Recent Updates

I was piloting N7304Y, a Miller Twin Comanche (a veritable “hot rod”) from San Antonio’s Stinson Airport to Houston Hobby Airport early in the morning. Houston Center passed me to Approach and then to the final controller for Hobby. Approach: “Say your indicated airspeed.” 04Y: “Indicating 140 knots on the dial.” Approach: “Maintain 140.” 04Y: […]

Jeff Bezos, CEO and founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, introduced a new Blue Origin lunar lander on Thursday. Called Blue Moon, the cargo version of the lander is designed to deliver payloads of up to 3.6 metric tons to the lunar surface. According to Blue Origin, Blue Moon will be equipped with fuel cells […]

Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab has announced that it has entered into a partnership with Purdue University to build a new site for advanced manufacturing and production in West Lafayette, Indiana. According to the company, the site’s initial focus will be producing major structural sections and final assembly of the Saab parts for the […]

Although local residents continue to object, officials at John Wayne-Orange County Airport in Southern California have recommended a project to add a third FBO to the facility as well as upgrade its decades-old GA infrastructure. County officials heard local feedback on May 7 and agreed to return “in two weeks” to vote on a final […]

XTI Aircraft Company has successfully completed the first test flights of its TriFan 600 hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft proof of concept prototype. While the initial hover testing was conducted at California’s Placerville Airport (PVF) where the aircraft was constructed, XTI says that future test flights will take place at an authorized unmanned […]

The Humanus Documentary Films Foundation recently premiered the museum cut of their World War I aviation film, The Millionaires’ Unit, at the New-York Historical Society in New York City. The documentary follows a group of Yale undergraduates who helped found the U.S. Navy’s air arm on the eve of WWI. In this podcast, filmmakers Ron […]

Aviation, at least in terms of controlled, heavier-than-air flight, does not have a terribly long history as these things go. In spite of its relative youth, that history is full of stories worth remembering; stories that brought us to where we are today and continue to provide valuable lessons, insight and inspiration for current and […]

Garmin has announced that it has received FAA Supplemental Type Certification for its GFC 500 autopilot for several Mooney M20 and 36/A36 Bonanza models. Specific aircraft approved include Mooney M20 J, K, M, R and S models and Bonanza models 36, A36 and A36TC. The GFC 500 integrates with the G5 electronic flight instrument or […]

Dornier Seawings has announced the introduction of the Orca, a multi-engine amphibious aircraft based on the company’s Seastar CD2 design. According to Dornier, the Orca is intended for government operations and can be outfitted for security, search and rescue, and environmental monitoring missions. Features include an all-composite airframe and optional internal and external mission equipment […]

The Federal Aviation Administration has dusted off its FAA-approved crystal ball and published the FAA Aerospace Forecast for 2019-2039. The extensive report takes into account global economic factors in the recent past to project demand for aircraft, pilots and facilities over the next two decades. Broadly, the FAA sees stable growth for airlines, overall stability […]