Number 38 – 16 May 2024

“All of us have seen what happens when you give one man too much power. We have seen what happens when one party is in power for too long. Together, we are building a new movement to realign politics as we know it.” Mmusi Maimane

Mystery Aircraft: Technoavia SP-91 Slava / Interavia I-3

(Information from Wikipedia)

The Technoavia SP-95 was a Russian aerobatic aircraft, a production version of the earlier SP-91 Slava. The design is similar to the Sukhoi Su-26 family as it was designed by the same designer. It is an aerobatic competition aircraft and can be changed from single-seat to two-seat configuration. The SP-95 is a metal construction low-wing cantilever monoplane with a conventional landing gear with a tailwheel. It is powered by a Vedeneyev M14P radial piston engine. The prototype aerobatic competition aircraft was powered by an AOOT M-14P engine. Only five were built and the type was marketed outside Russia as the Interavia I-3.

Editor comments: I was fortunate to be flying in a YAK-52 to take this picture over False Bay in Cape Town in December 2004 with what then was the Pharos team of several aerobatic aircraft types. Sadly, this example of the Interavia I-3 crashed into the Vergelegen vineyards killing Steve Heugh and the owner some years later because of an in-flight break up due to flutter – the ‘spades on the ailerons’ were removed and the subsequent catastrophic departure of the wings from the airframe. Some years ago, I presented a feature about ‘flutter’ within African Pilot using examples of the tragic accidents that occurred as a direct result of the little understood phenomenon in aviation.

Those persons who correctly identified this week’s mystery aircraft:
Rahul Vala, Andre Visser, Righardt du Plessis, Ari Levien, Andrew Peace, Piet Steyn, P. Rossouw, Stuart Low, Wouter van der Waal, Clint Futter, Danie Viljoen, Charlie Hugo, Bruce Prescott, Kevin Farr, Jan Sime, Sergio Antao, Erwin Stam, Hilton Carroll, Johan Venter, Noel Macquet, John Moen, Selwyn Kimber, JP Steyn, Andrew Evans, Kenny Nagel, Dave Lloyd, (26 correct answers). Not too bad for a relatively unknown aerobatic aircraft from Russia.

Passing of Thea Illsley

I received the following message from John Illsley today:

“Our beloved Thea, my beautiful and wonderful wife passed away peacefully just before 4pm today:

It is a perfectly beautiful afternoon in the Boland into which a beautiful soul has departed. This will come as a horrendous shock to all who knew her, but if there is any consolation it is that with the injuries she suffered to the rest of her brain, even if she had regained consciousness, she wouldn’t have been the same person we all knew and loved. Thank you for all your support over these past four days.

I will put out another message once I have made funeral and memorial service arrangements, which will be split between the Cape and Pretoria. 

John.”

Editor responds: Dear ALL, please let us all keep John Illsley in our thoughts since his wife Thea had bad accident on Sunday and after four days in a coma she did not recover. The Illsley’s had recently retired and moved to Cape Town and this is so sad. Around 14 years ago John and Thea won the African Pilot sponsored prize to join Neil Bowden’s camping trip to EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh. Last year John was awarded one of his ‘lifetime achievement’ award by the Aero Club of South Africa. Thinking of you John and your family, lots of love from all of us at African Pilot.

FlySafair R10 ticket sale loophole

During its annual birthday sale, the FlySafair website had at least one vulnerability that could have allowed users to sidestep its waiting room page, which randomly selected users who could book domestic flight tickets for R10 each. The exploit was discovered and shared by MyBroadband reader Charl Kruger on the day of the sale, Wednesday 8 May 2024. Kruger successfully bypassed the birthday.flysafair.co.za waiting page using the Chrome browser’s developer tools and Incognito Mode, which prevents the collection of cookies.

He initially attempted to notify the airline about the issue via social media, but his posts were deleted despite not explaining the exact process. Kruger enabled the network request blocking feature in the command console of Chrome’s developer tools while in Incognito Mode. He identified two URLs, ‘assets.queue-it.net’ and ‘hudsonyards.queue-it.net’, to block to avoid being redirected to the waiting page. However, this only worked when opening the FlySafair website by clicking the ‘Manage My Booking’ link in Google Search results for ‘FlySafair’ in the same Chrome Incognito tab. They were then directed to a spot on the website where they could click on the FlySafair Home page logo and go straight to the booking section.

