Tag Archives: U-2

633 Aviation Safety

A Congressional report is critical of aviation safety and the FAA, the Air Force flies an AI co-pilot, precision airdrops as a service, Antonov AN-124 cargo, Chinese SODramjet, world’s first female aeronautical engineer, airline emissions statistics, flying through smoke.

Aviation News

Boeing ‘inappropriately coached’ pilots in 737 MAX testing: U.S. Senate report

The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation released a Committee Investigation Report titled Aviation Safety Oversight prepared by the Committee Republican staff. In testimony, whistleblowers were critical of Boeing and the FAA.

The report says that concerning this year’s testing of the MCAS system, Boeing officials “had established a pre-determined outcome to reaffirm a long-held human factor assumption related to pilot reaction time … It appears, in this instance, FAA and Boeing were attempting to cover up important information that may have contributed to the 737 MAX tragedies.”

Southwest Airlines Allegedly Cut Corners, Pilots Struggled to Get Planes to Take Off

Southwest livery

In the same report, a whistleblower working as an FAA safety inspector at a Southwest base alleged that the airline’s Performance Weight and Balance System (PWB) was flawed. The PWB system was introduced in 2017 but Southwest removed safety buffers and some pilots reported difficulty getting airborne. A Southwest spokesperson said, “We discovered a discrepancy between data systems involving the weight of a number of aircraft earlier this year. Southwest took immediate actions to prevent a recurrence, which included notifying the FAA, correcting the data discrepancies, and launching a daily audit to review each of the impacted systems.”

Dash Systems raises $8M for precision-airdrops-as-a-service at distant or disaster-stricken destinations

Dash Systems wants to expedite the “middle-mile” with military-inspired airdrops. They say Land the package not the planeTM and seek to drop pallets of parcels (“pods”) at their penultimate destinations, no matter how inaccessible the location is. The pods have control surfaces and a tail kit, and a method of slowing down and landing.

Swirl-in Airlift: Irregular Antonov Flights Deliver Relief to Phoenix Laxative Factory

Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines has been operating curious flights between Mumbai and Phoenix. Three An-124s have completed the route so far, and a fourth is enroute. Many speculated what the cargo is, but JetTip uncovers the true mission:

“The avgeek rumor-mill provided some hints at its cargo, with people saying it was carrying silica, seeds, or medicine; the payload is tons and tons of psyllium (pronounced “si-lee-uhm”), a plant grown in India, whose primary use is as a fibrous laxative. Coincidentally, psyllium is the main ingredient in Metamucil, which is manufactured in Phoenix.”

The Queen of the Hurricanes drove a Model A Roadster

Elsie MacGill is reported to be the world’s first female aeronautical engineer. Born in Vancouver in 1905, she wore leg braces because of polio. At one point she was told she’d never walk again. In 1938 she became the chief aeronautical engineer at Canadian Car and Foundry (Can Car) in charge of the design and construction of the Maple Leaf II training biplane, the world’s first aircraft designed and built by a woman. MacGill retooled the Can Car factory to mass-produce the Hawker Hurricane, and she was responsible for coming up with a winterized version with skis. Elsie MacGill died in 1980, at the age of seventy-five. She was posthumously inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame in 1983. 

The Experimental Engine That Could Get Us Anywhere in the World in 2 Hours

The Chinese have developed and demonstrated a Standing Oblique Detonation ramjet engine, or SODramjet for hypersonic propulsion at Mach 16. It’s an old concept that utilizes shock waves produced in the engine. The Chinese demonstrator reached Mach 9 in a wind tunnel. See The criteria for hypersonic airbreathing propulsion and its experimental verification in the Chinese Journal of Aeronautics.

