Pelton also said the EAA was stronger than ever with more than 300,000 members and touted the growth of its Young Eagles program, which has flown some 60,000 kids per year. He also applauded the pilots flying for the program, noting that there were 1,200 new ones that joined the initiative.

Pelton said 2024 AirVenture attendance numbers are comparable to last year, while presale numbers were 4 percent higher than 2023. However, Pelton said aircraft arrivals are down slightly from last year. According to the EAA, there were 1,700 aircraft arrivals at AirVenture Monday morning, with several parking areas 80 percent full.

This year marks the 71st installment of AirVenture, which runs through Sunday at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH).

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The aircraft, a successor to the Extra 330SC, features a wider cockpit, shorter fuselage, redesigned cowling, increased control stick clearance, and improved headroom compared to its predecessor.

• READ MORE: EAA AirVenture Reports Attendance Boost

Extra said the 330SX model is much easier to fly, allowing pilots to achieve higher scores in aerobatic competitions.

“The introduction of our high-performance aileron package delivers superior roll authority,” Extra said. “It ensures that both at a competition level and on the air show stage pilots will benefit with crisper maneuverability at all airspeeds.”

Competition aerobatic pilot Bob Freeman was the first U.S. customer for the aircraft and was scheduled to fly one during the daily airshow at AirVenture.  

• READ MORE: Donation Expands Bob Hoover Academy Fleet

“We were thrilled to officially unveil the Extra SX to North America, showing our prototype SX001 and the Freeman Airshows SX!” Extra said in a social media post.

According to Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assocation, the aircraft has a retail price of $550,000 and deliveries take about a year to fulfill. Extra has sold 10 of the 330SX models and produced five so far.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The company’s 10,000th SR Series aircraft, appropriately named N10000, is on display at EAA AirVenture this week.

“From the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) to the Perspective Touch+ flight deck, Cirrus continuously innovates to provide owners with personal aircraft that set the industry standard for aviation safety, luxury, convenience and ease of ownership,” Cirrus CEO Zean Nielsen said in a press release. “We are honored to celebrate 10,000 SR Series aircraft deliveries with our team members, partners, and stakeholders,”

Cirrus says achieving the milestone is a testament to its innovation and ability to develop industry-leading products. One of the latest technologies Cirrus has introduced are the Apple Vision flight training goggles, which enable augmented reality walk-arounds of aircraft.

During a press briefing at AirVenture, Todd Simmons, Cirrus president of customer experience, highlighted the company’s expansion, noting its new aircraft programs in Kissimmee, Florida; Scottsdale, Arizona; and McKinney, Texas. Simmons mentioned that most of the customers in the Cirrus management program are Vision Jet owners.

Simmons also noted that prior to the pandemic, some 13 percent of customers coming to Cirrus were new to aviation. He said that spiked to around 40 percent during the height of the pandemic but now it’s about 29 percent.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The report noted that long-term demand for qualified aviation personnel remained strong with the need for some 674,000 pilots, 716,000 maintenance technicians, and 980,000 cabin crewmembers by 2043 to meet growing demands.

“Driven by aviation traffic trending above pre-pandemic levels, personnel attrition and commercial fleet growth, the demand for aviation personnel continues to rise,” said Chris Broom, vice president of commercial training solutions for Boeing Global Services. “We are focused on being a reliable and innovative partner in the lifecycle of aviation training. Our offerings are rooted in competency-based training and assessment programs to help ensure high quality aviation training starting in flight schools and in commercial operations while helping enhance aviation safety through immersive and virtual training solutions.”

Boeing also anticipated a 3 percent increase in airplane deliveries over the next 20 years, projecting a need for 44,000 new commercial aircraft. According to the company, single-aisle airplanes will make up 71 percent of the fleet with new deliveries primarily for short- to medium-haul routes.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The aircraft took off from Ada Regional Airport (KADH) in Oklahoma and flew over Lake Atoka during the 60-minute flight. According to GAMI, the warbird’s 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine is the most powerful to fly on the G100UL fuel.

• READ MORE: GAMI Responds to Cirrus G100UL Service Advisory

“This big-bore radial engine operating at up to 48-inch MP demonstrates the excellent high-octane performance of the G100UL high octane unleaded avgas,” GAMI said in a statement. “The ability to successfully operate this engine as such on an unleaded fuel supports the continued operation of these and many other warbirds well into the future.”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The launch, occurring around 10:30 p.m. PDT at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, is a rare mishap for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which routinely flies NASA astronauts to orbit.

