How Long Does it Take to Become a Pilot with AeroGuard?
Changing careers and taking the first step on a new path can be daunting, with the unknowing of what comes next or insecurity of how to progress. At AeroGuard, we do our absolute best to ensure that this isn’t a problem for our cadets! Part of that is through all the support we offer, part is answering questions like, “how long does it take to become a pilot?” This time on the AeroGuard blog, we’re looking at that exact question, outlining the timeline and steps in the process so that taking the first step isn’t any harder than it needs to be.
Let’s not bury the lede any further. To become an airline pilot with AeroGuard will take about 2 years! It’s as simple as that, so remember that before you fret over what the path will look like. In less time than it takes to get a bachelor’s degree, you can become a professional pilot for an airline!
The First Year
During the first 10 months at AeroGuard, pilots will participate in the first phases of the Pilot Pathway Program. This rigorous program will lay all the groundwork for pilot careers, beginning with classrooms and spending hours in flight simulators, then moving up to taking Seminoles, Archers and Cessna into the air, all the while mastering skills and building knowledge, experience and confidence.
Over the course of that first year, you will earn 7 FAA ratings, including Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating, Commercial Multi- and Single-Engine, as well as becoming a Certified Flight Instructor with Instrument and Multi-Engine ratings as well. This is important because once those first ~10 months are up, cadets move on to the next phase, and they start earning a salary and receive full benefits while flying!
Paid Pilot Internship Begins
Near the end of your first year at AeroGuard, once you’ve received your ratings and pilot certificates, you will have another opportunity to continue propelling your career up into the skies as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). As a CFI for AeroGuard, you’ll be racking up those necessary flight hours and helping other cadets learn and master critical concepts.
There are numerous benefits to becoming a CFI with AeroGuard. Our CFIs earn a competitive annual salary, an automatic raise after 12 months, and with over 400 students, our CFIs are flying plenty.
Equal parts mentor/pilot, working as a CFI allows pilots to make a living as they pursue that next goal — flying for the big leagues!
What about hours?
You might be wondering why we even mention hours, after all we said it’ll be two years. Well, that’s two years to become an airline pilot. As it turns out, there are numerous levels to this whole piloting thing. Under Part 61, If you’re looking to get your sport pilot certificate you can do that in only 20 hours of flight time. A recreational pilot cert will take 30 hours of flight time. To become a private pilot, 40 flight hours are required.
Before you try and jump in the cockpit and become a pilot in a week, remember that for every hour of flight time, you’ll be studying, doing simulations and other groundwork. Once you have completed the 1500 hours of flying, you’re able to begin working for an airline, making a salary and receiving benefits.
As you progress from classroom to simulator, flying to teaching someone yourself and mastering maneuvers, AeroGuard is with you the whole way to support you in becoming the best pilot you can be. Ready to start your career today? Reach out, and let’s take the first step together!


As Sukhoi Civil Aircraft prepares for the September rollout of the Superjet 100 (SSJ), the acid test will be not only whether the Russian airframer can deliver an advanced regional jet on schedule but more importantly whether it can keep it flying.
The development programme has enjoyed an unprecedented level of international co-operation but that was always recognised as only representing half the equation to ensure the jet's commercial success. The other half of the proposition remains how to go about convincing a market beyond Russia's borders that its support environment can rival the after sales infrastructure of competitors such as Canada's Bombardier and Brazil's Embraer,
As flight testing and sales efforts continue, the one remaining key challenge for Sukhoi is to banish the spectre of a national aerospace industry whose shattering transition from command to market economy left in its wake an unwelcome reputation for perilously weak aircraft maintenance.
While the emerging market in Russia for a new-generation regional jet was one of the prime motivators for the SSJ programme, export potential has always been prized. In a bid to persuade foreign airlines which could potentially account for three quarters of its forecast 800 aircraft sales by 2024, Sukhoi has therefore cemented the very same relationships it formed with the West to industrially develop the SSJ100.
Its strategic partner Italy's Alenia Aeronautica together with French risk sharing partner Snecma and US airframer Boeing Commercial Airplanes in its capacity as consultant have all signed up to the next stage to help Sukhoi provide the critical aftersales support infrastructure.
First came Boeing which on 9 June signed a memorandum of understanding outlining a long-term agreement extending and enhancing the basis of its existing consultancy which to date has centred principally on lending its expertise in aircraft production.
The protocol provides for increased Boeing involvement in setting up aftersales support, including access to the US airframer's state-of-the-art-crew and maintenance training as well as access to spares distribution infrastructure.Many at Sukhoi who have had contact with Boeing affectionately call the US airframer their "elder brother".
Sergei Shkryabun, head of Sukhoi's Komsomolsk-on-Amur division in Far Eastern Russia where the SSJ's final assembly line is located, reports that Boeing's advice on technological and management aspects has been invaluable and easily adapted to its unique production environment. "Komsomolsk is not a clone of a Boeing assembly line. Still, we implemented some radical changes following their advice such as the establishment of single production units to make configuration management as flexible and convenient for the airline customer even at the final stage of production."
The next coup was the the Paris air show announcement that Sukhoi was to form a joint venture with Alenia to not only support and market the SSJ but also critically to provide aftersales support. The joint venture will be based in Italy, 51%-owned by Alenia with Sukhoi holding the remaining 49%. This was accompanied by the formalised participation by the Italian aerospace business in the SSJ programme when it agreed to take a 25% stake, plus one share, in Sukhoi Civil Aircraft.
Carlo Logli, Alenia's senior vice-president for strategy and business development, has told Flight International that the joint venture - due to be launched imminently - will be called SuperJet International.
He believes any claim to command competitive respect in a keenly contested marketplace will centre on designing not only a cost-effective product but one that is easy to operate and maintain based on standards which Western operators have come to expect. He says speed is therefore essential and that SuperJet International will be operational no later than September, just 14 months before the delivery of first aircraft to Aeroflot in November next year.
With the production ramp up of the SSJ pegged at nine aircraft in 2008, 30 aircraft in 2009 and 60 aircraft by 2010, Logli says the objective of having a robust aftersale infrastructure from the outset will not come cheap.
"The level of investment is around $100 million and much of that has to be in place from day one," he says. "For us there will be little difference between one aircraft to support and a whole fleet of aircraft. The initial headcount will be 250 by the entry into service of the first aircraft and we will add only another 100 people by the time the SuperJet programme reaches peak production in 2015."
He says that - notwithstanding the SSJ's outstanding performance and progress as it approaches first flight - Western aftercare by necessity demands a fully automated warehouse system, and 24h support and training centres in both Russia and Italy.
"Russian aftersales support has historically been weak. That is why we are starting our campaign 14 months before the entry into service of the first aircraft," says Logli, who adds that SuperJet International's launch will feature a heavyweight promotional campaign including visits to potential airline customers.
That campaign will no doubt build on Sukhoi's efforts to consult directly with operators through its airline advisory board. In mid-May, the seventh board meeting was held in Moscow, where Russian and foreign airlines including Aeroflot, Air France, AiRUnion, CSA, KLM, Lufthansa and GTK Russia met to discuss what they considered the most urgent questions: pilot and technical training centres, aircraft maintenance and logistics infrastructure in Russia, and selection of maintenance providers in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
All this was a prelude to the most signal development for the SSJ programme - the Paris air show announcement that the twin jet had secured its first Western customer, with Italian carrier ItAli Airlines ordering up to 20 of the long-range, 98-seat version of the aircraft to replace its Boeing MD-80s and Dornier 328Jets.
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft president Viktor Subbotin said that the Italian order brought international credibility to the programme: "With this order the programme receives internationally-acknowledged proof of its feasibility and success potential to offer a product superseding global market competitors."
For Pescara-based ItAli, the SSJ selection will fulfil its strategy of fleet standardisation to deliver substantial economic and operational advantages in a difficult Italian and European operating environment.
Roberto Polles is group head of technical operations of ItAli parent Aeroservices, which though its SAN division carries out line maintenance for Boeing 737s, MD-80s and Dornier 328Jets. With SSJ deliveries to start in December 2009 with all 10 firmly ordered aircraft in service by 2011, Polles agrees that infrastructure needs should be addressed without delay.
Aeroservices plans to carry out SSJ line and base maintenance at its three hangars in Ciampino and Lamezia Terme but it will only be once Sukhoi and ItAli meet later this month to assess frequency of inspection, tooling, space requirements and number of technicians that the full investment picture will be known.
"It will be a completely new airframe and so it will take a lot of engineering input as an operator," says Polles. "Our maintenance reference points have yet to be determined precisely but the involvement of a major Western aerospace business such as Alenia certainly made us take notice. Yes, we are expecting teething problems, but with so much Western technology on board there should be not be significantly more problems compared to a new all-Western jet."
The current firm orderbook includes launch customer Aeroflot's orders for 30 95-seat SSJ-95Bs with delivery from November next year with smaller orders from AirUnion, Dalavia, Russian lesssor Financial Leasing Company and ItAli bringing the tally to 71.
Sukhoi is targeting 100 SSJ sales before the year-end, with one, possibly two, Western customers coming on board. This includes what Logli describes as a "very high level customer" over which all are "crossing fingers".
Logli's experience in Russia has left him impressed and anticipating a deeper future collaboration. "We have dealt with Sukhoi for two years and tremendous progress has been made including English fluency among Russian managers and the increasing ease with which they approach international relationships. We could all learn a lot from Russian aerospace with their sheer brilliance in aerodynamics and other technical specialisms."
Winning the west
Key to the Sukhoi Superjet's success beyond Russia will be the credibility of its service and support network. The involvement of Boeing and other partners is crucial
Italian carrier ItAli Airlines' order for the Superjet 100 has boosted Sukhoi's credibility as a civil manufacturer


