Flight Training

In a low-key event at Sun ‘n Fun’s opening day Tuesday, Mooney took the cover off a mock-up of its new M20T proposed training aircraft. Although it was developed in Mooney’s new facility in Chino, California, the airplane first saw the light of day last fall in the big Chinese aviation trade show in Zhuhai. […]

Purdue University announced plans on Tuesday to create a 980-acre aerospace research facility in West Lafayette, Indiana. “This district will be a game-changer for our students and Purdue’s outreach efforts to partnering corporations,” said Dan Hasler, president of Purdue Research Foundation. “We are looking for research collaborators to complement the commercial and industrial aerospace work […]

AVweb’s Russ Niles went along with Cirrus demo pilot Ivy McIver as she took a brand new SR22 G5 from the factory in Duluth to Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida. Some typical spring weather patterns made it a challenge. view on YouTube

Redbird Simulations is taking three zero-time students to solo flight in seven days using simulators and diesel-powered RedHawk 172s. AVweb learns how the program works. view on YouTube

Most instructors these days, when pressed to give an ideal number of hours for a new student to solo, will say it’s 10 hours in the airplane. So, all things being equal, can you do that in a week? Sure. Redbird’s “One Week Ready to Solo” campaign, now four days in at Sun ‘n Fun […]

The company that built its business around automating airplanes is now saying it’s time for airline pilots to brush up on their stick and rudder skills. TheWall Street Journal reportsthat Harry Nelson, the former VP of flight testing and now a product safety executive for Airbus, told the 70th annual meeting of the International Federation […]

As a promotional effort for its emerging flight training technology, Redbird Flight Simulations plans to train three zero-time would-be pilots to solo status during the week of Sun ‘n Fun. The candidates will use a combination of Redbird’s motion-based simulators and its diesel-powered Redhawk Cessna 172 conversions flying out of Plant City, just west of […]

Glasair Aviation’s new Merlin LSA had its first flight this week, launching the in-air test phase for the composite light-sport airplane. The flight departed from Arlington, Washington, on Tuesday and lasted for 57 minutes. Following ground tests including engine run-up, high-speed taxi, and ground roll liftoff, test pilot Grant Smith conducted the flight to evaluate […]

14 CFR 91.123 says, “When a pilot is uncertain of an ATC clearance, that pilot shall immediately request clarification from ATC.” Complying with the reg seems easy enough, but under pressure of time, heavy weather and busy controllers we are tempted to assume that ATC knows its intentions and to accept a clearance as given. […]

Letter of the Week:Altimeter Under Pressure I am a single-engine aircraft owner and private pilot that only flies VFR. So the following question is based on my 2,000 hours of flying over the past 33 years. My Grumman Cheetah is equipped with the standard altimeter, and my airplane has a Mode C transponder. I also […]