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NASA Pool Prepares Astronauts for Upcoming Space Station Spacewalks

Charles Atkeison
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NASA Pool Prepares Astronauts for Upcoming Space Station Spacewalks

HOUSTON — Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are scheduled to perform three consecutive spacewalks in October to upgrade and repair critical equipment outside the orbiting laboratory.

NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik and Mark Vande Hei will venture outside through the Quest airlock on Thursday, Oct. 5, for the first spacewalk beginning at 8:10 a.m. EDT. The duo will to remove and replace a defective latching end-effector on the Canadarm 2 robotic arm.

On October 10, Bresnik and Vande Hei will egress the airlock at about 8:10 a.m. to rotate a pump flow control assembly to prepare it for venting and its relocation in the near future. The astronauts will also replace a station video camera which has a pink discoloration on the lens.

One week later, on October 18, Bresnik and NASA astronaut Joe Acaba will perform a third orbital walk to add a high definition camera, replace another video camera on the Destiny Laboratory, and the two will lube select areas on the station.

Spacewalking preparations began several months ago by Bresnik, Vande Hei, and Acaba, both in the NASA mock-ups, and below the waters of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory located next to the Johnson Space Center near Houston.

Take a massive swimming pool, fill it with 6.2 million gallons of water, and throw in a large mock up of the space station into that pool. That’s the NBL — a special training pool which allows selected astronauts to suit up in their spacesuit and work submerged with a near feeling of weightlessness.

The NBL is located inside the Sonny Carter Training Facility, and is a critical training tool for many departments within NASA. Flight directors use the pool to refine spacewalk procedures and develop flight procedures. Teams can also verify hardware compatibility first before launching the equipment into space.

“It’s a great way to train, and it’s an amazing team sport,” said NASA astronaut Victor Glover, a Navy commander and F/A-18 pilot, explained to this aerospace reporter. “What you see requires 30 or 40 people just to put two people into a space suit to train. You have a test director, a camera diver, two safety divers per every space suit, and you have a whole team of folks to make sure you’re doing these things safely.”

Feature NASA Pool Prepares Astronauts for Upcoming Space Station Spacewalks avgeekeryblog gmail com Gmail
Photo: Charles Atkeison

An astronaut will spend seven hours of training in the NBL pool for every hour they are scheduled to spend spacewalking.

Glover added that risks are involved with every spacewalk related to time and physics. One example, he discussed, is when astronauts work on the electrical side of the orbital outpost it is performed while the station is over the night side of the planet. Much like replacing a wall socket at home, the Sun is not generating power to the solar arrays for nearly 40 minutes.

Measuring 202-feet long by 102-feet wide, the NBL pool is loaded with strong filters. The pool’s water is recycled every 19 hours, according to Glover, and it is chemically treated to stop bacteria growth. The water’s temperature remains between 82° to 88° Fahrenheit to keep NASA support divers, who assist the submerged astronauts for long periods of time, warm and comfortable.

NASA-TV will provide live coverage of each spacewalk beginning at 6:30 a.m. each day.

(Charles Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Atlanta Warbird Weekend to feature historic aircraft and honor the Tuskegee Airmen

Charles Atkeison
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Atlanta Warbird Weekend to feature historic aircraft and honor the Tuskegee Airmen

ATLANTA — Popular aircraft flown during World War II and Korea will take center stage on Saturday and Sunday as the local Commemorative Air Force hosts an Atlanta Warbird Weekend at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport.

The non-airshow two-day event will also celebrate the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the graduation of the first African-American aviators from Tuskegee, Alabama, who blazed a trail in the Army Air Corps program training to fly and maintain combat aircraft.

A traveling multimedia exhibit known as Rise Above: Red Tail will be on hand to present the story of the Red Tails and the Tuskegee pilots who flew them. Guests can view an informative movie and browse images in the exhibit.

“We are bringing at least 20 original Tuskegee Airmen veterans to share in the acknowledgment of the outstanding history of the black aviators who overcame prejudice and adversity to serve their country so well,” said Moreno Aguiari, Atlanta Warbird Weekend Chairman, on Thursday. “We also plan to exhibit aircraft flown by the Tuskegee Airmen, including… an original Tuskegee Airmen T-6 will appear courtesy of the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum out of Detroit. It was delivered to Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama in 1943.”

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Photo: Charles A Atkeison

The T-6 Texan, FG-1D Corsair, and many more planes built and flown in the years preceding the jet age will sit poised on the flight line at the north Atlanta airport. The addition of two historic aircraft will include the rare visit of the B-17 Flying Fortress and a B-25J Mitchell bomber. The two will sit on static display where guests can receive a ground tour of each aircraft, or for a fee, they can fly aboard the aircraft of choice.

Known as “Aluminum Overcast”, the B-17 was a heavy bomber during World War II, including flying day time bombing runs against Germany. Sporting four prop engines, the silver aircraft measuring 74-feet long and a wing span of 104-feet, the “Aluminum Overcast” will become a crowd favorite this weekend.

