It’s National Aviation Day. The day comes during National Aviation Week, which is observed from Aug. 15 through 21.

National Aviation Day celebrates the history and development of aviation. It’s held on on Orville Wright’s birthday. Wright made the first sustained, powered flight on Dec. 17, 1903 in the plane he and his brother Wilbur built. The flight, albeit brief, launched the world into the era of flight.

One department that recognizes the day is the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. That’s according to DOT & PF Deputy Commissioner of Aviation Steve Hatter.

“Aviation is truly a way of life in Alaska where there are more pilots per capita than anyplace else and 82% of our communities are not connected to a highway or road system,” he said. “I encourage everyone to learn more about aviation, airports, and our own Alaskan aviation history and technology,” he said in a news story.

Organizations across the United States are holding events to celebrate the week. One such program was held at the New England Air Museum in Connecticut. The theme of this year’s program is “Learning to Fly.” The New England Air Museum is the largest aviation museum in New England.

There are a number of different ways you can celebrate both National Aviation Week and Day.

Saturday, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is offering a free day of activities to visitors at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, OH. Scheduled events include meeting astronaut Gregory H. Johnson, who piloted the space shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station earlier this summer. Visitors can also build and fly egg carton gliders.

Another event is in McMinnville, Ore., home of the world’s largest plane, the Spruce Goose. The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum there is hosting a hot air balloon rally. You can find more information on these and other events in this story from MSNBC.

Representatives from the Environmental Defense Fund took advantage of the occasion to call for airlines to renew their commitments to flying greener.

“So today, on National Aviation Day 2011, EDF encourages all airline operators to take steps to reduce their emissions and fly cleaner,” says spokesperson Jennifer Andreassen in a blog post.

The 978 MHz “UAT” RANGR ADS-B transmitter was flight tested earlier this month. The production unit was test flown in Waco.

The transmitter performance was validated in the challenging helicopter environment. We used a very simple antenna configuration.

You can see more pictures from the test flight in the RANGR album on our Facebook page. While you’re there, make sure to “like” us!

During the test flight, we received reliable ADS-B transmissions from the aircraft over a 25 mile radius – the predetermined, planned range for the test series- down to around 200′ AGL with the receiving antenna effectively at ground level.

These results and others gathered from the test flight reinforce the suitability of 978 MHz ADS-B as a local fleet tracking system – even without any FAA infrastructure! With the elevated FAA receivers in place, coverage should be greatly enhanced. We’re looking forward to testing that in the near future.

The test was conducted with support from the McLennan Count Sheriff’s Department.

“We thank them for their ongoing commitment and contributions to aviation safety,” says Tim Taylor, FreeFlight Systems president and CEO.

The RANGR family is UAT equipment is class B1- or dual antennas and B1S – single antenna, 978 MHz transmitter and transceiver designed to meet the TSO-C154C requirements.

For more information about the RANGR family of equipment, visit our website at http://freeflightsystems.com/ or contact us.

The Federal Aviation Administration has shared this video on ADS-B with us at FreeFlightSystems.
In the video, the FAA reports that the “future of flight services has arrived,” as a result of ADS-B broadcast services.
ADS-B provides an unprecedented level of situational awareness for the general aviation climate, and is the future of aviation, says David Zwegers in the video.
Zwegers is Director of Aviation Safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Here’s the detailed video from the FAA.

“When we first got ADS-B, we were blown away,” says Kenneth Byrnes, Flight Department Chair, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “It was almost a little scary to look at all these airplanes out there.”
Nationwide ADS-B coverage will be online by 2013, says the FAA. For the latest information on when broadcast services are expected in your area, you can visit www.faa.gov/go/broadcastservices.
If you were at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh last month, you may have seen this video playing in our booth. As always, we’re happy to discuss ADS-B and NextGen technology with you. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions.

The Boeing Company and Cessna Aircraft Company released second quarter reports this week. Both companies reported an increase in profits.

Boeing reported a 20% increase in profits during the second quarter in comparison to the same quarter the previous year.

“Strong operational performance drove double-digit margins at both ends of our major businesses and produced outstanding results in the quarter,” said Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer in a press release.

“We also made major progress toward certification and delivery of the 787 Dreamliner and 747-8 and continued our disciplined increases in commercial airplane production rates,” McNerney said. He says the outlook for the year has strengthened.

The company delivered 118 commercial airplanes during the quarter. That’s an increase from 114 during the second quarter of 2010.

Boeing’s Defense, Space and Security division did not fare as well during the quarter. There was a decrease of 4% in revenues during the second quarter.

Cessna Aircraft parent company Textron released second quarter results. Cessna reported revenues of $652 million for the quarter, an increase from $635 million during the second quarter of 2010.

“Cessna returned to an operating profit, driven primarily by higher delivery and aftermarket volumes compared to the first quarter,” said Textron Chairman and CEO Scott C. Donnelly in the release.

