iFlightPlanner has released the iFlightPlanner Widget, designed to allow the addition of iFlightPlanner’s airport and aviation weather information to any website. Pilots and aviation enthusiasts who are signed into an iFlightPlanner free or premium account gain 1-click access to a complete Airport/Facility Directory, Weather Center and aviation charts through any website that hosts the iFlightPlanner […]
First flight, last flight
This August 2010 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others. Aircraft: RV-6A. Injuries: 1 Fatal. Location: Nampa, Idaho. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot was performing a series of high-speed taxi test runs […]
Green with envy?
No matter where he goes, Tim Fox’s green Ercoupe draws a crowd “The first time I saw it, I thought, ‘my God, that is green!’” says Tim Fox, of Fort Wayne, Ind., describing the first time he laid eyes on his Ercoupe. “Green” does not even come close to describing Fox’s 1946-C model. At last […]
Political convention TFRs demand serious study
The FAA has issued first notices of flight restrictions for the two political conventions and flights to, from or through the areas — Tampa, Florida, and Charlotte, N.C. — will be affected, with pilots needing to be alert not only for the announced early Temporary Flight Restrictions, but also for any last-minute changes or additions […]
Airplane shipments increase
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Airplane shipments increased 5.9% in the first six months of 2012 compared to 2011, while the accompanying value of the airplane deliveries rose 13.2%, according to figures released today by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). “We are starting to see positive signs in the 2012 shipment data,” said GAMA’s President and […]
Burt Rutan launches new website
Aviation icon Burt Rutan has launched a website, www.BurtRutan.com, which will include details of his career, awards, hobbies, and the development of many of his aircraft designs. Rutan will “continuously update the site with a ‘treasure trove of photographs’ and considerable autobiographical information,” according to a report at EAA.org
Autonomous robotic plane flies — indoors
For decades, researchers have been working on control algorithms for autonomous helicopters — robotic helicopters that pilot themselves, rather than requiring remote human guidance. Dozens of research teams have competed in a series of autonomous-helicopter challenges posed by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI); progress has been so rapid that the last two […]
Tips for pilots working abroad
With the global reach of aviation increasing, it has become common for pilots to fly in several different countries. And while it may seem fascinating, moving and working abroad is a serious decision in one’s life and career. What should pilots consider before accepting a job abroad? How should they act while working for a […]
Norway flight school orders Skycatchers
Cessna reports it sold three Skycatchers at AirVenture 2012 in Oshkosh. Executives with Pilot Academy of Sandefjord, Norway, noted that the effort to facilitate EASA certification by moving the Skycatcher into the primary category with the FAA played a large role in the decision. “We already have Cessna aircraft at our flight school in Norway, […]