MIDWEEK UPDATE 27 JULY 2016
THIS WEEK IN MIDWEEK UPDATE
AvClicks Photo Competition……Plan Your Weekend……..Forthcoming Events
Aviation News………. Worldwide Incidents and Accidents
This Week in Aviation History………Advertising Rate Card
Pilot's Post is proud to launch its "AVclick 2016" aviation related photo competition. By entering your favourite photos, you will not only share your aviation photography passion with thousands of others, you will also stand a chance to win exciting prizes this year. Our prizes for this competition were carefully chosen to suit everyone's aviation interest and that is why we are offering the winner a choice between three different options.
For more information go to: www.pilotspost.com/arn0000956
To vote for your favourite photo click on "Vote for"
Vote for 13-1…………………………Vote for 13-4
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Go to www.pilotspost.com/arn0001006 to vote for the June finalist
27: Chopper gathering at AFB Zwartkop 5 Hangar 11h00 to 19h00. Contact Slade Healy e-mail: slade430@yahoo.com or Matt Richards
27-28: Aero Club safety campaign, Mpumalanga. Wednesday 27 July Nelspruit Flying Club evening. Thursday 28 Middelburg Flying Club evening.
3: EAA Chapter 322 monthly meeting, Dickie Fritz Moth Hall Edenvale. Contact editor@afskies.co.za
5: SAPFA Protea Team Training Brits airfield. Contact Frank Eckard e-mail: frank.eckard@mweb.co.za
5th - 9th: Thank you for joining the NAC Fly Away Team on what promises to be another spectacular four day flying tour of one of the most beautiful regions in our country. You can look forward to exquisite cuisine, beautiful wine farms, languid golden honey, breathtaking views and stunning sunsets. Click here to download your NAC Fly Away Information Pack which contains the schedule of events. Please feel free to contact Deneys Potgieter on +27 82 891 4354 or e-mail deneys.potgieter@nac.co.za should you require any additional information. We can't wait to share this adventure with you!
6: SAAF Museum flying training and open days. Contact 012 351 2342 or E-mail: webmaster@saafmuseum.org
6-7: MISASA Starters Masters - Petit. This competition, like all other Starters Masters, has been structured for the novice with a slant (towards the latter part) for those who have flown comps before. The idea of competition flying is for crew to "enhance airmanship through contest." Contact: Mervyn Reynolds 0737637510
6-8: Lomac Model Aircraft fly-in Rocky's Drift Nelspruit. Phillip Lewis 082 727 8425 or e-mail: phillip@cri.co.za
4-14: SAC Advanced World Championships Poland. Contact Annie Boon e-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za
15-17: Aero Club safety campaign, Eastern Cape. Monday 15 August, Border Aviation Club, East London evening. Tuesday 16 August, 43 Air School Port Alfred. Wednesday 17, Algoa Flying Club Port Elizabeth evening
18-19: SA Landing Championship - Brits. Saturday the 19th is the competition day and for those who want to practice, Friday the 18th is the training day. This competition will be run according to the FAI rules as published on our website and Provincial Colours will be awarded to those who achieve the required standard. Please enter on the SAPFA website at: www.sapfa.co.za/index.php/component/competition/?view=pilot. Contact: Frank Eckard frank.eckard@mweb.co.za
21: Grand Rand airshow. Contact Stuart Coetzee e-mail: info@randairport.co.za Tel: 082-4440407
23-25: Aero Club safety campaign, Limpopo. Tuesday 23 August Polokwane airfield club house evening. Wednesday 24 August Tzaneen airfield club house evening. Thursday 25 August Hoedspruit airfield club house evening.
27: Bethlehem airshow. Contact Stephan Fourie e-mail: fouriesj1491@gmail.com
27: Toys for Boys at Tedderfield Air Park. Contact 071 516 2157. e-mail: jhb.parties@gmail.com
3 September: Kitty Hawk's annual RV day. Thee Kitty Hawk RV Raptor Team will be performing and the MG Car Club will also be visiting. Contact Irmarie Jooste (012) 802 0942 office@kitty-hawk.co.za or go to www.fakt.co.za
3 September: SAAF Museum flying training and open days. E-mail: webmaster@saafmuseum.org
7 September: EAA Chapter 322 monthly meeting, Dickie Fritz Moth Hall Edenvale. Contact editor@afskies.co.za
10-11September: SAC Gauteng regionals & Judges Trophy Vereeniging. Contact Annie Boon e-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za
14-18 September: Africa Aerospace and Defence expo AFB Waterkloof. Contact Leona Redelinghuys e-mail: expodir@aadexpo.co.za
EAA SOUTH AFRICA AND ONE OF EAA CHAPTER 322 FOUNDING MEMBER BILL KEIL PASSES TO HIGHER SERVICE
30 Nov 1929 - 23 July 2016
Hugh Roderick “Bill” Keil
Bill grew up in the then Rhodesia and learned to fly at in the Royal Rhodesian Air Force, flying a Fairchild Cornell Cornell . He also flew Harvard Mk1s and 2's then Airspeed Oxfords and Anson's.
