Number 23 – 25 March 2024

“Aviation is poetry. It’s the finest kind of moving around, you know, just as poetry is the finest way of using words.” Jessie Redmon Fauset

Serious errors by the organisers of the Stellenbosch airshow

Apparently, the organisers did not want to engage Brian Emmenis of Capital Sounds to do the commentary, but only wanted to hire his equipment. At the end of the day, it was Brian that rescued the Stellenbosch airshow with his usual professional commentary when the so-called commentator the Stellenbosch committee engaged did not turn up. What a poor performance by the organisers and hopefully they have learned a serious lesson on how to treat people who are enthusiastic about these events. Fortunately, I have received reports that the show was excellent and most enjoyable. Thanks, Brian, for your enduring character because we all know you are the ‘master of the airwaves’ at aviation events and airshows not only in South Africa, but all over the world.

Vektor Aviation Insurance Conference

Stellenbosch Airshow 2024

by Charlie Hugo with pictures from Charlie and Fiona Hugo

Once again, the Stellenbosch Flying Club was host to one of the most picturesque airshows in South Africa. Located near the town of Stellenbosch with the beautiful mountains as a backdrop, this very popular airshow is one of the ‘do not mis’ events on the South African airshow calendar. This event is held over two days with the Friday taking place in the late afternoon until sunset. The late afternoon sun creates great lighting with the mountain backdrop. A trip from Gauteng to the airshow is well worthwhile as there are a number of aircraft that are specific to the area.

The Friday airshow culminated with the Flying Lions’ signature dusk show is set to the music of Il Silenzio. This was performed live by the Stellenbosch City Orchestra ensuring that this display is one to treasure. Once they had landed and shut down the orchestra entertained the crowd with a live performance covering many iconic movie themes, many of them aviation themes. This added a new level of elegance to an airshow. Unfortunately, due to overnight rain the weather on Saturday started off with mist, although this lifted by the official start but the day remained very overcast. This did not detract much from the show itself other than making the photographer’s job more challenging. A full report will be published in the April edition of African Pilot magazine.

April

6 April
Robertson annual fly-in breakfast Robertson airfield
Contact: Alwyn du Plessis. E-mail: boeredata@breede.co.za Cell: 083 270 5888

6 April
EAA Chapter 322 monthly gathering at the EAA Auditorium
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

6 April
SAPFA ANR National Championships – Brakpan airfield
Contact Iaan Myburgh E-mail: iaanmyburgh@gmail.com Cell: 082 449 2531

6 & 7 April
SAC Eastern Cape regionals Wings Park airfield
Contact Quintin Hawthorne E-mail: pak02496@pixie.co.za

17 to 20 April
AERO Friedrichshafen 30^th anniversary
Contact E-mail: info@fairnamic.com Website: www.fairnamic.com

20 April
EAA Chapter 322 fly-in breakfast to Airspan airfield
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

23 to 25 April
MRO Africa Conference incl. African Aviation Training Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Contact Nick Fadugba E-mail: nickfadugba@africanaviation.com www.mroafrica.com

27 April
Ekurhuleni East Flying Club fly-in breakfast at Springs airfield
Contact James E-mail secretary.eefc@gmail.com

27 April
Bill Harrop’s Dinosaur Derby night glow
Contact Jacquie Pastor Cell: 083 443 2662 E-mail: jacquie@balloon.co.za

27 April to 4 May
Gauteng Regional Gliding Championships at Magalies gliding Club
Contact Soaring Society of South Africa Website: www.glidercomps.co.za  

May

4 May
SAAF Museum airshow at AFB Zwartkops
Contact Lt. Gaelejwe OC Zwartkops Cell: 079 110 5855

4 May
EAA Chapter 322 monthly gathering at the EAA Auditorium 
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

11 May
Lowveld airshow at the Nelspruit airfield
Contact Willemien E-mail: willemein.hodgkinson@kishugu.com Cell: 079 499 5733

12 to 15 May
African Airlines Association 12^th stakeholders convention in Addis Ababa
Contact E-mail: events@afraa.org   

14 to 16 May
Airport Show with ATC Forum, Airport Security Middle East DWTC, Dubai
Contact Jamille del Mundo E-mail: jamm.delmundo@rxglobal.com

14 to 17 May
NAMPO Harvest Day Bothaville
Contact Wim Venter E-mail: wim@grainsa.co.za Tel: 086 004 7246

17 to 19 May
EAA Chapter 322 weekend fly-away to Pyramid airfield
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