“The demand environment for commercial aircraft remained stable. Given current levels of customer interest and order activity, we expect a significant pick-up in demand in the second half of the year, similar to what we saw last year,” continued Donnelly.

Cessna delivered 38 new Citation jets in the quarter. That’s compared to 43 deliveries during the second quarter of 2010.  Segment profit increased $2 million on the higher quarters for the quarter.

At end of the second quarter, Cessna backlog was $2.5 billion, down $113 million from the end of the first quarter this year.

NextGen technologies such ADS-B help enhance the safety of pilots, crew, and aircraft. That’s according to John DeBusk, FreeFlight Systems Vice President, Engineering.

DeBusk explains FreeFlight’s approach to avionics, and to ADS-B products.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is next week. We’re ready and we’d love to see you there.

The “World’s Largest Aviation Celebration” is held in Oshkosh, Wis. from July 25-31. It brings more than 500,000 aviation enthusiasts and EAA members from around the world. More than 10,000 aircraft fly in, making it- for a time- one of the busiest airports in the world.

In 1953, what was then known as the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Fly-In Convention started in Milwaukee. Over the next two decades the event outgrew a number of venues, and finally landed at what would become its permanent home in Oshkosh in 1969.

There is, without a doubt, something for everyone at Oshkosh. Airshows, fly-ins, presentations, vendors, booths, and more wait along with acres of tents and hangars. There are nearly 1,000 forums and workshops. FreeFlight Systems will be presenting twice during the week.

Stop by Pavilion 08 Monday at 8:30 a.m. CST for “Benefits from ADS-B Today!” Brad Brunson will be discussing how to get subscription-free data link weather, and real-time traffic advisories from the new RANGR ADS-B transceiver from FreeFlight. The presentation will cover the life-saving benefits ADS-B offers, as well as the many services included in the technology.

On Friday, join us at 2:30 p.m. CST  for “Kannad Aviation ELTs and PLBs,” in Pavilion 11. Brad Brunson will again be presenting. The forum will cover the enhancements and benefits of the new Integra model ELTs  from Kannad Aviation. The Integra is the only ELT with a built-in GPS and antenna, as well as an external antenna. Learn why Kannad’s distress beacons are chosen by aircraft builders, airlines and pilots all over the world.

Make sure to stop by our booth too. You can find us in Hangar C, Booth 3058 CD. Come by to say “hi!” Come see our ADS-B technology and talk! You can also find the Kannad ELTs at the FreeFlight booth.

NextGen technology from FreeFlight Systems was mentioned recently in the post “NextGen benefits are coming, slowly but surely” from AIN Online.

The article by Matt Thurber discusses the status of the NextGen project, the milestones that have been reached, and the steps needed as the technology’s roll-out continues.

In the post, he says that ADS-B is here, now. And it is. The network of ground stations is already in place, covering most of the U.S. and aircraft that are equipped can already access some ADS-B services.

As we’ve discussed on this blog before, ADS-B services in the United States are broadcast on two frequencies – 1090ES and 978 UAT. Aircraft flying above 18,000 feet will use 1090ES, and those flying below that can use either 1090ES or 978 UAT. One major advantage to the 978 MHz frequency is ADS-B In-equipped aircraft can receive traffic information and datalink weather completely free. This level of situational awareness is one of the major benefits of the technology and represents a significant safety enhancement.

“With this technology, you can see the airplanes that are around you and you can see the weather that’s in front of you and around you,” says John DeBusk, FreeFlight Systems, Vice President, Engineering.

Those services, he says, are provided by the U.S. Government as part of the NextGen infrastructure.

“It’s mature technology, says DeBusk, “and it’s one that we’re bringing to bear in the marketplace.”

In his post, Thurber says that ADS-B solutions are coming soon.

“For low-altitude operations, it will soon (third quarter 2011) be possible to buy a TSO’d 978 UAT ADS-B transceiver for $4,995 from FreeFlight Systems, providing not only ADS-B out compliance but also access to free weather and ADS-B in traffic information,” he says.

Make sure to check out Thurber’s complete post HERE.

Boeing has released its deliveries report for the second business quarter and announced the opening of a refurbished 737 paint hangar.

According to the report – which covers deliveries across Boeing’s commercial and defense operations – commercial deliveries are up over 2010 numbers.

In total, the company delivered 118 commercial airplanes. That’s in comparison to 114 planes reported in the second quarter of 2010. Boeing delivered 94 737 Next Generation planes, five 767s, and 19 777s. Those numbers bring the year-to-date total to 222 commercial aircraft.

In the Defense, Space,  and Security program sectors, Boeing delivered nine Chinook (new builds), four C-17s, four F-15s, 12 F/A-18E/F and EA-18Gs, and one satellite (government and commercial).

You can find the complete report HERE. Complete second-quarter results will be release July 27.

