Number 35 – 06 May 2024

“Any formal attack on ignorance is bound to fail because the masses are always ready to defend their most precious possession – their ignorance.” Hendrik van Loon

Dick Rutan, co-pilot of historic round-the-world flight, dies aged 85

Burt Rutan was alarmed to see that the plane he had designed was so loaded with fuel that the wingtips dragged along the ground as it taxied down the runway. He grabbed the radio to warn the pilot, his older brother Dick Rutan. But Dick never heard the message. Nine days and three minutes later, Dick, along with co-pilot Jeana Yeager, completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refuelling.

A decorated Vietnam war pilot, Dick Rutan passed away on Friday evening at a hospital in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, with Burt and other loved ones by his side. His friend Bill Whittle said he died on his own terms when he decided against enduring a second night on oxygen after suffering a severe lung infection.

“He played an airplane like someone plays a grand piano,” said Burt of his brother, who was often described as having a velvet arm because of his smooth flying style. Burt Rutan said he had always loved designing airplanes and became fascinated with the idea of a craft that could go clear around the world. His brother was equally passionate about flying. The project took six years. There was plenty to worry Burt during testing of the light graphite plane, Voyager. There were mechanical failures, any one of which would have been disastrous over a distant ocean. When fully laden, the plane could not handle turbulence and then there was the question of how the pilots could endure such a long flight on so little sleep. But Burt said his brother had an optimism about him that made them all believe. “Dick never doubted whether my design would actually make it around, with still some gas in the tank,” Burt said.

Voyager left from Edwards air force base in California just after 08h00 on 14 December 1986. Burt said that with all that fuel, the wings had only inches of clearance. Dick could not see when they started dragging on the runway. But at the moment Burt called on the radio, co-pilot Yeager gave a speed report, drowning out the message. “Then the velvet arm really came in and he very slowly brought the stick back and the wings bent way up, some 30 feet at the wingtips and it lifted off very smoothly.” Burt said.

They arrived back to a hero’s welcome as thousands gathered to witness the landing. Both Rutan brothers and Yeager were awarded Presidential Citizens medals by President Ronald Reagan, who described how a local official in Thailand at first “refused to believe some cockamamie story” about a plane flying around the world on a single tank of gas. “We had the freedom to pursue a dream and that was important,” Dick Rutan said at the ceremony. “We should never forget and those that guard our freedoms, that we should hang on to them very tenaciously and be very careful about some do-gooder that thinks that our safety is more important than our freedom. Because freedom is awful difficult to obtain, and it’s even more difficult to regain it once it’s lost.”

Editor comments: Many years ago I was fortunate to meet Dick Rutan when he came to South Africa as a guest of EAA South Africa and I also subsequently met him on one of my many trips to EAA AirVenture. The Rutan Voyager II aircraft is on exhibition in the EAA Museum in Oshkosh.

Dinosaur Derby night glow at the Bill Harrop’s Balloon field

SAAF Museum airshow at Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing (AFB Zwartkops)

On Saturday 4 May our team of photographers including Charlie and Fiona Hugo, Paul Ludick, Christine Brits and I spent an amazing day attending the annual SAAF Museum airshow with stunning weather conditions, clear skies and an incredible crowd of enthusiasts. Congratulations to the organisers who ‘pulled out all the stops’ to ensure that the estimated 30 000 spectators enjoyed the spectacle that unfolded before them. I was particularly impressed with the Capital Sounds team and especially Brian Emmenis who certainly kept the crowds entertained even when there was a short lull in flying activity. Most of our team were fortunate to be located just north of show centre where the amazing crowd behind us were incredibly excited whenever one of the many display pilots pulled off yet another manoeuver that had everyone cheering at the top of their voices. I spent most of my time shooting video material so when we publish this incredible video you will be able to hear those voices. The full report together with amazing pictures from our team will be published in the June 2024 edition of African Pilot together with a video of the events of the day as well as interviews with some of the prominent personalities involved. Thank you to the SAAF Museum team for a wonderful day in the sun and also for keeping this major airshow safe throughout the day.

