MIDWEEK UPDATE 9 DECEMBER 2020

Compiled by Willie Bodenstein











AERO CLUB COMMUNIQUE DEC 2020 #1

We are nearing the end of this most unusual year, where flight was curtailed world-wide, affecting our GA & RA flying ability, and even though there is promise of a vaccine, this is probably only likely mid-2021 and it appears second wave of infections may hit our shores as well that could affect SA's lockdown status and trust there will be sanity in how this would be applied.

We are entering membership renewal season, with renewal notices that will be sent out shortly for the 2021 membership year. Overall, our membership decreased this year which we guess was due to the economics of the pandemic. As the economy and flying activity recovers, we trust that you as members past and present will be part of our recreational aviation community as the Aero Club continues to support strong advocacy on regulatory matters to preserve our freedom of flight.

The last Industry Liaison Forum (ILF) for 2020 was held on 26 November and a good proportion of the meeting covered accident statistics and although the number of incidents/accidents are on par with previous years, the accident rate per 10000 flying hours has increased dramatically in the GA/RA environment as the overall flying hours has been low compared to other years and which may be related to the upkeep of proficiency standards. We will continue to analyse the consequent effects as part of the GASS.

On the subject of CoAs and ATF renewals, the CAA have indicated that CoA applications are all up to date within the 20-day turnaround time and the ATF backlog has been reduced by 70%, with the plan to fully recover all the backlog by 10 December. All licence renewal applications are up to date within the 7 - 10 day service standard. If any member is having difficulties in their renewals, please contact the Aero Club for us to escalate it. Also note that the CAA has established an ASO Assistance Cell as per the link below: - if the service standard is not upheld, this ensures that there is a process to escalate and lodge a complaint. See the Notice link as below. We are also working closely with this Cell to resolve overdue applications.

www.aeroclub.co.za

The Aero Club continues to provide our membership support initiative (see above) to facilitate ATF and Licence renewals on behalf of members and which will be developed into a more comprehensive on-line system, the specification of which is on the website. We are inviting any members that have the ability to develop such a system to be in contact for a RFP.

If you are not a member and wish to join the Aero Club and any of its sections, feel free to do so at:-

www.aeroclub.org.za/member-renewals-and-new-memberships

Our Centenary Yearbook is now available to purchase (see below) from our new webshop

www.aeroclub.org.za/shop

The Aero Club office will be closed over the festive season from the 23rd Dec 2020 to 4th of January 2021



COVID 19 REGULATIONS, INITIATIVES AND AEROCLUB NEWS

THE PERFECT GIFT - THE AERO CLUB CENTENARY YEARBOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE



The Aero Club, as part of its Centenary Celebrations, had planned for a Centenary Year Book to be released in 2020, as part of the wider celebration plan. The book has now been completed and covers a rich 460-page (with around 1800 illustrations) compendium of Recreational Aviation in SA through the last 100 years, under the expert guidance of John Illsey as the Editor, with inputs from our membership from all our sections.

The books are now available and printed in Novalite (Leather), Hard Cover & Soft Cover versions, from the Aero Club Website Shop, or from the Aero Club office.

Delivery options are either collect at the Rand Airport Aero Club office, or door to door courier service anywhere in SA. Courier costs will range between R 100 to R 150 per book dependent on location. Volume purchases are also available should this be required.

Pricing:
- Novalite (Leather) Bound Book - R 500
- Hard Cover Book - R 400
- Soft Cover Book - R 300

www.aeroclub.org.za/shop



MORE PRIZES ADDED - THE CHOCK NORRIS AVIATION THEMED PHOTO CONTEST

Vote now for December week one finalists



Vote for DecW2.1



Vote for DecW2.2

How to Enter:
Entering your aviation related photo is easy and simple. All images must be emailed to pilotspost@gmail.com with the following detail included:
Your name,
Email address,
Telephone number,
Where the photo was taken,
Phone used,
A theme name of the photo (Optional).

Due to the large amount of entries we expect, Pilot's Post will not acknowledge your entry!!

