Aviation News

The nation’s first FAA-approved package deliveries by unmanned aerial system – a sign of things to come – took place Friday as a series of short test flights that took medicine to a rural health clinic in Virginia. The event, conducted by NASA’s Langley Research Center and Flirtey Inc., an Australian company, demonstrated the potential […]

AVweb’s search of aviation news worldwide found the first U.S. Vans RV-12 dealer, new avionics for experimental aircraft from Guardian Avionics and Garmin, and a reorganization for Dallas Airmotive. Chesapeake Sport Pilot flight school has earned the first Vans RV-12 dealership in the United States. The new dealership agreement allows Chesapeake Sport Pilot to sell […]

Anyone who has been in the military—any military—will understand what a shock to the psyche it is merely to enter. Comfortable routine and the warm embrace of family and friends are suddenly displaced by harsh, at times abusive, discipline and an utter lack of even the slightest self determination. Life in the military is defined […]

Jim Bede, who for more than 50 years designed airplanes, aircraft components and homebuilding kits, died Thursday in Cleveland, Ohio, after suffering an aneurysm. His company in Medina, Bedecorp, sells plans and kits for a series of aircraft including the BD-4B and BD-17. His early design, the BD-1 from the early 1960s, evolved into the […]

AVweb’s search of aviation news around the world found a first flight for Bell’s new helicopter, executive changes at Airbus Group, new helicopter services in Sedona, Arizona, and a milestone for Women in Aviation International’s scholarship program. Bell Helicopter announced the successful first flight of its new 525 Relentless. The maiden flight of the super-medium […]

A small boomerang-shaped aircraft that will go for a test launch later this year could be the first unmanned aerial system to glide over the surface of Mars, if NASA’s project comes to fruition. The Prandtl-m prototype’s test, one of three in the planning stages, will include a launch from a high-altitude balloon at about […]

The other day, I was sitting at the kitchen table doing a little remedial work on my quadcopter after an unfortunate encounter with a tree. A neighbor, who happens to own a Cessna 170, dropped by and after eyeballing the drone for a few seconds, said, “I’d win.” Say again? “I’d win if I hit […]

AVweb’s search of aviation news around the world found new business alliances announced by Paradigm Precision, Pratt & Whitney, Plane Perfect and Maule Air; and recognition for two women in aviation – one from Whirly-Girls International and another from EAA.Paradigm Precision has entered into a long-term agreement with Pratt & Whitney, a division of United […]

Back in the blissfully simple days of 1986, before cable news became the 24-hour din it is today, I recall watching some coverage of Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager landing the Voyager back at Edwards Air Force base, where they had begun their round-the-world flight nine days earlier. Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff had been […]

I was listening to NPR on Saturday morning when a brief news item mentioning SpaceX’s planned Sunday launch said two previous launches to resupply the ISS had failed. I couldn’t help but wonder: what are the chances? Actually not that high—or low, depending on how you want to look at it. The SpaceX Falcon blew […]