There Are Still More Questions Than Answers After This Unusual Accident
A man is dead following an incident yesterday (July 29, 2022) where he fell from a twin-engine CASA CN-212 Aviocar as it approached Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina.
The aircraft was making an emergency landing after losing its right wheel. Two souls were onboard, but while approaching RDU the co-pilot fell from the aircraft, which at the time was about 15 miles to the southwest of the airport over the town of Fuquay-Varina.
The local police department identified the man as 23 year old Charles Hew Crooks (next of kin were notified first). His body was located in someone’s backyard after a resident flagged down first responders already searching the area, reporting that they heard an unusual noise and saw broken tree branches.
In a press conference last night, authorities said Crooks fell from around 3,500 feet and landed 30-40 feet away from a house. He was not wearing a parachute.
a twin-engine CASA CN-212 Aviocar at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on july 29, 2022 after making an emergency landing. photo credit: @Simon_Palmore via Twitter (used with permission)
The pilot, who has not been identified, landed the plane at RDU before skidding onto some grass and partially spinning to a stop, suffering only minor injuries.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA are leading the investigation, and expected to question the pilot today since he was released from a local hospital last night. It is unclear if Crooks jumped from the plane, fell out by accident (perhaps trying to visually confirm the tire working or not), or was the victim of a criminal act.
The U.S. Air Force is standing-down and inspecting their F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters over concerns about a defect in the jet’s explosive ejection seat cartridges, following a discovery of the problem by the manufacturer, Martin-Baker.
Air Combat Command (ACC) spokeswoman Alexi Worley confirmed the stand-down in response to inquiries by Breaking Defense, who first broke the story.
A F-35A Martin-Baker ejection seat (photo credit: USAF)
According to Worley via Breaking Defense, ACC began a Time Compliance Technical Directive on July 19 to inspect all of the cartridges on the ejection seats within 90 days, and started the stand-down of the F-35A fleet today to expedite the inspection process.
U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II (photo credit: Mike Killian / AvGeekery.com)
Air Force Air Education and Training Command has also grounded some 300 jet trainers for the same concerns and inspections, which include T-38Cs and T-6 Texan IIs (ACC T-38s use A and B models with different ejection seats, so they are unaffected).
Specific aircraft will return to service as maintainers confirm their ejection seats are fully functional, or replace any defective cartridge actuated devices that they find. The devices are used to launch a pilot out of the aircraft in case of an emergency.
T-38C TRainer (photo credit: USAF)
The U.S. Navy has been doing the same with an undisclosed number of their jets as well, grounding F/A-18 Hornets, Super Hornets, E/A-18G Growlers, and T-45 Goshawk, and F-5 Tiger II trainers.
According to a press release by Naval Air Systems Command, the problem “only affects aircraft equipped with [cartridge actuated devices] within a limited range of lot numbers.”
U.S. Navy E/A-18G Growler from electronic attack squadron vaq-130 (photo credit: Mike Killian / AVGeekery.com)
The Navy will not elaborate on numbers of aircraft standing-down, due to operational security reasons.
The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) supplies the part in question to the Army, Navy, USMC and USAF, and are using “validated radiography procedures” to scan their inventory for properly manufactured parts to send to fleet maintenance centers.
“My Fighter Career” is a limited series of articles by Byron Hukee. He’s a humble, bad ass, retired USAF pilot who flew everything from the F-100 to the F-16. You can read his previous posts here:
After getting my wife and small son settled in Minnesota in a small town not too far from my parents, I was off to Southeast Asia (SEA) for my Skyraider combat tour. I would be assigned to the last remaining A-1 squadron at Nakhon Phanom (NKP) Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. The squadron was the 1st Special Operations Squadron (SOS) and coincidentally it was also the first USAF A-1 squadron. In 1964 it was the 1st Air Commando Squadron and its initial role was to provide training to the fledgling Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF). The first USAF Skyraiders had VNAF markings since thy were ostensibly providing training for young VNAF pilots. It wasn’t long before the markings were changed to the red, white, and blue of the USA.
Departure Date Looms
Petting Zoo at USAF Jungle Survival School
My port call was on 13 October 1971 and I departed from Travis AFB on a World Airways contract charter Boeing 707. Traveling with me in addition to the several other GIs headed for the war were three other Skyraider pilots I had trained with, one of whom was also in my pilot training class at Webb AFB and in my F-100 training class at Luke, Captain Ross “Buck” Buchanan. Buck was a “retread” nav who had already spent time in SEA on both the C-130 and the KC-135. The others I knew were two OV-10 pilots who also had trained at Hurlburt. Both were also in my F-100 class at Luke. After a refueling stop at Hickam AFB in Hawaii, we continued on to land at our first destination of Clark AB in the Philippines.
My overnight accommodations in the Philippine jungle
Our task there was to complete the USAF Jungle Survival Training course in the jungles in the vicinity of Clark AB. After a couple of days of classroom training and a visit to the “petting zoo” where we were introduced to all the caged creatures in the jungle that wanted to eat you, we were taken outdoors to learn how to survive in the jungle. Our graduation exercise was to play hide and seek with the local Negrito villagers. We were all given a chit that we had to surrender to the hunters when were found. Their reward for every chit they collected was the equivalent of about two days of food that they normally had to harvest or catch, so they were motivated to say the least.
