Bombardier C Series aircraft. Photo courtesy of Swiss International Air Lines
October has been a busy month in aviation. There have been business moves and new technology approaches that we covered in both the latest edition of Avionics magazine and our online daily content. Did you read October’s 10 most-read articles?
- A Day in the Life of a US Air Force Drone Pilot
Kicking off this list is a bit of a flashback. Back in March, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. James Klein took us through what an average day is like as a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1 Predator pilot. Most of his day is spend performing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. But once in a while, missions can become more intense.
- Can This Garmin Cockpit Defend Ballistic Missile Fields?
Well? Can it? It might need to, to serve the U.S. Air Force. Sierra Nevada Corp. is offering its modified Sikorsky UH-60L, designated “Force Hawk” to the Air Force for its Bell Helicopter UH-1N replacement program. Since the Air Force was compelled by Congress to make the solicitation competitive, Sierra Nevada is up against three OEMs: Sikorsky with its HH-60U and a Leonardo/Boeing team with its MH-139. But, the lead systems integrator has total confidence in its customized aircraft.
- Boeing to Acquire Aurora Flight Sciences
If it was unclear before what stake Boeing might have in the urban air taxi movement, the picture became much clearer earlier this month. The manufacturer announced plans to acquire a company that specializes in autonomous aircraft. That company is also an official Uber urban air mobility partner.
- New Approaches to Developing Avionics Software
A feature story from our magazine made the No. 7 slot on this list. In the article, Editor-in-Chief Woodrow Bellamy III explores technologies and initiatives enabling new development approaches across the commercial and military aviation markets.
- Enhanced Flight Vision Systems: Now Landing
Another feature from our print magazine, this article is all about the FAA’s new rule. Anne Wainscott-Sargent discusses what the rule really means, how we got there and beyond.
- Will Regulators Approve Airbus-Bombardier C Series Partnership?
You may have heard something about a certain blockbuster partnership as Airbus announced plans to acquire a 50% stake in Bombardier’s program. (If you haven’t you’re definitely going to want to read this article.) This could be one way for Bombardier to avoid a tariff on its C Series aircraft.
- Air France KLM is Evaluating MRO Potential for Blockchain
Cybersecurity is not exclusively an aviation challenge — it is a concern for virtually every industry. Blockchain is one method for ensuring a secure, unchangeable, archive of data. Read October’s fourth-most-read article to learn how one airline is looking at blockchain for use in maintenance.
- 30 ADS-B Questions You Should Know How to Answer
Yes, the FAA’s ADS-B Out equipage deadline is still Jan. 1, 2020. The FAA has affirmed that date will not change. The window for equipment procurement and installation is closing. Breaking into the top three of this list, this article could help you prepare for the deadline.
- 7 Future Aircraft Concepts That Could Change Aviation
This article isn’t new. In fact, it comes from June. But as one of our most-read web articles of the year, it was trending in October, too. If you haven’t already — or even if you have — check out these futuristic designs.
- Drone Hits Passenger Airplane in Canada
Luckily, no one was injured. But this was Canada’s first drone-passenger airplane collision and brought reality to an apprehension felt by many since the rise of unmanned aircraft systems. Since this article was published, Canada’s safety board has launched an investigation.