Aviation News

Garmin’s D2 aviator watch line has matured since the earliest models and the latest is the D2 Air. The new watch—priced at $499—trickles down from Garmin’s Venu, a generously featured fitness smartwatch that works with Garmin’s Connect virtual activity tracking program. The new D2 Air retains nearly all of the Venu’s sports and smartwatch capabilities […]

Beginning in October, Tampa International Airport will be the first in the U.S. to offer walk-up COVID-19 testing, airport officials said this week. The airport will offer two types of tests, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and the rapid antigen test designed to detect the presence of a specific viral antigen, which implies current […]

The U.S. Marine KC-130J that crashed after an inflight fueling collision on Tuesday lost both right engines and may have been on fire, according to ATC tapes (see below) recently published. A video caught by a bystander showed the ground impact of the F-35B which collided with the tanker during a training exercise. All crew […]

Boeing’s 777X moved a step closer to reality with GE Aviation receiving FAA approval for the GE9X engine. Having completed just less than 5,000 hours and 8,000 cycles, the GE9X, which is based on the GE90 and fitted with a larger first-stage fan, is said to be 10 percent more fuel efficient than the GE90 […]

Tom Carr, Garmin’s director of flight operations and chief test pilot, was recognized for his efforts in Garmin’s Autoland program. The Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) presented Carr with the 2020 Iven C. Kincheloe Award, which “honors test pilots who have made exceptional contributions to an aerospace program and is the most honorable recognition […]

The Royal Thai Air Force has awarded Textron Aviation Defense a contract for an “Integrated Training System” designed to support operations at the Royal Thai Air Force Flying Training School at Kamphaeng Saen air base. The contract includes 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance personnel, a mission planning […]

The Air Line Pilots Association unit for United Airlines has notified its members that it has reached an agreement with the company to avoid any pilot furloughs until June 2021 and to return pilots to their pre-pandemic seats. In a letter to member pilots, United Master Executive Council chairman Todd Insler said, “United pilots have […]

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NTSB continues to curtail travel for its investigators and many accidents are being handled by remote control. About a third of the 1200 to 1300 annual aircraft accidents require on-site NTSB staff, but investigators haven’t traveled in about six months with no clear end in sight. In some cases, […]

One unforeseen benefit of the COVID-19 pandemic is historically low interest rates, including those applied to aviation loans. As a result, banks and lenders are reporting an unprecedented volume of loan activity. “The activity level is unbelievable. I can’t tell you how busy we are. It’s amazing,” Bob Howe of Dorr Aviation Credit told our […]

Businesses and users based at Hawaii’s scenic and historic Dillingham Airfield are marshaling support to reverse the state’s decision to close it next year. The state had planned to close the field in June 2020 but pushed it back a year to June 2021, according to HawaiiNewsNow. The field is home to gliding and skydiving […]