Burning Questions at the Apex of Firefighting Season

By early August, the worst Canadian wildfires on record had torched more than 32 million acres, created the most unhealthy air quality ever measured in several North American cities, and spewed more than 25 percent of the globe’s annual carbon dioxide output into the atmosphere. Of the more than 1,000 fires burning, nearly 700 were labeled “OC” or out-of-control, charring an area the size of Greece, from Quebec to well north of the Arctic Circle.

Meanwhile, U.S. policymakers are grappling with the new reality of fire seasons that are longer, more volatile, and increasingly destructive. And more frequently, the solution involves more air attacks on fires, especially when they are in the nascent stages and before they can spread.

BJT: Add a Heliport to Your Home

For most private fliers, the ability to drive to a nearby airport and board a waiting business jet affords sufficient convenience. But what if the nearest airport isn't all that near and you often need to take off on short notice, perhaps for places that are themselves not near airports?

In that case, adding a heliport to your home could make sense. Here's what you'd need to consider before undertaking such a project.

From the Archives: 9/11 Provided Lessons in Preparedness

When the 9/11 attacks devastated the world's economy and plunged the aviation industry into turmoil, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) staffers joined together to help tackle the unprecedented challenges faced by the business aviation industry, both in the immediate aftermath and for the longer term.

To commemorate the anniversary of the attacks, AIN asked several NBAA staff members to highlight how they navigated through a devastating time and emerged with a stronger focus on advocacy.

Pilot Report: Dassault Falcon 6X

In the year before the Falcon 6X obtained FAA and EASA certification last month, Dassault Aviation was busy testing the aircraft’s reliability and assuring the cabin features meet the demanding requirements of a $57 million business jet.

In addition, the 6X had matured to the point where Dassault invited AIN to sample its flying qualities and performance ahead of certification and entry into service, the latter of which is now imminent. Per the usual process, AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber traveled to Dassault’s Istres Flight Test Center near Marseille, France, to fly the fly-by-wire twinjet.

Sponsor Content: C&L Aviation

ERJ 135, 140 & 145 Semi-Private Interior Upgrade Options

Semi-private conversions remain a niche market with only a few MROs providing conversion and upgrade services. As one of those MROs, we often get asked about the available semi-private options – from basic interior refurbishment to the complete luxury VIP experience.

BJT: Tahiti Is Just First Stop in French Polynesia

Many seasoned travelers can rattle off the names of Hawaii’s major islands, but they may have a harder time identifying the main islands of French Polynesia, which receives far fewer tourists than its cousin to the north. “Tahiti” is usually the shorthand term for the 121 tiny land masses that spill out over 1,200 miles in the South Pacific.

But people don’t often make the long journey to this necklace of tropical islands, islets, and motus—which compose France’s semi-autonomous overseas collectivity of French Polynesia—solely to visit the island of Tahiti. Nevertheless, it’s a good place to start the conversation and virtually the only place for airline travelers to begin a visit.

FutureFlight: H2Fly Demo Bolsters Case for Hydrogen

Hydrogen propulsion pioneer H2Fly’s efforts to bring the technology to the air transport sector were energized by the breakthrough flight of its HY4 demonstrator aircraft at Maribor Airport in Slovenia last week. Co-founder and CEO Josef Kallo was visibly pleased when talking to media on the sidelines of the event, describing it as “a major milestone” and “world’s first.”

The demonstration flight, which followed earlier test flights and ground tests, validated what Germany-based H2Fly and its partners had hoped for, namely that cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage technology could be safely applied to aeronautical applications. “The message is that we can use liquid hydrogen to support medium and long-range emissions-free flight," said Kallo.

International Team Arranges Rescue of Tally the Turtle

After reaching out to the aviation industry to arrange a rescue flight for a rehabilitated Kemp’s ridley sea turtle that was stranded in Northern Wales, UK, charity Turtles Fly Too and other organizations were able to arrange an overseas flight to Texas, where “Tally” the turtle will be released.

Stunned by the cold water, Tally washed up on the shore of Talacre in Wales in November 2021, where he was found by a dog walker who called British Divers’ Marine Life Rescue. Tally, who was near death, was taken to Anglesey Sea Zoo and nursed back to health, and then the search for a flight to Texas began.