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Restoring Cobras And Hueys at the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation

Mike Killian
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Restoring Cobras And Hueys at the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation

Restoring Cobras and Hueys at the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation is serious business. Based in Hampton, Georgia, the AAHF are caretakers to these iconic helicopters that once served in multiple historic conflicts.

It has been 50 years now since direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam war ended. Over 58,000 American servicemen were killed and 304,000 wounded, out of 2.7 million who served in the war. But those casualty numbers would have been much higher if not for the Bell UH-1 Huey and AH-1 Cobra.

Living history

The AHHF is run by a small staff and over 800 volunteers. Most museums show and tell with static non-flying machines, but it’s quite another experience with real combat veteran aircraft that are still flying. The impact on the public is greater when they can actually hear, feel, see and experience living history in action, and even purchase flights, and that’s exactly what AAHF provides.

Come take an inside look at the army aviation heritage foundation hq near atlanta (mike killian video)

Watch the video above for an exclusive 1-on-1 tour with the AAHF at their HQ.

“The riders who stick out the most are the kids who simply love the flying, but on the more emotional side is the actual veterans and their families,” says Steve Wages, a volunteer and former Director of Operations for the AAHF. “We get a lot of Vietnam veterans, who were so poorly treated when they came home that they really just shut it away and didn’t talk about it, so seeing these aircraft they once served on – or which even saved their lives – brings them to tears,” says Wages.

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“It brings closure, and can be very cathartic for them. Some of them haven’t seen or flown on a Huey or Cobra since the war. They kind of relive some of those experiences, and kind of finally let go of them as well. It also provides closure and realization to their families, to see the
actual aircraft and even fly on them to get a small taste of what their loved ones did. Emotionally it’s overwhelming for them, and is worth all the hard work that we do.”

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The non-profit was founded in 1997 to acquire, restore, maintain and fly the historic birds, preserving and presenting the legacy of Army aviation and engaging the public face to face. AAHF accomplishes their mission through aerial demos and static displays at air shows, offering ride programs, facilitating educational tours and supporting various events and STEM outreach programs. They actually run 3 chapters across the country, with the other two being in Mesa, Arizona and St Louis, Missouri.

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They currently operate a fleet of five flying UH-1 Hueys and four or five flying AH-1 Cobras, with one of each based at both their other locations. They also have several more helicopters, which are used for static displays, movie props and spare parts to keep the flyable ones in the air.

Several volunteers are not only combat veterans of Vietnam, but Operation Desert Storm as well. Some are even veterans of both conflicts, and some even served with the same unit in both conflicts.

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Some were shot down, some multiple times even, while others saw crew casualties. Several volunteers even served with the same birds they work on at AAHF.

Honoring the Helo that Saved Lives

American forces sustained many injuries in Vietnam, but less fatalities, thanks directly to MEDEVAC Huey crews. Their unprecedented mobility meant that, on average, it took less than one hour from the moment someone was wounded to the
time they arrived for hospitalization.

And thanks to the Huey, less than 1% of all Americans who were wounded, who survived the first 24 hours, actually died. Hueys flew over 500,000 missions and airlifted over 900,000 patients, nearly half of which were American.

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And The Gunship That Shares Lineage With The Huey

But the Huey was too wide and slow when it came to attack capabilities. They flew as gunships, but were getting shot out of the sky left and right. Typically, other helicopters would scout ahead of Hueys just before air assaults to gather information about landing zones and enemy locations. But the Hueys were just too slow and couldn’t carry enough firepower.

So the Army came up with the Cobra. Bell even developed it based on their Huey in order to provide commonality with parts from Hueys the Army already operated, and to streamline supply and training. Thus was born the first purpose-built helicopter gunship to enter military service.

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We could write all day about the history of these helicopters, but most of you already know that stuff, so let’s focus on AAHF.

From military service to AAHF

Most of the Cobras owned by AAHF came from Fort Drum, where the Army rebuilt and refurbished hundreds to sell as part of the Army’s Cobra retirement operations. They were stripped of parts, fluids drained, paint blasted off, and had new wire harnesses installed, along with new flight controls, generators, battery compartments and overhauled engines.

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Some were gutted for parts and used as military training apparatus, but most were sold to military customers overseas.
Others were outfitted to fight forest fires and sold to the U.S. Forest Service and other forestry agencies, and more were custom-designed and sold to veterans’ organizations.

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But AAHF did not have to buy their Cobras from the Fort Drum program. Instead, they acquired 13 on loan from the Army’s Tank Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) Loan and Donations Program, which qualifies museums, veteran service organizations, parks and other entities to receive donations of disabled military machinery (the Cobras are no longer weaponized). They track annual reports on the AAHF Cobras, conduct periodic inspections and enforce the terms of the conditional loans. A 14th non-flyable static Cobra was also acquired via more standard channels.

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AAHF does however own all their Hueys, which were acquired via a Government Surplus Program, coming mostly from Louisiana and the Georgia National Guard.

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When the last Black Hawk flies, it will be slingloaded to the Boneyard by a Huey

The Army started replacing Hueys with Black Hawks a long time ago, but they still keep many flying for various odd jobs. The Marines still use them in a front-line role, but with more modern versions like the UH-1Y, as Bell continues rolling new Hueys off the assembly line.

About 85% of AAHF’s existence comes from selling rides. It’s not uncommon to sell 10,000 rides in a year either, most of
which fly on the Hueys, which can take 10 people up at a time for 10-12 minutes. The Cobras can only fly one rider at a time, and therefore are a lot more expensive.

The military also occasionally contracts AAHF to support flight training with the Navy Test Pilot School at Pax River, Maryland, where they provide both Hueys and Cobras with instructors to supplement the student training and test pilot course.

AAHF Operates A Full Time Year Round Inspection Program

Keeping the old birds operational is no easy feat, and very expensive and time-consuming. AAHF employs paid certified A&P / IA mechanics, along with volunteers working under their own licenses to keep the aircraft in shape. They operate a full time year-round maintenance program cycling all the helicopters through various inspections on a regular basis.

Under AAHF the helicopters are considered Experimental Exhibition Aircraft operating as Living History Flight Experiences by the FAA, so they are required to be under an approved maintenance program, and what the FAA gave them to use is exactly what the Army used. It is step by step, check by check, and they don’t cut any corners. They double check everything.

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Most of the work is all done in-house too, with the exception of big things like transmissions, engines, gear boxes and other life-limited hardware, which are sent to 145 repair stations to be worked on. At any given time you can visit their museum in Georgia and find several helicopters being worked on in different phases of inspections and work.

And They Maintain A Boneyard

They also have a boneyard at their HQ in Hampton, where they keep older and un-airworthy helicopters to use for parts.

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“A lot of times this is the beginning of a rebuild, particularly for static displays”, says Wages. “This is where we pull hard-to-find parts, like panels to resurface and reuse. Most of the boneyard birds had an active service life in various incendiary places. They’ve all had a busy life.”

