Number 04 – 18 January 2024

“The one absolute certain way to bring this nation to ruin … would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities.” Theodore Roosevelt

Lockheed S-3B Viking

(Information from Wikipedia)

The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a four-crew, twin-engine turbofan-powered jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Corporation. Because of its characteristic sound, it was nicknamed the ‘War Hoover’ after the vacuum cleaner brand. The S-3 was developed in response to the VSX programme conducted by the US Navy (USN) to procure a successor anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft to the Grumman S-2 Tracker. It was designed, with assistance from Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV), to be a carrier-based, subsonic, all-weather, long-range, multi-mission aircraft.

On 21 January 1972, the prototype YS-3A performed the type’s maiden flight. Upon entering regular service during February 1974, it proved to be a reliable workhorse. In the ASW role, the S-3 carried automated weapons and in-flight refuelling gear. Further variants, such as the ES-3A Shadow carrier-based electronic intelligence (ELINT) platform and the US-3A carrier-based utility and cargo transport, arrived during the 1980s and 1990s. In the late 1990s, the S-3B’s mission focus shifted to surface warfare and aerial refuelling a carrier battle group. It saw combat during the Gulf War of the early 1990s, the Yugoslav Wars of the mid-to-late 1990s and the War in Afghanistan during the 2000s.

The S-3 was removed from front-line fleet service aboard aircraft carriers in January 2009, its missions having been taken over by the P-3C Orion, P-8 Poseidon, SH-60 Seahawk and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. For more than a decade after that, some S-3s were flown by Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Thirty (VX-30) at Naval Base Ventura County / NAS Point Mugu, California, for range clearance and surveillance operations at the NAVAIR Point Mugu Range. These final examples in US Navy service were retired in early 2016. The last operational S-3 was used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at its Glenn Research Center until NASA retired it in mid-2021. Most retired S-3s were placed into storage while options for their future were investigated. During the 2010s, Lockheed Martin proposed to refurbish them for carrier onboard delivery. The Republic of Korea Navy also had plans to operate revived S-3s for ASW. However, these plans were cancelled in 2017.

Picture details: This picture was taken by Athol Franz at one of the AirVenture, Oshkosh airshows on 28 July 2018 using his Canon EOS 1D Mk4 fitted with a Canon 100 to 400 image stabilised lens. Focal length 260mm, 1/320 sec, ISO 200 at f/7.1.

Those persons who correctly identified this week’s mystery aircraft:

Rennie van Zyl, Andre Visser, Alex Wagner, Righardt du Plessis, Brian Ross, Wouter van der Waal, Kevin Farr, Charlie Hugo, Ari Levien, Hilton Carroll, Johan Prinsloo, Bruce Prescott, P. Rossouw, Colin Austen, Selwyn Kimber, Peter Gilbert, Clint Futter, Rahul Vala, Craig Brent, Adrian Maree, Gavin Phelps, Steve Dewsbery, Anne Doig, Piet Steyn, Randal Kennerley, Andre Breytenbach, Erwin Stam, Jack van Jaarsveld, Ahmed Bassa, Jan Sime, Nic Manthopoulos, Jeffrey Knickelbein, Johan Venter, Danie Viljoen, Rex Tweedie, Tom Agin, Pierre Brittz, John Skinner, John Moen, Brian Melmoth, Jeremy Rorich, Bruce Margolius, Sam Basch, Geoff Timms, Dave Lloyd, (45). Very good this week!

1910 Wright Brothers reproduction flying machines for sale

This week my attention was drawn to a Wright Brother historic collection of early 1900s aircraft for sale presented by AccessAerospace in the United States . The illustrated aircraft is the one that Orville Wright took to Montgomery, Alabama, in the late winter of 1910 to use as a trainer in the first US civilian flying school. Later it was flown by the Wright exhibition team across the United States.

Other listings by this seller: 1909 Wright Military Flyer, 1911 Burgess-Wright Model F, 1903 Kitty Hawk Flyer, 1902 Wright Glider, 1911 Wright EX ‘Vin Fiz’, 1911 Model B, 1911 Kitty Hawk glider. Selling as a collection but will sell individually! Any serious collectors out there?

