Ownership

Bell Textron has announced that it plans to begin using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in all of its Bell Training Academy (BTA) and customer demonstration aircraft starting on March 25. According to the company, the move to SAF is intended to “support the aviation industry in its objective to achieve carbon neutral growth and reduce […]

Airbus and Rolls-Royce have launched a project to study how using 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) affects aircraft emissions and performance. The study, which is being conducted in partnership with German research center DLR and SAF producer Neste, will use an Airbus A350-900 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. It will include both […]

Rolls-Royce announced on Monday that it has conducted its first tests using 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in a business jet engine. For the tests, the company used its Pearl 700 engine, which was developed for the Gulfstream G700. Testing took place at Rolls-Royce’s facility in in Dahlewitz, Germany. “This test demonstrates once again […]

The raw performance numbers of a Meyers 200 might resemble what you’d expect from the most modern single-engine piston speedster, even though the airplane is a product of the 1950s, and went out of production in the 1960s. But don’t turn a nose to these old gals because of their age. We’re talking cruise speeds […]

A new report published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Transportation Research Board says multiple mitigation strategies are necessary to reduce lead emissions from piston aircraft. The study, “Options for Reducing Lead Emissions from Piston-Engine Aircraft,” was conducted by a ten-person committee in response to a congressional request laid out in the […]

The 50,000th PT6 turboprop engine has rolled off of the Pratt & Whitney production line, according to an announcement from the company during NBAA’s Virtual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (VBACE) on Wednesday. Pratt & Whitney reports that there are more than 25,000 PT6-family engines in operation at present with over 410 million flight hours […]

ICON Aircraft has announced that it is now offering the Garmin G3X Touch flight display as an option for its A5 amphibious light sport aircraft (LSA). The new avionics package, which will include an optional two-axis autopilot, is expected to be available beginning early next year for limited edition model year 2021 A5s. The G3X […]

When the light sport aircraft idea first broke ground 20 years ago, the idea was a new class of airplanes bridging between so-called “fat ultralights” and standard-category airplanes whose inflated prices made them unaffordable save for the wealthy few. Two decades later, has the experiment paid off? Yes, but with some qualifications. Light sport airplanes […]

Hill Helicopters has introduced a new turbine engine design intended for use with its HX50 helicopter, which is also under development. According to the company, the GT50 engine will feature Hill’s FADEC system, a direct-drive starter-generator, redundant electrical engine ancillaries and a modular design. Weighing in at 200 pounds, it is expected to provide a […]

The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) focusing on potential airworthiness implications of increased aircraft interior disinfection due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The bulletin emphasized that owners and operators should be aware of the potential negative impacts of disinfectants and make sure aircraft manufacturers’ disinfection guidelines are followed. While the SAIB […]