Midweek Update 21 June 2017
Advertising Rate Card……..Plan Your Weekend……..Forthcoming Events
Aviation News……Worldwide Incidents and Accidents……This Week in Aviation History
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24: Middelburg Aero Club Airshow. Richardt Lovett. mail@pegasusi.co.za 082 771 8775
3rd Saturday of every month. Microland. Bring and braai. Fires and bykos provided. Fires start from 09h30. Contact person: Nick Swardt 082 441 8011 or Alan Hussey 072 82 2341
30-3 July: Race for Rhinos. Kubu Island Botswana.Contact Chris Briers E-mail: chris@briersgroup.com Cell: 082 568 7988
30- 1 July: SA Landing Championship Training Day - Brits Airfield. Contact Mauritz du Plessis email: whitehouse@worldonline.co.za, Cell: 083 601 1042
1: SAAF Museum AFB Zwartkop open practise day
5: EAA Chapter 322 meeting. Dicky Fritz Moth Hall Edenvale. Contact: editor@afskies.co.za
8: EAA Chapter 973 - Krugersdorp. Breakfast Fly-in to Crosswinds Airfield. All EAA members, Microlighters, friends and aviation enthusiasts - You are all invited to fly in or drive in to Crosswinds Airfield and enjoy the day with us. A full breakfast at R80 per head will be available, which includes coffee and tea.
8: Swaziland International airshow. Swaziland Flying Club. Contact Yorick Hulett e-mail: hulettcharcoal@gmail.com Tel: +268 760 31002
14-16: Nylstroom Flying Club and EAA Taildragger Fly-in. Contact Richard Nicholson Cell: 092 490 6227 E-mail: rgn@pcwireless.co.za
3rd Saturday of every month. Microland. Bring and braai. Fires and bykos provided. Fires start from 09h30. Contact person: Nick Swardt 082 441 8011 or Alan Hussey 072 82 2341
24-30: EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Wisconsin, USA. Camping on the airfield contact Neil Bowden e-mail: neil1@telkomsa.net or Hotels in Appleton contact Calvin Fabig e-mail: calvin@designer.co.za
28: World Precision Flying Championships - Austria.
2: EAA Chapter 322 meeting. Dicky Fritz Moth Hall Edenvale. Contact: editor@afskies.co.za
5-6: SAC Judges Trophy. Tzaneen. Contact Annie Boon e-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za
5: Apiesdoring Karnaval Fly-inn Thabazimbi, Limpopo Contact:
Chris Ehlers: 0823714492 Gert Ehlers: 0836526208
8: East Rand Flying Club will be hosting the annual free fly in breakfast on at Springs Airfield from 8:00 am. Free breakfast! Contact: Paul oh ate two 413 4614
11- 13: Pyramid Aviators Weekend. Contact Peter Lea: Cell No. 082 553 4908 or e-mail: peter@irricon.co.za
16-18: SAC Unlimited World Championships. Malelane. Contact Annie Boon e-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za
25-26: Bethlehem Airshow. Stephan Fourie. fouriesj1491@gmail.com. 072 344 9678
3rd Saturday of every month. Microland. Bring and braai. Fires and bykos provided. Fires start from 09h30. Contact person: Nick Swardt 082 441 8011 or Alan Hussey 072 82 2341
26: Zandspruit airshow. Zandspruit. Website: www.zandspruit.co.za. Contact Martin den Dunnen E-mail: martin@zandspruit.co.za Cell: 082 449 8895
2: RV fly-in at Kitty Hawk. Kitty Hawk. E-mail: Frank frankvh@sandown.co.za or office@kitty-hawk.co.za Tel: 012 802 0942 Contact Irmarie Jooste Airport Manager Cell: 082 804 6979
9-17: Sep World Aerobatic Champs in Malelane, Mpumalanga. Contact Annie Boon e-mail: chunge@mweb.co.za
3rd Saturday of every month. Microland. Bring and braai. Fires and bykos provided. Fires start from 09h30. Contact person: Nick Swardt 082 441 8011 or Alan Hussey 072 82 2341
30: Namibia Airshow, Windhoek. Reinhard Gaertner. reinhard@fivestar.co.za. 264 81 210 6020
30: Secunda Flying Club Rally. Contact Jonty Esser e-mail: jonty@promptroofing.co.za Cell: 076 302 0451
The Aviation Radio Show; get all your questions answered in one place. To listen to a recording of the live broadcast click on the link:
www.debela.co.za/aviation-radio-show
THE SAFETY FIRST AVIATOR ROADSHOW - MPUMALANGA. JUNE 2017
By Karl Jensen
