Number 43 – 30 May 2022

“Only the incompetent wait until the last extremity to use force and by then, it is usually too late to use anything, even prayer.” H. Beam Piper

At last, we are starting to see some weekend activity within General Aviation from airshows to fly-ins and even a rally this past weekend, the skies were busy. My only concern is that organisers are not taking the calendar of aviation events into account by trying to maximise the experience for the majority of the aviation audience. For example, the Bona Bona fly-in had been organised several months ago, but then the organisers of the Parys airshow decided to make their event happen on the same day, which divided both events for the pilot community. There are 52 weekends in any given year and if organisers consult the most accurate aviation calendar that African Pilot publishes on a weekly basis within the Monday edition of APAnews then these clashes of events would be unnecessary.

Fatal loss of control plane crash? Every 4 days! Airliner differences + GA’s four big failures

Wallpaper calendar for the month of June. Go to our wallpaper page to download the calendars in three different resolutions.

CAASA News

Dear CAASA Member,

As you are all no doubt well aware the South African Non-Scheduled Operators have been placed into an invidious position by the regulator that has managed to impose a requirement to fit Flight Data Recorders (FDR) to aircraft which were never envisaged to have them.  We have until 1 January 2023 to comply.  For pretty much all of the affected aircraft there are no STCs to be found anywhere in the world which is strange as ICAO are being cited as the reason for the new requirements. Whilst the new regulations went through CARCom a simple misinterpretation of the definition of the aircraft involved meant that we did not object in time.

I would be very grateful for any information appertaining to the future of FDRs in terms of new generation systems (cloud based etc.) which would preclude the need to cut chunks out of aircraft to install standard FDRs following us all having spent at least six months and countless hundreds of thousands of USD getting STCs approved by the regulator. Thanking you in advance for any information which you can share.

Jet fuel shortage challenge at OR Tambo nears resolution

Last week the Jet Fuel Forum Committee (JFF) announced that the jet fuel shortage at OT Tambo International Airport should largely be resolved by the end of this month, as additional fuel will be made available to airlines whose suppliers are currently unable to fulfil their contractual obligations. During the stakeholders’ meeting held on Tuesday 24 May, the JFF reported it is in the final stages of concluding an arrangement which would see 1.5 million litres of jet fuel being made available to some of the airlines whose fuel suppliers’ operations were disrupted by flooding in KwaZulu-Natal in recent weeks.

In its latest update on jet fuel stock levels at ORTIA, the JFF reported that, as of 23 May 2022, the airport had 5.2 days’ worth of jet fuel, which was more than adequate to supply all airlines operating to and from ORTIA. However, while more airlines have been receiving sufficient fuel from ORTIA thereby operating non-stop flights to their destinations, a very small number of airlines are still tankering fuel and only uplifting top up fuel from ORTIA and or from other ACSA airports. During the current week, up to 24 May, two international flights rerouted to other ACSA airports, whilst another two rerouted to other airports. The total number of departure movements, both international and domestic, totalled 445 over the last two days, 23 and 24 May, with zero cancellations.

Developments to secure fuel  

The South African Petroleum Industry Association has fully injected the 20 million litres they had guaranteed into the Multi Product Pipeline (MPP) in Durban as of 12 May 2022. This fuel has arrived at the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) and eight million litres, which is the first batch, will be available at ORTIA by 27 May 2022. This will be followed by another batch of eight million litres, which will be available the following week and the final batch of four million litres will be available the week thereafter. This is in addition to the weekly 16 million litres transported directly from NATREF to ORTIA via the dedicated Transnet Jet Fuel Pipeline.

Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has enabled rail services from Matola in Mozambique, to ORTIA with 1.1 million litres arriving per week from 3 May. The second train arrived on 16 May 2022. A further 1.9 million litres of jet fuel arrived at ORTIA on 18 May from Durban via rail. This is part of Transnet’s business continuity plan to ensure security of supply of Jet fuel to OR Tambo.

The additional 1.5 million litres of fuel, committed by the Central Energy Fund and earmarked for airlines that are unable to secure fuel from their suppliers, is expected to arrive at ORTIA this week. The JFF is in the process of finalising a list of airlines that will have access to this fuel and the arrangement should be in place before the end of next week. Several interventions have been made to ensure that ORTIA is operationally ready to receive fuel via road tankers. While the final go-ahead for this is yet to be issued, the airport can accommodate road tankers if and when needed.

