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The Pegasus: The First Production KC-46A Tanker Has Flown

At 1032 local time on Tuesday December 5^th 2017, the first production-spec Boeing KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tanker took off from Paine Field at Boeing’s plant at Everett in Washington.

The flight lasted some three hours and thirty minutes, during which the two Boeing test pilots and crew climbed to 39,000 feet and executed the FAA-approved operational tests on the engines, flight controls, and environmental systems. After the flight the jet underwent post-flight instrumentation checks and inspections.

160124 F ZU869 013 — Official US Air Force photograph

All is not well with the KC-46 program though. Boeing had been committed to delivery of the first production variant of the new tanker to the United States Air Force (USAF) before the end of the 2017 calendar year.

The expected delivery date has slipped to an as yet undetermined date in 2018. Six prototype KC-46As have been built and flown since September of 2015, accumulating more than 2,200 flight hours and 1,600 refueling transfers.

KC46A A10 — Official US Air Force photograph

The KC-46A prototypes have already passed gas to General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons, Boeing F/A-18 Hornets, Boeing AV-8B Harriers, Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs, Fairchild Republic A-10 Warthogs, and have passed gas to and received gas from Boeing KC-135R Stratotankers, Boeing KC-10 Extenders, and other KC-46 Pegasus prototypes.

Testing with other current military aircraft such as Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors, F-35 Lightning IIs, and Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirits has not yet been completed.

BoeingKC46A — Official US Air Force photograph

The development of the KC-46A has been a political and fiscal soap opera right from the beginning. Without slogging into the painful details, suffice it to say that in this day and age it’s highly unusual for a program to be as far off both schedule and expectations as the KC-46A program has been.

But the jet can carry ten percent more fuel than the KC-135 and about 33 tons of cargo in a larger “wide body” fuselage. The new tanker also sports an advanced electronic flight instrumentation system (EFIS)-equipped flight deck by Rockwell-Collins.

NewGENhandoutFRNTup — Image courtesy Rockwell-Collins

The Pegasus is equipped with dual wing-mounted drogue reel pods and a single rigid boom refueling system. This allows multiple simultaneous “plugs” of aircraft using the probe and drogue refueling method (primarily US Navy and Marines aircraft along with many foreign allied types) or refueling receptacles primarily used by the USAF.

KC-46As are also equipped with infrared countermeasures along with defensive electronic warfare equipment. The jet can even be configured to carry 114 passengers or litter patients when pressed into service as a medical evacuation aircraft.

160712 F ZU869 901 — Official US Air Force photograph

There are two issues in particular that need to be sorted out. The rigid boom refueling arm has experienced several un-commanded extensions when aircraft receiving fuel have detached from it, which could cause damage to the receiving aircraft’s skin surface- not good for any aircraft but especially for stealthy types.

The KC-46’s high frequency (HF) radio utilizes the aircraft’s skin as an antenna, which can cause electrical arcing and sparking- not good for a tanker carrying tons of fuel at high altitude. Initial production aircraft may lack the wing-mounted drogue reel pods too.

130109 F JZ006 626 — Image courtesy Boeing

The total USAF buy of KC-46As is expected to be 179 airframes. Several foreign customers have expressed interest in the KC-46. Italy, Japan, and Colombia already operate tanker versions of the commercial 767-2XX airframe, with Japan and Brazil on the order books.

The USAF KC-46As will replace the veteran Boeing KC-135E Stratotankers. The USAF has said that the KC-46A fleet will train at Altus Air Force Base (AFB) in Oklahoma. The first operational KC-46A units will be based at McConnell AFB in Kansas and Seymour-Johnson AFB in North Carolina along with Pease Air National Guard Base (ANGB) in New Hampshire. Eventually some ten to twelve bases will host KC-46A units.

151010 F ZU869 002 — Official US Air Force photograph

Retired THUD Pilot and USAF General Charles Boyd Loved to Slip the Surly Bonds

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December 5, 2017

Retired THUD Pilot and USAF General Charles Boyd Loved to Slip the Surly Bonds

Retired 4-Star General Boyd Flew for the Air Force- Then He Flew Just Because He Loved It

Born on 15 April 1938 near Rockwell City in Iowa, Charles Graham Boyd learned to fly at an early age after his first flight in a Piper Cub when he was seven years old. Boyd joined the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1959 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1960. Like most of the pilots of his generation he served in Vietnam, first flying North American F-100 Super Sabres in the Philippines and later Republic F-105 Thunderchief fighter bombers in-country. Shot down on 2 April 22 1966 during his 88^th mission over North Vietnam (105^th overall), Boyd subsequently spent 2,488 days as a prisoner of war (POW) before his release as part of Operation Homecoming in 1973. This video, uploaded to YouTube by AOPALive, profiles Boyd’s life and lifetime love for flying.

[youtube id=”X0KMeYjxm6M” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

160602 F ZI558 041 — Official US Air Force photograph

Continuing a Distinguished Career

After his release, Major Boyd remained in the Air Force. Boyd attended the Air Force Institute of Technology and Air War College. He then served as vice commander of the 8^th Air Force, Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB), as director of plans at USAF Headquarters in Washington DC, and as commander of Air University headquartered at Maxwell AFB in Alabama. He eventually became deputy commander in chief of the United States European Command in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany- his final assignment. Along with his assignments came promotions, eventually rising to full General- he’s the only former POW to achieve 4-star rank. General Boyd retired from the Air Force in 1995.

F 105Ds 060901 F 1234S 014 — Official US Air Force photograph

Finding a Way to Get Into the Blue

General Boyd’s military awards and decorations include the Air Force Cross, the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star with V and two oak leaf clusters, the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters, all earned over Boyd’s more than 2,400 hours of USAF flight time. His work in national security and foreign relations continued for many years after his military service. He was a member of several boards of directors in the electronics and software industries. And fittingly, Chuck Boyd flew his own Super Legend Cub and a Beechcraft T-34 Mentor– both also fittingly painted in USAF colors. Charles Graham Boyd flew west on 23 March 2022 at the age of 83.

Boyd overDC — Image courtesy University of Kansas

Inaugural Wings Over Myrtle Beach to Host Blue Angels, F-16 Viper

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December 4, 2017

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Inaugural Wings Over Myrtle Beach to Host Blue Angels, F-16 Viper

LAS VEGAS — The International Council of Airshows announced on Monday the Navy’s Blue Angels and the Air Force’s F-16 Viper Demo Team will headline the inaugural Wings Over Myrtle Beach Air Show this spring.

The announcement of the show itself was big news to the residents along the South Carolina coast as the first air show in over a decade is now official with a huge headliner. Military and civilian aerobatic aircraft will perform during the two-day weekend of April 28 and 29, 2018, at the Myrtle Beach International Airport.