On Tuesday 6 June, the SFAR team of 8 drove to Middelburg to be hosted by Middelburg Aero Club in the sumptuous hangar and briefing hall of Richard Lovett. Judging by the completed event assessment forms after the presentation, the evenings can be regarded as successful. The team consisted of Erik du Rand (CAA Inspector) giving an enlightened talk on accident statistics with the many reasons for the accidents, trends etc. He was followed by myself where I stood in as MC for all the presentations as well as a presentation on simple met interpretation, the SA Weather website and some of the weather apps also available for smart phones. Piet Fourie (CAA Inspector) followed with a practical talk on what a pilot may and may not do in the maintenance of his aircraft with the emphasis on correct and essential completion of the Flight Log and Aircraft Log Book follow-up by an AMO or A/P. Mayday-SA and their insightful video was presented by Koketso Ramokolo (SAA A320 First Officer). SA Search and Rescue was presented by Danie Heath (ATNS ATC) and Santjie White. These people are there to help us and the efforts of Santjie, who heads the SA Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre, is a legend in her own right and has directed literally hundreds of Search and Rescue and sadly Search and Recover operations over the past 30 years. Mike Bowyer, a SAAF trained pilot and CRM fundi at Comair gave a wonderful presentation on what attitude can mean to one's survival in aviation with well-presented basic transactional analysis of one of the most flagrant transgressions by a world famous test pilot and astronaut that led to his demise - an absolute eye-opener presentation with a safety message for all of us.
The following evening, we did the presentation at Nelspruit with the addition of Cobus Toerien (SAA B738 First Officer and long-time SAAF Safety Officer) who represents the Airline Pilots Association of South Africa (ALPA). We were hosted by the Nelspruit Flying Club with many professional pilots present as well as the recreational flyers. Among them Kishugu, HALO, the SAPS Air Wing. The Chairman of the club, Datus Immink approached me afterwards for assistance in re-establishing the inactive EAA Chapter in Nelspruit. This will of course be followed up!
We presented at the Ermelo Flying Club on Thursday 8 June. Despite the serious nature of the Safety First Aviator programme, there were appropriate moments of hilarity which certainly enhanced the audience's view of the project.
The presentations each last 2 - 2 ¼ hours depending on question time. We returned home by midday Friday somewhat fatigued by the very worthwhile exercise which I am certain will make a difference to the attitude of many aviators and family members making our passion for aviation and the hazards that are out there more manageable. Every moment of the day we are faced with hazardous situations which become more acceptable if we manage those hazards, from slipping in a bath or shower, cutting oneself with a kitchen knife, hot items on a stove, driving in the traffic, crossing a road etc. Aviation is no different. I am not suggesting aviation is dangerous except that there are unique hazards which if managed correctly, reduce the hazards to an acceptable level.
If you have the opportunity of attending one of these free presentations, don't miss it. Have a look at Safety First Aviator page in Face Book.
LANCAIR MAKO AN UNEQUALLED AIRPLANE FOR PILOTS
Photo © Lancair
In our absolute passion to produce the world's perfect aircraft, the Lancair team is committed to the idea that perfection of the whole can be accomplished only through perfection of the smallest details.
When we looked at the cabin design of other four-seat airplanes, we saw room for improvement. And more room is what you get. Mako's interior is a spacious 46 inches across and 48 inches in height. Along with the generous shoulder and headroom, passengers enjoy outstanding visibility through large windows and the onepiece windshield. Space is also maximized in the ample baggage area, where you can carry all the gear you need for a lengthy trip.
To keep your passengers seated in comfort, we've included inflatable door seals that keep the cabin shielded from whistling wind and engine noise. A custom sound-proofing package, developed exclusively for Lancair, is available to make the cabin even quieter.
But comfort and cabin space doesn't mean sacrificing speed. With a powerful Lycoming IO-540 engine, you can cruise smoothly at 235 mph. Our climb rate (over 2000 fpm) and takeoff distance (600 ft.) earns Lancair high marks for power and performance. Plus, thanks to a precision tuned induction system, fuel consumption is 10-15% less than other similarly powered engines. The retractable nose gear streamlines Mako's aerodynamics while twin gullwing-style cabin doors make cabin access easy for passengers and pilot alike.
