OSHKOSH — Diane Thornton from Dallas was the inaugural passenger in EAA‘s new Eagle Flight program on Tuesday morning at AirVenture. Modeled after the successful Young Eagles program, which has flown more than 1.7 million kids (aged 7-18), Eagle Flight aims to expose adults to flying. Thornton’s Eagle Flight was with EAA President Rod Hightower in his T-6. […]
Able Flight honors newest pilots
OSHKOSH — Able Flight pinned wings on five of its newest pilots at Phillips 66 Plaza on Tuesday at AirVenture. “We’ve trained eight pilots so far in 2012,” said Able Flight founder Charles Stites. “And it’s only July.” All learned to fly at the 3rd annual Able Flight/Purdue University joint training project this summer. Five of the six […]
Fleet nears 1 million flight hours, while Socata debuts enhancements
OSHKOSH — More than 600 single-engine turboprop TBM700 and TBM850 (pictured below) in the global fleet have amassed nearly 1 million flight hours, Daher-Socata‘s Senior Vice President Nicholas Chabbert said Tuesday at AirVenture. In addition to the fleet milestone, officials reported the TBM850 Elite was certified. The Elite, which took just six months of certification work, is […]
Inspector General to assess NextGen progress
Is the FAA moving as it should in decisions and actions relating to the Next Generation Air Transportation System — NextGen — and if not, why not? That is what the office of Inspector General of the Department of Transportation will try to determine in an audit of the FAA’s progress on the program. The […]
Two new Sky Arrows introduced at Oshkosh
OSHKOSH — Magnaghi Aeronautica, the Italian aerospace group that manufactures the Sky Arrow aircraft series, introduced an updated Sky Arrow light-sport aircraft (LSA) Tuesday at AirVenture. Enhancements include new extended wing tanks, modified aerodynamics on the stabilizer, and a new, streamlined leaf-spring landing gear. Other new components include Beringer wheels and brakes and a 10-inch […]
Continental Motors expands into flight training
OSHKOSH — Continental Motors has launched Zulu Flight Training, with the first location in a mall close to the company’s headquarters in Mobile, Ala. The training location features Redbird Flight Simulators. The new concept in flight training is designed to bring a structured curriculum to a new demographic, according to Rhett Ross, president. “Zulu Flight […]
Factory-approved Searey training takes off
OSHKOSH — Chesapeake Sport Pilot in Maryland has been granted FAA authorization to provide factory-approved Searey transition training, officials reported Tuesday at AirVenture. The flight school is the first in the nation to receive a letter of deviation authority (LODA)from the FAA specifically for Searey training, said Helen Woods, chief flight instructor of Chespeake Sport […]
New president for NATA
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has named Thomas L. Hendricks as the association’s new president. He succeeds James K. Coyne, who has served as NATA’s president since 1994. Hendricks will start his duties on Sept. 1. Hendricks most recently served as the senior vice president, safety, security and operations for Airlines for America, where […]
MT-Propeller goes vintage
OSHKOSH — At AirVenture today, MT-Propeller introduced its new 5400-Series of 2-blade ground adjustable aluminum propellers for vintage aircraft. The new propellers are reconstructions of ground adjustable propellers made by the famous Standard Steel Propeller Co. (later Hamilton Standard) manufactured from 1925 through 1945. This type of propeller, used primarily on vintage aircraft, has been out […]