“It was our collective goal to bring the top talent the air show industry has to offer, including a military jet demonstration team,” JLC AirShow Management President John Cowman said on Monday. “We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to host an air show on the same runways previously utilized by the U.S. Air Force. The news of the Blue Angels participation sets our plans in motion to deliver exactly what we intended and has exceeded our expectations for the first annual event.”

14271959668 7334246148 o — Image: Charles A Atkeison

The Blue Angels presence in Myrtle Beach is another win for Cowman and his team after having hosted the Navy’s elite F/A-18 Hornet squadron during two separate air shows in 2017. WOMB will mark JLC Airshows’ third time hosting the Blue Angels inside of 13 months.

Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, was grinning following Monday’s confirmation, “We are thrilled to help bring an air show back to Myrtle Beach. We always welcome effective partnerships, in this case with Horry County, the Myrtle Beach International Airport, JLC Airshow Management, and of course the many talented performers. This is another great attraction for tourists to enjoy in our area during the spring season.”

The Air Force also confirmed the inclusion of the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team at Myrtle Beach. Major John “Rain” Waters will pilot the F-16 jet through military style maneuvers during one performance each day.

36969456874 559162d0c4 k — Image: Charles A Atkeison

One end of the air show runway lies less than one mile from the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. However, air show officials noted that the best viewing of both the aerobatic performers and the static displays will be on the grounds of the airport.

“Horry County Department of Airports is excited to partner with JLC Air Show Management and welcome the Wings Over Myrtle Beach Air Show to the Grand Strand,” Director of airports, Scott Van Moppes said on Monday. “The opportunity to bring an air show back to Myrtle Beach, SC is fantastic news and should be an exciting community event. The format of the air show, with the Blue Angels as the headliner, embraces the rich military heritage of our community.”

Brenda Little, spokesperson for JLC Airshows, added that “a host of world-class aerobatic and warbird performers” will be announced in the coming weeks.

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

WWII B-25 ‘Panchito’ Inspiring New Generations of Aviation Enthusiasts

Vintage Aircraft

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December 3, 2017

WWII B-25 ‘Panchito’ Inspiring New Generations of Aviation Enthusiasts

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Standing before a B-25 Mitchell at any air show or museum the conversation before you will undoubtedly discuss the aircraft’s historic role during the 1942 attack on Tokyo during the Doolittle Raid of World War II.

A force of sixteen B-25 medium size bombers lifted the hopes of a wounded America as pilot LT. Col. Jimmy Doolittle lead his squadron on a strike against Japan in the months following Pearl Harbor. Each aircraft carried a five man crew and up to five huge bombs on its mission.

Restored and gleaming B-25. — Photo: Delaware Aviation Museum

Today, nearly 76 years later, approximately thirty B-25’s remain flight worthy, including several of which perform at air shows across America. One B-25J Mitchell carries the name Panchito, and thanks to the fine care and refurbishment of this aging aircraft, is proudly flown by a pilot who is also its owner.

Larry Kelley is that pilot. A pilot with over 1800 hours behind the control yoke of a polished aluminum B-25; and 2017 marked his 20th year campaigning his beloved Panchito across America.

The original Panchito was named after the pistol totting rooster in Disney’s 1944 cartoon, The Three Caballeros. Kelley explained that his aircraft was named after the original Panchito which served with the 396th Bomb Squadron, 41st Bomb Group, 7th Air Force on Okinawa during summer 1945.

The B-25 that was named Panchito. — Photo: Charles A Atkeison

The original Panchito served in the Pacific theater performing bombing runs that hot summer. After the war ended, Kelley noted, many of the Pacific theater aircraft were gathered at Clark airfield in the Philippines and buried in a ravine.

Today, Kelley carries the torch once held by the Greatest Generation to teach and demonstrate to the younger generations the story of the B-25 and her crew members. From the aircraft’s home at the Delaware Aviation Museum in Georgetown to air show sites across North America each year, Panchito is a beacon of education illuminating the minds of those interested in learning about its rich history.

“This aircraft served during World War II in a training command,” Kelly explained. “After the war it went into mothballs for a short time and then brought out to go active duty with the air national guard units until 1959.” The pilot added his aircraft was fully restored to present day condition and marked to represent its original namesake.

Image of the top of a B-25. — Photo: Charles A Atkeison

And why a polished silver and unpainted? To save on weight, nearly 600 pounds. Enough weight to carry an extra bomb. It also allows the B-25 to soar over the heads of the enemy without standing out.

North American Aviation completed nearly 9,815 B-25’s between 1940 and 1945. Designed to perform at low altitudes between 8,0 and 12,0 feet, the Mitchell was powered by two 1700 hp Wright R-2600 engines which provided the aircraft’s crew a cruising speed of 230 m.p.h. It’s maximum speed is listed by official records of 275 m.p.h.

Named in honor of military aviation pioneer General Billy Mitchell, the B-25 Mitchell has a wingspan of nearly 68 feet and covers an area of 610 square feet. The aircraft’s length measures nearly 54 feet.

This aerospace journalist was invited by JLC Airshows to fly with pilot Larry Kelley and his crew during a flight over the beautiful Golden Isles on Georgia’s scenic coastline.

With both hands grasping the yoke and his checklist book in his lap, Kelley kept his aircraft steady as he and his co-pilot performed during an air show. His checklist includes several maneuvers performed by the pilots of the Greatest Generation.

Using show center as a marker, Kelley maneuvered Panchito into exact timed passes while ‘wowing’ the crowds with several flat passes and climbs. Panchito demonstrated a World War II bombing run as Kelley summoned his co-pilot to open the bomb bay doors.

“You want to see what a B-25 is like, come to an air show — see them fly, hear them,” Kelly explained on the gusty Brunswick airfield. “See the smoke as they start up, and nothing like the sound of a radial engine.”

During most air shows Kelley performs, Panchito will draw the attention of one or two fellow warbird pilots. Panchito’s flight demonstration usually concludes with a photo pass over the airfield flanked by fellow historic aircraft of the 1940 and 50’s.

As December turns toward January, Kelley will be busy preparing Panchito for her 21st season in 2018 — both scheduling air show visits and the normal winter maintenance.

Image from the rear of a B-25. — Photo: Charles A Atkeison

“What people don’t see is the tremendous amount of maintenance it takes to keep these flying,” Kelley said. Last winter, he added, his team worked seven days a week for six weeks, putting in a minimum 12 hours each day, “That’s what it takes to keep these old, vintage airplanes flying.”

As March nears, you can discover this warbird’s updated flight schedule, and plan a rare opportunity to schedule a flight on the wings of history aboard Panchito.

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

Will Computers Learn to Fly Well Enough Before Pilots Forget How?

