Number 46 – 09 June 2022

“In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.”  Mark Twain

The Miles M.35 Libellula

was a tandem wing research aircraft built by Miles Aircraft as a precursor to a proposed naval carrier fighter. It was named after the Libellula, a genus of dragonflies. Carrier aircraft are at a disadvantage compared to land-based equivalents because they require wing-folding systems increasing the aircraft’s weight at the expense of payload. Adaptions of single-engined tail-dragger land-based aircraft typically had poor visibility during landing. In 1941, Miles became aware of the high accident rates for carrier landings. They began private venture work on unorthodox configurations potentially solving the visibility problem and the complications of folding wings required for storage of ship-borne aircraft.
While contemplating these problems, George Herbert Miles visited the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at RAF Boscombe Down. He saw the Westland-Delanne tandem wing Lysander, with a second wing with tip rudders in place of the conventional vertical stabiliser and tailplane arrangement. The wing was added to carry a heavy four-gun turret for ground attack. Miles realised a tandem-wing fighter could be built to fit onto carrier elevators without folding. In addition, the pilot could be seated in the nose for an excellent view during landings. To Miles, the tandem wing configuration appeared to be the answer, provided it was ‘aerodynamically feasible’.

Advantages of a tandem-winged carrier fighter include small size, manoeuvrability, excellent visibility, reduced weight and reduced drag. Avoiding the bureaucratic process of submitting an unorthodox design for official consideration, Miles built and flew a mock-up. Miles tasked Ray Bournon with designing a small single-engined single-seat aircraft, the Miles M.35. Without the interference of bureaucrats, design and construction was completed in six weeks. The result was a small wooden aircraft with a high-set front wing and low-set rear wing, fixed tricycle undercarriage and pusher propeller, with the engine in the rear of the fuselage and the pilot sitting in the front of the fuselage.

The front wing was moderately-tapered with a straight leading-edge, while the rear wing was in three parts: an unswept center section to clear the propeller and supporting the main undercarriage legs, plus outer sections from about ¼ span swept back at approximately 30°, supporting large end-plate fins at the tips. The fuselage connected all the components and carried the engine, fuel, cockpit and nose undercarriage.

Operational history

Flight trials of the M.35 were to commence in 1942, but Miles’ chief test pilot was reluctant to take-off in the aircraft, whereupon George Miles took over. The M.35 proved to be reluctant to take-off; eventually, Miles discovered if the throttle was closed sharply at speed, the little aircraft leapt into the air. The initial flight on 1 May 1942 was not a success, with the aircraft almost uncontrollable due to an incorrect center-of-gravity. Miles completed this flight successfully. Later flights were more successful after ballasting the aircraft correctly, proving the tandem-wing layout could be useful as a naval fighter. Further flying was carried out in support of Miles other tandem-wing projects.

Miles immediately submitted a proposal for a naval fighter based on the arrangement, called ‘Libellula to the Admiralty and the Ministry of Aircraft Product. Building the M.35 without official authority, the company was castigated by the Ministry of Aircraft Production which, along with the Admiralty, rejected the proposed fighter. Miles was encouraged by the results from the M.35. They drew a bomber design on the same principles. This was submitted to the bureaucracy in July 1942 to meet the requirements of specification B.11/41; Miles immediately started work on a scale version, the M.39B.

Those persons who correctly identified this aircraft: P. Rossouw, Rennie van Zyl, Lance Williams, Steve Dewsbery, Righardt du Plessis, Michael Schoeman, Colin Austen, Ari Levien, Steve Duley, Chris Hepburn, Brian Millett, Charlie Hugo, Wouter van der Waal, Marthinus Potgieter, Zack Fourie, Allan Le Roux, Ahmed Bassa, Hilton Carroll, Lyle Grace, Rex Tweedie, Andrew Peace, Tokkie Badenhorst, Nigel Maistry, Peter Gilbert, Anthony Bass, Mickey Esterhuysen, Gregory Yatt, Selwyn Kimber, Alf Ljungqvist, Barry Eatwell, David Plew-Chisholm, Pierre Brittz, Kevin Farr, Nic Manthopoulos, Greg Pullin, Johan Prinsloo, Danie Viljoen, Brian Melmoth, John Moen, Johan Venter, Cecil Thompson, Willie Oosthuizen, Jeff Knickelbein, Andre Breytenbach, Dave Lloyd, (45)

