Ownership

The FAA has officially signed off on Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW812D engine, joining Transport Canada and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The engine was designed to power the new Dassault Falcon 6X business jet, which is expected to enter service in mid-2023. Pratt & Whitney reports that the PW812D has currently undergone […]

The backup rechargeable batteries used in current-gen EFIS models have gotten better over the years. But they still require routine inspections, might have mandatory replacement intervals and are intolerant of extreme storage conditions. Don’t underestimate the costs associated with replacing them, either. Fortunately there are some things you and your mechanics can do to ensure […]

Rolls-Royce announced on Monday that it has successfully run a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine on hydrogen. The ground test was conducted in partnership with U.K.-based budget airline easyJet at military aircraft testing site MoD Boscombe Down in Amesbury, England. According to the companies, additional testing is in the works with the long-term […]

The problem with an airplane like that is you can’t really use it for travel,” said a pilot looking out the FBO window at a Cherokee 140 sitting on the ramp. That pilot was saying that an entry-level airplane—think two or four seats, fixed gear and no more than 160 hp—can’t go places. Show me […]

A typical pilot is concerned with aircraft maintenance only to a limited degree. He or she often lacks any ability to perform or approve maintenance at the same time they’re responsible for pre-flight inspections and ensuring the paperwork demonstrates airworthiness. And although the FARs make the owner/operator responsible for ensuring inspections and maintenance have been […]

United Airlines is launching an in-house apprenticeship program designed to help grow its pipeline of aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs). Called Calibrate, the 36-month program is a “joint effort between United, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and the Federal Aviation Administration.” According to United, Calibrate was designed as a full-time, paid apprenticeship offering both on-the-job […]

Want to start a fight at a gathering of pilots? Just innocently ask, “Hey, what’s the best backcountry airplane?” Go hide. Then come back in 10 minutes and watch the chairs flying.  Backcountry flying and the airplanes designed for it have powerful allure that, combined with the adrenaline factor of STOL operations, often causes any […]

Among the many effects of the supply chain problems in the summer of 2022, aviation discovered that it was having a difficult time functioning without a simple commodity—the oil filter. Lycoming and Continental engines everywhere needed spin-on, disposable oil filters to keep flying, and the supply was extremely limited. KITPLANES research found that Champion had […]

GE Honda Aero Engines (GHAE) has completed ground testing of its HF120 engine using 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the company announced at the 2022 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition. The test, which compared engine performance using 100 percent SAF to performance with Jet A/A1, took place at GE’s Peebles Test Operations facility […]

Blackhawk Aerospace has completed baseline flight testing for its new Pilatus PC-12 engine upgrade program, the company announced at the 2022 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE). The XP67P Engine+ Upgrade program will replace the PC-12’s stock Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B engine with a factory-new PT6A-67P, which offers higher internal turbine temperature (ITT) […]