INSTRUCTIONAL - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "Don't be surprised when you need to apply some rudder input." - "If you spend much time hanging around a traditional FBO, chatting with its denizens, it won’t be long before the topic rolls around to using an airplane’s rudder. The discussion will evolve to include how pilots trained on tricycle gear airplanes—i.e., most of them—don’t use the rudder enough. An old-timer will chuckle and tell a sad tale about some hapless pilot who ran over a runway light during a crosswind landing. Others will earnestly caution that flying a taildragger without a thorough understanding of how to use the rudder will quickly result in a groundloop. An instructor will dish about a student whose every stall demonstration almost turned into a spin."  Webmaster Note: Good Stuff to Read - Click Here to continue.

10/25/2020   NTSB upgrades accident search tool - ARTICLE - From General Aviation News - "In October 2020, the National Transportation Safety Board upgraded the search capabilities on its website. “We have developed a new query tool, CAROL (Case Analysis and Reporting Online), which enhances the website’s search capabilities for our investigations and safety recommendations,” officials announced. “Future enhancements will include improved access to docket items as well.”" Read More About this Here.

10/25/2020   New study could improve how aircraft fly in gusty winds - ARTICLE - From General Aviation News - "Scientists from the University of Bristol and the Royal Veterinary College in England have discovered how birds are able to fly in gusty conditions — findings that could inform the development of bio-inspired small-scale aircraft."  Continue Reading Here.

10/25/2020   Child Is My Copilot - ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "Squirreled away in a shoe box somewhere, I have a 3 x 5 print (remember those?) of my then-infant son bundled into the back seat of a Cessna 172. It was his first flight, and I’m proud to have been the pilot to initiate him, even though he doesn’t remember it. I don’t have a formal record, but both he and my slightly younger daughter have since logged enough time as my passengers to easily meet the minimum total time required for a private certificate. But before that first flight, his mother and I researched what steps we could take to make it successful." Continue Reading what to do suggestions Here

10/25/2020   Data and GA - ARTICLE - From FAA - When it comes to aviation safety, we know having good data is critical. But in this case, both quality and quantity matter. Small amounts of data usually amount to a limited set of solutions. That’s why the FAA and the general aviation (GA) community have been working hard towards implementing more accessible data sharing solutions, including a flight data monitoring program known as the National General Aviation Flight Information Database (NGAFID). To learn more about the NGAFID and how some recent improvements have enhanced the user experience, see the FAA Safety Briefing article “The Missing Link” here: https://medium.com/faa/the-missing-link-abdc1fda5de6. Check out the entire issue at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing.

10/19/2020  Jetpacks Over LAX? Wanna Bet? - ARTICLE - From AVweb - by Paul Bertorelli - "My friend Stephan Wilkinson wrote to urge me to “put an AVweb stake through the heart of this baloney about ‘jetpack fliers’ being sighted over LAX.” It was on my to-do list, but thanks for the reminder. So how did these stories find their way into the news feed in the first place?"  Continur Reading Here

10/18/2020   DRONE RULES ON FINAL APPROACH - WHITE HOUSE REVIEWING REGS FOR REMOTE ID, OPERATIONS OVER PEOPLE - INFORMATIONAL ARTICLE - From AOPA - "The FAA has submitted for final review two proposed regulations that would dramatically change how unmanned aircraft can operate, bringing to the cusp of conclusion a yearslong process that continues to cause concern among airspace incumbents." = "The FAA submitted two final rules to the president’s Office of Management and Budget on October 5, proposals for remote identification of unmanned aircraft and operation of small unmanned aircraft over people. The White House budget office has 90 days to review the new regulations, meaning they could be published before the end of the year."  Continue Reading Here.

10/18/2020   Mach 1 Day: Yeager Flew It, But John Stack Thought It Up - INFORMATIONAL INSIGHT - From AVweb and Paul Bertorelli - "Even today, knowing who Yaeger was and what he did would constitute deep knowledge. Although he got the glory—and continues to—he was but the point of the spear. The actual flight occurred on Oct. 14, 1947, but the government suppressed the announcement until the following June. Later that year, the X-1 team was awarded the Collier trophy. The black-and-white press grip-and-grins of the day show Yeager shaking hands with Harry Truman, but who are those other two guys who shared the trophy?"  Webmaster Note: Both this teatise and the published replies to it truly provide "the rest of the story." You can read it Here.

10/18/2020   Common Threads In Weather Accidents - INSTRUCTIONAL ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "In my view, there are four basic categories of aviation weather threats: low clouds and reduced visibility; turbulence and low-level wind shear; airframe ice; and thunderstorms (which may contain the three other hazards in one nasty package)."  So, if YOU want to know more about what we all need to know more about, click Here.

10/12/2020  Ampaire's Electric EEL Skymaster Makes Longest Flight Yet - ARTICLE - From AINonline - "Electric propulsion systems developer Ampaire last week achieved its longest flight with the Cessna 337 Skymaster..."  Continue reading Here.

10/11/2020   Raytheon Technologies to Submit Bid for FAA’s Modernized Aviation Ecosystem - ARTICLE - From ExecutiveBiz - "Raytheon Technologies Raytheon Technologies plans to submit its concept for an enterprise system based on cloud computing and artificial intelligence as part of its bid for the Federal Aviation Administration’s updated aviation network. - The FAA seeks to modernize its current network infrastructure and execute a “total overhaul” of the system to better support operations including telecommunications and air traffic management, Raytheon said..." Read the story here.  *The FAA Enterprise Network Services (FENSprogram is intended to provide the communications services that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires between 2022 and 2035.

10/11/2020   The Transactional Pilot - ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "Of all the hazardous attitudes displayed by pilots, one rarely written about is our drive to be efficient. Despite how much we love flying, we are always looking for efficiencies to exploit and make the best use of our time and resources. I think it’s also true that aviators often are strongly driven individuals, perhaps more so than non-aviators. It takes drive to become a pilot and an excess of drive to earn multiple ratings." Explore how you can avoid pitfalls - Read the educational article here.

10/11/2020   Walmart signs trio of drone deals as it races to play catch-up with Amazon - ARTICLE - From CNBC - "Over the past month, Walmart has announced three deals with drone operators to test different uses for the drones. It’s teamed up with Flytrex to deliver groceries and household essentials in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It plans to launch another pilot project with Zipline, a company best known for its medical drone deliveries in African countries like Ghana and Rwanda, for on-demand deliveries of health and wellness products early next year. And it’s testing deliveries of at-home Covid-19 test kits with Quest Diagnostics and DroneUp in Las Vegas and Cheektowaga, a suburb of Buffalo, New York."  You can read the full story here.

10/11/2020   Partial Panel In The Glass Age - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "Before glass panels, specifically Primary Flight Displays (PFD) and Multi-Functional Displays (MFD), partial panel in round-gauge, six-pack panels meant losing the attitude (AI) and heading (HI) indicators as a result of losing the only vacuum pump. We dreaded when the CFII or examiner pulled out those pesky round rubber instrument covers with suction cups and announced: “you just lost the vacuum pump.” An in-depth treatise awaits you... Read it Here.

10/11/2020  MOMENTUM GROWS FOR CREATION OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF AVIATION - ARTICLE - From AOPA - "The National Center for the Advancement of Aviation (NCAA) Act of 2020, H.R.8532, would create an independent center to facilitate collaboration among commercial, general, and military aviation sectors to address the mounting workforce challenges facing the industry." Read More Here.

10/08/2020  Why is my engine backfiring? - ARTICLE - From General Avaition News - "Q: I have a Lycoming O-320 (150 hp) on a homebuilt Super Cub. I am using 91 octane auto fuel (no alcohol). This engine has developed a backfire problem after starting. - At idle (700-750 rpm) there are some pops and then several louder pops for several minutes and then it seems to quit. My hearing isn’t wonderful, but I think it is coming from the left side of the engine."  Continue Reading Here.

10/08/2020  Preflight After Maintenance- The General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have determined that a significant number of general aviation fatalities could be avoided if pilots were to conduct more thorough preflight inspections of aircraft that have just been returned to service. In-flight emergencies have been the direct result of maintenance personnel who have serviced or installed systems incorrectly. In many cases, although the maintenance personnel made the initial mistake, the pilot could have prevented the accident by performing a thorough or advanced preflight check. Read more on the FAA's blog at https://medium.com/faa/advanced-preflight-after-maintenance-196e847b9f07 or download the PDF fact sheet here: www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/2019/media/SE_Topic_19-09.pdf.

10/08/2020  FAA Issues Second Amendment to SFAR 118 - NEW RULE - From FAA - "The FAA issued a final rule on September 30, 2020, that further amends Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) 118. Aviation activity continues to increase, and the industry is beginning to address the backlog of required training, checking, and testing requirements. However, many of the challenges that existed when the FAA first issued the SFAR in April remain today as the public health emergency continues. SFAR 118-2 is effective on October 1, 2020, and is available for public display in the Federal Register here: https://bit.ly/30Gs4i3."

The chart contained within this final rule provides a summary of each affected regulation; the original SFAR relief provided on April 29, 2020; the amended SFAR relief from June 25, 2020; and the second amended relief provided in this SFAR update. Those who may be affected by this amendment should carefully review the eligibility, conditions, and duration of each section of relief to ensure compliance. The FAA has revised the FAQs to help explain the amended regulatory relief: www.faa.gov/coronavirus/regulatory_updates/media/SFAR-COVID-FAQs.pdf. For additional news and information, go to www.faa.gov/coronavirus.

10/07/2020   The silent killer in the sky - ARTICLE - From General Aviation News - "The NTSB’s Michelle Watters recently posted a blog on the agency’s Safety Compass newsletter advising general aviation pilots to watch out for the “silent killer in the sky” — carbon monoxide."  Read the instructional article Here.

10/06/2020  Looking Forward (And Upward) To Urban Aero Mobility - ARTICLE - From Forbes - "Flight of fancy? No more. The mobility disruption is all set to takeoff…skywards. A pioneering global survey by Frost & Sullivan on urban aero mobility (UAM) highlights that the day when air taxis will become as commonplace as your standard black cab isn’t that far off. Consider that by 2040, there will be an estimated 2.5 million aero taxi units flying in over 30+ cities." Read More Here.

10/05/2020   Jet Suit Rescue Drill Run In U.K. - ARTICLE & VIDEO - From AVweb - "A British company envisions a day when a first responder will swoop down out of the sky to render emergency aid and it re-enacted what that might look like recently. Gravity Industries shot a video showing a man in its “jet suit” launching on the mission and landing next to the person in make-believe distress. The demonstration was carried out in cooperation with the U.K.’s Great North Air Ambulance Service and it might be something deployed in its rescue services."  Continue Reading and see the video HERE

10/04/2020   FAA Administrator Flies Boeing 737 MAX - ARTICLE & VIDEO - From AVweb - Includes a Video of the ZOOM Conference wherein the administrator describes his experience flying the 737 Max recently.  You can read the article and see the video of the ZOOM conference HERE.

