Briefing

1500-HOUR EXEMPTION REQUESTED Republic Airlines asked the FAA for an exemption to the requirement of a minimum of 1500 flight hours for airline pilots. The company pitched the agency to allow new recruits in the right seat of its regional airliners with 750 hours when paired with an experienced training captain. It proposes to put […]

Pilot Fatigue Flagged Pilot and flight attendant unions warn that the biggest airline safety risk is fatigue caused by personnel shortages and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 epidemic. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association sent an open letter to executives asking them to fix scheduling problems that compound the health impacts of the return to […]

TEXTRON BUYS PIPISTREL In an announcement that surprised many industry watchers, Textron revealed it was buying Pipistrel Aircraft, a Slovenian company that has been at the forefront of light aircraft innovation, most recently in the electric and hybrid airplane sector. In the announcement, Textron CEO Scott Donnelly said the acquisition will result in the creation […]

Canada Phasing In Space-Based ADS-B Canada has set Feb.23, 2023 as the deadline for compliance with the first phase of its space-based ADS-B mandate. Eventually all aircraft flying in controlled airspace in Canada will need ADS-B Out equipment that can send 1090 ES signals from belly and roof-mounted antennas or a combination unit that can […]

5G NOTAMs Restrict Instrument Flight The FAA has published 1460 NOTAMs that restrict operations that rely on radio altimeters. The NOTAMs were issued just before the planned rollout of nationwide 5G cellular service by Verizon and AT&T. The companies are using a thin slice of the so-called C-Band of radio spectrum for the service and […]

United Aviate Academy Begins Training United Airlines is now officially in the flight-training business with the first few classes at its Aviate flight academy now going through their training. United launched the school as part of its answer to the continuing pilot shortage. The school is based at Phoenix Goodyear Airport in Arizona and puts […]

Fuel From Air Swiss researchers say jet fuel can be made out of thin air but it will take a massively expensive effort to set up the infrastructure. The scientists said they can take water vapor and carbon dioxide from air and crack it into carbon and hydrogen using solar power. The resulting “syngas” can […]

Rolls-Royce Flies Electric Prototype Rolls-Royce says the successful first flight of its sporty-looking electric aircraft prototype will launch a series of test flights, some of which will potentially push the plane to 300 mph or faster. The plane, which bears resemblance to the Relentless unlimited racer at the Reno Air Races, took off from the […]

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 […]

CFIS WARNED ABOUT “VOLUNTEER” FLIGHTS AOPA is warning CFIs to get their paperwork in order if they teach people to fly anything but standard category aircraft. Earlier this year, after legal wrangling over the prosecution of a Florida business for giving flying lessons on a P-40, the agency took a hard and very literal position […]