Number 55 – 12 July 2021

No prizes, but can you identify this aircraft? After presenting last week’s rather challenging mystery aircraft, I thought I would present an easier aircraft this week. Please send your answers to me: editor@africanpilot.co.za

I will publish the names of all those that identified the aircraft correctly in the Thursday edition of APAnews. Last week one lady identified the aircraft correctly so, perhaps more ladies will have a go at this quiz this week?

It seems that the very people that voted the ANC into power are upset that South Africa’s best-known thief is now incarcerated for his part in bring this great country to its knees during the time of his presidency when every State-Owned Enterprise was systematically destroyed. Now we are witnessing the sheer destruction of infrastructure and private businesses by these people who are ‘protected’ by the very constitution that put the ‘old man’ in jail in the first instance. Parts of South Africa resemble a ‘war zone’ and the government does nothing about restoring law and order. Indeed South Africa is fighting two pandemics: 1) COVID-19 with further lockdowns in sight and 2) Stupid lawless people who are destroying the very infrastructure that comes from an already stretched tax base.

The July edition of African Pilot featuring Light Sport Aircraft types (LSA), South African designed and manufactured light aircraft and South African light aircraft assembled from kits has been fully distributed. This 260-page publication is one of the largest we have ever produced and incorporates 25 embedded picture galleries and 28 embedded videos, also another record. This year the LSA and South African manufactured aircraft feature is a whopping 80 pages. On behalf of the African Pilot team, I would like to thank those advertisers that have supported this amazing edition. Without your commitment there is no way we could have produced a publication of this excellence.

The August edition will feature Avionics, Instrumentation and headsets, especially the aircraft retrofit market. Over the next few days African Pilot will be sending information to all known avionics and instrumentation companies in South Africa as well as the remainder of the world. Now that the magazine reaches anyone with an interest in aviation throughout the world, African Pilot is now considered to be an international publication.

Virgin Galactic Unity 22 launch Richard Branson

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

I have watched and enjoyed the full series to date and I was impressed with the production of the various episodes that African Pilot published as a series during 2019 / 20 and that we consolidated into Wouter’s eBook. I understand from Wouter that the series has been so popular that the television station will be re-broadcasting the series on Mnet catchup for the next few weeks.

Flights to Nowhere eBook

Purchase your copy here

The following was received from James Pitman:

“Greetings all. I am afraid I must be the purveyor of some sad news, the demands of COVID and in particular of travelling out of South Africa, have made our trip to Oshkosh impractical. Therefore, last week we took the difficult decision to delay our trip to Oshkosh in the Sling High Wing until 2022.

Both Matt and I are devastated, since we have been looking forward to this for months (years, because we planned to do it last year). The aeroplane is ready, the stickers are on, the NavData is downloaded and we have a bunch of the required permissions. Nevertheless, navigating our way through the Caribbean has just became impossible. Our plan was to fly to Barbados, which we have done before, and which is closest to Cape Verde. But while open to others, Barbados is now closed to South Africans, at least until the expiry of 14 days. Then we have looked at Guadeloupe, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Martinique, St Martin, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and Montserrat, but each has a reason why it is just difficult or impossible. (Usually, a technicality at number 15 or so on the list – something like, ‘You must have been fully vaccinated, which requires both injections and a period of two weeks thereafter’, or similar).

I must admit that, despite help from various sources, I became somewhat demoralised reading one set of requirements after another and discovering a problem each time. It may be that if we take our courage in our hands and just ‘go’, we can quarantine in some of the countries we travel through and finally get to our destination regardless (the USA is very much open, subject only to the 14 days delay out of red-list countries). But on the flip side of the coin, just about all countries, save those almost 100% dependent upon South African tourism, really do not much seem to want us there. So, while it would be wonderful to break free of the constraints here in SA and fly across the world, perhaps it is not an entirely appropriate thing to do while we are right in the centre of the maelstrom and the rest of the globe seeks to protect itself. Both the high wing and the tail dragger are flying beautifully and I am pleased to report that, even without a trip to Oshkosh, we have taken (small) deposits for 48 aircraft already. We look forward instead to the challenge of getting into efficient, world class production as soon as we are able.”

