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News
Cormorant UAV for subs launch? (April 26)
 The US military is exploring the development of an unmanned aircraft, designed to be launched from submarines, called the Cormorant.
From DARPA: The Cormorant Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) program will examine the feasibility of a UAV that may be deployed from the sea without carrier support. The program will explore concepts that launch from both the sea surface and submarines. Technical challenges include aircraft structural integrity and water tightness at submarine launch depths and on the surface, aircraft dynamics at the air/sea interface, engine technology to survive periodic immersion in salt water, and advanced composite materials development to withstand sea-surface operations. The Cormorant UAV is envisioned to provide close air support for vessels such as the Littoral Combat ship (LCS) and SSGN. Pending the outcome of demonstration results, transition of the Cormorant UAV to the Navy is planned after the completion of Phase III in FY 2010.
DARPA link
2-seat Javelin for 2007 (April 26)
 ATG is in the late stages of having its tandem seat jet civilian aircraft ready for approval in 2007. Sharing much of its spec with a military trainer, the Mk10 version is aimed at the wealthy experienced pilot looking for something a little more sporty.
Naturally it comes with full glass cockpit and the maker says the US$2.5 million craft now has 80 firm orders. Top speed is .925 Mach or 1130km/h and the project is being developed with the involvement of Lockheed Martin.
Javelin link
Dick Smith outraged at reform hold-up (April 21)
From Dick Smith’s website: At the same time that Minister Warren Truss was advising constituents that NAS (the American airspace system) would be going ahead because it is a safer system, the Airservices Australia Chief Executive (who is responsible for introducing NAS) held a meeting with eleven airline pilots.
At that meeting on 31 March 2006, all present (including Mr Russell) decided that all progress on the NAS implementation would be halted. A letter was then sent out by Mr Russell confirming the agreement at the meeting, and not one mention was made that this decision was totally against Government policy.
Then again, why would Mr Russell take any notice of Government policy? Airservices basically do what the airline pilots want. After all, the airlines give Airservices all of its profits. Airservices believes that the Minister won’t stand up for the Government policy as this may end up with a little flak in the media.
Full story on Smith’s website
Natfly pulls 700 aircraft (April 20)
Held over the Easter weekend, the annual NatFly event continues to attract ever increasing numbers of aircraft and flying enthusiasts to the central NSW town of Narromine. It is now into its ninth year. Recreation Aviation Australia’s Executive Director, Paul Middleton, claims over 700 aircraft attended the meeting, beginning with 100 already on the ground by Thursday night, and 469 by lunchtime Saturday.
Most were sophisticated two-seat Ultralight aircraft, with good numbers of General Aviation and amateur-built machines as well as a few Antique/Classics dotted around the field. Many of the wings shaded a large crop of tents, as members and visitors took advantage of the fine weather to indulge in a spot of camping, adding to the already relaxed atmosphere. Poor weather conditions in Victoria slowed some on Good Friday, but the fine weather in NSW and Queensland enabled many to make the long trek from the northern parts of Australia.
During the day, the air was filled with new arrivals, and factory demonstrators giving potential customers the taste of ultralight flying. Sited at the end of the neat rows of aircraft, the popular trade area contained almost fifty displays, filled with the latest Light Sport Aircraft in carbonfibre, aluminium or rag & tube construction.
Imported from all over the world, particularly Italy, Spain and the former Soviet Union, these sophisticated machines blended with local manufacturers to provide a wide range of performance, price and appeal, from ready-to-fly to kits you can assemble at home. High wing, midwing and low wing, tail-dragger or tricycle undercarriage – even retractable, fast or slow – even amphibian, the range of aircraft on offer was enormous.
Other vendors offered accessories such as VHF and UHF radios, transponders, antennas, nuts, bolts, tubing, clothing, cleaning products, aluminium spinners, flying courses, flying tours as well as sophisticated electronic flight and engine instruments.
Jabiru, Rotax, Rotec Radial and Cobra Aviation had engine packages on display, including a twin chamber 200 hp rotary, while Brolga Props revealed its innovative carbon-fibre, in-flight adjustable prop concept.
As interesting and informative as the trade displays were, most people who attended were keen to re-new friendships and acquaintances from the year before, or simply relax in the company of fellow aviators. Everywhere, small groups of people gathered to shoot the breeze, either out in the open where they could take in the aerial activity, or in the club bar.
Without the distraction of an organised airshow, the Natfly concept goes from strength to strength, allowing the ever increasing membership of the RAA to enjoy the simple pleasures of flying just for fun.