ATNS takes over air traffic management of Grand Central Airport

The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) has taken over the provision of air traffic services at the Grand Central Airport located in Midrand, Gauteng. The takeover comes after ATNS was awarded the service contract, which was complimented by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) with a Certificate of Unit Approval on Monday, 15 January 2024. The Unit Approval Certificate enables ATNS to start aerodrome control services as per the SACAA and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and regulations.

The Grand Central Airport contract award follows another contract recently renewed for the provision of air traffic services at Wonderboom National Airport, less than six months ago. ATNS is currently the leading provider of air traffic management service delivery and training, as well as in the deployment of state-of-the-art communication, navigation, surveillance infrastructure in South Africa. The company supplies air traffic and navigation management services to nine Company South Africa (ACSA) airports and 12 Regional Airports in the country. ATNS also has a footprint in 25 other states across the African continent, including the St Helena Airport.

20 January
SAC Gauteng Regionals at Heidelberg airfield
Contact Natalie Stark E-mail: natalie@stark.co.za

20 January
Swellendam breakfast fly-in
Contact Jill 076 051 6633 or Werner 082 330 7333

Tanzania orders C-27J Spartans

On 9 January a signing ceremony between Leonardo and the Tanzanian Ministry of Defence it was announced that Tanzania has ordered two C-27J Spartan transport aircraft from Italy’s Leonardo, becoming the fifth African customer for the aircraft after Chad, Kenya, Morocco and Zambia. According to information the aircraft will be used primarily for civil support duties, since the aircraft will be equipped with kits for humanitarian, search and rescue and firefighting missions. One of their roles will be for firefighting operations on Mount Kilimanjaro and in the East African region. The C-27Js will be operated by the Tanzanian Air Force’s Transport Squadron at Dar Es-Salaam / Julius Nyerere air base, which flies two Shaanxi Y-8s, two Harbin Y-12s and two Cessna 402s. Neither the delivery date nor the contract value for the new aircraft was revealed.

The Spartan offers the ability to carry up to 60 troops in high density configuration and a maximum of 46 paratroopers. In the medical role 36 stretchers and six attendants can be carried. Normal payload is 9 000 kg for the C-27J, although maximum payload is around 11 tons. Leonardo recently revealed the C-27J Next Generation (NG), which includes new cockpit displays, weather radar, modern navigation, and communications equipment, as well as aerodynamic improvements, including winglets.

The C-27J can be provided with in-flight refuelling, self-protection, secure communications and ballistic protection systems to operate in high-threat environments. With multiple roll-on / roll-off mission kits easily installed and transportable roll-on / roll-off mission systems, the C-27J can be quickly reconfigured. A wide spectrum of mission configuration / versions also include firefighting, Maritime Patrol, Command-Control-Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C3ISR) as well as special operations versions.

Ethiopia acquires Su-30 fighters and Akinci UAVs

The Ethiopian Air Force (EAF) has acquired Akinci unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Turkey and Sukhoi Su-30K combat aircraft from Russia as it continues to modernise its air force. The Ethiopian National Defence Force said the Su-30K aircraft were introduced into service during a ceremony on Tuesday 16 January. Chief of General Staff, Field Marshal Birhanu Jula, said that acquiring the Su-30s and UAVs is crucial to preventing attacks on Ethiopia. He added that efforts to build a capable air force will continue.

Two Su-30Ks (2401 and 2402) were seen during the induction ceremony. It is believed that these are part of a batch of 18 (ten Su-30MK and eight Su-30K fighters) manufactured for the Indian Air Force and delivered between 1997 and 1999. These were subsequently returned to Russia in 2007 and replaced by more modern Su-30MKI models. In 2011, the 18 Su-30Ks were transported to the 558th aircraft repair plant in Baranovichi, Belarus, where they were stored for the purpose of further resale. In 2013, Angola acquired 12 Su-30Ks for delivery between 2017 to 2019. These were upgraded to Su-30SM standard, giving them the ability to fire anti-ship and air-to-air missiles. It is understood that Ethiopia has acquired the six remaining Su-30Ks, with deliveries of the last four still to come.