Bypass easily replicated
While this process might sound highly complex to less technical readers, a MyBroadband staff member with very little formal IT training could replicate Kruger’s exploit by following instructions on Chrome’s FAQ pages. However, the staff member also had to add the ‘birthday.flysafair.co.za’ URL to the blocklist to prevent being redirected to the waiting page. They confirmed they could see and add flights available for R10 to their basket. However, they did not complete the process as they believed it would be unfair to those waiting in the queue for their turn. The staff member took the screenshots below to share with FlySafair as proof of the exploit.

MyBroadband notified FlySafair about the exploit just after 15h00 on Wednesday to set up a coordinated disclosure once the issue was fixed or the special was over. The airline’s chief marketing officer, Kirby Gordon, thanked MyBroadband for the information and assured it would attend to the issue as soon as possible. MyBroadband’s subsequent attempts to bypass the waiting page two hours later were unsuccessful. At that stage, around 13,000 of the 50,000 tickets remained.

The previous years’ sales ended earlier in the day. That would suggest the exploit was not widely known and many people were still in the waiting room. Gordon followed up with MyBroadband at 17h20 and said the team was running final tests, but the issue appeared to be ‘tied up’. He also said the exploit’s usage seemed minimal and that FlySafair would follow up with Kruger on Thursday to thank him for the report.

EAA of South Africa Annual General Meeting

Notice of the EAA of SA’s AGM has been issued for 28 May 2024 starting at 18h30.

Zoom Meeting Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82900861949?pwd=UXNyMFhvYnRtR0xOSEpTRlVXVUFjQT09

Meeting ID: 829 0086 1949

Passcode: EAA2024AGM

Meeting requirements

Since this will be a virtual meeting, nominations will close on 20 May and voting are available until 16h00 on Tuesday 28 May 2024. All proposals should be communicated to me direct or by reply to this email before 26 May 2024.

As this is a virtual meeting, proxies are not required for voting, however these can be submitted in writing for other matters. Please submit this by reply to this e-mail:  

EAA of SA Communication: eaaofsouthafrica@38644997.mailchimpapp.com

Thanks and regards

Paul Lastrucci

National President

EAA of South Africa

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
Zuikerkop fly-in 
Contact E-mail: info@zuikerkop.co.za Cell: 083 389 0587

17 to 19 May
BOABAB Fly-In Polokwane Civil Airport
Contact Whatsapp: 083 375 6322 E-mail: info@area51rcflyers.co.za

18 May
Tedderfield Airpark breakfast fly / drive-in 07h00 to 12h00
Sponsored by Sling Contact Alan Cell: 083 702 3680

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

Air Tanzania Boeing 787 has remained grounded in Malaysia since November 2023

An Air Tanzania Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that was sent to Malaysia for maintenance in November 2023 remains in the Asian country after corrosion issues were discovered with the aircraft’s two Rolls-Royce engines.  According to reports in local media, the aircraft involved (registered 5H-TCJ) has been grounded for almost eight months and is currently sitting without engines close to the disused low-cost carrier terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL).  According to CH Aviation, the engines that were fitted to the aircraft before its maintenance input in Malaysia were Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-AE3 engines. This variant of the Trent 1000 series engine has encountered persistent challenges attributed to fatigue induced by corrosion since it was introduced into service. This corrosion has subsequently led to the emergence of cracks in the mid-pressure turbine spools which present considerable risks of engine malfunction inflight as well as on the ground.  This deficiency means that the engine type involved has reduced inspection intervals from 200 flights to 80 flights, which causes maintenance costs to increase substantially for operators while reducing the operational availability of the aircraft for flying duties.  

“The plane was taken to Malaysia for mandatory maintenance in November 2023. This is why it appears to be missing both engines,” said Ladilaus Matindi, Air Tanzania’s Director General. “Due to the high number of engines requiring mandatory maintenance and the scarcity of rental engines, aircraft often have to wait for their turn for engine maintenance to arrive and be completed.”

