News

American pilot Kirby Chambliss took first place in the Red Bull Air Race in Budapest on Sunday, edging Canadian Pete McLeod by a tenth of a second on the spectacular course that includes flying under the famed Chain Bridge. It was Chambliss’ first win since 2008 and he credited solid advice from his team members […]

A French company has received EASA and Canadian certification for an aftermarket exhaust system that could substantially reduce noise complaints at training airports. Epagny-based Chabord has developed exhaust systems for Cessna 150, 152 and 172 aircraft it says cut the noise from them by at least half. It has “certified silent exhaust systems” for other […]

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein says a pilot shortage, compounded by an aging aircraft fleet, affects readiness and that ultimately means more airman will die in combat. “I will tell you that the cost of not having the right level of readiness is it will take longer to win — we will […]

Both occupants of a twin Cessna survived a crash on the 405 freeway shortly after departure from John Wayne Airport. The pilot reported to the tower that they had lost the right engine and were trying to circle back to the airport (recording from LiveATC.com available below). The tower offered the Cessna right traffic for […]

The Senate’s Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) will almost certainly include authorization for $1.2 billion to buy a fleet of light attack aircraft. Support for the OA-X project has been steadily gaining traction since Senator John McCain proposed that the Air Force acquire 300 low-cost, off-the-shelf observation and attack aircraft early this […]

Prompted by reports of engine exhaust leaks from Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A engines, found most commonly on the Cessna T206 Turbo Stationair, a new urgent Airworthiness Directive requires inspection of the exhaust system within in the next 10 hours time-in-service (TIS) “to prevent engine exhaust leaks, which could lead to uncontrolled engine fire, harmful exhaust gases entering […]

The Department of Homeland Security has decided not to extend the ban on laptops, currently affecting only flights originating from one of ten Middle Eastern and African airports, to all U.S.-bound flights, choosing instead to require “enhanced” checkpoint screening and other unpublished security measures. According to the DHS fact sheet on the new screening methods, […]

The effort now underway in Congress to privatize the air traffic control system would be a disaster for general aviation, according to Mark Baker, the president of AOPA. In a podcast interview this week, Baker told AVweb that July is a critical time for aviators to lobby their congressional representatives, if they agree with AOPA’s […]

An AH-64 Apache with a pod-mounted laser was test fired on targets at the Army’s White Sands Missile Range late last week. The laser, made and tested by defense contractor Raytheon, engaged a stationary target 1.4 kilometers (slant range distance) from the helicopter. The promise of directed energy weapons is highly appealing to U.S. Special […]

Mahindra Aerospace has successfully certified its turboprop 10-passenger GA10 Airvan utility aircraft but hasn’t been crowing about it. The FAA accepted the certification May 19, the same day it was certified in Australia and word is only getting out now because of third-party interest in the design. Although the program has been reportedly owned by […]