briefs

Our sister publication, Aviation Consumer, is tracking customer satisfaction with Lycoming’s efforts to get owners impacted by its recent crankshaft recalls back in the air. If you were affected by the recall and would like to participate in the survey, contact Aviation Consumer at avconsumer@comcast.net.

Yes, it seems a little late in the game to unveil an airplane that first flew 100 years ago — but this is a brand-new painstaking reproduction of the Wrights’ famous flyer, ready to meet the public. With spring kicking into gear, Sun ‘n Fun just around the corner, and the aviation show season about […]

The General Accounting Office will investigate the FAA’s practice of using private contractors and designees to inspect and certify airlines’ planes and aircraft alterations, USA Today reported Monday. The probe was requested last week by U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) of the House Aviation Subcommittee, who asked the GAO to study the FAA’s inspection designee […]

Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corp., of San Antonio, Texas, announced last week it has launched a second copy of its SJ30-2 twinjet as part of its FAA flight-test certification program. Sino Swearingen says the SJ30-2 seven-seat twinjet will have a range of up to 2,500 nautical miles, cruise speeds in excess of Mach .80, a maximum […]

The Air Transport Association released a report on Tuesday that predicts a war in Iraq would precipitate an economic freefall in the U.S. — with the airlines leading the plunge. According to the report, “Airlines In Crisis: The Perfect Economic Storm,” economic damage could be so severe that “there is serious risk of chaotic industry […]

The world’s first civilian tiltrotor aircraft rose vertically for the first time from Bell Textron’s Flight Research Center in Arlington, Texas, on Thursday. The maiden flight of the Bell Agusta 609 lasted 36 minutes and included hovering, turns, forward and backwards flight as well as four takeoffs and landings. Test pilot Roy Hopkins reported the […]

Design flaws don’t come much more basic than this. The FAA has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that could require inspection and/or replacement of the seat belts in more than a dozen Socata aircraft. Seems the buckles come apart when they’re jerked. As AVweb reported last week, IFR approaches have been cancelled at three […]

You can’t avoid what you can’t see and the military has seen the light when it comes to training in total darkness. The FAA has approved a scaled-back and more GA-friendly approach to “lights out” training by military pilots in military operating areas (MOA). The boys in blue (or brown or green) will still be […]

While Wall Street frets about the Europeans taking the lead in some aerospace ventures, there’s proof positive that some Europeans still respect Yankee know-how. One of Europe’s best aerobatic pilots, 2001 European champion Zoltan Veres, of Hungary, will use a custom-built round-engined Culp’s Special biplane for the 2003 competition and air show schedule. “It’s definitely […]