Future Flight
Joby acquires autonomous flight developer Xwing
Joby Aviation is one of many electric vertical take-off and landinng (eVTOL) air tax manufacturers that predicts autonomy will be the driver of ubiquitity for advanced air mobility (AAM) services and the company is placing its money where its mouth is.
3 min |
June 2024
Future Flight
NASA, ESA join forces to land European Rover on Mars
The space agencies signed a new agreement that will see NASA supply heating units for the Rosalind Franklin rover, which could launch as soon as 2028.
4 min |
June 2024
Future Flight
Saudi Arabia's groundbreaking air taxi trial set to transform Hajj travel for pilgrims
In a historic move, Saudi Arabia has successfully conducted its first air taxi trial in Mecca, setting the stage for deployment in the coming years and transforming Hajj transportation for pilgrims.
2 min |
June 2024
Future Flight
Long-awaited Starliner launch breaks a six-decade drought
An Atlas rocket has launched with astronauts aboard for the first time since Gordon Cooper's final Mercury flight in his Faith 7 capsule on 15 May 1963, powered by an Atlas LV-3B 130-D. The Atlas V rocket that launched on 5 June, manufactured by United Launch Alliance and powered at liftoff by a Russian-built RD-180 first-stage engine, carried Boeing's Starliner crew ferry ship to orbit following multiple launch delays over the past several days.
6 min |
June 2024
Future Flight
First flight for Electra hybrid 'blown lift' aircraft
Electra's blown-lift design uses eight electric motors to increase wing lift, allowing the eSTOL aircraft to take-off and land in just one-tenth of the space needed by conventional aircraft.
1 min |
June 2024
Future Flight
Avfuel, Neste sign SAF supply increase extension
Avfuel and renewable fuel producer Neste have finalised an extension to their agreement regarding the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and set a framework for the deal through 2027.
2 min |
June 2024
Future Flight
uAvionix awarded FAA contract to scale C-Band frequency management for Regional UAS C2
As a leading provider of avionics solutions for uncrewed and crewed aircraft, uAvionix, announced that it has been awarded a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) contract to scale C-Band frequency management for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Command and Control (C2) communications to a regional level with multiple UAS operating in proximity to one another.
2 min |
June 2024
Future Flight
Joby partners with Mukamalah Aviation
Last month Joby Aviation announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mukamalah, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, the operator of the world's largest fleet of corporate aircraft, to introduce Joby's aircraft to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
3 min |
June 2024
Future Flight
Sustainability and connectivity: top of the agenda for private jet industry
The executive aviation industry is currently facing a paradox. On the one hand, demand for private flying remains strong, propelled by the rise in the number of high-net-worth individuals around the globe. While on the other hand, the industry is increasingly being questioned by the public, the media, and politicians over its environmental credentials.
5 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
STAGGERWING - ALREADY OLD WHEN NEW
The Staggerwing was the climax, and the end, of an era.
5 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
The Aim of Bombing
In modern warfare it's not the soldiers who die - it's the civilians. One of the best examples of this is carpet bombing.
6 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
PIPISTREL PANTHERA FINALLY HERE
One of the world's most eagerly awaited piston single engine aircraft designs has finally arrived in South Africa. ZU-KTR is a long awaited Panthera, proudly owned by Bertus Kritzinger, a Free State trucker, and based at New Tempe in Bloemfontein, where the well-known Ferriera Aviation has assembled it.
9 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
PRESIDENT'S TROPHY AIR RACE 2024
The annual Presidents Trophy Air Race (PTAR) is the highlight of the year for many competitive general aviation pilots.
2 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
THE ABSA LOWVELD AIRSHOW 2024
This year marked the thirtieth edition of the Lowveld airshow – and it was widely acclaimed as the best ever.
2 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
UGLY IS PRETTY: LEAR 25 VS PILATUS PC-6
When you go to a party where you don't know anybody, you should always go for the 'Ugly' girl, because she will be happy that you chose to spend time with her.
4 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
PREVIEW: AFRICAN AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE EXPO(AAD)
Guy Leitch finds out from AAD Exhibition Director, Ms Nakedi Phasha, how the buildup to this year's biennial expo is going, and what visitors and exhibitors can expect.
4 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
APRIL 2023
April has been a very quiet month on the local aviation marketplace with only nine new registration allocations and three deletions, according to the officially-supplied register review.
2 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
CIRRUS G7 LAUNCHED IN AFRICA
What makes one aircraft better than another? Range, Speed, or carrying capacity, short field performance, operating costs, high wing, low wing, side stick, traditional control yoke?
