Aircraft Upgrades

A team of scientists at the University of Illinois has developed materials that can immediately respond to damage and self-repair large cracks and holes. “We have demonstrated repair of a nonliving, synthetic materials system in a way that is reminiscent of repair-by-regrowth as seen in some living systems,” said chemist Jeffrey Moore. The technology comprises […]

At its Gunskirchen, Austria, factory, Rotax celebrated both 25 years of producing the 912 series engine and the 50,000th engine in the series. AVweb was there and prepared this video report with the company’s Francois Tremblay. Learn more here. view on YouTube

At its Gunskirchen, Austria factory, Rotax on Thursday rolled out its 50,000th 912-series aircraft engine and celebrated the 25th anniversary of the engine family with a fly-in at the nearby Wels airport. Manufacturers from around Europe flew in Rotax-powered aircraft for sales demos. The company combined the event with an annual homecoming of Can-Am Spyder […]

A California company says it’s the first to fly a passenger in a solar-powered airplane. Solar Flight, of Ramona, Calif., launched its Sunseeker Duo from Milan, Italy, with both of the company’s founders, Irena and Eric Raymond, in the spacious side-by-side cabin.”Sunseeker Duois now officially the first solar powered airplane to carry two people,” the […]

That’s not a Beech, and it didn’t just roll off the line. It’s Joe Shepherd’s immaculately restored Lockheed 12A Electra Junior. We got story on this aircraft (and a good look at it) at Sun ‘n Fun 2014. Learn more here. view on YouTube

Thank goodness there are passionate and determined owners of vintage aircraft in this world. Due to people such as Joe Shepherd, the lives of we who are crazy about flying machines have been vastly enriched because we get to see the results of their passion fly rather than gather dust. Shepherd owns, and regularly operates, […]

The Lear 60 is a fast, affordable business jet. But like most airplanes, it could do well with additional baggage space. Raisbeck Engineering, a well-known STC house, has developed just such a product. AVweb takes a look at it in this brief product video. view on YouTube

Calling it a “new paradigm in aviation propulsion,” test pilot Dick Rutan completed the first flight of the quiet new Graflight V-8 diesel engine from the Mojave airport, on May 2. The engine was installed in a modified Cirrus SR22. The test flight took about 20 minutes, staying at altitudes 5,000 feet and less. The […]

Corporate buyouts, mergers and acquisitions are frequent features on the global business landscape. When one is announced, the press releases babble on about how market synergies and leveraged branding will soon make the customer experience a veritable orgasmic cornucopia of products and services and competitive prices. The reality is that when big companies buy little […]

I hear it consistently, Yeah, Ill do the ADS-B bit later, once there are more boxes to chose from and the price comes down, Ive got lots of time. Maybe not. While the sky is not falling, pilots are notorious for procrastinating when it comes to compliance with regs-ask any AME whether the demand for […]