News

The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) has asked for a review of FAA enforcement of rules regarding instructions for continued airworthiness (ICA) such as aircraft maintenance manuals. In a comment filed with the U.S. Small Business Administration National Ombudsman’s office, ARSA stated that it believes “the FAA strictly enforces the requirement that repair stations possess […]

Garmin announced that it has acquired Flight Plan LLC (FltPlan), an electronic flight planning, scheduling and trip support service provider that includes the FltPlan.com website and FltPlan Go mobile app. According to the company, FltPlan has more than 165,000 registered users and its services are used to create approximately 6.3 million flight plans annually, making […]

Until now, Avidyne Entegra displays—including ones in the sizable fleet of earlier Cirrus and many Piper models—couldn’t display ADS-B data, but a new software upgrade from Avidyne adds the capability (on the MFD) when interfaced with a variety of ADS-B receivers. The upgrade is to version R8.2 for EX5000 displays (the ones shown in the […]

Robert Sumwalt, chair of the NTSB, posted a blog online this week critical of the FAA’s lack of action in the wake of a 2016 balloon crashthatwas the deadliest in U.S. history. Sixteen people, including the pilot, died when the hot-air balloon hit powerlines in Lockhart, Texas, while the pilot was attempting to land in […]

Aireon Alert has promised to provide free emergency response tracking for any ADS-B-equipped aircraft, anywhere in the world—yet if a general aviation pilot goes to their website to register, they might get a different impression. “The service is only available to commercial aircraft operators, ANSPs [air navigation service providers], regulators and search and rescue organizations,” […]

Swift Fuels announced that it has suspended its work activities with the FAA’s Piston Alternative Fuels Initiative (PAFI) unleaded 100LL replacement fuels program on Wednesday. The company says that it is now focusing on testing a high-octane unleaded avgas replacement that is not part of PAFI and working privately with the FAA and OEMs to […]

Engineers from NASA and Boeing have successfully used “shape memory alloys” to fold a full-sized wing section from an F/A-18 Hornet jet, NASA has reported. The technology enabled the team to fold the wing section in the lab 90 degrees, with very precise control enabling them to select any position within that sweep. The ability […]

California-based SkyRyse announced the launch of a new emergency response service using semi-autonomous aircraft and introduced its advanced pilot assistance system (APAS) on Tuesday. According to the company, APAS automates, adapts and enhances control systems on compatible aircraft by using artificial intelligence, a camera and sensor suite, and decision-making algorithms. For the immediate future, a […]

With a measure to lift the ban on supersonic flight above the U.S. in play in the Senate, a coalition of 38 environmental and health advocacy groups issued a news release this week urging lawmakers to uphold the current restrictions. The new jet designs would burn up to “seven times more fuel per passenger” compared […]

Aireon Alert, which promises to provide free emergency response tracking for any ADS-B-equipped aircraft, anywhere in the world, is now open to accept registrations, the company has announced. The Aireon Alert satellite-based service will provide to aircraft operators and search-and-rescue the last known position of any ADS-B-equipped aircraft that is in distress or has lost […]