18 May
Potchefstroom airshow
Contact E-mail: sally@creativespacemedia.co.za Tel: 011 467 3314

18 May
SAC Free State regionals at Tempe airfield
Contact Quintin Hawthorne E-mail: pak02496@pixie.co.za

21 to 23 May
Air Finance Africa Conference and Exhibition Sandton Convention Centre
Contact Nick Fadugba E-mail: nickfadugba@africanaviation.com

23 to 25 May
SAPFA President’s Trophy Air Race at Louis Trichardt civil airfield (FALO)
Contact David Le Roux E-mail: David@pilotinsure.co.za Cell: 073 338 5200
Contact Iaan Myburgh E-mail: race@sapfa.co.za  Cell: 082 449 2531

23 to 27 May
NAC fly-away to Magoebaskloof
Contact Agnes Phillips E-mail: agnes.phillips@nac.co.za Cell: 082 893 3399

25 May
Tempe airshow Bloemfontein
Contact Conrad Botha E-mail: rowco24cc@mailbox.co.za Cell 082 465 4045

June

1 June
Newcastle airshow
Contact Johan Pieters E-mail: Johan@champ.co.za Cell: 082 923 0078 

1 June
SAA Museum Society Specialised Tour limited to nine adults
Contact E-mail: events@saamuseum.co.za Cell: 076 879 5044

6 & 7 June
Drones and Unmanned Aviation Conference Emperors Palace Convention Centre
Contact Ms Maria Ndlovu E-mail: info@bussynet.co.za Tel: +27 11 074 7095

6 to 8 June
France Air Expo International General Aviation Show 
Lyon Bron Airport www.franceairexpo.com  

6 to 10 June
Zimbabwe Air Rally (50 years)
Contact E-mail: zimairrally@gmail.com Website: www.zimairrally.com 

7 to 9 June
Bona Bona annual fly-in
Booking details visit website  

8 June
EAA South Africa Young Eagles day Lanseria International Airport
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

15 June
Maputo airshow
Contact Gavin Neil E-mail: gavin@haps.co.mz

15 & 16 June
SAC Event KwaZulu Natal venue TBA
Contact Quintin Hawthorne E-mail: pak02496@pixie.co.za

20 June
Rand Airport Safety Symposium at the Harvard Cafe
Contact Dave le Roux PilotInsure E-mail: david@pilotinsure.co.za

28 to 30 June
EAA Taildraggers fly-in to Warmbaths airfield
Richard Nicholson E-mail: Richard.nicholson1963@gmail.com Cell: 082 490 6227

29 June
SAPFA Speed Rally at Warmbaths airfield
Contact David le Roux E-mail: david@pilotinsure.co.za  Cell: 073 338 5200 

29 June
Polokwane airshow at Gaal airport
Contact Robin Tapinos E-mail: airshow.polokwane@gmail.com Cell: 074 117 6384

IAI Astra crashes short of runway, killing 5

On Saturday, an IAI 1125 Astra SP jet (N1125A) crashed in rural Virginia, killing all five people on board. The jet was landing at the Ingalls Field Airport (HSP) but ran short of the runway, hitting trees and crashing into a nearby hillside, causing a bushfire. The Astra jet was flying from the Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) but its destination airport is unknown at the time of publication. Local CBS affiliate WDBJ reported that the pilot, copilot, two adults and one child were killed in the crash and police believe these five victims were the only occupants on the jet. Police told WDBJ that the jet landing at about 15h00 on Saturday when it landed short of the runway, hitting trees and crashing into the nearby hillside before bursting into flames and starting a brush fire. Emergency responders extinguished the flames shortly after. The NTSB is investigating the crash and a preliminary report can take two weeks to one month to be released. The New York Post reported that the five people killed included the CEO of Atlantis Flight Academy in Florida, Aldredo Diez and his wife Kseniia Snanina and their three-year-old son Nicholas. The pilot and copilot were identified as Claudio Colmenares and Gagan Reddy. A final report will take one to two years and include a probable cause if one can be determined.

Mil Mi-17Sh helicopter crash in Ghana

On Tuesday 19 March a 12-year-old Mil Mi-171Sh helicopter (tail number GHF 696) of the Ghanaian Air Force crashed near Bonsokrom, Ghana, which is in the west of the country, on the Atlantic coast.

The aircraft was conducting a pipeline survey with, quite remarkably 21 souls on board. They flew into poor weather, tried to perform a precautionary landing and rolled it up in a ball. Remarkably there were no serious injuries.

