Aviation News

The FAA is expanding a program that will provide “near real-time” processing of requests for access to controlled airspace from drone operators, the agency said on Tuesday. A prototype system that was deployed last November has performed successfully, the FAA said, and the agency will now conduct a nationwide beta test, beginning April 30, that […]

Pal-V unveiled the production model for its “flying car,” the Pal-V Liberty, at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland on Tuesday. “The production model is the moment of truth,” said CEO Robert Dingemanse in a news release. “All certifications required for commercialization will be granted on the basis of this production model.” He said the […]

Nine advocacy groups representing general aviation interests wrote to members of Congress this week urging support for the FAA’s contract tower program. About $172 million in funding is needed for the 254 towers now in the program, plus several new towers that are expected to be added in the next fiscal year, according to the […]

Eviation, based in Israel, has announced they will work with Kokam, a South Korean company, to supply batteries for their all-electric aircraft design, called Alice. Kokam also supplied the custom batteries used by Solar Impulse 2 in their record-setting global flight. The Alice commuter airplane is designed to carry nine passengers up to 650 miles […]

Six months after announcing the move, the FAA’s reorganization of its flight standards (AFS) and certification services (AIR) became official as of March 5. The agency has been running those operations under the new regime since last August but the rule that enshrines the reorganization in the regulations became effective March 5. The reorganization eliminates […]

An international game of cat and mouse has the Canadian government pitted against a wealthy South African family at the center of a political corruption scandal and the disappearance of their luxury business jet. Now Canada’s state-owned Export Development Bank is trying to repossess the 2014 Bombardier Global 6000 saying it’s owed $27 million of […]

Ford Motor Company recently advertised their new line of truck frames as being made of military-grade aluminum. It’s a new twist on the old hype: made of aircraft-grade aluminum. I suppose the salespeople figure: What could be better than aircraft-grade (or military-grade) aluminum, right? After all, you wouldn’t want a truck frame made of beer-can […]

Vashon Aircraft, a new company based near Seattle, Washington, said this week it’s ready to offer to the market its new S-LSA, the Ranger R7, which will sell for $99,500. Led by CEO John Torode, who is also the founder and CEO of the Dynon avionics company, the staff has been developing the aircraft for […]

Two new Air Force One aircraft will be delivered to the White House for $3.9 billion dollars, the White House and Boeing announced on Tuesday. The customized 747-8 airplanes will replace the two aging 747-200s that currently serve as the presidential fleet. “President Trump negotiated a good deal on behalf of the American people,” Boeing […]

Dassault Aviation announced its next business jet on Wednesday, the 6X, which will replace the 5X project that was abandoned in December after its new Safran Silvercrest engines failed to meet development deadlines. The 6X will be powered by a new variant of Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW800 engines. P&WC says the new variant of […]