The aircraft is owned by the Coulson Group in Port Alberni, British Columbia, and spent decades fighting wildfires up and down the west coast of North America. An earlier deal to send the aircraft to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, fell through but the airplane was painted in navy blue in anticipation of that move.

“We are pleased to have the Philippine Mars join our museum where we will preserve this World War II-era aircraft for decades to come,” said Scott Marchand, CEO of Pima Air and Space Museum.

• READ MORE: Inside the ‘Spruce Goose’

A sister ship, Hawaii Mars, which fought fires up until 2015, will be sent to the B.C. Aviation Museum in Sidney, B.C., near Victoria.

“As a fitting tribute to their years of service and years of hard work by many people in B.C. and the U.S., we are pleased to see both Mars aircraft landing to rest at world class institutions in 2024,” said Coulson Group CEO Wayne Coulson.

What’s not clear is how the massive flying boat will get to Tucson. It has no landing gear and operates only from water. It needs a relatively big body of water to take off and land, and there is no such open water in the immediate area of the museum.

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

The post WWII-Era ‘Philippine Mars’ Transport Seaplane Headed to Arizona Museum appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The aircraft will replace the T-44C Pegasus, an earlier version of a militarized King Air that has been in use since 1977. The T-44C is slated to be phased out over the next year.

• READ MORE: Navy to Explore Use of eSTOL Aircraft, Issues Contract to Electra

Last week the T-54As were flown from the factory in Wichita, Kansas, to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, where they will be used by Naval Air Training Command. They will be used to train the next generation of naval aviators who may go on to fly the P-8A Poseidon, E-2D Hawkeye and C-130 Hercules.

The Navy placed an order for the aircraft made by Textron Aviation in January 2023 as part of a 2023 METS contract. 

• READ MORE: U.S. Navy Awards Contract for Long-Range, Solar-Powered Stealth Drone

“The new METS aircraft will give us the ability to train pilots across the services with an advanced platform that better represents fleet aircraft,” Captain Holly Shoger, program manager of the Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Program Office, said at the time. “The T-54A will include the latest avionics and navigational updates, such as virtual reality and augmented reality devices, to ensure pilots are ready to face any challenges that come their way in tomorrow’s battlespace.” 

The T-54A is a pressurized turboprop with state-of-the-art avionics, including multifunction displays with a digital moving map, an integrated GPS/inertial navigation system, ADS-B, a flight management system, weather radar, radar altimeter, and a cockpit data recorder. 

• READ MORE: U.S. Navy Signs Deal with Boeing for 17 F/A-18 Super Hornets

The T-54 is expected to meet advanced multi-engine and advanced tilt-rotor training requirements for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps through 2055.

According to NAVAIR, the T-54A will “provide advanced instrument and asymmetric engine handling training to student naval aviators selected for multi-engine fleet communities.”

Last year’s agreement initially ordered 10 King Air 260s and associated support. Deliveries for the first aircraft are scheduled between 2024 and 2026. Per the contract, the Navy may take delivery of up to 64 of the trainers.

The post Navy Modernizes Training Fleet with T-54A Delivery appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Electra, the aircraft is able to operate with ground rolls of 150 feet, capable of carrying up to nine passengers or 2,500 pounds of cargo, and sports a range of 500 nm.

The company did not announce the contract amount that was awarded under the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) but said it is expected to continue through the end of the year.

“The contract allows Electra to partner with the U.S. Navy and its stakeholders to explore the use cases for Electra’s eSTOL technology, as well as potential aircraft configuration extensions, to enhance the efficiency of delivering military logistics services in environments with minimal infrastructure or other operational challenges,” Electra spokesperson Barbara Zadina told FLYING.

• READ MORE: Electra.aero Nabs $1.9M Army Contract for Electric Aircraft Testing

The contract announcement comes days after the company reported the U.S. Army had issued a $1.9 million contract to experiment with the hybrid-electric aircraft to perform powered wind tunnel testing.

“With our differentiated combination of hybrid-electric propulsion and a blown fixed wing, we can offer Pacific theater-relevant payloads and ranges, and the ability to operate from rough, soccer-field-sized spaces as well as many naval vessels and adjacent assets, all from day one,”  Ben Marchionna, Electra’s director of technology and innovation, said in a statement. 

