Aviation News

Next time you flip on your GPS, pause for moment to consider what’s running it. The U.S. Air Force Space Command launched its 50th GPS satellite on Saturday to replace one that’s nearing the end of its life. The tab? $45 million for the satellite, plus whatever it costs for the ride from Cape Canaveral […]

Pilot disorientation is the probable cause of a Cirrus SR-22 crash Jan. 18, 2003, according to the NTSB’s final report on the accident, which occurred near Hill City, Minn. The pilot, Gary Prokop, and passenger James Cosak died in the crash. Prokop had only a VFR rating and flew into IMC inadvertently before the crash. […]

What a difference 20 years makes. It was late 1983, at that year’s NBAA annual meeting, that Beech brought down the house with a flyover of a scaled version of its proposed all-composite turbopusher, the Starship 2000. Last year, Beech’s new owner Raytheon announced it would scrap the 40-odd airframes it was leasing and developed […]

A flight data recorder found in a locked cabinet in a United Nations office in New York appears to be the missing FDR from a Falcon 50 crash 10 years ago in Africa that killed the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi and sparked a violent conflict that killed a half-million people… A pilot flying for […]

In an amended Airworthiness Directive, the FAA proposed for Cessna Models 208 and 208B airplanes that additional inspections of the bellcranks are necessary; comment period extended till May 17… Actor Harrison Ford has been named new Young Eagles chairman by EAA, replacing Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager, who will become Chairman Emeritus… NASA opened new 3-D […]

Lancair owners are being urged to inspect the fuel pressure transducer on Columbia 300 and 350 aircraft. The company issued the advisory after a transducer on a Columbia was found to be chafing against its mounting bracket. Lancair has also asked the FAA to issue an Airworthiness Directive… The radios went silent at some European […]

Two Turkish F-4 jets collided in midair Tuesday during a training flight. At least one of the four pilots may have parachuted to safety… The engines of an Iranian Fokker-50 turboprop went into reverse before it crashed while on final approach last month in United Arab Emirates, officials said Tuesday. Three people survived and 46 […]

Aerobatic pilots based at Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass., who are being sued for noise complaints, this week got legal and financial support from AOPA… FAA online meeting on proposed air-tour rules underway this week… Asian Aerospace 2004 underway in Singapore this week; UAVs heavily featured… The U.S. Army canceled its Comanche helicopter program this […]

New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey is worried FAA budget cuts will hurt aviation in the state. McGreevey wrote President Bush asking him to explain just how the system is supposed to absorb triple the flights in the next 20 years with $400 million less in equipment spending approved for 2005 and a shortage of qualified […]

A new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking may challenge Light Sport aircraft designers, check back Monday for more… The Internet public meeting on National Air Tour Standards begins Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. A kind reader pointed us to the Federal Register announcement that we had not provided in previous coverage… Some of the very best […]