â„¢ May 2019
Volume 18 No.5
R35.00 incl. VAT N$35.00 incl. VAT
Cover photograph by Athol Franz
www.africanpilot.co.za
M A A ap viM irfi B el oo ap ds k G an ui d de
FASHKOSH STELLENBOSCH AIRSHOW
Contents Airline Pilot
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8 9 10
94
B737 MAX production slow down Irregular bags at OR Tambo The Boeing 737 MAX saga
Commercial Pilot 14 15 16 18 19 20 22
AVDEX AMS Garmin new panel GPS navigators Garmin G3X touch Mission Aviation Fellowship Turbine conversions New Piper trainers EAA member fights wildfires
Drone Pilot 24
Airbus’ Skyways drone trials
Flying Cars 25 26
EHang pilotless octocopter Flying taxis as part of our lives
Denel A400M components USAF flood relief
Sport Pilot 86 88 90
Regulars 4 6 32 34 36 44 82 84 95 102 104 105 107 108
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Switzerland training experience SB>1 DEFIANT™ first flight Mi-26T2V completes flight tests
Military Pilot 52 53
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Competitions Letters Events Calendar Fact File Picture of the Month The Best of the Best Accident Report Medical Names to Remember Register Update Flying High Subscription Form Shop Window Aircraft Sales
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Special Features
Helicopter Pilot 46 48 49
National Rally Flying Championships 2019 New three seat AirCam
The Coves Flying Carnival Puma Energy Flying Lions FASHKOSH 2019
Helicopter Feature 2019
Other 30 38 40 50 96 98 100
Amelia Earhart Legally Grey X Messerchmitts Flying Destroyers Humble Hurricane SNC’s Dream Chaser Pilot age just a number Mental health stigmatised
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distributed by
Contributors Athol Franz Honiball Aviation Auditing Fiona Hugo Irene McCullagh Gitte Furdal Damm
Christine Brits Charlie Marais Dr Nick Lee Fiona Hall
Divan Muller Aidan Owen Pete van der Spek Cally Eckard
Nico Jacobs Charlie Hugo Marcos Valdez Douglas Boyd
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copyright The views expressed in African Pilot are not necessary those of the editor, publisher, or staff writers. The editors and publishers cannot be held responsible for differences of opinion or statements published in good faith. No part of this magazine may be reproduced including advertisements produced by Wavelengths 10 (Pty) Ltd in any form without permission from the publisher. – South African copyright laws apply. distribution African Pilot is distributed by On the Dot throughout southern African countries to approximately 1 000 retail stores: CNA, Exclusive Books, Pick ‘n Pay, PNA, selected Spar stores, garage convenience shops, Checkers Hypermarkets, 7/11 stores, selected bookshops, Fascination and Incredible Books as well as to neighbourhood convenience shops. Own distribution to specialist pilot shops at airports as well as to key decision makers within the aviation industry. Back editions are distributed free of charge to African countries, airport lounges, charter companies, the South African Air Force and selected flight schools. Altogether 5 500 copies of African Pilot are printed each month. The magazine also has online readers from all over the world. The first pages, up to and including picture of the month, of African Pilot may be downloaded free of charge by visiting www.africanpilot.co.za
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Editorial May editorial The Boeing 737 MAX-8 saga Ever since the Ethiopian Airlines’ disaster on 10 March 2019 and the subsequent grounding of the world’s 737 MAX fleet, there has been significant speculation in the media and on various forums about the two MAX accidents, the other being Lion Air in October 2018. Without adding to the speculation, there are a few issues that need to be discussed about these accidents, especially the Ethiopian Airlines’ tragedy. One question I have to ask is how does a very young commercial pilot with a total time of only 350 hours get to fly such a sophisticated airliner albeit as the co-pilot? After discussing this situation with several airline pilots, there is no doubt that this situation would not be acceptable in South Africa or in most of the Western World. Internationally, most airlines will not look at any pilot unless he or she has a minimum of 1000 to 1200 hours, a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (CPL) and a ‘frozen Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence (ATPL)’ At the same time it was confirmed that the captain had 8100 hours, but was only 29 years old? This begs the question question; how was it possible for the captain to log all those hours when the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) states that a commercially rated or airline pilot may only fly 100 hours per month or 1000 hours per year? Of course this is possible, but in reality this is really stretching the time logged when one does the maths. Of course, we all know by now that the manufacturer Boeing has accepted some of the responsibility of certain flaws in the Manoeuvring Characteristics’ Augmentation System (MCAS), which was designed as a stall prevention measure.
Without intending to speculate on both airline tragedies of one of the world’s most popular single aisle airliners, we need to wait for the accident investigators and Boeing to come up with answers and solutions to fix the MAX problem. From what I have read in various technical papers, I have dealt with part of the problem on page 10 of this edition.
Which is better? An airshow or a well planned fly-in? Within this edition we report on the Stellenbosch FASHKOSH airshow (page 90) as well as The Coves’ Flying Carnival (page 86), which was a fly-in. The direct result of the over regulation of airshows in South Africa has meant that airshows are becoming prohibitively expensive to stage. The lack of airshows on the present calendar compared with even five years ago is a clear indication of many of the problems South African aviation is facing in 2019. At the same time there are many pilots who enjoy the camaraderie and fun of getting together at a well-organised fly-in, where the restrictive rules are far more relaxed and people can enjoy the excitement of the day. On behalf of African Pilot, I welcome both types of aviation events as an opportunity to spend quality time with fellow aviators and aviation enthusiasts. However, wouldn’t it be great if some of the Air Show South Africa (ASSA) organisers would recognise those specific photographers who add value to airshows by way of pre- and post publicity? Until next month, enjoy the cooler weather as we head towards winter. Regards, Athol Franz
Editor Athol Franz 082 552 2940 editor@africanpilot.co.za
Publisher / Production Wavelengths 10 (Pty) Ltd
Marketing Lara Bayliss 079 880 4359 marketing@africanpilot.co.za
Durban correspondent Pete van der Spek
Copy reader Gordon Dyne
gdyne@global.co.za
Designers Maria Leader maria@africanpilot.co.za Creshenda Maraba-Haffejee creshenda@africanpilot.co.za Website and digital Johan Botes
johan@africanpilot.co.za
Accounts Manager Helena Kurland
admin@africanpilot.co.za
Admin / Subscriptions Paulinah Motlhabi
subscribe@africanpilot.co.za
Transport Ephraim Ndlovu
Cape Town correspondent Irene McCullagh Printing Business Print
012 843 7600 / 0861 42 42 59
Distribution On the Dot
011 401 5938
African Pilot Local International Fax
0861 00 11 30 +27 11 466 8524 / 6 086 767 4333
P.O. Box 30620, Kyalami, 1684, South Africa
African Pilot House No. 6 Barbeque Heights, Dytchley Road, Barbeque Downs, Kyalami, South Africa
website: www.africanpilot.co.za May 2019
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Competitions Total value of the competition in this edition is R742
Cover Bell 407GX
May Cover Competition
This month AviMap has sponsored one AviMap Map Book and one Airfields Guide.
Questions 1) Where can you purchase the AviMap book? 2) At which estate was the cover picture of this edition taken? 3) What was the date of The Coves Flying Carnival?
March 2019 Cover Competition Winners Congratulations to the following winner, Rian Booysen, who has won a helicopter flight for two people from Henley Air.
This Month’s Cover Competition Entries to be submitted to the following e-mail only: info@africanpilot.co.za One entry per person please. Entries sent to other African Pilot e-mails will automatically be disqualified.
