FAILURES OF FRACTIONAL AND CHARTER COMPANIES OF CONCERN

On 9 May 2023, Wheels Up founder and CEO, Kenny Dichter resigned in the face of his company's mounting losses and potential bankruptcy.

CAASA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

On behalf of African Pilot, I attended the Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa's AGM on Wednesday 31 May at CAASA House, Lanseria International Airport.

HONDA AIRCRAFT TO LAUNCH HONDAJET 2600 LIGHT JET

Honda Aircraft is moving ahead with plans to 'commercialise' the HondaJet 2600 concept light jet that it unveiled at NBAA-BACE 2021. Powered by two Williams International FJ44-4C turbofans and with a Garmin G3000 avionics suite, the 2600 will also share the original HA-420 HondaJet's over-the-wing-engine-mount design. Certification is planned for 2028.

PARYS AIRSHOW 2023

Located on the banks of the Vaal River in the Free State, Parys is a town in that is better known as a weekend getaway to de-compress from the pressures of modern life. Parys has an airfield, which is located outside the strictly controlled commercial airspace that is Johannesburg which adds to the attraction of hosting an airshow. In addition, the commute from the economic hub of South Africa is around 90 minutes.

PARIS AIR SHOW 2023

The 54th edition of the world's largest biennial aviation trade fair, the Paris Air Show opened its doors at Le Bourget Parc des Expositions for the first time in four years on Tuesday 20 June. The week-long fair was brimming with visitors from all around the world, especially Middle Eastern carriers that aim to expand internationally.

ROYAL AIR FORCE AIRSHOW RAF COSFORD, UNITED KINGDOM 11 JUNE 2023

The Royal Air Force's premier airshow took place once again at RAF Cosford, United Kingdom in early June. As usual with this event you have access to superb airshow and a major Royal Air Force Museum containing many famous exhibits documenting advances in British military aviation.

MAPUTO AIRSHOW

Early on Friday morning 16 June, I travelled with Brian Emmenis and his Capital Sounds team to Mozambique to attend the amazing and most successful Maputo airshow. We flew with LAM Express in an Embraer 145 that seats 50 passengers.

NASA AND BOEING TO PRODUCE NEW SUSTAINABLE X-PLANE

Last month NASA and Boeing announced a new project, creating a new sustainable X-plane. The aircraft produced through the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project will be designated X-66A by the US Air Force. Boeing was awarded its contract in January, to lead the development and flight testing for a full Transonic Truss-Braced Wing demonstrator airplane.

DID CHINA KICK RUSSIA OFF THE CRAIC CR929 PROGRAMME?

With the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) setting up a booth at the Paris Air Show 2023 and showcasing a COMAC wide-body aircraft as one of its products, was Russia kicked out of the CR929 programme?

THE FIRST FALCON'S FIRST FLIGHT

Marcel Dassault famously said, \"for an aircraft to fly well, it must be beautiful.\" Already well known for the sleek Mirage fighters, Dassault, the man and the company proved the adage once again on 4 May 1963, with the first flight of the Mystère 20, the company's first business jet. With an eye toward the sizable American market, the Mystère 20 would soon be rebranded the Falcon 20.

Apollo Astronaut Walter Cunningham dies at 90

Former astronaut Walter Cunningham, who flew into space on Apollo 7, the first flight with crew in NASA’s Apollo Programme, passed away on 2 January 2023 in Houston.

BONA BONA GAME LODGE FLY-AWAY

What a wonderful weekend we spent at Bona Bona Game Lodge attending the annual fly-away and speed rally. I was told that 61 aircraft and four helicopters were present on Saturday and a total of 19 teams took part in the SAPFA speed rally.

BILL HARROP'S ORIGINAL BALLOON SAFARIS NIGHT GLOW OF HISTORIC BALLOONS

We were invited to spend Sunday 30 Aprill, late afternoon early evening at Bill Harrop's Original Balloon Safaris vintage balloon night glow evening. This was a special occasion because about fifteen hot air balloons were set up on the vast expanse of the balloon field and as darkness fell the pilots all did a simultaneous 'night glow' which was very beautiful to watch and record.

NICOLE STOTT SPEAKS AT SKYHAWK AVIATION

In my lifetime of reporting on aviation events, I have met some pretty famous people, but I have never met and hugged a real live NASA astronaut, especially someone as competent and beautiful as Nicole Stott who when to the International Space Station (ISS) twice on board the NASA Space Shuttle.

NEW STUDY SHOWS PILOTS HIDE HEALTH PROBLEMS TO KEEP FLYING

A new study has found that many pilots avoid medical professionals due to a fear that revealing health problems may lead to the loss of their pilot certificates. According to the study, two-thirds of military and paid civilian pilots answered 'yes' to at least one of four survey questions addressing their reluctance to seek formal medical advice about health problems.

HUMAN FACTORS: NO GENTLEMAN

In the closing chapters of Ernest K. Gann's novel 'Gentlemen of Adventure,' Gann's anti-hero Kiffin Draper, who is terminally ill, suffering great pain and very near the end of his life steals two things.