“The second-stage engine did not complete its second burn,” SpaceX said in a statement explaining the failure. “As a result, the Starlink satellites were deployed into a lower orbit than intended orbit. SpaceX has made contact with five of the satellites so far and is attempting to have them raise orbit using their ion thrusters.”

On X, SpaceX founder Elon Musk said his team was working on updating satellite software to run the ion thrusters at their equivalent of warp 9: “Unlike a Star Trek episode, this will probably not work, but it’s worth a shot.”

According to the company, SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are designed to burn up upon reentry into the atmosphere and do not pose any risk to people on the ground.

The Falcon 9 rocket is one of the most reliable in the world, with 69 launches this year and more than 350 since its debut in 2010, according to SpaceX.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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New details reveal the incident occurred during a skydiving operation at Raeford West Airport (NR20) in North Carolina. The pilots were on approach to pick up another group of skydivers with second in command (SIC) Crooks flying. According to the NTSB report, the approach was stable until the aircraft descended below the tree line and encountered wind shear. Crooks initiated a go-around, but before establishing a climb, the right main landing gear struck the runway surface and then detached.

The pilots then declared an emergency and requested to divert to a larger airport. The pilot in command (PIC) took over while Crooks communicated with ATC. According to the unnamed PIC, Crooks became visibly upset following the hard landing. He proceeded to open his side cockpit window and lower the ramp in the back of the aircraft, indicating he needed air. Crooks then apologized, left his seat, removed his headset, and ran out of the airplane via the aft ramp door.

• READ MORE: NTSB Preliminary Report Sheds Light on Copilot Mid-Air Departure

According to the report, “although the PIC and operator reported that the SIC’s departure from the airplane was an intentional act, there was insufficient information to support that assertion.”

Federal investigators also noted that the PIC, who was flying with Crooks, served as the chief pilot for the operator, which could have contributed to his stress. Family members told investigators Crooks was “extremely happy” and “loved to fly,” noting that he was in “a fabulous state of mind” prior to the flight.

• READ MORE: Copilot’s Departure of Aircraft in Mid-Flight Baffles Authorities

Ultimately, investigators listed the probable cause as “the airplane’s encounter with wind shear during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and separation of the right main landing gear, and the pilot’s subsequent decision to leave his seat in flight, which resulted in his fall from the airplane.”

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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In a July 1 Form 8-K filing, the carrier announced pay raises for four of its C-suite executives and its CEO. At the same time, 200 pilots received furlough notices—a plan the airline initially laid out in April due to aircraft engine issues and slower growth plans.

• READ MORE: Spirit to Trim Pilot Workforce

According to the filing, Spirit announced the appointment of Frederick Cromer as executive vice president and chief financial officer, replacing Scott Haralson, who left the airline last month. Spirit detailed salary increases and bonuses for other C-suite members who would receive base salaries to the tune of $950,000, $650,000, $525,000, and $500,000, beginning July 1.

• READ MORE: Spirit Expects to Ground Nearly 20 Percent of Its Fleet

Meanwhile, the low-cost carrier made a deal with Airbus to delay all deliveries until 2030-2031 in an effort to save money. Spirit says the move would improve its liquidity by $340 million over the next two years.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.com.

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Las Vegas Executive Airport will be located some 30 miles west of Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS) and will accommodate single-engine, multiengine, and rotorcraft operations. Clark County commissioners unanimously approved runway construction for the project, which is set to begin in the coming months.

Officials involved with the development told local TV news outlet KVVU that the new site will capitalize on events like Formula 1 racing and others that exceed the capacity for transient aircraft and private jets.

The project will also house the Las Vegas Spaceport—a first-of-its-kind site to attract space tourism. Initial plans include a fleet of space planes, a space pilot school, hangars, a post-high school STEM academy, hotel and restaurant, and a passenger terminal.

Spaceport officials say they have already secured $10 million in funding but still need an additional $20 million to meet first-round goals. Overall, the project is expected to cost at least $310 million.

“This is a major step toward creating a space economy that will lead to thousands of high-paying jobs in our community, our county, and our state,” said Robert Lauer, CEO of the Las Vegas Spaceport.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The incident occurred May 25 during a Southwest Airlines flight from Phoenix to Oakland, California. Pilots managed to regain control of the aircraft and land safely, although the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the standby power control unit (PCU), according to a report.  

On Thursday, the FAA released a statement indicating it was working closely with the NTSB and Boeing to determine the cause of the event while noting that no other airlines have reported similar issues. Southwest also stated it would cooperate with the agencies and the NTSB expects to have a preliminary report within 30 days.

The incident marks the latest setback for Boeing, as the manufacturer deals with intense scrutiny following the January door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 flight, leading to a temporary grounding of the fleet.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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