In Flight USA May 2025

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Calendar of Events

To list your group’s event on a space available basis, please send your event notice with date, time, place w/city and state, contact name, and phone number to: Calendar, In Flight USA

status before attending.

MAY

May 2-4: Red, White and Blue Airshow, Monroe, LA, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, USMC MV-22 Osprey, GhostWriter Airshows, www. redwhiteandblueairshow.com

3-4: Air Dot Show Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team

3-4: Wings Over Wayne Air Space & Technology Expo, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

3-4: Wings, Tracks, and Wheels 2025, Planes of Fame Museum, Chino, CA planesoffame.org

10: Wings Over South Texas (WOST), NAS Corpus Christi, TX

16-17: Central Texas Airfest, Temple, TX Commemorative Airforce

17-18: Power in the Pines Open House & Air Show, Lakehurst, NJ U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

24-25: The FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

24-25: Miami Beach Air & Sea Show, Miami Beach, FL, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team

30: Flightpath to Net Zero international conference, Montreal, CAN www.aeropodium.com/saf

31-June 1: Kirtland Air and Space Fiesta, Kirtland AFB, NM

Jun 6-7:west, Bozeman, MT, usaircraftexpo.com/ bozeman

7-8: 2025 Beale AFB Open House, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

13-15: NJ Air Show, West Milford, NJ

14: The Flying Proms Symphonic Airshow, Virginia Beach, VA

20-22: Thunder Over Michigan Air Show, Ypsilanti, MI, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, thunderovermichigan.org

21-22: Centerpoint Energy Dayton Air Show, Vandalia, OH

28-29: Chippewa Valley Air Show, Eau Claire, WI, U.S. Navy Blue Angels

28: Skagit Skies Airshow & Community Aviation Festival, Burlington, WA, U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights

JULY

July 2-6: Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival, Battle Creek, MI, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights,

3: Radio Dubuque Air Show & Fireworks Spectacular, Dubuque, IA, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, www.radiodubuque.com/air-show-2024

4: Thunder Over East Texas Air Show, Athens, TX, F-16 Viper Demo Team

5: Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake Air Show, Mabank, TX, F-16 Viper Demo Team, ccveteransfoundation.org/thunder-over-cedar-creek-lake-airshow

12-13: Pensacola Beach Air Show, US Navy Blue Angels, Pensacola, Florida

12-13: Geneseo Airshow: The Greatest Show on Turf! Geneseo, NY, F-35A

Lightning II Demonstration Team, nationalwarplanemuseum.com/airshow

19-20: Milwaukee Air & Water Show, Milwaukee, WI, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, mkeairwatershow.com

21-27: EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team, USMC F-35B Lightning II, www. eaa.org/airventure

25-27: Tri-City Water Follies Air Show, Pasco, WA, F-16 Viper Demo Team, waterfollies.com

AUGUST

August 1-3: Boeing Seafair Air Show, Seattle, WA, U.S. Navy Blue Angels, www.seafair.org

9-10: Rumble Over the Redwoods, Humboldt County Airport, rumbleovertheredwoods.com

16-17: Wings Over Camarillo, Camarillo, CA wingsovercamarillo.com

16-17: Props and Pistons Festival, Ak-

23-24: Quad City Air Show, Davenport, IA, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, www. quadcityairshow.com

23-24: Air Dot Show New York, Montgomery, NY, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team

31-Sep 1: Cleveland National Air Show, Cleveland, OH, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, www.clevelandairshow.com

By Captain Robert “That Guy” Riter

Hello, my fellow aviators and beloved mechanics! Since the beginning of my career in aviation, I have thought that the flight training process was backwards. In the 30 years of operating a flight school, my views have only been confirmed.

My career in aviation was that of running a flight school and being a corporate pilot. The main focus was always on my students. It did not matter if they were preparing for the airlines, or just earning a pilot’s license to enrich their lives. A pilot is a pilot. It does not matter if they are flying a Cessna 152 or the captain of an Airbus. The responsibilities are the same.

The question that I would like to pose is this: What is more important, signing off a student pilot for a solo flight or signing off a student pilot that meets standards for their license? We flight instructors evaluate and sign off thousands of student pilots each year to solo. These students are no where close to meeting the standards of private pilot. Yet, this is solely the responsibility of the flight instructor. Then when the student

FAA C HECK RIDES – YOU LOSE!

I thought things could not get any worse for us flight instructors, but I was so wrong! The FAA and NTSB engaged in a horrific display of malice, deceit and misinformation. In June 2019, I lost a former student and dear friend when he lost the critical engine on departure. The NTSB labeled him as a “reckless” pilot and stated that he received flight instruction from a “bad” flight instructor. Why was the flight instructor “bad?” The only reason given was that the accident-pilot failed the first attempt on each of his three checkrides.

pilot has obtained all the necessary skills for a license, we use a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE). A DPE that has not had anything to do with the student’s training; not being there when the student plays hop-scotch down the runway and no where to be found during the endless steep turns, stalls, and ground work. DPEs spend less than a couple of hours

with our students and get paid thousands of dollars based upon our hard work.

We flight instructors do all of the work. We have all of the liability. We endure all of the hardships. Then when the easy part comes of doing a checkride, we are pushed aside. Letting someone outside of the flight instructor community reap all of the benefits has never made sense.

This led to a new FAA policy of going after any flight instructor with less that an 80 percent initial pass rate on checkrides of their students. I was named as the cause of this new policy and was quickly given the new call sign of “Duck That Guy!” I shortened it to just “That Guy” as I dislike fowl language. With that background knowledge in place, let’s take a closer look at FAA checkrides. Surely, you will lose as you roll snake eyes!

DPEs: The Least Qualified Among Us

Continued on Page 10 The question that I would like to pose is this: What is more important, signing off a student pilot for a solo flight or signing off a student pilot that meets standards for their license? (Photo courtesy Capt. Robert Ritter).

FAA Check Rides: You Lose!

Expert Opinion by Capt. Robert “That Guy” Ritter Story Begins on Page 4

USS Gerald R. Ford Training for Second Deployment

Story and Photos by By Mike Heilman Story Begins on Page 42

AOPA Editorial: Misuse of the ADS-B System By Darren Pleasance, AOPA President and CEO ..........8

Editorial: Let’s Say Something Nice By Ed Downs ..................................................................9

Verticon 2025 Update: How Does Unleaded Fuel Gain Approval By Cynthia Wheatley Glenn ..........................................16

2025 MRO Americas in Atlanta By Paul T. Glessner, M.S. ............................................20

eVTOL Disruption: What It Means for General Aviation By Yash Shah ................................................................22

The Supersonic Revival: Will Boom’s Overture Redefine Air Travel By Yash Shah ................................................................22

Flying My Rather’s War By Nedda R. Thomas ....................................................25

New York Air Taxi Network ............37

FAA’s Rotorcraft Safety Roundtable Review ............................42

AOPA’s ASI Releases New Accident Case Study: Fair Weather Flier ..........................................................................................43

Students Explore Aviation Careers Through Urban Eagles By Lea Buonocore ........................................................ 26

Tom Young’s Book, Red Burning Sky, On Operation Halyard By Mark Rhodes ............................................................ 27

Rivets, Wings and Dreams: A New Generation of Aviators By Rosalyn Kahn ..........................................................38

Cover Photo Courtesy Robert Riter

The Ups and Downs of Flight Training

TBy Ed Downs

BEWARE OF THE “GOOD OLE BOYS”

his column typically starts off with a personal story and meanders its way into some form of lesson regarding an aviation subject. But my thoughts for our May issue will take a slightly different path. Knowledge typically comes from one of two sources… education or experience. Allow me to share two stories that I learned from, passing on knowledge that has served this aviator well over the years.

Let’s start out by clarifying the “good ole boys” being addressed by the title. I am not pointing towards those heroes of the South, known for pickup trucks, monster truck mud drags or Hall of Fame beer drinkers. Having lived in Georgia, these guys are great to hang with, full of antics that will curl the hair of a slick, big city, nor’easter. No… I mean that group of pilots who have a special table in the airport restaurant, sit on chairs judging landings of planes they have never flown and searching open hangars so they can prove their expertise on almost any subject dealing with aviation. They will talk for hours while you are trying to revel in the soul-searching contemplation that can only be achieved while waxing your beloved airplane… never offering to help. Yep, sort of a pain in the empennage, but at times, the “good ole boy” can be useful.

Such was the case in the very early 1960s, as this writer contemplated a flight to Big Bear City Airport, high in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California. Although flying professionally by then, my twin brother and I decided that having a fun personal airplane was a good idea. With a little cash and a previously owned plane to trade, we acquired a very clean, great flying 1946 Taylorcraft BC 12D. Although having only 65 HP and no electrical system (hand prop), this little jewel would cruise between 95 and 100 mph at 4 gph, with (in our modified gem) 24 gallons of fuel. Now, for those who think this writer is a nut for being so fond of antique planes, keep in mind, in 1961, that 1946 plane was just 15 years old. How many readers own, fly or are learning to fly in a plane built after 2010? My beloved T-Craft had a very “cozy” cabin, not necessarily a downside for a single young lad seeking to impress equally single young ladies with a plane

Be careful of the “Rain for Rent night approach fable” offered by the “good ole boys” at any given airport restaurant.

(Elizabeth Linares, courtesy AOPA)

ride, which brings us back to getting help from a “good ole boy.”

The young lady in question wished to visit her family at their cabin near the ski slopes of Arrowhead Lake, served by Big Bear City Airport, having a field elevation of more than 6,700 feet. Located in a valley and surrounded by mountains reaching 11,500 feet, common sense kicked in, realizing while according to the T-Craft specs, this was a doable flight, perhaps some advice from a pilot that flew to that location on a regular basis would be a good idea. Such a pilot existed in the way of a Cessna 172 owner who had a cabin in the Big Bear region and flew the route regularly. Popular and well known at the FBO, this gent sat down with this young pilot for a serious conversation. He pointed out the highway leading to this location, the lowest route. He pointed out that turbulence could be a serious issue with winds of 20 knots. He suggested taking off when the winds favored a departure directly over the lake, as there was no rising terrain to deal with. It was pointed out that one side of the valley was typically in the shade, while the other side was in the sunlight. Fly the sunlight side of the valley to take advantage of convective air rising to help your climb, also causing winds to flow up the sunny slope, again helping with climbing. Turns out this good ole boy knew his stuff, much was learned, and a safe flight was conducted. Moral, don’t hesitate to ask locals for advice and help when flying to or in regions with which you are not familiar. Oh yeah, was the young lady impressed… you bet. So much so she began dating my twin brother… he still owes me!

Story number two. It is now the mid-

FAA ACCELERATES CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is accelerating the modernization of a critical safety system that alerts pilots and flight planners about airspace changes.

The FAA will deploy a new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) service this year, much earlier than originally planned. The FAA used a streamlined, innovative vendor challenge to cut through red tape to get this critical work done as fast as possible.

“The Notice to Airmen system is deeply outdated and showing serious cracks,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Over the last few years, we’ve seen multiple system outages ground regional air travel, create extensive delays, and otherwise ruin the flying experience for the American people. It’s time our technology enters the

Flight Training

Continued from Page 6

1970s and this writer has a brand new Grumman TR2. The cost of hangaring had become outrageously high at my home airport, so a small field about 40 minutes from my home seemed a reasonable option. This airport, having just a 2,000 foot runway, was famous in the region for having more than 300 remarkable airplanes based there, antiques, classics and homebuilts. “Good ole boy” groups (type-cults) were in abundance. A great little airport, but with no lights for night operation. Much of my flying ended in the evening, and not having runway lights was a problem. While having breakfast at the airport eatery one weekend, one of the “good ole boy” groups was seated at “their” table. I heard words about night flying and decided to see if these guys might have an idea as to how to use this airport after dark. What a silly question! Of course, they all flew into this short runway on many occasions after sundown. Now, take notes, as these are the instructions I received.

“Fly over the town lights heading west at an altitude of 800 feet MSL (about 600 feet above airport elevation); make a 90-degree left turn just as you leave the city lights. You will pass over an area that is immediately dark, the river bordering the airport. Pause for only a moment and make another 90-degree turn to the left… you will be on the downwind leg. Do not drift to the right, as you will hit the 2,000 foot high hill just to the south of the airport. Continue to parallel the city lights until passing a bright yellow lighted sign advertising irrigation systems (Rain for Rent). Turn left

The FAA will deploy a new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) service this year.

(Courtesy FAA)

21st Century. NOTAM modernization is the first step as we work to deliver an allnew air traffic control system that makes air travel safer and more efficient.”

NOTAMs communicate temporary changes such as runway closures, airspace restrictions and obstructions, to

Continued on Page 12

towards the sign, letting down to 400 feet MSL. Just before reaching the sign, turn left again and you will be on final. Start a descent and turn on your landing light. At this point you should see two reflector lights identifying the approach end of the runway. By now, your landing light will hit the runway, and you are in.” Piece of cake… did you get all that?

The guys waved goodbye, and I thanked them for the help. Being 15 years smarter with a lot more experience, I did not buy into this blindly. I took off late in the evening and began performing take offs and landings as it became darker and darker. I kept this up into total darkness, and it did work, to be used many times in the following year. Shortly after my success, I again encountered the special “good ole boy” table and stopped by to thank them for the advice. Silence spread across the room… finally… the apparent leader of this cult asked, quite seriously, “you mean it actually worked? This writer had apparently fallen for the wellknown “Rain for Rent night approach fable.” I did, however, get invited to sit at their table.

Note the difference between the two “good ole boy” tales. Knowledge can be found anywhere, but when spoken without back up, take care. You can learn from a “good ole boy” group, but do not let their self-professed status convince you that something which seems improbable is actually easily doable. When all the claims and suggestions finally reach a conclusion, turn your intuition loose on what you have been told. It is usually smarter than you are.

By Darren Pleasance AOPA President and CEO

The ADS-B Mandate was made effective in 2020, and AOPA supported it because we were assured that Automatic Dependent SurveillanceBroadcast out tracking data would only be used to improve air traffic safety and airspace efficiencies, with benefits such as subscription-free traffic and weather. Well, from the calls and emails I am receiving, that’s not entirely the case. Members are voicing frustration and opposition to the use of ADS-B data for purposes other than its intention. I have sent a letter to the acting FAA administrator, Chris Rocheleau, urging the agency to halt the use of ADS-B data in ways that go beyond its original intent.

When AOPA and other aviation organizations cast our support for ADSB, we were assured the use of its gathered data would make flying safer and more efficient, and it absolutely has. However, now we are hearing from pilots that ADS-B – a mandate that aircraft owners invested more than half a billion dollars of their own money to comply with – is being used against them. This includes events such as a questionable FAA

MISUSE OF THE ADS-B SYSTEM

enforcement action against a pilot making water landings; a handful of frivolous lawsuits filed against pilots for nuisance, trespass, and causing emotional distress by flying over property; and third-party companies using ADS-B data to access personal data to collect airport fees.

This is not the original intent of the ADS-B mandate, and it needs to be checked. AOPA is actively advocating to protect pilots’ privacy and ensure ADS-B remains a tool used solely for its intended purpose: safety and airspace efficiency.

The three main areas where we are seeing misuse of ADS-B data, as communicated to me by you, our members, is in questionable enforcement actions, lawsuits, and airport landing fees. Questionable enforcement actions such as initiating actions using the ADS-B data to accuse them of inappropriate piloting behavior are obviously using the data counter to what we agreed to. My fear is that this will cause even good pilots to alter their behaviors and turn off ADS-B, negating the whole reason for the mandate – safety!

In addition, this same data is being used by plaintiffs to back up their frivolous lawsuits with “proof” of their claims. In these cases, the pilot’s activity appears

fully compliant with the federal aviation regulations, yet the ADS-B data was being referenced as “proof” of the pilots’ activities to support a lawsuit. This is, again, counter to the intent of the ADS-B mandate.

Finally, AOPA has empathy for airports seeking to make their economics work, but using ADS-B data to track takeoffs and landings is, I’ll say it again, contrary to the intent of the ADS-B mandate and risks driving behaviors that are counter to safety. There are better and more effective ways to help fund airport operations such as building more hangars; encouraging aviation-related businesses like flight training, charter, medevac, and aircraft maintenance; and attracting airport-compatible industrial and light-manufacturing facilities. We are happy to work with airports to improve their economics, and our state advocacy team members are here to help.

While there have been past efforts to address ADS-B privacy, more work remains. We fully appreciate the efforts and collaboration the FAA has had with industry in developing the Limiting Aircraft Data Displayed (LADD) program and the Privacy ICAO Address (PIA) program. Congress also recently took a posi-

tive step to further limit the uses of ADSB data for certain enforcement actions in last year’s FAA reauthorization; section 829 prohibits the FAA from initiating an investigation (excluding a criminal investigation) of a person based exclusively on ADS-B out data. Unfortunately, given the continued concerns from pilots across the country regarding the use of ADS-B data for non-safety issues, there is more to do in this area.

AOPA is actively engaged with the FAA and our industry partners to combat the misuse of ADS-B data. We are suggesting that aircraft registration data be stripped from ADS-B information, and we’re looking for other opportunities to protect aircraft owners and pilots while preserving the many advantages that ADS-B provides. You can contact me to share your experiences and to discuss ideas for better and more effective ways to combat ADS-B data misuse. AOPA protects aircraft owners and pilots. That’s what we are here for.

Editor’s Note: Darren Pleasance has flown more than 8,000 hours in more than 80 different types of aircraft. Contact him at darren@aopa.org.

AOPA ENCOURAGES INSTRUCTORS TO C HECK RENEWAL DATE

FAA Working to Correct Recent Experience End Date Errors

By Jay Wiles AOPA

The FAA has agreed to change how it processes certificated flight instructor renewals after numerous CFIs contacted AOPA, confused about the regulator’s recently introduced policy of no longer printing expiration dates on new CFI certificates.

