CATEGORIES

CHINA'S J-20 FIGHTER APPEARS TO HAVE A NEW HOMEGROWN ENGINE

The People's Republic of China's military aerospace sector has established a pattern of achieving technological milestones, but then keeping completely silent about those advancements during the kind of major international expositions when a newsworthy development is normally announced with great fanfare.

LOCKHEED U-2 FLIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AUGUST 1955

The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed 'Dragon Lady', is an American single-engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated from the 1950s by the United States Air Force (USAF) or the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day and night, high-altitude (70,000 feet, 21,300 meters), all-weather intelligence gathering.

MINIMISING THE RISK OF ENGINE FAILURE

Almost from the beginning of our training, pilots are taught how to react to an engine failure. However we are also taught how to conduct a preflight inspection to ensure the engine and the rest of the aircraft) is ready for what we are planning. Since mechanical engine failures are a mgjor factor in accidents, understanding a typical piston engine in a personal aircraft is vital to your wellbeing. The fact is that reliability improvements often result in pilots giving little thought to piston engine aircraft reliability because failures have become so rare.

EXTRA AIRCRAFT INTRODUCES NEW 330SX MODEL

On 10 July 2023, Walter Extra announced his company's lineup of industry-leading aerobatic machines is to be supplemented by the imminent addition of the 330SX.

IN MEMORY OF VIRGIN ORBIT

On 9 January 2023, as Spain’s Canary Islands settled into the darkness and quiet of the Western European midnight hour, a camera operated by the Spanish Meteor Network captured a spectacular fireball descending through Earth’s atmosphere. Notwithstanding its uncanny resemblance to a meteor, the phenomenon was, in fact, a doomed Virgin Orbit LauncherOne rocket and its payload of nine satellites, plunging as one toward the North Atlantic and a watery mass grave.

GCAP FIGHTER DESIGN TO FLY WITHIN FIVE YEARS, AS BAE EYES POTENTIAL EXPORT MARKET

Last month BAE Systems executives expressed confidence that the Global Combat Air Platform (GCAP), currently in development with Italy and Japan, will achieve its projected in-service date of 2035, with a 'manned, supersonic and low observable jet' demonstrator taking flight within the next five years. In addition, company leaders believe they can find an export market of 'several hundred' jets globally.

INDIA'S DEFENCE MINISTRY APPROVES AN ORDER FOR 26 RAFALE MARINE JETS

The Indian government has given its agreement in principle for the acquisition of 26 of the carrier-borne variant of Dassault Rafale fighter jets from France. The announcement came a day before the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Paris as the guest of honour for France's national holiday on 14 July 2023. It was approved during a meeting of India's Defence Acquisition Council.

BOEING'S T-7 FLIES FOR ITS FIRST OFFICIAL USAF FLIGHT

A US Air Force pilot departed Boeing’s St. Louis, Missouri facilities at the controls of a T-7A Red Hawk, thereby occasioning the commencement of USAF flight-testing of the service’s new, supersonic, advanced jet trainer.

BEST OF THE BEST - PAUL BOWEN

When we think about people who carry the aviation industry forward, we tend to give more weight to pilots, engineers, entrepreneurs and scientists and completely forget about those supporting the industry tremendously while working in more artistic fields.

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY SELECTS CIRRUS AIRCRAFT FOR ITS TRAINING FLEET

Last month Cirrus Aircraft announced that Western Michigan University has purchased thirty-two (32) TRAC SR Series aircraft as it prepares to expand its College of Aviation. As a long-time collegiate partner, Western Michigan University has leveraged Cirrus Aircraft's technology and sophistication for advanced student flight training.

EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION AIRVENTURE 2023 BY THE NUMBERS

By all accounts EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh set new records. The official attendance announcement from EAA on 1 August states that approximately 677,000 people attended eclipsing last year's tally of 650,000. According to EAA CEO and president Jack Pelton, \"We had record-setting totals of campers, exhibitors, volunteers and more. It was also a challenging year at times with weather, logistics and other factors, which makes me even more proud of the efforts by our volunteers and staff to organise an outstanding event.\"

THE ROYAL INTERNATIONAL AIR TATTOO, RAF FAIRFORD UNITED KINGDOM

The Royal International Air Tattoo triumphs again with its most successful show ever.

