Join us each week as we cover the latest airplane industry news. From general aviation to the airlines (and everything in between), this show is the easiest way to stay informed.
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Airplane News: FAA Reauthorization, Vitol Disputes NATA Claim, and Lawsuit Against the FAA (00:03:33)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; FAA Reauthorization appears close, Vitol disputes NATA Claim, and a class action lawsuit against the FAA.
First up, congress appeared this week to agree on language for a long term FAA authorization.
The reauthorization is over 1,000 pages, with topics including fine increases for consumer violations, legislation over near collisions, quality control for large aircraft manufacturers, and FAA staffing.
Congress now will need to vote in favor of the bill before it heads to the President’s desk.
We’ll keep you updated when we see more.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/bipartisan-congressional-approval-for-long-term-faa-reauthorization/
Next up is Vitol aviation and GAMI G100UL.
Vitol Aviation has more than 1,000,000 gallons of GAMI G100UL for sale that the National Air Transportation Association says is not ready for sale.
NATA says that without a fuel specification from ASTM International, furl suppliers and retailers “lack assurances that the unleaded fuel they are selling will not expose them to liability” and therefore cannot be commercially available.
Vitol says it has had no issue getting insurance for the GAMI G100UL and that the fuel has an FAA approved specification.
We’ll have to see if NATA’s claim hinders Vitol’s ability to bring the G100UL to market.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/g100ul-maker-refutes-nata-claim-that-its-not-ready-to-sell/
Last up, the FAA is getting sued!
A class action lawsuit filed this week states the FAA turned away more than 1000 qualified air traffic controller applicants due to discrimination.
The lawsuit doesn’t state that incompetent controllers were hired, but rather that particular demographics of controllers were never given a chance to demonstrate their competency.
The suit continues, stating that certain minority candidates were given “Buzz words” to bring their resumes to the top.
Questions were also alleged to have been placed in the biographical questionnaire that were weighted to give certain candidates advantages, such as playing more than 4 sports in high school giving a candidate 5 points, while an applicant holding a pilot certificate only gave them 2 points.
The questionnaire also omitted relevant experience as a military air traffic controller.
We’ll keep you up to date with what we see from this lawsuit.
https://simpleflying.com/faa-air-traffic-controller-applicants-lawsuit/
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
Airplane News: Mental Health Recommendations, NTSB on Dust Devils, Controllers Help Identify Hypoxia (00:03:47)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; Mental Health Committee issues recommendations, NTSB Warns of Dust devils, Controllers credited with Hypoxia Save.
First up, the Mental health ARC has issued a recommendation that pilots are allowed to get “Talk Therapy” from professionals without needing to disclose it on their medicals.
The ARC report also discussed the current culture within the aviation industry that contributes to medical disorders not being disclosed including fear of job/income loss, reputation loss, and potential prosecution.
Along with culture, the report discusses trust levels between pilots/controllers, the FAA, and AMEs.
In total, the report is 164 pages long, including figures, and has 24 total recommendations for the FAA.
The FAA has received the report and is in the process of reviewing it.
We’ll keep you updated if we see more.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/mental-health-committee-says-pilots-shouldnt-have-to-report-talk-therapy-sessions/
Next up, the NTSB has issued a safety alert for Dust Devils.
Dust devils have been present in 170 aviation accidents since 1982, and can pose a serious risk to small aircraft.
The small, swirling vortex of air are typically 100 to 300 feet wide, and about 1000 feet tall.
Wind speeds can exceed 60mph and are most commonly found in the South West of the United States.
The NTSB says that dust devils are commonly invisible and can result in uncommanded roll or yaw inputs along with loss of lift.
Should you encounter a dust devil, promptly report it to ATC.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/ntsb-warns-pilots-of-dust-devil-dangers/
Finally, two controllers out of Boston are being credited with a Hypoxia save.
Rosella Owen and Scott Elms were controlling a Cessna 310 on a photo mission at 13,500 when they noted the pilot wasn’t as responsive as most pilots in the congested airspace.
Owen asked if the pilot was okay and was on oxygen, to which he replied he was.
The controller determined his performance didn’t match the level of experience he had as a pilot and directed him to descend to 9000 feet.
Upon descending, radio calls were “getting clearer and sharper every time,”.
The pilot later found a kink in the oxygen line.
Great job to these controllers out of Boston!
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/controllers-credited-with-hypoxia-save/
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
Airplane News: Boom Supersonic XB-1, Boeing Management Changes, and United Under FAA Scrutiny (00:02:54)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; Boom Supersonic XB-1 First Flight, Boeing Upper Management Changes, and United Airlines under FAA Scrutiny.
First up, Boom Supersonic test flew the XB-1 this week.
The XB-1 took off from the Mojave Air and Space Port and flew for 12 minutes.
The aircraft successfully completed all its testing objectives, though specifics were not announced.
The XB-1 reached a maximum altitude of 7120 feet and got up to 238 kts.
Do you think that quiet supersonic travel is possible? Let us know in the comments!
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/boom-supersonics-xb-1-takes-historic-first-flight-paving-the-way-for-overture/
Next up this week, the Boeing saga continues.
If you’re unaware, Boeing is attempting to recover after the 737 Max 7/8 issues and after a Door plug blew out of a 737 Max 9.
Boeing has lost several upper management including the CEO of commercial airplanes, the CEO of Boeing as a whole has resigned effective at the end of the year, and the chairman of the board will not seek reelection.
Hunt for the new CEO will occur later this year after a yearly meeting with shareholders.
We’ll keep you updated if we see more from Boeing.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/boeing-top-management-purged
Last up, United Airlines is getting some extra FAA Scrutiny after several incidents.
Incidents have not resulted in any injuries, but include a taxi-way diversion, a lost wheel, an engine fire, the loss of a piece of the fuselage fairing on an aircraft, and other hydraulics related issues.
Issues included both Boeing and Airbus aircraft with United admitting the issues and stating in an internal memo "we need to take an even closer look at multiple areas of our operation to ensure we are doing all we can to promote and drive safety compliance”.
We’ll keep you updated if we see anything else from United.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/291018/
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
Airplane News: FAA Sun n Fun Study, New WindRunner Aircraft, Boeing Issues Safety Advisory (00:02:57)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; FAA recruiting pilots for Sun N Fun Study, new aircraft designed to carry wind turbine blades, and a Boeing has issued a safety advisory for the 787.
First up, the FAA is asking pilots who hold a current medical certificate and have flown in the last 6 months to be part of a study at Sun N Fun.
The study session will pay $300-$500 depending on the class of medical certificate, and the study session takes about 4 hours.
The purpose of the study is to obtain data for computerized tests.
These tests are used to recertify pilots following a medical event like a head injury or stroke.
We’ll leave a link below to sign up if you’re interested!
https://generalaviationnews.com/2024/03/18/faa-recruiting-pilots-attending-sun-n-fun-for-research-study/
Next up this week is a new design for an airplane that would be long enough to carry wind turbine blades.
The company, Radia, out of Colorado hopes to build the 356 foot long jet to deliver turbine blades to remote land-based wind farms.
The aircraft, a 4 engined jet called the WindRunner, will carry two turbine blades per flight to remote unimproved airstrips near the wind turbine fields.
Delivery of the blades will allow wind turbines with blade lengths up to 320 feet, 100 feet longer than currently used.
To put the cargo volume in perspective, WindRunner will have 7 times the cargo capacity of a C5 Galaxy along with a range of 1200 miles.
We’ll keep you up to date with more news about the WindRunner.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/massive-aircraft-designed-to-carry-wine-turbine-blades/
Last up this week is Boeing’s Response to the LATAM 787 issue we discussed last week.
If you’re unfamiliar, there was an issue in a LATAM 787 that resulted in a hard pitch down injuring 50+ people.
Previously the cause was unknown, now it’s speculated the seat switch on the Dreamliner may be to blame.
Boeing has issued a safety advisory asking airlines to inspect the switches on their 787s as a precautionary measure, noting that in certain circumstances the safety cap can jam the button resulting in unintended seat movement.
According to a Wall Street Journal report on the LATAM flight, a flight attendant serving a mean inadvertently hit a switch on the back of the seat pushing the pilot into the controls of the 787.
Currently, no official report from New Zealand has been released.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/boeing-issues-safety-advisory-after-latam-airlines-incident/
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
Airplane News: Tax Hike For Business Jets, 787 Troubles, and United Loses Tire After Take Off (00:02:34)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; proposed tax hike for business jets, 787 troubles, and United loses tire after take off.
First this week is a proposed tax increase for business jet operators.
The tax increase would be implemented by raising the federal tax on Jet Fuel fivefold over the next 5 years.
Estimated revenue to be generated would total 1.1 billion which would be funneled into the FAA to increase the number of air traffic controllers by 2000.
The proposal has gotten push back from several aviation groups including the NBAA, who said “The Biden administration’s sweeping plan would hurt business aviation and the jobs and communities that depend on it, and make it harder for U.S. companies to compete in a global economy,”
It doesn’t appear this proposal has any bills associated with it, so we’ll have to wait and see if this is just talk.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/biden-administration-proposes-five-fold-jet-fuel-tax-hike-for-bizjets/
Next up is another fire for Boeing, a LATAM Airlines 787-9 experienced a technical issue which resulted a sudden drop injuring between 30 and 50 passengers.
The Dreamliner was cruising at 41,000 feet and was two hours into the flight.
A passenger said the captain told him the “Gauges went blank” and he was unable to control the airplane during the incident.
Pretty scary stuff, we’ll be following this one for sure.
https://www.avweb.com/flight-safety/technical-event-cited-in-787-sudden-loss-of-altitude/
Last up, A United Airlines 777 taking off from San Francisco lost a tire.
The flight was initially scheduled from San Francisco to Osaka, Japan but diverted and landed at LAX.
The tire fell off destroying and damaging a number of cars in a parking lot near SFO.
No one was injured by the rogue tire.
It’s likely this was a maintenance issue and yet another issue plaguing Boeing.
https://abc7news.com/flight-emergency-sfo-tire-falls-from-united-airlines-to-osaka-35/14500843/
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
Airplane News: FAA Authorization, Boulder Airport, Finalists for Air Races, & American's New Jets (00:03:40)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 4 stories for you; FAA authorization extended again, Residents Defend Boulder Municipal airport, three finalists selected for the Air Races, and American Airlines buys 260 new jets!
Airplane News: First Hydrogen Electric Cell, Bonanzas & Barons Paused, EAA Wants Piper AD Rescinded (00:02:59)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; First hydrogen electric fuel cell airplane in France, Textron pauses orders for Bonanzas and Barons, and the EAA wants the piper AD rescinded.
First up this week is a light sport demonstrator aircraft that uses a Hydrogen Electric propulsion system.
Beyond Aero announced this week that they flew their demonstrator, called “Bleriot”, in early January.
The Bleriot completed 10 takeoffs and landings over six weeks to validate the 85 kW propulsion system.
The electric motor was powered using 1/3 battery power and 2/3 gaseous hydrogen, compressed in three tanks to nearly 5000 PSI.
