Number 65 – 17 August 2023

“Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.” Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

Fairchild C91 Baby Clipper

Fairchild 91 A-942 ‘Kono’

The Fairchild 91, (a.k.a. A-942), was a single-engine eight-passenger flying boat airliner developed in the United States in the mid-1930s. Fairchild designed the aircraft in response to a Pan American Airways request for a small flying boat to operate on their river routes along the Amazon and Yangtze. The result was a conventional high-wing cantilever monoplane with its radial engine mounted above the wing in a streamlined nacelle. However, before construction of the prototype was complete Pan American no longer required the aircraft to operate in China and Fairchild optimised the design for the Brazilian tropics.

After the first two aircraft were delivered, Pan American cancelled the remaining four aircraft of its order as they no longer needed any for China and the two aircraft were capable of handling the Amazon River. The sole A-942-B was specially built for the American Museum of Natural History and was used by naturalist Richard Archbold on his second expedition to Papua New Guinea in 1936–1937. The prototype was sold to the Spanish Republican Air Force, but the ship carrying it was captured by the Spanish Nationalists and was used by them until 1941. The A-942 bought by industrialist Garfield Wood was sold to the British American Ambulance Corps before being transferred to the RAF, who operated it in Egypt for air-sea rescue. One example was sold to the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Service for evaluation, but was wrecked shortly after delivery, so a second example was purchased to replace it.

Those persons who correctly identified this week’s mystery aircraft:
Piet Steyn, Wouter van der Waal, Righardt du Plessis, Christiaan Haak, Andre Visser, Willie Oosthuizen, Jaco van Jaarsveld, Ari Levien, Mickey Esterhuysen, Rex Tweedie, Jan Sime, Danie Viljoen, Colin Austen, Clint Futter, Erwin Stam, Robert Spencer, Rennie van Zyl, Cecil Thompson, Andrew Peace, Hilton Carroll, Trevor Miller, Johan Venter, Barry Eatwell, Selwyn Kimber, Keith Chiazzari, Aiden O’Mahony, Kevin Farr, Pierre Brittz, Bruce Margolius, Rahul Vala, Bruce Prescott, Brian Ross, (32).

Aviation calendar for next year

As stated in my editorial on Monday, I have started working on the 2024 aviation calendar, so if you have any dates that you would like to reserve, please send this information to me in the following order: date, event’s name, where the event is taking place (airfield or other) and who to contact: Tel / Cell and e-mail. It is important to understand that there are many aviation organisations in South Africa and the rest of the world and it is unfair to expect me to go to numerous websites to gather information. In addition, nearly all the other aviation media outlets in South Africa simply copy African Pilot’s calendar of events, meaning that the complete annual aviation calendar is published within several magazines and aviation blogs.  editor@africanpilot.co.za. Thank you for your cooperation.

Absolute Aviation’s Lycoming seminar

On Monday evening around 60 invited guests attended an excellent presentation on Lycoming Engine care by Lycoming’s New Zealand representative Adrian Mc Hardy who has been with the company for more than 20 years. A full illustrated report will be featured within the September edition of African Pilot.

19 August
SAPFA Speed Rally No4 Groblersdal airfield
Contact David le Roux E-mail: david@pilotinsure.co.za Cell: 073 338 5200

19 August
Springs airfield annual breakfast fly-in
James Braid Cell: 082 956 5391

19 & 20 August
SAC North-West Regionals Klerksdorp airfield
Contact Annie Boon E-mail: info@anniesaviationcorner.com

Libyan unrest in Tripoli – again!

It was reported on Tuesday that as mass evacuation of aircraft is taking place from Tripoli, including a number of A330 and A320 aircraft from both the largest carrier (Afriqiyah) and smaller operators. Inbound flights are also diverting and the Libyan government aircraft, a King Air 350, is also being taken out of Tripoli. Almost all aircraft are being repositioned to Misrata (HLMS), with approximately 25 aircraft being moved.

The reason for the evacuation is violent clashes involving gunfire taking place at Tripoli Mitiga airport (HLLM), as well as on roads leading into Tripoli itself. Earlier on Monday night the head of the ‘444 brigade’ that controls much of Tripoli, was detained at Mitiga airport by the Special Deterrence Force. The resulting risk to aircraft operations was deemed sufficiently high to begin the removal of aircraft to a safer location.