Matindi added that having been sitting on the ground in Malaysia since November 2023, the aircraft is due to complete its maintenance work in early June 2024 and will subsequently return to Dar es Salaam to resume flying for Air Tanzania. However, he did not disclose how much the extended grounding had cost the carrier or had affected its operations in the meantime. Commenting on media reports surrounding the grounded ATCL aircraft, Matindi highlighted concerns regarding the design of the Rolls-Royce engines. “There appears to be a design flaw with Rolls-Royce engines, warranting further investigation into the matter,” he remarked.

Delivered to the company in July 2018 at a cost of $224.6 million, the 787-8 Dreamliner was one of four aircraft to be purchased by the Tanzanian government to modernise and rejuvenate its national carrier. It has one other of the type in active service with the remaining two still on order. The airline currently operates a fleet of 15 aircraft comprising four A220-300s, two 737-MAX 9s, a single 767-300F, plus the two 787-8s. The airline also operates six DHC-8 turboprops used for regional services.

Adding to the company’s woes, in October 2022, the carrier grounded three of its four Airbus A220-300 twin jets after they developed technical issues with their Pratt & Whitney engines warranting extended inspections. Although one has since returned to service, the remaining three remain grounded. In addition, the carrier’s sole DHC-8-Q300 has been in Malta for maintenance reasons since 2020. It has been grounded for three years after a major malfunction meant it had to be withdrawn from service. However, the extended layover in Malta was due to awaiting a replacement landing gear and other parts which have been difficult to source, according to the career. This aircraft is also due to return to Tanzania in June 2024. 

Instructor killed when Texan II’s ejection seat activates on the ground

On 11 May a US Air Force flight instructor died after the ejection seat in his T-6 Texan II activated while the aircraft was on the ground the day before. The incident occurred at the 82nd Training Wing at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, but the pilot was attached to the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Programme that trains new military pilots from Canada and various European countries. The pilot was taken to a hospital but died about 12 hours after the mishap. There have been issues with the ejection seats in Texan IIs, which have been in service for 17 years and are based on the Pilatus PC-9 built under license by Beechcraft. The planes were grounded in 2022 after a potential defect was discovered in the Martin-Baker seats’ explosive cartridge and some were replaced. The Air Force is investigating the Monday incident.

Swakopmund gyrocopter crash

Last week a pilot from Swakopmund survived a gyrocopter crash during a familiarisation flight. The incident occurred when the pilot, whose identity has not been disclosed, was attempting to land the aircraft on the second circuit. NBC News spoke to Ben Engelbrecht, the aircraft accident investigator, who explained that as the gyrocopter approached for landing, a sudden gust of wind caused the tail of the aircraft to flip, resulting in the gyrocopter crashing to the ground. The impact caused significant damage to the aircraft, but fortunately, there were no fatalities. Emergency services rushed to the scene, where they found the pilot with minor injuries.

Mooney crash

On 25 March a Mooney M20K (N4387W) took off from the Northeast Florida Regional Airport (SGJ) in St. Augustine, Florida for the Miami Homestead General Aviation Airport (X51) in Homestead, Florida on a Part 91 personal flight. Preliminary air traffic control audio communications reveal that the plane was in communication with a controller in the tower and was cleared for take-off on runway 13.

Shortly after the Mooney was airborne, the pilot told the controller that a door had come open. The controller asked the pilot if he was declaring an emergency, to which he said no. He responded that he only wanted to land and close the door. The controller gave the pilot instructions to enter either a right or left downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern and he was cleared to land on runway 13. The pilot told the controller he would enter a left downwind and acknowledged the landing clearance. There were no additional communications between the pilot and controller. When the controller was unable to reestablish communications with the pilot, he halted departures and asked aircraft in the area to search for the missing Mooney. An aircraft searching the area identified the wreckage on the approach path to runway 13.