The AeCSA Centenary Yearbook is now available to purchase from the online shop. Please visit www.aeroclub.org.za/shop.

After ten months of negotiations, SAA and the SAA Pilots’ Association (SAAPA) have reached an in-principal settlement. SAAPA members will now vote on the agreement, which could end all disputes with the airline if it were accepted. The outcome is expected on Sunday afternoon. ‘If accepted by the membership, it would end the lockout and strike and would bring to a close all disputes between the pilots and SAA,’ said a SAAPA statement on Friday. According to SAAPA, the new deal means that 88 pilots will be retained and approximately 290 pilots will be retrenched. However, they will receive payment of monies owed, as well as retrenchment pay. “As SAAPA pilots have not received any remuneration since the end of March 2020, over 15 months ago, the agreement includes provisions for payments to be made within a week of signature of the final agreement.” the statement read. The deal will be implemented if at least 50% plus one SAAPA member vote in its favour. According to a SAA statement, the deal is a ‘milestone achievement and a workable solution’.

Last week, the Labour Court dismissed an urgent application by SAAPA to stop the airline from using replacement labour while its members were on strike. SAAPA also wanted the lockout of its members to be declared unlawful and unprotected. Subsequently, SAA, in a letter to employees expressed willingness to return to the negotiation table with SAAPA. Representing 90% of the SAA pilots, SAAPA has been locked out of SAA since mid-December last year. A lockout means an employer is not obliged to pay their salaries and it was an attempt by the airline to get SAAPA to agree to cancel its long-standing regulating agreement and accept new terms of employment. While still locked out, SAAPA members also declared a strike earlier this year to prevent a situation where the company lifted the lockout only for some pilots, especially training pilots, who are needed to get SAA back in the air again.

14 to 17 July
AERO Friedrichshafen, Germany Global show for General Aviation
Contact Stephanie E-mail: Stephanie.keller@messe-fn.de www.AERO-EXPO.com
Cancelled for 2021 – new dates to be advised for 2022

15 to 23 July
Sports Aerobatics Club Advanced World Aerobatics Czech Republic
Contact Annie Boon E-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za
Cancelled for 2021 – new dates to be advised for 2022

The 14th FAI World Advanced Aerobatic Championship 2021, scheduled for Hosín, Czech Republic has been cancelled. According to the International Aerobatic Club, the reason for the cancellation is the inability of Aero Club of the Czech Republic as NAC and its Executive Board to keep up with commitments to FAI and sign the organiser agreement. This has occurred despite the report that the local organizer of WAAC continuously and clearly has declared its own commitment to organise the event and CIVA/FAI in good faith expects that commitment will be fulfilled.

26 July to 01 August
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA
Camping on the airfield contact Neil Bowden E-mail: neil1@telkomsa.net
Hotels in Appleton contact Calvin Fabig E-mail: calvin@designer.co.za
Cancelled for South African travellers

29 to 31 July
Botswana Air Race Friday at Matsieng Aerodrome
Contact Hentie de Wet E-mail: hentie@dwddrilling.com
Postponed until 2022

31 July
Botswana International airshow Saturday at Matsieng Aerodrome
Contact Hentie de Wet E-mail: hentie@dwddrilling.com
Information: www.botswana-airshow.com
Postponed until 2022

4 August
EAA Chapter 322 monthly meeting virtual and MOTH hall
Contact Neil Bowden Email: neil1@telkomsa.net Cell: 084 674 5674

7 & 8 August
Sports Aerobatics Club Western Cape Regionals and training camp Venue TBA
Contact Annie Boon E-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za

18 to 21 August
Sports Aerobatics Club National Aerobatics Championships Phalaborwa Airfield
Contact Annie Boon E-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za or Natalie Stark natalie@stark.co.za

20 & 21 August
Bethlehem Airshow at Bethlehem Airfield
Contact Stephan Fourie E-mail: fouriesj1491@gmail.com Cell: 072 344 9678
Postponed until 2022 due to COVID-19

28 August
SAPFA Secunda Speed Rally at Secunda Airfield
Contact Jonty Esser E-mail: jonty@promptroofing.co.za Cell: 082 855 9435

