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Quest Zodiac For The Off-Airport Crowd The folks from Quest Aircraft, of Sand Point, Idaho, were happy with the attention their prototype Kodiak bush plane was getting. “We had hoped that maybe we would sell one airplane,” said marketing manager Kelly Mahon, “but we already have two deposits and a few more are pending. There’s […]

The growth of the light-jet segment, so long in incubation, also gave an energy boost to this year’s AirVenture. Two Eclipse jets flew every day, and a live jet with finished interior was open for visitors at the Eclipse tent, finally replacing the long-suffering mock-up. Also debuting were the Cessna Mustang and Honda’s present, but […]

Part of that energy flowed from Aeroshell Square, where Burt Rutan had three new airplanes on display — GlobalFlyer, White Knight, and SpaceShipOne. All three flew before huge Saturday crowds, and Rutan and company drew overflow audiences to at least a half dozen various forums. More energy was generated at the nearby LSA Mall, where […]

Economic Recovery Makes Itself Felt The usual remark heard in all corners of Wittman Field last week was simply: “What a great show!” From start to finish, spirits were high, and vendors saw brisk traffic. After an opening weekend of heat, humidity and storms, the weather cleared to bright sun and cool breezes, just about […]

Progress continues on implementing the complex Sport Pilot rules, Blakey said. Last week, consensus standards were released for powered parachutes and gyroplanes, and so far, 44 Sport Pilot certificates have been issued. The rule is still a work in progress and “we’re prepared to make appropriate changes,” she said. Those changes may include finding a […]

The Administrator also began preparing the audience for coming changes in how FAA will get its funding, with broad hints that user fees may indeed be on the horizon. Money in the aviation trust fund is running dangerously low, she said. The problem is that there is no real link between the services that are […]

“I’m Sorry It’s Come To This”… Several bills have been tabled in recent weeks calling for fines (ranging into six figures and certificate suspensions as long as seven years) for anyone busting the various restricted areas around D.C. FAA Administrator, Marion Blakey told AVweb she understands the concern of lawmakers who’ve been evacuated twice in […]

Blakey also confirmed that the FAA is proposing a two-tiered wage system for controllers that would see newly-hired controllers paid substantially less than existing controllers. “We have [proposed] a very good system of compensation,” she said. “It is a two-tiered system.” Blakey also stressed that existing controllers’ pay would not be rolled back under the […]

NATCA, FAA Far Apart In Contract Talks FAA Administrator Marion Blakey says flight delays would increase dramatically and modernization efforts would slow to a crawl if the agency accepted the contract proposal presented by the National Air Traffic Controllers Union last week. In an exclusive interview with AVweb at EAA AirVenture on Thursday, Blakey said […]

Once considered by some to be a sleeper, at best, in the VLJ market, Aviation Technology Group‘s Javelin, a fighter-like two-place twinjet, has been piling up orders as it gets its prototype ready for its first flight. The company has also hired veteran Cessna exec Charlie Johnson as chief operating officer to guide the project […]