Recent Updates

A proper FAA reauthorization may have to wait (again) thanks to this week’s surprise retirement of a Supreme Court justice. All of the focus in Washington will be on the maneuvering ahead of President Donald Trump’s pick to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy and unless everything goes exactly right for the long-awaited FAA bill, it’s likely […]

The Air Force has suspended flight evaluations in its light attack aircraft experiment after the death of one of the program’s pilots in late June. Lt. Christopher Carey Short, a naval aviator, died in the crash of an A-29 Super Tucano at the Red Rio Bombing Range in the White Sands Missile Range in New […]

New research from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health suggests that flight attendants are at a higher risk than the general public for several forms cancer. To gather data, the Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study surveyed U.S.-based flight attendants and compared the results to non-flying groups of similar ages and genders. The study […]

This week, AVweb’s news roundup came across reports on a new Air Repair Station certification for Wayman Aviation, Adventure Aviation’s acquisition of an AL250 simulator, the recent release of an IFR communications manual from PilotWorkshops and additional AirVenture forum presentations by Superior Air Parts. Wayman Aviation announced last week that it has earned FAA Part […]

Boeing’s New Hypersonic Concept I’d love to see the technology advance. I’ve been following Reaction Engines in the U.K. for several years. The have a very interesting concept for using ultra-high-efficiency heat exchangers to produce oxygen from the air to use in rocket propulsion, thus reducing the need for the weight of O2 on board. […]

Transcend Air Corporation has announced that it has begun development on a six-seat vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) concept designed to carry business travelers between major cities. The Transcend Air Vy 400 will be a piloted, turbine-powered model intended for four to five passengers. The company has also said it has plans to launch a […]

Flight training providers across the country are reporting that they are having trouble getting their flight students scheduled for practical tests in a timely fashion, according to reports received by the Flight School Association of North America (FSANA). The organization says the decrease in the number of examiners in recent years and a lack of […]

Facebook announced on Wednesday that it is ending its Aquila drone program after four years of development. Aquila was a high-altitude platform station (HAPS) system designed to deliver internet in remote locations. In part, the company points to increased industry interest in drone technologies as a reason for stepping away from Aquila. “… It’s been […]

The FAA published a rule that it says “relieves burdens on pilots seeking to obtain aeronautical experience, training, and certification by increasing the allowed use of aviation training devices” on Wednesday. The rule makes changes to a number of other areas as well, including further modifications to complex aircraft requirements for commercial applicants and credit […]