A preliminary review of the ADS-B data revealed that while returning to the airport on a left downwind leg of the traffic pattern the plane’s groundspeed peaked at 109 knots at an altitude of 750 feet above mean sea level. While the plane was still on the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern it climbed to 825 feet msl and the ground speed decreased to 95 knots. Shortly after, the plane descended to 725 feet msl and the ground speed decreased to 84 knots.

After turning on the left base leg of the traffic pattern the plane had descended to 525 feet msl and the ground speed increased to 94 knots. Soon after, while on the left base leg of the traffic pattern, the plane descended to 475 feet msl and the groundspeed decreased to 83 knots. The plane was still on the left base leg of the traffic pattern during the final ADS-B return, indicating the plane had descended to 375 feet msl and its ground speed had decreased to 73 knots.

A review of the ADS-B data and video images of the plane from a security camera around the time of the final ADS-B return indicated that the plane was pitched nose down and entered into a descending, left roll before crashing in the woods. The plane impacted a wooded area about 1.24 nautical miles northwest of the approach end of runway 13, first hitting a tree and then terrain while in a steep, nose-down attitude. There was no post-impact fire. The plane was substantially damaged in the crash. About four feet of the outboard left wing had separated from the rest of the wing and was found at the crash site. The right wing had aft crushing damage and the empennage partially separated from the rest of the fuselage.

The main cabin door was still attached to the fuselage by the forward hinge, and the door hold-open arm was separated. The upper door cam latch and cabin door pin were in the retracted position. The prelim notes that after the door trim was removed and the door latch assembly examined, the damage was consistent with the impact. The baggage door was found in the open position and was still attached to the fuselage by its door hinge and hold open arm. The door latch was in the latched position and the door lock was in the lock position. Both of the baggage door latch pins were in the extended position. Both of the baggage door latch striker plates were still attached to the fuselage and both displayed gouging in the direction of the baggage door opening position. When the baggage door was placed in the closed position, NTSB investigators observed a crease consistent with impact deformation in the fuselage skin that continued into the baggage door when it was in the closed position.

Many components were observed to have impact damage but otherwise would have operated normally and displayed normal wear and operating signatures. FAA maintenance records reveal that the plane was manufactured in 1987 and its most recent annual inspection was on 8 September 2023. At the time of its inspection, the Mooney had about 3,782 hours of operation and the engine had 1,637 hours since its last major overhaul. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on 30 September 2022 and at that date, he had about 774 hours of total flight experience.

Showboating fighter pilot dies after a botched roll

Bangladeshi Air Force Squadron Leader Muhammed Asim Jawad died and his back seater, his boss Wing Commander Sohan Hasan Khan is in critical condition after the aircraft lost altitude during a series of aileron rolls and skipped off the side of the runway. After completing three rolls, the Yak-130 pancaked onto the runway at Chattogram Air Force Base and slid off the side before Jawad (32), hauled the fighter back into the air.

Official reports from the Bangladeshi government portrayed the pilots as heroes and said the plane suffered mechanical problems before they turned it away from populated areas before ejecting. But surveillance video obtained by the Independent showed the stunting. Cell phone video showed the plane’s rear fuselage engulfed in flames before it pitched forward the crew ejected and parachuted into a river. They were rescued and taken to a hospital where Jawad later died.

Heart problems lead to fatal crash into the ocean

A review of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data and air traffic control information obtained from the FAA revealed that the Cirrus SR22 departed Runway 27 at Whiteplains Airport (SC99) in Lexington, South Carolina, about 07h30. The airplane turned to a southbound heading, climbed to an altitude of about 4,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) and flew for about 10 nautical miles. The pilot requested and was given an approach clearance for the RNAV GPS approach to Runway 17 at Barnwell Regional Airport (KBNL) in South Carolina, about 48 miles from SC99. The air traffic controller requested that the pilot provide a position report inbound on the approach over the ‘FATSU’ waypoint. The pilot acknowledged the request but did not report passing the waypoint.

The airplane overflew Runway 17 at KBNL at about 2,200 feet MSL and continued to fly another 113 miles on a 170° heading. The airplane crossed over the eastern coastline of Tybee Island, Georgia, and continued over the Atlantic Ocean for about 15 miles then began to slow and descend briefly.