Entry Rules:
1. When entering the competition and by sending your photo to Pilot's Post, you explicitly grant the publication of your submitted photograph at Pilot's Post team's discretion without any remuneration or obligation to you.
2. Submitted photos must be resized to be less than 1 megabyte in size. If full-size photographs are required, the Pilot's Post team will request them from you.
3. Only photos taken with cell phones will be accepted.
3. All submissions must have an aviation theme.
4. Photo submissions may be cropped and / or resized only. Any other form of photo alteration or manipulation is not allowed and will be disqualified.
5. You may submit up too three entries per week.

Judging:
1. The Pilot's Post team will select the 2 best photos submitted every week and add them into our "Midweek Update" published every Thursday morning, where our readers will then cast their votes by simply clicking the link below the photo of their choice.
2. At the end of each month, a complete article will be published on Pilot's Post to include the weekly photo submissions with the most reader votes. Our readers will then again have the opportunity to cast their votes by simply clicking the link below the photo of their choice. The photo with the highest number of votes will then be judged the Winner of the Month.
3. A prize of a set of Chock Norris personalised Aircraft Chocks with leather storage bag valued at R500
and
a voucher from the Pilot Shop valued at R200.00 will be awarded to each monthly winner
and
a soft cover copy of the Aero Club of South Africa's Centenary Yearbook valued at R300.00 sponsored by Chapter 322 of the EAA of SA

Eligibility:
The Pilot's Post "Chock Norris 2020" aviation related photo competition is only open to photographers resident in South Africa as our prizes are not transferable and can only be redeemed in South Africa.



EAA CHAPTER 322
With our MACH program (Member Awards for Chapter Help) your membership could win you a trip to Oshkosh!
Click on the link below today to renew or join!
eaa.org.za/membership/membership-form
or for EAA membership information go to
www.eaa.org.za





The following events will to take place under the rules controlling the number of people congregating together and are therefore not open to the general public.


16 DECEMBER
Witbank Aeronautical Association Fly-In


30 JANUARY 2021
SAPFA Rand Airport challenge
Contact Frank Eckard E-mail: frank.eckard@mweb.co.za Cell: 083 269 1516

30 JANUARY 2021
SAPFA AGM at Rand Airport after the rally
Contact Rob Jonkers E-mail: rob@aerosud.co.za cell: 082 804 7032

30 & 31 JANUARY 2021
Sport Aerobatic Club Gauteng Regionals, Vereeniging Airfield
Contact Annie Boon E-mail:
chunge@mweb.co.za






REBIRTH OF A SPRINGBOK DAKOTA



N353MM (construction number 13541) was manufactured in the USA, but spent almost its entire life in South Africa where she flew as ZS-CAI. In 2018 she was sold to Martin Balk of Martin Aviation LLC, Warren (NJ) USA who took it to the air for the first time with a renewed Certificate of Airworthiness on 27 November 2020. www.scramble.nl


The faithful propliner had arrived from the African continent in October 2018 and has been under restoration since then. It went up for a nearly two-hour flight from Princeton to Monmouth County Airport for familiarization before returning to Princeton.

The machine was delivered as C-47A Skytrain 42-93610 to the USAAF on 9 June 1944, but already transferred to the RAF as Dakota KG674 thirteen days later. Only one month after that, on 23 July 1944, the "Dak" was passed on to the SAAF as 6838 and it has been in South Africa ever since. After fourteen years of SAAF service, it was taken over by the Department of Transport in August 1958 and registered as ZS-CAI. It was used for a variety of duties including navaid calibration.

WB C 47 ZS CAI Leith Paxton 320. In January 2002, ZS-CAI was sold to the Democratic Republic of Congo-based Business Aviation. She returned to South Africa and spent a while parked at Wonderboom Airport. On 25 May 2007, she was bought by Skyclass Aviation and named "Marilyn". Based at Johannesburg-Oliver Tambo International, the old propliner was used as freighter on return flights to Gaborone in Botswana. During 2011, ZS-CAI was sold to Lush Aviation and continued in the role of freighter. In December 2013, she experienced an engine fire in the number 2 engine while taxiing to the apron at Port Elizabeth Airport. Fortunately, the loadmaster was able to extinguish the fire.