The 4-channel URC-64 was the survival radio carried by all aircrew in SEA
Survival training was difficult to say the least
For most of us, it was indeed when we were found, not if we were found. We were given about 10 minutes to disperse and find a place to hide before an air horn sounded meaning the hunt was on. Based on my training at Hurlburt and getting “indoctrinated” about what to do if we were forced to extract from our Skyraider, I knew the stakes were high once we “arrived” in the jungle via a “nylon letdown.”
Large snake at petting zoo
I put away my innate fear of snakes and decided I would not be found. a mass of vines and jungle vegetation just beside one of the trails looked like it would work to keep me hidden. I cleared my tracks from the trail and moved cautiously to the side of the entangled vines and spotted a small opening that I crawled into. There, I was able to conceal my entry point with vegetation and moved further into the thicket. Then I tried to relax and listen. When other students were found, a whistle would be sounded. I heard several nearby and some further in the distance. I could hear barefooted footsteps not so far away, but they went right on by. After the prearranged period of time, the airhorn sounded again and I eased my way out of my hide and walked back to our muster point and handed my chit to one of the instructors. I believe I was one of three others out of about 50 students who were not found!
1Lt Hukee at end of Jungle Survival school San Miguel and diploma in hand
The Long, Slow (And Somewhat Fun) Ride To Combat
The next day we were loaded on a C-130 and headed to Bangkok. I checked in with our new squadron and were told to “chill” in Bangkok and to enjoy ourselves. We checked into the Siam Intercontinental Hotel and did indeed enjoy our selves! We all were anxious to get to NKP and renew acquaintances with some other pilots who had already arrived at NKP. While at Luke AFB during F-100 training, I met two other pilots who also were switched to Skyraiders when their F-100 assignments to Vietnam were also changed to A-1s. Capt Ramsay Vincent and Maj Esequiel Encinas were a class ahead of me at Luke and had arrived in Vietnam in mid September. It would be great to meet up with them again.
The U.S. Air Force has deployed an Alaska-based squadron of the most lethal fighter jets in the world to Poland, in an obvious signal to Russia following threats of tougher actions if the western world continues arming Ukraine.
f-22 raptors taxi on the flight line for a training mission (photo: mike killian / avgeekery.com)
F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s 90th Fighter Squadron, 3rd Wing, have been sent to the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask, Poland to support NATO Air Shielding missions across Eastern Europe, according to a press release issued on July 27.
map of nato aircraft supporting europe’s eastern flank against russia (credit: nato hq)
“The NATO Air Shielding mission integrates Allied Air and Surface Based Air and Missile Defence units into the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence system under NATO Command and Control,” says the USAF. “It will provide a near seamless shield, ensuring NATO Allies are better able to safeguard and protect Alliance territory, populations and forces from air and missile threat.“
The Raptors will now operate as the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, joining other U.S. military aircraft and allied nations in patrolling the region’s skies 24/7 to deter and protect NATO against any Russian aggression.
a usaf f-22 raptor popping flares as counter-measures against enemy fire (photo: mike killian / avgeekery.com)
F-22s not only employ stealth design and technology, but can also execute both air-to-air and air-to-ground attacks. Simply put, they can wipe an adversary out of existence without even being noticed, and their vector-thrust engines means they can maneuver and fly in ways that most other aircraft cannot (especially with the best trained pilots in the world at the controls).
“The Raptor is a critical component of the global strike Task Force, and designed to project air dominance, rapidly and at great distances to defeat threats,” says the USAF. “It cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft.This is a clear expression of NATO’s commitment to readiness which promotes regional security and stability.”
Southwest Airlines reported record quarterly net income today. Second-quarter earnings exceeded analyst consensus. However, second-half guidance was a disappointment to investors due to rising cost expectations, sending shares down 8%.
Southwest Q2 2022 Earnings at a Glance
BREAKING: Southwest Airlines Shares Down 8% in Spite of Record Quarterly Income 17
Record quarterly net income (excluding special items) of $825 million
Record quarterly operating revenue of $6.7 billion
Q2 2022 adjusted earnings of $1.30 per share
Capacity for Q3 is expected to be in a similar range as pre-pandemic levels reported in Q3 2019
Forecast for Q3 revenue is up 8% to 12%
Non-fuel costs are expected to increase by 12% to 15% amidst unstable fuel costs
CEO Bob Jordan said the record results are a significant milestone for Southwest in the airline’s pandemic recovery. Southwest has historically been very stable and has been resilient throughout the pandemic. But, like other airlines, it faces headwinds because of the macroeconomic environment which led to today’s downward tick.
For more than a year, air travel was drastically down and although the summer travel season was robust, the possibility of an economic recession and higher costs are expected to take a toll on profitability heading into the third quarter. The main factors affecting profitability include:
Higher Fuel Costs—Even though they’ve moderated somewhat recently, higher jet fuel prices have plagued the entire industry. But to counter this, Southwest has a massive fuel hedge that provides protection against unstable prices.
