Number 17 – 04 March 2024

“Within all of us is a varying amount of space lint and star dust, the residue from our creation. Most are too busy to notice it and it is stronger in some than others. It is strongest in those of us who fly and is responsible for an unconscious, subtle desire to slip into some wings and try for the elusive boundaries of our origin.” K.O. Eckland

Rejuvenation of General Aviation

This past week I witnessed first hand the incredible rejuvenation of General Aviation where younger people, mostly studying for their pilot’s licences that has also brought considerable diversity to the membership of the Experimental Aviation Association (EAA) and specifically Johannesburg Chapter 322. Some weeks back I attended the inaugural founding meeting of the EAA Young Aviators at Eagles Creek airfield last month and reported on the significant success of this founding meeting. On Saturday I spent the entire morning attending the normal EAA Chapter 322 meeting that was followed by the first gathering of EAA’s Young Aviators. What a pleasant surprise to see so many well-disciplined and hugely enthusiastic youngsters who filled the EAA Auditorium to capacity as they listened to four seasoned speakers who presented a variety of aviation disciplines with excellent visuals. Well done to all EAA Chapter 322 committee members and everyone associated with the amazing success of this inaugural meeting. I will be preparing a full report with videos for the April edition of African Pilot.

EAA Chapter 322 Young Aviators

EAA Chapter 322 March meeting

On Saturday morning I attended the EAA Chapter 322 gathering held at the EAA Auditorium, Rand Airport which was well attended. Due to a new food arrangement with an outside vendor providing the delicious breakfast the meeting started slightly late. However, Neil Bowden (chairman) started the meeting with the usual recognition of the members birthdays during the month of March. This was followed by Karen Mathews Air Traffic Controller from Wonderboom National Airport who delivered a very interesting, illustrated talk on ATC friend of foe. Her talk was followed by Karl Jensen’s ‘kyk weer’ (watch again) illustrated talk on EAA and other happenings over the previous month.

EAA Chapter 322 Young Aviators

Tyla Puzey opened the meeting that attracted somewhere in the region of 85 Young Aviators, mostly students in flying schools from all over Gauteng. This amazing project of creating a platform where the next generation of young pilots can share common ground has been devised by the Puzey family with Tyla at the helm and I was impressed at the diversity of the youngsters all of whom share a common desire to learn as much about aviation. I have never seen the EAA Auditorium filled to capacity with several people sitting on the stairs and on plastic chairs in the front of the auditorium.

The first speaker was Megan Stevenson who is an aviation safety and education specialist. Previously a commercial pilot and grade two flight instructor, today Megan owns and lectures at her business Infinite Aviation based at Grand Central airport. 

The next speaker was George Tonking who is a commercial helicopter pilot with many hours working within the surveillance and security industry. He provided an interesting talk about how he became a polit and also provided interesting statistics about the urgent world-wide need for pilots in all disciplines.

EAA Chapter 322 member Sean Cronin presented a delightful talk on the nimble little BatHawk light sport aircraft and it use within nature conservation. Sean’s illustrated talk covered the training requirements for bush pilots and how rewarding this calling is to anyone wanting to build hours for their commercial pilot’s licence.

Craig Poultney (ATC) from OR Tambo International Airport tower was the final speaker and delivered a great talk on some of the complexities of Air Traffic Control within a highly regulated environment. As Craig spoke, he had a slide and video show on the screen above that showed some of the scenes he and his fellow air traffic controllers have filmed from their elevated positions at the top of the ATC tower in the centre of South Africa’s busies airfield and also one of the busiest ATC towers on the African continent.

At the conclusion of the first official EAA Young Aviators meeting Cirrus South Africa had a ‘lucky draw’ for an introduction flight in a Cirrus SR20 at the flight school  based at Lanseria International Airport. Before everyone departed, I managed to get nearly all the attendees together for a group photograph and some video footage of the entire group with the four speakers. Thanks to EAA Chapter 322 members and especially the committee who worked very hard to make this exciting day in aviation happen at a great venue.