USAF TO RETIRE U-2S IN 2026

In accordance with ongoing efforts to reshape the manner in which the service surveys nations, organisations and persons not supportive of US policy, the USAF is proceeding with plans to retire its fleet of storied, high-flying U-2 Dragon Lady spy aircraft in fiscal 2026.

SIMAERO TRAINING CENTER KEMPTON PARK - OR TAMBO AIRPORT JOHANNESBURG (SACAA ATO 1101)

Simaero leverages its expertise to assist aspiring pilots in bridging the gap between flight schools and securing their first position with an airline.

CAPE TOWN FLIGHT TRAINING CENTRE

Operating at Cape Winelands Airport since 2003, Cape Town Flight Training Centre (CTFTC) is Cape Town's premier fixed-wing pilot training establishment. Cape Winelands Airport is unique to the area in providing an excellent weather record, a safe learning environment and multiple runways at a location which allows immediate access to the General Flying Area (GFA) and Cape Town International Airport (CTIA) controlled airspace.

TEMPE AIRSHOW SPONSORED BY HERHOLDT GROUP

Over the weekend of 19 to 21 May, Christine and I drove to Bloemfontein to attend the final day of the Sports Aerobatics (SAC) Nationals Competition as well as to attend the Bloemfontein, Tempe airshow on the Saturday. I was impressed by the well organised airfield, especially with the Skydive Adventures, Bloemfontein Parachute Club's new restaurant and refreshment facilities that has plenty of space for the children to play as well as a great outdoor entertainment facility. Although it was very cold as the sun set on Friday, the skies were clear and the hospitality was awesome.

SAAF MUSEUM SWARTKOP AIRSHOW

After a long three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic this very popular airshow returned to the delight of all South African aviation enthusiasts and they came in their thousands to enjoy the show.

WHEN BASICS FAIL, CRASHES PREVAIL

On Saturday morning, 28 May 2022, two crew members comprising a pilot-in-command and a co-pilot, accompanied by two passengers on-board a Beechcraft King Air 200 with registration ZS-PTE took off from Lynedoch private airfield near Baviaans River in the Eastern Cape province, with the intention to land at Cape Town International Aerodrome (FACT).

YOUR TURBOPROP IS FAST REACHING ITS PT-6 ENGINE OVERHAUL TIME NOW BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO YOUR AIRCRAFT

As the accredited African for a variety representative of aftermarket performance enhancement systems, Absolute Aviation is ideally situated to work with you to plan a significant upgrade for your aircraft.

TEXTRON AVIATION BRINGS PEACE-OF-MIND TECHNOLOGY TO THE BEECHCRAFT DENALI COCKPIT

With customer input at the forefront of its product investments, Textron Aviation announced it is bringing the revolutionary Garmin Emergency Autoland system to its new clean-sheet design Beechcraft Denali single-engine turboprop. The new feature is being implemented into the aircraft's development and flight test programme and will be available as a standard feature at time of entry into service.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES POSTS HIGHEST NET PROFIT IN ITS 76-YEAR HISTORY

Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced that its net income for the group, which includes budget arm Scoot, totalled S$2.16 billion ($1.62 billion) as the world reopened from COVID. It posted a loss of S$962 million the previous year. Revenue was S$17.78 billion, up from S$7.6 billion.

ALASKA AIRLINES TO RETIRE A321 NEO FLEET

True to its north-western roots, Alaska Airlines is preparing to transition back to an all-Boeing fleet. For a period of time measurable in years, the Seattle-based air-carrier has been divesting itself of Airbus narrow-body aircraft come to it by way of the carrier's 2016 acquisition of Virgin America, which operated an all-Airbus fleet.

PREPARING FOR YOUR AIRLINE PILOT INTERVIEW

The aviation community is buzzing and the much talked about pilot shortage is threatening to shake up the industry. With the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) predicting that by 2026 more than 350,000 pilots will be required to sustain operations, it could seem that it would be easy to get a pilot's role.

SIX TIPS TO HELP YOUR AIRLINE ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE BEST TALENT

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported a significant pilot shortage in the aviation industry, with an estimated 27,000 vacancies at the end of 2021. Likewise, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) predicts that this shortage will continue to grow, with over 350,000 pilots required by 2026 to sustain operations.

PTAR 2023 STAGED AT MIDDLEBURG AIRFIELD

Over the weekend of Friday 26 to Sunday 28 May, the South African Power Flying Association (SAPFA) staged the annual President’s Trophy Air Race (PTAR) at Middleburg airfield. Although there were only 28 entries the event was safe and a huge amount of fun.

VOUGHT F4U CORSAIR A KOREAN WAR HERO TWICE REBORN

In 1981, business-owner Jim Tobul and his father purchased a Chance-Vought F4U Corsair in three truckloads of parts that, over the following decade, they re-built into a flying warbird