AndREaS electric version - R.E.S.-model for electric drive
Top quality lasercut kit - made in Germany!
In the year 2012 we were the first commercial provider in Germany of our R.E.S.olution, a fully suitable plane for competitions in R.E.S, which had been a new class at that time. In this competition class, the RC-functions are restricted to rudder, elevator and spoiler. The models with a weight of approx. 600g, except for some few self-made models, made this competition class very successful - despite of the restrictions, such as RC-functions, design and high start with a standard rubber. In the meantime the models have developed concerning lower weight and wider chord, in order to attain larger high start heights. when there is no wind at all. Under the leadership of Pietro Tescari (Andreas Decker's best friend) experts of the scene and profile specialists gathered together to create a new, powerful and competitive R.E.S.- model, based on the analysis of current successful competition models and own ideas. This has been implemented successfully, because with a prototype of this model Andreas Decker won the qualification and finished fourth in the final classification of the 1st RES German-tour in Minden the 21st, of March 2015 - a few days before his death.
The plane is manufactured by "HJW Modellbau und Laserdesign" together with PT flight models (Pietro Tescari). Herr Wreege (HJW) is a former employee of Robbe and has decades of experience in construction (CAD/CAM) and CNC-manufacturing (milling and laser) of flight models. 100% made in Germany, of course!
AndREaS is made entirely of wood (spar/leading edge/D-Box) and has a profile of 8,5% thickness (MB-674RES), which has been developed especially for this class. With it's wingspan of 1990mm it respects the regulations. The model has a flying weight of 550g-580g (non-tuned standard version), that means a wing loading of approx. 16.3g/dm²! Resulting from the profile, our AndREaS has excellent penetration characteristics -even with higher wind speeds- despite the lower wing loading.
Lasered wooden kit, constructed in a lightweight but solid interlocking framework
Huge rudder for agility
Two-part wing with multiple dihedral and stylish wingtips
Spring steel wing connector
D-Box (sheeted leading edge section with shear webbing, ribs are inserted in an innovative "comb-like" spar, in which you insert the ribs)
Magnetic wing retainers
Excellent break efficiency of the spoiler
Multicolored construction plan and a detailed and fully illustrated German construction manual
Made in Germany!
The wing is constructed with a balsa leading edge, pine spars, sheeted balsa trailing edge and various pieces of plywood made from poplar and birch plywood. The lasercut ribs are form-fitting connected with the trailing edge by the use of support feet. Stylish wingtips ensure an elegant appearance. The wings are connected with a 5mm steel wire, but it can optionally be replaced by a double carbon fibre wing joiner. The fuselage made of balsa is reinforced with plywood. The kit contains, besides of the lasercut and numbered parts, all the small parts and linkages needed. All the kits of the Gruener-CNC-line include a multicolored construction plan scaled 1:1 and a fully illustrated German construction manual.
Glue, covering film and RC-components are NOT included in the kit. As covering film - especially for the fuselage and tail unit - we recommend ORALIGHT iron-on film.
Roxxy 2220/20: No. M314949
Cool Nose spinner 30/2,0: No. AN725900
Cam-Carbon prop 8x4: No. AN723413
- LiPo-battery 3S/800mAh: No. SLSXT08003130
Hacker X-12 Pro controller: No. H87100001
Hacker A10-7L with gear: No. H97104407
Spinner: No. RE-29.5
Center hub: No. RE-32.3,0.8
Cam-Carbon prop 12x10: No. AN723449
LiPo-battery 3S/450mAh: No. SLSXT04503130
Hacker X-12 Pro controller: No. H87100001
- Transmitter with at least 4 functions and a spoiler/elevator-mixer
- Receiver with normal range
- 2 x servo HiTec HS-53 (fuselage) and 2 x HiTec HS-55 (spoiler)
Further information you find in the corresponding tab pages above this description.
|Bauweise||Lasergefertigter Bausatz Highest Quality made in Germany|
|RC-Funktionen||Seite, Höhe, Klappen, Motor|
|Spannweite ca. [mm]||1990|
|Länge ca. [mm]||1150|
|Tragflächeninhalt ca. [dm²]||33,8|
|Flächenbelastung ca. [g/dm²]||16,3|
|Fluggewicht ca. [g]||ab 550|
In the basic version with Roxxy motor, my AndREaS weighs 590 g but I could have saved at least 15 g, or even 20 g, by saving glue and using two carbon rods instead of the single wing rod in steel (option proposed in the manual). The center of gravity was right from the start and I didn't have to add a single gram of lead.
Attention, to use the option with two carbon rods it is imperative to ensure, by a blank assembly of the glider, that the key sleeves in the wings are perfectly parallel before gluing them. Otherwise, it will get stuck when mounting the glider.
The first flight was without problem. The main adjustment was to set the elevator mix to compensate for the pitch down effect of the spoilers. The power of the Roxxy motor is more than sufficient. You can even launch the AndREaS with only 3/4 of the power to save the battery. This is sufficient for a gentle climb.
The flying qualities are very good. Bank angle is perfectly controlled with the fin rudder and once in the air, you quickly forget that there are no ailerons. Once the elevator mix is set correctly, the spoilers are easy to control to manage the rate of descent before landing.
Thanks to its low weight, the AndREas catches the slightest thermal and spirals easily. You don't have to wait for big lift to fully benefit from it. "Light air" conditions are sufficient to fly with pleasure.
So a light, affordable and efficient electric glider to recommend without restriction.


SpaceX launch preps ISS for commercial crew visits
SpaceX's seventh International Space Station resupply mission is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 10:21 a.m. next Sunday.
The mission's most prominent payload is a 1,150-pound, 5-foot diameter ring called a "docking adapter" that commercial crew capsules will need to link up with the orbiting research complex.
The capsules now under development include an upgraded version of the SpaceX Dragon cargo ship set to blast off on a Falcon 9 rocket, and Boeing's CST-100, which will be assembled at Kennedy Space Center and launched by United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets.
The International Docking Adapter, or IDA, is the first of two that will establish a pair of berthing ports on the outpost's Harmony node, the same place shuttles docked.
The ports will receive the new U.S. crew vehicles, and potentially U.S. cargo craft or international vehicles equipped with the same standardized docking system.
After flying up in the Dragon's unpressurized "trunk," the adapters will be removed robotically and installed later with the help of spacewalking astronauts.
NASA's Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren are expected to perform the first spacewalk, possibly in mid-August.
The adapters' addition is the next step in a reconfiguration that NASA describes as the station's most significant since its construction was completed in 2011.
Ground teams last month used a robotic arm to relocate a storage module. Earlier this year, three spacewalks routed hundreds of feet of cables that helped prepare for the docking adapters.
What remains to be seen is how soon astronauts actually dock at the station in a U.S. spacecraft.
Current budget proposals in Congress would give NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which is led from KSC, $200 million to $300 million less than the $1.2 billion the space agency requested for next year.
NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said "gutting" the program that way would delay astronaut launches from the Space Coast that were targeted for late 2017, extending reliance on Russia for rides to orbit.
WGS lands for launch
The Air Force this week confirmed it is on track for a July 22 launch of its seventh Wideband Global Satcom communications satellite (WGS-7) from Cape Canaveral, atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket.
The spacecraft was shipped to Kennedy Space Center's former shuttle runway on May 28.
If schedules hold, the launch would follow about a week after ULA's planned July 15 launch of a Global Positioning System satellite from the Cape by an Atlas V rocket.
Remember the "Hyperloop"?
Elon Musk, miffed about the cost of California's high speed rail project, in 2013 proposed the conceptual system of tubes and pods as an alternative for whisking people between big cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The CEO of SpaceX and electric car maker Tesla Motors has not invested in developing the concept.
But SpaceX recently announced a competition to design human-scale pods designed and built by teams of university students and independent engineers.
"While we are not developing a commercial Hyperloop ourselves, we are interested in helping to accelerate development of a functional Hyperloop prototype," the company said in a statement.
The company plans to build a one-mile track next to its headquarters in Hawthorne, California, which is also its factory for Falcon 9 rockets and Dragon capsules.
"Break a pod!" the statement concluded.
Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser mini-shuttle is seen as likely to land on Kennedy Space Center's former shuttle runway if it can win a contract to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
But the company isn't limiting its options to Florida.
SNC last year announced a partnership to study a proposed spaceport at Houston's Ellington Field, and this week at the Paris Air Show announced it would do the same with the international airport in Huntsville, Alabama.
The company says the Dream Chaser could land on any runway able to accommodate a Boeing 737 or Airbus 320 class aircraft, and features non-toxic propellants. It also can be shipped easily by cargo aircraft from a landing site back to its launch site — presumably in Florida, as Sierra Nevada so far plans to lift off atop United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket.
If you enjoyed The Planetary Society's first LightSail mission, there's less than a week left to contribute to the second mission via the Kickstarter crowdfunding site.
The campaign easily blew past its initial $200,000 goal, and as of Thursday was approaching a stretch goal of $1 million. Visit www.kickstarter.com and search "LightSail."
The first LightSail test flight, packaged in a small CubeSat, launched from Cape Canaveral last month and successfully deployed a Mylar sail. The second mission, targeting launch next year with a projected cost of $5.5 million, hopes to demonstrate solar sailing by using only sunlight's momentum to propel the small spacecraft.
Mark your calendar: The nonprofit Astronaut Scholarship Foundation's annual Astronaut Autograph and Memorabilia show will be back Nov. 5-7 at Kennedy Space Center, and features a new name: Space Rendezvous 2015.
Astronauts will sign memorabilia and guests can learn more about NASA's next exploration rocket and capsule, the Hubble Space Telescope's 25th anniversary and international space collaboration since the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission 40 years ago. Small discussions with astronauts and astronaut scholars also will be offered.
Event proceeds support the foundation's college scholarship program. Visit http://astronautscholarship.org.


