News

The NTSB issued five safety alerts on Tuesday that aim to highlight the five most frequent errors that cause general aviation accidents. “We see the same types of accidents over and over again,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman. “What’s especially tragic is that so many of these accidents are entirely preventable.” The alerts remind pilots […]

Cirrus executives got what they wanted from the city of Grand Forks. N.D., this week — not only the $950,000 loan they had requested, but also an apology. Last week, city official Doug Christensen raised questions about Cirrus’s ability to repay the loan, and William King, vice president for business administration at Cirrus, tried to […]

Beechcraft and Embraer are engaged in a public relations battle over the Air Force’s choice of Embraer’s Super Tucano for a $427 million contract to provide a light air support (LAS) platform. The Air Force made its selection on Feb. 27 and within a week Beechcraft announced it would formally protest the award, suggesting there […]

The Sam LS, a new kit airplane with a retro look, flew for the first time on February 26, near Montreal, Canada, the company announced last week. “Liftoff was perfect, in about 300 feet,” said Thierry Zibi, president of Sam Aircraft. The all-metal airplane features tandem seating and a narrow fuselage with a choice of […]

As AOPA President Craig Fuller announces his departure, a survey of AVweb readers reveals that about half — 53 percent — think AOPA has done a good to exceptional job of promoting and protecting general aviation. But almost one in five — 17 percent — say just the opposite; AOPA has done a poor to […]

Sun ‘n Fun will hire air traffic controllers on its own if necessary to staff the annual airshow and fly-in next month. President Lites Leenhouts told the Lakeland Ledger paying controllers would reduce the amount of money the organization can give to aviation scholarships but it will do what it must to ensure a safe […]

Popular aviation charts vendor Air Chart Systems has sent a notice to its subscribers that it’s ceasing publication of the spiral-bound paper atlases that were its signature product for more than 50 years. In a note attached to the March 7 electronic update of en route charts and approach plates, the company suggests it’s out […]

A North Carolina judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the family of a 16-year-old boy whose body was found in Boston after it is presumed he fell from the wheel well of a US Airways flight that was landing there. The mangled body of Delvonte Tisdale, of Charlotte, was found Nov. 15, 2010, on […]

The NTSB Friday announced it will meet next week to consider issuing Safety Alerts to the general aviation community as an effort to help curb the number of accidents and fatalities associated with the segment. Safety Alerts are outlines that offer practical remedies for specific safety issues. There are five areas of concern that will […]

A report by the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation highlights numerous shortcomings with the F-35, combat concerns raised by pilots, and the jet’s general lack of readiness for training exercises. The report was prepared last month and made public last week. It notes that “due to design, the pilot-vehicle interface causes increased workload” […]