• READ MORE: Electra.aero Surpasses 2000 Orders for Hybrid-Electric Aircraft

In addition to logistic utility, the company said the eSTOL aircraft could also enable expeditionary power generation, mesh networking, and potentially serve as an essential node for Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) employment.

“These are all game changers for force modernization initiatives within the Navy and Marine Corps,” Marchionna said.

The post Navy to Explore Use of eSTOL Aircraft, Issues Contract to Electra appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA), the event will feature performances of both U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, along with the U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team. A list of other planned performances may be found here. 

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

The event, which is sponsored by the RARA, will begin with an airshow Friday night (October 4), and there will be many static displays of both civilian and military aircraft, and a STEM discovery zone.

“This year’s airshow celebrates our aviation heritage and the boundless potential for the future ahead,” said Fred Telling, RARA CEO and chairman. “We are honored to have made Reno the home of air racing over the last six decades. While we look forward to our organization’s future in air racing. This year, we welcome fans to enjoy an airshow that draws from experiences at the National Championship Air Races to create a one-of-a-kind event.”

• READ MORE: Early Analysis of Fatal Reno Accident Offers Lessons

This year marks the first time in the annual Reno aviation event’s history that air racing will not be featured. In September, the last Reno Air Race took place at KRTS, as community leaders had determined that encroachment by homes and other non-race entities were creating too much of a risk. The last races of that event were canceled after two pilots died in a midair collision.

RARA is reviewing proposals from six cities interested in hosting the National Championship Air Races next year. The organization expects to announce the new location later this spring.

• READ MORE: Three Locations Vie for National Championship Air Races

“We are so thankful for our fans and community that have supported us over the decades,” said Tony Logoteta, RARA chief operating officer. “And we are excited to produce our 60th aviation event in Reno. We will miss racing this year but have been blessed with an incredible performer lineup and are hard at work to ensure the Reno Air Show provides a unique and exhilarating experience that also celebrates our history.”

More information about the 2024 event and ticket sales may be found here.

The post Airshow Plans Advance in Reno appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The $1.3 billion contract for the updated variant, considered the backbone of the Navy’s carrier air wing, also includes a technical data package that the service said is vital for the platform’s sustainment for decades to come.

• READ MORE: Boeing Delivers MQ-25 Stingray to U.S. Navy for Testing

“The technical data package was a crucial part of this negotiation.; It is necessary for naval aviation’s operational readiness and postproduction sustainment,” said Rear Admiral John Lemmon, program executive officer for tactical aircraft programs. “The Super Hornet remains a predominant aircraft in the carrier air wing and will continue to provide significant combat capability into the 2040s.”  

• READ MORE: Marines Deactivate Historic F/A-18 Hornet Training Squadron

Delivery of the aircraft is expected in winter 2026, with final delivery no later than spring 2027, the Navy said.

The post U.S. Navy Signs Deal with Boeing for 17 F/A-18 Super Hornets appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Boeing 737-based Poseidon is used for submarine hunting, as well as anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).

• READ MORE: Boeing Delivers First P-8A Poseidon Maritime Aircraft to New Zealand

The U.S. Navy award includes 14 P-8s for the Royal Canadian Air Force and three for the German Navy.

“We are proud to add Canada to the list of international P-8 partners as well as to Germany’s fleet of maritime patrol aircraft,” Philip June, vice president and program manager of Boeing’s P-8A program, said in a statement. “The Poseidon is a proven aircraft, with more than 600,000 flight hours, that will serve Canada and Germany well in today’s challenging security environment and for decades to come.”

• READ MORE: German Military Signs Deal for 82 H145M Helicopters

Boeing said that Canada, which announced in November it intended to purchase up to 16 P-8As to replace its current fleet of Lockheed CP-140 Auroras, will receive its first aircraft in 2026.

Germany’s order will increase its existing P-8A fleet to eight. Its navy will receive its first aircraft, which are set to replace its fleet of P-3 Orions, in 2025.

• READ MORE: Canada Awards $2.28B Contract for CH-146 Griffon Sustainment

According to Boeing, there are 200 P-8s in service or on contract in nine countries.