Story & pics: Martin Hone
Recreational Aviation Australia
Click here for more Natfly pics
New Airservices appointments (April 20)
From Airservices: The Australian Government Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Warren Truss, today announced two appointments to the board of Airservices Australia.
Air Vice Marshal Roxley McLennan AM has been appointed to the Airservices board and Ms Christine Goode PSM as been appointed Deputy Chair.
"Air Vice Marshal McLennan's appointment follows the decision by outgoing Deputy Chair of the board, Air Marshal Leslie Fisher AO to retire two months early.
"Air Marshal Fisher had been a highly-dedicated board member.
"On behalf of the Australian Government I would like to thank Air Marshal Fisher for his dedicated service to the Airservices Board. In particular I would like to recognise, and personally extend my appreciation for the additional work he undertook during a lengthy period as Acting Chair."
Mr Truss said Air Marshal Fisher's replacement brings considerable aviation knowledge and experience to the Board through a long and distinguished career in the Royal Australian Air Force.
"Air Vice Marshal McLennan's career has included distinguished service in East Timor and he was appointed Deputy Chief of Air Force prior to his retirement."
Mr Truss also offered his congratulations to Christine Goode on her appointment as Deputy Chair of Airservices Australia.
"Ms Goode was first appointed to the Airservices Board in January 2005 and she has had a long and illustrious career in the public sector with extensive experience at the senior executive level in transport, communications and management.
"I welcome Air Vice Marshal McLennan to the Board and I thank Ms Goode for agreeing to assume the duties of the Deputy Chair of Airservices. I look forward to working with both Ms Goode and Air Vice Marshal McLennan in the future," he said. (Pic: Air Force photographer Warrant Officer B Homewood)
New Eurocopter for GOR (April 20)
 The Warrnambool Standard in Victoria reports that 12 Apostles Helicopters has purchased a new Eurocopter EC120 B in an effort to stay within tighter noise restrictions, for its Great Ocean Road tours.
The newspaper reports: The aircraft is heralded as the quietest helicopter in the world. Its Fenestron tail rotor system reduces external noise by 6.6 decibels below the limits currently defined under international regulations.
Mr McMinn said he understood his EC120 B would be only the 15th in Australia. ``This is the first brand new one bought purely and simply for commercial and tourism work,'' he said.
Warrnambool Standard link; Eurocopter
Boeing downsizes Wichita (April 19)
From Boeing: The company has announced a restructuring of the company's Wichita operations and approximately 900 additional layoffs during 2006 due to defense budget cuts, program delays and contract completions.
Boeing Wichita will change its business to focus primarily on military 747 and wide-body aircraft modifications and upgrades, as well as continuing as an engineering center, said Derek McLuckey, general manager of the site, which is part of the company's Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) business.
"There has been much speculation about the future of Boeing in Wichita in recent months," McLuckey said. "Today we are telling our employees that we must right-size our operations for available work performed in Wichita. And we are telling them that we now have to execute a revised business plan in order to ensure our future."
"Since December 2005, our customers have informed us of significant shifts in their budget and programs," he said. "This has a profound impact on the work we perform and has forced us to refocus our business in Wichita.
Wily coyote attacked from the air (April 18)
From Aero-News Network in the USA: After two years of prodding by Idaho's congressional delegation and the office of Governor Dirk Kempthorne, the FAA has granted its conditional approval to ranchers who wish to obtain state permits to shoot coyotes and other predators while flying overhead in powered parachutes and ultralights. See this link.
Locals develop sat-nav for all types (April 18)
 Airservices Australia has signed a multi-million dollar contract with Honeywell International to develop a sophisticated precision aircraft landing system, Australian Government Minister for Transport and Regional Services, Warren Truss, said recently.
Mr Truss said the system will enable the transition to satellite-based navigation for all aircraft types -- signalling a critical milestone for the aviation industry.
"The world-first satellite system will deliver faster, safer and cheaper aircraft navigation.
"Trials have been conducted on the system with Qantas and Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd over the past six months. Sydney will be the first airport to have the system fitted.
"Airservices and Honeywell have combined to develop a unique ground-based landing system that will be attractive to many countries around the world."
"This core technology has been around for 10 years, and I am delighted Australia has taken the lead to bring it to commercial reality."
Mr Truss said several international airlines have already fitted the avionics for the system to their aircraft and have been waiting for an aviation authority to step forward and develop the ground stations required to complete the system.
