Airplane News Update

In this week's airplane news we have a new HondaJet Elite II which will cost around $7 million, the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act has been signed into law this week (SB516), and the FAA is fielding comments on the construction of airline seats for safety, not comfortability, sadly; lastly, Elon Musk's StarLink Aviation has been launched at 350MB/s download and 20ms latency.

In this weeks airplane news, the NTSB has released that the plane in the CO midair last week was not transmitting ADS-B, a Nall Report says that accidents have decreased this past year, a man attacks a crew while on mushrooms, the EPA is thinking about designating AVGas a public danger, and a Dreamlifter loses a wheel on takeoff.

This week in airplane news: Pilatus acquires Skytech which will allow them to expand in the US market, Technam releases a new STOL version of their P2012 aircraft, Wisk unveils their 6th Gen Air Taxi.   

Join Greg and the Pilot Institute team as we bring you this week's airplane news. A company, previously based in Prescott, Eviation has taken their maiden voyage in their Alice, a fully electric passenger aircraft. The FAA has released design specifications for vertiports. The FAA chair nominee is under investigation for criminal corruption. Kittyhawk has halted operations.

This week in aviation, GlobalX orders 50 electric aircraft from Eviation, that same aircraft completed its high speed taxiing test, the FAA denied Republic Airways exemption for ATP training, and there was yet another mid-air collision in VFR.

This week in airplane news: Pilots on an Air France got into a fistfight during a flight, Piedmont Airlines is offering jobs to ExpressJet pilots without an interview, A SWA pilot threatened to turn the plane around due to passengers airdropping naked pictures, and a flight from Mexico to LA turned back after engine troubles. 

Two pilots are in “time out” after they came to blows in the cockpit.

The incident happened in June and details are scarce. 

The fight happened during the trip from Geneva to Paris.

Members of the cabin crew broke up the flight and one chaperoned the pilots during the remainder of the flight.

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/pilots-duke-it-out-on-air-france-flight/

Piedmont Airlines is offering jobs to pilots laid off by ExpressJet - without an interview.

“No one wants to see an airline fail, ever. We know that ExpressJet pilots are well-trained aviators who know the Embraer 145, and we are very pleased to make this transition as easy as possible for them.”

Piedmont is using the “distressed carrier” provision in its ALPA contract to allow them to offer a “Safe haven” for pilots left jobless due to business failure.

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/piedmont-offering-laid-off-pilots-jobs-without-interviews

A Southwest flight headed to Cabo threatened to turn the plane around while still on the ground.

This was due to a passenger airdropping nude images to others during the flight.

"So here's the deal, if this continues while we're on the ground, I'm going to have to pull back to the gate, everybody is going to have to get off, we're going to have to get security involved, and vacation is going to be ruined. So you folks, whatever that airdrop thing is, quit sending naked pictures, and let's get yourselves to Cabo.”

https://www.indy100.com/viral/southwest-airlines-passenger-airdrop-nudes

A flight from Guadalajara to Las Vegas was forced to turn back after an engine failed during the climb out.

The airline said the fire was caused by “friction of metals” in the engine.

TheA320 turned around and landed safely in Guadalajara.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/mexico-los-angeles-airplane-engine-burst-flames

This week in airplane news: Another midair collision has occurred this time in California, The last Boeing 747 is in production and is expected to be delivered later this year, the US DOT has issued an ultimatum to airlines regarding delays, cancellations, and refunds, and an Ethiopian Airlines flight missed the airport because the pilots had fallen asleep. 

A Mid-Air occurred this week in Santa Cruz County, CA between a Cessna 152 and a Cessna 340

All three people were killed.

Sad listening to the radio, one person sounded like they understood was was happening and attempted to avoid the mid-air stating that he was going around because the other pilot was approaching him too quickly. 

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-08-22/3-victims-identified-in-crash-involving-two-planes-at-watsonville-airport

The Last B747 is in production currently and will soon roll off the line.

The aircraft will be delivered to Atlas Air, and will be the final delivery of a 747 by Boeing.

It’s the end of an era in terms of production for these large aircraft, which are still primarily operated by UPS and Atlas Air. 

https://simpleflying.com/boeing-building-last-747/

The DOT has issued an ultimatum to airlines, telling them they need to improve customer service or the agency will proceed with a rule change.

The DOT also is creating a website that it hopes will easily show airline’s policies for delays and cancellations.

“The message to the airlines is that you’ve got to make it easier for passengers to understand their rights. And you’ve got to support passengers when they experience delays or cancellations,”

In the first 6 months of the year, 24% of flights have been delayed, and 3.2% have been cancelled.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/summer-flight-delays-cancellations-dot-plans-website-passenger-rights-rcna43860

Ethiopian Airlines pilots missed their stop because they’d fallen asleep this week.

The 737 followed the approach path, but failed to descend. This resulting in the aircraft flying over the runway at FL370.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ethiopian-airlines-pilots-suspended-falling-103736649.html

This week in airplane news: The NTSB has issued a surprisingly short final report for the redbull plane swap, the prelim report is out for the CASA Skydiving accident, airplane parts fall from the sky, and another highway landing. 