Delta Airbus A350 encounters flight control issue while landing in Los Angeles

A Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900 has reportedly faced control issues as it flew from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Although the flight landed safely, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is to investigate the incident, indicating that the nature of the issue was serious enough to warrant such a move. On 10 March 2024, Delta flight DL301 was flying from Atlanta-Hartsfield International Airport (ATL) headed for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), a routine daily flight that is scheduled to take four hours and 55 minutes. On the day of the incident, the flight was operated by one of the carrier’s 28-strong fleet of A350-900s (registered N505DN).  

The flight departed Atlanta at 21H19, almost five hours later than scheduled. As the flight approached the greater Los Angeles area, the crew prepared for a normal arrival using runway 25L at Los Angeles. However, while the aircraft was on its final approach, the crew reported a possible problem with the flight controls and requested vectors from air traffic controllers to enter a short holding pattern while they ran checklists and attempted to troubleshoot the control issue. The controller operating the tower frequency at Los Angeles subsequently cancelled the approach clearance and issued vectors for DL301 to enter the extended left downwind for runway 25L. The aircraft complied with the instruction and after one circuit, rejoined the final approach for runway 25L once more. The aircraft eventually made a safe landing on runway 25L at the normal speed at 22H53 local time.  

Following this incident, the FAA released a statement saying that it would be conducting a full investigation into the incident. “Delta Air Lines Flight 301 landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport around 10H30 local time on Sunday, 10 March 2024, after the crew reported a possible flight control issue. The A

FAA EAD 2024-05-51

FAA orders inspection of inspections of certain General Electric Model CT7 engines

FAA have ordered a phase array ultrasonic inspection of the torque reference tube magnetic insert braze joint of the power turbine drive shaft assembly for inadequate braze coverage and repair or replacement of the power turbine drive shaft assembly if necessary. The measure was prompted by at least four reports of failures of the torque reference tube magnetic insert braze joint of the power turbine drive shaft assembly within the last several months. The FAA considers this AD to be an interim action. The manufacturer is currently investigating the root cause of the unsafe condition identified in this AD.

Affected engines must do a phase array ultrasonic inspection in accordance with CT7-2E1 S/B 72-A0034, or CT7-8 S/B 72-A0118 before further flight.  FAA says that If during any inspection required any braze coverage of the torque reference tube magnetic insert braze joint is found to be less than 42 percent, before further flight, repair or replace the power turbine drive shaft assembly. Since the issuance of AD 2024-05-51, the FAA determined that PT drive shaft assembly P/N 5125T92G01 was inadvertently omitted from the applicability. Therefore, the FAA is superseding AD 2024-05-51 to revise the applicability to include engines with PT drive shaft assembly P/N 5125T92G01 installed.

Boom announces the successful flight of XB-1 demonstrator aircraft

On 22 March Boom announced the successful flight of XB-1, the world’s first independently developed supersonic jet, at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. Like Overture, Boom’s supersonic airliner, XB-1 leverages state-of-the-art technologies to enable efficient supersonic flight including carbon fibre composites, advanced avionics, digitally optimised aerodynamics and an advanced supersonic propulsion system. More on this story in the April edition of Future Flight.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON2_9XFjKl4

United tells Boeing to swap 737 MAX 10 build for MAX 9s; A321 talks confirmed

Boeing has been instructed by United Airlines to build more 737 MAX 9 aircraft for the carrier, rather than focus on the MAX 10, which is yet to be certified. The move comes as type certification of the MAX 10 looks increasingly unlikely to happen within the next couple of years, with Boeing’s production ambitions hampered by the Alaska Airlines door plug blowout and subsequent resulting investigations. United has an outstanding order for 277 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft, plus another 200 options.

The United CEO also appeared to confirm rumours that the airline is looking to the Airbus A321 as a possible alternative to some of the MAX 10s it has on order. “We are in the market for A321s and if we get a deal where the economics work, we will do something. According to Bloomberg, once the MAX 10 receives certification, United will switch back to the larger family aircraft variant. Despite Kirby’s recent criticism of Boeing, he believes that the plane maker should take this time to get its house in order, even if it results in delays to aircraft production. “This is not a 12-month issue, this is a two-decade issue,” Kirby said, adding: “I would rather Boeing do what they need to do and they are now.”

