MAKE CHAPTER 288 YOUR AVIATION HOME! E-AB, TYPE CERTIFIED, VINTAGE, WARBIRD, ETC.
DECISION MADE: THE ARTEMIS 1 LAUNCH HAS BEEN SCRUBBED (DUE TO WEATHER) AND THE ROCKET WILL RETURN TO THE VAB
The next date is approaching and we’re already making preparations.
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FAA Approves ALL PISTON Engines For GAMI Unleaded Fuel
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The FAA just signed supplemental type certificates to allow General Aviation Modifications Inc.’s 100-octane unleaded fuel (G100UL) to be used in every general spark-ignition engine and every airframe powered by those engines. The move was hailed by the GA industry as a major step in the transition to an unleaded future. The FAA’s approval of the use of G100UL fuel in all piston aircraft directly addresses the industry's long-standing goal of finding unleaded solutions that can be used for the entire GA piston fleet.
“Congratulations to GAMI on this achievement, which is another initial step toward a goal we all want – an unleaded fuel for general aviation,” said Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO and Chairman of the Board. “This is a significant accomplishment that opens the door to the hard work that remains to create a commercial pathway and acceptance across the broad spectrum of GA aircraft.”
In 2021 the FAA approved STCs for GAMI covering a smaller number of Cessna 172 engines and airframes, and then expanded those STC approved model list (AML) to include essentially all lower-compression engines. Though that was seen as an encouraging step forward in the years-long path to supply unleaded aviation fuel to the piston aircraft fleet, the STC’s did not include aircraft needing the higher-octane fuel that accounts for approximately two-thirds of avgas consumption. Today’s announcement by the FAA addresses the needs of those higher-compression engines.
GAMI co-founder George Braly said, “This is a big day for the industry. It means that for a lot of our general aviation communities, and especially for a high fraction on the West Coast, relief is on the way. And it means that our industry will be able to go into the future and prosper, and provide the essential infrastructure for this country for everything from Angel Flights to critical training of our future airline pilots.”
Braly thanked the GA community for its support through this long process. “Without it we couldn’t have gotten this done,” he said. GAMI’s Braly has said that Ann Arbor, Michigan-based fuel supplier AvFuel is standing by to manage the logistics and distribution of G100UL, and said he is open to partnerships. “Our arrangement is that any qualified refiner or blender of existing aviation fuels will be eligible to produce and sell it subject to the quality assurance requirements that the FAA has approved,” he said.
The timing for when G100UL will reach airports is still uncertain. “It’s going to take a while to manage the infrastructure including manufacturing and distribution," Braly said. The supply chain “is still a very wounded infrastructure and that’s not going to make the process any easier, but we have a handle on how to do this, and with the support of the major players I think we can do that. It’s going to be limited to begin with, but it can be ramped up rapidly,” he said.
Pelton noted that certain regions, such as the West Coast, are priorities to receive approval as soon as practical. Some California municipalities, for instance, prematurely banned the sale of leaded avgas and threatened a safe and smart transition to unleaded. “There is a process in place for a safe transition to unleaded fuel for the GA fleet,” Pelton said. “Let’s keep forging ahead on that path in a unified fashion, rather than a patchwork of local ordinances that will only set political hurdles in front of the ultimate goal.”
While the cost of the fuel has not been determined, Braly said the small batch production process that will initially mark the arrival of G100UL at airports means that the fuel will cost slightly more than leaded avgas. “Small volume batches cost money,” he said. “Until we can get [production] revved up that we’re making millions of gallons at a time, there will be an incremental cost," he said.
“It’s not going to be unreasonable,” Braly added. “Pilots in America will not be paying what they’re paying for avgas in Europe today.” Owners can also expect to see engines that operate more efficiently. “I think the days of cleaning spark plugs every 50 hours are going to be behind us for good,” Braly said.
Swift Fuels Inc., an Indiana based company, has received FAA approval for its 94-octane unleaded fuel, and has expanded its distribution, particularly to the West Coast. Swift Fuels’ 94-octane fuel meets some, but not all, of the demand of aircraft with lower-compression engines. The company is developing a 100R unleaded fuel with more than 10 percent renewable content.