This situation highlights the instability of the security situation in Libya. With the airspace closure in Niger last week, routes over Africa have become very limited and Libya / the Tripoli FIR may seem a tempting alternative. Operators considering a Libya overflight should consider routings very carefully. This is the most significant aviation security event in Libya in the last few years and highlights the ongoing risk to operations.

MiG-23 crashes at Michigan airshow, crew ejected

On 13 August 2023, the privately owned fighter, registration N23UB, was conducting a flight demonstration above Willow Run Airport to mark the end of the 25th edition of Thunder Over Michigan. During the flight demonstration, for reasons yet to be determined, both occupants on board the MiG-23UB executed an ejection at a low altitude. The aircraft continued its course before crashing into vehicles parked near a residential building. The pilots were recovered from Belleville Lake and were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries. No other injuries on the ground were reported.

Following the crash, the remainder of the Thunder Over Michigan air show was cancelled. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to initiate an investigation into the crash. Footage captured by bystanders shows the aircraft with the engine still running when both pilots ejected, suggesting that the ejection was not precipitated by an engine failure. This is not the first incident to involve the privately owned MiG-23UB. On 28 July 2023, the same aircraft lost a piece of its canopy during a demonstration flight at the Oshkosh airshow. At the time, the aircraft managed to land safely.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a Soviet-era supersonic fighter jet developed as an interceptor and ground-attack aircraft, depending on the variant. Introduced into active service in 1970, the MiG-23 holds the distinction of being the most produced variable-sweep wing aircraft in history, with more than 5,000 aircraft built. The MiG-23UB is a two-seat training version of the MiG-23. There are currently five MiG-23 registered in the FAA registry, including N23UB. The registration of the 1981 MiG shows it belongs to Daniel Filer from Alto, Texas. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the accident.

NTSB discloses details of YIP MiG-23 mishap

Built in 1981 and imported from the Czech Republic the accident aircraft, a MiG-23UB had been largely restored by, belonged to and was flown by Dan ‘Files’ Filer, a US Navy combat veteran who flew A-6 Intruders in the Gulf War. A number of years ago, Filer came across a MiG-23 up for sale and pursued purchase of the aircraft. While seeking out parts for the jet, he discovered 17 additional MiG-23s (in various states of disrepair) for sale and he purchased every one, donating the single-seaters to various air museums.

The Sunday, 13 August mishap saw Filer and a second, as-of-yet-unidentified aviator eject from the MiG-23 as it traversed the airspace over Ypsilanti, Michigan’s Willow Run Airport (YIP). The unpiloted jet crashed almost immediately, impacting a number of unoccupied vehicles in the parking lot of Van Buren Township’s Waverly on the Lake Apartments. By dint of extraordinary good fortune, no ground injuries were reported and Filer and his companion were rescued from Bellville Lake.

Filer and the individual occupying the accident-aircraft’s back seat ejected successfully from the aircraft. Michigan’s Wayne County Airport Authority said, “While it did not appear the Mig-23’s occupants sustained any significant injuries, first-responders transported the pair to a nearby hospital as a precaution.”

The Airport Authority’s statement proved inaccurate. After being taken out of the lake Filer and his passenger were conveyed to Superior Township’s St. Joseph’s Hospital where they were treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. NTSB Senior Air Safety Investigator John Brannen reported on Monday, 14 August that the accident-aircraft had experienced ‘engine loss of power issues.’ Brannen said “The airplane had made one pass down the runway. There were going to be three passes total, culminating in a landing. They were circling around for the second pass when they experienced the difficulty. Right now, all the information is preliminary and we cannot draw any conclusions. The fact that both pilots survived and there were no ground injuries is a very good outcome.” Brannen also stated that personnel of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are on site in Ypsilanti for purpose of addressing possible fuel contamination resultant of the accident.

Brannen conceded the accident-aircraft’s Russian origin could complicate his agency’s investigation. “The fact that it is a Russian military airplane and there is no what we call a ‘flight certificate’ that civilian airplanes have with details of the manufacturers that you can go to for assistance in this, which will make this more difficult.”

