Recent Updates

We’ve talked in general terms about how to mount the electric motor from the Zero motorcycle into the eXenos and covered the electrical connections and wiring in detail. But what about all the fiddly bits? As anyone who has ever built an airplane knows, the devil is always in the details. So let’s look at a few […]

Alef Aeronautics caused some excitement in the flying car media this weekend with the announcement that it had received special airworthiness certification for the prototype of its unusual design. While some outlets had the skies imminently crowded with the traffic-hopping creation, it turns out the FAA certification has some pretty tight restrictions, including flying it […]

Virgin Galactic conducted its first suborbital commercial spaceflight from New Mexico’s Spaceport America on Thursday. The flight took off at 8:30 a.m. local time and touched down at 9:42 a.m. carrying three crew members and three paying passengers from the Italian air force and the National Research Council of Italy along with 13 research payloads. […]

The FAA has issued a special airworthiness certificate to the company after the first production prototype Joby eVTOL came off its Marina, California, production line. The company announced both milestones at an event this week at the factory. The FAA nod sets the stage for certification of the multicopter for a potential certification and entry […]

Electric aircraft developer Lilium announced on Monday that it has received the G-1 Certification Basis from the FAA for its Lilium Jet all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) design. The Germany-based company was issued a CRI-A01 certification basis for the model by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in 2020. According to Lilium, it […]

The FAA is proposing new rules to establish requirements for pilot certification and operation of powered-lift aircraft. Under the proposed regulations, pilots would be required to hold a type rating for each powered-lift model they fly. The rule (PDF) also includes provisions aimed at forming an initial cadre of powered-lift instructors by allowing pilots employed […]

“Some wounds never heal, and for me it was the Honda Mini Trail I couldn’t have,” says seven-time Reno Sport class champion Jeff LaVelle. “It was $280 back then and it might as well have been $280 million.” And so began Jeff’s obsession with speed and freedom and winning and, eventually, airplanes. He couldn’t swing […]

Reuters is reporting that FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen will join eVTOL startup Archer Aviation in the next few weeks. Nolen, who’s been the interim leader of the agency for more than a year after Steve Dickson quit in March of 2022, announced his departure last month. Reuters cited unnamed sources and neither Archer nor […]

Construction is underway for a new facility to be operated by Boeing Defense, Space & Security’s proprietary research, development and prototyping division Phantom Works. Designed to house post-assembly phases of future military aircraft production, the 47,500-square-foot Advanced Coatings Center is scheduled to be operational in 2025. The site is located in St. Louis, Missouri. “As […]

Airplane owners are caretakers, according to the more philosophical among us. Each man leaves his mark on the plane passing through his care before he and machine separate to others, and ultimately, their destinies. Anyone doubting this might consider our present exhibition, an intriguing white Pitts Special most recently named Smokin’ Hot and once again […]