Rob Graves

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December 2, 2017

Will Computers Learn to Fly Well Enough Before Pilots Forget How?

In my job, I get to fly with all different kinds of cats and dogs. And by cats and dogs, I don’t mean the ubiquitous emotional support animals now being carried by passengers, but rather pilots. The guys and gals I fly with all have different backgrounds and stories. Over the years I’ve flown with pilots from every branch and sub-branch of the armed services, pilots with civilian-only backgrounds, and even pilots from foreign countries to include foreign military services. I even flew with a former submariner who managed to get out of a diesel stink boat and into an airplane.

No matter how diverse their backgrounds, we both get into the jet and within a few minutes it’s like we’ve been flying together for years. That is the power of training to a common standard. We run checklists, make callouts, and fly the airplane in such a way that the other person knows exactly what to expect and when to expect it.

Over the years I’ve flown with some truly amazing pilots who could fly the machine like a virtuoso might play a finely tuned instrument. I’ve also flown with some, how shall we say, less precise pilots, who, while meeting standards, didn’t go out of their way to make my or anyone else’s eyes water at the sight of their aerial proficiency. This has usually been a case of lacking not skill, but rather the motivation for excellence. And I get it—it’s nearly impossible to be always “on”, but over time an average level of effort will be made apparent.

Automation, however, is changing things, and not unreservedly for the better. Don’t get me wrong; overall, automation is of great value in the cockpit and will be with us for the foreseeable future. The improvements to safety alone are real and well documented. There is, however, a fly or two in the automation ointment.

In today’s highly automated aviation environment, it is becoming more difficult to tell who can fly the airplane well or not because we rarely do it. And when I use the term “fly” here, I mean to hand fly the aircraft without the use of the autopilot or automation. Hand flying, like any precise and complex human task, is a perishable skill. If you don’t practice for a while, you’ll get rusty. Any musician knows this.

Unfortunately, standard operating procedure at nearly every airline in the world to varying degrees is to employ automation to the maximum extent possible. So, if the automation flies as well as or better than a human (and it does, most of the time), what does it matter if pilots are losing their manual flying skills? To these hundreds of people I mention below, it mattered quite a bit. Consider the following.

A New Category of Crash

After any aviation accident, investigators will pour over the wreckage trying to figure out what went wrong. They will also look closely at the pilots’ backgrounds, their training, and their proficiency. What is becoming apparent is the discovery of a disturbingly new type of crash where one of the primary causes is either the pilot’s interaction with automated systems, or even worse, a pilot’s lack of proficiency in recovering an aircraft from an upset or automation failure.

The crash landing of Emirates 521 in 2016 is an example of the first type of failure which I explored in detail here. The pilot expected the automation to perform in a certain manner, but due to circumstances which he had evidently not anticipated nor been trained for, the throttles were never advanced on a go-around. This caused the airplane to settle onto the runway after the gear had been retracted. The aircraft was destroyed in the post-crash fire while luckily, there was only one fatality.

The crashes of Asiana 214, a Boeing 777, Air France 447, an Airbus A330, and AirAsia 8501, an Airbus A320, are examples of a lack of proficiency in basic flying skills. I wrote about those tragedies here, here, and here. Collectively these crashes resulted in the deaths of 393 passengers and crew. The common link is that all three airplanes were perfectly flyable when they went down. In each case, the pilots had profound misunderstandings about what was happening to their airplanes and were not equipped to remedy the situations.

Pilots Who Can’t Fly?

1200px Boeing 787 8 N787BA cockpit — Automation has made flying easier in some respects but more challenging in others.
Photo by Alex Beltyukov – http://www.airliners.net/photo/Boeing/Boeing-787-8-Dreamliner/1940205/L/, CC BY-SA 3.0, Ligação

How have we arrived at this juncture where (some) pilots are lacking in basic stick and rudder skills? The short answer is through years of charging into a technological future without taking the time to think about where we’re going, nor planning how to get there.

We can all anticipate a time at some point in the distant future where automation and software are so far advanced that manual flying skills will be relegated to wealthy hobbyists who maintain and fly antique aircraft for fun. We’re not there yet and won’t be for some time. Even though the automation on today’s airliners is quite sophisticated, it just isn’t ready for prime time. I find myself having to intervene multiple times on nearly every flight to correct automation generated errors on the state of the art Boeing aircraft I fly. Heck, having the automation attempt to exceed structural limits of the aircraft isn’t that uncommon. I suspect my Airbus, Embraer, and Canadair flying compatriots have similar experiences.

Another problem with automation as it is currently deployed finds the machine doing most of the flying while the humans sit on their hands waiting for it to make a mistake. No one seems to have considered that humans are uniquely unsuited to monitor machines, but rather it is the machine which should be assisting and monitoring the humans. Humans become quickly bored and will mentally check out after a short amount of time staring at a machine that may randomly make a mistake at any time.

As alluded to by Sully in the above quote, a better deployment of technology might be to keep the pilots in the control loop as an active participant, and to relegate the automation to the role of watchdog, which machines can do quite well.

As an aside, I am always amused that many sci-fi movies still depict some sort of manual control in futuristic spacecraft. It was Luke’s manual flying skills obtained from bulls eyeing womp rats that carried the day in the original Star Wars movie. And while Sulu never had a side stick controller in the original Star Trek, one was added in later incarnations of that franchise. (Be sure not to miss the maiden voyage scene from the Star Trek spoof movie Galaxy Quest.) Perhaps they were onto something. There will always be a certain romanticism attached to the idea of the steely eyed flying ace hand flying the machine.

Back to Basics: The FAA Reacts

Alarmed by the recent spate of accidents attributed in part to the lack of pilot proficiency, the FAA recently created new rules for pilot training to address these deficiencies. Added in 2014, FAR 121.423 now mandates additional training for pilots which they call “Extended Envelope Training” (EET). This new training will now require pilots to demonstrate manually controlled proficiency in slow flight, loss of reliable airspeed, instrument departures and arrivals, upset recovery, and bounced landing recovery. Airlines were given a few years to upgrade their training programs and simulator capabilities to accommodate the new maneuvers.

Here’s the sad part. All these maneuvers are Aviation 101, and are taught to beginning pilots. This actually reads like the syllabus I taught to pre-solo nuggets in the T-37 aircraft back in the 80s. What the FAA has inadvertently done is to validate the criticism that modern automated cockpits are causing pilots to become so rusty that they need to relearn basic airmanship.

In Conclusion

Automation, while bringing many benefits and efficiencies to aviation, does have a downside. Over-reliance on automation has caused a gradual erosion in pilots’ stick and rudder skills to such a degree that the safe operation of an aircraft can be jeopardized by automation failures. The FAA is now attempting a rear guard operation to restore basic skills to airmen whose acumen has been dulled by years of push-button flying.

