News

The Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander broke free from its mooring mast at Cardington Airfield in England but a uniquely dramatic safety feature prevented it from running amok. Airlander reported on Saturday that after leaving its moorings, an onboard system ripped open the hull and deflated the enormous aircraft so it ended up crumpled on the […]

Sales of retrofit avionics for business and general aviation aircraft for the first nine months of 2017 are up 28% relative to the same period last year, says the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA). Sales of forward-fit avionics (those destined for new aircraft) were down 17.1% over the same period. “Retrofit sales increased more than 32 […]

The U.S. Navy has acknowledged that the rough contrail drawing of male genitalia in the skies over Washington state Thursday were made by one of its aircraft operating out of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island—most likely an EA-18 Growler. The local CBS affiliate reports that complaints were made to the FAA, who informed the disappointed […]

Mooney has delivered the first M20U Ovation Ultra off its production line, the company announced on Thursday. In a ceremony in Kerrville, Texas, company officials turned over the keys to the new owner. The Ultra comes with a wider cabin, a newly designed leather interior, a pilot-side door, bigger windows and the Garmin G1000 NXi […]

Textron Aviation announced this week it will continue its Top Hawk program for 2018, providing a new Cessna Skyhawk 172 to five university programs for use in their flight training and recruiting efforts. “As the Top Hawk program enters its fourth year, we’re proud to build on a program that has allowed us to support […]

Pilots who just can’t get enough of aviation have two new media options to choose from this week. AARP Studios has launched a new video series on YouTube called “Badass Pilot,” an original unscripted series that features Art Nalls, age 65. Nalls, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, owns a British Sea Harrier fighter jet, […]

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is going to build a new wind tunnel with all-new technology to replace its current 79-year-old facility, the university announced this week. It will be the largest and most advanced academic wind tunnel in the U.S., MIT said in a news release. The new $18 million tunnel will permit test […]

The Dubai Airshow on Wednesday provided the setting for two enormous aircraft purchase orders, totaling billions of dollars for Airbus and Boeing. Airshow organizers called it “one of the most exciting days in recent aviation business history.” Airbus unveiled its largest single announcement ever, a $49.5 billion deal with Indigo Partners to purchase 430 aircraft […]

A Utah pilot is suing a local environmental group for damages to his airplane after he hit a camouflaged portable toilet on a backcountry air strip placed “on or very near” the landing surface at Hidden Splendor airstrip. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Wayne Grant claims in his suit that he surveyed the clifftop […]

Sierra Nevada’s Dream Chaser successfully completed a drop and glide test flight from 12,300 feet to Runway 22L at Edwards Air Force Base last week. “The Dream Chaser flight test demonstrated excellent performance of the spacecraft’s aerodynamic design and the data shows that we are firmly on the path for safe, reliable orbital flight,” said […]