Tag Archives: DARPA

640 Australian Women Pilots

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:22:21 — 37.7MB)

Amazing true stories of Australian woman pilots, predicting the air travel recovery, airline response to shifting demand, flying across the Atlantic on the jetstream, roles for USAF tankers, preventing cabin crew from disappearing, and an Alaska Airlines sweepstakes for lovers.

Guest

Kathy Mexted, author of Australian Women Pilots.
Kathy Mexted, author of Australian Women Pilots.

Kathy Mexted is a writer, photographer, and editor of AirSport Magazine from Sport Aircraft Association Australia, a general aviation organization. She’s written for several publications and her recently published book is titled Australian Woman Pilots, Amazing True Stories of Women in the Air.

Australian Women Pilots

Kathy’s book tells the stories of ten Australian women pilots, and we look at three in particular. Gaby Kennard flew around the world in a Saratoga, mostly following Amelia Earhart’s route. In a ferrying operation, Lyn Gray had to ditch a Seminole 500 miles off Hawaii, requiring a U.S. Coastguard operation. Patricia Toole flew cargo and passenger flights in rugged and dangerous New Guinea. Meeting Patricia just before her death motivated Kathy to tell the inspiring stories of these women pilots.

Aviation News

Air travel recovery likely pushed back to 2022

The optimism that the Covid vaccine would quickly turn everything around for the travel industry may have been premature. We see the slow pace of vaccinations, which may not prevent you from transmitting the virus to others, mutations popping up, closed borders, and no consensus on so-called “vaccine passports.” The International Air Transport Association that in a worst-case scenario, passenger traffic may only improve by 13 percent this year.

Airlines Are Ditching Business Hubs and Rerouting Flights to Florida

Leisure travel is showing signs of life, but business travel is not. Since convenience is important to leisure travelers, airlines are responding with more direct routes.

Fly like the wind: Pilots are about to cross the Atlantic in a whole new way

More than 1,300 flights used to occur daily over the North Atlantic. Radar cannot cover the entire distance, so to maintain safe separation, the organized track structure (OTS) was created. Safe, but not the most efficient. However, Reading University researchers found that over the course of a typical winter, a 2.7% saving on carbon emission per passenger could be obtained if aircraft flew routes that took advantage of the wind. 

Air Force Hunts for Ways to Use Not-Quite-Ready Tankers

The behind-schedule Boeing KC-46 tankers are still in testing because of the improvements needed for its refueling system. In addition, two problems exist with the plane’s auxiliary power unit. The Air Mobility Command is “exploring limited operational capability for the KC-46.”

Airline to confiscate cabin crew’s passports after second flight attendant goes missing during layover

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)  said it will confiscate cabin crew passports during layovers. Twice now flight attendants have gone missing for the return leg of a round-trip.

Alaska Airlines offers pandemic’s locked-down lovers a chance at free flights

This offer expired, but Alaska Airlines held a contest where 100 couples won roundtrip tickets. The “Booking for Love Sweepstakes” requested stories from couples who had “a long-distance love that began during the lock down or was separated by stay-at-home orders.”

AirVenture Oshkosh 2021 Update

Planning for the 2021 event continues, but with Covid-19 protocols in place. Get the latest information at the EAA page for Oshkosh 2021 Covid updates. 

FAA Creates Gateways for new Presidential TFR

AOPA has been working with the FAA and other agencies since October to gather information about how future presidential TFRs might impact general aviation operations, part of a yearslong effort spanning many administrations to mitigate the economic damage and inconvenience that these restrictions can cause.

Mentioned

DARPA Disc Rotor Helicopter and other projects

Video: DARPA/Boeing DiscRotor

A Curator Special: The Impossible Case of MH370, a special episode of the podcast Monocle 24: The Curator from Monocle.

Hampton Roads Helicopters, a full-service aviation company for both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft based at Hampton Roads Executive Airport (PVG).

618 Leave No One Behind

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:22:54 — 38.0MB)

A retired U.S. Air Force colonel tells the “leave no one behind” story of a pilot who ejected over the Gulf of Tonkin. In the news, Boeing could consolidate 787 assembly lines, ski jump launch trials for the F/A-18 Super Hornet, a live air-to-air missile is found at Lakeland Airport, a man is arrested after driving under a taxiing airplane, a virtual airline that can help with your air travel withdrawal, and AI bests a human F-16 pilot in simulated dogfights.

Guest

Eileen Bjorkman

Eileen Bjorkman

Eileen Bjorkman is an author who tells veteran’s stories, a speaker, and a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with 700+ hours of flying time as a flight test engineer in 25 different types of military aircraft, primarily the F-4, F-16, C-130, and C-141. As a civilian pilot, she holds an Airline Transport Pilot rating and is a Certificated Flight Instructor with more than 2,000 hours of flying time. She owns an aerobatic airplane, a Decathlon.