There will eventually come a time when automation is robust enough and redundant enough to never need human intervention, but that time is still many years away. During this transition era, pilots will still need to maintain their skill set and be ready to assume control of the airplane with little or no warning. A smarter way to have humans and machines work together would see the machine deployed as an assistant to the humans who remain in direct control of the airplane, rather than the other way around.

SpaceX to Launch Tesla Roadster to Mars Playing ‘Space Oddity’ for First Falcon Heavy Launch

Mike Killian

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December 2, 2017

SpaceX to Launch Tesla Roadster to Mars Playing ‘Space Oddity’ for First Falcon Heavy Launch

“Ground Control to Major Tom” may soon be playing in orbit around Mars for the next billion years if Elon Musk has anything to say about it.

The owner of SpaceX knows how to get attention, and hinted previously that he wanted to launch “the silliest thing we can imagine” on the maiden flight of SpaceX’s highly anticipated Falcon Heavy rocket, currently scheduled for liftoff no earlier than January 2018.

But now Elon has decided on what that “silliest thing” will be, and revealed it to the world in – of course – a Tweet.

Payload will be my midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing Space Oddity. Destination is Mars orbit. Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn’t blow up on ascent.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 2, 2017

That’s right, he wants to launch one of his electric cars into Mars orbit, as a huge publicity stunt for SpaceX, and it won’t be the first time such “dummy” payloads have been launched by the company either.

In 2010, Elon put a wheel of French Le Brouere cheese onboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule inspired by Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The spacecraft was a big deal in that its mission would mark the first spacecraft launched, orbited and recovered by a private company in history.

Launching a Tesla will also make for some great cross-promotion, being that Elon also owns Tesla.

There is no customer payload as the mission objective for the first Falcon Heavy – the mission is simply proving the Falcon Heavy works. The rocket is basically made of three Falcon-9 rockets strapped together to make a new, heavy-lift, 27-engine mammoth beast the likes of which has not been seen since the days of NASA’s Apollo missions on history’s most powerful operational rocket – the Saturn V.

Musk first announced plans for the Falcon Heavy in April 2011.

No private company has ever launched a spacecraft beyond the orbit of Earth yet either, so the mission will mark many firsts for SpaceX, in their ever-growing list of firsts, including landing multiple boosters at the same time (they will land all 3 cores same as they are landing Falcon 9s now).

The journey to Mars for the Tesla will likely be a long one too, with the car likely being put into a very eccentric orbit, as a January liftoff is not preferred for any mission to Mars (April 2018 is the next optimal transfer window) and the Falcon Heavy does not have a third stage rocket.

Falcon-9 launching a cargo Dragon capsule for NASA off pad 39A. Photo: Mike Killian

The rocket cores of a Falcon Heavy, while they may visually look similar to a Falcon-9, are in fact modified for the unique stresses and conditions that are created by attaching 3 rockets together, especially the center core, which is partly why the rocket has taken several years to design, build and test.

The rocket cores, having all been individually fired and tested in Texas, are now currently sitting in a hangar next to pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, and is expected to be rolled onto the launch pad later this month for a static test fire, where the rocket basically undergoes a practice countdown, with the engines firing briefly same as at liftoff, except the rocket never actually flies.

“There’s a lot of risk associated with Falcon Heavy, a real good chance that that vehicle does not make it to orbit,” Musk said earlier this year. “I want to make sure to set expectations accordingly. I hope it makes it far enough beyond the pad so that it does not cause pad damage. I would consider even that a win, to be honest.”

The next flight is actually for NASA to resupply the International Space Station with an un-crewed dragon cargo capsule, currently scheduled to launch no earlier than Dec 8 from nearby Cape Canaveral AFS launch complex 40. It will be the first launch off the old Air Force pad since SpaceX blew up a rocket and its AMOS-6 satellite on the pad over a year ago.

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– Follow Mike Killian on Instagram and Facebook, @MikeKillianPhotography

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B-58 Hustlers Were Sonic Booming and Record Setting Machines

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December 1, 2017

B-58 Hustlers Were Sonic Booming and Record Setting Machines

Convair’s B-58 Hustler was a record-setting machine back when it was introduced in 1960. The builders of the jet produced a Progress Report film during 1961 highlighting the fact that at the time the B-58 was “swift, capable, versatile, and operational.” B-58 Hustlers flying low and very fast are seen setting several records. The film, uploaded to YouTube by rocket.aero, is in good shape. The sound could be better but the uploader claims to have improved it. Either way it’s B-58 footage!

[youtube id=”W0nJJx4loyQ” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

B-58 Hustlers at the airfield. — Official US Air Force photograph

The B-58 was envisaged as a high-altitude high-speed bomber but was forced to change mission profiles because Soviet defensive systems improved nearly simultaneously with its entry into operational service.

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B-58 Hustlers augmented and replaced some of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bombers employed by Strategic Air Command (SAC). B-58s were well known to the public because of their futuristic appearance and their propensity to produce sonic booms. Later in their service lives B-58s were used to research the effects of sonic booms on populations and infrastructure.

B-58 Hustlers pictured with crew and munitions. — Official US Air Force photograph

Operation Deep Freeze Has Been Cold Chilling Way Down Under Since 1955

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November 29, 2017

Operation Deep Freeze Has Been Cold Chilling Way Down Under Since 1955

Operation Deep Freeze (ODF), the collective name for scientific research in Antarctica, has been ongoing since 1955. Over the years the United States Air Force (USAF) and United States Navy (USN) have been flying supplies and personnel to the American and select foreign outposts there using a variety of aircraft. The longest-serving of these ODF veterans is the ski-equipped Lockheed LC-130 Hercules airlifter. This footage, uploaded to YouTube by Gung Ho Vids, portrays some of the action on the ice during Operation Deep Freeze 2017. The film was released by USAF Pacific Air Forces Public Affairs and produced by Staff Sergeant Jamie Spaulding.

[youtube id=”–Ux0vwqB0I” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

139th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C 130 McMurdo Station — 139th EAS LC-130. Official US Air Force photograph

The United States Antarctic Program, the National Science Foundation, and Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica (JTF-SFA) are the primary agencies driving the supply flights to the white continent. Flights from Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand are usually only flown during the Antarctic summer (late September to early March) each year, although exceptions are made based on need. Over the years both the USAF and USN have operated multiple aircraft types in Antarctica. For many years the Navy’s Antarctic Development Squadron SIX (VXE-6) Puckered Penguins were a dedicated resource for ODF.