In December 2024, the FAA stopped printing expiration dates on newly issued flight instructor certificates. Previously, certificates expired every two years, with the expiration date printed on the reverse side of the certificate. The FAA said at the time that removing the expiration date from the certificate would “increase efficiency, cut costs, and align instructor certificates with other airman certificates such as private and commercial, which do not expire.”

While the intent was to streamline the process and make it simpler for instructors to renew their qualifications, it

has led to confusion. Several CFIs who had taken AOPA’s electronic flight instructor refresher course (eFIRC) found the FAA had posted incorrect recent experience end dates in the airmen registry database. AOPA reached out to the FAA, which confirmed the errors and has since corrected them in these specific cases because the affected CFIs were within the renewal or reinstatement period.

According to FAA policy, instructors now have a seven-month window in which to renew their certificate by completing a FIRC. Many of these, including AOPA’s eFIRC, can be completed online (https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/cfis/flight-instructor-resources/cfirenewal).

Flight instructors can renew their privileges beginning three months prior to their recent experience end date. Instructors who do not renew their privileges before the last calendar day of the month in which those privileges expire

enter a reinstatement period during which they lose their instruction privileges.

During that time, CFIs have three months during which they can reinstate instruction privileges by completing a FIRC. CFIs who do not complete a FIRC during this three-month grace period are then required to take an instructor checkride to reinstate those instruction privileges.

AOPA recommends CFIs review their FAA Airman Registry (https://amsrvs.registry.faa.gov/airmeninquiry/) record to ensure the recent experience end date listed there is correct. AOPA can assist members or CFIs who have used AOPA’s eFIRC to renew their certificate if their recent experience end date listed in the electronic registry is incorrect.

AOPA is working with the FAA to resolve the issue leading to incorrect registry information permanently. To help avoid future errors, AOPA now includes the correct recent experience end date

In an effort to streamline the process of flight instructor renewals and make it simpler for instructors to renew their qualifications, FAA actions has led to confusion. (Chris Rose/Courtesy AOPA)

when submitting IACRA applications for CFIs who use AOPA’s eFIRC.

The AOPA Air Safety Institute prepared detailed guidance for CFIs navigating the new process, including answers to many of the questions that CFIs frequently ask. Learn more at aopa.org under the tab, training and safety.

Editorial By Ed Downs

LET’S SAY SOMETHING NICE

Regular readers of this editorial column have probably noted that this writer spends quite a bit of time lambasting elements of the FAA and bureaucracies in general. To be sure, divisions within the FAA, such as Aerospace Medicine and the Office of the Chief Counsel frequently appear to be outright hostile to common sense and serving the overall benefit of the National Airspace System (NAS). By basing regulatory activities upon punishment for using common sense and partaking of modern medical care, these bureaucracies typify many other local and federal government agencies that impede safety and progress versus encouraging problem solving.

This writer, having been deeply involved in not only pilot activities, but also aircraft certification, flight test engineering, aircraft manufacturing, pilot training and even the ownership of an aircraft company employing more than 60 hard working folks, has dealt with many bureaucracies like the IRS, OSHA, EPA, and other federal agencies. Add to this local bureaucracies, like zoning commissions, homeowner associations and local politicians that seem to hate airplanes and pilots, one begins to forget that flying airplanes was the main goal. At this point, I can almost hear some readers involved in professions such as construction, agriculture, medicine, and many other paths of life shouting at this editorial, “stop your whining … you should see what I have to put up with!”

Now that we have once again admired the problem, isn’t there some good coming out of all the rules, regs and policies we all live with on a daily basis? The short answer is “yes.” Sticking to aviation, give some thought to flight standards (pilot certification stuff) and ATC. We have seen a lot of media coverage recently about the shortcomings of ATC services. Most of the negative comments are from so-called “experts” and news sources that know virtually nothing about aviation and do not know the difference between ATIS and Approach Control. But what is your experience? This writer has been utilizing ATC services since before the FAA existed. I can remember when a small plane having a single VOR (tunable, not digital) and 27 transmitting “crystals” was considered very well equipped. Only the big airports had radar; most enroute flying was done with no radar. From these modest beginnings to today’s prolific and complex system, I can think of very few cases when ATC

was not fully cooperative and professional when this writer utilized their services.

Going a step further, this writer has several experiences wherein ATC was flat out proactive in helping me overcome an error of judgment on my part. To be sure, significant upgrades of technology are needed and we need more welltrained ATC personnel, but I can think of few government agencies that keep to the high standards and original objectives of ATC service. Give some thought to what we will generically call “flight standards.” These are the FAA folks that deal with regs, general operations and pilot certification. Some might think of this element of the FAA as the “traffic cops,” lurking behind a bend in the road, ready to hammer you if you bust an altitude, enter airspace without a proper clearance, fly a traffic pattern the wrong way or accidentally act as PIC when you were not legally current.

Most of us have “nibbled” on a rule at one time or another. Sure, do something bad on purpose and you can expect a knock on the door. But have you heard of the FAA Non-Compliance program?

As a matter of policy, if found in non-compliance with some rule or procedure, the FAA looks at how the event took place. Was it intentional or accidental? What kind of attitude do you display… confrontational, or conciliatory and regretful? Are you willing to undergo some training or counseling that can prevent such an occurrence from happening again? Do you participate in the Wings (www.faasafety.com) training programs offered by the FAA? Given these mitigating behaviors, there is a good chance a goof on your part will lead to little more than a handshake and the good counsel of “Don’t do it again and fly safe.”

This is very different than Aeromed policies wherein one medical issue will result in a permanent revocation or denial of a medical certificate with no consideration given to good medical judgment and treatment. Did you know that NASA (yep, the rocket guys and gals) are a part of the compliance program? Are you participating in the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting program available at ASRSAviation Safety Reporting System (https://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/). Log on and have a look. At the risk of being a lazy journalist, here is an excerpt of what you will see on the ASR link.

“The ASRS is an important facet of the continuing effort by government,

Continued on Page 13

May we ask who is qualified to conduct a checkride? Who is flying the training aircraft on a daily basis? Who is proficient in the flight maneuvers? Who knows the standards for each maneuver? The only answer to this question is the Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) who are doing the job!

In large part, the FAA selects airline pilots to be examiners for the checkrides. These pilots are not flying the training aircraft. They are not teaching the basic maneuvers on any regular basis. They do not have any proficiency, or much knowledge of the training aircraft being used. On a checkride, they are strictly prohibited by the FAA from teaching, so their years of experience matter not. For they are not allowed to share this experience! These senior pilots are reduced to a secretary checking off boxes on a form.

DPEs Breaking Aircraft

I told him that his actions caused irreparable damage and my all-time favorite twin-engine trainer had to be scrapped, a loss of more than $200,000 at the time. In a second example, a DPE let the student lose control of my twin-engine plane on a short-field landing. They landed so hard that they sheared two bolds on the landing gear! The bolts looked like they were made of butter and had been cut with a hot knife. The DPE decided to just pass the student anyway and not deal with the damage done. Instead, he told me how well the student had done on the checkride and added, “You’re such a good instructor!”

The plane had issues with the gear retracting after that checkride. The DPE watched me troubleshoot the landing gear for a month or two, replace the power pack for thousands of dollars; check the hydraulic lines, and the electric connections, etc… only to find the broken bolts when jacking up the aircraft for another swing test. The aircraft would have been totally lost if the main gear had folded. This was a very bad safety issue that he personally knew of, yet, never said a word. Was the DPE responsible for this? Of course not.

I have run a flight school for more than 30 years using my own aircraft. I was solely responsible for the maintenance: Every part coming out of my salary, every repair determining my paycheck at the end of the month. This has given me a very different perspective of DPEs. These DPEs do not own and operate the training aircraft. As such, they do not understand how easy it is to break them. And in some cases, they do not care. When they knowingly break an aircraft on a checkride, they do not report it. This leads to many safety concerns, and millions of dollars in losses every year to our flight schools. I could give you thousands of examples… but here are a couple.

A DPE thought up all on his own that “stomping” on the rudders was okay on multi-engine checkrides; never mind that if you did this with a CFI, he would pop you in the ribs. This stomping was to simulate an engine failure on take off. Normal procedures are to pull one of the mixtures to idle. The student then takes appropriate action by reducing throttles. Then the instructor pushes the mixtures back up to full rich before the engine dies. Pretty simple. Pretty straightforward. This is how it has been done for decades!

This is one of the reasons why most flight schools do not have twin-engine airplanes. The flight schools and multi-engine instructors (MEIs) are very protective of their twins. When the twin goes on a checkride, all bets are off! A flight instructor is held responsible for the aircraft they fly. A DPE is not held responsible at all. This situation is occurring across the nation. It is costing millions of dollars in broken parts and broken planes. This cost is in turn placed upon the students, adding thousands of dollars to each student’s training… just another reason why our students lose when it comes to FAA checkrides.

The Current Problems Facing Our CFIs

For too long, we have allowed the role of the CFI to be one of misery and suffering… making the CFI work countless hours getting a student prepared for licensing. The DPE, on the other hand, often making a lucrative salary with benefits from the airlines, can charge thousands for a couple of hours’ work to complete a checkride.

This DPE thought why not just stomp on one of the rudders instead… what could go wrong? Did this DPE tell me he was “stomping” on the rudders on my Beechcraft Duchess? Ah, hell no! It was only after the nose wheel linkage was damaged that I found out he was doing this.

Replacement parts were not available and the aircraft was down for months, costing thousands of dollars. The DPE was not held responsible even after

The main problem with being a CFI is, of course, money! If we had financially stable CFIs, many of the training issues and accidents would be resolved; issues such as CFIs leaving without notice as soon as a job offer drops. It is now standard practice for a student to have multiple instructors for each license due to this. Each new instructor begins all over again with the student, claim-

REMEMBERING AIRSHOW PERFORMER ROB HOLLAND

Rob Holland, one of the premier airshow performers and freestyle aerobatic competition pilots in the world, died on April 24, at Langley Air Force Base while preparing for an upcoming airshow performance. The cause of the crash is under investigation by the FAA, NTSB and DOD.

With more than 250,000 Facebook followers alone, Rob Holland Ultimate Airshows had the single largest social media following of any civilian airshow performer worldwide. It was there the official announcement came:

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I am sharing that Rob Holland lost his life today, 24 April 2025, in an accident at Langley AFB, VA. The cause of the crash is

Remembering popular airshow performer Rob Holland. (Courtesy ultimateairshows.com)

not known at this time, and is under investigation by the FAA, NTSB, and DOD.

“Rob was one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history. Even with an absolutely impressive list of accomplishments, both in classical competition aerobatics and within the air show world, Rob was the most humble person with a singular goal to simply be better than he was yesterday.

“We would greatly appreciate your respect to the privacy of his family and friends.

And remember…. Never ever give up on your dreams.

~Rob Holland Aerosports Facebook page

More than 3,000 comments followed sharing both shock and grief.

Holland’s website, ultimateairshows.com, offered a brief account of the pilot’s history:

“Rob’s rise to the top started as a young airshow fan in his native New England. Earning his pilot’s license while still a teenager, Rob began flying aerobatics almost immediately, all while building valuable flight time and experience as a corporate pilot, commuter pilot, banner tower, flight instructor, ferry pilot, and operating his own aerobatic flight

school.

“Now with more than two decades as a full-time airshow pilot, Rob has distinguished himself by blazing a trail of innovation, developing maneuvers never before seen at airshows. ‘One of my goals is to take aerobatics to the next level,’ Rob explains. ‘I want to push the limits of what can be done.’ But while his impact and influence on the airshow community is undeniable, his remarkable skills at the

controls of his MXS-RH are matched with a humble and approachable demeanor that has forged a unique connection with countless fans all over the world.”

Holland’s accomplishments are reflective in the many honors he has received, including the following:

•Thirteen-time, consecutive, U.S. National Aerobatic Champion

•Six-time, World 4-minute Freestyle

Continued on Page 14

P.O. Box 5402 • San Mateo, CA 94402 (650) 358-9908 • Fax (650) 358-9254

Founder......................................................................................Ciro Buonocore

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Dobbins, Steve Pastis

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ColumnistsStuart Faber, Eric McCarthy, Ed Wischmeyer, Denise DeGregoire, Ed Downs

In Flight USA is published each month by In Flight Publishing. It is circulated throughout the continental United States. Business matters, advertising and editorial concerns should be addressed to In Flight USA, P.O. Box 5402, San Mateo, Calif. 94402 or by calling (650) 358-9908–fax (650) 358-9254. Copyright © 2008 In Flight Publishing.

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Museum and event open at 11am

Open Cockpit is when the museum’s visitors can view our famous aircraft including A-3 Skywarrior, A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder, A-7 Corsair, Harrier jump-Jet, Hiller UH-12 E Helicopter,T-39 Saberliner, Mustang P-51 3⁄4 scale, Cessna 0-2, and Mig-15.

Short Solent Flying Boat walk through tour for an additional fee.

Activities during Open Cockpit include:

•Color Guard

•Alfredo's Catering will be offering refreshments for purchase.

•Live music by The Friends of Ken Band

•Oakland Airport Fire Department display.

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•Simulators available for an additional fee

Cover Story

Continued from Page 10

ing that only they conduct the training correctly. This costs students thousands of dollars in aircraft rental and instruction, but the student, often feeling stuck, ends up just being grateful they at least have another instructor.

The only reason for some people to become CFIs is to build hours. This is a horrible reason to be a CFI and yet is it standard practice of why many get a CFI rating. This leads to instructors only teaching when the engine is running, dumping students just prior to the checkride for fear of having a failure on their records. We need to have professional CFI positions within aviation.

All we would have to do to fix the CFI problem is have professional CFIs conduct the checkrides. If CFIs could conduct checkrides, the money would be there for them. The competition would bring down the cost of a checkride to about $500. I believe this would be a fair price for a checkride. If a CFI did just 10 checkrides per month, that would be $5,000. This would be on top of his or her pay for lessons given. Making a monthly salary of about $8,000 would put CFIs on par with other professional flying jobs.

This would in turn save students thousands of dollars. No need to fly to other airports to get a checkride. The long delays for checkrides would disappear. Aircraft would no longer be damaged or destroyed by DPEs.

Corrective Actions: Can A Change Be Made?

The corrective actions needed may be easier than we think. We could have a department at the airman certification branch dedicated to checkrides. The department could also be available to assist CFIs with paperwork for certification and to answer questions in a timely manner.

On the flying side, how hard would

this be to accomplish? Not hard at all. We already have the FARs set up for such change. Under FAR 61.195 (h) (1) (2), the guidance for doing this is already there. This FAR is the basis for a CFI teaching another CFI. It dictates that the CFI hold flight or ground instructor for 24 calendar months and has given at least 200 hours of dual instruction. This would be sufficient for CFIs to conduct checkrides. After all, flight instructors are responsible for English standards, solo flight and all the knowledge and flight skills for the checkride. Why would it be out of line to have them do the checkrides? This could be a positive change that benefits students, CFIs and flight schools.

I have no intention of leaving this mess to the next generation of pilots. I will not back down. This request for change will be made directly to Mr. Chris Rocheleau, who is our new FAA Administrator. I pray that he strives to make the FAA better. I will also be bringing this topic up to the Aviation SubCommittee chaired by Congressman Troy E. Nehls of Texas.

There are roughly 41 congress people involved in the Aviation Sub-Committee. We need to have each one provide us with their response on this topic. I will be attending these Aviation Sub-Committee meetings in person and reporting back to you what I have learned.

Your future as a pilot or aircraft mechanic is very import to me. You deserve to be treated fairly. Contact me by email at rmriter@aol.com to help the cause or to learn more.

God bless! Keep Flying Speed! Captain Robert “That Guy” Riter

Editor’s Note: To receive Captain Robert “That Guy” Riter articles, Rebel Air, send him an email at rmriter@aol.com. The above article is taken from his Rebel Air article: “FAA Checkrides – You Lose!

FAA Accelerates Upgrade

Continued from Page 7

pilots and flight planners. More than 4 million NOTAMs are issued annually.

The modernization will provide near-real-time data exchange, enabling efficient dataflows and better stakeholder collaboration. The system will be securely hosted in the cloud, and it will have a scalable and resilient architecture.

A major NOTAM system outage in January 2023 highlighted the fragility of the system and the need to speed up the modernization.

The FAA selected CGI Federal, Inc.,

to work on modernizing the NOTAM system and deploying the service.

CGI is currently on an accelerated schedule to deliver the NOTAM Modernization Service by July 2025, and the FAA is targeting deployment of the operational service by September 2025.

“Americans deserve the best aviation system in the world,” said Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau. “We worked with the best and brightest and came up with an accelerated approach to bring our technology into the 21st Century.”

Continued from Page 9

industry, and individuals to maintain and improve aviation safety. The ASRS collects voluntarily submitted aviation safety incident/situation reports from pilots, controllers, and others. The ASRS acts on the information these reports contain. It identifies system deficiencies, and issues alerting messages to persons in a position to correct them. It educates through its newsletter CallBack, its journal ASRS Directline and through its research studies. Its database is a public repository which serves the FAA and NASA’s needs and those of other organizations worldwide which are engaged in research and the promotion of safe flight.”