SAA wants investors on board – but government in the cockpit

Both the government and leadership of South African Airways (SAA) are still open to the possibility of a private equity partner investing in the state-owned airline, but the airline will not be looking for a majority owner. This comes after Public Enterprise Minister Pravin Gordhan called off a recent attempt to sell a 51% stake in SAA to Takatso Consortium, a private equity partner. Like last time, the objective of a private equity partner is to secure capital to help stabilise the airline’s finances, reduce its dependence on tax-payer-funded bailouts and ultimately, propel it to new heights.

Unlike last time, rather than the government taking the back seat by selling a majority of the state-owned enterprise (SOE) to a private equity partner (as it unsuccessfully tried to do with Takatso Consortium), they would now remain in control by maintaining the majority of the shares. This was revealed by interim board chairperson of SAA, Derek Hanekom in a recent interview with the Daily Maverick. “SAA wants potential investors to buy a minority stake of up to 20% in the airline, while the government would retain the remaining 80%,” said Hanekom.

Back in 2019, SAA, which had around R28 billion in liabilities and was seen as a black hole for taxpayer-funded bailouts, was placed under business rescue (which it exited in 2021). Gordhan said that placing the SOE under business rescue was to restore confidence in the airline, safeguard its good assets and help to restructure and reposition the entity into one that is stronger, more sustainable and able to grow and attract an equity partner.

Hanekom said that despite strides made by the airline since, such as a massive restructuring and reducing its liabilities, trying to woo potential investors to put money into SAA is an uphill battle. “SAA is more stabilised, effectively running well and expanding, but even with all of this, to get anyone to purchase a minority shareholding in a state-owned company is a tough ask,” said Hanekom.

Hanekom mentioned that the task is difficult because SAA has a history marred by corruption during the years of State Capture, with frequent government interference in its operations, the airline has been significantly restructured through a business rescue process and the recent failure of the Takatso deal has further complicated matters. However, interim group CEO John Lamola told Business Day that there was no ‘desperation’ for a new equity partner because the airline ‘will not collapse’.  “Any new investor in the business would really need to expand SAA into another dimension as currently we are working on an SAA that is resized and we have a plan that we can execute,” said Lamola.

Ultimately, SAA’s main short-term goal is to stabilise its finances to reduce its reliance on taxpayer-funded bailouts. According to a recent answer by Gordhan in Parliament, taxpayers have sunk R33.136 billion into SAA since 2019. This long-standing history of taxpayer funded injections into SAA is something that government and the airline’s leadership want to move away from. “The previous glory of SAA was artificial because it was funded by taxpayers’ money,” said Lamola. “The SAA we are building is one that can generate its own revenues and cover its own operational costs,” he added.

Law enforcement agencies for arrest of human trafficker at OR Tambo

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) would like to congratulate law enforcement agencies for the arrest of a German man at OR Tambo International Airport, in Johannesburg, for attempting to traffic two women to Croatia recently. Joachim Will (56), appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of trafficking in persons and fraud. He was remanded in custody until a formal bail application. He was arrested by a joint police team led by the West Rand Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation, working with Interpol, Crime Intelligence and Gauteng’s Provincial Border Policing. He was intercepted while trying to board a flight to Croatia with the two Madagascan women, aged 32 and 29. The women were allegedly recruited through a dating site and lured with a promise of employment. They were found in possession of fraudulent Italian passports.

10 & 11 May
Wings and Wheels Queenstown
Contact 082 921 2879

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

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

11 May
SAPFA ANR navigation rally at Stellenbosch airfield
Contact Pamela Russell Cell: 083 264 0108

11 May
Flying with a purpose the Bateleurs Ladysmith airfield
Contact Steve Cell 082 891 1689

11 May
SAA Museum Society Planes Trains Automobiles 09h00 to 14h30
Contact E-mail: info@saamuseum.co.za Cell: 076 879 5044

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 16 May
Airport Show Dubai

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

17 to 19 May
Zuikerkop fly-in 
Contact E-mail: info@zuikerkop.co.za Cell: 083 389 0587

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

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

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

18 May
Newcastle airshow at Newcastle airfield KZN
Contact Johan Pieters E-mail: johan@champ.co.za Cell: 082 932 0078

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

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

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

Presidents Trophy air race video from 2023:

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

28 to 30 May
EBACE business aircraft show Geneva, Switzerland
Website: www.ebace.aero VP Exhibitions Sacha Carey E-mail: scarey@nbaa.org

