It is with much sadness and appreciation that NAA joins the nation in mourning the passing of Astronaut Michael Collins yesterday at the age of 90, following a battle with cancer. In a statement, Collins' family fondly reflected on "... his sharp wit, his quiet sense of purpose, and his wise perspective, gained both from looking back at Earth from the vantage of space and gazing across calm waters from the deck of his fishing boat." NAA President, Greg Principato, honored Collins' legacy in saying "While Michael Collins was known by most for his flight on Apollo 11, his career as a test pilot, an astronaut, a State Department official and as the first Director of the National Air & Space Museum ranks as among the most consequential of anyone in our lifetimes. On top of that he was a gentleman who focused on educating young people and preserving our environment. The National Aeronautic Association was honored to present him with the 2019 Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy and all of us at NAA mourn his passing while celebrating his life."

On April 22, NAA and the National Aviation Hall of Fame hosted our ninth joint webinar, Social Media: Launching the Future of Aviation. Moderators Greg Principato and Amy Spowart, President & CEO of the National Aviation Hall of Fame were joined by expert panelists Benét Wilson, The Points Guy; Ashley Iaccarino, Communications Manager, Tampa International Airport; Emily Carney, Founder, Space Hipsters; and Courtland Savage, Founder & CEO, FlyForTheCulture.org for a lively discussion about the benefits and challenges of social networking and aerospace. If you missed the webinar, a recorded version is available here. You can also view all of the webinars in the series on the NAA website.

Leaders from Boom Supersonic and magniX (both corporate members of NAA) testified at the House of Representative's Subcommittee on Aviation hearing, "The Leading Edge: Innovation in U.S. Aerospace", on April 27. The hearing focused on the advances in U.S. aerospace and the National Airspace System (NAS), including emerging airspace entrants such as drones, advanced air mobility, electric aircraft, and supersonic planes. Boom Supersonic Founder and CEO, Blake Scholl, briefed Congress about plans for the sustainable, supersonic future stating "By building transportation that is faster, more affordable, more convenient, and more sustainable, we can unlock new possibilities for human connection and for business." Roei Ganzarski, CEO of magniX, which designs and manufacturers all-electric propulsion systems for commercially focused aircraft, testified that "Accessible, affordable, equitable, environmentally cleaner, and quieter," aircraft are the future of aviation in the United States. Additional information, including a recording of the hearing, are available on the House Subcommittee on Aviation's website.

As of April 25, NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have successfully flown Ingenuity, the Mars Helicopter, three times on another planet, the surface air pressure of which is only 1% of that on Earth. For the aircraft to generate the lift needed to fly on Mars, its blades had to spin at 2,400 rpm. What goes into the development of blades that can withstand that kind of force? Join the Helicopter Association International (HAI) today at 4:00 p.m. ET for a virtual discussion with representatives from Toray Advanced Composites and AeroVironment, two companies that helped craft Ingenuity’s blades, as they walk through the process of designing the advanced composites and blade shapes necessary to achieve flight on Mars. Plus, find out what’s ahead for Ingenuity and other helicopters in flight beyond Earth.