Aviation News

A deliberately set fire destroyed a 40-year-old Falcon 50 at a Toronto airport on Thursday and whoever did it apparently wanted it known it was intentional. Emergency crews were called to the ramp of Buttonville Airport just before midnight where the groundbreaking tri-jet from the 1970s was burning merrily in the middle of a snowstorm. […]

U.S. Senators James Inhofe, R-Okla., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., introduced a bill on Thursday that would establish a National Center for the Advancement of Aviation (NCAA). The NCAA is intended to focus on supporting the development and distribution of aviation and aerospace science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)-based curriculums, workforce development, economic and safety data […]

Northrop Grumman subsidiary SpaceLogistics successfully docked its first mission extension vehicle (MEV-1) with commercial communications satellite Intelsat 901 (IS-901) on Tuesday. The maneuver marks the first time two commercial satellites have docked in orbit. MEV-1 will remain docked with IS-901 for five years, using its own thrusters and fuel supply to extend the satellite’s life. […]

The FAA opened its annual General Aviation (GA) and Part 135 Activity Survey on Monday. According to the agency, the survey is mailed out to a “representative sample of GA and on-demand Part 135 aircraft owners and operators” and is designed to estimate the size, primary use, and flight hours of the 2019 GA fleet. […]

Former Helicopter Association International (HAI) President Matthew Zuccaro passed away this week at the age of 70. He retired from HAI on Jan. 15, 2020, after 15 years as president of the organization. Under Zuccaro’s leadership, HAI launched programs including “Land & Live,” HAI Online Academy and HAI Aviation Reporting Program (HARP). Zuccaro was awarded […]

Italy-based Piaggio has put out a call for buyers for its Piaggio Aero Industries branch and subsidiary Piaggio Aviation, which together operate as Piaggio Aerospace. Piaggio Aerospace is currently under extraordinary administration, a procedure designed to protect the “assets, goodwill and employees” of large insolvent companies. Potential buyers will be screened by Extraordinary Commissioner Vincenzo […]

In an effort to “mitigate incidents of unprofessional pilot behavior and reduce pilot errors that can lead to a catastrophic event,” the FAA on Monday published changes to training requirements for airline pilots. It emphasizes training and testing in the leadership aspects of the flight deck and sets formal goals for mentorship of new flight […]

California-based Surf Air has acquired BlackBird, an “online aviation marketplace” that pairs passengers with private aircraft owners and charter operators via mobile app. The companies will form the new Surf Air Mobility Corporation, which will focus on 50- to 400-mile trips as an “alternative to commercial airlines and driving on short routes.” As part of […]

Superior Air Parts issued a statement regarding the FAA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on potentially defective crankshafts in some Lycoming engines. The parts were manufactured by Superior under Parts Manufacturer Approval or PMA. This NPRM, which identifies cranks in some 115 engines, is likely to turn into an airworthiness directive. According to Superior, the NPRM […]

NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson passed away today at the age of 101. Johnson was known for her work on historic missions and projects including America’s first human spaceflight (Alan Shepard—Freedom 7) and first orbital spaceflight (John Glenn—Friendship 7), syncing Project Apollo’s lunar module with the command module, the Space Shuttle program and the Earth Resources […]