MXT and ECLAIRs instrument for Franco-Chinese satellite SVOM have finalized their assembly at CNES TOULOUSE. They are now ready to undergo its testing phase – a complete torture phase for space components.
The MXT instrument, assembled, one of the 4 instruments of the Franco Chinese SVOM satellite which aims to localize and study gamma ray bursts in X-ray domain. .
« Every element of the instruments, whether it is MXT or the ECLAIRs telescope have been manufactured by industrials and laboratories in France or in Europe” explains François Gonzalez, Project Manager SVOM. “They arrived at CNES in loose parts, and we had to be assembled .
Instruments’ cameras and radiators have been integrated this 2021 summer in the CNES clean rooms (see photos) . they are now ready to leave for space with expected performances validated.
Torture phase :
The 2 « assembled » instruments have performed a complete testing campaign (from June to October 2021 ) which validate their good performance, but mostly their resistance to extreme conditions which are expected during the lift off and in space. Vibration and shock tests, electromagnetic compatibility, thermal vacuum tests as well : for 3 to 4 weeks, 24h/24.
MXT and ECLAIRs have been submitted to temperature variations within a range of -60°C & +50°C. “A critical phase, which will be controlled permanently by CNES specialists”.
Beginning of 2022, MXT & ECLAIRs instruments will be sent to China where they will be installed on the SVOM Satellite for lift-off planned mid 2023.
Avoid « Heat Strokes »
Among others to function correctly, MXT detector , at the heart of the instrument, must be maintained at -65°C precisely for an optimal performance. The instrument will be capable of regulating its own temperature even though the satellite, in space, will be subject to extreme temperature variations between -150°C and +150°C. The architecture of the instrument itself allow to control its temperature at its core with Thermal Electrical Coolers piloted by an onboard software and with Propylene Heat Pipes (aluminums profiles filled with an inert gas) transfer the excessive heat to a radiator and evacuate it to space.
ECLAIRs instrument uses also a heat pipes network in order to maintain its 6400 detectors fixed at the focal plane at -20°C and transfer the heat to space with a large aluminum radiator.
Euro Heat Pipes with its Airbus Defense & Space partner were responsible for the Design & Manufacturing of both MXT & ECLAIRs radiator and thermal bus sub-assemblies which participate at the good function and performance of the instrument optics.
Copyright CNES – Source : https://spacegate.cnes.fr/fr/quezako-le-puzzle-est-termine
Translation by Alexandre van Haute / Karine Mercier


Maintenance was Air France-KLM Group’s most profitable segment in 2021, and its AFI KLM E&M subsidiary is looking forward to exploiting its capabilities on new-generation equipment in the coming years. Via its Prognos platform, the MRO provider also expects to benefit from increasing digitalization...
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Yesterday’s spacewalk outside the International Space Station resulted in a record-breaking amount of time spent moving around in the vacuum of space by a Russian. Commander Oleg Kotov and Flight Engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy spent 8 hours and 7 minutes on the mission, breaking the previous Russian record of 7 hours and 29 minutes set by Flight Engineers Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin Aug. 16, 2013. The achievement was a little softened, however, as the mission didn’t go entirely as planned.
The two cosmonauts successfully installed the two cameras on the exterior of the space station, but they had to go back and uninstall them. The cosmonauts had attached the cameras and a foot restraint to an exterior workstation. They had threaded the data and telemetry cables and discarded the cable reel into space towards the rear of the station’s trajectory as planned. But Russian flight controllers on the ground could see no data being relayed, so the cosmonauts had to snap a series of photographs of the rig and cables, detach the cameras, and bring them back into the airlock for inspection.
That’s the last we’ve heard of the cameras at this point. The equipment is intended for use as an Earth imaging system for a private company in Canada. One camera is a medium-resolution model, and the other is high-resolution.
Kotov and Ryazanskiy also detached and threw away an outdated seismic monitoring experiment named Vsplesk, replacing it with an updated one named Seismoprognoz. They were also scheduled to remove and litter space with more outdated equipment, but due to the telemetry issue they had to postpone. NASA hasn’t specified when the makeup spacewalk will take place.


Vice President Mike Pence, promising a new era of space exploration, said that the U.S. would put “American boots” back on the moon and also on Mars.
As we near Space Race 2.0, it seems that a lot has changed since Mike Pence, current Vice President, was not a big fan of NASA’s space projects.U.S. Vice President Mike Pence wants a U.S. Moon and Mars.Click To Tweet
Back in 2005, Pence was at the head of a group who demanded the cancellation of the NASA’s Constellation Project which sought to return to the Moon no later than 2020, and then expand into the solar system.
Budgetary concerns led to the cancellation of the Constellation Project in 2011, which Charles Bolden, NASA’s former administrator has compared to “a death in the family” as multi-year effort and billions of dollars went to waste.
Now, Pence is the chairman of the American Space Council, and he’s taking his new mission very seriously.
The National Space Council Gets new Life
In 1989, then President George H.W. Bush created the National Space Council, on the ruins of the defunct National Aeronautics and Space Council (1958-1973). The NSC remained operational until 1993 when it was disbanded and the National Science and Technology Council took over its function.
During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama had promised to re-establish the council but failed to deliver on his promise over two terms.
President Trump has officially re-launched the National Space Council that would seek to reestablish the American space leadership. On Friday, June 30, Trump was surrounded by Congress members, and representatives from NASA and commercial space contractors when he signed the executive order that revives the National Space Council after two decades in limbo.
Mike Pence will serve as the chairman of the NSC, which is composed of members including U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and other top U.S. officials.
As an advisory group within the Executive Office of the President, the NSC would define priorities of the White House space policy and oversee the materialization of the U.S. space vision as a whole.
In a statement, Robert Lightfoot, NASA’s acting administrator–The White House has yet to appoint a permanent administrator–said he was pleased with the presidential order that reestablishes the NSC, and that he was looking forward to working with the council.
Space Race 2.0: Making the American Space Dream Great Again!
It depends on how you look at it, but a Vice President chairing over the council could be seen as an evidence of White House support for space exploration. Or, it could be just another bureaucratic move. It might be too early to judge Mike Pence and the NSC, however, as the new chairman seems to have immediately shifted into high gear.
Last Thursday, merely a week after the re-launch of the NSC, Mike Pence, visited the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida where he took a look at the space vehicles of NASA’s private subcontractors.
Mike Pence gave a 25-minute speech about the perspectives of the U.S. space policy and gave general outlines of the Trump Administration’s vision for space exploration.
Hundreds of NASA employees, space experts and private contractors–including Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon–gathered in the gigantic Vehicle Assembly Building.
Pence said that NASA’s efforts would be reoriented toward manned space missions, and promised that the United States would maintain a constant presence in the low Earth orbit by sending missions to the moon, Mars and beyond.
Back to the Moon
“Here from this bridge to space,” the U.S. Vice President told attendees, “our nation will return to the moon, and we will put American boots on the face of Mars.”
Speaking of a “new era” in space exploration, the Vice President mentioned twice the return to the Moon, however without giving details on a new lunar mission.
A few months ago, NASA has revealed its ambitious project called Deep Space Gateway, which hopes to erect a spaceport in the vicinity of the moon. The DSG would be used to send astronauts into the lunar orbit and serve as a gateway to distant space destinations.
It’s unclear if the Vice President was referring to the DSG or other still undisclosed projects coming down the line.
Courting the Private Space Sector
NASA has tasked SpaceX and Boeing with building space vehicles to transport its astronauts to the ISS by 2018, and both companies are working on their models. However, a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office suggests that NASA’s Commercial Crew Program might be pushed back as the two companies probably won’t meet the schedule.
As Pence was delivering his speech, there were, in addition to NASA’s Orion, a training version of Boeing’s crew vessel Starliner and the SpaceX Dragon.
In an effort to win the Space Race 2.0, he said the U.S. government would continue to foster cooperation with the private space companies to make space travel cheaper, safer, and more accessible than ever before.
The pad that will launch the SLS flights was empty on Thursday as SpaceX has used it the night before to launch a Falcon rocket carrying a communications satellite. Mike Pence said he was sorry to have missed the launch and that he prayed for rain at the Kennedy Space Center so he’d get to see the Falcon going up on Thursday.
Pence’s call echoes President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s call for U.S. space leadership, on this same month, almost sixty years ago. In fact, July 29th will be the 59th anniversary of Eisenhower’s creation of NASA.
Eisenhower knew that for the U.S. to lead space development and exploration that they would have to have a unified, government sponsored initiative. Perhaps Pence took note and is following in his footsteps as he gears up for Space Race 2.0.


