The FAA said no to the plane swap stunt two days before it happened, but the lead pilot didn’t tell anyone else on his team and went ahead with it on live TV.
General Aviation
Diamond’s electric DA40 promises recharge in 20 minutes or less
Diamond officials say the eDA40 will be the first EASA/FAA Part 23 certified electric airplane with Direct Current (DC) fast charging capable of turning around a depleted aircraft in under 20 minutes. Total flight time is expected to be up to 90 minutes as battery technologies evolve, officials added.
Up Up and Away Hot Air Balloon Festival takes to the skies this weekend
The three-day festival includes balloons from around the country, as well as live music from 10 local bands.
Pilot loses control during test flight
The uncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff, which resulted in an impact with terrain.
Picture of the Day: Short final into St. Barths
Chris Unrau submitted this photo and note: “I recently had the privilege of fulfilling a dream come true — I earned my certification to land in St. Barths in my Cessna T210N, C-GPLS. The training consists of two hours of ground instruction followed by two training flights with 10 landings required on Runway 10, missed approaches to both runways, and a landing on Runway 28. It was a surreal experience to do this training into such an iconic airport. It’s a feast for all the aviation senses whether you’re the captain, the passenger, or spotting from the ground.”
New pilot shelter in the works for Martha’s Vineyard airport
The pilot shelter will be a place for “pilots and passengers to gather, picnic, and enjoy direct access to the Atlantic Ocean,” according to officials with the Recreational Aviation Foundation, who note that Katama Airpark Airport on Martha’s Vineyard is a bucket list destination for pilots around the world.
Fundraising gala planned for flight training scholarships for military vets
Applications are due June 1, 2022, for the Ashton Johnson Memorial CloudDancer Scholarship, which provides private pilot training for military veterans, since GI Bill benefits don’t begin until the instrument rating.
Skyborne opens flight training center in Vero Beach
The Vero Beach facility is the first in the U.S. for Skyborne, which also has a training academy at Gloucestershire Airport in the United Kingdom.
Student encounters wake turbulence on second solo
I trusted Tower to separate me from wake turbulence because this was my second solo and I was focused on learning how to fly solo.