Beyond Aero hops to create electric business aircraft with hydrogen propulsion systems with in the decade.
We’ll keep you updated when we see more.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/france-marks-first-crewed-hydrogen-electric-flight/?MailingID=%CAMPAIGNID%&utm_campaign=avwebflash&utm_medium=newsletter
Next up this week is Textron, who confirmed they are not currently taking orders for new Beech Bonanzas or Barons.
Textron hasn’t detailed why there is a pause in orders nor when they may resume accepting them.
The company said in a statement ““To ensure the best experience for our customers throughout every stage of their ownership journey, Textron Aviation has temporarily suspended additions to the order book for the Beechcraft Bonanza,”
We’ll keep you updated when we see more about these aircraft.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/textron-pauses-orders-for-bonanzas-barons/
Last up this week is the EAA, who is pushing back on the Airworthiness directive for 31,000 high-wing pipers.
The AD was implemented due to incidents on a PA-12 and a PA-14 which resulted in deformed rudders.
Both incident aircraft had been modified with after market engines and aftermarket tail beacons.
The EAA says the AD is “flawed in regulatory process, scope, and requirements” and continues to say later that at current production and supply rates, retrofitting all 31,000 aircraft would take 75 years.
We’ll keep you updated if we see anything else about this!
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/eaa-wants-piper-rudder-ad-rescinded/
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
Airplane News: FAA Reauthorization Act, Crash Landing on Freeway, and Joby Part 145 Maint. Cert. (00:03:16)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; FAA Reauthorization Act progresses, Challenger crash landing on FL Freeway, and Joby gets a Part 145 Maintenance Cert.
First up this week is the FAA reauthorization act, which has progressed through the Senate committee.
The committee voted against raising the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 67, with at 14-13 vote.
Other changes included increasing CVR recording times to 25 hours, increasing the number of people in certification/enforcement, increasing air traffic controllers, adding additional runway surveillance at airports, and boosting civil penalties for airline violations from $25,000 to $75,000.
We’ll keep you updated when we see more about the FAA Reauthorization.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/senate-committee-rejects-pilot-retirement-age-boost/
Next up this week is a sad one, a Challenger 604 owned by Hop-A-Jet made a crash landing on highway I75 in Naples, FL.
The crash was recorded by a number of cellphones and dash-cams and video has been posted all over social media.
The jet was in the final phases of flight having flown from Columbus, OH with an intended destination in Naples.
Unfortunately, both pilots were killed in the accident.
The flight attendant and two passengers were able to escape the jet before a fire consumed the aircraft.
We’ll keep you updated when we see more about this accident.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/at-least-two-dead-in-challenger-freeway-crash/
Last up this week is Joby, who has received its Part 145 Repair Station Certificate from the FAA.
The Part 145 certificate allows Joby to perform maintenance and repairs on its aircraft.
With the new maintenance certificate, Joby will also be offering paid on-the-job training for those interested in working as eVTOL technicians.
If you haven’t heard of Joby, the company is an air taxi manufacturer who received an FAA Part 135 in 2022, began production in 2023, and has already delivered aircraft to the Air Force.
Joby will also be operating their air taxis in the UAE starting in 2026.
Lots of innovation happening in the realm of eVTOLs!
https://aviationsourcenews.com/general-aviation/joby-aviation-gains-faa-part-145-maintenance-certification/
https://airwaysmag.com/joby-evtol-air-taxi-services-uae/
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
Airplane News: Crash, Piper M700 Fury, Retirement Age, Analog NAVAIDs, and 25 Hr CVR (00:05:49)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 5 stories for you; small airplane crash, New Piper M700 Fury, FAA tells congress not to increase pilot retirement age, FAA advises to use analog NAVAIDs, and comments close for the 25 hour CVR rule.
First up this week is a crash of a Grumman GA-7 Cougar.
While we don’t normally talk about small aircraft accidents, this one was recently rebuild by a popular YouTube channel called Rebuild Rescue.
The aircraft departed Coatesville-Chester County Carlson Airport in Pennsylvania and crashed shortly after takeoff.
Based on a map provided from Aviation Safety Network, the crash appears to have occurred less than 2 miles from the airport.
The pilot and only occupant of the Cougar was killed in the crash.
As usual, we’re not going to speculate on the cause of the accident.
We’ll wait until the NTSB report is released, which may take a few years.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/351359
https://www.fox29.com/news/coatesville-plane-crash-chester-county-school-board-president-killed-in-small-plane-crash
Second up this week is the new Piper M700 Fury!
Piper has unveiled their new M700 Fury, a single engine turboprop with a 301kts max cruise speed, 3400 foot per minute rate of climb, and take off and landing distances under 2000’.
The M700 Fury comes with a Pratt and Whitney PT6A-52 Engine, Garmin G3000 Avionics Suite with HALO Safety System, Garmin PlaneSync, and Garmin Auto land.
The Fury has a useful load of 2,220lbs, a maximum rage of 1852NM, and a maximum approved altitude of 30,000’.
At 4.1 million, I’m not sure your flight school is going to be picking one up but for those who can afford it, the M700 is a cool new turboprop airplane!
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/290413/
https://www.piper.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024_M700_SpecSheet.pdf
Next up this week is the FAA and Congress discussing the potential of raising pilot retirement age to 67.
The new FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker has asked congress to leave the current mandatory retirement age in place until the agency has had more time to study the increase.
The pilot retirement age is now part of negotiations towards a 5 year FAA reauthorization act.