All in all, the AAHF has enough spare Hueys and Cobras to keep a handful of both platforms flying for maybe 15 more years, simply because the parts won’t last forever and are not being made anymore. Things like engines and transmission are relatively easy to come by (expensive), but other things are not, such as actuators and systems designed just for the helicopters in their previous service lives.

The saying “there is nothing as strong as the heart of a volunteer” rings true at AAHF, as everyone shares the same passion for the helicopters and aviation, as well as a mutual respect and appreciation for veterans, keeping the history alive and educating the public. But AAHF is also an opportunity for volunteers who are veterans themselves to exchange stories, bond and come together for the same cause, as they once did in military service. It’s also a chance for them to share their experiences with the public, many of whom may not have ever known or even talked with combat veterans directly.

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AAHF Is Grateful For Volunteers

Several companies, corporations and various organizations help AAHF a great deal in various ways, without whom the
AAHF would not exist. AAHF is always open to new volunteers, and you do not have to be a veteran to be a AAHF member
either. They also accept donations to keep their operations going.

Look up air shows in your region to see when they will visit, or visit www.ArmyAV.org for more information. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram, where they provide regular updates on what they are up to.

The DC-10: This Wide Body Jetliner Never Shook Its Bad Reputation

Bill Walton
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The DC-10: This Wide Body Jetliner Never Shook Its Bad Reputation

DC-10s Actually Had Good Safety Records But Were Overtaken By Newer Designs

The DC-10 was the first commercial jetliner built by McDonnell Douglas after the merger between McDonnell Aircraft Corporation and Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. The McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 jetliner flew for the first time on 29 August 1970.

The first two airlines to order the new jumbo, American Airlines and United Airlines, ordered 25 and 30 of them respectively- United with an option for another 30 in 1968. The aircraft received its Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certificate on 29 July 1971 after undergoing 1,551 hours of testing over 929 flights. On 5 August 1971, the DC-10 began service with American Airlines on a round trip flight between Los Angeles and Chicago.

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DC-10-10 rollout ceremony. Image via McDonnell Douglas/Boeing in public domain

Maxing Out the PAX

The two launch customers configured their jetliners slightly differently. American DC-10s were set up with 206 seats; United cabins had 222 seats. Maximum passenger capacity of the DC-10 was as many as 380 passengers. Designed and built as a replacement for the company’s highly successful DC-8 series of four engine jetliners, the wide body of the DC-10 allowed increased capacity.

Equipped with three of the more powerful General Electric CF6 high-bypass turbofan engines, the jet incurred reduced maintenance costs as opposed to four engine jetliners.

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By Aero Icarus [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The 3-Holer Widebody Competition

The competition between the 10 series and the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar series made for interesting market positioning. Lockheed had exited the commercial airliner market but saw the L-1011 as the right design to get them back into the game.

The L-1011 was actually more technologically advanced than the DC-10 series but McDonnell Douglas sold 136 more DC-10s than Lockheed sold Tristars– primarily because the L-1011 was more expensive and its entry into service was delayed by nearly a year after the Douglas Jet entered service with American.

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By contri from Yonezawa-Shi Yamagata, Japan (United Airlines DC-10-30 (N1852U/47811/302)) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

All It Takes is One Catastrophe

The DC-10 was plagued by design flaws in the aircraft’s cargo doors. But the FAA withdrew the DC-10 type certificate on 6 June 1979 after the crash of American Airlines flight 191 in Chicago – the deadliest aviation accident in US history. As a result, 138 US-registered DC-10s were grounded and foreign-owned DC-10s were banned from US airspace – even for ferrying empty aircraft between airports.

Changes to the leading edge slat actuation and positioning systems, stall warning systems, and power supplies were then incorporated into the 10 fleet, lifting the ban, but not removing the reputation that the jetliner was dangerous.

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By clipperarctic (Western DC-10-10russavia) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

An Undeserved Rep

Predictably, sales of the DC-10 suffered. In 1983, McDonnell Douglas announced they planned to stop building the jets, though production continued until 1989. Reputations are often easily earned, but much tougher to change.

The crash of United Flight 232 in Iowa in 1989 didn’t help the case. The Sioux City crash also resulted in upgrades and revisions to the fleet, keeping the jetliner in the air for several more years. The 10’s overall safety record was actually comparable to the other jetliners of its generation.

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Eastern Airlines DC-10 via Wikipedia- image in public domain

For the rest of the story bang NEXT PAGE below.

Cargo Glider: The Waco CG-4A Hadrian

Bill Walton
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Cargo Glider: The Waco CG-4A Hadrian

The CG-4A Carried Much More Than Just Troops Into Battle

Waco’s CG-4A cargo glider, nicknamed the Hadrian by the Brits, carried approximately 50 percent of any Airborne Division’s paratroopers into battle during World War II. The 82nd Airborne Division, Eighty Deuce, the 101st Airborne Division, Screaming Eagles, and the 17th Airborne Division, Golden Talons, all utilized cargo gliders to deliver paratroopers and much of their equipment to the battlefield.

The cargo gliders were force multipliers, not quite doubling the payload of the transports towing them into action. Most CG-4As were towed behind Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports, but Curtiss C-46 Commando transports were employed as glider tugs in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) after March 1945, and Lockheed C-60 Lodestars were capable of towing lightly-loaded CG-4As into the blue.

USAAF C-60 towing CG-4A Glider
USAAF C-60 towing CG-4A Glider. Image via National Archives (NARA)

Carrying the Army’s Heavy Gear to War

Loading of the CG-4A was completed via an upward-hinged nose section (including the pilot’s and copilot’s seats and flight controls). And load the CG-4A they could with 13 troops and their equipment, or up to 6 litters of wounded men, or other loads including such diverse cargo as a 75 millimeter howitzer, a 37 millimeter anti-tank gun, a Jeep, a weather station, a field kitchen, radar or radio equipment, a mobile repair shop, a small bulldozer, and even a complete photographic laboratory.

CG-4A Gliders loading up
CG-4A Gliders loading up. Image via National Archives (NARA)

When Building a Glider, Make It Light and Cheap

The CG-4A was designed to be light and to be built quickly, inexpensively, and easily assembled at the airfields from which they would be towed into battle. The design featured straight strut-reinforced and shoulder-mounted high-lift wings totaling 900 square feet in surface area, a conventional empennage, and fixed twin main and single tail wheels. The fuselage structure consisted of steel tubing, and the wings contained wooden frames. The entire structure was fabric-covered.

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CG-4a IN FLIGHT. iMAGE VIA nATIONAL aRCHIVES (nara)

They Were Bigger Than You Think

The crew of two, consisting of a pilot and co-pilot, flew the Hadrian into battle at speeds around 100 miles per hour (depending on the tow aircraft- VNE was 150 miles per hour) and at weights up to 8,000 pounds. Measuring 48 feet 8 inches long with an 83 feet 8 inches wingspan, the CG-4A fit somewhere between the Lockheed C-60 Ventura and the Douglas C-47. The CG-4A could take as little as 600-800 feet to land safely (when lightly loaded), but often required up to 3,000 feet when loaded to capacity.

