News

The ultralight aircraft-led annual pilgrimage of whooping cranes from Wisconsin to Florida has voluntarily suspended operations after a pilot raised concerns that the flights may run afoul of federal regulations. The problem is that ultralight pilots are not allowed to be compensated for their work and Operation Migration pilots, who fly ultralights, are compensated for […]

The Reno Air Racing Association announced Wednesday that it is enlisting safety experts and will formulate new procedures to guide an event this Sept. 12-16 that is yet to be called an air race. The group is still waiting for various approvals and permits from the FAA and Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority following the fatal crash […]

The U.S. Air Force is down to two designs for its next drone project — one from a military contractor, and one from a class of seniors at the Air Force Academy, the Air Force Times reported this week. The 2008 design by the cadets is still in the running because it’s so simple and […]

Six retired military airplanes have been transformed into “monumental works of art” for the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Ariz., the museum announced this week. The “Round Trip” exhibit, set to open on Jan. 28, will feature former Air Force aircraft that had been stored for years in desert “boneyards.” Aircraft used as […]

Boeing will close its facility in Wichita, Kans., by the end of next year, the company said on Wednesday, putting 2,160 employees out of work. “The decision to close our Wichita facility was difficult,” said Mark Bass, a Boeing spokesman. “We recognize how this will affect the lives of the highly skilled men and women […]

The National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) and Avemco have teamed up for an insurance program that targets the specific needs of instructors. The program will offer CFIs greater flexibility in designing a policy that meets their specific needs in terms of limits and even specific aircraft coverage. “We have been working hard over the […]

Boeing has confirmed it has called a mandatory meeting for employees of its Wichita operations for Wednesday amid concerns the company will close its plants there. The Wichita Eagle is reporting the 2,000 employees were told Tuesday they must attend the Wednesday meeting, which begins at 10:30 a.m. local time. Those working out of town […]

A report from Florida suggests Hawker Beechcraft was out-politicked in its failed bid for a $1 billion contract to supply the Air Force with light attack aircraft. Sunshineslate.com says an aggressive effort by Florida Gov. Rick Scott along with other state, federal and municipal leaders resulted in the selection of Embraer’s Super Tucano over Hawker […]

As broadband provider LightSquared continues to push for the right to use a communications spectrum that could interfere with GPS units, Sprint this week agreed to extend its Dec. 31 deadline for a $9 billion deal with the company another 30 days, according to Reuters. The agreement between the two companies to share network infrastructure […]

Eclipse Aerospace is taking its jet on the road for the month of January, and offering demo flights at $750 each, the company said this week. The demo includes about an hour of ground school with an overview of the twin-engine jet’s systems and avionics, plus about 40 to 50 minutes of flight time. Potential […]