Then, when passing through about 1,500 feet MSL, the airplane entered a left arcing descending turn with a corresponding increase in groundspeed. The final ADS-B data received was at 08h44, as the airplane descended through 75 feet MSL about 18 nm southeast of Tybee Island. ATC asked pilots in another airplane to check on the Cirrus. The pilots rocked their wings but were unable to get the Cirrus pilot’s attention and they continued to watch as the airplane descended into the ocean.

An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the Division of Forensic Sciences, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Coastal Regional Medical Examiner’s Office in Pooler, Georgia. The cause of death was ‘drowning’ and the manner of death was accidental. The pilot reported a history of ablation for atrial fibrillation with a loop recorder implanted, for which he had received an FAA authorisation for special issuance. During the time that the pilot did not report the waypoint and did not respond to ATC, there was a 7:43 minute period of tachycardia with a median heart rate of 300 beats per minute. Probable Cause: A loss of airplane control due to pilot incapacitation, which resulted in an overflight of his destination and subsequent descent into water.

Trump’s Boeing 757 clips a Bizjet at West Palm Beach

On Sunday morning Donald Trump’s private Boeing 757 clipped a parked business jet owned by VistaJet at West Palm Beach Airport. It has not been confirmed the former president was on board, but the mishap occurred after the plane landed at about 01h20 a few hours after Trump appeared at a rally in New Jersey. It is also not known if the 757 or the bizjet were significantly damaged. The FAA released this statement: “A privately owned Boeing 757 landed safely at West Palm Beach International Airport around 01h20 a.m. local time on Sunday, 12 May. While taxiing, its winglet contacted a parked and unoccupied corporate jet. The incident occurred in an area of the airport where the FAA does not direct aircraft. The FAA is investigating.”

US Senate passes five-year FAA Reauthorisation Bill

The US Senate passed a five-year extension of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday evening, just one day ahead of its expiration date. The $105 billion bipartisan bill dubbed “The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act” was overwhelmingly approved in a vote of 88-4. Following its passage, the Senate also approved a one-week extension to ensure the House had enough time to vote on the bill before it gets sent to the president’s desk for final approval.

According to the Senate, the reauthorisation bill “sets national priorities to strengthen aviation safety standards, grow air traffic controller and safety inspector workforce, implement safety technology on runways and in cockpits” among other initiatives. While the package does not include an amendment to increase the pilot retirement age from 65 to 67, it does include language to increase the cockpit voice recorder length from two hours to 25 hours.

The legislation was stalled for several days in the Senate this week, primarily over provisions to increase flights into Reagan Washington National Airport and unrelated measures proposed by some congressional leaders. The FAA reauthorisation is considered the last ‘must pass’ measure for Congress before this fall.

LOT Polish Airlines to incorporate Embraer E195-E2 into fleet

LOT Polish Airlines (LOT) has announced plans to incorporate the Embraer E195-E2 into its fleet to bolster operational flexibility and support network expansion. The airline will lease three new E195-E2 aircraft from Azorra, underscoring its dedication to sustainable growth by integrating the 25% more efficient E2 into its operations. The first aircraft is scheduled to arrive by the end of July this year, with all deliveries expected to be completed by October. With its expanding network, LOT requires a flexible solution to meet its capacity needs. The E2 offers a seamless transition for LOT’s existing E-Jet first-generation flight crews within just a few days. The introduction of the new E2s enhances flexibility, complementing LOT’s larger narrow-body aircraft at similar seat costs.

The airline will configure the E195-E2, which accommodates a maximum of 146 passengers, in a comfortable single-class layout. Currently, LOT boasts a fleet of 43 E-jets, making it one of the largest operators of E-jets in Europe. To date, LOT’s E-jet fleet has covered 850 million kilometres, flown over 1.4 million flight hours and served more than 60 million passengers, almost twice the population of Poland.