The engine was repaired and ZS-CAI was then acquired by Flippie Vermeulen (Springbok Flying Safaris a.k.a. Springbok Classic Air) He flew the "Dak" from Port Elizabeth via Orania to Johannesburg- Rand Airport on 2 September 2015. It was refurbished there to fly in Classic Air's popular aerial safaris. In 2018 ZS-CAI was sold to a new owner in the USA. It stopped for fuel on Gran Canaria island Las Palmas on 12 October 2018, before being handed over to its new owners in Bangor (ME). Via Bangor, the C-47A completed its delivery to Princeton (NJ) where it arrived on 19 October 2018.



AIR METHODS DONATES AIRCRAFT TO MERCY AIR AFRICA



Air Methods, a leading air medical service in the U.S., announced that it has donated an Airbus AS350B2 helicopter to southern Africa-based humanitarian relief organization, Mercy Air Africa. The non-profit organisation was founded in 1991 to provide private flight support for nongovernmental organizations serving in the southern region of Africa. Matthias Reuter, director of Mercy Air Helicopter Operations, visited Air Methods headquarters in Denver, Colorado last month to finalize and discuss the donation with Air Methods EVP of Operations Leo Morrissette.

"Private flight operations increase the effectiveness, economy and impact of relief efforts," said Morrissette. "Many service locations require long hours or days of travel by four-wheel drive vehicles or canoes in inhospitable conditions. Helicopters reduce travel time to mere minutes, significantly increasing service time for volunteers and transport capacity for essential supplies such as medicine, agricultural supplies and emergency rations."

Mercy Air supports various relief programs including healthcare, education, agriculture and disaster response. These efforts provide indigenous populations the skills and resources needed to lead more independent, productive lives rather than perpetuate dependence on international aid.

Using lightweight high-performance airplanes and helicopters, Mercy Air delivers assistance in a challenging operational environment where great distances, limited infrastructure, and difficult topography make access to rural populations inefficient or infeasible via other means of transport.

The principal region of operation includes the African nations of: Eswatini, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Zambia, Angola, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Service into Kenya, Tanzania and even Madagascar can be coordinated on an ad hoc basis. Volunteer teams across the region include pilots, mechanics, flight-assistants, physicians, nurses, dentists, agronomists, educators, tradesmen, business executives and administrators, who use their skills to help those in need.



BEAM PERFORMED WORLD'S FIRST FLYING ON SUNSHINE™ FLIGHT IN A PIPISTREL PRODUCTION ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT



The Beam company - the leading producer of infrastructure for the electrification of transport - conducted the world's first Flying on Sunshine™ flight in a Pipistrel production electric aircraft, powered completely by Beam's EV ARC™ solar-powered charging unit delivering off-grid, sustainably generated, locally stored energy. The world-first maiden flight took place at Reedley Municipal Airport in Fresno County, California, with local officials present and our USA customer and big promoter of electric aviation, Mr. Joseph Oldham, at the controls.

"The electrification of transportation is taking to the skies, powered by Beam Global. With 40% of greenhouse gas emissions coming from transportation in California, it's imperative to push the envelope in every form of mobility. Whether it has two, four or 18 wheels, a propeller or four rotors, Beam is developing sustainable solutions to deliver clean mobility to all. An important differentiator for us is that our products can charge any form of transportation, enabling us to take advantage of growth across this massive but diverse sector." Mr. Desmond Wheatley, the Beam Global CEO

Mr. Joseph Oldham reported successfully charging his Alpha Electro along with a Tesla car and a Zero motorcycle, all at the same time with the Beam solar-powered portable EV charger. The unit was completely off-grid and provided the necessary 240 volt single-phase current to charge the Electro without issue.