In addition, two fuel candidates are currently in the EAGLE/PAFI testing process.
All fuel manufacturers continue to be encouraged to follow through with their own formulations, Pelton said. “Innovation and multiple options have always been a key to ultimate success, so we welcome any and all ideas to bring unleaded fuel to the marketplace for general aviation.”
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Thanks to all our members!!
We really had a great turnout for the Simulator open house as the room was full for 2 hours.
They will soon be available for your use
CLICK HERE FOR THE SIM USAGE INSTRUCTIONS
Also, your help is wanted (and needed)
We are approaching the end of the year. You chapter leadership team has served their 2 year tour running the chapter. I wanted to extend an invitation to you, the members, to see if any of you are interested in serving the chapter on the leadership team. The time required to be on the leadership team is not that great, and your interface with the members is very rewarding. We have a great chapter and your service to those members would be greatly appreciated.
The leadership team consists of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Anyone interested please call or email me and I can give you details of specific jobs.
Jay Jabour
president@eaa288.org
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SPACE UPDATE: SEP 26
NASA is foregoing a launch opportunity Tuesday, Sept. 27, and preparing for rollback, while continuing to watch the weather forecast associated with Tropical Storm Ian. During a meeting Saturday morning, teams decided to stand down on preparing for the Tuesday launch date to allow them to configure systems for rolling back the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building. In fact, Artemis I managers elected to roll back, Monday evening.
The agency is taking a step-wise approach to its decision making process to allow the agency to protect its employees by completing a safe roll in time for them to address the needs of their families while also protecting for the option to press ahead with another launch opportunity in the current window if weather predictions improve. NASA continues to rely on the most up to date information provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Space Force, and the National Hurricane Center.
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WE HAVE TWO NEW FEATURES
FEATURE # 1-----SEE WHAT OUR MEMBERS ARE BUILDING
FEATURE #2----KOEHLER KORNER
To read them, click on: The Aviation & Space News at the top of this page
then click on: Pilots and Builders
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CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE IN THE CHAPTER AS EAA 288 WAS AWARDED A PLAQUE FOR 30 YEARS OF FLYING YOUNG EAGLES!!!!
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Click here: eaa288webmaster@gmail.com to contact the
EAA288 Webmaster, Rick Weiss
Be sure to read about the FAA's Aircraft Fleet and FAA Facts, under the Aviation and Space tab (above) Then click on FAA,..
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EAA288 2022 DUES ARE DUE. DO YOU WANT TO PAY THEM ONLINE?:-)
JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW
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Also, please send your stories, first flight info and photos (.jpg) to the email address above and I'll do my best to include them.
Do you have any items for sale or do you need something? Send a description of it, condition, price, etc to the Webmaster and I'll try to get listed in the Classified Section of our website.
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Chapter 288 works to continue the spirit of general aviation in the Daytona Beach area. We host several events throughout the year for our members which feature prominent aviators and aviation technology.
Chapter 288 members also volunteer at aviation related functions throughout the community to teach people about general aviation. Volunteering at local airshows and hosting Young Eagles events are some of the ways that EAA 288 members participate in the community.
Chapter 288's members are also very involved with the EAA on a national level. The chapter also has a good turnout at the EAA's annual fly-in, 'AirVenture', in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
We welcome you to join our Chapter.
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After months of ground testing and anticipation, Eviation’s sleek, electric airplane demonstrator—dubbed Alice—flew for the first time Sep 26, taking off from Grant County International Airport (KMWH) in Moses Lake, Washington, west of Spokane.
The annual DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase has gotten a new name. It's now called the DeLand Aero Showcase, a name organizers say will allow them to explore expanding into other general aviation segments in addition to sport and recreational aviation. The show is scheduled to take place Oct. 21-22, 2022, at the DeLand Municipal Airport
Here's a YouTube from the 2021 Event.
Sun n Fun has just introduced the first interactive poster! This, for the 2023 event. Click in the box to the right and enjoy it!
