briefs

Raytheon has settled a pending lawsuit by its shareholders out of court. The company, which maintains the suit was without merit, nevertheless agreed to pay $210 million in cash and $200 million in stock to stop the class action suit. The deal has to be approved by the courts. Raytheon said it expects its insurance […]

The first “aircraft-level” certification for Garmin’s G1000 glass cockpit system is a reality — in Europe — as is the first diesel-powered twin. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) conferred type certification on the Diamond DA42 at the Berlin Air Show. It was the newly formed EASA’s first new aircraft certification. The G1000 system comes […]

We all know about the effect of the seemingly permanent security measures imposed on GA airports in the immediate area of Washington, D.C. But all that lost business had to go somewhere and several area airports — just outside the ADIZ — are booming. Take Frederick, Md., for instance. According to the Gazette newspaper, revenues […]

Since we’ve been visiting space for more than 40 years it’s almost hard to believe that this kind of “first” was still open. Last Thursday, Mike Melvill went into the record books as the first pilot to take a privately funded aircraft into space. The 62-year-old test pilot rode Scaled Composites‘ rocket plane SpaceShipOne to […]

_______COLUMNS The Savvy Aviator #5: Owner-Assisted AnnualsThere’s no better way for an owner to get savvy about his aircraft than to assist with an annual inspection. In fact, AVweb’s Mike Busch strongly urges every aircraft owner to go through the process at least once, preferably early in his ownership tenure. Mike explains what’s involved, and […]

Few things are more beautiful than an F-15 — unless it’s off your wing with a pilot making hand signals at you. To avoid this unpleasant (and unnecessary) experience during campaign season, no flight (not even a local sightseeing hop) should be made without checking for one of the myriad of temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) […]

No. They’re not all doing badly — but some of those that have been around for a while aren’t doing so hot. But Delta Air Lines has served notice it may have to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing high fuel costs and the need for greater pay concessions from pilots. In a securities […]

In a fine example of letting the buyer beware, the Scottsdale (Ariz.) city council is considering putting up signs near its airport warning prospective buyers of neighboring homes what they might be buying into. “I think it is a brilliant plan, and I will suggest the council pursue it,” Councilman Bob Littlefield, chairman of the […]

The city of Georgetown, Texas, is having a fresh look at building a control tower at its airport after a midair collision injured two pilots and wrecked their planes last Sunday. “I think they need a tower out here,” pilot John Middleton told KXAN News. Middleton said he was just setting up for touchdown on […]

It’s not clear whether a collection of alphabet groups know something the rest of us don’t but no fewer than six of them have penned a joint letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee urging continued funding and possible expansion of the Contract Tower program. The National Business Aviation Association, the American Association of Airport Executives, […]