8 March
DCA Industry Roadshow Stellenbosch, Cape Town
Contact Ms Charmaine Shibambo E-mail: shibamboc@caa.co.za

8 to 10 March
Aero Club Airweek venue Middleburg airfield
Contact Sandra Strydom E-mail: sandra@aeroclub.org.za Tel: 011 082 1100

8 to 10 March
EAA National Convention Middleburg airfield
Contact Paul Lastrucci E-mail: tailwheel@mweb.co.za

9 March
SAPFA ANR at Middleburg airfield
Contact Iaan Myburgh E-mail: iaanmyburgh@gmail.com Cell: 082 449 2531

15 March
DCA Industry Roadshow Mangaung, Free State
Contact Ms Charmaine Shibambo E-mail: shibamboc@caa.co.za

16 March
EAA Chapter 322 fly-in breakfast to Brits airfield
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

22 & 23 March
Stellenbosch airshow – Fashkosh
Contact Anton Theart E-mail: gm@stelfly.co.za Cell: 079 873 4567

April

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

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

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

6 & 7 April
SAC Eastern Cape regionals Wings Park airfield

13 April
Elder’s Flight Brakpan airfield (this may change to a towered airfield)
Contact Felix Gosher E-mail: felixgosher@gmail.com Cell: 066 1919 4603

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

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

20 April
Wonderboom airshow
Contact Chris Theodosi E-mail: chris@creativespacemedia.co.za Cell: 071 220 1245

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

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

May

4 May
SAAF Museum airshow at AFB Zwartkops
Contact Major Michael Church E-mail: mike.church172@gmail.com Cell: 072 720 0700 

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

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

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

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

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

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

18 May
Parys airshow
Contact Chris Theodosi E-mail: chris@creativespacemedia.co.za Cell: 071 220 1245

18 May
SAC Free State regionals at Tempe airfield

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

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

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

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

Tornado damages Wright-Patterson AFB and US Air Force museum

Engineers and first responders are assessing damage at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio and the National Museum of the US Air Force after an early-morning tornado struck the base on 28 February. Initial updates from the 88th Air Base Wing did not mention any injuries from the storm, but photos showed extensive damage to historic buildings and aircraft. The base commander, Col. Travis Pond, said in an initial assessment that the damage was isolated to the southern side of Area B. Damaged buildings included the Museum’s Restoration Hangar 4, Gate 22B and other nearby facilities.

“Our initial focus right now is on safety and damage assessment,” he said in a statement. “I cannot speak highly enough about our security forces, Fire Department and civil engineer Airmen for their quick response and hard work to assess damage and determine a path forward for restoring operations as quickly as possible.”

Photos uploaded to the base’s Flickr page showed considerable damage to two Cold War-era jets, an F-104 fighter and a T-33 trainer as well as the hangars behind them. The photos also showed significant damage to the entrance of an Air Force Research Laboratory building. The base did not immediately respond to questions about whether other aircraft or artifacts were damaged. Other photos showed workmen clearing roads of fallen trees. A base Facebook post said one gate was closed.

Wright-Patterson also hosts the headquarters of US Air Force Materiel Command, which oversees the research, development, procurement, testing and sustainment of Air Force weapon systems. The base also features The National Air and Space Intelligence Center, an airlift wing, an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance wing as well as a range of other units and offices. According to its website, the 100-year-old National Museum of the US Air Force is the world’s largest military aviation museum and features hundreds of aircraft and spacecraft spread over 20 indoor acres and outdoor parks.

Preliminary report provides few clues about the cause of Hawker fatal

The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) preliminary report on the 7 February fatal accident involving a Beechcraft Hawker 900XP contains details of the final flight. However, it sheds little light on what might have caused the twinjet to descend seemingly out of control and crash near Westwater, Utah. The two pilots were killed in the planned Part 91 IFR positioning flight from Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT), Colorado, to Gig Harbour, Washington.

The airplane, operated by Vici Aviation and managed by Clay Lacy Aviation, arrived at West Star Aviation’s facility at GJT on 20 December 2023, for routine maintenance. According to West Star, multiple routine inspections had been completed on the airplane, including a requirement to remove the wing leading edges and TKS panels to inspect for cracks and signs of corrosion. After the inspections were completed, the airplane was returned to service on 6 February 2024.

During the positioning flight, the pilots planned to perform a stall warning and systems check per the airframe manufacturer’s requirements. These requirements, listed in the pilot’s operating manual, included an altitude above 10,000 feet agl, 10,000 feet above clouds and below 18,000 feet msl. In addition, this check could be conducted only during day VMC with a good visual horizon, the autopilot disengaged, an operative stall warning system, the external surfaces free of ice, the ventral fuel tank empty and weather radar on standby.

