March 6, 2024 - No. 10 In This Issue : New Fuel Efficiency Certification Rules Apply to Bizav : Engine Makers Explore Several Paths to Decarbonization : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 17 & 18 September - London : Embraer-X and Sustainable Aero Lab Push Decarbonization : New Fuel Efficiency Certification Rules Apply to Bizav : The new B-52: How the Air Force is prepping to fly century-old bombers : The battle continues: Education vs degree programs : Pentagon ban on Osprey V-22 flights to end next week : Jefferson County airport sued for noise, lead contamination : The “Seahorse:” the P-51D Carrier Testing and why the Mustang was found unsuited for service aboard US Navy flat tops : Genesys Aerosystems announces ultra-compact Air Data Computer New Fuel Efficiency Certification Rules Apply to Bizav The U.S. rules apply to new type certificates and modified airplanes By GORDON GILBERT • Contributor - Accidents and Regulations February 22, 2024 Some business jets and large turboprop airplanes are included in new FAA final rules that enact Environmental Protection Agency-prescribed fuel efficiency certification requirements. The rules take effect on April 16 and apply to certain subsonic jet airplanes with a maximum takeoff weight greater than 5,700 kilograms (12,500 pounds) and to certain turboprop airplanes with a mtow greater than 8,618 kilograms (19,000 pounds). Under this final rule, an airplane is subject to these certification requirements: (1) at new (original) type certification; (2) upon manufacture of any covered airplane after Jan. 1, 2028; or (3) when a modification to a covered airplane meets fuel efficiency change criteria specified in the regulations. Exempted are piston airplanes, airplanes used for firefighting, amphibious airplanes, non-pressurized airplanes, certain specialized operations airplanes, and out-of-production airplanes currently in service. The new FAR Part 38, Appendix A, rule contains the certification testing methods that OEMs or modifiers must perform to determine the fuel metric value that a specific airframe design must comply with to obtain fuel efficiency certification. See also Advisory Circular 38-1. According to the FAA, the airplanes covered by the new regulations are responsible for 9 percent of domestic transportation emissions and 2 percent of total U.S. carbon pollution. Sixty comments were submitted and 14 generally supported the rules as proposed. Nine, including ALPA, Boeing, Gulfstream, NBAA, GAMA, and Embraer supported the rule but offered suggested changes. Engine Makers Explore Several Paths to Decarbonization R&D work chases short-term improvement and a quantum leap for the 2030s RTX group companies Pratt & Whitney and Collins are both involved in preparations to start flight testing a hybrid-electric propulsion system for regional airliners. By CHARLES ALCOCK • Managing Editor February 18, 2024 With aircraft engine makers at the vanguard of efforts to decarbonize air transport, the next 10 years or so will see the biggest breakthroughs in propulsion technology since the dawn of the jet age. The big three turbofan manufacturers¬—CFM International, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce—are investing heavily in multistage work that starts with standardizing the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and progresses towards electric and hydrogen propulsion. Pratt & Whitney has begun pursuing several paths to introducing cleaner and more efficient engines between now and 2050. According to Frank Preli, the U.S. group’s vice president for advanced propulsion and materials technologies, the objective centers not just on cutting carbon dioxide, but other damaging emissions as well, including nitrogen oxides (NOx). In the near term, the company remains focused on making the GTF Advantage version of its geared turbofan available for the A320neo airliner. The engine would deliver an additional 1 percent in fuel efficiency compared with the current GTF, increasing to 17 percent its performance margin over earlier engines like the V2500. RTX Group Pushes for Hybrid-Electric Advances Beyond that, Pratt & Whitney, which is part of the RTX technology group, continues work on a hybrid-electric technology demonstrator it aims to start flight testing early next year in Canada. The powertrain will combine a 1-megawatt electric motor developed by sister company Collins with a 1-megawatt engine to achieve a 30 percent improvement in energy performance on a mission basis. Last month, Pratt & Whitney announced the development of a mobile charging unit to support the 1,500-volt batteries that Swiss firm H55 has committed for the project. Under a separate project called SWITCH, which is supported by the European Union's Clean Aviation initiative, RTX is developing a hybrid-electric propulsion system for Pratt & Whitney's geared turbofan family. This could be used for future narrowbody airliners. “We are talking about achieving five percent of the thrust capability using electric motors