The charging demonstration, which happened in Reedley, CA, set the stage for deployment of these units at strategic airports in the San Joaquin Valley to allow for longer cross-country flights, from locations such as Fresno to Sacramento. One of the goals of the demo was to show how the investment in charging infrastructure for electric ground-vehicles to support expansion of electric aircraft operations can be leveraged. Multiple EV ARCs can be connected to support up to a 50-kW charger.

This proof-of-concept test flight is the first step in Beam Global's larger initiative to bring clean mobility to this new sector of sustainable transportation.




PIAGGIO AVANTI FLEET TOPS ONE MILLION FLIGHT HOURS



Piaggio Aerospace's P.180 Avanti turboprop fleet has amassed one million flight hours since first flight in 1986. Of the 246 produced, 213 are currently in service-95 are operating in the Americas, 96 in Europe, 18 in the Asia-Pacific, and four in Africa and the Middle East.

The P.180 with most years of service is S/N 1004, still flying today in the U.S., while the one with the most flight hours is S/N 1007 (operating in Canada), with more than 11,000 flight hours. Piaggio currently reports orders for an additional 13 Avantis-its EVO third-generation P.180-and is currently assembling the first one for the Italian Air Force.

"Reaching one million flight hours carries a symbolic value," said Vincenzo Nicastro, the extraordinary commissioner for Piaggio Aerospace appointed by the Italian government. "Two years ago, the company seemed to be close to collapsing. We have instead succeeded in bringing Piaggio Aerospace back to being fully operational, saving thousands of jobs and a more than 100-year-old brand. We now look forward to finding soon a new owner."

The twin pusher P.180 Avanti features a unique design that incorporates three lifting surfaces and was designed in the early 1980s. The goal was to create a twin-turboprop faster than a similarly sized business jet with lower operating costs.



THE REPUBLIC OF MALI ORDERS AN ADDITIONAL AIRBUS C295



The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Mali has placed a firm order for an additional Airbus C295 airlifter in the transport configuration. This second aircraft, to be delivered in 2021, will supplement the first C295 already in operation since December 2016, which has already accumulated 1,770 flight hours and transported more than 38,000 passengers and 900 tonnes of cargo in less than four years of operations.

This new order also includes an integrated logistics support package with spare parts for the two aircraft and training for flight crews and mechanics. This acquisition is in response to the urgent need of the authorities of the Republic of Mali to have permanent air transport capacity within a very short timeframe, providing a vital link supporting operations and actions for the development of isolated areas in the northern regions of the country.

Bernhard Brenner, Head of Marketing and Sales at Airbus Defence and Space, said: "This repeat order demonstrates the excellent capabilities and performance of our aircraft. The C295 is becoming the 21st century standard tactical airlifter in Africa with 37 aircraft ordered in the region, from Algeria, Egypt and Ghana to Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Mali."



TEXTRON AVIATION INTRODUCES THE KING AIR 260 - FEATURING INNOVATIVE COCKPIT UPGRADES - TO ITS RENOWNED TURBOPROP LINEUP



Textron Aviation is launching an exciting new era for its renowned Beechcraft King Air 200 series aircraft with the introduction of the Beechcraft King Air 260 turboprop. Featuring the latest technological advancements to the cockpit and improvements in the cabin, the King Air 260 reflects the company's continued commitment to making substantial investments to its current industry-leading products. Assembly production for the King Air 260 is already underway, and certification and deliveries are expected in early 2021.

The announcement comes on the heels of the recently introduced Beechcraft King Air 360, which features the latest enhancements to the cockpit and cabin. The King Air 360 achieved FAA type certification in October and customer deliveries are underway.

The King Air 260 combines the platform's rich history of rugged reliability and versatility with state-of-the-art upgrades and next-generation capability, offering a greater ease of flying. Key enhancements to the aircraft are the addition of the Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S) ThrustSense Autothrottle, along with a new digital pressurization controller. The cockpit also offers the Collins Aerospace Multi-Scan weather radar system as a standard feature on every King Air 260.

