Aviation News

After months of delays and in a spectacular nighttime launch, NASA sent its new Space Launch System on its inaugural mission early Wednesday morning. The booster lifted off at 1:47 a.m. Eastern time on a 26-day mission. Although the rocket carried NASA’s new Orion crew capsule, the mission is being flown with instrumented mannequins. Shortly […]

The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued a notice of proposed amendment for installing crash-resistant fuel systems (CRFSs) in helicopters. The rule aims to mandate installing the fuel systems on in-production factory helicopters, but also retrofit them onto existing rotorcraft. CRFS technology mitigates the risk of post-crash fires in helicopters. Today’s CRFS technology far exceeds […]

Supporters of backcountry aviation gave more than just their time, cash and energy to repave the 3,800-foot runway at Grapevine Airstrip (88AZ) in Roosevelt, Arizona. The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF), 99s and the Arizona Pilots Association (APA) all contributed, and RAF Arizona liaison Mark Spencer added, “Hundreds … gave their time, money, sweat, and even […]

Global geopolitical uncertainty, economic strife and supply chain issues didn’t weaken the market for business jets in the third quarter of 2022, according to Global Jet Capital’s latest “Business Aviation Market Brief.” Aircraft manufacturers enjoyed an increase in order book backlogs to $43.5 billion from July through September—a year-over-year increase of 38 percent, according to […]

Airlines around the world have paid more than $600 million in refunds for flights that were either canceled or changed as a result of the pandemic. In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued $7.25 million in fines to six airlines for “extreme delays in providing those refunds to passengers,” according to Transportation […]

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) reports that, according to the Future and Active Pilot Advisors (FAPA), 2022 is on track for a record year for airline pilot hiring. Through October, 12 major airlines had hired 11,372 pilots. Projections call for a total of some 13,500 new hires by the end of the year, […]

Groupe ADP, Skyports and Volocopter have officially opened a vertiport terminal testbed designed to explore urban air mobility (UAM) technology and passenger processes. Located at France’s Pontoise-Cormeilles airfield, the Re.Invent Air Mobility testbed facility is being called “Europe’s first fully integrated vertiport terminal for the [UAM] industry.” The launch event included a crewed test flight […]

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) set a new endurance record on Saturday, landing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center after spending 908 days in orbit. The uncrewed flight was the sixth for the Boeing-built vehicle, which has now traveled over 1.3 billion miles and logged 3,774 days in space. According to Boeing, the mission hosted […]

Robinson Helicopter Company founder Frank Robinson passed away on Saturday at his home in Rolling Hills, California. He was 92 years old. In addition to founding the company, Robinson is known for designing and manufacturing the R22, R44 and R66 helicopter models. Over the course of his life, he received awards and honors including the […]

The TSA says it is reviewing and re-enforcing procedures after an agent found, seized and then returned the “visible blades” from a boxcutter to a passenger boarding a Frontier flight from Cincinnati to Tampa on Friday. They also missed a second boxcutter in the passenger’s backpack. The man was arrested in Atlanta a few hours […]