"Honeywell are global leaders in Ground-based Augmentation System (GBAS) which is designed for major airports. The company was also awarded the design contract for Airservices Ground-based Regional Augmentation system (GRAS), a low-cost regional version of GBAS for regional airlines and general aviation markets.
Mr Truss said GBAS would provide significant safety, operational and environmental (noise-abatement) benefits for Australian aviation and Airservices and Honeywell plan to market the system to airports worldwide.
"GBAS will eventually provide all weather landing using satellites while GRAS will lower pilot workload and offer positive vertical guidance including in areas of difficult terrain," he said.
The agreement with Honeywell is to finalise software development and assist in the certification of both systems over the next two years.
The results of the Sydney GBAS trials had exceeded expectations with a high degree of accuracy and stability during the approach phase of a flight. Airservices now plans to introduce GRAS trials in Australia once certification is completed, Mr Truss said.
Source: Air Services Australia
Wallis
bows out at Wanaka (April 17)
Flying legend Sir Tim Wallis has stepped back from formal involvement
with New Zealand’s famous biannual Warbirds over Wanaka festival,
some 18 years after helping to get it off the ground.
The 67-year-old pilot told Stuff.co.nz, over the weekend, "My fondest
memories were when I flew my own Spitfire. Flying the warbirds to me was
a great achievement - that was my most memorable occasion."
Wallis was nearly killed in a Spitfire crash ten years ago, and was hospitalized
for many weeks.
Warbirds
over Wanaka web
Boeing
backs Smithsonian collection (April 11)
 The
USA's National Air and Space Museum will receive a donation of US$15 million
from the Boeing Company in continued support of its education and preservation
efforts. It is the single largest corporate gift ever presented to the
Smithsonian Institution.
The gift will help fund museum programming, the care of artifacts and
remaining construction at the museum’s Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center
in Chantilly, Virginia.
In recognition of the donation, the central structure at the Udvar-Hazy
Center will be known as the Boeing Aviation Hangar. “Once again,
Boeing has stepped forward with a timely, magnanimous gift,” said
Lawrence M. Small, Secretary of the Smithsonian.” Their past generosity
has supported Air and Space museum lectures, galleries, preservation and
the building of the Udvar-Hazy Center itself. We are very grateful for
this vital support from a true friend of the Smithsonian.”
Boeing gave a separate $5 million in 1998 for the Phase One construction
of the Udvar-Hazy Center, which opened in 2003. That construction was
privately funded, completed on time and $13 million under budget.
“As a vital center for the preservation and growth of aviation history,
science and technology, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space
Museum is one of America’s great institutions, and we are honored
to support it,” said Jim McNerney, chairman, president and chief
executive officer of Boeing. “The museum inspires all of us to learn
more about our planet and the world beyond, which makes it a terrific
partner for the people of Boeing, who share this passion.”
At the museum’s flagship building on the National Mall in Washington,
Boeing has been the lead sponsor since 1996 of How Things Fly,
contributing $1.4 million to create the museum’s first interactive
gallery to explain the principles of flight. The student-friendly exhibition
features dozens of hands-on educational activities and live daily science
demonstrations. Boeing’s ongoing role of support will now be acknowledged
prominently at the gallery’s entrance. The museum’s collection
includes 43 Boeing-built or related aircraft that played prominent roles
in the history of 20th-century aeronautics. Several are on display or
slated for display in the Udvar-Hazy Center aviation hangar. The center
is also home to several large space artifacts developed by Boeing or firms
that later merged with the company.
Source: Air &
Space museum; Boeing
Qantas to close AA in favor of Jetstar (April 11)
Qantas is to close the Cairns-based Australian Airlines offshoot this July, in favor of an expansion of Jetstar’s activities into the international market in November.
"From a customer perspective, these flights will be like all other Qantas international services. They will have Qantas flight numbers, aircraft will be branded in Qantas livery and crew in Qantas uniforms will provide Qantas inflight product," said Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon.
"Australian Airlines has done an outstanding job over the past few years, but we are determined to take full advantage of Jetstar's success, with its highly competitive cost structure and service standards."
Mr Dixon said that Jetstar had created 1,300 new jobs since it commenced flying.
"A further 550 new positions will be created by mid 2007 for its international operations," he said.
"We are creating two distinct and viable flying businesses in what remains a very difficult operating environment of continuing record high fuel prices.
"Jetstar will be grown aggressively over the next three years while we continue to expand Qantas' international operations.