While lumbering and technologically remedial by Western standards the MiG23, is looked upon by historians as one of the Soviet Union’s more enduring combat aircraft. Conceived of and built by the alternately famed and infamous, depending on one’s political bent Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, the MiG-23 (NATO designation Flogger) is a third-generation, variable-geometry fighter aircraft powered by a single, 18,000-lbf Khatchaturov R-35-300 afterburning turbojet engine fitted with variable-geometry exhaust nozzles. First flown in 1967 and fielded in 1970, the MiG-23 remained in service with Eastern Bloc nations well into the 1990s. Over its 18-year (1967-1985) production-run, more than five-thousand specimens of the MiG-23 were built, thereby distinguishing the machine as history’s most-produced variable-geometry aircraft.

After the fashion of Soviet fighters and interceptors of its day, the MiG-23 was at once blindingly fast and eminently hazardous to the health of its pilots. American pilots afforded opportunity to fly the Mig-23 noted with consistency that the jet’s airframe was easily overstressed, that it was unstable in yaw as it passed Mach 1.0 and again when approaching Mach 2.0 and that the narrow placement of the aircraft’s main landing-gear was wont to slip and slide in adverse weather conditions. Broadly speaking, the MiG-23 was unpopular with American pilots, who found the machine unacceptably dangerous to operate and bestowed upon it a host of derogatory monikers the likes of Looping Hog, on account of it flew like a pig and one of the few basic fighter manoeuvrers (BFM) it could reliably perform in a dogfight was a massive inside loop.

Despite the large numbers in which it was produced, airworthy Mig-23s are a rarity in the West. Ergo, attendees of EAA AirVenture 2023 were delighted in late July by the appearance of Filer’s Flogger , then North America’s only flying Mig-23. During an AirVenture 2023 interview, Filer stated public reaction to his MiG-23 has consisted of excitement and confusion in equal parts. “Nobody’s seen it,” Flier averred. “They say, ‘We did not know any of these existed.” He added “I have been flying around my hometown, Longview, Texas and it was time to display it. They are just like, “We did not know there were any of these.” So we are excited. While the loss of North America’s only flying MiG-23 is unfortunate, the whole of the aviation community is grateful Flier and his passenger survived the incident and we wish both pilots speedy and thorough recoveries.

Emergency on Malaysia MH122 Sydney

A suspected emergency incident threat on board Malaysia MH122 Sydney, Australia to Kuala Lumper as feeds from inside the Airbus A330 show a man yelling at cabin crew and passengers in an aisle of the plane. He was holding a bag to his chest. “My name is Mohammed, slave of Allah,” the man told staff. “Are you a slave of Allah? Are you? Say it! Say it! Are you a slave of Allah?”

At the time of writing the aircraft was still sitting on the tarmac at Sydney Airport. Passengers inside the plane have been told that they will soon be able to disembark the plane after security checks are complete.

In a statement, Malaysia Airlines said: “In the interests of safety, the commander of the flight made the decision to return to Sydney. “The flight, carrying 194 passengers and five crew onboard, landed safely at 15h47. “The safety and comfort of our crew and passengers are of upmost importance to Malaysia Airlines.” A spokesperson for the Australian Federal Police said: “We are responding to an emergency incident at Sydney International Airport and an update will be provided later.”

DAE to acquire order book of 64 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) has released that an affiliate has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the rights, interests and obligations of a portfolio of 64 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft from a wholly owned subsidiary of China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings Limited (CALC). The portfolio includes 737-8, 737-9 and 737-10 variants. Delivery of the aircraft is scheduled to occur between 2023 and 2026. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

DAE’s Chief Executive Officer, Firoz Tarapore commented, “We are delighted to be able to conclude this transaction with CALC to acquire a unique portfolio of 100% new technology, fuel efficient single aisle aircraft”. On a pro forma basis, this transaction will increase the percentage of new technology, fuel efficient aircraft in DAE’s owned fleet to approximately 66% from 50%. The transaction will increase the fleet of owned, managed, committed and mandated-to-manage aircraft to approximately 550 aircraft, valued at approximately US$20 billion. Furthermore, this transaction will allow the company to further deepen its existing relationship with Boeing and CFM International. Since inception and including this transaction, DAE has acquired and is committed to acquire approximately 500 Boeing aircraft. Approximately 20% of the acquired portfolio is on lease to airline clients who are also existing clients of DAE, with the remainder of the acquired portfolio of assets to be placed directly by DAE in the coming quarters. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2023.