Without another extension or a reauthorization act, the FAA’s reauthorization will expire on March 8th, 2024 .
We’ll keep you up to date if we see any reauthorization updates or changes to pilot retirement ages.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/age-67-pilot-retirement-back-in-legislative-spotlight/
Third up this week is guidance for anyone experiencing GPS spoofing or other anomalies.
The FAA is advising that pilot use analog NAVAIDs such as VOR or NDB if pilot notice issues such as:
Report Link: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/nas/gps_reports
SAFO: https://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/safo/all_safos/SAFO24002.pdf
Last up this week is that comments have closed of the 25 Cockpit Voice Recorder rule.
If you’re unfamiliar, the NPRM aims to increase Cockpit Voice Recorders from 2 hours of recording to 25 hours.
This would allow the FAA and NTSB to better investigate incidents.
Reactions to the NPRM have been mixed, with a number of comments expressing concern that the 25 hours of CVR will be used to listen in on pilot conversations or used to punish pilots with certain viewpoints.
ALPA addressed this in their comments, suggesting that there should be restrictions on the use of recording or transcripts for administrative or disciplinary proceedings including by both Federal Agencies and by a pilot’s employer.
We’ll keep you updated when we see the final rule.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/mixed-reaction-to-25-hour-cvr-rule/
https://www.regulations.gov/document/FAA-2023-2270-0001/comment
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
Airplane News: Top Secret Announcement, Max 9 Flies, Mark Baker Steps Down, & Amelia Earhart’s Plane (00:05:24)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 4 stories for you; Pilot Institute Community, Max 9 flies again, Mark Baker steps down from AOPA, and Robotics Firm claims to have found Amelia Earhart’s plane!
First up this week is our release of our exclusive Pilot Institute Community, or PIC for short.
https://community.pilotinstitute.com
We created the Community as a place for all our students to interact and learn from each other.
Here, you will be able to find answers to any aviation questions you have, organized more logically than Facebook.
You will get answers from our Subject Matter experts, Guest Instructors, and experienced Pilot Institute graduates.
You will also be able to connect with others who are studying at the same time, on the same topic.
You can even do chat live with other students directly into the course.
The best part is, it’s free and available with your current course login, no need to create a new account.
Head over to community.pilotinstitute.com to get started!
We’ll also have an exclusive live event today at 4PM, and every day next week for our community kickoff event!
Next up is the 737 Max 9, which has been approved to return to service after required inspections.
The approval comes nearly three weeks after a door plug was blown out of an Alaska Airlines Max 9 climbing through 16,000 feet.
FAA Administrator Whitaker issued a statement saying “The January 5 Boeing 737 MAX incident must never happen again. Let me be clear: This won’t be back to business as usual for Boeing. We will not agree to any request from Boeing for an expansion in production or approve additional production lines for the 737-9 MAX until we are satisfied that the quality control issues uncovered during this process are resolved.”
Hopefully this is the last we hear from Boeing with maintenance issues!
Next up this week is AOPA’s Mark Baker, who will step down when a suitable replacement has been found.
Baker says he will stay for up to two additional years to ensure a smooth transition and that he will continue to run AOPA as normal until the transition occurs.
There’s no word on where MZark Baker will go or if he will retire after he is done at AOPA.
We’ll keep you updated if we see more.
Last up this week, a Robotics Firm out of South Carolina claims to have possibly found Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Electra.
The company used side-scan sonar to search a 5200 square mile area in the pacific.
The Sonar return was found in the area working off of a 14 year old theory that Earhart’s Navigator, Fred Noonan, may have failed to take into account crossing the international date line in his navigation calculation.
This would have put Earhart and Noonan 60 miles west of their intended destination.
The company was not able to dive on the return, so the claim is just that for now.
We’ll have to see if anyone can get back to that location to dive on the possible wreck.
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
https://community.pilotinstitute.com
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/mark-baker-stepping-down-as-aopa-president/
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/robotics-firm-confident-amelia-earharts-plane-found/
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/alaska-says-max-9-grounding-cost-150-million-expects-boeing-to-pay/
Airplane News: Atlas 747 Engine Fire, Zenith Aircraft Workshops, Comments on MOSAIC, and Three Years (00:03:31)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 4 stories for you; Atlas 747 Engine Fire, Zenith Aircraft Workshops, Comments on MOSAIC, and Three Years of Airplane News!
https://youtu.be/RNItNKbjwBs
https://youtu.be/UKHXfoKZxE4
00:00 Introduction
00:16 Atlas 747 Engine Fire
00:55 Zenith Aircraft Workshops
01:40 Comments on MOSAIC
02:18 Three Years of Airplane News
Not sure where to start for your Pilot's license? Check out our FREE guide: https://pilotinstitute.com/course/ultimate-pilot-guide/
Get your Private Pilot's License today: https://pilotinstitute.com/course/part-61-private-pilot/
Already got your PPL? Go for Instrument: https://pilotinstitute.com/course/instrument-rating-made-easy/
First up this week is a crazy one, an Atlas Air 747 had an engine failure after taking off from Miami.
Video shows the airplane’s engine throwing sparks in bursts out of the back of the engine.
It isn’t immediately clear what caused the incident, but the FAA said the aircraft had a “Softball sized hole” above the incident engine.
The crew returned to Miami and landed without injuries.
We’ll let you know if we see more.
New up this week is Zenith Aircraft, who will be hosting a hands-on workshop for kit aircraft!
The event will be February 23 and 24th at Boerne Stage Airfield (5C1), north of San Antonio, Texas.
Participants will learn to read blueprints, drilling, blind riveting, will learn the process for assembling an aircraft, and will leave with an assembled rudder kit for a Zenith Aircraft.
