briefs

Air patrols by military aircraft, which have been abundant since 9/11, may soon be reduced to lower levels, Pentagon officials said this week. Air Force chief of staff Gen. John Jumper told the Associated Press on Monday that decisions to modify the air patrol mission were in the offing. About 60 aircraft have been flying […]

Richard Branson’s proposal to take over operation of the Concordes may have been rebuffed last month by British Airways, but that’s not crimping the plans of the Virgin Atlantic Airways CEO. Branson will take his case to the British government, The Independent reported this week. “The more we dig, the more we feel Concorde should […]

The Wright brothers may have pioneered the wing-warping concept 100 years ago, but chances are they never broke the sound barrier while testing it out. A NASA test pilot flying a modified F/A-18A Hornet with flexible wings did just that, though, over the California desert north of Edwards Air Force Base last month. NASA’s Active […]

Boeing has noticed two annoying things about airliners: one, they all look alike …. borrrring … and two, they are all actually different in a million little ways, which creates a nightmare for airlines trying to manage large mixed fleets. In moving forward with its 7E7 program for a next-generation, extra-efficient airliner, Boeing is working […]

DeltaHawk, a private company in Racine, Wis., last Saturday successfully completed its first flight of a manned aircraft powered by its turbo-diesel 90-degree V-4 general-aviation aircraft engine. The engine has been in development for seven years and is the only U.S.-designed and -developed reciprocating engine capable of burning jet fuel that is known to be […]

AOPA noted Monday that a recent change by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) represents a “small but significant concession” to concerns about due process for pilots affected by security rules. In a letter to AOPA, TSA chief counsel Francine Kerner wrote, “We are aware of the need for an avenue of administrative appeal outside of […]

The NTSB scheduled a meeting on Tuesday to update its list of “Most Wanted” safety improvements, but instead decided it will undertake an intensive 30-day review of the effectiveness of its safety advocacy programs. “At the end of 30 days, the board will convene to review the results of the study and focus on how […]

At least one Wichita aircraft manufacturer expects to do a roaring trade this year. The Ullman Aircraft Co. has successfully flown its Panther kitplane and hopes to have the kits on the market by the end of the year. The Panther is an all-metal, four-place, high-wing aircraft that cruises at 200 knots. After five years […]

Peter M. Bowers, who designed the Fly Baby homebuilt, died April 27. Bowers died at his home in Seattle and while he was best known for the tiny, folding wing, towable airplane that won the 1962 EAA design contest, he was also an author and respected aviation historian… The NBAA has chosen five people to […]

An F-15 pilot broke the rules but didn’t violate safety procedures when he rocked the normally quiet town of Geneseo, Ill., with a fly-past on Feb. 13. Maj. Whitney Sieben was subjected to “administrative action” for failing to ask the Oregon Air National Guard if he could use their airplane for an aerial tribute to […]