After the airplane departed GJT at 10h37 and entered a climb on a southeast heading, ATC approved the pilots’ request for a block of altitude from FL180 to FL200. At about 10h44 the aircraft levelled off at FL200. Three minutes later, ADS-B flight track data showed the airplane in a rapid descent in a circular pattern that resembled the shape of a corkscrew. The airplane made multiple rotations before crashing into open terrain. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered and the wreckage has also been retained for further examination. The accident site was IMC at the time of the accident.

Passenger tries to leap from an American Airlines airplane

Quick-witted passengers on a recent Chicago-bound American Airlines Flight 1219 used duct tape when a man decided he had just had enough of the flight and tried to open an airplane door and jump out. The airplane, which had taken off from Albuquerque International Sunport Airport, made a quick U-turn to head back to the runway. ‘Wonton Don’ was on the flight and saw the whole thing and then he moved into action. He and five other passengers had to wrestle him into the aisle, duct tape his legs, and throw flexi-cuffs on him. This is the problem with flying commercial, too many strangers, increasingly in distress, with such incidents becoming more and more common. 

In March 2023, passenger Francisco Severo Torres tried to open an airplane door on a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Boston. He also stabbed a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon and said he would ‘kill every man on this plane.’ In May, an Asiana Airlines airplane was 700 feet from the ground and minutes from its landing in Daegu, South Korea when a passenger managed to open an emergency door. (An aircraft door actually can open mid-flight when it does not have to contend with the air pressure suction caused by higher altitudes.)

After a quieter summer, incidents of this kind picked up again in the fall: in September, a passenger named Biswajit Debnath tried to force open an emergency door on a domestic flight in India. He, too, wanted to catch a cloud. In November, an unnamed woman on a Korean Air flight from New York to Incheon, South Korea also tried to open an emergency exit door in mid-air. She later tested positive for meth. That same month, a passenger of a Southwest Airlines aircraft parked at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport hopped from the airplane’s emergency exit and onto a wing.

These scares were different from a January 2024 incident, when a man took it upon himself to exit an AeroMexico airplane that had been stuck on the tarmac in Mexico City for hours. The airplane was sweltering, so that was totally normal.

IATA’s 2023 safety report shows remarkable aviation safety achievements

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has unveiled its 2023 annual safety report, revealing significant advancements in global aviation safety. Notably, the year marked ‘best-ever’ results for various parameters. In 2023, there were no hull losses or fatal accidents involving passenger jet aircraft. However, a single fatal accident occurred with a turboprop aircraft, resulting in 72 fatalities. The total number of aircraft movements, including jets and turboprops, reached 37 million in 2023, reflecting a 17% increase from the previous year.

Key highlights from the report include an all-accident rate in 2023, which was 0.80 per million sectors, showcasing improvement from 1.30 in 2022 and marking the lowest rate in over a decade. This rate surpassed the five-year rolling average (2019-2023) of 1.19. The fatality risk in 2023 improved to 0.03, compared to 0.11 in 2022 and the five-year average of 0.11. This level of safety implies that, on average, a person would have to travel by air every day for 103,239 years to experience a fatal accident.

IATA member airlines and IATA operational safety audit (IOSA) registered airlines reported no fatal accidents in 2023. Despite a single fatal accident in 2023 involving a turboprop aircraft, resulting in 72 fatalities, this represents a reduction from five fatal accidents in 2022 and an improvement on the five-year average (2019-2023) of five. Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, emphasised, “2023 safety performance continues to demonstrate that flying is the safest mode of transport. Aviation places its highest priority on safety, as evident in the 2023 performance. While jet operations saw no hull losses or fatalities, the single fatal turboprop accident with 72 fatalities reminds us that safety must never be taken for granted. Recent accidents in early 2024 further highlight the ongoing need for improvement, reinforcing our commitment to making flying ever safer throughout our history.”

Airbus Helicopters wraps up Heli-Expo 2024 with 155 commitments

Airbus Helicopters wraps up the 2024 edition of Heli-Expo with 155 commitments, including 40 firm orders, from customers worldwide for a variety of its multi-mission helicopters. Major highlights included a historic contract with THC for up to 120 helicopters of various types, with a firm order for eight H125s and ten H145s as part of the agreement. Airbus Helicopters continued to position itself as the leader on the helicopter emergency medical services market with the H145 for THC and up to ten H145s for DRF Luftrettung. US operator HealthNet Aeromedical Services added four H135s to its all-Airbus fleet.