Aircraft Delivery Delays—Sixty-six deliveries are expected in 2022 versus the 114 that were previously expected. The delays are due to Boeing’s supply chain shortages. During today’s earnings conference call, Jordan said the aircraft will be delivered in 2023 and despite the delays, he’s confident that Southwest will keep flight schedules on plan.
Hiring—The airline plans to continue to hire pilots and will hire about 2,200 pilots next year, according to Jordan. In other departments, staffing levels were intentionally ramped up ahead of demand but hiring will moderate in those departments for the foreseeable future to tamp down costs and return to historical efficiency.
image via tomas del coro
Southwest Recovery Plans Continue
Southwest’s recovery strategy includes more investment into the Southwest Customer Experience. A new program, ‘flight credits don’t expire,’ has been launched. Customers are looking for more flexibility and the program is expected to increase customer loyalty, according to Southwest Chief Marketing Officer Ryan Green. The program is expected to have a one-time negative financial impact on earnings in Q3.
Southwest has also been expanding routes. In 2021, a major expansion in Hawaii with three new gateways and 15 new routes has proven to be a successful strategy. More route expansions are planned as a way to boost revenue.
At the end of the day, most industry watchers say long-term shareholders shouldn’t panic even though the short-term horizon could get somewhat choppy, depending on macro conditions.
If you like flying with the two companies who ranked last in The Wall Street Journal’s annual ranking of U.S. airlines last year, then you’ll be happy to know they are now merging together. JetBlue is buying Spirit in a $3.8 billion deal announced today, just hours after Spirit shareholders voted against merging with Frontier airlines for a billion dollars less.
photo: jetblue
“We are excited to deliver this compelling combination that turbocharges our strategic growth, enabling JetBlue to bring our unique blend of low fares and exceptional service to more customers, on more routes,” said Robin Hayes, JetBlue’s chief executive officer, in a press release. “We look forward to creating a customer-centric, fifth-largest carrier in the United States. Spirit and JetBlue will continue to advance our shared goal of disrupting the industry to bring down fares from the Big Four airlines. This combination is an exciting opportunity to diversify and expand our network, add jobs and new possibilities for Crewmembers, and expand our platform for profitable growth.”
photo credit: spirit
The merger is still subject to regulatory approval in Washington D.C., but expected to close by early 2024. Both airlines will keep operating independently until the merger is officially closed. Assuming the deal is approved, JetBlue’s fleet will grow to 458 aircraft, flying to more than 125 destinations in 30 countries and giving them a stronger foothold in key markets like Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, where JetBlue will retain a support center.
The Spirit brand would disappear, while the new JetBlue remains headquartered in New York. It would become America’s 5th-largest airline after American, Delta, United and Southwest, who control 80% of the domestic market.
photo: jetblue
“We are thrilled to unite with JetBlue through our improved agreement to create the most compelling national low-fare challenger to the dominant U.S. carriers, and we look forward to working with JetBlue to complete the transaction,” says Spirit’s president and chief executive officer, Ted Christie. “Bringing our two airlines together will be a game changer, and we are confident that JetBlue will deliver opportunities for our Guests and Team Members with JetBlue’s unique blend of low fares and award-winning service.”
Learning From a Close Call that Could Have Been Avoided
On April 10, 2019 an American Airlines A321T registered as N114NN was substantially damaged following a wingtip strike during takeoff from New York City’s JFK airport. Though no one was injured, the five year-old aircraft would ultimately be deemed a total loss after the struck wing was found permanently deformed.
In the aftermath, the crew – both highly experienced with a combined total of almost 5000 hours in the Airbus A320 series – reported surprise at the sudden left roll during rotation. Initial speculation focused on the Airbus’s fly-by-wire (FBW) flight controls, but the recently released NTSB final report would ultimately reveal a much more simple cause. The event is a model study on human factors.
Fly-by-Wire Primer
In an Airbus A321, the primary flight controls are managed by a series of seven redundant flight control computers, all operating under multiple sets of “laws” depending on the phase of flight. The FBW system takes pilot or autopilot requests – such as moving a side stick aft to climb – and produces appropriate flight control responses to achieve the end result. Though the ailerons and elevators feature no physical connections to their side stick controllers, the rudder pedals are mechanically linked with the rudder itself. While the architecture may be complicated, the end result for pilots is identical to a traditional airplane, with full control authority combined with built in protections.
Crosswind Takeoff That Should Have Been Fairly Routine
During the takeoff roll, a 15 knot crosswind from the right of the aircraft was present. Like any airplane, this would require the flying pilot (the Captain, on this leg) to utilize left rudder to track straight down the runway. Airbus specifically cautions against using any unnecessary aileron into the wind. During the takeoff, the rudder pedal input varied from neutral to about half left input, but as the aircraft reached its 156 knot rotation speed the Captain increased rudder input to its maximum left deflection. As the aircraft rotated the Captain input side stick commands for roll, first right, then left, then right again. The right wing left the ground first, and both pilots applied full right side stick leading to an aural “dual input” alert. The left wingtip struck the ground before the rudder was alternated to the right then released to neutral as the crew stabilized the aircraft and climbed away. They returned to JFK about 30 minutes later, with the First Officer flying the wounded Airbus.