ND filter for the Obsidian.
The ND4 filter is designed to fit the Obsidian, reducing the light coming into the Obsidian's sensor and help avoid over exposure on photos.
The ND4 filter allows 1/4 of incoming light through, equal to a 2-stop filter.
You need a drone license when you are flying as a commercial drone pilot, ie when you are using your drone for work and money-making purposes. This means, in most cases, you will need to sit the FAA Part 107 test.
You do not need a drone license when you are flying as a hobby and for purely recreational purposes. However, you will need to operate by strict rules. There are plans to introduce the requirement for hobbyists to pass an online aeronautical knowledge and safety test.


MH370: Malaysia Airlines plane search halts overnight
An international air search in the Indian Ocean for possible debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines plane has ended for the day, officials have said.
Australia, New Zealand and the US said bad weather had hampered their efforts in the area 2,500km (1,550 miles) south-west of Perth.
Four planes were trying to check whether two objects seen on satellite images were debris from flight MH370.
The Kuala Lumpur-Beijing plane with 239 people on board disappeared on 8 March.
It first lost contact with air traffic controllers and then disappeared from radar.
Satellite information released
Meanwhile, a British satellite firm has told the BBC there were very strong indications 10 days ago that the 777 Boeing would be found either in the southern part of the Indian Ocean or in Central Asia - and not in the South China Sea or the Malacca Straits where Malaysia had continued to search.
London-based Inmarsat said its engineers realised at an early stage that the aircraft had probably flown for several hours on a northern or southern track, and it was very unlikely that the plane could have headed north over countries with sophisticated air defence systems.
The company further said that it had informed the Malaysian authorities of the information, through an intermediary company, on 12 March, but this was not publicly acknowledged until 15 March.
Furthermore, the authorities continued to search in the South China Sea and Malacca Straits during that time, despite the information suggesting that the plane had flown on much further.
The BBC's Andrew Moore says the Malaysian authorities have already come in for criticism from the relatives' families and that these revelations may fuel that anger.
A statement by Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) said the four planes had searched the vast area without success.
"The search will continue on Friday," it said.
Two Australian Orion aircraft searching the area on Thursday were joined later by aircraft from the US and New Zealand.
Amsa said the aircraft had covered an area of 23,000 sq km (14,000 square miles).
The captain of the first Australian air force AP-3C Orion plane to return from the search area described the weather conditions as "extremely bad" with rough seas and high winds.
David Wright, an ABC News reporter who was on the P-8 Poseidon, said all the sophisticated plane had spotted was "a freighter and two pods of dolphins".
A Norwegian merchant ship, the St Petersburg, has also arrived in the area after responding to a shipping broadcast issued by Australia's rescue co-ordination centre.
It will be joined by an Australian naval vessel, HMAS Success and a British coastal survey ship, HMS Echo.
Earlier on Thursday, Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein described the possible sighting of debris on satellite images taken on 16 March as a "credible lead".
The largest object appeared to be 24m (78ft) in size, the Australian authorities said.
A number of sightings of possible debris have been investigated since the plane went missing but so far none have proved to be linked.
The objects identified in the images were of a "reasonable size", Amsa's general manager John Young said.
"This is a lead, it is probably the best lead we have right now. But we need to get there, find them, see them, assess them, to know whether it's really meaningful or not."
He warned the objects spotted in the sea could turn out to be unrelated to MH370, possibly items such as containers that had fallen from ships.
"On this particular occasion the size and the fact that there are multiple [objects] located in the same area really makes it worth looking at," Mr Young added.
Michael Daniel, a former US Federal Aviation Administration official, told Singapore's Straits Times: "If they have a strong feeling or indication that the debris belongs to the aircraft, one of the first things authorities will do is drop sonar buoys in the water.
"If the black box (flight recorder) is there, the buoys should be able to pick up the signals. This could take up to 48 hours but it all depends on how near or far the ships and other assets are."
Investigators had identified two corridors of territory - one to the north and one to the south - spanning the possible positions of the plane about seven hours after take-off.
This was based on its last faint signal to a satellite - an hourly "handshake" broadcast even when the main communication systems are switched off.
Malaysia says search efforts are continuing in both corridors, involving a total of 18 ships, 29 aircraft and six ship-borne helicopters.
Meanwhile, relatives of those on board are still waiting for concrete news.
Bimal Sharma, a merchant navy captain whose sister Chandrika was on the plane, told the BBC he had experienced "hope and then despair and then hope and then despair".
"I have been very hopeful because it was intentionally diverted, so I don't believed it was crashed," he said. "It's been a very, very difficult time, and very emotionally stressing.
"The area where Australia is looking - I was a captain at sea - I have been through that area several times. This area has got a concentration of garbage - plastics and wood. I don't know, I don't want to believe it as yet."


Testing the Future
The J-2X engine will power the upper stages of the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles. Ares I is a two-stage rocket that will transport the Orion crew exploration vehicle to low Earth orbit. Ares V will enable NASA to launch a variety of science and exploration payloads, as well as key components needed to go to the moon and later to Mars.
This image shows the rocket engine exhaust nozzles, which are being designed and tested at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Engineers at the center are testing the nozzle to ensure that it is strong enough to withstand uneven forces. Testing at Marshall's Nozzle Test Facility enables Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne design engineers to apply test data to the computer analyses used to design the nozzle.
Testing began in March 2008.
Image Credit: NASA


RDU (WTVD) -- American Eagle flight 5355 flight from New Bern to Charlotte was diverted to Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Friday afternoon.
Stay on top of breaking news stories with the ABC11 News App
The plane landed safely at 3:44 p.m.
American Airlines said the plane was diverted after an indicator light in the cockpit reported a possible mechanical issue.
It appeared there may have been a problem with the right engine. The FAA said the crew reported a thrust reverser problem.
There were 53 people on board - 50 passengers and three crew members.
The plane taxied to the terminal minutes after landing. All the passengers have been taken off the aircraft.
Later Friday evening, American Airlines said it appeared to be just an indicator issue.
"The issue was rectified, and the aircraft redeparted for Charlotte," the airlines said in an email.
The flight was operated by PSA Airlines and left Coastal Carolina Regional Airport en route to Charlotte.
The aircraft is a Bombardier CRJ-200, American Airlines spokesman Ross Feinstein said.
"We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience," he added.
American Eagle flight makes emergency landing at RDU
More TOP STORIES News


A combination of improved sensor capability, improved situational
awareness and improved weapons provides first-kill opportunity against
threats. The F-22 possesses a sophisticated sensor suite that allows the
pilot to track, identify and shoot the threat before it detects the F-22.
Significant effort is being placed on cockpit design and avionics fusion
to improve the pilot's situational awareness. Advanced avionics
technologies allow the F-22 sensors to gather, integrate and display
essential information in the most useful format to the pilot.
Advances in low-observable technologies
provide significantly improved survivability and lethality against
air-to-air and surface-to-air threats. The F-22's combination of reduced
observability and super cruise accentuate the advantage of surprise in a
The F-22's engines produce more thrust
than any current fighter engine, especially in military (non-afterburner)
power. Called "super cruise," this characteristic allows the
F-22 to efficiently cruise at supersonic airspeeds without using
afterburners. This capability greatly expands the F-22's operating
envelope in both speed and range over current fighters that must use
afterburner to operate at supersonic speeds.
The F-22 has been extensively
designed, tested and refined aerodynamically during the
demonstration/validation (dem/val) phase and the current Engineering and
Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase. The F-22's sophisticated
aero-design and high thrust-to-weight ratio provide the capability to
outmaneuver all current and projected threat aircraft. To ensure the F-22
provides air dominance for deep-interdiction aircraft, it operates at
medium and high altitude at ranges superior to current generation air
To ensure operational
flexibility, the F-22 has better reliability and maintainability than any
military fighter in history. Increased F-22 reliability and
maintainability pays off in less manpower required to fix the aircraft and
consequently less airlift required to support a deployed squadron.
Additionally, reduced maintenance support provides the benefit of reduced
life-cycle cost and the ability to operate more efficiently from prepared
or dispersed operating locations.
The above characteristics
provide a synergistic effect that ensures F-22 lethality against an
advanced air threat. The combination of reduced observability and super cruise
drastically shrinks surface-to-air engagement envelopes and minimizes
threat capability to engage and shoot the F-22.
The F-22 has a secondary role to
attack surface targets. The aircraft will be capable of carrying two
Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) internally and will use on-board
avionics for navigation and weapons delivery support.
The F-22 will incorporate Pratt & Whitney's new
F119 engine. Designed for efficient supersonic operation without
afterburner use (super cruise), and with increased durability over today's
engines, the F119 is a very high thrust-to-weight ratio engine. Advanced
technologies in the F119 include integrated flight-propulsion controls and
two-dimensional, thrust-vectoring engine nozzles.
The F-22 is capable of carrying existing and planned
air-to-air weapons. These include a full complement of medium-range
missiles such as the AIM-120A advanced medium range air-to-air missile
(AMRAAM), and short-range missiles such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder. The F-22
also will have a modernized version of the proven M61 internal gun and
growth provisions for other weapons. The aircraft also will be capable of
carrying Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) and other ground-attack
above taken directly from Boeing
Go To Top


