CATEGORIES

101 ways to kill your instructor

On 26 February 2022 at approximately 0645Z, an instructor and a student pilot on-board a Jabiru J430 aircraft with registration ZU-IKG took off from Runway 27 at Rhino Park Aerodrome with the intention to land back at the same aerodrome. The purpose of the flight was to conduct circuit training towards a conversion to a Jabiru J430 aircraft. The flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions VMC) by day and under the provisions of Part 141 of the Civil Aviation Regulations CAR) 2011 as amended.

TUNISIAN AIR FORCE TAKES DELIVERY OF FIRST OF EIGHT BEECHCRAFT T-6C TEXAN II

On 8 November Textron Aviation Defence announced the delivery of the first Beechcraft T-6C Texan II Integrated Training System to the Tunisian Air Force in support of operations at No. 13 Squadron at Sfax Air Base in Tunisia.

CONTINENTAL'S VIEW ON GENERAL AVIATION'S FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY

“The European Union has committed to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030. Starting in 2025, the aviation fuel made available to EU airports should contain 2% Sustainable Aviation Fuel SAF), increasing to 5% by 2030, 32% by 2040 and 63% by 2050. That means we need to give our customers an opportunity to fly carbon free or at least carbon neutral.” So says Dr David Dorner, Vice President of Global Research and Development Continental Aerospace Technologies. Since Continental already has a wide range of diesel piston engines, if someone has a Jet-A powered aircraft they can already use the Sustainable Aviation Fuels, the SAFs currently available. For Avgas engines, it is a little more difficult, given the current limited supply of fuel sources. But we are working to validate and verify more SAFs and unleaded fuel sources so that our customers have more choices.”

10 Reasons Why People Are Switching To Spidertracks

When selecting a partner to provide essential flight information, data and insights about your aircraft, there’s plenty of options on the market. Does your current provider give you the capability to enhance operational efficiency, profitability and safety in your business?

THE 22ND WORLD RALLY FLYING CHAMPIONSHIPS

At last we had arrived at the competition week, after months of planning after Sunday 13 November dawned everything was in place to have the event start. After the morning briefings were concluded, preparation for the opening ceremony were carried out with podiums, sound and everybody in their national dress. Karl Jensen was the master of ceremonies for the opening ceremony, which started promptly at 15h00 with a parade of nations, each country with their national flag and country signboard walked past the clubhouse to gather around the podium and as they walked past their countries National Anthem was played.

THE FIRST ALSIM AIRLINER IN FRANCE FOR MERMOZ ACADEMY

The AIRLINER is the brand-new hybrid simulator (Fly-by-wire and conventional control) manufactured by ALSIM to address large flight training programmes for advanced training such as Crew Resource Management, Jet Aircraft Handling and Emergency Procedures.

CAN PILOTS GET SPEEDING TICKETS FOR FLYING TOO FAST?

A ticket for speeding while driving a car is a black mark and can lead to all sorts of problems. But what happens when the flight crew exceeds a flight's speed limit? Can a pilot receive a 'speeding ticket'?

PILOTS NEED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

\"Write this down,\" said the instructor of the private pilot ground school, writing the FAA's five hazardous attitudes on the classroom white board. \"We are about to talk about these.\"

SOUTH AFRICA EXCELS WITH ICAO SAFETY INDEX OF +1

On Tuesday 8 November I attended the speech by the minister of Transport held at the SACAA's offices in Midrand. Apart from being more than one hour late, the Minister delivered an excellent address from prepared notes about South Africa's excellent aviation safety record. Of course, this applies to airlines in this country and not General Aviation, where there has not been any fatal accident for the past 30 years.

HUMAN FACTORS IN TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS

The Human factors database of worldly experience has proven to us all time and again, that four factors ensure that even the most skilled professionals are ultimately exposed to making errors and mistakes.

COGNITIVE DECLINE IN AGING PILOTS

A proposed bill in Congress would raise the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots from 65 to 67 without first examining the effects of aging.

NORTHROP BOOSTS SOVEREIGN SUPPLY CHAIN WITH AUSTRALIAN SUPPLIER FOR F-35s

Canberra has emphasised the need for more production in Australia not just for the financial benefits, but for the strategic reality that supply lines off the island nation would likely be the first target in a conflict.

GAUTENG'S LESSER-KNOWN AIRFIELDS

BRAKPAN AERO CLUB Situated at the Brakpan / Benoni airfield the Brakpan Aero Club was established towards late in 1928. The Club's first aircraft was purchased in March 1929, which was a Gypsy Moth registration ZS- ABE. The Aero Club and flight school's first premises was in the suburb which is known as airfield in Benoni today. However, the airfield and club moved to its current position in the 1950's due to urban development.

