UK airfield round-up
In a general round up of airport news from around the UK, FTN takes a look at some of those airfields currently under threat and some which are living the high life. With apologies to those airfields that have been inadvertently left out from this report, here’s the current UK airfield scene as FTN perceives it. First on the threat list is Old Sarum airfield in Wiltshire, which has been very quiet for the last few years after the...
VoltAero performs world first electric-hybrid aircraft flight using 100% SAF
French startup VoltAero has confirmed the successful first flight of its Casso S test aircraft, powered by a hybrid electric/fuel powerplant. Conducted from the company’s devopment facility at Royan, France, the Cassio S combustion engine used a 100% sustainable fuel provided by TotalEnergies, named Excellium Racing 100, which is made from bioethanol produced from waste that originates in French vineyards. “Based on initial...
Why gliding makes you a better airline pilot
It is believed that many skills learnt flying a glider are transferable to a professional pilot flight training. Talking at the European Airline Transport Symposium (EATS) Sergio Gómez Brito, head of training at Spanish ATO Quality Fly discussed the merits of using gliders in commercial flight training. This video from Quality Fly illustrates a number of ways in how gliding can help under training commercial pilots in terms of manual...
Can sailplanes be used for commercial flight training?
The use of sailplanes in commercial pilot flight training programmes was one the presentations discussed at the 2023 European Airline Training Symposium (EATS) held in Portugal. Sergio Gómez Brito, Head of Training at Spanish ATO Quality Fly, gave a presentation on the use of sailplanes in integrated ATPL training programmes, saying that it combines an enhanced competency-based training (CBT) methodology with sustainability. In an...
Armstrong/Isaacs Bursaries for PPL students opens for 2024
The Armstrong/Isaacs bursaries, run by the UK Light Aircraft Association (LAA), are once again open, with five bursaries of £1,500.00 on offer this year to PPL students currently undergoing flight training. Armstrong/Isaacs bursaries are funded from the Armstrong/Isaacs Fund, which is based on a major donation from David Armstrong, who was a founder member of the original Ultralight Aircraft Association in 1947, a lifelong member of...
