News

The FAA last week published a notice of proposed rulemaking that would increase to 20 hours the simulator time allowed for the instrument rating, following an earlier attempt using a straight-to-final rule process that was derailed when two commenters objected to the change. The new proposal states that the FAA aims to “relieve burdens on […]

Through the last 100 years or so, pilots have been dreaming up ways to impress with their flying skills and Red Bull Air Race pilot Paul Bonhomme has added a new definition of hangar flying. Last week Bonhomme and his friend Steve Jones flew in formation through a hangar in Wales at about 185 mph. […]

Reports out of Hollywood say Tom Hanks has been picked to play Capt. Chesley Sullenberger in the movie adaptation of the Miracle on the Hudson pilot’s autobiography. Variety reported late last week that Hanks is in final negotiations to play the lead in a movie that will be directed by Clint Eastwood. Hanks has a […]

A British paratrooper says he bought his friend and fellow member of the British Army’s Red Devil parachute demo team a beer after a maneuver went wrong at an airshow. Corp. Mike French’s canopy fouled at relatively low altitude during a jump at the Whitehaven Air Show. His buddy Corp. Wayne Shorthouse wrapped his legs […]

A man is dead and another was found injured in England in an apparent airline stowaway accident, the BBC reported Friday. One man was found dead on a rooftop, while the other is in critical condition at a hospital after he was found in the undercarriage of a British Airways jet that flew from Johannesburg […]

A European defense company had a successful test using a laser weapon to track and take down an unmanned aerial system, opening up a host of potential anti-drone uses. MBDA Deutschland, which designs guided missile systems as well as high-energy laser weapons, announced this week it maneuvered a small drone at its test site in […]

The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association has named Bernard Gervais as its new president and CEO. Gervais is only the third person to fill the post and replaces Kevin Psutka, who announced his retirement and then took a new job with the Air Line Pilots Association in February. Gervais will be formally introduced to the […]

The FAA has certified a software upgrade for Avidyne that cancels the emergency airworthiness directive (AD) issued in late May and adds some features for the IFD540 FMS/GPS/NAV/COM systems. The earlier glitch could result in incorrect course indications during RNAV approaches and required an amendment to the flight manual. Release 10.1 not only fixes the […]

Airbus Helicopters announced its latest project at the Paris Air Show this week – developing a heavy-lift helicopter for civilian industry, with plans to have the new model enter service after 2020. Concepts for the X6 design will be evaluated with customer input sought over the next two years.While Airbus’ H160, which had its first […]

A SCAT Airlines Boeing 737-300 burst into flames Tuesday when an oxygen cylinder exploded at Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan. Passengers had already disembarked and the airliner was waiting for its next flight, so no one was on board when the fire began, the Daily Mail reported. Dramatic video of the fire shows flames erupting from […]