2 min |
June 2024
SA Flyer Magazine
Iris - her early years: IRIS FLIES ACROSS SUDAN
Laura McDermid continues her stories about Iris McCallum's early years in East Africa and the Sudan. In part 1 of this story she recounts how she had to fly a bunch of Belgian Missionaries to Aweil, a city in northwestern South Sudan, from Wilson in Nairobi in her old mate 'ARN', the Piper Aztec 5Y-ARN.
6 min |
June 2024
African Pilot
Piasecki steps up development of HYDROGENPOWERED PA-890 HELICOPTER
Piasecki Aircraft Corp is stepping up its plans to bring a hydrogen-powered helicopter to market by the end of the decade. Development work that has been significantly boosted by support from the US Air Force now involves the evolution of a 660-kilowatt test rig for the propulsion system into an iron bird unit that will pave the way for a full-scale prototype the company aims to start flying in 2028.
3 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
Japan Coast Guard boosts fleet with additional H225 order
The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has placed an additional order for three H225 helicopters, increasing its total H225 fleet to 18. As the largest Super Puma operator in Japan, the Coast Guard received three H225s in December 2023 and one in February 2024 to bolster its expanding fleet. These new helicopters will support territorial coastal activities, maritime law enforcement and disaster relief missions across the country.
3 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
The design and implementation of glass cockpit avionics upgrades for Cessna 425s
For more than 45 years, Century Avionics have been helping pilots safely navigate the skies by upgrading, installing, maintaining and supporting aircraft avionics to enhance functionality and experience a,deep passion for the wonders of flight.
3 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
FACT FILE - THE UNCONVENTIONAL, BIZARRE BELL AIRACUDA
Larry Bell, founder of the Bell Aircraft Corp., now known as Bell Helicopter, entered the aircraft manufacturing industry with a unique bang. After dropping out of high school in 1912, Bell worked for various aircraft companies, including Martin and Consolidated, before starting his own company in 1935.
3 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
Dinosaur Derby at the Bill Harrop's Balloon field
When we arrived at the Dinosaur Derby late on Saturday afternoon 27 April there were already around two hundred invited guests that had set up their chairs and picnic tables on the lush green slopes of the lawns outside the beautiful clubhouse overlooking the very large balloon launch field with the majestic Magaliesberg Mountains as the backdrop.
3 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
EAA Young Aviators - April 2024 Wonderboom meeting
On Saturday, 13 April 2024 the EAA Young Aviators event was kindly hosted by Loutzavia Flight School at Wonderboom National Airport.
1 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
AIRBUS - ACJ Executive Jets
This mindset combined with curating the finest flying experience is why ACJ was born.
4 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
BEST OF THE BEST - THE DE HAVILLAND MUSEUM
Situated just outside the centre of London the de Havilland Museum is to be found and although small and compact it is an absolute joy, celebrating as it does the exploits of one of Britain's foremost aviation pioneers, Sir Geoffrey de Havilland an aircraft designer of some repute who left an incredible legacy, and made a massive impact on aircraft design and production in the early part of the 20th century.
6 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
End of an era: Final four Air India Boeing 747s leave the carrier's fleet
After over a quarter of a century, the last four Boeing 747400s have finally left Air India's fleet.According to the carrier, the four-remaining aircraft, the oldest of which dates back to 1993, have been sold to a US company that specialises in the sale of used aircraft, spare parts and jet engines. One of the aircraft was acquired by the airline in 1993, one in 1994 and the remaining two in 1996.
2 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
Spatial distortion
On Wednesday, 20 December 2023, a pilot and two transmission line workers on-board a Bell 407 helicopter with registration ZS-RXO took off from Majuba Venus Power Station landing zone (LZ) in KwaZulu-Natal province to conduct aerial work on the T299 mast (a section of Majuba Venus Power Station). The pilot intended to land back at the departure landing zone.
7 min |
May 2024
African Pilot
Absolute Service Centre AMO 173
As the only Textron Aviation authorised service facility on the African Continent and the oldest Cessna authorised service facility outside the USA since 1964, Absolute’s Service Centre has also been awarded representation for the Beechcraft and Textron eAviation Pipistrel portfolio. Absolute Service Centre (ASC) is the African regional representatives of the worldwide Textron 1CALL hotline support network. The management team at the Absolute Service Centre is proud of its heritage and long-standing support and representation of Textron Aviation products.
3 min |