Ultra short aircraft manufacturer Electra on Monday announced that it completed successful demonstration flights of its EL-2 Goldfinch prototype at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico (KNYG) and Felker Army Airfield (KFAF) at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (KLFI) in Virginia. U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel were present for the demonstrations, which were the first Electra has performed for the military, the firm told FLYING.

Electra’s nine-passenger design has garnered contracts from the Air Force, Army, and Navy, which view it as a potential game-changer for military resupply missions, tactical insertions, and medical evacuations. The firm is also backed by Lockheed Martin.

The demonstrations at Joint Base Langley-Eustis were conducted under a strategic funding increase (STRATFI) agreement with AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm, worth up to $85 million. AFWERX offers a quid pro quo arrangement, providing electric aircraft manufacturers and other developers of novel aviation technology with a sandbox in which to mature their systems. In return, the military gets early access to non-commercially available designs.

“This aircraft’s efficient, quiet, and sustainable operations align with military objectives for contested and expeditionary logistics,” said Jacob Wilson, acting branch chief of AFWERX’s Agility Prime division dedicated to electric and autonomous models. “Its hybrid-electric propulsion system provides extended range and endurance, making it suitable for Agile Combat Employment missions in austere locations with compromised or nonexistent runways.”

The Goldfinch uses a unique blown-lift mechanism to amplify lift, allowing it to take off at what the company describes as neighborhood driving speeds. This reduces the vehicle’s runway requirement to just 150 feet, allowing it to operate from locations with a closed or damaged runway, including ships or barges.

Electra test pilot Cody Allee took the Goldfinch through a series of grass field takeoffs and landings, with no ground infrastructure required. The company describes the aircraft as a “mobile power generator” offering 600 kilowatts of continuous power, capable of reaching 1 megawatt in “short bursts.” According to the firm, its fuel consumption is one-third that of helicopters performing the same mission.

Allee flew 150-foot radius turns to showcase the aircraft’s maneuverability at low speed and altitude. The test pilot also helped demonstrate a mobile power generation display, using the aircraft’s power supply to fire up its own sound system and preflight presentation equipment.

“These flight demonstrations mark a significant milestone for Electra as we show the capabilities of the technology in the real-world,” said JP Stewart, vice president and general manager of Electra. “Our ultra short aircraft make it possible to operate from austere locations previously only reachable by helicopters, with 70 percent lower costs and very quiet operations.”

Electra in January said it surpassed 2,000 orders for its flagship design, with commercial customers including regional air carrier JSX, helicopter operator Bristow Group, and private charter marketplace JetSetGo. But as the company continues to refine its design, military customers will get their hands on it first.

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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.

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The Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps all grounded their tiltrotor fleets December 6 amid an investigation into what caused a crash of an Air Force CV-22 Osprey off the coast of Japan that killed the crew of eight airmen.

Returning the aircraft to service is critical to national defense, officials said.

“Effective March 8, 2024, at 7 a.m. EST, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is issuing a flight clearance for the V-22 Osprey, thereby lifting the grounding,” NAVAIR said in a statement. “This decision follows a meticulous and data-driven approach prioritizing the safety of our aircrews.”

Last month, U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) said that, while it was known that a materiel failure caused the crash, the cause of that failure has not yet been determined.

• READ MORE: Air Force, Navy Ground V-22 Fleets Amid Crash Probe

In a statement Friday, NAVAIR said it had partnered with the Air Force investigation to identify the materiel failure. “Maintenance and procedural changes have been implemented to address the materiel failure that allow for a safe return to flight,” NAVAIR said.

The Marine Corps has returned MV-22s to flight following the Naval Air Systems Command’s announcement that deemed the aircraft safe to fly, and will now execute a deliberate, three-phase plan to return all MV-22 squadrons to full capability.

Read More https://t.co/RJ2Qz8sGsC

— U.S. Marines (@USMC) March 8, 2024

Following NAVAIR’s bulletin announcing the aircraft’s flight clearance, AFSOC said it was implementing a “multi-phased approach” to returning its fleet back to service.