"These investments reflect our commitment to providing superior upgrades and engineering innovation that create the best flying experience for Beechcraft King Air 260 owners and operators around the world," said Ron Draper, president and CEO. "We place an immense value on our conversations with our customers and the investments we make in our aircraft are a direct result of listening to their input. I'm proud of the impressive effort by our team for taking a legendary aircraft and adding technological advancements that will allow customers to achieve their varied missions."

With an occupancy of up to nine, a maximum range of 1,720 nautical miles and a top cruise speed of 310 knots, the Beechcraft King Air 200 series aircraft has long been the aircraft of choice for customers around the world. The latest upgrades offer even more reasons for choosing the aircraft.

The ThrustSense Autothrottle supports pilots in their critical mission of delivering people or cargo by automatically managing engine power from the take-off roll through the climb, cruise, descent, go-around and landing phases of flight. This enhancement reduces pilot workload and is designed to prevent over-speed or under-speed, over-temp and over-torque conditions.

Another key update in the cockpit is the new digital pressurization controller, which automatically schedules cabin pressurization during both climb and descent, reducing pilot workload and increasing overall passenger comfort. The pressurization gauges have been integrated with the powerful Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion flight deck.

The Collins Multi-Scan RTA-4112 weather radar provides pilots with a fully automatic system that it optimized to detect short, mid and long-range weather. The system is designed to present an accurate picture of the weather around the aircraft, further reducing pilot workload.

"The Beechcraft King Air line-up is the most popular business turboprop in the world," said Rob Scholl, senior vice president, Sales and Flight Operations for Textron Aviation. "It's essential for us to continue exploring ways to bring innovation to such a renowned aircraft and these enhancements will allow owners and operators to accomplish their various missions with greater comfort, technology and ease."



50,000TH PRATT PT6 ENGINE ROLLS OFF PRODUCTION LINE



The 50,000th PT6 turboprop engine has rolled off the production line, Pratt & Whitney announced yesterday. Announced in 1958, the first iteration of the PT6 began flight testing in May 1961 and entered service in 1964.

"From the first application more than 50 years ago, the now-iconic PT6 engine has more than 130 different applications today," said Irene Makris, v-p of sales and marketing at Pratt & Whitney. "With each new model of engine developed and designed for a mission, platform and customer in mind, our employees continue to build a more efficient, smarter engine with a shrinking environmental footprint."

More than 25,000 PT6 engines are currently in service and the total fleet has accumulated in excess of 410 million flight hours, according to Pratt & Whitney. The latest variant-the PT6 E-series-powers the Pilatus PC-12 NGX.

"This production milestone is unmatched in the industry. It offers us another opportunity to celebrate the engine's ongoing success as we continue exploring new horizons for even more flying possibilities," Makris said. "The achievement sits as the collective cornerstone of Pratt & Whitney in general aviation."



HONDA AIRCRAFT COMPANY ANNOUNCES NEW FLIGHT TRAINING CENTER IN UK



Due to increased demand for the HondaJet in Europe, Honda Aircraft Company started construction on a second FlightSafety International HondaJet Elite simulator in October 2019. The HondaJet flight training session in this new location began earlier this month, after the centre received EASA certification. FlightSafety's Farnborough Learning Centre provides initial and recurrent pilot training, as well as a wide variety of other courses designed to meet the specific needs of HondaJet operators.

"As our fleet continues to increase in size, it is necessary for the HondaJet service, support and training network to expand. We are pleased to announce that we have completed the installation of the second HondaJet flight simulator at Farnborough, which has begun operation. The HondaJet was designed to reduce pilot workload and maximize the flying experience and we are confident that it will be enjoyed by pilots and passengers alike. We are proud of the relationship between our global support network and FlightSafety International. They have been instrumental in providing HondaJet customers with an unrivalled ownership experience," said Honda Aircraft Company president and CEO Michimasa Fujino.

"We are pleased to offer training for the HondaJet at our Farnborough Centre," said Nathan Speiser, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at FlightSafety International. "We work closely with Honda Aircraft to ensure that the simulators and training programs reflect the exact operating characteristics of the HondaJet and meet the highest standards set by EASA and other aviation regulatory authorities around the world."

