Recent Updates

This story originally ran in KITPLANES. By Scott Spangler Concretely explaining why a specific airplane appeals to a pilot is almost as easy as explaining why they fly. All Bob Bounds really knew when he first saw Fred Keller’s Prospector STOL, named Plansbuilt Grand Champion at EAA Oshkosh 1989, is that he wanted one. “I […]

An Australia-based team led by Boeing presented its Loyal Wingman autonomous unmanned aircraft prototype to the Royal Australian Air Force on Tuesday. The aircraft, which is designed to “fly alongside existing platforms and use artificial intelligence to conduct teaming missions,” is the first of three prototypes headed for Australia’s Loyal Wingman Advanced Development Program. Ground […]

Aerostructures manufacturer Spirit AeroSystems announced on Friday that it will lay off approximately 1,450 employees at its headquarters in Wichita, Kansas, due to the drop in demand for commercial airplanes caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Spirit supplies companies including Boeing and Airbus, both of which recently announced production rate cuts. The layoffs are expected […]

Airbus has announced that it is developing a modification for A330 and A350 aircraft that will allow airlines to install freight pallets directly onto cabin floor seat tracks. According to the company, the solution will reduce wear and tear on airliner seats and facilitate faster loading and unloading along with adding additional fire protection and […]

Boeing announced on Wednesday that it intends to cut commercial aircraft production rates and reduce its workforce by around 10 percent. The announcement came alongside the publication of Boeing’s first-quarter financial data, which showed a Q1 net loss of $641 million. According to Boeing, the staff cuts will be accomplished through “a combination of voluntary […]

UPS subsidiary UPS Flight Forward (UPSFF) has announced plans to begin using drones to deliver prescription medicines from a CVS pharmacy to a 135,000-resident retirement community in central Florida. According to UPS, the initial delivery flights will travel less than half a mile to a drop location near the community and be taken to residents […]

A retired top U.S. military official says showboating Russian fighter pilots are posturing for social media, trying to go viral to raise the profile of their military and maybe sell some airplanes. In the past few weeks U.S. military have complained their aircraft have been buzzed by Russian fighters, including an inverted Su-35 that came […]

COVID-19 has prompted the FAA to loosen its notoriously tight restrictions on drones flying beyond visual line of site (BVLOS). DroneDJ is reporting that an oil and gas company has been granted a waiver to conduct remote inspection flights because of virus-related restrictions on staff activities. What’s more, the FAA approved the exemption within 24 […]

Embraer will likely sue Boeing after the collapse of a $4.2 billion deal to buy Embraer’s commercial aircraft division. Boeing announced on Saturday it was pulling out of the deal and said it’s because Embraer didn’t live up to its end of the deal. “Boeing has worked diligently over more than two years to finalize […]

China-based urban air mobility company EHang has announced plans to build an autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) port in Hezhou, China. The 2,500-square-meter “E-port” terminal building will feature a first-floor reception hall, second-floor passenger waiting area and third-floor departure/arrival zone with four landing pads located on the roof. The port, along with a planned delivery of […]