• READ MORE: Crash Prompts Japan to Call on U.S. Military to Ground Ospreys 

“Phase one of AFSOC’s return to fly plan includes ground and simulator training, integrating planned flight controls, safety briefings, a review of maintenance records, and refining by-squadron training plans to implement the new safety protocols,” the command said in a statement. 

In the second phase, aircrew and maintainers will go through a “multi-month program” focused on aircraft mission currency and proficiency, AFSOC said.

“While maintainers have remained engaged, conducting maintenance necessary to sustain the CV-22 during the stand-down, they will receive training in line with the maintenance protocols directed by the NAVAIR return to fly bulletin,” AFSOC said. “Each squadron will progress through this phase at different speeds based on a variety of factors including maintenance requirements for aircraft, experience level of personnel in the squadron, and weather impact to flight schedules.”

• READ MORE: Marine Corps: Hard Clutch Engagement Issue Cause of Fatal MV-22B Crash

 Once that is complete, the aircraft will resume full missions in a third phase.

“This phased approach affords AFSOC the time required to maximize opportunities to learn as much as possible from the Safety Investigation Board and Accident Investigation Board to mitigate risk to our aircrew, maintainers, and joint partners,” AFSOC said.

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Survey Copter—an Airbus subsidiary— signed a firm order with the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) for 15 onboard systems (30 aircraft) of Aliaca fixed-wing electric UAS, plus associated training and integrated logistics support for the French Navy, the company announced Monday. The company said deliveries of the systems will begin this year and “will be used to equip new ships and ship types, and to enhance their onboard capabilities.”

• READ MORE: Airbus Helicopters Looks to Expand UAS Portfolio with Acquisition

The request builds upon a 2020 order of 11 systems and 22 aircraft that have been called the French Navy’s “remote field glasses” due to their ability to provide airborne surveillance, detection, and identification capabilities for high seas patrol boats and surveillance frigates, according to the company.

“We are very honored to participate in the French government’s action at sea and to continue supporting the French Navy in its many missions,” said Christophe Canguilhem, CEO of Survey Copter, in a statement. “This additional order confirms the relationship of trust we have with the DGA and the French Navy, and the quality, efficiency, and reliability of our drones systems at sea.” 

• READ MORE: Airbus U.S. Space and Defense Adds New Line of Business in Drones

The order is the latest for Airbus, which late last year announced it was launching a business line dedicated to military drones. In January, Airbus also announced its intent to acquire Aerovel, the manufacturer of the Flexrotor tactical drone. 

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The CV-22B assigned to the Air Force’s 353rd Special Operations Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, went down offshore of Yakushima Island on November 29 with eight crewmembers on board during a routine training mission. The Japan Coast Guard said it received an emergency call at the time of the incident, along with reports that the aircraft’s left engine was on fire as it fell.

• READ MORE: Crash Prompts Japan to Call on U.S. Military to Ground Ospreys 

On Wednesday, Lieutenant General Tony Bauernfeind, the Air Force Special Operations Command’s (AFSOC) top commander, instituted an operational stand-down of the Air Force CV-22 fleet.

“Preliminary investigation information indicates a potential materiel failure caused the mishap, but the underlying cause of the failure is unknown at this time,” AFSOC said in a statement. “The stand-down will provide time and space for a thorough investigation to determine causal factors and recommendations to ensure the Air Force CV-22 fleet returns to flight operations.”

Following the AFSOC order, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), which supports aviation in both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, said that “out of an abundance of caution,” it had also grounded all V-22 variants.

“While the mishap remains under investigation, we are implementing additional risk mitigation controls to ensure the safety of our service members,” NAVAIR said. 

• READ MORE: DOD Identifies 8 Killed in CV-22 Crash Off Coast of Japan

The decision to ground V-22 operations comes days after Japan’s military temporarily suspended operations of its fleet of 14 tiltrotor aircraft, calling on the U.S. military to do the same in the country.

“It goes without saying that ensuring flight safety is the highest priority in the operation of aircraft,” Hirokazu Matsuno, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, told Reuters on Thursday. “We will continue to request information sharing with the U.S. side to ensure flight safety.”

• READ MORE: Marine Corps: Hard Clutch Engagement Issue Cause of Fatal MV-22B Crash

The remains of six of the eight airmen on board the CV-22 have been recovered. Search and recovery operations focused on locating the remains of the unaccounted for two airmen are ongoing, according to AFSOC.