Africa’s leading show for General Aviation is back

AERO South Africa will take place at Wonderboom National Airport over three days from 7 to 9 July 2022 and to date there are more than 40 aviation companies that will be exhibiting at this prestigious show. Once again African Pilot has been commissioned to produce the AERO South Africa official digital exhibition catalogue. Should your business be interested in exhibiting at AERO South Africa, please contact Annalie Reynolds as soon as possible: Annelie.Reynolds@za.messefrankfurt.com. 

Visitor attendance is FREE and we are looking forward to meeting you at the show. Please register now by clicking on this link: https://bit.ly/3simOir. African Pilot will have a show stand at AERO, so you can meet up with our team over the three days.  

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

News from CAASA

Dear CAASA Member,

Please could you urgently inform us if the new FDR law has any impact on your company?

• How many aircraft in your fleet will this affect?
• What are the tail numbers affected?

All information will be kept private. The tail number is so we are not adding duplicate aircraft to information. Please kindly send through your comments to Sam@caasa.co.za as soon as you can so we can consolidate and arrange a meeting.

SACAA Industry Liaison Forum

Comair assistance to customers affected by its flight suspension

Comair has reached agreement with Airlink to accommodate passengers holding a British Airways (operated by Comair) flight for travel 7 – 12 June 2022 who have been impacted by Comair’s suspension. British Airways (operated by Comair) customers impacted by the temporary suspension of Comair services for the period have the option to rebook with Airlink at no additional cost, subject to availability. Affected customers who would like to rebook, may contact the British Airways International Contact Centre, who will support Comair in managing incoming calls, on 010 344 0130 or their travel agent. British Airways has also arranged for any of its international customers who had booked regional or domestic connecting flights with Comair, to be reaccommodated on SAA.

Meanwhile kulula.com has confirmed that any customers who booked tickets on its sale prior to flights being suspended will be refunded by the end of this week. “We understand the negative perceptions created by the kulula ticket sale even though the sale had been triggered a week earlier. Bearing in mind that Comair only receives the money once the flights are flown. We have agreed with our bankers to release the funds back to our customers and we are pleased to advise that the refund process will commence immediately,” says Comair CEO, Glenn Orsmond. He added that the Comair has also extended Travel Bank credits due to expire in June by a month. Further information to follow as it becomes available. Comair deeply regrets the inconvenience the suspension of flights has caused.

Ryanair faces backlash after giving South African passengers Afrikaans test

Low-cost airline Ryanair has announced that it will require South African travellers aiming to enter the United Kingdom to conduct a test in the Afrikaans language to prove their nationality. The controversial decision, which sparked outrage among travellers and online, was made in a bid to restrict passengers with fake identity documents from entering the country. There are around eight million Afrikaans speakers in South Africa. The country has 11 official languages and around 13% of South Africans speaking Afrikaans as a first language. 

“Due to the high prevalence of fraudulent South African passports, we require passengers travelling to the UK to fill out a simple questionnaire issued in Afrikaans,” Ryanair wrote in a statement on 7 June 2022. “If they are unable to complete this questionnaire, they will be refused travel and issued with a full refund.”

While Ryanair does not provide direct air connectivity services between South Africa and the UK, the carrier confirmed that it will administer the test to all South African passport holders who aim to board flights to the UK from other countries across Europe. However, the British High Commission in Pretoria said on Twitter that the test ‘is not a UK government requirement,’ meaning that the move is considered an airline initiative. Criminal syndicates manufacturing and selling fake South African passports and IDs is a state-wide problem and one the South African government has been working to solve.

Editor responds: How ridiculous this situation has become and Ryanair does not even service South Africa. Is the world going mad? Your comments: editor@africanpilot.co.za

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 

Fuel valve out of position in Miami bridge crash

The fuel tank selector valve was between Both and Right on the Cessna 172 that collided with two vehicles in an emergency landing on a bridge in Miami on May. The crash killed the pilot and injured two passengers and five people in one of the vehicles. That was the only obvious anomaly with the aircraft mentioned in the NTSB’s preliminary report on the accident. Although the fuel valve was out of position, there was fuel in the line to the carburettor, which was functioning normally, the engine had compression on all cylinders and the ignition system was fine. The throttle was pushed all the way in, the mixture was full rich and the carb heat was turned off.

The plane took off from Homestead Airport and landed at North Perry Airport in Hollywood where the pilot added 11.2 US gallons of fuel and met the passengers. The NTSB checked the fuel at the airport and found no contamination. The plane took off for Key West and was flying below the Miami Class B along the waterfront at 1,200 feet when the pilot called a MayDay, saying he had lost engine power and was going down. “There’s three souls, there’s um a road right here … a little bridge, I am going to make that, 54Z,” the pilot said in his last radio transmission. The plane landed straddling the median of the four-lane bridge, hit a vehicle from behind, crossed the median and collided head-on with a van before flipping over and catching fire. The pilot was a Miami tower controller.

Two Jordanian Air Force pilots killed in plane crash during training

Both pilots were in a two-seater aircraft when it crashed at around 09h00 local time on 5 June in the northern town of Ramtha near the border with Syria. According to Jordan News Agency, the aircraft, which was built by Germany’s GROB Aircraft Co., suffered a technical malfunction.  

Pilot killed in F/A-18 Super Hornet crash in California

On 3 June a United States Navy McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed near Trona, California. According to a US Navy press release, the pilot died in the accident. However, no civilians were harmed. The aircraft had been based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, the largest US Navy military base, which houses five carrier air wings. Task&Purpose reports that the aircraft crashed in the territory of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, a testing range in the Mojave Desert approximately 240 kilometres (150 miles) north of Los Angeles. According to Aviation Safety Network, this is the first fatal F/A-18 crash since 2019. The US Navy did not disclose the cause of the crash or any other details about the accident.

Taiwanese F-16 fighter makes emergency landing at Hawaii airport

A Taiwanese Air Force F-16A fighter jet suffered a failure of its nose gear before landing at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) in Hawaii. Consequently, the pilot requested the assistance of an arresting cable for a barrier engagement to land the fighter. With the help of its emergency tail hook, the aircraft came to rest on its nose on Runway 4R of the airport. The pilot was uninjured. The runway was closed for several hours as the aircraft was removed, causing delays at the airport.

The F-16A, tail number 93817, was ferrying back from Luke Air Force Base (LUF) in Arizona, the United States to Taiwan with a refuelling stop in Hawaii. The aircraft was acquired as part of the Peace Fenghuang programme, an order for 150 F-16A/B-20 aircraft placed by Taiwan in 1992. The jet could have been undergoing modernisation in the United States. Some Taiwanese F-16s have been undergoing upgrades to the latest variant of the best-selling fighter, the Block 72 also known as the F-16V. This version features improved connectivity and an APG-83 SABR AESA radar system. In November 2021, Taiwan became the first nation to reach full operational capability with the F-16V.  

American Airlines parks 100 regional jets whilst other airline cut schedules

American Airlines has parked about 100 regional jets because it cannot get enough pilots to fly them. CEO Robert Isom told an investor conference regional carriers are hardest hit by the pilot shortage. “There is a supply and demand imbalance right now and it really is within the regional carrier ranks,” the Dallas Morning News reported him as saying. “We have probably 100 aircraft that are not productive right now, that are not flying.” The loss of the aircraft, mostly smaller planes with about 50 seats, has been blunted somewhat by the use of larger aircraft by the regionals.

Isom’s comments came on the heels of Southwest’s announcement that it was cutting 20,000 flights from its summer schedule and JetBlue and Delta are also reducing service. On a brighter note, Alaska Airlines is climbing out of a chaotic two months that cancelled thousands of flights, many of them while passengers were at the gate. Despite all the problems, TravelPulse is reporting that most airlines are expecting a travel boom this summer despite fares increasing an average of 48 percent over pre-pandemic prices.

