Aviation News

Along with an across-the-board tidal wave in private jet travel associated with the pandemic, “jet cards” prospered mightily. Many well-heeled travelers used the high-end debit travel cards to explore private flying for the first time. But just as the tsunami in new and used business jet sales, charter and fractional ownership has begun to recede, […]

A startup flight school based in Queensland, Australia, is hoping its training philosophy will resonate with potential personal pilots. Rather than focusing on flying as a career path (though its program does include training to a commercial rating), Team Aviation takes what it describes as a “boutique” approach to flight training. Founder Alyce Johnson said, […]

Partially in view of coming unleaded aviation fuels, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has updated its Safety 1st General Aviation Misfueling Prevention Program. Steve Berry, NATA managing director of safety, said, “The new training refreshes the original content and addresses new misfueling risks associated with unleaded avgas and the introduction of an additional grade […]

Aircraft valuation specialist Sandhills Global (parent company for Controller, AviationTrader and Aircraft Cost Calculator among other outlets) noted that inventories for used aircraft in all classes, including piston singles, have increased and asking prices decreased in December 2022, dipping from historic highs seen the month before. Accordingly, Controller department manager Brant Washburn warned potentially greedy […]

A.C. Charania has been appointed NASA’s new chief technologist, succeeding outgoing acting chief technologist Bhavya Lal. Charania will be responsible for aligning “agencywide technology investments with mission needs across six mission directorates” as well as overseeing technology collaborations with other federal agencies, the private sector and external stakeholders. In addition, he will advise NASA Administrator […]

The Government of Canada has finalized an agreement with the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin to acquire 88 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Valued at C$19 billion ($14.3 billion), the deal also includes associated equipment, sustainment setup and services and the construction of fighter squadron facilities in Bagotville […]

The FAA has signed a Declaration of Cooperation with the Korea Office of Civil Aviation (KOCA) to collaborate on future advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft development and operations. According to the FAA, the agencies will “work together to promote the safety oversight of AAM, including airworthiness, licensing, and operations.” Similar partnerships are in place with […]

The FAA has formed a committee of 24 aviation academics and industry representatives to examine Boeing’s safety culture in the wake of investigations slamming the company’s development and certification of the 737 MAX. The panel was mandated by Congress in 2020 as part of a legislation package to change how Boeing creates new airplanes. Congress […]

Authorities in Colombia say an Avianca A320neo likely flew around South America for three days with the bodies of two stowaways in a gear well. The airline said it found the two, likely teenage boys, on Friday night when the plane went in for scheduled maintenance. “At its arrival to the El Dorado airport in […]

The Allied Pilots Association is accusing American Airlines of “training on the cheap” in its implementation of new fleet-wide flight deck procedures during challenging conditions. The union says the company preceded the changes with a bulletin, flight manual amendments and a short video rather than through a formal training process. “American Airlines Flight Operations management […]