Here is the way it works. Let’s say you are navigating through an area of complex Class B airspace and suddenly realize you have penetrated Class B without a clearance. You immediately correct the error but have a legitimate concern that your ADS-B has probably alerted ATC as to who you are, which may result in a polite invitation to chat with the nearest FSDO office. Sure, you figured out what you did wrong and how it happened, so why not share that experience so someone else can learn from it? This would be the time to enter your digital confessional and file an ASR report with NASA, using the previously listed NASA website. Give them all the details. Your report will be de-identified and loaded into a massive database (they receive around 8,000 reports a month), joining the 16 percent of monthly reports that are considered belonging to General Aviation. What about the other 84 percent? Those reports come from every imaginable element of the NAS. Should the FAA come knocking at your door, three basic factors will be considered. Was this error made with criminal intent? Have you had a similar event in the last five years? Was an ASR report filed within ten days of the event? Once you have passed this litmus test, and given a good attitude, you are in the compliance program. A violation is not likely to be filed. Perhaps some study will be assigned or dual instruction suggested, but the end result is you do not receive a violation, and everyone is just a bit smarter. How does everyone get smarter? You must join the other half million individuals who read NASA’s monthly publication, CallBack, an exceptionally well edited summary of interesting ASR reports, typically dealing with a specific subject. Look through the May issue of In Flight USA you are now reading. You can read more about the ASRS program and the compliance program in AC-00-46F. How about the FAR’s, formally

known as Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14-CFR)? Can we find some friends in the regs? The vast majority of FAR’s came into being because something broke or somebody pounded an airplane onto the ground. They are based upon real life circumstances. Common sense tells us to abide by the law. To be sure, when they finally get into print, they have been written by lawyers who would probably find it difficult to identify an airplane if it taxied over their foot, but the reason behind them is solid. Personally, I have yet to meet a lawyer who simplifies an issue, so use a magnifying glass. Lawyers get paid by the word (sort of like a journalist). Let me toss out a few regs that might be immediately useful to you, especially if you are undergoing the adventure of becoming a Private Pilot.

So, there you are, cranking around the pattern, shooting endless touch-andgoes, wondering what it is going to take to meet solo standards. FAR 61 Subpart C – Student Pilots, more specifically FAR 61.87 - Solo Requirements for Student Pilots will become your friend. You will find a detailed checklist of exactly what you should be able to demonstrate to qualify for solo flight. Is your instructor following this checklist or just building flying time? DPE’s are complaining that students show up for a check ride without the needed crosscountry requirements, which have become a bit complicated. While in Subpart C, Check out FAR 61.93 - Solo CrossCountry Flight Requirements to get the straight poop.

Has anybody sat down with you and clearly defined what you need to know to pass the written exam? FAR 61, Subpart E - Private Pilot now becomes your friend. Review FAR 61.105Aeronautical Knowledge Areas, a detailed list of stuff you should know in order to pass a written exam. What kind of flight maneuvers should you be working on… it’s all in FAR 61.107 - Flight Proficiency. Are you sure you have the right amount of flying time for the check ride? Once again, this somewhat complicated combination of flight time and experience is defined in FAR 61.109Aeronautical Experience. This writer does a lot of private instruction and tutoring for folks who are having difficulty in wrapping up a rating, and the regs listed hit the top of the list when it comes to failures, misunderstandings, or the waste of a lot of cash. The final “biggy” from the viewpoint of regs and training is not actually a reg, but an FAA Order. This would be the appropriate Airman Certification Standard (ACS) and the

Continued on Page 14

PIONEER AVIATRIX JULIE WANG, FIRST ASIAN WOMAN TO FLY AROUND THE WORLD, WINS $7.3 MILLION DEFAMATION VERDICT

A Palm Beach jury returned a verdict on April 17 against Chinese national Jingxian “Saki” Chen, awarding $7.3 million in compensation to pioneer aviatrix Julie Wang and her husband, James Frechter, for damages Chen caused by misappropriating Wang’s historic achievement as the first Chinese and Asian woman to fly around world, in a failed attempt to rewrite aviation history.

Wang, currently a pilot for a U.S. legacy airline and recognized as the first Chinese and Asian woman to fly around the world, and Frechter, a New York attorney, and have been battling Chen in the Palm Beach courts for six years.

The jury’s verdict against Chen, Governor of the China Section of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots, awarded Wang a total of $6.3 million for economic damages and for pain and suffering, on twenty-five defamation counts and other causes of action including false advertising. The jury also awarded a total $1 million in damages to Frechter, bringing the jury’s total award against Chen to $7.3 million.

Wang and Frechter presented the jury with evidence that Chen had persist-

ed with her false and defamatory allegations since 2016 despite conclusive evidence establishing the bona fides of Wang’s circumnavigation flight, which included global positioning system data, in-flight video, geo-located photographs, FAA documentation, customs documents, insurance, and fueling, handling and other receipts.

The verdict could bring to a close the litigation that Chen initiated in 2019 against Wang’s husband and the company China General Aviation, LLC, in which Chen claimed that Wang’s circumnavigation flight was fraudulent that she – not Julie Wang – was the first Chinese and Asian woman to complete a global circumnavigation in an airplane. Wang intervened in the lawsuit and lodged her own claims against Chen shortly after Chen initiated the lawsuit.

In October 2023, the Court dismissed Chen’s complaint in its entirety, finding that despite being afforded multiple opportunities, Chen remained unable to plead a viable claim for relief against Wang, Frechter, or China General Aviation. Chen did not appeal the ruling.

This is not the first unsuccessful

lawsuit Chen has brought attempting to establish that she was the first Chinese woman to fly around the world. In 2019, Chen lost a defamation suit she brought against Wang (and the Chinese web portal SINA) in the Beijing Haidian District People’s Court. In that case, the trial judge entered a verdict and judgment in Wang’s favor, dismissing Chen’s complaint against Wang in its entirety. That decision was affirmed on appeal and Chen’s application to the Beijing High Court to overturn the verdict was denied.

Chen also lost a lawsuit she brought in the Wuhan People’s Court against a Wuhan digital media publisher alleging defamation and seeking a determination that she, and not Wang, was the first Chinese and Asian woman to fly around the world. The Wuhan Intermediate People’s Court dismissed Chen’s action, writing in a 2020 decision that Chen failed to show that she had piloted an aircraft around the world or even that she was a certificated pilot, specifically rejecting Chen’s attempt to rely on media reports alone to establish the bona fides of her flight.

Gregory Light, Esq. of Light &

Remembering Airshow Performer Rob Holland

Continued from Page 11

Champion

•Fourteen-time, U.S. 4-minute Freestyle Champion

•2015 World Air Games Freestyle Gold Medalist

•2012 Art Scholl Award for Showmanship Recipient

•2008 World Advanced Aerobatic Champion

•Ten-time, U.S. Aerobatic Team

Member

•37 Medals in International Competition (14 Gold)

Holland flew the unmistable MSX-

Editorial

Continued from Page13

ACS Companion Guide. Both can be downloaded at Airman Certification Standards/Federal Aviation Administration. (faa.gov/training_testing/acs)

These standards, for almost all ratings, provide a detailed account of what knowledge must be displayed on a check ride (the oral) and to what standard each flight maneuver must be flown. Every flight lesson for any rating should be pre-

RH. Based on the popular MXS, the MXS-RH is a one-of-a-kind, all carbonfiber masterpiece. This single-seat, competition and airshow-ready aircraft is designed and built by MX Aircraft in North Carolina, and incorporates design modifications suggested by Rob himself.

Powering this aerobatic monster is a Lycoming engine producing 380 horsepower. Weighing in at a minimal 1,200 pounds, this state-of-the-art aerobatic aircraft boasts astonishing performance, is capable of pulling 16 positive and negative Gs, and rolls at nearly 500 degrees per second. Holland was able to perform

innovated maneuvers unequalled on the airshow circuit with his “personally designed” MSX-RH.

Holland’s performance videos continue to be available on his webiste: ultimateairhsows.com. Further details about the crash are expected from the NTSB in the next several weeks.

Blue Skies!

Rob Holland, in the forefront, performed at airshows throughout the country. He died on April 24 while preparing for an upcoming show.

(Courtesy ultimateairshows.com)

A Palm Beach jury returned a verdict on April 17 awarding $7.3 million in compensation to pioneer aviatrix Julie Wang and her husband, James Frechter. (Courtesy James Frechter)

Gonzalez, PLLC, Wang’s attorney in the Palm Beach case, commented on the verdict: “The jury paid close attention throughout the trial and the verdict

Continued on Page 21

flight briefed based upon the ACS objectives to be covered in that flight lesson. The post flight briefing should relate back to the ACS standards so that you have a clear understanding as to where you stand in the learning process. These documents are “gold” when it come to passing the check ride. But let’s not leave the subject of FAR’s without a salute to FAR 91 – General Operating and Flight Rules. Big and sometimes com-

plicated, the contents are based upon years of real life experience. The best part of FAR 91 is 91.3 – Responsibility and Authority of Pilot In Command. This reg makes it very clear that you, the PIC, are the boss of the entire system and therefore it is you that makes the system work. How many bureaucracies start off with a caveat like that?

So, there you have it. Is this writer always upset with the feds and their rules

and regs? Absolutely not. As pointed out, the FAA has a lot of good going on, proven by the fact that not a single nation on earth has a National Airspace System and aviation infrastructure that comes anywhere close to what we enjoy in the United States. Let’s keep it that way, by complaining like the dickens when the feds are not acting in our best interest or the interest of safety. Also, let them know when they get it right. Sort of like training a student pilot!

By Cynthia Wheatley Glenn

There is much talk and controversy right now regarding the safe use of leaded aviation fuel. The following update has been reprinted with permission from flyEAGLE.org:

This is the second installment in a three-part series explaining how the next generation of unleaded

VERTICON 2025 UPDATE

aviation fuels may be authorized for use in specific engines and aircraft. This segment focuses on the FAA’s Fleet Authorization process, developed utilizing the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) along with the use of ASTM standards. The first installment (see Dec 2024 update below) covered Supplemental Type Certificates (STC) and Approved Model List STCs (AML STCs). The final installment will discuss the critical role of industry consensus standards, such as those from ASTM International, in ensuring the safe and consistent production, distribution, and use of aviation fuels.

Q: What is the FAA Fleet Authorization process, and why is it important to pilots and aircraft owners?

Pilots and aircraft owners should be aware that the Fleet Authorization process will result in the FAA, through PAFI, authorizing a qualified unleaded fuel for use in aircraft and aircraft engines. The makes and models of type certified and non-type certificated piston aircraft and aircraft engines that can safely operate with the qualified unleaded avgas will be compiled and published by the FAA in a document called the Eligible Fleet Authorization Summary Report (EFASR). EAGLE highlighted the FAA’s Fleet Authorization process in a recent Fact Sheet.

Q: How does the Fleet Authorization process work?

Under the Fleet Authorization process, the FAA collaborates with industry partners to conduct comprehensive testing of candidate unleaded fuels. This includes evaluating the fuel’s compatibility with various aircraft materials, engines, operational environments, and supply chain components. This data, along with an approved ASTM production specification, is required for a qualified replacement

fuel. Once it is qualified and the EFASR is published, the FAA will issue a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB), which will “identify the qualified fuel, specify the aircraft and engines eligible to use the qualified fuel, and provide references and other information to accomplish the alteration necessary to enable the use of the fuel.” It should also be noted that type certificate applicants and holders, as well as owners/operators of non-type certificated piston-powered aircraft, may refer to the EFASR and SAIB to determine whether the fuel can be safely used with their aircraft and engines. Owners of Special Light Sport Aircraft (SLSA) can also use the information provided to meet the operating limitations specified in 14 CFR §91.327(b)(5).

Q: What role does PAFI play in the Fleet Authorization process?

PAFI, or the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative, is a collaboration between the FAA, industry stakeholders, and technical experts to identify and evaluate unleaded fuel candidates. Established in 2014, PAFI defines and executes comprehensive testing protocols to ensure that candidate fuels meet necessary safety, performance, and environmental standards. PAFI is required by the FAA to make fleet-wide authorization decisions, and it generates the technical data required to support the ASTM specification. Then, this data undergoes extensive peer review by aviation and fuel experts involved in avgas production, distribution, storage, dispensing, operation, maintenance, and aircraft usage to ensure the fuel’s safety and reliability. The resulting data helps the marketplace determine whether approved fuels are viable not only for aircraft operation but also for long-term production and distribution.

Q: How does the Fleet Authorization process compare to the STC process?

AOPA,

(Courtesy AOPA)

FAA, aircraft owners must then purchase the approved STC and work with a certificated mechanic to implement the required modifications. Fleet Authorization Process: As stated above, the FAA, through PAFI, collaborates with industry partners to conduct comprehensive testing of candidate unleaded fuels. This includes evaluating the fuel’s compatibility with various aircraft materials, engines, operational environments, and supply chain components. This data, along with an approved ASTM production specification for the unleaded fuel, is required to have a qualified replacement fuel. Once there is a qualified replacement fuel and the EFASR is published, the FAA will issue a SAIB, which will “identify the qualified fuel, specify the aircraft and engines eligible to use the qualified fuel, and provide references and other information to accomplish the alteration necessary to enable the use of the fuel.” This process may also require engine and other modifications to the aircraft.

Q: Is there information available regarding the PAFI test plans, including engines, airframes, and materials that will be tested?

Yes, this information is available at: https://flyeagle.org/resources/

While both the Fleet Authorization and STC processes aim to ensure safe fuel use, they differ significantly in scope and application: STC Process: The STC process requires FAA approval for each aircraft and aircraft engine model. In the STC process, fuel developers work directly with the FAA to conduct required testing to collect data proving compatibility, safety, and performance for specific engines and airframes. This data is provided to the FAA for evaluation, determination of means of compliance, and authorization to approve the unleaded fuel for the requested aircraft and engines. Aircraft and engines each require their own STC. Once the fuel is authorized by the

Stay tuned for Part 3, where we will explore the role of industry consensus standards, such as those from ASTM International, in ensuring the safe, consistent production, distribution, and use of unleaded aviation fuels.

Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) is a comprehensive government-industry initiative involving the aviation and petroleum industries, U.S. government stakeholders, and a wide range of other constituents and interested parties. Together, they are working toward the transition to leadfree aviation fuels for piston-engine aircraft by the end of 2030, without compromising the safety or economic health of the general aviation industry. To learn more, visit: https://flyEAGLE.org.

AOPA APPLAUDS FAA WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSED AIRMAN

MEDICAL DENIAL POLICY

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) applauds the FAA’s decision to withdraw its proposed changes to the airman medical certification process – changes that would have replaced the longstanding practice of deferring incomplete medical applications with the issuance of immediate denials.

The policy, initially scheduled to have been implemented in January, would have significantly increased com-

plexity for many pilots. The FAA delayed implementation twice after AOPA, in partnership with other aviation industry organizations, voiced strong concerns about the policy’s unintended consequences.

In response, the FAA held a listening session on April 23, during which Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said the proposal would not be implemented. Instead, the FAA agreed to work with

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AOPA and other organizations on a pilot medical education campaign to help applicants prepare for medical exams and reduce delays.

As a result, the organizations have released a comprehensive medical checklist (https://download.aopa.org/advocacy/ 2025/2025-Considerations-WhenApplying-for-an-FAA-MedicalChecklist.pdf) with guidance on what is needed when submitting a medical applica-

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FAA will work with AOPA and other organizations on a pilot medical education campaign to help applicants prepare for medical exams and reduce delays. The organizations have released a comprehensive medical checklist with guidance on what is needed when submitting a medical application. See the complete medical checklist at https://download .aopa.org/advocacy/2025/2025Considerations-When-Applying-for-anFAA-Medical-Checklist.pdf.

(Courtesy AOPA)

tion. This checklist will be included in AOPA’s ongoing communications and education efforts related to medical certification.

In addition, during the same meeting, Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup and Deputy Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Brett Wyrick announced a series of forthcoming reforms aimed at making the medical certification process more timely, consistent, and transparent, while also reducing delays for applicants.

First, updates to the FAA MedX Press system, the platform used to submit medical information, are in development and will provide clearer instructions for pilots before entering medical information. Additional future improvements will allow pilots and Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) to upload and track cases more efficiently.

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Second, as part of the pilot medical education campaign, the FAA is also working to develop simple instructions and FAQs for various medical conditions to help pilots better understand what documentation the FAA will need before they apply for a medical certificate. Dr. Northrup also mentioned, in response to a participant’s question, that the FAA may consider exploring the expansion of the Conditions AMEs Can Issue (CACI) protocols, which enable AMEs to issue medical certificates for applicants with certain medical conditions.

Lastly, Dr. Northrup committed to reducing the wait times for pilots with

MANY MORE MODELS COMING SOON!

NINETY-SIX WOMEN PILOTS SET TO COMPETE IN 48TH ANNUAL AIR RACE CLASSIC

Forty-Three Teams will Mark 96th Anniversary of Women’s Air Racing with National Competition

The field is set for the 48th Air Race Classic (ARC), the annual all-women cross-country airplane race. Forty-three teams, consisting of 96 women pilots from across the United States, will take off at 8 a.m. Tuesday, June 17 from Fairhope, Alabama, for a 2,426-mile national competition that ends Friday, June 20 in Spokane, Washington.

The oldest race of its kind in the nation, the Air Race Classic traces its roots to the 1929 Women’s Air Derby, aka the Powder Puff Derby, in which Amelia Earhart and 19 other daring female pilots raced from Santa Monica, California, to Cleveland, Ohio. This year’s ARC celebrates the 96th anniversary of that historic competition, which marked the beginning of women’s air racing in the United States. Today, the ARC is the epicenter of women’s air racing, the ultimate test of piloting skill and aviation decision-making for female pilots of all ages and from all walks of life.

“The ARC Board of Directors and volunteers have been hard at work preparing for our 48th race,” said Air Race Classic President Donna Harris. “We look forward to celebrating the 96th anniversary of the Women’s Air Derby as we welcome back veteran racers and meet new competitors at our Start in Fairhope, Alabama.”

This year’s course will take racers through ten states, from the Gulf Coast in the American South, over Midwestern farmlands, across the Continental Divide, to the Pacific Northwest, ending at Felts

AOPA Applauds FAA

Continued from Page 18

deferred Special Issuance cases from an average of 155 days to 90 days over the next three years.

“We wholeheartedly support the FAA’s decision to move away from the medical denial letter policy and instead work with AOPA and others to help educate and provide much needed medical exam guidance to new and existing pilots,” said AOPA President and CEO Darren Pleasance. “Dr. Northrup and her team are working to reduce delays in the FAA’s medical system and improve clarity and transparency in the application process – changes which are long overdue and which we very much support. Clear and detailed guidance on what medical documentation is required up

Field in Spokane, Washington. Teams will depart beginning at 8 a.m. June 17 from HL Sonny Callahan Airport in Fairhope, Alabama, taking off one after another, 30 seconds apart. From there, the field will spread out as faster planes move to the head of the pack.