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The photoshoot for this month’s cover was carefully planned with MCC Aviation. The helicopter is a Bell 407 GX, which is one of several Bell helicopters acquired by MCC Aviation some years ago. The delightful setting chosen was Steyn City north of Johannesburg with the world famous manor house in the background. Athol Franz used his Canon 7D fitted with a Canon image stabilised 28 to 200 Canon lens. The picture was taken at 1/50 sec, ISO 100 F16 at a focal length of 40mm
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The Editor, In the early 1950s, the De Havilland Comet, the first commercial jetliner took to the skies.Within two years of entering service, two of Comet fleet crashed during ascent to cruising altitude, very similar to the Boeing 737 MAX8 crashes. International aviation institutions must be alarmed at the second inexplicable crash of a brand new Boeing 737 MAX8 soon after take-off and where 157 passengers were killed. There are almost 300 Boeing 737 MAX8 planes plying air routes and 5000 are on order. Software glitches and sensor problems have been associated with these planes including pilot training and awareness with incomplete instructions provided by the Boeing Company, especially in situations where cockpit crew are overwhelmed in confusing situations. It is clearly evident that complicated errors and structural flaws lead to the loss of these two new aircraft. It is indeed frightening that pilots lost control of their aircraft in a seemingly manageable situation.This raises the question of recurrent training and testing. Even private pilots are required to undergo flight reviews and medical exams in order to keep flying. Aircraft flight profile recovery skills are sadly lacking. Modern aviation, from commercial operations to today’s computer driven all-glass instrument panels even in small aircraft, can become overwhelming. It is called data diarrhoea, an overload of information that can distract from that fundamental rule, which is first and foremost - fly
the airplane, everything else such as navigation, communication and more is attended to after that. In the interest of public safety, the 737 MAX8s should be grounded globally. Yours sincerely, Farouk Araie Dear Farouk, Thanks for your enlightening e-mail received before the worldwide grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX8s came into effect in late March. Of course, as the investigations continue, there is no doubt that the MCAS system activated in both crashes and that the pilots were unable to arrest the situation resulting in the tragic deaths of so many people and crew members from Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines. However, you have raised the most important question of pilot training, especially on the new 737 MAX model. I certainly believe that it is far too early to speculate on the eventual outcome, except to say that Boeing says there is a ‘fix’ in the pipeline that will make these airliners safer than ever before. Unfortunately, there will always be aviation accidents, but as you have pointed out this series of disasters was not expected, especially from an airliner with such a long history of excellent service to airlines all over the world. Sincerely, Athol Franz
Goodbye to a friend in aviation – Ken Jones Sadly, I am breaking the news that Ken Jones owner of Aviation Rebuilders passed away on Friday 29 March about lunchtime after what has been described as a ‘massive heart attack.’ Ken was one of those people who always had time for everyone in solving some of the seemingly impossible aviation problems. Many aircraft owners and pilots will have fond memories of Ken’s inner smile as he discussed solutions to sorting out repairs within the maintenance environment. Also so many AMOs relied on Ken’s ability to repair parts at very reasonable rates. African Pilot wishes Ken a safe journey to that great hangar in the sky and may Ken’s daughter Lynn keep running this special business together with the many staff members who are all highly skilled at aviation repairs and maintenance. Lynn advised that a wake in celebration of Ken’s life will take place in the Aviation Rebuilders’ hangar at Rand Airport
in the near future. African Pilot will keep everyone advised about the date and time in the weekly APAnews.
Dear Fellow Aviator,
FNB account: Peer to Peer Mayday-SA Rivonia Branch: 250355 Account number: 62407812488 Swift Code: FIRNZAJJ
We know the stresses and demands of our profession, the requirement to cope and the responsibility for safety. At Mayday-SA, we want pilots to know that support is available to help them perform at their peak when taking to the skies! Our volunteer pilot peers from all sectors of the aviation industry support the health and well-being of colleagues, whether through personal stresses or operational events. SA’s disastrous economic conditions have impacted us with donations being suspended, putting Mayday-SA at serious financial risk. Although our cost structures are low, Mayday-SA requires funding to equip our peers with comprehensive training and other organisational expenses. For this reason, we are launching an appeal to the aviation community to support us through this time. Please consider making any donation so that Mayday-SA may continue playing a vital role in offering a world class safe and supportive environment for licence holders in our industry. Supporting Mayday-SA in this way will enable us to continue offering assistance to those in need.
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With gratitude, Wendy Santilhano (CEO) Dear Wendy, As you know, in the past African Pilot has supported Mayday-SA as a worthy cause where pilots who are impacted by stress-related events in their lives can receive support from Mayday-SA’s experienced pilot peers. As part of this ongoing support I will make a donation of R2000 to Mayday-SA and I challenge all those individuals and companies in the aviation market to also make a donation to this vital organisation. I am aware that Johannesburg’s EAA Chapter 322 has made a R10 000 pledge to Mayday-SA. Congratulations to Captain Karl Jensen and members of his Chapter. Good luck and best wishes. Athol
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BOEING TO SLOW
737 MAX
PRODUCTION
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arly in April, Boeing said that it will reduce the production rate on the 737 MAX by 10 airplanes a month, from 52 to 42 by mid-April. The company said it has also appointed a special board committee to review the development of new aircraft. “We are adjusting the 737 production system temporarily to accommodate the pause in MAX deliveries, allowing us to prioritise additional resources to focus on software certification and returning the MAX to flight,” Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing CEO, said in a statement. Boeing also revealed that it has identified a second problem in the MAX software that will need to be fixed before a revised software package is sent to the entire MAX feet, which remains grounded in the wake of two hull losses that killed 347 people in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Boeing didn’t offer any details on the software problem.
OR TAMBO
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
BANS IRREGULAR LUGGAGE ITEMS
New rules for checking in bags of irregular shape and size were applied at OR Tambo International Airport from 25 March 2019. The new rules are aimed at preventing blockages and breakdowns in the baggage handling system caused by bags that do not have any flat surfaces or that have long straps or grips as per the International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines. Bags that are round or do not have a flat surface of any kind are the largest source of jams in the baggage handling system. These jams can shut down sections of the baggage handling system, delay baggage delivery to aircraft and inconvenience passengers and airlines. Airport management has been contemplating these new rules since early 2018 and has now decided to adopt baggage conditions similar to those applied at other international airports. Terminal 1 at Dubai International Airport recently instituted the same kind of baggage rules that will now be applied at OR Tambo International Airport.The new rules have been agreed to after extensive consultations with the Airline Operators’ Committee (AOC) and other bodies representing airlines.
The new baggage rules are: • • • •
Only regular-shaped bags will be allowed at check-in counters This means that the bags must have at least one flat surface to be accepted at check-in Round or irregular-shaped bags will not be allowed at check-in counters Bags with longs straps will not be allowed at check-in counters.
Passengers trying to check in bags that do not conform to these rules will be offered the option of having their baggage wrapped with one flat side at airport approved baggage wrapping stations. “We very much appreciate that these new baggage rules will potentially create inconvenience or additional cost for some passengers, so this is not a step we have taken lightly,” says Kris Reddy, Assistant General Manager: Operations’Services.“However, a small proportion of irregular bags that cause breakdowns in the baggage handling system creates far greater inconvenience for the majority of passengers. We have investigated this matter over about a year and considered a variety of alternatives. It is our view and airlines and other stakeholders now agree, that changing rules for irregular bags will improve the overall level of service to all passengers,” Reddy continued. May 2019
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Regulators around the world grounded the 737 Max model last month after the crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302, but the report by French air accident investigators in Paris, is yet to be released. However, the fact the pilot also reported flight control problems in the same new plane, which climbed erratically and crashed soon after take-off, has left the safety of the plane in doubt. More than 300 Boeing 737 Max airliners have been taken out of service and deliveries suspended for another 5,000 on order. Boeing has told airlines it expects to have new software ready by the end of this month.
What about the crews on both airlines
?
MAX 8 engine Nacelle
Now come the questions about the training of the airline pilots involved in both the Lion Air and the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX8 accidents and what they have in common.