LC 130R VXE 6 in Antarctica 1996 — VXE-6 LC-130. Official US Navy photograph

Today the 13^th Air Expeditionary Group (AEG), Air Mobility Command (AMC), deploys to Christchurch for ODF support during the season. The 304^th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (EAS) flies Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifters usually assigned to the 62^nd and 446^th Airlift Wings out of Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington. The 139^th EAS, New York Air National Guard (ANG) flies the Lockheed LC-130 Hercules and are normally based at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Schenectady New York.

304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C 17 Globemaster III — 304th EAS C-17. Official US Air Force photograph

BREAKING: Air Force Fires Thunderbird 1 After Completion of 2017 Show Season

Military History

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November 29, 2017

BREAKING: Air Force Fires Thunderbird 1 After Completion of 2017 Show Season

PENSACOLA, Fla. — The squadron commander of the Air Force Thunderbirds was removed from his job last week in a decision based on a loss of confidence by his superiors during his single year as the team’s leader. Although the Air Force did not elaborate on the reason’s behind Lieutenant Colonel Jason Heard’s dismissal, he departs five months following the crash and total loss of a nearly $28 million F-16D Viper jet prior to an Ohio air show.

1 Lt Col Heard Jason — Official US Air Force photograph

“This was an incredibly difficult decision to make, but one that is ultimately in the best interests of the Thunderbird team,” Brigadier General Jeannie Leavitt, 57th Wing Commander, said on Wednesday. “I am personally grateful for Jason’s dedication to the 2017 season.”

A Thunderbird jet flipped upon landing on the wet runway at Dayton International Airport on June 23. The pilot, Thunderbird narrator Capt. Erik Gonsalves, was approved by Heard to take a fellow Thunderbird crew member up for a familiarization flight at noon. Upon landing, the jet flipped after traveling in excessive speed following touchdown, injuring only Gonsalves, the Air Force said.

tbirdcanx 1 — Photo by: Charles A. Atkeison

Heavy rainfall and gusty winds had occurred during the morning leading up to and during the flight. The Air Force disclosed one month ago that the aircraft’s canopy was wet from rainfall during landing. The crash lead to the Thunderbirds cancelling their two show performances that weekend.

Lt. Col. Heard’s removal officially occurred on November 20, one week following the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron’s final performance of the year. Heard had served only one season with the Thunderbirds as the team’s flight commander. “While he led a highly successful 2017 show season featuring 72 demonstrations over 39 show sites, concerns arose that his approach to leading the team was resulting in increased risk within the demonstration, which eroded the team dynamic,” Air Force spokesperson Major Ray Geoffroy said on Wednesday.

Heard, who’s pilot call sign is “Shifty”, assumed command at Nellis, AFB in Las Vegas during a January 6 ceremony. Lt. Col. Kevin Walsh, who served as the Thunderbirds operations officer during 2016 and 2017, will take over as temporary commander during December.

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

This Video Is Precisely Why Avgeeks Often Say “Only At Oshkosh!”

History

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November 29, 2017

This Video Is Precisely Why Avgeeks Often Say “Only At Oshkosh!”

If you stick around Oshkosh long enough you’ll see just about every kind of airplane imaginable. This video clip of arrivals and departures was shot by our good friends at AirshowStuffVideos adjacent to runway 36 on the Tuesday at EAA AirVenture 2017. Tuesday is a great day to be watching, because aircraft are still arriving but there are plenty of aircraft already in attendance that want to kick the tires, light the fires, and get up into the blue.

[youtube id=”P6eiXEhkStQ” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

The clip starts off with a Turbine Legend taxying by, followed by some Piper Cherokees. The Aeroshell Aerobatic Team T-6s land on 36. A Cessna 180 taxis by followed by four North American T-28 Trojans chugging along. Next we see a Beechcraft Baron and another Piper Cherokee. You builders and fans of homebuilts will like the three-ship formation takeoff of Thorp T-18s caught looking awesome. I know at least one of those pilots!

download 2 1 — Image captured from AirshowStuff Videos upload

Two Phillips 66 Aerostars Yak-52 TWs taxi by next, followed by a C-47/DC-3 takeoff. Those four T-28s that taxied by earlier get into the blue quickly after that, followed by one of several Ford Trimotor appearances. A North American B-25 Mitchell lands. But that’s not just any old B-25. That’s the fourth B-25 built, delivered in 1940, and the oldest living B-25 on the planet! There are also a smattering of Piper Cubs and even a V Tail Bonanza. Once you been there you’ll know why people often exclaim: Only at Oshkosh! Will you be there next year?

download 7 — Image captured from AirshowStuff Videos upload

Amedeo’s All A380 Airline–Solid idea or Pipe Dream?

Airline News

Kim Clark

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November 28, 2017

Amedeo’s All A380 Airline–Solid idea or Pipe Dream?

The future of the double-decker A380 superjumbo jet was thrown into question last week when a huge order cancellation from Emirates put a gaping hole in Airbus’ future order book. Now comes additional bad news for the A380. A380s are being returned to lessors who have no customers for the used jets. So leasing company Amedeo is moving to its plan B.

Amedeo is starting an airline-for-hire type service using its fleet of Airbus A380s. The plan includes leasing seats and cabin crew to traditional airlines, as well as Expedia, Google, and market disrupters like Airbnb. Amedeo CEO Mark Lapidus told CNBC that he plans to lease to a handful of airlines and offer the service to other companies, not necessarily just those in the aviation industry. It sounds like he wants to start a charter company, but is the A380 the right jet for the market?

Two Big Challenges in Amedeo’s Plan:

Limited Markets where the A380 can fly

One could argue that superjumbo jets like the A380 and 747 are going the way of the dinosaur. But fans say flying on one is unlike anything else. Simply ascending the steps to the second level of an A380 or 747 double decker is exciting. The question is whether the experience appeals enough to consumers to keep them booking flights under the Amedeo leasing program.

These planes consume a lot of fuel. Airline executives are putting laser-like focus on fuel efficiency. New two-engine aircraft like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 can carry a similar number of passengers almost the same distance while burning less fuel thanks to improvements in engines and carbon fiber composites.

These problems that plague the sale of the A380 to major airlines could also be the Achilles heel for Amedeo’s new leasing program. If airlines do not want to buy these mammoth aircraft, reasoning could follow that they may not want to lease them either.

Infrastructure Costs of Starting a New Airline Could be a Giant Roadblock

Another possible roadblock for Amedeo is the infrastructure cost of starting up an airline. First and foremost, there are regulations that are challenging in any environment. The issue of crews, ownership, proving flights, and maintaining aircraft is expensive. Some countries are also preparing to impose new taxes to support the U.N. Millennium Development Goals.