29 August
Rand Airshow at Rand Airport
Contact Stuart Coetzee E-mail: manager@randairport.co.za Cell: 082 444 0407
Postponed until 2022 due to COVID-19

1 September
EAA Chapter 322 monthly meeting virtual via Zoom
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: neil1@telkomsa.net Cell: 084 674 5674

11 September
SAPFA Secunda Speed Rally at Secunda Airfield
Contact Jonty Esser E-mail: jonty@promptroofing.co.za Cell: 082 855 9435

11 September
RV Day fly-in to Kitty Hawk
Contact Dawie Pretorius Cell: 082 804 6979

14 & 15 September
Aviation MENA, Hilton Cairo Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.
Website: www.aviationmena.aero
Contact Alison Weller E-mail: alison@accessgroup.aero Tel: +44 7501 185255

17 & 18 September
EAA Silver Creek fly-in and movie evening. Camping on the airfield
Contact Neil Bowden Cell: 084 674 5674 or Jeremy Woods Cell: 082 883 0436

21 to 23 September
MRO Asia Pacific, Singapore EXPO, Singapore
Website: https://mroasia.aviationweek.com
Contact Jennifer Roberts E-mail: Jennifer.roberts@aviationweek.com Tel: +1.917.699.6231

24 to 26 September
EAA Sun ‘n Fun at Brits airfield
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: neil1@telkomsa.net Cell: 084 674 5674

24 September
Great Train Race vintage cars and aircraft at Heidelberg airfield – Heritage Day
Contact Van Zyl Schultz E-mail: vzs@mweb.co.za Cell: 082 560 2275

2 October
SAPFA Springs Speed Rally at Springs Airfield
Contact Jonty Esser E-mail: jonty@promptroofing.co.za Cell: 082 855 9435

2 & 3 October
Sports Aerobatics Club Northwest Regionals Klerksdorp Airfield
Contact Annie Boon E-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za

6 October
EAA Chapter 322 monthly meeting virtual via Zoom
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: neil1@telkomsa.net Cell: 084 674 5674

8 to 10 October
EAA Taildraggers at Warmbaths airfield
Contact Richard Nicholson E-mail: flybenchmark@gmail.com Cell: 082 490 6227

12 to 14 October
NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Las Vegas Nevada
https://nbaa.org/events/2021-nbaa-business-aviation-convention-exhibition-nbaa-bace/

14 & 15 October
Aviation Africa Kigali Convention Centre, Rwanda
Website: www.aviationafrica.aero
Contact Alison Weller E-mail: alison@accessgroup.aero Tel: +44 7501 185255

19 to 21 October
MRO Europe, RAI Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Website: https://mroeurope.aviationweek.com
Contact Jennifer Roberts E-mail: Jennifer.roberts@aviationweek.com Tel: +1.917.699.6231

3 November
EAA Chapter 322 monthly meeting virtual via Zoom
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: neil1@telkomsa.net Cell: 084 674 5674

5 November
Children’s Flight at Orient airfield
Contact Felix Gosher

6 November
SAPFA SA Landing Championships at Stellenbosch Airfield
Contact Ron Stirk E-mail: melron@mweb.co.za Cell: 082 445 0373

6 to 13 November
SAPFA World Rally Championships training week at Stellenbosch airfield
Contact Frank Eckard E-mail: frank.eckard@mweb.co.za Cell: 083 269 1516

14 to 18 November
Dubai Airshow DWC, Airshow Site, Dubai, UAE
Email: hello@dubaiairshow.aero

14 to 19 November
SAPFA World Rally Championships at Stellenbosch airfield
Contact Mary de Klerk E-mail: maryd@expandingbranding.co.za Cell: 084 880 9000

16 to 18 November
European Rotors Hall 8 Conference Centre Koelnmesse
Website: www.europeanrotors.eu E-mail: presse@messe-fn.de

27 November
SAPFA Springs Speed Rally at Springs Airfield
Contact Jonty Esser E-mail: jonty@promptroofing.co.za Cell: 082 855 9435

1 December
EAA Chapter 322 monthly meeting virtual via Zoom
Contact Neil Bowden E-mail: neil1@telkomsa.net Cell: 084 674 5674

4 December
Aero Club of South Africa annual awards venue TBA
Contact Rob Jonkers E-mail: rob@aerosud.co.za Cell: 082 804 7032