on each of the engines,” Preli told AIN. “This will enable us to alter the cycle by taking energy from one or both [of the electric motors or generators], which gives us very interesting capabilities so that we don’t have to completely rely on aerodynamic or thermodynamic cycles. The electric power can be used for taxiing, for instance, and to manage surge margins in the engine as you can separately change the high compressor and low compressor rotational speeds using the two motor generators.” The Grid, a new Collins-operated R&D center in Rockford, Illinois, plays a key role in the work. As an indicator of the scale of progress being made, Preli explained that the 1-megawatt generator developed for the RTX Hybrid Electric Flight Demonstrator will deliver four times the power and twice the voltage, with half the heat loss and weight as the 250-kilowatt generator developed a decade ago to provide the electrical power for Boeing’s 787 widebody. While not excluding the possibility of hydrogen's contribution, Pratt & Whitney views that mode of propulsion as a longer-term play in air transport. “We don’t expect hydrogen to be widely available for some time, and [to develop hydrogen propulsion systems] there are a lot of basic technologies that need to be developed first,” Preli said. “There are ongoing studies with airframers for hydrogen propulsion concepts, and we’re working very closely on the integration [of hydrogen engines and the aircraft].” Pratt & Whitney is also looking at two concepts to address different types of emissions from engine combustors, using water reclamation and steam injection in a hydrogen engine that could cut NOx emissions by 80 percent. “You can also get higher efficiency with the water cycle because you can operate the engine at a higher operating pressure ratio without an increase in temperature, which would limit materials durability,” Preli explained. CFM Banks on Rise Engine to Lower Carbon By mid-2025, CFM expects to start flight testing a technology demonstrator for its Rise open fan engine. The joint venture between GE Aviation and Safran targets at least a 20 percent reduction in fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions compared with today’s Leap engines in time to support new narrowbody airliners from the likes of Airbus and Boeing. In January, Safran Aircraft Engines and France's Onera aerospace research agency began wind tunnel tests with the EcoEngine one-fifth scale open fan demonstrator. The partners aim to mature the aerodynamics and acoustics of the fan module by exposing it to real-world wind speeds and validating the fan blade design. Since February 2022, CFM and Airbus have worked on a hydrogen demonstration program with the aim of flight testing a propulsion system on an A380 by the middle of this decade. This work contributes to Airbus’s ZeroE program, which centers on the development of a hydrogen-powered airliner able to carry around 200 people up to 2,000 nm by 2035. The demonstrator will involve the modification of a GE Passport business jet engine to run on hydrogen. The design calls for mounting the engine on the rear fuselage of a flying testbed. Rolls-Royce Expects UltraFan to Cut Fuel Burn At its Derby, UK, headquarters, Rolls-Royce continues testing the UltraFan technology it expects will deliver a 25 percent reduction in fuel burn when integrated with its Trent family of turbofans. The manufacturer plans to introduce a family of two-shaft, three-shaft, direct-drive, and geared propulsion systems ranging in thrust from 25,000 and 110,000 pounds for narrowbody and widebody airliners that could enter service in the 2030s. Working as part of the European Union-backed Clean Aviation program, the engine company expects to expand bypass ratios to improve the energy efficiency of turbofans through changes in architecture, such as shortening inlets. The group’s Bristol facility also is working on what it calls micro-hybridization, integrating an electric starter generator with a smaller engine. The approach involves making use of electrical power during some phases of flight to supplement improvements in energy efficiency. In September 2023, Rolls-Royce and partners conducted a ground test in which they ran a Pearl 700 business jet engine on 100 percent hydrogen fuel. The work, supported by the UK’s Loughborough University and German aerospace research agency DLR, forms part of longer-term efforts to develop a hydrogen combustion engine for future narrowbody aircraft. In late November, Rolls-Royce announced its intention to seek a buyer for the electrical division involved in developing battery-electric propulsion systems for new aircraft such as the Vertical Aerospace eVTOL model. Embraer-X and Sustainable Aero Lab Push Decarbonization Embraer-X is the Brazilian airframer's technology incubator and 'market accelerator' unit The Sustainable Aero Lab in Hamburg, Germany, aims to bring together start-ups with investors and mentors, like Embraer. By CHARLES ALCOCK • Managing Editor March 1, 2024 