I am wondering whether most dogfights ended decisively and if so, whether many relatively inexperienced pilots knew they were probably going to die or at least have to eject from their planes. Or was it possible for even a new fighter pilot to at least have a chance of running away rather than engaging either a better pilot or a numerically superior group of planes?
Not a conclusive answer per se, but for WWII at least:
A large fraction of fighters shot down in aerial combat weren't dogfights per se, but rather the victim being unaware of the enemy on their six before it was too late. Sorry, I don't remember the reference for this.
Clostermann, in "The Big Circus", explains that towards the end of the war (WWII, that is) on the Western front at least, the Luftwaffe became very divided capability-wise. There was a small number (maybe 10% or so) of experienced pilots, often having been in the business since the Spanish civil war, who knew their planes in and out, and the capabilities of the enemy planes as well. These pilots were extremely dangerous opponents. OTOH, the other 90% of the Luftwaffe pilots were very inexperienced, as due to fuel shortage actual training was limited and apparently a lot of time was spent on ideology instead of how to fly their planes. These were easy prey. This suggests that yes, at least during that period, dogfights were pretty one-sided.


NASA has been busy in recent years, conducting multiple scientific investigations from Earth science and studying climate change on the Artemis mission to our moon and finally to Mars. With so many different and diverse projects in the hands of the agency, it can be difficult to continue all its efforts. Former Senator and current NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will take to the network on Wednesday at 3 p.m. Tune in NASA’s YouTube channel To see directly.
All products offered by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, different from our parent company. Some of our stories include approved links. If you purchase something through one of these links, we can earn an approved commission.


Ukrainian Military Portal reported that the helicopter arrived to Kulbakine airbase, outside Mykolayiv, in late 2020.
Read more: Ukraine’s Motor Sich awarded $800 million contract to support Chinese JL-10 trainer fleet
The Mi-2MSB can be used for training new and existing pilots (and thus save the lifespan of more sophisticated and heavier helicopters Mi-8MSB-8 purchased in 2019), and it has the capability to provide transportation for personnel and supplies during day/night operations.
The Mi-2MSB features 2 x Motor-Sich A-450V engines replacing aging Russian-built ITD-350s. The upgrade package additionally includes a number of improvements to airframe and replacement of key mission systems.
Defense- Express note: Deputy Defense Minister, Oleksandr Myronyuk told reporters, in January, that Ukraine’s Navy is anticipating the delivery of its first “fully digitalized” helicopter by late 2021. This will be upgraded from Mi-2 and developed optimized for ground take-off and landing.
Further plans up to 2023 are to develop a "corvette-based" variant of the Mi-2, featuring collapsible blades to enable deployment in the ship’s hangar bay. This will be developed in configurations optimized for SAR and anti-submarine operations.


Could lunar dust be toxic to astronauts?
As NASA prepares to return to the moon by the year 2020, Kim Prisk of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute is studying a space hazard – lunar dust.
Kim Prisk: From what we know about lunar dust, it’s fairly reactive and it has properties that are quite similar to fresh fractured quartz here on Earth. And fresh fractured quartz is known to be very toxic .
Even airtight space gear can’t protect astronauts.
Kim Prisk: It sticks because of electrostatic attraction to the space suits, and basically, they track it into the modules.
The moon’s low gravity might cause dust to penetrate deeply into an astronaut’s lungs, causing swelling, asthma or bronchitis. Prisk said the task at hand is to determine just how much dust is safe for astronauts to inhale.
Kim Prisk: One of the first things that has to happen is setting an acceptable exposure standard for lunar dust. We know we can’t set an exposure standard of zero… And as with all these things, this is a Goldilocks solution. You want it just right, not too high, not too low, just right.
He said this research could benefit Earth – resulting in new ways to deliver medicine directly to the lungs in spray form.
Special thanks today to the National Space Biomedical Research Institute – innovations for health in space and on Earth.
Our thanks to:
Kim Prisk, PhD, DSc
Professor, Departments of Medicine and Radiology
University of California, San Diego


Many of NASAs high priority missions in the next decade are located in extreme environments with low, inconsistent or no sunlight. In these cases, NASA has traditionally used RTGs. However, RTGs are inefficient (<8%), with specific powers of just 2.7 W/kg. Complicating issues is the scarcity of GPHS units due to a long drought of plutonium production. Even with a restart in production, this necessitates judicious use of remaining GPHS units.
ExoTerra’s proposed advanced micro Brayton energy converter operates a pair of units off a single GPHS. The units are 40% efficient, enabling 100 W of electrical power and a >40 W/kg specific power. The system uses advances in manufacturing techniques to enable high efficiency heat transfer among components and miniaturize the Brayton Cycle components. By using a pair of units, we balance inertias across the spacecraft to maintain control.
The proposed Phase I effort completes system design of the micro Brayton unit. We then fabricate a compressor unit to demonstrate the advanced manufacturing techniques. We perform a demonstration test to measure the performance against predictions and feed into Phase II development.
Provides power for NASA missions in areas with limited sunlight, including the search for water at the lunar poles, performing ISRU or supporting a lunar outpost during the 2 week lunar night, or Europa exploration. The system can fit into microsatellite scale missions – including pending commercial lunar payload services vehicles. It can also supply power to microsatellite class nuclear electric propulsion systems for outer planet missions with microsatellites. This increases affordability though reduced launch costs.
Remote Military power supplies


NASA has just announced the postponement of its VIPER lunar mission, which consists of studying the presence of water in the form of ice on the Moon, to November 2024. NASA explains that it wants to “ complete additional requested tests “.
NASA’s VIPER mission is falling behind schedule. ” The additional tests aim to reduce the overall risk of VIPER landing on the Moon Nasa said on July 18, 2022, in a statement explaining the postponement of its mission to 2024.
As a reminder, VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) has a very specific objective – to study the presence of water and ice on the Moon. Initially, the rover was to take off in the year 2023, transported by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launcher, then land on the earth satellite thanks to Astrobotic’s Griffin lander.
” Another $67.8 million added to Astrobotic’s contract »
NASA scientists want to be reassuring and they say that the delay of the Viper rover will not be binding. However, it will allow researchers to carry out additional tests on Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander, which will be very important when the rover is sent to the Moon in November 2024.
In order to carry out its additional tests, NASA mentions in its press release that ” Another $67.8 million added to Astrobotic’s contract, which now stands at $320.4 million “.
This is not the first time that NASA has delayed one of its space missions: in 2021, agency officials had already estimated that additional time would be needed to complete the preparation of the Crew-3 capsule, and that it is ready.
VIPER, a very important mission for the Artémis program
The VIPER rover mission is part of the Artemis program (name inspired by the Greek goddess), which consists of landing astronauts on the Moon by 2027, and installing a permanent human base there.
In this sense, the role of the VIPER rover is very important to carry out this program: knowledge of water on the Moon would allow NASA scientists to affirm that human beings could well live in the near future or distant on the surface of the Moon. This would also allow researchers to see further: the Moon is a springboard to the rest of space, especially to Mars.


Police have charged a man after a laser was allegedly pointed at the police Air Wing on Wednesday night.
The helicopter was flying above the Hazelwood North area about 9pm when a laser was allegedly shone at the aircraft several times on 7 February.
Air Wing officers directed police on the ground to an address on Church Road in Hazelwood North shortly after.
Attending officers located a laser and arrested a 33-year-old Hazelwood North man at the premises.
He was interviewed and is expected to be charged on summons with interfere with a crew member in an aircraft, reckless conduct endanger life and possess a prohibited weapon.


AIRBUS has successfully tested the automatic take-off flight of an aircraft at Toulouse airport in France.
The A350-1000 performed eight automatic take-offs over a period of four and a half hours, thanks to new image recognition technology installed on it. Airbus has confirmed that the new steps are tests on automatic taxis that will be performed later this year. The idea of fully automatic commercial aircraft has been dumped for decades while a survey conducted in 2019, has concluded that the 70% of 22 thousand passengers feel ready to fly on a fully automatic aircraft.
However, incidents like those of the Boeing 737 max raise questions about safety issues in fully automatic aircraft. According to Airbus, their goal is not to replace pilot-piloted aircraft, but they certainly aim to improve flight operations as a whole.
The goal is to improve flight operation so that a pilot can focus more on strategic decision making and mission management.


