Enstrom joined South African partners during AAD 2024.
Gross weight increase approved for Sonex and Waiex.
AutoGyro successful handover of another eight Sentinels to Benin and Türkiye.
Two Airbus H175 helicopters set to soar in Australia with PHI.
The world's first flydrive vehicle, passed its first PTI/APK, marking 4 years of road certification.
Boeing-built X-37B begins advanced space manoeuvring.
Airbus and European partners demonstrate collaboration between helicopters and unmanned systems.
This week in history - Joe Kittinger makes the first solo transatlantic balloon flight.
Worldwide Incidents and Accidents
Bonus video - Cliffy Pike RIP and the Giles 202
ENSTROM JOINED SOUTH AFRICAN PARTNERS DURING AAD 2024
Enstrom Helicopter Corporation representatives travelled to Tshwane, South Africa last month to take part in this year's African Aerospace & Defence Conference.
Held from September 18-20 at Air Force Base Waterkloof, the event focused on adapting to the future of warfare, addressing maritime security against piracy, and highlighting the South African Defence Industry.
Enstrom President Todd Tetzlaff was among the group who made the trip. He said, “As a first-time attendee, I was thoroughly impressed with the massive turnout and the diversity of products on display. It reinforced the fact that Africa is experiencing much economic growth, requiring the need for increased vertical lift capacity.”
Enstrom was joined by its South African representative Safomar Holdings. Safomar offered a centralized chalet to facilitate visits with military and law enforcement representatives from throughout the African continent, affording Enstrom and its products plenty of attention.
Safomar was instrumental in coordinating with the Zambian Ministry of Defence last year, finalizing the sale of two 480B turbine helicopters to the Zambian Air Force (ZAF), which Enstrom personally delivered in March 2024. The ZAF graciously flew down one of their new 480Bs to AAD 2024 for static display, and it became a big hit with the international crowd.
“We were proud to showcase our helicopter and share the good news direct from the factory in Menominee,” said Tetzlaff. “We were also able to reconnect with the ZAF pilots who we'd grown quite close with during their time training.”
Enstrom will be back on the international stage next month with Global Defence Helicopter 2024. The event is scheduled to return to Warsaw, Poland on October 22-24 with more than 700 representatives from 50 NATO and friendly nations attending.
GROSS WEIGHT INCREASE APPROVED FOR SONEX AND WAIEX
Sonex is excited to announce the approval of a higher maximum gross weight for all Sonex and Waiex aircraft powered by engines of 100hp or greater.
Following a series of engineering studies and flight tests, Sonex and Waiex owners may designate a max. gross weight of 1220 lbs. for aircraft with 100hp or more. This represents a 70 lb. increase vs. the previous 1150 lb. limit and is applicable to both A-Model (Legacy) and B-Model aircraft.
"We expect these changes to be very popular and greatly expand the appeal of the Sonex and Waiex to today's homebuilder," said Sonex owner and president Mark Schaible. "Due to the aerobatic load limit capability of the two aircraft models and the impending MOSAIC changes to the Light Sport Aircraft rules, we took the opportunity to study this change to our specifications. We are pleased to report that stall speed testing has proven the aircraft still qualify for Sport Pilots to fly under the existing rules."
Flight testing included both AeroVee Turbo and Rotax 912(100hp) powered aircraft. Jabiru 3300 performance specifications listed below for 1220 lbs. max. gross weight are estimates pending flight test results from Jabiru 3300 aircraft in the customer fleet.
Owners of complete and flying Sonex and Waiex aircraft wishing to make this change can do so in-accordance with their individual aircraft's operating limitations. Changing the gross weight constitutes a "major change," and would be handled in the same manner as any other major change to an Experimental Amateur Built aircraft (installing a different prop or engine, floats, etc.). The operating limitations issued to the aircraft will include a process for incorporating a major change.