Supply-chain delays impact 737 MAX programme

A source familiar with Boeing production schedules states the 737 MAX assembly line at the company’s Renton, WA plant sat idle for a period of roughly ten-days in May as airplanes were held in position pending delivery of parts missing due to supply chain issues. According to the source, work on production line aircraft did not stop entirely, but continued to the extent possible with extant parts.

In the past, delays in delivery of even major parts did not typically impede production of Boeing commercial airplanes. Rather than stopping its assembly lines, the aerospace giant rolled partially completed airplanes out of its assembly facilities and installed missing components as they arrived.

Such work is known as travelled work since it travels from the factory to the ramp. However, installing components out of carefully planned production sequences necessitates extensive disassembly and rework; ergo, too much travelled work engenders chaos. In 2018, an excess of travelled work deriving of late delivery of engines and fuselages resulted in dozens of airplanes being worked on in the field. Despite the best efforts of overworked Boeing employees, quality issues proliferated.

Ed Pierson, a production manager at the Renton plant, informed Boeing executives of the diminished work quality he had observed, stating in an e-mail that for the first time in his life he was ‘hesitant about putting my family on a Boeing airplane.’ Pierson was ignored at the time, but the alleged May stoppage of the 737 MAX assembly line suggests Boeing may have acknowledged the veracity of his warning and seeks, perhaps, to avoid similar chaos.

Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West stated at an 11 May conference, “We slowed it down deliberately. We cannot go back to a world where we are traveling lots of work. We have to stay disciplined and we have to drive stability.” West further stated that to achieve stability, Boeing was, “willing to slow things down, or in some cases, just pause if all the parts are not there.” Speaking at the prestigious Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun stated Boeing is still working toward a stable target rate of 31 737 MAX jets per month. Calhoun added the MAX “is still the most labour and human resource consuming recovery that we have.”

SpiceJet grounds 90 Boeing 737 MAX pilots after DGCA fine

Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet has restricted 90 pilots from operating Boeing 737 MAX aircraft after receiving a fine from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for violating pilot training requirements. According to a statement from SpiceJet, seen by Indian news outlet Business Standard on 6 June 2022, the faults were found during a surveillance check, which took place on 30 March 2022, at the CAE Simulation Training facility.

“These pilots undergo re-training to the satisfaction of DGCA. This restriction does not impact the operations of MAX aircraft and the company has adequately trained pilots available for its operations. Basis the observation of DGCA these 90 pilots shall undergo re-training,” SpiceJet said in the statement. During the check, India’s civil aviation regulator an inoperative stick shaker on the first officer’s side of the simulator used to train the pilots. The DGCA fined the carrier $12,888 (Rs 10 lakh), concluding that pilot training could have negatively affected flight safety. As a result, training for 90 out of a total 650 Boeing 737 MAX flight crew members was annulled and the carrier was required to re-organize a proper simulator session. The restricted pilots will now have to undergo another training session. The DGCA’s recent findings come nine months after the regulator lifted a ban on Boeing 737 MAX planes for commercial passenger flight operations. According to the airline’s website, SpiceJet currently has 13 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in its fleet.  

Russia to start manufacturing bootleg Boeing and Airbus parts

As Russia’s world narrows with sweeping sanctions, it is about to take the inevitable step of making about 100 state-of-the-art Airbus and Boeing airliners virtually worthless. The state aviation authority Rosaviatsia has issued production certificates to five Russian companies to start making bootleg parts for the aircraft and more are expected to be approved shortly. So far, the parts approved are cabin items like seats and galley equipment but even the installation of an unapproved seat can cancel the airworthiness certificate of an aircraft in the rest of the world.

The website says it is just a matter of time before flight-critical components will need replacement and the few countries still willing to sell certified parts run out of spares. China has refused to sell parts to Russia, leaving India and Turkey as the main potential sources. As the maintenance needs of the complex jets grow, the loss of traceability of parts will render them unflyable anywhere but Russia and the leasing companies (and their insurers) will be left holding the bag.

