briefs

On March 13, the Senate Commerce Committee approved legislation to arm cargo pilots. Part of S. 165, the Air Cargo Security Act, this provision was offered as an amendment by lead Democratic co-sponsors Senators Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.). Specifically, The Bunning-Boxer Arming Cargo Pilots Against Terrorism Act closes a loophole within last […]

After months of debate on the proposed expansion of Chicago’s O’Hare International airport, reports hint that the entire program is now shelved for the foreseeable future. The Chicago Tribune reported earlier this week that the $6 billion project has been quietly put on the back burner. While the increased size of the airport was always […]

On Monday, EADS Socata announced its TBM 700C2 had received FAA certification. Socata spent 10 years refining the original TBM — produced in 1990 — resulting in this new variant. The C2 follows on the successes of the TBM 700B with a large door and optional pilot door in 1999, and the Freighter version developed […]

Lancair announced that it’s back in full production, as it delivered the first Columbia 300 since the company restarted production just over a month ago. With over 200 employees back at work, the company is also working on the development of its newest models. The company claims the Columbia 350 program is moving along at […]

Dozens of light planes were damaged or wrecked and Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) was closed for the first time in 10 years (barring 9/11) after hurricane-force winds blasted the area last Wednesday. Sustained winds as high as 95 knots forced evacuation of the airport tower and flipped over light aircraft, ski-equipped planes and […]

Ten people, including five flight attendants, were hurt after turbulence rattled a United Air Lines flight headed to San Francisco from Hawaii Friday. Seven of the injured were sent to the hospital after the mishap, which occurred when the flight was about an hour from SFO. But if any of them have thoughts of suing […]

A Navy investigation found that Cmdr. Michael Norman accidentally stalled the QF-4 Phantom he was flying during a steep turn, causing the accident that killed him and his navigator at Point Mugu Air Show in California last April. The findings vindicated the Navy’s jet fighter maintenance program. Shortly after the crash, two former Navy mechanics […]

Where there’s smoke (and noise) there’s ire and there could be plenty of all rising from the FAA’s recent ruling on Naples (Florida) Airport’s Stage Two jet ban. The agency has ordered the airport authority to allow smoky, noisy, relatively inefficient business and commuter jets built before 1983 into its facility or risk losing future […]

EAA is broadcasting an alert to members to help stop a massive radio tower project in Florida and is hoping to ground out an electrical line project that threatens a runway project in Alabama. A 1,554-foot (AGL) radio tower is planned for central Florida on a heavily used VFR flight corridor and the power lines […]

It’s not often you get a pat on the back from The Boss but four outstanding aviation workers will get that chance at AirVenture 2003. For the first time, the General Aviation Awards Program will gather its four major award recipients together. This awards program is a cooperative effort between the FAA and numerous industry […]