And regulations are not the only challenge. The amount of money going out the door to suppliers adds to the financial headaches for a start-up like Amedeo. According to mckinsey.com, more than 60% of an airline’s cost base goes to suppliers. Amedeo has to establish relationships with suppliers and unless they start driving a large amount of business to them, they are unlikely to receive the best pricing on those services.

The problem with lowering supplier costs is that most of them can set prices as they see fit because there is little or no competition, making them sort of oligopolies. For example, many cities only have one airport. And at those airports, there are usually no more than two caterers, two host-system providers, and maintenance.

Even if Amedeo overcomes all these issues, the track record for airlines to succeed is not very long. A number of airlines have failed just this year. The list of airlines that went bust early on is very long. Wikipedia hosts a list of now-defunct U.S. airlines that goes on for several pages. Running an airline with A380s? That’s a big unknown.

A more likely scenario: Excess A380s might be scrapped, even though they are less than 15 years old

The long-range passenger jet market has been under pressure for quite some time. The down cycle in orders is most apparent in the market for wide-bodies like the A380. More and more airlines are retiring the wide-bodies and as a result, used A380s are now potentially set to flood the leasing market.

Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 841 9V SKM ZRH 23686237991 — Singapore Airlines Airbus A380-84. Photo dxme from Schweiz (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Singapore Airlines is retiring five A380s from their fleet over the next year. They already returned one in October and the next four will be put out to pasture in 2018. Dr. Peters, from the German leasing company that owns A380s has not yet found a new customer for the aircraft either.

The Singapore Airlines jets that are being retired are only ten years old and will be on the market alongside the Amedeo owned jets. As more and more airlines are ridding themselves of the world’s largest passenger planes, the market could become so over-saturated that some Singapore A380s may even be disassembled to be sold for spares

Still, Amedeo’s CEO is Confident In His Venture’s Success

In spite of the obvious challenges, Amedeo CEO Mark Lapidus insists his new company is being built on solid ground. He asserts that other operators have not understood the A380’s capabilities and did not optimize its capability.

Lapidus said, “With the A380, Airbus started with: ‘It’s a big piece of real estate; do what you want to do.’ That has not helped with the key factors that are great on this aircraft, which are the lowest seat-cost economics of anything flying today or in five years.”

Mr. Lapidus says the Amedeo 380 program will help airlines add routes and maintain service in difficult financial environments. Amedeo anticipates the long-haul aircraft will appeal to airlines that only want to lease a small number of A380s to serve global routes while avoiding large upfront costs paid to Airbus. Lapidus says he only needs three or four carriers to come on board to make the system work and is confident that non-aviation companies like the AirBNBs and Expedias of the world will round out the roster to help support their A380 powered airline.

Grab your popcorn, this will be a fun show to watch…

B-52 Annihilates Taliban Weapons Factory. You Gotta See This Explosion!

Military History

Avgeekery

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November 27, 2017

B-52 Annihilates Taliban Weapons Factory. You Gotta See This Explosion!

The United States Air Force isn’t messing around lately in Afghanistan. They are on a roll! Over the past week, deployed crews in Afghanistan launched F-22 strikes against Taliban drug facilities. This is was first such coordinated strike against drug making facilities. These facilities produce most of Afghanistan’s drugs that are exported. The profits from these drugs line the Taliban’s pockets.

Then today, the Air Force posted footage of the mighty B-52 BUFF obliterating a Taliban bomb making facility in Afghanistan. According to Airman magazine,

A USAF B-52 bomber recently struck a Taliban homemade explosives production facility in Helmand province. The large secondary explosion visible in the video is evidence the facility was storing a significant amount of explosives.

That’s air power!

About the B-52 BUFF

The Boeing B-52 is the Air Force’s oldest active bomber. The B-52 is expected to serve until the 2040s. With potential service life extensions, including possible re-engining of the fleet, the jet might even be the first actively flying jet that approaches 100 years of service.

Smoke On! Midshipmen’s Uniforms to honor Blue Angels at Army-Navy Game

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November 27, 2017

Smoke On! Midshipmen’s Uniforms to honor Blue Angels at Army-Navy Game

PENSACOLA, Fla. — As the Midshipmen take the field for the 118th Army-Navy Game, their uniforms and helmets will honor the Navy’s elite flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels.

The annual football game will be played from Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on December 9 (CBS-TV).

“Although the uniform departs from our customary characteristics, this tribute to the Blue Angels reflects the enthusiastic pride and appreciation we have for the Navy’s premier flying team and the motivation they convey to Navy football and the fleet at large,” said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk on Monday.

The hand-painted blue helmets will depict the Blue Angels delta formation with smoke-on, and include a golden visor similar to that used by the pilots and a golden mask. The six demonstration pilots perform at air shows across North America each year aboard the F/A-18C Hornet jets.

“This year we partnered with the Naval Academy to use the Army-Navy Game to honor the incredible pilots that make up the Blue Angels,” Gladchuk added. “Anyone who has had the privilege of watching the Blue Angels perform knows there is no show quite like it. It inspires and excites all who stand witness and we couldn’t think of a better way to pay homage to their great feats than creating a uniform that pays tribute to them.”

The Midshipmen will wear the American flag on their left sleeve, and the official Blue Angels insignia shield on their Under Armor uniform’s right sleeve. Their jersey number font will match that on the jet’s vertical stabilizer.

The Blues pilots have worn blue Under Armor gloves while in the cockpit during their forty-minute flight demo for the past few years. The Blue Angels wrapped up their 71st airshow season on Nov. 11 over their home base at Naval Air Station Pensacola.

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

WATCH: United’s Brand New DC-8 Jet Mainliner Starred In This Hollywood-Quality Film

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November 26, 2017

This Will Be the Best Retro Airline Film You’ll See All Week!

When Cate & McGlone of Hollywood produced the film “JET MAINLINER Flight 803” for United Airlines in 1960, the subject of the film, the Douglas DC-8-21 airliner, had been in production for only a few months. Many of United’s initial batch of DC-8s were DC-8-11s which were upgraded to DC-8-12s and subsequently brought up to the DC-8-21 specifications over the next few years. United eventually became the largest DC-8 operator. The film, uploaded to Youtube by PeriscopeFilm, stars the United Airlines DC-8-21 Jet Mainliner.

[youtube id=”n0apWsP8krE” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

DC-8-21s were powered by Pratt & Whitney JT4A-3 axial-flow turbojet engines producing 15,800 pounds of thrust each without water injection. United began flying them in 1960 after beginning operation of DC-8-11s in 1959. A natural competitor with its contemporary, the Boeing 707, the Douglas DC-8 was produced in smaller numbers (556 airframes as opposed to 865 707s) but was a popular alternative to Boeing’s comparable airliner. DC-8s were upgraded (primarily engines) and produced in more variants (added fuselage extensions) than the 707.

