Reliable Robotics has achieved significant progress in FAA certification of its aircraft automation systems. The agency has accepted the requirements for Reliable Robotics' advanced aircraft navigation and autopilot systems.

Reliable's technology focuses on continuous autopilot engagement throughout all phases of flight, including automatic taxi, takeoff, and landing. This innovation aims to drastically reduce or eliminate controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control in flight (LOC-I), the two most prevalent causes of fatal aviation accidents.

Certification program manager Chris Schulenberg expressed satisfaction with the collaboration with the FAA, emphasizing their shared goal of improving aircraft safety through automation. The certification plan, accepted by the FAA in June 2023, follows the previous year's agreement on the certification basis for continuous autopilot engagement.

Robert Rose, CEO and co-founder of Reliable Robotics, told AIN that the company's proposal to fuse existing aircraft sensors for enhanced navigation integrity and precision was initially met with skepticism but gradually gained recognition. Following a briefing session for FAA navigation experts, the agency acknowledged the transformative potential of the technology, setting the stage for formal exploration and eventual acceptance as part of Reliable Robotics' certification project.

Rose underscored the significance of replacing costly airport infrastructure with onboard algorithms. This shift not only promises cost savings but also extends automated landing capabilities to smaller aircraft.

Transport Canada today issued emergency airworthiness directive (AD) CF-2024-05 covering a broad array of Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6 turbine engines. The AD requires removal of affected PT2 (power turbine) blades before further flight.

According to the AD, “There has been one recent in-service report of PT2 blade failure on a PT6A-67 engine. In addition, there have been two other events of PT2 blade failures during testing at the manufacturer’s facility. The blade failures in all cases were contained.”

While P&WC is investigating the root cause of these failures, it has determined that newly manufactured blades with part number 3056693-01 were all made from the same raw material and that they had accumulated fewer than 25 hours of air time since they were new. “Failure of PT2 blades could lead to engine power loss or in-flight shut down, potentially resulting in reduced control of the aeroplane,” the AD noted.

Affected blade serial numbers are listed in a table in the AD and also “have accumulated less than 50 hours air time since new, or since shop visit, or since second-stage power turbine repair.” These blades must be removed and not used.

The AD applies to the following models: PT6A-64, PT6A-66, PT6A-66A, PT6A-66B, PT6A-66D, PT6A-66T, PT6A-67, PT6A-67A, PT6A-67AF, PT6A-67AG, PT6A-67B, PT6A-67D, PT6A-67F, PT6A-67P, PT6A-67R, PT6A-67RM, PT6A-67T, PT6A-68, PT6A-68B, PT6A-68C, PT6A-68D, PT6A-68T, PT6E-67XP, and PT6E-66XT.

In the wake of several recent fatal private aviation accidents, the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is urging the swift implementation of safety management systems (SMS) across the spectrum of Part 91, Part 91K, and Part 135 operations.

At a minimum, the organization is calling on all operators to adopt a working SMS tailored to each company’s unique circumstances. ACSF believes that official mandates for SMS use are likely just a few years away; therefore, it is now calling on all stakeholders to take immediate steps along a “pathway to safety” to protect lives. It aims to foster success in achieving a low accident rate similar to that seen in the U.S. airline sector.

Included in the ACSF plan is the implementation of SMS to foster a just culture throughout the industry. The nonprofit group noted that it offers a variety of SMS tools along with a member assistance program at minimal cost.

ACSF also encourages operator participation in audit-based programs such as the Industry Audit Standard (IAS), Wyvern, or Argus, which incorporate global standards to ensure safety and operational vigilance.

Lastly, as the largest aggregator of aviation safety action program (ASAP) data in the U.S., ACSF advocates for the widespread collection and dissemination of safety data.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) took to the floor this week to stress the need to finish work on a comprehensive FAA reauthorization package. However, that bill may be headed for another extension with both the House and Senate breaking for an extended Presidents' Day holiday and little time remaining before the March 8 deadline for action that was set in an extension passed in December.

Lawmakers are still hoping to pass a bill by the deadline and have begun informally meeting to hash out differences between the House and Senate bills, said a staff member from the House side. Both chambers are motivated to get a bill done. Schumer this week commemorated the 15th anniversary of the Colgan Air crash by saying in a speech on the floor, “I look forward to moving on the FAA reauthorization bill as quickly as possible. It is vital the FAA reauthorization be passed by Congress.”

The House passed its version of a five-year reauthorization bill in July. The Senate Commerce Committee cleared its version of the bill last week. However, the Senate may bring to the floor the compromise version between the upper and lower chamber. Near-term progress on that conference further may dictate whether there is an extension and whether that extension would be a matter of weeks or months.

Bombardier has teamed up with WSU Tech to increase the pipeline of A&P technicians as the aircraft manufacturer continues to expand its in-house support network. Through the partnership, WSU Tech and Bombardier will offer a two-year apprenticeship program, the first for A&Ps to be state-registered in Kansas.

Students will receive in-class education at WSU Tech and hands-on training at Bombardier’s Wichita site. Students will learn both from WSU instructors and aviation maintenance leaders but also gain knowledge on support of Bombardier business jets. Once they have completed the program and obtained the A&P certification, the apprentices will transition into full-time technicians at Bombardier.

“We are pleased to deepen our roots in Wichita and the U.S. through the launch of this foundational program in collaboration with WSU Tech, a leader in aviation mechanic training in Wichita,” said Paul Sislian, executive v-p of aftermarket services and strategy at Bombardier. “The start of this apprenticeship program highlights Bombardier Group’s ongoing commitment to not only expanding its footprint in Wichita but to training, hiring, and retaining qualified professionals, which will further increase our ability to provide exceptional customer service to our clients.”

The program comes as Bombardier has added nearly one million square feet to its service center capacity globally in recent years and has been working to staff those centers.

The United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) has developed a Peer Pilot Program as the aviation community steps up efforts to assist professionals with mental health issues. Scheduled to roll out during USHST’s all-hands meeting later this month at Heli-Expo 2024, the program is designed to have volunteer pilots and others offer a confidential and safe place to other pilots in need of support. Pilots would connect with volunteer peers through USHST.

“The USHST in collaboration with HAI identified the need for a Peer Pilot Program, providing assistance to pilots who may have encountered turbulence in their lives,” said USHST industry co-chair Chris Baur of Hughes Aerospace. “We all need and want to do more for our fellow pilots, and address things that we can before they have an opportunity to manifest as an accident or incident.”

In addition, Penny Giovanetti of the FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine will address mental health issues on February 27 during Heli-Expo and an “Ask a Doc: Aviation Medical Issues” session will follow later that day at the rotorcraft show.

Also during the all-hands meeting on February 26, USHST is planning to update its helicopter safety enhancement (H-SE) efforts. Five more topics were selected for the H-SE program last year: go/no-go decision-making; hazards of low-level operations; risk management of night operations; fatigue awareness and proper scheduling; and adverse wind situations.