Embraer-X has launched a partnership with the Sustainable Aero Lab in Hamburg, Germany, to advance its initiatives around the decarbonization of aviation. The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer’s technology incubator unit announced the joint initiative on Wednesday, indicating that it could result in new investments in startups “focused on energy transition for the air transport industry.” The Sustainable Aero Lab’s mission is to connect technology startups with mentors and investors, as well as identify prospective new customers and partners for their projects. In addition to Embraer-X, its sponsors include the Hamburg Investment and Development Bank and the Breakthrough Energy consortium. The organization was founded with backing from the Hamburg Aviation aerospace cluster, Germany’s ZAL Center for Applied Aeronautical Research, and Density Ventures. Embraer is looking to make further progress with its Energia future aircraft program. This is focused on using hybrid-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion technology for new 19- and 30-seat aircraft. Its Eve Air Mobility spinoff is working on a four-passenger eVTOL aircraft. “With the backing of Embraer-X, we will elevate our mentorship program for aviation startups and projects around the world to deliver a tangible reduction of the climate footprint of aviation,” said Sustainable Aero Lab founder and CEO Stephan Uhrenbacher. “We are excited to work together on building a sustainable future of aviation, coordinating our support initiatives, and streamlining access to each other’s resources.” Airbus Showcases A350-1000 Powered by Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Singapore Airshow BY ÖYKÜM GELEN PUBLISHED ON FEBRUARY 22, 2024 Note: See photos in the original article. Background on SAF SAF is a certified jet fuel (Jet-A/A1), according to Airbus. Instead of utilizing traditional jet fuels, which are fully fossil-resourced, SAF is a composition of conventional fossil fuel and a range of renewable, synthetic feedstock that can be cooking oils, plant oils, fats, municipal, agricultural, and forestry waste. All Airbus aircraft can fly with a maximum 50% blend of SAF and regular fuel. By 2030, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) plans to have all aircraft and helicopters fly with up to 100% SAF. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International, a global standards testing unit, approved eight technical options for producing SAF. Each path has requirements based on different feedstocks and their conversion into fuel. Two of these requirements are listed as the following: • Hydrotreated Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA): Refining vegetable oils, waste oils, and fats into SAF by hydrotreating and hydroprocessing. • Alcohol to Jet (AtJ): Transforming alcohol (ethanol, iso-butanol) into SAF by linking the molecules without oxygen. Reducing Emissions Approximately 2-3% of the global human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are caused by air transport. SAF can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by almost 80% compared to traditional jet fuel. Establishing a better relationship with the environment is crucial while progressing towards decarbonization. The carbon produced by traditional jet fuel does not belong to the Earth's natural carbon cycle. However, fuel burned to produce SAF uses natural carbon, preventing the unnecessary release of carbon emissions. SAF at the Singapore Airshow Airbus is one of the largest exhibitors at this year's Singapore Airshow. Its stand showcased its full range of products and services, including commercial aircraft, helicopters, defense, and space markets. Some important remarks are an A330neo widebody aircraft, an A400M military airlifter, an H145M full-scale mock-up, an exclusive ACH130 Aston Martin helicopter, and SAF. The takeoff of the Airbus A350-1000 with SAF at the Singapore Airshow has underscored the OEM's attention to their campaign to promote SAF. Airbus showed refueling on February 18 at Changi Airport (SIN) in Singapore. They pumped 12.8 tons (11.6 metric tons) of a 35% blend of SAF and conventional jet-A fuel into the widebody. With the addition of the fuel, the A350 contained 21.8 tons (19.8 metric tons) of SAF, which would accommodate the aircraft through demonstrations and displays throughout the week. Shell Aviation supplied the SAF under the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification EU requirements and provided through the pathway of hydro-processed esters and fatty acids synthetic paraffinic kerosene (HEFA-SPK). The pathway utilizes feedstock from cooking oil and grease. This demonstration helps Airbus showcase its commitment to 100% SAF adoption. Helene Burger, Airbus' Head of International Cooperation and Sustainability for the Asia-Pacific, said: "Airbus is committed to supporting and developing the SAF ecosystem, and this is part of what we are doing," To highlight its passion for showcasing environmentally friendly products, the A350-1000 flew from its headquarters in Toulouse, France, to Singapore using 90 tonnes of fuel with a SAF blend. Burger mentioned that the current availability of SAF represents a small percentage of what the industry and future operations will require. Every branch of the aviation industry should portray SAF's importance while explaining the product's safety measures. Testing is crucial for the successful implementation of SAF in flight operations. Airbus helicopters fueled by SAF are taking test flights and training in Marignane, France, and Donauwörth, Germany, and they have also conducted a demo flight at the Paris Air Show 2023 with an H160. In March 2023, the second test flight of VOLCAN happened, where an A321neo powered by 100% SAF was analyzed for residual emissions. The A321XLR passenger test flight took place on October 2023, with only Airbus employees onboard for an extremely long-range single-aisle aircraft while flying with 30% SAF. Besides the airshow displays, Airbus has already begun to motivate its customers to transition to SAF by delivering its plane with a 5% SAF blend without any additional charge. According to an Airbus spokeswoman, Airbus will also return to their headquarters in Toulouse with SAF used for the aircraft after the airshow, depending on availability. The new B-52: How the Air Force is prepping to fly century-old bombers BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — As it idled on the flight line here, a B-52H Stratofortress known as the Red Gremlin II looked much the same as it did in the 1960s. But the U.S. Air Force’s B-52 bomber fleet is showing its age, and the Red Gremlin II is no exception. The battle continues: Education vs degree programs By Jamie Beckett February 20, 2024 · Is a college degree essential to success? The students of the United States have been on a journey of exploration for a good many years now. The question might be asked: What is it they are exploring? In many cases it seems their discovery has been little more than a significant amount of debt brought on by the pursuit of a degree that has dubious earning potential. Uh oh. That wasn’t supposed to happen. When I reflect back to those times of making big decisions about going to college, or not going to college, and what sort of a career I might have, I can recall being pretty deeply mired in the quicksand of ignorance. And I went to what was considered a darned good high school with some sharp kids. Candace Bushnell was in my graduating class. She went on to write the content that became “Sex in the City.” Laura Ingraham did well with Fox News, too. She was in my little sister’s class. There are thousands of other successful folks you’ve probably never heard of in my classes too. Doctors and lawyers, gas station attendants and electricians, all sprung from the halls of that fine institution to do their best in the world. While many of my peer group went on to college, many others did not. I took four years off to travel and be an idiot before enrolling at Manchester Community College in central Connecticut to pursue an education in communications. I never did graduate, leaving school when my band began doing well. When balancing the relative merits of being a fledgling rock star against the traditional educational route, it wasn’t all that tough a choice, really. In the long run I’ve done reasonably well. I never got the degree, but the band and I did produce an LP that sold modestly. We played live for years and had one heck of a good time. Jamie Beckett’s band was the The Broken Hearts. (Photo courtesy Jamie Beckett) I have published something in print every week for more than 30 years, along with a handful of fictional works. I’ve been privileged to participate in a National Geographic biopic about Charles Lindbergh, stood on the stage at Radio City Music Hall, met a number of my boyhood idols, and somewhere in there learned a thing or two about aviation in its various forms. I have no complaints. I do have questions, however. It’s been my belief for many, many years that education should be a lifelong pursuit. Unlike in prior generations when technology remained relatively static for 100 years or more at a time, technology, and the societal norms that result from it, have changed dramatically — and frequently — in modern times. When my great-grandfather was born in 1857, the tech he found in and around his house was not significantly different from the tech at George Washington’s farm 100 years earlier. When I was born 100 years later, we had electricity, running water, telephones, radio, airplanes, and nuclear power plants. Life is changing for the modern human and that rate of change is only speeding up and becoming more complex. My great-grandfather knew how every piece of equipment in his house worked and in many cases he could repair or replace them himself. Unless you’re a very unusual individual you probably don’t know much about how the major appliances in your kitchen work, let alone your car, computer, phone, or