The Canadian tour operator Niagara Helicopters added six H130s and Bristow placed an order for up to 15 H135s for the growing energy market. Airbus Helicopters and LCI announced two partnerships strengthening their long-standing relationship, one to explore the advanced air mobility (AAM) market and the other to address long-term capacity, sustainability and financing requirements of the industry.

“We thank our customers for placing their trust in our teams and our products and services with 155 commitments and 40 firm orders announced at this year’s Heli-Expo. It is a unique opportunity in the year to meet and exchange with customers and industry players. In 2023, our global fleet achieved three million flight hours so customer feedback is essential and it drives the continuous improvement of our solutions to enhance their critical, often lifesaving, missions,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO.

On the Support and Services side, Airbus Helicopters announced an HCare contract that ensures tip-to-tail coverage for Air Center Helicopters’ 18 H225 helicopters. The Czech Republic’s emergency medical services provider, DSA, signed an HCare PBH contract to cover their eight H135 helicopters. Airbus Helicopters’ FlyScan saw a boost thanks to the partnership with GPMS whose HUMS solution will allow more operators to share their data with Airbus and benefit from proactive technical expertise and tailored recommendations. Airbus Helicopters performed demonstration flights during Heli-Expo with an H145 and an H125 using 30% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), underlining the company’s ongoing commitment to use SAF whenever possible.

New name for Helicopter Association

In response to the rapidly expanding vertical aviation industry, Helicopter Association International (HAI) has changed its name to Vertical Aviation International (VAI). As the trade association representing the global vertical aviation industry, VAI is open to all manufacturers, operators, suppliers, vendors, pilots, maintenance technicians and aviation professionals who serve or support aircraft capable of vertical or short take-off and landing, association officials explained.

By widening its focus to encompass all vertical aviation, the association will expand its advocacy with legislators and regulators and provide a forum where all sectors of vertical flight can collaborate on shared challenges, such as vertical aviation infrastructure, certification of new technology and the safe integration of that technology into the airspace, officials noted. “Vertical aviation is an essential part of modern life, providing communities with security, connection and prosperity. Our aircraft fly places others cannot go and accomplish missions that others cannot do,” said James Viola, VAI president and CEO. “VAI’s purpose is to fuel the growth of the vertical aviation industry by providing connection, advocacy, safety, education and support for our members’ success.”

The decision to rebrand stems from the rapid expansion and technological evolution occurring in the vertical aviation industry, officials explained. In addition to a new logo, VAI has renamed its annual conference and trade show VERTICON. The first edition of that show will be held in Dallas in March 2025. The association is in the process of building a new website, verticalavi.org, which will be launched in late summer 2024. In the meantime, visitors can go to Rotor.org. HAI began as the California-based Helicopter Council in 1948, supporting six companies operating in what was then a brand-new industry. The association has evolved several times throughout the past 75 years to support the global helicopter industry.

Bell and Leonardo to partner on tiltrotor helicopters

Thirteen years after they broke off a partnership on what was then nascent technology, Bell and Leonardo are to work together on tiltrotor helicopters. The US and Italian firms signed a memorandum of understanding to ‘evaluate cooperation opportunities in the tiltrotor technology domain,’ they said in a statement on Thursday. This cooperation will get underway in earnest with a NATO Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability concept study, where Leonardo will take the lead on a tiltrotor architecture proposal with Textron’s Bell in support, the firms said.

The agreement follows a long partnership between the firms on the BA609 tiltrotor programme, which ended in 2011 when Bell pulled out, leaving Leonardo (then known as Finmeccanica) to push on with the effort. Bell went on to win the US Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft programme in 2022 with its V-280 tiltrotor, while Leonardo has kept faith with the BA609, now known as the AW609, albeit moving slowly with development. Officials have cited the lack of government development cash as a reason.

With a target of 2025 for certification for its tiltrotor, Leonardo officials were less than enthusiastic when the Italian Air Force encouraged them to team with Lockheed Martin and Boeing on their Defiant-X coaxial rotor helicopter. When the Defiant was beaten out in the FLRAA competition by Bell’s tiltrotor, Leonardo officials felt vindicated in sticking with tiltrotor technology.