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cg-4a GLIDERS PREPARING FOR OPERATION MARKET GARDEN. IMAGE VIA NATIONALARCHIVES (nara)

Before You Can Fight You Have to Train

Construction of the first CG-4A began in 1941, with initial flights commencing in May of 1942. To produce glider pilots, the US Army Air Forces activated Sedalia Glider Base near Knob Noster in Missouri on 6 August 1942, renaming the base Sedalia Army Air Field (AAF) in November of the same year. There, the 12th Troop Carrier Command trained glider pilots and copilots along with the paratroopers who would ride into battle with them. Sedalia AAF also trained Curtiss C-46 Commando and Douglas C-47 Skytrain crews to tow the gliders. In 1955, Sedalia AAF became Whiteman Air Force Base (AFB).

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War Theater Number: 12 War Theater: Europe Place: Germany Category: Aircraft, Ground Sub Category: Consolidated Short Caption: Part Of The Success … Caption: Part Of The Success In Glider Snatch Pickups Is The Ground To Plane Teamwork. Here, A Douglas C-47 Of The 9Th Troop Carrier Command, Is Shown Flying Low Over A Glider It Will Snatch From The Ground. The Jeep In The Foreground, Equipped With Radio, Relay Photo Series: WWII Updated Subject: GERMANY,GLIDERS History: Original 4″ x 5″ negative (GPR 162-4) received October 1952 from USAF, Air Adjutant Gen., Records Branch. NARA Reference Number: 342-FH-3A20141-82465AC Record Group: 342 Series: FH

Building Gliders in Furniture and Refrigerator Factories

From 1942 until the end of the war in 1945 13,903 CG-4A gliders were built. The Ford Motor Company plant in Kingsford, Michigan, built 4,190 of them, making them the largest but certainly not the only CG-4A production facility. Fifteen other contractors ran 24-hour shifts to build the gliders, including Babcock Aircraft Company in DeLand, Florida, Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, Commonwealth Aircraft in Kansas City, Missouri, G&A Aircraft in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, General Aircraft Corporation in Astoria, New York, Gibson Refrigerator in Greenville, Michigan, Laister-Kauffman Corporation in St. Louis, Missouri, and Ward Furniture Company in Fort Smith, Arkansas to name a few.

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Troop carrier Douglas C-47s tow Waco CG-4A gliders during the invasion of France in June 1944. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Into Action in the ETO

CG-4As first saw action in July of 1943 during the Allied invasion of Sicily. Flown 450 miles across the Mediterranean from North Africa, they took part in night-time assaults such as Operation Ladbroke. The next major operation in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) that employed the CG-4A was Operation Overlord– the American airborne landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944.

The CG-4A was smaller than the British Airspeed Horsa cargo glider and was able to land in smaller spaces. The majority of the CG-4As that landed successfully were either abandoned in place or destroyed. Hadrians also saw combat during Operation Market Garden and every subsequent airborne assault in the ETO. They were even used to deliver supplies and munitions to partisans in Yugoslavia.

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To War Against the Rising Sun

CG-4As also saw combat in the Far East against the Japanese. Seeing action in New Guinea to land engineers in remote areas and for rescues first, the gliders were also used to covertly insert (and then supply) US and British “Chindit” raiders behind Japanese lines in Burma. The Brits utilized CG-4As throughout the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater. CG-4As were also operated by the US Navy, designated LRW-1. The Royal Canadian Air Force also flew the Hadrian.

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Interesting Endgame

Declared surplus after World War II concluded, most of the remaining intact CG-4As were sold off.  Many of them were bought for the wood used in the large shipping boxes used to transport unassembled gliders to their assembly points. Still others were converted into towed camping homes by sawing off the wings and horizontal and vertical tail surfaces. They were then towed (backwards- by their tails) to the great outdoors. A few CG-4As even ended their days as lake side vacation cabins and hunting cabins. The final operational use of the CG-4A took place when the US Air Force utilized ski-equipped CG-4As to support scientific research into floating ice floes in the Arctic during the early 1950s.

One is displayed at the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. Avgeekery made a short video on the glider, which you can view here.

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CRASHEDC cg-4a. IMAGE VIA NATIONAL ARCHIVES (nara)

Avgeekery Honors The CG-4A Glider and Its Pilots at the Memorial Miniature Golf and Museum at Buda, Texas

Avgeekery has sponsored a display at Memorial Mini Golf in Buda, Texas. The mini golf course features 18 unique holes that tell the story of World War II. Avgeekery sponsors the hole depicting D-Day, the Longest Day, which is the longest hole in known miniature golf courses. Our contribution is a model of a Waco CG-4A glider.

Much like the real glider and its ability to move troops and supplies quickly, the model offers a shortcut for golfers to reach the hole with fewer strokes. We see it as a worthy way to honor the many glider pilots and paratroopers who flew aboard the mighty gliders that extended American and Allied power projection to turn the tide of the war in Europe and Asia.

The MD-90 Mad Dog Flies Again!

Dave Hartland
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The MD-90 Mad Dog Flies Again!

The McDonnell Douglas MD-90 has been resurrected…sort of. 

A former Delta Air Lines MD-90 (reg. N930TB) took off from the Southern California Logistics Airport (VCV) in Victorville, Calif., last week. Its destination was just 43 miles away, where it arrived at Palmdale Regional Airport in Palmdale, Calif., 14 minutes later. 

However, avgeeks hoping to see the iconic “Mad Dog” in the skies again shouldn’t get their hopes up. 

N930TB is the first of two former Delta MD-90-30s – now owned by Boeing Capital Corporation – that will become part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator (SFD) program. 

What is the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator Program 

Example of Transonic Truss-Braced Wing
Artist depiction of a Transonic Truss-Braced Wing | IMAGE: NASA

According to NASA, the purpose of the SFD program is “to engage with industry, academia, and other government organizations to identify, select, and mature key airframe technologies – such as new wing designs – that have a high probability of transitioning to the next generation single-aisle seat class airliner.” 

The 153-feet long MD-90 airframes will be shortened to become full-scale demonstrator aircraft – dubbed by the U.S. Air Force as the X-66A – to test the capabilities of the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) design. The design is a collaboration between NASA and Boeing and is considered the most likely candidate for future airframe development. By repurposing these airframes, the X-66A will mark Boeing’s first commercial demonstrator aircraft since 1954, a milestone reminiscent of the origins of the iconic Boeing 707. 

The ultimate goal of the SFD program is to help make air travel more sustainable. With the TTBW design and other technological advances in propulsion systems, materials, and systems architecture, NASA aims to reduce emissions by up to 30 percent (compared to the 737 MAX). 

NASA says the agency expects the X-66A to begin conducting missions by 2028.

The successful implementation of the TTBW concept may lead to its adoption by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for single-aisle aircraft in the 2030s, aligning with the U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Breaking Down the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Concept 

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NASA Administrator Bill Nelson holds a model of an aircraft with a Transonic Truss-Braced Wing | IMAGE: NASA/Joel Kowsky

The TTBW design will strategically focus on transforming the performance of single-aisle airliners, a segment responsible for nearly half of the world’s aviation emissions.