Meanwhile the Baykar Bayraktar Akinci UAVs were first observed in November 2023. Video footage of Bayraktar TB3 UAV flight testing in Turkey showed an Akinci with the tail number S40 wearing an Ethiopian flag. It is unclear how many Akincis Ethiopia has acquired. Based on the video, it appears Ethiopia’s Akincis are in A model configuration with two 450 hp engines. The Akinci can reach an altitude of 36 100 Feet (11 000 m) and has a 25-hour endurance. It can be armed with a variety of weapons and the Ethiopian aircraft have been seen with underwing MAM-L missiles manufactured by Roketsan.

Since 2021, Ethiopia has operated Bayraktar TB2S UAVs, with at least four deployed at Bahir Dar and Harar Meda Air Bases. These have been used against the Tigray People’s Liberation Forces, along with Wing Loong and Qods Mohajer-6 UAVs acquired from China and Iran respectively. It is likely the new Akinci UAVs will also be used in combat.

BA pilot kidnapped, robbed and tortured in South Africa

During a layover in Johannesburg, a British Airways pilot was abducted, assaulted and robbed by thieves. The first officer was apparently the victim of a scam when a woman asked him to help carry her bags to her car outside of a supermarket. Upon reaching the vehicle, several men pushed him inside the car and drove him to a remote location where he was allegedly tortured for hours until surrendering ‘thousands of pounds.’ Due to his injuries, the unnamed pilot was unable to fly the aircraft back to London and a replacement was brought in. This was the second attack of a British Airways employee in the last six months. Another pilot was stabbed in the leg while on a run and held at gunpoint in 2023. The US Department of State issued a Level 2 advisory for individuals traveling to South Africa, urging tourists to exercise extreme caution due to prevalent violent crime in the area.

US and UK air strikes ‘a number of’ Houthi targets in Yemen

“These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes,” President Joe Biden said. On Friday 12 January military forces of the United States and the United Kingdom launched strikes against ‘a number of targets’ in Yemen that the Biden administration said were ‘used by Houthi rebels.’ “These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea, including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement. “These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes.”

Biden said the strikes were conducted “together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands” and were ‘successful,’ but offered no further details. In a separate statement, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the strikes “targeted the Houthis’ unmanned aerial vehicle, uncrewed surface vessel, land-attack cruise missile and costal radar and air surveillance capabilities.”

A senior military official told reporters tonight the strikes were carried out by a ‘variety of manned aircraft’ from the US Air Force and Navy and some fighter jets from Britain and used ‘precision’ munitions to minimise collateral damage. That official and a senior administration official, declined to say what role the other nations played in the operation. “This was a significant action and conducted with every objective and every expectation it will degrade, in a significant way, the Houthi capability to launch exactly the sorts of attacks they have conducted over the recent weeks,” the senior administration official said.

Since Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, including the dramatic on-camera seizure of one vessel in November. The US Navy said it has knocked myriad of drones and missiles from the sky that were believed to be launched from Houthi-controlled territory. According to Biden, “more than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping. Crews from more than 20 countries have been threatened or taken hostage in acts of piracy.”

“Last week, together with 13 allies and partners, we issued an unequivocal warning that Houthi rebels would bear the consequences if their attacks did not cease and yesterday, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution demanding the Houthis end attacks on merchant and commercial vessels.” Biden said. On 9 January the Houthis launched a mass attack of some 20 drones and three missiles that was ‘defeated,’ according to the senior administration official. In late December, two former US military officials who served in senior positions in the Middle East and an analyst argued that the US needed to strike Houthi targets in Yemen to put a stop to the Red Sea scares. But the strikes also come amid longstanding fears that the conflict in Gaza would spiral into a regional war, presumably one reason the US has been hesitant to take such action against Houthi targets in Yemen, until now.

Ukraine says it has shot down Russian AWACS planes

Earlier this week the Ukrainian Air Force says it shot down two high value Russian aircraft and now controls the airspace over the southeastern area of the country. On X, the military said it had taken out an A-50 long range detection and control aircraft worth US$330 million and an Il-22 aerial control center worth about US$250 million. “I am grateful to the Air Force for the perfectly planned and executed operation in the Azov Sea region!” army chief Valeriy Zaluzhny said on the Telegram messaging app.