ALSIM AL172 simulator headed to Hawaii

George’s Aviation Services in Honolulu Hawaii has selected ALSIM and purchased an AL172 simulator. It will come with the latest ALSIM visual system with laser projectors. The ALSIM AL172, built to FAA FTD Level 5 standards and already certified as an AATD, is a replica of a brand-new Cessna 172SP Skyhawk with a real Garmin G1000 NXI and GFC700 auto pilot.

George’s Aviation Service is located in Honolulu Hawaii and living on an Island the weather conditions can change in a matter of minutes. I feel this simulator will save lives by allowing us to give the pilots the knowledge need to learn to trust the instruments and keep the skills needed to fly and control the aircraft, interpret the information and apply the inputs to maintain safe flight, in a safe direction and altitude. Dr Scott Firsing of ALSIM’s North America office said: “We are pleased to welcome George’s Aviation among our customers. Adding an AL172 enables them to provide economically friendly, yet higher quality training courses. We look forward to the plethora of benefits the regular simulator training sessions will provide to maintain and further enhance their students and instructors’ skills, knowledge and decision making.”

Diamond pilots complete around-the-world flight

After 220 flight hours, two Swiss pilots completed their around-the-world flight to increase awareness of greener aviation. On 22 April 2022, Earth Day, Matthias Niederhäuser and Robin Wenger touched down in their DA50 RG at Zürich Airport (ZRH) in Switzerland, bringing a successful conclusion to the Diamondo Earthrounding project. In the latest Diamond Aircraft Airmail newsletter, the two pilots tell of their 111 days flying around the world, noting some of the highlights and the challenges.

The pilots wrap up their report with a word for General Aviation pilots: “To the GA community, we guess the idea of taking a small aircraft on a flight around the world has been in the heads of many private pilots. We can assure you; it is worth it! However, one should not take it lightly, it will not be a holiday trip and making it work takes a lot of coordination, paperwork and perseverance. You need to be ready to endure many situations where patience is key. However, you will be rewarded by the trip of a lifetime and invaluable experiences to take away for you further flying.

We find ourselves in the beginning of a transition period where GA flying will be one of the first sectors of aviation where part of the operations can be flown on aircraft producing close to zero emissions. However, until we are there, it is quite a way to go and bridging technologies including carbon offsets and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) will play an important role in making aviation more sustainable.

We believe if we as consumers do not change our patterns, we will likely be questioned more on the necessity of our flying and our corresponding carbon footprint. There are things every pilot can do on a voluntary basis to support the environment at little extra cost and we want to help build better solutions for this transition period.

Top Aces surpasses one-hundred-thousand hours of accident-free operations

Top Aces, the provider of advanced adversary air (ADAIR) and Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) training to the world’s leading air forces, confirms that it has officially flown over one-hundred-thousand hours of accident-free, adversary air (ADAIR) and close air support (CAS) training.

Commencing flight-operations on 19 August 2005 with a fleet of eight, Dornier Alpha Jets, Top Aces’s inaugural mission consisted of training Royal Canadian Air Force pilots. Today, the company operates a fleet of more than one-hundred aircraft which provide air combat training to Canada, the US, Germany, Australia and additional global forces.

On the week the company surpassed 100,000 hours, Top Aces was conducting numerous training missions across North America and Europe.

Subject operations included:

• Alpha Jets and Lear 35s providing air combat and NORAD training support in Canada.
• A-4 Skyhawks and Alpha Jets conducting ADAIR, Navy support and Air-to-Air gunnery training in Germany.
• A-4 Skyhawk missions equipped with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for an undisclosed European customer.
• F-16s providing ADAIR support for advanced tactical USAF training at Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base.

With plans to expand its fleet and deliver on the increasing global demand for near-peer adversary air support, Top Aces looks to reach its next one-hundred-thousand hours even more quickly than it reached its first.

Embraer president cites brisk sales

Embraer President Michael Amalfitano says his company expects to deliver more than one-hundred new airplanes in 2022. Amalfitano attributes the Brazilian airframer’s success, in part, to its products’ appeal to first-time jet buyers. “New users are coming into the marketplace and we are very well positioned with our products because those first-time buyers are coming to buy entry-level light jets and medium-category aircraft; whether they do that in a purchase sense or user sense, the numbers are significantly growing,” he said at last month’s EBACE event.

