News

About 20 aircraft were underwater and an aircraft parts warehouse was flattened by a landslide as privately owned Cornelia Fort Airpark, Nashville, Tenn., succumbed last Monday to the highest water it’s seen since it opened in the 1940s. All but one aircraft were still mostly submerged through last Tuesday afternoon, even though the floodwater had […]

After an unsuccessful search of a 770-square-mile area refined by ocean current and water data, French investigators said this week they will extend the hunt for submerged wreckage of Air France Flight 447. Only one of two ships sent to search the area will continue looking for the Airbus A330 that crashed last June while […]

Bell Helicopter and Northrop Grumman Corp. announced this week that they will work together to develop the Fire-X pilotless helicopter to demonstrate a new medium-range unmanned aerial system for the military. The aircraft will be based on the single-engine four-blade Bell 407 helicopter, adding more capability, payload and endurance to the systems employed in Northrop’s […]

The Atlantic City (N.J.) International Airport is the first in the national airspace system to deliver digital Notams, the FAA said this week. The notices have long been posted in a difficult-to-read shorthand designed for delivery over teletype machines. The digital versions will be easier to read, more accurate, and will be disseminated quicker, according […]

The Gulfstream G650 flew at its proposed Mmo (maximum operating limit speed) of Mach 0.925 (about 704 mph) for the first time on Sunday, the company announced this week at EBACE (the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition). Gulfstream aims to steal the “fastest civil airplane” ranking away from Cessna, which has claimed it for […]

In its final look at last year’s ditching on the Hudson by US Airways Flight 1549, the NTSB concluded on Tuesday it was not only the skill of the crew but a slew of factors that contributed to the positive outcome. Passengers were lucky that the visibility was good and winds were calm; the Airbus […]

The order count tradition at shows like EBACE is still with us in the downturn but the numbers are a little more modest. Still, aircraft are moving and the Middle East appears to offer the most in the way of opportunities. Dassault announced the delivery of the first of four Falcon 7X three-engine jets to […]

While much of the business aviation market continues to suffer, the super luxury segment is all but impervious to economic woes and public relations problems and Fly Comlux is investing heavily to solidify its place in that market. The company announced at EBACE that it’s adding six big aircraft to its fleet including a 767ER […]

The European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) opened Tuesday in Geneva and manufacturers are trying to sound optimistic and realistic at the same time as they face the inevitable questions about their market. In a speech at EBACE, Cessna CEO Jack Pelton said the European market is showing signs of improvement and he’s hoping […]

For those who like the idea of a camper but require plenty of comfort, the BAE Avro Business Jet Explorer concept unveiled this week would seem to fit the bill. The luxury interior provides up to four sleeping cabins plus living space to provide both transport and accommodation in remote locations. While on the ground, […]