SUCCESSFUL HANDOVER OF ANOTHER EIGHT SENTINELS TO BENIN AND TÜRKIYE
AutoGyro GmbH, the world-leading gyroplane manufacturer from Germany, handed over three Cavalon Sentinels and two Calidus Sentinels fully equipped with a unique package of law enforcement systems and camera-ready to the Benin Government.
The first batch of aircraft are already deployed in Cotonou, from where these AutoGyro aircraft will support border monitoring and aerial surveillance in rural and urban areas. AutoGyro also provided a turn-key package of pilot training, with the first four Beninese pilots already exploring the capabilities of these aircraft in service.
The training program extends into 2025 to cope with the number of pilots and skills required, including night and mountain operations.
At the same time, another three Cavalon Sentinels were handed over to SkyOlympos, the AutoGyro Turkish partner, in readiness for camera fitment and Jandarma deployment. The Jandarma already has huge success with this cost-effective policing solution, providing an excellent real-world use case by a major police service.
Turkish Jandarma is very proud of their Sentinels and displayed them recently in the official Ceremony of Commissioning of their 7204 new vehicles.
Because of this success, AutoGyro products are now part of the NATO parts catalogue, available to all NATO services.
Gerald Speich, CEO of AutoGyro GmbH, commented: “These Cavalon and Calidus Sentinels represent the current peak of gyroplane integration, blending solid, reliable and well proven aircraft platforms with the latest avionics, communications and surveillance technologies. AutoGyro is immensely proud that our aircraft will be supporting the Turkish Jandarma and Government of Benin for many years to come, providing an effective, low-cost solution to their policing needs.”
TWO AIRBUS H175 HELICOPTERS SET TO SOAR IN AUSTRALIA WITH PHI
Two Airbus H175 helicopters have officially entered service with PHI Aviation in Australia, supporting their offshore energy transportation, search and rescue and medical evacuation operations.
PHI, which has pioneered many firsts over its 75-year history, operates bases in Broome, Darwin and Exmouth, Australia. The new H175 helicopters will be based out of Broome, with additional H175s expected to join the fleet in the coming months.
“These state-of-the-art aircraft are a significant addition to our growing fleet in Australia. They elevate our operational capabilities while reinforcing our commitment to sustainable innovation and delivering world-class service to our clients,” said Cory Latiolais, PHI Aviation Chief Operating Officer, Asia Pacific.
“We are pleased to support our long-term customer PHI Aviation with delivery of the H175 helicopters for their current Australian fleet. The high performance of the H175 aircraft in the challenging Western Australian environment is an excellent addition for the PHI Aviation fleet, especially with their focus on search and rescue operations, and marine transfers,” said Christian Venzal, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Australia and New Zealand.
PHI is a global leader in providing safe and reliable helicopter transportation, with a strong focus on supporting energy providers, hospitals and air medical organisations, and governments worldwide.
The H175 helicopter offers superior performance, payload capacity, and range, making it ideal for long-range transport across Western Australia's vast distances. Combined with the lowest vibration and sound signature in its class, and advanced Helionix safety systems, the H175 delivers exceptional comfort and safety for both passengers and the communities it serves.
These helicopters complement PHI's existing multi-type fleet and can be reconfigured with hoists for search and rescue missions, or fitted with a medical interior for emergency evacuations from offshore oil rigs.
THE WORLD'S FIRST FLYDRIVE VEHICLE, PASSED ITS FIRST PTI/APK, MARKING 4 YEARS OF ROAD CERTIFICATION
The PAL-V Liberty, the world's first FlyDrive vehicle (flying car), has successfully completed its first Periodic Technical Inspection (PTI/APK), 4 years after its groundbreaking road certification. The PTI milestone follows the PAL-V Liberty's historic approval as the first flying vehicle to be road-legal, solidifying its position as a pioneer in both the aviation and automotive industries.
In 2020, the PAL-V Liberty received its European road certification, marking a revolutionary moment in transportation history. This approval allowed the FlyDrive vehicle, which can seamlessly transition from aircraft to car, to be driven on public roads. Now, after driving on the European roads for four years, the PAL-V Liberty has proven again to meet the most stringent safety and roadworthiness standards, as confirmed by its first PTI.