The concept involves integrating an ultra-slender and lightweight composite wing atop the airframe, stabilized by two diagonal lift-generating struts. The struts will help significantly reduce drag and improve aerodynamic efficiency during transonic flight conditions. This innovative design allows for smoother airflow over the wings, reducing fuel consumption and emissions while enhancing the overall aircraft’s performance and range.

With a wingspan measuring 170 feet, the TTBW design will be shorter than the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 in terms of length. But it will exceed the wingspan of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, which spans 117 feet.

“The Transonic Truss-Braced Wing is the kind of transformative concept and investment we will need to meet those [achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050] challenges,” says Bob Pearce, NASA associate administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. “The technologies demonstrated in this project have a clear and viable path to informing the next generation of single-aisle aircraft, benefiting everyone that uses the air transportation system.” 

In its current form, the TTBW design will be able to withstand speeds of up to March 0.80, similar to today’s jetliners.  

From Mad Dog to X-Plane 

Delta Air Lines MD-90-30
Delta Air Lines MD-90-30 (reg. N908DA) landing at KLAS on 24 September 2006 | IMAGE: Marco Dotti/planespotters.net
Former Delta Air Lines MD-90-30
Boeing Capital Corporation MD-90-30 (reg N930TB) at Victorville | IMAGE: Sebastian Kissel/planespotters.net

Both future X-66A demonstrators will feature the fuselages of former Delta Air Lines MD-90s. 

The first to make the move to Palmdale was N930TB (tango bravo stands for truss-braced). She spent her entire life at Delta Air Lines as N908DA. 

The Long Beach-built Mad Dog began service with Delta in September 1995. After nearly 25 years of service, she sadly became a victim of the COVID pandemic. She was stored at Arkansas International Airport (BYH) in Blytheville, Ark., on 19 March 2020. Just under a year later, on 13 January 2021, she would move to Victorville. 

In March 2021, she was purchased by Boeing and received her new registration, N930TB. She would remain in Victorville until her short flight to Palmdale on 21 July 2023. 

The second MD-90 was originally delivered to China Northern Airlines in February 1999. She would remain with China Northern until October 2011. Shortly after, she became a Delta bird in November 2011 and began service with them in April 2012 with the registration N962DN. 

Suffering the same fate as N930TB, she was parked at BYH on 29 April 2020 as a result of the pandemic. She would remain at BYH until 18 December 2020, when she was transferred to VCV. 

Purchased by Boeing in 2021, she was re-registered as N931TB. We don’t yet know when she will make the jaunt to Palmdale. For now, she sits at VCV, awaiting her next assignment. 

Beond: A New Era of Luxury Air Travel Takes Flight in the Maldives

Dave Hartland
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Beond: A New Era of Luxury Air Travel Takes Flight in the Maldives

A new airline is set to redefine the world of luxury air travel when it takes to the skies for the first time this September. 

Known as Beond (pronounced like the word “beyond”), the new airline will focus on flights from Velana International Airport (MLE) in Malé, the capital city of the Republic of Maldives. Headquartered in Dubai, Beond aims to set new standards as the “world’s first all-premium class leisure-oriented airline.” Its primary objective is to connect the Maldives to key destinations in Europe, Asia, Australia, and–eventually–South Africa.

The company was founded in 2022 by three aviation industry veterans, including CSO Max Nilov (previous experience includes Boeing, Lufthansa, and Aeroflot), CEO and chairman Tero Taskila (Finnair, AeroMexico, Qatar Airways, and Gulf Air), and CCO Sascha Feuerherd (Lufthansa). 

The ambitious venture is a collaboration between Dubai-based investment firm Arabesque and the Maldivian hospital group SIMDI Group. 

Beond Plans to Surpass 50 Destinations Across 26 Countries by 2028

Proposed BeOnd route map
IMAGE: flybeond.com

According to Beond’s website, the carrier plans to begin operations in September with flights to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB), and Delhi, India (DEL). The carrier intends to surpass 50 destinations across 26 countries with a fleet of 30-35 aircraft within five years. 

What sets Beond apart from other carriers operating premium services from the Maldives, however, is their strategic use of narrow-body Airbus aircraft. Initially, the carrier will deploy three leased Airbus A319 aircraft, each equipped with 44 lie-flat seats in a 2-2 configuration. A standard A319 typically accommodates 156 seats in a 3-3 configuration. By the end of 2023, four more A319s will join their fleet, all leased from San Francisco-based lessor Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management (BBAM).

Beond plans to expand further by introducing Airbus A321LRs to the fleet in 2024. These longer-range variants will feature 68 lie-flat seats in a 2-2 configuration. Typically, an A321 would have around 220 seats. 

Once the A321LRs come online, the carrier can serve Europe, the Far East, and Australia. A route map on Beond’s website indicates the carrier has plans to fly as far west as Paris and Munich, as far north as Astana, Kazakhstan, and as far east as Tokyo, Seoul, and Perth. 

Ride in Luxury to Paradise

BeOnd Airbus A321
IMAGE: flybeond.com

As a premium airline, one would expect that Beond would have some pretty impressive amenities. And indeed, they do.

Travelers can check-in in the comfort of their homes – including baggage, which will be delivered to the aircraft via concierge. The carrier plans to offer limousine service to the airport, where passengers will wait in premium lounges inside private jet terminals (where possible). 

The lie-flat seats are the work of Italian boutique seat manufacturer Optimares. The all-leather seats will be in a 2-2 configuration, which means there will be no middle seat. 

BeOnd's aircraft will feature lie-flat seating in a 2-2 configuration.
BeOnd’s aircraft will feature lie-flat seating in a 2-2 configuration | IMAGE: flybeond.com

Once on board, travelers will experience a culinary adventure, indulging in Michelin-star cuisine. Passengers can stay connected with full Bluetooth connectivity, while every seat will feature iPad Pros, wireless headsets, USB ports, and power outlets. 

BeOnd's aircraft will feature lie-flat seating in a 2-2 configuration.
BeOnd’s aircraft will feature lie-flat seating in a 2-2 configuration | IMAGE: flybeond.com

The carrier also plans to offer exclusive packages at luxury Maldivian resorts. 

“We don’t just fly aircraft,” it says on its website. “We make traveling a way of life, creating magic memories that last a lifetime.” 

And what about the price tag? Officials from Beond say fares will be structured to compete with business class fares on other airlines. Despite facing tough competition from ultra-premium products offered by airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad, Beond will be the only airline offering an all-premium product to Malé. Beond leadership believes their product will pave the way for long-term success. 

Beond Will Become the Maldives’ Second Flag Carrier

BeOnd Airbus A321
IMAGE: flybeond.com

The Maldives is a stunning tropical archipelagic paradise located about 470 miles from the southwest coast of India in the Indian Ocean. Comprised of 26 atolls, the Maldives has become a playground for the ultra-wealthy in recent decades. 

