briefs

The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin recommending that owners of certain larger Continental engines with ECi cylinder assemblies inspect the cylinders for cracks every 50 hours after theyve accumulated more than 500 hours in service. The bulletin affects 520- and 550-series engines with certain ECi components. The cracks started showing up in […]

Russia has significantly relaxed constraints on general aviation in a move thats expected to stimulate growth of business and private flying. According to Flight International, regulators have dropped rules that required GA operators to get permission for each flight. The new rules also make aircraft ownership, certification, registration and maintenance a lot easier. Of particular […]

Canadas private-sector provider of air traffic control, information and weather service for civilian aviation is celebrating its 10th birthday and it says the system is in better shape and costs less than when it was in government hands. Nav Canada bought Canadas airspace management system lock, stock and console for $1.5 billion in 1996 and […]

AVweb posts audio news on Mondays, plus a new in-depth interview each Friday. Last Friday’s podcastcontains exclusive news about rumored changes to the ADIZ. AVweb’s podcast index includes interviews with Adam Aircraft chairman Rick Adam and New Piper CEO Jim Bass, recorded live at the recent NBAA Convention in Orlando. Monday’s news summary covers the […]

BRAINTEASERS Quiz #113: Get Instrument RatedIt seems as though every pilot is either instrument-rated or working on an IFR ticket. Whatever your status, let’s review the Part 61requirements to legally cross swords with an ILS in the clag.

Our best stories start with you. If you’ve heard something that 130,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news tips via email to newstips@avweb.com. You’re a part of our team … often, the best part. Find all of today’s stories in AVweb‘s: NewsWire

The FAA is proposing a major rewrite of the Part 21 regulations affecting the production of aviation parts, the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) said this week. According to the FAA, the update is needed to address changes in the global aviation market since the current rules were written back in the 1960s. The proposed changes […]

Evektor flew its new SuperCobra for the first time last week, from its base in the Czech Republic. The all-metal single-engine four-seater features retractable landing gear and is powered by a 315-hp Lycoming IO-580A1B. “It’s a real predator in the sky,” said test pilot Josef Charvat. “It will be a fantastic pilot touring airplane.” The […]

AOPA Expo starts a week from today in Palm Springs, Calif., and among a few other things, Cessna’s new Light Sport Aircraft will be there. The airplane flew for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. CEO Jack Pelton says he expects to decide by early next year whether Cessna will produce the […]

Tests of an airborne networking system that will help make possible the next-generation air transportation system (NGATS) were successfully completed over the summer, the FAA said this week. The trials showed that messages can be relayed air-to-air, enabling radio communications to reach very long distances, greater than the curvature of the earth normally allows. This […]