The aircraft’s ball-turet, or gun turret, is one the more popular sections of the B-17. A World War II veteran and special guest attending the Atlanta Warbird Weekend knows first hand what it is like inside the spherical-shaped housing.

“It was a comfortable position, it was the only place you could lay on your back and fight the war at the same time,” said SSgt Henry Hughey (Ret.) who flew 31 missions as a B-17 ball turret gunner during World War II. “The B-17 was a wonderful piece of machinery. It would take a pounding and still keep flying.”

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Photo: Charles A Atkeison

Guests attending warbird weekend can take a special flight into history and travel aboard the B-17 Flying Fortress this weekend. Advanced reservations are recommeded including full details and availability, however walk-ups will be available based on limited seating.

Nearly two thousand visitors are expected to attend each day to receive an up close look at the 1940-era planes as live music and rare radio news reports from the front lines of the second world war play across the loud speakers.

The Commemorative Air Force, a non-profit organization designed to “restore and fly World War II aircraft in tribute to America’s veterans”, will bring together former pilots and veterans of World War II and Korea.

(Charles Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

Horrific KC-135A Mid-Air Explosion Led To Fix For Fatal Flaw

Bill Walton
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Horrific KC-135A Mid-Air Explosion Led To Fix For Fatal Flaw

LenThe Investigation Into the Loss of KC-135A 56-3592 Over Canada in 1989 Finally Provided Answers For Other Previous Losses

On Wednesday October 4th 1989, the crew of KC-135A-BN Stratotanker 56-3592 (CN 17341 MSN 31) was returning to their base at Loring Air Force Base (AFB) in far northeastern Maine after an overnight tanker mission. At about 0600 local time the aircraft exploded in midair over Perth-Andover near Carlingford, New Brunswick, Canada killing all four crew members aboard the aircraft. The wreckage was strewn over a wide area but large pieces came down on a hill along the west side of the Trans-Canada Highway north of Perth-Andover. This particular KC-135A had been delivered to the Air Force in November of 1957 and was nearly 32 years old, one of the few A models still in service at the time, and the last A model to be lost.

Boeing KC 135 J57 takeoff.JPEG
Official US Air Force Photograph

Detailed Investigation into KC-135 Accident Took Time

The investigation into the crash took several months as the wreckage took time to locate and process. When the investigation concluded the cause of the explosion was determined to be overheating of an aft body fuel tank pump operating in an empty fuel tank. When the overheated pump sparked it ignited the explosive fumes in the tank. But that wasn’t the end of the investigation. Those pumps were originally designed to work safely in fuel tanks that had been depleted or even emptied.

1280px F 106s 5th FIS refueling from KC 135 1981
Official US Air Force Photograph

There were quite a few KC-135s lost under similar circumstances or with similar results. KC-135Q 58-0039 exploded in flight near Torrejon Spain in 1971. KC-135B 61-0331 was lost over the Pacific in 1971. KC-135A 60-0368 crashed on approach at Torrejon Spain in 1976, KC-135A 61-0296 crashed near K.I. Sawyer AFB in 1976. KC-135Q 60-0338 burned on the ramp at Plattsburg AFB. KC-135A 58-0031 exploded in flight near O’Hare airport in Chicago. Some of these losses were deemed to be directly related to the loss of 56-3592.

911 Air Refueling Squadron Boeing KC 135A BN Stratotanker 58 0029
Official US Air Force Photograph

Root Cause Was Finally Found

The root cause of the explosions, specifically the one of 56-3592 over Perth-Andover, was finally determined to be incorrectly repaired fuel pumps. The pumps were being inspected and repaired as needed (IRAN) and placed back into the supply pipeline at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex (OKC-ALC) but the repairs were causing the pumps to overheat. KC-135 crews (all models) were instructed to keep 3000 pounds (about 450 gallons) of fuel in each body tank to prevent pump overheating.

1280px KC 135A refuels VA 52 A 6E c1978
Official US Air Force Photograph

The incredible tweety bird: Cessna’s T-37 Tweet primary jet trainer

Avgeekery
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The incredible tweety bird: Cessna’s T-37 Tweet primary jet trainer

Liquid heat rises in waves, twisting and turning morphing the parked T-37 Tweety Birds into caricatures more like reflections in a fun house than the small jet trainers that introduced countless thousands of potential pilots to jet-powered flight.

I could almost feel the rubber soles on my boots beginning to melt. Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the temperature is uncomfortable. As my student and I step up to the little jet, we are assaulted by the familiar T-37 Tweet smell: hot rubber, avgas, and the underlying sour odor of vomit—NASA’s “Vomit Comet” has nothing over the T-37’s propensity to induce airsickness in the toughest of students.

T-37 Tweet

A friend once observed that the combination of heat, nervousness, confinement in an ejection seat, helmet, oxygen mask, and the loping flight characteristic of the T-37—much like a twin-engine propeller aircraft flying with the engines out of sync—did wonders to convince the internal “pukester” to go to work.

