Recent Updates

Airlines are urging Boeing to move forward with the so-called “797,” an aircraft they say passengers will love. Officially designated the “new mid-market airplane” by Boeing, the 797 would offer “a big step forward in comfort,” according to a report in PerthNow, with a 2-3-2 configuration in economy, 1-2-2 in premium economy and 1-1-1 in […]

For more than 20 years, administrations on both sides of the aisle have proposed some form of ATC privatization for reasons ranging from ideological purity to hoped-for cost savings and increased efficiency. There was never hard evidence to support the savings and efficiency argument, despite the FAA’s historic snail-like speed in accomplishing major revisions to […]

An Indian airline captain and self-taughtaircraft designer who built an aircraft on the roof of a commercial building has reportedly parlayed the project into an industry. The Indian state of Maharashtra has reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding with 41-year-old Jet Airways Capt. Amol Yadav to turn his rooftop homebuilt into a 1,300-aircraft megaproject. Yadav, […]

News site Axios is reporting that President Donald Trump is promoting his longtime personal pilot as the next administrator of the FAA. Quoting unnamed administration sources, Axios, a relatively new news service made up mainly of ex-newspaper staff, said John Dunkin, who flew Trump’s personal Boeing 757 during the 21-month campaign, has been interviewed and […]

President Donald Trump has again intervened in the negotiations with Boeing to modify two new 747-8i airliners to serve as the primary Air Force One aircraft and backup but it remains to be seen if the president’s promise of $1 billion in savings will be realized. Defense One reported Trump met with Boeing CEO Dennis […]

U.K.-based ejection seat manufacturer Martin-Baker has been fined $1.4 million by a British court after admitting its role in the death of a Royal Air Force Red Arrow Demonstration Team member who accidentally ejected from a team aircraft on the ground. Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham died in a local hospital near RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, on […]

European homebuilders and classic aircraft groups are mounting opposition to a rule proposed by the European Aviation Safety Agency that would invalidate flying hours on so-called Annex II aircraft from counting toward EASA ratings and even renewal of existing licenses. The proposed rule would affect thousands of pilots in Europe, according to Pilot Magazine. In […]

If there were ever a need for corporate obfuscation and MBA-speak, I hereby nominate Textron to teach the master class. Herewith is how they replied to this simple, direct question: Have you canceled the TTx aircraft? “At Textron Aviation, we continuously monitor the market as it fluctuates and adjust our product offerings accordingly. Our strategy […]

Canadian authorities are investigating after a Cessna 172 on a training flight suffered about $4,000 (USD) in damage when it collided with an airborne object near a British Columbia Airport. The aircraft, owned by Abbotsford-based Chinook Helicopters, was turning final to land at nearby Chilliwack Airport when its left wing struck the object, which “left […]

GAMA released their year-end shipment and billings data on Wednesday, along with a “State of the Industry” news conference that was streamed live online. Their data shows that airplane shipments globally increased 2.5 percent in 2017 compared to 2016, and rotorcraft shipments rose 7.5 percent, from 861 units in 2016 to 926 in 2017. “Notable […]