‘Boeing’s drive to ramp up production of some aircraft has been restricted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following the Alaska Airlines incident on 5 January 2024, when a 737-9 door plug separated from the fuselage shortly after take-off. The subsequent fallout and impact of the incident on Boeing has been colossal, with investigations launched by not only the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) but also the US Department of Justice (DoJ).

Airline CEOs demand meeting with Boeing board of directors without CEO David Calhoun

As reported by Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, Boeing’s board of directors has apparently agreed to meet with major airline CEOs without the presence of its CEO, David Calhoun. The meeting would be the latest confrontation between business executives and aviation industry leaders that Boeing has faced after the failure of a door plug on the now infamous 5 January Alaska Airlines 1282 flight. It is unclear which airlines will be involved in the meeting. Boeing itself declined to comment. US Airlines represents some of the largest customers of Boeing aircraft, with American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines ranked as the top three largest airlines in the world for their fleet size. Beyond the big three American carriers, Southwest Airlines, which is the 4th biggest airline in the world by its fleet size, has adjusted its revenue projections and limited the growth of its flight schedule due to problems with the American plane manufacturer.

United Airlines, for its part, has suffered a number of high-profile issues with some of its Boeing-manufactured aircraft. Where these maintenance issues have been normal for airline operations, coverage of these events has increased. The airline sighted delays with Boeing’s 737 MAX 10 and other problems with Boeing aircraft when the airline recently suspended pilot hiring.

The meeting could take place as early as next week. The meeting follows David Calhoun’s visit to the US Capital to discuss privately with members of US Congress and their staff as an alternative to a formal meeting. Calhoun and leaders with Boeing had also met with leadership of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) both at the regulator’s DC headquarters and at Boeing facilities in Seattle, Washington. All of these meetings took place as the plane maker drew increased government criticism, with the Chairwoman of the NTSB going to the press to say that Boeing was stonewalling its investigation of Alaska Airlines flight 1282.

Beyond the domestic troubles for the US plane manufacturer, it has also faced increased pressure from its International customers. Copa Airlines, the largest 737 MAX operator in Latin America, grounded 20% of its daily flight schedule while grounding the 737 MAX 9 aircraft type. The airline said it would seek compensation from Boeing to compensate for its losses. More recently, Ryanair’s famously eccentric CEO said that he would like the airline to have a bigger number of Airbus aircraft. Ryanair, like Southwest and Copa Airlines, has maintained a 737-only fleet.

Boeing’s airline pressure is not limited to the 737 MAX 9. The manufacturer has also faced delays around the certification of its 737 MAX 10 and is expecting increased delays on the certification of its delayed 777X programme. These delays in certification are paired with increasingly poor deliveries, as the plane maker has increasingly slowed the production schedule and regulators have suggested that it had sacrificed safety to accelerate in the first place.

Tim Clark, the president of Emirates, a significant customer of the 777X, said that the widebody programme could be delayed into 2026. While words from Tim Clark have always generated headlines in the airline industry, the 777X itself was delayed largely in 2022, when Boeing had halted production in response to the original 737 MAX 8 crisis. The aircraft was originally expected to be introduced in 2020.

JAL to accelerate international network growth with order of 42 new aircraft

Following Japan Airlines‘ (JAL) board of directors meeting, the airline has announced the decision to introduce a total of 21 A350-900 and 11 A321neo aircraft from Airbus plus ten 787-9 aircraft from the Boeing Company, as part of its fleet renewal plan. On international routes, JAL will introduce an additional 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, currently serving as the backbone of its domestic operations. Moreover, JAL plans to add ten Boeing 787-9 aircraft to its existing fleet of over 50 Boeing 787-series aircraft. These new aircraft introductions aim to enhance and expand the capacity of JAL’s international operations, with a primary focus on regions such as North America, Asia and India where future growth is expected. As of 2030, JAL aims to expand and grow its international network, increasing the combined supply capacity of both full-service carriers and low-cost carriers (LCCs) by approximately 140%, while also accelerating the adoption of the latest fuel-efficient aircraft to provide customers with the best possible service and further reduce CO2 emissions. The introduction of both aircraft types is planned over a period of approximately six years, starting in FY2027.

On domestic routes, JAL will introduce 21 Boeing 737-8 aircraft to replace its current Boeing 737-800 fleet, starting from 2026. In addition, to update its existing fleet of medium-sized Boeing 767 aircraft, JAL has decided to introduce 11 Airbus A321neo aircraft. This marks the first-time introduction of Airbus A321neo aircraft for JAL. These aircraft will be strategically deployed on routes that align with demand, including to and from Haneda Airport, starting from 2028. Furthermore, JAL has also decided to introduce one additional Airbus A350-900 (domestic configured) as a replacement for the A350-900 aircraft that was lost in January 2024.