“Following personnel recovery operations, the force will turn its efforts toward salvaging the remaining aircraft debris,” AFSOC said Thursday.

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The accident occurred November 20 during rainy conditions when the maritime reconnaissance aircraft was on approach at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Three pilots and six crewmembers on board the P-8A were assigned to Whidbey Island, Washington-based Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 “Skinny Dragons” and were on a detachment in support of maritime homeland defense, the Navy said. All safely evacuated the aircraft and no injuries were reported.

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

Sailors from the Navy’s Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 1 responded to the accident site Thursday as part of the investigation and recovery assessment, the U.S. Third Fleet said Friday.

• READ MORE: Navy P-8A Overshoots Runway, Ends Up in Kaneohe Bay

“Divers from MDSU-1’s Company 1-3 were successfully able to recover the aircraft’s flight data recorder,” the fleet said. “While on shore, conducting an assessment, were members of the recently arrived Aircraft Mishap Board, assigned to investigate the incident to determine the cause and contributing factors of the mishap.”

Divers also performed a hydrographic survey to determine the structural integrity of the aircraft and the coral and marine environment surrounding it.

“The survey will help the Navy plan a recovery operation that minimizes any impact to the critical ecosystem of Kaneohe Bay,” fleet officials said.

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

Following the accident, some environmental protection measures were either taken or  kept at the ready, according to the Navy. Primary and secondary containment booms were deployed, encircling the aircraft to protect the surrounding marine environment, as well as hydrophobic absorbent material to help soak up any potential pollutants, such as petroleum. A skimmer is also on standby to remove pollutants from the water surface, the Navy said.

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Often referred to as the “Navy’s digital quarterback,” the E-2D expands battlefield awareness and is considered the cornerstone of the service’s theater air and missile defense architecture nearshore, overland, and open sea.

Under the contract, Delta System Software Configuration 6 (DSSC 6) updates to the E-2D Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft will include technical refresh of the cockpit, as well as theater combat identification.

The $458.2 million modernization effort is expected to take five years, GovConwire reported.

Once fielded, the open architecture of DSSC 6 will allow for the rapid integration of new nonproprietary applications and capabilities, according to Northrop Grumman. Beginning in 2029, the Navy’s entire fleet will be retrofitted with updated cockpit, navigation technology, and mission systems, the company added.

“Northrop Grumman has a long partnership with the U.S. Navy on the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program to ensure with this fleet modernization that we continue to outpace evolving threats into the 2040s and beyond, with this proven airborne battle management command and control aircraft,” Janice Zilch, vice president of multidomain command and control programs at Northrop Grumman, said in a statement.

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The pilot of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort-based fighter jet ejected safely over North Charleston on Sunday afternoon while flying with another F-35. The pilot was taken to a local hospital, and the second F-35 landed at Joint Base Charleston, The Island News reported.

“How in the hell do you lose an F-35?” Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who serves the lowcountry of the state, said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. By Monday afternoon, Mace had few answers to report for state residents. “No one knows if the F-35 is in the air or under the water,” she said.

• READ MORE: Pilot Ejects from F-35B Fighter After Hard Landing

“Teams continue to search for the U.S. Marine Corps F-35B, using ground and air assets,” Joint Base Charleston confirmed Monday. Military officials said numerous military and civilian agencies had joined to look for the F-35, including Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing out of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, the U.S. Navy, the FAA, the Civil Air Patrol, as well as local, county, and state law enforcement.

On Sunday, officials at JB Charleston said “based on the jet’s last-known position and in coordination with the FAA we are focusing our attention north of [Joint Base] Charleston, around Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion.” 

We’re working with @MCASBeaufortSC to locate an F-35 that was involved in a mishap this afternoon. The pilot ejected safely. If you have any information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35, please call the Base Defense Operations Center at 843-963-3600.

— Joint Base Charleston (@TeamCharleston) September 17, 2023

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.

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The goal comes as little more than half of U.S. F-35 fighters are considered mission capable.