The military told media the Il-22 was downed just north of the Crimean peninsula and the A-50 was shot down near the Sea of Azov. “Minus the enemy long-range radar detection aircraft A-50 and the enemy’s control post IL-22,” the military said. “The Ukrainian Air Force is guarding the skies of Ukraine.” Ukraine did not offer any proof that it had shot the aircraft down but Russian military bloggers seemed to confirm it and its dire consequences for the Russians. “There are not many A-50s and the specialists operating them are generally rare. If an aircraft of this type is hit, the crew will not be able to escape.” said Rybar, an influential pro-Russian military blogger.

Hot Air balloon plunge kills four in the US

A hot air balloon plunged to the ground, killing four passengers and critically injuring a fifth, after eight skydivers jumped out, Arizona officials reported. The crash took place at 07h50 on Sunday 14 January in the desert near Eloy. Emergency crews found four people dead and one critically injured. The balloon crashed after eight skydivers had jumped off as planned, Mayor Micah Powell of Eloy told CNN. “It is important to clarify that the skydiving was intentional and was successfully completed by all skydivers before any issues with the hot air balloon were evident,” police said. The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation One of those killed was Cornelius Van Der Walt (37) of Eloy, who was the pilot. Valerie Stutterheim (23) of Scottsdale, Arizona, remains in critical condition. The balloon was operated by Droplyne Hot Air Balloon Rides, founded by Van Der Walt in 2017. The company offered balloon rides in Eloy and Moab, Utah, depending on the season.

IATA: Passenger air travel reaches 99% of 2019 levels as recovery continues

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for November 2023 air travel performance indicating that air travel demand topped 99% of 2019 levels. Total traffic in November 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 29.7% compared to November 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 99.1% of November 2019 levels. International traffic rose 26.4% versus November 2022. The Asia-Pacific region continued to report the strongest year-over-year results (+63.8%) with all regions showing improvement compared to the prior year. November 2023 international RPKs reached 94.5% of November 2019 levels. Domestic traffic for November 2023 was up 34.8% compared to November 2022. Total November 2023 domestic traffic was 6.7% above the November 2019 level. Growth was particularly strong in China (+272%) as it recovered from the COVID travel restrictions that were still in place a year ago. US domestic travel, benefitting from strong Thanksgiving holidays demand, reached a new high, expanding +9.1% over November 2019.

“We are moving ever closer to surpassing the 2019 peak year for air travel. Economic headwinds are not deterring people from taking to the skies. International travel remains 5.5% below pre-pandemic levels but that gap is rapidly closing. And domestic markets have been above their pre-pandemic levels continuously since April,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general.

“Aviation’s rapid recovery from COVID demonstrates just how important flying is to people and to businesses. In parallel to aviation’s recovery, governments recognised the urgency of transitioning from jet fuel to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for aviation’s decarbonisation. The Third Conference on Aviation Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) in November saw governments agree that we should see 5% carbon savings by 2030 from SAF. This was followed up at COP28 in December where governments agreed that we need a broad transition from fossil fuels to avoid the worst effects of climate change.  Airlines don’t need convincing. They agreed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and every drop of SAF ever made in that effort has been bought and used. There simply is not enough SAF being produced. So we look to 2024 to be the year when governments follow-up on their own declarations and finally deliver comprehensive policy measures to incentivize the rapid scaling-up of SAF production,” said Walsh.

Airbus eclipsed Boeing with deliveries and orders in 2023

On Thursday11 January, Airbus announced it secured 2,094 aircraft orders in 2023, a record-breaking year for the European aircraft manufacturer. According to a company press release, 735 commercial aircraft were delivered globally last year, an 11% increase from 2022. In addition, its current order backlog now stands at an impressive 8,598.  “We originally anticipated aviation to recover sometime in the 2023-2025 timeframe, but what we saw in 2023 was, alongside the single-aisle market, widebody return much sooner than expected, and with vigour,” said Airbus CEO of Commercial Aircraft Christian Scherer. Last year’s record sales highlight a strong recovery for the manufacturer, which has maintained the top manufacturing spot for five consecutive years, according to a Reuters report. “We have never sold as many A320s or A350s in any given year, not to mention welcoming seven new customers for the A350-1000. Travel is back and there is serious momentum!”, Scherer said.