The PTI is an essential part of ensuring vehicles maintain optimal road safety, and passing the inspection demonstrates that the PAL-V Liberty continues to perform reliably as a car while remaining ready to take to the skies. As a flying car, the PAL-V Liberty combines the best of both worlds-offering the freedom of flight and the convenience of road travel, all in one innovative mobility solution.
“We are thrilled to announce the successful PTI of the PAL-V Liberty, which underscores our unique capability to design and produce safe, reliable, and sustainable FlyDrive solutions for B2B, B2G and private customers,” said Robert Dingemanse, CEO of PAL-V. “Four years ago, we made history with our road certification, and today we continue to lead the FlyDrive Mobility solution market globally.
PAL-V now concentrates on finalizing the last stage of air certification (compliance demonstration), in order to offer the first PAL-V Liberties to its many professional and private customers in its orderbook, who are eager to experience the freedom and effectiveness of PAL-V's FlyDriving solutions.
BOEING-BUILT X-37B BEGINS ADVANCED SPACE MANOEUVRING
The Boeing [NYSE: BA]-built X-37B will soon perform a series of advanced aerobraking manoeuvres, taking the dynamic spaceplane from a Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO), where it's been operating since December 2023, and lowering its altitude using minimal fuel.
This will be the first time Boeing, the United States Space Force (USSF) and the X-37B attempt to accomplish this novel demonstration.
“Space is a vast and unforgiving environment where testing technologies is critical to the success of future endeavours,” said Michelle Parker, vice president of Boeing's Space Mission Systems. “There is no other space platform as capable, flexible and manoeuvrable as the X-37B, and its next demonstration will be another proof point that this test vehicle sets the pace of innovation.”
During aerobraking, the X-37B will use the drag of Earth's atmosphere to slow it down, reducing the vehicle's energy and changing the orbit while expending minimal fuel. The Service Module disposal will be conducted in accordance with established standards for space debris mitigation, and the X-37B's orbit change will occur in a safe and responsible manner. Once aerobraking is complete, the X-37B will resume its test and experimentation objectives.
“This first-of-a kind manoeuvre from the X-37B is an incredibly important milestone for the United States Space Force as we seek to expand our aptitude and ability to perform in this challenging domain,” said Gen. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations.
The program will leverage six successful missions of safely operating the X-37B around Earth during this next demonstration. Boeing brings decades of lessons learned from operating other spacecraft in a variety of orbits, from the Apollo missions, the Space Shuttle Program, and hundreds of governments and commercial satellites.
With every mission, X-37B innovates and breaks new records.
AIRBUS AND EUROPEAN PARTNERS DEMONSTRATE COLLABORATION BETWEEN HELICOPTERS AND UNMANNED SYSTEMS
Airbus Helicopters and its partners have conducted a full-scale demonstration of a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system developed as part of a project funded by the European Union and code-named MUSHER. The demonstration took place in France and Italy from 30 September to 9 October and involved multiple manned helicopters and unmanned systems connected to a single MUM-T network.
"Operating helicopters and unmanned aerial systems in concert provide valuable additional mission capabilities such as increased situational awareness with UAS sharing video in real time for improved decision-making, all while preserving critical assets and resources," said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. "The success of the MUSHER demonstration is a major step forward for our ambition at Airbus which is to field MUM-T capabilities by bringing European industrial know-how together for the benefit of military and civil customers," he added.
The experiment was led by Airbus, which deployed the H130 FlightLab as a manned platform and the VSR700 unmanned aerial system (UAS) on a DGA test range. Meanwhile, Leonardo performed the demonstration with a helicopter and an optionally piloted vehicle. Thales, coordinator of the MUSHER project, provided a supervision station and a mission debriefing station. Space Applications Services was in charge of the mission preparation station. Indra led simulation activities in preparation for the demonstration, while ONERA provided studies on crew workload.