The new Lancair Mako synthesizes 35 years of aviation experience into one unforgettable aircraft. An ideal balance of performance, comfort and capability at a price no comparable plane can match.
HONDA AIRCRAFT COMPANY SECURES CANADIAN TYPE CERTIFICATION
"We are proud to achieve Canadian certification for the HondaJet, which signifies it meets the high safety standards governed by Transport Canada," said Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino. "With multiple orders in the pipeline, achieving this important milestone will now allow us to begin HondaJet deliveries to our Canadian registration customers."
Canadian type certification for the HondaJet follows approvals in the United States (Federal Aviation Administration), Europe (European Aviation Safety Agency), and Mexico (Directorate General of Civil Aviation). To provide sales, service and support for customers in Canada, Honda Aircraft Company has partnered with Skyservice. The company has facilities in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Ottawa.
With a maximum cruise speed of 422 knots (486 mph) the HondaJet is the fastest jet in its class; it soars highest in its class with a maximum altitude of 43,000 feet; and it is the most fuel-efficient light jet in its class.
Photo © Airbus
The concept of "high speed" for an aircraft that is capable of hovering and making vertical landings is not merely an engineer's dream. It is driven by operators' needs and expectations for helicopters that are faster, safer, more environmentally friendly, and more cost efficient. Until now, aircraft that could combine vertical take-off with high speeds were reserved for the military. But these days, civilian operators also want to travel faster - to save more lives, reduce response times, cover greater distances, or increase the number of round trips.
Tomasz Krysinski: It's not every day that we create a new formula for aircraft. Since the development of the tiltrotor in 1955, it's been more than 60 years since a similar innovation has led to civilian applications. But now, successful experiments with the X3 demonstrator, which massively surpassed our expectations, have enabled us to design a hybrid aircraft that's extremely effective in terms of both performance and cost. We had already succeeded in developing a machine that was agile and easy to fly, combining the helicopter's low-speed hovering with the high-speed flight comfort of an airplane. But the things we've learned from the X3 prompted us to go further, to offer our civilian customers a fast aircraft at a low cost.
T. K.: Our hybrid helicopter has no tilting components. We used a main transmission along with a classic rotor and lateral rotors originating from general aviation. Our formula flies more than 50 percent faster than a classic helicopter and its cost per nautical mile travelled is 25 percent cheaper. What's more, this new formula meets significant environmental requirements. The blades have been optimised to reduce the noise level, and opting for lateral rotor propulsion allowed us to cut the sound signature by 60 percent for low-altitude flights thanks to very specific approach trajectories. Finally, in flights at the economical cruising speed (180 knots), the fuel consumption is 15 percent lower (per kg and per hour) than that of a classic helicopter flying at 150 knots. Less fuel consumed while flying faster: the benefits are obvious.
AIRBUS FAMILY FLIGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES
To film the different formations that have already been viewed over 5 million times on Airbus social media, flight crews for all 4 aircraft met with photographer Anthony Pecchi and his team at Istres in southern France.
Factors such as positioning, manoeuvrability, speed and fuel were mapped out with complete accuracy, as the crews got to grips with the task: "You have to really prepare the flights very carefully to make sure it's safe. You have to think what is feasible, and how to go from one shot to another," explains Christophe Cail, Airbus Chief Test Pilot.
The teams and aircraft gathered from sites across Europe, with the Eurofighter performing its sequences in a more limited timescale and the A400M completing tests on its journey back to Seville. "We feel very proud of our company, our personnel and our products because it's really impressive what we are able to achieve when working together," underlines Carlos Pinilla, Local Chief Pilot at Getafe, where the Eurofighter returned after filming.
And it was also a chance for Airbus' network of flight test experts - who really do make it fly - to come together. Summing up the mood, Olivier Gensse, Experimental Test Pilot at Airbus Helicopters, adds: "It's just outstanding to be in the middle of such different aircraft and to share a flight with all the Airbus crews. With this flight, you can say we are a family."
B-29 FIFI TO OFFER RIDES AT OSHKOSH
The "Living History" rides offered by the CAF are unique and rare opportunities for aviation enthusiasts. B-29s are some of the rarest bombers in existence, with only two flyable examples remaining, both of which will be in Oshkosh this year.