Robinson unveils its first production uncrewed aircraft, the R550X

Rotor and Robinson displayed the R550X, an uncrewed helicopter based on the latter’s R44 Raven II, at Helicopter Association International’s Heli-Expo in Anaheim, California. On Wednesday, the longtime rotorcraft manufacturer and Rotor Technologies, a manufacturer of autonomous vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft revealed their R550X helicopter to the public for the first time. The uncrewed aircraft, which is based on the design of Robinson’s R44 Raven II, was on display at Helicopter Association International’s (HAI) Heli-Expo in Anaheim, California, in February. In December, Robinson and Rotor said the company  expects the aircraft to fly commercially in the US this year, followed by an international expansion. The partners claim that greater automation will drive safety, scalability and expanded mission profiles for helicopters.

The R550X is the first production uncrewed aircraft to be built on the Robinson platform. The company first announced the design in December with plans to build two models, intended to be delivered to agricultural aircraft operators for crop spraying. However, the helicopter is also designed for utility, maritime and cargo operations specifically, in situations where the pilot might be exposed to a hazardous environment or which are too difficult for lighter aircraft. The experimental category aircraft has a 1,200-pound payload with no pilot, capable of flying for three hours at a top speed of 130 knots. Its range extends beyond the vast majority of drones and eVTOL air taxis, the partners claim.

The R550X’s lidar system provides 360-degree situational awareness, which enables flights at night or in low visibility. Onboard software, meanwhile, helps avoid accidents such as inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions, loss of control, mast bumping and controlled flight into terrain.

The R550X will continue its North American tour next month with a planned display at Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International’s (AUVSI) Xponential in San Diego, which begins April 22. The following month, the partners intend to take it to Vertical Flight Society’s (VFS) Forum 80 in Montréal, starting 7 May.

Rotor CEO Hector Xu added that he and newly minted Robinson CEO David Smith are developing plans to begin low-rate manufacturing for the aircraft. “David and I share a common product vision,” said Xu. “Our collaboration will combine Rotor’s technology with Robinson’s dynamic and scalable supply chain to deliver the world’s most capable commercial uncrewed VTOL.”

Rotor is not the only company exploring automation with Robinson. In 2022, an R66 single-engine helicopter completed the first Guinness World Records-certified automated autorotation procedure for an emergency landing. Skyryse, whose technology was installed on the aircraft, will sell a retrofit R66 called Skyryse One for about $2 million. But the model does not have Robinson branding and will not be capable of fully uncrewed flight.

Robinson competitor Sikorsky, owned by Lockheed Martin, is also exploring uncrewed prototypes. The manufacturer last year unveiled an autonomous, hybrid-electric VTOL concept called HEX, which it said will be the first in a family of self-flying VTOL models. Last month, it revealed that the aircraft will feature a unique tilt-wing design.

Swedish JAS-39 Gripen fighters conduct first interception as NATO fighters

On 11 March 2024, NATO’s Combined Air Operations Center at Uedem detected an unidentified track over the Baltic Sea, which led to the launch of Swedish JAS-39 Gripen fighters from Sweden and Belgian F-16 jets from Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania. The mission resulted in the visual identification of a Russian Tu-134 airliner that was not on a flight plan. Later the same day, NATO radar screens detected another unidentified flight, leading to German Quick Reaction Alert Eurofighter Typhoons launching from Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia, along with Swedish JAS-39 Gripen jets. The mission resulted in the visual identification and escort of a Russian military aircraft; an An-26 transport plane.

Swedish Air Force officially joins NATO air missions

The Swedish Air Force has participated in air policing missions with NATO before. However, this marks its first official deployment as a full NATO member, with Sweden joining the alliance on 7 March 2024.

“This first real-world mission of Swedish Gripen occurred only days after becoming a NATO member,” NATO said in a statement. “It is an impressive demonstration of the deep integration the Swedish Air Force has achieved with NATO Air Policing forces.”  After completing these routine identification missions, the NATO jets from Belgium, Germany and Sweden returned to their bases. German fighters have been responsible for the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission at Lielvarde since 1 March 2024, while Belgian jets have been deployed to Šiauliai since 1 December 2023.

