The delivery schedule for Cessna’s Light Sport Aircraft, the SkyCatcher, is being re-evaluated following the March 19 crash of the second flying prototype. “The crash happened during flight testing,” said Doug Oliver, a Cessna spokesman. “The pilot was not hurt and the ballistic parachute deployed as it was supposed to deploy.” This is the second […]
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Former pilot-union boss to lead FAA
Randy Babbitt, a prominent aviation consultant and former head of the largest U.S. commercial pilots’ union, is expected to be nominated as the next head of the Federal Aviation Administration, according to industry officials and others familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported on March 25. Babbitt served as president of the Air […]
Hawker Beechcraft names new CEO
Hawker Beechcraft Corp. has named W.W. (Bill) Boisture Jr. its new chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The former president of NetJets and Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. brings more than 30 years of aviation experience to HBC. Boisture was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force and graduated from the USAF Fighter Weapons School and the […]
Illinois proposes bizav luxury tax
Business aviation groups are concerned about a proposed Illinois state tax on business aviation that would inaccurately classify business aircraft as luxury items and impose a five percent “luxury” tax on aircraft valued at more than $500,000. The new tax would be levied in addition to existing state and local use taxes and would drive […]
Artist Sam Lyons offers screen savers
Well-known aviation artist Sam Lyons’ Lyons Studio has introduced a new feature “that will make sitting in front of your computer a pleasure,” according to Mindy Lyons, who spread the word on March 24. “Now you can download select images of Sam’s popular aviation art and use them as your computer background,” she said. “All […]
AOPA cautions against assumptions in PC-12 crash
The AOPA Air Safety Foundation warned on March 24 that it is “too soon to be making guesses about the cause of Sunday’s accident in Montana,” saying investigators are still in the data collection phase, which is only the first in a long series of steps toward determining a cause. “It’s important to remember that, […]
NBAA thanks senators for bizav support
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen has thanked Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) for writing a letter to President Obama expressing concern that recent, misinformed statements about business aviation may fan a flame of negative sentiment toward the industry. The senators emphasized that many small and mid-size businesses rely on business aircraft […]
Parade of Planes moves to Addison, Texas
The national tour of the Parade of Planes will open Thursday, March 26 in Addison, Texas with “an exciting array of aircraft on display,” according to Randy Bolinger of AMPT Associates. Fourteen aircraft brands, ranging from light sport to light turbine, singles and twins, aerobatic aircraft and even new construction of nostalgic aircraft will be […]
PA governor allots $6.6 million to 24 airports
Communities across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will see improved airport safety and services when 24 airports receive a $6.6 million in federal and state funds, Governor Edward G. Rendell said on March 23. “These projects translate into jobs for Pennsylvanians at a time when jobs are rapidly disappearing. At the same time, this work means […]