On March 3 the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Transportation quietly released an audit on the use of the National Airspace System (NAS)-and the general aviation community is quietly taking notice. The audit, initiated by then Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Rep. John L. Mica, R-Fla., found that air carriers and non-air carriers, including […]
Palm Beach County commissioners have determined that the best way to boost tourism in the tiny community of West Palm Beach is to charge landing fees on the numerous private aircraft that use the local airport. The attitude of the commissioners is illustrated by the comment of one that the as-yet-undetermined fee shouldn’t be much […]
A few months ago, SAS, one of Europes major airlines, announced it was grounding its fleet of Bombardier Q400 turboprops because it said its customers had safety concerns following three landing-gear emergencies. Tuesday, the airline announced it was buying 27 (with options for more) new Bombardier aircraft, including 14 new model Q400s and 13 CRJ900s. […]
The FAA has issued a final rulethat will require aircraft and helicopters built after Mar. 7, 2010, with 10 or more seats to be equipped with enhanced voice and flight data recorders. Under the rule, voice recorders will have an audio loop at least two hours long instead of the current 15 to 30 minutes […]
Airport runways in coastal areas are in danger of being submerged by rising sea levels and storm surges brought on by global warming, says a new report from the National Research Council, released on Tuesday. At least 23 major airports, and many more GA fields, have elevations of just 22 feet or less, which puts […]
Cessna has announced that Parker Aerospace will supply the hybrid fly-by-wire control system in its new intercontinental Columbus 850 business jet. Cessna developed the system, which uses hydraulic actuators to move control surfaces based on electrical commands generated by pilot and avionics inputs. The system will work on the roll, pitch and yaw axes as […]
The U.S. Air Force is retiring its fleet of F-117 Nighthawks, which were the world’s first attack aircraft to employ stealth technology. The single-seater aircraft made its first flight in 1981 at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada. The Nighthawk program remained classified until 1988, when a photo of the jet was first unveiled to […]
Cessna’s new Model 162 SkyCatcher prototype flew for the first time on Saturday morning, the company announced on Monday. Test pilot Dale Bleakney flew the airplane out of Cessna Aircraft Field Airport in Wichita and evaluated its controllability and stability. He then landed at Mid-Continent Airport, also in Wichita, where development testing will continue. “The […]
The FAA today released its 2008 aerospace forecast, which is less optimistic of the near-term growth potential for general aviation than the previous forecast. The report is the focus of the 33rd annual FAA Aviation Forecast Conference scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Industry panelists cited rising fuel prices, airspace and airport congestion, […]
Its hard to imagine a less romantic place than an airport security screening line-up but it set the stage for an impromptu (and ultimately successful) marriage proposal by a young Canadian man. Aaron Tkachuk, 24, of Prince George, British Columbia, planned to pop the question to his high school sweetheart Jennifer Rubadeau on a moonlit […]
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