WASHINGTON—The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has added a new feature to MedXPress that allows pilots to track the status of their medical certificates online throughout the application and review process. Prior to adding this new feature, pilots had to call the Office of Aerospace Medicine to check their application status. “If you can track where your ridesharing car is or the status of a company delivering your package, pilots should be able to see online the real-time status of their application,” said Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup “We will continue to explore how we can be more transparent with the aviation community.” As soon as an application is submitted, it will appear in the pilot’s MedXPress profile. Status updates will change as the application moves through the FAA’s review process. If an application is deferred or denied, the applicant will receive detailed information through the mail. The certification process itself does not change. To learn more about the entire FAA medical certification process, click the button below.
The FAA has announced the impending migration of Airworthiness Directives to the Dynamic Regulatory System, or DRS, that will result in all ADs being published on the new system from August 16th, 2022.
The change will allow the administration to simplify the record keeping and dissemination of documents contained within its Regulatory Guidance Library. Those referring to ADs should be familiar with the new system, as new directives will be available solely on the DRS. Current users with a subscription to AD and EAD alerts “may still receive notifications about ADs and EADs,” said the announcement, though new subscribers are advised to use the FAA GovDelivery Service. The FAA will continue to provide mailed copies of the AD Biweekly, since it is a paid subscription overseen by the Government Printing Office.
The migration includes Emergency Airworthiness Directives (EAD), Airworthiness Directives (AD), and Biweekly Airworthiness Directives (AD Biweekly). The DRS is a fresh addition to the regulatory ecosystem, being unveiled earlier this year as the replacement for the Flight Systems Information Management System (FSIMS). The FAA intends for the DRS to become a one-stop shop for all things compliance, a “comprehensive knowledge center of regulatory and guidance materials from the office of aviation safety”. Of course, as a single resource, any other service or office pertaining to flight will be included as well.
Section 61.65(d) contains the aeronautical experience requirements for a person applying for an instrument-airplane rating. Section 61.65(d)(2)(ii)(C) states, in relevant part, that an applicant must complete 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time that includes at least one cross country flight that is performed under instrument flight rules and involves "three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems." As noted, the FAA has previously issued two legal interpretations to address what constitutes "three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems." The Glaser interpretation, issued in 2008, concluded that an applicant for an instrument rating must use three different kinds of navigation systems to meet § 61.65(d)(2)(ii)(C). The Pratte interpretation, issued in 2012, confirmed the conclusion in Glaser and further concluded that precision approach radars (PAR) and airport surveillance radars (ASR) are not considered navigation systems for the purpose of meeting the requirements in § 61.65(d)(2)(ii)(C). For the reasons provided in this memorandum, the Office of the Chief Counsel has decided to rescind the Glaser and Pratte interpretations.
Recently launched Starlink Satellites as seen from earth.
A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket will launch the SES-20 and SES-21 satellites for SES of Luxembourg. Liftoff will occur from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. ULA’s Atlas V rocket will launch the twin satellites into near-circular, near-geosynchronous orbits at only 1.9 degrees of inclination. Once separated, the satellites use on-board propulsion systems to circularize their orbits at 22,300 miles above the equator.
SES-20 and SES-21 are all-electric 702SP (small platform) satellites equipped with C-band payloads that will operate over the continental United States. The satellites will usher in the Federal Communications Commission’s 5G Fast initiative, requiring satellite operators such as SES to clear from the lower 300 MHz to the upper 200 MHz of C-band spectrum to make way for 5G mobile services. With SES-20 and -21, SES will continue to deliver C-band broadcast and radio services as well as critical data network services in the coming months.
Built by Boeing with thousands of narrow and steerable beams and the ability to isolate interference sources, the two spacecraft provide SES and future customers the ability to expand, extend or even change a satellite’s coverage area and mission throughout its life. Proven hardware coupled with next-generation technology created an affordable and lightweight spacecraft, enabling two satellites to launch on a single rocket. To learn more and watch the launch, click here:
https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/atlas-v-ses-20-ses-21
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a batch of 54 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space based Internet communication system. This launch was from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The instantaneous launch window was at 7:32 p.m. ET (23:32 UTC).
Following stage separation, the first stage landed on the 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
UPDATE: SEP 24 (AM)
Managers are initiating activities on a non-interference basis to enable an accelerated timeline for rolling back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to protect the rocket. Launch date is TBD, but will likely be in October.
Note: Delayed due to weather AGAIN & AGAIN & AGAIN, BUT ON Sunday, September 18 at 8:18 PM, SpaceX finally got a break and launched a Falcon 9 with Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's SLC-40 in Florida.
Following stage separation, the first stage successfully landed on the drone ship 'Just Follow the Instructions', which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
Saturday, September 10, at 9:20 p.m., SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 with 34 Starlink satellites and an AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 satellite to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-II, CRS-21, Transporter-1, Transporter-3, and eight Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage landed on the 'A Shortfall of Gravitas' droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This will also be Falcon 9’s first five-burn mission.
SpaceX launched 51 more Starlink internet satellites and a rideshare payload that will use a Spaceflight-built orbital transfer vehicle to maneuver into a different orbit to test broadband communications technology for Boeing.
Watch a replay of the launch and the perfect landing (on the barge 'Just Read the Instructions') of the booster stage at SpaceX.com
UPDATED: JUNE 20, 2022
In a bid to avoid potential disruptions in air-travel, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has urged the chief executives of major U.S. airlines to expediently address risks posed by the imminent roll-out of nationwide, 5G wireless networks.
Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said in a letter that AT&T and Verizon—after previously delaying plans to do so—are looking to boost C-Band 5G services around some airports by July. Concerns that the 5G service could interfere with radio-altimeters led to disruptions at some U.S. airports earlier this year. Nolen urged airlines to step-up efforts to retrofit aircraft with newer radio-altimeters, saying: “There are no guarantees that all large markets will retain the current [5G] safeguards.” He warned that as wireless carriers boost signals, some “less capable aircraft” may be unable to access certain airports without altimeter retrofits. Susceptibility to C-Band 5G signals is a characteristic of older, RF-filter-equipped radio-altimeters. Such devices lack protection from neighboring frequency bands. The conflation of general aircraft capability and 5G susceptibility is apocryphal.
On 17 January 2022, Airlines CEOs warned that 5G deployment would precipitate a “catastrophic” aviation crisis that would see the majority of commercial air-traffic grounded. Under pressure from the White House, AT&T and Verizon agreed to delay their respective 5G roll-outs through 05 July. The telecommunications giants subsequently enabled some wireless towers while powering-down those near airports.
The FAA states it is in the early stages of working with AT&T and Verizon to identify markets where either a new tower or an increase in signal power will cause the least disruption. Compliant tenors notwithstanding, Verizon and AT&T plan to pursue a full rollout of their networks by the end of 2023.” Aviation industry officials, meanwhile, have identified a pathway to retrofit the most vulnerable radio altimeters by the end of 2022. In addition to AT&T and Verizon, another 19 telecommunication companies are expected to enter the 5G market during that time-frame. Nolen expressed the hope that those companies would weigh their plans and potential profits against the lives of millions of air-travelers. Verizon asserted that it was working with the FAA, Federal Communications Commission, and aviation industry, and was confident it would achieve “robust deployment of C-Band without significant disruptions to the traveling public.” Airlines for America, an industry trade-group representing American, Delta, and United Airlines, among others, put forth that the industry recognized the need to implement a permanent solution, while continuing to ensure the highest level of safety. AT&T did not comment. Some airlines have raised concerns about footing the bill to retrofit altimeters only to face paying for a replacement in a few years. Nolen posited that in the absence of FCC action capping EM transmissions at current power levels, additional disruptions remain likely.
UPDATED May 8, 2022
FAA Says Some Radar Altimeters Need Replacing (This by by Russ Niles - AvWeb)
Reuters is reporting the FAA met with airlines and cellular service providers last Wednesday to plan the eventual replacement of the 10 percent of radar altimeters considered susceptible to interference from 5G C-Band signals. The news agency got a look at a letter to those invited to the meeting and the agency isn’t interested in hearing any other opinions on the topic. Reuters quoted the letter as saying the purpose of the meeting was to set “an achievable timeframe to retrofit/replace radar altimeters in the U.S. fleet.” It further directed aviation representatives “to offer options and commit to actions necessary to meet these objectives.” In the frenzy that followed the fractured rollout of 5G in January, the FAA quickly cleared about 90 percent of the fleet for operations where 5G is available, but the remainder are restricted in the types of instrument landings they can do. As an interim measure, some of the altimeters might be fitted with filters that can suppress the interference, but the agency seems determined to get rid of the offending equipment. There was no mention of who will be paying for the new equipment but it’s bound to come up. It’s also unclear what will happen after the July 6 deadline set by the telecoms to end the restricted operation of 5G near 50 airports that was part of a deal struck with them by the FAA in January. Last week Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said issues with 5G would linger for years.