At each of the eight intermediate stops – Starkville, Mississippi; Harrison, Arkansas; McPherson, Kansas; Sterling, Colorado; Gillette, Wyoming; Rock Springs, Wyoming; Jerome, Idaho; and La Grande, Oregon – teams will execute highspeed flybys over a timing line as they race against the clock. Faster planes may cover the course in only two days; slower teams may not arrive at the Terminus, Felts Field, in Spokane, until moments before the deadline at 5:30 p.m. on June 20.

The 43 teams of two or three pilots will have four days to complete the course, flying normally aspirated, pistonpowered airplanes in visual flight conditions during daylight hours. Pilots and copilots must have at least a Private Pilot Certificate and a minimum of 100 hours as pilot-in-command in order to qualify for the race; one of them must have at least 500 hours as pilot-in-command or a current instrument rating. If they wish, the pilot and copilot may bring along a teammate, who must hold at least a student pilot certificate.

Twelve colleges or universities are fielding a combined total of 18 teams in the Intercollegiate Class: Auburn University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott, Indiana State University, Jacksonville University, Kent

front will help in reducing that burden.”

In addition to these changes, AOPA is participating in an aerospace medical working group, which Congress mandated as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, focused on broader improvements to the medical certification process and addressing mental health issues among pilots.

Currently, the FAA receives more than 450,000 airman medical applications annually, 50,000 of which fall under Special Issuance categories. The FAA also said during yesterday’s meeting that half of all applications – 225,000 – experience delays, often because they lack the necessary documentation, which can add up to eight weeks to the process.

To learn more, visit www.aopa.org.

State University, Kansas State University Polytechnic, Liberty University, Middle Tennessee State University, Minnesota State University Mankato, Purdue University, University of North Dakota and Western Michigan University.

There are also individual racers entered in the Competition Class from Auburn University, Liberty University, Middle Georgia State University, and Minnesota State University Mankato.

This year’s racers hail from 29 states. For some competitors, the Air Race Classic is a family affair. This year’s field includes two teams with family members racing together.

Because each plane receives a unique handicap, teams are racing against their own best time, not against one another. This creates a level playing field, so slower planes can compete against faster airplanes on an equal basis. Teams strategize to play the elements, holding out for better weather or seeking more favorable winds, to beat their handicap by the greatest margin.

Official standings aren’t determined until after the last team has crossed the

The 2025 Air Race Classic, set for June 17-20, will stretch across the United States, from Fairhope, Alabama, for a 2,426-mile national competition ending in Spokane, Washington.

(Air Race Classic)

finish line – the last arrival at the Terminus may, in fact, be the winner!

Air Race Classic Inc. is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization with a mission of encouraging and educating current and future female pilots, increasing public awareness of general aviation, demonstrating women’s roles in aviation, and preserving and promoting the tradition of pioneering women in aviation. For more information, go to airraceclassic.org. Follow Air Race Classic on Facebook. On Instagram: @airraceclassicinc.

(415) 320-9811 • botajet@gmail.com Website & Blog: www.bertbotta.com

https://www.facebook.com/BertBotta1 https://www.linkedin.com/in/bertbotta/ ilots & F/A NetJets P A Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/447755025256

2025 MRO AMERICAS IN ATLANTA

By Paul T. Glessner, M.S. –Associate Editor & Publisher

Aviation Week Network’s MRO AMERICAS, the largest gathering of the aviation maintenance community in the world takes place annually in the United States. It focuses on commercial aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and now in its 29th year, MRO AMERICAS, co-located with the Military Aviation Logistics and Maintenance Symposium (MALMS) features speakers from airlines, OEMs, regulators, suppliers, lessors and service providers. Special features include a Military Pavilion, the Go Live! Theater, the Aerospace Maintenance Competition and the A-WING jobFAIR.

MRO AMERICAS is the face-to-face opportunity that connects Aviation Week Network’s MRO portfolio which includes market leading intelligence & insight, proprietary data, forecast views of future opportunity and risk, forward-looking content on trends, fleet data, transactions, and

life cycles, results-driven marketing services and advertising, and digital marketplaces.

MRO AMERICAS at a glance: it is the largest event of its kind with over 17,000 registered attendees, more than 2,000 airline and lessor decision makers, senior level conference with 45-plus expert speakers, more than 1,000 international exhibitions with suppliers representing all levels of the airline supply chain, open access show floor content at the Go Live! Theater and this author can attest that there are countless networking opportunities as there were guests from 92 countries attending.

Aside from all the exhibitors and their various levels of skills and experience on so many aircraft maintenance and/or logistics support fronts, this author was captivated by the depth and value of the Aerospace Maintenance Competition. Cocreated by the Honorable John Goglia, past member of the National Transportation Safety Board, the board’s first A&P mechanic and a recently announced inductee into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. The annual competition tests the aviation maintenance skill levels of college students, professionals, and the military over several days. Two identical tracks of 27 events comprising: commercial aviation, general aviation, space, school, military, and repair and manufacturing for 90 teams of five are meticulously prepared. The competition is supported through the generous contributions of the aerospace community. The competition provides an opportunity for current and future mainte-

nance professionals to showcase their abilities and see how they stack up against peers across the country.

The competition definitely adds excitement to the world of those wishing to get their education in maintenance and to maintain that level of expertise aside from stemming the growing need for maintainers/technicians.

The competition’s sponsors host events, provide prizes, and make monetary contributions. For more information on team registration, competitive events, funding student competitor scholarships, the 2025 winners, or to support the Aerospace Maintenance Competition through sponsorship, visit https://www. amccompetition.com/competitions /amcc2025-mro. Aviation Week’s MRO AMER-

EAA and AOPA are closely following an FAA proposal to eliminate all remote communications outlets (RCOs) in the United States outside of Alaska. The notice posted on March 27, 2025 in the Federal Register seeks public comment.

While use of RCOs has declined in recent years, many pilots still find value in the network of local radio frequencies that allows pilots to open and close flight plans and access other forms of flight service. The FAA estimates that the remaining non-Alaska network of 936 facilities receives 300 calls per day; however, this is down from 22,000 calls per day in the mid-1980s.

In 2017, the FAA decommissioned 404 RCOs and 237 VHF omnidirectional radio range navaid outlets for a cost savings the agency estimated at $2.5 million in annual maintenance costs. Under the latest plan the FAA would close the

remaining 936 RCOs in the continental United States, saving around $16 million.

The FAA said the 99-percent decrease in requests via RCO does not reflect a reduction in the number of flights, but the ability of pilots to receive the same information and services that the RCOs provide without using radio communications. It is easy for many contemporary pilots to name the instruments, devices, and online services that have, collectively, supplanted the enroute radio call to flight service as well as the phone call from the airport prior to departure, which also feels old-fashioned today.

Pilots also know that many aircraft continue to operate with legacy avionics that are limited in their ability to receive in-flight information compared with the latest cockpit equipment – and even many modern cockpits lack the ability to contact flight service from the air, absent VHF

“In its 2024 Pilot and Technician Outlook, Boeing forecasts the need for 716,000 new maintenance technicians worldwide over the next 20 years – a 3.76 percent increase over last year’s prediction. Boeing predicts continued growth in how many aviation maintenance technicians the industry will need over the next 20 years, but the OEM is concerned that training capacity issues will hinder progress toward meeting that workforce demand,” as stated by Lindsay Bjerregaard of Aviation Week Network.

Aerospace Maintenance Competition. Co-creator, the Honorable John Goglia, past nine year member of the National Transportation Safety Board and advisor to Executive Jet Support Services (EJSS) . - photog, Paul T. Glessner.

FAA PROPOSES PHASEOUT OF RCOS

radio. As a result, AOPA’s main concern is the potentially adverse effect on aviation safety resulting from a shutdown of the RCO network. While GA is adapting, not all parts of the community are ready for such a change, AOPA said.

“A phased reduction of the network under which services meet current demand would be a preferable alternative,” said Jim McClay, AOPA’s director of airspace, air traffic, and security.

Comments are open through May 27. EAA would like to hear your thoughts as they develop their response to this proposal. Do you make use of the RCO network in your flying? Email your thoughts to govt@eaa.org.

See the federal register docket (Docket No. FAA-2025-0558) at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR2025-03-27/2025-05167. To respond directly to FAA by May 27, write to

ICAS can be reached at https://mroamericas.aviationweek.com/en/home.html

There were many opportunities to chat up those subject matter experts in exhibitor-sponsored events and on the exhibitor floor. I look forward to experiencing the same level of exquisite exhibits and professionals at the next MRO AMERICAS to be held in Orlando, FL.

Christopher Henne, Manager, Safety & Operations, by email at: 9-AJRFSSOG@faa.gov,

Subject: CONUS RCOs. Learn more at eaa.org and aopa.org.

Pilots’ days of contacting flight service from the air using the network of remote communications outlets (RCOs) appear to be numbered following the FAA’s publication of its notice of intent to decommission the RCO system largely because of a significant decline in its use. (Chris Rose/Courtesy AOPA)

A small glimpse of the MRO AMERICAS exhibit hall with over 1,000 exhibitorsphotog, Paul T. Glessner

A portion of the Aerospace Maintenance Competition area - photog, Paul T. Glessner

Another of the 27 different maintenance test stations; this by United Airlines.photog, Paul T. Glessner

FAA AND EAGLE URGE PILOTS AND AIRCRAFT OWNERS TO SHARE EXPERIENCES WITH NEW UNLEADED AVGAS

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the public-private Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative are calling on pilots, aircraft owners, mechanics, and fixedbase operators (FBOs) to help shape the future of general aviation by documenting and reporting their experiences with the use of a new, high-octane unleaded aviation fuel available at various airports across our Nation.

As the transition away from leaded avgas accelerates, real-world feedback is critical to ensuring the safe and efficient operation of piston-engine aircraft across the general aviation fleet. The FAA has issued a new Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB 2025-04) to request voluntary reports on service or flight difficulties — or smooth operations — when using FAA-authorized unleaded fuel alternatives. The SAIB instructs submittal of these voluntary reports by email

to OperationalSafety@faa.gov with “Unleaded Fuel” in the subject line.

It’s critical for pilots and aircraft owners to respond to SAIBs because they inform critical safety recommendations that can help prevent incidents and mechanical failures. While not mandatory, addressing the issues highlighted by SAIBs, especially for new products, supports this effort and helps ensure continued airworthiness.

“Pilots, owners, maintainers and FBOs across the country are on the front lines of the shift to unleaded fuel,” said EAGLE’s cochair Curt Castagna. “These experiences and reports are essential to validating safe alternatives and identifying potential challenges early. We urge everyone flying or servicing aircraft on unleaded avgas to share their experiences — it’s how we ensure a smooth and successful transition for the entire industry.”

SAIB 2025-04 outlines specific

details the FAA is interested in gathering, including aircraft and engine information, fuel type used, maintenance history, any observed issues, and even documentation like photos or fuel samples.

Importantly, the FAA is also encouraging submissions from operators who have transitioned to unleaded fuel with no issues.

“The FAA is committed to a safe transition to unleaded avgas,” adds Caitlin Locke, FAA’s EAGLE cochair. “The reports we receive will directly inform our oversight, help us distinguish between unrelated mechanical issues and fuel-related concerns, and ultimately support the safe shift of the piston-engine aviation fuel supply.”

For full details on what to report and how, view the full Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin SAIB 2025-04, accessible on the EAGLE website, flyeagle.org.

Cirrus, in a recently released statement, said the company is dedicated to advancing personal aviation and proactively addressing the evolving landscape of sustainability regulations, particularly the shift toward unleaded aviation fuels. “We continue to actively support industry efforts and the FAA-Industry EAGLE program, including through the PAFI and STC certification program pathways, to develop, evaluate, and advance new fuels while supporting a safe industry transition to a future unleaded fuel environment.” See Cirrus Aircraft’s Aviation Fuel Update at cirrusaircraft.com. (Courtesy Cirrus Aircraft)

U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SEAN P. DUFFY AND U.S. SEN

. TED CRUZ ANNOUNCE TEXAS A&M WILL LEAD THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) on April 23 announced that Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) will be the managing entity to establish and operate the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies (CAAT).

“Texas is the perfect place for our new Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies. Under Senator Cruz’s leadership, the state has already established itself as a leader in commercial drone safety testing,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.

“From drones delivering your packages to powered lift technologies like air taxis, we are at the cusp of an aviation revolution. The CAAT will ensure we make that dream a reality and unleash American innovation safely.”

“When I authored the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, I wrote the language creating the Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies with the express intention of bringing that Center to the Dallas-Fort Worth area because of the groundbreaking innovation occurring there. I’m confident this new research and testing center will help the private sector

Pioneer Aviatrix Julie Wang

Continued from Page 14

reflects the jurors’ understanding of the damages Ms. Chen’s actions have caused. This is an important step in removing the cloud Ms. Chen had placed over Julie’s historic achievement. Julie should be proud of the record she set as the first Chinese and Asian woman to complete a global circumnavigation in an aircraft. The jury’s verdict underscores the importance of that achievement and the value that truth still occupies in our society. Chen’s attempt to rewrite avia-

tion history has failed.”

Wang’s 2016 solo global circumnavigation departed from Addison, Texas on August 17, 2016, and returned there on September 19, 2016. Wang made her record-setting around-the-world flight in a Cirrus SR22 single piston-engine propeller airplane. During the course of her westbound journey of nearly 24,000 miles, she made stops in California, Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, Guam, the Philippines, China, Thailand, India, the United Arab Emirates, Greece, Malta,

create thousands of high-paying jobs and grow the Texas economy through billions in new investments. I am thankful to Secretary Duffy for recognizing the value of placing the new center in Texas, and I’m grateful to see the Texas A&M System leading this initiative and cultivating the next generation of aviation leaders. This is a significant win for Texas that will impact communities across our state, and I will continue to pursue policies that create new jobs and ensure the Lone Star State continues to lead the way in innovation and the manufacturing of emerging aviation technologies,” said U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.

Portugal, the Azores, and Newfoundland, crossing the “middle” routes of the Pacific and Atlantic over open ocean. Only eight women prior to Wang – all American, British or Australian – have flown solo around the globe.

On Nov. 7, 2016, then Mayor Geraldine Muoio recognized Wang’s solo global circumnavigation flight by presenting Wang the Key to the City of West Palm Beach on behalf of the City Commission.

Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) will be the managing entity to establish and operate the FAA’s Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies. (Courtesy FAA)

The CAAT will play a pivotal role in advancing aviation technologies and

Continued on Page 22

Resources:

James A. Frechter et al. v. Jingxian Chen a/k/a/ Saki Chen, Palm Beach Co. Case No. 502019CA 05290XXXXMB, Div. AF. Gregory Light, a partner in Light & Gonzalez, PLLC, Plantation, Florida, represented Zheng “Julie” Wang. James Frechter represented himself. James A. Frechter Law Office

THE EVTOL DISRUPTION: WHAT IT MEANS FOR GENERAL AVIATION

By Yash Shah

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are no longer concepts of the distant future; they are being tested, certified, and prepared for commercial operations. Joby Aviation, Archer, and Beta Technologies are aggressively pursuing FAA certification, with projected commercial launches in the next five years. But what does this mean for the existing general aviation ecosystem?

Unlike traditional helicopters, eVTOLs rely on distributed electric propulsion, reducing mechanical com-

plexity and operational costs. The promise is a safer, quieter, and more efficient alternative to urban transport. However, these aircraft require new air traffic management systems, vertiport infrastructure, and regulatory adaptations. The FAA’s upcoming regulations on pilot certification, autonomous flight approval, and airspace integration will define the extent of disruption to GA pilots.

For pilots, this transformation brings both challenges and opportunities. The airspace below 5,000 feet – where most GA flights occur – will become increasingly congested with automated eVTOL traffic. Will this lead to stricter airspace access

rules? Will Class B and Class C airspace become more restrictive? These are questions the industry must answer now.

Yet, eVTOL technology also presents significant benefits. Battery advancements could extend to light GA aircraft, lowering operational costs. New pilot jobs in urban air mobility will open avenues for aviators looking to transition beyond traditional aircraft. However, if eVTOL flight paths begin replacing VFR corridors, GA pilots may face tighter restrictions and higher operational requirements.

As these aircraft prepare for deployment, GA pilots and advocacy groups must engage with regulators to ensure

eVTOL aircraft are being prepped for commercial operations.

equitable access to airspace. The transition is happening – will GA pilots adapt, or will they find themselves sidelined in the next era of flight?

THE SUPERSONIC REVIVAL: WILL BOOM’S OVERTURE REDEFINE AIR TRAVEL?

By Yash Shah

For decades, commercial aviation has been stuck at subsonic speeds.

The retirement of Concorde in 2003 left a void in supersonic passenger travel, with technological and economic hurdles keeping high-speed flight grounded. But now, a new era is emerging. Boom Supersonic, backed by United Airlines and the U.S. Air Force, is racing to bring back Mach-speed travel with its Overture aircraft. Could this be the moment when supersonic flight becomes commercially viable again?

The Promise of Overture:

Texas A&M Will Lead

Continued from Page 21

ensuring their safe integration into the National Airspace System (NAS). The center will also represent a collaboration between government, academia, and industry to drive innovation in aviation.

The FAA previously authorized a North Texas test site where multiple companies are conducting commercial drone operations to deliver packages in the same airspace while keeping their drones

Boom’s Overture aims to fly at Mach 1.7, cutting transatlantic flight times in half. With a 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) design, it promises to be carbon neutral – a key factor in gaining regulatory approval. The aircraft is designed to carry 65–80 passengers and is expected to enter service in the early 2030s. United Airlines has already placed orders, signaling industry confidence.

Regulatory and Technological Challenges:

Unlike the Concorde, which faced noise complaints, high fuel consumption, and restrictive supersonic bans over land,

Boom’s aircraft will feature advanced noise-reducing engine technology and improved fuel efficiency. However, FAA and ICAO restrictions on supersonic overland flight remain a major hurdle. Without regulatory changes, Overture may be limited to transoceanic routes.