The advanced technology systems and components installed in the FlightSafety FS1000 simulator built for the HondaJet include the CrewView collimated glass mirror display, VITAL 1100 Visual System, electric motion cueing system and advanced instructor operating station.

The HondaJet fleet is currently comprised of around 160 aircraft worldwide with more than 57,000 flight hours and an industry-leading dispatch reliability. Honda Aircraft Company's sales and service footprint spans North America, Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, India and Japan.



ERIKSON SKYCRANES ARRIVED IN AUTRALIA FOR BUSHFIRE SEASON



Skycranes firefighting helicopters arrive at Geelong Port ready to be deployed to other regions for the annual Australian bushfire season.

A Kestrel Aviation spokesman said the helicopters will be deployed to bases in Victoria and other parts of the country. A Coulson Sikorsky S61 will be based in Colac, but be able to service any emergencies in the Otways or Geelong regions. Fire Management Victoria says it is one of 50 firefighting aircraft that will be based across the state.

The Sikorsky S61 could reach speeds of up to 220km/h and can carry 4,000 litres water in its belly-tank. It also has a bucket on a long line so it can pick up out of oceans and which carries around 3,200 litres of water.



LEONARDO TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY AND RESCUE OPERATIONS IN BRAZIL WITH THE SUPPLY OF SIX AW119KX HELICOPTERS TO THE POLÍCIA RODOVIÁRIA FEDERAL



Leonardo's helicopter rescue and law enforcement fleet grows stronger in the country adding further AW119s to the AW109s and AW139s already used by other agencies. The AW119Kx helicopters are expected to progressively arrive in Brazil in the first half of 2021 to carry out a range of roles including transport, rescue, emergency medical service, firefighting, surveillance and law enforcement.

Nearly 190 Leonardo helicopters fly in Brazil performing a range of roles including corporate/private transport, law enforcement, public services, offshore transport and naval applications, supported by a growing level of localized maintenance services.

Over 350 AW119 helicopters have been ordered by over 130 customers in 40 countries, many of them for law enforcement, rescue, public service and military tasks.

Leonardo announced today that the Polícia Rodoviária Federal (PRF) of Brazil will introduce into service six AW119Kx single engine helicopters. The first aircraft is expected to be introduced in Brazil beginning next year, with the delivery of the remainder helicopters to the operator planned to be completed by mid-2021. The AW119Kxs will be operated by the Air Operations Division (DOA) from its bases in the five Regions of Brazil to perform a range of missions including transport, rescue, emergency medical service, firefighting, surveillance and law enforcement.

The selection of the AW119Kx by the PRF was made following a rigorous assessment of technical capabilities to best meet the law enforcement agency's needs. The handover of these helicopters will further expand the fleet of Leonardo helicopters used by law enforcement, rescue and public service operators across Brazil which already includes the AW119 single engine type in addition to the AW109 light twin and AW139 intermediate twin models. The helicopters will feature an advanced customized configuration including, among others, a Garmin G1000NXi glass cockpit, an infrared capable electro-optics system, rescue hoist, cargo hook, bambi bucket to counter fires, rappelling kit on both sides for special forces operations and advanced communication systems.

To date, there are over 190 Leonardo helicopters of various types operating in Brazil, performing many roles including: corporate/private transport, law enforcement, public services, offshore transport and naval applications. As the success of Leonardo's product grows further, the company is committed to further strengthening its existing level of localized services with the establishment of a new regional support centre, run by Leonardo do Brasil, in Itapevi, 30 km from São Paulo and who's ground-breaking was celebrated in February. The new support centre will expand the services already provided by the existing facility headquartered in São Paulo.

Leonardo is committed to serving and protecting communities around the world, contributing to their sustainable growth by leading in next generation technologies. Partnering with governments, private organizations and industries for the best security and safety capabilities is a cornerstone of Leonardo's Be Tomorrow 2030 Strategic Plan.



APACHE AH-64E HERALDS NEW ERA IN MODERN BRITISH MILITARY AVIATION



The first two new Apache Attack Helicopters (AH-64E variant) have been delivered to the British Army from the U.S. government. They arrived at Wattisham Flying Station on November 26 with aviation technicians from 7 Aviation Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (7 Avn Spt Bn REME), who will maintain and service the new aircraft.