Its biggest city and capital, Malé, is served by Velana International Airport (MLE). 

The current Maldivian flag carrier is Island Aviation Services, operating under the brand name Maldivian. However, Maldivian’s service is somewhat limited, relying on a fleet of aging aircraft, including 44-year-old De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, De Havilland Canada Dash-8s, one ATR 42 and two ATR 72s, and a single Airbus A320. The Dash-8s and ATR 42/72s service most domestic airports in the country, while the lone A320 operates on international routes to India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand. 

Recognizing the country’s need for a more globally connected carrier, Beond will become the second carrier granted flag carrier status.

An Indian Airlines A320 lands at Malé International Airport
An Indian Airlines Airbus A320 lands on Runway 18 at Malé International Airport | IMAGE: commons.wikimedia.org

With ambitious plans and a beautiful product, Beond has much at stake in terms of its success. However, the carrier is candid about its perspective on its heavenly home in paradise. As stated on its website, its mission is to “deliver you to heaven on earth.” 

And from all indications, this ride to paradise will be nothing short of extraordinary. 

Pilot Faces Jail After Landing Helicopter for Picnic in National Park

Mike Killian
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Pilot Faces Jail After Landing Helicopter for Picnic in National Park

A Colorado man is facing federal fines and jail time, after he landed a helicopter for a picnic (allegedly) in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Earlier this year, Peter Smith of Gunnison, Colorado was cited for flying a fixed wing aircraft below minimum safe altitude, against FAA regulations in the Curecanti National Recreation. A federal judge ordered him to pay a $530 fine for that.

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Pilot Faces Jail After Landing Helicopter for Picnic in National Park 63

This time, however, he allegedly decided to level up and take a helicopter and a lady for a lakeside picnic. Which sounds nice, except for the fact that unauthorized helicopter landings are illegal inside Grand Teton National Park.

Rangers took a boat to confront and cite Smith

According to the National Park Service, rangers were alerted to Smith’s illegal landing on June 24, when he landed on a remote beach in Moran Bay, on the west shore of Jackson Lake. The area is only accessible via boat or a 10-mile hike.

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Pilot Faces Jail After Landing Helicopter for Picnic in National Park 64

And it wasn’t as if he didn’t think nobody would notice. There was boats and jet skiers on the lake, so he claimed he thought he was outside of the park’s boundaries.

Whatever the case, if he assumed nobody would report him, then he obviously doesn’t ‘vibe’ with other outdoor enthusiasts in the area. They love their parks and won’t hesitate to turn in someone who is disturbing the experience ESPECIALLY helicopter pilots who think they can play wherever and whenever they want.

Whatever the case, the rangers responded by boat and issued Smith two federal citations. One for operating an aircraft in an undesignated location and another for not following FAA regulations.

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Pilot Faces Jail After Landing Helicopter for Picnic in National Park 65

More specifically, he has been charged with violating the following:

“Operating or using aircraft on lands or waters other than at locations designated pursuant to special regulations” and “Use of aircraft shall be in accordance with regulations of the FAA.”

Each violation is a Class B misdemeanor that could include up to a $5,000 fine and/or 6 months in jail ($10,000 & 1 year jail total if convicted of both). He is scheduled to go before a federal judge in Wyoming on August 15.

Smith claims bad weather forced him to land, NPS says no way

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Pilot Faces Jail After Landing Helicopter for Picnic in National Park 66

Smith denies the ranger’s claim that he was picnicking. In an interview with the Associated Press, Smith claimed the weather was getting bad and he was “trying to cross over the Tetons and we couldn’t, so we landed. We were not having a picnic. We were landing. If that’s the safe course of action, that’s what needs to happen.”

Smith declined to comment about where he and his passenger were coming from and going to. He also would not confirm if it was a hired or personal flight.

“It’s pretty clear that this guy is just throwing whatever he can up against the wall,” said Dave Sollitt, executive director of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, which has spent years fighting helicopter tourism in the Tetons.

But that, is another story by itself.

Lockheed Drops More Hints of New Aircraft On Social Media

Mike Killian
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Lockheed Drops More Hints of New Aircraft On Social Media

For at least the second time this year, Lockheed Martin is dropping hints of a new aircraft on social media. The image, released in a short video via the company’s Instagram page yesterday, celebrates the 80th anniversary of their legendary Skunk Works division.

Continue

7 Things to Know about the FAA’s Next-Gen Control Tower

Dave Hartland
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7 Things to Know about the FAA’s Next-Gen Control Tower

The air traffic control tower (ATCT) of the future is coming to an airport near you, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced last week. 

The FAA says it has selected a concept designed by New York City-based Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) for the new facilities. PAU vied against studios from around the world for the honor of designing the FAA’s “new, modular, energy-efficient air traffic control towers.”

The new towers will feature elements that align with the US aviation industry’s ongoing drive toward sustainability. 

1. The first phase will replace older control towers at 31 mostly smaller municipal airports

FAA unveils next-generation control tower
IMAGE: FAA/PAU

The 31 candidate airports for the new ATCT facilities are mainly smaller municipal and regional airports around the country. The FAA considers the existing towers at these airports to be well beyond their age of usefulness.

FAA unveils next-generation control tower
The locations of the first phase of next-generation control towers | IMAGE: FAA
AIRPORT CODEAIRPORT NAMECITY
AHNAthens-Ben Epps AirportAthens, GA
ALNSt. Louis Regional AirportEast Alton, IL 
BFMMobile International AirportMobile, AL
BLIBellingham International AirportBellingham, WA 
DETColeman A. Young International AirportDetroit, MI
EMTSan Gabriel Valley AirportEl Monte, CA
EYWKey West International AirportKey West, FL
FCMFlying Cloud AirportEden Prairie, MN
FLOFlorence Regional AirportFlorence, SC
FMYPage Field Fort Myers, FL 
FTWFort Worth Meacham International Airport Fort Worth, TX 
GLHGreenville Mid-Delta AirportGreenville, MS
HFDHartford-Brainard AirportHartford, CT 
HKSHawkins Field AirportJackson, MS
LAWLawton-Fort Sill Regional AirportLawton, OK
LEBLebanon Municipal AirportWest Lebanon, NH
LOUBowman Field Louisville, KY 
MCNMiddle Georgia Regional AirportMacon, GA
MODModesto City-County AirportModesto, CA
MVYMartha’s Vineyard AirportWest Tisbury, MA 
MWAVeterans Airport of Southern IllinoisMarion, IL
OGDOgden-Hinckley AirportOgden, UT 
PAHBarkley Regional AirportWest Paducah, KY
PIHPocatello Regional AirportPocatello, ID 
PNENortheast Philadelphia AirportPhiladelphia, PA 
PUBPueblo Memorial AirportPueblo, CO 
RDGReading Regional AirportReading, PA
RVSTulsa Riverside AirportTulsa, OK
SLESalem Municipal AirportSalem, OR
TOPPhilip Billard AirportTopeka, KS

2. The new design complements the FAA’s goal of net-zero aviation emissions by 2050

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says the new ATCT design is a win for smaller airports and communities nationwide. 