10/03/2020   HYDROGEN-POWERED PIPER CIRCUITS PATTERN - ARTICLE - From AOPA - "The six-seat Piper flown in Cranfield, England, has been retrofitted with a powerplant built around a hydrogen fuel cell by ZeroAvia, and the traffic pattern circuit was the first completed without a battery. (Previous tests had been conducted with a battery powering the electric motor.) It was billed in various contexts as a “world first,” though that superlative demands an asterisk: As some media outlets noted, a four-seat airplane with a hydrogen fuel cell providing the energy flew in 2016." Read More Here!

10/03/2020   SPATIAL DISORIENTATION: CONFUSION THAT KILLS - ARTICLE - Fom AOPA - "Pilots deprived of visual references while flying can quickly lose control of the aircraft and succumb to one of general aviation’s biggest killers: spatial disorientation. While the physiology and dangers of spatial disorientation are taught during primary and instrument flight training, pilots can still misunderstand spatial disorientation and how to deal with it. This safety spotlight explains what spatial disorientation is,..." Continue Reading Here.

10/01/2020  Retractable Gear Systems - ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety - "The first evidence of a retractable landing gear design was in Europe circa 1911, but a working example didn’t show up on aircraft until after WWI. As airplanes got heavier and faster, meanwhile, airport infrastructure—which mainly consisted of an open field and a windsock— couldn’t keep up. As a result, some..."   Continue Reading Here.

10/01/2020  Advanced Preflight After Maintenance - FACT SHEET - From FAAST - A significant number of general aviation fatalities can be avoided if pilots conduct a more thorough preflight inspection of their aircraft after maintenance. Get it Here.

10/01/2020   Watch Advanced Preflight After Maintenance in 57 Seconds - VIDEO - Fr om FAAST - Wonderfully produced short length Safety Video material! Watch it Here.

09/28/2020   Why Cheapskate Pilots Don’t Like 406 ELTs - VIDEO - From AVweb - Follow up info after the ELT Opinion article (see: SHORT TAKES) "In this AVweb video, Paul Bertorelli takes a hard look at 406 MHz emergency locator transmitters for aircraft. While an ELT of some kind is required for most aircraft, historically, these devices haven’t performed very well. They still aren’t an impressive value for the money."  You can see the video Here.

09/26/2020   Airspace Review - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "The first thing that might be on your mind is; “Aren’t there fewer rules if you are IFR?” Well, kind of. The main example is if you are IFR, you need not worry about weather requirements for entering certain airspaces. An IFR clearance in itself provides separation from other aircraft and obstacle clearance in all but class G airspace, hence the phraseology, “upon entering controlled airspace…” Actual requirements for entering airspace vary and you can better prepare yourself based on what controllers might or might not say or do. How do the normal airspace requirements vary if you are on an IFR flight plan?" Read the rest Here

9/26/2020   LAANC - ARTICLE & VIDEO - From FAA - "LAANC is the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, a collaboration between FAA and Industry. It directly supports UAS integration into the airspace. LAANC provides:

  • Drone pilots with access to controlled airspace at or below 400 feet.
  • Awareness of where pilots can and cannot fly.
  • Air Traffic Professionals with visibility into where and when drones are operating.

Learn More About LAANC and Authorization for Drone Operation Requests Here.  Video follows Article.

09/20/2020   FAA UPDATES GUIDANCE for reporting Laser Strikes - ARTICLE - From AOPA - "It is an unfortunate reality that thousands of laser strikes against aircraft are reported every year, including over 6,000 in 2019." - How to report them? - New FAA Guidance - Read about it Here.

09/20/2020   Exhaust Essentials - ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety -  "Exhaust systems exist to provide a path for the byproducts of combustion and direct them away from an engine. In most any application, however, they’re often asked to do more, with heat extraction and spinning a turbocharger of particular interest to aircraft designers. In winter and at high altitudes, a healthy exhaust system can keep you warm. Year-round, a faulty one can kill you." Read More Here.

09/16/2020   Northeast Virtual Safety Stand-Down - RECORDED WEBINAR - Referred to us by David St. George of S.A.F.E. - Want to know about the NYC Class Bravo and transitioning through it?  Also, info about airport procedures. Presented by an ATC Controller who is also a pilot. Lots of good info regarding both VFR and IFR flights.   You can view it Here.

09/16/2020   "Stark new imagery reveals the scary extent of West Coast wildfires" - VIDEO/ARTICLE - From LIVESCIENCE - "Disturbing new satellite imagery shows the vast scope of the wildfires burning in Washington, Oregon and California. Dozens of fires have turned skies orange, rained ash on cities and towns, destroyed several million acres of land and killed at least seven people. The Sept. 8 imagery comes courtesy of the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University. The GIF, posted on Twitter by meteorologist Dakota Smith, combines two types of imagery from the GOES-West Satellite: GeoColor, which shows the smoke clouds and the topography below; and Fire Temperature imagery, which uses infrared cameras to pinpoint the fires themselves."  See it Here.

09/15/2020   "NBAA News Hour: Start Planning Now for Trips to Ski-Country Airports" - ARTICLE - From NBAA - Some notes from the recent News Hour Webinar - Read them here.

09/14/2020   "Airports Eyed As Hubs For Urban Mobility Service" - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "Although the eVTOL movement has focused on so-called urban mobility, one of the many contenders in the market is proposing using existing airports as hubs for its future service in Germany. Lilium, which hopes to launch service using five-seat passenger drones in 2025, has partnered with Dusseldorf and Cologne/Bonn Airports to investigate using them as bases for serving those parts of the country. The plan would be to eventually expand the infrastructure to the rest of the country."  More Here.

09/12/2020   "Why Engines Quit: Failures Are Avoidable" - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "Engine failures are the stuff of nightmares. Maybe not quite so agita-inducing as your mechanic calling with a compression report, but worrisome nonetheless, even if aircraft engines are designed with reliability in mind. So are they reliable? Well, yes, if you let them be by slaking them with gas and oil, following the procedures written right down there in the POH and avoiding the maintenance blunders that cause a surprising number of engines to fail in flight."  Unfortunately, not everyone avoids what history might tell us is obvious.  Read the Article Here.

09/12/2020  "AOPA PILOTS ENGAGE TO HELP PROTECT CALIFORNIA AIRPORTS" - ARTICLE - From AOPA - "In August, AOPA became aware of two bills set to be presented in the California State Assembly that would have made it easier for land developers to target and potentially close airports for redevelopment." ID the bills, and READ About them Here.

09/12/2020  "Flare with Flair" - INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO - From ASI - "Having trouble gauging your touchdown point on the runway? Check out this handy trick for helping you stay on target during short final. ASI Safety Tip: Aiming Point teaches a simple technique for touching down at the right place at the right time." See the Video Here.

09/12/2020  "Know Where to Look During the Flare" - INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO - From Rod Machado - "Not sure where to look when flaring an airplane for landing? Let me help you find the correct spot to spy during the roundout and flare. It turns out that the advice we're often given about where to focus our vision during the landing flare doesn't work for everyone. In fact, it doesn't work for most student pilots when learning to land. Not only doesn't it not work for student pilots, but as a pilot ages, it also doesn't work for him or her. So here are a few tips for new pilots and older pilots that will help them land as soft as a butterfly with sore feet."  See the Video Here.

09/10/2020   "NBAA Supports FCC Recommendation of C-Band Frequency for Drones" - ARTICLE - From NBAA - "The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently recommended a portion of C-band radio frequency spectrum be reserved for drone use and presented the recommendation to Congress in a report on Section 374 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018."  Access the article and the report HERE.

09/09/2020   "Inside the daring helicopter flights that rescued 200 from a California fire" - VIDEO / ARTICLE - from ABC-TV 9/07/2020 - Black Hawk and Chinook Helicopter Bravery. Read/See it Here.

09/09/2020  "Decision-makers driving push for pilotless aviation" - ARTICLE - from JetWhine - "... Amazon Moves Closer With FAA Approval. Amazon’s earning a Part-135 air carrier certificate for its fleet of Prime Air drones took the next step toward realizing the dream of a workable flying car and its cousin, urban air mobility. In submitting the evidence of the safety management systems and other information needed to earn a Part 135 certificate, and to demonstrate those operations to the FAA, earning the certificate was an “important step” in developing its automated aviation delivery technology," Read More Here.

09/07/2020   "UAM – A Whole New Ballgame" - From Business Insider - "Government and industry stakeholders are busy working to define the new operating environment that will make urban air mobility feasible... While development of such vehicles is proceeding at a rapid pace, it remains to be seen when we’ll see large numbers of eVTOL aircraft flying over major cities, as regulators and industry stakeholders work to develop the dedicated air traffic management (ATM) system necessary to ensure those aircraft operate safely."  Continue Reading Here.

09/07/2020   "European Bizav Traffic Sees Uptick in August" - ARTICLE - From AINonline - "European business aviation activity saw a strong rebound in August, with traffic levels up by three percent over the same period in 2019, according to the latest statistics from industry data provider WingX Advance. The company noted, however, the total flight hours were down, evidence of the trend of shorter flights seen throughout the recovery."  Continue Reading Here.

09/06/2020  "Tour of Camp Roberts on a CH-47 Chinook" - VIDEO - What it's like to fly inside a  Boeing CH-47  Chinook. - Source: "The video was shot by a soldier at Camp Roberts outside of Paso Robles, CA back in 2014, most likely during two week AT (annual training). Hearing protection is a must! - Note the soldiers entering and departing without wearing their "covers." - Airfield operations dictate the elimination of all possible FOD (foreign object damage)."  - Our source notes, "I've sent this video out sometime ago but it's a good review for those who have seen and forgotten and something new for others who haven't seen this previously."  For the YouTube Link, Click Here

09/06/2020   "FAA Looks At Anti-Drone Systems"  - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "The FAA has announced it is looking at technologies to clear “rogue drones” from the airspace near airports after a few collisions and some close calls, including one that might have involved Air Force One. The agency will evaluate at least 10 systems designed to disable or neutralize drones in trials that will initially be held at its William J. Hughes Technical Center near Atlantic City International Airport."  Read More Here.

09/06/2020   "Blocked ILS Signals Prompt Whistleblower Complaint" -  ARTICLE & VIDEO - From AVweb - "The FAA is apparently resisting moving a localizer at Detroit Metro Airport whose signals are sometimes blocked by taxiing aircraft. According to WXYZ, an air traffic controller at the airport filed a whistleblower complaint after he and fellow controllers, as well as pilots who suddenly lost the signal on final, were ignored by the agency." Read About This Case Here.

09/05/2020  Video: "Use of Weather Information in 57 Seconds" - FAA FASTeam VIDEO - with Phil Dixon - an episode from a very well produced series. You can view it Here.