Fees for the event are $375 for a Zenith rudder kit, and 425 for a CH 750 model kit.
If you’re in the area, this seems to be a pretty cool workshop opportunity.
Third this week is MOSAIC, which closed comments after a number of major aviation groups asked for tweaks.
The primary requested changes include increasing the maximum clean stall speed to 57kts and increasing the number of passengers from one to three, allowing sport pilots the ability to fly more aircraft.
As of Monday, the NPRM had more than 1200 comments.
We’ll keep you updated when we see a final rule from the FAA.
Last up this week a big one for Pilot Institute, Three years of Airplane news as of this week!
Thank you for watching, this channel is now at 13,000 subscribers and we’re going to continue to release videos like our Fronts and Trim videos,
If you haven’t had a chance to check those out, be sure to!
We also are continuing to expand our catalog of airplane courses adding more free deep dive courses and more courses to help you become a better, safer pilot.
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/atlas-747-engine-failureZ
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/aviation-groups-post-joint-mosaic-comments
https://generalaviationnews.com/2024/01/23/zenith-aircraft-returns-to-texas-in-february/
Airplane News: Phillips Pauses Unleaded, Ural A320, JetBlue & Spirit Merger, and a Balloon Crash (00:03:16)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 4 stories for you; Phillips 66 pauses unleaded testing, Ural Airlines won’t fly A320 from field, JetBlue & Spirit merger blocked, and a Balloon Crash in AZ.
First up this week is Phillips 66, who has been working to create an unleaded Avgas Alternative.
According to Avweb, a “major test failure” occurred and resulted in Phillips pausing the initiative.
Details about the issues were not publicized by Phillips, but other sources with knowledge of the issue said the test fuel was powering a Lycoming Engine in a test cell.
Sources said the engine failed due to a buildup of Manganese deposits that fouled the spark plugs and/or caused pre-ignition.
We’ll keep you updated if we see anything else!
Next up this week is Ural Airline, who won’t be flying the A320 out of that field after all.
Instead Ural will scrap the A320 for parts starting next summer due to the unavailability of parts.
If you’re unfamiliar with this story, Ural intended to refuel the airplane and fly it out of the field where it crash landed due to fuel starvation in September of 2023.
Probably for the better that the airplane is scrapped rather than risk flying out of a farm field.
Third up this week is Jet Blue and Spirit Airlines.
If you hadn’t heard… About the bird-kidding, Jet blue was looking to purchase and basically absorb Spirit Airlines.
A federal judge has blocked the 3.8 Billion take over saying it would reduce airline competition and increase fare prices.
The judge said “Spirit is a small airline, But there are those who love it. To those dedicated customers of Spirit, this one’s for you.”
We’ll keep you updated with what we see next from Spirit.
Last up this week is a sad one, a hot air balloon crash in Eloy, AZ killed 4 people this week.
The balloon, a Czech Republic BB 85, was initially carrying 13, however 8 folks were skydivers who exited the balloon prior to the crash.
According to Police, the skydivers departure was planned and was not in response to any balloon problems.
Witnesses said the copy was deflated and the balloon’s basket hit hard in the desert.
It’s unclear what may have caused the crash but we’ll keep you updated if we see anything else.
Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/290142/
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/phillips-66-suspends-unleaded-avgas-testing
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/ural-airlines-scraps-plan-to-fly-a320-from-field
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/judge-blocks-jetblues-takeover-of-spirit
Airplane News: 737 Max 9 Loses Door in Flight, NASA to Release X59, and New Cirrus G7 Series. (00:04:57)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; 737 Max 9 loses plug door in flight, NASA to release X59 this week, and the new Cirrus G7 Series.
00:00 Introduction
00:15 Boeing 737 Loses Door
02:06 NASA Releasing X59
03:06 New Cirrus G7 Series
First up this week is an Alaskan Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, which lost a plug door while climbing out of Portland, OR.
The door was blown off in an explosive decompression that left a hole in the airplane and even reportedly tore the shirt off of a teenager sitting nearby.
The decompression occurred at nearly 16,000 feet.
No one was occupying the seat directly next to where the decompression occurred and thankfully injuries were limited to scratches.
The aircraft landed without incident back in Portland where an investigation was promptly initiated.
So far, the FAA has issued an emergency Airworthiness Directive to carriers operating the 737 Max 9 requiring inspection of the door plugs.
These plugs exist because some carriers use more seats in the aircraft and thus require additional emergency exits.
On United and Alaska Airlines planes, the number of seats is reduced, so the doors are fitted with a permanent plug.
It’s unclear how this plug failed and became loose enough to be blown off, but loose screws and bolts were found on other 737 Max 9s in United’s fleet after the Airworthiness Directive.
And this folks, is why you wear your seatbelt… Maybe Trevor Jacobs was onto something??
Next up this week is NASA, who has announced that they will unveil the X59 supersonic demonstrator.
NASA, in partnership with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, has been developing the X59 since 2018 when Skunk Works was selected to design, build and fly the demonstrator.
The primary goal of the X59 is to prove that quiet supersonic flight can be achieved.
The X59 will cruise at 55,000 feet, mach 1.4, and will be about 75dB.
The aircraft will fly over selected US cities later this year as part of NASA’s research to hopefully bring back supersonic air travel!
We’ll keep you updated with what we see out of the X59!
Third up is the new Cirrus SR Series G7!
The G7 is an update to the SR20, SR22, and SR22T with updates including 12-inch and 14-inch touchscreen displays, similar to those in the Vision Jet.