US Marines purchase 22 F-5s from Switzerland

The US Marine Corps latest airplane acquisition is a supersonic interceptor that first flew off the drawing board 65 years ago. The Marines are purchasing 22 Northrup F-5 Tigers from the Swiss Air Force. The first one was loaded on a C-130 on 18 March for the trip back to the US where it will live out the rest of its service life as an adversarial training aircraft along with the others in the sale. The Marines paid a little less than $1.5 million each for the Cold War speedsters which are still being used by 17 countries and have been retired by 21 others. More than 2,500 were built. Switzerland received its F-5s in the 1970s and 1980s and has flown them ever since. It sold some to the US Navy for its adversarial programme and even with the Marines sale it will keep 25 Tigers for training, targets and test flights and to supply the jets for the Swiss Air Force’s air demonstration team, the Patrouille Suisse.

Mosquito first flight ahead of Wanaka airshow

The aircraft flew at New Zealand’s Ardmore Airport where Avspecs is based. It was flown by American Steve Hinton, one of the world’s top warbird pilots, who will also be flying the Mosquito at the Warbirds over Wanaka airshow at the end of this month. Avspecs Limited was formed in 1997 by Warren and Colin Denholm to provide a fully dedicated restoration facility for warbird and vintage aircraft.

TL Sport Sparker available in the US, ready for SUN ‘n FUN

The ultralight aircraft capable of achieving 200 mph at cruise and that boasts being MOSAIC ready is now available in the United States. TL Sport Aircraft announced on Tuesday 19 March that the Sparker will be on display next month at the SUN ‘N FUN Aerospace Expo, 9 to 12 April in Lakeland, Florida.

According to TL Sport, the Sparker’s design incorporates the latest in CAD and 3D modelling, combined with a cutting-edge Garmin G3X Touch avionics package in a cockpit that “is one of the widest in the category and can easily accommodate crew as tall as 6-(foot)-5.” Since completing the E-AB Programme, the Sparker has concluded a series of flights, including multiple demonstrations, up and down the East Coast. The aircraft was introduced last year in Germany at Aero Friedrichshafen and there was much anticipation about the Sparker last summer at AirVenture, where GlobalAir.com spoke with company officials about the aircraft’s development.

The side-by-side two-seat cockpit includes creature comforts, such as heated leather seats. However, most of the excitement about the Sparker comes from its 1,653-lb. maximum take-off weight (MTOW) and its Rotax 916iS engine and DUC-TYGER variable pitch propeller. The Sparker can also be fitted with other engines, the Rotax 915iS and EP 912 ULS. There are also options for two hideaway info-tables to hold smartphones or tablets, which could allow for up to five display panels for pilots.

The airframe is built with sturdy but lightweight carbon and Kevlar fibres and the inner part of the fuselage is formed by a Kevlar shell, whilst the Sparker also has a ballistic parachute recovery system.

Massive aircraft is being designed to carry wind turbine blades

A Colorado company is planning to build the world’s largest airplane to allow a major advance in green energy. Radia wants to build a 356-foot-long four-engine jet to carry wind turbine blades. The WindRunner would deliver the 320-foot blades to land-based wind farms. The aircraft will be designed to land on austere landing strips built in the wind farms and the massive blades, which will weigh 80,000 pounds, will be extracted and installed right from the aircraft.

Each flight will carry two blades. The aerial delivery is necessary because the big blades cannot be moved by truck or train. The turbines using the big blades are said to be much more efficient than the current turbines, which use blades that are 100 feet shorter and can barely be accommodated by the highway and railway systems. As for the plane, it will be loaded through a tilt-up nose and support all that weight on multiple trucks of gear assemblies. It will pick up the blades at manufacturing hubs and fly them at airliner speeds and altitudes to the wind farms with a range of 1200 miles. In terms of cargo volume, it is seven times larger than a C-5. It is shown with four jet engines but the manufacturer and type are not included in the specs.

US Air Force’s experimental resupply programme moves closer to the launch pad

The US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Cargo Vanguard programme gets ‘real boy’ status as a Space Force prototype effort and a new name, Point-to-Point Delivery (P2PD) in the service’s fiscal 2025 budget request. While the dollar amount is small at only $4 million in research, development, test & evaluation (RDT&E), the funding request marks the up-to-now experimental effort to literally rocket military supplies around the planet as a formal ‘new start’ for the service. The request does not show any planned out-year spending, presumably because the FY25 monies are aimed at simply transitioning the tech.