09/05/2020   "Shortly After Takeoff" - Instructional ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "My background as a crewmember aboard military aircraft gave me a strong appreciation for practicing emergencies. Thirty-two years after earning my private certificate, I had my first one... After the run-up checklist was complete, we took off and at 700 feet AGL, I turned off the electric fuel pump and leaned the engine a bit. In response, power suddenly dropped off and the engine began running rough. What? Really? Are we really facing an engine-out emergency on takeoff?"  Read More Here

09/05/2020   "THE SAFETY OF THE SPECIAL-ISSUANCE DIABETES TYPE I MEDICAL CERTIFICATE FOR AIRLINE TRANSPORT, COMMERCIAL AND PRIVATE PILOTS" - ARTICLE - From AOPA - "The Federal Register/Vol. 84, No. 216/Thursday, November 7, 2019/Notices took a huge step forward, providing pilots with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) to have a process to apply for a first- or second-class special-issuance medical certificate. - Previous to this announcement, pilots with ITDM could only apply for a third-class special issuance."   Read More Here.

09/05/2020   "No Checklist For This" - Instructional ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "Some equipment failures, especially when IFR, don't really have an associated checklist or procedure. Flying with a partial panel is one of them." When an AI malfunctions - Read What You Need to Know Here.

09/05/2020   "Modern Sea Monsters" - CONTENT & VIDEO - From U.S. NAVAL INSTITUTE - Wing-In-Ground-effect (WIG) aircraft/vessels - Webmaster Note: My friend Wayne sent this in. A very knowledgable pilot, he from time to time makes submissions that echo his pertinent, but somewhat esoteric aviation interests. Find them posted them in Short Takes.  This one however, has so much good-to-know stuff, I have included it here. The subject matter, "WIG." "When CIA analysts first saw it in satellite photographs, they didn’t know what it was."  Read the Rest of the Story Here.

09/05/2020   Corona Virus LA Status Update site can be accessed by CLICKING HERE.

09/05/2020   Noise Abatement at LAX and VNY infromation portals published by LAWA.  Webmaster Note: Nice video, info and portal access, but (at this moment) don't expect the, "Sign Up for 2Alerts" to function properly... I am still waiting for the confirmation email...  for the site though, CLICK HERE.

09/02/2020  "Failure to see and avoid power wires leads to Taylorcraft crash" - ARTICLE - from General Aviation News - "The pilot reported that, while flying west to check some fields near Cut Bank, Montana, and circle a friend’s house, he began a right, descending turn about 200 feet above ground level." Read the story Here.

09/02/2020   "Prepare Now for Winter Operations" ARTICLE - From Business Insider - "Rich Boll, chair of the NBAA Access Committee Flight Technology Working Group, believes that operators should not wait until October or November to start preparing for winter operations. He remembers the year he flew to Casper, WY the week after Labor Day and encountered eight inches of snow upon arrival.

Boll recommends that pilots should start their winter preparations now by watching NBAA’s Takeoff and Landing Performance Assessment (TALPA) videos (nbaa.org/talpa) to refresh their winter mindset.  Read More Here.

09/01/2020  "Helicopter Company Files Lawsuit Against Controllers In Bryant Crash" - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "Island. Express Helicopters has filed a lawsuit alleging that two air traffic controllers are responsible for the crash of a company Sikorsky S-76B helicopter that killed retired NBA star Kobe Bryant and eight others last January. The cross-complaint asserts that the accident was caused by “a series of erroneous acts and/or omissions” committed by the controllers, including a “… failure to properly communicate termination of radar flight following … incomplete position relief briefing, and … lack of knowledge of current weather conditions.” It further claims that a controller contributed to the crash..." Read More Here

09/01/2020  "GA AIRPORTS: CAL FIRE’S GREATEST ARSENAL" - ARTICAL From AOPA - "California wildfires displaced more than 136,000 residents and engulfed 1.4 million acres of land in what are considered some of the worst conditions the Golden State has ever seen. As aerial firefighting and emergency response continue, the role general aviation airports play is vital to local communities. - The devastation was caused by lightning strikes from a series of intense thunderstorms and was exacerbated by hot temperatures and high wind. Spreading into the Sierra Nevada, and into regions surrounding the San Francisco Bay area, there are currently more than 600 fires blazing across the state. First responders have taken full advantage of Santa Clara County’s airports for refueling aircraft with fire retardant chemicals, rotating crews 24/7, performing ground maintenance, and utilizing the facilities as a home base." Read More Here

09/01/2020  "Manned eVTOL Takes Test Hop In Japan" - ARTICLE / VIDEO From AVweb "A Japanese company has completed what it says is the first manned test of a single-seat octocopter in the country. SkyDrive did a four-minute hop with the SD-03 electric VTOL vehicle at the Toyota Test Field on Aug. 28. The pilot was at the controls but computers helped him maintain stability. There were also backup remote-control pilots watching from the ground. The company says the SD-03 has a separate motor for each of the eight rotors, which work in counter-rotating pairs." Read the story and see the VIDEO Here.

09/01/2020   "Airbus and Boeing to issue joint paper on modernising air traffic management" - "Airbus has collaborated with Boeing to write a report warning that air traffic management (ATM) technology must be significantly modernised to manage countless new small aircraft that will occupy future airspace. - The paper, to be released in the coming weeks, will describe how rapidly increasing numbers of drones, and possible future small air taxis, will require new ATC systems, says Mark Cousin, chief executive of Airbus’s Silicon Valley-based innovation division Acubed."  For More Info from Flight Global  Click Here.

08/23/2020   "Preflight, Interrupted" ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "We all get distracted sometimes, but we must learn to recognize when it happens and respond appropriately." - "The airline industry long ago figured out that one of the most dangerous things in aviation is two pilots trying to fly the same airplane at the same time. One inevitable result of such an arrangement is that there are times when no one is flying, and one of the ways we know this is from the accident record. Airlines evolved the pilot-flying/pilot-not-flying concept to acknowledge this characteristic of crewed cockpits and established clear responsibilities for each pilot."  Webmaster Note:  From Personal experience, I wound up at the destination airport after being a rear seat passenger and the pilot and co-pilot (those that pre-flighted) left the dipstick back at the departure hangar. - This is a tidy read that I could identify with. See it Here.

We all get distracted sometimes, but we must learn to recognize when it happens and respond appropriately.

08/23/2020   "IMPROPER DISINFECTANT APPEARS TO DAMAGE TWO SKYHAWKS - DISINFECTING AIRCRAFT REQUIRES PROPER SUBSTANCES, TECHNIQUES - ARTICLE - From AOPA - You can read it Here.

08/23/2020   FAA PRESS RELEASE: Funds for Drone Integration - WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding $7.5 million in research, education, and training grants to universities that comprise the agency’s Air Transportation Center of Excellence (COE) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), also known as the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE). - “This $7.5 million federal investment will fund university research on the safe integration of drones into our national airspace,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao.

There are currently 1.65 million recreational and commercial drones (PDF) in the active UAS fleet. That number is expected to grow to as high as 2.31 million by 2024 (PDF). The grants are aimed at continuing and enhancing the safe and successful integration of drones into the nation’s airspace. - The following information summarizes the 19 grant awards for the eight projects. The COE universities received a total of $7,495,178 to advance specific goals and projects. This is the third round of ASSURE grants for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. The grants announced today bring the FY 2020 year-to-date award amount for this COE to $13,363,638. Today’s grant awards include: 

Validation of Low-Altitude Detect and Avoid Standards–Safety Research Center
The tasking for this work validates prior research in the performance of human pilots to detect other air traffic, assesses the potential for conflict, and analyzes potential maneuver options for avoidance against an intruder aircraft when a potential conflict exists.

  • Mississippi State University – lead university                                $1,500,000

Safety Risks and Mitigations for UAS Operations On and Around Airports
This research is focused on safely integrating UAS operations with airport operations, on and around airport surfaces with manned aircraft operations, and on and around the same surfaces. The depth of research expertise at the universities involved affords the selection of a set of experts to spearhead a specific use case and shepherd the constructs of each use case through completion.

  • University of Alaska, Fairbanks – lead university                           $401,999
  • Kansas State University                                                                 $220,000
  • New Mexico State University                                                          $320,000
  • University of Alabama, Huntsville                                                   $219,815
  • University of North Dakota                                                              $320,000

Science and Research Panel (SARP) Support
The purpose of this grant is to provide research focused on identifying research opportunities and gaps between SARP stakeholders, coordinating awareness of the research opportunities, and identifying ways stakeholders can work together to resolve research gaps to the benefit of the research community.

  • University of Alabama, Huntsville – lead university                         $70,383

Identify Wake Turbulence and Flutter Testing Requirements for UAS
The research team consisting of the University of Kansas and the Ohio State University will work together to:

  1. Identify severities of UAS flight upset due to wake turbulence to help the FAA assess risk of upset and to develop policy, guidance, and procedures for mitigating UAS wake turbulence encounters; and
  2. Demonstrate safe flutter flight testing procedures for UAS.
  • University of Kansas – lead university                                          $800,000
  • The Ohio State University                                                             $698,921

Urban Air Mobility (UAM): Safety Standards, Aircraft Certification and Impact on Market Feasibility and Growth Potentials
The vision to revolutionize mobility within metropolitan areas is a new frontier in aviation. Supporting accessible air transport systems for passengers and cargo by working with the urban air mobility (UAM) community to identify and address the opportunities and key challenges ahead is an emerging role for the FAA.

  • Wichita State University – lead university                                       $450,000
  • Mississippi State University                                                            $315,000
  • North Carolina State University                                                       $184,999
  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University                                             $249,923

UAS Standards Tracking, Mapping, and Analysis
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) technology is evolving rapidly and the FAA is working to keep pace with industry and to integrate UAS into the National Airspace System. A gap in UAS integration is having standards developed by industry which the FAA can use for policy and rulemaking activity. 

  • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – lead university                    $264,900
  • University of North Dakota                                                                 $235,000

Cybersecurity and Safety Literature Review
The proposed work will complete a literature review of cybersecurity concerns and resulting potential safety issues with the integration of UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS). The aim of the work is to support the establishment of a baseline model to identify and assess cybersecurity related risks of integrating UAS into the NAS, and undertake a survey of strategies for managing such risks.

  • Oregon State University – lead university                                       $200,000
  • New Mexico State University                                                           $150,000
  • University of North Dakota                                                               $144,238

Validation of ASTM Remote ID Standards–Safety Research Center
The tasking for this work operationally validates that the ASTM International (ASTM) Remote Identification (Remote ID) Broadcast standards satisfy stakeholder needs. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Remote ID states that the proposed rulemaking is intended to facilitate onboard pilot awareness of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and to also facilitate certain Detect and Avoid technologies.

  • Mississippi State University – lead university                                  $750,000

The FAA has established 12 Centers of Excellence in critical topic areas focusing on: unmanned aircraft systems, alternative jet fuels and environment, general aviation safety, commercial space transportation, airliner cabin environment, aircraft noise and aviation emissions mitigation, advanced materials, general aviation research, airworthiness assurance, operations research, airport pavement and technology, and computational modeling of aircraft structures. - The Centers advance many of the administration’s goals in transportation and education.