Engine start is now a push-button start, again mimicking the Vision Jet.
Cirrus has also added improved flight controls, incorporating a stick shaker on both left and right controls, an automatic fuel selector that switches tanks every 5 gallons, and flap protection to protect the pilot from accidentally deploying or retracting flaps.
Interior additions include the 12 or 14-inch Garmin displays, dimmable task lights, accent lighting, two center console compartments, powered headset jacks, and USB-C chargers.
Pretty cool updates from Cirrus affecting the new 2024 model SR aircraft!
Alright, that’s it! Happy new year and we’ll see you next week!
https://www.flyingmag.com/the-big-reveal-cirrus-shows-off-the-sr-g7/
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/quesst/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alaska-airlines-flight-door-plug-jack-teenager-shirt-passenger-kelly-bartlett/
Airplane News: Japan Airlines A350 Crashes Into Dash-8, Robinson R44 Hits Drone, Man Dies in Engine (00:03:10)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; Japan Airlines A350 crashes into Dash-8 at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, Robinson R44 hits drone, and a man in Utah dies after crawling into an A220s engine nacelle.
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First up this week is a scary one, an A350 landing in Tokyo hit a Dash-8, resulting in a post crash fire.
5 of the 6 passengers aboard the Dash-8 were killed, with no fatalities on the A550.
Japan Airlines is being praised for a flawless evacuation, with all 379 passengers being evacuated.
The cause of the crash is unclear and the Coast Guard says an investigation is underway.
We’ll keep you updated when we see more.
Next up this week is a Robinson R44 Helicopter, operated by Leading Edge Helicopter Tours hit a drone at approximately 180 feet near KDAB.
It’s unclear what phase of flight the helicopter was in, but it was able to land without any injuries.
The incident occurred above the Daytona Beach Flea Market, in Daytona Beach, Florida while the UAS operator was flying a mission for a construction company.
All current information points to the UAS operator having the valid permissions to operate at that altitude in that area.
The replacement of the R44’s rotor blade is estimated to cost approximately $60,000.
Both the NTSB and FAA were notified and we’re going to hold off on assumptions at this time, we’ll wait for the NTSB report to be released.
Last up this week is a weird one, a 30 year old man died after crawling into the nacelle of a Delta Airlines A220 engine, while it was rotating.
The specific stage of engine operation was unknown but is being investigated.
The individual exited the airport after an altercation with a store employee on the secure side of the airport, running down the ramp and crawling into the engine.
On the way to the aircraft, they also removed their clothes.
Police were able to get the tower to have the Delta aircraft shut down their engines, where CPR was performed and an anti-overdose drug was administered unsuccessfully.
We’ll keep you updated if we see anything else about this.
Alright, that’s it! Happy new year and we’ll see you next week!
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/man-dies-in-a220-nacelle/
https://dronexl.co/2023/12/31/florida-drone-helicopter-collision/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-67862011
Airplane News: CA Airports and Pb Fuel, NTSB Final for Tail Strike, EAA Jet Teams, PI Update! (00:05:21)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 4 stories for you; More California Airports try to ditch leaded fuel, NTSB final for Jet Blue A320 Tail Strike, EAA Announces Jet Demo Teams for 2024, and a Pilot Institute Update!
Airplane News: Piper Club Says AD is Flawed, GPS Spoofing Traced, and a Passenger Jumps From a 737 (00:03:35)
First up this week is the proposed Piper AD.
If you’re unfamiliar with the proposed AD, there were two incidents in Alaska where the rudder on Piper aircraft failed and bent into a 90 degree angle.
Both aircraft landed safely and there were in injuries.
The FAA responded with a proposed AD the covers nearly all cubs and cub variants made before 1974, which is about 31,000 aircraft.
The Short Wing Piper Club says that this is a huge over-reach and the process itself is flawed.
According to the club’s statement, both incident aircraft were modified with larger engines, larger props and aftermarket beacons.
The Piper Club had much more to say with specifics on aircraft, types, regions, and aircraft storage, so we’ll leave a link below if you’d like to check it out!
Next up this week is a follow up to GPS signal spoofing, which we covered a few months ago.
If you haven’t heard about this, aircraft in the Middle East were experiencing false position reports with variations of up to 120NM.
Reports started in September, with some commercial crews requesting vectors to remain on course.
A University of Texas student has traced the source of the spoofing signals to the eastern side of Tehran.
The spoofing appears to be aimed at jamming and denial of service according to UT.
We’ll keep you up to date if we see anything more about the GPS spoofing.
Last up this week is a fun one, a passenger experiencing a “mental health emergency” opened an overwing exit on a SWA 737 in New Orleans and exited the airplane onto the ramp.
The incident occurred after the boarding process had completed for a flight from New Orleans to Atlanta and on to Baltimore but before taxiing.
The police were called and the passenger was detained with no injuries to anyone in the aircraft or on the ramp.
Police said the man was incoherent and was not fully aware of his surroundings.
Alright, that’s it!
No live next week, I’ll be on vacation, so we’ll pick back up with the Live events in January!
Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next week!
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/passenger-jumps-from-737-at-new-orleans/
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/piper-club-says-rudder-ad-needs-work
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/gps-spoofing-signals-traced-to-tehran/
Airplane News: FedEx and UPS reducing pilot numbers, Man gets 15 months for pointing laser at helicopter, Women hurt after scale B29 hits golf cart, and a pilot who survived a crash in the Everglades. (00:04:27)
First up this week is FedEx and UPS, who both seem to have too many pilots.
FedEx and UPS have advised pilots to take severance offers and move to American Airlines subsidiary PSA.