June

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

1 June
EAA Chapter 322 monthly gathering EAA Auditorium Rand Airport
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: airadventuresa@gmail.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 & 16 June
Hluhluwe fly-in to Hluhluwe airfield
Contact Christiaan Kleyn 082 945 7362 or Mike Currie 084 506 7610

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

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

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

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

29 June
FAPE Open Day at Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport
General Aviation Area, Boeing Street, Walmer

Ethiopian Airlines

Africa’s largest airline, Ethiopian Airlines owns 45% of Zambia Airways, 49% of Guinea Airways, 100% of Ethiopian-Mozambique Airlines, 49% of Chad Airlines and 49% of Air Malawi. In 2022 / 23 the airline generated US$6.1 billion in revenue. It has a fleet of 154 aircraft and operates to 136 destinations. Ethiopian transported 13.89 million passengers in 2022 / 23 and is owned by the Ethiopian government. 

Tragic fatal accident in Namibia

A Cessna 406 Caravan II operated by Westair / FlyNamibia crashed into Pioneers Park just north-east of Eros Airport soon after take-off and there were no  survivors. Apparently, this was a test flight with three crew onboard.

Royal Air Maroc CEO confirms launch of tender for 200 aircraft

The ambitious growth plans of Morocco’s flag carrier do not come as a surprise. Already in the summer of 2023 it became known that Royal Air Maroc was intending to quadruple its fleet (as of April 2024 it operates 52 aircraft) by the end of the decade. On 8 April the airline’s CEO, Abdelhamid Addou, finally announced that a request for proposals (RFP) to expand the fleet had been officially launched. The terms of this initiative have not been made public, but it is assumed that it will include a mix of narrow and wide-body aircraft. The growth of its national airline is strategic for Morocco, which hopes to underpin, this way, the continued growth of its tourism industry. In 2023 Morocco received a record 14.5 million visitors, a number that is expected to increase to 17.5 million in 2026 and to 26 million by 2030, the year when it will organize a FIFA World Cup together with Spain and Portugal.

NetJets takes options on 232 Challenger 3500s

NetJets now has up to 2,000 business jets on order following the announcement that is has options to buy 232 Challenger 3500 super midsize aircraft. If fully exercised, the deal would be worth more than $6 billion. Meanwhile, Bombardier announced that a confirmed deal for 12 Challenger 3500s worth $326 million revealed in December is going to NetJets. The Bombardier deal comes after blockbuster announcements for sales and options to Textron and Embraer in the last six months.

“We could not be prouder to see the Challenger 3500 business jet join the NetJets fleet as we write the next chapter of our long-term collaboration,” said Bombardier CEO Eric Martel. NetJets said in a statement that “as we evaluate demand and overall growth within the market, we are confident the extension of our super-midsize fleet will continue to differentiate NetJets as the worldwide leader in private aviation.”

Boeing 737 landing gear destined for Russia seized after illegal trade exposed

The landing gear for a Boeing 737-800 has been seized by the United States (US) Department of Justice (DOJ), having been detained at Miami International Airport (MIA) in September 2023 by US Customs and Border Patrol. A forfeiture complaint was filed against the aircraft part on 1 May 2024, after the landing gear was sold in June 2023 by a Florida-based aircraft parts overhauler and reseller for $1.55 million. According to the DOJ, the Boeing 737 landing gear was purchased for the benefit of LLC RM Design and Development (RMDD), a Kyrgyz Republic-based transhipper of dual-use items, to service Russia in violation of US economic sanctions. Court documents revealed that the Boeing 737-800 landing gear was sold by the Florida reseller to an intermediary in Istanbul, Turkey, called GQ Solution Elektronik Ekipman Limited Sirketi.

In July 2023, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated RMDD as a Specially Designated National for operating in the electronics sector of the Russian economy. According to OFAC, the Kyrgyz Republic-based firm was established in March 2022, less than a month after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It described the company as a ‘prolific shipper of dual-use goods to Russia, including to firms that have supplied electronics to Russia-based defence companies’. As a result of OFAC’s efforts, all property belonging to RMDD in the US has subsequently been blocked.

Five days after OFAC designated RMDD as a Specially Designated National, the company sent an e-mail to the reseller in Florida to ‘switch the purchase fully to our partners GQ Solution’. Following the e-mail, all mentions of RMDD were scrubbed from invoices for the landing gear. Crucially, on 29 August  2023, GQ Solution completed the End User Certification form agreeing to ‘not export or re-export US products, technology or software to any restricted country unless otherwise authorised by the United States Government’.