Avantto and Epic Aircraft celebrate fleet purchase deal

At LABACE 2023 last week Epic Aircraft celebrated the announcement of a purchase agreement by Brazilian fractional-share operator Avantto for 34 Epic E1000 GX turboprop singles. Epic CEO Doug King flew the E1000 GX on display at LABACE from the company’s Bend, Oregon headquarters. Deliveries of Avantto’s E1000s are scheduled to begin in mid-October, with the second by year-end and the rest arriving at the rate of eight per year over the next four years. This will depend on E1000 certification by Brazil’s ANAC, which is pending.

The E1000 will be key to Avantto’s ambitious plans to double its size over the next two to three years by offering fractional aircraft to Brazil’s agribusiness industry and positioning the fractional provider for an initial public offering. Describing the E1000’s capabilities, King said, “It has the same engine and prop as a Pilatus PC-12 and it weighs 3,000 pounds less. Of course, it is faster. This is the only airplane that cruises at more than 300 knots on under 50 gallons of fuel an hour. The consumption is half that of any light jet.”  

Powered by a 1,200-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67A and five-blade Hartzell composite propeller, the all-composite E1000 can climb to a maximum operating altitude of 34,000 feet. With full fuel (264 gallons / 999 litres), the E1000 can carry a payload of 1,100 pounds and fly 1,560 nm. Maximum cruise speed is 333 knots and normal cruise 317 knots. Take-off and landing distances over a 50-foot obstacle are 2,254 feet (687 meters) and 2,399 feet (731 meters), respectively. Avionics include the Garmin G1000 NXi suite with a GFC 700 autopilot.

The E1000’s interior has an air of spaciousness unusual in a small aircraft and King said that an additional 200 pounds of soundproofing was used to ensure that the aircraft is acoustically comfortable for longer trips. Its lighter weight is due to its carbon-fibre construction, which unites strength with a smooth, sculpted and aerodynamic finish, contributing to efficiency. From a few meters away, the joining of curved windows to the structure is such that the windows appear to be merely areas where paint was not applied.

FAA STC for AirTractor AT 602 series with five-blade MT-Propeller

MT-Propeller has received the  FAA STC SA00125IB for the  Quiet Fan Jet composite propeller on the AirTractor AT-600, -800 Series Model: AT-602 powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-45 or PT6A-60 or PT6A-65 propeller turbine. The STC is already certified by EASA STC 10081080. MT-Propeller Vice President Martin Albrecht says that the installation features the following advantages:

• TBO 4500 hours or six years, whatever comes first, for low maintenance costs
• No intermediate inspections on an agriculture installation
• No intermediate inspections are needed between the TBO which requires the propeller removal
• Reduced cost for spare parts, like blades and lower overhaul costs, for the complete propeller assembly
• No rpm restriction for the complete operational range

The long-time proven MT-Propeller natural composite blades have no life limitation and are repairable in case of an FOD. They also provide best vibration damping characteristics for almost vibration free propeller operation and have bonded on nickel alloy leading edges for superior erosion protection of the blades.

ZeroAvia unveils the world’s first compressor for aviation fuel cell systems

Last week ZeroAvia announced that it has developed a world-first, high-performance compressor for fuel cell-based aviation propulsion systems, including the company’s first ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain. Hydrogen fuel cells promise to deliver true zero-emission flight by delivering electrification, but one key challenge is delivering the high flow of oxygen for the chemical reaction in the stacks to provide sufficient quantities of electricity to power the aircraft. At higher altitudes, air compressors need to be powerful and efficient, while not adding undue weight to the propulsion system and thus impacting payload and range.

