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Former Sen. Ted Stevens and four others, including pilot Terry Smith, died of blunt force trauma and wouldn’t have survived no matter how speedy the response to the crash of their Otter floatplane near Dillingham, Alaska, earlier this week. Autopsies were performed in Anchorage and the results were consistent with the type of accident. Photos […]

Returning from a banner towing flight out of Albert Whitted Airport, a 25-year-old pilot was faced with few good options when he suffered engine trouble Thursday near St Petersburg, Fla., landed on a relatively busy road near a mall, and walked away unscathed. Choosing a tree- and light-pole-lined road, the pilot dropped his banner, landed, […]

Ian Andrews has reportedly spent a small fortune ($200,000) in court and was there again Wednesday seeking to fully reinstate his New Zealand pilot certificate even though he’s legally flying unrestricted in New Zealand with his U.S. certificate. Andrews is currently 66 years of age, instrument rated, and began flying in 1986. He suffered a […]

EAA’s estimate of 535,000 in attendance for this year’s AirVenture Oshkosh seems to set a new low since 1998’s high of 855,000 (when the Concorde graced the grounds of Oshkosh for the fifth and final time), but there may be some simple reasons for that. “We’ve changed the way we count attendees,” EAA communications director […]

Following “several recent accidents” Cirrus Aircraft and the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) have issued a safety alert (PDF) that makes a training request of all Cirrus pilots. The alert urges Cirrus owners, regardless of their flight experience, to conduct a currency flight with a qualified Cirrus Training Center. Cirrus has created a specific […]

The Vice President’s C-32 transport, a modified Boeing 757 dubbed Air Force Two, was involved in an incident Wednesday at Gabreski Airport, N.Y., that had an unfortunate outcome for a parked and tethered Piper Cub. As the jet taxied, its jet wash lifted the Cub a few feet into the air. That (or the subsequent […]

Jonathan Trappe is a sort of super-hero to some children and a crazy man to some adults, but we found him to be a rather enthusiastic, and certificated, lighter-than-air gas balloon pilot. Trappe is licensed to fly beneath a group of (usually more than 50) homemade helium-filled polyethylene balloons. That means his aircraft is one […]

The Midwest LSA Expo is coming up for its second year, Sept. 23 to 25, at Mount Vernon Outland Airport (MVN) in Illinois. Like the flagship LSA event in Sebring, this show aims to bring shoppers together with an assortment of airplanes in a casual setting where they can easily arrange demo flights. Those who […]

As rescuers were struggling to transport survivors of the crash that killed Sen. Ted Stevens near Dillingham, a second SAR case cost the U.S. Army one of its Black Hawk helicopters on Tuesday afternoon. The crew was attempting to remove victims stranded on the Knik Glacier since Sunday when a PA-32 with five aboard encountered […]

The same crash that took the life of former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens proved a challenging search and rescue mission for the Coast Guard and Air Force, according to new reports early Wednesday. The crash occurred Monday night in high terrain 17 miles north of Dillingham, southwest of Anchorage. The weather was reported to be […]