The NTSB has issued a remarkably short analysis and probable cause of the Redbull plane crash

Probable Cause:

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: The unoccupied airplanes exceedance of the critical angle of attack which resulted in a stall, subsequent inverted spin, and impact with terrain.”

WPR22LA165

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

The NTSB Prelim report has come out for the strange occurrence of the co-pilot falling out of the plane

The report states the copilot may have gotten sick, was visible upset, and lowered the rear ramp of the aircraft

The PIC then stated the SIC removed his headset, apologized, and departed the aircraft via the aft ramp door - without a parachute.

 ERA22LA348

https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

According to the department of public safety in Maine, a 6-7lb metal sleeve-like object landed near a Capitol Police Officer.

No one was injured and multiple people saw it happen

The FAA believes the part came from a wing flap of a large passenger jet.

Nearby aircraft were notified and all landed safely. 

https://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/airplane-part-falls-sky-hits-man-maine-88415457

Another highway landing has occurred and luckily all 5 people involved were uninjured.

A Piper PA-32 landed on Route 91 in California, striking a Toyota pickup truck.

The two people in the plane were able to get out prior to a post-crash fire and there were no injuries in the pickup truck. 

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/yet-another-highway-landing-this-time-alls-well-that-ends-well

This week in airplane news: American Airlines invests in ZeroAvia for hydrogen electric powerplants, NTSB issues prelim report for Las Vegas mid-air, SWA had a hard landing that fractured a flight attendant's vertebrae, and Boeing Dreamliner will soon resume deliveries. 

Checkride Made Easy: https://pilotinstitute.com/course/checkride-made-easy/

American Airlines is investing in ZeroAvia, which develops hydrogen-electric propulsion.

American will have the option to order 100 propulsion systems from the company.

According to American, the power plans will reduce or eliminate emissions from regional jets.

ZeroAvia says it’s AZ2000-RJ will power a 40-80 seat aircraft with a 1000NM range. 

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/american-airlines-invests-in-hydrogen-electric-propulsion-developer

The NTSB has issued the prelim report on the fatal mid-air over Vegas.

The mid-air between the Piper Malibu Mirage and C172 was fatal for all 4 occupants.

From the report, it appears the aircraft were given instructions to land on parallel runways (30L and 30R), but both lined up for runway 30R. 

The impact point was about a quarter mile from the approach end of 30R.

https://www.avweb.com/flight-safety/accidents-ntsb/ntsb-issues-preliminary-report-on-fatal-nevada-midair

A SWA flight on July 1st landed in Santa Ana, CA so hard that it fractured the spine of a flight attendant.

After landing the FA felt a pain in her back and neck and was unable to move.

She was taken to the hospital by EMS where it was found she’d suffered a compression fracture to her T3 vertebra. 

https://simpleflying.com/southwest-airlines-hard-landing-breaks-flight-attendant-spine

The FAA said this week that Boeing will resume deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners soon.

Following manufacturing flaws, deliveries have been suspended until issues were fixed.

American Airlines said they expect to receive aircraft as soon as Wednesday.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/08/boeing-dreamliner-deliveries-to-resume-in-the-coming-days-faa-says.html

This week in airplane news: The drama over leaded avgas continues with GAMI and Swift saying they have solutions, the DOT has found a lax oversight of Southwest Airlines by the FAA, a strange story of a co-pilot who somehow exited an airplane during flight, and the EAA has announced record crowds at Airventure! 

The Co-founder and GAMI and the CEO of Swift Fuels both testified before congress this week on the topic of leaded aviation fuels.

GAMI and Swift have solutions for replacing 100LL with lead-free substitutes.

The hang up on implementing these new fuels seems to be regulatory oversight.

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/congressional-subcommittee-meets-in-outrage-over-leaded-avgas

The DOT has validated allegations of whistleblower complaints that the FAA mismanaged oversight of Southwest Airlines.

Among the validated allegations, the airline failed to properly certify 88 B737s that were brought overseas. 

The report says the airline’s upper management was cozy with an unnamed former acting FAA Admin, who was previously the Deputy FAA admin. 

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-admits-lax-oversight-of-southwest-airlines

After an emergency landing in Raleigh airport, the co-pilot of the plane was found 30 miles south of the airport, having somehow fallen out of the plane.

The co-pilot did not survive. 

The plane landed due to the right main gear having fallen off. 

How the co-pilot ended up in a suburban backyard is unclear at this time.

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/southeast/co-pilot-falls-from-plane-north-carolina/

The EAA says that nearly 650,000 people attended Airventure this year, setting a new record!

“We introduced a tagline of ‘Unlike Anything Else’ for this year’s AirVenture event and 2022’s fly-in proved to truly be unlike anything else,” said EAA CEO and Chairman Jack Pelton. “We had seven days of nearly perfect weather, along with this year’s programs and activities, which brought out people and airplanes in numbers that we haven’t seen before.”

https://www.avweb.com/air-shows-events/airventure/eaa-reports-record-crowds-at-airventure-2022