08/23/2020   "FAA to Test and Evaluate Unmanned Aircraft Detection & Mitigation Equipment at Airports" - NEWS RELEASE - "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."  Read More Here.

08/23/2020   "FAA Unveils Initial Airspace Concept for AAM Operations" - ARTICLE - From NBAA - In a significant step toward integrating advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles into the national airspace system (NAS), the FAA recently unveiled its initial concept of operations (ConOps) proposal, outlining the phased deployment of AAM aircraft within carefully defined airspace corridors.

Developed in collaboration with NASA and other regulatory and industry stakeholders, ConOps 1.0 relies on dedicated airspace routes over metropolitan areas, within which AAM aircraft would operate under specific rules and procedures and be separated from other piloted aircraft. These corridors would be independent from other airspace classes, as well as from existing and future unmanned aircraft systems flying at or below 400 feet above ground level.

Heidi Williams, NBAA’s director of air traffic services and infrastructure, termed the proposal “one of the tools in the toolbox to integrate these emerging technologies into the airspace system.”   Read the story Here

08/17/2020   "Takeoff with inoperative magneto ends in emergency landing"  - ARTICLE - From General Aviation News - The private pilot and a passenger planned to depart on a cross-country personal flight in the Piper PA32R from the airport in Falcon, Colorado, where density altitude was about 9,500 feet mean sea level. - During the pretakeoff engine run-up, the engine began running roughly.  More Here.

08/17/2020  "Fighters Use Flares To Get TFR-Busting Pilot’s Attention" - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "NORAD fighters fired flares to get the attention of an RV-7 pilot who blundered into the presidential TFR surrounding President Donald Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey, golf resort on Saturday." More on this topic Here.

08/16/2020   "Lifetime Monitoring: A Warning to Airmen" - ARTICLE - From AOPA - "As aviation attorneys who handle pilot certificate matters on a daily basis, it has come to our attention that a majority of pilots are unaware of some recent changes and are, therefore, primed to be blindsided by the FAA’s recent escalation of lifetime monitoring for pilots dealing with substance abuse and/or dependence issues in their pasts." Read this warning Here.

08/16/2020   "Dude, Where’s My Clearance?" - ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - 'The FAA wants you to call ATC directly instead of Flight Service, and is publishing the phone numbers." Want to know more?   Find the article Here.

08/15/2020   "Getting to Yes With NOTAMs" - ARTICLE - From FAA Safety Briefing - "Why They Matter and What’s in Store" post 6/2020. "So why do NOTAMs get such a bad rap? Let me count the ways, starting with sheer volume. The standard briefing for a domestic flight plan might produce hundreds of NOTAMs, and the regulations say that pilots must be familiar with “all available information” prior to departure. The problem is that NOTAMs are targeted to everyone, not individual pilots and their specific flight plans. The system generates around 1.3 million NOTAMs each year and, with the vast amount of information designed to inform all, it’s TMI — too much information."  This article addresses the changes made, and can help bring readers up to date!  Read it Here.

08/15/2020  "Taming The Taildragger" - ARTICLE - From Aviation Safety Magazine - "Transitioning to a lighter, slower and smaller airplane, with its little wheel on the wrong end." "There was one small problem: I had never flown a Champ as pilot-in-command."  Read about how a Beachcraft Pilot made the transition, and some of the challenges he experienced by clicking Here.

 

Joe Finnell & his wife Bev

 

 

08/15/2020  Joe Finnell retires as President of SoCal Pilots

"I have thoroughly  enjoyed my time as president of this outstanding organization. During my tenure, I have seen a tremendous growth in SoCal Pilots from membership, to special events and our efforts in supporting airport maturity. I would like to thank the board and general membership for your help and support over the years to make these achievements possible."  As President, Joe's last published suggested qoute for you to think about is,  "Aviation is proof that given the wheel, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible." - Edward Rickenbocker  Joe Finnell spirited SoCal Pilots to a place where few local area pilot organizations have ever reached.  Memebrship is faithful.  He enlisted others besides his personal John Wayne airport area to join SoCal Pilots via a Chapter program, and achieved success at providing top level avaition training support via an active monthly meeting/seminar structure.

Joe is a selfless gentleman who never missed an opportunity to lend a hand, and do both a good deed,, and that which needed to be done. Under his leadership the organization has flourished, and his professionalism always shined wether the occaision was a monthly meeting with slick member ID badges, the monthly newsletter, SoCal events, the website, and even the best Christmas Party event ever, with a great buffet, fine live music and dancing, memorable speakers (I remember Bob Hoover's visit) and sucessful fund raising auctions, et al!  Joe saw to it that grace and sincerity yielded success and results. SoCal Pilots will miss Joe at the helm, and SCAUWG.ORG sends to Joe the very best of wishes knowing well that whoever is rewarded with his future attention, they will be blessed for sure. -SCAUWG.ORG webmaster

08/15/2020   Just a Bit Biased - How to See and Avoid Dangerous Assumptions - From FAA Safety Briefing - "Working in the FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention, I get to see firsthand how bias can get the better of us. While heuristics are often a good thing and help us navigate life quickly, they become an issue of biases gone bad when they lead to perceptual distortion, such as misidentifying the designated runway/taxiway; inaccurate judgment, such as over/underestimating how close/far convective weather is; distraction, like being too busy chatting with a passenger to effectively monitor flight progress; fixation, like only looking at the cockpit array rather than looking out the window; and complacency, such as assuming a controller will advise you of traffic instead of actively looking for it." Webmaster note:  I started doing a specifically designed seminar discussing the many pilotoriented possible biases a few yesrs ago...  when seminars are revived, maybe those in the So Cal area might like to attend...  Until then, you might tune in to the subject with this read. Click or tap Here.

08/15/2020   Pilot’s misidentification of airport fatal mistake - BY The commercial pilot and three passengers departed on a cross-country flight in a Beech B60. As the flight neared the destination airport, the pilot canceled his instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance. The approach controller transferred the flight to the tower controller, and the pilot reported to the tower controller that the airplane was about 2 miles from the airport."  As it happened, he wasn't.  Read what happened Here.

08/15/2020   FAA to release LGA AirTrain Draft EIS on August 21 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will post the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed LaGuardia Airport AirTrain on August 21. A 45-day public comment period for the DEIS will begin on August 21 and ends October 5, 2020. - The agency will post the DEIS on the project website and will notify the New York Public Library that branches can download the document for residents who are not online. The website also will have information about how to comment for the record by U.S. Mail, email and through a web comment form. - The FAA will hold virtual online workshops and hearings on the DEIS on September 22, 23 and 24, 2020. Residents can learn about the study during the workshops and they can comment for the record during the hearings. The public can register for the workshops and hearings at lgaaccesseis.com beginning August 20. In-person workshops and hearings will not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

08/10/2020   "Survey Says FAA Inspectors Feel Pressure To Accommodate Business" - ARTICLE - Russ Niles AVweb - "An independent survey of FAA safety division employees suggests they feel pressure to accommodate industry demands at the expense of safety. The Mitre Corporation survey was sent to 7,000 employees in the aviation safety group and 25 percent responded."  Read it Here.

08/09/2020   "Why We Lose Control" - Aviation Safety Magazine - The aviation industry in recent years has highlighted loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) as the leading cause of general aviation fatal accidents. Many aviation organizations, including government agencies, have devoted considerable time and resources to target this problem and develop effective mitigations to reduce the number of LOC-I accidents.  Read it Here.

Loss-of-control accidents aren't always about inadequate skill alone. They also can be about inadequate risk management.

08/09/2020   HACKERS TOPPLED GARMIN NETWORKS - COMPANY RECOVERING FROM FOUR-DAY OUTAGE - From AOPA 7/27 - "The scale of last week's ransomware attack on global GPS company Garmin, along with the company's perceived missteps in responding, have wide-ranging implications, observers say, with one security expert warning that if the company paid the ransom -- said to be as high as $10 million -- it is now an even bigger target."  Read about it Here.

08/09/2020  Free Aviation Weather Courses - The Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility, and Sustainability (PEGASAS) Center of Excellence research team from Western Michigan University and Iowa State University have partnered with the FAA Weather Technology in the Cockpit NexGen Research Program and FLY8MA Ground School to develop aviation weather lessons for flight instructors and the GA community. These lessons are available free  and are sponsored by The FAA Weather Technology in the Cockpit (WTIC) NexGen Program. Caution: This does appear to be in part a promotion for a private education website. - The WeatherXplore mini-lessons are 10 short weather lessons with real-world scenarios of  weather phenomenon and weather products a General Aviation pilot may encounter. The complete lessons can be accessed here.

08/09/2020   "In Too Deep" VIDEO from AOPA - On November 26, 2011, a VFR-only private pilot took off from Indiana in a Cirrus SR20, headed for the Chicago area. This AOPA Air Safety Institute Accident Case Study examines how deteriorating weather and a series of decisions led to tragedy. Watch the video >

08/09/2020   AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS - GO BEYOND THE TEXTBOOK—ANALYSE YOUR AIRCRAFT’S HEALTH WITH THIS SAFETY SPOTLIGHT - COURSE - Sponsored by California Aeronautical University.  "Aircraft are extremely reliable when properly cared for and can deliver years of safe flight. But not all pilots know as much as they should about the proper care and maintenance of their aircraft’s engine, propeller, and pneumatic system—all critical to the safety of flight."  "This safety spotlight examines an airplane’s piston engines, propellers, and pneumatic systems, and how to keep them in the best condition possible." Upon Completion you can download a certificate of credit.  Not made entirely clear on the page is how to proceed. Locate the coarse subject box shown with a gray color background e.g. "Engine Basics," and click on the box. Then proceed to read!  You can see the course here.

08/09/2020   Colorado Welcomes Weather Cameras - The FAA Weather Camera Program collaborated with the Colorado Department of Transportation (DOT) to complete the installation of 13 cameras in July. The state of Colorado hosts the first official weather camera systems in the lower 48 states and lays the path for other state DOTs to implement the service for their aviation communities.

Due to COVID-19 travel concerns, the team conducted virtual pre-engineering surveys and received technical details in photos of each site that were used to develop the installation plans. The FAA plans to use this same model for other state DOTs who wish to establish camera services in their states.

The camera images are publicly available on a new website https://weathercams.faa.gov launched this week with tutorials on how to use the information presented on the site.  For more information, an article on the weather cameras is on the FAA’s Cleared for Takeoff https://medium.com/faa.

08/09/2020  - NBAA, AOPA Express Concerns Over FAA’s Pilot Records Database NPRM -  Washington, DC, Aug. 6, 2020 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) today sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Steve Dickson expressing their “serious concerns” with the agency’s proposed rulemaking regarding the Pilots Records Database (PRD). Read the full letter to the FAA.