On 1 September 2023, US Customs and Border Protection informed the shipper that it had detained the landing gear shipment at the airport in Miami. “This Office continues to use every tool it has to stop illegal transactions with Russian businesses,” US Attorney Matthew Graves said. “Today’s complaint stops an attempted illegal transfer to the Russian Federation of parts for airplanes and seeks to permanently deprive both the Russian Federation and the company that tried to sell them of these goods.”  In addition, the State Department announced new sanctions on 1 May 2024, against entities operating in Russia’s technology sector, including GQ Solution Elektronik Limited in connection with the company’s supplying of electronic components to Russia-based companies.

Whistleblower who accused Boeing supplier of ignoring 737 Max defects has died

On the morning of 30 April 2024 Joshua Dean (45), passed away. Dean’s family told American media publication NPR that he had fallen into a critical condition after being diagnosed with a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterial infection.

Dean alleged that he was fired by Spirit AeroSystems for flagging concerns about improperly drilled holes in the fuselage of Boeing 737 Max jets. He filed a complaint against Spirit AeroSystems with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and testified in a shareholder lawsuit against the company. Dean’s passing comes less than two months after Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was found dead from what authorities say appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Barnett was in the midst of a lawsuit against Boeing after suffering retaliation for exposing safety problems with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

American Airlines scale back pilot hiring plans

The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline is scheduled to reduce hiring by roughly 40 percent in 2024 compared to last year. During the company’s investor day event in early March, CEO Robert Isom also noted the airline’s plans to pull back on pilot hiring. In a recent briefing to pilots viewed by AirlineGeeks, company vice president of flight operations Russ Moore said that American plans to hire 1,300 pilots this year. In 2023, the airline hired around 2,300. Moore cited ‘delivery delays from Boeing’ among the reasons for the reduction but noted that 2024 is still poised to be the airline’s third-highest year for pilot hiring on record. In addition, he said the company plans to pause new hire classes in June, July, August and potentially in December.

“In fact, we hired and trained more pilots in 2023 than we have in the history of this airline and we did it efficiently enough that we were actually a bit ahead of where we needed to be for the summer of 2024,” Moore said during the briefing. “This allowed us to transition from a ‘hire and train as many as you can’ approach to a more traditional approach, which in and of itself reduced our hiring targets for 2024.”

Despite the slowdown, Moore added that hiring could pick up again as up to 850 of the airline’s pilots retire annually over the next five years. “So I expect we will be back to the 2023 tempo in hiring in pretty short order,” Moore said.

American joins a slew of other major airlines reducing their 2024 hiring, including both Delta and United. Earlier this year, Delta said it would also cut its 2024 pilot hiring plans in half. The Allied Pilots Association (APA), which represents more than 16,000 American pilots recently noted that the pilot shortage was ‘over.’ “The perceived pilot shortage is over, eliminating any further need for policymakers to consider changing the retirement age,” said APA president Captain Ed Sicher in a March statement.

Textron Aviation expands with new global parts distribution facility

Textron Aviation has announced the grand opening of its largest parts distribution facility at its headquarters in Wichita, Kansas. With the incorporation of an additional 180,000 square feet of space, this cutting-edge facility is now more adept at catering to the company’s global customer base, offering enhanced parts storage capabilities and expedited shipping services.

With thousands of Cessna, Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft in operation globally, Textron Aviation acknowledges the significance of maintaining readily accessible parts to ensure customers can continue flying. The facility’s expanded footprint enables greater investment in parts inventory, ensuring availability for both new and existing models. In addition, the expansion seeks to enhance the overall customer experience by introducing a new, dedicated lane for customers to conveniently drop off or collect parts in person.

“Adding 180,000 square feet to our headquarter facility provides expedited support to our customers around the globe and continues our investment in parts inventory,” comments Brad White, Senior Vice President, Global Parts and Distribution. “The expansion of our parts distribution operations is a testament to Textron Aviation’s commitment to designing and delivering the best aviation experience for customers.”