“Now we are the only European company with a tiltrotor close to certification, primarily for civil application but which can be converted to military applications,” said Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani on Thursday. Cingolani was speaking during a presentation of Leonardo’s preliminary results for 2023, which showed it delivered 185 helicopters during the year, up from 149 in 2022. Electronics orders were up by 15.9%, buoyed by orders from the UK for new MK2 radars for its Eurofighters. At the presentation, Cingolani said talks were back on with German electronics firm Hensoldt about a joint venture. Leonardo purchased a 25.1% stake in the firm in 2021 but declined to participate in a capital increase in December and saw its stake in the firm drop to 22.8%, prompting suggestions its interest in the tie-up was fading. “We did not participate in the capital increase because the German government and the previous top management of Hensoldt did not say clearly whether the possibility of a Leonardo-Hensoldt alliance or joint venture was still open,” said Cingolani. “A few weeks ago the new CEO of Hensoldt came to Rome and we had a long and constructive discussion and he told me they are reconsidering a joint venture,” Cingolani added. “Now we are studying what we can do together.”

Singapore adds F-35As to expand its stealth fighter fleet

Singapore will add eight conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A stealth fighters to its existing order for 12 short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B variants. While Singapore had not previously ruled out the F-35A version, which offers various performance and cost advantages, it has now committed to a highly capable and versatile future fighter fleet that will comprise the F-35A, F-35B, and fourth-generation F-15SG an advanced development of the F-15E Strike Eagle. Singapore’s Minister of Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen said that the combination of F-35s will put the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in the ‘premier league’ of air arms. The 20-strong Joint Strike Fighter fleet will also start to replace the RSAF’s aging but still-capable F-16C/D force. Speaking during a budget debate in parliament, Dr Ng said that the F-35As are expected to be delivered around 2030. The decision to purchase F-35As is part of increased investment in Singapore’s armed forces, as defence spending grows by a factor of 2.5 percent in the 2024-25 financial year, reaching around $15 billion. The exact cost of the F-35A purchase has not been disclosed, as is typical for Singaporean defence procurements.

California fuel proposals draw opposition from industry

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is proposing to remove the exemption for jet fuel from the state’s Low Carb Fuel Standard Limit (LCFS) programme. LCSF establishes ‘carbon intensity’ standards that are designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions. But in a letter to CARB officials, industry groups argue that the proposal will serve only to increase the cost of jet fuel without increasing the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and further would pre-empt federal authority.

“We encourage CARB to withdraw the proposal to regulate jet fuel and instead establish a joint CARB-industry working group to explore alternative solutions to increase SAF production and use,” said the letter from NBAA, GAMA, NATA and seven other aviation and aerospace organisations and companies.

The groups pointed to the commitment of the aviation industry to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the belief that a transition to SAF is a key avenue toward that goal. “We have long recognised that scaling up the supply of SAF and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 can only happen by working collaboratively with governments and other stakeholders across sectors.”

Meanwhile, NATA further objected to a bill introduced in the California Senate that would phase out the distribution and sale of leaded avgas beginning in 2026. Initially, the ban would apply to disadvantaged communities or cities of at least 700,000 on 1 January 2026. Beginning in 2028, the ban would expand to airports and retail establishments next to an urban growth boundary and in 2030, it would apply statewide. The bill calls for a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day.

Legendary designer Burt Rutan returning to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2024

Burt Rutan, whose innovative designs have captured the world of flight ranging from homebuilt aircraft to space vehicles, will return to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2024 with appearances and forums coinciding with the 50th anniversary of his VariEze canard aircraft design. “Burt is best known to the public for his historic designs of SpaceShipOne, Voyager and Global Flyer, but for EAA members and aviation aficionados, his unique concepts began more than a half-century ago with fiberglass canard aircraft that revolutionised the amateur-built airplane community,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “Every time Burt joins us at Oshkosh, his presentations draw big audiences that are eager to hear his unique perspectives on flight.”

Rutan, an EAA Lifetime member for more than 50 years, made his first big splash at Oshkosh in 1972 with the VariViggen, which brought canard design to the homebuilt community. That led to a series of other Rutan recreational aircraft designs with innovative modeless fiberglass construction, which included the VariEze and Long-EZ that are still being built today.