Meanwhile, rival Boeing continues to deal with a spate of production issues and is currently facing scrutiny over an incident involving loose bolts with its fleet of MAX 9 aircraft. Boeing said it had delivered 528 aircraft last year and secured more than 1,300 net new orders after allowing for cancellations.

FAA to audit Boeing Max 9 production

The FAA is taking ‘new and significant actions’ to immediately increase its oversight of Boeing production and manufacturing in reaction to the 5 January incident in which a 737 Max 9 lost a passenger door plug while in flight. This notification today comes one day after the FAA formally notified the manufacturer that it has launched an investigation into the company’s compliance with requirements outlined in Part 21 regulations. The actions include an audit involving the 737 Max 9 production line and its suppliers to evaluate Boeing’s compliance with its approved quality procedures. The results of the FAA’s audit analysis will determine the necessity of more audits. Further actions include increased monitoring of Boeing 737 Max 9 in-service events and an assessment of safety risks around delegated authority and quality oversight, including an examination of options to move the functions to independent third-party entities.

Thursday’s letter to Boeing notified that the agency launched an investigation to determine whether Boeing failed to ensure that completed products conform to their approved design and were in a condition for safe operation. The agency also noted that operators had notified it of ‘discrepancies’ in other Max 9s. On 8 January Boeing sent the FAA proposed inspection instructions for operators, but the agency rejected it. The FAA gave Boeing 10 days to issue a new set of instructions.

NASA and Lockheed Martin unveil completed X-59

On Friday 12 January, NASA and Lockheed Martin displayed the X-59 QueSST (Quiet SuperSonic Technology), the agency’s latest X aircraft designed to break the sound barrier without generating a sonic boom. The aircraft was shown off at a ceremony hosted by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works at its Palmdale, California, research facility. According to NASA, the X-59 QueSST is integral to its Low Boom Flight Demonstration project, which gathers data for informing regulations on potential commercial supersonic flight over land. The initiative comes five decades after the FAA banned such flights due to the disruptive noise caused by sonic booms.

NASA says the aircraft is expected to fly at 1.4 times the speed of sound, or 925 mph. Because of its shape and technological innovations (the aircraft is 99.7 feet long and 29.5 feet wide), NASA expects quiet supersonic flight to be possible. “In just a few short years we have gone from an ambitious concept to reality. NASA’s X-59 will help change the way we travel, bringing us closer together in much less time,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy in a press release. NASA says the X-59 QueSST is set to make its first flight later this year.

US Air Force officer wins Miss America

A 22-year-old Air Force officer who may become an Air Force pilot has become the first active-duty member to win the Miss America pageant. 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, Miss Colorado, earned the national title on Sunday in Orlando and drew heavily on her private pilot training and four years at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to win the competition. She has been selected for pilot training but is currently enrolled in public policy studies at the Harvard Kennedy School. For the talent portion of the competition she did a spoken word presentation on achieving here private pilot certificate when she was 16. As one of the Air Force Academy’s pilot candidates, she got a familiarization flight in an F-16 and an Air Force camera crew was there to capture it. The flying footage from the Air Force video has been widely used in mainstream media and she’s been inaccurately described as an Air Force pilot and a fighter pilot.

Airbus opens new ZEROe Development Centre (ZEDC)

Airbus is opening a ZEROe Development Centre (ZEDC) for hydrogen technologies. Airbus is strengthening its presence in Germany with the opening of a ZEROe Development Centre (ZEDC) for hydrogen technologies at its Stade site. The centre will accelerate the development of composite hydrogen-system technologies for storing and distributing cryogenic liquid hydrogen.

Airbus has long been a pioneer in composite technologies in Germany, both in materials and manufacturing processes. A priority for the Stade ZEDC is the development of cost-competitive lightweight Hydrogen systems (e.g. cryogenic Hydrogen tank) in composites. The technology development will cover the product and industrial capabilities from elementary parts, assembly and the manufacturing-related testing of the liquid hydrogen (LH2) composite tanks. The tank development is coordinated with the other Airbus national entities.

