briefs

Well, a lot of CEOs say they’re hands-on but there’s no disputing Eclipse boss Vern Raburn’s claim. Instead of watching the flight test program of the 500 from the corner office, Raburn has flown the chase plane on at least three hops. As of May 20, the re-engined personal jet had flown six times and […]

Boeing’s airliner division boss says there are better ways to protect airliners from missiles than equipping them with countermeasures. Alan Mulally told Reuters such systems would be “very complex” (read: very expensive) and might not even work. “The best thing to do is to create an environment where (an attack) doesn’t happen or the consequences […]

Despite the worst slump in aviation history, Boeing’s airliner division is “strongly profitable” according to its CEO and is characterized as being “awash in cash” by the Dow Jones Newswire. And with $500 million handouts like the one the state of Kansas turned over last week, the financial future of the sales-challenged company would appear […]

In case you thought the Civil Air Patrol was about search and rescue and teaching kids to fly gliders, add dealing with a radiological and biological weapons attack to the organization’s long list of potential activities. CAP members in Chicago and Seattle took part in TOPOFF 2, a counter-terrorism exercise that concluded May 16. It […]

The Robb Report, which reports “on issues and trends affecting the affluent market,” chose to place the Cirrus SR 22 at the top of the heap for personal aircraft, above all other light aircraft, in its Best of the Best 2003 issue. “Our editors selected the Cirrus SR22 because of its exceptional safety system, exceptional […]

Michigan’s student pilot criminal background law is under fire, again, this time from within. State Rep. Steven Ehardt (R-Dist 83) has proposed an amendment that would overturn the background check requirement that was passed by the state last year. AOPA, which is challenging the same law in court, helped Ehardt draft the amendment, which would […]

British pilots who tuned their aircraft radios to listen to ATC near London’s Luton Airport instead heard the sounds of a crying toddler, The Sun reported on Monday. A baby listening monitor in the child’s room somehow was interfering with the airwaves. Government inspectors traced the interference to a home near the airport, The Sun […]

Two Civil Air Patrol pilots flying with an experimental digital imaging system made an unexpected discovery off the Florida Keys last month, and used the equipment to help the Coast Guard locate three Cuban refugees. “I looked down and saw what appeared to be a dark gray raft carrying people,” said Terry Raymond, one of […]

Forty air traffic controllers from Baltimore have moved into the FAA’s new approach facility in Warrenton, Va., joining controllers from four other airports. The facility, called the Potomac Consolidated TRACON (Terminal Radar Approach Control), opened last December to serve the busy Baltimore-Washington area airspace. The BWI newcomers join controllers from Washington Dulles International, Reagan Washington […]