IndiGo talks to ATR, Embraer and Airbus about orders for 100 regional aircraft

Mumbai-based IndiGo is reported to have opened discussions with three leading aircraft manufacturers about a potential order for up to 100 regional aircraft. The strategic move would allow the carrier to enhance its domestic / regional network in India as the company also looks to expand its international long-haul services. According to sources close to the discussions, IndiGo is looking at a range of aircraft types from the three manufacturers that would allow it to boost capacity on existing regional services while also allowing the carrier to open up new as yet unserved routes.

The source told the Economic Times of India that ATR appears to be the front-runner at this stage of the negotiations. IndiGo currently operates a fleet of 45 ATR72 aircraft which each seat 78 passengers. The airline is also set to add a further five of the type to its regional fleet in 2024 and is thought to favour a continuation of its relationship with the Franco-Italian manufacturer. Sticking with the same type would offer IndiGo potential economies of scale over a switch to a different type such as the Airbus A220 or the Embraer E175. ATR has projected that India will emerge as its largest regional aircraft market by 2035, driven by the huge expansion of regional air connectivity. “People are seeking greater convenience and faster modes of transportation,” remarked Jean-Pierre Clercin, ATR’s Asia-Pacific commercial head, during a press briefing in February 2024. “While other modes of transportation are expanding, they are not keeping pace with the growing demand. Consequently, regional aviation is poised to play a significant role,” he added.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by passenger numbers and fleet size, commands 60% of India’s domestic air traffic and is keen to serve more regional towns with smaller populations where the demand for air travel is poised to increase. IndiGo’s desire to boost its regional operations is also being fuelled by the Indian Government’s pledge to provide additional investment into the country’s regional air links and airport infrastructure, taking the total number of airports from 148 to 200 by 2028. 

IndiGo originally placed an initial order for 50 ATR72 planes back in 2017 in a move that signalled the carrier’s entry into the regional aviation market, which had previously been dominated by SpiceJet with Bombardier Q400 turboprops. Since then, IndiGo has progressively expanded its regional operations and now serves approximately 60 destinations with its ATR72s. Recent additions to its network include Gondia, Lakshadweep, Jagdalpur, Jharsuguda and Dharamshala. According to an IndiGo executive speaking to the Economic Times, the ATR72s have facilitated network development by enabling cost-efficient operations to new destinations that may not generate enough demand to fill one of the airline’s larger 180-seat Airbus A320s. “Once IndiGo establishes reliable connectivity, the market size expands, allowing the airline to introduce larger A320 or A321 jets later on,” the executive explained.

In addition to the ATRs, IndiGo’s fleet comprises 325 Airbus A320s and A321s. The airline also operates two Boeing 777s which are operated on short-term lease contracts from its codeshare partner, Turkish Airlines. On 25 April 2024, the carrier also announced an order for 30 Airbus A350-900 aircraft in a move that marks a significant upscaling in the airline’s international long-haul ambitions.

Cessna Citation Ascend progresses with FAA certification testing

On 13 May Textron Aviation announced that the company is progressing with the development and certification of the Cessna Citation Ascend midsize business jet and remains on track to bring the aircraft into service in 2025. “The programme is making great progress. We have 125 flights and nearly 350 hours on the prototype,” Lannie O’Bannion, Textron Aviation’s senior VP of global sales and flight operations, told reporters during a recent briefing at the company’s Wichita headquarters. “We are already starting to certify different aspects of the programme.”

As part of the certification process, the FAA recently completed human factors testing in an ‘iron bird’ ground-based test rig for the Ascend aircraft, said director of engineering at Textron Aviation Aasiri Fernando. The ground-based test rig, which is located at Textron Aviation’s innovation center on the company’s Wichita campus, includes a flight simulator with a full flight deck. Engineers have been using the iron bird for early development and procedural testing, Fernando explained.

Textron Aviation unveiled the Citation Ascend, the latest iteration of its 560XL family at EBACE 2023 in Geneva and the cabin mock-up made its US debut at NBAA-BACE in October 2023. The $16.7 million airplane features Garmin G5000 avionics with autothrottles and powerful Pratt & Whitney PW545D engines. With a flat floor, the cabin includes new swivelling passenger seats along with larger windows seating up to 12 passengers. While Textron has not yet revealed the final performance specifications, preliminary estimates target a range of 1,900 nm at high-speed cruise with four passengers and a maximum cruise speed of 441 knots.