4 & 5 December
Sports Aerobatics Club ACE of Base Baragwaneth Airfield
Contact Annie Boon E-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za

Italy’s Leonardo Helicopters will soon be delivering two AW189s to the Nigerian presidential air fleet. According to information received, the first AW189 painted in the colours of the Nigerian Air Force’s Presidential Air Fleet was seen undergoing test flights in Italy on 2 March. On 30 June, a second AW189 in Nigerian Presidential colours was seen at Venegono where Leonardo Helicopters has its Aircraft Division. The Presidential Air Fleet is based at Abuja/Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria) and operates two Leonardo AW139 helicopters next to a fleet of fixed wing aircraft, which includes a Cessna 550, a Falcon 900, a Boeing 737-700, two Falcon 7X jets and a Gulfstream G550.

According to the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, who was speaking to graduated recruits of the Nigerian Air Force Basic Military Training Course 41/2020 at the Military Training Centre, NAF Base, Kaduna, on 4 June, the Nigerian Air Force is expecting eight aircraft to be delivered this month, including light attack turboprops and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). He disclosed that the NAF was expecting six A-29 Super Tucano aircraft from the USA in July and two Wing Loong Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) from China. He said the remaining six Super Tucanos on order would arrive in September while two CH-3 and four CH-4 UAVs would arrive in the country before the end of 2021.

Shephard Media reports, this month the Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (French Air and Space Force) will place GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs into service on three of its Block 5 MQ-9 Reaper UAVs deployed to Niger in support of Operation Barkhan. The 33rd Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Attack Wing (SRAW) operates 12 Reapers. Six are Block 1 aircraft (one of which has been leased since 2020 to make up for the loss of another Block 1 in 2018 to a crash shortly before landing) and the other six are Block 5s. The first Block 5 system was delivered in January 2020.

Jane’s reports that France is in the process of acquiring another six Block 5 UAVs, which will be armed with GBU-12s and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and will also be equipped with an FMS pod for intelligence gathering. The French Reaper acquisition is to address the need for a sophisticated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability in Africa. Last month France deployed a Reaper for maritime surveillance tasks as part of the European operation EU Navfor Med Irini, whose mission is to enforce the arms embargo in Libya.

French Reapers arrived in the Sahel-Saharan theatre in December 2013 and began flying from Mali in January 2014, gathering intelligence in support of the Barkhane Force. Complementary to other air assets, the aircraft provide aerial overwatch for periods of up to nearly 24 hours. France initially chose to keep its Reapers unarmed, using its optical and radar sensors to detect targets of interest across the Sahel and Sahara. However, in December 2019 it carried out several test firings in Niger, with four evaluation drops carried out using GBU-12 laser-guided bombs. One of the air strikes killed seven jihadists in central Mali.

Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron said Operation Barkhane, France’s operation battling Islamist militants in the Sahel region of West Africa, would come to an end with troops now operating as part of broader international efforts in the region. Paris has grown frustrated with no apparent end in sight to its operations and political turmoil, especially in Mali. “The time has come to begin a deep transformation of our military presence in the Sahel,” Macron told a news conference, referring to the Barkhane operation, which has some 5 100 soldiers across the region. The decision came days after Malian army Colonel Assimi Goita took power in a coup. Some 55 French soldiers have died in the region since Paris intervened in 2013 to drive back al-Qaeda-linked groups that had seized cities and towns in northern Mali a year earlier.

On 2 July, French defence minister Florence Parly said Operation Barkhane will be replaced by a new mission, one that will focus on fighting terrorism and supporting local forces. But “this transformation does not mean that we will be leaving the Sahel or that we will slow down our counter-terrorism operations” in the region. Militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have strengthened their foothold across the region, making large swathes of territory ungovernable and stoking ethnic violence, especially in Mali and Burkina Faso.

On Friday it appears that a solo student conducting solo consolidation at Panorama Airfield inadvertently spun in close to the runway in what appears to have been a go-around that went wrong. Not much more is known about this tragic accident, but it appears to have been a local training school’s aircraft.

