French skydiver Michael Fournier plans to break skydiving records that have held since 1960, in August. If successful, he will drop from a balloon-supported capsule floating some 130,000 feet over Saskatchewan, Canada, free-fall for about six minutes, and almost certainly exceed the speed of sound. He calls his adventure Le Grand Saut, The Super Jump. […]
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Eclipse building new facility
Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 VLJ, is building a new facility at Albuquerque’s Double Eagle II Airport (KAEG). When in full operation, the company plans to employ approximately 100 people at the new facility in a variety of roles, including training, flight support and administrative support. More than half will be new hires, […]
You, too, can think like a rocket scientist
Now anyone can think like a rocket scientist, thanks to a new book by a Purdue University professor. “This book is for people who would like to learn the methods rocket scientists use and have them told in a way that you can apply to your everyday life,” said James Longuski, a NASA veteran, professor […]
Lycoming achieves AS9100 registration
Lycoming Engines has achieved AS9100 registration, the aerospace standard of the International ISO9000. “In the aviation manufacturing industry, quality and reliability are vital,” said Fred Hill, Lycoming’s manager of quality systems.
Flying the looking glass
It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. When Max Trescott, a Master CFI and publisher, couldn’t find any user-friendly materials to help him learn and teach G1000 technology, he decided to create his own. Trescott is the author of “The G1000 Glass Cockpit Handbook” and the “VFR & IFR G1000 CD-ROM Course.” […]
How to survive an air show will small children
If you are interested in aviation, sooner or later there will come a day when you will want to take your children with you to an airshow. When you think about it, taking the kids to an airshow or fly-in is not much different than taking them to the fair or shopping at the mall. […]
Getting the most out of a demo flight
One of the reasons people attend airshows and fly-ins is to shop for airplanes. Because so many aircraft manufacturers and distributors attend these events, airshows provide prime opportunities to comparison shop. Of course the shopping experience isn’t complete without test flying the aircraft, but you need to be prepared to get the best experience. THE […]
Ready for takeoff again: Louisisana Fly-In Series recovers from hurricanes Katrina and Rita
The one thing you can’t control when you plan a fly-in is the weather. The Experimental Aircraft Association chapters in Louisiana know this well after the hurricane season of 2005. Communities and airports throughout the state were devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita but, as the state has recovered, so has the Louisiana EAA Fly-In […]
Houston Executive Airport officially opens
There’s a new airport in the Houston area. Houston Executive Airport (78T) commenced operations earlier this month. Businessman and avid pilot Ron Henriksen built the airport with private funds. It is on the west side of the city and designed to give the business aviation community an alternative to the area’s crowded commercial airports. “This […]