Check out these other great stories from Avgeekery:

Regardless, the versatile little Cessna was the Air Force pilot training work horse from 1956, when the Air Force took delivery of the first of 444 T-37s, until the last was retired in 2009. But the T-37 had more uses than a primary jet trainer.

A Bit of Background on the T-37 Tweet

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DAYTON, Ohio — Cessna YA-37A Dragonfly at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)

During the Vietnam War, a modified T-37 with more powerful engines, a weight increase from around 6,000 pounds to 12,000 pounds, an ordinance carrying capacity of approximately 2,000 pounds, and a new designation, the A-37 Dragonfly, replaced the A-1 Sandy as the Air Force search and rescue aircraft.

In this capacity, the Dragonfly worked with the Jolly Greens to rescue downed pilots by keeping the enemy at bay until the rescue helicopters could retrieve the downed pilot.

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In 1962, Cessna suggested the T-37 Tweet replace the F-100 as the platform for the Thunderbirds, the Air Force aerobatic demonstration team[2]. The Air Force could not imagine the 6000-pound dog whistle living up to the name, Thunderbird.

They elected to keep the F-100 and its thunderous roar as the team aircraft, and in the process, probably saved themselves from smirks and eye rolling when the whistling little “Thunderbird” passed over the spectators. Of course, the Air Force had itself to blame for the T-37’s whistling.

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The Air Force’s made the decision to use the noisier of two government supplied engines to power the jet. Harry Clements, an engineer that worked on the T-37 design, says Cessna put vanes and sound proofing on the inlets that damped the noise to a tolerable level, but the Air Force felt the whistling was more acceptable than the loss of performance, so the noise limiting materials were discarded much to the discomfort and hearing loss of a long line of Tweet pilots.

Dollar Ride in the T-37 Tweet

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The T-37 cockpit was intimidating for new students. By Seattleretro – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11971271

Of course, my student doesn’t care about any of these T-37 Tweet facts. His only concern is getting through his “dollar ride” (his first T-37 student flight) without embarrassing himself. As I demonstrate the walk-around preflight inspection, my student demonstrates a mixture of “dollar-ride” excitement and first-flight apprehension.

I switch on my best calming voice to help relieve the stress. I remember my instructor, in a fit of frustration, jerking my oxygen hose yelling, “Why don’t you SIE?” In other words, why don’t you self-initiate your elimination from the program.

Cessna t 37

A visual testament to instructor frustration is etched into the instrument panel glare shields of the little trainers. The glare shields in the T-37 were awash in repairs from damage done by instructors pounding on and breaking the material. I never saw the point myself.

We are strapped in, I demonstrate the interior preflight, start engines, show the ground crew the seat pins, and begin to taxi. Student’s react to this moment in differing ways. Some are struck with a bout of oral diarrhea; some become mute. My guy is mute. I get takeoff clearance, close the clamshell canopy and transition from a convertible to a greenhouse, roll onto the runway, and apply power. My goal is to get into the reasonably cool air above 10,000 feet as soon as possible.

T-37 Tweet

As I raise the landing gear, I glance at my student. He is encapsulated behind mask and sunshade. I see him swallowing; I fear things are going to blow. I intercede and give him the stick. It starts to cool off, and the distraction of flying has cooled off my student.

“Wow, this is something,” he says.

“It sure is,” I say. “And it only gets better.”

ENJJPT T 37s on the ramp

My Story Aboard Air France Flight 66–The A380 That Lost An Engine Over The Atlantic

Avgeekery
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My Story Aboard Air France Flight 66–The A380 That Lost An Engine Over The Atlantic

On Sept 30th, Air France Flight 66 suffered a massive uncontained engine failure over the Atlantic Ocean.  The #4 engine on the double-decker Airbus A380 was shredded and the aircraft was at least an hour away from a suitable divert field.  Due to the professional pilots at the helm and the coordinated crew actions, the aircraft made a safe emergency landing at Goose Bay.  All 497 souls onboard were safe.

Rana Landreth was returning home after her father’s funeral. Waking up to a violently shaking jet must have been a scary experience. She details her entire account on her website. We encourage you to check out her full story here.  We had the opportunity to ask her a few additional questions about her experience, especially once the jet landed.

1.) What was the mood like on the jet while you were waiting for the replacement aircraft?

Considering the fact that the plane almost crashed in the Atlantic and for passengers sitting on the side where they were able to see with their own eyes the engine failing and pieces hanging off of it, we were super quiet and calm waiting inside the jet. There were some older people and from what I was able to count 3 babies and their parents trapped among others (I didn’t know exactly what was happening on the upper level since I was in the lower one), but all in all we kept it together. Some bathrooms ran out of water in their faucets, we almost ran out of food until Canadian border came to the rescue with boxes full of sandwiches and some gallons of water. Maybe the fact that they kept promising us rescue is on its way we were hopeful. It was not until a couple hours to the end of the ordeal when an old lady had a meltdown, and then 2 other ladies who were begging for straight answers and how it wasn’t acceptable all this mistreatment and entrapment and how come they didn’t provide us with rooms or the ability to step outside the craft.  Bottom line, we kept our cool but I feel like they somehow took advantage of it.

