News

The FAA today published a notice in theFederal Register of the availability of two new and eight revised consensus standards for certification of certain light sport aircraft and requested comments on the standards. Under light sport rules, ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft […]

During its third test flight, Cessna Aircrafts Citation Latitude prototype successfully achieved its full performance envelope, the company said. It reached a maximum speed of 506 mph and an altitude of 45,000 feet with a gross takeoff weight of 29,000 pounds. The first flight took place last week. Michael Thacker, Cessna senior vice president of […]

In the first penalty of its kind, federal transportation officials docked Asiana Airlines $500,000 for failing to promptly contact passengers’ families and keep them informed about their loved ones after a deadly crash last year at San Francisco International airport. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the U.S. Department of Transportation said it took the […]

The FAA and EASA have certified the first lithium ion battery for engine start and main ship use in light aircraft. Mid-Continent Instrument announced at HAI Heli-Expo Tuesday that the TrueBlue TB17, a 17 amp hour battery designed for piston and light turbine aircraft, is now available for OEMs to incorporate into new aircraft. The […]

The bright spot in the bleak aviation market of the past five years has been helicopters and there’s no sign of their continued strong performance abating. In its annual five-year forecast for the industry announced at the opening of the Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo convention in Anaheim, Calif., Honeywell said that while the market will […]

More than 17,000 people are expected to attend the Abu Dhabi Air Expo in the United Arab Emirates through Thursday. The show began Tuesday and is in its third year. A total of 170 exhibitors are at the event, which bills itself as the largest display of general aviation aircraft in the Middle East. “The […]

Bell Helicopter unveiled a new short light single class helicopter, the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X, at the Heli-Expo in Anaheim, Calif., on Tuesday. The five-seat turbine helicopter is designed to be safe, easy to fly, and affordable, according to Bell. “It’s an exciting time to be at Bell Helicopter, working side-by-side with our customers […]

Analysts keep finding good news about the business jet market and the latest is UBS’s David Strauss, who says there’s a sustained uptick in business jet activity in the U.S. The Wichita Eagle says Strauss figures the use of newer business jets is almost back to “pre-crisis levels” and that use of older airplanes is […]

Heli-Expo is under way this week in Anaheim, Calif., and safety is a major theme. The FAA just last week released its final rule on helicopter safety, which requires helicopter operators, including air ambulances, to have stricter flight rules and procedures, more on-board safety equipment, and improved communications and training. The NTSB this week issued […]

Under a proposed new budget for the U.S. Department of Defense announced on Monday, the Air Force would shut down its fleet of A-10 “Warthog” close air support aircraft and also would retire the U-2 spy plane. Funding would be continued to develop the new Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a new aerial refueling […]