Rail repairs on course  

Despite renewed flooding due to heavy rains in the Durban area during the past weekend, TFR is confident that its infrastructure rehabilitation remains on course and the next milestone is the resumption of a single line operation on the Container Corridor mainline from 9 June 2022, followed by a double line operation commencing from 17 September 2022. As more fuel imports become available for transportation via rail or pipelines, Transnet, through its relevant Operating Divisions, will ensure that this jet fuel is transported to ORTIA.

SAPFA news

We will be holding an Air Navigation Rally at Krugersdorp Flying Club for club members and any other teams that wish to participate. The ANR style of competition is about navigating a course inside a corridor. It is a short event 25 Nm and we will arrange two rounds. (This will be good training for the Rally Nationals below)
Date: 4 June 2022
Where: Krugersdorp Flying Club
Programme: (08h00 breakfast) 10h00 ANR briefing
Organiser: Frank Eckard E-mail: frank.eckard@mweb.co.za Cell: 083 269 1516
Entry fee: R850 per team
Please enter online prior to the event, using the new SAPFA website:
https://sapfa.co.za/competition-entry-form/

National Rally Flying Championships
Our National Rally Flying Championships will be held over the youth day weekend at Brits airfield. This event will also be the selection nationals to determine which teams will represent South Africa in the WORLD RALLY FLYING CHAMPIONSHIPS to be held in Brits in November 2022. Not only will our Teams be competing according to the FAI rules but we will also have a Sportsman Class for those who want to join in the fun.  
Date: 16 to 18 June 2022
Where: Brits Airfield
Briefing: 09h00
Organiser: Frank Eckard  E-mail: frank.eckard@mweb.co.za Cell: 083 269 1516
Entry fee: R850 per team / day X 3 = R 2 550
Please enter online prior to the event, using the new SAPFA Website:
https://sapfa.co.za/competition-entry-form/

All are members are welcome and will be necessary training for those teams planning to take part in the World Championships in November 2022.
Please refer to the rules: https://sapfa.co.za/home/competition-flying/rally-flying/rally-rules/

Bona Bona fly-away

Christine and I attended the first Bona Bona fly-in at this beautiful game reserve situated about 45 Kilometres west of Klerksdorp. From the time that African Pilot partnered with Christian Mariona from Villa San Giovani at Wonderboom National Airport with the idea of this fly-in, the uptake was immediate and within two days the entire lodge had been booked out. Consequently, another nearby lodge was also booked out and Bona Bona opened up the camping idea within a secure area close to the airfield. I was told that in the region of 50+ aircraft including 11 Gyrocopters and five helicopters made the weekend trip to this delightful place in the bush.

Entertainment had been laid on for all the pilots and their families that included welcome drinks, caps, pizzas on the deck of the lodge, a magnificent cheese spread in the evening and a delicious dinner in the Bona Bona hall. The evening entertainment was the live band of Jo Black and his band that were wonderful to listen to, even though they were rather loud. I will certainly recommend travelling by air to this beautiful game reserve that is around one hour’s flight from Johannesburg or Pretoria or two and a half hours by road. The 1200 metre runway is tarred and there is enough secure parking for around 200 aircraft. We will publish a full report with plenty of pictures and a video within the July edition of African Pilot.  

Parys Airshow

by Charlie Hugo

South African airshow enthusiast has been starved of any airshow for over two years. Smoke on Go, in conjunction with the Parys (Free State) airfield clubs hosted the first airshow in Gauteng since the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. What an event it was, celebrating the life of one of the doyens of airshows, Scully Levin, whose airshow display career goes all the way back to 1984, a packed show with non-stop displays and action without ‘blank’ spots. Airshow director, Rickus Erasmus ran a show ship and delivered on time.

The sell-out show (sold out over a week in advance) attended by a crowd of 3500 were not to be disappointed by the displays. This large crowd, which may have been swelled beyond the organisers’ original plans, as it was reported that frustrated spectators broke through a gate, caused issues with long queues waiting for use of the toilets and food vendors, to the point I decided to forgo a meal.