"The result will be two separate, competitive brands, with Qantas targeting premium business and leisure passengers and Jetstar concentrating primarily on leisure markets.”
Call for ‘live’ ASIC monitoring (April 10)
The head of Qantas security, Mr Geoff Askew, is reported by the Telegraph newspaper in Sydney to have called for ongoing monitoring of Aviation Security ID Card holders to ‘out’ anyone who receives a criminal conviction in the two years between renewals.
Currently the checks are run through ASIO, Federal Police and the Immigration Department.
Telegraph home; Story
Plus…
 Qantas recently opened its new $55 million Material and Logistics Distribution Centre at Mascot in Sydney.
The 17,500 square metre facility houses components required to service Qantas' mainline fleet.
The Executive General Manager of Qantas Engineering, Mr David Cox, said the Sydney Distribution Centre was a significant investment by Qantas in its Australian engineering and maintenance operations.
"Qantas has invested more than $300 million dollars in its engineering and maintenance operations over the last five years," Mr Cox. "This demonstrates a strong commitment to growing our operations, upgrading existing facilities, expanding training and improving the way we do business.
"In addition to this new distribution centre, Qantas has also invested $85 million in the establishment of its new Brisbane maintenance facility and $20 million on an upgraded Roll-Royce Engine Maintenance Centre of Excellence."
Mr Cox said the new Sydney facility would provide significant benefits for Qantas Engineering and the Qantas Group.
"This is a truly world class facility," he said. "It will provide the operational and workplace efficiencies we have to pursue across our business that will, in turn, allow us to increase our competitiveness and better meet the needs of Qantas and our external customers."
The centrepiece of the new facility is a high-rise Miniload Automated Storage and Retrieval System.
"Building this new facility has allowed us to take advantage of leading edge technology that includes one of the most advanced automated order processing and handling systems in Australia.
"The Miniload system comprises four stacker cranes that travel at speeds of up to 24 metres per second to retrieve around 260,000 components from storage trays in over 30,000 locations within the facility," Mr Cox said.
Source: Qantas
Harley
Heaven (April 7)
 US
experimental aircraft maker SkyRay has developed a V-twin ultralight
powerplant (pictured right) based on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine.
According to the company blurb: “This engine is a Harley-Davidson
twin cam balanced 88ci. It produces 82 hp with 92 ft lb of torque in our
configuration. The 95ci is 102 hp with 111 ft lb of torque.
“The weight of the engine package ready to install is 204 lb. That
includes ignition, oil tank, short exhaust pipes, starter, carb and air
cleaner, with our complete prop drive system ready to mount your prop.”
The unit shown is installed in a mini Mustang replica.
See SkyRay’s
website
AOPA
President dies in crash (April 6)
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Ron Bertram died yesterday
when the Lancair 360 he was flying developed engine trouble during a take-off
at Bankstown Airport.
The Australian newspaper says witnesses saw the aircraft bank to
the right and crash on a taxiway around 2.40pm.
AllFlying extends its sympathies to Mr Bertram’s family and friends.
(Pic: AOPA)
AOPA website
EADS
Socata opens up in Oz (April 6)
EADS Socata is opening a sales office at Coolangatta Airport, Queensland,
to support sales of its new TBM 850 single-engined turboprop as well as
its TB line of piston-engined touring aircraft.
In order to enhance support for both existing and new customers in Australia,
EADS Socata is also establishing a network of Authorized Service Centers
beginning with facilities at Mt. Isa, Coolangatta, Bankstown, and Essendon
Airports.
 Mark
Diaz has been appointed as Director of Sales for the new EADS Socata facility.
Prior to this he was Director of Sales for the North-Western region of
the USA for Socata Aircraft where he was responsible for the expansion
of that territory (including the sales of the first TBM 850 by Socata
Aircraft). Mark holds an Airline Transport Pilot rating with over 4000
flight hours on a variety of aircraft including the Airbus A319/320. He
joined Socata Aircraft in 2003.
“We are committed to increase our presence in Asia-Pacific where
there is a strong interest in business aviation. The combination of a
highly-skilled aviation professional like Mark Diaz and the impact of
our high-speed TBM 850 should have a positive effect on sales in the region.”
said Nicolas Chabbert, EADS Socata’s VP of Sales and Marketing. (PIc:
EADS)
Plus…
Team JCA -- led by Raytheon with EADS CASA North America -- has chosen
the Mobile Regional Airport (MRA) at Mobile, Alabama, as the final assembly and delivery site
for its proposed CN-235/C-295 solution for the US Army and Air Force Joint
Cargo Aircraft (JCA) requirement. In addition, EADS CASA North America
will establish at the MRA a new final delivery center for CN-235 and C-295
transport aircraft to be sold into the North American market.
