News

The FAA is already looking into concerns about all versions of the Zodiac CH-601XL aircraft, which were raised at an industry meeting back in February, FAA spokeswoman Laura J. Brown told AVweb on Tuesday, but she added that the agency has no immediate plans to call for the airplanes to be grounded. “The manufacturer already […]

In an unusual move on Tuesday, the NTSB issued an “urgent safety recommendation” asking the FAA to prohibit further flight of the Zodiac CH-601XL, which has been involved in six in-flight structural breakups since 2006. The board cited four accidents in the U.S. and two in Europe in which a CH-601XL broke up in flight, […]

The folks who launched the first tour-by-zeppelin business in the U.S. couldn’t have had much worse luck with timing — Airship Ventures launched last October, after two years of planning, just in time for the depths of economic doldrums. With seats selling for $500 each for an hour flight, business has been slow. Toss in […]

NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker told the Wichita Aero Club this week that private aviation has unfairly become a “political punching bag” and he believes the industry will rebound quickly and decisively from the current hard times. “The world’s economy depends upon a robust air transportation system and general aviation and airline travel is absolutely […]

It may be time for many bizjet sales people to cash in those frequent flyer points, at least according to one analyst. The Gerson Lehrman Group says growth in business aircraft sales will come mostly from the U.S. as companies recover from the current recession and get back to business as usual. The overseas market […]

Click for video of Avidyne’s Release 9 from AOPA Expo 2008 For aircraft owners looking to upgrade to the latest new panel, or shoppers ready to buy a new airplane, the big shows like Sun ‘n Fun and AirVenture provide great opportunities to check out all the options. But now, buyers who can’t be at […]

The FAA is already looking into concerns about all versions of the Zodiac aircraft, which were raised at an industry meeting back in February, FAA spokeswoman Laura J. Brown told AVweb on Tuesday, but she added that the agency has no immediate plans to call for the airplanes to be grounded. “The manufacturer already has […]

In an unusual move on Tuesday, the NTSB issued an “urgent safety recommendation” asking the FAA to prohibit further flight of the Zodiac CH-601XL, a light sport aircraft that has been involved in six in-flight structural breakups since 2006. The airplane is designed by Zenair. The board cited four accidents in the U.S. and two […]

Every private pilot thinks about it but for Doug White, a passenger on a King Air last Sunday, the fantasy/nightmare came true. The self-described low-time single pilot stepped into the cockpit of the big turboprop twin when the pilot collapsed, and a short time later, died at the controls. “It’s just me and the Good […]

photos by Chris Hibben Arguably one of the most iconic pieces of aviation-related architecture anywhere came tumbling down recently. The old tower at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis., for a week each year the “World’s Busiest Tower” was pulverized late last week by Miron Contracting, the company that built the new tower. According to […]