The Future of High-Speed Travel:

If Boom succeeds, it could reshape long-haul travel, turning New York-toLondon flights into 3.5-hour journeys. However, competition from hypersonic aviation projects and high-speed rail innovations could challenge its viability.

With NASA, Lockheed Martin, and Hermeus also investing in high-speed flight, the race is heating up.

Will Boom’s Overture succeed

Mach-speed travel with Overture may becme cmmerciallyviable again in the near future. (Courtesy Yash Shah and Boom Supersonic)

where Concorde failed? Or will supersonic travel remain an elusive dream?

The next decade will determine whether we are on the cusp of an aviation revolution – or another false start.

safely deconflicted using Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) technology. The FAA has also authorized public safety operations in this airspace.

Background:

The FAA is establishing the CAAT to focus on the testing and integration of new and emerging aviation technologies,

including Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (Public Law 118-63) requires the FAA to develop a CAAT consisting of an airspace laboratory, flight demonstration zones, and testing corridors.

Twenty-eight proposals were received from entities across multiple states, TAMUS was selected to manage the center because of its:

• Proximity to major international airports and a FAA regional headquarters

• Existing infrastructure for advanced aviation technology testing

• Strong academic programs and industry partnerships

Learn more at FAA’s website, faa.gov.

(Courtesy Yash Shah

19

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FLYING MY FATHER’S WAR Training for a Suicide Mission?

By Nedda R. Thomas

No. My father Ned Thomas is a World War II Hump pilot, and I am writing his story. Only what do I know of this “forgotten war?” In the nearly seven decades since that time, he had scarcely mentioned the days when he had flown the tallest mountains on the face of the earth, the storied Himalayas.

Nor did I set out to be a military historian. I had bought a derelict house, was busy making it habitable, and every morning at my door there was a whitehaired, 80-something gentleman with twinkling eyes, toolbox in hand, ready to pitch in and work.

As a military mission, mine was pretty straightforward. I wanted to settle my father restfully in a chair, get him to ignore the hammers, sawdust, and unfinished baseboards, and let me pry out the bygone story of a young man who aspired to fly, and met a harsh challenge. Of the pilot who’d navigated what they called the Skyway to Hell, an unbroken nightmare formed of the earth’s highest summits and high-altitude turbulence. Who’d fought oxygen deprivation and vertigo at the controls while the enemy tried every trick in the book to garble his radio signals. Whose C-46 barely cleared the death-dealing mountaintops till he set down again on a jolting airstrip of dirt and rock somewhere in the landscape of lantern-lit old China. His plane? A non-pressurized, unheated rattletrap that pilots in fatalistic moments nicknamed the “Flying Coffin.”

I had done interviews before, but I quickly realized that for all my father’s modestly, I was hearing an exceptional story about a brave and inspiring man. I also started to learn about a world beyond my imagination. Of the chessboard of theaters in what was called the Orient back then. Of the aircraft flown there, of skills it took to operate under conditions never before encountered in flight. And I had to learn fast.

The worst fatality rates for flyers in World War II happened over the mountains they called The Hump. Pilots flew primitive aircraft out of upper India, high over the Roof of the World, and down into Asia, providing the sole line of supply whereby China’s Nationalists managed to tie down two million occupying enemy soldiers, who otherwise would have been deployed to the Pacific to fight and kill Americans. By the war’s end, the Airlift became the prototype for others in Berlin, Korea, and elsewhere. To this day, it remains the most challenging of them all, and the highest by far in cost of human life.

Ned Thomas is a World War II Hump pilot. His daughter Nedda R. Thomas is has written his story.

(Courtesy Nedda R. Thomas)

Like others of that Greatest Generation, my father saw nothing special in his service, and by such ways of thinking does a lot of history die. I will not forget the day he headed for the paper shredder with a thick bundle, when something like divine intervention caused him to pause.

“I was going to toss this stuff. You wouldn’t want it, would you?”

His entire military record, from his cadet training until he retired after leaving The Hague. Every post he served, every award including a knighthood, his flying hours, all of it nearly went in a sack of confetti to the landfill.

It took persistence to draw him out in the face of his conviction that no one really wanted to hear such a story. Then I had to shape this cargo of data into a credible narrative. “Aha moments” came when I remembered the exceptional people who had visited our home over the years. Veterans. Diplomats. Anna Chenault, the widow of General Claire Chennault who commanded the Flying Tigers, and who himself had depended on the Hump lifeline.

History and research confirmed my father’s memory as a primary source. In the intricate China-Burma-India Theater, his dates were on target, including a jaunt he took into the ancient Forbidden City of Peking, while his plane was being serviced. He had the place largely to himself that day, and found it eerily empty – this future world tourist site where a month later, the Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek was mobbed and acclaimed.

While he shared his experiences as a young American pilot, I got to know my father in the context of a different time and world. His character – gentlemanly, good-humored, simply good – wove seamlessly into his story, and to see this was humbling, and tugged at my heartstrings.

Continued on Page 26

STUDENTS INVITED TO EXPLORE AVIATION CAREERS AT PALO ALTO AIRPORT

By Lea Buonocore

On Saturday April 26, 2025, the Palo Alto Airport, Palo Alto, Calif., hosted an event for local Bay Area Urban Eagles. This exciting opportunity gave students and their families from the Bay Area a chance to explore future careers in aviation. Some of the organizations represented were the Federal Aviation Administration, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines.

Representatives included pilots, as well as individuals involved with youth aviation within their organizations. Students were able to walk around and explore different opportunities that these organizations provide. For example, United Airlines offers members of the Urban Eagles an opportunity to take a free flight. This unique opportunity provides students with some basic education about what goes into learning to fly. United Airlines also offers an online education program for students in grades Kindergarten through high school to learn about exciting opportunities in aviation careers.

During the event students were able to meet pilots and learn firsthand what goes into flying. It was delightful to see how engaged and intrigued some of our community’s young people are with the idea of learning to fly.

Southwest Aviation also had a booth at the event where one of their pilots was present and passed out information packets and souvenirs to the attendees. The pilot was able to passionately educate students on opportunities Southwest provides in order to give them the opportunity to learn more about aviation carriers. Southwest Airlines offers some exciting opportunities for young people to get involved with aviation and explore potential aviation careers. Some career pathways Southwest offers are aircraft operations, aircraft maintenance and engineering, corporate, customer service, flight attendants, and pilots.

The Federal Aviation Administration was present. Their booth was busy with many students inquiring about ways to get involved in aviation careers. Fortunately, the FAA offers many opportunities for young people. The FAA hosts

summer programs that allow students to engage in flight lessons, the history of aviation, and the physics and science involved in aviation. The summer programs also involve aviation-related field trips, lessons on aircraft maintenance and design, as well as flight simulations and personal aircraft flights. The FAA had representatives that spent time talking with students and encouraging them to explore potential careers in aviation.

Overall, this was a wonderful event and it was an honor for In Flight USA to be present and offer magazines to students interested in aviation. It was exciting to be able to talk to students and their families about our 40-year-old publication about general aviation. Hopefully, we will see some student writers contribute to our magazine in the near future. We look forward to attending more of these events to promote careers in aviation, including, of course, aviation journalism.

To learn more about Bay Area Urban Eagles, visit urbaneagles.org.

Saturday April 26,

hand at the Palo Alto Airport recently to give Urban Eagles an opportunity to explore aviation careers. (Lea Buonocore)

ELECTRA SECURES 2,200 PRE-ORDERS FOR ITS GROUNDBREAKING ULTRA SHORT AIRCRAFT

Electra’s EL9 harnesses the power of blown lift and hybrid-electric propulsion to take off and land in 150 feet; unlocking an era of aviation without airports.

Electra has secured 2,200 pre-orders for its groundbreaking EL9 Ultra Short

hybrid-electric aircraft. Valued at nearly $9 billion, Electra’s order pipeline is one of the largest in the Advanced Air Mobility industry.

Electra’s Ultra Short – which integrates blown lift and hybrid-electric propulsion to take off and land in just 150

Flying My Father’s War

Continued from Page 25

I also needed to orient my future readers to important military and political events without sounding like a textbook. To let history speak in the context of a personal life. For a writer, this meant I painted the scenery of new places, only to have to hasten along elsewhere. What was it like to train as an aviation cadet at mid-war? I had no experience of this, but I found myself drawn into the scenes I crafted, if not saddened to move on so quickly, given the poignancy they contained. I got caught up in Claire Chennault’s clashes with other generals, but I couldn’t hang around. I could only bundle him ungraciously back to the U.S., and deploy my father deeper into China, to fly Chiang’s unruly troops.

If anyone wonders how I learned to fly

those old deathtrap planes, it was through the man who afterward became my father. I followed him from his cadet and instructor days, until he deployed as an officer and wartime pilot. I spent mind-numbing hours poring over aircraft specs. But his firsthand experience of their strengths and glitches brought me up to speed.

“If it had a propeller,” he quipped, “I probably flew it.”

If it had a propeller, I gulp, I indisputably rewrote it.

To make his flying real was my greatest challenge as an author. I had to gain fluency to reconstruct the cockpit encounters that take place in his story. Back to the dials. See what that birddoggin’ radio compass has to say. Scrutinize the envelope of a harsh and utterly alien world. Climb the ‘46 through its paces,

feet – enables air operators to connect communities that lack aviation infrastructure, fly into airports with strict noise restrictions, create new opportunities and business models for cargo services, and save travelers significant time and hassle. It also introduces entirely

till I too can touch, hear and smell what it is to manhandle an overloaded aircraft to unheard-of altitudes in a killer setting.

Our flight school? My living room, amid the sawhorses, the wood shavings, and buckets of paint. Here I learned to kick the rudder, give it the throttle, move into the climb.

To fly The Hump. Thanks to a great teacher, and a great pilot.

Editor’s Note: The book: Hump Pilot: An American Flies the Perilous Himalayas in WWII is scheduled to appear in a new second edition this spring. The article above, “Flying My Father’s War,” appears as an afterword in the new edition.

new logistics capabilities for warfighters including the ability to land on unimproved surfaces, improve safety and reduce cost, power ground operations, and carry out critical logistics transport.

“Electra’s Ultra Short is the unlock for a new era of air travel – what we call

Continued on Page 27

Ned Thomas’s story as a WWII Hump pilot, pictured here with his C-46, comes alive in his daughter’s book.

(Courtesy Nedda R. Thomas)

On

Bay Area Urban Eagles had the exciting opportunity to explore future careers in aviation at the Palo Alto Airport. (Lea Buonocore)

Organizations, including the Federal Aviation Administration, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, were on

TOM YOUNG SHEDS A LIGHT ON THE DRAMATIC OPERATION HALYARD NARRATIVE IN RED BURNING SKY

By Mark Rhodes

Author Tom Young’s Red Burning Sky: A World War II Novel Inspired by the Greatest Aviation Rescue in History (Kensington Publishing) is the meticulously researched, fictional retelling of “Operation Halyard,” which was the code name of a truth-is-strangerthan-fiction Airlift saga operation behind enemy lines conducted by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in 1944.

Author Young’s aviation and military bona fides include serving in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Air National Guard; flying combat missions to Bosnia and Kosovo, as well as missions to Latin America, the horn of Africa, and the Far East. No less accomplished in civilian life, Mr. Young has also served as an editor and writer for the Associated Press and recently retired as an airline captain based at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Young was nice enough to participate in an email interview with In Flight’s Mark Rhodes about Red Burning Sky and his upcoming works.

In Flight USA: What is the origin of your discovering the story about Operation Halyard in late WWII and why do you think the events which inspired Red Burning Sky have been largely overlooked prior to your penning this book?

Tom Young: “I first came across Operation Halyard as I researched WWII operations by the OSS, the Office of Strategic Services. Halyard involved the rescue of more than 500 downed Allied

fliers in Yugoslavia. It was one of the greatest aviation rescues and airlift operations of all time. As an old airlifter myself, I wondered: How did I not know about this? That fired my curiosity to learn more.

“The first question I asked was: “Wait, what were 500 downed American fliers doing on the ground in Yugoslavia to begin with? How did that happen?” The answer: WWII was the first truly mechanized war, and the Allies decided a good way to stop Hitler’s mechanized army was to starve it of fuel. So, the German-run oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania, became an obvious target. And for obvious reasons, they became a heavily DEFENDED target. The Germans defended the refineries ferociously, with anti-aircraft artillery over

the target, and fighter planes around the area. Many Allied bombers went down while trying to strike Ploesti.

“The egress and ingress routes to and from the target took the bombers over Yugoslavia. That’s where many of the crew members bailed out of their damaged airplanes – if they were lucky enough to get out at all. I illustrate these missions – and the bailouts – through one of my point-of-view characters, Lt. Bill Bogdonavich. Which leads to another question: What happened to these guys after they landed?

“The crew members found themselves parachuting, LITERALLY, into a very complicated situation on the ground: a civil war going on in the middle of a world war. At the time in Yugoslavia, you

Electra Secures 2,200 Pre-Orders

Continued from Page 26

Direct Aviation – that is as transformative as it’s practical,” said Marc Allen, CEO of Electra. “Hybrid-electric propulsion enables us to achieve what jet fuel alone can’t do; we’ve created a fixed-wing airplane that delivers the access of a helicopter with 100 times less noise, 70 percent lower cost, improved safety, and dramatically reduced emissions. The response from the global aviation industry has been tremendous. Our customers see the EL9 aircraft as a true game-changer, and they’re using its ultra-short takeoff capabilities to open the door to new routes in areas with space and noise constraints. Together, we’re enabling a fundamental leap forward in advanced air mobility.”

Electra’s Ultra Short technology suite integrates blown lift aerodynamics

with hybrid-electric propulsion to create an aviation platform that would have been impossible a decade ago. It provides increased access, low noise, affordability, and sustainability in one solution that operates with existing infrastructure.

The nine-passenger EL9 delivers up to 3,000 pounds of payload capacity and a range up to 1,100 nautical miles, with in-flight battery recharging that eliminates the need for ground charging infrastructure. The ability to operate from compact spaces and unimproved surfaces including grass fields, parking lots, and repurposed heliports opens new routes and economic opportunities, making regional air mobility for passengers and cargo more affordable and accessible than ever before.

Electra’s most recent customers

include operators seeking the EL9’s advantages in noise reduction, cost efficiency, lower emissions, and improved safety. New customers include: Akansel (Turkey) and Dieng & Co Engineering (Senegal) in partnership with Flow Aero (US/Turkey), Caverton Helicopters (Nigeria), Copenhagen Helicopter and Copenhagen Air Taxi (Denmark), 5 Star Helicopter Tours (US), Global Vectra Helicorp (India), and Helicidade Heilporto (Brazil).

They join Electra’s existing customers, which are incorporating the EL9 into their fleets to lower operational costs and open service to new destinations. This includes: Bristow Group, the world’s leading global provider of vertical flight solutions to government and civil organizations, and Electra’s operational launch

had two main guerrilla groups: The communist-leaning Partisans, led by Josip Broz Tito, and the noncommunist Chetniks, led by Gen. Draza Mihailovich. When these two groups were not fighting Nazis, they were fighting each other.

“Both of these groups aided downed Allied fliers. Serbian farmers and villagers sheltered the fliers anywhere they could: in barns, haylofts, and cellars. I illustrate the relationship between the fliers and the locals through the friendship that develops between Bogdonavich and a young fighter named Vasa. The history of that Yugoslav civil war is complicated, but I hope I brought it to life and made it understandable by letting the reader live it through these characters.

“There wasn’t just one raid on Ploesti; there were many, over a period of months. As more fliers got shot down and their numbers grew into the hundreds, the situation became unsustainable. The villagers must have been running out of places to put these guys. And with that many downed Allied fliers on the ground, it was just a matter of time before the Germans caught on. You can imagine what the Germans would have done to villagers found sheltering downed fliers.

“That’s when the forerunner of the CIA, the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) came up with a plan to parachute agents into Yugoslavia to organize an effort to build dirt airstrips by hand. That would allow C-47s (the military version of the DC-3) to fly in and pick up the downed fliers, then airlift them back to Italy.

Continued on Page 28

Electra’s EL9 Ultra Short hybrid-electric aircraft has secured 2,200 pre-orders. (Courtesy Electra.aero)

partner; leading on-demand private aviation platforms including Indian operators JetSetGo and Blade India, Brazil-based Flapper in Latin America, Germany-based flyv in Europe, Finland-based LYGG in Scandinavia, and U.S. regional airlines JSX and Surf Air.

Learn more about Electra at electra.aero.

Author Tom Young, with a strong military background and extensive research, has written Red Burning Sky, a fictional account of “Operation Halyard.” (Photo courtesy Tom Young)

Tom Young Sheds a Light on the Dramatic Operation Halyard

Continued from Page 27

“They actually pulled it off. The guerrillas, villagers, and fliers built airstrips with nothing more than axes, shovels, and hoes. Then, over a period of months, C-47s flew in and airlifted the fliers. I put the reader in the cockpit of one of those C-47s through another point-of-view character, Lt. Drew Carlton. He faces the challenge of flying through a combat zone to slam down a C47 on a short dirt strip at night. Like any pilot who’s honest with himself, he wonders if he can handle it.

THESE PILOTS HAD NO ROOM FOR ERROR. If even one pilot had crashed a C-47 on one of those short dirt airstrips, the resulting fire would have alerted the Germans. This mission would be challenging even now, with C-130s and night vision goggles. But the fliers of Operation Halyard pulled it off with 1940s technology, sometimes landing at night on a runway lit by nothing but burning hay bales. They didn’t get the memo that this was impossible – so they just went and did it.

“THEY LEFT NO ONE BEHIND. The mission was a complete success.

“So why haven’t we heard more about this? You would think something so successful would have been splashed all over Life Magazine and reported in the newsreels. The mission was kept secret during the war for operational security. But even after the war, the mission remained under wraps because of diplomatic and political sensitivities. The Soviets had been our allies against the Nazis, so perhaps the U.S. didn’t want to make a big deal of working so closely with the noncommunist group that was fighting against the Soviet-favored Partisans. I go into more detail on the political background in the historical notes at the end of the novel.”