The ZEDC in Stade is supported by public funding (e.g. LuFo, Lower Saxony funding and others) and will also be linked to the planned Innovation and Technology Centre Hydrogen (ITZ) in Northern Germany to realise the potential of hydrogen technology and contribute to the decarbonisation of the aviation industry. The ZEDC Stade is part of a network of development centres for technologies to decarbonise the aerospace industry. It will complement the other activities from Airbus sites in Bremen (Germany), Nantes (France), Madrid (Spain) and Filton (UK) to get a hydrogen powered aircraft in the sky by 2035.

Blended-wing aircraft developer JetZero moving into old Gulfstream space in Long Beach

The airport celebrated in a social media post on Thursday 11 January with the announcement that JetZero, a developer of blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft for potential commercial and military use, will take over space on its grounds once occupied by Gulfstream Aerospace. The Long Beach Business Journal reports that JetZero, which was founded in the area, will move into about 275,000 square feet of hangar and office space. After more than three decades, Gulfstream pulled much of its presence from the airport, leaving city leaders ‘blindsided.’

In April, JetZero unveiled its concept aircraft, which it says will be able to operate completely on SAF, cut fuel consumption in half and will able to be adapted to fly on future fuels such as liquid hydrogen.

The company is working with Northrop Grumman, maker of the B-21 Raider, to develop and produce a full-scale demonstrator for the Air Force’s BWB competition. In July 2023, the Air Force awarded JetZero a $235 million award that the company says will lead to the first flight of a full-scale demonstrator by the first quarter of 2027. It would then take flight for testing sometime shortly after.

Replacing the traditional tube fuselage of an aircraft with a triangularly shaped wedge model, JetZero says its unique cabin layout will provide commercial operators with more aisles and more bin space with a dedicated place for every passenger’s carry-on bag. “We are delighted that JetZero has chosen to expand their operations right here, building on our long legacy of innovation in the aviation industry,” the Long Beach Airport posted on its Facebook account. “This is exciting news for both our local economy and the future of sustainability in flight.”

Vickers flip-proof amphib completes flight testing

A New Zealand company says it has solved one of the biggest safety issues affecting amphibious aircraft operations. Paul Vickers, president of Vickers Aircraft said the WAVE pusher amphib will not flip if the pilot forgets to raise the landing gear before a water landing. Vickers declined to discuss the flip-proof design in detail for proprietary reasons but said it is among a host of innovations included in the plane, which he said recently completed flight testing. “The WAVE performed exceptionally well, so well in fact that we believe we may have achieved a world-first, a 100% score, passing all criteria and requiring zero changes,” Vickers said. “Meaning the prototype is perfect and can enter production, first components are underway.”

Vickers said manufacturing of the first three production models of the plane has begun in New Zealand and the initial output will be about 35 aircraft per year. However, he said the plan is to move production to the US to take advantage of the new MOSAIC rules for Light Sport aircraft. He said most of the company investors are from the US and the principal market for the plane will be in North America so it makes sense to build it in the US, likely in one of the southern states.

Meanwhile, after 14 years of development, Vickers said his company has created a versatile, relatively fast (120 knots cruise) aircraft that is easy to fly and durable in all environments, including ocean operations. “This is not a toy aircraft,” he said. “It’s a solid workhorse aircraft that’s really tough.” He said it will be offered as a base aircraft with a Rotax 916 IS engine. Extra cost options include folding wings, a reversible prop and electric hull thrusters for enhanced water handling. Vickers, whose background is in boat manufacturing, said the plane incorporates materials and processes that improve manufacturing efficiency and make the aircraft more durable. For instance, the fuselage is a single piece and includes hinges and other fixtures right out of the mould.

GAMA says it supports four-place aircraft in MOSAIC

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) says it will support the expansion of Light Sport pilot privileges to include four-seat aircraft and will also endorse an increase in ‘the size, performance and scope’ of the aircraft covered by the Modernisation of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). GAMA will send its comments before the 22 January deadline, as will all other aviation groups and EAA has published a guide for members who wish to support its suggestions for the new rule, which it says will boost recreational aviation and benefit the flight training industry. EAA is urging the FAA to, among other things, allow Sport Pilot certificate holders to ‘fill the seats’ of aircraft with up to four seats and to increase the clean stall speed of eligible aircraft from 54 knots to 57 knots to capture a much wider range of existing types.