The compressor is a world first, designed and tested specifically to comply with all requirements pertaining to hydrogen fuel cell-powered aviation propulsion systems. ZeroAvia’s breakthrough enables the company to incorporate the technology as a core part of its first two hydrogen-electric engines: the ZA600 for 9-19 seat aircraft targeting entry-in-service by 2025, and the ZA2000 for 40-80 seat aircraft with EIS targeted for 2027. Initial testing of the ZeroAvia compressor indicates that it offers highly stable performance across a large range of power and operating environment requirements. Supporting up to 900kW fuel cell systems, the compressor is many times more powerful than any existing fuel cell compressors and offers superior power density.

The ZeroAvia compressor has also been designed to operate with zero latency via an innovative flow management approach. The compressor runs on the power provided by the core electric propulsion system, eliminating the additional inverter and electric motor normally required in fuel cell systems. The resulting reduction in complexity will aid certification of ZeroAvia’s powertrains and fewer components means further reduced weight and greater reliability. This weight efficient system coupled with stable performance across a wide range of parameters makes ZeroAvia’s compressor technology an attractive solution for high-power and high-altitude transport applications. The compressor has been designed to meet all environmental conditions and aerospace standards and the company plans certification testing to begin over the course of the next year.

The performance to date is validation that ZeroAvia’s overarching powertrain will be capable of delivering large commercial, as well as environmental, benefits to airline operators. The company will also leverage the technology to enable enhanced testing of its HTPEM fuel cell stacks for ZA2000 and larger fixed wing and rotorcraft applications.  ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engines use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity, which is then used to power electric motors to turn the aircraft’s propellers, with only water vapor emissions.  The company has already signed pre-order agreements for nearly 2,000 engines with airlines including American, United and Alaska.

Two Black Hawk helicopters donated to Maui rebuilding efforts

Black Widow Helicopters has announced plans to donate two Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawks to assist with rebuilding efforts following deadly wildfires on Maui. The company, which runs a modernisation programme for UH-60s, says it will customise the helicopters to ensure they are ‘equipped to cater to the specific aerial needs of the community.’ Black Widow noted that it will also dedicate resources to keep the donated aircraft flight ready. The exact cause of the wildfires, which began on 8 August is not yet known. Already the deadliest fire-related disaster in the US in more than 100 years, the confirmed death toll rose to over 90 on Monday with searches ongoing for many people still reported missing. Property damage has been estimated at over $5.5 billion.

US DOD mobilises assets to fight Hawaii wildfires

As blazes burn out of control and losses of life, property and security continue to mount on the characteristically idyllic Island of Maui, the United States Department of Defence (DoD) has mobilised active-duty and reserve military helicopter crews under numerous commands to support firefighting operations across the embattled Hawaiian Islands. The fires sparked to life and have intensified as a function of low-humidity and hurricane winds as high as sixty-miles-per-hour generated by Hurricane Dora. A number of Maui residents caught off-guard by the rapidity of the fires’ advances survived by diving into the Pacific Ocean as their locales were engulfed. Resourcefulness notwithstanding, more than 90 fire-related deaths have been reported to date.

The US Army’s 25th Combat Aviation Brigade deployed two UH-60 Blackhawks and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter to Hawaii’s Big Island to conduct firefighting operations. Furthermore, Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 dispatched MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to assist US Coast Guard search-and-rescue efforts, which have seen the deployment of numerous air assets to Maui.

On Thursday, 10 August, the crew of a Maui-based Coast Guard 45-foot response vessel assisted state and local first-responders in rescuing 14 individuals from the waters off the island’s coast.

In addition, the National Guard has activated some 134 troops, to include 99 Army National Guard personnel and 35 Air National Guard personnel to support ongoing local and federal wildfire response efforts across the islands. The aforementioned will provide liaison support to the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and render aid to local law enforcement agencies.

On Wednesday, 9 August, Guardsmen completed 58 aerial water drops of more than 100,000-gallons of water in a matter of five-hours. Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder set forth during a press briefing: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Maui at this time and the department will continue to work closely with the state of Hawaii and officials there as we work together to protect lives and battle these terrible wildfires.”

CSIRO and Boeing roadmap charts flight path to sustainable skies

Australia has a moment-in-time opportunity to develop a sovereign sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, with domestic demand for jet fuel expected to increase by 75 percent by 2050, according to a new roadmap released today by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO and Boeing Australia.