08/09/2020  - NBAA Requests Improved Access to Treasury Loan Program -Washington, DC, Aug. 4, 2020 –  The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has joined a coalition of industry groups seeking flexibility in the eligibility criteria for a loan program created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that will ensure pivotal sectors of aviation continue to serve the national interest during the COVID-19 pandemic.

NBAA has been at the forefront of efforts to protect the economic integrity of the aviation industry throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and led a significant initiative to secure general aviation’s inclusion in key provisions of the CARES Act, including the Air Carrier Payroll Support Program, which has been a critical aid for aviation during the pandemic.

The CARES Act also includes an important stimulus for the aviation community through the Section 4003 direct loan program, which supports air carriers, including FAR Part 135 operators, FAR Part 145 repair stations and other parts of the industry impacted by the pandemic.

In a joint letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, NBAA, the Helicopter Association International (HAI), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and the Regional Airline Association )RAA) caution that the current requirements of the Section 4003 loan program may hinder the survival of operators conducting key services during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Read the full letter.

08/09/2020   The Wilder Wildcat - From General Aviation News - Did General Motors build Airplanes in WW2?  - Read this!

08/09/2020   Meet The Humans Behind FAA’s Human Factors Team- For decades, the FAA has been at the forefront of aviation human factors research, development, and practical application. While not always obvious to the average aviation consumer, this work is absolutely critical to preventing human-induced error and improving the safety of the NAS. Learn more about the FAA’s role in this important field in the FAA Safety Briefing article “The Humans Behind Human Factors: A Look at the People and Resources in the FAA’s Human Factors Team” (https://medium.com/faa/the-humans-behind-human-factors-e4b639cbac8b). Check out the entire July/Aug human factors-themed issue at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing.

08/02/2020   BLACKHAWKS Over the Beach - VIDEO - California Air National Guard Training Exercise - 140 Aviation Regiment, Cal Guard. Los Alamitos Army Airfield (KSLI) - Friday 1330hrs, south to north along the south bay LA coast..... Between Palos Verdes Peninsula and LAX.....  You can see the video Here:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/a4i6XyvinCS491sb9

08/02/2020  Airworthiness Concern Sheet-Continental O-470 - Notice Number: NOTC0242

Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. was made aware of a Cessna 182P that lost power in-flight on December 12, 2019, with the pilot smelling smoke in the cockpit, resulting in the pilot conducting a forced landing on an Interstate with no injuries. The investigation found that the modified Continental O-470 engine’s crankshaft was fractured between the #5 and #6 cylinders. The engine was originally an O-470 that underwent a conversion via STC SE4985NM, to increase the engine displacement to an O-520 equivalent, and STC SE10233SC, to install a supercharger. The crankshaft, which had been ground down for reuse and inspected in October 2018, was an Airmelt model (pre-Vacuum Arc Remelt (VAR)) that was not designed to be used on the bigger bore engines (due to the greater strains encountered on those engines, as addressed by Continental CSB96-8 and MSB96-10B). The FAA is concerned that the Airmelt crankshafts are being improperly used in these converted O-470 engine models (renamed O-470-50 as specified it STC SE4985NM). The Atlanta ACO would like to gather data to better understand the overall impact on the flying public.

The FAA is requesting the following information from owners and operators of the Continental Aerospace Technologies, Inc. engine models O-470-K, -L, -M,
-R, -S & -U that have been converted into an O-470-50 engine model
using STC SE4985NM:

1) Have you installed STC SE4985NM to convert your O-470-K, -L, -M,
-R, -S & -U engine into an O-470-50 by increasing the engine displacement?

2) If the answer to question one was ‘Yes’, have you also installed STC SE10233SC to install a Belt-Driven Vortech V-1S supercharger assembly on the same Continental engine (either before or after STC SE4985NM was installed)? Or any other engine-related STC’s in addition to STC SE4985NM?

3) If you have an engine with either STC SE4985NM, SE10233SC or both installed, please confirm whether your crankshaft was manufactured using the Airmelt process or the Vacuum Arc Remelt (VAR) forging process (please refer to CSB96-8 for guidance on how to identify your type of crankshaft). If you do not know which process was used for your crankshaft and are unable to determine it, please respond to this question with ‘Unknown’. Select the following link to read the Airworthiness Concern Sheet: https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2020/Jul/ACO_ACS_Continental.pdf

08/02/2020  "General aviation to the rescue for Navajo Nation -  BY Virginia-based international aviation nonprofit Air Serv International is continuing in its operations to deliver critically needed humanitarian relief to the Navajo Nation, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. - The operations, which began the week of July 6, are primarily funded by a grant from the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) Foundation, which was awarded in late June 2020.  Read the Story Here.

'08/02/2020  "Pattern Precision in 57 Seconds" "Regular, structured proficiency training is the most effective way to reduce general aviation accidents. Flying in the traffic pattern involves nearly all piloting tasks, and is a logical choice for a proficiency training environment. Commitment to precision and consistency in pattern operations will yield safety benefits in all phases of flight." New Training Video - See it Here

08/02/2020   Pattern Precision FACT SHEET - The FAA, General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC), and industry agree that regular, structured, proficiency training is perhaps the most effective means of reducing GA accidents. Because the traffic pattern involves nearly all piloting tasks, it is a logical choice for a proficiency training environment. Commitment to precision and consistency in pattern operations will yield operational safety benefits throughout the flight task spectrum. Download the FACT SHEET HERE.

08/02/2020  "The Missing Piece of the Safety Puzzle?" - From Business Aviation INSIDER - "Technical failures once plagued aviation, but the industry’s technological prowess and dedicated pursuit of excellence dramatically improved safety. With the introduction of crew resource management (CRM) programs and safety management systems (SMS), business aircraft operations have discovered that the human impact on accidents is more of a challenge. However, with the help of emotional intelligence, business aviation may be able to achieve a higher level of safety." Read the story HERE.

07/23/2020  20 Seconds To Save It: How An Impulsive Pilot Caused a Fatal Crash (Revised) - VIDEO - From AVweb - "The crash of Atlas Air 3591 shocked the airline industry. It was caused by a first officer with a long history of poor performance that wasn’t known when he was hired. And an experienced captain in the left seat wasn’t enough to save the airplane or the three lives aboard. In this video, AVweb’s Paul Bertorelli offers a detailed dissection of the accident based on the NTSB sunshine hearing."  See it Here.

07/19/2020  Recording of June Virtual GA Town Hall - VIDEO - Includes FAA Administrator Steve Dickson - Panel Discussions - length 1:58:22  - Please know there will be silence for the first minute prior to the start of the meeting.  The Town Hall featured FAA Administrator Steve Dickson along with a host of FAA experts and GA community leaders discussing the effects of COVID-19 on operations, aircraft, airports, and infrastructure.  You can watch the recording Here.

07/19/2020  "Real-World Takeoff Performance - Hint: You've probably got less than you think." ARTICLE from Aviation Safety Magazine - "Bush pilots learn how to gauge aircraft performance against takeoff and landing distances by eyeball, with lots of practice and occasional—sometimes disastrous—miscalculations. Most aircraft owners, however, tend to fly in and out of the same fields under similar circumstances. This puts a premium on those of us who aren’t delivering freight to the back country to recognize when the situation’s diverged from the familiar. That in turn argues for a little of what the quantitative types call “sensitivity analysis”—estimating how seriously changes in those conditions affect the ultimate results. In our case, the choices about aircraft loading, time of departure and the eventual go/no-go decision are what makes the difference between a successful takeoff with adequate climb rates or a subsequent phone call to our insurance agent." To read the full article, click or tap Here

07/19/2020  "Stormy Weather" - TRAINING VIDEO from ASI - Air traffic control can be a resource for pilots facing convective activity. Learn ATC's strengths and limitations when it comes to thunderstorms in this AOPA Air Safety Institute video.

07/19/2020   "How to Avoid Five Deadly Takeoff Mistakes"  TRAINING VIDEO - From Paul Bertorelli and AVweb - As usual, a video from Mr. Bertorelli is definitely a special find. This one as well will not disappoint.  No matter what model of GA craft you fly, this video might indeed provide some insight.  Watch it Here.

07/19/2020  MIT Study "Says Blocking Airliner Middle Seats Cuts Covid Risk By Almost Half" ARTICLE published by NAFI - "Recent research results and data generate the approximation that, when all coach seats are full on a US jet aircraft, the risk of contracting Covid-19 from a nearby passenger is about 1 in 4,300 as of early July 2020. Under the “middle seat empty” policy, that risk falls to about 1 in 7,700. These estimates imply Covid-19 mortality risks to uninfected air travelers are considerably higher than those associated with plane crashes but probably less than one in 500,000."  Which airlines seat the middle seat, which do not?  Find out all about that and much more Here.

 

 

 

07/19/2020  "Density Altitudes Trifecta" - From Aviation Safety Magazine - Photo from Aviation Safety Magazine - " Temperature, pressure and humidity all affect performance. - When considering landing on a runway with marginal length or a difficult or obstructed departure path, the first stage of aeronautical decision-making is deciding whether to land in the first place. The next one is if you land, can you make it out safely? Quite often there are good reasons to do neither, with perhaps the biggest single factor being density altitude, usually when trying to take off at the planned time."  Learning about DA and staying patient and humble, rather than jumping forward to satisfy an original goal can keep the airplane in shape to fly again.  You can read more about this important flight facet by clicking or tapping Here.

07/19/20  Summer heat equals hot starts - VIDEO from AOPA - Do you struggle with hot starting an airplane? You're not alone. This AOPA Air Safety Institute video helps demystify hot start procedures and gives you a peek at what's happening in your airplane's fuel delivery system. Watch the video

07/19/2020   LAKE RENEGADE ACCIDENT CASE STUDY - VIDEO/STORY - from ASI - "On July 27, 2017, a Lake Renegade amphibious aircraft arrived at the Oshkosh seaplane base for an afternoon during AirVenture week. After a brief stay, the pilot became anxious to load his two passengers and depart. Due to choppy water conditions on Lake Winnebago, the seaplane base staff repeatedly warned the pilot of the danger of taking off on high waves. The pilot ultimately chose to depart, which resulted in a fatal crash while attempting to get airborne."  View the Accident Case Study Here.

In this accident recreation from the AOPA Air Safety Institute, we follow the events of the day and seek to understand the circumstances that led to this ill-fated takeoff.

07/18/2020  The Power Of Paint - referring to Runway Markings - Read this should you be interested in using Circling minimums for a straight in approach in order to do one.  View the article here.

07/18/2020   NTSB Cites Pilot Performance In Atlas Air Crash - Read it Here

07/18/2020  Las Vegas Metroplex Project - "The FAA has issued a No Significant Impact-Record of Decision for the Las Vegas Metroplex project. The document, as well as the Final Environmental Assessment, are available on the Las Vegas Metroplex environmental website. - The decision enables the FAA to move forward with the project, which will use cutting-edge satellite navigation to move air traffic more safely and efficiently through the area. - While the airspace around Las Vegas is already safe, it’s not as efficient as it could be. The FAA will address the inefficiencies (PDF) by implementing new routes that are more direct, automatically separated from each other and have efficient climb and descent profiles. - The project includes McCarran International Airport, North Las Vegas Airport and Henderson Executive Airport. It is one of 11 Metroplex projects nationwide.