Embraer reaches highest bizjet deliveries in eight years

According to the Brazilian airframer’s first-quarter results released recently, Embraer’s executive jets division saw its highest first-quarter deliveries over the past eight years. In addition, Embraer reported backlog reached $4.6 billion by the end of March, an increase of $300 million from the previous quarter.

In the light-jet segment, Embraer’s first quarter deliveries saw a year-over-year (YoY) increase of 83 percent, handing over 10 Phenom 300s, the best-selling light jet for more than a decade and one Phenom 100. For the midsize class, the manufacturer delivered seven: three Praetor 500s and four Praetor 600s. That more than tripled its first-quarter 2023 output in the category.

Embraer predicts its private jet division will deliver between 125 and 135 aircraft for the year. It typically starts slowly and reaches a high delivery rate in the year’s fourth quarter. Last year, for example, it delivered 49 of its 115 executive jets in the final quarter. The OEM has developed a production levelling plan, which it is currently implementing to maintain a stable production pace throughout the calendar year. Overall, including its commercial, defence and services divisions, the company posted a $21.1 billion backlog for the just-ended quarter, the highest point in the past seven years.

US official warn that Russia may be developing space-based nuclear weapon

Rea He emphasised that such a weapon would not distinguish between military, civilian, or commercial satellites and could have far-reaching consequences, rendering areas in low-orbit unusable by spacecraft for over a year.

These concerns come in the wake of Russia’s veto on 24 April 2024, of a United Nations Security Council resolution drafted by the United States. The resolution aimed to prevent an arms race in space and uphold the obligations outlined in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. The UN resolution sought to reaffirm the commitment to the peaceful use of outer space and prevent the placement of weapons of mass destruction in orbit around the Earth.

During the race to land on the moon, the Soviet Union, the US and the UK signed the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which governs the exploration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies. This treaty, which has been ratified by 110 nations, prohibits the installation of nuclear weapons or any other form of weapon of mass destruction in Earth’s orbit, stockpiling them on the Moon, on any other celestial body, or in outer space. The treaty has played a crucial role in maintaining peace in Earth’s orbit for over 50 years. It ensures that space is accessible to all countries without any national claim and limits the military’s use of space to observation and communication applications. But in recent years, the delicate balance of peace in Earth’s orbit, safeguarded by the Outer Space Treaty, has faced mounting challenges. 

As geopolitical tensions escalate and diplomatic endeavours stagnate, reports of satellite interference are on the rise. Incidents involving ground lasers targeting satellites or the deployment of space drones to disrupt orbital operations have become increasingly frequent. In September 2018, France’s Defence Minister Florence Parly claimed that, during the previous year, the Russian Luch satellite, also known as Olymp-K, had attempted to spy on the Franco-Italian satellite Athena-Fidus. The latter provides high-speed and secure telecommunications services by satellite to the military forces and emergency services of both nations. In April 2021, the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a report warning of China’s development of weapons capable of targeting US and allied satellites. 

Moreover, there are signs that old Cold War-era concepts are resurfacing amidst these tensions. One such concept is the Fractional Orbital Bombardment System or FOBS, which involves placing nuclear warheads in orbit to strike targets from unexpected trajectories. It has been reported that China has explored this by testing a hypersonic orbital glider with nuclear capacity in August 2021. Reviving such strategies threatens to escalate conflicts beyond Earth’s atmosphere and erode the longstanding norms established by international space treaties.

SpaceX’s uncrewed Dragon spacecraft splashes down with cargo

SpaceX’s uncrewed Dragon spacecraft, ferrying more than two tons of scientific experiments and cargo from the International Space Station (ISS), successfully splashed down off the coast of Florida before dawn Tuesday. The spacecraft’s return marks the commercial space company’s 30th cargo resupply mission of the orbital outpost for the space agency. Suspended under four deployed parachutes, the capsule landed in the Atlantic Ocean at 01h38 EST off the coast of Tampa, NASA said. Later this week, the three NASA astronauts and a Roscosmos cosmonaut who comprise SpaceX Crew-8 currently aboard ISS are set to move a Dragon crew spacecraft capsule in order to make way for new crewmembers who could arrive at the space station as soon as next week.

Vertical Flight Society eVTOL directory reaches 1,000 designs

On Monday last week the Vertical Flight Society shared that the number of eVTOL aircraft concepts tracked in the World eVTOL Aircraft Directory has reached 1,000 from more than 430 designers.

