News

The NTSB this week released preliminary aviation accident statistics for 2012, showing that Part 121 commercial airline operations remained fatality-free, and general aviation accidents were virtually unchanged. In the general aviation segment, the number of total accidents was 1,470 in 2011 and 1,471 in 2012. Fatalities decreased slightly, from 448 to 432, and the accident […]

The 787 that was damaged in a fireat Heathrowrecently can be repaired, but the exact procedure for fixing the damage is unclear and may prove costly, according to The Seattle Times. Although the fire blackened and damaged the composite structure, it didn’t burn all the way through the skin, the Times said, but the skin […]

Pilatus has chosen a Chinese company, Beijing Tian Xing Jian Yu Science Co., as a partner for expanding into the Chinese market, the company said on Wednesday. “We believe that a partnership with a local sales partner is the key to success [in China],” said Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. “Assisted by our […]

Tucked in the GAMA numbers for the second quarter of 2013 was the revelation that Gulfstream has overtaken Bombardier as the world leader in business jet sales revenue. The first deliveries of Gulfstream’s flagship G650, which sells for about $65 million, vaulted the Savannah planemaker into the lead with sales of $1.83 billion from April […]

In an update issued Tuesday afternoon, the NTSB said the captain of a Southwest Airlines 737 that landed nosewheel-first at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on July 22 had taken over control from the first officer “at a point below 400 feet” as the jet approached for landing. It was the first time the two pilots […]

At the traditional wrap-up news conference at Oshkosh on Sunday afternoon, EAA Chairman Jack Pelton said this year’s show succeeded in meeting its main objectives. The number-one objective, he said, was to have a safe AirVenture, and that was accomplished. The second major success was to have an airshow at all, given the challenges posed […]

Sales of piston airplanes rose 16 percent in the first half of this year, compared to the same period last year, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association reported on Monday, with 455 airplanes delivered. Twin turboprops, however, led the field, with a jump from 34 deliveries last year to 58, a growth rate of 71 percent. […]

Berringer, which produces wheels and brakes, including an anti-lock system for Cirrus aircraft, is currently acquiring worldwide patents for a new tailwheel that the company believes could greatly reduce the possibility of ground-loops in taildragger aircraft. The system is built as a drop-in replacement for Scott tailwheels, which it matches in weight and attachment configuration. […]

How long does it take to build your own experimental airplane? A Zenith CH 750 normally takes about 500 hours, but next year the company plans to build one in just 160 hours — seven days — with help from EAA AirVenture visitors along Celebration Way, at the center of the show. “You’ve heard of […]

Whats ahead for tablet apps? For the short term, look for yet more features, improved operational interfaces and more capability, especially with regard to getting weather. Longer term, however, the big thing will be connectivity with all sorts of devices in the cockpit, including certified panel-mount boxes. That was one conclusion of a wide-ranging discussion […]