Following record 2021 sales, Embraer now enjoys a book-to-bill of 2.1:1, according to Amalfitano, who states the backlog among all Embraer aircraft now extends to the third quarter of 2024. “That span will create a growth forecast between seven and 18 percent for the year,” Amalfitano attests. “We are confident we are going to be able to deliver those expectations and that will mean growth for the entire sector of the business.” Amalfitano described Embraer’s Phenom 300E, which the company asserts is the most-delivered twin-jet the past decade as mission optimised at a price point, operating cost and with sustainability features that are perfect for those new customers entering the market.

Currently, an air-ambulance version of the Phenom 300 is undergoing completion. Equipped with a hospital-grade interior, the first-of-its-type aircraft is slated for delivery in the coming weeks. Of his company’s larger offerings, Amalfitano noted the traction the Praetor 500 and 600 are gaining in US corporate flight departments, in some instances displacing aircraft from other manufacturers. Citing the imminent delivery of a trio of Praetor 600s to Flexjet’s Europe operation, Amalfitano posits Embraer stands poised to duplicate its North American successes in Europe’s business aircraft market.

In addition to winning new customers, Amalfitano states Embraer has succeeded in retaining existing clients. “We have a high stickiness rate,” he put forth. “Our customers have over 80 percent loyalty to the Embraer products and the reason for that is we are focused on human-centred innovations. We are always looking to advance our products.”

Babcock takes first H160s for French Navy

Babcock recently took delivery of the first of six Airbus H160 intermediate twins it will lease to French Armament General Directorate (DGA) for the French Navy under a 10-year contract. The new helicopters are an interim fleet replacement solution until the fully militarised H160M model is available in 2027. The Navy currently operates an aging fleet of Alouette III helicopters. The new aircraft will be used for search-and-rescue missions from two locations in North and West France.

Babcock was named the launch customer for the H160 in 2018, then agreeing to take an unspecified number of the new helicopters for global operations over a five-year period. It provides mission-critical services in 14 countries, ranging from helicopter emergency medical services, aerial firefighting, search and rescue, surveillance operations, and oil and gas transportation.

The new aircraft will enter into service with the Navy in September and be equipped with EMS and rescue swimmer equipment, as well as Safran’s Euroflir 410S EO/IR system. In December, the French ministry of defence announced orders for 169 H160Ms for all three service branches: Navy, Army and Air Force. Operational data from the helicopters leased from Babcock will be used by the three services to ease integration of the H160M.

FAA certifies Sagetech Mode-S transponder with integrated ADS-B In/Out

Sagetech Avionics, the Bingen, WA based aerospace technology company, has announced the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued the technical standard order (TSO) for its MXS, Mode S Transponder with integrated ADS-B In and Out. The MXS miniature transponder provides Mode A, C, S and 1090 MHz ADS-B In / Out and is suitable for use worldwide by crewed or un-crewed systems. In addition, each transponder comes with user-friendly, command and control software with a built-in traffic display to enhance situational awareness. Furthermore, the units can be used plug and play with PX4 and Ardupilot based Autopilots (ArduPilot is an open-source autopilot system supporting multi-copters, traditional helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, rovers, submarines and antenna trackers). Sagetech asserts its MXS improves aircraft visibility and safety, especially when small size and low power consumption are critical. The MXS is the first FAA-certified small transponder to have an integrated ADS-B In receiver and is the world’s first, small, certified ADS-B receiver.

Sagetech’s MXS and the MX12B DoD-certified military IFF transponders share a common hardware platform. Ergo, the MX family represents a logical solution for OEMs positioning their aircraft in both the civil and military markets. UAS providers can install the MX12B for their military customers or swap it out with an MXS for their civil customers. Neither additional integration, nor software changes, nor aircraft changes are necessary.