Air Force U-2 Surveillance Plane Flies First Mission with AI Copilot

The U.S. Air Force flew a U-2 Dragonlady reconnaissance aircraft with an artificial intelligence system as the co-pilot. Going by the call sign ARTUµ (pronounced R-2), the algorithm took control of the sensor systems after take off in an exercise that simulated a missile strike. As the pilot flew the U-2, ARTUµ controlled sensors and navigation and watched for enemy launch weapons.

Countries Ban U.K. Flights Amid Mutant Coronavirus Concerns

Flights between the U.K. and a number of other countries are being banned after a new, more contagious coronavirus strain was detected.

Mentioned

Facebook’s artificial intelligence robots shut down after they start talking to each other in their own language

Flying Dirty: Why Airlines Emissions Rise Even When They Try to Cut

420 Regulating Airline Emissions

A United Nations plan to regulate airline emissions, the U-2 accident and the current role of that airplane, the FAA provides some aviation career guidance, a U.S. Department Of Transportation committee is reviewing accommodations for disabled passengers, and F-117s back in the air.

News

More Nations Sign on to Plan to Regulate Airline Emissions

Landmark deal to curb airline emissions expected in Montreal

A UN-led proposal to address commercial aviation pollution emissions has gotten a lot of international support. The agreement would take effect in 2021 and be voluntary at the start. It would become mandatory in 2027. The program would require international airlines to limit their emissions to 2020 levels, or buy credits to offset their pollution.  The credits would support renewable energy development, forest preservation, or other environmental efforts.

U-2 Spy Plane Crash: Why ‘Cold War’ Aircraft Are Still Relevant Today

Lt Col Steve "Shooter" Eadie

Lt Col Steve “Shooter” Eadie

A Lockheed U-2CT on a training mission crashed in northern California September 20 shortly after takeoff from Beale Air Force Base. Both pilots ejected, but one did not survive. A memorial fund for Lieutenant Colonel Steve “Shooter” Eadie has been established.

 

The FAA Explores General Aviation Careers In Their Latest Safety Briefing

The September/October 2016 edition of the FAA Safety Briefing is titled “Avenues to Aviation.” [PDF]. In it, the FAA explores different and aviation careers, with a focus on general aviation. Feature articles explore flying and non-flying aviation career options, and some of the new vocations that the small Unmanned Aircraft Systems rule has enabled.

Airlines Seek To Curb Service-Animal Rules

There is a distinction between Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals. The exact definitions of each depends on the Act that applies: the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the 1986 Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). The ACAA recognizes emotional support animals as service animals, so U.S. airlines must allow them. But some passengers seem to abuse this and claim their pet is an emotional support animal. In April, 2016, the DOT created an Accessible Air Transportation Advisory Committee looking at passengers with disabilities. In October, the government/industry Committee is to propose a rule based on consensus recommendations.

F-117s Back In The Air

“Retired” F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighters have been seen flying in Nevada. Speculation as to the reasons for this run rampant.

Arnold Palmer flew, set records in Learjets before turning to Cessna

Arnold Palmer was a long-time supporter of aviation, and he will be missed.

Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer’s trip to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2008. From left is former EAA president Tom Poberezny, Arnold Palmer, Rose Pelton and Jack Pelton. Photo courtesy EAA.org.

Airplane of the Week

The F-105 Thunderchief. In Part 1 of a two-part series on the Thud, David explains the airplane’s development and the single seaters.  Check out these articles comparing the modern-day F-35 to the Vietnam era Thud:

America’s F-105 Thunderchief Fighter-Bomber: The F-35 of the Vietnam War?

Joint Strike Fighter = Thunderchief II?

And then there is this that David mentioned: VH1 Corvette Collection – Tease.

Mentioned

Miraculous Water Landings Before There Was “Sully”

Columbia Memorial Space Center

A Pilot’s Review of the Movie “Sully” in The Rogue Aviator

Aeroengine Corporation of China plans to compete with the likes of Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and General Electric from Defence Aviation.

Credit

Intro music courtesy Brother Love from his Album Of The Year CD. Outtro by Bruno Misonne from The Sound of Flaps.