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Onward To The Universe (And Beyond?)… At somewhere around Mach 2 and 105,000 feet, Scaled Composite‘s SpaceShipOne last Thursday took Peter Siebold to a place where civilian pilots have never gone before. The test flight launched just one day after the FAA’s announcement that it had granted its first-ever license for suborbital manned rocket flight […]

On Friday, Canadian pilot Albert Kolk was flying on autopilot late Thursday night when “for some reason one wing dropped and it started to get out of control,” he told the Calgary Herald. Unable to recover and losing altitude, he pulled the chute at about 9,000 feet. “We came down safe and sound and just […]

Early news reports about Saturday’s incident in Florida say the pilot experienced “mechanical difficulties” or an “engine failure” shortly after taking off about 10 a.m., bound for Palm Beach. Cirrus spokesman Bolinger said that preliminary sketchy reports were that the airplane was being picked up after maintenance, and there was a low overcast and instrument […]

Five Occupants Walk Away Unscathed… Two pilots activated the ballistic chutes in their Cirrus aircraft late last week and landed safely, one in Canada and the second in south Florida. The two incidents were the second and third time that pilots have deployed the chute; the first was in October 2002. “The CAP [Cirrus Airframe […]

But Sun ‘n Fun is not all about technological tourism — there are plenty of people to see and daily air shows to watch and hands-on workshops to take part in. Speakers at the Florida Air Museum will include Bob Hoover and Paul Tibbetts. Forums include updates on the Sport Pilot rule; plus how to […]

Sun ‘n Fun is traditionally when the industry trots out its new and in-the-works models, gizmos and gadgets, knowing that pilots who have been cooped up all winter can’t wait to get out and fly — and buy. This week, Lancair will make the most of the spotlight, hosting a public ceremony to accept the […]

AVweb Will Deliver The Show To You… Watch for two Special Editions of AVflash in your e-mail inbox this week only, arriving on Wednesday and Friday, brimful of fresh news. Plus links to lots more content on our Web site, including photo galleries packed with bright sunny pix of airplanes of all sorts. The 30th […]

As for the future, a search committee headed by NBAA Vice Chairman Ken Emerick already has begun working to identify a new NBAA president and CEO. “We will conduct a thorough search, on a timetable to be determined,” said Emerick. Other members of the committee include NBAA board members Sylvia Jennings, James Cooling and Aaron […]

Longmuir, who had been at the helm only since last June, resigned effective April 1, along with Bob Warren, executive vice president and chief operating officer. In a statement issued last week, Longmuir cited a “difference in vision for leadership” in her departure from the association, and said she was “proud of the progress I […]

President Shelley Longmuir Leaves… Big changes have taken place at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), and the folks in charge now are trying to reassure the membership that all’s well. In the wake of President Shelley Longmuir’s sudden departure last week, Donald Baldwin, chairman of the board, is serving as interim president until a […]