Boeing also announced this week that they are opening a new paint hangar to help meet increased production rates for its 737 model. The hangar is near its Renton, Wash. facility.

“We identified this paint hangar as a key piece of infrastructure to support our future plans for increased 737 production several years ago,” said Beverly Wise, vice president and general manager, 737, in a press release. “We have a measured approach to meeting rate increases on the program. Bringing this facility online demonstrates our progress,” she said.

Right now, the 737 program produces 31.5 airplanes per month and is anticipating an increase to 35 planes per month in early 2012.

The hangar was originally built at the start of the 707 program in the late 1950s. The hangar was also used until 1994 to paint 727s and 757s. Now refurbished, the hangar is 165,000 cubic feet by volume. According to Boeing a crew of about eight painters can paint an entire 737 in about three days.

According to The Wichita Business Journal, about 70 percent of the 737 is built by Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kan.

The aviation community is weighing in after President Barack Obama’s remarks regarding general aviation during a White House press conference last week.

During the conference, President Obama called for Congress to eliminate or reduce tax depreciation schedules- tax breaks- for general aviation airplanes. He specifically referenced corporate jet owners no fewer than six times in his comments. Those comments came as the President asked Congressional Republicans for flexibility on revenue increases.

The deadline for raising the debt ceiling is Aug. 2. You can find video of the press conference, as well as a transcript of some of the President’s remarks HERE.

“General aviation employs millions of workers and is one of the few industries providing a trade surplus for the United States,” Aircraft Electronics Association President Paula Derks said in a press release.

“The President’s proposed tax changes would adversely impact an industry that is vital to the nation’s economic recovery efforts,” she said.

The President agreed to the original tax breaks for GA airplanes as part of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010.

Mark Zuccaro, president of the Helicopter Association International responded to the President’s comments with a call to action for the helicopter community.

“Democrats now see elimination of tax breaks and a change to the depreciation schedule for general aviation aircraft as politically attractive,” said Zuccaro.

“While all the current rhetoric appears to be directed toward ‘corporate jets,’ any change to the depreciation schedule would apply to pistons, turboprops and rotorcraft,” he said.

The aviation community is not alone in its stance, however. Co-founder of the Senate General Aviation Caucus U.S. Senator Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) posted a press release after the President’s comments.

““It may be good politics at the White House to demonize the general aviation industry, but it is unwise,” said Johanns, “At a time when we should be doing everything possible to encourage job growth, the President is engaging in class warfare. Painting the picture of business executives on a corporate jet seems to present too easy a target for the President to score political points, but the reality is that good people lose jobs when we play politics with an entire industry.”

Governor Sam Brownback (R- Kan.) was quoted in The Wichita Eagle as saying,  “We call on the administration to instead focus on supporting and growing the high-skilled, high-wage jobs of the business aviation industry.”

Brownback said business aviation is one of the state’s and country’s leading exports.

The President hosted a Twitter Town Hall meeting Wednesday afternoon. Thousands of tweets with the hashtag #AskObama were sent, the President then responded to selected messages.

During the Town Hall meeting, he discussed the debt limit, saying “folks shouldn’t be ‘toying with’ [it.]” He did not address tax breaks for general aviation during the meeting.

ADS-B Symposium from SEA

FreeFlight Systems participated in an ADS-B symposium hosted by Southeast Aerospace. The symposium was held recently at SEA’s Melbourne, Fla. location. Jamie Luster attended the event.

The symposium featured presentations on ADS-B information, product lines, and ideas. There were five original equipment manufacturers who presented during the three-day event, as well as three presentations given by representatives from the FAA. More than 35 individuals from avionics shops, OEMs, aircraft operators and the FAA attended the symposium.

During the event- which also included an open forum- many different aspects of the ADS-B system and technology were brought up for discussion.

One, more broad, question of interest to the attendees was why an ADS-B system is needed.

The FAA has mandated that all aircraft be compliant with the ADS-B Out mandate by 2020. This is because the current air traffic control system used in the United States is outdated and less effective in tracking, surveillance and other aspects than the ADS-B NextGen system. ADS-B provides a higher level of safety.

Another question that was discussed, was whether the 2020 FAA mandate includes ADS-B In. The answer is that the mandate only covers ADS-B Out. However, with ADS-B In, comes many, many additional advantages, including free traffic and weather. Tim Taylor, FreeFlight Systems president and CEO talks more about the advantages of equipping with ADS-B now in the video found HERE.

Also brought up during the symposium was whether or not an STC is required for an ADS-B system installation. As of 2011, the FAA is requiring that you obtain an STC for ADS-B Out installation on an aircraft. FreeFlight has prepared for this, however.

“We are going to get STCs for ourselves, for our equipment,” said Taylor in a video interview, “and we’ll make those STCs available free of charge.”

Luster says the symposium was successful and provided an open forum for discussion with many different industry professionals.

Have ADS-B or NextGen questions? Drop us a line!