satellite service. Education is the key to success. There’s no doubt about it. But, does that mean a college degree is an essential component of that success? Does the lack of a B.A., or a B.S., or an MBA behind our name mean we’ll live in a state of lesser potential forevermore? Poppycock, I say. Even in the rapidly advancing industry of aviation, a college degree does not guarantee success any more than the lack of one relegates us to lower class status. While I am admittedly no more than a high school graduate, I hold five FAA certificates, which makes up for the lack of a degree, I think. And the path I took is as valid today as it ever was. Maybe more so. When I got into aviation as a profession, none of the major airlines were all that excited about hiring a pilot who didn’t have a sheepskin hanging on their wall. Now, that’s not so much of a requirement as it is a desirable trait. Less well known is that airlines and other organizations that might hire us don’t care a whole lot about what field of study that degree was focused on. Pilot Science? Okay. Accounting, psychology, political science, public affairs, 18th Century English Literature? All good. And yes, I actually do know a pilot who majored in 18th Century English Literature. I also am fortunate enough to know or somehow find myself connected to a considerable number of professional pilots, some employed by major airlines, who like me, did not matriculate at an accredited university or college. Rather, we focused on our education, our certifications, our skill sets, and our ability to aim high with the intention of meeting and beating our goals over time. I have a sibling with an Esq after her name. She went to college. I have another sibling whose name is followed by the letters DVM. He’s a veterinarian. He went to college, too. Officially, my name has no letters that follow it — unless you use the FAA methodology that includes Comm ASEL, ASES, AMEL, CFI, CFII, MEI, Mechanic, and a few other little bits here and there about instrument flight, remote aircraft, and ground instruction. But you can just call me Jamie. My mom does. Why not you, too? So the long and the short of it seems to be do you need an education? Yes. Do you need a degree? Maybe. It all depends on your goals, the requirements necessary to meet those goals, and your willingness to either fit in or blaze your own trail. Conduct yourself accordingly. In the long run, you’ll be glad you did. Either way, you can do this. Pentagon ban on Osprey V-22 flights to end next week; Ospreys were grounded following Nov. 29 crash in Japan that left 8 dead Associated Press Published March 1, 2024 4:56pm EST Fox News Flash top headlines for March 1 Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. • The Pentagon is set to lift its ban on flights by grounded V-22 Osprey aircraft next week, according to officials. • The tilt-rotor craft has been out of commission since a November crash left eight people dead in Japan. An earlier crash in Australia killed three Marines. • Tweaks to the Osprey's handling, including safety checks and operational reform, have been made since the incident. The Pentagon will lift the ban on flights by the grounded V-22 Osprey next week, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Friday, following a high-level meeting where Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin endorsed the military services' plans for a safe and measured return to operations. The officials said that Naval Air Systems Command, which grounded the controversial tilt-rotor aircraft about three months ago, will lift it and allow the services to begin implementing their plans to get the Osprey back into the air. Austin met with the top service leaders, including for the Navy and Air Force, on Friday morning, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss plans not yet made public. The Osprey has been grounded for almost three months following a Nov. 29 Air Force Special Operations Command crash in Japan that killed eight service members. The Japan incident and an earlier August Osprey crash in Australia that killed three Marines are both still under investigation. The Air Force has said that it has identified what failed in the Japan crash, even though it does not know yet why it failed. US MILITARY GROUNDS FLEET OF OSPREY AIRCRAFT FOLLOWING DEADLY CRASH The decision to end the flight ban is up to Naval Air Systems Command, but Austin had asked for an informational briefing on the matter because of the significant safety concerns and the fact that three of the services and a critical ally are involved in the program. While Austin does not have approval authority in the return to flight process, U.S. officials said his endorsement of the services' plan was considered a key step. In the months since, the services have worked on plans to mitigate the known material failure by conducting additional safety checks and establishing a new, more conservative approach to how the Osprey is operated. Officials said the U.S. military