Recent Updates

Cirrus Aircraft will work with Lake Superior College, in Minnesota, to develop and implement a job-skills program in aircraft assembly, the company announced on Wednesday. The program is aimed at recruiting, training and preparing low-income individuals for jobs at Cirrus. “To keep up with production demands, we are projecting the addition of 60 to 80 […]

Helicopter pilots on their way out of the military into civilian life got a boost last weekend when the Military Officers Association of America teamed up with Helicopter Association International to offer their first-ever career-transition seminar. The event, held in Alexandria, Va., provided seminars on interview techniques, job-search strategies, transitioning to civilian helicopters, and differences […]

The transportation departments of the 21 countries in Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum have agreed on a common set of goals to facilitate the development of business aviation in the region. China Daily USA reported APEC met in Tokyo last week and the business aviation initiative was one of the key announcements. Essentially, the countries […]

Seawind says it has overcome the final major technical roadblock to certifying its amphibious touring aircraft. In a news release Tuesday, the Pennsylvania company said it will be the first to certify a Part 23 aircraft with a stall/spin prevention system, clearing the way toward what CEO Dick Silva called “probably the longest certification of […]

Bombardier has sold its Flexjet fractional business toU.S. private equity firm Directional Aviation Capital in a deal that could reap the Canadian bizjet maker up to $5.2 billion in orders. Bombardier sold Flexjet, which currently operates 79 mostly high-end aircraft, for $185 million. But the deal comes with a firm order for 85 aircraft worth […]

Virgin Galactic tested its SpaceShipTwo, space-tourist-carrying vehicle Thursday over the Mojave Desert, exceeding Mach 1 and achieving an altitude of nearly 70,000 feet while demonstrating less than rock-solid stability. The vehicle was dropped at 46,000 feet and climbed under rocket power for 20 seconds, reaching 69,000 feet and 1.43 Mach (nearly 1,100 mph) with two […]

The U.S. government is paying $6,600 a month to keep an old turboprop it leases grounded in Georgia even though it seems doubtful the Gulfstream G-1 dubbed Aero Marti will ever fly for Uncle Sam again. The contract now is a non-fly [agreement], Steve Christopher of Phoenix Air Group told the Washington Post. Thats what […]

British pilot Ken Wallis took his first solo flight in 1937, flew as a stunt pilot and doubled for Sean Connery in 1967, and passed away Sunday at the age of 97, after “a long and successful life doing what he wanted,” his daughter told BBC.co.uk. Wallis flew Wellington bombers for his country in World […]

Embraer delivered its first modernized A-1 jet, the A-1M fighter, to the Brazilian Air Force on Tuesday, at the company’s industrial plant in Sao Paulo. The subsonic A-1 light jet is “fundamental” to the defense of Brazil, said Air Force Gen. Juniti Saito. “Its modernization presents a big gain in capability.” Embraer said it plans […]

Turkish Aircraft Industries has flown the Hurkus, a two-seat tandem trainer that is designed to compete with the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II and Embraer Super Tucano. The aircraft, which is apparently a clean-sheet design but looks a lot like a T-6, was announced in 2007 and flew on Aug. 29 in Ankara. The 33-minute gear-down […]