#breaking New pictures obtained by @CBSNewYork show some of the damage to @AmericanAir flt 300 including what was described as a runway “edge light” embedded in the damaged wing. The plane flew for 28 minutes with that light stuck in the wing! More on the @CBSEveningNews tonight pic.twitter.com/owL4peOxgv
Like all Transport Category aircraft, the A321 is certified to be fully controllable with an engine inoperative and the remaining engine at maximum thrust. Doing this requires a powerful rudder, with a large surface area and substantial deflection. Comparatively, the ailerons are small surfaces with relatively little power of their own, assisted by roll control spoilers on top of the wing.
Looking back to Private Pilot aircraft training, we all learned that providing a yaw input with the rudder will cause one wing to ‘lead’ the other, producing a rolling moment alongside the yaw. In the case of the accident Airbus, the large amount of rudder deflection alone may have been managed on the ground, but as the aircraft rotated and lift increased, it allowed the right wing to leave the runway first and ultimately caused the left wingtip to strike the runway surface.
Human Factors Were At Play
As mentioned above, the crew was very well qualified in the Airbus series. However, we are able to see a breakdown in basic airmanship with the over-controlling of the rudder followed by wild side stick inputs including full nose up as well as full roll deflection alternating between left and right.
Finally, during the initial roll to the left both pilots input full right sidestick, leading to the “dual input” aural alert. While it is understandable that the pilots would provide a quick resolution to an unexpected roll, there is no situation that calls for two pilots to be flying at once. The Airbus flight control logic uses a sum of the inputs in a “dual input” situation, so if the First Officer was providing the proper full right aileron and the Captain applied full left, the airplane would sum those as zero deflection, allowing the rudder to continue the yawing and rolling unabated.
It was dark at the time of the accident, so it’s unlikely the First Officer could see the rudder pedals near his feet. However, the Airbus has a takeover button on both side sticks, allowing a pilot to take control at any time. While it’s easy to say with 20/20 hindsight, standard operating procedure in this case would be for the pilot monitoring to state “I have control,” press their takeover button for the side stick, and manually take rudder and thrust control.
The Big Picture: It Took Time to Fully Understand What Happened
In the aftermath of the accident, American Airlines did a data study of 13 months of company A321 takeoffs (totaling 270,000 flights). In these flights, no other departure exhibited the same amount of rudder deflection or duration of deflection during takeoff rotation.
Though the Airbus is deservedly celebrated for its flight control architecture and the protections it’s fly-by-wire system provides, this accident unfortunately came down to a simple bit of aerodynamics, certification standards, and human factors.
In the end, a few seconds of over-controlling on a relatively light wind day ultimately led to the loss of a nearly hundred million dollar airplane. Fortunately, the human cost was zero and the interaction between pilot and aircraft is a situation we can all learn from.
The word ‘recession’ surfaces in conversation and one’s initial thoughts are doom and gloom reside on the horizon. That depends. Is the U.S. economy looking at a mild recession or a replay of the Global Recession in 2008 when the world fell apart?
The headwinds and pressures that were prevalent in 2008 are not around en masse as the world saunters into the second half of 2022. Now, terms, such as, ‘supply chain disruption,’ ‘pandemic,’ ‘new normal,’ and ‘the great resignation’ abound. As ominous as those words have been over the past two-years the economy is still in a much better position as compared to 2008 – not as many ugly credit derivative swaps lingering now.
What Does All of This Talk of a Recession Mean for Aviation?
Let’s start with what constitutes a recession. According to the gold old reliable Oxford Dictionary a recession is two consecutive quarters of a fall in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, the National Bureau of Economic Research states it “involves a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and last more than a few months.” Where does the economy stand now?
According to Dr. Bill Conerly, economist and Forbes contributor, Real GDP dropped 1.6% in 1Q 2022 and the Atlanta Fed is calling for a 1.7% decline for 2Q 2022, so that would meet the two-quarter drop definition. Now…back to the aviation conundrum. A recession as the economy is moving would not detrimentally shock aviation.
Why Would Aviation Not Suffer?
Airbus A350 cockpit (Photo by Joao Carlos Medau).
After all interest rates continue to rise, thus, it will be more expensive to conduct business, and inflation is as high as it’s been in some decades. And, in the event you may have been isolating in a cave the past two and half years the airlines still cannot hire enough pilots, which was a pervasive quandary prior to the pandemic. In fact, previously mentioned quandary has only exacerbated since the late 2000 teens.
To put the pilot shortage into perspective Auburn University School of Aviation Assistant Professor and Chair, Aviation Management Program stated “about 50% of all Air Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate holders will reach the mandatory retirement age of 65 within 15 years, meaning half of the current pilot workforce will need to be replaced over the next 15 years.
Again, Why Would Aviation Not Suffer During a Recession?
Read this next statistic, read it again because the numbers are astronomical, and spend a brief moment pondering the implications. In an interview with The Harvard Gazette on May 11 of this year Jason Furman, Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy at Harvard Kennedy School said “I’m relatively unworried about a recession over the next year because consumer spending has continued to be very strong, and consumers have about $2.3 trillion of excess saving that they accumulated during the pandemic that could still spend over the next couple of years.”