Sleepy pilot fired

An ITA Airways captain was fired after the airline says he fell asleep at the sidestick and almost triggered a military response. Controllers were unable to raise the crew of the A330 as it flew over France near the end of the flight from New York to Rome. Before scrambling fighters, authorities got hold of the airline and it managed to contact the crew on their satellite phones. Normal communications were restored and the plane landed safely in Rome a little while later. The captain claimed he had radio problems but the airline did not buy it and fired him. The FO was spared because he was allowed to be napping under ‘controlled rest’ protocols for long-haul flights. ITA said safety was never compromised during the incident.

Australia protests China after ‘dangerous’ flying by J-16; China warns Aussies off

Clearly hoping that a change of government here would make Australia more malleable, China must be gnashing its collective teeth in the wake of a sharp Aussie backlash to a ‘dangerous’ incident over the South China Sea. The incident in question happened nearly two weeks ago when a Chinese fighter jet flew close to an Australian P-8 sub hunter and released chaff, some of which was sucked into the big and relatively slow aircraft’s engines. At the time, neither China nor Australia spoke publicly about the dust up. But then on Sunday, the Australian Defence Ministry issued a statement detailing the incident. That was followed by a formal diplomatic protest, which the Australian Labour Party government made public. It was not just through a press release; Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke about it. Recently, Albanese made sharper remarks, saying Australia regards ‘the actions of China in this area as being an act of aggression and a dangerous act against the Australian Air Force which was conducting aerial surveillance in accordance with international norms.’

China struck back

“We urge Australia to respect China’s national security interests and major concerns and to be cautious with its words and deeds so as to avoid a miscalculation that could cause serious consequences”.  Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said. The Chinese pilot acted safely and in compliance with international law, he said. Australia’s new defence minister, who is also deputy prime minister, called the Chinese manoeuvre ‘very dangerous.’ On Sunday Richard Marles described the incident vividly, saying the J-16 fighter flew next to the P-8 and released flares. “The J-16 then accelerated and cut across the nose of the P-8, settling in front of the P-8 at very close distance,” he said. Then it released chaff, some of which was invested by the P-8s engines. Marles said Australia would not be put off from mounting Freedom of Navigation operations over, on and under the South China Sea.

NASA suits up for future missions

In preparation for expanding orbital and exploratory missions, NASA has selected Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to develop and produce advanced spacesuits and space-walk systems. The next-generation gear will serve astronauts working outside the International Space Station, as well as those selected for the upcoming Artemis mission, a P.R. hootenanny that seeks to advance identity politics under the guise of a lunar mission. The awards, which leverage NASA expertise with private sector innovation, enable selected vendors to compete for task orders with the end purpose of providing the agency a full suite of capabilities for its spacewalking needs through 2034.

The companies selected were chosen from the Exploration Extravehicular Activity Services (xEVAS) contract solicitation, which has a combined maximum potential value of $3.5-billion. Competing companies will invest significant amounts of their own money into the development of their products and will retain ownership of such. This new approach encourages an emerging commercial market for a range of customers and grants NASA the right to use the same data and technologies within the agency and on future exploration programme procurements.

NASA experts defined the technical and safety standards by which the spacesuits will be built and the chosen companies agreed to meet key agency requirements. The commercial partners will be responsible for design, development, qualification, certification and production of spacesuits and support equipment to enable space station and Artemis missions. NASA designed the contract to endure and evolve with the needs of the agency and space industry. The contract also provides the agency with an optional mechanism to add additional vendors that were not selected in the original award announcement as the commercial space services market evolves.

Red tape hinders the route to the Red Planet

Getting to space is difficult. The technical, gravitational, atmospheric, aerodynamic and fiscal challenges are immense and then there is the red-tape. The Federal Aviation Administration has delayed the release of its final, Programmatic Environmental Assessment of SpaceX’s Starship development programme until next month. The move, which the FAA attributes to ongoing interagency consultation will see the originally scheduled release date of 31 May pushed back to 13 June.

Completion of the environmental assessment, which is but one of the regulatory hurdles SpaceX must clear prior to proceeding with testing of its Starship / Super-Heavy-Booster prototype, will not guarantee that the FAA will issue a launch license. SpaceX’s application must also meet FAA safety, risk and financial responsibility requirements.

