On June 10, a helicopter flying in poor weather with a single pilot on board crashed on the roof of a New York City skyscraper, killing the pilot during what appears to be an attempted emergency landing. No one else was injured, though nearby residents were shaken. New Yorkers are understandably anxious about aircraft crashes inside the city.
Source: aopaNYC helicopter crash: Perception and reality
Collins Aerospace says a software problem that caused a loss of GPS in some avionics systems the week of June 9 “will no longer occur” beginning June 16 at midnight universal coordinated time (UTC), but “further action” will be needed to put locked systems back in service.
Source: aopaCollins Aerospace seeks fix for GPS reception problem
Aviators around the globe are turning to L3’s LYNX multi-mode Transponder for their ADS-B requirements. Ted Klapka says, “Lynx turns the invisible into the known, giving him the real information to make safe decisions,” while Marshall Futhrie, said the Lynx is ‘the best equipment for safety (he) has seen.’ Read why Mike Tegtmeier choose to upgrade his aircraft, even though he does not often fly in ADS-B mandated airspace.
Source: aopaLynx® NGT-9000 by L3 Delivers ADS-B Out and more
Gary Burrell, an aviation pioneer who developed the first successful navigation/communications product for general aviation and would go on to co-found avionics powerhouse Garmin, died June 12. He was 81.
Source: aopaAvionics pioneer Gary Burrell has died
A Learjet 35A painted in rainbow colors was temporarily dubbed the “Dream Chaser 5” as it brightened the skies and cheered the hearts of seriously ill children during flights May 23 to 29 before the aircraft was retired.
Source: aopaRainbow Learjet brightens lives, skies
Philipp Steinbach capped off two comparatively short years of very hard work on June 12, accepting an FAA aircraft production certificate that clears the way to ramp up production and deliver his certified two-seater capable of unlimited aerobatics. Serious competition pilots around the world took notice.
Source: aopaUnlimited aerobat cleared into market
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) in conjunction with the industry-led Aircraft Diesel Exhaust Fluid Contamination Working Group has released recommendations for aircraft operators, fixed-base operators, fuel suppliers, and other stakeholders to mitigate the possibility of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) contamination in jet fuel.
Source: aopaAOPA AND INDUSTRY TASK FORCE ISSUE REPORT ON JET FUEL CONTAMINATION
Since 2017, three different instances of jet fuel contamination have led to engine failures in jets, most recently in May when a Citation experienced a double engine failure in flight but was able to land safely.
Source: aopaRecommendations to prevent jet fuel contamination released
Los Angeles-based Ampaire recently unveiled and demonstrated its Ampaire 337 at Camarillo, California. The three-year-old company claims the aircraft is the “highest capacity [largest] hybrid-electric airplane ever flown.”
Source: aopaAmpaire 337 'parallel hybrid' unveiled
Fire ripped through the Belite Aircraft facility in Wichita, Kansas, late June 7, causing about $150,000 worth of damage, fire investigators told local media.
Source: aopaFire heavily damages Belite Aircraft facility