Lion Air pilots were looking at the handbook when their plane crashed According to reports of the cockpit voice recording, the pilots of the Lion Air Boeing 737 Max that crashed in Indonesia were searching a flight manual to try to find out why the plane kept lurching downwards against their commands. The investigation into the crash, which killed all 189 people on board last October has become even more significant for Boeing and airlines due to its suspected links with the Ethiopian Airlines disaster, where 157 died on the same model of plane.The Ethiopian government and French accident investigators have said flight data shows clear similarities between the two 737 Max crashes. The captain was at the controls of Lion Air flight JT610 when the 737 Max took off from Jakarta. Two minutes into the journey, the first officer reported a ‘flight control problem’ to air traffic control.
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The sources said airspeed was mentioned on the cockpit voice recording and that an indicator showed a problem on the captain’s display but not on that of the first officer. The pilots looked through the handbook containing checklists for abnormal events, as the jet incorrectly alerted pilots that it was in a stall, pushing the nose down; an automated response built into the software as part of the manoeuvring characteristics’ augmentation system (MCAS) anti-stall system in the 737 Max. As the captain fought to climb, the computer continued to push the nose down. “They didn’t seem to know the trim was moving down,” the third source said. “They
thought only about airspeed and altitude. That was the only thing they talked about.” Near the end, the captain asked the first officer to fly whilst he checked the manual. The Indian-born captain (31) was silent at the end, whilst the Indonesian first officer (41) said ‘Allahu Akbar’, the Arabic expression meaning ‘God is great.’ . The preliminary report into the Lion Air crash showed that a different crew flying the same plane the previous evening had encountered the same problem but solved it after running through three checklists. However, it was reported that they did not pass on that experience to the next crew. According to a report, disaster may have only been averted on the previous flight due to the presence of a third, off-duty pilot in the cockpit, a captain at Lion Air’s sister carrier, Batik Air, who knew how to solve the flight control problems.The final report into the Lion Air crash could be released by July, Indonesian investigators said. The cause has not been determined, but the preliminary report highlighted Boeing’s MCAS system, faulty sensors, and the airline’s maintenance and training.
Ethiopian 737 pilots followed Boeing guidelines before the crash The pilots of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX plane that crashed on 10 March initially took the emergency steps outlined by the manufacturer, but still could not regain control. The pilots first followed those procedures to switch off the Manoeuvring Characteristics’ Augmentation System (MCAS), but failed to recover control. Citing people briefed on the crash investigation’s preliminary findings, it has been reported that the pilots switched the system back on as they tried to find other ways to control the jet before it crashed. Sources say ‘The latest details are based on data downloaded from the plane’s black-box recorders.’
Boeing presents MCAS changes Last month Boeing gathered hundreds of pilots and reporters for a presentation on proposed MCAS changes, including the system no longer repeatedly making corrections when pilots try to regain control. The company is anxious to win approval for a remedy that could get the planes back in the air. However, the US Federation Aviation Administration (FAA), which faced harsh questioning last month at a congressional hearing regarding its oversight of Boeing, said it expected the plane maker to submit the proposed fix ‘over the coming weeks’ after it undertakes additional work.
FBI investigating 737 MAX certification process According to The Seattle Times, the FBI has joined a criminal investigation into the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX in the wake of the two crashes. The report comes after Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Elaine Chao issued a memo confirming a previous request for the DOT’s Inspector General to conduct an audit ‘to compile an objective and detailed factual history of the activities that resulted in the certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.’ The investigation is being conducted by the DOT Inspector General and overseen by the criminal division of the US Justice Department. It has also been reported that, based on information from the Lion Air crash, the MAX certification investigation began prior to the Ethiopian Airlines accident. It is expected that investigators will be looking closely at how the FAA has regulated Boeing and safety certification work performed by company employees for the FAA. Boeing has previously stated that it will cooperate fully with the FAA, DOT and NTSB ‘on all issues relating to both the Lion Air and the Ethiopian Airlines accidents.’
South West Airlines 737 MAX 8s parked
Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said that a software update and new pilot training procedures to address ‘concerns discovered in the aftermath of the Lion Air Flight 610 accident’ will be coming soon. Those updates will need to be approved by the FAA before the MAX stands any chance of being certified to fly again. Regulators in Europe and Canada have said that they will conduct their own reviews of any fixes Boeing provides.
Faulty angle-of-attack (AOA) sensor It appears that a faulty angle-of-attack sensor incorrectly activated the MCAS stall-protection system on the Boeing 737 MAX 8 that crashed in Ethiopia. If confirmed in the final report, that would make the accident a repeat of the October 2018 crash of Lion Air’s MAX 8 in Indonesia. Boeing added MCAS to the MAX because the airplane’s forward-mounted engines tend to create a pitch-up moment when the aircraft is flown at high angles of attack and load factors. MCAS is an automatic background envelope-protection system that rolls in nose-down stabiliser trim when the aircraft is flown at high AoA with the autopilot off and the flaps up, intended as an anti-stall system. The Lion Air preliminary accident report revealed that MCAS was active during the crash sequence and trimmed more than 20 times as the pilots struggled to counter the nose-down force. The flight data from that crash revealed repeated pitch and altitude excursions and based on ADS-B data, the same pattern occurred in the Ethiopian Airlines crash. “Generally speaking, aviation components are highly reliable,” Mel McIntyre, a retired Boeing engineer who worked with sensor systems said: “However, everything can fail. Nothing is invincible,” he added. The FAA allowed Boeing to certify the system with single AoA input because it evidently believed a sensor failure would not be a catastrophic event. Boeing has been widely criticised for not making pilots and operators of the MAX aware of MCAS. Failure of the system presents as an intermittent runaway trim abnormal, which pilots are trained to counter by using the aircraft’s stab trim cutout switches. It is not known if the Ethiopian crew did this, but the airline said both pilots had been briefed in detail following the Lion Air crash. Meanwhile, more than 350 MAX series aircraft remain grounded throughout the world. Southwest Airlines, which operates 34 MAX 8 airplanes, has planned its schedules at least until the end of May without using the new model. Following the second fatal accident, US authorities are reviewing whether enough was done to ensure the plane was safe to fly. Federal prosecutors and regulators have opened an inquiry into the 737 Max’s development, with scrutiny mounting over how the US Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing certified the aircraft. Questions have also been asked about the training of the Lion Air crew. Although pilots in the US have said the manufacturer did not May 2019
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highlight modifications to the plane’s behaviour, Boeing has said existing safety procedures would allow pilots to override the plane’s computer, should it erroneously attempt to force the nose down.
Data informs, data confuses
sensors were faultily designed or fabricated, wouldn’t Southwest’s data have picked up such a fault or did Lion Air and Ethiopia Airlines receive the only two bad 737 MAX8s in the batch?’ Kelly didn’t say either way, although he did say that he thought Southwest pilots were trained well enough to counter a runaway abnormal trim, which a faulty AoA might trigger.
The grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft has produced one of the most bizarre situations in the history of aviation. Three US airlines; Southwest, American and United continued to fly the airplane after the second crash in Ethiopia. Of the three, only Southwest has explained in detail why it still has confidence in the airplane. In this Wall Street Journal report, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said the airline’s internal data reviews revealed no anomalies in the MAX that would compromise flight safety.
BP Lion Air Boeing
Southwest has 34 MAX 8s and according to the company’s website, the airline has accumulated 88,000 hours in 41,000 flights. As airline big data goes, this is a mere droplet, but it is more than any other US operator has. It is also more than Lion Air and Ethiopia combined. China’s big three airlines have 97 MAX airplanes and may or may not have more operational hours spread amongst the three. However, Southwest has been the most forthcoming in explaining why it continued flying, even though it now supports the grounding. Southwest’s data-driven confidence raises some tantalising questions. In the journal interview, Kelly didn’t say if the data showed any MCAS activations during routine flights, but the data has the granularity to do this. My guess is they didn’t see any MCAS-active events. Boeing said it didn’t originally recommend specific training on MCAS because the manufacturer thought pilots would rarely see the system active.
Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8
Knowing this, is it possible that because US pilots are routinely trained to use the automation, including the autopilot they simply never remotely got near the MCAS threshold? It is fashionable to complain about automation eroding piloting skills and the magenta line kids now have kids of their own, but we didn’t drive the accident rate to near zero by practising hand flying. Boeing has said it reworked the airplane software to accommodate input from both AoA sensors, rather than just one, as was the case when the airplane was certified. Whilst we are waiting, the second question is: ‘if the
1 2 3 4
1. Ethiopian Co-pilot had 350hrs 2. Black box 3. Black box container 4. Wreckage (part of remains)
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can save money and improve productivity AMO MANAGEMENT AMO management is complex function due to all the CAA and quality requirements. Add to this the volume of documents produced and the retention requirements and the task is truly daunting. AMO management must keep track of inventory, labour, due tasks and maintenance requirements that are continually subject to revision. AMS from AVDEX is a system that caters to all the requirements of a modern AMO.
INVENTORY CONTROL Control of parts fitted to aircraft is essential to the safety and cost effectiveness of the work carried out. It is necessary to trace parts procurement to the final fitting onto an aircraft. AMS provides a purchase order system that allows full trace of parts’ origins. Full trace is enhanced by allowing links to scanned Certificates of release (8130 or EASA Form1) in digital format to each batch.
JOB CARD CONTROL Workpacks are created by entry of owner/operator, pilot or scheduled maintenance requirements which in turn are tracked until completion. Taskcards may be imported from the AVDEX AMP maintenance tracking system. Compliance detail of taskcards is used to generate CRMA or Certificate of Release to Service documents.
OUTWORK (SERVICES) The programme produces purchase orders for services to be complied with by other providers.
COSTING Ongoing cost analysis of a workpack is available at any time to allow AMO personal to determine if the workpack complies with the values as authorised by the client.Real-time WIP calculations allow management to readily assess the impact of timely invoicing.
DOCUMENT LINKS Various digitised documents may be linked to functions within the programme. • Supplier approval certificates • Workpack scans • Workpack invoice • Release documents for parts • Outwork (services) invoice • PO invoices • Personnel licence
ACCESS CONTROL AND SECURITY Full access control allows access to only those functions to which users have the right to view, add, edit or change.
Contact e info@avdex.co.za t (011) 954 1536 w www.avdex.co.za 14
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May 2019
Garmin rolls out two new
panel GPS navigators
Although the stand alone panel-mount GPS market has appeared moribund for several years, Garmin rippled the pond at the Aircraft Electronics’ Association show in Palm Springs last month with the rollout of a pair of new touchscreen, approach-capable navigators, one of which incorporates ADS-B In and Out. The GPS 175; an entry-level IFR-approved GPS navigator and the GNX 375, which adds ADS-B In and Out. Both fit the standard 6.25-inch rack width and are two inches high, meaning they will require minimal panel surgery. Garmin plans an aggressive delivery schedule with units available to ship in April and with an approved model list totalling some 700 Class I/II aircraft that weigh 6000 pounds or less. Both navigators have a look and features similar to Garmin’s popular GTN 650/750 series navigators and the colour touch screen interface will be familiar to anyone who has used those boxes. Both include full GPS approach capability, including WAAS/LPV procedures, moving map, flight planning and nearest airport/waypoint capability. The GNX 375 adds traffic and weather pages to the mix.
such as BendixKing’s KI209, as well as other common CDI/EHSIs and even Garmin’s newer G5 electronic flight instrument. The new navigators will also talk to Garmin’s GFC 500 and 600 autopilots and for experimental aircraft, the G3X Touch. Roll steering is available with those autopilots and select third-party autopilots, meaning procedures such as holds, radius-to-fix legs and missed approaches can be flown with the AP engaged. Garmin didn’t forget the portable interface, either. Both boxes have the built-in Connext cockpit connectivity feature that enables wireless flight plan transfer via Bluetooth to and from portable devices running apps such as Garmin Pilot and FltPlan Go. Incidentally, the GNX 375 incorporates a 1090-ES transponder for ADS-B In/Out capability so pilots may also view ADS-B traffic and weather on either the screen or mobile devices.
Realising that there are a lot of old panels out there with even older equipment, Garmin engineered the interface to allow using indicators May 2019
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FAA certifies G3X touch
for single-engine piston aircraft
T
he FAA has granted Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval for the installation of G3X Touch in nearly 500 certified single-engine piston aircraft, which is supported by Garmin’s expansive dealer network and its award-winning aviation support team. The G3X Touch offers a variety of scalable panel configurations and a superior feature set that includes wireless connectivity and synthetic vision as standard, as well as options such as display redundancy, advanced autopilot compatibility, engine monitoring and more. The G3X Touch system for certified aircraft is representative of Garmin’s experience in integrated flight deck technology, which boasts a clean, sleek appearance and a resilient high-resolution display. The touchscreen offers an intuitive user interface and through any combination of the touchscreen or dual-concentric knobs, pilots can efficiently perform common in-flight functions like direct-to navigation, setting altitude pre-select or radio tuning. Pilots will also appreciate the seamless in-flight experience behind G3X Touch as the user interface is harmonious with multiple Garmin products, such as the new GPS 175/GNX 375 and GTN 650/750 navigators. Multiple panel configurations and display options allow pilots and aircraft owners to better leverage their current and future avionics’ investment. One configuration option includes a large 10.6-inch G3X Touch display paired with a 7-inch display. This configuration offers the convenience and utility of a large primary flight display (PFD) with a dedicated multi-function display (MFD). Another option allows dual 7-inch displays to serve as a dedicated PFD/ MFD. For space-limited panels, pilots can also install a single 10.6inch or 7-inch display. In configurations where multiple displays are installed,the G3X Touch system offers redundancy and reversionary mode as a single display is capable of showing all primary flight information, including engine information when installed. For aircraft owners who have already installed a G5 electronic flight instrument in their aircraft, they can easily add a G3X Touch display to take advantage of the redundancy benefits associated with this configuration. The building-block design of these four approved cockpit configurations gives aircraft owners scalable upgrade options that suit a variety of panels. The G3X Touch suite offers an impressive array of standard features that give pilots greater situational awareness throughout every phase of flight. Synthetic vision (SVX) comes standard on all G3X Touch displays and provides a rich, three-dimensional depiction of terrain, obstacles, water features, the runway environment and more. Capable of serving as a standalone VFR navigator, the G3X Touch provides benefits that help further situational awareness in visual conditions with features like vertical navigation (VNAV ), which allows pilots to generate a vertical
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descent profile by setting an altitude constraint in the flight plan. Modern tools such as wireless connectivity is also available as standard. Wireless flight plan transfer, the sharing of traffic, weather, back-up attitude information and more with a compatible tablet or smartphone are all available via Garmin Connext.
The G3X Touch flight display for certificated aircraft can interface with a variety of optional equipment including: •
For complete IFR-approach compatibility, customers can pair the G3X Touch with a variety of Garmin GPS navigators and Nav/ Comms, including the new GPS 175/GNX 375, GTN 650/750, GNS 430W/530W, GNS 480, SL 30/40 and GNC 255.
•
For aircraft that can benefit from a modern autopilot, the GFC 500 autopilot provides workload-reducing features such as autotrim, flight director, airspeed climbs and descents, dedicated level (LVL) mode and more. Garmin Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP), underspeed and overspeed protection are also available as standard and work in the background to help pilots avoid inadvertent flight attitudes or bank angles whilst the pilot is hand-flying the aircraft. The addition of yaw damping (YD) minimises yawing oscillations and helps maintain coordinated flight by keeping the slip/skid indicator centered. Additionally, G3X Touch can now serve as an attitude source for the GFC 500 autopilot, which does not require the G5 electronic flight instrument when installed with G3X Touch. The GFC 500 is available as an option for select models of the Beechcraft Bonanza, Cessna 172/182/210, Grumman AA-5, Mooney M20 and the Piper PA-28 with additional certifications in progress.
