Catalytic Converters & Yearly Emissions Dyno Tests for Airplanes
God help us no, those are not actually coming, at least we at Airfoil don't think so. I mean, could you imagine the ADs on a catalytic converter? "Must be inspected every 100 hrs to avoid asphyxiation due to rotten egg smells." That being said NASA is exploring a number of aircraft efficiency technologies that you might see on your Piper, Cessna, Cirrus, Boeing or Airbus someday soon. Distributed propulsion systems, shape-changing wings, and open-rotor jet engines - all strapped to the world's largest producer of diesel emissions for testing, a Peterbilt truck. Wait, what? Ok, you're right, it won't be soon, but maybe someday.
FAA to Instructors: "On that next Flight Review, umm, can you just double check the pilot actually knows how to fly?"
The FAA in it's most recent advisory circular to instructors had a great idea: In addition to the normal flight review they now requested flight instructors just double-check that pilots can really fly the airplane.
Pre Flight: Aircraft automation is becoming so prolific that more and more pilots are watching movies on their iPad in cruise and occasionally on takeoff and landing
Takeoff: When they don't fly as much, pilots apparently forget how to fly. Oh, and automation occasionally breaks.
Cruise: Instructors are now requested to check hand-flying skills during Flight Reviews. Instructors are also asked to check airplane flying skills in case an open car window isn't available
Approach: What the heck were some flight instructors checking for before this advisory circular ?
Landing: Pilots everywhere, especially those flying Airbus, are scared they may actually have to manipulate the controls of the aircraft sometime in the next 24 calendar months.
One-Person Multi-Copter Debuts @ Consumer Electronics Show, Less ALL Safety Considerations
eHang
, the maker of a highly unsuccessful consumer drone that requires you to download a Chinese App and translate it to English before operating it , has leap-frogged to a human-carrying drone capable of chopping off four people's legs at the same time with its 8 propellers conveniently located at knee-hight. All joking aside, it's probably not long before we see these for real, but at least the folks at Volocopter thought through the implications of uncountable rapidly spinning carbon fiber knives and put them above the operators head. Oh, and did we mention the eHang 184 is fully automated and without any flight controls? Yep - you can't fly it yourself and there is no place for an instructor to sit. Makes the next Flight Review kinda tough doesn't it?
FAA: All drones over .55 lbs must be registered before flight
In news that has seagull, piping plover, and crow community leaders up in arms, all unmanned aerial systems over .55 Lbs flying weight must be registered with the FAA. And yes, .55 Lbs is the minimum weight that if dropped at the height of 400 feet AGL (the maximum permitted un-waivered UAS operating altitude) a UAS at its terminal velocity will not seriously injure a human being. Reportedly large birds everywhere are protesting...or dieting. One or the other.
Gooday,
| --=O=-- THE AIRFOIL
