On opening day of Aero, the giant general aviation show in Germany, Cirrus Aircraft revealed that its Cirrus Vision SF50 personal jet program has been fully funded through certification and initial production by the company’s new owner, China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co Ltd (CAIGA). The company anticipates first customer delivery will take place in […]
Pipistrel unveils Panthera
On opening day of Aero, the giant general aviation show in Germany, Pipistrel presented to the world for the first time its latest design, the Panthera. Launched as a project at last year’s Aero, the Panthera is a new four-seat composite cruiser, developed entirely in house. The streamlined design takes four people 1,000 nm and […]
LightSquared continues fight
LightSquared, a company that wants to build a network of 40,000 land-based towers i the U.S. for high-speed wireless transmissions, is continuing its fight. In a recent filing with the Federal Communications Commission, company officials state that a ruling proposed by the FCC staff that would effectively revoke LightSquared’s license to operate its network is […]
‘Red Tails’ lands on DVD
“Red Tails,” the George Lucas film about the Tuskegee Airmen, will soar into Blue-ray, DVD, and digital download May 22. The movie stars Academy Award Winner Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire) and Academy Award Nominee Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow) leading an ensemble cast in this high-flying epic inspired by the real-life adventures of the […]
Tom Cruise goes Top Gun with new P-51 Mustang
In a blog at Forbes.com, Matthew Stibbe notes that “Top Gun” star Tom Cruise, who has had his pilot’s license since 1994, is reported to own anywhere from three to five private jets. But his favorite aircraft, the blogger says, is his P-51 Mustang, which has the words “Kiss Me Kate” painted on the side. […]
Scholarship recipients revealed
The National Air Transportation Foundation (NATF) has chosen the winners of its Dan L. Meisinger Sr. Memorial Learn to Fly Scholarship, Pioneers of Flight Scholarship and NATA Business Scholarship. “NATA is dedicated to promoting general aviation careers with the many scholarships we offer. Through the NATF, we annually recognize aviation enthusiasts and encourage their development […]
Sporty’s introduces Stratus
Sporty’s Pilot Shop has introduced the first completely wire-free weather receiver for the iPad — and it requires no monthly subscription. Stratus combines an ADS-B and GPS receiver into a single unit that wirelessly streams NEXRAD radar, text weather, TFRs and aircraft position to the popular ForeFlight Mobile app for iOS devices. “Stratus delivers exactly […]
Hodgman joins WSDOT Aviation Division
The Washington State Department of Transportation has appointed Robert Hodgman as capital improvement project planner for WSDOT’s Aviation Division. Hodgman served 24 years in the Army and Army National Guard, with eight years of experience in capital facilities management. This included responsibilities as the project manager for the design and construction of a $24 million […]
Pilot forgets to check fuel valve
This April 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: Ercoupe 415-C. Injuries: 1 Minor. Location: LaGrange, Ga. Aircraft damage: Substantial. What reportedly happened: After completing a pre-flight inspection of the airplane, the pilot […]