Business Aviation

Cessna’s super-midsize Citation Longitude prototype has completed initial ground engine tests, the company said today, adding that the first flight is expected “in the coming weeks.” The tests verified the functionality of the engine start, fuel system and auto-throttle as well as interfaces with the avionics, electrical and hydraulic systems, the company said. “The engine-run […]

AOPA has been organizing its regional fly-ins for a few years now, and its latest event, held at the Bremerton National Airport near Seattle, Washington, drew more than 4,000 people and nearly 700 aircraft. The event offered on-airport camping, VIP tours of an aircraft carrier and the Boeing plant in nearby Everett, a Friday night […]

Piper’s M500, an upgraded version of its Meridian turboprop, is now EASA-approved, the company announced today. “EASA certification is an important milestone allowing us to kick off a major sales campaign to bring the M500 to the European market,” said Simon Caldecott, CEO of Piper Aircraft. The M500 already has been certified in Brazil, Canada […]

The FAA’s new rules that will allow widespread use of small drones for commercial purposes take effect next Monday, Aug. 29. The rules require operators of commercial drones to have a pilot certificate or pass an FAA knowledge test to ensure they understand airspace restrictions and other relevant rules. They also must be at least […]

The AC312E, a new light twin-engine helicopter developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, has completed its first flight, the company has announced. The helicopter, designed to carry up to nine passengers or more than 1,300 pounds of cargo, is aimed at both the domestic and international markets. It can be used for a […]

The FAA has established 12 Centers of Excellence to pursue research into safety, alternative fuels, airport operations and other aviation topics, and now the agency has announced its next COE will focus on training the next generation of aviation professionals. Teams from the University of Oklahoma and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will lead the new Air […]

Mooney International has appointed Dr. Vivek Saxena as CEO of the company, replacing Jerry Chen, who has led the firm for the last three years. The change at the top, confirmed by AVweb on Monday, was officially announced by the company in a news release on Tuesday. Chen, who is from Taiwan, is the head […]

At least once a year, I try to take the temperature of the emerging aircraft diesel engine market. What’s selling? Who’s buying it? How are they doing with it?A recent sweep through this topic revealed that in new airplanes, not much is selling at all, diesel or otherwise. (See the most recent GAMA production and […]

In politics, the third rail—that thing you do not touch—is Social Security. Aviation journalism has its own third rail and it’s called aircraft emissions as a cause of global warming. The reason this subject is untouchable is because by and large, readers of aviation publications view flying airplanes as a quiet refuge away from the […]

Texas travelers already have access to Rise, a flight-sharing membership provider based in Dallas, and this week another operator, Texas Air Shuttle, is set to launch in Austin. Texas Air Shuttle aims to attract business travelers with monthly memberships that will provide unlimited flights between four Texas airports — McKinney, which is about a half […]