2.) Tell us about the journey home after Goose Bay.  Was Air France helpful?

It took almost an hour for the crew to board between 395 to 400 passengers, then another hour for the plane to take off, at that point I think I was numb and waiting was something I got used to! I really wanted to grab my camera to capture dawn breaking and that beautiful pink shade in the sky but I couldn’t, I was just looking forward to leave. Also it wasn’t until we were ready to take off until they announced we were headed to Atlanta not LAX, that’s when a few passengers whom last destination was LAX started breaking down in tears, it was just too much to bear. The new Air France crew was somewhat helpful.

3.) What advice would you give for people who face an incident in the air like the one you dealt with this weekend?

My personal advice is to hold on to your seat, be positive and focus on one thing “ the plane is going to touch down safely”.  Although it was traumatizing, I mean hearing the lead crew saying in French “preparez toboggans” that alone is something I will never forget, then we knew how bad the situation was and what the pilots are trying to do to land us safely and when they assured us they were able to stabilize the plane for now, I sat put in my seat, listening to music watching us moving on the map over the Atlantic thinking I won’t be safe until those wheels touch the ground. And when they finally did, people were clapping crying from joy (little did we know we had to wait eternally for a rescue plane).

Quite an experience! Thanks, Rena for sharing.

Audio of Air France flight 66’s final approach is below. Thanks to VASAaviation for the audio clip.

CAA Issues Warning to Ryanair–Company Failing To Inform Customers Properly

Kim Clark
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CAA Issues Warning to Ryanair–Company Failing To Inform Customers Properly

Over 750,000 airline passengers are scrambling to make alternative travel plans since Ryanair has canceled yet another 18,000 flights that had been scheduled for between November and March. This most recent round of cancellations is on top of another 2,100 flights that were abruptly canceled a few weeks ago.

Boarding a Ryanair passenger jet at Krakow airport
Passengers wait to board a Ryanair flight. By Alexandar Vujadinovic (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Ryanair cancellations have left many travelers in the lurch since the carrier, based in Ireland, flies more international passengers than any other European airline. Its route network provides service to 34 countries in Europe, as well as Israel and Morocco.

CEO Michael O’Leary has come under fire for his reportedly brash demeanor and seemingly uncaring attitude toward customers and employees. The Economist wrote that Ryanair “has become a byword for appalling customer service.” One of the most notable shortfalls of the customer service department includes poor treatment of disabled passengers that led to a backlash from consumers that the airline just can’t seem to shake.

O’Leary says a change in the protocol that governs employees’ holiday leave is what led to the cancellation announcements. The number of pilots taking leave was not fully anticipated and resulted in the airline not having enough pilots to cover all of the scheduled flights. O’Leary attempted damage control by announcing Ryanair’s recent cancellations will allow the airline to totally overcome staffing shortages before fully resuming regular service on all of the routes in the future. But that statement is falling on deaf ears for some regulators.

The Civil Aviation Authority in Great Britain is accusing the airline of not properly informing passengers. The CAA asserts that those passengers are entitled to vouchers for future travel as well as compensation for additional costs incurred, such as newly necessitated transfers due to all of the re-routing. The only problem is Ryanair neglected to mention compensation and vouchers in its cancellation announcements. This omission led the CAA to issue a formal letter to Ryanair executives, warning of possible legal action. Following receipt of the CAA letter, the airline promised to comply with regulations.

Ryanair.b737 800.aftertakeoff.arp
Photo by Adrian Pingstone.

Unlike many passengers, CEO Michael O’Leary remains upbeat. Ryanair says the cost of both rounds of cancellations will cost the airline less than €50m, a drop in the bucket for an international airline that regularly posts yearly profits in excess of €1.5bn. Passengers that fell victim to cancellations affecting travel from October and March will receive a €40 voucher. That voucher amount will be doubled to €80 for those that were planning a round trip.

He Flew One Of The Last Southwest 737-300 Classics To The Boneyard And The New 737-8MAX In The Same Weekend

Avgeekery
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He Flew One Of The Last Southwest 737-300 Classics To The Boneyard And The New 737-8MAX In The Same Weekend

In aviation and in life, we love to commemorate firsts and lasts. This past weekend, Southwest Airlines retired their fleet of Boeing 737-300s and two days later inaugurated service with the new Boeing 737-8MAX jet.  Our friend and Southwest Pilot Herb Jackson had the opportunity to fly both.  We chatted with him about his amazing experience.

herb
Herb Jackson Jr. is a captain at Southwest Airlines. This past weekend he flew one of the last 737-300 flights to the Boneyard and also flew one of the airlines first revenue 737-8MAX flights.

Herb, you flew one of the last Southwest 737-300 flights ever. How do you feel about that?