“These new air traffic control towers will mean that smaller airports can handle more flights, more sustainably, and more affordably,” said Buttigieg. “I look forward to seeing this design go from the drawing board to construction sites across the country, helping our nation’s airports support more travelers, grow their local economies, and prepare for the future of low-carbon aviation.” 

FAA unveils next-generation control tower
Artist rendering of new control tower at Key West International Airport (EYW) | IMAGE: PAU

3. Sustainability is a key focus

FAA next-generation control tower
IMAGE: PAU

As the United States and the world continue pushing for a greener future, the FAA says the selected tower design will incorporate features focusing on sustainability. 

The design encompasses crucial sustainable features, which consist of the following:

  • Building systems powered entirely by electricity
  • Materials and products that are free from chemicals that are known to be hazardous to health
  • An energy-efficient exterior wall design
  • Steel and metal products with high-recycled content
  • The use of renewable mass timber wherever possible
  • Geothermal heating and cooling systems, where possible

By incorporating these features, the 31 new ATCTs will contribute to the FAA’s objective of developing a sustainable aviation system with net-zero emissions in the United States by 2050.

FAA next-generation control tower
IMAGE: PAU

4. The design honors the legacy of architect I.M. Pei 

Architect IM Pei
IMAGE: FAA

Many American ATCTs are considered midcentury modern. This style of architecture, popular in the 1950s and 1960s, has left its mark at airports throughout the United States. 

During the Kennedy administration, an initiative was conceived to update and improve America’s federal buildings, including control towers, which led to the standard for American ATCTs. One of Kennedy’s main goals for the initiative was to ensure that the facilities projected “the dignity, enterprise, vigor, and stability of the American national government.”

The 1962 design, similar to the new concept, was the winning entry in a competition. The winning idea was the brainchild of the late Chinese-American architect Ieoh Ming (I.M.) Pei, who is renowned for designing an impressive list of iconic buildings worldwide, including the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, Dallas City Hall, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Hong Kong’s Bank of China Tower, and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston.

A first-generation control tower designed by architect IM Pei at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, Alaska
A first-generation control tower at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage, AK | IMAGE: FAA

5. IM Pei’s midcentury control tower design is still in use at many airports

ATC Tower at Chicago O'Hare
At 150 feet tall, Chicago O’Hare International Airport’s control tower is a prototype of IM Pei’s midcentury FAA control tower design | IMAGE: Photo by Miguel Ángel Sanz on Unsplash

The midcentury design showcased an uncomplicated and adaptable modular kit, allowing it to seamlessly integrate with any airport across America. The tower was comprised of three components: a subterranean base building for technicians, a stand-alone concrete tower with a flared top, and a pre-manufactured control cab with standard FAA equipment and non-reflective windows, ensuring its familiarity in all air traffic facilities throughout the nation.

Initially, over 70 towers of varying heights of between 60 and 150 feet were proposed. However, following Kennedy’s assassination, the new administration changed the course of the project, and less than 20 ATCTs were ultimately built. Some of the towers are still in use today at airports such as Sacramento International Airport (SMF), Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) in Madison, Wisc., Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) in Florida, and the 150-foot prototype at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Others have been remodeled, decommissioned, or demolished. 

6. The new design is a modern twist to the ATCTs we’re familiar with

FAA next-generation control tower
IMAGE: PAU

The FAA required a design to make the updated ATCT facilities “repeatable, modifiable, sustainable, economical, and rapidly constructible.” 

PAU’s design, which includes all of the requirements, will assimilate many of the original features of Pei’s midcentury work, ensuring that his legacy endures. The concept will incorporate a contemporary touch, with an emphasis on minimizing construction and operational expenses.

FAA next-gen control tower
IMAGE: FAA

Instead of the traditional box-shaped structure, the new facilities will feature a central cylindrical column. To provide flexibility, a metal frame will encircle the freestanding structure, allowing for the addition of adaptable metal boxes for storage and janitorial services. At the top of the cylindrical structure will be an eight-sided control room resembling the ones we see today. The control room will focus heavily on employee wellness by incorporating natural lighting and ventilation, and other comfort systems.

The updated towers will be adaptable to heights between 60 and 119 feet, depending on the needs of the airspace and the surrounding environment.

FAA next-generation control tower
IMAGE: PAU

7. Construction could begin next year 

FAA Next-Gen Control Tower
IMAGE: PAU

The FAA says it hopes to break ground on some of the new towers in 2024. Although only 31 airports are candidates in this phase, FAA officials say they plan to construct more than 100 ACTCs in the coming years. 

Throughout the United States and its territories, the FAA operates more than 200 regional and municipal towers. 

The FAA has allocated more than $500 million to support “site evaluation, preparation, and early construction activities,” thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. 

The video announcing the FAA Tower Design Initiative

Nationwide, Worldwide: TWA in the 1960s

David H. Stringer
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Nationwide, Worldwide: TWA in the 1960s

Trans World Airlines (TWA) entered the 1960s as one of America’s Big Four domestic airlines in terms of revenue passengers carried and revenue passenger miles flown (the other three were American, Eastern, and United).

With a respected name and a proud reputation, TWA in the 1960s boasted a network that stretched from coast to coast and an international system that crossed the Atlantic, serving major cities in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, India, and Southeast Asia. Like its competitors, it operated several flights with brand new four-engine jets, while most services were still covered by propeller-driven types.

Everything seemed bright and promising for TWA on the surface.

TWA in the 1960s had a fleet of Boeing 707 aircraft
Boeing 707-131B N751TW was photographed at Los Angeles (LAX). Jon Proctor Collection

CORPORATE TROUBLES FOR TWA

Behind the scenes, not everything was so rosy. The enigmatic Howard Hughes owned most of TWA’s stock. Although he was not the president of the company, not on the board of directors, nor in the company’s employ in any position, he dictated policy from his unseen perch as the ‘owner’ of the company. The area in which he exerted the most influence was aircraft selection and purchase.

Hughes Tool Company (Toolco), the firm through which most of his financial transactions were funneled, would purchase aircraft, then lease them to TWA. When Toolco encountered financial difficulties, the aircraft manufacturers did not get paid, and the jets that TWA had on order – far too few to match its competitors – were delayed in their delivery. TWA officials found it more and more challenging to get in touch with Hughes as he interacted alone with the manufacturers who were building the airline’s jetliners.  

With Toolco in debt, TWA’s aircraft orders languished in limbo. Even the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) was concerned that Howard Hughes was not managing affairs in the best interest of Trans World Airlines. The company desperately needed the 30 Convair 880 jetliners that Toolco had ordered, supposedly meant for TWA.

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Convair 880 N826TW climbs away from LAX in this Terry Waddington photo.

TRAGEDY STRIKES THE AIRLINE

TWA soldiered on, adding a handful of Boeing 707s to its fleet of several dozen Constellations and aging Martin 404s. Then, the company suffered an accident that was all too reminiscent of a similar event four and a half years prior.