The race to develop and certify an eVTOL continues, with companies all over the world working on innovative designs for a cleaner, lower-noise travel option. Electric propulsion will allow new aircraft concepts to have an enhanced performance, little to no emissions, reduced operating costs and low noise. VFS held its first eVTOL workshop in 2014 and then launched the world’s first e-newsletter, The Electric VTOL News in 2016 when there were a small number of eVTOL programmes in development. The number has grown substantially in the years since, now reaching the milestone of 1,000 concepts in the VFS directory.

When the website launched in April 2017 there were a total of 18 known eVTOL designs included. Those companies are still involved today and some under new names, including Airbus Helicopters, Airbus A3, Aurora Flight Sciences, Bell, Jaunt Air Mobility, DeLorean Aerospace, ASX, EHang, Volocopter, Mayman Aerospace, Joby, Lilium, SkyDrive and XTI Aerospace. Several of the original companies, like Kitty Hawk, Uber, Zee Aero and Workhorse are now part of other companies like Wisk or Joby.

Companies such as Archer Aviation and Joby are racing to certify the first eVTOL. Joby completed the third stage of the FAA certification process, becoming the first eVTOL developer to do so. Archer has completed Phase 1 of its flight test programme. Both companies have solidified partnerships to establish infrastructure around the US and other parts of the world to prepare for the influx of eVTOL air taxis.

Designs hit the directory at a rapid pace, reaching 100 concepts by July 2018, 200 by September 2019, 400 by January 2021, 600 by January 2022 and 800 by April 2023. Doroni Aerospace’s H1-X two-seat personal eVTOL aircraft was added in April, marking the 1,000th concept entered into the World eVTOL Aircraft Directory. The directory includes current aircraft under development as well as historical designs and many defunct designs that have been preserved for the record. Volocopter is working on three products; VoloCity, VoloRgion and VoloDrone, but 15 designs have been explored including the single-seat VC007 from more than ten years ago.

The website hosts concepts from established aerospace companies and startups as well as individuals, universities and government agencies. There are more than 950 eVTOL news posts and hundreds of articles from the Society’s Vertiflite magazine. In support of the advanced air mobility movement, VFS has sponsored the annual Electric Aircraft Symposium since 2018. The 18th annual EAS will be held online and in person in Oshkosh, Wisconsin the weekend before EAA AirVenture 2024. More than 200 people are expected to attend this year.

US Air Force researchers design, build, fly autonomous aircraft in 24 hours

In an open area of the Eglin range known as B-70, a group of Air Force field grade officers and black-shirted innovators huddled together above an eight-pound model aircraft as they raced against their deadline to build it. The group of officers and innovators, known as Black Phoenix, created a goal for themselves to design, create, build and fly an unmanned aerial system within 24 hours.  Around the 22.5-hour mark, the team secured the tail pieces and lastly, the propellers.  The final step on a journey, that started more than six months prior, was to put the UAS in the air.

The officers began the project as part of their Blue Horizons fellowship.  Blue Horizons is a US Air Force Center for Strategy and Technology mission that is part think-tank, part incubator that promotes unconventional thinking and processes to Air Force problems with strategic impact. The Black Phoenix crew is one of five teams wrapping up those projects after year-long fellowships. Their three-person team took on the task of evaluating how to rapidly adapt small UASs, their technology and payloads based on the need and environment. 

“Small UASs are becoming a new warfighting capability,” said Col. Dustin Thomas, a Blue Horizons fellow and Black Phoenix team member.  “However, the Air Force canno rapidly change these aircraft based on the threat environment or quickly use new technologies to meet the needs of a specific mission.  Our project aims to find ways to change that.”

To take their project from the theoretical to practical, the team turned to Titan Dynamics, a small aerospace company focused on rapid and cost-effective UAS designs and development. “We went in search of a young, smart, new start-up company, who was willing to take on a big risk.” Said Lt. Col. Jordan Atkins, Black Phoenix member.  “We could not be more impressed with their ability to yield a miracle like this in only two months.”

The team used Titan’s software automated design software to create an aerodynamic UAS body based on weight, power, dimensions and payload in less than 10 minutes.  That design code gets fed into 3D printers to create the lightweight UAS body parts.  Once all the pieces are printed, the team builds the newly created UAS designed specifically for its mission parameters.