Prior to making the decision, the FAA conducted a thorough environmental review and extensive public engagement, including 11 public workshops in 2017 and 2019.The agency also held four public comment periods totaling more than 120 days and evaluated and responded to more than 140 comments.

The FAA currently plans to implement the procedures in November 2020.

The Las Vegas Metroplex environmental website includes Google Earth features that enable people to view current and projected flight paths associated with the project, as well as the noise analysis the FAA conducted at more than 172,000 grid points throughout the project General Study Area.

07/12/2020   Rote Understanding and Flight Risk Management - ARTICLE - from Aviation Safety Magazine - "I recently spent some quality time at a name-brand flight training facility, one which helps pilots at all experience levels meet their certification goals. One morning while waiting for better weather, I meandered to the coffee pot and found a CFI and student engaged in a frustrating-for-both discussion of risk management. In fact, there was violent agreement among them on the need to manage risk, but the student was rebelling at having to memorize various acronyms and explain what they mean."  Do you remember PAVE and IMSAFE - read this insightful treatise Here.

07/12/2020  - Distracted pilot runs out of fuel - Instructional ARTICLE - from General Aviation News -  "The airline transport pilot was relocating the CubCrafters CC19 to the owner’s private ranch. - He noted that, before the flight, he ordered fuel for the airplane. But when the fuel truck arrived, he checked the fuel levels using the fuel quantity sight gauges inside the airplane and “realized it was full,” so he declined to have the airplane refueled. - He added he did not visually verify the fuel levels in each fuel tank or use a dipstick."  A good short read. You can see it Here

07/12/2020  Sully Adds Voice To Lobby Against Potentially GPS-Jamming Cell Network - ARTICLE -  from AVweb - "The lobby against the granting of radio spectrum adjacent to frequencies used by GPS to a startup wireless provider has enlisted Capt. Chesley Sullenberger to press its case. In April, the Federal Communications Commission, over objections from the Department of Defense and Department of Transportation, agreed to allow Ligado Networks to establish a new broadband wireless network on a thin slice of radio spectrum that is right next to the frequencies used by some of the most important providers of satellite navigation and aviation services. The fear, which detractors say the FCC has recognized, is that the much more powerful terrestrial cell emissions will overpower the minuscule bits of energy beamed by the satellites, effectively jamming them." Read More of the AVweb story Here.

07/12/2020  Passing the Stress Test - ARTICLE - The new July/August issue of FAA Safety Briefing covers a topic near and dear to all airmen — human factors. Certain cognitive functions immediately come to mind in the aviation arena, like attention, detection, perception, memory, judgment/reasoning, and decision making. But for FAA Safety Briefing Editor Susan Parson, there is one universal human reaction that she characterizes as the ultimate human factor: stress. In her article, “Passing the Stress Test,” (https://medium.com/faa/passing-the-stress-test-ef69156eef61) Parson explores the duality of stress (there’s a good side to it!) and provides some helpful tips on how to properly identify and manage stress. Check out the entire July/Aug human factors-themed issue at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing.

07/12/2020  Know Before You Go & Avoid Flying Low - Notice Number: NOTC0199 - Sightseeing along the California Coastline:  “Know Before You Go & Avoid Flying Low”

Did you know the FAA has a policy in place to investigate citizen complaints of low-flying aircraft operated in violation of the CFR that might endanger persons or property?  If you feel the urge to descend below 1,000’ above sea level along the California coast, think again: there are safety and legal reasons why you shouldn’t.

Federal Aviation Regulations may in some instances allow for low altitude flight, but doing so off the coast poses significant safety risks.  Losing an engine over ocean waters poses a significant risk to life and property. Also, large birds are more prevalent at lower altitudes, and can create a significant hazard to aircraft.   Bottom line: flying the coast 1000’ above sea level will give you more time to respond to the unexpected. 

In addition, flying above 1000’ will also keep you in compliance with federal wildlife protection laws.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has regulations that require aircraft to fly 1000’ above sea level in certain designated areas within Greater Farallones, Monterey Bay and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuaries.  These are denoted on aeronautical charts by magenta lines and dots.  In these areas, flights below 1000’ above sea level (ASL) could result in NOAA civil penalties.  So, why not fly higher and enjoy the view?

For more information on the designated areas that require you to fly above 1000’ ASL along the California coast, please refer to your Sectional charts and reference below:

Finally please note that consistent with the FAR/AIM, pilots operating noise-producing aircraft (fixed-wing, rotary-wing and hot air balloons) over noise-sensitive areas should make every effort to fly not less than 2,000 feet above ground level (or sea level), weather permitting. The intent of the 2,000-foot altitude recommendation is to reduce potential interference with all types of wildlife and complaints of noise disturbances caused by low flying aircraft over noise-sensitive areas.  For the purpose of this Notice, the ground level of FAA’s general 2,000-foot minimum altitude recommendation for noise-sensitive areas is defined to include the highest terrain within 2,000 feet AGL laterally of the route of flight, or the uppermost rim of a canyon or valley.

Thank you for doing your part to protect wildlife, stay safe, and stay within the law.

Karen Arendt - Email: karen.arendt@faa.gov

Any questions? Please title the subject line in your email “NOAA Question” to allow us to better track it.

07/12/2020   Key Provisions for General Aviation Businesses in the CARES Act - ARTICLE - from NBAA - Read it HERE.

07/12/2020  Business Aviation Insider Magazine - July / Aug Digital Edition from NBAA Available Now -  "NBAA's 2020 Technology Issue has stories on urban air mobility traffic management, the benefits of flying sustainably, using “emotional intelligence” to enhance safety, plus a member profile of Meredith Corp., which quickly developed new protocols for flying during the COVID-19 pandemic." Sound Interesting?  You can download a digital copy HERE at no charge.

07/12/2020   Reference AC 90-66B – Non-Towered Airport Flight Operations

http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_90-66B_CHG_1.pdf

Please give special attention to safe operations at non-towered airports during flight planning, student through advanced pilot training, Practical Tests, WINGS/Flight Reviews, airmen currency checks; whenever a pilot is being trained and/or evaluated by a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), Designated Pilot Examiner ( DPE ), Chief Pilot, Chief Flight Instructor, Check Airman, etc..

With the safety concerns at non-towered airports (the U.S. has approximately 500 airports with control towers compared to about 20,000 non-towered airports) along with temporarily reduced hours of operation for towers across the country, this is especially timely and will serve safety now and later.

Thank You!
Lee Unger
FAASTeam Representative
Scottsdale FSDO

07/05/2020   "Black-Hole Approaches" - ARTICLE - "Unless we’re on guard against it, the optical illusion involved in the black-hole approach makes us think we’re higher than we actually are. The pilot descends too early or too quickly, and comes up short of the runway in the weeds." From Aviation Safety Magazine "I’ve flown in there at night several times and I’ll do it again several more times. But I don’t like it. The combination of dim, non-standard lighting and the lack of nearby ground illumination—what the NTSB calls cultural lighting—pretty much defines the so-called black-hole approach, the kind where depth perception suffers from lack of detail, especially when there are few peripheral details. The human eye just isn’t all that good at night. More light and more lighted objects to help with depth perception are better." What YOU NEED to KNOW - Read it HERE.

07/05/2020   IFR FIX: 'BECAUSE IT'S LEGAL NOW' - ARTICLE - From AOPA: "A Cirrus SR22 is certified in aircraft approach category A (less than 91 knots) but is flying an instrument approach at 100 knots, a Category B approach speed. Do Category A minimums or Category B minimums apply to the operation?"  Want to know the answer?  Read the Dan Namowitz article by tapping or clicking HERE.

07/04/2020   HAI Spotlight on Safety: Nutrition - VIDEO - Eat well fly well: is there a correlation?  View it HERE

07/04/2020   NBAA Welcomes Key Aviation-Focused Provisions in House Infrastructure Bill - ARTICLE -  The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today welcomed passage of legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that includes priorities for the association and the nation’s business aviation industry. House Resolution 2 (H.R.2) is a major infrastructure bill that contains legislative provisions important to business aviation and championed by NBAA - Read the Story.

07/04/2020  SAFO 20011, Operations in Oceanic Airspace during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, is now published. - This SAFO serves to advise flight crews of the potential loss of Air Traffic Control (ATC) services in the event of an oceanic ATC facility shutdown and recommends the mitigating procedures contained herein. The SAFO can be viewed by following link http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo/all_safos/

07/04/2020   "ATC at it's Best!" - VIDEO - NEW 2020 EDITION Pilot dies in flight. ***DISCLAIMER*** The Hero passenger who lands the King Air Turbo Prop and saves his family had earned a Private Pilot's License 18 years prior to this incident. He quit flying shortly after with only 80 hours total time logged. On this "Commercial Charter" flight Doug White is flying home after attending his brother's funeral with his wife and daughters on board. The Charter Pilot dies suddenly within minutes after takeoff. Doug is forced to take control of the complex high performance turboprop aircraft with zero experience in a King Air and with zero notice. Dead pilot slumped over the controls and distraught family in the passenger cabin. If you are in anyway offended by these circumstances please do not watch this video. ***END OF DISCLAIMER*** . Previously released in 2015, this new edition includes new content, behind scenes information, interviews with air traffic controllers, super-titles of ATC communications, and more.  Link To it HERE

07/04/2020   The fix is in for CFIs - ARTICLE - by Jamie Beckett of General Aviation News addresses the challenges that both CFI's and their students face. A good read - View it Here.

06/28/2020  The Two Pilot Program - ARTICLE - by Jeb Burnside is Aviation Safety Magazine’s editor-in-chief. He’s an airline transport pilot who owns a Beechcraft Debonair, plus half of an Aeronca 7CCM Champ. - "One of general aviation’s most time-honored practices involves two or more pilots being aboard the same airplane at the same time. The purposes vary—from training and proficiency, to boring holes in the sky, to chasing down a $100 hamburger, and everything in between—but it’s not at all rare to find more than one pilot seated where they have flight controls in front of them. Most of the time, that’s a good thing: There are two sets of eyes, hands and feet, and if the pilot flying needs a break, there’s someone to keep the shiny side up. It can be a bad thing, though, if both pilots don’t have a full understanding of each other’s duties and responsibilities. When that happens, things can be forgotten or overlooked."  Webmaster Note: Lot's of good stuff in this read. Including, "Two-Pilot Do's and Don'ts" Recommended.  You can read it Here.

06/21/2020  Learn to manage stress with 'The Mental Game.' Did you miss the AOPA Air Safety Institute's live webinar "The Mental Game"? Watch the recording to learn about managing stress in and out of the cockpit.

06/21/2020   ASK ATC - Thunderstorms - SAFETY VIDEO from AOPA ASI - ATC can be a helpful resource for pilots facing convective activity. Learn ATC’s strength and limitations when it comes to thunderstorms in this video.  See the Video Here.