IF USA: Is there anything particularly challenging about writing military fiction set in WW II that sets it apart from writing about more contemporary military events set in say modern day Afghanistan?

TY: “The biggest difference involves understanding the technology. When I was writing military thrillers set in the present day, I could rely somewhat on my own training and experience. Not so, of course, with stories about C-47s and B-24s. I try to make the WWII novels as accurate as possible – while realizing there will always be someone who knows more about Liberator bombers or M-1 rifles than I do.

“One big help, believe it or not, is YouTube. History buffs have uploaded

scores of WWII training films on everything from how to fly a C-47 to how to field strip an M-1. Back then, the War Department enlisted A-list Hollywood talent in producing those films, and they’re excellent. They’re as good as or better than any training film I saw during my time in the military – except they’re black-and-white instead of color. They provide a lot of granular detail on how soldiers and aviators did things back then – stuff like: ‘Hold the throttles forward on the C-47 during the takeoff run so vibration doesn’t make them creep back.’ That’s a gold mine for a writer.

“But with all that said, I try to use a light touch with the technical details. You don’t want to turn off non-pilots. I once heard some good advice about writing technical stuff in novels: ‘Let the reader overhear what they’re doing.’”

IF USA: Along those lines, with all of your aviation and military experience do you find it easy or challenging writing about the experience of wartime and wartime aviation?

TY: “The easy part is how some things never change: the camaraderie among crew members, that nervousness before you take off on a dangerous mission, and how once you’re airborne, you become so busy you don’t have time to get scared. The hard part is conveying the emotions involved with violent death, terrible injuries, and the loss of friends. To be sure, my own wartime experience was relatively easy. I never got hurt and I never lost someone close to me – but I saw enough to understand the cost. I remember riding as a passenger once in the back of a C-17, and across from me there was a young soldier who’d been grievously injured by an IED. He had a CCAT (Critical Care Air Transport) team taking care of him. He was hooked up to tubes and heavily sedated, and for hours, he never moved. I remember thinking, ‘This kid is half my age. Will he make it? And why him and not me?’ I had similar thoughts on several flights in the C-5 when we brought home the fallen in flagdraped transfer cases.

“My characters in Red Burning Sky face the same questions: Will I be afraid? Will I let down my crew? Why did that guy die and not me?

IF USA: With regard to the main characters in the book, are there any of them based on real participants in Operation Halyard?

TY: “None of the fliers in the novel are based directly on real people. However, the character of a young guerrilla fighter named Vasa was based on someone I knew. At UNC-Chapel Hill, I

had a literature professor named Dr. Vasa Mihailovich. (No relation to General Mihailovich; that’s a common Serbian family name.) In his teenage years, the future Dr. Mihailovich fought against Nazis and Communists at the same time. When his side lost the Yugoslav civil war, he had to flee. He spent five years in refugee camps in Italy and Germany. Finally, he made his way to the U.S. and went to work on a Chrysler assembly line. While working for Chrysler, he paid his way through college and graduate school, and became a respected scholar of Russian and East European literature. Dr. Mihailovich also became an avid basketball fan. Imagine his journey: from fighting for his life in the hills of Serbia to cheering for the Tar Heels in Carmichael Auditorium. He was not a soldier by nature. He wrote poetry and did English translations of Serbian literature. He also marched for civil rights. He was a gentle, kind man who liked nothing better than sitting by the fire with a good book. But in his youth, he picked up a weapon and did what he had to do. I had tremendous respect for that man.

“Speaking of real participants – history surrounds us in surprising ways. To give you an example, I gave a book talk in Chicago, and in the audience were a brother and sister whose father had been rescued by Operation Halyard. Then I gave a book talk in North Carolina, and there was a woman whose grandfather had been a radio operator on one of the rescue C-47s.”

IF USA: There is of course a rich tradition of military procedural historical fiction with greats such as Frederic Forsyth and Cornelius Ryan. Have any authors in this vein inspired your work?

TY: “Absolutely. Some of my favorite World War II novels include The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer, The Thin Red Line by James Jones, and The Winds of War by Herman Wouk. I’ve also been fascinating by the literature from the Vietnam War, such as The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, The Thirteenth Valley by John Del Vecchio, and Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. My American Legion post has a number of Vietnam veterans. When those guys start telling their stories, I’m on the edge of my seat.

“War poetry also fascinates me. (I’m completely incapable of writing poetry, but I like to read it.) Some of the most poignant war poetry includes ‘Before the Battle,’ by Siegfried Sassoon (WWI); ‘The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner’ and ‘Losses,’ by Randall Jarrell (WWII),

and ‘The Hurt Locker,’ ‘Ashbah,’ and ‘Here, Bullet,’ by Brian Turner (Iraq). The literary tradition of the warrior-poet goes back centuries.

“In my own writing, I hope to combine the technical accuracy of novelists such as Tom Clancy with the emotional closeness you find in some of that war poetry.”

IF USA: Lastly, what are you working on at present?

TY: “Thanks for asking. I have another World War II novel coming out on July 22, titled The Mapmaker. It’s set within the French Resistance and the air operations that supported it. Based on actual events, the story follows a FrenchAmerican Resistance agent who has critical targeting information for the Allies. She needs to get a flight out of France before the Nazis drag her into an interrogation chamber. Her deliverance depends on a French pilot with a death wish who flies for a British RAF Special Duties Squadron. Eventually, the action swings to the Mediterranean theater and the photoreconnaissance missions that supported the Allies. These ops in specially modified (and unarmed) P-38 Lightnings led directly to the U-2 Dragon Lady and SR71 Blackbird spy missions of later years.”

IF USA: Thank you very much.

For more on Tom Young and his 11 books, see his website www.tomyoung books.com. Red Burning Sky: A World War II Novel Inspired by the Greatest Aviation Rescue in History is available at major bookstores, Amazon, Kensington Books Publishing (www.kensington books.com) and links through Mr. Young’s website (tomyoungbooks.com).

OODIES

One of the truly great things about being an aviation buff is the number of “Goodies and Gadgets” available to play with. Here In Flight USA has collected a few new ones worthy of your consideration.

AND AND

ADGETS

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. has been the supplier that aircraft builders, owners, pilots, and aviation businesses have depended on since 1965. They carry a wide selection of aircraft parts, building materials, avionics, and pilot supplies, all of which are offered on their website (www.aircraftspruce.com) and in the famous Aircraft Spruce catalog, now over 1,000-pages available for download or for free in print. You can depend on Aircraft Spruce for prompt shipping and competitive pricing on all orders.

GEARING UP FOR AIRVENTURE… IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS

Spring is in the air and summer is on her tail… which means, of course, AirVenture! Aircraft Spruce will be there, July 21-27, and if you’re going or just preparing for late spring and summer flying, remember the details… good cleaning solutions, tools to get the job done and even a little flying refresher lesson or two makes for safe and fun piloting.

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Happy spring flying!

Griplockties Rubber-Lined, Releasable Ties - 48 Pack

GripLockTies rubberlined, releasable ties offer superior grip, vibration dampening, and non-slip performance.

Unlike traditional zip ties, they won’t damage wires or surfaces and can be adjusted or reused multiple times. Ideal for automotive, aerospace, and industrial applications, GripLockTies provide a stronger, smarter, and more secure hold.

The 48-pack ties coming in orange or blue and in three lengths: 5-inch for $15.99; 8-inch for $19.99 each; or 12inch for $23.99 each.

Aeroplex Aeroguard Acrylic & Plastic Cleaner - 16 Oz. Can

AeroGuard is the ultimate solution to clean, polish, and protect clear and colored plastics and acrylics, expertly designed for demanding applications in aviation, automotive, and other high-performance industries. This advanced formula not only restores surfaces to a pristine, polished finish but also leaves a pro-

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Engineered to fill and smooth microabrasions and pores, AeroGuard reduces imperfections while enhancing clarity and shine. Its safe, alcohol-free formula outperforms competitors by avoiding harmful chemicals like ethanol, alcohol, or ammonia, making it gentle yet highly effective for even the most sensitive materials.

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Each 16-ounce can sells for $24.95. The product is also available in a case of 12 for $296.95.

Safety Lock Wire Twisting Pliers

form and groundbreaking new technologies to make flying safer. Kanari smart alert technology built right into the headset provides protection by measuring cabin carbon monoxide levels, helping to keep you and your passengers alert and safe with audible warnings. The free Lightspeed App allows you to also check the CO sensor data visually during flight and review your full history later. The Delta Zulu also introduces a built-in audio equalization system called HearingEQity that ensures crystal clear flight communication. Through an automated 12-frequency hearing test that can be taken through the Lightspeed App, HearingEQity sets the hearing level in each ear of your headset to create your individual hearing profile to compensate for any hearing variations between ears.

unforgettable presentation techniques.

In Proficient Flying Barry Schiff uses these educational skills to help pilots visualize techniques and procedures that can make them safer pilots. He brings critical subjects to life in this DVD series with more than 4 hours of instruction. Schiff’s knack for guiding pilots through intricate aspects of flying makes these lessons invaluable and memorable, giving viewers true insight and understanding of the subjects presented.

As previously seen on Wide World of Flying, this 3-disk series includes:

Disk 1

•Introduction

•Takeoff Techniques

•Understanding Spins

•Engine Failure After Takeoff

•Control Failure

•Weight and Balance

•Measuring Airspeed

Disk 2

•Rejected Takeoffs and Landings

•Slips

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Lightspeed Delta Zulu Anr Headset With Bluetooth

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Safety: Lightspeed’s designers and engineers collaborated with a team of highly qualified flight and safety experts to develop a revolutionary digital plat-

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•How to Glide

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•Flying a Taildragger

•Accident Tracking

Disk 3

•Ditching

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Look for Aircraft Spruce at the following events:

• May 3-4, 2025 – Great Alaska Aviation Gathering, Palmer, AK, Raven Hall Booths 74 and 75.

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• Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 – Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association Show, Scottsdale, AZ.

• Oct. 14-16 – National Buxiness Aviation Association (NBAA) Convention, Las Vegas, NV.

• Nov. 17-20 – NAAA AG Aviation Expo, Reno, NV.

EAAAirVenture2025

AIRVENTURE 2025 MASS ARRIVAL SCHEDULE SET

Again in 2025, a number of aircraft type groups will be arriving at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh together, continuing a tradition that has been part of Oshkosh for many years. These arrivals are organized by individual groups in consultation with the FAA and are part of a unique tradition at the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.

This year, the mass arrival schedule is as follows (all times Central):

Saturday, July 19

•Mooneys - 10 a.m.

•Bonanzas - 1 p.m.

•Cessnas - 5 p.m.

Sunday, July 20

•Cirrus - 10 a.m.

•Cherokees - Noon

These mass arrivals take 10-20 minutes each, with other arrivals on hold during those periods. Other aircraft should be aware of these dates and times, and

plan their Oshkosh arrivals accordingly. Additional Oshkosh arrival information will be available in the FAA NOTAM for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, which will be released in May by the FAA. Find updates and more information at eaa.org/airventure.

AIR LEGENDS FOUNDATION BRINGING ‘FLIGHT OF THE C ATS’ TO EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH 2025

Four legendary fighter aircraft produced by Grumman will be among the highlights of the warbirds gathering and air shows during at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 on July 21-27. The 72nd edition of the annual Experimental Aircraft Association fly-in convention will be held at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The Air Legends Foundation will bring the four Grumman aircraft – the F4F-3 Wildcat, F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, and F8F Bearcat – to Oshkosh for AirVenture week. During various times, the airplanes will be parked on Boeing Plaza, showcased in the EAA Warbirds of America area, and flown during the daily afternoon air shows as the “Flight of the Cats.” Exact dates and times of those appearances will be announced as they are finalized.

“This unmatched collection from the Air Legends Foundation matches perfectly with AirVenture’s emphasis on aviation technology during the period extending from World War II to the Korean Conflict,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “To have all of them at Oshkosh and in the air at the same time will undoubtedly be one of those ‘Only at Oshkosh’ moments for which AirVenture is famous.”

Each of the Grumman aircraft participating has a unique place in American military aviation history:

•F4F-3 Wildcat – This aircraft entered service in 1940, also known as the Martlet in the British Navy. It had an outstanding combination of durability, maneuverability, armament, and range

•F6F Hellcat – This replaced the Wildcat and was designed to match the Japanese Zero fighter airplanes. It was the U.S. Navy’s dominant carrier-based fighter during the second half of World War II

•F7F Tigercat – This heavy fighter aircraft was the first twin-engine fighter deployed by the U.S. Navy and served from the end of World War II until 1954

•F8F Bearcat – Grumman’s last piston-engine fighter aircraft, it was introduced at the end of World War II and served both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps throughout the middle part of the 20th Century

The “Flight of the Cats” is part of the world’s largest annual gathering of vintage warbird aircraft that takes place during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is “The

Four legendary Grumman fighter aircraft to fly in AirVenture air shows July 21-27. (Courtesy EAA AirVenture)

World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration” and EAA’s membership convention. Additional information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available at www.EAA.org/airventure. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800564-6322) or visit www.EAA.org.

U.S. AIR FORCE TO BRING ICONIC U-2 DRAGON L ADY TO AIRVENTURE 2025

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 will feature one of the most popular intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, as the U.S. Air Force plans to bring a Lockheed U-2 from Beale Air Force Base in California. The 72nd edition of EAA’s annual fly-in convention is July 21-27 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

“The U-2 continues to play a vital role in ISR operations for the United States and remains an iconic aircraft among the Air Force fleet,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “We welcome the crew to Oshkosh and appreciate the opportunity to have

one on display at EAA AirVenture.”

The aircraft will be on display all week to commemorate the U-2’s 70th anniversary, having first flown on August 1, 1955. Nicknamed Dragon Lady, the U2 served as a major upgrade to the United

States’ reconnaissance capabilities after World War II. The U.S. has used U-2s all over the world including during operations in the Soviet Union, Korea, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The aircraft can reach altitudes greater than 70,000 feet

with a cruise speed of 470 miles per hour.

While the U-2 is a single-seat aircraft, it often requires a team effort to land due to the reduced forward visibility and bicycle-type landing gear. A second U-2 pilot follows the aircraft in a highperformance chase car during landing. The two pilots communicate via radio to ensure a successful landing.

Arriving alongside the U-2 will be a T38 Talon, a supersonic jet trainer that serves a variety of roles in Air Force pilot training. The aircraft is primarily used by the Air Education and Training Command to prepare pilots for frontline fighter and bomber aircraft. The T-38 boasts an impressive amount of power with the ability to reach speeds greater than 800 miles per hour.

Mass arrivals to AirVenture are slated for Saturday and Sunday, July 19-20.

(Courtesy EAA AirVenture)

The U.S. Air Force plans to bring a Lockheed U-2 from Beale Air Force Base in California to AirVenture this summer. (Courtesy EAA AirVenture)

EAA AIRVENTURE CUP RACE APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE

Applications to enter the 2025 EAA AirVenture Cup Race are now available online. This year is the 27th race! The annual AirVenture Cup Race begins at 9 a.m. CDT on July 20, when more than 80 aircraft are expected to travel the course of more than 400 nautical miles. The round-robin course starts and ends in Wausau, Wisconsin.

The race is open to all types of airplanes, including certified and experimental aircraft, and a lot of the innovation happens with the experimental racers seeking to outdo themselves each year in the quest for more speed.

The race concludes a weekend of aviation activities at Wausau Downtown Airport, and the race serves as the unofficial kickoff to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

The EAA AirVenture Cup Race pro-

vides pilots and aircraft builders an opportunity to race their aircraft in a safe and fun environment, all while promoting aviation in and over the communities where the races are held. The first race in 1998 started in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, with 10 aircraft and has grown to the major aviation event it is today, drawing thousands of spectators.

The AirVenture Cup Race is a timed race, with participants competing against the clock. Aircraft and pilots are divided into categories based on their certification, landing gear configuration, and engine size. Each class has first, second, and third place awards. All event activities are weather dependent.

Interested participants are encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible. To learn more about the race

EAA AirVenture Cup Race is set for July 20, when more than 80 aircraft are expected to travel the course of more than 400 nautical miles.

(Courtesy EAA AirVenture)

and to access a race application, visit the EAA AirVenture Cup Race website at AirVentureCupRace.com or directly at https://www.airventurecuprace.com/hom e/27th-airventure-cup-race/

More Information About the AirVenture Cup

More than just a cross-country race, the AirVenture Cup is a weekend of fun-filled aviation activity. Starting on Friday, July 18, racers arriving early traditionally gather at a to-beannounced location for an informal meet-and-greet. Attendees beware: the racing stories are like fishing stories, the speeds get faster as the night goes on!

On Saturday, July 19, the race will host an Airport Open House at the Wausau Downtown Airport. People from the local community and

Continued on Page 34

AIR LEGENDS FOUNDATION LOCKHEED CONSTELLATION C-121A

RETURNS TO EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH IN 2025

The Lockheed Constellation, regarded as one of most beautiful airliner designs ever created, will return to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2025 for display throughout the entire week. The 72nd edition of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual fly-in convention is July 21-27 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The aircraft, a C-121A model that is part of the Rod Lewis collection, is owned and maintained by the Air Legends Foundation of San Antonio, Texas, and is in military markings that reflect its time as a military transport. The airplane, named Bataan, will be displayed on AirVenture’s Boeing Plaza showcase ramp during the week.

“The rarity of flying Lockheed Constellations, along with its unforgettable triple-tail design, makes this aircraft a favorite whenever it appears at Oshkosh,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “We appreciate the work of the Air Legends Foundation to bring this ‘Connie’ back to flying status and bring it to EAA AirVenture.”