will also share its plans with Japan, which is the only international partner involved in the Osprey program. Japan also grounded its fleet of 14 V-22s after the November crash. Prior to the grounding the U.S. Marine Corps routinely used Ospreys in that county. A return to flight is a sensitive topic in Japan, where public opinion on the Osprey is mixed. Officials said the U.S. is committed to a safe process, and the fleet will not fly again there until Japan has had an opportunity to be briefed on the services’ plan. The head of Naval Air Systems Command is expected to fly to Japan next week to brief the Ministry of Defense and Japanese government in person on the plans, and no Ospreys will fly until that briefing has occurred, according to another U.S. official who was not authorized to publicly discuss the issue and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Osprey is a military aircraft that can take off like a helicopter and fly like an airplane. A string of accidents over the last two years has renewed questions on whether is is safe to fly. The military-wide grounding has left the deepest impact on the U.S. Marine Corps, which relies on more than 300 MV-22 Ospreys to conduct a major part of its aviation mission. Air Force Special Operations Command has about 50 CV-22B Ospreys. The Navy is planning on replacing its C-2 Greyhounds, which transport passengers to aircraft carriers, with more than two dozen CMV-22 Ospreys. Jefferson County airport sued for noise, lead contamination Scott Weiser scott.weiser@gazette.com Feb 24, 2024 Updated Mar 3, 2024 More than 400 residents of Superior’s Rock Creek subdivision filed a lawsuit against neighboring Jefferson County, owner of the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, complaining that noise and alleged pollution from leaded aviation fuel are affecting their well-being and devaluing their homes. The residents of the subdivision claim in the lawsuit that increasing use of the airport has harmed them due to “noise and vibration” and other related activity. The complaint includes allegations that aviation gasoline known as “100LL,” which contains small amounts of lead, is polluting their homes. The lawsuit, originally filed in Boulder District court was sent to the U.S. District Court in Denver February 21, because it involves federal regulations pertaining to the use of airspace. Jefferson County, in a motion to dismiss said: “This is not a case in which the government built an airport adjacent to an existing suburban community thereby subjecting the residents to unanticipated noise and other consequences. Rather, it is undisputed that the Airport was built in 1960 and Plaintiffs reside in a development that did not exist until the 1980s. In other words, every Plaintiff moved to Superior with full knowledge of the existence of the Airport.” Before the case was transferred to the federal courts, Boulder County District Court judge Stephen P. Howard ruled that nine of 29 “avigation easements” given by the original subdivision developers were invalidated because operations at the airport violated their provisions. It was that ruling that caused Jefferson County to appeal to the federal courts. When the subdivision was built, the airport negotiated what are called “avigation easements” with the developer allowing unlimited use of the airspace. Residents allege that the easements have been violated by the increasing levels of noise and vibration caused by increased use of the airport and by lead contamination of their property. Brad Schuster, Northwest Mountain regional manager for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said avigation easements are often used to forestall the sort of complaints seen here, but they are neither necessary nor required by law. “That's the answer. They're not required,” Schuster told The Denver Gazette. “They're recommended in no small part because this allows sort of know-before-you-buy type of option. If they're moving next to an airport and they don't really think about, it's a beautiful day, it's a quiet day, nobody's flying. They're none the wiser.” Residents claim ownership of the airspace above their property, saying they own the space below 1,000 feet above ground level. “The airspace above a property is included within the bundle of rights owned by landowners," according to the complaint. "For a property located in a rural area, landowners own the airspace up to 500 feet; in a congested area, they own the airspace up to 1,000 feet. Navigable airspace exists above those thresholds and is generally considered part of the public domain.” However, while Colorado law vests ownership of space above the surface in the owner of the surface, it makes that ownership “subject to the right of the flight of aircraft,” which according to Federal Aviation Administration regulations, includes lower altitudes for takeoff and landing. Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, originally known as Jefferson County Airport, was built in 1960 on a mesa just south of the Jefferson County line, and above what is now the Interlocken Business Park at U.S. 36 and Highway 128. At the time, Superior was a tiny, bucolic town east of Boulder. A coal-mining town founded in 1896 and incorporated in 1904, it got its name from the “superior” quality of the coal mined in the area. When the coal mines closed in 1945, most people left, and Superior became a quiet farming and ranching community of about 250 people. Development began in earnest when property northwest of the airport was subdivided in 1987. “Through 2006, approximately 2,700 single-family homes and 1,800 multi-family homes have been developed in Rock Creek swelling Superior's population to approximately 12,483,” according to the town’s website. The Rock Creek subdivision was built directly in line with the “critical zones” of the airport’s runways, against the recommendations of Jefferson County, Boulder County, and aviation authorities at the time. Safety was a concern as the subdivision is about two miles northwest of the end of the runways — right where a failed takeoff might end up. The complaint also states that aircraft “drop lead particulates found in the aviation fuel used by small planes directly onto the Properties, causing an ongoing physical occupation of the Properties, raising serious health concerns, and again directly and substantially interfering with the Homeowners’ use and enjoyment of their properties and significantly affecting the marketability and value of the Properties.” But surface swab testing for lead in Superior by Pinyon Environmental in August 2023 revealed no lead contamination, and neither did airborne lead sampling in January 2024. Nor did airborne and swab testing in Louisville, just across U.S. 36 from Superior, reveal any lead. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has not been able to find harmful levels of lead caused by general aviation, Schuster said. “AOPA is all about the facts. We are trained and organized around providing factual data, whether it's data that supports us or whether it's data that's contrary to a goal,” said Schuster. “What we're finding nationally, particularly in a couple hotspots like Colorado, Washington and California, is that communities that have, over time, encroached on airports like RMMA that's been there since 1960, we are finding that more than facts, emotions are being fanned around something that we know is not healthy, lead. But the facts do not support that we've been able to find those harmful levels as a result of general aviation.” The case is awaiting a ruling on the motion to dismiss. The “Seahorse:” the P-51D Carrier Testing and why the Mustang was found unsuited for service aboard US Navy flat tops By Dario Leone Feb 26 2024 Sponsored by: Schiffer Military In this article: • A modern aircraft carrier • P-51D Mustang Carrier Testing • Robert M. “Bob” Elder • The Seahorse • P-51D carrier testing: why the Mustang was found unsuited for service aboard US Navy flat tops • A modern aircraft carrier By the 1920s, the quest for a modern aircraft carrier was underway in three powerful countries, each surrounded by vast oceans. Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States separately had projects underway to apply a “flat top” to one or more ships. Technical progress continued, and the climax came on Dec. 7, 1941, with the devastating Japanese Imperial Navy attack on Pearl Harbor. Naval warfare was forever changed. Battleships, previously the naval symbol of national might, were henceforth obsolete. No further dreadnoughts were built after World War II. Aircraft carriers were thereafter the measure of projecting national naval power. An amazing number of countries dabbled with an aircraft carrier (or two), but it was only the United States that fielded significant numbers of these giant floating airbases and the flotilla of escorting vessels that protect them. P-51D Mustang Carrier Testing As told by Mark A. Frankel in the book North American Aviation Jet Age The Columbus Years 1941-1988, three components of flight testing include a location, one or more pilots, and an airplane. Mustin Field (1926-1963) was adjacent to the naval aircraft factory at Philadelphia. The object under evaluation was a barrowed P-51D Mustang bearing the tail number 44-14017. The date was October 1944, and Allied forces were finally starting to make headway in a two-front global war. North American P-51D-5-NA Mustang s/n 44-14017 is lowered to the hangar aboard the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Shangri-La (CV-38) during a test flight on Nov. 15, 1944. Areas on the runway were marked out, simulating the deck of an aircraft carrier. The simulation was made more realistic with installation of catapult and arresting cables. Unlike an aircraft carrier at sea, an airfield cannot maneuver into the wind (or accelerate) to gather additional headwind. Robert M. “Bob” Elder Seasoned Navy combat pilot Lt. Robert M. “Bob” Elder (1918-2008) was at the controls as over and over he