Black Phoenix took this method and first tested it in Southwest Asia in March with Task Force-99 with some success. Then, they brought that test data and lessons learned to Eglin for their final in-the-field tests.  They sought out the Air Force Chief Data and AI office’s Autonomy Data and AI Experimentation proving ground, which aims to accelerate development and experimentation in programs like the Black Phoenix project. “Eglin is trying create a space to test small UASs and new technological capabilities very quickly,” said Thomas. “Historically, the US Air Force is relatively slow in adapting and testing these technologies and Eglin is trying to change that paradigm.  We wanted to partner with them and be a part of that paradigm shift.

In support of the ADAX proving ground, the 413th Flight Test Squadron’s Autonomy Prime flight flies autonomous UASs regularly and new aircraft and autonomy customers come to Eglin to test their technologies.  During Black Phoenix’s week at Eglin, the team tested six autonomous aircraft using the quick create, build, fly method for various missions including an eight-pound personnel recovery UAS that would deliver supplies to a simulated Airman behind enemy lines. Sometimes the aircraft flew successfully and other times, when pushing the boundaries, they crashed. The successes and failures were all part of Black Phoenix’s goal to gather research on the feasibility of the rapidly created UASs idea.

What they did discover was regardless of flight or crash, the internal autonomy hardware and the payload within were virtually unharmed.  To build back and try again meant only reprinting the outer UAS structure at a cost of around $20 to $50. “We have taken big risks this week in flying so many new aircraft for the first time, but the risk is also low because these entire aircraft are built from commercial off-the-shelf items, so the financial investment is small,” said Lt. Col. Peter Dyrud, Black Phoenix team member. After the test, the Black Phoenix team will put together their findings and present their study evaluation to the Air Force Secretary and Air Force Chief of Staff in May.

Origin UAV successfully delivers an airborne weapon precision strike system to NATO member

Origin UAV, a leading developer of drone technology with precision strike capabilities, has announced the successful delivery of its Origin UAV Beak systems to NATO member countries. This achievement signifies a significant advancement in bolstering the defence capabilities of allied nations, demonstrating Origin’s commitment to innovation and security. The Origin UAV Beak is designed to provide precision strike capabilities at a fraction of the cost of firing a precision-guided missile, making it a cost-effective solution for modern military operations. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including precision bomb-drop capability and advanced ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) features, the Beak sets a new standard in unmanned aircraft systems. It is specifically engineered to excel in GNSS-denied environments and features anti-jamming capabilities, offering defence forces unparalleled operational flexibility and effectiveness.

Agris Kipurs, co-founder at Origin, emphasised the company’s dedication to disrupting the military power balance through cost-effective technological superiority in the air. He stated, “Our delivery of the Origin UAV Beak systems to NATO member countries underscores our commitment to addressing evolving security challenges and enhancing operational superiority.”

In addition to this achievement, Origin is excited to announce its participation in the upcoming Special Operations (SOF) week in Tampa, Florida, from 6 to 9 May. As a leading innovator in military technology, Origin aims to showcase the Beak’s capabilities and engage with industry experts, military professionals and government officials at this event.

About African Pilot and Future Flight:

After 24 years of continuous publishing there is no doubt that African Pilot provides the finest overall aviation media reach on the African continent and now throughout the world. All African Pilot’s and Future Flight’s monthly editions are easily read on any digital device including smart phones

Our team is positioned to provide professional video and stills photography, website development, social media platforms, company newsletters as well as several other important media services to customers.

The two monthly magazines are available as a digital edition where ALL advertisers enjoy the direct routing to their websites at a touch on a smart phone or tablet as well as a click of the mouse on a computer screen or tap on any smart phone device.

This twice weekly APAnews service has been part of African Pilot’s line-up since the inception of the magazine 24 years ago.

African Pilot is the third best English language aviation magazine in the top ten magazines in the world: https://blog.feedspot.com/aviation_magazines/

African Pilot Website: www.africanpilot.co.za
Future Flight Website: www.futureflight.online
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AfricanPilot
Twitter: www.twitter.com/africanpilot
Instagram: www.instagram.com/african_pilot_/

Should you miss out on any edition of APAnews, please visit the website: www.africanpilot.co.za and click on the APAnews link on the front page. All past weekly APAnews publications have been archived on the website.