MiG-15 - weekend edition
Unassembled plastic model kit
Other products to consider: (7)
Customize your model:
Don't forget building supplies!
Select a thumbnail to see the picture full-size.
This model kit requires assembly. Cement, paint and other construction materials not included unless specifically stated in the description.
Includes markings for 4 aircraft:
- EP-01, LtCol. Jozef Kukel, 1 Fighter Air Division, Hradec Kralove, Ruzyne, September 4, 1955
- s/n 231611, Romanian Air Force, Late 1950s
- 0615334, Maj. V. I. Kolyadin, 28 GIAP, 151 GIAD, 64 IAK, Mukden, China, December 1950
- No. 141303, 3 Fighter Air Regiment, Brno-Turany, ca. 1958


SpaceX's hopes a human-occupied Crew Dragon flight this May are fading fast. A parachute test for the capsule failed on March 24th after a helicopter pilot was forced to drop the test vehicle early when it became unstable, threatening the pilot's saf... https://www.engadget.com/2020/03/25/spacex-crew-dragon-parachute-test-failure/" target="_blank">Read More . . .
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BRASILIA – Brazilian officials said on Monday that they are investigating the origin of a half-ton of cocaine found aboard a small plane that apparently took off from property linked to Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi, a billionaire soy baron.
Authorities spotted the “suspicious” aircraft on radar Sunday and when the pilot declined to respond to requests for identification, a fighter plane was dispatched, the air force said in a statement.
The pilot of the small plane ignored the presence of the fighter until the air force pilot fired a warning shot, prompting the man at the controls of the small aircraft to land in a rural area of the central state of Goias.
Five-hundred 500 kilos (1,101 lbs.) of cocaine were found aboard the small aircraft, which took off from Itamarati Norte, a spread of roughly 40,000 hectares (98,000 acres) in Mato Grosso state, the air force said.
But the air force later released a statement quantifying the amount of drugs at 653 kilos and clarifying that “the information about the plane’s point of departure was given by the pilot himself” and remains subject to confirmation.
Itamarati Norte belongs to the Andre Maggi Group, an agribusiness giant founded by Blairo Maggi’s father.
Citing the latest bulletin from the air force, Blairo Maggi said on Twitter that Mato Grosso “is vulnerable to the action of drug trafficking” because it borders Paraguay, where marijuana is cultivated on a large scale, and coca-producing Bolivia.
The Andre Maggi Group put out a statement insisting that the firm “has no link with the aircraft which the air force described and did not issue an authorization for landing of takeoff” on any of the 11 runways at Itamarati Norte.


The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced its 2021-22 ‘Most Wanted List’ of transportation safety improvements that will prevent accidents, reduce injuries and save lives. Specifically, the board adopted two safety improvements that will affect the Part 135 aviation industry, including the recommendation to require and verify the effectiveness of SMS, and install crash-resistant recorders and establish flight data monitoring programmes.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation, a non-profit organisation with more than 250 member companies, including Part 135 and Part 91 aviation operators, supports the NTSB's recommendation in an effort to create a safer charter industry that will prevent accidents, reduce injuries and save lives.
The ACSF has developed aviation safety tools to help its member companies manage all aspects of safety and, importantly, to plan ahead for pending legislation requiring their organisation to establish an effective SMS programme. “A large part of the educational aspect of our mission is to promote a culture that embraces the non-punitive, 'Just Culture' philosophy of programmes such as FDM, SMS and the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP),” says Bryan Burns, president, Air Charter Safety Foundation. “These new recommendations from the NTSB align both with our mission and our latest member benefits.”
The Foundation currently offers its members these SMS and safety audit solutions: The ACSF SMS Tool, an actively managed, web-based software tool to take aviation operators through the process of setting up an SMS and getting started with the Aviation Safety Action Program. Additionally, flight department staff can use this tool to document aviation safety data, perform risk assessments and assign corrective actions, among other functions; and The ACSF Industry Audit Standard, which aligns with the FAR Part 5 SMS voluntary programme and ICAO Annex 19.
During its meeting, the NTSB discussed the fact that among the 1,900 Part 135 organisations, only 20 operators have had their SMS accepted into the FAA's SMS for voluntary programme (SMSVP). Another 213 operators have applied for the SMSVP and are somewhere in the process for that acceptance. “These data are proof that there's a lot of opportunity to educate Part 135 operators on the need to raise the bar by establishing an SMS programme and having it validated,” explains Burns. “As part of our mission, we want to ensure all aviation operators implement an effective SMS, regardless of their fleet size. In an effort to make safety tools more accessible to a broader range of operators, we offer a very affordable, entry-level solution for first-time users. As an organisation's SMS matures, we encourage it to take advantage of the much more advanced and robust SMS platforms offered by our partners and member companies: ARGUS International, Aviation Manuals, Baldwin Aviation, FltPln.com and Wyvern.”
The ACSF will launch its new ACSF flight data monitoring programme to serve as a resource for member companies to learn “all things related to FDM,” including the implementation process and FDM's programme benefits. Specifically, ACSF members will benefit from the ACSF FDM through: reduction of expenses associated with acquiring hardware and software; and educational opportunities, such as training for front-line employees, department management and the C-suite on the value that FDM can bring to the safety culture of an operation.


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In Smart Shot modes, Solo can fly itself so you can shift your focus from flying the drone to the camera.
Cablecam: Lock Solo onto a virtual cable between any two points in space. Then, using just one stick on the controller, you can move Solo up and down the cable. This lets you freely pan and tilt the camera while the drone stays in steady flight. Solo can even memorize your first and last frames and pan the camera between them.
Orbit: Solo can automatically circle a subject of your choosing, keeping the camera pointed inward to capture an iconic wraparound shot. Adjust the circle’s radius to get the exact frame you want, even midflight.
Selfie: With just one touch, Solo will fly up and away, keeping the camera centered on you so the scenery around you expands in a dramatic aerial pullout shot.
Follow Me: Go completely hands-free. Solo can follow where you go, automatically keeping the camera on you to capture your every move.


img credit: delair.aero
Ground Sampling Distance (GSD), as the name implies, refers to the amount of ground/surface area covered by a single image in flight.
If you are mapping a site using a drone with the camera facing down (nadir position), then the ground sampling distance is basically the amount of ground captured per image pixel in the drone's camera.
So for example, if the GSD for a drone flight is 1cm/pixel, that means that every pixel is the drone image is capturing 1cm on the ground.
If you're flying vertically and mapping a tower or a facade, then GSD is basically the amount of facade surface area covered by a single image pixel in flight.
There is a formula to calculate GSD and we have discussed this is a previous post:
In the video below, we explain GSD is and how to calculate GSD:
Why Does GSD Matter?
Let's look at it like this, GSD affects the resolution of the data, a bit like HD vs 4K.
Counter intuitively, a high GSD means lower resolution data and a low GSD means higher resolution data.
Let's try to understand why that is.
A high GSD (50cm / pixel) would imply every pixel is the image is capturing 50cm on the ground, implying that the drone is far from the ground, i.e reducing the resolution of the data. On the other hand, a low GSD (1cm / pixel) would imply that every pixel in the image is capturing 1cm on the ground, implying higher resolution of the data.
So does this mean we should always aim to get the GSD as low as possible and the resolution as high as possible?
GSD helps us understand how 'big' or 'small' features would look in the final images. A low GSD would make features in the image look bigger and a high GSD would make features look smaller.
img credit: heliguy.com
However, not every drone mission requires big features, and getting the GSD to be low requires you to either 1) get closer to the target 2) upgrade the camera.
Both of those options can be expensive in time, costs and safety as getting very close to the ground in certain areas might not be safe or efficient.
1. Data Accuracy
If you looking to capture highly accurate data, GSD can have an effect on the overall data accuracy. This is specially true if the end goal of the drone survey is to perform measurements. As a rule of thumb, we recommend shooting for a GSD within 2-3x of your desired absolute accuracy and a GSD low enough for relative accuracy. To learn more about the different types of accuracy and how GSD can affect them, please visit:
2. Motion Blur
Motion Blue and GSD are also related concepts. Motion blue can sometimes be unavoidable, but generally speaking, it's good to keep your motion blur below 2x your GSD to collect high quality data for mapping flights. Here's more on Motion blur:
3. Mapping vs Inspection
Lastly, it's important to understand what type of flight you are undertaking and how to use GSD to achieve the right results for the right job. If you are undertaking a mapping flight, it's important to pay attention to data accuracy and data resolution, as this would directly affect any measurements you make from the processed data. On the other hand, if you are undertaking an inspection flight, then it's important to think about how 'big' or 'small' would the cracks, corrosion or other defects appear in the final photos, so that they can be annotated and accumulated in to a report. If you are unsure about the differences between drone mapping and inspection, please visit:
How To Plan GSD In Drone Flights?
The first thing you need to do when planning to use low GSD in your drone flight is to define the area you are planning on flying in, making sure to take safety into account.
Flying lower will decrease your GSD, and increase your resolution, but you may compromise safety by doing so, this is why it is always best to check your surroundings for immediate hazards.
Select your camera or drone and your flight altitude, and a software platform like Hammer Missions will automatically calculate the GSD for you:
Want to calculate this for yourself?
Get your free and comprehensive spreadsheet designed with Drone Mapping and Inspection formulas over here.
GSD should always be a good balance between data quality, accuracy and safety!
This post explains the concept behind GSD and why it matters, GSD is really a central concept to drone missions and will help improve the quality of your deliverables!
To learn more about our enterprise solutions, including mission collaboration, data processing, and AI solutions, please contact us at email@example.com.
We look forward to hearing from you.
- Team at Hammer Missions


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During World War II, I served as a B-17 heavy bomber pilot with the
U.S. 8th Air Force 305th Bomb Group. Located within England, I flew 35 missions over
Revival of interest in a box of old correspondence between my wife and
myself during that period has led to this memoir - of dreams after World War II, love, and
the gift of survival.
I hope you enjoy the pages.


