According to city officials, the accident happened during the Las Cruces Air & Space Expo at Las Cruces International Airport (KLRU). Coleman, 61, was the only person on board the aircraft. 

The accident occurred at 2:30 p.m. MDT, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported. Many spectators caught the accident on cell phone video. Witnesses told authorities that the aircraft dove toward the ground then disappeared in a cloud of dirt behind scrub brush. 

Terre Blevins was one of the spectators who caught Coleman’s performance on her mobile phone. On the video, which was obtained by the Las Cruces Bulletin, Blevins can be heard asking, “Did he crash?” followed by exclamations and cries of dismay from other audience members.

That is immediately followed by the airshow announcer asking that people refrain from posting about the event on social media citing a lack of information and the desire to be respectful of Coleman’s family. The remainder of the airshow was canceled.

The accident is being investigated by the New Mexico State Police, FAA, and National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is requesting those who may have captured the event in video or in photographs to share their images by posting on the agency website here.

Career Legacy

Coleman was a member of the Mojave Space Port Governing Board, serving as its treasurer.

According to the organization, he had more than 35 years of experience in the aerospace industry as an engineer, ATP-rated pilot, A&P/IA mechanic, test pilot, and airshow performer.

He had logged time in more than 100 types of aircraft. He also served as a senior designer at McDonnell Douglas, lending his talents to the development of many aircraft, including the F-18. Coleman was also a test pilot for the ICON A5.

An experienced flight instructor, Coleman provided flight training to the pilots of SpaceShipOne in preparation for their suborbital flights, which resulted in winning the $10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004. He also flew the chase aircraft for the mission.

• READ MORE: How Does Top Gun: Maverick Stack Up?

According to his website, he had 4,300 hours flying in the accident aircraft.

In addition to being a test pilot and flying in airshows, Coleman offered aerobatic flight training.

Coleman had some high-profile clients, among them the pilots for Virgin Galactic.

In 2018 he was called upon to provide flight training for the actors portraying Naval aviators in Top Gun: Maverick. He provided over 140 hours of flight instruction for the actors to prepare them for g-forces they would feel when filming the flying scenes.

The post Pilot Chuck Coleman Killed in Airshow Crash appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to race officials, all seven classes of airplanes will take to the sky.

“We are incredibly excited as an organization for this monumental step in air racing history as we begin to execute our plan for the 2025 National Championship Air Races,” said Tony Logoteta, president and chief operating officer of the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA). “We’re invigorated by the fact that we’re hosting the air races in a brand-new venue in Roswell. It’s going to be amazing to see this iconic event put on again and see our September family.”

Race organizers have visited Roswell several times in recent months to meet with airport staff, emergency services, and city officials to design a new course for the races, review safety protocols, and establish partnerships with the community, according to the organization. Contractors have also been secured for construction of race infrastructure, such as a grandstand.

New Racing Challenges

Air race pilots are expected to visit the area to fly the proposed course in advance of the Pylon Racing Seminar (PRS) scheduled to be held in May in Roswell.

Race officials said the new venue will make for different challenges for the racers, but that “attendees can expect the same spirit of camaraderie, competition and classes of planes that are hallmarks of NCAR.”

Ticket sales and race details will be available in months to come. 

“Reuniting with our September family for the first air races in a new venue will be a historic and emotional moment for our organization as we eagerly prepare for next year alongside our partners in Roswell,” said Fred Telling, RARA chairman and chief executive officer.

• READ MORE: Taking in the Reno Air Races’ Final Lap

The National Championship Air Races traces its roots back to the Cleveland Air Races of the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s. 

The event, billed as the fastest motorsport around, moved to Nevada in 1964. It was first held at Sky Ranch airfield near Spanish Springs, before it moved to Stead Air Force Base, which was later renamed Reno-Stead Airport (KRTS) after the base closed.

In September 2023, fans gathered at the Nevada airport for the last air race at that location, which local officials said was a venue no longer able to accommodate the growing sport. Over the decades, homes and subdivisions encroached upon the airport that had once been remote, sparking concerns about potential accidents that could harm area residents. 

The air races have become an end of summer institution for aviation enthusiasts from around the world. In addition to attracting hundreds of aircraft, pilots and support crews, the event also features large displays of static aircraft along with demonstrations of military and civil aircraft.

The National Championship Air Races are set for September 10-14, 2025.