The show itself was excellent, starting with the Puma Energy Flying Lions and covering many different types of displays ranging from the sedate 1930’s era De Havilland Tiger Moth to the high impact energy display of the Iveco duo of Nigel Hopkins and Jason Beamish. Helicopter displays with the smooth display from Dr Andre Coetzee in the Bell 222s through to Juba Joubert’s Gazelle display that garnered some comments of the awesomeness of his display from the crowd. It was all there. Well done, a full report will appear in the July edition of African Pilot. We look forward to more in the future.

4 June
10th Newcastle Airshow 
Contact Johan Pieters at E-mail: Johan@champ.co.za Cell: 082 923 0078

4 June
SAPFA Krugersdorp ANR at Jack Taylor airfield, Krugersdorp
Contact Frank Eckard at E-mail: frank.eckard@mweb.co.za Cell: 083 269 1516

9 to 11 June
France Air Expo International Exhibition for General Aviation at Lyon Bron Airport
More information: www.franceairexpo.com
Contact Jade Myburgh at E-mail: jade@airexpo.aero

11 June
Cessna Fly-in to Brakpan airfield
Proper planning prevents poor performance Brakpan airfield clubhouse
Contact Clarissa Cell: 074 953 7144 or Santjie Cell 063 239 2151

11 June
SAA Museum Society AGM at 15h45 inside the Boeing 747SP
Contact secretary E-mail: secretary@saamuseum.co.za 

15 to 19 June
SAC National Aerobatics Championships at Wingspark airfield
Contact Annie Boon at E-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za

16 to 18 June
SAPFA Rally Nationals at Brits airfield
Contact Frank Eckard at E-mail: frank.eckard@mweb.co.za Cell: 083 269 1516

20 to 24 June
SACAA International Flight Inspection Symposium www.ifissa.co.za 
Durban International Convention Centre – Registration R10 000 per delegate

25 June
Polokwane Airshow
Contact: Noel Netshivhodza at E-mail: netcoxm@gmail.com Cell: 081 728 0843

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

1 to 3 July
EAA Taildraggers at Warmbaths airfield
Contact Richard at E-mail: Richard.nicholson1963@gmail.com Cell: 082 490 6227

7 to 9 July
AERO South Africa at Wonderboom National Airport
Contact Annelie Reynolds at E-mail: annelie.reynolds@za.messefrankfurt.com

16 July
SAPFA Kitty Hawk Rally
Contact Frank Eckard at E-mail: frank.eckard@mweb.co.za Cell: 083 269 1516

16 July
Garden Route airshow at George airport 
Contact Brett Scheuble

18 to 22 July
Farnborough International Airshow
Website: www.farnboroughairshow.com

22 to 31 July
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA
Camping on the airfield contact Neil Bowden at E-mail: neil1@telkomsa.net

Hotels in Appleton contact Calvin Fabig at E-mail: calvin@designer.co.za

29 and 30 July
Soutpansberg fly-in Louis Trichardt 
Contact Jaco at E-mail: spbvliegklub@gmail.com Cell: 082 353 6002

30 July
Krugersdorp Flying Club Spot Landing 
Contact Nandi at Tel: 083 577 8894 E-mail: kfc@iafrica.com

26 and 27 August
Bethlehem Airshow at Bethlehem airfield
Contact Stephan Fourie at E-mail: fouriesj1491@gmail.com Cell: 072 344 9678

26 to 28 August
Kuzuko Lodge RV fly-in safari in the Karoo
Contact Clive Gibson at E-mail: cagibson@global.co.za Website: www.kuzuko.com

27 August
SAPFA Speed Rally at Rustenburg airfield
Contact David le Roux at E-mail: david@pilotinsure.co.za Cell: 073 338 5200 

Fatal accident at Parys airfield

It appears that the pilot of Ravin ZU JNP experienced an engine out and tried to turn back to the airfield resulting on a classical stall spin situation from which there is no possible recovery. I am continuously saddened by the fact that so many pilots still think they can execute the 180 degree turn back to runway when losing power on take-off. My instructors certainly drummed into me to look ahead +/- 30 degrees unless I had extra height. I am also concerned about why so many accidents are happening on take-off around the world. I think there has been at least one a week for the last six months. Most seem to be loss of power and I often wonder if the pilot had a plan in his / her mind when the aircraft started its take-off roll.