UPDATED May 3, 2022
Back in April 2021 the FCC auctioned off a new cellular frequency range for use with the new 5G cellular technology, this frequency range is called C-band. However, neither the FCC nor the FAA checked to see if this new frequency wouldn't interfere with existing aircraft radio altimeters. They assumed it would not since they are different frequency ranges; however, since these frequency ranges sit very close together on the spectrum, many aircraft’s radio altimeters receive mask produced interference with the C-band frequencies, this causes radio altimeters installed on aircraft to produce incorrect readings. AT&T and Verizon both agreed on Jan. 18 to delay switching on about 500 5G C-band antennas near key airports until July 5. The FAA conducted a study aimed at finding out which aircraft/models of radio altimeters were prone to interference/inaccurate readings, the agency started work on a fix for this issue a couple of months ago. However, FAA administrator Steve Dickson said that the fix is not fully reliable and while it is a good stop gap, they should work on a more permanent solution to the issue. Dickson previously said that the FAA was working with radio altimeter manufacturers, cellular service providers and the RTCA to develop new radio altimeter standards, and that they hoped to settle on these new standards by early next year.
The FAA has been holding daily meetings with AT&T and Verizon that it said had “enabled us to closely tailor the areas requiring mitigation while aviation stakeholders take the necessary steps to retrofit existing radio altimeters with antenna filters.”. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been holding at least weekly meetings on the issue and has told Congress that they were making progress but that it wouldn’t be completely resolved by this summer. The FAA will be holding a meeting on Wednesday May 4, with telecom and airline industry officials, it wants to use the meeting to establish an achievable timeframe to retrofit/replace the radar altimeters which have not been cleared, it will also look at what will happen after July 5 and said that there would be “changes to U.S. national airspace operating environment as a result of future 5G C-band deployment in the coming months.”. The meeting will also include a discussion on prioritizing retrofits with antenna filters which mitigate potential interference from 5G, officials said these filters are currently in production and are able to be retrofitted onto existing radio altimeters, and that a key question was how to determine which aircraft are most at risk of interference from C-band and should therefore get retrofitted with these first.
UPDATED May 2, 2022
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told Congress that the issues surrounding the potential interference with aircraft radar altimeters and the full rollout of 5G cell service won’t all be fixed by the July deadline set in an agreement with Verizon and AT&T. He also said he doesn’t expect the Cabinet-level standoff that happened in January as the industry moved forward with the rollout. After White House intervention, the FAA, FCC and the telecoms agreed to a plan to limit 5G service near airports while the technical details of preventing the interference with the altimeters is worked out. Buttigieg told Congress that all parties are working toward a calm solution “largely because we have much better dialogue and collaboration, not just among regulators but among industries, and have been directly engaging with the airlines, the aviation equipment manufacturers and with the telecom carriers to make sure that we’re on a better path.” There have only been a few scattered reports of 5G interference since the network went live despite dire predictions by airlines and technical groups. There were significant cancellations in Washington State but virtually all were resolved.
UPDATED FEB 4, 2022
FAA Administrator Steve Dickson briefed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on February 3 about the ongoing effort to enable 5G C-band wireless network activation without compromising aviation safety. General aviation advocates watched with concern that mitigations for many aircraft could be a long time coming.
READ ABOUT IT AT THIS LINK:
UPDATED JAN 24, 2022
The CEOs of American Airlines and United Airlines say cooperation and collaboration in the past week between airlines, telecommunications companies and government agencies minimized the effect of the rollout of 5G cell service to airline service. The release of details on the strength and nature of the 5G signals by the telecoms made it possible to avert the crisis they’d been predicting a week earlier.
