Aviation News

Russia is reportedly working on a new airborne command and control aircraft that would be used in case of nuclear war or some other catastrophe. The so-called “Doomsday” plane will be based on an Il-96-400M airliner and will replace the current fleet of Il-80 aircraft modified for that purpose. The new aircraft will have a […]

A sporadic aviation fuel shortage that began a few weeks ago in the Pacific Northwest is now spreading nationwide according to the Dallas Morning News. Now airlines are warning their pilots they may not be able to fuel up at their destinations and to make contingency plans, according to an American Airlines memo obtained by […]

Mexico says it has signed an agreement with the FAA to get its safety rating back in order. Last May, the agency reduced Mexico to a Category 2 safety rating, putting it at the same level of Third World countries with sketchy safety records. In downgrading the country, the FAA stopped Mexican airlines from starting […]

Cessna’s SkyCourier utility twin turboprop made its first show appearance at EAA AirVenture, arriving on opening day, Monday, July 26. A crowd gathered on Boeing Plaza in front of the big twin as Textron officials updated certification progress and underscored the features they believe will make the airplane a success. Also on hand were representatives […]

The Stratos 716X kit-built single-engine jet prototype made its first public appearance this week at AirVenture 2021. Beginning in 2022, the company plans to offer between 10 and 12 716X kits with the goal of refining its “manufacturing processes and line efficiencies” in preparation for production of the to-be-certified 716 version. Stratos estimates the 716X […]

The Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) is celebrating a banner year at last April’s Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo after canceling the 2020 event due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. ACE president John “Lites” Leenhouts announced at AirVenture that almost 200,000 people attended Sun ‘n Fun 2021, beating out previous show records. Net revenue was […]

BendixKing seems determined to expand the application list for its AeroCruze 100 autopilot, and at AirVenture 2021 it announced that it is working on an STC (Supplemental Type Certificate) for retrofitting the system in Mooney models. The company has teamed with Duncan Aviation for the STC process, and said it will soon complete the ground […]

Today at AirVenture 2021, Van’s Aircraft teased the very broad outlines of the RV-15, a much rumored, next-generation RV kit aircraft. About all Van’s Rian Johnson would confirm is the general configuration: a high-wing, backcountry-capable homebuilt. It will be all metal, to no one’s surprise, and will embody “total performance,” which is the company’s signature […]

Who knew that EAA AirVenture 2018—just three years ago—would become “the good old days” in such a short time? In summarizing the event, EAA Chairman Jack Pelton said, “A ‘perfect’ event may be unattainable, but AirVenture 2018 came about as close as one could imagine. The combination of outstanding programs, aircraft variety, a robust economy, […]

According to local news sources, a teenage airline passenger “virtually” triggered a security evacuation by AirDropping an electronic image of a replica AirSoft weapon to other passengers. The incident occurred before takeoff on a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Orlando. Security officials ultimately determined that the image had been taken well before the […]