Plane with 22 onboard goes missing In Nepal

A De Havilland Canada DHC-6/300 Twin Otter aircraft operated by Nepalese carrier Tara Air went missing in a mountainous region of the country earlier on Sunday. The aircraft is believed to be carrying 22 people onboard, including three crew members. Four of the passengers are Indian nationals, 13 are Nepalese and two are German. The crew is entirely Nepali and is led by Captain Prabhakar Prasad Ghimire, co-pilot Utsav Pokhrel, while Kismi Thapa has been identified as the sole cabin crew. The aircraft, registered as 9N-AET, took off from Pokhara Airport (PKR) in central Nepal at approximately 09h55 and began flying north-west towards its destination, Jomsom Airport (JMO) in the Mustang district. The Airline Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) has stated that the missing aircraft has been located. The aircraft has been spotted near Larjung.

Family finds plane wreck after search called off

A month after authorities called off the search, family members of one of the pilots of an aircraft that went missing in Ontario have found the wreckage. Brian Slingerland’s family chartered a plane and spent most of last Saturday searching an area near the last known position of the Piper Comanche Slingerland and his friend John Fehr had recently purchased and were ferrying back to their homes in Alberta, more than 1,500 miles west. They found the wreckage less than five miles from the point of last radar contact of the plane in Lake Superior Provincial Park.

The duo took off from Dehli, Ontario, about 100 miles west of Buffalo, New York, to Marathon, Ontario, about 100 miles north of Sault Ste Marie, Michigan on 14 April. After the plane disappeared, searchers flew about 350 hours trying to find the plane but the search was called off 24 April. Authorities say they do not know what the family did that the searchers did not to find the wreckage. “I am not sure what tactics they were employing,” Ontario Provincial Police detective Trevor Tremblay told local media. “But they found the aircraft about seven kilometres from the last known point on radar.”

FAA proposes pulling certificate after 737 ditching

The FAA wants to revoke the air carrier certificate of the company that owned a Boeing 737-200 that ditched off Honolulu last year. Naturally the FAA had a good look at Rhoades Aviation’s operation after the dual flameout that preceded the ditching on 2 July. The agency claims to have found hundreds of illegal flights and numerous violations. It also said the carrier, which operated a freight business called Transair, flew 33 flights with engines that were not airworthy. Rhoades has until 8 June to appeal.

Rhoades was under investigation before the ditching and the agency had served it 30 days’ notice of suspension two weeks before the mishap. The carrier was grounded after the ditching. The aircraft, a 45-year-old first generation 737, was heading for Kahului Airport on Maui, a 94-mile trip with significant stretches over water. The engines quit shortly after take-off and the crew was trying to get back to Honolulu but fell about two miles short.

Zelensky vows to remake An-225 Mriya

The largest aircraft in the world, recently destroyed, may be returning sooner than originally expected, if off-the-cuff remarks made by the Ukrainian head of state, are any indication. For a brief time, it appeared that the legendary An-225 could be built at a discount, as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky made mention of an $800 million price tag for the aircraft’s successor. Those who remember the vow made by Ukrainian aerospace corporation Ukroboronprom in February would recall a much higher price tag at the time: $3 billion, to start. Anyone familiar with bespoke aircraft design and development knows that the initial stated price is often just the beginning.

In a digital meeting with students, Zelensky made mention of an attempt some time ago to obtain funding for a successor to the Mriya, approaching the Turkish aerospace industry for assistance. When the deal was floated is not specified, but the language barrier had created a few misunderstandings in the west who took it to have referred to a recent attempt at a deal. It seems unlikely, as the price tag is far lower than required today for a ground-up aircraft. Other An-225s have been worked on in fits and starts over the years, always running up against the constraints of funding and relative lack of demand for cargo carriage on the world’s largest aircraft.

During the battle of Hostomel Airport, the only An-225, immobilised in its hangar while undergoing maintenance, was destroyed. The aircraft appears to be unrecoverable to any meaningful extent, taking damage and sitting under a broken ceiling for months of fighting. While talking about the intent to recreate the plane, Zelensky waxed poetic, describing the replacement An-225 as a working monument to all the aviators lost during the Russian incursion.

“But in this case,” he said to the Ukrainian students, “It is not a matter of money, it is a matter of ambition. We were approached by Ukroboronprom, the Antonov team. (The successor company and likely head of a revived An-225 programme) This is a question of the image of our country and all the excellent professional pilots who died in this war. How much they have done and today we can already say how many lives of people who remained in Mariupol, especially in Azovstal they saved. How many pilots gave their lives to bring everything there, from weapons to water and how many wounded they took from there. A large number of these people died heroically,” said Zelensky.