The policy follows up on a letter from the agency last month that asserted that, without exception, no compensated flight training can take place in these aircraft categories without an exemption or Letter Of Deviation Authority (LODA). The newly announced policy maintains that position while offering a short-term solution that allows these operations to continue. The policy confirms the FAA’s position that any instructor is ‘operating’ an aircraft, regardless of who owns, rents, or otherwise uses the aircraft and regardless of whether the use of the aircraft is compensated. Therefore, paying any instructor to provide training violates the language of FARs 91.315 (limited), 91.319(a)(2) (experimental) and 91.325 (primary).

For as long as can be remembered, the FAA rules were interpreted as an instructor could usually not charge for the use of the aircraft but could charge for flight instruction services. FAA’s own policy on LODAs backed this up, explicitly stating that such private individuals did not require a LODA to pursue training in their own aircraft. While a commercial flight training operation could not provide the training, an individual instructor could provide training for a private owner, co-owner, flying club member, or lessee.

The FAA explained in their policy statement that the previous policy on LODAs was erroneous. The stunning turnabout meant that tens of thousands of rule-abiding warbird, homebuilt, vintage and other pilots and instructors are instantly out of compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations. The FAA’s only acknowledgement of this radical change for the GA community was the statement “The FAA acknowledges that the disconnect between the regulations and the guidance to inspectors has caused confusion in the industry.”

In response, the FAA admitted that flight training in one’s own aircraft is essential for flight safety, which EAA contended and announced the rollout of a vastly expanded LODA system to authorise individuals to receive compensated training in their own aircraft. For aircraft owned by flying clubs, ownership groups and other shared ownership models, the entity owning the aircraft may hold the LODA rather than each individual member. Either the owner / operator of the aircraft or the instructor can have the LODA, as long as one person in the cockpit has one. LODAs issued under this system will not allow rental of the aircraft to the general public. Those LODAs, issued for transition training and other targeted operations, will continue to be issued per the guidance in FAA Order 8900.1.

The policy is anticipated to go into effect on Monday, 12 July. Due to an anticipated bottleneck, EAA is encouraging members to apply for LODAs when an anticipated need arises, to maintain capacity for those individuals who need a LODA immediately. LODAs will be effective for 48 months, by which time the FAA hopes to have a more permanent fix in place. The LODA policy does not help owners of Limited and Primary category aircraft, as the rules associated with these categories do not contain a LODA provision. These aircraft and their operators will require exemptions. The exemption requirement for Primary category is particularly frustrating, as the category was specifically created to allow flight training as stated in the rule’s preamble.

“This LODA / exemption process is not a permanent solution. It is cumbersome, can easily be taken away and is a solution to a non-existent problem,” said Jack Pelton, EAA CEO and chairman of the board. “Under no circumstances is a private individual who receives training in their own aircraft detrimental to safety. EAA will continue seeking a rule change or legislation to permanently restore the longstanding and common sense ‘facts on the ground’ for the GA community.” Pelton continued: “This entire episode is a scary example of how new interpretations of the regulations can upend the entire community. While this short-term fix allows operations to continue, it never should have come to this point. Creating more than 30,000 new LODAs and exemptions is a paperwork exercise that does nothing to advance safety.”

The US Air Force has released a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet. As with past renderings, this rendering is an artist’s interpretation of the B-21 design. The new rendering highlights the future stealth bomber with Edwards Air Force Base, California, as the backdrop. The 420th Flight Test Squadron based at Edwards AFB will plan, test, analyse and report on all flight and ground testing of the B-21 Raider. The B-21 programme continues to execute the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase and is focused on scaling the manufacturing infrastructure and capacity across the industrial supply base to prepare for low rate initial production. A critical design review conducted in 2018 concluded the aircraft has a mature and stable design. Designed to perform long range conventional and nuclear missions and to operate in tomorrow’s high end threat environment, the B-21 will be a visible and flexible component of the nuclear triad.

“Nuclear modernisation is a top priority for the Department of Defence and the Air Force and B-21 is key to that plan,” said Randall Walden, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director. “The built-in feature of open systems architecture on the B-21 makes the bomber effective as the threat environment evolves. This aircraft design approach sets the nation on the right path to ensuring America’s enduring airpower capability.” The Air Force plans to incrementally replace the B-1 Lancer and the B-2 Spirit bombers to form a two-bomber fleet of B-21s and modified B-52s. The B-21 programme is on track to deliver B-21s to the first operational base, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, in the mid-2020s.

