News

It now appears that at least three Brazilian air traffic controllers could be charged with involuntary manslaughter for their role in the collision between an Embraer Legacy 600 bizjet and a Gol Airlines Boeing 737, which killed all 154 aboard the Boeing last Sept. 29. Earlier reports from Brazil said a federal police investigation ignored […]

Brazilian police say the failure of two New York pilots to notice that the transponder aboard their Embraer Legacy 600 bizjet was not working amounts to the criminal offense of “placing a vessel or aircraft in jeopardy” and are, according to a Brazilian newspaper, recommending prosecution. Joe Lepore and Jan Paladino were delivering the Legacy […]

NASA and the FAA on Wednesday agreed to work together on an education project that aims to foster the development of students’ skills in science, technology, engineering and math. Their first undertaking is a NASA curriculum called “Smart Skies,” an online air traffic control simulator for grades 5 through 9. It introduces students to the […]

The FAA says that the current national airspace system won’t be able to handle the expected tripling of air traffic by 2025, and there’s generally no disagreement among stakeholders about the need for ATC modernization. But it is how we get there that is the big problem. In opening statements before a hearing Wednesday morning […]

Air traffic controllers at Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Va., were evacuated after smoke and fumes were reported in the tower cab at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday. The controllers were moved to a nearby backup facility for about three hours while the tower was aired out, and nearby construction equipment, the source of […]

If the thought of kite strings and blimp tethers sharing your airspace gives you the jitters, just imagine if this project comes true — the deployment of massive wind generators in the jet stream, with cables stretching thousands of feet to the surface. The generators would take advantage of the high speeds of winds aloft […]

Imagine if you worked as a pilot for an outfit that was actually a secret project of the Central Intelligence Agency — shouldn’t you be eligible for a federal pension when it comes time to retire? That’s what pilots and others who worked for Air America during the Vietnam War are claiming. The U.S. government […]

Angel Flight America, a well-known national network of nonprofit groups that arrange free flights for people in need, announced this week that it will change its name to Air Charity Network. “We are changing our name to better describe the comprehensive services currently offered through our network as well as those which may be added […]

Owners and operators of aircraft built by Beech Aircraft Corporation and its descendants have two major milestones to celebrate at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., this July. Special activities, flights and exhibits will mark the 75th anniversary of Beechcraft and the 60th anniversary of the Beechcraft Bonanza. The festivities will include a mass arrival of […]

When the FAA handed off the Flight Service Station system to Lockheed Martin more than a year ago, AOPA supported the change, expecting to see improved service. But last week AOPA officials met with Lockheed to complain about long hold times, disconnects and lost flight plans. “This is not the level of service pilots expect,” […]