After leaving the RRAF, he became a road engineer and worked for the Southern Rhodesian Government building many of the roads and bridges. Bill pranged Ray Amm's 'Indian' motorbike and ended up in hospital with amongst other damage to his airframe, a broken back, ribs protruding through his covering, a buckled undercarriage and no front teeth, a broken nose cone & no sense of smell.
In hospital he met Rosemarie Williams, a nurse, and he was smitten and married her. The couple had two sons, Nigel, who became SAA's Fleet Manager of the B737-800 for 15 years and presently is a Commander on the Airbus A-340. The second son Andy, Bill's youngest son, Andy, a one-time Air Traffic Controller is a multiple SA National Champion Radio Control pilot represented South Africa a number of times at the World Championships. His best place was 6th in the world. Andy flies scale R/C jet aircraft
Much, much later, aircraft, in various states of (mainly dis) repair started to appear in the garage, the EAA was gaining momentum!
Sounds familiar???
During this time, he also met a man called Woody Woods who convinced him to work for him in a brand new Company called 3M. Bill worked for 3M for around 20 years and was responsible for, amongst other things, the introduction of something we all take completely for granted these days, namely the introduction and legislation of reflective road signs and number plates as well as “Cats eyes” in Africa, so every time you see a nice visible reflective road sign or miss driving into a stationary car at night because you saw the reflective number plate glowing in the dark, please thank Bill Keil! In later years Bill used this technology for reflective paint used in runway markings.
Bill was very much at the forefront of the homebuilding scene. He, Mike Spence and Woody Woods were some of the early Founding Presidents of EAA in South Africa, then only one chapter, (which was 322 - the very first outside of the continental Northern America.)
All 3 of them were personal friends of Paul (and his son Tom) Poberezny, founder of the EAA in Wisconsin USA. Bill has been the president of EAA Chapter 322 and/or SA on and off for a period of some 8-10 years and has served on the various committees for a further 30 or so.
Another thing we can all thank Bill for was that he and his friends Anton Manneschijn and Murray Cohoe were prime movers in getting LS1 Category off the ground in South Africa. Bill became the local DCA approved EAA “test pilot” in the early days when homebuilts really were homebuilt.
There was no such thing as kits in those days, you had to MAKE EVERYTHING! They even made their own plexiglass canopies.
As a special favour, Curtis Pitts sold Woody Woods one of the early fuselage structures for his Pitts S1, which Curtis later started offering as a kit to the homebuilding fraternity and which Bill and Woody assembled in Woody's Sandown home. Bill owned a number of aircraft including a Piper Tri Pacer, an Aero Commander 100, a Taylor Titch, a Cessna 210, a Mooney M21, an Auster VJ1 (which later became ZS UKB and the second aircraft in the country to be registered in the then New LS1 category of aircraft, then latterly a Piper J3Cub.
ZS-UKB Auster VJ1 (Pic Herman Potgieter)
Bill amassed around 6000 flying hours on over 120 types. Over the years, Bill had an enormous influence on the South African Aviation scene, his incredible energy and devotion to flying and the EAA continued un-abated, yet he remained humble and always approachable. His sense of humour was legendary.
Bill was always crazy about aviation. The EAA and aviation in South Africa sure has come a long way, thanks to people like Bill Keil, we all owe him a big thank you for helping to get it to where it is today. Thanks Uncle Bill for your amazing contribution, and may you continue to fly high in that big hangar in the sky.
Photo © Facebook
Facebook (www.newsroom.FB.com) is accelerating its efforts to bring internet connectivity to the four billion people around the world who are not yet online, with the goal of contributing to prosperity, progress and development around the globe. The company's Connectivity Lab has reached a major milestone in this ambition with the first full-scale test flight of Aquila, an unmanned solar-powered airplane that can be used to bring affordable internet to hundreds of millions of people in the hardest-to-reach places.
