Volocopter will provide NBAA-BACE 2023 attendees with a glimpse into advanced air mobility (AAM) through a series of demonstration flights involving its electric 2X. Plans call for Volocopter to conduct a series of flights from Henderson Executive Airport (KHND), the site of the static display for NBAA-BACE.

Flights will begin on October 17, the opening day of the show, and continue through the final show day on October 19. Because the eVTOL is currently categorized as an experimental aircraft, no passengers will be carried on these flights.

NBAA said the flights will showcase the rapid progress the AAM industry is making toward full-scale introduction. The 2X is the predecessor and prototype to Volocopter’s two-seat VoloCity air taxi, which is on schedule for EASA approval in 2024 ahead of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Visitors at the games are slated to have the opportunity to be among the first paying passengers in an eVTOL.

“Advanced air mobility represents one of the most significant breakthroughs in aviation history, with the potential to fundamentally change the way we think about safe, fast, efficient, and sustainable on-demand air transportation,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “We are pleased to host Volocopter’s revolutionary AAM aircraft and see the 2X’s electric flights over the course of the three NBAA-BACE show days.”

In 2021, a 23-year-old pilot flying on a low-level pipeline patrol was killed seconds after his aircraft hit the guy wire of a radio tower. Upon striking the wire, the left wing of the Cessna 182 was sheared off, sending the aircraft tumbling onto the ground, where it then burst into flames. In its final report on the fatal crash, the NTSB noted that, 35 seconds before hitting the guy wire, the pilot made a post on social media app Snapchat. That was his final post.

According to the accident report, “Based on known information, it is likely the pilot was distracted while using his mobile device in the minutes before the accident and did not maintain adequate lookout to ensure a safe flight path to avoid the radio tower and its guy wires. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's unnecessary use of his mobile device during the flight, which diminished his attention/monitoring of the airplane’s flight path.” 

The NTSB has long led a charge to eliminate distractions in aviation and other forms of transportation. “Distraction is a growing life-threatening problem in all modes of transportation,” it said. The Safety Board has identified the proliferation of personal electronic devices, adding, “We know that a loss of situational awareness in the air and on the ground can have potentially catastrophic results.”

Sadly, these accidents are preventable.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has confirmed that private jets will bear the brunt of moves to reduce traffic at the Dutch gateway next year and that it will press ahead with a ban on noisier aircraft. In a statement issued yesterday, the airport declared that from March 31, 2024, just 12,000 business aviation movements will be permitted over a 12-month period. That represents a 42 percent cut on the current 17,000 limit, with 7,200 of the new limit allocated for the summer operating period.

Out of an overall new annual movement ceiling of 460,000 (reduced from 500,000), under Schiphol’s new capacity declaration only 280,645 movements will be allowed in the next summer period, ending on Oct. 26, 2024. This represents a cut of 12,400 flights compared with the summer period now drawing to a close. In its latest statement, the airport reiterated its objective to eventually eliminate all private aviation from Schiphol and to introduce a new night curfew.

The new ruling follows indications by the Dutch government earlier this month that it would scale back plans unveiled in April for a new overall annual movement limit for Schiphol of 440,000. On September 1, media reports in the Netherlands suggested the new limit might be capped at 452,000 movements.

The FAA is facing the prospect of a double lapse with a potential government shutdown but also expiration of its operating authority at the end of tomorrow should Congress fail to reach an agreement on both.

A comprehensive five-year FAA reauthorization bill passed the House in July but got held up in the Senate over a dispute on the 1,500-hour rule, as well as landing slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

With no agreement in sight, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair Sam Graves (R-Missouri) crafted a “clean” three-month reauthorization extension and preferred its passage as a stand-alone extension. However, it is unclear whether that will be accepted in the Senate, which had discussed tying it to a short-term government funding continuing resolution (CR).

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said this week a lot of scenarios are under discussion, one of which “has a different timeline for the extension than it does for the CR....but this is no way to run a ball club.” Should authorization lapse, aviation tax collection would halt, and that money may be lost forever, Buttigieg feared.

As for the looming shutdown, Buttigieg, acting FAA Administrator Polly Trottenberg, and NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy all have alerted of serious concerns should government funding lapse on September 30. Key among them is a lapse in training for new air traffic controllers.

Facing rising demand for aircraft storage space in South Florida, Fontainebleau Aviation—an FBO at bustling business aviation hub Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport (KOPF)—will soon complete a hangar expansion project.

Located directly across from its multistory terminal, the $13 million construction began in July. It will add 40,000 sq ft of hangar space capable of sheltering the latest ultra-long-range business jets, along with 5,000 sq ft of attached offices.

It will bring the facility up to 260,000 sq ft of hangar space, which will be helpful during the October to April peak season. The extra space is also needed for local events that attract many aircraft to the airport and put available aircraft shelter at a premium, according to Bobby Courtney, Fontainebleau’s v-p of aviation.

“The new hangars provide peace of mind for both our clients and our dedicated team,” he stated. “There is an unmistakable and growing demand for top-tier aircraft storage facilities in our area, and we are proud to continue accommodating and fulfilling the needs of our clientele’s assets and operational requirements, all under one roof.”

Mandan Regional Airport-Lawler Field (Y19) near Bismarck, North Dakota, will hold its seventh annual Props & Hops fundraiser next Thursday (October 5). Taking place from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., the event will support advanced pilot and advanced maintenance technician scholarships named for two recently passed local aviators, Darrel Pittman and Mark Sunby. The funds will help aspiring pilots and technicians earn their licenses as they begin their aviation careers.

“Darrel and Mark were avid aviators for our Bismarck/Mandan community,” said selection committee member Brandon Leingang. “They gave their time, money, and knowledge to help others learn and grow in this industry. We could not think of a better way to honor their memory than by continuing their legacy of helping others in aviation.”

The event, which will be open to the public, will feature locally brewed craft beer, ribs from chef Roby Boehm, live music, and a silent auction. Props & Hops was organized to showcase the benefits the airport brings to the community and raise funds for aviation-related causes. Since its inception, the Props & Hops selection committee has donated more than $50,000 to selected recipients.

Sheltair partnered with Women in Aviation International (WAI) last Saturday to host events in honor of the ninth-annual Girls in Aviation Day at several of its facilities in the U.S. Southeast.

More than 3,000 potential future aviators gathered at its FBOs in Fort Lauderdale, (KFLL), Daytona Beach (KDAB), Tampa (KTPA), Panama City (KECP), Ocala (KOCF), Jacksonville (KJAX), and Savannah (KSAV). The attendees represented more than double the number that attended last year’s event, including a record 900 attendees at KDAB alone.

They experienced a variety of aviation and STEM activities and were able to interact with flight crews and tour aircraft. Participating sponsors of the events included Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the FAA, MacDill Air Force Base, Phoenix East Aviation, and Nascar.

“Sheltair is cementing its legacy by giving back to the next generation,” said Lisa Holland, the company’s president and CEO. “It gives me great pride having our entire network host and sponsor Girls in Aviation Day with local Women in Aviation International chapters. The exhilaration of flying and the boundless possibilities within aviation inspire our communities.”

The company has been a long-time supporter of educational programs such as Embry-Riddle Aerospace University’s Project Liftoff. Along with partner Avfuel, it established the annual Future Takes Flight Scholarship program.