Cirrus delivers new fleet of training aircraft to Western Michigan University

Cirrus delivered seven TRAC20 G7 to Western Michigan University College of Aviation. The purchase agreement for 32 TRAC20 G7 aircraft was announced in July 2023 and Cirrus announced the delivery of the seven at the Cirrus Vision Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. The TRAC20 G7 is the latest in the TRAC Series product line, which includes the TRAC20, TRAC22 and TRAC22T. The series of advanced and high-performance aircraft are manufactured by Cirrus and designed to be used for pilot training.

WMU has been an aviation collegiate partner for nearly 25 years and is renewing its fleet of 28 SR20s to 32 new TRAC20 G7. With the upgraded fleet, WMU is positioning itself as a leader in training the next generation of aviation professionals. The advancements offered by the TRAC20 G7 include the transferrable skills needed to easily transition from student to professional pilot.

Cirrus added new features to the G7, including Cirrus Perspective Touch+ by Garmin. This is the first-ever piston to incorporate dual Garmin Touch Controllers. Perspective Touch+ offers larger, high-resolution displays with expanded systems integration to enable an intuitive flight deck. Integrated systems add to the aircraft’s list of stability features like the Electronic Stability and Protection system and an integrated engine indication and crew alerting / warning systems, which are all features found on the advanced airliners of today.

Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation offers the only comprehensive aviation programme at a public university in Michigan, educating 1,100 undergraduate students and serving as one of the largest aviation programmes in the United States. The WMU College of Aviation is backed by 85 years of aviation experience, education and an impressive reputation in the industry.

Kentucky aero med helicopter pilot sentenced for flying drunk

Kentucky-based air ambulance helicopter pilot Morgan J. Wiljanen has been sentenced to eight months of incarceration, 18 months of supervised release, four months of home detention and a $100 special assessment for operating an air common carrier while under the influence of alcohol. The violation occurred on a flight from Corbin to Richmond, Kentucky. Wiljanen pleaded guilty to operating an air common carrier while under the influence of alcohol in December 2023. A blood alcohol test indicated Wiljanen had a 0.35 blood alcohol concentration while piloting Air Evac Flight 79, an air ambulance helicopter operated by Air Evac EMS on or around 21 March 2023.

Under FAA regulations, a flight crewmember is strictly prohibited from operating or attempting to operate an aircraft while having a breath alcohol concentration 0.04 or above or while under the influence of alcohol. Requests for comment to Air Evac EMS were not returned by time of publication. The company describes itself online as a ‘preeminent provider of air ambulance services to communities in need of advanced emergency healthcare and rapid medical transport.’

NASA contractor urges delaying Starliner rocket launch

A NASA contractor is warning the agency to perform more safety inspections before greenlighting the inaugural launch of its Starliner rocket slated for as early as next week. Reports say ValveTech, a subcontractor for NASA supplying the company with parts for the Starliner aircraft, has issued a press release urging NASA to postpone the latest launch ‘due to the risk of a disaster occurring on the launchpad.’ An initial launch slated for 6 May was scrubbed two hours before launch following a leaking regulator valve in an oxygen tank, but NASA says it is considering a second launch imminently.

“According to media reports, a buzzing sound indicating the leaking valve was noticed by someone walking by the Starliner minutes before launch,” ValveTech President Erin Faville said. “This sound could indicate that the valve has passed its lifecycle.” Faville emphasised that NASA needs to ensure the Starliner is safe before something ‘catastrophic happens’ to astronauts or bystanders.

In response, the CEO of United Launch Alliance (ULA), the company launching Boeing’s spacecraft into orbit, disputed ValveTech’s claims on X, writing, “Not sure what to say about this one. Close to none of it is correct. Not urgent. Not leaking. Etc. Remarkable that the particular person quoted does not seem to know how this type of valve works…” Starliner’s next launch is set for 17 May at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida.

