January 2020

Aviation International News

January 2020

The first AIN issue of the 2020s includes our Look Ahead section. Projections for the next 12 months include what we can expect from Washington; the challenge of delivering on the immediate promises in urban air mobility; how the focus on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is driving business aviation research; what to anticipate from OEMs; avionics–after the race to the ADS-B deadline; and new prospects and hurdles for the MRO industry.

Our front page details the recent alliance between Wheels Up and Delta Air Lines’ Delta Private Jets division. DPJ’s fleet of 70 managed aircraft will join with Wheels Up’s 115 owned aircraft to create a major force in the charter industry.

We take a look at takeaways from the annual three-day Bombardier Safety Standdown; the theme of which was “Elevate Your Standards.” And on the downside of the subject of safety standards; this issue includes a comprehensive look at the NTSB’s overview of the so-called “doors-off” flight that ended in disaster in New York City’s East River. The Board didn’t pull its punches in lambasting the operators of the fatal flight, while simultaneously praising the pilot for his performance under dire conditions.

One of the features in this issue sheds light on a new training technology that places interactive 3D augmented reality “targets” within the field of view of a pilot using special goggles. With this developing technology from Red 6, military pilots can track and engage virtual enemies; or train for other missions, such as air-to-air refueling.

There is an update on the seemingly never-ending saga of the Boeing 737 Max; and an in-person look at the Seattle airframer’s ecoDemonstrator flying test bed on a visit to Atlantic City.

On a sad note, AIN mourns the passing of contributor and podcast host Pete Combs, a highly respected reporter and a fine friend to us; lost way too soon.

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