06/21/2020    Police Aviation Under the Gun - ARTICLE - from AINonline - "Nationwide calls to defund police units in the wake of the death of George Floyd is again putting law enforcement aviation under the microscope and widespread local tax shortfalls triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic are adding fiscal consequences. The implication for helicopter OEMs, counting on the stability of the parapublic market to cushion dual blows from downturns in the air ambulance and offshore energy markets, is potentially troubling." Read the full story Here

06/21/2020   FBO And Landing Fees = ATICLE - from Aviation Safety Magazine - "The subject of fees charged by airports and FBOs recently came under industry scrutiny. Airports and FBOs naturally need revenue, but operators need value in proportion to the costs and better information on them, in order to make informed decisions. I wanted to offer a couple of thoughts."  Read the full story HERE

First, it’s important to distinguish between fees an airport may levy and those of the FBO use of its facilities.

06/21/2020   WEATHER OR NOT THUNDERSTORM CHALLENGE - online course - from AOPA -

Get ready to fire up up your Cessna 172 for a VFR cross-country flight from New Jersey’s Cape May County Airport to Erie, Pennsylvania. But be prepared to deal with pop-up thunderstorms, deteriorating weather, on-board and ATC radar realities, and fuel concerns. You’ll make critical go/no-go decisions on this 300-nm route. If you’re interested in experiencing where your decisions lead, then this course if for you. You’ll even have the option to try different flight paths to see various decision outcomes.

What you will learn:

  • Making appropriate go/no-go decisions
  • In-cockpit weather strategies
  • Limitations of ATC weather radar
  • Best practices for thunderstorm avoidance
  • How to resist get-there-itis

 

  • When diverting is a good option

 

This course qualifies for AOPA Accident Forgiveness and FAA Wings.     Take the Course by Clicking HERE

06/17/2020   WASHINGTON – The head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Stephen M. Dickson, today affirmed that the Boeing 737 MAX will only return to service following the completion of a comprehensive and rigorous review process.

Before the aircraft returns to the skies, the FAA must sign off on all technical reviews of Boeing’s proposed safety enhancements, Administrator Dickson said during testimony before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the families of the victims of the Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air accidents. Furthermore, Dickson pledged that he will fly the aircraft himself and must be satisfied that he would put his family aboard without a second thought before the return-to-service order is approved.

“As we have stated many times in the past, safety is the driving consideration in this process,” Dickson said. “This process is not guided by a calendar or schedule.”

The FAA is continuing to adhere to a data-driven, methodical analysis, review and validation of the modified flight-control systems and pilot training required to safely return the 737 MAX to commercial service. The FAA’s return-to-service decision will rest solely on the agency’s analysis of the data to determine whether Boeing’s proposed software updates and pilot training address the factors that led to the grounding of the aircraft.

The FAA has never allowed manufacturers to self-certify their aircraft, and Dickson stated the agency fully controls the approval process for the 737 MAX flight-control systems and is not delegating this authority to Boeing. Additionally, the FAA will retain the authority to issue airworthiness certificates and export certificates of airworthiness for all new 737 MAX airplanes manufactured since the grounding. Pilots will have received all of the training they need to safely operate the aircraft before it returns.

The following actions must take place before the aircraft returns to service:

  • A certification flight test and completion of work by the Joint Operations Evaluation Board (JOEB), which includes the FAA and international partners from Canada, Europe, and Brazil. The JOEB will evaluate pilot-training needs using line pilots of various experience levels from U.S. and international carriers.
  • The FAA’s Flight Standardization Board for the Boeing 737 will issue a report addressing the findings of the JOEB, and the report will be made available for public review and comment.
  • The FAA and the multi-agency Technical Advisory Board (TAB) will review all final design documentation. The TAB is made up of FAA chief scientists and experts from the U.S. Air Force, NASA and Volpe National Transportation Systems Center.
  • The FAA will issue a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community providing notice of pending significant safety actions and will publish an Airworthiness Directive advising operators of required corrective actions.

 

06/16/2020   Virtual IOC2020: Pay Attention to Regulatory Changes in Cuba, Mexico - ARTICLE & Live Sessions - From NBAA - From stunning island vistas to busting centers of commerce, the vast region directly south of the United States offers plenty of reasons to visit. But operators looking to return without hefty fines will need to pay close attention to the details. Read the Info and Warning Data Here.

06/14/2020   Five Things You Can Break In A Pinch - ARTICLE - From AVweb - "If there’s one thing pilots are taught during their primary training, it’s to respect the limitations of the airplane they are flying. These can involve the detailed operating limits—especially airspeeds—found in the airplane’s flight manual, demonstrated crosswind capabilities, loading configurations, prohibitions against flight in known icing…the list is seemingly endless. Those limitations exist for a variety of reasons—to ensure the airplane will meet performance expectations, that it won’t be damaged, and so it and the pilot comply with applicable regulations."  So are there exceptions? The author writes that there are. Read More Here
06/14/2020   The importance of GA in Alaska - ARTICLE - From General Aviation News - "General aviation is a lifeline in Alaska. “Aviation is an integral and essential part of the Alaskan way of life,” says Governor Mike Dunleavy in a recent proclamation designating May 2020 as Aviation Appreciation Month in the state. Aviation contributes an estimated $3.8 billion annually to Alaska’s economy."  Read More Here.
06/14/2020   Bird Strike May Have Preceded Snowbirds Crash - ARTICLE - From AVweb - by Russ Niles - "Canadian military investigators say it’s possible a bird strike preceded the crash of a CT-114 Tutor aircraft that resulted in the death of a member of the support team for the Snowbirds air demonstration team. The Royal Canadian Air Force released a still image from a video of the takeoff showing what appears to be a bird near the right engine inlet of the former jet training aircraft."  Read More Here.

06/14/2020    Stupid Pilot Tricks - ARTICLE - From AVweb - by Paul Berge - "Sure as the BRS Save‑O’‑The‑Month calendar flips to a new year, we here at the Department of Self‑Righteous Finger Pointing present the best of the dumbest ways pilots have contributed to keeping the skies safe by rendering as many aircraft as possible unairworthy. Today, we review the year 2016, which reflected a modest improvement in not crashing but still logged 1627 accident/incidents worthy of NTSB note. That’s 4.46 events per day or roughly one prang every 5.3 hours. As with past Stupid Pilot Tricks, we use NTSB “probable cause” results and don’t report on fatal accidents."  Learn just what your odds are, and profit from this read that explores how accidents happen and to who.  Read it Here.

06/14/2020   FAA Warns of Tail Strikes, Off-Course Flying by Near-Empty Jets - ARTICLE - From Bloomberg Law - "One nearly empty passenger jet “climbed like a rocket,” prompting the pilots to exceed their assigned altitude. Others have scraped their tails on takeoff, gone off course or strayed close enough to other aircraft to prompt mid-air collision alerts... The common thread: the massive disruptions to the U.S. airline industry caused by the Covid-19 pandemic."  Visit a well written description of what might be described as an Airspace Safety disruption.  Read about it Here.

06/14/2020  -  VFR CHARTS TO GO ON 56-DAY PUBLICATION CYCLE IN 2021 - ARTICLE - From AOPA - Read it Here.

06/07/2020   Satellite Imagery - ARTICLE - From AVweb - A history and an Explanation - A very nice concise article to help a pilot interested in knowing why the reports might say what they do will be interested in reading.  A great departure point to launch your weather knowledge toolbox with.  Read it Here.

06/01/2020   More tips to protect your plane’s engine — and your wallet — from fuel problems - ARTICLE - From General Aviation News - Steps you can consider that most probably do not think about are written about.  Read them Here.

05/31/2020   FAA Regulatory Update due to Coronavirus Circumstances. FAA Page - View it Here.

05/31/2020   Formation photo flight, 2 Spitfires (and a Mustang!) while departing from Airventure 2018. - VIDEO - A wonderfully shot piece that is both pictorial and informative.  Want to know how to start a Merlin powered Spitfire... want a close up view of the rear view mirror, responsible for 5% of the total drag produced in flight... (the reason it was later designed inside the canopy)... well this video has it all!  See the video Here.

05/31/2020   LOCI: An Upsetting Situation - ARTICLE -From NBAA - "Maybe it’s time for business aviation to reexamine its approach to upset prevention and recovery training. Despite the business aviation industry’s longstanding efforts to stem loss of control inflight (LOC-I) accidents and prevent aircraft upsets, such accidents show no sign of waning, even as training providers have added LOC-I prevention and recovery courses.  Why is that?"  Read More Here.

05/31/2020   Safety Wire - ARTICLE and 57 Second VIDEO - GA Safety Enhancement Topic - Failure to properly secure aircraft components can compromise powerplant and control system operation, leading to system and component failures. Properly secure aircraft components with safety wire, ensure that hardware locking mechanisms are properly installed on your aircraft, and check them often to confirm they are taut and ready for flight. - Safety Wire … It Can Save Your Life - Explore the opportunity to Learn about What You Need to Know by Clicking or Tapping Here.

05/30/2020   Real Pilot Stories from ASI - VIDEO - Trapped on top. A non-current instrument-rated pilot deals with an unexpected IFR descent and an engine failure in this Real Pilot Story from the AOPA Air Safety Institute. Webmaster Note: These stories are always well produced and always worth your time.

05/26/2020  A Pakistan Airliner landed Gear Up on its First Attempt...  then took off again.   As the story from AVweb goes, that was not a good choice.  Published here as a valuable preemptive message to any pilot who might have a similar idea.  Read the article and visit a link to various videos by clicking Here.

05/24/2020   Maneuvering Speed - From Aviation Safety Magazine - Combining the loads imposed by maneuvering with those encountered in turbulence can exceed structural limits. "Early in our primary training, we encountered the concept of maneuvering speed (VA), or design maneuvering speed as it’s sometimes called. We’re basically told it’s the speed at below which we should fly in turbulence and when entering advanced maneuvers, hence its name. If we’re lucky and have a good ground-school instructor, we’ll also learn that VA changes with weight: As the airplane’s weight decreases, so will maneuvering speed. Although VA isn’t marked on our airspeed indicators, there should be a placard listing it at the airplane’s gross weight, with the admonition to not make full control deflections above it."  Explore VA, survey some unfortunate notable accidents - Read this beneficial critique Here.

05/24/2020  For the most up-to-date information and news from FAA regarding the Coronavirus, please visit the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update. You can also view a list of programs put in place by the FAA by visiting Here

05/24/2020   From Paddles to PEDs    Good communication is fundamental to the safety and integrity of our airspace and to the growing number and diversity of NAS users. Today’s aviation environment has plenty of tools to accomplish this critical endeavor. For a look at some of what these modern-day communication devices offer and how to harness their full potential, read the article, “From Paddles to PEDs: A User’s Guide to Modern Day Aviation Communication Equipment” at https://medium.com/faa/from-paddles-to-peds-c89e829026c1. Check out the entire aviation communication-themed issue at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing.