Wow. That is a metric boat ton of money, and metric boat ton is an official measurement, so go look it up. No, don’t go look it up. This author made it up, but one gets the point. Savings are plentiful, the world is opening up, and people are ready to fly the coop…literally. So, go travel and do not be afraid to ask the Flight Attendant for the full can of Coke on your next flight.
Could there be an unseen economic shock lurking over the horizon that makes matters worse? Sure there could. It will be fun watching how the economy shakes loose in the next 12 to 18 months.
Disney is synonymous with magical experiences and unforgettable adventures. True to form, the company is offering what is perhaps its most over-the-top and unique adventure yet.
Next summer, the mouse-centric entertainment company will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for 75 people to fly around the world on a quest to visit all 12 of its theme parks. The Disney Parks Around the World – A Private Jet Adventure promises to wow its guests and provide them with a luxury experience that only Disney can dream up.
A VIP-configured Boeing 757-200, operated by Icelandair, will transport guests from continent to continent in style. The trip will include stops in six countries, all 12 Disney theme parks, and special excursions to three of the world’s most iconic landmarks: the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids of Giza, and the Eiffel Tower.
Where You’ll Fly If You Pony Up Over $100k
The adventure begins in Southern California, where guests will spend three days enjoying VIP tours of Walt Disney Studios, Disneyland, and Disney California Adventure Park. Next, guests will fly to the Bay Area, where they will visit the Walt Disney Family Museum, take a VIP tour of the Lucasfilm campus, and stay overnight at the Summit Skywalker Ranch. Additional stops on the adventure include Tokyo, Shanghai, Agra (India), Cairo, Paris, and Orlando.
The onboard experience promises to be every bit as spectacular as the sights and attractions along the journey.
A Disney Luxury Jet 757 Awaits You
The specially-configured Boeing 757-200’s extended-range capabilities will allow direct flights between stops. According to Disney, this feature will enable guests to maximize their time at each destination.
On board, guests will enjoy a customized interior with 75 spacious leather seats in a 2 x 2 configuration. Each seat will have a footrest, a USB port, and a standard U.S. power outlet.
The flight crew will include a lead captain, a second captain, a first officer, eight flight attendants, a chef, an assistant chef, and a flight engineer. Guests will also have access to a physician. Additionally, Disney will have several experts on board to provide information before each stop. An audiovisual system will be available on board the aircraft for presentations. The Disney crew will include three adventure guides, Disney VIPs, Imagineers, and cultural experts.
Here’s The Proposed Itinerary
Image: Wally Gobetz (CC 2.0 from Flickr)
Guests will arrive in Los Angeles for their globetrotting adventure on July 9, 2023. The flight itinerary includes the following segments:
Orange County (SNA) – Oakland (OAK)
OAK – Tokyo Narita (NRT) via Anchorage (ANC)
NRT – Shanghai (PVG)
PVG – Shenzhen, China (SZX)
SZX – Agra, India (AGR)
AGR – Giza, Egypt (SPX)
SPX – Paris (CDG)
CDG – Orlando (MCO) via Halifax, Canada (YHZ)
If you’re wondering what something like this may cost, it will undoubtedly come as no surprise that this luxury experience carries a luxury price tag. Fares start at $109,995 (USD) and include:
Airport transfers at arrival and departure
Flights
VIP accommodations
All 68 meals
Daily activities, excursions, options, and special events
Admission to all 12 Disney parks
All beverages, including alcohol
$50,000 (USD) medical evacuation insurance and services of the onboard physician
Gratuities
Laundry service
If you’re contemplating dropping nearly $110K on this adventure of a lifetime, you can hold on to your money – for now. According to the Adventures by Disney website, the flight is completely sold out.
Perhaps those Magic Kingdom ticket prices don’t look so bad, after all.
The Proposal is Meant to Increase Pilot Availability During the Current Shortage
In an effort to help ease the airline pilot shortage and keep healthy experienced pilots in the cockpit, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Representative Chip Roy (R-Texas) introduced legislation yesterday (July 25) to raise the mandatory commercial pilot retirement age from 65 to 67 years old.
“In the next two years, 5,000 pilots will be aged out, and over the next five years 14,000 pilots are going to be taken out of the cockpit because they turn 65. Not because they’re unsafe, but just simply because they reached 65,” said Graham in a press conference about his proposal.
watch the full press conference
“The last time we adjusted the age was in 2007. The sky did not fall while adjusting the age from 60 to 65, and it won’t fall by going to 67,” said Graham. “What will happen is we’ll give an opportunity to thousands of pilots if they choose to stay in the cockpit which makes it better for all of us depending on air travel.”
Other Senators backing the proposal include John Thune (R-South Dakota), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee). House cosponsors include Reps Clay Higgins (LA), Dusty Johnson (SD), Mary Miller (IL), Adrian Smith (NE), and Lauren Boebert (CO).