The public recognition of Rutan came in the 1980s with his design of Voyager, which in December 1986 became the first aircraft to fly around the world non-stop on a single tank of fuel. The record was surpassed with a similar solo flight by Rutan’s Global Flyer in 2005, with Rutan’s unsurpassed legacy crowned with the successful flight SpaceShipOne in 2004, completing the first successful civilian space flight that earned the $10 million X Prize. Along the way, Rutan’s imaginative deigns also included the one-of-a-kind Proteus, an ‘affordable U-2 aircraft’ and the asymmetrical twin-engine Boomerang, among others, coming from Rutan’s SCALED Composites in Mojave, California, often regarded as the most aggressive aerospace research company in the world. Through the years, that company developed and tested a variety of groundbreaking projects, from military aircraft to executive jets, showcasing some of the most innovative and energy-efficient designs ever flown. Rutan has received the Presidential Citizen’s Medal, the Charles A. Lindbergh Award, two Collier Trophies, the EAA Freedom of Flight Award, the organisation’s highest honour and has been included in TIME Magazine’s ‘100 most influential people in the world’ listing.

Rutan’s exact schedule at AirVenture will be announced as it is finalised. EAA is also working with the Rutan Aircraft Flying Experience group, which has preserved many examples of Rutan’s aircraft designs, regarding aircraft to be displayed at Oshkosh.

NASA’s GUSTO scientific balloon sets record

NASA launched the Galactic / Extragalactic ULDB Spectroscopic Terahertz Observatory (GUSTO) scientific balloon in late December from McMurdo Station in Antarctica in order to map portions of the Milky Way and nearby Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The telescope tethered to the balloon is collecting data that will be used in the making of a 3D map of the Milky Way and LMC dwarf galaxy near it using high-frequency radio waves. The stadium-size scientific balloon is measuring emissions from the material between stars to help scientists determine the life cycle of interstellar gas in the Milky Way galaxy. The floating observatory is flying at an altitude of more than 125,000 feet, NASA said.

“NASA’s long-duration balloon programme provides researchers the ability to fly state-of-the art payloads at the very edge of space, affording them the opportunity to make groundbreaking observations of the cosmos more frequently and at a significantly lower cost than conventional orbital missions,” GUSTO principal investigator Christopher Walker said in a statement. On Saturday, the balloon beat the standing record of 55 days, one hour and 34 minutes and continues to circumnavigate the South Pole, the agency said. Prior to the feat, the record holder had been the Super Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder balloon mission, known as SuperTIGER, which launched in December 2012.

“The health of the balloon and the stratospheric winds are both contributing to the success of the mission so far,” said Andrew Hamilton, acting chief of NASA’s balloon programme office at its Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. “The balloon and balloon systems have been performing beautifully and we are seeing no degradation in the performance of the balloon. The winds in the stratosphere have been very favourable and have provided stable conditions for extended flight.” The GUSTO mission was to run at least 60 days but will continue to fly in order for researchers to better understand the limits of long-duration ballooning, Hamilton said.

Aena SME, UrbanV and Volocopter collaborate to develop a UAM pilot project in Spain

Aena, the world’s leading airport management company by number of passengers, UrbanV, the Italian vertiport operator and the German pioneer of urban air mobility (UAM), Volocopter, have entered into a collaboration agreement to launch a pilot programme to develop an UAM ecosystem. The programme consists of a feasibility study for the deployment of UAM and a potential proof of concept of commercial operations (CONOPS) of a vertiport at an airport within the Aena flight network.

The pilot programme will progress in two steps: The first two years will focus on a feasibility study of UAM use within the Aena network, identifying potential customers, vertiport locations and commercial routes, infrastructure needs and possible connections with other modes of transport. The next step will be to evaluate the possibility of conducting flights test on Aena facilities (subject to funding, availability of resources, permits to fly etc.) in order to proof the concept of operations. Based on this pilot study, the partnership aims to assess the next steps and possible future lines of collaboration in the UAM business in Spain. Future lines of work will be subject to strict assessment of the results of the pilot and the strategic alignment of each of the parties.

There is no shortcut to building an efficient and sustainable UAM ecosystem into a new region. This involves understanding the market potential, identifying passenger-frequented routes, planning vertiport locations and involving additional partners such as civil aviation authorities (CAA) and municipalities, among others. Aena, UrbanV and Volocopter have the expertise in respective parts of the aviation industry to embark on the creation of an efficient UAM ecosystem in Spain and beyond. UrbanV and Volocopter have already partnered for the 2024 Italian UAM market launch in Rome and are now looking to strengthen their collaboration in Spain. Aena is the world’s leading airport management company in the number of passengers. With the combined expertise of these three companies, a CONOPS of use cases at target locations will be created as a blueprint, to later aid global commercial expansion.

