Drew Steketee was president of BE A PILOT, senior vp-communications for AOPA and executive director of the Partnership for Improved Air Travel. He also headed PR and media relations for Beech, GAMA and the Airport Operators Council International. In August, Washington was abuzz over an unmanned Northrup Grumman Firescout helicopter that escaped Navy test controllers […]
News
MAF awarded $1.7 million challenge grant
MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship), a faith-based, nonprofit ministry that brings aid and assistance to needy people in isolated and remote regions of the world, has been awarded a $1.7 million challenge grant to fund the full purchase price of a KODIAK, a new aircraft designed to meet the specialized needs of missionary bush flying. A […]
1,000th RV-8 flies
On Friday, Sept. 17, the “Hobbs Meter” on Van’s Aircraft, Inc.’s website registered the 1,000th RV-8 to fly. That number represents an average of a new RV-8 (or its sibling, the tricycle gear RV-8A) in the air every fifth day since the design was introduced in 1996. There are about 2,000 RV-8/8As under construction, company […]
American Fighter Aces to hold 50th reunion
The American Fighter Aces Association (AFAA) will hold its 50th reunion at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio on the Riverwalk from Sept. 23-26. The AFAA is an organization that was founded to recognize the 1,442 combat pilots who received a special distinction of becoming an ace by achieving five or more aerial victories in air-to-air […]
Cessna gets TSA nod for parts shipments
Cessna Aircraft Co. has been approved by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to participate in the Certified Cargo Screening Program for aviation parts shipments. “This approval permits Cessna’s Service Parts & Programs organization to ship aircraft parts to repair stations and customers via passenger airlines without delay for inspection or screening,” said Bill Collier, vice […]
Calls to close U42
City leaders have enlisted the help of Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, to address safety concerns related to South Valley Regional Airport (U42) in West Jordan near Salt Lake City, according to a report in the Deseret News, which quotes Chaffetz as saying: “They’ve had a couple accidents recently, and there’s a real safety concern. I […]
Brothers of the Wind to reunite
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will host a special reunion luncheon Oct. 8 at its Daytona Beach campus for members of Brothers of the Wind, a pioneer group of African-American students. The event will take place a day before the weekend-long Wings and Waves Air Show, which is cosponsored by the university. Brothers of the Wind was […]
House Resolution 1473 supporters hurt GA
Resolution 1473, passed by the House of Representatives in “Recognizing the value of recreational aviation” and as reported in General Aviation News on Sept. 16 , is rather amusing. On the one hand you would think that there is this widespread support for general aviation, particularly recreational aviation, in our Congress. However every one of […]
Young sets record with SwiftFuel
Fueled by an unleaded, high-octane biofuel developed by Swift Enterprises, Richard “Smokey” Young set a preliminary 100-kilometer closed course speed record Sept. 11 in a piston-engine aircraft between 660 and 1,320 pounds. Powered by a Continental O-200 engine, Young flew his #3 Western Air Racing Special, burning SwiftFuel. He maintained an average speed of 242.7 […]