Recent Updates

I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: Despite its reputation for stifling regulation, there’s more airframe and powerplant innovation coming out of Europe than from the U.S. If you’re interested in new airplanes, look east, not in your backyard. It’s not unreasonable to say Chinese money is funding at least some of this. Consider […]

Diamond Aircraft unveiled a design for a composite four-seat light-single piston helicopter at Aero Friedrichshafen on Thursday, Flight International has reported. The Dart 280 easy-to-fly trainer would be the first in a family of rotorcraft, which will include a hybrid-electric tilt rotor. “Diamond has been in the GA market for 30 years and it’s time […]

Boeing has created a new “innovation cell” called HorizonX that will seek out and encourage new emerging and “potentially transformative” technologies and business models in aviation, the company said this week. Among its first investments is three-year-old Zunum Aero, based in Kirkland, Washington, which is pursuing the development of electric-powered aircraft. “We are passionate about […]

Earlier this month, Tecnam rolled out the P2012 Traveler mini-airliner it designed for Cape Air and showgoers at Aero in Friedrichshafen got their first look at the new model this week. The new twin has 11 seats and is designed to replace the aging Cessna 406s that have been the mainstay of Cape Air’s fleet […]

A week after unveiling plans to build a new factory on its Mobile, Alabama, site, Continental revealed that it’s finished up cert work on its six-cylinder 300-HP diesel and that EASA certification is expected shortly. Continental CEO Rhett Ross made the announcement at the Aero show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, which opened on Wednesday. Continental says […]

DARPA, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, announced this week they have completed sub-scale testing of their hybrid electric VTOL design and will move ahead with developing a full-scale aircraft. “The VTOL demonstrator was designed specifically to test the aerodynamic design of the aircraft, validate flight dynamics, and develop the flight and mission-systems controls […]

The U.S. Navy grounded its fleet of T-45 trainer jets on Wednesday, after instructor pilots refused to fly, complaining that the oxygen systems were not working properly and had caused lightheadedness and blackouts. “We take the concerns of our air crew seriously and have directed a two-day safety pause for the T-45 community to allow […]

Sun ‘n Fun played host on Wednesday to an aviation career fair inviting employers, pilots and mechanics to mix, mingle, interview and trade resumes. Fourteen aviation employers were in attendance, including most of the big regional airlines. Skywest, Envoy, ExpressJet, Frontier, Spirit and Republic all sent pilots or hiring reps to fish for fresh talent. […]

If drones can do pipeline patrol and survey work, why can’t a light sport aircraft do the same? That’s the question the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association is asking the FAA to consider and the answer may eventually result in an approval for just such work. “We’ve adopted the term aerial work, which is a European […]

E-volo is debuting its new electric-powered VTOL, the Volocopter 2X, at Aero, in Friedrichshafen, Germany, this week. The new version of the company’s two-seat multicopter represents the “evolution of the VC200 prototype towards everyday use,” the company said. The 2X has been developed for approval as an ultralight aircraft and is expected to be certified […]