ROYAL JORDANIAN AIR FORCE PURCHASE BELL 505 HELICOPTERS FOR TRAINING

Last month Bell Textron Inc, announced the signed agreement for the sale of 10 Bell 505 helicopters to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) at The Special Operations Forces Exhibition & Conference (SOFEX) in Aqaba, Jordan.

NAMES TO REMEMBER: Apollo astronaut James McDivitt

Former NASA astronaut James A. McDivitt, who commanded the Gemini IV mission and flew around the Earth as the commander of Apollo 9, passed away on 13 October aged 93. McDivitt passed away peacefully in his sleep surrounded by his family and friends in Tucson, Arizona.

DOC AND FIFI, THE LAST SUPERFORTRESSES

Owing to some trouble with an implacable Austrian corporal, a reticent Japanese emperor and a pathologically violent Italian prime minister, between 1942 and 1946 Boeing was compelled to build nearly four-thousand B-29 Superfortresses. The famously temperamental, pressurised, computerised bombers teetered precariously atop the pinnacle of reciprocating-engine technology and to this day and one hopes all days remain the only aircraft type to deliver nuclear ordnance in anger.

LANSERIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S SERIOUS PROBLEMS

From humble beginnings as a grass strip airfield in 1974, to welcoming former President Nelson Mandela to Johannesburg after his release from prison, all the way to welcoming dignitaries and celebrities alike the airport has had its fair share of glory and continues in its path to greatness.

TOURISM, THE ANSWER TO REBUILDING AFRICA'S AVIATION INDUSTRY?

As global air travel positions to outperform 2019 levels, there is a surge in initiatives across Africa’s aviation industry to improve domestic and international air connectivity and increase air traffic within Africa and between Africa and neighbouring regions.

COMAC C919 TO FLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

While China's home-built aircraft, the COMAC C919 received its Type Certificate (TC) in September 2022, the narrow-body jet is yet to carry passengers on a commercial flight. However, this is about to change, as local media reported that the C919 will be operational 'as soon as possible.'

UK SELECTS FOUR COMPETITORS TO BID FOR NEW MEDIUM HELICOPTER CONTRACT

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MoD) has down selected four manufacturers to move to the next phase of its £1 billion (US$1.15 billion) new medium helicopter acquisition.

TOP 10 IN SERVICE ATTACK HELICOPTERS IN THE WORLD

Within the 90th edition of APAnews this year I reported on Nigeria acquiring T-129 attack helicopters from Turkish Aerospace Industries and this prompted me to take a look at the world's in service attack helicopters.

THE BEST INVESTMENT YOU CAN MAKE IN AVIATION

Look into any pilot’s hangar and you will see a wide variety of oils and lubricants for their aircraft. Look closer and you will also see a variety of tools and different cleaning supplies for every part of the aircraft. Then take a look inside the cockpit and you will see redundant systems to ensure safe flight.

BILL HARROP'S ORIGINAL BALLOON SAFARIS NIGHT GLOW

On Saturday afternoon 19 November Christine and I together with many people from the Magaliesburg valley west of Hartbeespoort Dam were treated to a delicious dinner and an amazing spectacle as somewhere in the region of 15 historical hot air balloons were inflated on the beautiful rolling lawns of the estate.

ORION CUB

Rugged yet beautiful, solid yet lightweight, easy to build and completely dependable.

Alton Aero Engineering cc

Emric airlines and Alton Aero Engineering were established in 1972 at Empangeni airfield by Boet Voges, Merwyn Wallace and the late Cyril Johnson to provide a service to the local aviation industry.

African Airlines 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the passenger numbers and revenues of African Airlines plummeted, but there have still been success stories in Africa's aviation industry over the past year.

ZS-VCE - A PERSONAL HISTORY

In 1949 an Ercoupe, the 415-E model, with the serial number 4975 was born. I'm not exactly sure how she got into South Africa, but she started her life as ZS-BSJ as early as 1950. As with all Ercoupes of the time, she had no rudder pedals and was fitted with the Continental C-85 85 hp) engine.

THE COVID ADVENTURE CONTINUES - HYENAS OF THE LIMPOPO

Smuggling of cigarettes, contraband, vehicles, humans and equipment to and from Zimbabwe into South Africa through illegal crossing points along the Limpopo River has become a normal daily business, but increased dramatically from the beginning of April 2020 when South African lockdown regulations banned cigarette sales.

CORSIA, SAF & Poppy Mania

Who wudda thought it? According to ICAO, the biggest crisis facing the airline industry today is not the sky-high price of fuel or the problems of actually getting it to the airports when gas pipelines are being blown up and tankers get caught in storms.

REVISITING A PC-12 CRASH

Sometimes it's not the speed that breaks aeroplanes, it's the slowing down.