The vehicles SpaceX intends to launch, Starship 24 and Super Heavy Booster 7, feature extensive design changes, including an upgraded version of the Raptor engine. If the mission goes to plan, the maiden flight of SpaceX’s two-stage launch vehicle will see the booster separate from Starship main-craft 170-seconds after lift-off, then return safely and land approximately 32-kilometers offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The second stage will subsequently achieve orbit before performing a powered, targeted splashdown approximately one-hundred-kilometres off the northwest coast of Kauai (Hawaii).

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from multiple launch-sites on the East Coast of the US. The company also operates from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and its Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.

Luckless Irish drone operator prosecuted

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) successfully prosecuted an independent filmmaker for flying a drone over a crowd of demonstrators in Dublin. The May 2021 incident saw the drone detained and its operator informed by the IAA that he had violated its 1993 Act for ‘operating a drone over an assembly of people.’ The agency alleged the operator did not appreciate the safety risks posed to the crowd gathered underneath a flying drone. The IAA further stated that bystanders below an airborne drone cannot safely move away if the drone malfunctions and falls or is operated erratically.

During subsequent court proceedings, the IAA argued that flying a drone over an assembly of people was a ‘high-risk offense’ and that the drone ‘did fly relatively close overhead.’ The operator / defendant, who plead guilty, was awarded the Probation Act (which spares defendants recorded convictions) and ordered to contribute to the IAA’s legal costs. The defendant was further ordered to make a charitable donation to the Little Flower Penny Dinner Charity, which provides legal aid to the underprivileged in Dublin. Such punitive sentences are common in the EU, which serves as the world model for governmental overreach. 

Diarmuid Ó Conghaile, Aviation Regulator for the IAA, states, “As Ireland’s Aviation Regulator, the safety of the public is our priority. The onus is on those who operate drones to do so safely and within the scope of the law, which in this case is EU-wide and in force since the beginning of last year. Luckily no one was injured in this instance and the operator has admitted he was at fault.” The loquacious Mr. Ó Conghaile went on to say, “The use of drones is growing all the time and whilst we can educate people on the safety aspects of their use, drone pilots must understand that these operations come with risks. Ó Conghaile sanctimoniously added, “Had this pilot undertaken the necessary training, this incident is unlikely to have taken place. Cooperation between the national police service of the Republic of Ireland and the IAA is invaluable in ensuring the safety of the public when it comes to aviation, as was seen in this case.”

Biden to deepen American involvement in Ukraine war

In a bid to broaden its failures and foment world war, the Biden Administration is making ready to sell four MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones to Ukraine. The move would supplement Ukraine’s existing drone fleet, which comprises primarily Turkish, Bayraktar-TB2 units. The MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones, which can remain aloft for over thirty-hours, are capable of carrying up to eight Hellfire missiles, which are double the weight of the munitions with which the Bayraktar-TB2 can be armed. Drone expert Dan Gettinger of the non-profit Vertical Flight Society states, “Generally the MQ-1C is a much larger aircraft with a max take-off weight around three times that of the Bayraktar-TB2, with commensurate advantages in payload capacity, range and endurance.”

According to Gettinger, training on the General Atomics-made, MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones is a complex process that ordinarily takes several months. However, individuals within the Biden Administration claim a training regimen has been proposed that could accelerate training time to just a few weeks. The sale of the drones has been under review at the Pentagon for numerous weeks and it could still be blocked by a Congress ostensibly more circumspect than the inept and dangerous Commander in Chief.

Last month, Biden announced that the US is sending “more advanced rocket systems and munitions to Ukraine,” a move that Russia characterised as “adding fuel to the fire.”

There is no doubt that African Pilot provides the finest overall aviation media reach in Africa. The African Pilot 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 our customers.

The monthly magazine is 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. 

Then of course this APAnews service has been part of African Pilot’s line-up since the inception of the magazine 22 years ago.

Website: www.africanpilot.co.za Facebook: facebook.com/AfricanPilot Twitter: 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.