News

Airbus has filed a patent for a futuristic “flying doughnut” design for a passenger aircraft, the Daily Mail reported this week. The patent drawings show a circular cabin with seats arranged in a “doughnut” pattern, and a delta wing plan. The design aims to overcome some of the problems associated with pressurizing the traditional “flying […]

The FAA should support the general aviation community in three key areas — third-class medical reform, aircraft certification, and the ADS-B Out mandate — AOPA President Mark Baker told a congressional committee on Tuesday. “We need the FAA to embrace a system that can keep up with rapidly changing technology; that is comfortable with timely, […]

Two copies of the Rui Xiang RX1E two-seat electric-powered airplane flew at the China Airshow, held last week in Zhuhai, and this week, it was reported that construction has begun on a manufacturing plant in Shenyang. Certification of the aircraft is expected later this year, and production is expected to begin in the first half […]

Garmin now has a 7-inch G3X Touch display option available for experimental amateur-built and light sport aircraft, the company said this week. The high-resolution touchscreen display provides an option for owners of aircraft with smaller panels who may be looking for upgrades. The new screen also can be paired with a 10.6-inch display to serve […]

Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace successfully tested an unmanned K-Max helicopter in simulated firefighting exercises, the companies said this week. During the demonstration, a small VTOL Indago quad-rotor drone effectively identified hot spots, and provided data to an operator who directed the unmanned helicopter to autonomously extinguish the flames. In one hour, the helicopter lifted […]

Boeing launched its ecoDemonstrator 787 in Seattle this week, to start flight-testing more than 25 new technologies aimed at improving fuel efficiency and reducing noise. The new round of testing, using 787 Dreamliner ZA004, will evaluate software and connectivity technologies related to operational efficiency, remote sensors to reduce wiring, aerodynamic and flight control improvements for […]

Honeywell has appointed a former naval aviator to lead BendixKing and continue “its legacy of delivering innovative, reliable and intuitive avionics to the light aircraft and pilot community.” Justin Ryan will assume the post after Kevin Gould was quietly let go a few months ago. “As a former naval aviator, general aviation pilot, airplane owner […]

Avionics sales dipped slightly in the third quarter of 2014 with total sales more than $614 million, according to statistics released by the Aircraft Electronics Association Tuesday. That’s a 5-percent drop compared to the same period of 2013, which saw $646 million in sales. Total sales to date in 2014 topped $1.9 billion, up 2.7 […]

Airbus will build five new Beluga transport aircraft, the company announced this week. Only five of the large-transport airplanes exist, all of them operated by Airbus to transport large aircraft components between production sites in Europe. The original fleet was based on the A300, but the new airplane will be based on the A330 widebody, […]

An Aero Commander 500 crashed into a house about a quarter-mile from Midway International Airport in Chicago at 2:42 this morning, coming within eight inches of an elderly couple asleep in bed, who were unhurt, according to local news media reports. The pilot did not survive. The airplane was carrying cargo and had departed from […]