Bataan was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in January 1949 to operate within the Military Air Transport Service. After being used during the Berlin Airlift to transport personnel and equipment, Bataan was converted into a VIP transport. During the

Korean War, it was used as the personal transport of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who gave it its nickname. Retired in 1965, Bataan was pulled from the boneyard by NASA in support of the Apollo program before it was decommissioned in 1970.

From 1970 to 1992, the airplane resided at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum before Ed Maloney of the Planes of Fame Air Museum secured it. From 1995 to 2016, Bataan resided at Planes of Fame’s auxiliary location at Valle Airport in Arizona.

Air Legends Foundation acquired the airplane in 2015, with it being flown to Chino, California, in 2016 for restoration work, which was performed by Fighter Rebuilders. The Constellation made its

This Lockheed Constellation, named Bataan, will be displayed on AirVenture’s Boeing Plaza showcase ramp during AirVenture week, July 21-27.

(Courtesy EAA AirVenture)

first postrestoration flight in June 2023 and made its inaugural Oshkosh visit a month later. Afterward, Bataan then went to Aerometal International for its historic interior finish.

AVIATION INNOVATION OF KOREAN WAR ERA TO BE HIGHLIGHTED AT AIRVENTURE 2025

The aviation innovation and technology of the Korean War era, which this year marks 75 years since it’s beginning, will be highlighted at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 on July 21-27. The 72nd edition of EAA’s fly-in convention will be held at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The aircraft on display will showcase the transition from piston-powered aircraft to fighter jets, and will be included in air show demonstrations and on display in Boeing Plaza and in the Warbirds area.

“While legendary World War II aircraft such as the Corsair and P-51

Mustang still were widely flown at the start of the Korean War in 1950, a new age of jets rapidly came to the front lines during that time,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “It marked a permanent change in aviation technology that will be prominent at Oshkosh this year.”

Among the Korean War-era pistonpowered aircraft already committed are the Corsair, P-51 Mustang, B-29 Stratofortress, AD-4 and AD-5W Skyraiders, PB4Y, and L-5. Jet aircraft committed to AirVenture include the P-

80, F-84, MiG-15, MiG-17, and F-86 Sabre. This year also marks the 85th anniversary of the Corsair, the 80th anniversary of the A-1 Skyraider, and the 75th anniversary of the MiG-17.

While elements of these displays will be present throughout AirVenture week, a primary focus will be Wednesday through Friday, July 23-25, that will include air show performances by a variety of these aircraft. In addition, evening programming at EAA’s Theater in the Woods and Fly-In Theater are in development that will correspond to the commemoration of the Korean War’s 75th

Legendary World War II aircraft were widely flown at the start of the Korean War in 1950. Then a new age of jets rapidly came to the front lines initiating a change in aviation technology that will be prominent at AirVenture this year. (Courtesy EAA AirVenture)

anniversary. More details on those programs will be announced as they are finalized at eaa.org/adventure.

AirVenture

Continued from Page 33

surrounding areas will be invited to visit the race pit, view the race planes closeup and talk to competing pilots about the race, the airport, and general aviation.

Race Entry Fee

The Race Entry Fee is $375 for people submitting their application package between May 2, 2025 and June 2, 2025. Included with your race entry fee are the following:

•Participation in the AirVenture Cup

•T-Shirts for the racer and their co-pilot

•Commemorative AirVenture Cup Program

•Airport open house hosted in Wausau, WI

•Pre-Race happy hour and dinner, which is immediately before the race briefing

•One week-long admission to AirVenture in Oshkosh. (An additional admission credential is available at a reduced rate for your co-pilot.)

•Preferred parking in the “Race Corral” on the flight line in Oshkosh

Hotel Information

Jefferson Street Inn

201 Jefferson Street

Wausau, Wisconsin 54403

715-845-6500

*Ask for 2025 AirVenture Cup rate

Sunday, July 20, is race day, launching the whole field of racers in an all out speed run from Wausau to Merrill, WI with intermediate turn points along the way. After finishing and having lunch, most racers will depart to Oshkosh, WI for the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in and convention. AirVenture Cup participants will enjoy parking in the race corral near Homebuilt Headquarters. On Monday night, results will be announced and trophies awarded at the awards ceremony. Racers, volunteers, friends, and family are all invited to celebrate another successful race and the start of a great week at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh!

For more information, including registration through June 2, visit the race website at AirVentureCupRace.com or directly at https://www.airventurecuprace.com/home/ 27th-airventure-cup-race/.

It has been said that the only voluntary act in aviation is the decision to take-off. Every action after take-off involves the skillful management of risk, the enjoyment of flight and a continuous stream of decisions that result in a safe landing.

In 1974, NASA created the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) to allow aviation professionals to share experiences in a frank, non-punitive manner. The ASRS structure allows pilots and other aviation professionals to file an anonymous report of an incident, error or occurrence that the contributor feels might be of value to others. These reports are gathered, analyzed and data based by NASA experts and made available to all interested parties as a tool for creating proactive aviation safety programs. Additionally, NASA distributes an electronic publication, CALLBACK, which contains selected, de-identified, reports on a free subscription basis. In Flight USA is proud to reprint selected reports, exerpted from CALLBACK, for our readers to read, study, occasionally laugh at, and always learn from. Visit http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/ to learn how you can participate in the ASRS program.

A GENERAL AVIATION SNAPSHOT

General Aviation (GA) holds a special niche in the aviation world, boasting a unique signature and spectrum of attributes that reaches far and wide. The range of attributes is, perhaps, larger for GA than for any other segment of aviation. GA pilots have accounted for approximately 53,000 and 16 percent of the reports that ASRS has received over the past three calendar years.

Experience and qualification levels among GA pilots vary greatly. GA aircraft designs and flight characteristics, performance, flight profiles, and mission descriptions are equally diverse. The GA reports that ASRS receives often reveal significant differences and occasionally outliers in flight circumstances, airport facilities, environments and capabilities, aircraft equipment, and navigational techniques.

This month, CALLBACK offers a small sampling of the wide swath of GA reported incidents. All are Part 91 operations, and all bear some distinctive GA marks. Each one, however, reveals human factors and vulnerability to threats while striving for aviation perfection. Appreciate the GA signatures, but also consider the lessons, both general and specific.

Trapping an Error

This 1400-hour CFI described a student misstep not clearly recognized by the instructor. ATC intervened, no injuries or damage occurred, and sound wisdom was indwelled.

• I had a lesson with my student. From an IMSAFE point of view, I did consider not flying. All day, I had been stressed. I realized my stress and emotion put me out of my mind to focus on the lesson. Also, my student would be moving out of the area soon, and [I] wanted to have a lesson with him.… We used an old Cherokee 140. It was a warm day, and performance was not great. I normally carry my flight bag, but to save weight, I just pulled out what I needed. Upon engine start, I found that I did not bring my EFB. I use it to monitor traffic. I then let my student go through [the] checklist while I took another EFB. During the checklist, when the student sets the DG, I

then ask them: Does the heading make sense? Is the runway orientation correct, does the GPS desired track make sense, which way will we turn to taxi and onto [the] runway? Because of the EFB issue, this did not get done. We then got our taxi clearance for an intersection takeoff on Runway XX [from] taxiway 1. This would mean a turn to the right. I was aware for the last several days [that] the active runway was XY, which was a turn to the left, and [to] not get used to a taxi clearance that you normally get. I am aware of [the] issue of turning the wrong way at an intersection takeoff and try to watch this closely. Many times, I will ask the student which way we will need to turn. As we were taxing, it still did not appear that my EFB was operational - but [I] then decided to ignore it because I did not want any further distraction. Technology is great when it is working and a horrible distraction when it is not. We then taxied to, and…were holding short of the runway. At this point there was [a] question about the checklist, so I made us go through the checklist again, starting from engine runup to make sure it was complete and to…emphasize the importance of following the checklist. Unfortunately, when [I] checked the DG I did [not] follow my own rules, and we did not do the orientation sanity check, which would have included which way to turn onto the runway. My student called, and we received a takeoff clearance for runway XX, and as we started moving, ATC told us to do left closed traffic. As we were crossing onto the runway my student asked something about left closed traffic. This was a surprise [to] me, since we had discussed this in [the] past and [it] did not seem to be an issue. I quickly [described] it and used the word left a few times. Because of this, I believe we had left stuck in our minds. He turned left and for some reason I did not pick up on this. We stopped; I had alarm bells going off - something did not seem rightthen ATC cancelled our taxi clearance, and I realized the mistake.

Lessons learned: Even though I was aware of [the] IMSAFE issue, I still found my mind wondering on the plane issues, and I had to bring my mind back to the present. I could have stopped…everything and totally focused

on the technology issue. Either…[get] it addressed or decide to not use it. I could…have told my student…to take off, and…[explain] the closed traffic at…a less critical point in the flight.

Actions to be taken: Even if I get the same taxi clearance every day, I always write it down. I [am] going to amend this process by adding arrows on which way to turn above the hotspot areas, intersections, and turning onto the runway from…[an] intersection takeoff, like how I write down hold short or cross at a runway crossing. Remedial training with an instructor. Discuss how other pilots address this issue. Relay lessons learned to my students.

Juggling All the Balls

A high-time ATP described three demanding situations immediately after takeoff that culminated in an important practical and philosophical lesson about handling priorities.

• On a VFR flight from 7FL6 to ZZZ, I took off on Runway 24, turned to a heading of about 290, and was leveling off at 1000 ft. MSL to stay below the Class C airspace, which starts at 1200 ft. MSL. It was at this moment that the radios, intercom, and GPS all went unpowered, and I entered a cloud of smoke from a wildfire that was burning north of my position. Smelling the smoke and experiencing the avionics failures, I assumed I had an electrical fire. After a few moments, I regained all my avionics when I recycled the Avionics Master Switch. Because my attention was diverted to the problem paired with the reduced flight visibility due to the smoke layer at the same moment, I had begun leveling off, but I inadvertently climbed into the Class C airspace. I believe two or three minutes may have passed before I realized I was in Class C airspace. I then immediately descended below 1200 ft. and I called Daytona Approach and told the Controller what had happened and that the avionics problem seemed to be solved.

Lessons learned: I have been flying for many years and this is the first time I thought that my aircraft was on fire. All of my attention went to getting the perceived fire out instead of staying out of the Class

C. You still have to know where you are and keep other aircraft safe, even though you may have a dire problem to handle.

Bringing Closure to the Situation

Expectation bias during a handoff from Center to CTAF at a non-towered airport led to a surprise for this 3175-hour Bonanza 33 pilot. ATC and colleagues came to the rescue.

• I was on an IFR flight plan from ZZZ1 to ZZZ. Weather at ZZZ was clear and 10, but I elected to do the RNAV XX approach to continue to build proficiency with my GFC500 autopilot. At the FAF…the…Center Controller advised there was one plane observed in the pattern at ZZZ, to cancel IFR in the air or on the ground at ZZZ, and change to the CTAF. I observed the reported aircraft via TIS-B, and transmitted to the ZZZ Controller that I was cancelling IFR and would “squawk 1200.” I thought I heard the ZZZ Controller acknowledge my IFR cancellation (my “Expectation Bias”), and I changed to the CTAF frequency, communicated with the aircraft in the pattern at ZZZ, and continued on the approach. Subsequently, another aircraft came on the CTAF frequency and asked if Aircraft X was on the frequency and stated ZZZ Center had not received my IFR cancellation and did I want them to relay my cancellation. I was surprised…because I thought I’d heard the Controller’s acknowledgement (again, my “Expectation Bias”). I replied in the affirmative to the third aircraft, and a minute later they advised they had successfully relayed my IFR cancellation [to] ZZZ Center.

The two lessons learned are: My focus on a potential traffic conflict allowed an “expectation bias” of the Controller receiving my IFR cancellation. Second, don’t use the phraseology of “Aircraft X is cancelling IFR and squawking 1200.” Instead, only use the phraseology that “Aircraft X is cancelling IFR,” and wait for the Controller’s acknowledgement and instruction to “Squawk 1200” to be sure the Controller did, in fact, receive the IFR cancellation.

Continued on Page 36

BOEING TO SELL PORTIONS OF DIGITAL AVIATION SOLUTIONS TO THOMA BRAVO FOR $10.55 BILLION

Boeing announced on April 22, it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell portions of its Digital Aviation Solutions business, including its Jeppesen, ForeFlight, AerData and OzRunways assets, to Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm. This all-cash transaction is valued at $10.55 billion.

Boeing will retain core digital capabilities that harness both aircraft and fleet-specific data to provide commercial and defense customers with fleet maintenance, diagnostics and repair services. This digital expertise will continue to provide predictive and prognostic maintenance insights.

“This transaction is an important component of our strategy to focus on core businesses, supplement the balance sheet and prioritize the investment grade credit rating,” said Kelly Ortberg, Boeing president and chief executive officer.

“This enables all parts of the digital portfolio to focus on their strengths,” said

Chris Raymond, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Global Services. “Our commitment to meeting our customers’ needs is unwavering as we move forward with our core products and services to support their fleets.”

“We are proud to be investing in such an important technology platform in the broader aerospace and defense industry,” said Holden Spaht, a Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo. “With a heritage dating back to the 1930s, Jeppesen has been at the forefront of technological innovation for nearly a century. We are excited to build on this track record and power its next phase of growth.”

“The business has been through an impressive growth transformation in recent years and has strong momentum,” said Scott Crabill, a Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo. “Thoma Bravo has a long track record of backing leading technology companies in partnership with exist-

ing management. We look forward to supporting the company’s standalone growth objectives through strategic investments, operational best practices and a shared commitment to innovation and long-term value creation.”

Approximately 3,900 employees around the globe work in Boeing’s Digital Aviation Solutions organization, which includes elements of the business remaining within Boeing and those included in the sale. Boeing is working with Thoma Bravo to help ensure as seamless of a transition as possible for employees while continuing to meet the needs of customers in accordance with all obligations.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025 and is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

Citi is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Boeing, and Mayer Brown LLP is acting as outside counsel.

Safe Landings

Continued from Page 35

Owed to a Preflight

A 1450-hour private pilot had a problem on the flight deck in this homebuilt in day VMC. The instructor trapped a second threat, and the pilot later detected the source of the problem.

• This was a training flight. The subject airplane took off from ZZZ and headed…south. When [we] overflew CHD at 3,200 ft. MSL, both the pilot and instructor, who [was] seated in the back seat, smelled gasoline. The pilot decided to return to ZZZ. During turning to the north, heading 020, the pilot was occupied by the gas leakage and did not maintain the altitude above CHD Class D ceiling (3,000 ft. MSL). The…airplane descended to 2,900 ft. MSL for a few sec-

Boeing announced on April 22, it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell portions of its Digital Aviation Solutions business, including its Jeppesen and ForeFlight, to Thoma Bravo.

(Courtesy ForeFlight)

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal counsel to Thoma Bravo.

Learn more about Boeing at boeing.com and for more information about Thoma Bravo, visit thomabravo.com.

onds. The instructor immediately warned the pilot regarding 3,000 ft. MSL for CHD Class D ceiling. The pilot applied full power and…climbed to 3,200 ft. MSL. Total time period for violating CHD Class D airspace was…around 15 seconds. After landing [at] ZZZ, the pilot found the gasoline…smell was…coming from the right wing-tank. The vent tube of the fuel tank cap was pointed to the rear. The correct position of the vent tube should be pointed to the front. The pilot fueled up the fuel tank prior to the flight. It was a pilot’s negligent of not correctly…tightening the fuel cap.

Lessons learned: 1) When encountering difficulty in a flight, the pilot in command should first “fly the airplane.” 2) The pilot in command must get familiar with the airplane.

ARCHER UNVEILS VISION FOR NEW YORK AIR TAXI NETWORK, INCLUDING ROUTES BETWEEN MANHATTAN AND NEARBY AIRPORTS

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNITED AIRLINES

Archer unveiled plans on April 17 for a proposed New York City air taxi network in partnership with United Airlines, aiming to transform how New York residents and visitors move around the region.

Archer’s goal is to enable passengers to travel from Manhattan to nearby airports in just 5-15 minutes using Midnight, dramatically reducing travel times compared to traditional ground transportation and helping avoid the city's notorious traffic.

Midnight is Archer’s piloted electric air tax designed to carry up to four passengers while producing less noise and

emissions than a traditional helicopter. Midnight is built with redundant systems across the aircraft — including 12 total engines and propellers — allowing Archer to target similar levels of safety as commercial airliners. Archer is building Midnight in America at manufacturing facilities in San Jose, Calif. and Covington, Georgia.

Archer will look to utilize existing aviation properties around the region, with a goal of establishing vertiports associated with airports and helipads in the area.

Archer is continuing to work with the FAA to seek Type Certification of its

Midnight aircraft. Once Type Certification is received, Archer and its operating partners plan to safely and seamlessly integrate Midnight into service, beginning with major airports like those in the New York City area. Archer received its FAA Part 135 Air Carrier and Operator Certificate in June 2024.

Under this concept of operations, passengers would book Archer flights as a compliment to traditional airline travel, reducing door-to-door travel times. United previously placed an order for a fleet of Archer’s Midnight aircraft and has remained a long-time investor in the company.

Archer’s Midnight next to a United Airlines jet as Archer partners with United to transform air transportation around the New York region.

(Courtesy Archer)

Continued on Page 38

RIVETS, WINGS, AND DREAMS: A NEW GENERATION OF AVIATORS IN THE MAKING

By Rosalyn Kahn,

In Flight USA Writer

At a bustling hangar at Whiteman Airport in the San Fernando Valley of southern California, I recently witnessed the passion and precision of a new generation of aviators — students working tirelessly to not only fly planes but to build them from the ground up. Among them were Eric, Y Kshan, Jaden, and Jake, all deeply focused on their respective tasks as they worked on the Zenith 750 Cruzer, an experimental homebuilt aircraft. They were all participants at an EAA’s STEM Youth Build Program workshop, hosted by Chapter 40 of San Fernando Valley.