Garmin G3X Touch
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Pilots can fly fully-coupled instrument and visual approaches when the G3X Touch is paired with the GFC 500 autopilot and a GPS 175/GNX 375 or GTN 650/750. Pilots can also fly fully-coupled go-arounds during missed approach sequencing after an instrument approach.
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The G5 electronic flight instrument can be utilised as an all-in-one back-up instrument2 to the G3X Touch flight display, offering superior redundancy and the sharing of attitude information, air data, baro sync, and miscompare alerts. In the event of a miscompare between the G3X Touch and G5 attitude or air data sources, the GFC 500 autopilot will choose the best available source and continue to function normally.
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Pilots can receive and display the benefits ADS-B In via the new GNX 375, GTX 345 or the GDL 50R/52R. ADS-B-enabled features such as patented TargetTrend and TerminalTraffic are also available with these products.
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With the GDL 51R/52R, pilots can receive and display SiriusXM aviation weather and listen to audio entertainment with a compatible subscription.
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VFR sectionals and IFR enroute charts display pertinent information pertaining to VFR/IFR flights and geo-referenced instrument approaches improve situational awareness by overlaying own-ship position information on the instrument approach chart.
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The GMA 345/342 audio panel adds advanced functions, including auto squelch, 3D Audio and Bluetooth connectivity.
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Up to two Comm radios can be supported and controlled by G3X Touch, including the GNC 255 Nav/Comm and the GTR 225 Comm, as well as the GTN 650/750.
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G3X Touch can display primary engine information with the addition of the GEA 24, including engine gauges, color bands, alerts, fuel and other vital information. Piston engines of up to 6 cylinders are supported.
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The GTS 800 active traffic system can interface with G3X Touch, offering added protection and visibility whilst operating in high-density airspace and traffic environments.
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The G3X Touch flight display can be purchased through the Garmin authorised Dealer network starting at a list price of $7,995 for a single 7-inch display and $9,995 for a 10.6-inch display. Pricing includes the G3X Touch display, install kit, ADAHRS, magnetometer and temperature probe (installation not included). There is no additional cost for the STC.
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MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP responds to Mozambique disaster Operating as Ambassador Aviation in Mozambique, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) responded to the humanitarian crisis caused by Cyclone Idai which struck Mozambique on 14 March. The Nampa, Idaho-based Christian aviation organisation has been conducting assessment flights and working with Mozambique’s National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC) and other non-government organisations (NGOs) in coordinating rescue and relief efforts.
Flight surveys revealed significant damage to the EN6 roadway, a major highway between Beira and Chimoio, with entire sections washed away by flood water and other roadways under water and bridges damaged or totally destroyed. Additional flight surveys going south into the Buzi River basin showed the area has deep and widespread flooding with entire buildings under water and people stranded on rooftops surrounded by water. MAF pilot and disaster response team member Rick Emenaker reported on what he saw on the survey flight. “It was a heartbreaking flight today as we flew over many miles of flooded land in the Buzi River basin. We saw many people stranded on roof tops surrounded by kilometres of very deep water. It was difficult to comprehend and think how many people have already perished. A number of villages were completely buried in the flood waters.
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The magnitude of this disaster is unbelievable and we are pleased we are here to help. Please keep the people of Mozambique in your thoughts and prayers as they struggle with this difficult situation that has no short-term end in sight.” Information from the aerial surveys is shared with INGC and other NGOs to coordinate relief efforts. Mercy Air, a helicopter operation is coordinating with MAF and distributing boxes of high-energy biscuits in areas completely cut off by flooding. The food is being provided by the World Food Programme (WFP). MAF’s Cessna Grand Caravan (C208) will continue to be used for survey flights throughout the coming weeks as INGC and WFP ask for additional information. The fixed-wing aircraft may also be utilised as an air bridge to bring in bulk supplies and fuel for distribution, as well as relief worker rotations.
TURBINE CONVERSIONS FOR THE CESSNA 206
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fter five years of design and development and an additional four years of flying in the US and Europe the Turbine 206 by Turbine Conversions Ltd. (TCL) is now available to the pilots in Africa. In 2010Turbine Conversions Ltd. was approached by a sky dive operator about designing a conversion kit pairing a Pratt & Whitney PT6A with a Cessna 206. There was no question about working on the project. Turbine Conversions Ltd’s experience in developing turbine powered STC conversion kits for agricultural aircraft was excellent preparation for the endeavor. During the winter of 2010, the first application was made to the FAA for the Turbine 206 and after years of development and working with the FAA, the Turbine 206 had its first test flight in Nunica, Michigan on 3 December 2014. FAA STC SA04034CH was issued in December 2015 and EASA approval in May 2017. The STC allows for all models of the Cessna 206 to be paired with several models of P&W PT6A turboprops with the most popular being the -20 & -21 series. The Turbine 206 will provide the additional horsepower for which pilots have been asking so the aircraft can achieve faster, higher climbs. An additional benefit is the use of Jet A fuel, which is readily available worldwide, making this new package have endless possibilities. Turbine Conversions Ltd’s innovative air inlet design, quality installation package together with proven track record of performance and reliability of the Pratt & Whitney PT6A now pushes the possibilities of the already versatile Cessna 206. Several conversions have already been completed in the US and Europe. The feedback has been amazing, because pilots are loving the combination and reaching new heights faster. In 2019 there are more options. TCL will offer two choices in Hartzell Propeller and PK 3500 floats so that the Turbine 206 can go to even more places. Turbine Conversions Ltd. is pleased to be able to offer the Turbine 206 in Africa through its partnership with Afritech Aviation Services Ltd. located at the Hoedspruit Civil Airfield in Limpopo, South Africa. Afritech Aviation Services Ltd can offer kits, new P&W PT6A-21 turbo props and quality installation to African pilots.
Make sure to contact Ian Greenwood on +27 (0)72 696 9207 for more information and to reserve your place in the 2019-20 production calendar. May 2019
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introduces new Pilot 100 and Pilot 100i trainer aircraft
t Sun ‘n Fun, Piper Aircraft announced two new value priced additions to its trainer-class line, the Piper Pilot 100 and Pilot 100i. These new products enter the trainer segment at a competitive price point of US$259,000 VFR equipped and offer the same rugged durability and functionality as the Archer TX.
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The new Piper Pilot 100 / 100i rounds off Piper’s portfolio of training aircraft products. With five model series (Pilot 100, Archer TX, Archer DX, Arrow and Seminole) the company offers the widest range of training aircraft of any aircraft manufacturer, which meets all the individual needs of its training operators and customers.
The need for a new trainer aircraft at a price point that could support the growing demand for professionally trained pilots was identified following extensive research and the rapid expansion of trainer sales. To achieve optimal acquisition and operating costs and economics, Piper focused on proactive planning and collaboration with several key vendors. As a result, the Pilot 100 series features several new components like the Continental Prime IO-370-D3A engine, as well as Garmin G3X Touch Certified avionics in a standard two pilot interior configuration. The Pilot 100 ‘i’ adds an IFR capable upgrade package that includes the, Garmin G3X Touch, GFC500 autopilot, the new GNX 375 and is priced at US$285,000. Both aircraft will be available in limited quantities beginning in 2020.
The sales’ figures amply demonstrate how well Piper’s training class of products are received by the industry: Since 2014, sales of the single engine Piper Archer have grown more than 93%. For 2018, sales of the robust single engine Archer grew by nearly 50% Year on Year, whilst twin engine Seminole deliveries rose 117%.
“With the unprecedented demand for professional pilots, our team worked closely with several key suppliers to deliver an aggressively priced, proven trainer that offers the advanced systems and performance that flight schools and airline programmes of all sizes desire,” said Piper President and CEO, Simon Caldecott. “We are excited to add the Pilot 100 series to our training product line at a price point that provides optimal economics for all operators.”