The post Plans Advance for 2025 National Championship Air Races appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

During the Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show on October 5-6, the museum will host a supply drive to help the communities in North Carolina damaged by Hurricane Helene.

• READ MORE: DOD Ups Military Helene Aid Response

“We have seen impacts from the storm across the Mid-Atlantic, and our upcoming air show is no exception,” said museum director Keegan Chetwynd, adding that many of the volunteers who help out during the annual show reside in the areas where storm damage was at its worst. “Hearing those stories had the museum staff and our volunteers wondering, what can we do to help?”

The museum is coordinating with support teams in North Carolina to gather supplies. Among the items requested are bottled water and water purification tablets, diapers for both babies and adults, baby food, including lactose-free baby formula, toilet paper, paper towels, nonperishable food, coolers, raincoats, shovels, first-aid supplies, blankets, socks and underwear, brooms, Clorox wipes, and other cleaning supplies.

At the end of the show, the gathered supplies will be loaded aboard the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, flown by The Liberty Foundation, a nonprofit flying museum in Douglas, Georgia. 

• READ MORE: The Goodness of Colonel Halvorsen, the Candy Bomber

Berlin Airlift

The C-47 is a versatile design that has carried everything from paratroopers participating in D-Day to pallets of canned food, flour, coal, clothing, and medicine during the Berlin Airlift. 

The airlift was the result of the post-World War II Soviet Union creating a blockade around the city of Berlin. The only way in or out was by air, prompting the British, American, and French forces to fly around the clock to move supplies into the beleaguered city. The airlift began on June 24, 1948, and ended on May 12, 1949.

About the Airshow

Warbirds Over the Beach is the annual fundraiser for the nonprofit museum. The weekend features a living history encampment, complete with armored vehicles, weapons demonstrations, vintage vocal performances, food trucks, and WWII aircraft flying from the museum’s private grass runway.

• READ MORE: Rare German Fighter Is Back in the Sky

Proceeds are used to support the education programs and provide for the maintenance of the museum collection.

Anyone wishing to donate supplies without attending the show can drop off items at a collection point installed at the museum’s main entrance. 

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The airport is named for a World War II fighter pilot who later became a community leader. The airport has both paved and grass runways and is home to one of most impressive antique aviation and automobile museums in the country.

The event runs September 7-8 and usually attracts hundreds of people who want to view and sometimes fly in antique aircraft or get up close to vintage machines. Admission is $20.

Camping is encouraged, and local and semilocal antique aircraft owners often set up a tent under the wing of their machines, not unlike the barnstormers of the 1920s and ’30s.

Getting there by air requires some planning, as visual flight rules are required. Pilots are encouraged to download the VFR reporting points information and to double-check the NOTAMs along their route because of smoke and TFRs due to ongoing wildfires.

The post Hood River Fly-In Set for This Weekend appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to base officials, the storm produced wind gusts in excess of 50 mph. It came through early in the morning before the crowds had arrived, bringing with it lightning and rain.

The airshow held the day before had attracted more than 65,000 visitors, according to an U.S. Air Force spokesperson.

Of those injured, six were military medical personnel and four were civilian vendors. All were outside on the flight line when the damaging winds occurred. 

“Due to the timing of the inclement weather, spectators had not entered the event area,” the spokesperson said.

Additionally, some vendors reported damage to booths and the wind relocated many portable toilets. One building on base was struck by lightning, but there was no reported damage to the structure.

Because of damages to services, Sunday’s airshow was canceled.

Video of the show area during the storm showed flattened tents and chairs, and aircraft blowing across a water-logged ramp. There were no reports of significant damage to the larger aircraft on display. 

Airmen made several foreign object debris (FOD) walks looking for trash and parts of aircraft deposited on the ramp by the storm.

“Safety is always our first priority at McConnell, especially when it comes to hosting the community for an airshow,” the spokesman told FLYING.

The post Injuries Reported After Severe Storm Strikes Before Airshow appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

These are the kinds of things one learns when one must beg friends for a ride home from a distant rural airport immediately following EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Fortunately, this discovery did not stem from mechanical woes or becoming stranded due to weather. It was simply a function of playing musical vehicles as I dropped off my plane for its annual inspection on my way back home after a week of festivities at Oshkosh. Not wanting to leave my mechanic with 207 pounds of cargo with which to contend during the inspection, I carefully loaded all of my gear into the Crosstrek with little room to spare.