The new co-located facility will create more than 150 jobs at full-production
rate if the Team JCA aircraft is selected for the Army and Air Force requirements.
EADS website
Air
France to go mobile (April 5)
 Air
France will take delivery in early 2007 of the first Airbus aircraft line
fitted with the OnAir GSM equipment enabling the use of mobile phones
on board, it was announced today at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg.
Air France will receive the first aircraft, a single-aisle Airbus A318
that will have the OnAir system pre-installed, and will conduct a six
month commercial trial using the new service. The passenger trials will
take place on short-haul flights within Europe and to and from North African
destinations, and will help Air France to consider every impact this new
service may have on the cabin environment and the travel experience.
George Cooper, OnAir CEO, said: “Delivery of the first aircraft
to be fitted with our system is a landmark development in this industry.
It prepares the ground for many types of aircraft to be similarly equipped."
Source: Innovation
Analysis Group. Aircraft
Interiors Expo.
Cirrus
builds at Archerfield (April 4)
 Cirrus
Design is reported to be well underway in developing an assembly plant
for its single engine aircraft at Archerfield Airport in Queensland.
This will be the company’s third assembly location.
Steve Maltby, the Director of Cirrus Australasia, is reported by Business
Queensland magazine to say the Archerfield location has proved to
be a good one from a sales point of view and that Archerfield management
had been helpful in streamlining the set-up for the assembly plant.
(Pic: Cirrus Design)
Cirrus
Australia
Cirrus USA
Radio frequency parts ID for 787 (April 4)
Boeing says its
787 Dreamliner will use UHF radio ‘smart’ chip technology
(aka RFID) to mark and track maintenance parts. The technology has been
trialled in other industries, such as large general retail stores, but
is relatively new to aviation.
According to the company: Smart labels use radio frequency technology for enhanced data storage and collection, and offer significant advantages over bar coding -- no line-of-sight requirement and a dynamic read/write capability. Smart labels contain part identification as well as maintenance and inspection data in accordance with Air Transport Association standards. Intelleflex (the supplier) will provide the largest memory available in the industry with a 64-kilobit ultra high frequency (UHF) silicon chip for use on the 787.
"The use of RFID on the 787 Dreamliner will benefit our customers by reducing maintenance and inventory costs by providing detailed, electronic part tracking information on one small chip," said Mike Bair, 787 vice president and general manager.
Intelleflex silicon chips and appropriate design information will become
available in April to package into smart labels. Parts suppliers will
apply the label during the manufacturing process. Label converters will
work directly with Boeing suppliers to design finished packages (silicon
chip plus antenna, embedded into smart labels) to meet the diverse size,
shape and environmental mounting requirements of the airplane parts.
Boeing
Intelleflex
Point Cook Air Pageant this weekend (April 4)
 From the good folk at the Point Cook RAAF Museum: Previous visitors to our Air Pageants will know that we try to attract a wide variety of historic military and civil aircraft in the air and on the ground, and this year is no exception. At this stage, highlights include four CAC Mustangs, P-40 Kittyhawk, Yak 9, DC-3s, a huge selection of historic trainers, plus the Hudson, Meteor and Canberra from the Temora Aviation Museum. Naturally, all participants are subject to weather and aircraft serviceability, and we may be able to add some more new acts as we approach the Pageant itself. We will also be hosting a display by the RAAF's formation aerobatic display team, The Roulettes, and Pip Borrman in his Edge 540.
The RAAF Museum will be open for viewing all through the display, and the RAAF Central Band will also be performing during the day. Some of the RAAF Museum's aircraft collection not usually seen by the public will also be on static display.
Admission to the show is free of charge, so it will be a great day out for the whole family.
Aircraft are welcome to fly in to Point Cook to attend the Air Pageant on either the afternoon of Saturday 8 April or Sunday 9 April prior to 12:15pm.
Pilots intending to visit Point Cook should contact the RAAF Museum Operations Officer on (03) 9256 1640 or the Airfield Manager on (03) 9395 1937 with details of aircraft registration and planned arrival time. Visiting non-display aircraft will be directed to parking areas to the north of the threshold of runway 08. (Airservices code: YMPC)
Museum website
The Roulettes
RAAF Central Band
Oz pilots meet new challenges (April 4)
 Exchange pilots from Australia are experiencing a different side of flying with the US Air Force, at the Fairchild base in Washington. They are helping their US counterparts carry out global air refueling, airlift and humanitarian assignments.
