Aviation News

George B. Litchford Sr., an inventor who helped develop TCAS (Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System) for aircraft, died on Feb. 28 at age 89… A proposed FAA Airworthiness Directive would require owners of Cirrus SR20s to inspect and perhaps replace the heat exchanger to prevent carbon monoxide from leaking into the cabin… Alarms were […]

Stephen Woolstenhulme Stephen Woolstenhulme has been appointed president of both Lake Texoma Jet Center, LLC and Red River Turbines, both located in Denison, Tex. The FBO is a strategically-placed refueling stop, and the engine shop specializes in GE CJ610 and CF700 service. (The Jackson Group web site)

A British Airways CityFlyer captain and a ground employee have been fired after the pilot allowed the groundworkers father to fly for free in the cockpit from London to Milan. The pilot was fired for breaching security rules, the groundworker for fraud … The FAA may resume courtesy inspections of new homebuilt designs after the […]

Brent Wouters Cirrus Design has announced that Brent Wouters, the company’s Chief Financial Officer, has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer. Wouters joined Cirrus in 2002 after working at Delta Airlines developing simulators and acting as a technology consultant on the F-22 program.

Bell Helicopters Bell Helicopters has appointed Greg Williams president and general manager of Edwards and Associates, the company’s completion and service subsidiary. Williams replaced Phil Dietreich, who retired after 42 years at Edwards and Associates. Williams has been with Bell 31 years.

Substandard parts have been used on airliners because the FAA and airlines lack effective oversight on whos making and selling the parts, according to a report by the Department of Transportations Inspector General… Plastic pilot certificates will be required in the U.S. by March 31, 2010 according to a final rule issued by the FAA […]

You can now buy advance tickets online for EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh, coming up in July… A 43-year-old pilot for GB Airways, a British airline, died while working on an A320 flight between Manchester and Cyprus. The flight diverted to Istanbul and landed safely. The pilot died of natural causes, apparently a heart attack, officials […]

HAI Helicopter Association International announced its new board of directors at its annual Heli-Expo, which ended Tuesday. They are: Christopher Erickson, Chief Repair Station Office/Compliance, Erickson Air-Crane; Gale Wilson, President, Hillcrest Aircraft Company, Inc.; and Ardis T. Ashton Jr., Transportation Policy Manager, Bonneville Power Administration-Aircraft Services. The new members of the executive committee of the […]

The Air Force is not releasing any details about the potential cause of the crash of a B-2 bomber at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam Saturday. The aircraft crashed on takeoff and both pilots ejected … The flight recorders have been recovered from a Venezuelan airliner that crashed in the Andes last week. All […]

The U.S. Navy successfully shot down a malfunctioning school bus-sized spy satellite Wednesday. An anti-ballistic missile fired from a ship was used to hit the satellite, which officials say will begin to reenter the atmosphere almost immediately… BBC News was reporting late Wednesday that one of two Air Force F-15 pilots plucked from the Gulf […]