Internet access can offer life-changing opportunities, information, and experiences, but 1.6 billion people today live in remote locations with no access to mobile broadband networks. Facebook is building new technologies like Aquila to help address this challenge.
When complete, Aquila will be able to circle a region up to 60 miles in diameter, beaming connectivity down from an altitude of more than 60,000 feet using laser communications and millimetre wave systems. Aquila is designed to fly for up to three months at a time.
The aircraft has the wingspan of an airliner, but at cruising speed it will consume only 5,000 watts - the same amount as three hair dryers, or a high-end microwave. Facebook has flown a 1/5th-scale version of Aquila for several months, but this was the first flight of the full-scale aircraft.
This test flight was designed to verify the operational models and overall aircraft design. To prove out the full capacity of the design, Facebook will push Aquila to the limits in a lengthy series of tests in the coming months and years. As encouraging as the first successful flight is, there is still plenty of work to be done.
To reach the goal of being able to fly over a remote region and deliver connectivity for up to three months at time, Facebook will need to break the world record for solar-powered unmanned flight, which currently stands at two weeks. This will require significant advancements in science and engineering to achieve. It will also require Facebook to work closely with operators, governments, and other partners to deploy these aircraft in the regions where they'll be most effective.
Facebook's mission is to connect the world and with their growing team of aerospace, optical physics, RF communications and other world experts, and existing relationships with the technology community, telcos, governments, and communities that use Facebook, the company is uniquely positioned to do this work.
To date, Facebook's connectivity efforts, which include initiatives like Free Basics, are estimated to have brought more than 25 million people online who wouldn't be otherwise.
ARMSCOR READY TO LEAD ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL AAD
The 9th edition of AAD will take place 14-18 September 2016 at Air Force Base Waterkloof, Tshwane, the administrative capital of South Africa, as organised and managed by the successful partnership of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, Armscor (Armaments Corporation of South Africa), AMD (South African Aerospace Maritime and Defence Industries Association) and CAASA (Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa).
AAD is Africa's only defence and aerospace exhibition delivered in the exhibition and air show format and it is this unique offering that adds to the show's popularity with both the industry and the general public.
Another critical contributor to the show's success is its sheer scale: covering a total span of 43 000sqm exhibition space, both indoor and outdoor, makes AAD South Africa's biggest grossing event and has earned it a ranking within the top 5 related exhibitions in the world.
'We are very fortunate to have an air force base that is as expansive as Waterkloof; this means that we are able to accommodate a significant number of exhibitors from our industry. The spin offs from this are multi-tiered: our local industry players get to be in close proximity to their international counterparts - thus tacitly benchmarking themselves against international best practice and innovation. For our international exhibitors, AAD is the gateway to the largest and fastest growing economy" said Kevin Wakeford, CEO of Armscor - the lead partner for AAD 2016.
Sharing some of the plans for 2016, Wakeford shared that there would be some firsts at the coming AAD. 'We recognise our responsibility to constantly deliver a superb event with each edition of AAD. In 2016, our exhibitors, trade and public visitors can look forward to an exciting AAD experience".
With only three months to go before the next spectacle, AAD looks set to beat expectations. ''We are truly enthused by the number of exhibitors that have returned to our books; this bears testament of the value that AAD offers. We have put in place a robust plan to attract as many delegations and trade visitors from within our own borders, the SADC region and beyond'' concluded Wakeford.
Being a member of EXSA: Events and Exhibitions Association of Southern Africa ensures that AAD remains fully compliant with all statutory requirements relating to the organising and hosting of events of this magnitude, whilst through the partnership, the event also operates within the confines and stipulations of industry related obligations.
EPIC AIRCRAFT'S EPIC WORLD ODYSSEY
Photo by Jean-Marie Urlacher
The tour and its 26 participants will visit 20 cities around the world in 20 days, with the experience culminating where it all started-in more ways than one-at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016.
"It's such a privilege and perfect opportunity to do something like this that's pretty remarkable for experimental aircraft to do," Epic's marketing manager Gale Evans said.
Evans said CEO Doug King and Epic customers were originally tossing around the idea of a European tour, but because Epic's parent company is located in Russia, they realized the opportunity to expand the trip to an around-the-world tour.
Epic aircraft owners are looking forward to the trip not just a chance to see the beauty of the world from above, but as a learning experience. Six professional pilots with international flying experience are flying with the Epic group to provide expertise and share their knowledge.