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About the Piper Pilot 100 / 100i The Piper Pilot 100/100i provides flight schools with professional training aircraft that offer a value proposition which translates into lower operating costs that can result in lower priced initial training courses. Standard instrumentation includes the Garmin G3X system, which offers all the advantages of a glass cockpit without the costs. The Pilot 100/100i is powered by the 180hp Continental Prime IO-370-D3A which offers 128 knots / 237 km/h max cruise speed and 522 nautical miles range with 45 minute reserve. The Pilot 100’s interior is simple, yet functional and was specially crafted to withstand the of rigors flight training.
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EAA member helps fight California wildfires By EAA USA
Marcos Valdez, EAA 618370, wanted to be perfectly clear on one detail; “the true heroes in the fight against the raging California wildfires are the firefighters on the ground. I can’t stress this enough that the real heroes are the fire-fighters on the ground. Those men and women are just amazing, fighting the fire up close and personal.” PalmerFire 747 - Leroy Leggitt
Global Supertanker
However, Marcos and his fellow fire-bomber pilots definitely make a difference in the battle. As a Boeing 747-400 captain for aerial fire-fighting company Global SuperTanker, Marcos - call sign ‘Taco Loco,’ has been in Northern California assisting in the efforts of containing and eliminating the Camp Fire that has become the most devastating wildfire in California’s history. Marcos was a cargo pilot for many years during the 1990s and 2000s before lining up a job with Global SuperTanker as the captain of flight standards. Now in his third season with SuperTanker, Marcos has been transitioning to tactical captain this year, a position in which he flies in the left seat of the 747 and makes fire retardant drops.A longtime cargo pilot who flew 747s and DC-9s, Marcos has had few problems transitioning to flying the 747 firebomber itself, but the art of aerial fire-fighting is a very different and significantly more intense experience. “Having flown with airlines as a cargo pilot for years, tanker pilots are probably the most skilled set of pilots I have ever flown with,” Marcos said. “It is the most demanding, ragged, on-the-edge, every-second-counts kind of flying that I have ever done. We are flying the 747-400 just 200 feet off the top of the trees, so we are less than our wingspan over the trees much of the time. Then with the smoke and flames visibility can be poor and we are following a lead plane so we are in close proximity with other traffic. There are always helicopters and other tankers in the fire traffic area, so it is incredibly demanding flying, but if you are an adrenaline junkie, it’s addictive! I don’t know if I could ever go back to flying a 747 straight and level again.” As for the day-to-day operations of a firebomber pilot, each day and particular mission bring about unique challenges, but Marcos said the most frustrating part is simply not having an exact time frame as to when he will be sent out after his morning briefing. “The hardest part of aerial firefighting is waiting. Sometimes one wait for hours, sometimes one waits for days. We have sat on a
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Marcos Valdez
tanker base for five or 10 days without being activated. That is the life of a fireman, regardless of whether you are aerial firefighting or if you are at a firehouse; it is a lot of hurry up and wait.” The process of sending a 747 or other tankers out to battle the fire starts with a smaller lead plane, which will go out beforehand to observe the fire, communicate with the ground commanders about what it needs and begins to work out a plan of attack. Typically the VLATs (very large air tankers) are called in when a broad area, such as a four to five mile long ridgeline that needs to be doused in retardant to prevent the fire from spreading over the mountain. When the word comes in that the 747 is needed, the pilots, loading crew and mechanics spring into action, very much like firefighters would at the sound of the fire bell. In total, it takes about 30 minutes for the airplane to be ready for action after receiving its orders.
From there, the 747 heads to the f ire and begins listening to the frequency around the f ire traff ic area to determine the plan as decided by the lead plane, as there may be multiple aircraft assigned to the f ire. After getting the go-ahead, the lead plane will come out to meet the 747, form up and do a ‘show me,’ where the lead will describe the target, with nearly all of it being done visually, pointing out different landmarks to determine where to dump retardant. The 747 will then come back around for a second pass and dump the retardant. That process will continue until the wildf ire is eliminated. As intense, precise and dangerous as aerial firefighting can be, Marcos is very pleased to know that he is helping people in need. “This is the most gratifying type of flying I have ever done because we are assisting those firemen on the ground and we are helping to save lives and property. I remember when I was a little boy and I wanted to be a fireman or a pilot and now I am both!” May 2019
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Airbus’ Skyways’ drone trials with the world’s first shore-to-ship deliveries
Fly with Zulu During March, Airbus started shore-to-ship trials in Singapore with its Skyways’ parcel delivery drone. This marks the first time drone technology has been deployed in real port conditions, to deliver a variety of small, time-critical maritime essentials to working vessels at anchorage. The maiden shore-to-ship delivery flight was made to the Swire Pacific Offshore’s Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessel ‘M/V Pacific Centurion’, 1.5km from the shoreline of Singapore’s Marina South Pier, carrying 1.5kg of 3D printed consumables. Landing safely on the ship’s deck and depositing its cargo to the shipmaster, the Skyways unmanned air vehicle swiftly returned to its base, with the entire flight taking within ten minutes. The trials are being undertaken in conjunction with partner Wilhelmsen Ships’ Services, one of the world’s leading maritime logistics and port services’ company. During the trials, Airbus’ Skyways’ drone lifted from the pier with a payload capability of up to 4kg and navigated autonomously along pre-determined ‘aerial corridors’ to vessels as far as 3km from the coast. The use of unmanned aircraft systems in the maritime industry paves the way for possible enlargement of existing ship agency services’ portfolio,
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speeding up deliveries by up to six times, lowering delivery costs by up to 90%, reducing carbon footprint and significantly mitigating risks of accidents associated with launch-boat deliveries. Airbus and Wilhelmsen Ships’ Services signed an agreement in June 2018 to drive the development of an end-to-end unmanned aircraft system for safe shore-to-ship deliveries. The collaboration marries Airbus’ extensive expertise in aeronautical vertical lift solutions and Wilhelmsen’s wealth of experience in ship agency services. A landing platform and control centre were set up at the Marina South Pier in November 2018, through the facilitation of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. The maritime agency also designated anchorages for vessels to anchor off the pier for the trials, whilst the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore worked with Airbus and Wilhelmsen to ensure safety of the trials. Skyways is an experimental project aimed at establishing seamless multi-modal transportation networks in smart cities. Through Skyways, Airbus aims to develop an unmanned airborne infrastructure solution and address the sustainability and efficiency of unmanned aircraft in large urban and maritime environments. Having demonstrated the ability to deliver parcels safely and reliably to vessels anchored off the coast of Singapore, Skyways will soon be commencing another trial phase delivering air parcels autonomously in an urban environment, at the National University of Singapore.
PILOTLESS OCTOCOPTER FLIES WITH PASSENGERS On Saturday 6 April, EHang flew its autonomous octocopter with two passengers for the first time in public in Austria and the company said the aircraft is now ready for mass production. The EHang 216 hovered briefly in a soccer stadium on 4 April in Vienna with a small contingent of press in attendance.
“This is not a drone,” a company spokesman said in a video release.
“It is an AAV, an autonomous aero vehicle.”
Nomenclature notwithstanding, the aircraft was pilotless but it is not clear if it flew on internal guidance or whether it was remotely controlled. In practice, passengers would climb aboard, punch a destination into the panel and their work would be over. Using 5G wireless technology, the aircraft would fly itself to the destination and take care of separation from other aircraft and objects. There will be two navigation systems on each aircraft, each capable of taking over from the other in case of a failure. The 216 will sell for about US$350,000 and the company is claiming ‘thousands’ of orders, most of them from China.
