Good day all
We are in for a very quiet weekend this weekend with the only one major event that we ware aware of The NAC Drakensberg Fly Away
Drone Con will be taking place from 20 to 22 August and proudly hosts the largest annual drone conference in Africa, With over 40 speakers and an exciting offering of exhibitors. Presenting the perfect platform to learn from and network with drone professionals, as well as offering live drone demonstrations and regulatory workshops, Drone Con is the place to be for all drone enthusiasts and professionals.
Book your ticket now to secure your spot and join us for our second independent drone conference in Johannesburg. There will be live flying demonstrations in the exhibition area where you will see the flying machines in action! Click Pic for more info
Beechcraft Baron 58 celebrates 50-year milestone
Textron Aviation Inc. this year marks the 50th anniversary of the first flight of its Beechcraft Baron 58 high-performance piston twin, a model that has played a significant role in the company’s continued leadership in the piston market. On June 23, 1969, pilots first flew the Baron 58 prototype, paving the way into the next five decades of innovative evolution. Since the Baron 58’s first delivery in 1970, more than 3,100 aircraft have been delivered worldwide. The current production Beechcraft Baron G58 was on display at Textron Aviation’s booth during the 2019 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture Oshkosh at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis.
“Through constant innovation and technology upgrades since its introduction in 1969, the Baron 58 is the perfect combination of combination of versatility, superb performance and handling, offering the latest in technology and cockpit/cabin comfort,” said Chris Crow, vice president, Piston Sales. “As the industry’s fastest light twin, the Baron 58 was a success as soon as it entered the market, and our commitment to investing in the piston product line and ensuring our customers have access to the latest technology is why this airplane continues to lead the class in performance after five decades.”
The most recent upgrade to the Baron G58 is the addition of new standard and optional equipment as part of the Garmin G1000 NXi next-generation integrated flight deck, which provides pilots with enhanced control and connectivity in the cockpit. The new equipment – including Garmin GMA 1360 audio panel, GFC 700 Autopilot with Enhanced Automatic Flight Control System (E-AFCS) and GWX 75 Doppler weather radar – further enhances the Garmin G1000 NXi’s satellite-based navigation capabilities, digital flight management tools and graphical display technologies.
The Baron G58’s unrivalled performance and flexibility in its segment has made it a versatile recreation and business aircraft, with missions that include training and charter. Two 300-horsepower Teledyne Continental IO 550-C engines power the Baron G58, which can carry four passengers more than 1,000 miles nonstop with a maximum cruise speed of 202 ktas. It can take off in less than 2,350 feet and only requires 2,500 feet to land at its maximum landing weight of 5,400 lb. (2,449 kg). It also features a premium cabin that provides flexible seating comfortable for two, four or six people, with the option to reconfigure and remove seats to accommodate mission needs and large baggage items.
Piper Produces first production part using 3D Printing Technology
Piper Aircraft announced, that it has produced the first production part using 3D printing technology as part its launch into additive manufacturing. The part, which is a component within the climate control system, was created using the HP Multi Jet Fusion 4200 3D printer.
Piper Aircraft established an additive manufacturing centre in Q3 of 2018 with goal of introducing new technology and reducing costs within the manufacturing process. Since late 2018, Piper has been identifying aircraft parts that can be manufactured using this technology and has worked to create and test various non-flight critical components with the goal of achieving FAA approval. Within the coming months, Piper expects to expand the use of the 3D printing to a multitude of parts and is a key factor in improving throughput, controlling costs and maintaining quality.
“By being able to print parts and components on site rather than purchasing them from a supplier, we can create parts on demand, control quality, increase our speed from engineering to manufacturing, and focus on building the aircraft,” said Simon Caldecott, CEO and President of Piper Aircraft, Inc. “With our recent implementation of HP Multi Jet Fusion technology, we have saved hundreds of hours of work time, which has resulted in savings of up to 200% on certain parts. We are excited to expand our use of additive manufacturing across all product lines.”
Garmin® TeamX brings new features to the G5 electronic flight instrument and the G3X Touch flight display
Garmin International announced the addition of new features and enhancements to the G5 electronic flight instrument for certified and experimental aircraft, including the display of outside air temperature (OAT), true airspeed (TAS), winds and more. New wireless engine data streaming, flight data logging and new display configurations are also new to the G3X™ Touch flight display for experimental aircraft.
“TeamX, our dedicated team of passionate pilots and experimental aircraft builders, continue to roll out additional updates that add more capability to aircraft with a new or existing G5 electronic flight instrument or G3X Touch flight display,” said Carl Wolf, Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “Garmin remains committed to offering value-minded solutions that give pilots even more features and flexibility when considering an avionics installation, and we are thrilled to give thousands of customers more reasons to pursue a flight display upgrade.”