“The near-term focus of the P2PD programme is to establish the foundational capability areas through operational integration and fielding of Point-to-Point Delivery (P2PD) services, specifically the development and integration of prototype air drop delivery systems,” the FY25 request explains. “The P2PD project will integrate technology developed within the Rocket Cargo Vanguard programme, as well as identify, evaluate and certify additional Point to Point Delivery service providers.”

The initial Rocket Cargo concept is to blast military kit from one earthly base to another to rapidly equip deployed forces, with the Space Force already eyeing potential use in the Indo-Pacific theatre. But in the future, service officials can see the possibility of transporting cargo routinely to space-based outposts, or from and to space stations. The programme’s end game is to buy delivery services from commercial providers. The investment ‘is focused on utilising vehicles that traverse from or through space to transport DoD materiel anywhere around the world within tactically responsive timelines,’ the Space Force budget justification documents, or j-books, state. The FY25 funds specifically ‘will support the detailed engineering design necessary for a P2PD service provider to perform airdrop payload delivery,’ the j-books state.

AFRL initiated Rocket Cargo as one of its high-priority Vanguard programmes in June 2021, partnering with the Space Force and US Transportation Command and in January 2022 awarded a $102 million contract to SpaceX to explore use of the company’s gigantic Starship to blast cargo through space. TRANSCOM also has signed no-cost Cooperative Research And Development Agreements (CRADAs) with SpaceX, BlueOrigin, Sierra Space and Rocket Lab. The Space Force budget request notes that the FY25 effort ‘will build on AFRL’s previous analysis of the angle-of-attack, door locations, ejection speeds, container sizes, reaction forces and expected actuation authority required to counter those forces and the aerodynamics of the ejected payload in flight. AFRL has also completed the first phase of wind tunnel testing, analysis and operational planning.’

Lilium to prepare Atlantic network for regional eVTOL operations

Lilium is to help electrify existing airport infrastructure across Atlantic Aviation’s US FBO network to ensure the compatibility of current and future vertiports with Lilium Jets in support of regional air mobility. The partnership aims to establish a planned network to support operators of the Lilium Jet.

Lilium has teamed up with FBO and aviation services provider Atlantic Aviation to prepare Atlantic’s network of more than 100 FBOs for the Lilium Jet’s regional upcoming air mobility service launch in the United States.

The company will work to ensure seamless compatibility between the Lilium Jet and Atlantic’s network of aviation assets across North America, enabling AAM operations at current and future locations. Atlantic operates sites at more than 30 airport locations within Lilium’s planned launch markets in Florida, southern California, the Northeast corridor and Texas.

Lilium and Atlantic will focus on infrastructure deployment and operations, with an eye toward passenger experience, at existing and upcoming sites. Strategic planning will revolve around key drivers including aircraft flight paths, charging capabilities, passenger facilities, operations forecasting and more. This comprehensive approach will ensure Lilium Jet operators have access to strategic points within Atlantic’s network of aviation facilities.

Lilium’s planned commercialisation approach focuses on manufacturing and selling the Lilium Jet to various individuals and companies for private, premium and shuttle operations and thereafter providing aftermarket support and services. This go-to-market strategy will allow for a diverse revenue stream and is predicated on aviation facilities being ready for the Lilium Jet, emphasising the value of partnering with Atlantic.

Stellantis completes a series of open market purchases of ~8.3 million shares

Last week Stellantis N.V. and Archer Aviation Inc. announced that Stellantis recently completed a series of open market purchases of ~8.3 million shares of Archer’s stock signalling Stellantis’ continued confidence in Archer’s plans to bring electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to market beginning in 2025. Stellantis’ increased investment in Archer follows CEO Carlos Tavares’ recent visit to Archer’s headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Santa Clara, California.

In January 2023, Stellantis announced that its goal was for Stellantis to mass produce Archer’s Midnight aircraft as its exclusive contract manufacturer thereby allowing Archer to strengthen its path to commercialisation by helping it avoid hundreds of millions of dollars of spending. The construction on the first phase of Archer’s high-volume manufacturing facility in Georgia remains on track to be completed later this year. The first phase is a build out of ~350,000 square feet on a ~100-acre site designed to support production of up to 650 aircraft annually, which would make it one of the largest manufacturing facilities by volume in the aircraft industry.