IAG firms up on 2019 Paris agreement – to purchase up to 150 Boeing 737 jets

International Airlines Group has announced that it has placed a firm order for a combination of 50 737-8-200 and 737-10 Boeing jets with an option for a further 100 of the 737-family aircraft. The 737-8-200 has been chosen for its 200-seat capacity which will increase revenue potential while reducing fuel consumption. The 737-10 is the largest member of the 737 family and can accommodate 230 passengers in a single-class layout, while offering a range of up to 3,000 miles, which means the new jets can cover 99% of existing single-aisle routes and all those currently served by the Boeing 757. 

These 737s incorporate the latest-technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. The 737 family of airplanes is on average 14% more fuel-efficient than today’s most efficient Next-Generation 737s and 20% more efficient than the original Next-Generation 737s when they entered service. “The addition of new Boeing 737s is an important part of IAG’s short-haul fleet renewal. These latest generation aircraft are more fuel efficient than those they will replace and in line with our commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Luis Gallego, IAG’s chief executive.

Turkish Airlines snaps up six Airbus A350-900s, some to be delivered in 2022

On 20 May 2022, the Turkish flag carrier announced that it has decided to purchase six Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which will be delivered in 2022 and 2023. The airline did not provide further details in the brief statement to investors on its website. However, the short delivery times indicate that Turkish Airlines is taking jets originally ordered by another customer. The most likely candidate is Russian flag carrier Aeroflot, which has 13 A350-900 on order that have yet to be delivered. With sanctions in place against Russian airlines over the country’s invasion of Ukraine, Airbus is unable to deliver jets to Aeroflot.  Aerotelegraph cites ‘well informed sources’ that the A350 aircraft were originally destined for Aeroflot.  Turkish Airlines already has six A350-900 in service, with a further 14 on order and options for five more. Together with the six new orders, that could see its fleet grow to 31 of the Airbus widebody.

Airbus increases its UK innovation footprint to develop new hydrogen technologies

A priority for the UK ZEDC will be the development of a cost-competitive cryogenic fuel system required for the successful entry-into-service of Airbus’ ZEROe passenger aircraft by 2035 and to accelerate UK skills and know-how on hydrogen-propulsion technologies. The UK ZEDC will benefit from the recent commitment by the UK Government to guarantee £685 million of funding to the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) over the next three years to support the development of zero-carbon and ultra-low-emission aircraft technologies.

Technology development at the new UK ZEDC, to be based in Filton, Bristol, has already started and will cover the full product and industrial capabilities from components up to whole system and cryogenic testing. End-to-end fuel systems development, a speciality of Airbus in the UK, is one of the most complex technologies crucial to the performance of a future hydrogen aircraft.

The ZEDC complements Airbus’ existing Research and Technology footprint in the UK, as well as the work on cryogenic liquid hydrogen tanks being done at Airbus’ existing ZEDCs in Madrid, Spain and Stade, Germany (composite structure technologies) and in Nantes, France and Bremen, Germany (metallic structural technologies). All Airbus ZEDCs are expected to be fully operational and ready for ground testing with the first fully functional cryogenic hydrogen tank during 2023 and with flight testing starting in 2026. The launch of the UK ZEDC follows the opening of the £40 million AIRTeC research and testing facility in Filton in June 2021, jointly funded by the ATI and Airbus, to deliver the next generation of aircraft wing, landing-gear systems and fuel system designs.

Qatar Airways, Airbus hope to solve A350 row ‘out of court’

In August 2021, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) grounded 13 of Qatar Airways Airbus A350 aircraft over the premature deterioration of the fuselage surface. The airline sued Airbus over the grounding in December 2021, seeking more than US$600 million in compensation. In February 2022, Airbus also filed a claim at the Technology and Construction Court of the British High Court of Justice.

On 26 April 2022, the judge ruled in favour of Airbus, authorising the plane maker not to fulfill its contractual obligation to deliver a different order of A321neo jets to the airline. Airbus was also allowed to sell A350s that Qatar Airways has rejected after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency established that they were safe to operate.

Qatar Airways welcomed the decision to hold a swift legal process. “We entered into this process to secure an expedited trial and early disclosure from Airbus that will give us an insight into the true nature of surface degradation affecting the A350s,” the airline said in a statement. The European manufacturer also approved the short procedure. “The case can now move quickly to focus on the main issue: these are false statements made by Qatar Airways about the safety and airworthiness of the A350, which we will continue to defend,” Airbus said.