Last March ENAV and Leonardo announced the successful completion of tests and validation checks on PBN (Performance Based Navigation) navigation procedures, using an AW169 operated by Alidaunia on the route connecting Foggia with Isole Tremiti – (San Domino) in Apulia. Alidaunia operates emergency medical service (EMS) missions as well as transport services to and from Isole Tremiti. The PBN procedure, which is based on new-generation satellite navigation technology combined with advanced on-board avionics, ensures safer flight operations through more precise and accurate navigation, approach and landing operations (particularly in difficult weather conditions), thus surpassing traditional systems based on radio assistance from ground stations.

The Foggia-Tremiti (Island of San Domino) route is the first step in supporting helicopter operations of the Rete Eliportuale Puglia, the regional helicopter network. The tests successfully carried out using one of our AW169 helicopters were facilitated by a collaboration between Alidaunia and EGSA (the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency) as part of the PHAR project (PBN for Hems in the Apulia Region). The tests demonstrated that, by using dedicated routes, PBN procedures can also ensure lower fuel consumption and a reduction in the emission of pollutants and noise. The main potential beneficiaries of this technology are passenger transport, emergency medical and rescue services, disaster relief operations, surveillance and fire-fighting, in all weather conditions, day and night. The adoption and implementation of PBN procedures significantly improves flight safety, environmental protection, the flexibility of public services and the effectiveness and responsiveness of air transport through the ability to simultaneously integrate fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft operations and through the more efficient use of airspace.

In the United States PBN procedures are now starting to be used on helicopters flying under instrument flight rules (IFR) and like in Italy Leonardo is one of the first companies to implement them. Our EMS client LifeFlight of Maine has been working with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop these procedures using a GrandNew.

In 2020 LifeFlight of Maine, in collaboration with the FAA, launched a project for the development of lower-altitude routes. New communications and satellite-based GPS systems enable the FAA’s air traffic controllers to provide continuous guidance and control over these new precision routes that link hospitals with remote communities throughout the state of Maine. These lower-altitude routes mean that LifeFlight’s pilots are able to fly more safely and, given the greater number of options available to them particularly in adverse weather conditions, to increase their operational ability to assist and save more patients.

In the United States these procedures are currently being developed privately, but the LifeFlight of Maine-FAA tests have been validated to support the development of new criteria for the creation of routes and agreements and also to enable the FAA to implement the new procedures nationwide. In-flight tests on the first route were completed in December 2020, with three additional routes now part of a project aimed at creating a complete network across the entire state of Maine. When all the necessary tests have been completed, the FAA will be able to develop such networks at national level so that they can be extensively used in EMS missions by different operators.

This flight capability for the entire range of Leonardo helicopters means that low-altitude operations can be safely carried out near other aircraft, drones included. It also enables higher precision using Satellite Point in Space and ILS systems at airports. Leonardo is currently one of the few manufacturers in the world with the capability to also produce PBN navigation databases.

The modernisation of the US Air Force tanker fleet is about to enter a new phase, called the KC-Y programme. On 16 June 2021, the Bridge Tanker Programme Office of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center issued a Sources Sought Notice for manufacturers to provide ‘approximately 140-160 Commercial Derivative Tanker Aircraft, at a rate of 12 to 15 per year.’  Deliveries should start from 2029, coinciding with the last delivery of the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus acquired as part of the previous KC-X programme. Thus, this aircraft will act as a bridge between the Pegasus and the next programme, KC-Z, which will see the development of a much more innovative aircraft with stealth capabilities.

Like the KC-X tender, the competition should once again see Boeing face Airbus in partnership with Lockheed Martin. The requirements for the KC-Y acquisition have not yet been defined, but they could see the KC-46 Pegasus and the A330 MRTT compete again. As a reminder, it was Airbus (partnered with Northrop Grumman at the time) that initially won the KC-X competition with its A330 MRTT. Its aircraft was already in production at a time when the KC-46 Pegasus was still on the drawing board. But after several years of political lobbying, the contract was eventually taken away from Airbus and given to Boeing. The current order totals 179 aircraft, of which 46 have been delivered. The KC-46 Pegasus was supposed to reinforce the thin-stretched refuelling capacities while replacing the KC-10 Extender, with the entire fleet due to be withdrawn by 2025. But the development of the tanker already exceeded the initial forecast by $3 billion (which hints at a deliberate underestimation to win the contract over Airbus).

