Recent Updates

Electric airplanes have generated a lot of interest for their potential to cut costs and complexity in entry-level GA airplanes. George Bye, CEO of Sun Flyer, says his company has blazed a new path for certification that he believes will enable them to bring to market a two-seat electric trainer with a three-hour flight duration […]

During his news conference Wednesday at Oshkosh about his work at One Aviation, Alan Klapmeier remarked in passing that in his experience, it’s not money that dissuades potential buyers from committing to aviation, it’s fear of complexity. When airplanes are designed to be intuitive and easy to fly, he went on, the market will grow, […]

Lockheed Martin has entered into a “definitive agreement” to acquire Sikorsky Aircraft for $9 billion, the company announced on Monday. “Sikorsky is a natural fit for Lockheed Martin and complements our broad portfolio of world-class aerospace and defense products and technologies,” said Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin. “Together, we’ll offer a strong portfolio of […]

A B-52H bomber made its first landing ever at Oshkosh this weekend, squeezing onto Wittman Field’s longest runway and using a parachute for its landing rollout. It will be on display through the week. view on YouTube

The nation’s first FAA-approved package deliveries by unmanned aerial system – a sign of things to come – took place Friday as a series of short test flights that took medicine to a rural health clinic in Virginia. The event, conducted by NASA’s Langley Research Center and Flirtey Inc., an Australian company, demonstrated the potential […]

AVweb’s search of aviation news worldwide found the first U.S. Vans RV-12 dealer, new avionics for experimental aircraft from Guardian Avionics and Garmin, and a reorganization for Dallas Airmotive. Chesapeake Sport Pilot flight school has earned the first Vans RV-12 dealership in the United States. The new dealership agreement allows Chesapeake Sport Pilot to sell […]

Slow sales have Piper Aircraft planning a layoff this month that could affect up to 150 workers, the company announced Wednesday. Production will be scaled down for this year and next, resulting in the termination of 15 to 20 percent of its 750 employees, the company said. “Piper Aircraft has experienced steady recovery since 2009, […]

Lockheed Martin is working on an $8 billion deal to acquire Sikorsky, which went up for sale by parent company United Technologies Corp. last month, according to press reports on Monday. The deal could close within days, according to The Wall Street Journal. Sikorsky’s helicopter business would be a “growth engine” for Lockheed, according to […]

Even as it ponders the fate of its flagship A380 airliner, Airbus has reportedly filed patent applicationsfor an even larger design. Airbus hasn’t had a new order for the A380 in more than a year and now there are at least three used super jumbos on the market, further diluting the already-rarified market. That apparently […]

Anyone who has been in the military—any military—will understand what a shock to the psyche it is merely to enter. Comfortable routine and the warm embrace of family and friends are suddenly displaced by harsh, at times abusive, discipline and an utter lack of even the slightest self determination. Life in the military is defined […]