News

According to The Associated Press, the bidding war for Piper and its future PiperJet factory took an incremental leap on Thursday when the people who hold the purse strings in Tallahassee, Fla., offered about $90 million in incentives to draw the company there. Last week, Vero Beach, Piper’s current home, put $50 million on the […]

The Air Line Pilots Association, which has consistently supported the current mandatory retirement age of 60, has changed its tune in light of the federal government’s clear intention to boost the limit (with some conditions) to age 65. Members voted 80 percent to drop their opposition to the age limit change so they can have […]

The NTSB has written the FAA asking it to permanently close the East River Exclusion Area to uncontrolled, non-amphibious VFR traffic in light of its findings in the Cory Lidle crash. Earlier this month, the NTSB determined that whoever was flying the Cirrus SR20 — Lidle, a New York Yankees pitcher, or his instructor, Tyler […]

Numerous previously IFR-certified GPS receivers might now be unapproved for flying many instrument procedures due to recent FAA policy changes, according to AOPA. On Thursday, the association said the FAA’s Advisory Circular 90-100A, issued in March, indicates that only three GPS models — the Garmin 400, 500 and G1000 series — are now legal. Other […]

Albuquerque, N.M.-based Eclipse Aviation’s order book for its very light jet swelled to nearly 2,700 airplanes thanks to a large fleet order from ETIRC Aviation on Wednesday at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland. The Luxembourg-based Eclipse 500 distributor placed a firm order for 120 of the small twinjets with options […]

The number of light sport aircraft (LSA) in the FAA registry is now up to 930, showing growth of 46 percent since January, Dan Johnson of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association reported on Monday. “Eighteen months ago the LSA community had certified 16 new models, now we’re at 50,” he said. “More choice is great […]

AVwebBiz is a weekly summary of the latest business aviation news, articles, products, features and events featured on AVweb, the internet’s aviation magazine and news service. Today’s issue was written by Business Aviation Editor Glenn Pew (bio). Click here to send a letter to the editor. (Please let us know if your letter is not […]

The SolarImpulse team, led by adventurer Bertrand Piccard, is conducting a test of its mission procedures this week with a “virtual flight” from Hawaii to Florida. The team aims to fly a solar-powered aircraft around the world. Piccard updated the project’s goals at the opening session of the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, in […]

NASA dedicated a new astronomy aircraft to aviator Charles Lindbergh on the 80th anniversary of his historic trans-Atlantic flight. Erik Lindbergh, the pilot’s grandson, joined NASA for the event on Monday, in Waco, Texas. NASA’s new Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a highly modified 747 that carries a 45,000-pound infrared telescope system. At […]

The seventh annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE 2007) is underway this week in Geneva, Switzerland, and it’s expected to be the biggest ever, with more than 10,000 visitors, 354 exhibitors and 55 aircraft on static display. Already announcements of deals show a strong market, likely enhanced by the strength of the Euro […]