IS FLIGHT TRAINING BECOMING SAFER?

One of the first questions people ask before they begin flight training is 'how safe is this career?\" If a study recently compiled by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute and Liberty University School of Aeronautics is any indication, flight training is becoming safer.

Test flying the new CIRRUS SR22T G7

In January 2024 Cirrus Aircraft, the company that brought you the personal aircraft with the parachute and the Vision Jet that lands itself with the touch of a button, announced the newest generation of the world’s best-selling, high-performance, single-engine piston aircraft, the SR Series G7.

PIPER CHIEFTAIN AVIONICS UPGRADE

The avionics refurbishment industry is presently experiencing a significant trend back to piston twin engine market where aircraft owners require the installation of 21st century avionics, especially as many of these aircraft are being used for single pilot IFR operations.

Why the past few years have been turbulent for SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

South African Airways (SAA) faced turbulence due to the pandemic, going into business rescue halting operations and struggling to resume flights. Increased competition from low-cost carriers and other airlines resuming flights during the pandemic has also affected the carrier. SAA underwent internal changes, including business rescue, leadership transitions and plans for semi-privatisation to ensure its relaunch and stability.

How and why has premium economy become such an airline success story?

Although a concept that many people still regard as relatively 'new' in terms of passenger air travel, the phenomenon of premium economy has actually been with us for more than thirty years. In this article, we examine the origins of premium economy cabins, how the concept came about, who the early adopters were, how offering premium economy works for airlines and how it has flourished into the enormous success story it is today.

ETIHAD to enable pilots to fly both A350 and A380 aircraft

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has achieved another key milestone in pilot training and flight operations. After rigorous regulatory approval and extensive training at Etihad Airways, highly qualified Etihad flight crews are now authorised to fly both aircraft types interchangeably.

AMADEUS acquires Vision-Box for biometrics

Amadeus announced the company would be acquiring Vision-Box, a provider of biometric solutions for airports, airlines and border control customers. The acquisition of Vision-Box will bring new capabilities around biometrics hardware and software, adding border control solutions to the Amadeus portfolio.

US AIR FORCE SELECTS STARTUP JETZERO

TO BUILD BLENDED WING BODY DEMONSTRATOR

Universal Air Evac 10th ANNIVERSARY

Choosing the correct air ambulance provider is critical to the patient, as well as everyone close to the patient due to the fact that they are being affected by the medical emergency.

FOURTH SAPFA SPEED RALLY STAGED AT GROBLERSDAL

Christine and I drove to Groblersdal on Saturday morning 19 August to report on the final SAPFA Speed Rally for this year that attracted 20 entries. The day was sunny with fine weather and only a slight breeze from the north-west, but rather hazy due to the many veld fires that are burning at this time of the year.

TITANIUM HOW WAR HAS RESHUFFLED SUPPLY OF A KEY AEROSPACE MATERIAL

An essential component of modern aircraft manufacture is the element Titanium, chemical symbol Ti. From sections of the fuselage frame and engine blades to landing gear and the numerous bolts and fasteners that hold sections of the aircraft together, the list of aircraft components containing titanium alloys is extensive.

B-25 RESTORATION SPANS 40 YEARS

On 06 June 1944, a date that ought mean a great deal to all the world's free-ish people some 150,000 US, British and Canadian troops stormed the beaches of Normandy as Operation Overlord roared into action and the great Allied campaign to retake Western Europe from the Nazi aggressor got underway.

NORTH-WEST REGIONAL AEROBATIC CHAMPIONSHIP KLERKSDORP

The most recent aerobatic competition on the Sport Aerobatic Club calendar took place in Klerksdorp on 18 and 19 August was the north-west regional aerobatic championship.

US NAVY CONTRACTS SIKORSKY TO BUILD 35 CH-53K HELICOPTERS

The US Navy has awarded Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, a US$2.7 billion contract to build and deliver 35 additional CH-53K helicopters, the largest procurement to date for this multi-mission aircraft.

IS ACCIDENT REPORTING MAKING US ALL CRAZY?

If an aviation accident happens, say, 1000 times a year or about three times a day, is it worth reporting as news? This is the calculus on aviation accidents, which we report on within AFRICAN PILOT.

CASSIE DE LA ROCHE FLIES AT 99

It is not every day in life that someone calls me to with a proposal to undertake a really good news story and this happened in August when Andreas Siebold contacted me to record the flight of Cassie La Rouche (born 15 October 1923) and who at 99 years of age was an amazing person to meet.

