Business & Military

The U.S. Senate today passed a bill that includes changes for how third-class medicals would be implemented, marking the third time in the last six months that such legislation has been passed by the Senate. “It’s clear that third-class medical reform has strong bipartisan support,” AOPA President Mark Baker said in a statement today. “The […]

Airbus will become the first foreign company to assemble helicopters in China, under a new deal to deliver 100 H135 aircraft. The deal is worth about $788 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. “With the further opening up of the Chinese skies and the increasing growth in the civil and parapublic segments, China is […]

The state of Ohio has come up with $1 million to preserve what some consider to be the crucible of aviation manufacturing. The former Wright Aircraft factory in Dayton will be preserved and perhaps rekindle aerospace industry in Dayton. “It’s here that started it all,” Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger said. “No other state in […]

Powered by a Rotax 914 turbocharged engine, the Stemme S10VT and the in-development S12 represent the latest in touring motorglider technology. With a 50:1 glide ratio, 18,000-foot service ceiling and day and night VFR capability, the aircraft can be used for competition and long-distance travel. Aviation Consumer magazine editor Larry Anglisano took a closer look […]

A Russian-made airliner designed to compete with the top makers of mid-range passenger jets rolled out this week in Irkutsk. The MC-21 will make a first flight in 2017 and start service the following year with Russia’s largest airline, Aeroflot, according to a Seattle Times report. The manufacturer is Irkut, part of a state-supported conglomerate […]

Airbus introduced the first 3D printed airplane at the recent International Aerospace Exhibition in Germany, demonstrating what the company calls the future of aerospace manufacturing. The 13-foot-long unmanned airplane, somewhat resembling a full-scale Airbus jet but with propellers, is named Thor, short for “Test of Hi-tech Objectives in Reality,” according to a report from phys.org. […]

AVweb‘s search of aviation news worldwide found announcements from the Farnborough International Airshow, the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, Nextant Aerospace/Constant Aviation and AOPA. Nearly 45 years since his flight to the Moon, and more than half a century since graduating from the U.K.’s esteemed Empire Test Pilot School, the Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot, Al Worden, […]

Flying cars are a staple for futuristic magazine covers—mostly Popular Mechanics—because even though the idea is unlikely to ever work, writing about lost causes just has an irresistible entertainment value. Now, as the exciting world of electric airplanes emerges, we have a new opportunity: just change the definition of flying cars. That’s what seems to […]

The first Ovation Ultra completed its first flight on Saturday, Mooney announced this week. Chief test pilot Mike Miles flew for about an hour after launching from Kerrville, Texas. The four-seat retractable-gear airplane is a fully FAA-conforming aircraft and will be the first FAA-certified copy of the design, the company said. Miles said performance and […]

EHang, a Chinese company developing a passenger-carrying drone, plans to conduct flight tests in Nevada in hopes of certifying its 184 Autonomous Aerial Vehicle. EHang, which has set up branch offices in Asia, Europe and the U.S., won the attention of Nevada officials in January with its test drone at the Consumer Electronics Show in […]