United DC 8 20 9550686903 CAa — image via clipper arctic

The film highlights just about every aspect of United’s DC-8 operations at the time. From food service to airframe production; flight planning to DC-8 interior amenities; flight deck simulators to historical equipment used by United. The film also features some outstanding air-to-air photography of the United DC-8-21 in flight. The two aircraft featured in the film, N8004U (SN45281) and N8005U (SN45282), were both delivered to United in late 1959. United operated DC-8s between 1959 and 1992, eventually replacing them primarily with Boeing 757-200s.

58fe20a5cba8999f954efe19e5dd07e1 civil aviation vintage airline — Image courtesy United Airlines

What A Magnificent Craft She Was: The Space Shuttle On Approach

Avgeekery

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November 26, 2017

What A Magnificent Craft She Was: The Space Shuttle On Approach

The last Space Shuttle mission landed on July 21, 2011. Since that date, Americans have had to rely on Russian Soyuz rockets to the International Space Station. Getting there isn’t cheap. The Russians charge almost $60M per seat! America is still officially scheduled to return to human spaceflight in 2018. But recent certification delays of Space X’s and Boeing’s capsules have called into question whether any human-carrying commercial operations will happen next year.

While the Space Shuttle never truly lived up to its promises, it was a truly beautiful space craft to watch. The Shuttle had an approach unlike any other. When it descended from the heavens, it fell like a rock. The shuttle had a 15-20 degree nose low deck angle. That’s 5-7 times steeper than your typical commercial airliner on descent. The descent was unpowered too, with only a set of APUs to power the critical systems and flight controls. On final approach, the shuttle continued its steep dive and only gracefully lifted its nose at the last second. The shuttle’s pilot then lowered the gear, as the commander flared just before touch down. Early arrivals of the shuttle were met with much fanfare. But this one of Discovery touching down at Edwards in 2009 barely received a few seconds of airtime on the local news. Shuttle landings were never routine but they became common. Now they are becoming a distant memory.

Why did we stop flying the space shuttle?

Many people will ask, why aren’t we still flying the space shuttle? That’s a good question! The Space Shuttle was a magnificent piece of engineering but it never fully lived up to its hype. First of all, the shuttle was dangerous. Two hull losses in just over 100 flights is not a good track record.

nasatiles — Shuttle tiles were effective but delicate. Photo: NASA

Decisions made in the 1970s to cut costs were leading to added risks to the program that couldn’t be solved or rectified. Money ‘saving’ decisions like the solid-rocket boosters or SRBs meant that we had no way to turn off the giant motors once lit. Engineers adapted and overcame but the risk was ever-present. Because the shuttle was mounted on the side of the stack, the craft would always be susceptible to foam and ice damage on liftoff. Other technologies like the individual thermal protection tiles were insanely delicate and prone to cracking. This all added up to a vehicle that was amazing but risky. Every flight was a test flight.

Will we ever see another Space Shuttle?

Probably not. Many engineers and enthusiasts see the space shuttle as a deviation from the progress that NASA was making in the 1950s and 1960s. The Shuttle was only capable of low earth orbit. It was heavy, expensive to maintain, and diverted billions of dollars away from projects that could’ve established a permanent presence on the Moon or Mars. While we will probably never see such a complex hybrid-rocket/space plane again. Projects like the forthcoming Dream Chaser and the Air Force’s secretive X-37 will mean that spacecraft that land like a plane will continue to be invested in and developed.

Here Are Six Reasons Why The C-Series Could Be The Next Big Thing In Commercial Aviation

Airline News

Kim Clark

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November 25, 2017

Here Are Six Reasons Why The C-Series Could Be The Next Big Thing In Commercial Aviation

After getting off to a rocky start, Bombardier’s C-Series jets are uniquely positioned to become the next big thing in aviation. That is, if they do not incite an international trade war first.

Last spring, Boeing accused plane maker Bombardier of receiving financial backing from the government of Canada that helped it maintain the struggling C-Series program. Boeing filed suit against Bombardier, accusing them of then selling the aircraft to Delta Airlines for “absurdly low prices” which Boeing said unfairly penalized their own 737 program.

Bombardier, of course, denied those claims, stating that large discounts are extremely common in the aerospace industry. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that he believed Boeing “is pursuing unfair and aggressive trade action against the Canadian aerospace sector.”

In defense, a spokesperson told CNNMoney, “We like competition. It makes us better. And Bombardier can sell its aircraft anywhere in the world. But competition and sales must respect globally-accepted trade law.” Delta called the case “without merit.”

Bombardier BD 500 1A11 CSeries CS300 on finals after its first flight — Bombardier BD-500-1A11 C-Series CS300 on finals after its first flight. Photo By Gilbert Hechema [GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html) or GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Meantime, in September, the U.S. government backed Boeing in the lawsuit and recommended a huge tariff on each C-Series delivery into the country. After the tariffs were announced, in an unexpected move that resembles players in a chess game, Airbus swooped in and acquired a majority stake in the C-Series program, moving manufacturing to its plant in Alabama and moving the plane front and center in Boeing’s woes over worldwide aircraft sales.

The C-Series controversy is having a ripple effect. Canadian and U.K. leaders threatened to scrap a deal with the Royal Canadian Air Force for Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters worth $5.2 billion if the case wasn’t dropped. The issues also raised unemployment concerns in Ireland. The C-Series’ wings are manufactured at a plant in Belfast which employs over 1,000 people.

Even from the early days, the C-Series program was beset with problems. The first planes were supposed to be rolled out in 2013 but the complexity of the brand-new aircraft led to a three-year delay in its market introduction and sent the manufacturing program billions of dollars over budget.

Is the C-Series Worth All the Fuss? Here Are 6 Reasons Why We Think So…

Bombardier CS100 23354893672 — The cabin of the CS-100 is roomy. It blurs the line between regional jet and airliner. Photo Kārlis Dambrāns from Latvia (Attribution 2.0, Wikipedia (CC BY 2.0))

The C-Series jets may be worth the fuss for passengers and operators for several reasons. The airplanes are roomy, quiet, fuel efficient, and technologically advanced. The benefits of flying the new C-Series include:

1. A roomy cabin

The jet’s cabin is roomy and comfortable. It has 110 seats, a wider aisle, large overhead bins, and bigger windows. Passengers can stretch out, enjoy the view, and there is still plenty of room for the beverage cart to pass by. There are about half the number of middle seats when compared to larger planes and those seats are wider by an inch.

2. Lightweight construction

Bombardier has introduced new technology, making the wing skins with a technique using liquid infusion inside an autoclave that creates panels that are lighter than metal. The fuselage is manufactured using lightweight aluminum-lithium alloy.

