Aviation News

A pilot has been sentenced to a year in prison for lying to federal investigators following the August 2014 crash of a Ryan Navion A during a Part 135 sightseeing flight near Coldfoot, Alaska. The instrument-rated commercial pilot, identified as Forest Kirst, and three passengers were seriously injured in the accident. One passenger died of […]

The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has announced that it will meet next Wednesday to consider proposed legislation including the Aircraft Safety and Certification Reform Act of 2020. According to bill sponsors Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the Aircraft Safety and Certification Reform Act is designed to “improve aviation […]

Aerion has announced that its AS2 supersonic business jet concept is beginning high-speed wind tunnel testing this month. The company also noted that it has completed computer modeling of the AS2 design using aerodynamic optimization tools that provided “thousands of data points to develop the aerodynamic shape to a high level of fidelity and detail.” […]

Airbus has signed agreements with two airlines and three air navigation service providers to explore the feasibility of the company’s fello’fly emissions reduction demonstrator project. Fello’fly partners include airlines Frenchbee and SAS Scandinavian Airlines along with France’s Direction des Services de la Navigation Aérienne (DSNA), the U.K.’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) and the European […]

Diamond Aircraft has announced that its single-engine, retractable-gear DA50 RG has received its European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification. The model, which flew for the first time in October 2019, was announced at Aero Friedrichshafen 2019. The company plans to begin deliveries in the first quarter of 2021 and is aiming for FAA certification […]

In what could be the last industry airshow and expo of the 2020 season that wasn’t, the Midwest LSA Expo will take place as planned starting Sept. 10 and running through Sept. 12. According to the group, the Expo “specifically organized the unique event to sell Light Sport Aircraft, LSA Ancillary Services, and LSA related […]

Days after the U.S. Air Force let SBIR contracts to startups Exosonic and Hermeus for potential Air Force One (and other executive use), Boom Supersonic announced it has similarly been tabbed to develop its upcoming Overture supersonic aircraft for that same role. Boom may have a strategic leg up in this competition as its XB-1, […]

After launching a new satellite on Sept. 7, a Chinese Long March 4B rocket’s first stage was captured on its return to earth, narrowly missing a school in the process. The payload is said to have been the Gaofen 11, a so-called “Earth observation” satellite capable of capturing high-resolution images less than 3 feet across.  […]

The FAA has introduced an aviation maintenance technical workforce development grant program aimed at recruiting students and increasing interest in aviation maintenance careers. The program is designed to support projects such as establishing new educational programs, providing scholarships or apprenticeships, supporting career outreach efforts and enhancing aviation maintenance technical education. It is funded via $5 […]

The FAA needs to improve oversight of BasicMed to ensure pilots who use it are actually entitled to do so, a new government report says. The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General issued a report to Congress on Friday saying the agency needs better verification of the very foundations of the program: drivers licenses […]