On 16 December 1960, a TWA L-1049A Super Constellation (N6907C) collided in-flight with a United Air Lines Douglas DC-8 jetliner as both aircraft were preparing to land at different New York City airports. A total of 140 people lost their lives in the disaster as the remnants of the Constellation fell onto Miller Field on Staten Island while the DC-8 deposited its remains in Brooklyn. It was the worst commercial air disaster at the time. A similar event in 1956, involving a TWA L-1049 and a United DC-7 above the Grand Canyon, had claimed 128 lives and had been the worst commercial air disaster up to that point.

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When Charles Tillinghast took over as TWA’s Chief Executive in 1961, he ordered 30 additional Boeing 707s – 131s for domestic use and 331s for intercontinental service – to beef up the company’s fleet of jetliners.
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Four Boeing 720B Fan Jets were leased from the manufacturer as a stopgap measure while TWA awaited delivery of 30 additional 707s. Jon Proctor Collection

A NEW DAY AT TWA

With Hughes still uncooperative, the company’s financiers and the CAB forced his stock holdings into a voting trust. Howard Hughes had lost control of Trans World Airlines.

Delivery of the Convair 880s finally began. They entered service with TWA on 12 January 1961.

Charles C. Tillinghast, Jr., was recruited from Bendix Corporation and was installed as TWA’s chief executive on 17 April 1961.

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TWA’s worldwide route map as of April 30, 1961. David H. Stringer Collection

Four Boeing 720B Fan Jets were leased from the manufacturer to add to TWA’s fleet. Tillinghast negotiated with Boeing to purchase 30 more 707s: 20 707-131Bs for domestic use and 10 707-331B Intercontinental models for international service.

A new slogan graced the company’s advertising: “Nationwide, Worldwide, depend on TWA.”

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TWA in the 1960s would see the adoption of a new slogan: Nationwide, Worldwide, depend on TWA

TWA JETS FOR THE SHORT HAUL  

When Howard Hughes still held the purse strings, TWA had seriously considered ordering the French-built Sud Aviation Caravelle to handle medium-range flights on its domestic system. Twenty of the type had been ordered by TWA’s competitor, United Air Lines. The improbability of finding financing at the time put an end to the possibility of a Caravelle purchase for TWA.

The decision was made to purchase Boeing’s 727 to satisfy the requirements of medium and short-haul routes. The first of TWA’s 727-31s entered service on 1 June 1964. The -31 models would be joined by stretched Boeing 727-231s in 1968.

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TWA Boeing 727 N855TW. Mel Lawrence Photo

To round out the need for short-haul types, the company also ordered twenty Douglas DC-9s, the first of which entered service with TWA on 17 March 1966. These were -14 and -15 models, which continued to work for the airline throughout the next decade.

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This Douglas DC-9-14 served as a demonstrator model which toured the USA in TWA livery but with Douglas DC-9 titles on the fuselage. Douglas Aircraft photo via the Jon Proctor Collection

TWA’s fleet was now sufficiently modernized for the airline to be at its competitive best, and the company was making money. Truly marking the end of an era, TWA operated its last scheduled Lockheed Constellation flight on 6 April 1967. The airline now boasted an all-jet fleet.

A LEGEND LEAVES: FAREWELL TO HOWARD HUGHES

In 1964, the CAB ruled that Howard Hughes could regain his control of TWA, but first, he had to divest himself of his investment in Northeast Airlines, which he did. This was followed by court challenges to the CAB’s ruling that kept Hughes from participating in the company’s operation. He finally sold all of his TWA stock in May 1966, ending his relationship with the airline that he had nurtured since 1939.

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Nationwide, Worldwide: TWA in the 1960s 89

Another new slogan was adopted: “Welcome to the world of Trans World Airlines.”

TWA GOES AROUND THE WORLD

TWA inaugurated its ‘Round the World’ service on 1 August 1969. The CAB had awarded the company authority to serve Hawaii from Los Angeles, continuing to Guam, Okinawa, Taipei, and Hong Kong, which was the terminal point of TWA’s routes stretching around the globe from the opposite direction.

In 1969, TWA surpassed Pan Am in the number of passengers carried across the North Atlantic for the first time. TWA was truly back on top after several bleak years during the early part of the decade.

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Boeing 747s opened the door to a brand new era of air travel. Ira Ward photographed N93117 at Boston – Logan (BOS).

One more notable event would take place before the end of 1969. On 31 December, TWA took delivery of its first Boeing 747 “jumbo jet.” The era of the wide-body airliner was about to begin, and Trans World Airlines was ready for the new decade.

Air Force One Gets a New Paint Design

Mike Killian
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Air Force One Gets a New Paint Design

President Biden has selected a new paint design for the 747s that will fly as the “Next Air Force One,” VC-25B, which are currently being worked on by Boeing for delivery in 2027 and 2028.

The iconic 747 has flown for 6 U.S. Presidents, only designated as Air Force One once the President is onboard. The new livery however really doesn’t look much different from the current one for VC-25A. But there will by three primary differences.

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President Joe Biden selected the livery design for the “Next Air Force One,” VC-25B, a design that will closely resemble the livery of the current Air Force One, VC-25A, while also modernizing for the 21st century (usaf image)

“The light blue on VC-25B is a slightly deeper, more modern tone than VC-25A’s robin’s egg blue,” says the Air Force. “Additionally, the VC-25B engines will use the darker blue from the cockpit area vice the VC-25A’s robin’s egg blue. Finally, there is no polished metal section on the VC-25B because modern commercial aircraft skin alloys don’t allow for it.”

A previous design selected under former President Trump’s administration in 2019 was later axed, after a thermal study found “the design would require additional Federal Aviation Administration qualification testing for several commercial components due to the added heat in certain environments,” says the Air Force.

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the livery design for the “Next Air Force One,” VC-25B, will closely resemble the livery of the current Air Force One, VC-25A, while also modernizing for the 21st century. (Courtesy rendering)

Few details about upgrades for new 747s

Boeing recently delivered the last 747 they will ever produce. The two being modified for the VC-25B, the next “Air Force One” are already built airframes from a previous international sale that fell through.

According to the Air Force, the current VC-25A planes face capability gaps, rising maintenance costs, and parts obsolescence. The new VC-25B fleet will “feature electrical power upgrades, a mission communication system, a medical facility, an executive interior, a self-defense system, and autonomous ground operations capabilities.”

Reno Air Races to End After Nearly 60 Years

Mike Killian
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Reno Air Races to End After Nearly 60 Years

In a sad but not surprising announcement today, the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) has confirmed that this will be the final year for the National Championship Air Races at the Reno-Stead Airport.

The annual air races have been held in northern Nevada for almost 60 years.

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Pilot’s scott farnsworth and jerry “jive”kerby race eachother at 500 mph (photo: mike killian)

RARA says the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority decided to end the races for a number of reasons, including the region’s “significant growth”.

