A group of aviation buffs in Athens, Georgia, wants to give a pioneer Georgia pilot the recognition he deserves. Admirers and descendants of Ben Epps, an Athens native who, in 1907, became the first Georgian to fly, are planning to erect a statue of Epps outside Athens City Hall, across the street from the bicycle […]
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Turbofan pioneer Sam Williams dies
Dr. Sam Williams, founder and chairman of Williams International, died June 22 at the age of 88, according to a statement issued by his company. The small, efficient fanjet engines that Dr. Williams developed are used widely on general aviation jet aircraft. The first of them, the FJ44-1A, was certified by the FAA in 1992 […]
Vintage plane prize in museum fundraiser
The 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Houston’s Hobby Airport will give away a vintage 1957 Cessna 172 July 18. Raffle tickets are available for $50 each. Ticket sales will end when 2,500 total tickets have been sold, or at noon on Friday, July 17, , whichever occurs first, according to museum officials. The winner will be drawn […]
Pratt & Whitney partners with Ohio State University
Pratt & Whitney has established a partnership with The Ohio State University focused on engineering research in the field of power transmission and gear technology for aviation engines. Pratt & Whitney will work with the university on research initiatives that support the design and development of more efficient and environmentally friendly gas turbine engines. The […]
From the depths of Lake Michigan to Pensacola
A World War II Dauntless dive bomber recently recovered from Lake Michigan arrived at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola on June 23. There it will be restored to as-new condition before being shipped to the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor, where it will help to teach a new generation about a war […]
Powered parachutes to gather in Oklahoma
The 2009 “Powrachute Extravaganza” is scheduled for Sept. 17 through 20 at Will Rogers Downs, a large race track and casino in Claremore, Oklahoma, near Tulsa. The Extravaganza is expected to be the largest gathering of powered parachutes and pilots since 1999, according to organizer Galen Geigley. “Details are being put together and advertising will […]
FAA issues tire safety alert
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a safety alert for operators to emphasize the importance of maintaining correct aircraft tire pressure. Pressure checks can be accomplished by measuring cold tire pressure at intervals recommended by the manufacturer, the alert said. They are most effective when tires have been at rest for at least two hours […]
NBAA challenges Wall Street Journal
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen last week challenged a “one-sided view of business aviation” put forward in a front-page story by The Wall Street Journal. In a statement sent to the newspaper and made available through social networking web sites like Twitter, Bolen said the story “greatly mischaracterized business aviation and did a disservice […]
Canadian Centennial of Flight Relay
This year is the 100th Anniversary of the first powered, heavier-than-air, controlled flight in Canada, made by J.A.D. McCurdy in the Silver Dart on the frozen surface of the Bras D’or Lakes near Baddeck, Nova Scotia. Under the leadership of the Canadian Aeronautical Preservation Association and the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center, aviation museums and aviation […]