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To find its first chief executive, Virgin Galactic went straight to that other space agency — the one known as NASA — to find George Whitesides, who was working there as chief of staff. Will Whitehorn, Virgin Galactic’s longtime president, said Whitesides will guide the company as it transitions from a work-in-progress to a fully […]

The Woopy-Fly, a sort of paraglider/trike/ultralight hybrid shown on the world stage at Aero Friedrichshafen this April, 2010, in Germany, has a wing that folds for storage like a paraglider — because it’s inflatable. An evolution of the Woopy Jump, an inflatable wing used by Woopy enthusiasts to give them a more convenient hang gliding-type […]

All three people aboard a Mexican-registered Piper PA-46 Mirage loaded with relief supplies for Haiti survived when the aircraft clipped a house in Clearwater, Fla., broke into two pieces and caught fire Sunday morning. Six people in the house weren’t hurt. Police say pilot Ernesto Gonzales, 48, and passengers Charles Uslander, 54, and Daisy Schneider, […]

Canadian officials say an alleged bomb threat aboard a Cathay Pacific A340 flying from Hong Kong to Vancouver was a hoax. Two Canadian Forces CF-18 fighters, under the control of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), escorted the plane to a safe landing at Vancouver International Airport Saturday afternoon. The aircraft was towed to […]

After a brief reprieve, Canada’s Transport Minister, John Baird, is reportedly ready to sign a regulation that will require most aircraft operating in Canadian airspace to have 406 MHz ELTs. The rule will apply to foreign-registered aircraft, and those not equipped will not be allowed to enter Canadian airspace. Canadian Owners and Pilots Association President […]

Two Swiss pilots landed in Gulfport, Miss., Saturday to wait out weather as they continue their westward circumnavigation in LSAs. There were no updates on their progress Sunday. Yannick Bovier and Francisco Agullo left Switzerland April 30 to show the capabilities of light sport aircraft and promote “ecological and economical general aviation.” They landed their […]

The Globe And Mail published Friday that Dornier will on Monday announce that its 10-seat twin-inline-turboprop SeaStar will be built in Quebec. Dornier’s official announcement is not expected until 1:00 p.m. Monday at the company’s new factory in Saint Jean sur Richilieu, about 20 miles south of Montreal. The company has reportedly been considering either […]

Five years after the A380’s first test flight, Airbus is 2 1/2 years behind on deliveries of the double-decker superjumbo, and an estimated 200 orders short of turning a profit on the design. Until the break-even point, supporting the program will be a drag on Airbus as a whole. Airbus delivered just 10 of the […]

The lawyer acting for National Association of Flight Instructors Executive Director Jason Blair says all criminal charges have been dropped against his client. As AVweb reported, Blair was arrested April 2 on embezzlement charges relating to his time as manager of Harris City/Barry County Airport in Michigan. Blair declined comment on the charges at the […]

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has announced the newly formed Future of Aviation Advisory Committee that may help form changes in the country’s aviation policies. The committee, which was put together in March, will have its first public meeting on May 25, in Washington. It is made up of representatives from the airlines, airports, general […]