Alan and Wendy Barron said they are particularly excited to visit the coast of Italy, to fly their approach along the shore and also for Alan to challenge himself as a pilot.
"I've never had my plane out of the country, so I think it's going to be fun getting comfortable with that," Alan said. "I have a business down in Panama and Costa Rica so I think it might bring me to bring myself to fly down there in my airplane."
It's a busy year for Epic Aircraft, which has discontinued its line of experimental aircraft in order to introduce its first type certified airplane, the E1000.
"It's a chance to do this around the world tour and validate the integrity of the [Epic] design and hopefully to be a great launch point to certify the E1000 version in the upcoming six months," Evans said.
King said the new E1000 will be the fastest single-engine turboprop, in addition to carrying the legacy and many of the same qualities as the Epic LT.
"This is sort of the last hurrah for our kit planes," King said. "It's really been a great airplane. The E1000 will come online at the end of this year, beginning of next year, and it'll have the same great qualities. You'll still be able to fill the seats and put bags in, fill it up with gas. And then it'll be a unique airplane for certified airplanes."
AIRVENTURE IN OSHKOSH
Photo © Stemme
Pilots all around the world were waiting a long time for a new model from the German manufacturer located near Berlin. In 2015, Stemme proudly presented the prototype of its S12 at the AERO Friedrichshafen, Europe's most important aviation exhibition.
In March 2016, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) granted type certification for the Twin Voyager S12. Now, at the world's greatest aviation celebration, the EAA AirVenture, Stemme USA will present the aircraft to pilots and flying enthusiast from all around the world.
With its 25 m wingspan this high-performance glider achieves a glide ratio of up to 53. The unique folding propeller that disappears completely into the dome during glide mode gives the aircraft excellent aerodynamics, while the powerful ROTAX 914 F2/S1 Turbo engine gives pilots uncompromising travel performance.
A new luggage compartment in the fuselage and an autopilot round out the comfort of this new aircraft. Its German manufacturer already has more than 20 orders in hand. Currently the S12 is near certification y the FAA (US Federal Aviation Administration.)
Paul Masschelein, CEO, Stemme AG: "With the S12 we have further refined the original Stemme idea and offer pilots two complete aircraft in one. The S12 delivers the comfortable travel of a powered aircraft along with the pure adventure of gliding.
BOEING, TUI GROUP FINALIZE ORDER FOR 10 737 MAXS, ONE 787-9 DREAMLINER
Photo © Boeing
Boeing (NYSE: BA) and TUI Group, the world's number one tourism business, finalized an order today at the 2016 Farnborough International Airshow for 10 737 MAX 8s and one 787-9 Dreamliner. The order, valued at $1.4 billion at current list prices, also includes an option for one additional 787-9.
With today's order, TUI Group now has three unfilled orders for 787-9s and 70 for the 737 MAX.
"We are committed to investing in our aircraft fleet in order to keep improving our customer's experience and to grow ahead of the market," said David Burling, Member of the Executive Board and responsible for TUI Group Airlines. "This includes the expansion of our long haul holiday programme and providing more choice of flight times and durations to new destinations. Our customers tell us how much they appreciate the investment we are making in new aircraft, so we're pleased to make flying with TUI an even more enjoyable experience with this latest order."
TUI Group last year announced its five year sustainability strategy, 'Better Holidays Better World 2015-2020,' built around three core pillars to help shape the future of sustainable tourism. As one pillar, TUI aims to operate Europe's most carbon efficient airlines and reduce the carbon intensity of its operations by a further 10% by 2020.
"With the 737 MAX, we will be able carry our short-haul customers further, in greater comfort, more efficiently and with an even lower environmental impact. The 737 MAX will contribute significantly towards fulfilling our commitment to further reducing the carbon intensity of our operations," added Burling.
The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. The new single-aisle airplane will deliver 20 percent lower fuel use than the first Next-Generation 737s and the lowest operating costs in its class - 8 percent per seat less than its nearest competitor.
"TUI Group's customers have benefited from the unrivaled passenger features on board the 787-8, since they became the UK launch customer in 2013," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. "The addition of 787-9s to its fleet will provide TUI Group with greater flexibility across its route network, while the 737 MAX will ensure it remains at the forefront of the European leisure market."
