AirVenture

An FAA program for non-punitive reporting of safety concerns among air traffic controllers needs “significant improvements” before it can become effective, according to a report issued last Thursday by the Transportation Department Office of Inspector General. “Failure to address potential deficiencies in transparency and accountability may lead to the perception that the Air Traffic Safety […]

Fresh off the announcement that Cessna will offer a Skylane with an SMA diesel engine, SMA said Tuesday that Lycoming will support the engine in the field with parts and services. SMA’s CEO Thierry Hurtes said in an interview with AVweb that the chief lesson SMA learned from marketing its original SR305 10 years ago […]

With AirVenture 2012 in full swing, it was tough to find time to snap a few photos just for fun – but somehow we managed. This image gallery requires JavaScript. Planes are lined up in the South 40 campground. [ original size ] A Piper PA-30 Twin Commanche taxis to the South 40 Campground. [ […]

If you’re itching for a modern replacement for your dated GNS430 GPS then Avidyne has a solution with the IFD440 retrofit navigator. Think of the IFD440 as a space-saving alternative to the previously introduced IFD540 — a box that was designed as a drop-in for Garmin’s GNS530 navigator. The smaller IFD440 affords the same plug-and-play […]

The Air Force now thinks that a faulty valve installed in pressure vests — not oxygen contamination — has been causing the hypoxia-like symptoms reported by some F-22 Raptor pilots. Twelve incidents involving hypoxia-like symptoms were reported between April 2008 and January 2011, and one fatal crash has been linked to oxygen-delivery problems.At least one […]

Continental Motors’ Rhett Ross said Tuesday that the company has no intention of abandoning its large-displacement avgas engine customers, but that diesel technology has become the company’s short-term developmental focus. “The most important thing for us is diesel technology,” Ross said in a press briefing, adding that Continental’s China-based parent, AVIC, has provided the necessary […]

The aerodynamic configuration of Diamond’s D-JET has been frozen with the inclusion of one specific change that Diamond says it will show Thursday when prototype 003 arrives for static display at AirVenture’s Phillips 66 Plaza. According to Diamond, that one detail “has a positive effect on the stall speed and roll control, but also the […]

Cessna arrived at EAA AirVenture this week with a long list of news, including a major addition to its popular Caravan line, and a first look at the M2, the new jet that aims to be a step up for Mustang owners. The Grand Caravan EX is powered by the new Pratt & Whitney Canada […]

Looking forward to the not-too-distant day when an iPad or tablet computer might control all of the avionics in the panel, Aspen Avionics said Tuesday that it’s CG-100 in-cabin wireless module has gained TSO approval and should be ready for manufacturing and shipping within a few weeks. The $2499 product is a small blind-mounted box […]

Cessna has been considering for some time adding a single-engine turboprop to its line to fill a gap between the Corvalis and the Mustang, and this week at EAA AirVenture the company has a cabin mockup on display to help collect customer feedback on the design. Cessna spokesman Andy Woodward told AVweb on Tuesday that […]