A fleet of AH-64E Version 6 aircraft, the most advanced variant of Apache, have been procured from the United States to replace the Apache AH Mark 1, which reaches its Out of Service Date in 2024.

These Boeing built new aircraft will enable the UK to maintain its battle-winning Attack Helicopter capability for decades to come thanks to its improved digital capability. The new aircraft is already in service with the US Army and other defence forces and has been designed and equipped to offer common configuration.

First UK flying is anticipated to commence in July 2021. Initially, this will be focused on trials activity and then on developing instructional techniques to safely manage aircrew transition from Mark 1 to E-model. The focus will then change to the full rate conversion training of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps (3AAC).

Prior to commencement of flying, the full Air System Safety Case will be rigorously tested to ensure it can support safe flying. This will include quality assurance and airworthiness tasks by 7 Bn, plus certification by the UK Military Aviation Authority, assurance of aircraft documentation, simulators, training and instructors.

AH-64E will deliver a significant enhancement to the UK's 1st Aviation Brigade.

The UK has strived to make the aircraft best value for money by utilizing a large amount of parts from the Apache Mark 1, which reduces production costs and aims to be more environmentally sustainable. Plus, the new aircraft will be easier to maintain and more reliable, so that it will be more straightforward to sustain in any operational environment.







USA, Angelina County Airport Texas: A Cessna Citation 550 crashed while landing at Lufkin, Texas, Angelina County Airport, near Nagadoches, when the pilot had a problem with anti-skid function on the brakes. When he recycled it, the brakes failed altogether. The pilot steered straight ahead and the plane exited the runway, first hitting a breakaway and then getting snagged by a hog fence, caught the plane in mid-air and kept it from running a long way. Hog fence is very strong welded wire fencing designed to keep feral hogs out of farm fields, or wherever else feral hogs might want to go. This time, it stopped a Citation in its tracks. The occupants suffered only light injuries.

South Africa, Mooiplaas Tshwane, Gauteng: A Solo Wings Windlass Aquilla ultralight trike with two occupants crash landed under unknown circumstances in an open field in Mooiplaas Tshwane, Gauteng. One occupant was seriously injured and another sustained moderate injuries.

Botswana, Moremi Game Reserve: A Botswana Defence Force Écureuil AS-350 helicopter on a wild life preservation mission crashed during take-off from Mombo at Chiefs Island in the Moremi Game Reserve. All five BDF members aboard the helicopter survived the accident and received medical attention. Investigations pertaining to the cause of the crash are currently being conducted by the relevant aviation experts.

Puntland/Somalia,
Garowe: An Air Djibouti Boeing 737-500 on a flight from Hargeisa (Somaliland/Somalia) to Garowe (Puntland/Somalia) with 39 passengers and 5 crew on board when landing at Garowe, the capital of Puntland, suffered the collapse of the right-hand main gear at low speed. The aircraft veered to the right but came to a stop within the runway edge resting on right hand engine, left main and nose gear. There were no injuries and the passengers disembarked/evacuated onto the runway and were taken to the terminal.

Germany, Paderborn-Lippstadt Airport: The pilot of a Beechcraft B50 Twin Bonanza performed a belly landing as the landing gear did not extend. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The occupants were not injured.

USA, Park City, Summit County, UT: Following a loss of engine power, the pilot of a Cessna 172K Skyhawk force landed on major roadway terrain in Park City, Utah. The airplane was not damaged and the two occupants onboard were not injured during the incident.

USA, San Francisco: Wesley Moribe and Courney Peterson were traveling home with their child Sunday from San Francisco to Lihue Airport on Kauai when authorities discovered they had tested positive for COVID-19 in a pre-travel screening. They were arrested and charged with second-degree reckless endangerment after they boarded a flight and
were taken to a quarantine station at San Francisco International Airport.