The 787-9 complements and extends the 787 family. With the fuselage stretched by 6 meters (20 feet) over the 787-8, the 787-9 will fly up to 45 more passengers for TUI Group, an additional 520 kilometers (280 nautical miles) with the same exceptional environmental performance - 20 percent less fuel use and 20 percent fewer emissions than the airplanes they replace. TUI Group's airlines currently operate a fleet of 13 787-8s and one 787-9
Photo © COMAC
China's state-owned aircraft maker has signed a deal to sell up to 60 of its new regional jets to a leasing company in a deal worth up to $2.3 billion.
In a joint statement late Monday, Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China Ltd., or COMAC, said the agreement signed with China Aircraft Leasing Group, a Hong Kong-listed company, includes a confirmed order for 30 ARJ21-700 jets and an option to buy 30 more. The companies said the aircraft will be leased to an unidentified Indonesian airline that one of China Aircraft Leasing's shareholders, Friedmann Pacific Asset Management Ltd., plans to invest in.
The ARJ21-700 is part of efforts by China, one of the world's biggest and fastest-growing air travel markets, to develop a homegrown aviation industry. It's a rival to aircraft made by Bombardier Inc. of Canada and Brazil's Embraer SA.
The ARJ21 took its maiden commercial flight last month, which came a decade behind schedule because of technical problems. The deal, which was signed at Britain's Farnborough International Airshow, is the biggest single commercial order for the jet since its debut, the companies said.
The aircraft will be delivered over the next five years and the deal's value is based on the plane's list price. Hong Kong-based Friedmann Pacific, an investment firm specializing in aviation, plans to operate the Indonesian airline solely using ARJ21 planes.
In 2012, China Aircraft Leasing placed an order for another jet COMAC is developing, the C919, a long-range airliner aimed at competing with planes from Boeing and Airbus. The C919, which has also been beset by delays, is due to enter service in 2019.
USA, Hawaii: FBI agents and state sheriff deputies arrested Togio Aumoeualogo, 35, at Honolulu International Airport Tuesday morning for allegedly interfering with a flight crew. The American Samoa resident was on Hawaiian Airlines flight from Pago Pago when he allegedly threatened the crew and bit a flight attendant. Violating Title 49 USC 46504 carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment.
UK, Glasgow: The pilots of a British Airways Airbus A321 carrying 200 passengers from Heathrow failed to notice when the tail of their aircraft hit the runway as they landed at Glasgow Airport, a Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB report has found. After touching down, the aircraft "bounced slightly", after which its nose pitched up. During the second touchdown, the Airbus' tail hit the runway surface. The AAIB report said: "It is difficult to pinpoint a precise reason why this tail strike occurred, but it is likely to have been the result of a combination of factors." These include an airspeed that was too slow at time of landing and the aircraft's pitch continuing to increase after the first touchdown. They also noted that the co-pilot - who was in control during the landing - recalled he had been told during training that the correct landing pitch was 11 degrees. The correct figure is actually 9.7 degrees.
Chile, Merino Benitez Airport: The Chile DGCA concluded their investigation into an incident involving the loss of both engine cowlings on the engine of an Airbus A319. On October 20, 2015 an Airbus A319 of Sky Airline departed Santiago-Arturo Merino Benitez Airport in Chile on a domestic flight to Copiapó-Chamonate Airport. During take-off from runway 35R at 07:39 hour's local time both cowlings on the no.1 CFMI CFM56-5B5/P engine broke away. The aircraft circled back and landed safely on runway 35L at 08:04 hours. The investigation showed that prior to departure, the No.1 engine cowlings were opened by maintenance crew to check the oil levels of the Integral Drive Generator (IDG) and the filter differential pressure indicator. After this was completed, the cowlings were closed but not locked. The captain performed the walk around check but did not notice this. Aerodynamic forces during take-off caused the cowlings to separate from the engine.
Australia, Sydney: A Jetstar flight from Sydney to Thailand carrying 314 passengers was diverted to Indonesia five hours into the nine hours and 20 minute flight after a group of drunken Australian traveling companions who started fighting. The six who were traveling together to the tourist island of Phuket started trading punches and refused requests from the crew to calm down. All six were forced off the plane at Bali airport.
1 AUGUST 1911
The Aero Club of America grants Harriet Quimby the first U. S. pilot's license issued to a woman
Harriet Quimby
Quimby became interested in aviation in 1910, when she attended the Belmont Park International Aviation Tournament on Long Island, New York and met John Moisant, a well-known aviator and operator of a flight school. On 1 August 1911, she took her pilot's test and became the first U.S. woman to earn an Aero Club of America aviator's certificate.
Quimby in front of the Bleriot when she became the first woman to fly across the English Channel
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