• READ MORE: When Unforeseen Circumstances Threaten to Derail Amazing Experiences

This year, the entire AirVenture experience was a study in cargo and packing. While I’d done it before, this year was perhaps the first in which my gear selection was completely dialed, with a proven selection of items to ensure my week in Oshkosh would be the best ever.

From tents to cots to power supplies to food, every piece was carefully considered and calibrated, making for a fantastic week. Besides creating a top-notch AirVenture experience, this also reinforced my philosophy that it’s best to purchase an airplane you’ll grow into rather than out of.

I didn’t always feel this way.

Early on in my journey toward aircraft ownership, I had nearly settled on the trusty yet tiny Cessna 140 or its simpler, flapless cousin, the 120. I loved the way they flew, and they were among the least expensive options available. They seemed to check all the boxes.

Eventually, however, I decided that for me the ability to take that epic, once-a-year trip was worth the higher purchase price and increased fuel burn throughout the rest of the year. Two years of pinching pennies and working massive amounts of overtime eventually enabled the purchase of my larger, four-place 170.

And even though I never carry more than one passenger, and even though I only fully utilize the cabin volume once a year, the effort was entirely worth it. Had I settled for the smaller 120/140, every one of my Oshkosh experiences would be completely different.

For one, the additional space allows for luxuries that can completely transform any camping trip.

Years ago, in my motorcycle days, I learned firsthand that while it’s possible to pack extraordinarily small and light, this comes with significant compromises. The lightest tents and sleeping pads on the market, for example, function fine but prioritize minimalism and utility over comfort.

Now, with my roomy 170 made all the more voluminous via the removal of the rear seat, I could afford to upgrade my Oshkosh trip accordingly.

Going through my mental list of past annoyances, I addressed each individually. Thin sleeping pad that leaves me aching in the morning? Guess I’ll just go ahead and order the plush cot. A few extra changes of clothes that allow me to present myself at evening get-togethers as a civilized person rather than a shipwreck survivor? Don’t mind if I do.

The extra space and payload also enabled me to bring two laptops and a second monitor, so I could work remotely in the days leading up to the big event. Suddenly, I was able to live and work from the airplane. All it took was some careful weight-and-balance calculations and a bit of strategic positioning of the heavier items.

• READ MORE: EAA AirVenture 2024 in Photos

The extra space transforms the Oshkosh experience for friends, as well.

Two years ago, one friend found herself sleeping in a pool of rainwater when her cheap tent succumbed to passing storms. This year, an airline pilot friend came straight to Oshkosh from a work trip without a tent or sleeping pad. In each case, the 170’s cabin allowed me to toss in an extra tent and sleeping pad from my aforementioned motorcycle camping days. For the cost of an additional 2.5 pounds of gear, each friend enjoyed their trip immensely.

It often makes sense to expedite one’s entry into ownership by selecting a small, inexpensive type to begin with. If, for example, one is certain one’s mission will always be limited to short local flights.

But sometimes, buying an airplane capable of something more—even if that something occurs only once a year—can make it all worthwhile.

The post EAA AirVenture: A Study in Cargo and Packing appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Many of the airshow’s attendees flew themselves into Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with  more than 10,000 aircraft making the annual sojourn, according to the EAA. Show officials noted that between July 18-28 there were some 16,780 aircraft operations at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH). Many more pilots opted to fly to nearby airports and use ground transport to get to the show.

• READ MORE: EAA AirVenture 2024 in Photos

The grounds were always populated as around 40,000 opted to camp on-site in tents, trailers, and campers. There was a lot to see. The number of aircraft on display—recorded as 2,846 total—included 337 warbirds, 1,200 vintage, 975 homebuilt, 82 aerobatic aircraft, 65 seaplanes and amphibious designs, 23 rotorcraft, 10 balloons, and 154 ultralights and light aircraft.

“This year’s tagline was ‘Inspiring the Future of Aviation,’ and AirVenture 2024 certainly did that in countless ways,” said Jack Pelton, EAA CEO and chairman. “The mix of innovation, history, excitement, and fun that is a hallmark of Oshkosh was present throughout the grounds and made the event a memorable one, filled with numerous ‘Only at Oshkosh’ moments in the air and on the grounds.”

There was a lot to see and do, as a record 861 commercial exhibitors set up shop in the hangars and on the grounds, offering everything from training programs and airplanes to organizational memberships and products geared toward aviators and aviation enthusiasts.