Unlike conventional jet fuel, SAF is produced from renewable sources, such as agricultural waste, animal fats and vegetable oils and significantly reduces carbon emissions over the fuel’s life-cycle making it a more sustainable alternative for powering aircraft. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap builds consensus on developing an Australian sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry, identifying opportunities to produce and scale production using Australian feedstocks.

The challenges the Australian SAF industry must address include feedstock availability, supply chain constraints and aligning to international standards and regulation. The Roadmap points to biogenic materials in the near term, such as sugarcane, sawmill residues and municipal solid waste, as well as hydrogen and CO2 in the medium to long term, as key feedstocks. Boeing Regional Sustainability Lead APAC and Roadmap co-author, Heidi Hauf, said the findings highlighted that a local SAF industry will contribute to decarbonisation and energy security while also generating more regional jobs and new export markets.

CSIRO Energy Director Dr Dietmar Tourbier said the roadmap aligns with the Federal Government’s recently established Jet Zero Council, of which CSIRO and Boeing are members and supports the commercial aviation industry’s commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Together, Boeing and CSIRO have a 34-year collaboration on joint research projects which has led to significant aerospace advances, including a focus on scaling SAF production across the region.

Google to join one of the world’s largest sustainable aviation fuel programmes

American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT), the world’s leading B2B travel platform and Shell Aviation today announced that Google has joined its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) programme. Google’s collaboration with Amex GBT and Shell Aviation builds on its goal to reach net zero ​across all its operations and value chain ​by 2030 and contributes to global climate solutions. Michael Terrell, senior director of climate and energy, Google: “The use of SAF will play a critical role in helping the aviation sector on its path to decarbonise. Joining Amex GBT’s sustainable aviation fuel programme further represents Google’s continued efforts to accelerate the global transition to a carbon-free future.” 

Amex GBT and Shell Aviation’s SAF programme demonstrates how the private sector can drive systemic change and help finance aviation’s transition to net zero by bringing together major corporations such as Google, Aon, Bank of America, Delta, Cathay Pacific, JetBlue and Japan Airlines. The program is also aggregating clear demand, a foundational step in helping scale the emerging SAF market. The programme launched in 2022 with one million gallons of SAF available for corporate customers, enough to power almost 15,000 business trips from London-to-New York. 

With air travel accounting for around 90 percent of business travel emissions, sustainable business travel means addressing a deep-rooted problem: aviation’s dependence on fossil fuels. When used neat SAF can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by as much as 80 percent when compared to traditional fossil-fuels. It is currently the aviation industry’s most promising pathway to decarbonising air travel. However, SAF represents less than 0.1 percent of available aviation fuel and is two- to eight-times more expensive than conventional fossil-based jet fuel. As a result, SAF production and demand are limited.

Amex GBT and Shell Aviation are bringing together corporates and airlines to help resolve these issues. By drawing from Shell Aviation’s airline customers and the purchasing power of Amex GBT’s 19,000+ corporate customers across 140 countries, the cost of SAF can be co-funded and help scale its use. This demand signals capital investment in the additional production facilities and technologies needed to achieve economies of scale, helping the nascent SAF industry take off. 

Canadian AeroVenture announced for 1 to 4 September

Canadian fly-in AeroVenture (Aer-O-Venture) has set a date, taking place in Caseyy’s CSQ4 aerodrome near Lake Wet, Canada. The fly-in will bring all kinds of Canadian aircraft together to celebrate the ‘spellbinding world of aviation’ with other enthusiasts from across the country. Last year, Camp de Base Casey, a former Cold War installation abandoned by time, saw the first AeroVenture to impressive turnout. In 2022 the location saw ‘241 aircraft, 28 seaplanes, 22 helicopters, 260 RVs and 92 camping planes’, accompanied by 2600 visitors in all. It was a good start for a brand-new get together and the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association is hoping to make it even bigger for the second time around.

