ALPA Says Pilot Supply “Stable”
The Air Line Pilots Association has declared the U.S. pilot supply “stable” after two years of going against the grain and disputing the notion of an industry-wide shortage. In its latest comments on the topic, ALPA cites FAA statistics that show about 11,000 people earned ATP certificates in 2023. It also said the stats show pilot production is ahead of pre-pandemic levels. Some industry associations agree with ALPA noting that some airlines actually have a surplus of pilots. Regional airlines bore the brunt of the labor force issues but they’re now saying things are returning to normal. “There was a time when none of us could find first officers,” said Mesa Air CEO Jonathan Ornstein. “Now I mean, I think we have close to 2000 applicants for qualified first officers.”
G700 Certified
Gulfstream certified the G700, its biggest, longest-legged, and fastest business aircraft to date. The company noted that during a time of increased regulatory scrutiny on certifications, it completed the testing and paperwork faster than on any of its previous designs. “The G700 brings a new level of performance and cabin comfort to business aviation and is doing so while meeting the highest certification standards our industry has ever seen,” President Mark Burns said. The plane has a range of 7750 nautical miles at .85 Mach, meaning it can reach virtually any point on earth nonstop. It has a cabin altitude of 2840 feet at 41,000 feet. Gulfstream already has some aircraft finished and expects to deliver 50 this year.
Wingwalking Company Grounded
The FAA has grounded a West Coast wingwalking operation and issued an emergency revocation of the owner’s ATP certificate 13 years after the business started up with what the owner said was the agency’s blessing. Mason Wing Walking has trained and flown hundreds of neophyte wingwalkers since 2012 but in late 2023 it attracted the attention of the local FSDO, which sent a letter saying the operation was under review. The immediate closure and revocation were the result of the review. The agency said it determined the flights, which involved aerobatic flight while tethered customers moved around outside the cockpit of the Stearman, were “careless or reckless so as to endanger the life or property of another.”
Boom Supersonic Demonstrator Flies
The scaled prototype of Boom Supersonic’s future supersonic airliner flew for the first time at Edwards Air Force Base in March. The XB-1 demonstrator, a 63-foot-long evaluation article for Boom’s Overture, flew for 12 minutes and got to 7120 feet and 238 knots. Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic said “I’ve been looking forward to this flight since founding Boom in 2014, and it marks the most significant milestone yet on our path to bring supersonic travel to passengers worldwide.” The full-sized Overture is planned to carry 80 passengers at Mach 1.7.
FAA To Test PAFI Unleaded Avgas
The FAA says its William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City will do engine cell and flight tests for the last unleaded avgas contender in the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative. The agency says it’s lining up engine and airframe manufacturers for the evaluation of a fuel being proposed by LyondellBasell Industries and VP Racing. “The FAA is working with various aircraft equipment manufacturers and operators to support flight testing of a mixed fleet that includes eight different aircraft models of six different makes,” the agency said. “We will also work with engine manufacturers to support testing for 10 different makes/models.” Swift Fuels is also developing a fuel but will make it available through a Supplementary Type Certificate. GAMI has already earned an STC for its unleaded fuel, G100UL.
NOTAMs
Boeing suing Virgin Galactic over spacecraft launcher … FAA allows agricultural drone swarms … Watsonville wants to close runway … Historic Flight Foundation collection liquidated … Pilot jailed for alcohol hopes to get job back … True Blue Power develops 50 aH main ship lithium battery … Huge aircraft designed to carry wind turbine blades … Runway safety system rolled out … Find breaking news in general aviation at AVweb.com.