Photo: Alaska Airlines
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, however, is opposed to the new idea due to safety concerns, along with pilot unions. Organizations such as the National Air Carrier Association, the Regional Airline Association, and the San Antonio International Airport however support new legislation.
“Americans are now experiencing flight delays and cancellations on an unacceptable scale due to a worsening pilot shortage,” says Rep. Roy. “A key factor is a government-mandated retirement age that forces out thousands of our most qualified pilots every year.”
Rep. Roy is expected to introduce the House bill in Congress today, which you can see HERE.
777-300ER (credit: United Airlines)
Some key points in the legislation:
Requires that pilots over the age of 65 maintain a first-class medical certification, which must be renewed every six months.
Requires air carriers to continue using pilot training and qualification programs approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Does not change or alter any other qualification – beyond age – to become a commercial airline pilot.
The airlines themselves have been taking their own avenues to address the growing pilot shortage, such as offering more pay and bonuses and eliminating mandatory requirements for 4-year degrees. Others are offering scholarships for flight training, or even teaching student pilots themselves and helping financially as they progress (costs are the most prohibitive reason why people don’t train to be career pilots).
Others, like Republic Airways, have even petitioned the federal government to let them hire pilots with only 750 flight hours, half what is required now, if those pilots go through the company’s own training program.
“The traveling public deserves better than what they are currently getting,” says Sen. Graham. “Our bill moves the needle in the right direction. Without this change, it (the pilot shortage and cancellations because of it) is only going to get worse.”
Artemis-I Will Test the Spaceflight System Designed to Carry Astronauts to the Moon and Back
America is going back to the moon, and this week NASA confirmed they are targeting August 29, 2022 to launch the first mission. The announcement came on the 53rd anniversary of the first moon landing with Apollo 11, and will kick off a new era of human space exploration to establish a permanent lunar presence.
NASA has named the new program Artemis, after Apollo’s twin sister and Goddess of the Moon in Greek mythology. This first mission is called Artemis-1, and will mark the first launch of the most powerful rocket in the world, the Space Launch System (SLS), to send a new spacecraft developed by Lockheed called the Orion crew capsule farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever gone before.
meet nasa’s artemis program and the sls moon rocket and orion spacecraft, with overview of the first upcoming mission. credit: nasa
Artemis-I will be an un-crewed flight test of the entire integrated system, from the ground support, to launch of the SLS, to checkouts of the spacecraft, flight to lunar orbit, and return to Earth. NASA wants to validate that everything works as designed, before launching the first astronauts on Artemis-II.
Nasa’s first moon rocket of The artemis program, called The space launch system (sls), rolling out from the iconic vehicle assembly building at kennedy space center to launch pad 39B with the orion sPacecraft for a launch wet Dress reheArsal earlier this year. photo: mike killian / americaspace.com
The SLS and Orion may look like its Apollo predecessors, but the similarities end there. The 322-ft tall stack is taller than the Statue of Liberty, and more powerful than Apollo’s Saturn V moon rockets. NASA went with a similar design for Artemis because putting a crew on top of a rocket is the safest way to launch them.
nasa’s sls rocket and orion crew capsule (photo: Mike killian / americaspace.com)
Both space shuttles Challenger and Columbia were lost due to damage on launch, killing 14 astronauts (the damage to Columbia occurred on launch, but did not kill the crew until their re-entry). A capsule allows for an abort shot away from a failing rocket, and a capsule is also the safest way to bring them home. You can read about Orion’s Abort System HERE, and watch an actual Orion abort test HERE.
Even Elon and SpaceX know that, which is why they also fly astronauts on capsules (their existence is only thanks to NASA contracts by the way, which seeded their entire development).
On the left is the Apollo 17 rocket and spacecraft on launch pad 39A at kennedy space center, the last mission to send people to the moon on Dec. 7, 1972. on the right is the artemis-1 stack with the sls rocket and its orion spacecraft atop launch pad 39b for a wet dress rehearsal earlier this year. photos credit: nasa
Artemis not only builds on Apollo, but also incorporates heritage space shuttle hardware, namely four former space shuttle main engines (RS-25s) and twin solid rocket boosters (SRBs), to launch the mammoth booster with enough force to send a crew to the moon. Combined, the engines and SRBs will produce nearly 9 million lbs of thrust, 15% more than the Saturn V and more than 31 times the thrust of a 747 jumbo jet.
The RS-25s are all veterans of numerous space shuttle missions, but have been modified and upgraded to produce more power, adapted to the new SLS performance requirements and hotter, more violent operating environments. They all have new controllers too (brains), and additional insulation to protect them.
Four RS-25 engines, like the one pictured here undergoing a hot-fire test, will power the core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS). photo credit: Aerojet Rocketdyne
NASA has conducted many tests on the engine mods for several years at Stennis Space Center near New Orleans, to validate the upgrades and certify the engines for their new mission.