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FLYING TAXIS: WHY ARE THEY NOT YET PART OF OUR LIVES? Compiled by Athol Franz
Have you ever wondered how greatly the development of new flying routes would affect the city and make your life easier? Getting to work by air, enjoying spectacular views, avoiding traffic jams; just like in your favourite sci-fi movies. Masterfully presented imaginary flying car projects featured in ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Fifth Element’ and ‘Back to the Future’ became an inspiration for some of the current flying machine developers. A roadless reality, ‘Back to the Future’ character Doc was talking about, seems to be much closer than we think. To go even further; how about those machines being driverless and fully-automatic? Driverless automation systems are already widely used in train and metro operations in more than 20 countries all over the world, including South Africa’s Gautrain, which is fully automated, but has an operator at the front end, just in case. However, aviation appears to be the last transport industry to start operating pilotless aircraft on a regular basis. Though actively utilised in related fields; serving purposes like aerial surveillance or data collection, unmanned aerial vehicles are not yet transporting passengers from A to B on any significant scale. Traditionally, human pilots in an aircraft are considered to be the key figures by most passengers, even despite common knowledge that in most cases, pilots manually operate aircraft for only ten minutes maximum during a flight, whilst the remainder of the time the airliner is flown in an auto regime. However, famous situations of heroic pilot decisions, such as the Sully Sullenberger’s ‘Miracle of the Hudson’ in 2009 or John Coward’s actions during British Airways Flight 38 in 2008, make the majority of passengers believe that civil aviation is the area where human decision-making might be crucial in saving people’s lives.
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There are good reasons for this belief. In this day and age, aviation has the lowest accident rate of all transportation industries, whilst the number of ways anything could go wrong in a complicated aircraft outnumber any other means of transport. The autopilot is not always able to estimate every scenario and it is too risky to leave the commercial aircraft fully automated when lives of hundreds of passengers may be jeopardised. Therefore at this point in time, not many passengers feel ready to trust an automated system. It is much easier, both socially and technically, to talk about ‘pilotless’ flying machines that are basically over sized drones designed to carry one or two people within one city. Known as the new emerging flying urban transportation mode, these much talked about experimental vehicles include projects from flying taxis to hoverbikes. The rise of new urban transportation has been predicted by many market experts. According to the forecast made by the Roland Berger Strategy Consulting Company, after the flagship projects see the light in 2020, the first active involvement of passenger drones into the urban landscape is expected by 2025.
The analysts at Morgan Stanley Bank predict that by 2040, the market size for automated passenger and cargo flying vehicles will reach around $615 billion, whilst frankly $2.9 trillion, is a more optimistic projection. Numerous unmanned aircraft elaborations are already ongoing in different parts of the world. Most of them are based on eVTOL, which is an electric and hybrid-electric powered vertical take-off and landing system, which is the leading technology when it comes to making passenger drones technically possible. Uber, one of the main developers in this field, expects flying cars to come into operation by 2023, which is probably an ambitious deadline. Involved in Uber Air project as a partner on 22 January 2019, Boeing revealed the successful flight tests’ performance of its new urban air mobility vehicle. The experimental air taxi, presented by Boeing department NeXt and Aurora Flight Sciences, is fully electric and could fly distances of up to 80 km. European rival Airbus has its own urban aerial transportation project. Vahana, Airbus’ flying taxi project, completed its maiden flight back in January 2018. The all-electric, VTOL system-based vehicle is especially interesting due to initial self-piloting design. Independent flying taxi groundworks are part of Intel Corporation’s partnership with Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle developers EHang. Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, in the Silicon valley. Since 2015 EHang’s small electric aircraft has performed over 40 successful journeys and is already considered a true game-changer in the industry. One might come up with a question: what is the fundamental difference between the newly emerging aircraft and helicopters, also designed to transport a small number of people, whilst using similar propeller mechanisms? Most significantly, automated self-piloted drones are fully electric and are not using traditional fossil fuel burning engines. Besides, they are smaller, which makes them a whole different type of flying machine. Automated passenger drones not only promise to make journeys quicker as they are five times faster than a motor vehicle, but have the potential to offer lower prices as well. The Munich-based air-taxi start-up company Lilium claims the fare for an aerial journey could be up to 50% cheaper than a taxi price.
So what is holding things up? A whole set of factors is detaining the technology from entering the market. There are issues with limited battery life, which at this time only allows for the operation of short distances. Then comes noise elimination and extremely high manufacturing price management. Another essential issue to consider before launching unmanned aerial vehicles is organising work with big data. Having precise geographical map of the region is at a conservative estimate one of the most significant requirements to let the system operate safely and efficiently. Beyond that, maps should always stay updated. Here, the possibilities of big data stand as one of the key factors. In addition, there are also legal issues such as the required approval from regulators, the development of air mobility routes and questions of air traffic control integration to ensure highest level of safety. Some countries appear to be faster than others in making these regulation decisions. For example, Japan’s government promised to take up the question of urban air traffic regulation. On 24 August 2018, Japan announced it was gathering 21 companies, including Boeing, Uber and Airbus to support faster development of urban flying traffic. The country is also working on a legal framework for aerial urban vehicles, which is expected to be completed within ten years. It might sound surprising, but the first self-piloting drones for personal use have already legally entered the market. In October 2018, California-based company Hoversurf delivered its drone-like hoverbikes to the Dubai Police Force, which has exclusive rights to operate them. The flying bikes are already available for sale in United States, but the law enforcement approval is still awaited and may take several years. A whole different field of aviation is just around the corner. To make new flying urban transport possible, it is not enough to invent, manufacture and test the vehicle. It also requires government and regulator buy-in, additional safety checks, plus new regulations as well as route development - a whole new set of measures on municipal, governmental, structural levels. At this stage, that is yet to be masterminded by multiple agents. A rhetorical question? How long will it take South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) to even begin to embrace this new and emerging technology, when presently the Regulator cannot even manage the Commercial Part 101 Unmanned Aerial Systems’ (UAS) industry to the required world standard?
Artist’s impression of a flying car
Boeing Flying Car
Dubai Police Hover Bike
PAL-V Liberty May 2019
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Amelia Earhart
One of the most captivating mysteries in aviation history is the disappearance of Amelia Earhart on 2 July 1937. However, there has recently been had a major breakthrough in the investigation. A new study published by Professor Richard Jantz in a Forensic Anthropology Journal, claims that bones found on a deserted Nikumaroro Island in the 1940s may have been those of Earhart, suggesting that she died as a castaway along with her navigator Fred Noonan.
Do we finally know what
happened to Amelia Earhart?
The mystery of Earhart’s disappearance prompted many hypothesis and conspiracy theories about what may have happened to the aviation pioneer. One of the leading ideas as to what happened was that the plane simply ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean. Another, arguably more interesting one, seems to be the correct one after the study. According to the theory, supported by the study, claims that after being unable to find Howland’s Island where the plane planned to refuel and seeing that her fuel was running low, Earhart landed 350 nautical miles southwest of Howland on a deserted Nikumaroro Island, which during low tide could have provided enough land to make for Earhart to make an emergency landing. Three years later in 1940, after the plane, a Lockheed Electra 10E, seemingly vanished into ‘thin air,’ British official Gerald Gallagher found on Nikumaroro Island, a partial human skeleton, 12 other bones including humerus, radius and tibia, the remains of a campsite,
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a box for a sextant and a woman’s shoe. The bones were examined in Fiji by D.W. Hoodless who concluded that the bones belonged to a man, short of stature, of European descent, dismissing the theory that the remains were of Earhart or Noonan. Following his conclusion, Hoodless discarded the bones preventing any further assessment or DNA measurement. However Hoodless’ measurements survived and were recently re-examined by forensic anthropologist Richard Jantz. The professor analysed the measurements taken by Hoodless and compared them with Earhart’s body dimensions taken from her numerous photographs and articles of clothing. He assessed that Hoodless’ conclusion was incorrect and the bones found on Nikumaroro Island are most likely to be those of Earhart.