Spain is accelerating its decarbonisation efforts to target net-zero by 2050, mostly through electrification, green hydrogen and biofuels. Aena is 10 years ahead of schedule by committing to be net-zero by 2040. Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft can play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions in urban and remote locations in the immediate future. With no emissions in flight, an ultra-low noise signature and compliant to the highest safety standards in aviation, Volocopter’s eVTOLs have the potential to revolutionise the future of aviation and make a significant impact on cities across Spain.

Luis Cañon, Director of Innovation and Customer Experience of Aena said: “Aena’s Innovation and Digital Transformation is based on using technology to improve current and develop new businesses.

We want to be international leaders in the use of digital tools with the objective of optimising the client experience, increasing operational efficiency, being more sustainable and developing new businesses around sustainable mobility. This project is part of the company’s global strategy in Urban Air Mobility and the validation of new technologies and processes in Aena’s airport network.”

Carlo Tursi, CEO of UrbanV said: “At UrbanV, we aim to improve people’s lives by enabling a fast, efficient, safe and clean alternative to existing transport solutions for people and goods over short distances, by air. We have the ambition to become a major global operator of vertiport networks and we will be global pioneers in establishing some of the first AAM routes worldwide. We are excited to partner with AENA and Volocopter, two world leaders in their respective fields and we look forward to exploring together with them the great potential of introducing advanced air mobility in the Spanish market.”

Christian Bauer, CFO & CCO of Volocopter, added: “Volocopter’s mission to bring UAM to life now extends to Spain. We are proud to join its path to transforming the sustainability of aviation also in Spain as our eVTOLs provide a more efficient, safe and quiet form of complementary aerial mobility for tourists and business travellers. For Volocopter, this pilot programme is another fantastic opportunity to understand real-world needs and use cases of eVTOL and to strengthen our partner ecosystem with Aena and UrbanV.”

Sikorsky takes new hybrid VTOL design public

On 28 February Sikorsky revealed plans to build, test and fly a large-scale hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) tilt-wing demonstrator. Dubbed HEX (for ‘hybrid-electric’), the project is expected to be the first of a series of large, next-gen VTOLs featuring varying degrees of electrification and advanced autonomy technology ‘for optionally piloted flight,’ Sikorsky said in a statement. The HEX programme, part of Sikorsky’s Innovations prototyping group founded in 2010, places a premium on achieving range figures in excess of 500 nautical miles, reducing the complexity of mechanical systems for greater safety and reliability and minimising maintenance costs. In cooperation with GE Aerospace, the Sikorsky programme is presently the finalising design of the hybrid-electric power systems test bed, equipped with a 600-kW electric motor. ‘The testbed is a first step to evaluate hover performance of the follow-on HEX demonstrator,’ Sikorsky said, ‘a 9,000-pound maximum gross weight aircraft with 1.2mW-class turbogenerator and associated power electronics.’ Sikorsky president Paul Lemmo said, “Our HEX demonstrator programme will provide valuable insights as we look to a future family of aircraft built to the scale and preferred configurations relevant to commercial and military customers.”

First flight for GA-ASI XQ-67A OBSS

For the first time on 28 February 2024 General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS). OBSS is an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) programme and GA-ASI was selected in 2021 to design, build and fly the new aircraft. With flight of the AFRL-funded XQ-67A, GA-ASI has validated the ‘genus / species’ concept first developed with AFRL as part of the Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Platform Sharing (LCAAPS) programme focused on building several aircraft variants from a common core chassis. Under LCAAPS, AFRL and GA-ASI explored the development of a chassis, termed a ‘genus’, as the foundational core architecture from which several ‘species’ of aircraft can be built.

“This provides an alternative acquisition approach for military aircraft that enables faster development, lower costs and more opportunities for frequent technology refresh,” said Trenton White, OBSS Programme Manager and aerospace engineer in AFRL’s Aerospace Systems Directorate. “XQ-67A is the first ‘species’ to be designed and built from this shared platform. Flight demonstration of this system is a major first step toward showing the ability to produce affordable combat mass.”

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