PSA is offering existing FedEx and USP pilots a $250,000 bonus and a left seat job in Embraer and CRJ regional jets.
While $250,000 sounds like a ton of money, it’s less than a year’s pay for senior captains at UPS and FedEx.
FedEx went as far as saying they don’t have enough business to keep all their pilots fully employed.
Fedex VP of flight operations said
“While I understand this is not something that will appeal to every pilot, for those of you who are frustrated with current flight hours, career progression, or have just been on the fence about available options, you may consider this unique opportunity enough of an incentive to make a move,”
Some speculations say FedEx may have 700 extra pilots or more as shipping volumes have turned down.
We’ll keep you updated if we see anything else about this!
Next up this week is a man in Omaha who pointed a green laser at a helicopter.
34 Year Old Richard Detty was on a smoke break when he shined the laser at buildings to see how far it would go before turning the laser on a helicopter.
The helicopter turned out to be a police helicopter who found the location of the laser using a camera array.
Getty was arrested and pled guilty stating “I was not aware it was a crime,” and “I regret my actions.”.
Getty was sentenced to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
Don’t point lasers at aircraft.
The third story this week is a scale B29, which collided with a golf cart injuring a bystander.
The incident occurred at Glendale Airport near Kokomo, Indiana.
The replica B29 has a 50 foot wingspan, is 35 feet long, and is driven by four Honda Fit car engines.
The 35% replica of the B29 Superfortress was on landing when it drifted and struck a golf card causing the cart to rollover and knock a women filming the landing unconscious.
The pilot of the scale replica was apparently uninjured.
Crazy story!
Last up this week is a lucky pilot in Florida who survived a night time crash in the Everglades.
A pilot in a C172 crashed into alligator infested waters around 4AM from an altitude of 2000 feet.
The aircraft, owned by a flight school wasn’t reported missing until 10:30 the following morning.
Miami-Dade fire Rescue located the down Skyhawk with the Pilot sitting on the wing of the sunken airplane.
The pilot of the 172 was then winched into the Fire Rescue helicopter with a non-life threatening leg injury.
Another crazy story with a happy outcome!
Alright, that’s it!
Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next week!
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/florida-pilot-survives-crash-landing-and-several-hours-in-the-everglades/
https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/omaha-man-gets-15-months-in-prison-for-aiming-laser-pointer-at-police-helicopter/
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/fedex-pilots-advised-to-work-for-regional-airline/
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/193-ups-pilots-take-buyouts-regional-offers-soft-landing
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/woman-hurt-in-collision-with-scaled-piloted-b-29-replica/
Airplane News: Threat to Shoot Captain, Aircraft Damage by Student, and Attempt to Ban Touch and Gos (00:04:04)
First up this week in your “Don’t be that guy” news update is a first officer for an airline who threatened to shoot the captain over a diversion.
Jonathan J Dunn is an airline pilot an unspecified airline, who is a member of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, this means he received training to carry a loaded pistol on the flight deck.
He has been charged with interference with the flight crew for an incident that occurred in August of 2022, where Dunn and the captain (unnamed) had a disagreement about a potential diversion due to a passenger’s medical event.
According to the inspector general’s office “Dunn told the Captain they would be shot multiple times if the Captain diverted the flight,”
Dunn will be arranged in Utah on November 16th, 2023.
We’ll keep you updated when we see more.
Next up this week is another case of “don’t be that guy” with a student in Stuart, Florida who damaged 10 airplanes after being denied solo flights.
23 Year Old Sumebh Singh was arrested on felony criminal mischief after damaging throttles on 10 of the school’s aircraft.
Singh had allegedly paid $50,000 to Treasure Coast Flight Training and became angry after instructors told him he wasn’t ready to solo.
Reports say his goal was to cause $50,000 in damage to aircraft.
The school said all flight school aircraft have been grounded until mechanics can evaluate the extent of the damage.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also been notified according to Avweb.
Last up this week is a city council in California who is trying to ban touch and gos.
Zamperini field is an airport in Torrance, CA who hosts 10 flight school and a factory for Robinson Helicopters.
Council member Asam Sheikh is quoted as saying “I believe we are here for the constituents, we represent them,” “We don’t have to be expert on anything when we make decisions. We have to represent the community and that’s the only thing we should be expert on.”
The FAA however disagrees however saying the council there are ways they can minimize airport noice but their authority “does not extend to many aspects of aircraft operations, including route, altitude, time of operation and frequency.”.
The FAA is reportedly working on a formal response, however Torrance has not received federal funds or airport grants.
The council is also attempting to ban the use of 100LL, imposing landing fees, and capping the number of flight schools at the airport.
Another one that we’ll keep you updated about if we see more!
That’s it for this week, we hope it goes without saying but don’t be that guy.
Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next week on Monday for our live Q&A!
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/indictment-alleged-fo-threatened-to-shoot-his-captain-over-flight-diversion/
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/aircraft-damage-after-student-denied-solo/
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/torrance-council-trying-to-ban-touch-and-goes/
Airplane News: Homebuilt Accidents down, Balloon Crash Due to Gunfire, FAA Nominee, and EPA on 100LL (00:04:44)
First up this week is the EAA who says amateur-built fatal accidents are down 28% this year when compared to pervious years.
This is down from 39 fatal accidents between Sept. 30th 2021 andSept. 30th 2022 to 28 between Sept. 30th 2022 and Sept. 30th, 2023.
EAA Vice President of Advocacy and Safety Sean Elliot said “The activity data is necessary to paint the full picture, but the initial indications are very positive indeed. It shows a continuing trend toward safer operations, even as total hours flown increase. It reminds us that safety is an ongoing journey that always needs the highest attention of our flying community.”