The exchange program selects the best pilots in the Royal Australian Air Force with a minimum of 1500 flying hours.
"This is one of the most prestigious jobs in our careers -- the location, role and the opportunity to work with the US Air Force," said Flight Lt Trevor Wright, one of the two Australian exchange pilots assigned to the 93rd ARS. "For a small air force like ours, there are limited opportunities for us to do this type of assignment. It expands our career opportunities back home."
Wright has more than 4500 flying hours in the C-130 and a C-12 equivalent in his 13-year RAAF career. As a newly arrived pilot at Fairchild, he said he looks forward to the experience in the tanker because once back home, he will be involved with a tanker project for a new aircraft acquisition, the replacement to their current Boeing 707 refueller.
While flying in Australia and other parts of the world, foreign pilots abide by International Civil Aviation Organization rules. While assigned in the United States, they must learn and practice Federal Aviation Administration rules, which is one of the challenges with this assignment.
"Learning about the FAA rules is a challenge because it involves a lot of studying since it's not second nature to us," Wright said. "And language is also a bit challenging. Although we speak the same language, phraseology is subtly different. Some words can mean quite different things in aviation terminology."
"Flying with the Australian pilots on a day-to-day basis has really given us a great opportunity to exchange ideas on how we operate," US Air Force Major Landon Walker.
"The Aussies look at what we do from a totally different viewpoint," he said. "They give us a fresh perspective about how we do business."
Source: US Defense Dept
Pick of the April fools (April 4)
There was the usual run of April Fools Day jokes across aviation websites around the world a few days ago. Here are our two favourites, from a couple of US sites:
 1. The Popular Rotorcraft Association, the enigmatic group of homebuilt helicopter and gyroplane enthusiasts, announced a new publicity policy.
The Stealth Publicity Policy is meant to arrest the association's multi-year decline in membership and public visibility. "We've been doing everything we can," a board member, who asked to be called Mr Anonymous, said dispiritedly. "We run a good fly-in and publish a good magazine, and have chapters in several states and foreign countries. But for all the attention we get, we might as well be using the Maxwell Smart Cone of Silence."
"So now we're taking a contrarian approach. We're going to try to keep gyros and homebuilt helos a secret and see how that goes. It can't do any worse than the approach we have now."
A key component of the policy is a lobbying effort, seeking a Federal gyroplane ban. "It worked for drugs. If the stuff wasn't illegal, teenagers wouldn't be so excited about it and insistent on trying it. So we're hoping to start small with a gyroplane ban."
 2. (From the Experimental Aircraft Association) Building on well over a decade of success with their innovative Young Eagles program, EAA has decided to start yet another initiative designed to bring thousands of new pilots into the world of aviation.
"Young Eagles has been a wonderful program," noted EAA President Tom Poberezny. "We've achieved phenomenal successes and brought the joy of aviation to well over a million young people all over the world. That's a great result."
While the successes of the program are clear, the actual payoff for the aviation community is often delayed for several decades as the erstwhile Young Eagle matures to an age and financial position that would allow them to pursue aviation, if they so desire.
"We wanted to target a more immediate and financially empowered demographic," explained EAA's Dick Knapinski.
Knapinski continued, "With the advent of the Sport Pilot regs and the lack of a specific requirement for a medical certificate for new pilots coming into the fold, we hit upon a truly outstanding way to grow our ranks from a demographic that can take advantage of the new regs right now and would be bringing some significant financial power to seek their dreams of leaning to fly and buy their own airplanes...in other words, folks either in or near retirement age. They've got the money, they've got the time, and so many of them have the dream...and with the lessened medical requirements of the Sport Pilot program, there's little to keep them out of the sky so long as they can still hold a driver's license. The payoff for the industry is a whole new crop of possible aviators who can partake in the dream... right now!"
Tying into the successful identity of the Young Eagles program, EAA has christened the new program, Old Buzzards.
PRA.org
EAA.org
India aviation suffering people shortage (April 3)
It may be taking off from a low base when it comes to overall numbers, but India’s civil aviation industry is reporting a shortage of personnel in a number of areas including the government regulator and general aviation pilots.
In the case of pilots, airlines are reported to be snapping up experienced people, leaving small charter companies and the like doing what they can to share pilots and even draw some out of retirement.
See these two stories:
On shortages for the regulator
And for GA operators
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