POLICE DRONE HITS 172
A flight school Cessna 172 was damaged in a collision with a police drone while on final for a busy GA airport in Toronto in early August. Canadian authorities said the Canadian Flyers 172, with an instructor and student on board, hit a drone operated by the York Regional Police about a mile from the threshold at about 500 feet AGL. The instructor said he assumed they’d hit a bird. The landing was uneventful but the two were shocked at damage left by the drone, which probably weighed 10-12 pounds. An engine teardown will also be needed since the other aircraft went through the prop. Transport Canada classed the accident as unauthorized entry to controlled airspace by the drone because the police didn’t notify NAV Canada of its presence.
UNLEADED FUEL SOLUTION PROPOSED
Authorities at Reid-Hillview Airport in San Jose, California are hoping that by switching all based aircraft to unleaded fuel they can blunt at least one of the arguments for closing the facility. Earlier this year, a study was released that showed lead levels in the blood of children living near the airport to be marginally higher than average. There were differing interpretations of those results but the increasing availability of unleaded fuel suitable for many piston aircraft offered a partial solution to the sustained opposition to the airport. Local politicians are also eyeing the airport lands to build affordable housing.
