Eclipse Aviation took delivery of its first flight-ready autopilot from Meggitt in September, passing another milestone along the path to certification. Although the company had not met its goal for test flight hours as of late September, in part due to the gear-up landing of N505EA, CEO Vern Raburn said he remains confident that the […]
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Commander finds new home in Missouri
Commander Premier Aircraft Corporation (CPAC), a newly formed company that bought the assets of the bankrupt Commander Aircraft Co., is setting up operations in Cape Girardeau, Mo. “Nearly 30 trailers are loaded and rolling and the drivers have been told to head for Cape Girardeau Regional Airport,” said Joel M. Hartstone, CPAC president and CEO. […]
Connie down under
Leave it to the astute readers of General Aviation News to know where the rarest of rare birds are. After we published a story on the Airline History Museum’s recent troubles with an engine failure on what was thought to be the last airworthy Lockheed Constellation, we learned that there is another airworthy Connie — […]
Wrongful death suits filed against Cirrus
Cirrus Design Corp. is being sued by the estates of two Michigan men who were killed in the crash of an SR22 in January 2003. The cause of the crash, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, was a non-instrument rated pilot continuing VFR flight into night IFR conditions. According to the NTSB report, the […]
NASA’s DC-8 Flying Lab finds new home
NASA’s DC-8 flying laboratory tipped its wings in farewell as it departed the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., for its new home at Grand Forks, N.D., last month. NASA will pay the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, $25 million over the next five years to maintain and operate the […]
Scouting out aviation
For many children, their first taste of the world outside of school and family comes through a scouting program. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts programs are designed to show children different career options and help them develop life skills. Aviation is one of the areas scouts explore. Often this starts with a troop visit to […]
Javelin makes first flight
September ended on a high note for Aviation Technology Group Inc., as its Javelin prototype, a two-place turbofan airplane, made its maiden flight Sept. 30. The 30-minute test flight was a success, noted George Bye, chairman. “The Javelin prototype’s first flight marks the beginning of more expansive airborne tests,” he said. The aircraft will be […]
Sowing the seeds to grow the next generation of pilots
You don’t have to own an airplane to get children involved in aviation. There are a multitude of things you can do to encourage their interest without breaking the bank. AGES 4 TO 7 Read them stories about aviation. There are many good children’s books that run the gamut from a child’s first flight on […]
Flight Design CT to be outfitted with BRS parachute
A new Light Sport Aircraft parachute system from Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. (BRS) will be standard on all Flight Design CT Light Sport Aircraft delivered in the United States. The whole-airplane parachute systems are standard on many aircraft, including all those manufactured by Cirrus. BRS has sold more than 20,000 of the emergency parachute systems […]