briefs

After scaring Frankfurt residents, the thief who stole a plane and threatened to crash into a German skyscraper over the weekend was held and questioned by local authorities. Police said the 31-year-old German man — who circled the city’s skyscrapers Sunday for about two hours before landing safely at Frankfurt’s international airport — is apparently […]

The NTSB and FAA have discovered that last year’s crash of a firefighting C-130, which claimed the lives of all on board, may be complicated by a void in the aging aircraft’s maintenance history. According to the Associated Press, the tanker was a former Air Force transport aircraft also used to fly missions for the […]

The folks around Manchester, England’s airport are demanding that airport officials enact a curfew to prevent air traffic operations from midnight to 5 a.m. But Manchester Airport Director Kevin Dillon said he won’t ask airlines or cargo carriers to abide by curfews. He claims that successful airports don’t start “throwing curfews in the way of” […]

A rumored coming change in Chinese airspace laws may soon in that country open a new general aviation market. While many GA manufacturers struggle in the U.S. with layoffs and production slowdowns to boot, Shenyang Aircraft Industry Group of China (a major manufacturer of fighter planes for the Chinese military) recently announced it will roll […]

Former Senate Majority leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) — not Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) — may be the new self-appointed front-runner for chairman of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, according to a Jan. 8 report in Aviation Daily. Lott, credited by some for passing the airport security bill, is expected to focus on reforming small-community air […]

Owners of potentially troublesome Hartzell propellers should soon be able to replace them with upgraded versions. Hartzell recently gained certification for its MV series propellers and their installation will eliminate the need for extensive periodic inspections and testing of the older model props. If this means you, see the full Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

Joe Foss, one of the U.S.’s greatest World War II flying aces, died last week at age 87. Foss shot down 26 Japanese aircraft during the Battle for Guadalcanal. Of their service branch, only fellow Marine Gregory “Pappy” Boyington shot down more planes, with 28 victories — but historians argue that since six of his […]

We can only imagine the contents of the cockpit voice recorder after the crew of this United Airlines A-319 touched the nose gear down at O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in late November. According to the NTSB preliminary report, the plane had taken off from O’Hare on a flight to Los Angeles with 77 passengers and […]

It’s possible that in some remote part of the country, $74,000 will get you a decent place to live. In Key West, it gets you a quieter place to live — if your house is currently beside the airport. Best of all, the federal government will pick up the tab. Up to 300 houses ringing […]

Seen the Unlimiteds growl around the pylons at Reno and got the itch? Well, Sun ‘n Fun might be the place to scratch it. The 21st running of the Sun 100/Sun 60 Air Races will be held the week before the annual EAA Fly-In at Linder Regional Airport at Lakeland, Fla., April 6-13. The Sun […]