Keep being safe out there!
Next up this week is a fiery gas balloon crash in Dallas.
Two pilots in a gas balloon were competing in the Gordon Bennet Cup, a long distance race from Albuquerque and the goal is to fly the furthest.
According to race organizers, the Poland 1 Team was over Dallas when the pilot reported he heard “What sounded like automatic gunfire” and began an emergency descent to avoid getting shot.
During the emergency descent, the balloon hit a high-voltage power line causing an explosion.
Both pilots were transported to the hospital with no word on their current conditions.
According to officials at the Balloon Fiesta, “Both are experienced gas balloon pilots who have logged significant time in gas balloons. Our thoughts are with the gentlemen, their families and friends for a full and complete recovery.”
We’ll keep you updated if we see more.
Next up this week is Michael Whitaker, the FAA Admin Nominee.
Support from he Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation unanimously agreed that he’s the right man for the job.
While we don’t normally like to talk politics, both major parties had good things to say about Whitaker, suggesting that a confirmation hearing may go more smoothly than the last.
Whitaker said, “I would view my role as administrator, as chief recruitment officer, certainly for FAA, but also for the industry.”
It’s been over a year and a half since we had a senate confirmed administrator, we’ll keep you updated if we see anything more!
Last up this week is a big one, the EPA has released its findings on 100LL.
We’ve seen a large push over the last year for the elimination of 100LL, with certain airports and states banning or attempting to ban its use.
The EPA report reinforced this sentiment with the report stating “The science is clear: exposure to lead can cause irreversible and life-long health effects in children,”
The EAGLE (Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions) group said during a briefing following the findings that they and the FAA are committed to ensuring the availability of 100LL until a safe and suitable replacement has been found.
The FAA stated “The EPA can find that a component causes harm. The FAA will define the standards.” And described the timeline going forwards as a cooperative effort between the EPA and FAA.
We’ll continue to follow this story and update you if anything changes!
That’s it, have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next week!
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/homebuilt-fatal-accident-rate-drops-28-percent
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/gunfire-preceded-gas-balloon-crash
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/biden-nominee-for-faa-administrator-notches-bipartisan-senate-support/
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-determines-lead-emissions-aircraft-engines-cause-or-contribute-air-pollution
https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/epa-releases-endangerment-finding-on-100ll-eagle-responds
Airplane News: NEW! Cirrus SR10, Reno Air Race Mid-Air, and Joby's New $500M Production Facility (00:02:53)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, we have 3 stories for you; Cirrus SR10, A Mid-air at the Reno Air Races, and Joey, who has announced the location of their new plant!
Airplane News: FAA Guidance on ADHD Meds, a Light Sport Helicopter Released, and Falcon Field Damage (00:03:29)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, we have 3 stories for you; New FAA Guidance for those with ADHD Medications, Light Sport Helicopter released, and a microburst which has damaged a number of aircraft at Mesa’s Falcon Field.
First up this week is new FAA Guidance for those on ADHD medications.
The guidance is for Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs), that gives a criteria to bypass the lengthy review process.
The criteria for waiving the review process is "no treatment or use of ADHD meds for any reason in the past four years; no symptoms in the past four years; detailed records showing no instability in academic, occupational, or social functioning within the past four years; and no other psychiatric conditions or diagnosis.”
Those who don’t qualify for the new guidance can still go through the existing review process, though it will take longer.
We’re glad to see the FAA created a fast track so to speak!
Next up is a light sport helicopter that will only require a Driver’s License to operate, once MOSAIC goes into affect!
The ATRX-700 is a fly-by-wire helicopter that comes in at only $188,000.
The helicopter is two seat with a 650lb payload, 300 mile range, and 100mph cruise speed.
The 1,700lb helicopter will factory built and will require 30 hours of training at RotorX in Torrance, California.
Would you get a little helicopter like this? Let us know in the Zcomments!
Last up, A Microburst hit Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona this week, damaging a number of hangers and aircraft.
From pictures we can see that damaged aircraft included training planes, private jets, and even historic aircraft.
Hanger roofs were ripped off and some planes that were tied down broke chains.
Winds were reported to be between 60 and 90 mph.
So far, there’s no reports of any injuries but we are sad to see all the damage to the airport.
That’s it, have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next week!
Airplane News: Boom Supersonic to Fly, Mig Airshow Crash Prelim, and the FAA is Probing 5k Pilots (00:04:08)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, we have 3 stories for you; Boom Supersonic gets permission to test fly, Mig Airshow Crash Prelim out, and the FAA is probing 5000 pilots who may have withheld info from medicals, lets get to it!
Airplane News: EAA AirVenture, the FAA is Tightening Oversight, and a Company Building New PBYs (00:05:15)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, we have 3 stores for you; record numbers at EAA AirVenture, the FAA is tightening certification oversight, and a company planning on building new PBYs.
Airplane News: Passenger Crash Lands Plane, United 767 Loses Slide in Flight, EAA AirVenture! (00:03:28)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, we have 3 stories for you; passenger crash lands plane after pilot incapacitated, United 767 loses slide in flight, EAA AirVenture is next week!
Airplane News: FAA Admin is Leaving, DeltaHawk DHK180 FAA Certified, Garmin STC for Piper Navajo (00:02:53)
Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, we have 3 stories for you; The acting FAA Administrator is likely headed to Archer Evtol, DeltaHawk DHK180 receivers FAA certification, and Garmin has announced an STC for GFC600s in Piper Navajo Chieftains.
