The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) has kicked off the summer with its vow to continue “Expanding the Map,” something the organization has done extraordinarily well in its 23-plus years of defending and rehabilitating airfields and backcountry strips alike.
They’ve started with Taylor Flat Airstrip (TF9) near Dutch John, Utah, which has been officially reopened after 28 years of disuse. Thanks to a cooperative effort between the RAF and Utah Back Country Pilots (UBCP), TF9 welcomes pilots with remote camping deep in the Utah canyonlands, with close proximity to the Green River, just a quarter-mile stroll away.
The RAF has also turned its focus on Walker Ridge airstrip in California, in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, close to the Sacramento and San Francisco Bay areas. The RAF encourages responsible use of all wilderness areas, and it will provide guidance on how to do so in upcoming seminars at EAA AirVenture. There are also rumors flying around that another big announcement is coming from the association at Oshkosh, so stay tuned!
A Solid-State Battery Pack for Hybrid-Electric
Swiss electric aviation development company H55 has delivered certification-grade propulsion battery modules to Pratt & Whitney Canada for use on the RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator, a regional turboprop model. This marks a key step in the quest to produce a hybrid system with enough battery energy density that will operate within a regulatory framework needed for certification.
Sebatien Dumont said, “Delivering production-conforming modules into the RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator validates H55’s ability to meet those requirements at an industrial scale and marks an important step in bringing our certification-grade energy storage technologies to a broader range of commercial aerospace applications.” H55 has logged more than 2,000 hours in flight test without any nasty battery-related surprises, according to the company.
Getting enough watt-hours per kg remains the barrier to making commercial electric aviation viable, which is in part why hybrid systems look more attractive in the near term, with their ability to use batteries to supplement peak power demands (such as during takeoff) in combination with a turbogenerator for extended range. We’re watching H55 as one of the strong contenders to bridge this gap.
We Need More Hangars
Are you an aircraft owner, or want to be? If so, you have probably been on a wait list for hangar space at some point in your aviation career. Maybe you’re on one now and plotting how to gracefully “maneuver” your way to the top. Publicly owned airports are notoriously complex places at which to try and own or lease property—which is one reason private airports offer so much appeal to those who can afford the investment.
One real-estate company working towards solving the problem of capacity while retaining real value for its clients is High Flying Hangars. This week, we’re attending the groundbreaking on a new 11.45 acre development by HFH at the Frederick Municipal Airport (FDK)—and not only will the location offer a selection of 50×40 and 60×60 hangars, it will also be the site of the first Hangar Club, a gathering place for hangar owners to use for get-togethers that spill outside the bounds of a normal hangar party. Because … that happens.
Watch for more HFH locations to come at Manassas Regional Airport (HEF), Boulder City Airport (BVU), Denton Enterprise Airport (DTO), and at the company’s home base at Double Eagle II Airport in Albuquerque (AEG).
AERO Expands BizAv for 2027, Quelle Surprise
Last but not least, we have word now that the AERO Friedrichshafen airshow in Germany—Europe’s answer to Oshkosh, sort of—will be officially rushing in to fill the void left by the departure of the European Business Aviation Association’s EBACE in Geneva, which was abruptly cancelled off the schedule this month only a few weeks before the show was planned to commence.
AERO has been ramping up its appeal to business aviation over the past few years, culminating this year with the Business Aviation Dome and Hall A1 (which previously hosted indoor camping, IIRC). And the cognoscenti paid attention: Aircraft orders announced on site totaled an estimated $500 million, with the latest, Platoon Aviation’s order for up to 16 Cessna Longitudes, concluded at AERO, pending legal formalities, which followed just weeks later, according to AERO.
So, what’s up for 2027? Running two and a half days, programming in the Dome and Hall A1 will stretch further to highlight innovation, and host the Air Charter Expo’s regional European conference. I already have my accommodations lined up to attend … bring on the beer and pretzels!