EHang completes UAE passenger demonstration

EHang announced that its pilotless EH216-S has completed the first passenger-carrying demonstration flight in Abu Dhabi. In addition, the EH216-F (for high-rise firefighting) and EH216-L (for aerial logistics) demonstrated their debut flights in the UAE, showcasing a diverse range of UAM use scenarios of pilotless eVTOL aircraft. The EH216 series pilotless eVTOL aircraft (including EH216-S, EH216-L and EH216-F) performed several autonomous flights at the Emirates Falcons Aviation Club in Al Ali, Abu Dhabi with the approval by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the UAE. Mr. Mohamed Al Dhaheri, board member of Multi Level Group (MLG), EHang’s local strategic partner, took a ride on the EH216-S. These successful demo flights were applauded by esteemed guests, including Emirati royalty, civil aviation authorities, government officials and representatives of the media.

The EH216 series are designed as a transformative solutions in addressing urban mobility challenges such as emissions and congestion. The pilotless eVTOL aircraft feature a compact fuselage, high redundancy design and intelligent cluster management, enabling safety and efficiency as well as scalable operations, in order to provide safe, autonomous and eco-friendly air mobility. Following the EH216-S debut unmanned demonstration flights at the DRIFTx event on 25 April 2024, the recent flights represented a continuous fruitful outcome of EHang’s further development in the UAE supported by the GCAA, MLG and Wings Logistics Hub. In close coordination with the partners and government entities in the UAE, EHang is actively engaged in the design and establishment of eVTOL vertiports, in swift preparation for launching commercial UAM routes. EHang expanded into the UAE by joining the Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industries Cluster and establishing a strategic partnership with Wings Logistics Hub in December 2023 and further established a strategic collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and MLG in April 2024 to drive eVTOL development in the UAE.

Teledyne FLIR Defence unveils Rogue 1 loitering munition system at SOF week

Rogue 1 is a next-generation, rapidly deployed and optionally lethal vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) that enables war fighters to conduct precision-strikes against moving and stationary armoured targets, soft-skinned vehicles and dismounted threats. An advanced fusing system on Rogue 1 features a first-of-its-kind mechanical interrupt that allows the aircraft to be safely recovered and reused when targets are disengaged or missions are aborted.

Leveraging Teledyne FLIR’s pedigree as the world’s premier sensor provider, Rogue 1 also features advanced electro-optical and FLIR Boson® 640+ thermal cameras to deliver day / night long-range reconnaissance and surveillance. Plus, a novel coupling between sensors and warhead in the gimballed payload enables extremely precise targeting. Operators can attach modular, mission-specific payloads with lethal effects designed for distinct target types. Users can choose from Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP), Forward Fragmenting, or non-lethal Trainer payload options.

With a 30-minute flight time, burst speeds of more than 70 mph (113 kph) and range greater than six miles (10 km), the lightweight Rogue 1 was developed for today’s harsh battlefield conditions, including communication- and GPS-denied environments. Rogue 1 performs beyond the range and capabilities of existing organic weapon systems, while minimising collateral damage and maximising standoff.

“The new Rogue 1 gives war fighters the versatility, survivability and lethality demanded by the modern battlespace,” said Dr JihFen Lei, executive vice president and general manager of Teledyne FLIR Defence. “With its unique ability to be recovered and reused when targeting conditions change, this innovative platform also offers military forces greater economy and flexibility. Rogue 1 leverages our decades of expertise developing combat-proven drone technology and complements our global UAS portfolio, from the Black Hornet nano-drone to our SkyRaider and SkyRanger quadcopters to our StormCaster sensor and targeting payloads. “Customers and potential users have been awe-struck by Rogue 1’s performance and we are confident it will deliver a meaningful edge to troops on the frontlines,” Lei added.

In April, Teledyne FLIR Defence announced it had been selected by the US Marine Corps for an Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity contract worth up to $249 million for the Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-L) programme. The company is offering Rogue 1 as its OPF-L platform and will deliver an initial order of 127 systems to the Marines later this summer. In 2022 Teledyne FLIR supplied the first Rogue 1 systems to U.S. Special Operations Command for evaluation under their Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems (GOPSS) programme and continues to deliver additional systems at present.

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