Each step of the way, these students were learning how every single component of the plane, from rivets to wings, had to pass meticulous inspections before it could touch the skies. Eric was putting together a tail section with great care. Y Kshan was wiring the electrical systems, while Jaden worked on sanding and preparing parts for painting. Jake was immersed in understanding the fuel systems and how every part must function flawlessly for the plane to fly.

As I spoke with them, I could see how much they valued the responsibility of not just being future pilots, but builders and engineers, learning the intricate art of aircraft construction.

In this program, the students’ dedication was matched by inspiring stories of their mentors. Chris Hannon, an 18year-old student with a scholarship to the University of Oklahoma, started with

Telling the Stories of Dreamers, Builders, and Doers

nothing but a basic frame and worked his way up to designing wings. His journey in aviation began three years ago, and now, he’s well on his way to making his mark.

Aswin spent the past 18 months honing his skills and is now an expert at building wings from scratch. Along the way, he learned the importance of safety and collaboration, and how nothing is ever built alone. Jake Bond, at just 16, is already mastering complex systems like fuel lines and pressure gauges. His dream of becoming a pilot is becoming a reality as he continues to dive deeper into the world of aviation.

I was fortunate to meet David Kolstad, a veteran in the world of aviation who has been building planes since 1982. He showed me a model of a VariEze plane that he had built, which once garnered the attention of the Smithsonian. The plane, a unique canard configuration, was an innovative design by Burt Rutan, and David has owned one of only a few ever made since 1982. His journey into aviation was filled with challenges, but his love for flying and his ingenuity led him to build aircraft that had real staying power.

In the midst of all this, I also learned from Mario Corado, an AMP-certified expert in aviation, the importance of detail and precision — how even a single mistake, like a poorly placed rivet, could lead to serious consequences. Mario said this program instills that attention to detail, reinforcing the importance of quality control at every step of the process.

As I wrapped up my visit, Clyde

David Kolstad’s VeriEze homebuilt plane in flight. (Photo credit: Rosalyn Kahn)

Carpenter, from EAA Chapter 40 of San Fernando Valley, Calif., who oversees the Youth Build program, proudly shared that their group of students has grown from 80 to 160 in just a few years. This expansion speaks to the incredible enthusiasm and commitment of the next generation of aviators, eager to take flight in both their education and careers.

Finally, Hal Bond, a seasoned veteran of the aviation world, summed up the importance of this program. He reminded everyone how far aviation has come and how it continues to evolve. The future of flight is in the hands of these young builders, dreamers, and doers.

By the end of the day, I saw more than just a group of students learning to build planes. I saw a new generation of aviators, each of them building not only aircraft but also their futures — one rivet at a time.

To learn more about the EAA’s Youth Build program and Young Eagle activities, visit eaa.org and for specific information about Chapter 40 in San Fernando Valley, visit eaachapter40.com.

At a busy hangar at Whiteman Airport, students have an opportunity to learn airplane craftsmanship through hands-on activities. (Photo by Rosalyn Kahn)

Students at an EAA STEM Youth Build Program learned precision and attention to detail are very important, noting that even a single mistake, like a poorly placed rivet, could lead to serious consequences. (Photo by

Archer Unveils Vision for New York Air Taxi Network

Continued from Page 37

Archer is working closely with existing infrastructure partners, including Atlantic Aviation, Signature Aviation and Skyports/GroupeADP, as well as new partners Modern Aviation and Air Pegasus, to develop and electrify aviation assets in this proposed network.

Archer previously announced air taxi networks in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Adam Goldstein, CEO and Founder of Archer said, “The New York region is home to three of the world’s preeminent airports, serving upwards of 150 million passengers annually. But the drive from Manhattan to any of these airports can be

painful, taking one, sometimes two hours. We want to change that by giving residents and visitors the option to complete trips in mere minutes. With its existing helicopter infrastructure, regulatory support and strong demand, I believe New York could be one of the first markets for air taxis in the United States.”

“At United, our focus is on driving innovation, reimaging the future of air travel and enhancing the customer experience every step of the journey,” said Andrew Chang, Head of United Airlines Ventures, “Our strategic collaboration with Archer will be key to our efforts to build and optimize the infrastructure –such as real estate development, air space

management, and safety and security protocols – necessary to bring advanced air mobility to our customers.”

“The Port Authority is excited to help explore the possibility of a new wave of air mobility in the New York and New Jersey region,” said PANYNJ Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We look forward to continued collaboration with Archer, other OEMs, operators and partners across the ecosystem to responsibly explore how this new technology can be safely integrated into the region’s broader transportation network and ensure our airports are ready to support safe and efficient operations.”

"New York City is ushering in an

exciting new chapter of safe, quiet, and sustainable air transportation, pioneering the integration of eVTOL aircraft into our skies,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “We look forward to partnering with Archer and other leading eVTOL companies to propel this industry forward, facilitating the transition to eVTOLs and last-mile Blue Highways delivery ¬– cleaning up our skies, unclogging our roadways, and improving the lives of New Yorkers in the process.”

To learn more about Archer visit www.archer.com.

Rosalyn Kahn)

Students at EAA’s STEM Youth Build Program have access to all the tools needed to build an aircraft. (Photo by Rosalyn Kahn)

USS GERALD R. FORD TRAINING FOR SECOND DEPLOYMENT

By Mike Heilman

The United States Navy’s largest and newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) began its final phase of training for its second overseas deployment. The USS Ford and its Strike Group participated in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) in preparation of the Strike Group’s planned deployment later this summer. “We are out here in our COMPTUEX advanced training,” explained Rear Adm. Paul Lanzilotta, Commander Carrier Strike Group 12. “It’s our integrated training exercises that’s world-class training for the entire carrier strike group. It’s not just the carrier out here, it is the carrier air wing out here with the nine squadrons aboard.”

“The Composite training exercise is our capstone training,” he continued. “It’s our integrated training, our highlevel training with all the players. How we are positioning ourselves to surge when needed. When we finish with this exercise, we are certified and ready to go on deployment. Then it’s up to the Joint Forces and Secretary of Defense as to whether or not if he wants to use us as a deployed asset early or on-time,” explained Rear Adm. Lanzilotta.

“One of the things naval forces bring to the table is that we are very flexible. One of these ships can reposition 700plus miles in 24 hours, that’s a lot more difficult to do with other large force elements in the joint forces. It’s one of the things we take a lot of pride in as a naval

force and carrier strike group. The planed deployment is in the coming months but with the rest of things going on in the world we bring the Secretary of Defense and President of the United States options for potential going sooner and our sailors have that mindset every single

training exercise.

day,” said Rear Adm. Lanzilotta. Capt. Richard Burgess, Commanding Officer of the USS Ford, explains the importance of the training: “I was the captain for the last deployment, as well, and after a successful deployment we really took a look at what we could do to improve the ship and make upgrades. We are working on that synchronicity that is required and that is what is at the heart of COMPTUEX. This is a rehearsal, and we are going to get it right for this next deployment.” Capt. Burgess continued, “The ship’s sole focus is completing COMPTUEX and being certified for deployment. We are laser focused with all the changes in the world that have

Continued on Page 45

FAA’S ROTORCRAFT SAFETY ROUNDTABLE REVIEW

The tragic Jan. 29 midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport exposed hazards from the mix of helicopters and fixed-winged aircraft in the surrounding airspace. FAA took swift action by permanently restricting nonessential helicopter operations and eliminating helicopter and fixed-wing mixed traffic around the airport.

FAA officials also began analyzing other “hotspot” airports that have charted helicopter routes and nearby airplane traffic, as well as the Gulf of America, including offshore helicopter operations. This work is well underway. FAA is using machine learning and language modeling to scan incident reports and mine multiple data sources to find themes and areas of risk.

Their initial focus is on Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas because FAA’s analysis found several immediate issues.

For example, the agreements with local helicopter operators require them to avoid arrival and departure corridors that lack defined vertical or lateral measurements. And tower controllers do not issue traffic advisories between returning air

tour helicopters and arriving or departing airplanes, resulting in a routine lack of compliance with Class B separation rules, according to FAA analysis.

FAA states the agency took quick action including exercising positive control over the helicopters and issuing more traffic advisories to pilots. As a result, the number of traffic alert and collision avoidance system reports decreased by 30 percent in just three weeks.

The agency is planning additional actions around Las Vegas, and as FAA officials identify issues around other airports, they will take any immediate action necessary in those locations, too.

With regard to mixed traffic, it’s not just helicopters and airplanes. It’s also different types of operations. For example, faster and slower moving airplanes, and airplanes flying into and out of multiple, closely spaced airports.

That’s why FAA officials are also looking at the traffic flows around Hollywood Burbank Airport and Van Nuys Airport in the Los Angeles area. They’re less than 10 miles apart, each serve a wide mix of aircraft, and they have closely spaced arrival and departure paths.

FAA discussed some of the safety work they are doing around these “hotspot” airports during the rotorcraft safety roundtable held on April 22. This roundtable included FAA subject matter experts and representatives from rotorcraft associations, safety organizations as well as rotorcraft operators.

But while the recent public focus has been on interactions between helicopters and airplanes, the core rotorcraft safety issues remain operations and maintenance. The top causes of accidents are loss of control, striking an object during low-altitude operations, and both unintentional and intentional flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions.

FAA officials asked participants to propose safety improvements and they delivered. Suggestions included: more FAA involvement in sponsoring peer pilot programs to encourage greater participation; ensure FAA inspectors are trained consistently in applying the Safety Management System (SMS) rule; FAA-industry partnerships to improve SMS outreach; increased use of aircraft technology and simulation; evaluate how the FAA approves training simulators;

Fernando Ballego’s airspace map indicates that crowded skies can lead to hazards, as indicated by recent tragic events and prompting FAA officials also began analyzing “hotspot” airports that have charted helicopter routes and nearby airplane traffic. (Fernando Ballejo, from Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina, courtesy Swansea University)

expansion of the FAA’s weather camera system; and expand Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) routes that allow helicopters to safely navigate at lower altitudes.

Forums like this are important because safety is a collective effort, a shared responsibility, states the FAA. Forums provide the FAA and stakeholders a unique opportunity to get together,

Continnued on Page 43

An F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-31 “Tomcatters” is waved off during a landing attempt aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford. (Mike Heilman)

An F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-31 “Tomcatters” returns to the USS Gerald R. Ford after completing a mission during the ship’s COMPTUEX

(Mike Heilman)

AOPA’S AIR SAFETY INSTITUTE RELEASES NEW ACCIDENT C ASE

S TUDY:

FAIR WEATHER FLIER

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute (ASI) has released a new episode of its popular Accident Case Study video series.

The latest video, Accident Case Study: Fair Weather Flier, recreates the tragic events that led a non-instrumentrated pilot to fly into a line of thunderstorms and crash, killing himself and his wife on board.

“This is an accident type we see all too often,” said AOPA’s ASI Senior Vice President Mike Ginter. “The pilot flew into clearly deteriorating weather conditions, untrained and unprepared to deal with them.”

“Spatial disorientation that leads to loss of aircraft control is one of the leading causes of fatal general aviation accidents,” Ginter continued. “Self-imposed pressure to get home for a meeting added to this pilot’s poor decision-making, and the tragic outcome of the flight.

“But it’s important to remember that accidents like this have never been more avoidable because of the tools we have, both in the cockpit and on the ground,” Ginter added. “What hasn’t changed is that pilots must interpret and use that information correctly to make good decisions.”

While the specifics of this accident are unique, the underlying factors – like overconfidence, lack of weather planning, and “get-there-itis” – are common across general aviation. This case was chosen because it reflects mistakes any

The latest ASI video, Accident Case Study: Fair Weather Flier, recreates the tragic events that led a non-instrumentrated pilot to fly into a line of thunderstorms and crash. The video is available at aopa.com and on YouTube.

pilot could make, regardless of experience. It’s a reminder that sound decisionmaking, especially when weather is involved, is critical every time we fly.

ASI Accident Case Studies use FAA air traffic control radio communication transcripts, National Transportation Safety Board documentation, and video animation to recreate the dynamics, and track each accident’s chain of events. The videos share critical lessons to help pilots recognize and avoid similar mistakes.

Video Sponsored by Sporty’s. View the accident case study at AOPA’s website, aopa.org, or directly at https:// www.aopa.org/training-andsafety/online-learning/accident-casestudies/fair-weather-flier. It is also accessible on YouTube: https://www.youtube .com/watch?v=oZ_Rhy1X6PA.

FAA’s Rotorcraft Safety

Continnued on Page 43

share ideas, and come up with critical steps to reduce risk and make the skies and runways safer for everyone. FAA held one in March for general and business aviation, and will hold one next month in May focusing on airline safety.

In the spirit of shared responsibility and collaboration, FAA and stakeholders begun another important safety initiative. They formed an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to begin developing recommendations for improving commercial air tour safety. This meets a requirement of the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act.

While FAA began this work months before the air tour helicopter crash in the Hudson River, that accident underscored that aviation safety is not static. There is always room for improvement, said the FAA.

The rulemaking committee members include aircraft and aircraft technology manufacturers, air tour operators and organizations, and aviation safety experts. They’ll hold the first meeting on May 20 and provide recommendations to FAA by late September 2025.

While flying remains the safest mode of transportation, operators must always strive to do better, said FAA officials. “We have to identify trends and get smarter about how we use data. And when we put corrective actions in place, we must execute them. This approach has full support from me, Transportation Secretary Duffy and this Administration,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

USS Gerald R. Ford Training for Second Deployment

Continued from Page 42

occurred in the last year or two, that is where our focus is at. We are at the operational level and laser focused on the mission, which is to be fully ready for the second deployment.”

COMPTUEX training is focused on certifying the USS Ford and its Strike Group so that they are ready to deploy in harm’s way. The training is tailored to what is happening in the world today as Rear Adm. Lanzilotta explains: “Carrier Strike four is the training, they are the ones that recommend our certification to Fleet Forces Command. They recommend if we go forward and get deployed in a range of missions – everything from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and all the way to major combat operations. What we typically do is plan for all of the above, so that way we are ready to go in harm’s way. If there is something special out there, we will tailor that in real time in COMPTUEX and then afterwards if needed.”

Commander of the USS Ford Air Wing, Capt. David Dartez explains how the training is preparing Air Wing Eight for the upcoming deployment: “We have this event that we are doing right now (COMPTUEX) (and it) is spectacular for getting us prepared. What we have seen is they are very agile to adjust the training to make sure we are fully equipped to understand the battle space or whatever we are going to get into. A lot of our training leads to this culminating event. We had Air Wing Fallon about a month ago and a lot of that training leads to this. I know some of these aircraft and sailors are going to go into harm’s way and we need to make sure they are prepared.

CSG-4 (Carrier Strike Group-4) is the strike group that trains us and is doing everything it can and it’s great to see how agile that training really is to make sure we are really prepared.”

The air wing’s training is focused on current events as Capt. Dartez explains: “One example and big example is a lot of unmanned aircraft and training against those unmanned aircraft. We know they are a threat, and we know they are out there. We are using tactics and procedures to make sure we deal with them. We are homing in our procedures for whatever is coming out for the ship, and we can take care of. All the squadrons bring the offensive strike power to this air wing. We are the offensive arm. As you have seen or read of all of the events going on in Red Sea right now that is a lot of the air wing work.”

The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) was named in honor of the 38th President of the United States and was commission

July 22, 2017. The USS Ford is the first-inits-class aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy. The modern carrier is the first to be designed in 40 years. The USS Ford is the largest aircraft carrier in the world. The ship is powered by two nuclear reactors and can produce nearly three times the amount of electrical power of a Nimitz class carrier. The USS Ford has an innovative advanced arresting gear and the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS). The EMALS system has replaced the steam catapult system that was used on the Nimitz class aircraft carriers.

“All of aircraft launch and recovery equipment we have moved on from steam catapults and a lot of hydraulics and everything is electrical now. Our young sailors are almost electrical engineers now. We can upgrade and change things with software, it allows us to make improvements that are a concern, or we would like to try. For instance, one of the things we can do if we do not like the speed in which the wires retract, let’s say it 25 seconds and we want to make it 20 seconds, we can go change a line of code and make that happen. It gives us great ability not only to improve the system, but we don’t have to rely on a mechanical or hardware fix,” said Capt. Burgess.

Capt. Burgess continues, “We don’t have to pull into a port, and there are very few ports in the area of interest. If we need to change something in our catapults or anything on the ship, we can do it with a line of code. It gives great flexibility and allows us to be more self-sufficient than the traditional old mechanical ships. This ship is the most capable, adaptable and most lethal platform in the world and what we bring to the strike group is that we are a combat enabler for the support platforms.”

The USS Ford is critical to the Navy’s mission of protecting America’s interests. The USS Ford’s Strike Group must successfully complete the training on time for its planned deployment this summer. Rear Adm. Lanzilotta concludes, “Our Sailors out here are awesome. They do a great job every single day and every single night. They make our Navy’s combat power creditable day and night all around the world. Our job right now is to finish out our integrated training so that we can deploy on time, ready to go with the full spectrum of warfare from seabed to space in the maritime. We are a maritime nation, so much of what happens in our world is shaped by what happens in the maritime environment, rather its trade, travel or the environment that we love for our own enjoyment.”

U. S. F/A-18F Navy

is

The USS Ford is the largest aircraft carrier and one big difference in the Ford Class is that the island sets more aft (back) than the Nimitz class carriers. (Mike Heilman)

The USS Ford is the largest aircraft carrier and one big difference in the Ford Class is that the island sets more aft (back) than the Nimitz class carriers. (Mike

An F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-31 “Tomcatters” taxis with the wings folded on the flight deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78). (Mike Heilman)

Two Air Wing Plane Captains for Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-37 “Ragin Bulls” maintain their F/A-18E Super Hornet onboard the USS Gerald R. Ford during COMPTUEX training exercises (Mike Heilman)

An F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-31 “Tomcatters” returns to the USS Gerald R. Ford after completing a mission during the ship’s COMPTUEX training exercise. (Mike Heilman)

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Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-213 “Blacklions”

tied down on the USS Ford’s elevator to be moved to the ship’s flight deck. (Mike Heilman)

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