When the opportunity presented itself to fly a Classic to Victorville I put my name in the hat and was selected to fly one from Houston. It’s one of those things that doesn’t occur very often so for me I wanted to participate in a bit of aviation history. I began my career back in April of 1986. The the company I was working for at the time had just begun accepting 737-300 deliveries so I remember when this plane was first placed into service. At that time there was no way I could imagine me flying one of the last ones to the desert.

2.) Tell us about the flight. How is a flight to the boneyard different than a normal flight?

Well logistically there is the aspect of ground handling and transportation, but in terms of the flight, nothing too different. It’s operated under Part 91 and it’s a ferry flight with only the assigned crew allowed onboard. Our Operations control center does a great job in providing us with anything we need and the group at Victorville was top notch. They are well versed in all aspects of aircraft storage.

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Southwest’s ferry flight paperwork commemorated the occasion. They wished tail 602 fair winds on its next adventure (most likely the scrapper).

3.) Will you miss flying the 737-300?

Hmm I’ll have to let you know that in a few years. The -300 was a great airplane to “hand fly” felt nice. But like your old flip phone, technology has made them less desirable and efficient.

4.) What’s your favorite memory of flying the 737-300?

Well considering my first landing ever at Southwest was in a -300, at SAN, my first landing as a Captain on UOE was in a -300, in SEA, and my first landing on my own as a Captain was also in a -300, also at SAN, I’d say the airplane has left me with some of the best memories of my aviation career.

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The steam gauge cockpit of the Boeing 737-300 series. With the retirement of the type, all Southwest cockpits will be glass with LCD screens displaying flight instruments.

5.) Is there anything you won’t miss about the 737-300 ‘Classic’?

As I mentioned earlier technology has improved so much that the “80’s” style technology in the -300 made it less desirable to fly as time went by. No auto throttles,  the air conditioning system was taxed on very hot days, no WiFi for the customers, and you had to work harder to maintain your situational awareness.

6.) After dropping off the -300, you then flew the MAX just a couple of days later. How did the two compare?

Talk about a rare occurrence!! I’m one of a few who were afforded that opportunity and I must say it’s been an emotional last few days. The bittersweet retirement of the 300’s followed by operating the MAX on day one. What really amazed me was the excitement that surrounded both events. I can’t tell you how many “avgeeks” and plane spotters I ran into over the last few days. Their enthusiasm is contagious and it’s enlightening to see the passion they have for aviation. These folks go out of their way to attend these events. Meeting them and seeing the excitement in their faces and hearing how they flew all over, on their own time, to be apart of it all. That’s what makes occasions like these special.  I’m very fortunate to “fly” the plane but don’t think for a second I don’t appreciate those who make flying “cool”!

New toy!! The 737 MAX8 ????????‍✈️????

A post shared by Herb Jackson ???? (@herbjacksonjr) on

UPDATED: Navy Identifies Two Pilots Lost in East Tennessee T-45 Crash

Bill Walton
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UPDATED: Navy Identifies Two Pilots Lost in East Tennessee T-45 Crash

UPDATED 10/3/2017: This is the latest information provided by the Navy:

The Navy has released the identity of the pilots killed when their T-45C aircraft crashed in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, Oct. 1.

Lt. Patrick L. Ruth, 31, of Metairie, Louisiana, and Lt. j.g. Wallace E. Burch, 25, of Horn Lake, Mississippi, died when their aircraft went down in the Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee. Both pilots were assigned to the “Eagles” of Training Squadron (VT) 7 based at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi.

Ruth had been in the Navy for nine years and was a member of VT-7 since 2015. Burch had been in the Navy for nearly three years and was a member of VT-7 since 2016.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the mishap.

Additional information about Ruth and Burch:

Lieutenant Patrick L Ruth, who was 31 years old and a nine year veteran, was from Metairie in Louisiana. He began his Navy career in the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps at Tulane University. He was commissioned in May 2008 and went through extensive flight training before joining Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE TWO SIX (VAW-126) Seahawks out of Norfolk in Virginia during 2012. Ruth spent three years with VAW-126 before being assigned as an instructor with VT-7 in April of 2015. Ruth earned two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals during his career.

Ruth and Burch
Lieutenant Ruth (left) and Lieutenant Junior Grade Burch (right). Official US Navy Photorgraph

Lieutenant Junior Grade Wallace E Burch, who was 25 years old and a three year veteran, was from Horn Lake in Mississippi. He attended Officer Candidate School at Newport in Rhode Island during 2014. He was commissioned in January of 2015. Burch reported to VT-7 as a student in the advanced jet training syllabus in 2016.

Previous Information Below-

MERIDIAN, Miss. (NNS) — At approximately 9:40 a.m. Oct. 2, Training Air Wing ONE, based at Naval air Station (NAS) Meridian, Miss., confirmed the T-45 belonging to Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) that went missing yesterday afternoon has crashed in East Tennessee.

Two pilots were aboard the aircraft, an instructor and a student. The pilots did not survive the incident. Names of the pilots are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification.