The MUSHER demonstration consisted of various scenarios involving the different aircraft flying simultaneously in France and in Italy. The missions were based on concepts of operations defined by the ministries of defence of France, Italy and Spain. One scenario, for example, showcased UAS and manned helicopters for an anti-piracy mission. The UAS was initially conducting a surveillance mission. Once it spotted suspicious activity on a boat, the manned helicopter joined the scene and took full control of the UAS in preparation for an intervention.
The in-flight testing aimed at demonstrating levels of interoperability (LOI) 2 to 4, from direct receipt of UAS data by the manned helicopters and the ground station, to the control and monitoring of the UAS from the helicopters. The demonstration also served to prove that manned helicopters and UAS from different companies and different countries, operating in distant areas, could be integrated within a single MUM-T system.
MUSHER is a project launched in the frame of the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) launched by the European Commission in December 2021. The project aims at developing a generic European MUM-T system that can operate robustly in multiple environments (civil, military or mixed), whilst reducing the crew's workload and delivering maximum capacity in operation.
14 September 1984 Joe Kittinger makes the first solo transatlantic balloon flight, from Carbon, Maine to Savona, Italy.
Born on 27 July 1928 Joseph William Kittinger II was an officer in the United States Air Force (USAF) who served from 1950 to 1978, and earned Command Pilot status before retiring with the rank of colonel. He held the world record for the highest skydive-102,800 feet (31.3 km)-from 1960 until 2012.
He participated in the Project Manhigh and Project Excelsior high-altitude balloon flight projects from 1956 to 1960 and was the first man to fully witness the curvature of the Earth.
A fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, Kittinger shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-21 jet fighter. He was later shot down as well, subsequently spending 11 months as a prisoner of war in a North Vietnamese prison before he was repatriated in 1973.
In 1984, he became the first person to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a gas balloon.
He passed away o 9 December 2022.
USA, Tampa Bay, off St. Petersburg, FL: A Piper PA-32-300 Cherokee Six B experienced an engine failure immediately after takeoff from Albert Whitted Airport (SPG/KSPG), St. Petersburg, Florida, and ditched in the water of Tampa Bay, about 300 yards east of the St. Petersburg Pier. The four occupants were rescued from the aircraft alive and three were taken to a hospital with undisclosed injuries.
USA, Kitty Hawk Flying Field Ultralight Flightpark (TS67), Garden Ridge, TX: On October 8, 2024, about 1025 central daylight time, a Quicksilver GT 400 experimental airplane, N2490H, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Garden Ridge, Texas. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot and witnesses, the preflight and engine run-up prior to take-off were normal and no anomalies were noted. During the take-off roll, the engine achieved full RPM. About 100 ft above ground level, the engine experienced a reduction in power to idle RPM. The pilot then attempted a 180° turn back to the airstrip. The airplane impacted the terrain and came to rest upright. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed fuel leaking from one of the engine fuel lines. The airplane was retained for further examination.
USA, near Catalina Airport (AVX/KAVX), Avalon, CA: A Beech 95-B55 Baron, N73WA, was destroyed when it crashed shortly after take-off from runway 22 at Catalina Airport (AVX/AVX), Avalon, California. All occupants were fatally injured. ADS-B data shows the airplane climbing to an altitude of about 75 ft agl before it entered a descent just off the departure end of the runway. The last ADS-B return showed an average rate of about -1700 fpm. The nearest weather station was reporting an overcast layer at 700-800 ft. Aircraft was on transponder code 1200 and there was no Instrument Flight plan filed with ATC. Sunset occurred at 1826L, 1 hour 38 minutes before the incident. According to the Chart Supplement for KAVX, "operations [are] prohibited at night" and the runway lighting is out of service indefinitely.
Brazil, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: A Eurocopter EC 145 helicopter of the Minas Gerais Fire Department (CBMMG), callsign "Arcanjo 4", crashed on a steep mountain range during a search and rescue mission. All six occupants, two pilots, two military personnel, a nurse and a SAMU doctor, were killed.
