News

Pipistrel has announced that its Virus SW — the winner of the NASA General Aviation Technology Challenge for 2007 and 2008, exhibited higher speed, range and climb rate than other challengers while incorporating lower cabin noise, lower empty weight and shorter takeoff distances — is now shipping to buyers. The two-place, side-by-side, Kevlar-reinforced composite high-wing […]

Piper will defer about $10 million worth of incentive money that would have required the company to hire additional workers, and a former Mooney employee says his former company last week had another round of layoffs. Piper will not seek money that would have required it to produce the PiperJet and hire 400 new workers […]

A new airworthiness directive from the FAA applies to certain Cessna 172, 175, 177, 180, 182, 185, 188, 206, 207, 208, 210, 303, 336, and 337 series airplanes. The AD requires operators to check the alternate static air source selector valve to assure that the alternate static air source selector valve port is not obstructed […]

Michael Connell, 45, an instrument rated private pilot flying since 2006, was also a Republican media consultant subpoenaed for expert testimony by a lawsuit alleging electronic voting fraud in 2004, and that, along with reported threats against him, has brought additional attention to his death last week in a plane crash. Connell was flying alone […]

The National Biplane Association board of directors, citing costs, has announced that 2009 will witness the “final aviation event for the organization.” Over 23 years, some 2,500 biplanes and 7,000 other aircraft have drawn some 75,000 fans to the Biplane Expo, but times are changing. The events ran annually since 1987 and included exhibits, type […]

The argument for business jets as essential tools for business may see some conflict in tight economic times as businesses seeking to control costs are selling their jets and corporate jet brokers watch their inventories soar. Where manufacturers recently had waiting lists of people seeking positions on non-resaleable deposit lists the trend has now reversed. […]

Alaska Airlines confirmed last week that it was fumes from de-icing fluid that caused at least 18 of 143 passengers aboard an Alaska Boeing 737-800 to be treated by paramedics for eye irritation, while seven crew members went to the hospital. The jet was operating as Flight 528 out of Seattle for Burbank and had […]

The NTSB issued a Safety Alert last week reminding pilots to be wary of icing hazards, especially in regard to the operation of de-icing boots. “This Safety Alert, directed to the pilot community, is intended to increase the visibility of airplane icing issues and address procedures taught regarding the accumulation of ice before activating de-ice […]

Under new rules recently enacted by the federal Customs and Border Protection agency, general aviation pilots who fly across an international border will have to file passenger manifests online before each flight. The rules take effect this month, and the system is up and running, but compliance is voluntary until May 18, 2009. Pilots must […]

It was 40 years ago, in December 1968, that the three Apollo 8 astronauts became the first people from our planet to reach Moon orbit, and they brought home the famous photo of the beautiful blue Earth rising above the Moon’s horizon, surrounded by dark, vast, empty space. Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders […]