News

The FAA needs to do a better job of overseeing safety lapses among air traffic controllers and other employees, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel said on Tuesday. The office, which investigates complaints from whistleblowers, said the FAA and the Transportation Department have repeatedly failed to take “timely corrective action” in response to such complaints. […]

Boeing says that despite a generally sluggish economy worldwide, it’s being forced to increase production of its full line of airliners as demand keeps increasing. “Except in Europe, we expect airlines to be profitable,” Randy Tinseth, Boeing’s vice president for marketing, told Dow Newswire. “When business is growing, airlines are profitable, they buy new airplanes.” […]

A $20 million class action lawsuit has been launched against Air Canada by passengers aboard a Toronto-Zurich flight that was mistakenly thrown into a dive by one of the pilots. As we reported, at least 16 people, 14 passengers and two flight attendants, were hurt when the first officer, who had just awoken from a […]

The NTSB announced this week that it will hold a two-day forum next month to examine safety issues related to general aviation. “Each year, hundreds of people are killed in general aviation crashes, and thousands more are injured,” said board chairman Deborah Hersman, in a news release. “Tragically, the circumstances leading to these accidents are […]

Europe’s biggest and most important business aviation show gets under way formally next Monday. EBACE, held annually at the PalExpo convention center, conveniently located at Geneva Airport, will run until May 16 and include attendance by a worldwide audience and exhibitors. New product announcements have begun to appear in advance of the show, which is […]

Hawker Beechcraft, fresh off a week in the news over its Chapter 11 filing, announced on Monday that its 400XPR test aircraft has flown for the first time. The light jet flew with Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engines and winglets, which are available as an upgrade for current owners of the Hawker 400 or as an […]

Two Air Force F-22 Raptor pilots have taken the unprecedented action of explaining their refusal to fly the aircraft to a national television audience. Appearing in uniform and without the permission of their superiors, Maj. Jeremy Gordon and Capt. Joshua Wilson told 60 Minutes interviewer Lesley Stahl they’ve invoked federal military whistleblower protection in their […]

Pilots the world over share common concerns about the future of general aviation, and the International Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is ensuring GA’s interests are heard when decisions are made that might affect private aviation, says the outgoing chief administrator of IAOPA. Secretary-General John Sheehan retired from the post April 30 and said his […]

A New York senator wants the federal government to pass a law that would force the killing of Canada Geese that now use a wildlife preserve near JFK Airport and sometimes get in the way of the airport’s aluminum and composite occupants. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., says her bill will end the turf wars between […]

Gordon Boettger, who was hoping to fly more than 900 miles in a downwind glider dash from Minden, Nev., to Rapid City, S.D., was forced to land about halfway to his record-setting goal. Deteriorating weather prompted him to land in Twin Falls, Idaho. Boettger was trying to ride a mountain wave, the high-altitude winds that […]