An investigation will commence to determine the cause of the mishap.

Here is a link to Knoxville news coverage of the crash:  http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2017/10/01/monroe-sheriff-plane-crash-reported-tellico-plains/721602001/

On Sunday October 1st 2017, Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian public affairs personnel reported a McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) T-45C Goshawk jet trainer assigned to0 Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) Eagles was missing. The jet, carrying a student pilot and an instructor pilot, was attached to Training Air Wing ONE (TW-1) and based at NAS Meridian in Mississippi. Later on the same day at 1800 local time TW-1 was made aware of a plane crash reported in Tennessee’s Cherokee National Forest located in the far northeastern corner of the state.

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Official US Navy Photograph

TW-1 and the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) have now confirmed the loss of the aircraft and the deaths of both the student pilot and instructor aboard the jet. TW-1 is the parent command for two Naval Training Squadrons, Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) Eagles and Training Squadron NINE (VT-9) Tigers. Both squadrons instruct Navy and Marine Corps students in the Advanced training syllabus.

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Official US Navy Photograph

UPDATED: Air France A380 Lands Safely After Uncontained Engine Failure Over Atlantic

Mike Killian
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UPDATED: Air France A380 Lands Safely After Uncontained Engine Failure Over Atlantic

UPDATE #3 Sept 30 8:10PM PT:  Passengers remained on the jet after landing at Goose Bay.  Air France is sending a Boeing 777 and a 3rd party Boeing 737 to pick up the passengers.  As of 8:10PM PT tonight, the aircraft have not arrived. Below is an additional photo taken by a passenger on the flight.

Additionally, Jacon Soboroff from MSNBC posted this passenger-filmed video of the A380 landing at Goose Bay.

UPDATE #2 Sept 30 5:52PM PT:  ATC audio of the arrival into Goose Bay has appeared on YouTube. Other than the “Mayday” at the end of every call, the approach by Air France 66 seemed very nominal.  One interesting thing to note though is that the jet taxied clear.  This isn’t uncommon after an engine failure.  However, an engine failure as severe as the one AF66 experienced could lead to additional fuel or hydraulic leaks.  Typically rescue vehicles will follow the jet to parking.  It is unclear from the audio if rescue equipment followed the jet to parking.

UPDATE #1 Sept 30 3:26PM PT: Video has emerged of the arrival into Goose Bay, Canada. In the video, you can see the #4 engine is clearly inoperative after the fan and cowling blew off.

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An Air France A380 safely made an emergency landing in Canada today, after one of its engines failed and came to pieces in flight from Paris to Los Angeles. File Photo: Air France

ORIGINAL REPORT: An Air France A380, flight AF66, landed safely this afternoon at Goose Bay International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, after suffering an in-flight engine failure where the engine appeared to “blow apart”, according to tweets from passengers onboard.

The incident occurred over the Atlantic, en route from Paris to Los Angeles, and initial images on twitter show parts of the engine ripped off. The flight landed safely an hour later.

Others passengers tweeted hearing a “loud thud and a lot of vibration” before looking out at the mangled engine.

Air France confirmed the incident but offered few details, saying passengers were in the process of being transitioned to new flights to LA.

Another major disintegration issue with an A380 engine occurred in Nov 2010, and a QANTAS Airbus A380 flight with 480 passengers and crew was forced to return to LAX earlier this year after takeoff when it suffered an engine failure on climb to cruising altitude. It is important to note though that the Qantas aircraft flew with Rolls Royce engines.  The Air France aircraft involved in today’s incident flew with Engine Alliance GP7000 engines produced in a joint venture between GE and Pratt and Whitney.

We will update more as details emerge.
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– Follow Mike Killian on Instagram and Facebook, @MikeKillianPhotography 

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How Do Pilots Check the Weather Before Flying?

Rob Graves
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How Do Pilots Check the Weather Before Flying?

An old aviation aphorism states that there are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots. Going flying without first checking the weather would be sort of like gambling in a casino but with no way to win and many ways to lose. So it is universally recognized by all pilots that one of the keys to a long and prosperous aviation career involves thoroughly checking the weather before committing aviation.

The methods that pilots have used over the years to investigate the weather along their route and at their destination have been continuously updated over the years through advances in technology. The Weather Bureau, a predecessor to the National Weather Service, first established an aerological department in 1914 to meet the growing needs of aviation.

Since that time, government-provided weather services have been the backbone of aviation weather, but that is changing. With the reality of the internet, aviation weather became more democratized and the advent of wireless connectivity means it has never been easier to have access to high quality weather information and graphics wherever a signal is available.

There are many products currently available for pilots to use as a source for weather information, but one I’ve been using has been a standout. Honeywell’s GoDirect Weather Information Service (WIS) is a fully functioned product for presenting a range of weather observations and forecasts to include high quality graphics for pilots. The app is available for both Windows and iOS, but I’ve been using it on an iPad. It is available from the Apple app store and installed easily.

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It’s Fast!