UPDATED JAN 18, 2022
(From Flying Magazine)
AT&T on Tuesday said it would delay rolling out 5G service on newly available frequencies, a day after U.S. airlines warned of widespread disruptions in air travel. “At our sole discretion, we have voluntarily agreed to temporarily defer turning on a limited number of towers around certain airport runways as we continue to work with the aviation industry and the FAA to provide further information about our 5G deployment, since they have not utilized the two years they’ve had to responsibly plan for this deployment,” AT&T said in a statement.
“We are frustrated by the FAA’s inability to do what nearly 40 countries have done, which is to safely deploy 5G technology without disrupting aviation services, and we urge it do so in a timely manner. We are launching our advanced 5G services everywhere else as planned with the temporary exception of this limited number of towers. ”AT&T along with another 5G carrier, Verizon Communications, had said they would create buffer zones at 50 airports in 46 markets, where they would turn off transmitters and make other adjustments.
On Monday, U.S. airlines warned the White House that possible interference with radio altimeters could cause delays and cancellations across the passenger and shipping sectors. “It’s the transmission towers for 5G, not the use of 5G in cellphones, that is the issue. It is important to make that distinction. Les Abend, FLYING contributing editor in a letter to the Biden administration obtained by FLYING, airline CEOs warned that if the rollout is allowed to move forward, “the nation’s commerce will grind to a halt. … Unless major hubs are cleared to fly, the vast majority of the traveling and shipping public will essentially be grounded.”
The FCC has authorized AT&T and Verizon to start using the frequencies Wednesday. “This means that on a day like [Saturday], more than 1,100 flights and 100,000 passengers would be subjected to cancellations, diversions or delays,” the letter says. The letter requests that “5G be implemented everywhere in the country except within the approximate two miles of airport runways at affected airports as defined by the FAA. ”Executives signing the letter—organized by industry group Airlines for America—represented passenger carriers Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL), United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL), Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV), Alaska Air Group (NYSE:ALK), JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ:JBLU), and Hawaiian Airlines. Cargo airlines included Atlas Air Worldwide (NASDAQ:AAWW), FedEx Express (NYSE:FDX), and UPS Airlines (NYSE:UPS). It was sent to top officials at the FAA, Federal Communications Commission, Department of Transportation, and the National Economic Council. Phone carriers have long pointed out that 5G is already in use in France, and American air carriers fly there on a daily basis with no issues.
Les Abend, FLYING contributing editor and retired Boeing 777 captain, has been watching the 5G issue unfold for years, noting the technology from 1G to 5G has taken the better part of two decades to evolve.While it may seem that the airlines only recently became aware of the issue and raised the alarm, Abend notes that so many technological things—and the potential impact on industries beyond cellular technology—were not considered during its development. “It’s the transmission towers for 5G, not the use of 5G in cellphones, that is the issue,” Abend says. “It is important to make that distinction.”
The aviation industry warns that 5G transmission will disrupt the signals necessary for the proper operation of several systems on transport category aircraft—and many business jets as well—and one of the most important is the radio altimeter that gives the pilot critical information about the aircraft’s height above terrain. Radio altimeter information systems issue verbal warnings and cautions on takeoff and landing, letting the pilot know how close they are to the ground below the airplane. These callouts are critical for instrument approaches, especially during periods of extremely low visibility—what are known as CAT II and CAT III approaches. “The radio altimeter provides critical information on these approaches. Certain parameters, such as altitude, need to be correct before the approach can continue,” Abend says. For example, an approach might call for the jet to level off at a certain altitude and stay there until they reach the final approach fix before it can continue the descent. “If the pilot loses the ability to determine the aircraft’s height above ground, the pilot also won’t know when to go around,” Abend explains, adding that if the radio altimeter is unreliable, it could result in a canceled flight. “If it is part of the aircraft’s minimum equipment list, it becomes a no-go situation.” If the weather descends below certain minimums and a CAT II or CAT III approach is required, says Abend, the flight may be canceled.
