Aviation News

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today (July 30) it has authorized the first commercial drone flights without visual observers. The green light comes in Dallas-area airspace and goes to Zipline International and Wing Aviation. The two entities may now deliver packages while keeping their unmanned aircraft separated using technology provided by Unmanned Aircraft System […]

AOPA says it left its dual-fuel Beech Baron behind in Oshkosh so mechanics can trace the source of some stains that were discovered under the left wing while it was on display at AirVenture last week. The Baron is being used as a test bed to compare the performance of General Aviation Modifications Inc.’s (GAMI’s) […]

Two stalwarts in aviation lighting technology, Whelen Aerospace Technologies (WAT) and AeroLEDs, have joined forces. With a 70-year track record in the industry, WAT has announced an agreement to acquire “substantially all assets” of AeroLEDs LLC. According to the WAT statement, “This deal represents more than just a business transaction; it signifies the union of […]

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) reported today that last week’s AirVenture Oshkosh event set records for attendance and commercial exhibitors. Continuing to bounce back from COVID-19 challenges, the weeklong celebration of general aviation has leapfrogged into numbers surpassing pre-pandemic norms. Jack Pelton, EAA CEO and chairman, said, “This year’s tagline was ‘Inspiring the Future of […]

The FAA has approved the use of a parachute-equipped drone for use over gatherings of people without waivers. It’s the first such approval for drones and the key is the parachute, which was developed by Aerial Vehicle Safety Solutions. In this case the chute is on a DJI M3D or M3TD and can fly over […]

Ukraine is trying to manage expectations as the first F-16s enter service with its air force over the next couple of weeks. For one thing, only six Ukrainian air force pilots have been fully trained to fly the Vipers, and Ukraine is expected to take a conservative approach to their deployment. According to the Washington […]

The company behind the only candidate left in the FAA-driven Piston Aviation Fuel Initiative process to create a high-octane unleaded replacement for 100LL says it’s impossible, according to Aviation Week. “There is no such thing as a drop-in unleaded fuel to replace 100 [LL],” Dan Pourreau, business development manager with LyondellBasel Industries, told the publication […]

The City of Boulder, Colorado, is taking the FAA to court saying a clause in its grant obligations to the agency is constitutional overreach. The city has already stopped accepting grants with an eye to closing the airport in 2040 when the last obligations reach their 20-year expiry, but the FAA says it may never […]

Airliner meltdowns have become depressingly common, but it’s not often a flight is canceled because of a crew member’s behavior and subsequent passenger revolt. That was the case Friday when an Air Canada purser flew into a rage after an exchange with a passenger. The airline has since apologized for the incident and said it […]

All seven on board a Pilatus PC-12, including three members of a Georgia-based, Hall of Fame gospel singing group, were killed when it crashed on Friday (July 26) near the Wyoming/Montana border. The accident occurred shortly after the pilot, a family friend of the group members, reported an issue with the autopilot and a loss […]