The first thing I noticed about this app is that it’s fast. I mean really fast. I have used many other weather apps and it seems that waiting for a radar picture to load can take forever. That is not the case with WIS. Hit the weather uplink button and your weather data is displayed within less than a second. I realize that this time will vary depending on the speed of your underlying data connection, but the uplink was fast in comparison to other products I’ve used with the same connection.

The data that you get is everything you need to safely plan and fly your trip. Multiple overlays are available on the map display to show as much or as little data as you care to see. Again, toggling overlays on or off is nearly instantaneous with no discernible lag to render graphics. Did I mention that the software is fast?

The available map overlays include terrain, airports, navaids, waypoints, and political boundaries. Most of these are user selectable to provide information when needed or to de-clutter the display when not needed. Another feature of the app that I have really come to appreciate is an automatic map de-clutter feature that displays information based on zoom level.

You would think that such a feature would be standard on most software to be used while performing an intensive task such as flying, but that is sadly not the case. Fumbling through menus to de-clutter a map when you might be trying to avoid a storm is not an optimal use of cognitive resources. The engineers at Honeywell have figured this out, and data such as waypoints, navaids, and airports will automatically change presentation based upon the zoom level. Again, this was quite fast with no lag time for rendering. I found this feature quite useful and it made the software a pleasure to use.

You’re In Control

When flying in challenging weather, knowing what has happened in the past can be just as important as knowing what the current conditions and forecasts are. Honeywell has included an intuitive time slider on the map display which allows pilots to easily see conditions up to three hours old. Historical data can be displayed as an animation or statically.

And just as the observations time slider allows a look at past conditions, the app also includes a future time slider to display forecasts up to 24 hours ahead of the current time.

The program presents radar, satellite, and lightning data along with available PIREPS in an easily readable and selectable map format. Clicking on any observation or forecast feature will display a window showing the details of that particular area. All of these features worked together to make the product easy to use while flying.

In addition to knowing the “when” of the current and forecast weather, a Flight Level selector lets you control the “where.” Moving this selector will present the clear air turbulence (CAT), winds and icing forecasts for your chosen flight level. Satellite observation is also selectable using this slider. This again reinforces the philosophy of only seeing that information which is of use while not cluttering up the display with extraneous data.

Another powerful tool which I found to be very useful is the Vertical Situation Display (VSD). Showing a vertical slice or profile view of weather along the loaded flight plan, it is easy to determine where icing, turbulence and CB tops lie along your route. These things can be determined without the display, but seeing a graphical display is immensely helpful when planning a route. Again, the Honeywell engineers seem to have really put some thought into how this product will be used.

Flight Plans Made Easy

And speaking of flight plans, WIS makes loading and editing flight plans a snap. Flight plans can be loaded from Honeywell’s GoDirect Services, pasted from the clipboard or entered directly. Once loaded, plans are easily edited. It is important to note that the program accepts routing in standard ICAO terms, so don’t forget to add “DCT” when proceeding directly between fixes. Plans are then rendered as an overlay on the map display.

The program even has an “own ship” centering feature which can access the GPS signal from the device on which it is installed. Tracking your own progress has never been easier.

A related airports list adds easily accessible weather information from selected airports to a side panel. The best part of this feature is that when refreshed, only data for selected airports will be uplinked, thereby saving data costs.

If you are interested in seeing the weather at any one particular airport, just clicking on the airport symbol on the map brings up a window in which the current METAR, ATIS, and TAF can be instantly displayed. This was probably my favorite feature saving me multiple steps in obtaining this information from several separate sources. It’s all conveniently aggregated into one place.

In Conclusion

We are living in a golden age of weather information which is available for pilots to plan and fly. But as with any data stream, the presentation and analysis of that information can be just as important as the data itself. A smart and intuitive interface is essential for proper flight planning and conduct, and Honeywell’s GoDirect Weather Information Service provides that in spades. Equally useful for both pros and recreational pilots, it’s an easy recommendation for me to make.

Gunship History 101: Between Spooky and Spectre There Were Shadow And Stinger

Bill Walton
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Gunship History 101: Between Spooky and Spectre There Were Shadow And Stinger

The 1960s Saw the Birth of the Gunship

Essentially all side-firing gunships utilize the same principle. An aircraft flying a fixed altitude banking turn around a point on the ground (read target) can deliver fairly accurate firepower to that target from side-mounted guns firing perpendicular to the line of flight. This concept was first proposed way back in 1926 and demonstrated the next year. However, the concept languished for many years but never completely disappeared. Several airmen later advanced the idea but it didn’t come to fruition until the early 1960s with the Project Gunship I program.

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AC-47D Spooky. Official US Air Force Photograph

Gunships Become De Rigueur

The Douglas AC-47D Spooky gunship, better known as Puff the Magic Dragon, proved its usefulness right from the beginning of its use in Vietnam during 1964. In late 1967 the development of the gunship continued with the Fairchild AC-119G Shadow and AC-119K Stinger– both developments of Fairchild’s C-119 Flying Boxcar tactical airlifter.