Abend is skeptical of the wireless providers’ assertions that 5G is already in use in Europe where U.S. airlines fly every day without issue.
“I would like to know where those 5G towers are in relation to Paris and Heathrow,” he says. The airport buffer zones promised by Verizon and AT&T were expected to be in place for the next six months.
On Sunday, the FAA announced it has cleared about 45 percent of the U.S. commercial aircraft fleet to perform low-visibility landings at many of the airports but, “even with these new approvals, flights at some airports may still be affected,” the agency said. United Airlines issued a statement Monday saying deployment will result “in the suspension of cargo flights…causing a negative ripple-effect on an already fragile supply chain.
READ MORE about the airports and buffer zones.
The controversy over the 5G deployment came to a head earlier this month, when— after pressure from the U.S. aviation industry—AT&T and Verizon agreed to delay the release by two weeks, until Wednesday. 5G networks use a set of radio waves called the C-band spectrum. The purpose of 5G is to provide for faster internet operations; however, the FAA and other members of the aviation industry have expressed concern that 5G may interfere with aircraft radio altimeters during approach to certain airports, and therefore have a negative impact on flight safety. The FAA has long been warning about potential safety repercussions from the rollout, arguing that the restrictions could potentially disrupt air travel and cargo shipments around the world, especially when combined with airline staffing issues resulting from COVID-19 and weather delays.
UPDATE as of JAN 9, 2022
The FAA has issued its list of 50 airports that will be protected (Daytona and Sanford aren't on the list) from Verizon and AT&T’s 5G signals for six months and the criteria it used suggests the list would have been a lot longer if the FAA had its way. The list was released Friday, a few days after the telecoms agreed to push back their major rollout of 5G cell service from Jan. 5 to Jan.19 and to put buffer zones around a maximum of 50 airports picked by the FAA until next July 19.
UPDATE as of JAN 4, 2022
The main event between corporate heavyweights—the airline and telecom industries— will have to hold off for another two weeks. Both sides today confirmed the agreement to delay launching the latter’s 5G network, in deference to the former’s concerns over mass flight cancellations due to safety concerns that the powerful broadband signals were close enough on the frequency range that they could corrupt airliners’ radar altimeters. Those altimeters are critical to extreme low-visibility approaches, including autoland procedures.
In a prepared statement, Rich Young, Verizon spokesperson, said, “We’ve agreed to a two-week delay which promises the certainty of bringing this nation our game-changing 5G network in January delivered over America’s best and most reliable network,” echoed by AT&T, which said its network would implement additional protective measures at vulnerable airports over the next six months.
Officials from the airline industry cited the resemblance of their mitigation recommendations to those already implemented in France. That is, limiting or cutting power involving 5G service providers in sensitive areas.
With the telecom giants refusing on Monday to consider the delay, trade group Airlines for America (A4A) had prepared a lawsuit to block the launch of the broadband services. That lawsuit is now shelved, at least temporarily. But A4A said they are keeping their hands close to that shelf, should the telecom giants reevaluate. The infrastructure for their 5G networks has cost AT&T and Verizon in excess of $80 billion to date.
UPDATE as of JAN 1, 2022
Verizon and AT&T say they’ll turn down the power of 5G broadband signals near major airports of their choosing for six months but otherwise the rollout of the much-anticipated system will go ahead as planned on Jan. 5. In a scathing letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FAA Administrator Steve Dickson released by The Wall Street Journal on Sunday, AT&T CEO John Stankey and Verizon’s Hans Vestberg chided the government officials for what they characterized as an eleventh-hour request to prevent widespread flight restrictions when they’ve had at least a year to prepare for 5G. To read the full AOPA article click this link:
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The FAA effectively rejected assertions by the wireless industry and the Federal Communications Commission that 5G C-band transmitters can be activated in January as planned without putting aircraft at risk, pledging a cooperative approach to resolving safety concerns while setting the stage for weather delays and cancellations. The agency issued a pair of airworthiness directives (ADs) that take effect December 9 and are likely to limit a wide range of aircraft operations when the new 5G networks are activated, including scheduled passenger and cargo service, emergency response, and medical transportation.
