The test flight of the SpaceX SN9 rocket on Tuesday Feb. 2 fared no better than that of SN8 in December, when the “flip and burn” maneuver was similarly unsuccessful. Designed to stabilize the rocket vertically for landing and ignite the Raptor rockets, the maneuver failed when one of SN9’s engines didn’t light off. The rocket went out of control and exploded spectacularly on impact.
Former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg was confirmed by the US Senate as the Secretary of Transportation. Buttigieg takes over for former DOTSEC Elaine Chao, who resigned in the wake of the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
USAF Captain Sarah Kociuba will be in the command seat of a Whiteman AFB-based B-2 Spirit, the leader of a three-ship bomber formation performing the traditional pre-game flyover at Sunday’s NFL Super Bowl LV in Tampa, Florida. Also included in the formation will be a USAF B-1B Lancer and a B-52 Stratofortress.
The first of the new Administration’s VIP TFRs is scheduled this weekend over Wilmington, Del., for President Biden’s planned visit. According to the NOTAM, 18 airports will be affected, including Philadelphia International (PHL) and New Castle (ILG).
The annual European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE), scheduled for May 18-20 in Geneva, Switzerland, has been canceled due to the continuation of the worldwide Covid pandemic. The event will be replaced by a series of online seminars, workshops and other virtual programming.
Conversely, registration is now open for the October 14-17 annual High Sierra Fly-in at Dead Cow Dry Lake in Nevada. For the 11th year running, organizers are limiting admission to fly-in attendees, at least for now. Cost of the three-day ticket is $125. Sign up here.
While Sun ‘n Fun is still a go, the organizers of the April 13-18 event at Lakeland Linder Airport in Florida have posted their Covid-related measures and guidelines on the show’s website. Among the policies listed is a mask requirement “…in all areas where social distancing is unachievable.”
Legendary aircraft innovator Burt Rutan received AOPA’s 2020 R.A. “Bob” Hoover Trophy Award on Wednesday (the ceremony was postponed due to the pandemic). Rutan designed the Voyager, the first aircraft to fly around the world unrefueled, accomplished in 1986. Brig. Gen Charles McGee of the Tuskegee Airmen was also honored with an inaugural annual award bearing his own name.
First certified in Europe in June 2020, Pipistrel’s fully electric Velis Electro now counts 111 aircraft in its delivered fleet. With 70 more on order, the company has added a second shift “to take advantage of being the only certified electric aircraft manufacturer in the world,” the company said.
Rolls-Royce has begun testing the use of 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on a business jet engine. The tests started early this week on a Pearl-series turbofan engine, the series designed for the Gulfstream G700. Previously, SAF has been limited to 50% blends with conventional Jet A.
The 50-ft-diameter helipad installed at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago golf club in Palm Beach, Florida, is to be demolished. Though rarely used during the Trump Presidency (he preferred surface transportation from Air Force One’s landing site at Palm Beach International Airport) the helipad was installed in 2017, despite Palm Beach’s policy of banning helipads.