To add to this, the aircraft has encountered numerous technical problems since its delivery, including a plethora of ‘critical deficiencies’ that could take years to fix. In its financial results for 2020, Boeing reported a new $275 million charge for the deficiencies of the KC-46 Pegasus. That placed the total cost overruns of the programme at above $5 billion, exceeding the initial cost of the contract with the USAF at $4.9 billion.

Aerokurier readers have chosen Diamond Aircraft’s superb brand-new DA50 RG as the winner of the renowned Aerokurier innovation award again. “Once again we could prove to be on the top of aircraft manufacturing,” said Liqun (Frank) Zhang, CEO Diamond Aircraft Austria. “We are more than honoured to have received the first place Aerokurier innovation award the second time in a row for our DA50 RG and want to thank Aerokurier readers for their trust and passion for our latest Diamond in the sky. It shows that we are setting the right accents with this aircraft. Pilots and aviation enthusiasts were eagerly waiting for the outstanding combination the DA50 RG delivers in the single engine piston class, retractable gear, the biggest cabin in its class and a sustainable jet-fuel engine together with Diamond’s Safety DNA. There is no such aircraft in the market combining these features and creating a new level of perfection.” The DA50 RG is currently touring the skies of Europe with stops at selected airports and events.

Over the past few years, magniX has been powering electric aircraft such as the eBeaver and the eCaravan. Using experience from these ongoing flights and ground testing, magniX introduced a series of enhanced features to ‘enable an even more simplified, reliable and convenient adoption of all-electric power,’ officials noted. The 450 SHP-/350kW-/1600 nm-class magni350 EPU and the larger 850 SHP-/650kW-/3200 nm-class magni650 EPU utilise the new magniDrive-100, a 170kW inverter / motor controller power electronics unit. Operating at 2300 rpm or less, the direct-drive EPUs are liquid cooled and designed for 30,000 feet of altitude in unpressurised environments. Both systems can drive a propeller governor and standard aircraft accessories, all from the front cone of each motor.

On 6 July Private pilot David Harbottle was convicted of three charges resulting in a £175,000 fine for false entries to his pilot’s license and a misrepresentation of his pilot status. According to a statement released by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, two charges pertain to deliberately recording falsified entries on his pilot’s license and one charge is for misrepresenting his pilot status absent of a valid pilot’s license on a total of seven flights. “The Civil Aviation Authority’s prosecution, the subsequent convictions and substantial fines show that the CAA and the Courts treat offending of this kind with the upmost severity,” commented a spokesperson for the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Harbottle, who is from Lancing, West Sussex, United Kingdom, was fined £100,000 for the two false license entries, as well as an additional £75,000 for carrying out pilot duties with an improper license, following a trial at Brighton Magistrates Court. Additional costs include payment of £16,500 to the Civil Aviation Authority and a victim charge payment of £120. The total amount to pay, including fines and charges, amounts to £191,620.

On 5 July 2021, NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter captured this image, which features tracks made by the Perseverance rover, using its high-resolution colour camera during its ninth Red Planet flight. The ‘heart’ shows where the Perseverance rover took a slight detour, perhaps to investigate some interesting rock or patch of dirt, before returning to its original path and heading on its way. The car-sized Perseverance rover landed, with Ingenuity attached to its belly, in February on the floor of Mars’ Jezero Crater, which harboured a big lake and a river delta in the ancient past. In early April, the little chopper deployed onto the red dirt, kicking off a month-long, five-flight campaign designed to show that aerial exploration is feasible on the Red Planet.

Ingenuity aced that original technology-demonstrating mission and was rewarded with an extension, which aims to showcase the scouting potential of Mars rotorcraft. For example, the Perseverance team is looking forward to studying the photos Ingenuity captured on Sunday’s sortie, which flew over a rugged region called ‘Séítah,” the helicopter’s handlers said.