The Casey Base camp will be the center of AeroVenture, showcasing the Haute Mauricie region and its local attractions. 2023 will see some CF-18s make an appearance courtesy of the Canadian Air Force, with some cockpit visits for the kids after they make their formation flight. Workshops for hands-on learning, outdoor living in the ‘Aero camping’ section, as well as a thriving social life round out the later summer event. This year, AeroVenture will sport a bevy of improvements to the quality of life for onsite campers, as well as a slate of guest speakers from Canadian aviation. A ‘luxurious camping concept’ at the Casey Base Camp has been announced, for those wanting something a little more luxe than setting up an underwing tent. Spots are limited, as per usual with so many campable fly-ins. The group is still accepting volunteers for AeroVenture 2023, looking for assistance in ‘ground safety, aircraft marshalling, hospitality, tower Unicom and more’ throughout the weekend event.

Archer and Wisk owned by Boeing reach settlement in trade secret dispute

On Thursday last week Archer Aviation and Wisk Aero owned by The Boeing Company announced the companies have reached a settlement to resolve state and federal court litigation on undisclosed terms.

In 2021 Wisk Aero filed a suit against Archer, alleging the company had misappropriated many of its trade secrets in the development of its eVTOL aircraft. As part of the settlement, Archer agreed to make Wisk the exclusive supplier of autonomous technology for future Archer aircraft variants. In 2023, Wisk became a fully owned subsidiary of Boeing and as part of the settlement, Boeing invested with Archer to support the integration of Wisk’s autonomous technology.

SAE Facebook: Tag us @SaudiExhibition

SAE Instagram: Tag us @saudiairportexhibition

SAE LinkedIn: Tag us @Saudi Airport Exhibition

SAE Twitter: Tag us @SaudiExhibition or retweet

Official hashtags: #SAE2023 #saudiairportexhibition

Saudi drone to be produced in Turkey

Under a new agreement, an unmanned aerial vehicle designed and produced in Saudi Arabia will be produced by Turkey, a first-of-its-kind deal to have Saudi intellectual property produced outside of the Kingdom. Saudi firm Intra Defence Technologies’ ASEF-I UAV will be produced in Turkey by ESEN, under a new licensing agreement between the two firms. The Saudi company made the announcement on its official twitter page during the recent IDEF Turkish defence expo, stating that it has signed ‘a licensing agreement for the manufacturing and sale of ASEF-I drone, within Turkey to ESEN.’

Building a Saudi-designed system outside the Kingdom’s boundaries is a reversal of the way defence companies have traditionally worked, where Western and Turkish firms sell their products to KSA and start manufacturing them in the Kingdom in line with Riyadh’s localisation efforts and Vision 2030.

The Storm EW Spectrum Warfare Suite can be customised and integrated into a variety of platforms, both manned and unmanned, as well as guided missiles. Storm is coming air dominance depends on stealth, but also control of the electromagnetic spectrum detect, identify, disrupt, neutralise: Powerful offensive / defensive electronic warfare is the key to unlocking air dominance. ASEF-I was showcased by the company at the first-ever Saudi World Defence Show 2022 and has a fixed wing architecture with vertical take-off and according to company specifications. landing characteristic. ASEF-I can carry up to 26 kg payload, mainly an optical system for surveillance and reconnaissance. The executive said that  the deal between the two firms did not specify a number of drones to be sold but is purely a licensing agreement to ‘produce and sell ASEF-I’ to Ankara. He also denied that Intra will look to open a production facility in Turkey as part of the agreement.

USCG detects 16 unauthorised UAS during Seattle Seafair event

The United States Coast Guard employed Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) capabilities in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) to enforce FAA-issued temporary flight restrictions over Lake Washington during 2023’s Seafair weekend festival in support of the event’s constituent airshow.

Celebrated in the Jet (nee Emerald) City since 1950, Seafair is a summer festival encompassing a variety of small neighbourhood events culminating in numerous major citywide celebrations. While many small block parties and local parades occur under the auspices of Seafair, Seattle residents generally associate Seafair with the Torchlight Parade, Seafair Cup hydroplane races and performances by the US Navy’s Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron. 2023 marked the first year in which USCG counter-UAS measures have been employed at Seafair.

Throughout the event, the Coast Guard detected 16 UAS operators violating airspace restrictions during the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane races and Boeing airshow. Officers from SPD and MIPD were able to contact eight UAS operators and provide education on airspace restrictions as well as safe UAS operations. One operator, after the deportment currently fashionable in the Puget Sound region was cited for reckless endangerment by the Seattle Police Department.

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