News

Embraer says its entry in the entry-level jet sweepstakes is starting to look like an airplane. The first Embraer Phenom 100 fuselage and wing are being mated at the company’s Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil facility and the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617 engines should be installed soon. That puts the very light jet project […]

Indian airlines are apparently eating their young as flight instructors desperately needed to train the thousands of pilots they need are, instead, being offered jobs as pilots. According to Daily News and Analysis, 18 of 35 flight schools in India are out of business because they have no instructors and foreign CFIs that are attracted […]

Greensboro, N.C., already knows it will be home to the HondaJet, but it apparently wants more. All signs point to the joint GE/Honda engine plant being built at Burlington-Alamance (N.C.) Regional Airport, but Greensboro officials are trying to convince Honda to put the plant at its Piedmont-Triad International Airport alongside the airplane factory. Kathi Dubel, […]

The Air Force may retire up to 30 C-5 Galaxy aircraft in favor of boosting the order for the more modern and generally more versatile C-17. The Air Force currently has 190 C-17s on order but Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Senate defense appropriations subcommittee, told GovExec.com that the administrations plan to boost […]

The Department of Transportations Office of Inspector General says the FAA needs to significantly step up oversight of contracted repair facilities used by airlines for everything from minor adjustments to major repairs. The OIG report to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committees aviation subcommittee, delivered by DOT Inspector General Calvin Scovell, says the FAA doesnt […]

Lux Aviation Engineering‘s announcement at the Aircraft Electronics Association show of its research into lithium polymer for use in aircraft batteries (yes, they’re aware that lithium can burn) could one day vastly improve cranking power and add the benefit of significant weight savings. The company says it’s working with the Navy and has shared thoughts […]

To make an even bigger splash at the Aircraft Electronics Association convention, Garmin adapted a James Bond movie to announce its new products. Garmin touted the GMX-200 multifunction display’s 6.5-inch screen and faster processor, offering increased resolution and compatibility with the GDL 69 XM receiver to feed XM satellite weather to the MFD’s moving map. […]

At the Aircraft Electronics Association show, Avidyne introduced software release 3.0, a $345 upgrade for EX500 multifunction displays that expands the range of XM WX Satellite Weather data displayed and simplifies database updates with USB memory stick support. “EX500 MFDs now can display XM WX Storm Tracks, Hail Alerts, TAFs, Winds Aloft and Freezing Levels,” […]

FAA Administrator Marion Blakey’s comments at the Aircraft Electronics Association show was full court press for a user-fee-based and fuel-tax-enriched FAA funding system. Her words seemed particularly stark following AEA past president Monte Mitchell’s closing reminder to “take time to compliment a coworker, or give thanks to your friends — these are the things you […]

The Aircraft Electronics Association can put on an impressive show. It held its 50th annual convention in Reno late last week, and the trend in new products at this year’s show revolved around satellite phone service, increased data and voice transfer capabilities, onboard broadband, WAAS supportive/compatible products and retrofits of new black boxes and/or glass […]