In a press release today, race organizers gave thanks to the region, communities and supporters who made Reno and air racing synonymous. And they are inviting aviation fans far and wide to one last Reno Air Races this fall, from Sep 13 to Sep 17.

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RARA photo

Race organizers say they are confident that the races can continue elsewhere, and are currently exploring several options to host future races.

One last race in Reno

“While we discuss the future of the Air Races, we are grateful for our time at the Reno-Stead Airport and our partnership with the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority. Our event has generated hundreds of millions of dollars for the local economy, while instilling a love for flying in the community and becoming a valued partner to many charities and non-profits.”

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Rara photo

“The 2023 event is set to return with more than 150 planes and pilots,” added RARA, “as well as several ‘hands-on’ displays and experiences including the GRADD-NVBAA STEM Education Discovery Zone, heritage displays, military demonstrations and static displays and more. The event will also mark the third year of competition for the STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) Drag.”

It’s amazing the races even lasted this long. As they were always tarnished by accidents and fatalities, some of which even killed spectators. Even last year, a pilot was sadly killed. You can read the sobering list of fatalities put together by the Reno Gazette here.

The Supermarine Spitfire: Engineers kept improving Britain’s best fighter

Bill Walton
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The Supermarine Spitfire: Engineers kept improving Britain’s best fighter

Nothing Says Battle of Britain like the Supermarine Spitfire

Highlights of our Supermarine Spitfire story:

On March 5th 1936 at Eastleigh Aerodrome near Southampton, England, the prototype Supermarine Spitfire took to the skies for the first time. One of the most recognizable aircraft ever built and a favorite of warbird fans all over the world, the Supermarine Spitfire was one of the most important aircraft of World War II.

The more than 20,000 Supermarine Spitfires produced were used by 33 countries- some of them until the late 1950s. Because of its performance, versatility, and reliability the Spitfire was the only British fighter aircraft to be produced continuously before, during, and after the Second World War.

The Supermarine Spitfire
Image via Royal Air Force

Those Wonderful Wings and Other Things

Supermarine designer R.J. Mitchell and his team applied their knowledge and experience with the Schneider Trophy-winning S5 and S6 seaplanes to create a design built around the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and utilizing an elliptical wing shape.

The elliptical wing was a compromise between a thin, low drag wing and the requirement for being able to house weapons, fuel, and landing gear. It also became one of the most iconic wing planforms ever.

spit2

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

The prototype, K5054, first flew only four months after the prototype Hawker Hurricane first flew. During subsequent test flights it was discovered that a few changes were necessary, which were incorporated into the first production version- the Spitfire Mark 1.

Although the Royal Air Force (RAF) had ordered more than 300 Mark 1 Spitfires on June 3rd 1936, it wasn’t until mid-1938 that the first of them (K9787) were delivered.

Overcoming a Slow Start

Production issues caused the delay and similar issues with contractors, production facility availability, and labor would affect production thereafter. Although it took some time to resolve the production problems, the rate of production eventually rose to 320 Spitfires per month. By the time production ended at the primary factory in June of 1945, they had built a total of 12,129 Spitfires (all Marks).

spit3

Distribution of Manufacturing

During the Battle of Britain (July 1940 to October 1940), The German Luftwaffe attempted to destroy the main Spitfire manufacturing plants. They eventually succeeded, but by that time the tooling and jigs had been dispersed and building Spitfires became sort of a cottage industry.

Components were manufactured in small shops and factories and then trucked to airfields for final assembly and flight testing before the RAF took delivery.

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Convertible Wings

The Supermarine Spitfire’s calling card, those memorable elliptical wings, had detachable wing tips. It was not a complete wing redesign or factory modification to create the high-altitude fighter or clipped-wing versions of the Spitfire.

It was detaching the standard wingtips and replacing them with longer-span tips that gave the wings a more pointed appearance and added lift for improved high-altitude handling. Need a clipped wing Spitfire? Then just remove the standard wingtips and bolt on a fairing.

spit4

Elliptical Shapes

The wings of the Spitfire were not the only elliptic airfoils employed on the aircraft. The horizontal and vertical stabilizers were elliptic in shape as well. The size of both stabilizers increased as horsepower bolted to the firewall increased, but the distinctive elliptical shape remained throughout.

Supermarine Spitfire Into Service

The operational history of the Spitfire with the RAF started on August 4th 1938 when the first Mark I aircraft (K9789) entered service with 19 Squadron at RAF Duxford. Made famous during the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire never outnumbered the Hawker Hurricane during that most critical time in the war for the Brits. Hurricanes were primarily tasked with attacking the Luftwaffe bombers.

Spitfires achieved a higher kill ratio than the Hurricanes. Thanks to the Spitfire’s superior performance they went up against the German fighters more often than the bombers.

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A Murder of Aces

The roll call of RAF and Commonwealth aces who flew Supermarine Spitfires is full of well-known pilots. James E. “Johnnie” Johnson flew nothing but Spitfires throughout the war and achieved 34 aerial victories, making him the top Spitfire ace.

Robert “Bob” Stanford Tuck shot down a total of 27 aircraft flew both Spitfires and Hurricanes, as did Douglas Bader, who scored 20 victories. Brendan “Paddy” Finucane scored all of his 28 kills in the Spitfire before he was lost in July of 1942.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXs of No. 241 Squadron RAF return to their base at Madna south east of Campomarino Italy after a weather reconnaissance sortie over the Anzio beach

Empire Aces

Commonwealth ace pilots who flew the Spitfire included George Beurling from Canada, who scored 31 and 1/3 victories. New Zealanders Colin Falkland Gray scored 27 kills and Alan Deere was victorious 17 times. Australian Hugo “Sinker” Armstrong tallied 12 kills before he was shot down on February 5th 1943.

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Much More Than a Single Battle

Seeing combat in the Battle of Britain was only part of the Spitfire’s legacy. In the Mediterranean and in the North African deserts, Spitfires tangled with German and Italian foes. Credited with capturing the first photographs of the German Freya and Wurzburg guidance radar installations, and the German V weapons testing site at Peenemunde in Germany, PR Spitfires flew countless photographic reconnaissance missions deep into occupied Europe and Germany.

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Red Star Spits

The Spitfire served on the Eastern Front and in the Far East as well. On the Eastern Front, the Soviet Air Force took delivery of nearly 1,000 Spitfires (all Marks). Used by the Soviets primarily in the interceptor role, their Spitfires performed in some of the most difficult weather conditions encountered anywhere during the war.

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At War in the Pacific

The Supermarine Spitfire found itself at a disadvantage going up against the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero in the Far East. Like so many other pilots tasked with tangling with the nimble little Japanese fighters, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), and RAF Spitfire pilots took their lumps but quickly adopted the familiar “slash and run” tactic used by American fighters. In essence, the tactic called for diving attacks that took advantage of superior speed and diving capability.

Make one run on the enemy from above and exit quickly, then repeat as necessary. The Zero was a fine fighter, but it could not dive with the Spitfire, or with the American Grumman F4F Wildcat, F6F Hellcat, or Vought F4U Corsair either.spit6

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