However, Qatar Airways appears to hope that the two parties can reach a settlement. “Every partnership has disputes and I just hope that this dispute can be resolved out of court,” Qatar Airways Chief Operating Officer Akbar al-Baker said at a press conference in Doha on 26 May 2022 and the feeling is shared by Airbus, which also said it was favouring ‘an amicable solution.’

Editor comments: This case involving a major airline and Airbus was never going to be resolved by any court in the world and the continued dispute would only make the lawyers from both sides rich.

China, Russia fly bombers off the coast of Japan during Quad summit

Japan’s Ministry of Defence said that a joint flight conducted by Chinese and Russian heavy bombers flew along Japan’s coast on 24 May 2022, as the Quad summit was taking place in Tokyo. Two Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Xian H-6 bombers flew over the Sea of Japan and were joined by two Tupolev Tu-95s of the Russian Aerospace Forces on the afternoon of 24 May Japanese MoD said in a press release. 

The flight then proceeded over the East China Sea. A few hours later, the Tu-95s returned on the same route, this time followed by two different H-6s. Meanwhile, a Russian Il-20M reconnaissance aircraft was flying over the Sea of Japan. Fighter jets of the Japan Air Self-Defence Force were scrambled to monitor the bombers, the service said. No Chinese or Russian aircraft has entered Japan’s airspace.

The flight coincided with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue summit, colloquially known as Quad, where the leaders of the US, India, Japan and Australia participated in a meeting. Taking place in Tokyo, it was the fourth Quad gathering in less than two years, with the leaders discussing the political and security situation in the Indo-Pacific. China has been a vocal opponent of the Quad meetings, calling them ‘the Asian NATO’, as relations between China and the four Quad members have deteriorated over the years.

easyJet cancels hundreds of flights due to computer failure

On 26 May 2022, British low-cost carrier easyJet was forced to cancel between 200 and 400 flights throughout Europe, after encountering an IT system failure. “Unfortunately, we are currently experiencing IT systems issues which means that flights due to depart between 13h00 and 15h00 UK time today may be impacted,” easyJet explained in a statement. “Our team of IT specialists is working to restore the systems as soon as possible.” 

Flights resumed later in the evening, but disruptions continued throughout 27 May. The exact nature of the glitch was not specified. The United Kingdom has already been affected by substantial flight cancellations and delays as the aviation industry faces staff shortages across the sector. To alleviate the effect of the shortages, easyJet announced it will remove six seats from several Airbus A319 aircraft, leaving the aircraft with a 150-seat capacity to fly with fewer cabin crew members. 

Starliner completes test mission with a soft landing

Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule parachuted safely to Earth at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on Wednesday afternoon, capping a mostly successful uncrewed test trip to the International Space Station. The capsule was back on the ground less than four hours after it detached from the ISS and carried garbage from the station and a mannequin named Rosie the Rocketeer. Although the capsule completed the mission, there were some glitches, including a stuck docking mechanism that took two tries to work when it arrived. There were also some problems with thrusters and the cooling system but Boeing engineers were able to work through the snags. The re-entry and landing on Wednesday were uneventful. The uncrewed trip was a do-over after a 2019 attempt went to the wrong orbit because of a software glitch. Last year, a launch was aborted due to the failure of several valves. The next trip will have astronauts aboard.

Joby receives Part 135 certificate

On Thursday Joby Aviation announced it has received its Part 135 air carrier certificate from the FAA, allowing the company to operate aircraft commercially. Joby reported that the certification process included the submission of more than 850 pages of manuals and required its pilots to ‘demonstrate mastery of the Company’s procedures and training under FAA observation.’ The company, which is also developing an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft intended for its commercial passenger service, plans to use conventional aircraft, namely the Cirrus SR22 to ‘refine systems and procedures’ prior to beginning eVTOL service.

“The procedures we have prepared lay a foundation for our future eVTOL operations,” said Bonny Simi, Joby head of air operations and people. “Over the coming months, we will use our Part 135 certificate to exercise the operations and customer technology platforms that will underpin our multi-modal ridesharing service, while also refining our procedures to ensure seamless journeys for our customers.”

