Flying fish were the inspiration for an unmanned seaplane developed at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The autonomous craft is believed to be the first seaplane that can initiate and perform its own takeoffs and landings on water. The project is funded by the Department of Defense as part of the federal government’s […]
Get a (second) life
Can’t get enough of airplanes in the real world? Now you can have aircraft hanging in the air all around you as real-time aviation data are displayed in the virtual world, thanks to a new visualization from Daden Limited and aircraft tracking specialists FBOWeb.com. The visualization takes FBOWeb.com’s near-live data of aircraft locations around LAX […]
GA safety: Nall Report mostly encouraging…But some things never change
There’s encouraging news mixed with some discouragement in AOPA’s annual Nall Report on aviation safety. The good news is a 10-year trend downward in general aviation accidents, from 7.19 per 100,000 hours flown in 1997 to 6.32 in 2006. In fact, the report states, 2006 was the safest year in the history of general aviation. […]
An historic airplane rises from an abandoned wreck
“Wow! Wow! Wow!” Those were the only words one Oshkosh visitor could utter as he stood beside Tom Dinndorf’s elegant Stinson SR-10, an airplane once owned by Shell Oil Co. and flown by Jimmy Doolittle. The gleaming red and yellow Stinson, correct to the smallest detail of its original 1938 appearance, is a past Vintage […]
No more takeoffs for Red Baron Pizza Squadron
After 28 years of air show performances, Schwan Food Co.’s Red Baron Pizza Squadron is retiring. A “refocusing” in marketing strategy at the company led to the squadron’s grounding, according to Bill McCormack, executive vice president. “The Red Baron Squadron has been an incredible asset to our company,” he said. “The retail grocery industry has […]
What’s in a name?
What does it take to have an airport named for you? How about setting an around-the-world speed record? In 1938 there was an effort to rename an airport in Texas to honor Howard Hughes (pictured) after he circled the world in 91 hours, besting the previous record by four days. For a short time, Houston […]
Parts liability legislation introduced. House bill would protect GA parts manufacturers
Legislation to provide general aviation airplane parts manufacturers with “common sense protections against frivolous lawsuits” was introduced Dec. 7 by Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.) and Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.). “These lawsuits are driving up insurance costs and, in some cases, forcing manufacturers to stop production of parts certified by the Federal Aviation Administration,” Ehlers said. […]
Pilots join Epic 500 Club
High performance jet and turboprop manufacturer Epic Aircraft is finding that customers are reporting ground speeds in excess of 500 mph in the single-engine, turboprop-driven Epic LT. It’s a speed only rarely achieved by the top fighters of World War II and matches the performance of many current civilian jets. Those confirming their reaching of […]
New direction for N.C.’s Rocky Mount Airport
A dramatic transformation has taken place at Rocky Mount-Wilson Regional Airport in North Carolina during the past nine months. The airport’s terminal has been changed from a building that used to serve commuter airline passengers to a fine business aviation terminal, serving private and corporate business customers. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, the […]