AC 119G of 17th SOS over Tan Son Nhut Air Base 1969
AC-119G Shadow. Official US Air Force Photograph

Filling a Critical Airlifter and Gunship Gap

The Project Gunship II Lockheed AC-130A Spectre was also in use at the time, but was in short supply due to the Air Force’s need for standard C-130 Hercules airlifters to process the war in Vietnam and meet worldwide airlift commitments. Therefore, the Wright R-3350-powered AC-119 was also selected for the gunship role. 26 of them were converted from Air Force Reserve C-119Gs to AC-119G standard, and heavily utilized in Southeast Asia beginning in 1968.

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Four 7.62 millimeter Miniguns on board AC-119G. Official US Air Force Photograph

A Better Puff with More Dragon Magic

Project Gunship III AC-119Gs took over the combat role of the majority of the AC-47D Puff gunships, which were turned over to the South Vietnamese as they were replaced. A more advanced aircraft than the AC-47D to begin with, the more heavily armed AC-119G Shadow mounted four side firing 7.62 millimeter six-barrel GAU-1/A miniguns as well as an AVQ-8 xenon light, night observation sighting equipment, and an automated LAU-74/A flare launcher. Shadows primarily provided support to troops in contact (TIC) and airborne base defense.

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AC-119K Stinger. Official US Air Force Photograph

The Smart Gunship

The AC-119G was also equipped with a General Precision fire control computer as well as a TRW fire control safety display to prevent friendly-fire accidents. Internal power for all the new equipment was supplied by a Garrett Industries 60 KVA auxiliary power unit (APU)- the same model used in the Boeing 727 commercial airliner. Ceramic armor was added and APR-25 and APR-26 electronic countermeasures (ECM) gear installed for enhanced crew survivability. The AC-119G carried 31,500 rounds of ammunition and 24 flares on a typical night interdiction mission.

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AC-119K Stinger. Official US Air Force Photograph

For More Shadow and Stinger Bang NEXT PAGE Below

Lockheed Wants to Put a Base Camp in Orbit Around Mars, Complete With Lander

Mike Killian
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Lockheed Wants to Put a Base Camp in Orbit Around Mars, Complete With Lander

Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Adelaide, Australia, officials with Lockheed Martin today revealed their plans for what they believe is a sound, safe and compelling mission architecture to help NASA get humans to Mars within a decade, using a concept centered around an orbiting outpost they call the Mars Base Camp.

“Sending humans to Mars has always been a part of science fiction, but today we have the capability to make it a reality,” said Lisa Callahan, vice president and general manager of Commercial Civil Space at Lockheed Martin.

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“Partnered with NASA, our vision leverages hardware currently in development and production. We’re proud to have Orion powered-on and completing testing in preparation for its Exploration Mission-1 flight and eventually its journey to Mars.”

Plans for building the outpost align with NASA’s skyscraper-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion spacecraft and the agency’s plans for a Deep Space Gateway orbiting the moon, which will serve as a critical staging point for missions to the lunar surface and deeper into space, such as to asteroids and Mars in the 2030s.

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Mars Base Camp and Lander. Credit: Lockheed Martin

The first launch of an SLS and Orion, Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1), which will be a shakedown flight to the moon and back of the integrated SLS/Orion system, won’t launch until 2019, with the first crewed Orion mission to lunar orbit occurring around 2-3 years later.

Lockheed is also the prime contractor for Orion.

Such a lunar outpost will offer a true deep space environment for astronauts to gain experience and have opportunity to build and test the systems needed for the very challenging missions that will follow, but will also offer the ability for crews to return to Earth if needed in days – rather than weeks or months on missions further into space (such as Mars).

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Credit: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed is actually already developing a prototype habitat for the gateway under a contract with NASA ((which you can read about on AvGeekery HERE), taking the old Donatello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), once used in the payload bay of the space shuttles to transfer cargo to the ISS, and refurbishing it to prototype their deep space habitat in the Space Station Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

And although some components of the Mars Base Camp’s architecture will be pre-positioned in Mars orbit ahead of time, the Mars Base Camp would ultimately be built up at the Deep Space Gateway, away from Earth’s gravity, before being deployed to the Red Planet.

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Lockheed’s lander for the Mars Base Camp, called the Mars Accent Descent Vehicle (MADV). Credit: Lockheed Martin

An Orion spacecraft would serve as the heart of the outpost, same as the Deep Space Gateway.

In addition to an orbiting base camp, Lockheed also envisions a reusable, single-stage lander for the outpost called a Mars Accent Descent Vehicle (MADV), using Orion avionics and systems as its command deck and powered by engines using liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen propellant, both of which will be generated from water.

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Above, watch a video animation of it all in action.

The lander would be capable of conducting surface mission as long as two weeks in length, with up to four astronauts, before returning to the orbiting outpost where it would be refueled and readied for another mission.

– Follow Mike Killian on Instagram and Facebook, @MikeKillianPhotography 

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