“The mission capable (MC) rate goal for the U.S. Service F-35 fleet (Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps) is 70 percent for the [USAF] F-35A, and 75 percent for the [U.S. Marine Corps] F-35B and [U.S. Navy] F-35C,” Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, program executive officer for the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO), said in a statement Wednesday. “The current average MC rate across the U.S. Services’ F-35 fleet is 56 percent.”

Deployed or combat-coded aircraft “significantly exceeds this average,” Schmidt added.

• READ MORE: F-35 Deliveries Resume Following Checks for Readiness

The JPO released the information following questions about goals and benchmarks for mission readiness that emerged during the Sea-Air-Space Symposium held earlier this month in National Harbor, Maryland.

Earlier this year, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report that indicated that the U.S. Air Force F-35A readiness dropped by 11 percent between 2021 and 2022, compared to the Marine Corps’ fleet of F-35B availability, which slipped by 7 percent during that same period. The Navy’s F-35C availability, by contrast, rose by 5 percent during that period, CBO found.

Defense officials want to see improvement in readiness rates across the board within the next year. 

“The War on Readiness is an effort to drive increased MC rates across the fleet with a goal of achieving a 64 percent MC rate by April 2024,” Schmidt said. 

Program officials are focused on four key pillars, according to Schmidt: “resolving the top degraders, returning aircraft listed as long term down to MC status, optimizing unit level maintenance, and improving supply chain performance,” he said.

• READ MORE: Pratt & Whitney Finds Fix for F-35 Engine Issue

“Continued investment in readiness will enable the F-35 JPO to return to green for critical degraders, return aircraft back to the fight, increase efficiency of our flight-line maintainers, accelerate reduction of the current repair work in progress (WIP) backlog and move us towards our MC rate goals,” Schmidt said.

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This year’s aviation highlight of the game is the military flyover at the conclusion of the national anthem. The U.S. Navy will take center stage with an overflight celebrating 50 years of women naval aviators.

Salute to Women Naval Aviators

The flyover formation will include two F/A-18F Super Hornets from the “Flying Eagles” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122, an F-35C Lightning II from the “Argonauts” of VFA-147, and an EA-18G Growler from the “Vikings” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129.

According to the Navy, the aircraft selected represent cutting-edge technology of the “Carrier Air Wing of the Future.”

• READ MORE: Have You Checked the NOTAMs Today?

The aircraft are stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, California, and NAS Whidbey Island, Washington will stage out of nearby Luke Air Force Base.

In 1973, the first eight women began flight school in Pensacola, Florida. One year later, six of those eight women, who became known as “The First Six,” earned their Wings of Gold. Since then, women have served, operated, and led at every level of Naval Aviation.

Lt. Katie Martinez, a naval flight officer assigned to VFA-122, said she is looking forward to representing Naval Aviation at one of the world’s most-watched events. 

“It’s not a feeling I can even put into words,” Martinez said. “It doesn’t get bigger than the Super Bowl, and I am humbled and honored to be able to participate with my friends and fellow Naval Aviators as part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

TFR details

During the Super Bowl, most flights above and in the vicinity of the stadium are not permitted, with certain exceptions. Per the FAA, the only flights permitted during the TFR will be emergency/life-saving flights by medical and law enforcement personnel. They must be coordinated with Phoenix Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON).

The NOTAM lists all the activities that are not allowed during the TFR, which includes flight training, practice instrument approaches, aerobatic flight, glider operations, parachute operations, ultralight, hang gliding, balloon operations, agriculture/crop dusting, animal population control flight operations, banner towing operations, sightseeing operations, maintenance test flights, model aircraft operations, model rocketry, utility and pipeline survey operations, and the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones.

No Drone Zone

The TFR for drones begins several days before the game. Beginning February 9 through game day, airspace in downtown Phoenix is restricted up to 1,000 feet from 6 a.m. and midnight daily.

On game day—February 12—restrictions begin at 11 a.m. (MST) within two nautical miles around the stadium and up to 2,000 feet in altitude. The restrictions expand at 3:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. (MST) to a 30-nautical-mile radius and up to 18,000 feet in altitude.

Failure to respect the TFR will cost you, as the FAA notes penalties could include confiscation of the drone, a fine in excess of $30,000, and potential criminal prosecution.

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