US Flying reports that legendary US aerobatic pilot Betty Skelton, once known as the ‘fastest woman on Earth’, passed away on Tuesday August 30 at the age of 85 in her home in Florida after a long battle with cancer. Skelton won a hat-trick of US National Female Aerobatic Championships from 1948 to 1950 and also set numerous light aircraft records for both speed and altitude. In 1949, Skelton pushed her P-51 Mustang to an amazing 421.6 mph for a speed record, and two years later she climbed her J-3 Cub up to an impressive altitude of 29,050 feet. Skelton was said to have flown her First Solo at the tender age of 12 in 1938 and gained her pilot certificate when she was merely 16. Skelton also tried unsuccessfully to become a US Naval fighter pilot two decades before women were accepted into military flight training programs. Not that young Aussie girls need to look any further than the likes of, amongst others, our own Nancy Bird-Walton and Jean Burns for inspiration, but if they did they’d find Skelton’s achievements mightily impressive.
We hear that the correct departing (1300ft) and arriving (1800ft) altitudes at Camden Airport are being continually violated by pilots using the western Sydney aerodrome. As such, ATC at Camden is advising all who use the aerodrome that they’ll be coming down harder on these violations from now on, meaning paperwork will be sent to CASA and a “please explain” will be sought from the pilot in command. Nobody likes paperwork, nobody likes midair collisions, let’s get it together folks.
It’s so utterly and tragically heartbreaking that it just might kick Hollywood’s arse into action to make a movie spin-off. This week young Alaskan pilots Kristen Sprague, 26, and Scott Veal, 24, who also happened to be dating, were tailing each other in separate aircraft over western Alaska when, during a playful yet unannounced manoeuvre, Veal’s Cessna 208 clipped the right wing of Sprague’s Cessna 207, sending the 208 into a nose-dive and killing Veal upon impact with the ground. Sprague was able to make an emergency landing and escaped with no injuries. Apparently viz and weather were not factors, so while it appears pilot error (ie, flying in closer than recommended proximity) was to blame here, we still can't help feeling anguish for those involved.
Aussie flying enthusiast Matthias Fuchs is putting his backside to the test in order to raise funds for the cystic fibrosis unit at Sydney’s Westmead Children’s hospital. Fuchs will take off with sponsor Qantas on November 2 to travel in economy class to every continent except the big white one down south. His plan is to spend nine days (and nights) in flight and in airports, covering more than 120,000km, to raise at least $100,000 for the cause. The challenge will involve flying on every type of Qantas aircraft for more than 150 flying hours, with the journey touching down at Los Angeles, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Gove, Darwin, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, LHR, Johannesburg, Perth and Pt Macquarie. All flights and taxes have been donated by Qantas. Anyone wishing to support Fuchs can do so via the Everyday Hero website.
US company LoPresti Aviation Engineering is said to have recently unveiled a light aircraft tyre that never goes flat thanks to an unpressurised system protected by an embedded carbon-fibre band. The company says it’s almost impossible to puncture the tyre, and even if you do it still wouldn’t go flat; it’s also said to improve performance in wear, traction and rolling resistance and comes with a 10-year warranty. While the tyre is initially being made specifically specifically for Cirrus SR20 and Cirrus SR22 aircraft, plans for tyres for other models are apparently on the cards. If this sounds like the best thing since sliced bread, LoPresti hopes to make the product available by year’s end.
A fatal Cessna 210 crash in California last weekend has sparked a massive bush fire in the state that has been raging ever since. Since the crash last Sunday morning, the resulting bush fire has engulfed almost 15,000 acres, destroying 30 homes and buildings in its path. Hundreds of people were evacuated and five helicopters, two tanker aircraft and more than 2000 firefighters were called in to battle the blaze.
Avweb reports the frightening news for pilots that a company called Wicked Lasers claims that its newly released hand-held laser has an 85-mile range, is 8000 times brighter than the sun, and is the “world’s brightest laser you can legally own”. The company is marketing the laser to the public, but apparently outside of a lab it may be completely useless and only useful for, “irresponsible, reckless activities”. How’s about we start up a petition to get this device banned in Australia before some smart arse uses it for a joke and kills someone?
In the lead-up to the 10th anniversary of the of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US tomorrow, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security in the US have this week ago issued a warning that small aircraft might be used as improvised flying devices against civilian targets by terrorists looking to make a deadly statement. While the Feds added that there was no overt threat at present and only a pattern of stated intention by operatives over the years to use light aircraft for attacks. We wish Godspeed to our GA brethren in the US.
The FAA has granted a private firm, Orbital Sciences Corp, a licence to launch a demo flight to the International Space Station in February next year. Orbital is one of two US companies looking to take over the space shuttle runs to resupply the Space Station.
Hawker Beechcraft Corporation has appointed Karin-Joyce “KJ” Tjon as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). She will be responsible for the management and direction of the company’s finance and accounting organisation. Tjon brings more than 20 years of experience in all facets of management and international corporate finance in both public and private environments, however this gig is her first foray into aviation.
US Aerobatic legend Betty Skelton. (The National Corvetter Museum)