The post Boeing Nabs $3.4 Billion in Orders for 17 P-8A Poseidon Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The MQ-25 is the Navy’s first uncrewed aerial aircraft and designed to refuel carrier-based aircraft platforms, such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet, E-2D Hawkeye, and F-35C Lightning II.

The Navy intends to buy more than 70 of the drone tankers in a bid to help extend the range of the carrier air wing. 

“The unmanned carrier-based refueler will now undergo a rigorous airframe integrity evaluation,” Boeing Defense said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Once operational, [MQ-25] will extend the range and capability of the [U.S. Navy’s] air wing.”

• READ MORE: Boeing Reveals First Look at MQ-25 Unmanned Refueling Aircraft

Earlier this month, Boeing selected BAE Systems to upgrade and modernize the MQ-25 vehicle management system computer (VMSC). The upgrades target obsolescence issues and include an increase in computing power, BAE Systems said.

“Our upgraded VMSC for the MQ-25 will deliver advanced functionality, enabling this platform to execute today and tomorrow’s critical missions, while also reducing the amount of hardware required on the aircraft through consolidation into this computer.” Corin Beck, senior director of military aircraft systems for controls and avionics solutions at BAE Systems, said in a statement.

The post Boeing Delivers MQ-25 Stingray to U.S. Navy for Testing appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The drone demonstration from the USS Savannah comes months after the Textron subsidiary was awarded a $19.5 million contract by Naval Air Systems Command Center (NAVAIR) to provide UAS operational support to one Freedom Class and two Independence Class LCS variants.

“The Aerosonde UAS will support the LCS missions of forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence with overwatch and extended intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services with enhanced payloads,” the company said. 

The Aerosonde UAS is a rail-launched, fixed-wing drone designed to provide extended intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) services. The 75-pound UAS has a wingspan of about 12 feet, endurance of more than 14 hours, and is equipped with either an electro-optical or infrared full motion video.

The contract marks the fifth class and seventh ship the Aerosonde system supports, Textron said.

“Teaming an uncrewed aircraft system with a crewed ship is a force multiplier for the ship’s existing mission sets, which we’ve seen with our Aerosonde UAS operating from DDG [U.S. Navy Destroyer] and ESB [expeditionary sea base]class ships,” Wayne Prender, senior vice president of air systems at Textron Systems, said in a statement. “The expansion of the Aerosonde system’s services onto the LCS extends the capability of the various mission packages employed by the ship.”

The post Textron Systems Drone Makes First Flight From Navy Littoral Combat Ship appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The aircraft was assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 41, a unit that trains MH-60R pilots at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. The incident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. PST off the shore of Coronado, California, during a routine training mission, according to Navy officials.

• READ MORE: Norway to Buy 6 MH-60R Helicopters

“Due to the nature of the training, a safety boat was on location and, with the assistance of Federal Fire, all six crewmembers survived and were promptly moved ashore,” Navy Commander Beth Teach said in a statement, according to a local news report. 

All personnel on board the Seahawk are undergoing medical evaluation, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash, the Navy said.

The post Probe Underway after Navy MH-60R Crashes Into San Diego Bay appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division awarded the indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for the span of five years. 

• READ MORE: UK, Italy, Japan Sign Treaty to Develop Stealth Fighter

“Under the new contract, BAE Systems will continue to provide fleet services, technical support, and operational software development and maintenance to support various air traffic control and landing systems for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and international customers,” the company said.

Work done under the contract will be completed in Great Mills, St. Inigoes, and Patuxent River in Maryland; Chesapeake, Virginia; and San Diego,  according to BAE Systems.

• READ MORE: First EC-37B Compass Call Tactical Jammer Delivered to Air Force

The contract is the latest for the company tapped to lead the Global Combat Air Program’s multinational development of a next-gen, supersonic fighter jet. Earlier this month, the U.K., Italy, and Japan signed a treaty to collaborate on the development of the stealth fighter, which the countries say will be delivered to their respective air forces in 2035.

The post U.S. Navy Awards BAE Systems $92M Contract for Ship ATC appeared first on FLYING Magazine.