Top performers committing to EAA AirVenture 2024 airshows

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 will include some of the top air show performers in the world. The EAA shared some of the performers coming to the 71st fly-in convention this summer, including incredible aerobatic champions and longtime favourites. The annual convention, scheduled for 22 to 28 July at the Wittman Regional Airport, includes nine airshows over seven days. The week even features two-night airshows, on July 24 and 27. The afternoon airshows are presented by Daher and Pratt & Whitney and the night airshows are presented by Covington Aircraft and PenFed.

Among the performers and aircraft already on the schedule include:

• Vicky Benzing (P-51)
• Bob Carlton (Jetfox twin-engine sailplane)
• Class of ’45 (Corsair/P-51)
• Susan Dacy (Stearman)
• Kyle Fowler (Long-EZ)
• Kyle Franklin (Super Cub)
• Michael Goulian (Extra)
• RJ Gritter (Decathlon)
• Greg Koontz (Decathlon)
• Nathan Hammond (Super Chipmunk)
• Rob Holland (MXS-RH)
• Jerry Kerby (T-28)
• Lee Lauderback (P-51)
• Jarrod Lindemann (Jet Waco)
• David Martin
• Jim Peitz (F-33 Bonanza)
• Red Bull Air Force (Kirby Chambliss, Kevin Coleman, Aaron Fitzgerald)
• Ken Reider (RV-8)
• Bill Stein (Edge 540)
• Philipp Steinbach (GB1 Gamebird)
• Skip Stewart (Prometheus 2)
• Titan Aerobatic Team (T-6s)
• Scott Urschel (BO-105 helicopter)
• Bernie Vasquez
• Patty Wagstaff (Extra 330SC)
• Matt Younkin (Beech 18)

The exact days of performances and complete airshow lineups will be announced as they are finalised. “Whether it is during the afternoon or night airshows at Oshkosh, the performers who fly here are headliners who are among the best in the world,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s VP of communities and member programmes. “The airshow community knows that the AirVenture crowds are the most knowledgeable anywhere and appreciate the skill and precision necessary to fly these aircraft to the edge. That brings out the best in these pilots and creates unforgettable memories every year at Oshkosh.”

Spanish government invests €5.4 million in Crisalion Mobility

Crisalion Mobility, formerly UMILES Next, a Spanish leader in the design and development of advanced electric mobility solutions, has been selected by CDTI Innovación (Centre for Technology Development and Innovation), under its Innvierte programme and by Cuyam (Grupo Valdemira) to receive a total investment of €5.4 million. CDTI Innovación is a Spanish public organisation which falls under Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and supports innovative projects in these areas, offering advice and public funding through subsidies and partially repayable financial support. On this occasion, Crisalion Mobility is one of the companies selected to receive capital.

This investment is a major milestone in Crisalion Mobility’s history, reflecting the Public Administration’s recognition of the company. The CDTI, through its Innvierte Economía Sostenible initiative, supports and facilitates financing for technology companies and CDTI Innovación aids the global expansion of R&D and innovation projects by Spanish companies and organisations. It also manages the participation of Spanish companies in global organisations such as Horizon Europe and Eureka and in the science and space industry. Crisalion Mobility, formerly UMILES Next, continues to roll out its development programme for air and ground mobility solutions that will transform the way people move.

BlueBull, an investment bank specialising in high-growth technology companies, is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Crisalion Mobility. The two are already working together on an upcoming €25 million Series B round.

Switzerland – more than 46,000 drone pilots gained certificate in 2023

On Thursday 11 January the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) announced that the implementation of the European drone regulation in Switzerland has thus been optimal. Switzerland has been applying the drone regulations of the European Union for a year now. Most remote pilots who wish to fly a drone must register and complete mandatory training. The authorisation procedures for certain types of operation have also been changed. According to FOCA, almost 70,000 people or companies have now registered on the corresponding platform.

It is still too early to measure the impact on air traffic safety. However, the aim is to continuously improve the safety level of Swiss airspace. FOCA therefore recommends that operators who do not require a certificate should at least complete the free online training course. This would allow them to familiarise themselves with the rules that apply to the use of drones. This year, FOCA wants to sensitise remote pilots to the importance of reporting safety-relevant incidents in air traffic. Like all other civil aviation stakeholders, they are obliged to do so.

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