News

NASA is crystal balling about the future shape and performance of airplanes and has awarded more than $16.5 million in research grants to four organizations with specific goals to make flight leaner, greener and more lightning-resistant. Of course, $16.5 million won’t result in any flyable developments but NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate in Washington says […]

Emivest Aerospace Corp., formerly Sino Swearingen, won approval from a bankruptcy court Thursday to sell its assets to MT LLC at a deep discount, leaving the future of the struggling SJ30 business jet program temporarily in question. MT’s total cost appears to be $5.2 million, made up of a $3.5 million purchase price and $1.7 […]

Investigators have found anomalies with a fuel servo on Kyle and Amanda Franklin’s Waco UPF-7 biplane as they probe the March 12 crash landing and fire. The 1940 biplane was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985. That engine was supplied by Tulsa Aircraft Engines, which is one of the few outfits that specialize in […]

It appeared at first that an onboard fire had led to the emergency landing at New Orleans, on April 4, of United Airlines’ Flight 497, an Airbus A-320, but investigators announced Thursday they had no evidence to support that. According to the NTSB, shortly after takeoff an automated system warned the crew of smoke in […]

The NTSB has released its preliminary report on the crash last week at Roswell International Air Center Airport, N.M., of a Gulfstream GVI (G650) that killed all four aboard, and Gulfstream has suspended flight activities of its four remaining GVI jets. The NTSB says the jet was performing a takeoff with simulated engine failure and […]

The FAA says it’s moving forward to fire a controller caught sleeping on the job at Knoxville’s McGhee Tyson Airport in February. According to the Washington Post, the incident was revealed on Wednesday when FAA administrator Randy Babbitt was testifying before a House transportation subcommittee. Babbitt told the committee he learned of it shortly after […]

The 24-year-old pilot who landed a Piper Warrior with two passengers onboard on Rockaway Beach in Queens, N.Y., Monday reportedly told police he got the idea from Discovery Channel’s reality TV series Flying Wild Alaska. The show depicts the flying exploits of commercial pilots in Alaska where beach landings are relatively more common than they […]

Frederick Airport in Maryland, home airport of AOPA, earned another distinction during Women of Aviation World Week in March. A total of 22 pilots gave free introductory flights to 185 girls and women to claim the title of Most Female Pilot Friendly Airport in the World. “This accomplishment set a new world record for most […]

According to a press release, Wednesday, Seawind LLC says it has 50 orders for its Seawind amphibian on the books, the design is frozen following successful flight tests and funding is needed to start assembling pre-production aircraft. Seawind says the design went to Ottawa a full year ago to begin flight tests and completed flutter […]

The FAA Wednesday announced it will review its approach to aging aircraft and metal fatigue, after a five-foot gash tore open in the top of a 15-year-old Southwest Airline 737-300, Friday. The agency issued a rule last November that was meant to prevent “widespread fatigue damage.” That rule gave manufacturers five years to set inspection […]