HALO AVIATION

Halo Aviation is headquartered at the Ultimate Helipad near Johannesburg, South Africa. Halo's ICU air ambulance fleet consists of Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) and fixed-wing aircraft, which are among the most technologically advanced on the continent and are equipped with advanced lifesaving equipment.

BLACKHAWK AEROSPACE'S CARAVAN UPGRADE

Blackhawk Aerospace's Caravan Engine+ Upgrade multiplies your power and revenue generation capability and delivers serious return on investment.

Fireblade Aviation EMPOWERS YOUNG WOMEN WITH 'GIRLS IN AVIATION DAY' EVENT

On 10 August 2023 Fireblade Aviation hosted a successful Girls in Aviation Day event in partnership with the Netherlands Airport Consultants (NACO), a division of international consulting engineers, Royal HaskoningDHV, with the aim of promoting aviation as a viable and exciting profession for young female students.

AVISYS AVIATION SYSTEMS

As an established Aircraft Maintenance Organization (AMO1089) with SACAA and other African Countries CAA accreditation to perform component maintenance and overhaul capabilities under its Category B rating, AviSys Aviation Systems is equipped to cater for its customer's needs as per the SACAA approved capability list and operational specifications on the following:

Charter Broker Vertis says AFRICA IS NOW 'ON THE MAP'

Last week at EBACE Swiss charter broker Vertis Aviation CEO Jeffrey Emmenis said Africa remains an important part of the business of, which saw its best-ever year in 2022. Several factors drove the company's increased business, he said, including the number of customers traveling for leisure. \"That was very big for us,\" Emmenis noted \"Customers on the business side, particularly in Africa, flying to more remote locations. We look after a number of heads of state and there was a lot of travel as governments started opening up and doing business. I see a little bit of softening in 2023, but it will still be quite impressive.\"

LUXAVIATION AFRICA SETTING NEW HEIGHTS WITH A GROWING FLEET

Luxaviation Africa, a subsidiary of the renowned Luxaviation Group, is taking the African private aviation industry by storm. With a commitment to safety, luxury and innovation, Luxaviation has recently expanded its fleet, solidifying its position as a leading player in the continent's private aviation landscape.

LYCOMING LECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM (EIS)

For many years motor vehicles have been using trouble free, electronic ignition systems. Why not Aircraft you say? Well just imagine if this were to change and after simply pressing the start button the engine surges into life. This and much more, is what the Lycoming Certified Electronic Ignition System offers.

FLYING LEGENDS 2023

After three years Flying Legends made a successful return to the skies over Northern England on 15 and 16 July 2023. Enthusiasts were drawn from all over the UK, and Europe to the former Royal Air Force airfield of Church Fenton, Yorkshire, United Kingdom, in July to witness an exhilarating weekend at the new home of Flying Legends.

BOEING STRETCHES THE 777X-8

Boeing has changed the technical specifications of the 777X-8, stretching the aircraft, which has in turn increased its passenger capacity and range.

AIR INDIA UNVEILS NEW GLOBAL BRAND IDENTITY AND AIRCRAFT LIVERY

Air India, a Tata Group-owned airline, has unveiled a modern new brand identity and new aircraft livery that capture the essence of a bold new India. The new look reimagines the iconic Indian window shape, historically used by Air India, into a gold window frame that becomes central to the new brand design system, symbolising a 'Window of Possibilities'.

AIRLINE DEMANDS ARE SQUEEZING THE SUPPLY OF BUSINESS AVIATION PILOTS

The ability of airlines to attract pilots away from business aviation with lucrative contracts continues to have a deleterious effect on corporate flight department rosters. At the same time, industry experts agree the costs of pilot training remain a serious impediment to addressing the supply shortage, but clearly, this is a good time to be a pilot.

BEST OF THE BEST - PAUL BOWEN

When we think about people who carry the aviation industry forward, we tend to give more weight to pilots, engineers, entrepreneurs and scientists and completely forget about those supporting the industry tremendously while working in more artistic fields.

LOCKHEED U-2 FLIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AUGUST 1955

The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed 'Dragon Lady', is an American single-engine, high altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated from the 1950s by the United States Air Force (USAF) or the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). It provides day and night, high-altitude (70,000 feet, 21,300 meters), all-weather intelligence gathering.

MINIMISING THE RISK OF ENGINE FAILURE

Almost from the beginning of our training, pilots are taught how to react to an engine failure. However we are also taught how to conduct a preflight inspection to ensure the engine and the rest of the aircraft) is ready for what we are planning. Since mechanical engine failures are a mgjor factor in accidents, understanding a typical piston engine in a personal aircraft is vital to your wellbeing. The fact is that reliability improvements often result in pilots giving little thought to piston engine aircraft reliability because failures have become so rare.