AERO SOUTH AFRICA 2023

The third edition of AERO South Africa aviation trade show at Wonderboom National Airport that was staged from Thursday 6 to Saturday 8 July was an outstanding event that provided the opportunity for aviation professionals from all walks of the business to get together showcasing their businesses.

EAA TAILDRAGGERS AT WARMBATHS 2023

On Saturday 1 July Charlie and Fiona Hugo accompanied Christine and I on the nearly two-hour drive to the Warmbaths airfield to attend the annual EAA Taildraggers fly-in. Under clear blue skies with almost no wind more than 100 aircraft and helicopters arrived through the day.

US BOEING KC-46A VERSES AIRBUS MRTT

From cargo to cockpit: A KC-46A crew's thoughts about the plane's potential tanker rival. Speaking after a fresh off a tour of a French MRTT, a KC-46A Pegasus pilot and boom operator discussed some of the pros and cons between the plane that is the basis for Lockheed's LMXT and their own Pegasus tanker.

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS H160 GRANTED FAA TYPE CERTIFICATION

Airbus Helicopters has received FAA type-certification for its H160 medium utility helicopter, thereby marking a milestone in the aircraft's development and heralding its imminent entry into the US market.

Record breaker set to take on a Guinness world record

Lola Odujinrin is no stranger to world firsts. In 2017, he completed a barrier breaking round-the-world odyssey. Supported by Spidertracks, he became the first African Pilot to fly around the world!

CLOSING SPEED VERSUS DEPTH PERCEPTION

Description of events (SACAA) Preliminary Accident Report

AVIATION'S GOT THE CAREERS - BUT ARE YOU READY?

Now that Covid is receding into being a bad dream and the aviation industry is bouncing back strongly, the aviation press, blogs and websites are abuzz with predictions that we’re facing a massive skills shortage. The only way to address this is by dramatically ramping up training to ensure an ongoing flow of new professionals into the industry.

POOLEYS AIR PILOT'S MANUALS

In 2022 the world-class Pooleys Air Pilot Manual series launched the first of their Southern African Series. They have now expanded the African series to include three more titles.

A ROTAX POWERED RV-9

KITPLANES MAGAZINE REPORTS from Oshkosh AirVenture that there is “a Van’s RV-9A with an impressive nose job on display.”

AERO SOUTH AFRICA EXPO - 2023

The third edition of AERO South Africa took place on 6-8 July 2023 at Wonderboom Airport in Tshwane Pretoria.

THE FUTURE IS HERE

The star at this year’s Aero Expo South Africa, held at Wonderboom, was the Diamond DA-62. The demo aircraft was flown out to South Africa especially for the event – showing the easy capability of this latest generation piston twin.

LANSERIA FLIGHT CENTRE - BUILDING A GLOBAL REPUTATION

As private flying becomes increasingly expensive for South Africans, many of the better flight training organisations (FTO) have shifted their marketing focus to international students.

RIGHT SEAT RULES NO. 8 - THE PREFLIGHT BRIEFING.

If I were a fisherman, which I'm not, I would exhort fellow piscators, via the Best Bait Buyers' Bulletin, to use the right worms. As an instructor, I now beg you to use the right words - always.

WHY IS THERE A SHORTAGE OF AIRLINE PILOTS?

I was looking for a job with a major airline and had finally got my shot at a selection board interview. It was my big opportunity.

Saved from the Scrap Heap

It would be nice to think that the basic trainers we learned to fly on have the hopes and dreams of thousands of pilots grafted into their metallic DNA.

JUNE 2023

June has been quiet with only seven TCA aircraft (five fixed wing and two helicopters) being registered.

KEEPING TIME

Sometimes, late at night, I pass the time by searching for the names of friends and acquaintances on the Internet.

QUESTION BANK

Status Aviation has consolidated its position as the leading provider of theoretical knowledge to the aviation sector by acquiring the industry's most popular teaching and examination aid: Question Bank.