For those who wished to add to their aviation knowledge, there were more than 1,600 forums and workshops on everything from using ForeFlight to picking the right aircraft for you.

Visitors

AirVenture is a worldwide phenomenon, as noted by the record 98 countries represented by the 2,581 attendees who registered at the international visitors tent.

Journalists from 836 media outlets from around the world roamed the grounds looking for news and features about the latest and greatest in aviation. Many of them provided content for social media. EAA estimates more than 23.9 million partook of the show virtually, noting total social media video views at 17 million—a 149 percent increase over 2023.

“More than 142,000 hours of AirVenture livestreaming and on-demand videos were viewed during the event,” EAA said.

Volunteers Make It Happen

AirVenture could not happen were it not for the thousands of volunteers who give their time and expertise to the show. This year nearly 6,000 volunteers contributed more than 250,000 hours, doing everything from parking airplanes to driving trams and helping the EAA staff make the mammoth event run smoothly.

Their work is greatly appreciated, according to Pelton.

• READ MORE: Oshkosh 2024 Notice Outlines Changes for Pilots Flying to AirVenture

“Over the past decade, and especially since 2020, we have seen AirVenture move to another level, as we maintain the heart of the event while adding programs and activities that appeal to aviation enthusiasts of all interests,” he said. “Kudos to our dedicated volunteers and staff who plan and adjust to make it work.”

In the meantime the EAA Aviation Foundation’s annual event to support its aviation education programs raised a record $2.8 million. The focus of the foundation is growing participation in aviation.

The Money Factor

AirVenture is a money maker. According to an economic impact study conducted by the University of Wisconsin in 2017, the show brings in $170 million for Winnebago, Outagamie, Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Brown counties.

Already there’s been discussion about AirVenture 2025.

“We’ve received plenty of ideas for next year, and a little bit later this summer, we’ll begin reviewing what might be possible for 2025,” Pelton said. “Our annual goal is to create a gathering of people and airplanes that is found nowhere else in the world and continue to improve the experience for EAA members and visitors.”

The post Record Numbers Reported at EAA AirVenture 2024 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The post EAA AirVenture 2024 in Photos appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The training provider also introduced two new free courses—Drone Part 107 Regulations and Private Pilot Ground Reference Maneuvers— in addition to a new YouTube playlist, How to Become a Pilot.

“It has been a great privilege to play a part in people’s lives when they are learning to do something so important to them, learning to fly,” said King Schools co-founder Martha King.

“Learning to fly changes who you are and how you think about yourself,” said Kings Schools co-founder John King. “We want to encourage as many people as possible to embark on this fun, exciting, and life-changing activity.”

In addition to the discounts, King Schools also announced it will offer two scholarships for flight instructors—the Women in Aviation International Martha King Scholarship for Female Flight Instructors and the National Association of Flight Instructors/King Schools Scholarship for Flight Instructors. Both scholarships are valued at $15,000 plus an additional $5,000 in cash.

A revamp of King Schools’ Cessna Sport/Private Pilot Course, featuring over 130 new videos designed to be clearer, more concise, informative, and entertaining, was also announced during the news conference.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

The post King Schools Marks 50 Years of Flight Training appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

On Monday at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Piper announced that it renewed its distribution partnership with the aerospace titan, making Boeing its exclusive distributor for key parts and components through 2029.

“We are thrilled to grow this partnership with Boeing,” said Ron Gunnarson, vice president of sales, marketing, and customer support at Piper. “In the coming year, look for improved response time and dedicated, Piper-specific CSR assistance.”

Piper has relied on Boeing as its primary spares depot since 2010. The latter maintains an inventory of Piper parts worth over $22 million and, according to the company, has a fill rate north of 98 percent on forecasted parts. Boeing’s Dallas-Fort Worth warehouse complements Piper depots around the world, including in Europe, to enable international shipments.

Separately, Piper on Thursday announced that it delivered four Pilot 100i’s to the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), part of a previously agreed order for eight aircraft. FIT is a key customer for the manufacturer, operating a fleet of only Piper aircraft: Archers, Seminoles, and Warriors.

“What makes all of this even more meaningful is that a dozen of our alumni working at Piper helped build these planes,” said John Nicklow, president of FIT. “It’s a high-flying example of the power of a Florida Tech education in action.”

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