Our goal is to match our resources with your needs in the best possible way. Executive Aviation Malta was established with the sole objective, that to provide professional services to Business Jets and Executive Aviation in Malta (LMML).
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VIP Services: Meet and Greet service, Executive transportation for VIP passengers by means of the best available executive vehicles in Malta, CIP/VIP terminal coordination and fast track/processing, Concierge services, Executive catering, Chauffeur drive coordination


Florida-based audio engineer Gary Faller had a unique project: torig a pair of large-diaphragm DPA 4041 stereo mics on the roof of theU.S. Air Force Hangar AE at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., tocapture the sound of a Delta Rocket as it streaks into space to launcha Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite.
The launch of GPS II-R was broadcast from a TV truck where Fallerhad to integrate a mix of network feeds, weather balloon reports,launch team dialog and the sounds from the rocket.
To accurately mike the sounds of the rocket from launch pad to theoverhead track until it was out of listening distance, Faller dependedon the DPA 4041S stereo pair into the HMA4000 130-volt powersupply/preamp. The signal was then fed into a CD burner, which was thenfed to a Mackie Console to cross-fade between the launch pad mic andthe DPA mics—after the first mic had been destroyed by the blastimpact.
To get this done with the highest audio quality under thecircumstances, Faller used the DPA 3532S Mic Kit with A-B bar,windscreens and all of the accessories required for EFP applications.Describing the kit as “the ultimate way to go,” Falleradded, “DPA basically gives you everything you need, and the micshad more than enough headroom to let me capture the sound accuratelywith the right balance and impact.
For further information, refer to DPA’s Website at www.dpamicrophones.com.


Mechanism to deal with fog trouble in place: Jet Airways
In the event of flight disruption due to fog, the airline plans to deploy additional aircraft.
Mumbai: Private carrier Jet Airways on Tuesday said it has put in place several measures including deployment of additional planes and cancellation and rescheduling of some flights to deal with the problem of fog. In the event of flight disruption due to fog, the airline plans to deploy additional aircraft for relief/additional flights wherever possible, it said.
Also, in the case of flight diversions, operations out of alternate airports have been planned, while certain existing scheduled services will be re-routed. Certain Jet Airways and JetKonnect flights have been rescheduled, effective December 15 to January 15.
In the case of anticipated flight elays/cancellations, passengers need to check the status of their flights before leaving for the airport by calling the airline's call centres and its toll-free numbers, Jet statement said. Delhi-Gorakhpur-Delhi flight will remain cancelled till January 15, the statement said.
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Futureproof Opportunities as an Airline Manager
The airline industry is constantly evolving with the changing needs of the organizations, the customers and new developments in technology. The airline management degree is designed to prepare students for the ever-changing airline industry. We train qualified airline managers to be adaptable and innovative so that they can succeed in this environment as entry- and mid-level airline managers.
Our focus on liberal arts and basic science courses―in addition to building a solid foundation in management issues, aviation and airline management―exposes students to a wide variety of tools they can apply in real-life management roles and environments. Because the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires safety management systems (SMS) programs to be implemented in airlines today, we give students the opportunity to pursue this certificate, thus allowing them to pursue more advanced airline management careers upon graduating.
IN THE NORTH
Vaughn provides students with invaluable experiences that help prepare them for lifelong careers.
WHAT YOU'LL STUDY
Students pursuing the airline management degree will build a strong general management foundation, gaining skills in language and humanities, science and math. In addition, we focus on all functions affected by management, which include accounting, finance, economics, public relations and planning. Is airline management a course of study you are considering? In this program, you will be exposed to the major issues that affect general aviation and airline management, including international trade, airline services, cargo operations, import/export, customs and security. This program will prepare you for a diverse set of situations you might encounter in your role as an airline manager. Our goal is to prepare you for a diverse set of situations you might encounter in your role as an airline manager.
You will also have the opportunity to take elective courses in specific technical areas (including FAA dispatch) and unmanned aerial vehicles in addition to other courses in your areas of interest.
Eligible students can participate in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI), in addition to other programs, such as the aircraft dispatcher program.
Graduates of the airline management degree program are fully prepared to enter both entry- and mid-level airline management careers. We give students the tools to take on administrative responsibility, public and private enterprise roles, as well as the leadership skills to effectively manage airline teams and organizations.
Graduates often pursue airline management careers in positions as customer service representatives, aircraft financing or leasing agents, crew scheduling managers and dispatchers. Vaughn’s extensive network with alumni, airlines and airports has allowed students to gain hands-on experience during their coursework in internships and in full-time roles after graduation.
JUST A FEW OF THE COMPANIES THAT EMPLOY VAUGHN GRADUATES:
- Airlines Reporting Corporation
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines
- Envoy Air
- Expeditors International
- Porter Airlines, Inc.
A SAMPLE OF VAUGHN INTERNSHIPS:
- American Dynamics
- Atlas Air
- Disney College Program
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- FAA (Enterprise Data and Messaging Engineering Team)
- FAA (Tech Center)
- Federal Express
- FlightSafety International
- General Electric
- International Business Machines (IBM)
- Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
- NASA (Marshall Space Flight Center)
- Navair (Naval Air Systems Command)
- NYU Engineering Summer Research
- Rashid Petroleum Company
- Sikorsky Helicopters
- Textron Aviation
- United Airlines
- Venture Aerobearings
- Watertown Airport


Wing Aero, Inc.
The Complete Private Pilot Syllabus ISBN 978-1-61954-327-0
A comprehensive guide that stresses integrated flight training — providing both flight and ground training for more complete preparedness. It is written to satisfy both Part 141 and Part 61 requirements.
Stage Exams, Enrollment certificate, Graduation certificate, and Private Pilot application (FAA Form 8710) included. This Fifth Edition has been updated to coincide with the Twelfth Edition of The Complete Private Pilot by Bob Gardner.
The Complete Private Pilot Syllabus Use w/Pilot Textbook ISBN 978-1-61954-327-0


INTRODUCTION

Satellite is a microwave repeater in the space
There are about 750 satellite in the space, most of them are used for communication.
They are:

Wide area coverage of the earth’s surface.
Transmission delay is about 0.3 sec.
Transmission cost is independent of distance.

In 1962, the American telecommunications giant AT&T launched the world's first true communications satellite, called Telstar. Since then, countless communications satellites have been placed into earth orbit, and the technology being applied to them is forever growing in sophistication

WHAT ARE COMMUNICATION SATELLITES ?

A satellite is an object that orbits another large object like planet
A communication satellite is a station in space that is used for telecommunication, radio and television signals
The first satellite with radio transmitter was in 1957

HOW DO SATELLITES WORK ?

Two Stations on Earth want to communicate through radio broadcast but are too far away to use conventional means.
The two stations can use a satellite as a relay station for their communication
One Earth Station sends a transmission to the satellite. This is called a Uplink.
The satellite Transponder converts the signal and sends it down to the second earth station. This is called a Downlink.

ADVANTAGES OF SATELLITE

The advantages of satellite communication over terrestrial communication are:
The coverage area of a satellite greatly exceeds that of a terrestrial system.
Transmission cost of a satellite is independent of the distance from the center of the coverage area.
Satellite to Satellite communication is very precise.
Higher Bandwidths are available for use.

DISADVANTAGES OF SATELLITE

The disadvantages of satellite communication:
HAP

Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO)

These satellites are in orbit 35,863 km above the earth’s surface along the equator.
Objects in Geostationary orbit revolve around the earth at the same speed as the earth rotates. This means GEO satellites remain in the same position relative to the surface of earth.

GEO (cont.)
Advantages

A GEO satellite’s distance from earth gives it a large coverage area, almost a fourth of the earth’s surface.
GEO satellites have a 24 hour view of a particular area.
These factors make it ideal for satellite broadcast and other multipoint applications.

GEO (cont.)
Disadvantages

A GEO satellite’s distance also cause it to have both a comparatively weak signal and a time delay in the signal, which is bad for point to point communication.
GEO satellites, centered above the equator, have difficulty broadcasting signals to near polar regions

Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
LEO satellites are much closer to the earth than GEO satellites, ranging from 500 to 1,500 km above the surface.
LEO satellites don’t stay in fixed position relative to the surface, and are only visible for 15 to 20 minutes each pass.
A network of LEO satellites is necessary for LEO satellites to be useful

LEO (cont.)
Advantages

A LEO satellite’s proximity to earth compared to a GEO satellite gives it a better signal strength and less of a time delay, which makes it better for point to point communication.
A LEO satellite’s smaller area of coverage is less of a waste of bandwidth.

LEO (cont.)
Disadvantages

A network of LEO satellites is needed, which can be costly
LEO satellites have to compensate for Doppler shifts cause by their relative movement.
Atmospheric drag effects LEO satellites, causing gradual orbital deterioration.

Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)
A MEO satellite is in orbit somewhere between 8,000 km and 18,000 km above the earth’s surface.
MEO satellites are similar to LEO satellites in functionality.
MEO satellites are visible for much longer periods of time than LEO satellites, usually between 2 to 8 hours.
MEO satellites have a larger coverage area than LEO satellites.

MEO (cont.)
Advantage

A MEO satellite’s longer duration of visibility and wider footprint means fewer satellites are needed in a MEO network than a LEO network.

Disadvantage

A MEO satellite’s distance gives it a longer time delay and weaker signal than a LEO satellite, though not as bad as a GEO satellite.

Frequency Bands
Different kinds of satellites use different frequency bands.

L–Band: 1 to 2 GHz, used by MSS
S-Band: 2 to 4 GHz, used by MSS, NASA, deep space research
Ka-Band: 26.5 to 40 GHz: used by FSS

FREQUENCY BAND (Cont.)

 Three common bands:

C-Band.
KU-Band.
KA-Band.

Most common are C-Band & KU-Band.
C-Band occupy 4 to 8 GHz frequency:- Low frequency.- Large antenna (2-3 meters).
KU-Band occupy 11 to 17 GHz:- Large frequency.- Small antenna (18-inches!)

MULTIPLE ACCESS TECHNIQUES
FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access)
It is the oldest and most common.
the available satellite channel bandwidth is broken into frequency bands for different earth stations.
TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access)
channels are time multiplexed sequentially
Each earth station gets to transmit in a fixed time slot only.
More than one time slot can be assigned to stations with more bandwidth requirements.
Requires time synchronization between the Earth Stations.

CDMA : (Code Division Multiple Access)
Combination of time/frequency multiplexing
 ( a form of spread spectrum modulation).
 It provides a decentralized way of providing separate channels without timing synchronization. It is a relatively new scheme but is expected to be more
common in future satellites.

Launching Satellites
How does a satellite stay in it’s orbit?

Televesion & Radio- e.g. Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) & Fixed service satellite (FFS).
Mobile satellite technology- Special antenna called mobile satellite antenna. - No matter where or how this antenna is mounted on.

Applications(Cont..)

Amateur radio- Access to OSCAR satellite. - Low earth orbits.
Internet- High Speed. - Useful for far away places.
Military- Uses geostationary satellites. - Example: The Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS).

Disadvantages

The antenna noise due to energy- Unwanted radiation sources (stars – galaxies - …etc). - Worsen S/N ratio.
Atmosphere behaves as a resistive medium- Supplies noise power to the antenna.
Meteors- Have to be programmed to avoid any rock or any harmful thing. - Rules of orbits.
Expensive- only for governments or large organizations.

In Conclusion
Satellites remain the best utilization used for communications due to their speed and other advantages mentioned in this presentation.


The Boeing P-26A was an early monoplane fighter for the USAAF and proved popular because of its aerobatic qualities. Boeing created an export version of the P-26 called the Model 281. The Spanish Model 281 (X12275) was bought after its demonstration at Barajas airfield on March 10, 1935 where it stayed until the war broke out. From there it flew to Cuatro Ventos airfield in the Summer of 1936. In October of 1936 it was operating from Getafe when it was shot down in a dogfight with three Fiat CR.32s.
There are only a few photos of the Model 281 which made it to Spain and these seem to show it painted with an olive drab fuselage and yellow wings, the pictures were taken in 1935 before the conflict and show large lettering on the wings and tail (NR12775) as well as the Boeing logo on the tail.
This picture has likely been doctored and the serial number is wrong, it was listed by the Boeing company as X12275
(Picture from the archives of Juan Arráez)
This picture could have been taken in the US before shipping or in Spain it is unclear, it is also unlikley that the serial number was NR12775, it is now believed that the serial number was X12275.
The next picture has been positively identified as being in Spain in 1935, however the colour of the aircraft is a little unclear and the picture could have also been re-touched.
(Published in the May 1935 issue of Revista de Aeronáutica (Aviation Magazine))
There is a picture that is widely seen in modelling world of the 281 in Spain which shows an attractive bare metal finish with the republican red band on the fuselage and wing tips with the red, yellow and violet on insignia on the tail.
However I’m not sure it would have ever looked like like this and I think the most likely rendition of the 281 is this drawing:
Model kits available: P-26 Models Scalemates
Site Build: Build Log


The 8.2-tonne Chang’e-5 spacecraft “stack” was launched from the Wenchang spaceport in southern China on 24 November. It arrived above the Moon at the weekend and then set about circularizing its orbit before splitting in two. If the Chang’e-5 mission is successful, China will become third country after US and Russia to collect lunar material. China sent its first astronaut into space in 2003 and made its first lunar landing 10 years later.
China launched its Chang’e-5 probe which is not manned from the southern province of Hainan on November 24. The mission, named after the mythical Chinese goddess of the moon, aims to collect lunar material to help scientists learn more about the moon’s origins and the solar system more generally. The lander vehicle is expected to start drilling into the ground with a robotic arm.
One half – a service vehicle and return module stayed in orbit, while a lander-ascender segment was prepared for a touchdown attempt. Chang’e-5 is a very complex mission, solely aimed at the exploration of the science coordinator for human and robotic exploration at the European Space Agency.
Chang’e 5 launched from China’s Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on November 23rd, flying to space on top of a Long March 5 rocket. It’s a complex mission consisting of four main spacecraft that will all work together to bring between 2 to 4 kilograms of lunar dirt back to Earth. The quartet traveled to the Moon attached together and got into lunar orbit on November 28th.
The Chinese space agency said this lander-ascender element put down at 15:11 GMT. The precise position was reported as 51.8 degrees West longitude and 43.1 degrees North latitude. Chang’e-5’s success follows China’s two previous Moon landings – those of Chang’e-3 in 2013 and Chang’e-4 last year. Both of these earlier missions incorporated a static lander and small rover.
Chang’e 5 mission, tasked with bringing a sample of lunar dirt back to Earth, successfully landed on the Moon, marking the third time that China has placed a robotic spacecraft on the lunar surface. The lander will soon begin digging up samples of lunar soil, which will be returned to the planet Earth later this month.
The lander is expected to spend the next couple of days examining its surroundings and gathering up surface materials. It has a number of instruments to facilitate this, including a camera, spectrometer, radar, a scoop and a drill. The intention is to package about 2kg of “soil”, or regolith, to send up to an orbiting vehicle that can then transport the samples to Earth. Its 44 years since this was last achieved. That was the Soviet Luna 24 mission, which picked up just under 200g.
The sample will eventually be transferred to the fourth spacecraft, a reentry capsule tasked with bringing the material to the ground. It’s unclear exactly when that landing will take place, but it could occur around December 16th or 17th. China is targeting somewhere in Inner Mongolia for the landing spot.
If all goes to plan, China will become one of three countries to bring back samples from the Moon. US astronauts retrieved lunar soil samples during the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 70s, and the former Soviet Union brought back lunar material through a series of robotic missions in the 1970s. In fact, the last successful lunar sample returns mission occurred in 1976 with the Soviet Union’s Luna 24 mission. With Chang’e-5, China could bring the first material back from the Moon in nearly half a century.
Chang’e-5 isn’t the only mission that could bring rocks from another world to Earth this month. Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission, which has been in space since 2014, is slated to return a sample of material from an asteroid named Ryugu this weekend. That means Earth could get two precious samples of unspoiled space rocks in December 2020.
Unlike the launch of the mission a week ago, the landing was not covered live by Chinese TV channels. Only after the touchdown was confirmed did they break into their programming to relay the news. Images taken on the descent were quickly released with the final frame showing one of the probe’s legs casting a shadow on to the dusty lunar surface. The US space agency congratulated China. Nasa’s top science official, Dr Thomas Zurbuchen, said he hoped the international research community would eventually get the chance to analyze any samples sent home.
A total of just under 400kg of rock and soil were retrieved by American Apollo astronauts and the Soviets’ robotic Luna program – the vast majority of these materials coming back with the crewed missions. But all these samples were very old, likely more than three billion years in age. The Mons Rümker materials, on the other hand, promise to be no more than 1.2 or 1.3 billion years old. And this should provide additional insights on the geological history of the Moon. The samples will also allow scientists to more precisely calibrate the chronometer they use to age surfaces on the inner Solar System planets.
This is done by counting craters the more craters, the older the surface the more curator robot has to work and focus on it according to the programmed software, but it depends on having some definitive dating at a number of locations, and the Apollo and Soviet samples were key to this. Chang’e-5 would offer a further data point.
Reports from China suggest the effort to retrieve surface samples may last no longer than a couple of days. Any retrieved materials will be blasted back into orbit on the ascent portion of the landing mechanism, and then transferred across to the service vehicle and placed in the return module. The orbiter will shepherd the return module to the Earth’s vicinity, jettisoning it to make an atmospheric entry and landing in the Siziwang Banner grasslands of the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia. This is where China’s astronauts also return to Earth from the Moon.
The author is doing M. Phil in Public Policy and Governance. He is working as a freelancer. Previously worked with HubPages and Washington Post.