“Captured in those images are rock outcrops that show contacts between the major geologic units on Jezero Crater’s floor,” Ingenuity chief pilot Håvard Grip and Perseverance deputy project scientist Ken Williford wrote in a Flight 9 update on Wednesday. “They also include a system of fractures the Perseverance team calls ‘Raised Ridges,’ which the rover’s scientists hope to visit in part to investigate whether an ancient subsurface habitat might be preserved there,” wrote Grip and Williford, both of whom are based at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.

“Finally, we are hoping the colour images will provide the closest look yet at ‘Pilot Pinnacle,’ a location featuring outcrops that some team members think may record some of the deepest water environments in old Lake Jezero,” the duo added. “Given the tight mission schedule, it is possible that they will not be able to visit these rocks with the rover, so Ingenuity may offer the only opportunity to study these deposits in any detail”

Perseverance’s main mission goals involve hunting for signs of ancient Mars life on Jezero’s floor and collecting and caching samples for future return to Earth. The rover began focusing on that science work in earnest when Ingenuity completed its original technology-demonstrating mission. Ingenuity’s extended mission is expected to last at least a few more months, provided the helicopter remains healthy, with a flight roughly every two weeks on average during that span. The helicopter team has been pushing Ingenuity’s limits during the extended phase, as the latest flight showed. On Monday, the copter flew farther (2,051 feet, or 625 meters) and faster (about 11 mph, or 18 kph) and stayed aloft longer (166 seconds), than it ever had before.

“A consortium led by Mint Air is committed to bringing safe, efficient and cost-effective electric aircraft solutions to South Korea and are thrilled they have selected our eGyro as their aircraft of choice to initiate operation of the leading eVTOL service in Korea. We look forward to performing our first public demonstrations of the eGyro in Korea and to launching the eGyro Urban Air Mobility (UAM) platform in the Korean market,” said John Michel, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Skyworks. The consortium led by Mint Air and Skyworks signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for exclusive partnership in South Korea. The consortium will collaborate with Skyworks to develop a pilot training programme and maintenance and repair capability in Korea for efficient operation of eGyro fleet.

The eGyro will leverage Mobius’ novel battery module architecture and low total cost of ownership providing power-as-a-service business model. “The high energy density, unmatched power boost and outstanding thermal management of the Mobius battery modules support our efforts to produce an aircraft with best-in-class range and performance. We are excited to be the UAM launch platform for the Mobius battery module and service”, said Don Woodbury, Skyworks’ Co-Founder & Chief Technology Advisor.

About Mint Air
Mint Air is a start-up company in stealth mode until now building an Advanced Air Mobility Service in South Korea. Mint Air’s approach is to facilitate an ecosystem of partners to accelerate the adoption of electric flight in Korea. A former global engineering part manufacturing company, Mint Air will take advantage of its global business experience and network to accelerate the development of the Urban Air Mobility ecosystem in Asia-Pacific markets. Beginning with air taxi operation, Mint Air aspires to become a global electric aircraft manufacturing company building electric aircraft supply chain, developing critical part manufacturing capability and eventually assembling eGyro in Korea.

French-based aerospace company Thales has successfully flown a half-scale prototype of its UAS 100 long-range unmanned aircraft system (UAS / drone). The final version of the hybrid-electric UAS 100 is expected to have a range of greater than 100 kilometres (54 NM), be capable of carrying a 10-kilogram (22-pound) payload and feature a ‘jam-resistant’ navigation system. It was designed to meet the requirements of the new European Special Condition; Light Unmanned Aircraft Systems (SC-LUAS) regulations.

“With this new long-range UAS, Thales is providing the trusted solution needed for civil, government and military inspection and security applications,” said Yannick Assouad, Thales executive vice president for avionics. “As well as meeting today’s operational requirements, the new system paves the way for the air mobility solutions of tomorrow.”

The UAS 100, which Thales hopes to have certified in 2023, is geared toward missions including infrastructure inspection, coastal surveillance, border surveillance, event security, search-and-rescue and military operations. It was developed in partnership with aircraft manufacturer Issoire Aviation and drone autopilot solutions company Hionos. UAS 100 development has also been supported by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces Defence Innovation Agency (DIA).

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