Recent Updates

China’s government is moving forward with plans to build a commercial-scale plant to produce hypersonic engines for both military and civilian aircraft, according to a recent report in the South China Morning Post. The scramjet engines could produce speeds up to Mach 5. The project will bring together the expertise of the Institute of Mechanics, […]

A Canadian sister company of Viking Air Limited, which builds the CL-415 Aerial Firefighter, has launched the Viking CL-415EAF, called the Enhanced Aerial Firefighter. The company will convert and modify 11 acquired CL-215 firefighters to the upgraded turbine version that provides the basis of the EAF. The company said finding qualified staff for the project […]

A decade of low interest rates on aircraft loans continues to stimulate aircraft sales, but worries about inflation are pushing rates up, says Airfleet Capital, a leading aircraft lender. While no spikes are expected short term, the market is definitely headed higher, says Airfleet’s Jim Blessing. In this podcast recorded last month at Sun ‘n […]

Mechanic Shortage Regarding legislation that creates a program and funding to help with the shortage of aviation mechanics, I submit something that is a factor in the equation. Several weeks ago in the Phoenix area there were protests demanding the minimum wage go to $15 per hour. McDonalds was targeted by supporters of pending legislation. […]

You can say a lot of things about light sport airplanes, but one of them isn’t that the sky has been darkened with 1320-pound wonders. Sales remain modest at best and a company selling 30 or 40 a year has a smash hit. Now comes new startup Vashon to reset that equation with a heretofore […]

At Sun ‘n Fun 2018, Epic Optix showed off a new low-cost HUD for light aircraft. In this follow-up coverage, AVweb learns how the new device works. It’s designed to attach to the aircraft glareshield without need for formal approvals. view on YouTube

American Airlines won’t be renewing its contracts with regional carriers ExpressJet and Trans State when they expire in 2019, according to Bloomberg News. The report cites a memo to reservations agents that goes on to state the move is being made to streamline passenger experience and that ExpressJet and Trans State flights will be shifted […]

One Aviation is on the brink of eviction from its facilities at Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ),according to AIN. The company allegedly owes the City of Albuquerque more than $895,000 in back rent.This development is the latest in a series of struggles for One Aviation, includingtwo rounds of layoffs in 2017, eviction from its Brunswick, Maine, […]

While drones are increasingly used near crowds, the FAA still prohibits their flight directly over people. As a means of gaining FAA approval to fly drones over crowds, a company called Indemnis has developed a fast-deploying ballistic parachute that’s designed to resist entanglement if the aircraft is tumbling or spinning, thus making crowd flights safer. […]