December 2024 Aviation and Heritage Roundup

Aviation and Heritage Roundup
December 2024

Provided by Paul Squires, CAPA-ACCA Contact, Wetaskiwin, Alberta

Dec. 21 – Australian fire-fighting fleet bulking up for hot, dry summer
Australian fleet poised and ready, while waiting for late arrivals – Fire Aviation

Victorian communities brace for bushfires over Christmas as hundreds of firefighters battle huge blaze – ABC News

Dec. 21 – Santa may have once used a Moto-Ski, but in Northern Newfoundland he uses a Twin Otter!
Santa arrives on wings: In coastal Labrador, a Twin Otter has an edge on Rudolph | CBC News

But in the NW USA, he use a helicopter
Santa Claus arrives at Aviation Museum by helicopter

And so does the Sasquatch
Sasquatch Makes Helicopter Arrival At Museum Dec. 21 for Winter Event – Vintage Aviation News

Dec. 20 – University and Airport combine for hands-on research into aviation
UNC Charlotte’s Air Institute partners with Charlotte Douglas Airport to transform the workforce in the air | News | ninertimes.com

Dec. 20 – The last F-14 Tomcats
Persian Cat in Flight: Quite Possibly The Last Chapter of Iran’s F-14 Tomcats – Vintage Aviation News

Dec. 19 – Last flight of DDA DC-3 in Netherlands
DDA Classic Airlines’ DC-3 ‘Princess Amalia’ Receives Farewell Salute from KLu F-35s – Vintage Aviation News

Dec. 19 – There is really no replacement in site for the A-10
Will Any Aircraft Truly Match The Legacy Of The A-10 Warthog?

Dec. 18 – Found pieces of Mont Blanc ship from Halifax explosion sparks idea of museum
Pieces of Halifax Explosion ship have been found but it’s not clear if the public will see them | CBC News

Dec. 18 – A look at the Fantasy of Flight Museum by a reporter who doesn’t know who the owner is.
The Fascinating Aviation Museum In Florida You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Dec. 17 – Airbus A.319 tankers now approved
New firefighting aircraft headed to US’ arsenal

Dec. 17 – New York to Paris stowaway tries to flee to Canada, by bus
Stowaway caught on flight from New York to Paris tries to escape to Canada

Dec. 17 – Belgian ex-RCAF Lysander not registered in UK
Forgotten Lysander Registered by Fighter Collection – Vintage Aviation News

Dec. 16 – Philippine Mars makes emergency landing in Victoria on way ti USA.
Historic plane’s final trip to U.S. interrupted by emergency landing near Victoria | CBC News

Philippine Mars engine trouble the result of blown cylinder – Victoria Times Colonist

Philippine Mars plans second attempt to fly to San Francisco on Sunday – Nanaimo News Bulletin

Its like she doesn’t want to leave
Philippine Mars returning home to Port Alberni for Christmas – Victoria Times Colonist

Dec. 15 – Tracy Medve, KF Aerospace, nominated to Aviation Hall of Fame
KF Aerospace boss flying into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame

Dec. 14 – Proposals to save old Alberta Museum buildings from demolition. (I worked there once, and remembered clearly the quality and care that went into the building.)
Opinion: Keep the old Royal Alberta Museum as a museum

(It isn’t widely noted yet, but the Reynolds-Alberta Museum LINK in Wetaskiwin, referred to as ‘The RAM’ for decades, has been now re-branded. The old symbol of the wavy haired man with the steering wheel and glasses has been removed, and the new signs, just black letters on yellow, read Reynolds Museum, and the the Royal Alberta Museum, in downtown Edmonton, is now referred to as the RAM.)

Dec. 14 – Bucharest Aerospace Museum seeks donors
Bucharest Aerospace Museum Seeks Donors and Sponsors to Preserve Aviation Heritage

Dec. 14 – German French Kids Balloon Camp
2024 German-French Balloon Kids Camp: Adventure Above and Beyond | World Air Sports Federation

Dec. 13 – New arrivals from Winnipeg at the Commonwealth Museum in Brandon.
Brandon museum welcomes newest additions to aircraft collection – DiscoverWestman.com – Local news, Weather, Sports, Free Classifieds and Business Listings for Westman region, Manitoba

Dec. 13 – From flightless to business, then back stuck on the ground again, the history i=of KIWI International
KIWI International Air Lines: Flightless Bird – New York Aviation History

Dec. 13 – German Polish Balloon meet
German-Polish Balloon School Exchange 2024 held in Grudziądz, Poland | World Air Sports Federation

Dec. 12 – Pilot avoids jail, but still under restrictions, following fatal crash in Australia
Australian pilot spared jail over crash which killed UK tourist

Dec. 11 – Air Canada ordered to compensate Yukon couple for a trip from Hell
Air Canada ordered to pay $10K after couple endures ‘horrendous experience’ | CBC News

Dec. 11 – 80th anniveresary of ICAO
Congratulations to ICAO on its 80th anniversary | World Air Sports Federation

Dec. 10 – First low-carbon aviation fuel refined in Canada
Parkland refinery in Burnaby becomes first in Canada to produce low carbon aviation fuel – Burnaby Now

Dec. 9 – Wreckage from Lockerbie bombing moved to the USA for trial
Lockerbie bombing wreckage moved to US for trial of Abu Agila Masud

Dec. 9 – Canadian Air Controllers call for system review (can’t say more, behind a paywall).
Canada’s pilots and air traffic controllers call for review to improve aviation system – The Globe and Mail

Dec. 8 – Maintenance of the F-16
How to treat an F-16 fighter plane | Hush-Kit

Dec. 7 – Drone Soccer, perhaps a coming event for flight museums
Futuristic sport drone soccer likened to ‘robotic Quidditch’

Dec. 5 – Questions remain about fire that destroyed restored sawmill and museum
RCMP say fire that destroyed historic N.S. sawmill and museum not criminal, but locals have doubts | CBC News

Dec. 4 – CL-44 ‘Guppy’ to be broken up in England. Sad. The whole CL-44 / Yukon story will be missing from Canada soon.
Skymonster: Bournemouth’s unique cargo plane to be broken up

Unique prototype cargo plane to be broken up

‘One-of-a-kind’ plane to be dismantled after coming to a ‘sad end’ | UK | News | Express.co.uk

Dec. 4 – Latest on NX611 Lancaster restoration
Lancaster NX611 ‘Just Jane’ – Restoration Update 229 – Vintage Aviation News

Dec. 4 – Exactly what astronomers predicted would happen with too many satellites, is happening.
The Moment an astronaut captured ‘cosmic fireflies’ on video | CBC.ca

Dec. 2 – New pilot uses scholarship to fund her desire to go to space.
Student aims to grow Canada’s space program with Polytechnique White Rose scholarship | CBC News

Dec. 2 – A look at the Air Force Museum of Mexico
The Mexican Air Force Museum – Vintage Aviation News

Dec. 2 – Increasing wildfires sparking growth in aerial tanker business
Increasingly frequent and severe wildfires causing a firefighting aircraft boom – Fire Aviation

Dec. 2 – This is not your kids toy drone.
AI-Enabled HX-2 Kamikaze Drones Now In Production For Ukraine

Nov. 19 – USAF getting prototype robo fighters to test
Extra Collaborative Combat Aircraft Purchases To Give USAF Test Unit A Boost

Nov. 21 – Award to Museum for saving last Beverley
Museum receives ‘highest’ honour among aviation heritage for saving RAF plane

Nov. 29 – NASA sending survey drone to Saturn’s Titan moon
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket will launch NASA probe to Saturn’s largest moon | CBC Radio