05/24/2020   Take a Moment for an Aviation Maintenance Safety Tip on ADs 

Airworthiness Directives (ADs) are legally enforceable regulations issued by the FAA in accordance with 14 CFR part 39 to correct an unsafe condition in a product (an aircraft, engine, propeller, or appliance). Do you know how to find ADs applicable to your aircraft? Check out this Aviation Maintenance Safety Moment video to see how:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3T2xKGhUug&list=PL5vHkqHi51DS-zCdCFOUyVzUgYlF_0qXK&index=4.

You might also want to consider nominating any outstanding AMTs for the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award, which recognizes 50 years of exemplary aviation maintenance experience, distinguished professionalism, and steadfast commitment to aviation safety. For more details on this prestigious award, go to www.faasafety.gov/content/MasterMechanic.

05/18/2020   Snowbirds CL41 Tutor Crash 17 May 2020 - VIDEO - The Blancolirio Report - Video and explanation - Watch/Listen Here.

05/17/2020  Three Seconds, Three Choices - VIDEO - Relinquishing pilot-in-command authority is never a good idea, especially if the airplane you're following disappears in the fog. Watch this AOPA Air Safety Institute Real Pilot Story to learn lessons from a nearly disastrous flight.  A VFR into IMC adventure!

05/17/2020  Aircraft Tailplane Stalls - ARTICLE - If you ever have one, its likely you've encountered in-flight icing, and you may have a whole 'nuther set of problems. "One of the keys to understanding tailplane stalls and the appropriate recovery method is to understand what the horizontal tail of a conventional airplane (i.e., one without a forward-mounted lifting surface known as a canard) does: It exists to counter the airplane’s natural tendency to nose down, thanks to its center of gravity being forward of the center of lift. It does so by exerting a lifting force opposite that of the wing." - From Aviation Safety Magazine. Read the Explanation Here.

05/17/2020   LATEST NEWS: CORONAVIRUS IMPACT ON GA From AOPA  MAY 15 UPDATE - Click Here.

05/17/2020  ATC Zero Events During the Pandemic - Prepare for the possibility of an ATC Zero event on your next flight with this safety notice. "The Issue: During this time of national emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, air traffic control remains a critical service to ensure safe and efficient operations. However, the virus is also affecting ATC personnel, which has resulted in reduced staffing and even required some facilities to have unplanned closures (ATC zero)." "... several busy airports have been affected by tower closures, including Chicago Midway International Airport, McCarran International Airport, and John Wayne Airport-Orange County. In addition, the New York and Indianapolis air route traffic control centers have been impacted, among others."   Read the ASI Safety Notice Here.

05/17/2020   Guide to cleaning your books and pilot supplies released -  PDF - In light of the safety issues surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, ASA has prepared a document outlining how to clean and disinfect books and pilot supplies. - The free ASA InFO (Information for Operators) document provides recommendations for the HS-1A AirClassics Headset, CX-3 Flight Computer, Flight Timer 2, and all ASA books, E6-B Flight Computers, plotters, and The Standard series logbooks.  See it Here

05/17/2020   REMINDER:  Visit the FAA  "FLY SAFE"  Series for ADRESSING GA SAFETY.  "This month (May) we focus on the importance and use of safety locking devices" - FAA.   Click Here for program options.

05/17/2020  U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Appoints Industry Leaders to Women in Aviation Advisory Board - FAA PR RELEASE - Former U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson Appointed as Chair

WASHINGTON – May 15, 2020 – U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao today announced the appointment of 30 board members to the newly-formed Women in Aviation Advisory Board (WIAAB). Former U.S. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson will serve as chair of the board.

“The Department welcomes Dr. Heather Wilson and these accomplished advisory board members, who share a commitment and passion for encouraging women to access opportunities in aviation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.

Dr. Wilson is the President of The University of Texas at El Paso, one of the top 5% of research universities and one of the nation’s leading Hispanic-serving institutions. She previously served as the 24th Secretary of the Air Force and represented New Mexico in the U.S. Congress for a decade. She graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in the third class to include women and earned her master’s and doctoral degrees as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University in England. Wilson is an instrument-rated private pilot and aircraft owner.

“Women are underrepresented in aviation and I look forward to working with Secretary Chao, the FAA, and the advisory board to develop strategies that will encourage more women to consider careers in the aviation industry,” Dr. Wilson said.

The WIAAB was established on October 3, 2019, under the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The purpose of the WIAAB is to develop strategies and recommendations that would encourage women and girls to enter the field of aviation. The WIAAB will assess education, training, mentorship, outreach, and recruitment of women in the aviation industry.

Board members represent a diverse range of backgrounds and expertise, including those from major airlines and aerospace companies, nonprofit organizations within the aviation industry, aviation and engineering business associations, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, and institutions of higher education and aviation trade schools. A full list of appointees and their biographies is available here.

“From Secretary Chao to the several women on my senior leadership team, and the more than 10,000 women in the FAA, we see the professionalism and contributions that make our aviation industry the gold standard for the world every day,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “We salute the WIAAB’s new board members for their commitment to illuminate this career path for more women.”

A Federal Register Notice to solicit nominations for candidates to serve on the Board was published on October 8, 2019, and closed October 29, 2019.  Nearly 200 competitive applicant packages were submitted for consideration.

Members will be appointed to the WIAAB for the duration of its existence, which is anticipated to be a minimum of 2 years, and will meet up to two times per year to carry out its duties.

 

05/16/2020   Restricted Areas: What You Should Know, And How To Operate Around Them - ARTICLE - From Boldmethod - by Swayne Martin - "Did you know there are approximately 500 restricted areas in the skies over the USA? Here's what you need to know before your next flight..."  Step by step clarification regarding restricted Areas, how they are depicted on a chart, and how to get information regarding them.  Read the story here.

05/16/2020   "Getting In When Radar is Out (and other Unexpected Scenarios)" - ARTICLE - From AOPA - "What operating rules apply to VFR flights in controlled airspace when the controlling air traffic facility has an unscheduled shutdown?"  By Dan Namowitz - Read it Here.

05/14/2020   Pandemic Prompts Big Changes for Business Aviation - ARTICLE - From AINonline - "The aviation world has changed considerably as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing business aircraft operators and flight departments to question common practices and what were, until just a few months ago, considered certainties in the industry. Decreasing passenger loads and varying regulatory demands have contributed to a worldwide decline in flights in all aviation sectors, but for those business aviation operators still flying or about to resume operations, “there is no such thing as a routine trip anymore,” said Adam Hartley, manager of global regulatory services with Universal Weather and Aviation." Read The  Full Story

05/14/2020   Nation’s Largest General Aviation Airports Display Resiliency, Prepare for Future - ARTICLE - From NBAA - "The COVID-19 pandemic devastated traffic counts at the nation’s largest airports used by business aircraft, however, all airports remain staffed and operational throughout the crisis, with some encouraging signs traffic has started to rebound. Overall flight operations at L.G. Hanscom Field (BED) in Bedford, MA dropped 75% in April compared to the same month in 2019. “Our May operations are down 65% so far, which puts us down around 24% for the year so far,” said Sharon Williams, BED airport director. Traffic impacts across the country vary due to different state restrictions. For example, California and Florida did not restrict flight training to the same extent as Colorado, which helped maintain light aircraft counts up for those airports. However, jet operations remained down across the board." Read the Full Story Here

05/13/2020   Eight Tech Companies Tasked with Developing UAS Remote ID Technologies - ARTICLE - From NBAA - Airbus and Amazon are among the eight companies tasked with assisting the FAA in establishing remote identification (RID) requirements to provide identification and location information for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), the agency recently announced.  Read the story Here.

05/13/2020  WINGS SPECIAL TOPICS OF THE QUARTER - PDF - Check out the WINGS Topic of the Quarter checklist at this link: https://faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/libview_normal.aspx?id=190751

05/13/2020   RADIO JITTERS?  - PDF - Do you get nervous or intimidated when talking on the radio or with air traffic control? Don’t worry. You’re not alone. The May/June 2020 issue of FAA Safety Briefing focuses on the importance of proper communication in aviation and its critical role in furthering safety. Feature articles include a refresher on the basics of good "aviation" grammar, how to use correct phraseology to avoid confusion or misunderstandings, and how to best leverage technology and equipment to improve your communication skills. Read the article, “No-Go on the Radio” at https://medium.com/@FAASTeam/no-go-on-the-radio-394c540ca164 for a list of what not to say, and the corresponding rules for radio righteousness. Check out the entire issue at www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing.

05/13/2020   STAYING STABLE - PDF - VIDEO - A stabilized approach is one in which the pilot establishes and maintains a constant angle glide path towards a predetermined point on the landing runway. In addition to helping you achieve buttery-smooth landings, maintaining a stabilized approach is also a great way to avoid loss of control during the landing phase of your flight. To learn more, download our #FlySafe fact sheet here http://bit.ly/2NEUROF and watch our "57 Seconds to Safer Flying" video https://youtu.be/sSnuzXhEf6s?list=PL5vHkqHi51DQdF_PXKQT7uJUPd4UzlxNS.

05/13/2020   FAA Posts Draft EA for South-Central Florida Metroplex  - PDF - "The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has posted the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the South-Central Florida Metroplex project, the agency’s plan to modernize air traffic procedures for four major air carrier airports and 17 additional airports in the southern half of the state. - A 60-day public comment period for the Draft EA begins today and ends on July 10, 2020. The agency expects to issue an environmental determination in September 2020, after it considers and reviews all substantive comments received during the comment period. The public can review the Draft EA and submit comments on this page.

The FAA will hold 12 virtual public workshops on the Draft EA during the first two weeks of June. Residents can view the schedule and register to attend a virtual workshop at Community Involvement South Central Florida.

5/13/2020    GPS Interference Issue Back on the Table - ARTICLE - From AINonline  -  "A coalition of industries that rely on GPS is concerned that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) approval of Ligado Networks' telecommunications system will risk interference with GPS signals. Ligado is the new company formed after LightSquared’s bankruptcy in 2012, and it took over LightSquared’s L-band network. Ligado does not agree that there is any risk of GPS interference in the range of frequencies covered by its FCC license."  Read the full story Here

The coalition’s issues are summarized in a submission to a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing held on May 6, “Department of Defense Spectrum Policy and the Impact of the FCC's Ligado Decision on National Security.” The issues include ignoring national security, risking public safety, economic impact, and outsourcing enforcement of GPS interference issues to Ligado.

5/13/2020   URGENT: READ THIS BEFORE FLYING! - USE CAUTION BEFORE FLYING DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC - ARTICLE- From AOPA - "Has your medical certificate, flight review, or instrument currency expired? If so, read this to determine whether you can fly.  -  The FAA’s 94-page special federal aviation regulation on flying during the coronavirus pandemic is complicated, and pilots need to read it carefully to determine what does and does not apply to their individual situations."  You can read the article Here.