A full Green Run test campaign was done last year too, where engineers evaluated the integrated functionality and performance of the rocket’s core stage’s avionics, propulsion and hydraulic systems, culminating in a full-duration test fire of all four RS-25 engines. The vehicle believed it was launching, with everything doing exactly what it will on launch day, while in reality the core was strapped down to an enormous test stand.
watch nasa test fire the sls core stage with all 4 main engines for a full-duration launch (nasa footage uploaded courtesy of americaspace.com)
Those engines, developed by Aerojet Rocketdyne, were arguably the best ever made – reusable, reliable and powerful. But their final flights will be on SLS, as they will go to the bottom of the Atlantic with the rocket’s core stage once its fuel is spent. NASA has enough engines for the first 4 missions, with non-reusable RS-25 versions being manufactured for missions beyond that.
The SRBs too have been modified and lengthened over their prior space shuttle design. Northrop Grumman, who manufactures them, also added new avionics, propellant grain design, case insulation, eliminated the recovery parachutes, and have tested the new SRBs several times at their facility in Promontory, Utah (just this week they did another test). The SRBs are even painted with a throwback NASA worm logo for Artemis-I, paying tribute those who came before, on which the new Artemis era is built on.
a view of the artemis-1 stack with one of its twin solid rocket boosters. photo credit: mike killian / americaspace.com
watch the most recent test fire of an artemis srb (credit: NASA)
Each SRB is 17 stories tall, and combined, they will provide more than 75% of the SLS rocket’s thrust during the first two minutes of flight.
The Orion spacecraft itself is far more advanced then the Apollo’s command module, and builds on all of NASA’s cumulative knowledge gained from human spaceflight ever since. It is 30% larger, will utilize solar panels for power, and comes with massive advances in computing power and electronics over technology dating from half-a-century ago.
tour onboard the orion trainer at johnson space center with astronaut karen nyberg. credit nasa (uploaded by space.com)The Artemis I Orion spacecraft iafter comlpeting environmental tests at NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio (photo: Mike killian / americaspace.com)
Glass cockpit displays with flatscreens and computers have replaced hundreds of switches, gauges and dials, and it can carry more crew on longer missions – up to 4 astronauts for up to 3 weeks (you can read more in-depth about the new spacecraft HERE from NASA).
A new AI and videoconferencing technology will be tested on the mission as well, called Callisto, which will feature Amazon’s Alexa and screens that display Webex by Cisco.
You can read all about it HERE, but basically the idea is much like Captain Kirk talking to his ship’s computer in Star Trek. Future crews may be able to ask Alexa about their spacecraft, mission, subsystems, telemetry and more, while also being able to share information over a screen with other crews and people on Earth, much like a Zoom call now. Current users of Alexa-enabled devices at home will even be able to command “Alexa, take me to the Moon,” to get live updates throughout the Artemis-I mission.
Orion, however, is only the ride to and from the moon. NASA and industry partners are working on putting a lunar gateway into orbit, where Orion will dock and astronauts can stage their surface missions from. Click HERE to read more from NASA about the gateway.
spacex starship prototype testing in texas. photo credit: spacex
NASA has awarded SpaceX a contract to use their Starships for Artemis landing missions, which is currently under development in Texas (click HERE for more info). The first landing is, for now, planned on the Artemis III mission in the later half of the 2020s, which will see the first woman and person of color, as well as probably the first non-American, to walk on the moon.
For now though, let’s get back to Artemis-I, where it will all soon begin. The rocket and spacecraft are currently undergoing final flight preparations in NASA’s iconic Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center in FL, and will roll out to the launch pad some time in mid-August, carried atop a behemoth Crawler Transporter that is itself larger than a Major League Baseball infield.
The whole four-mile journey will move at just 0.8 mph, and take about 11 hours to move. In total, the gigantic crawler will be moving 21 million pounds of hardware to launch pad 39B (including its own weight of 6.6 million pounds).
A mannequin has been installed in Orion’s Commander seat, wearing a full first-generation Orion Crew Survival System spacesuit, outfitted with various sensors to provide data on what crews will physically experience. His seat is also instrumented, to record acceleration and vibration data. Engineers will compare the flight data with ground-based vibration tests done with the same manikin, and humans, to correlate performance prior to the first crewed flight on Artemis II.
nasa manikin flyng on artemis-1. photo credit: nasa
Two other mannequin torsos will be onboard too, measuring radiation exposure and testing out new radiation-shielding vests, which you can read more about HERE.
The first opportunity for NASA to launch Artemis-I is August 29, 2022 at 8:33 a.m. EDT, with a 2-hour launch window available. But they have two other opportunities currently available as well, which are September 2, 2022 at 12:48 p.m. EDT and September 5, 2022 at 5:12 p.m. EDT.
artemis-1 rolling out for a launch wet dress rehearsal as the moon rises. photo credit: Mike killian / americaspace.com
Once launched, Orion will fly some 280,000 miles from Earth and thousands of miles beyond the Moon on a mission lasting 4-6 weeks. Upon arriving at the moon, it will fly 62 miles above the surface, and then use the Moon’s gravity to propel it into a deep retrograde orbit 40,000 miles above the surface, where it will fly and test for 6 days. Orion will then descend back into a low orbit and brush past the surface again at 60 miles to perform its engine firing to break away from the moon’s gravity, and then head back to Earth.