EAA has formed a team to explore ways of improving aviation safety by focusing on responses to the often-tragic 180-degree turn back to the runway following engine failure on takeoff.
This group, led by Charlie Precourt, EAA’s board vice chairman, and Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety, also includes representatives from the flight instruction and flight test communities, academia, data analysis experts, and others.
A recent survey conducted by AOPA of pilots and aircraft owners across the country confirmed what we have been hearing from many members for several years: Older pilots who are just as safe, current, and proficient as any others continue to find their insurance policies unceremoniously dropped or canceled, or much more expensive—just for being a day older than 70.
EAA has reported that the FAA has published draft guidance to implement an optional task-based Phase I program for Experimental Amateur-Built (E-AB) aircraft. Under the program, once an aircraft completes a flight test plan that meets FAA standards, Phase I is complete. The standard 25- or 40-hour flight test period for Phase I will remain an option for all E-AB, and Experimental Light-Sport (E-LSA) continues to carry a 5-hour test period.
The program is part of an upcoming update to Advisory Circular (AC) 90-89B. Flight test programs do not need specific approval by the FAA, but the Circular lays out certain required flight test points and requires the use of test cards for data collection in flight. Users of the EAA Flight Test Manual should find it a straightforward way to complete the requirements of the task-based Phase I program, but anyone may draft a flight test plan that meets the FAA's outline, including kit manufacturers and other experts.
Task-based Phase I ensures that every hour spent in flight testing is meaningful and is contributing to both validating the airworthiness of the aircraft and gathering the data necessary to build a detailed operating manual. This will benefit the builder in ensuring full exploration of the aircraft's operating envelope, and it will benefit subsequent owners in having access to quality data on the aircraft. In exchange for this work, the aircraft will be released from Phase I when it is ready, not based on an arbitrary time requirement.
"This is the result of more than eight years of work by EAA and the FAA and we couldn't be happier that it is now nearing completion," said Tom Charpentier, EAA Government Relations Director. "This will be a true paradigm shift in E-AB flight testing."
This program comes on the heels of EAA's publication of its Flight Test Manual in 2018, which has sold thousands of copies to date. EAA is continuously working to improve it and create new materials and programming based upon the manual.
Task-based Phase I is yet another example of the EAA working collaboratively with the FAA to achieve a win-win solution that benefits the community and enhances safety. The groundwork for this change was laid by the EAA/FAA working group that created the Additional Pilot Program (AC 90-116), which allows another pilot into the cockpit to enhance safety during flight testing.
The Advisory Circular is in draft form and comments will be accepted through April 29. Please note that the relevant language on Task-Based Phase I is housed in Chapter 1, Section 1 of the draft. The rest of the document contains advisory information on flight testing and is not part of the task-based program requirements.
Chapter 288 started in the 1970s, and originally met at nearby Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The chapter took regular trips to the Spruce Creek Fly-In, located in Port Orange, Florida, and soon moved their meeting location to Spruce Creek. Chapter 288 is unique, because of it's location. 288 is located at the intersection of young aviation enthusiasts from the University and experienced aviators along Florida's Space Coast.
Chapter 288 works to continue the spirit of general aviation in Daytona Beach area. We host several events throughout the year for our members which feature prominent aviators and aviation technology. Chapter 288 members also volunteer at aviation related functions throughout the community to teach people about general aviation. Volunteering at local airshows and hosting
Young Eagles events are some of the ways that EAA 288 members participate in the community. Chapter 288's members are also very involved with the EAA on a national level. The chapter has a good turnout at the EAA's annual fly-in "AirVenture" in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The EAA works on a national level to help endure the "spirit of aviation." They work to get children who have an interest in becoming a pilot, air traffic controller, mechanic, etc. achieve their goals. EAA sponsors workshops for homebuilders teaching skills neccesary for them to build their own airplanes. Founded in 1953 by Paul Poberezney, the EAA has worked for over 60 years to keep general aviation alive and prospering into the future. They work today with other aviation organizations to ensure that aviation friendly laws are passed in Washington D.C., and to help ensure that general aviaiton will continue well into the future. To learn more about the Experimental Aircraft Association on a national level, and how to join, please visit their website at EAA.ORG