Before launching eVTOL operations, which it is targeting for 2024, Joby noted that it still needs type and production certificates for its aircraft. The company’s five-seat, piloted eVTOL is expected to travel at speeds of up to 200 MPH and have a maximum single-charge range of 150 miles. Joby faces challenges including a recent change in the FAA’s approach to eVTOL certification and the crash of one of its uncrewed eVTOL prototypes during a flight test earlier this year.

DRONAMICS becomes the first drone cargo company to obtain an operational licence

Last week DRONAMICS, the leading middle-mile cargo drone developer and operator announced that it has obtained the EU’s Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC). The LUC is recognised in all EU member states and provides drone operators with significant business opportunities across the single market. The announcement made during EBACE (European Business Aviation Conference Exhibition) comes at a key moment as the company prepares for the first commercial flights of its flagship Black Swan aircraft later this year. Carrying 350 kg at a distance of up to 2,500 km, the Black Swan aims to transform supply chains by making fulfilment more efficient, resulting in cost, time and carbon emission savings.

DRONAMICS is the first cargo drone company to secure the licence granted by the Transport Malta Civil Aviation Directorate (TM – CAD), the country’s Civil Aviation Authority. It allows it to self-authorise flight operations of its Black Swan aircraft across EU countries, including Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) operations. DRONAMICS plans to scale up its operations and run its first commercial flights out of Malta and Italy later this year. With Malta as its European operations base, DRONAMICS is well placed to operate its first routes over the Mediterranean, linking key hubs across the region.  Transport Malta has been spearheading the advancement of aviation innovation in Europe, thanks to its expertise as a global aviation hub as well as government support for the UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) sector.

Bringing the convenience of drone delivery to four million US households

We continue to expand our delivery operations to help customers get the items they need when they need them and it has been an exciting journey. From Express delivery, where customers can have items delivered to their doorsteps in as little as two hours, to InHome, where they can get those orders placed right into their refrigerators, we are proud to offer customers multiple options that help them save time and money. One solution we have been working on over the last year is delivery via drone. Today we are announcing we will be expanding our DroneUp delivery network to 34 sites by the end the year, providing the potential to reach four million US households across six states: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Texas, Utah and Virginia. This provides us the ability to deliver over one million packages by drone in a year.

Participating stores will house a DroneUp delivery hub inclusive of a team of certified pilots, operating within FAA guidelines, that safely manage flight operations for deliveries. Once a customer places an order, the item is fulfilled from the store, packaged, loaded into the drone and delivered right to their yard using a cable that gently lowers the package. Walmart packages are not the only things the drones will deliver. A core value at Walmart is to give back to the communities in which we operate, which is why as we scale our drone infrastructure, we will continue to influence the expansion of drone technology and enable other businesses to explore its benefits. This means DroneUp will offer local businesses and municipalities aerial drone solutions in areas like insurance, emergency response and real estate. For example, a local construction agency can work with DroneUp to monitor on-site job progress through aerial drone photography.

UAF makes Alaska’s first large drone flight from an international airport

An unmanned aircraft owned and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks flew from the General Aviation area of Fairbanks International Airport on Sunday, a historic feat in the effort to safely incorporate such aircraft into controlled airspace. The flight was the first civilian large drone operation from an international airport in Alaska.

Taking off from the airport’s General Aviation runway, the Sentry aircraft flew in a designated flight pattern used for departures, arrivals and runway approach practice. It was controlled remotely by UAF Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration personnel inside the ground control station near the far end of the airport’s East Ramp. The light-grey Sentry, with a wingspan of nearly 13 feet and weighing 280 pounds when empty, landed safely and came to its intended stop at a taxiway.

Strong support from the University of Alaska, the Alaska Legislature, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Alaska’s congressional delegation made the achievement possible, Cahill said. She also said the Federal Aviation Administration’s Beyond programme was key to obtaining the permissions needed to fly this, and future, large drone missions for cargo delivery and other essential Alaska missions. The Sentry was treated like any other aircraft and that is the idea behind integrating unmanned aircraft into the airspace. The Sentry’s crew, who are rated aviators, communicated with the Fairbanks airport’s air traffic controllers in the same required manner as other General Aviation pilots. The Sentry only moves at the airport as authorised by air traffic controllers. Like other aircraft operating in controlled airspace, Sentry carries a transponder that allows air traffic controllers to know its location and altitude.

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