Business Aviation

Researchers at MIT recently developed two new methodologies for creating composite materials that are both lighter and stronger than today’s materials. Their methods make it easier to create composites of carbon fibers coated with carbon nanotubes, a process that has proved problematic in the past. “Up until now, people were basically improving one part of […]

An Arizona-based company Wednesday said that it plans this year to produce and distribute a 93-octane premium unleaded, ethanol-free fuel as an avgas alternative for aircraft that do not require 100LL. Airworthy AutoGas, LLC, says its “high purity, low vapor pressure” fuel will be available beginning late this year. Bringing the fuel to market will […]

Cessna’s first production Turbo Skylane JT-A, running behind a Jet-A fueled diesel engine, Tuesday flew for 2.3 hours, the company announced Wednesday. The Safran-made 227-hp SMA engine is expected to use up to 40 percent less fuel than a comparable avgas engine, according to Cessna, burning 11 gallons per hour at 156 knots and delivering […]

At this week’s European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition, in Geneva, Switzerland, representatives from leading business-jet companies provided updates on their newest airplanes. Honda Aircraft Co. CEO Michimasa Fujino said the HondaJet is nearly ready for the final phase of flight testing, and the production line is ready to build customer aircraft. Construction is underway […]

Original, Exclusive Videos from AVweb |Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos At the European Business Aircraft Conference & Exhibition in Geneva this week, Pilatus unveiled its design for a new twin-engine jet that can operate from short and unpaved runways. Don’t see a video screen?Try disabling ad blockers and refreshing this page.If that doesn’t work, click here […]

Nextant Aerospace, which has been producing the 400XT remanufactured business jet since 2011, announced a major upgrade to the airplane this week at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exposition, in Geneva, Switzerland. The 400XTi features a new cabin design with extra headroom and shoulder space, new acoustic insulation for reduced cabin noise, raked winglets, […]

A retired Air Force Lt. Colonel and a former NASA space shuttle commander have been hired to fly space tourists in Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, the company has announced. Michael “Sooch” Masucci has 30 years of civilian and military operational and test flying, according to the company, has served as a U-2 pilot with the Air […]

A new law that will require first officers in regional jets to hold at least an ATP certificate is not yet official, but it’s already affecting aviation careers, Kent Lovelace, chair of the aviation department at the University of North Dakota, told AVweb this week. The law will take effect this August, whether or not […]

Two pilots sat in the cockpit of 16-seat BAE Jetstream 31 and did nothing as it flew for 500 miles from England to Scotland in civil airspace, controlled by an operator on the ground, according to news reports this week. The flight reportedly took place sometime last month. The on-board pilots handled the takeoff and […]

A DC-9-32 owned by the U.S. Department of State is up for auction May 15, with a starting bid of $50,000 and, according to the seller, the aircraft was “part of Air Force Two” and “may have acted as Air Force One.” According to auction documents provided by the government, “In the thirty years this […]