3. Geared turbofan engines offer next-gen performance

The C-series features Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan. It improves fuel efficiency by using the gear to disconnect the rotation speeds of the fan and low pressure turbine, widening the fan diameter and doubling the bypass ratio. This means that the C-Series has an engine with lower maintenance costs and better fuel efficiency.

4. Amazing efficiency from a sleek, modern design

The new airframe and state-of-the-art engine technology deliver a 20% fuel burn advantage over other aircraft in the same class. According to the Bombardier website, the C-Series burns only 2 liters of jet fuel per 100 kilometers per passenger. The savings rank high in importance to carriers, since fuel costs are their number one variable. While Airbus and Boeing have modernized jets, they both lack a clean sheet design that the C-Series offers.

5. Advantages of scale thanks to Airbus

With the existing partnership between the two, Bombardier has access to Airbus’ substantial product and sales support infrastructure. Bombardier also gains access to Airbus’ manufacturing base and substantial supply chain.

6. Long Legs To Connect New Markets

These new planes can make domestic tertiary markets viable, which is similar to what the 787 did for international markets. Longer range jets make more connections feasible. These secondary routes would eliminate the number of connections for passengers and provide a direct route to their secondary market destinations. The C-Series offers the ability to connect disparate small to medium size markets like never before.

Some historical parallels between the C-Series And The MD-80

This past year’s developments in the Bombardier program are similar the the MD-80’s challenges thirty years ago. Like the C-Series, the MD-80 program was teetering on the brink of disaster in 1982, when McDonnell Douglas made a deal to lease twenty MD-80s to American at a super-heavy discount. American then went on to commit to 67 orders and 100 options in 1984, and as of 2002, was flying more than 360 MD-80s.

McDonnell Douglas MD 80 AmericanAirlines — American Airlines will retire its fleet of MD-80s by 2019. Photo: Piotrus, Own Work (wikimedia commons: Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

American Airlines’ success with the MD-80 brought attention to the struggling series. Other airlines started buying the planes once they knew that the MD-80 was selling. Alirlines like Alaska Airlines, Aeroméxico, China Eastern Airlines, China Northern Airlines, US Airways and Delta all ordered the MD-80. Many other airlines also purchased the stretched DC-9. American only recently announced that it will be retiring all its MD-80s by the year 2019. American will replace the ‘mad dogs’ with the 737-800 and -8 MAX.

Will Bombardier’s C-Series actually meet with the same success as the MD-80 or will international trade wars prevent it from reaching its potential? It has a fighting chance thanks to the boost provided by Airbus and Delta. With Boeing’s accusations hanging in the air, only time will tell.

This Is How WWII-era Navy PBM Mariner Flying Boats Went Back To War In Korea

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November 25, 2017

This Is How WWII-era Navy PBM Mariner Flying Boats Went Back To War In Korea

This video, transferred from 16 millimeter film, documents VP-731 (later VP-48) operating Martin PBM-5 Mariners from Naval Station Sangley Point in the Philippines. VP-731 was activated in response to the outbreak of war in Korea. Initially deployed to Buckner Bay in Okinawa with the support of seaplane tender USS Suisun (AVP-53), VP-731 also operated from Sangley Point with the support of seaplane tender USS Salisbury Sound (AV-13). VP-731 flew patrol missions over the Formosa Strait and the Chinese coast from both locations. This silent but colorful film was uploaded to YouTube by PeriscopeFilm.

[youtube id=”MAi9q871kBo” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

At the end of May 1952 VP-731 went WestPac again, this time operating out of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni in Japan and supported by seaplane tenders USS Gardiners Bay (AVP-39) and USS Kenneth Whiting (AV-14). During this deployment the squadron flew missions over both Korean and Formosan waters. VP-731 got right to work, flying missions by June 1st 1952. Two Chinese MiG-15 fighters killed two crewmen aboard a VP-731 Mariner when they attacked the flying boat over the Yellow Sea west of Korea.

Martin PBM 5 A Mariner at the Pima Air and Space Museum — Image courtesy Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

First flown on February 18^th 1939 and entering service with VP-55 in September of 1940 wearing the familiar yellow wings and silver fuselage color scheme, the Mariner was built in both flying boat and amphibian versions like its contemporary, the Consolidated PBY Catalina. Martin built 1,366 Mariners (all variants). In addition to the United States Navy and Coast Guard, Mariners were operated by Argentina, Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay. VP-50 retired the last operational US Navy Mariners in 1956. Uruguay’s Mariners served until retired in 1964.

hoisting PBM 1 — Official US Navy photograph

BREAKING: Navy Identifies The Three Sailors Lost In November 22nd COD Crash

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November 25, 2017

BREAKING: Navy Identifies The Three Sailors Lost In November 22nd COD Crash

The United States Navy has identified the three sailors lost in the November 22^nd 2017 crash at sea of the VRC-30 Providers Detachment 5 We Deliver Grumman C-2A(R) Greyhound COD aircraft. The three sailors killed in the crash are Lieutenant Steven Combs, Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Matthew Chialastri, and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso.

171125 N NO824 001 1 — Lieutenant Steven Combs. Official US Navy photograph

Lieutenant Combs, who was a native of Florida, was assigned to VRC-30 aboard the carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). LT Combs had previously flown with VAW-120 Greyhawks. His other previous duty stations include the Center for Security Forces Detachment Kittery Point at Portsmouth in New Hampshire and Training Wing 4 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi in Texas. Combs’ awards include the National Defense Ribbon and the Navy Battle “E” Ribbon.

171125 N NO824 002 1 — Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Matthew Chialastri. Official US Navy photograph

Airman Chialastri, who was a native of Louisiana, was also assigned to the Reagan. ABEAN Chialastri had previously served aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6), with Patrol Squadron Thirty (VP-30) Pro’s Nest based at NAS Jacksonville in Florida, and also at the Center for Security Forces Detachment Kittery Point. Chialastri’s awards include the National Defense Ribbon.

171125 N NO824 003 1 — Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso. Official US Navy photograph

Airman Apprentice Grosso, who was also a native of Florida, was also assigned to the Reagan. AOAA Grosso’s previous duty stations include the Naval Air Technical Training Center at NAS Pensacola in Florida and the Naval Recruit Training Center Great Lakes in Illinois. Grosso’s awards include the National Defense Ribbon.

171117 N KH151 061 — VRC-30 Det 5 C-2A(R) has just launched from CVN-76. Official US Navy Photograph

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these Sailors,” said Vice Admiral Phil Sawyer, commander of U.S. Seventh Fleet, in the Navy’s release. “Their service and sacrifice will be lasting in Seventh Fleet and we will continue to stand the watch for them, as they did bravely for all of us.”

The First American Covert Overflights of the Soviet Union

JP Santiago

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November 24, 2017