“The bones are consistent with those of Earhart in all respects we know or can reasonably infer. Her height is entirely consistent with the bones. The skull measurements are at least suggestive of a female. However, most convincing is the similarity of the bone lengths to the reconstructed lengths of Earhart’s bones,” the study concluded.
Lockheed Electra
The International Group of Historical Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) has been investigating the Nikumaroro hypothesis for some time suggesting the reason for why only twelve bones were found was because the island is densely populated by coconut crabs who may have consumed the rest of her and Noonan’s remains. TIGHAR’s director Ric Gillespie also claims that a photograph taken by a British expedition vessel in 1937 near the island, seems to show what appears to be the landing gear from a plane, possibly belonging to the Lockheed which Earhart piloted. The aviator could also have used the aircraft radio to signal from the island for about a week before the aircraft disappeared beneath the waves. In fact, many of Earhart’s radio messages were reported by people across the world during the following week. The report also includes one from a teenager Betty Klenck who stated that she heard a transmission by a female voice on her radio saying:
“This is Amelia Earhart. Help me!”
Klenck also claimed to have heard Earhart arguing with a disorientated man. However, her report was dismissed precisely because there were so many reports of Earhart’s messages. However, the theory raises an interesting question.
of Earhart being a spy gained traction over the decades. Retired US Air Force Colonel Rollin C. Reineck claimed that Earhart was supposed to land on the Marshall Islands, at that time occupied by Japan, so that the US government could perform reconnaissance under the excuse of looking for Earhart. Corroborating that theory were some of the Marshall Islands’ locals, claiming that they saw the plane crash into the sea near the islands. Further supporting the claims was an army officer Thomas E. Devine who said that in July 1944 he met a group of soldiers guarding a hangar which supposedly held Earhart’s plane. According to Devine the aircraft was later burned. The theory of Earhart surviving the crash was also backed by a picture found in national archives which was thought to have been of her and her navigator Noonan. However it was later debunked when it was found in a book published before her disappearance. The legendary aviatrix and her navigator disappeared whilst attempting to fly around the world. On the third-to-last leg of the trip she and Noonan departed Lae, New Guinea, in a heavily loaded Lockheed with the intention of stopping at Howland’s Island to refuel.
If Earhart had landed on Nikumaroro Over hours. The coastguard ship ITASCA off the coast of Island why did the navy planes flying Howland Island was to provide communications for over the island a week after her the past Earhart as she neared the island. The plane must disappearance on 2 July not notice any sign of life. Yet, have been fairly close to the island as one of 80 years despite some unanswered the last messages received was of Earhart questions, with the recent or so saying she could not see the island and news of the study, the Nikumaroro that fuel was running low. numerous Island theory seems to be the most Most intriguing! search convincing. expeditions Speculations lasting a century have been The theories of what launched to might have happened to Amelia Earhart ranged from find the her crashing into the ocean, being alive in the US under answers. theactually disguise of Irene Craigmile, to an
The trip was supposed to last approximately 18
alien abduction. Nevertheless, a theory
Amelia Earhart standing at her Lockheed Model 10-E Electra
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2019
Event
Venue
Contact
29 April - 1 May
Airport Show 2019
Dubai
2 - 5 May
SAPFA President’s Trophy Air Race
Saldanha Airfield
10 - 11 May
Lowveld Airshow
Nelspruit Airport
10 - 12 May
Battlefields Fly-in
Battlefields Lodge
Dave O’Halloran gm@battlefiedslodge.co.za
10 - 12 May
NAC annual fly away
Letsatsi Game Reserve
Deon Wentzel 082 458 5719
14 - 17 May
NAMPO Agricultural Trade Show
18 May
SAPFA Sheila Taylor Fun Rally
Krugersdorp Airfield
18 - 19 May
SAC Free State Regionals
Tempe Airport
Annie Boon chunge@mweb.co.za
25 May
Botswana International Airshow
Matsieng Aerodrome (FBMA)
Hentie de Wet hentie@dwddrilling.com
1 June
Newcastle Airshow
6 - 7 June
Africa Drone Conference
Emperors Palace Convention Centre
8 June
SAPFA Bethlehem Speed Rally
Bethlehem Airfield
10 - 16 June
SAPFA World Precision Flying Championships
Castellon, Spain
Alexander +971 50 662 6371 shalagin@reedexpo.ae Rob Jonkers 082 804 7032 chairman@sapfa.co.za / Race@sapfa.org.za www.sapfa.co.za Monica Fourie 083 619 3597 monica.fourie@kishugu.com
deon.wentzel@nac.co.za
near Bothaville, Free Wim Venter 086 004 7246 Wim@grainsa.co.za State Frank Eckard 083 269 1516 frank.eckard@mweb.co.za
Newcastle Airport Johan Pieters 082 923 0078 johan@champ.co.za
Simon Mkitlane 011 886 0433 simon@vukanicomms.co.za Jonty Esser 082 855 9435 jonty@promptroofing.co.za Hans Schwebel 082 656 3005 hans.s@britsgranite.co.za
Airshow organisers: African Pilot annual airshow award details on our website: www.africanpilot.co.za Local 0861 001130 International +27 11 466 8524 Pre & post publicity: E-mail: editor@africanpilot.co.za Website: www.africanpilot.co.za Details are published in the magazine, the African Pilot weekly Newsletter and the African Pilot Website. They serve to remind aviation enthusiasts of forthcoming events during the week running up to the event. Capital Sounds for sound and broadcast: Brian Emmenis 057 388 2351 E-mail: capital@icon.co.za ASSA - Air Show South Africa Website: www.airshowsa.org.za. To reserve an airshow or fly-in please book on-line: www.airshowsa.org.za Louise Hofmeyer 083 454 1104 E-mail: louise@airshowsa.org.za Management & Airshow Authorisation: Tania van den Berg RAASA 011 082 1000 E-mail: tania@raasa.co.za Website: www.raasa.co.za
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By Divan Muller The Curtiss 18T Wasp fi rst flew on 7 May 1918, a few months before the end of the First World War. It entered service in early 1919, after the armistice had been signed. Developed to escort bombers, the comparatively little-known Wasp was the world’s fastest and highest flying aircraft at the time, despite the fact that it was a triplane. It was designed by Charles Kirkham, who was best known for designing and constructing engines for American aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss. The Wasp’s 400 hp liquid-cooled V-12 engine, also designed by Kirkham, was considered to be one of the most advanced of its kind in the world. The aircraft was designed for a crew of two and was armed with five 7.62 mm
machine guns. However, with the end of World War I, the Wasp never entered mass production and existing aircraft were used primarily for experimental fl ights and air racing.
Did you know? With its powerful engine and aerodynamically clean design, a Wasp set a world speed record of 142 knots in August 1918. In September 1919, an 18T-2 variant, which had a slightly wider wingspan than the initial model, set a world altitude record of nearly 35 000 feet. This was impressive, considering the Wright brothers had achieved the world’s first powered flight only sixteen years earlier. The Curtis 18T was given the name ‘Wasp’ due to the sound its engine made whilst in final approach for landing. A biplane variant of the Wasp, named the ‘Hornet,’ was developed for naval operations. The sole flying prototype crashed in 1919 and the type never entered production. 34
African Afr A Af fr f ican Pilot Pilo ot
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By Athol Franz
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African Pilot
May 2019
Sponsored by
This picture was taken at sunset at the Middelburg airshow staged on 7 March this year. The picture shows three of the Puma Energy Flying Lions T6 Harvards led by Flippie Vermeulen flying his Beech 18 as they flew a delightful formation with the sun setting in the background. The aircraft in the foreground is a Cessna 172 that was waiting to return to Grand Central airport after the airshow. Athol Franz took this picture using his Canon EOS 1D Mk4 camera fitted with a 100 to 400 image stabilised Canon lens. The shutter speed was 1/80sec, ISO 400 at focal length 190mm.
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