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An interesting development in U.S. aviation became a practical exercise on Monday as Branson Airport welcomed its first commercial flight. Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines became the first customer of the first entirely privately funded commercial airport in the U.S. The 737 offloaded a planeload of Minnesotans intent on sampling the entertainment and bright lights of […]

According to his attorney, Henry Gros, 56, complained via phone to the Navy and city authorities and wrote one senator without effect, until one year ago he shined a spotlight at naval aircraft flying nighttime simulated carrier approaches to Jacksonville Naval Air Station. Gros says the idea was to collect identification markings off the aircraft […]

The White House official who authorized the photo shoot of one of the presidential Boeing 747s over New York last month — and then didn’t tell President Barack Obama or other top officials about it — has resigned. Louis Caldera, the director of the White House Military Office, said in his resignation letter that the […]

Created “to fund initiatives that ensure a healthy future for the general aviation community,” Sporty’s Foundation Friday released its annual report showing total bequests of $151,355 in 2008. Original funding for the foundation came from Sporty’s Pilot Shop and its affiliate businesses but was bolstered by the foundation’s online auction of a Cessna Citation Mustang […]

The letter released last week by 70 mayors and county executives sent to President Barack Obama began, “Recent negative press which has mischaracterized general aviation has created a poisonous climate for the aviation sector of our economy,” but for some the message may prove too little and too late. Intended to show the importance of […]

The NTSB has determined in the case of two EMS helicopters that collided near Flagstaff Medical Center last June, killing all seven persons aboard, that had the pilots “been more attentive and aware” and communications more thorough the accident could have been prevented. According to the NTSB, the actions of both pilots contributed to the […]

The Obama administration has taken a look and after production of 187 aircraft, “the administration proposes to terminate the F-22 Raptor program,” and close the Raptor production line. The quote comes straight from the Terminations, Reductions, and Savings report offered up by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Raptor program costs the United […]

The FAA is examining some Colgan Air crew members to determine if they exceeded flight-time limitations, but according to Colgan that examination is not in any way related to the NTSB investigation of Colgan Air Flight 3407 that crashed Feb. 12, in Buffalo, N.Y, killing all 49 on board and one person on the ground. […]

In 2008, hackers temporarily gained the power to shut down FAA servers, according to an audit performed by the Department of Transportation. The report states that the United States air traffic control system is highly vulnerable to cyber attack in large part due to Web applications (those accessed via Internet browser) run by aviation authorities […]

There may be about $3.6 trillion in the Obama administration’s proposed budget, but that may not include funding for LORAN-C because “it is obsolete technology,” according to a report released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) titled Terminations, Reductions, and Savings. Cutting LORAN-C would save $36 million in 2010 and $190 million that […]