Japan, Naha: A Japan Airlines Boeing 777-289 with 189 on board on a flight from Naha to Tokyo/Haneda, suffered an engine failure while climbing through around FL160 or FL170 at 40 nm north of Naha. The flight crew declared an emergency and safely returned to Naha. No personal injuries were reported among 11 crew and 178 passengers. The initial inspection after landing reveals that two fan blades were broken away from the root and from the middle, respectively and a part of fan case is missing.

Cuba, Havana: A Cubana de Aviacion Embraer EMB-110, on a flight from Nueva Gerona to Havana (Cuba) with 15 passengers and 4 crew, landed on Havana but suffered a belly landing, skidded along the runway and came to a stop without any gear. There were no injuries and the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

France, Annecy-Meythet Airport: A
Cessna T303 Crusader operated by 303 Flyers AG with three occupants veered off the runway upon landing in snowy weather conditions at Annecy-Meythet Airport. All three occupants were injured, two seriously. The aircraft suffered substantial damage.



Bahamas, George Town-Exuma International Airport: A Royal Bahamas Defence Force Cessna 208B Grand Caravan with only the pilot on board after landing collided with a tree. The left-hand wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot was not injured.

USA, Palm Springs International Airport CA: The aircraft experienced an apparent departure stall and subsequent impact with runway terrain while practicing touch-and-go landings at Palm Springs International Airport (PSP/KPSP), Palm Springs, California. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the sole pilot onboard received serious injuries.

USA, Memphis, TN: A Fedex Federal Express McDonnell Douglas MD-11, on a from Memphis,TN to Minneapolis,MN was in the initial climb out of Memphis when the crew declared emergency and reported they appeared to have a #1 engine failure but were able to stabilize the engine. The aircraft stopped the climb at 2000 feet and joined left downwind and landed safely on runway 36C about 8 minutes after departure.

USA, Lufkin Angelina County Airport, TX: A Cessna 551 Citation II/SP operated by Aviation Star S II LLC experienced a runway overrun upon landing on runway 16 at Angelina County Airport (LFK/KLFK), Lufkin, Texas. It crossed a road and impacted a fence. The undercarriage broke off as a result before the aircraft came to rest in a field. The airplane sustained substantial damage and one occupant received minor injuries. Two of the three occupants onboard the aircraft were not injured.



Belgium, Brussels: An EAT Leipzig Airbus A300-600 operating for DHL on a flight from Brussels (Belgium) to Vitoria,SP (Spain), was accelerating for take-off from Brussels when the crew rejected take-off at high speed (approx. 150 knots over ground). The aircraft slowed and stopped on the runway about 360 meters/1200 feet short of the runway end (about 2920 meters/9600 feet after the start of the take-off roll), however, was disabled with deflated main tyres. Emergency services responded and attended to the aircraft.

Papua New Guinea, Wobagen Airport: An Air Sanga de Havilland DHC-6-300, performing a flight from unknown point of origin to unknown point of destination (Papua New Guinea), was operating at Wobagen Airport in the western province but went off the runway. The nose gear collapsed and the aircraft sustained damage. As a result of the occurrence, a child was injured.





3 DECEMBER 1910

The first multiple fatality airplane accident in history happened at Centocelle, near Rome, when Lt. Enrico Cammarota and Private S. Castellani became the 26th and 27th people to die in a plane crash

The aeroplane, which was a Farman machine, was in charge of Engineer Cammarota and the accident appears to have been due to an attempt to make a short turn.


After a day of frequent and very successful flights, Lieutenant Cammarota, wanted to make another flight in the aircraft and taking with him Castellani, an excellent mechanic, who, one of the many attached of the school, had not yet had the satisfaction of making a flight.


The aircraft rose very well, making two or three circles, at just over twenty meters in altitude, but the observers, officers and soldiers, noticed, in a last lap that the tail of the aircraft dropped. Then suddenly, in a turn, the aircraft was seen to swerve to the right and fall, and, in an instant the aircraft crashed to the ground.


The two occupants were found still alive, but during the journey from Centocelle, to the military hospital, they passed away.



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