FIFI riders get to experience history and see different perspectives of what life was like for the crew of a Superfortress, as riders can sit where bombardiers and gunners sat, and near where the pilots of the massive bomber sat during World War II.
Seats on FIFI are limited, and can be reserved ahead of time at the CAF's AirPower Tour website. Flights depart from Appleton International Airport on Wednesday and Thursday during AirVenture.
Photo © Bloodhound
The world's most advanced straight-line racing car, BLOODHOUND SSC, will be driven for the first time, at Cornwall Airport Newquay, this October, twenty years after the current record of 763.035 mph was set. Wing Commander Andy Green steered Thrust SSC to victory on 15th October 1997 and will be at the wheel of BLOODHOUND SSC as it is put through its paces this autumn.
Runway trials will mark the culmination of a month of tests to prove the car's steering, brakes, suspension, data systems, and so on, as well as the EJ200 jet engine, sourced from a Eurofighter Typhoon. Thousands of visitors are expected to come and see history being made as BLOODHOUND SSC is driven at speeds of up to 200mph on the 1.7mile (2.7km) long runway.
Before it moves under its own power, BLOODHOUND SSC will first undergo several days of static 'tie-down' tests. The jet engine will be run up, with the Car chained to the ground, so that the performance of car's bespoke air intake, fuel and electrical systems can be checked. All being well, dynamic testing will then follow on.
Of primary interest is the low-speed capability of the jet engine intake, positioned above the cockpit. Designed to work best at speeds over 800mph, the Project's engineers need to understand how it performs at very low speeds.
Knowing how soon full power can be applied minimises this risk while having 'real world' acceleration data will enable Ron Ayers, Chief Aerodynamicist, to plan the sequence of runs in South Africa that, it is hoped, will result in a new record.
The Newquay Trials will also be Andy Green's first opportunity to drive the Car and experience the steering feel, throttle and brake action, noise and vibration - things that can't be simulated.
During tests the Car will powered by the jet engine alone and use wheels shod with pneumatic tyres, 84cm in diameter, from a English Electric Lightning fighter, specially reconditioned by Dunlop. As the runway wheels and suspension are slightly thicker than the solid aluminium wheels that will be used in the desert, some sections of carbon fibre bodywork will not be fitted.
USA, Chicago: A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 with 139 passengers and 5 crew on board was in the initial climb out of Midway Airport when the crew reported the right hand engine had failed and requested permission to divert to Chicago O'Hare where it performed a safe landing 14 minutes after departure.
Switzerland: A board of enquiry into the October 2015 crash of a Swiss F/A-18 jet had been caused by pilot error. The Board found that the jet's left engine had stalled, causing it to lose power. The plane had rolled to the left and rapidly lost altitude. The pilot ejected without having applied the necessary emergency measures required in the event of an engine stall and did not carry out - or at least not correctly - the manoeuvres specified when a plane starts to roll or lurch. The pilot, who had over 3,000 hours of flying experience, is also accused of not having respected recognised safety flying altitudes.
Malaysia, Chukai: A BAe Hawk 108 of the Royal Malaysian Air Force with two on-board crashed under unknown circumstances during a military flight. There were no survivors.
USA, Fairfield County: A 79-year-old pilot was struck and killed when he hand propped his 1941 Aeronca 65-CA.
18 JULY 1984
Beverly Lynn Burns becomes the first female Boeing 747 airliner captain, flying PEOPLExpress flight 604 from Newark to LAX.
In addition to her qualifications on the flight deck, Burns had acquired an understanding of the airlines as a business. From 1971 to 1978, she worked as stewardess for American Airlines while attending flight school. In 1978, she held positions as a flight instructor and charter pilot for Hinson Airways. The following year, she flew as captain for Allegheny Commuter until 1981, when she went to work for People Express.
Captain Burns received numerous awards and commendations. On January 31, 1985, she received the Amelia Earhart Award -presented by New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean and the CEO of People Express, Donald Burr-for her historic flight as captain of the Boeing 747 on July 18, 1984. Prior to that award, on August 14, 1984, she received an Award of Recognition from Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer, which cited her as one of Baltimore's best. On August 16, she received a letter of congratulation from New Jersey Senator C. Louis Bassano, who prepared a resolution in her honor. On August 21, U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey credited her with "opening doors for millions of American women"
By the time she retired from Continental in 2008, she had been a captain with the airlines for twenty-seven years and amassed over twenty-five thousand hours of flight time and captained the 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 and DC-10.
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