During a flight test on June 17, the innovative CarterCopter unofficially broke the Mu-1 barrier — a goal that eluded rotary wing builders until that day. Mu is the ratio of the aircraft’s forward speed to its rotor tip speed. As forward speed increases, the effective airspeed over the retreating blade decreases. At Mu-1, the […]
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German company unveils its light jet
Germany’s Grob Aerospace has added yet another bird to the burgeoning flock of light jets on the market. Long a builder of notably innovative airplanes, Grob caught the aviation world by surprise at the Paris Air Show in June when it sprung the brand new light twin jet on its competitors. It doesn’t have a […]
Old but good: The classics are worth considering
There are new Light Sport Aircraft and then there are classic Light Sport Aircraft. The classics aren’t truly Light Sport Aircraft, but they qualify to be flown under the companion Sport Pilot rules, while remaining certified. Once a Marine, always a Marine; once certified, always certified. (The word is, in fact, certified, not certificated, which […]
The race for space, Part 2
The race for space has trickled down to — of all things — a trailer park in the Mojave Desert. Kayo’s Trailer Park, right next to Mojave Airport — the scene of SpaceShipOne’s successful flights into space — has a new name: Spaceport RV Park. Originally built in the 1940s to tap into the new […]
Elusive HondaJet to debut at Oshkosh
The experimental, and long-elusive, HondaJet will make its public debut at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. It is an “advanced, lightweight, compact business jet featuring better fuel efficiency, a larger cabin, and higher cruise speed than conventional aircraft in its class,” according to Honda, which denied the airplane’s existence until its roll-out in December 2003. […]
It’s 2,000 for Cirrus
Cirrus Design Corp. recently rolled its 2,000th airplane out of its Duluth, Minn., plant. “The Cirrus SR22 is now the best-selling airplane in the world,” claimed company co-founder and Executive Vice-President Dale Klapmeier as a crowd of about 700 employees encircled — what else? — N2000M, for the 2,000 Milestone. “Now it’s on to number […]
Liberty XL2 gets IFR certification
Liberty Aerospace of Melbourne, Fla,. received Type Inspection Authorization for IFR operation of its single engine XL2 aircraft late in June. The XL2 already is certified for VFR day and night operations. The Liberty XL2 is the only piston powered production aircraft with a full authority digital engine control (FADEC). It has a carbon fiber […]
CarterCopter sets elusive record — later crashes
During a flight test on June 17, the innovative CarterCopter unofficially broke the Mu-1 barrier — a goal that eluded rotary wing builders until that day. Mu is the ratio of the aircraft’s forward speed to its rotor tip speed. As forward speed increases, the effective airspeed over the retreating blade decreases. At Mu-1, the […]
Aviation stamps to take flight
Ten classic American aircraft from the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s will be doing their flying in the form of postage after the Postal Service dedicates its American Advances in Aviation commemorative stamp sheets at EAA’s AirVenture in July. The first-day-of-issue ceremony will take place in AeroShell Square July 29, beside at least six of the […]