Several factors, including a wing structure that does not meet ASTM standards for Light Sport Aircraft, are indicated as causes for Zodiac CH601XL and CH650 aircraft in-flight accidents, according to a report released by the FAA. According to a report at EAA.org, the FAA’s investigation did not indicate a single root cause for the in-flight […]
News
Embry-Riddle to test biofuel in bid to fly first ‘green fleet’
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University plans to phase in lead-free renewable fuel in its training aircraft, the nation’s largest collegiate fleet. The university is partnering with Swift Enterprises, developer of a biofuel that has been tested by the FAA Technical Center with promising results. “We believe this effort by Embry-Riddle and Swift will guide the way to […]
Perspective on a pilot’s suicide
Responding to last week’s crash of a man angry with the IRS into an Austin, Texas, office building, Craig Fuller, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association reached out to pilots and the general public, asking all to keep the event in perspective. He says: This week, the aviation community suddenly found itself at […]
Expanded Nall Report released
The newest edition of general aviation’s annual safety analysis is out, and for the first time, the AOPA Air Safety Foundation’s Joseph T. Nall Report examines helicopters and for-hire GA operations with aircraft weighing 12,500 lbs. or less. “The AOPA Air Safety Foundation has been telling the story of what went wrong for two decades,” […]
Goodrich donates 1929 Taperwing to WACO Historical Society
Goodrich Corp.’s Aircraft Wheels and Brakes team in Troy, Ohio, has donated a 1929 WACO Model CTO “Taperwing” biplane, once owned by famous air racer Joe Mackey, to the WACO Historical Society. Brian Brandewie, president, Goodrich Aircraft Wheels and Brakes said, “Donating Joe Mackey’s Taperwing to the WACO Historical Society underscores the rich aerospace heritage […]
FAA launches NOTAM survey
The FAA System Operations Safety Management, Safety Assurance Group is conducting an assessment of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system. As part of the assessment, the group has created an online questionnaire to gather input from frequent NOTAM users, including flight crews, schedulers and dispatchers. The objective of the assessment is to identify operational issues […]
Bishop Fun-Fly lives up to its name
The denizens of Bishop Municipal Airport (O7R) in Texas are more than just a collection of aviators renting hangar space at an isolated airport; they are an honest-to-goodness aviation community the likes of which needs to be seen in all our small county and municipal airports. That’s the beginning of a news story reported by […]
Clem Kramer’s Zenith CH 750: From first part to first flight in just a year
Clem Kramer was a man with a mission: He wanted to fly his homebuilt Zenith STOL CH 750 exactly one year after he began building it on Jan. 9, 2009. He received the airworthiness certificate for his homebuilt on Jan. 9 of this year, but the cold and blustery weather wasn’t conducive to a first […]
Help wanted: Hiring to pick up in 2010
Aviation companies plan to hire staff in 2010, according to a recent survey by JSfirm, an online employment site for the aviation industry. “Everyone wants to know what to expect this year, who will be hiring, for which type of positions and when,” said Sam Scanlon, managing partner. “About 80% of the companies surveyed expect […]