Eileen has just published her book Unforgotten in the Gulf of Tonkin: A Story of the U.S. Military’s Commitment to Leave No One Behind, available on Amazon and from University of Nebraska Press/Potomac Books where for a limited time you can use code 6AF20 to get a 40% discount on the book. Outside North America, call Combined Academic Publishers in the UK at +44(0)1423 526350 and use discount code CS40UNP.

Unforgotten in the Gulf of TonkinThe book tells the story of U.S. Navy pilot Willie Sharp who ejected from his F-8 fighter after being hit on November 18, 1965, over a target in North Vietnam. With a cloud layer beneath him, he did not know if he was over land or over the Gulf of Tonkin. As he ejected, both navy and air force aircraft were already heading toward him to help.

In addition to her books, Eileen has had articles published in Air & Space/Smithsonian, Aviation History, Portland, Equinox: Poetry and Prose, Sport Aviation, the Everett Daily Herald, and many technical journals. She has both MS and BS degrees in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Ohio, and a BS in Computer Science from the University of Washington in Seattle. She also has a Ph.D. in Systems Engineering from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Visit Eileen’s web page at EileenBjorkman.com for more about her books, publications, and her blog.

Aviation News

Boeing’s 787 choice could gut Washington state’s aircraft industry

Boeing has two 787 Dreamliner assembly lines – one in Everett, Washington, and one in South Carolina. Boeing is expected to decide soon if those lines will be consolidated at a single site. The speculation is that If the company eliminates one facility, it will be Everett, impacting some 30,000 employees.

F/A-18 Super Hornet Is Now Undergoing Ski Jump Launch Trials For The Indian Navy

Boeing is competing the F/A-18 Super Hornet for an Indian Navy contract. Since the Indian Navy only has aircraft carriers with ski jumps, Boeing has been demonstrating the aircraft off a ground-based ski jump at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland.

Live Missile Found At Lakeland Airport

The live but unarmed air-to-air missile is a French S-530. It was found at Florida’s Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL) in a shipment delivered to Draken International. That defense contractor operates a fleet of about 150 tactical ex-military fighter jets. Draken provides contract air services to locations in the U.S. and internationally.

Man Arrested In Portland After Driving Under A Taxiing Aircraft

A family of four in their sedan drove off a local road and crashed through gates at the north side of Portland International Airport. The 24-year-old driver was stopped and said he had no option because he was being chased by several trucks. But then the man returned to his car and drove off with one of his children, right underneath an aircraft that was taxiing to the runway, which stopped to let the vehicle pass. The man then stopped the vehicle near the gates and was detained and charged him with three felonies.

A US Air Force F-16 pilot just battled AI in 5 simulated dogfights, and the machine emerged victorious every time

Under DARPA’s AlphaDogfight competition, an artificial intelligence program developed by Heron Systems was pitted against a seasoned Air Force F-16 pilot in a simulated dogfight. Heron’s AI achieved five straight wins.

Travelers miss flying so much that they’re taking ‘flights’ to nowhere

Japanese company First Airlines offers an option for those who just need to take a first-class flight: virtual reality flight experiences. You get a two-hour experience, a first-class “lounge” with departure screens, a first-class Airbus seat, a four-course “in-flight” meal, TV screens for windows, and flight attendants carrying out safety protocols.

Mentioned

Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)

Video: Landing on the Melbourne Citadel in Microsoft Flight Simulator

Micah and the KC-135 at MAC Jets FBO at The Portland International Jetport

Episode 160 – Max Trescott’s Trends Aloft

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (41.7MB)

DARPA Falcon

Guest Max Trescott is an author, he was the 2008 CFI of the Year, and blogs at Trends Aloft. We talk about how you can be an advocate for the aviation industry and the general Aviation Cacus in Washington. Also, California legislation affecting costs to flight schools, student pilots dropping out, and “outsourced” airline pilots. Max tells us how you explain GA to those who are only exposed to commercial aviation, and why we need it. Follow Max on Twitter at @MaxTrescott, and visit his business site at G1000book.com for his books, CD’s, and iPhone GPS guides.

The week’s aviation news:

This week in Across the Pond, Pieter Johnson talks to Steve, an A320 pilot for a major European airline about his six monthly simulator proficiency checks. You can find Steve on Twitter @Thermalhound and Pieter @Nascothornet.

On this week’s Australia Desk report Steve notes that Tiger Airways is back in the air, Strategic Airlines to commence HNL flights from MEL and BNE, Virgin Aus pilots get pay rise, and a cameo from Southwest flight attendant Bruce Campbell, recorded at LAX. Find Steve and Grant on the Plane Crazy Down Under podcast, and follow the show on Twitter at @pcdu. Steve’s at @stevevisscher and Grant at @falcon124.

Mentions:

Follow the @AirplaneGeeks on Twitter and on Facebook, send us email at thegeeks@airplanegeeks.com, or leave a message on our listener line: (361) GEEKS01.

Opening and closing music is provided by Brother Love from the Album Of The Year CD. You can find his great music at http://www.brotherloverocks.com/.