The G5 electronic flight instrument will soon be capable of displaying outside air temperature (OAT) and true airspeed (TAS) using a temperature probe and Garmin adapter. Similar to other Garmin products, OAT is displayed along the bottom of the airspeed indicator on the G5, while TAS is displayed on the top. When G5 is configured as a directional gyro (DG) or horizontal situation indicator (HSI), wind speed and direction is also displayed in the upper left corner of the G5. For standalone G5 installations, additional hardware is required to display OAT and TAS. New for experimental aircraft, G5 can also display density altitude below the altimeter while the aircraft is on the ground.
The G5 electronic flight instrument for certified aircraft can soon be paired with dual digital Garmin navigation sources, such as a GTN™ 650/750 or GPS 175/GNC 355/GNX 375, and manually switch between the sources on the G5. For VFR installations, pilots can also use a Garmin portable to display lateral course deviation information on the G5.
Pilots are provided with a comprehensive, in-depth look at engine performance and trend data with G3X Touch for experimental aircraft, which includes built-in engine and flight data logging. Aircraft performance, engine data and any exceedances that may occur are automatically stored on an SD card in the display. In addition to data logging, pilots can view real-time detailed engine information from G3X Touch within the Garmin Pilot™ app. This information is sent wirelessly from G3X Touch to Garmin Pilot. Pilot-configurable exceedances can also be set within the Garmin Pilot app.
G3X Touch for experimental aircraft is also adding a new display configuration - a standalone Multifunction Display (MFD) with an optional Engine Indication System (EIS). This display configuration is a natural addition to thousands of aircraft with a single or dual G5 installation. The G3X Touch is also capable of displaying maps, charts, weather, traffic, terrain and more, alongside engine information.
New software and optional hardware for the G5 electronic flight instrument for all customers and G3X Touch for experimental aircraft is expected to be available in August. A comprehensive Garmin bundle that enables the display of OAT, TAS, winds and more on the G5 will also be available in August for a list price of $495. The G3X Touch and G5 electronic flight instrument are supported by Garmin’s award-winning aviation support team, which provides 24/7 worldwide technical and warranty support.
Garmin’s aviation business segment is a leading provider of solutions to OEM, aftermarket, military and government customers. Garmin’s portfolio includes navigation, communication, flight control, hazard avoidance, an expansive suite of ADS-B solutions and other products and services that are known for innovation, reliability, and value. For more information about Garmin’s full line of avionics, go to www.garmin.com/aviation.
Embraer Praetor 500 and Praetor 600 Business Jets Make Their LABACE Debut
In the month that the company celebrates its golden jubilee, Embraer will exhibit the new Praetor 500 and Praetor 600 business jets at LABACE, the largest business aviation show of Latin America. The Praetor jets, Embraer’s latest aircraft, are the most technologically advanced aircraft in their categories and they will be on static display from August 13–15 at Congonhas Airport, in São Paulo.
The Praetor 500 is a midsize jet with a continental range of 3,250 nautical miles (6,019 km) for up to nine passengers, capable of single-stop flights from São Paulo to any city in South America or to destinations in Europe or North America. The Praetor 600 is a super-midsize jet for up to 12 passengers, with an intercontinental range of 4,018 nautical miles (7,441 km), the farthest among its competitors, allowing for nonstop flights between São Paulo (Brazil) and Miami, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Fort Lauderdale, or Madrid (Spain) and Recife (Brazil).
“With unprecedented performance, our new jets introduce unique flexibility to the market. The Praetor 600 has the class-exclusive advantage of the shortest field length with the longest range, flying nonstop from São Paulo to Miami. Both models deliver a customer experience yet unseen in their classes. With superior design and ergonomics, the Embraer DNA Design is complemented by the most comfortable flight and the best cabin altitude (5,800 ft) in its class as well as the smoothest possible flight, rendered by the class-exclusive turbulence reduction based on Embraer’s full fly-by-wire technology. High-speed Internet connectivity is among the features that serve customers with greater productivity and comfort,” said Gustavo Teixeira, VP Sales, Latin America, Embraer Executive Jets.
In addition to a significant global market participation, with more than 1,400 business jets delivered, Embraer has a leading presence in the Brazilian market. Over the last 10 years, one of every two business jets delivered in Brazil was made by Embraer. With a high rate of utilization, one Embraer executive jet takes flight every 20 minutes in Brazil, on average, attesting to the company portfolio’s suitability to the broadest profiles of Brazilian customers, rendering continuous productivity gains.
“The business jet is an incomparable productivity tool and this is why we designed our aircraft to serve entrepreneurs and executives in the region with the versatility for them to reach many more destinations, when and where needed,” explains Teixeira. “With connectivity throughout the flight and time saved from the traditional commercial aviation bottlenecks of the region, customers can take care of business and deliver greater returns to their companies and ventures.”
