Interesting Airplanes

One of the world’s largest flying boats is being retired—to the desert. The Philippine Mars, one of two remaining Martin Mars Second World War Navy transports, has been acquired by the Pima Air and Space Museum near Tucson. The aircraft is owned by the Coulson Group in Port Alberni, British Columbia, and spent decades fighting […]

About 60 general aviation aircraft will close Reagan National Airport for an hour and go where none have gone for decades May 11 (May 12 weather day) when the National Celebration of General Aviation DC Flyover takes place over the seat of government. The aircraft, chosen to represent the roles and eras of GA since […]

Italian planemaker Vulcanair says it will begin deliveries from its new manufacturing plant in North Carolina in 2025. Spokesman Mike McMann said the company is also building a parts distribution warehouse at the Elizabethtown complex. At a news conference at Sun ‘n Fun last week, McMann also announced the sale of five of the four-place […]

For the first time in its history, the FAA has issued a special flight authorization to allow Boom Supersonic to break the sound barrier. The approval will allow the Colorado startup to fly its XB-1 demonstrator aircraft faster than Mach 1 up to 20 times over the next year in the Black Mountain Supersonic Corridor […]

A crew of five flew a Global Jet Care Lear 36A westward around the world in 67 hours and 28 minutes of flight time, setting an unofficial record in the process. “Since there isn’t a record for this route, it will serve as a challenge to other airplanes of the same category to try to […]

Mike Jones Aircraft in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, found a real niche with what he calls the Bahama Station Wagon, also known as the Lock & Key Piper Navajo. Jones thinks the Piper Navajo is among the best piston twins ever built, and his extensive Lock & Key refurbishment program makes a good airplane even better. With […]

The big attraction in the static display area at Sun ‘n Fun was at the Piper exhibit, where the company was showing off the latest flagship aircraft—the M700 Fury turboprop single. It’s a follow-on of the good-selling M600 model, with more performance, more features and higher-end styling. Piper’s Dan Lewis gave a walk-around tour in […]

The Marines have trained their last two AV-8 Harrier II pilots as the Corps begins the final phaseout of the VTOL jet. “The significance of the last replacement pilot training flight in the Harrier community is that it is the beginning of the end for us as a community,” said Capt. Joshua Corbett, who with Capt. […]

A Florida company aims to set the record for fastest circumnavigation and it’s doing it the hard way. Global Jet Care will fly a Learjet 36A R/X westward from Wichita at midnight Thursday, fighting headwinds the whole way during its Century Mission. It’s a fundraiser for the Classic Lear Jet Foundation’s effort to restore the […]

One of the last surviving examples of world’s largest flying boat will be preserved at a Canadian aviation museum. The British Columbia Aviation Museum near Victoria will take delivery of the massive Martin Mars after its final flight from its current base in Port Alberni about 150 miles northwest. The final flight is expected to […]