Orion will stay in space longer than any ship for astronauts has ever done without docking to a space station, and will return home faster and hotter than any before it.
artemis-1 mission (credit: NASA)
On re-entry, the spacecraft will slam into the atmosphere at 25,000 mph, before parachuting gently into the Pacific Ocean 60 miles off the coast of Southern California, where a U.S. Navy San Antonio-class LPD amphibious transport dock ship (LPD) from San Diego will be waiting.
Such ships, like the USS Anchorage (LPD-23), have a well deck at the waterline to allow other boats to dock. Or in this case, a spacecraft. Helicopter crews will monitor Orion as it descends and slowly splashes down, while Navy divers and NASA personnel in inflatable boats maneuver alongside it to attach a winch line and other lines, then pull it into a specially designed cradle inside the ship’s well deck.
Such capability means future crews can be recovered directly from Orion in open-water, or remain onboard in rougher seas as the capsule is pulled straight into the ship.
The ships also provide immediate medical care if needed, and helicopters can fly crew to shore. Recovery teams have conducted many tests over the last several years, both in NASA’s giant pool at Johnson Space Center learning to secure Orion and crews, and in the open ocean recovering flown test articles and mock capsules, day or night.
NASA astronauts practice Orion exit procedures in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo: NASA/Josh Valcarcel
Click HERE to read more in-depth about the recovery operations.
Data from Artemis-I will allow NASA to fine-tune operations for the first crewed mission on Artemis-II, currently slated to launch in 2025.
AvGeekery will share the launch LIVE on launch day, stay tuned for updates as NASA prepares over the coming weeks.
Here’s Your Oshkosh Playbook and Lineup Card for 2022
The 69th edition of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture will be held July 25-31, 2022 at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
200814-F-PV484-1332 image via us air force
US Air Force 75th Anniversary
This year’s special focus will be the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force. Rick Larsen, EAA Vice President of Communities and Member Programming, previewed AirVenture 2022, “At Oshkosh in 2022, we aim to showcase the memorable history of the Air Force, from its initial post-World War II era to the impressive personal, aircraft, and technology of today.“ Larsen added that the Air Force’s history will be celebrated with fly-bys, static displays, and presentations.
image via EAA
Other Anniversaries and Showcases
In addition to the Air Force anniversary and the usual celebration of homebuilt (experimental) aircraft and their builders, AirVenture will also be celebrating several aircraft anniversaries, such as the 75th of the Beechcraft Bonanza.
The EAA will also showcase its recently constructed Aviation Center, which includes its new Pilot Proficiency Center. It’s located next to the EAA Aviation Museum.
Daily Schedule
There will be many activities, fly-bys, forums and presentations at AirVenture this year—far too many to list here. Daily schedules can be accessed in the AirVenture Mobile App in both Google Play and the Apple App Store. Activities can also be reviewed at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2022 web portal.
image via eaa
Air Shows
The highlight of each day is the spectacular airshow that takes place Monday through Saturday, starting at 2:30pm. The evening show begins at 8:00pm on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. The final show of the week happens on Sunday at 1:00pm.
Here is just a partial list of this year’s AirVenture airshow performers, along with the aircraft they will be flying—
The EAA AirVenture 2022 Notice (formerly known as a NOTAM—Notice to Air Missions) has some important updates compared to previous years, particularly—
Two VORs have been decommissioned (RFD and MBL)
Several IFR routings have been changed
Aircraft camping is no longer allowed at Appleton International Airport (KATW)
Sean Elliot, EAA Vice President of Advocacy and Safety, offered important reminders—
“The most essential information for any pilot flying to Oshkosh involves reading and thoroughly understanding the 2022 AirVenture Notice to ensure safe operations on arrival and departure. We also urge all pilots to log appropriate cross-country time prior to trip to Oshkosh so they have the proficiency and confidence to fly safely.”
image via eaa
EAA Divisions
The EAA has 3 divisions—
The Warbirds of America area has always been wildly popular with Word War II airplane aficionados. The Warbirds slogan is “Keep ‘em Flying!’
Everyone likes to visit the Red Barn of the Vintage Aircraft Association. Aircraft in the Vintage area must have been constructed prior to December 31, 1970.
The International Aerobatic Club has 2 European aerobatic aircraft manufacturers as sponsors 4open to the public on aerobatic flying as well as a meet n’ greet with Mike Goulian and Kirby Chambliss.
Aircraft Rides
For those who would like to experience living history, aircraft rides are available at AirVenture on these aircraft and more:
B-25 Berlin Express
B-17 Yankee Lady (out of Appleton International Airport [formerly Outagamie County Regional] (KATW)
Bell 47 Helicopter (made famous by the TV show M*A*S*H)
image via eaa
Other Exciting Activities
A One Week Wonder aircraft will be constructed during AirVenture this year. It’s a Sonex Waiex with a Rotax engine.
American Airlines will sponsor an Honor Flight to Washington, DC
Camping is available at the EAA’s Camp Scholler. Many EAA enthusiasts also camp by their airplanes that they flew in for the festivities.
All in all, EAA’s AirVenture is a dream come true for aviation enthusiasts. In addition to all the activities, dozens of vendors will be available to share the newest aviation technology. The memories of attending AirVenture last a lifetime!