Archer’s Midnight aircraft is designed to be safe, sustainable, quiet and carry four passengers plus a pilot. Midnight is optimised for back-to-back short distance trips of around 20-50 miles, with a charging time of approximately 10 minutes in-between. “Archer has established itself as a market leader in the electrification of aviation and we believe that together we can usher in the next transportation revolution,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares. “This recent move by Stellantis signals our confidence in Archer’s team and the progress we see firsthand through our deep partnership.”

“We are on the cusp of changing the way the world moves in the sky,” said Adam Goldstein, founder and CEO of Archer. “Archer and Stellantis are working side by side to realise a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine urban transportation and deliver tremendous value to the world’s cities and our shareholders.”

Stellantis has been a strategic partner to Archer since 2020 through various collaboration initiatives, and as an investor since 2021. During this time, Archer has leveraged Stellantis’ deep manufacturing, supply chain and design expertise in connection with Archer’s efforts to design, develop and commercialise its eVTOL aircraft.

FAA remote ID rule for drones takes full effect

Drone pilots and manufacturers in the US now face fines or suspensions if their drones are not equipped with remote identification technology. As of Saturday 16 March, FAA’s Remote ID rule, which mandates that all drones required to be registered with the agency include a ‘digital license plate’ that broadcasts information such as ID number, location and altitude is in full effect. The rule is intended to allow the FAA, law enforcement and other federal agencies to monitor unsafe flights as more drone pilots earn their wings.

In 2016 Congress directed the FAA to develop standards and regulations for remote identification of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) pilots and operators. The agency delivered its final remote ID guidelines in 2021 and began enforcing them on a discretionary basis in September, allowing additional time for some noncompliant models to be updated. However, with the rule now in full effect, businesses, law enforcement agencies and even recreational flyers face the possibility of their drone pilot license being revoked or civil penalties up to $27,500 for flying a drone without remote ID.

What is a remote ID  and how can you comply?

Put simply, remote ID is like a drone’s digital license plate. The technology transmits information such as the UAS’s unique ID number, location, altitude, velocity and plenty more over a 2- to 3-mile range. That data (which does not include personal identifying information) is then made available to private and public stakeholders, which can alert the FAA of unsafe flight, request an aircraft be grounded, or simply find out more information about a drone. A good rule of thumb is that if your UAS must be registered with the FAA, it needs to have remote ID. But as with many FAA rules and regulations, there are a few exceptions. Drones weighing less than 0.55 pounds, for example, are exempt under the regulator’s Exception for Limited Recreational Operations. The agency can also waive remote ID compliance for operators conducting aeronautical research or in special cases under Part 89, such as for home-built drones.

Flights without remote ID in FAA-recognised identification areas (FRIAs), areas of highly monitored airspace dedicated to drone flight are also permitted. But the pilot must keep the drone within their visual line of sight. Educational institutions and FAA-recognised community-based organisations can apply to establish FRIAs. According to the FAA, the vast majority of drones manufactured post  September 2022 contain remote ID-compliant hardware. The catalogues of major brands such as DJI and Parrot, for example, largely contain models with the technology already installed.

If a drone was purchased before December 2022, the month the FAA began enforcing remote ID compliance for UAS manufacturers owners can check the FAA website for a Declaration of Compliance (DOC), which confirms the model is equipped with the proper systems. In addition, recreational and Part 107 pilots can retrofit drones with remote ID capabilities using a remote ID broadcast module. Firms such as uAvionix and Dronetag offer FAA-approved modules that can make just about any drone compliant, though these limit pilots to visual-line-of-sight operations. Adding a module to a noncompliant drone requires the operator to register it with the FAA, even if it is already listed.

If the remote ID-compliant drone being registered is the user’s first, FLYING’s Part 107 remote pilot certification guide explains those steps. Recreational and Part 107 flyers with one or more drones already registered, meanwhile, can add new devices on FAADroneZone. For Part 107 pilots, each device must be registered individually with a unique ID number. Recreational flyers can use the same registration number to cover all devices in their inventory and transfer broadcast modules from drone to drone. More information on registering remote ID drones and broadcast modules can be found in FLYING’s remote ID guide.

Manufacturers will also need to comply with the remote ID rule, unless an exception applies. These include exceptions for drones built at home, produced for the US government, weighing less than 0.55 pounds, or designed exclusively for aeronautical research or to show compliance with another rule. Type-certified UAS are also exempt in many cases. Otherwise, the manufacturer must produce drones with remote ID systems already installed. Further, UAS manufacturers must allow the FAA to audit their facilities, technical data and any remote ID drone or broadcast module produced. Recurring audits must be performed and results provided to the FAA upon request.

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