Air Shows & Events

Brian Cable, from the FAA’s AIR-240 office, reported on Tuesday at Sun ‘n Fun that the agency has completed initial interviews of 30 Light Sport Aircraft manufacturers and importers for the audit program that began last September. While the agency is still crunching the numbers, Cable reported that it found “good” levels of compliance with […]

Nothing to see here, move along. At noon on Tuesday at Sun ‘n Fun, FAA’s Don Lausman provided an update on the agency’s progress overhauling the so-called “51% Rule.” However, Lausman said, “The talk I intended to give and the one I’m about to give are two different things.” Since the FAA is about to […]

It was known to be imminent, and we already have heard all the details about the new Cirrus TKS system for flight into known icing (FIKI), but on Tuesday at Sun ‘n Fun the Cirrus folks made it official — the FAA has issued final approval for the design, which is available on the SR22 […]

Piper on Tuesday introduced its new Garmin G1000 avionics option for the six-seat Meridian turboprop to the Sun ‘n Fun crowd, saying that the system is certified and ready to go as a $50,000 upgrade on the $2.1 million airplane. The three-screen system features a 15-inch multi-function display in the center with two 10-inch primary […]

At every new show, we see a new LSA or two and Sun ‘n Fun 2009 is no exception. Building on its success with the popular Kitfox, the same company is introducing a new Rotax-powered LSA with exceptional short field and slow flight performance and nifty clear panel doors for the ultimate in in-flight visibility. […]

Canadian authorities are considering a rewrite of commercial charter regulations in response to a request from Texas Turbines for full recognition of a U.S. Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) on its Cessna Caravan engine conversion. The company puts 900-horsepower Garrett turbines in the Caravan, replacing the 600-675 horsepower PT-6s that come standard, but a quirk in […]

The FAA on Monday released additional tapes of the conversations between air traffic controllers and Doug White, the low-time private pilot who successfully landed a twin-engine King Air in Florida last week after the pilot died at the controls. The new tape documents the first 14 minutes of radio calls, starting with White’s first transmission, […]

Cessna is showing off a bright purple mockup of its SkyCatcher LSA front and center at its exhibit, and the company reiterated this week that it intends to continue with the program despite the crashes of two test aircraft during spin testing. In the coming weeks, Cessna said, it will gather additional wind tunnel data, […]

The clouds have parted, the threat of rain seems to be past and the forecast for the rest of the week is for blue skies and sunshine here in Lakeland, Fla. The show site is busy, with the usual mix of turboprops and sport planes, jets and ultralights, kit aircraft, and long lines of homebuilts […]

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