rehearsed landings and takeoffs from the painted outline. Elder was born in Canada and attended the University of Washington in Seattle on a naval ROTC scholarship. Naval aviator wings were earned at Pensacola. Bob Elder became a champion of naval aircraft development, initially while still serving in uniform, and then as an aerospace executive later in life. His thumbprint remains on naval aviation to this day. The ability of the B-25 Mitchell to take off from an aircraft carrier was demonstrated with Doolittle’s audacious raid on Tokyo in April 1942. When asked about the source of the attack, President Roosevelt responded with his biggest grin and a whimsical reference to “Shangri-la.” The warlords of Japan had picked the wrong Navy to embarrass in December 1941. By 1944, the US Navy fearlessly told the world the source of the Tokyo raid. Further, pending unconditional surrender, the empire of Japan should expect hell on earth, with ongoing mayhem on a massive scale. Elder was not told of the purpose for this apparently dubious exercise. We know of it because of a typewritten report submitted to Los Angeles headquarters by the North American Aviation (NAA) Philadelphia factory field service representative. The event was further corroborated by photographs and an entry into the ship’s log of Shangri-La which was without air wing and on sea trials from Norfolk on Nov. 15, 1944. The Seahorse Two aircraft participated. This time, the B-25 landed and brought a small team aboard the aircraft carrier. A tight-lipped Navy admiral observed the testing but said nothing. Ship’s log- Shangri-La: 15 November 1944, 1220 hours Lt, Robert M. Elder, USN, made the first carrier landing of P-51 type fighter plane #414017, followed by three landings and four takeoffs all successful. The arresting cables were utilized for the gentle (low speed) landing. Takeoffs were without catapult assist. This Mustang, now dubbed “Seahorse” by the sailors, was taken below deck by elevator, and crew members were invited to take a closer look (Seahorse saw postwar service with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard). P-51D carrier testing: why the Mustang was found unsuited for service aboard US Navy flat tops An entirely new airplane, the ultra-long-range P-82 Twin Mustang, was in development at North American but behind schedule. Later in life, Elder postulated that the Mustangs aboard aircraft carriers were being evaluated to escort B-29 bombers over the Pacific on their way to Japan. This proved unnecessary, because close-in islands were captured and airfields hastily carved out; however. equipped with drop tanks and the aft fuselage fuel tank modification, the Mustang could fly unrefueled for 7.5 hours. Others speculate the Mustang was needed by the Navy because the early jets were fuel hogs lacking in combat range. In any case, as built, the P-51D Mustang was unsuited for service aboard an aircraft carrier. The wings did not fold, a catapult connection was lacking, the airframe and systems were vulnerable to salt- induced corrosion, and the aft fuselage was insufficient to absorb arrested landings; however, after the deteriorating relationship with Curtiss, Navy brass were becoming enamored with a new provider. Jets were in the offing, and the North American-built solution was to be the FJ Fury. Genesys Aerosystems announces ultra-compact Air Data Computer Genesys Aerosystems Press Release | February 20, 2024 Genesys Aerosystems, a Moog company, announced that it has completed TSOA certification of its new NanoADC Air Data Computer (ADC) designed specifically for unmanned and optionally piloted aircraft. The new ADC was developed for applications where small size and light weight are critical, without sacrificing robustness, reliability, or certification requirements. Approximately the size of a deck of cards, the Genesys NanoADC (plus the MIL-SPEC connectors) weighs just 304 grams (0.67lb). Developed for its first certified application, the Genesys NanoADC is used in the new 200Kg (440lb) class Leonardo Rotary Unmanned Aerial Systems (RUAS). While there are numerous small air data computers on the market, the Genesys NanoADC is both FAA-certified with safety-critical Level-A software and MIL-STD-qualified. The Genesys NanoADC meets the highest required environmental categories for IFR approved helicopters and transport-category airplanes, making it ideal for unmanned or optionally piloted aircraft, such as civil and tactical drones, and electric urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles. “We have taken an existing product, with nearly 20 years of proven service history, and reduced the size and weight for use in small aircraft which still require extremely high certification levels,” said Paul Stoelting, general manager of Genesys. “While it may be larger than non-certified air data computers that use low-cost consumer electronics, ours enable an aircraft to be FAA or EASA certified for operation in commercial airspace and over populated areas.” Curt Lewis