Several recent, seemingly unrelated reports pose issues in our hopes for a new generation of pilots. Boeing’s July announcement that half a million airline pilots will be needed worldwide by 2031 made big news. But many of us have heard such news before. And this time, there are new caveats and wrinkles. One that caught […]
Analyst speculates that ‘fiscal cliff’ could close airports
If America falls off the so-called “fiscal cliff” on Jan. 2, one of the first victims could be St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport, according to a report by Jamal Thalji in the Tampa Bay Times. The Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, speculated in a recent report that the airport could be one of […]
Clemson researchers help make runways safer
Researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina recently redesigned and modified a mobile drill press to retrofit a section of a runway that halts overrun aircraft, ultimately minimizing aircraft damage and injury to pilots and passengers. The process of retrofitting the end of a runway at Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) required more than 80,000 holes […]
Pratt & Whitney PW610 to power new Eclipse 550
Pratt & Whitney Canada’s (P&WC) PW610F engine has been selected by Eclipse Aerospace to power the next-generation Eclipse 550 twin-engine business jet. The PW610F has proven itself on the 261 Eclipse 500 aircraft currently in service with exceptional performance, efficiency and reliability, according to Eclipse officials. “This agreement expands our relationship with Eclipse Aerospace as […]
Chesapeake Sport Pilot offers flight training to wheelchair aviators
Chesapeake Sport Pilot in Stevensville, Maryland, now offers flight training to pilots who require hand controls rather than traditional aircraft foot controls to fly. This training is made possible by a specially outfitted CT LS light sport airplane that is being leased to Chesapeake Sport Pilot by Joseph D’Aguiar. “We are ecstatic about this plane […]
Texas pilot wins aircraft covering system
Brad Harman of Texas was named winner of Bruce’s Custom Covers custom-fitted aircraft cover awarded to a Gateway To Oshkosh Fly-in participant. Gateway To Oshkosh (GTO) is an annual event and home to more than 65 aircraft during AirVenture Oshkosh. Participants fly in, park their aircraft and stay in nearby Stevens Point, Wisconsin. In addition […]
Avgas now available at 3S4 for first time in 30 years
For the first time in more than 30 years, the Illinois Valley Airport (3S4) in Cave Junction, Oregon, has a stable supply of 100LL aviation fuel for piston-engine aircraft. Bill and Louise Gettle, owners of The Flying Machine, an FBO located on the field, are managing the retail sales of the newly-established fuel service. The […]
Extended warranty for Airvan
GippsAero has extended its warranty on the GA8 Airvan to five years or 2,000 hours for all new aircraft. This five-year warranty is a three-year extension on top of the standard GippsAero two-year warranty that’s offered on the GA8 Airvan, and it will operate under identical terms and conditions, company officials said. GippsAero is not […]
Intercomp debuts free app
Intercomp has introduced iACWeigh, a free app that can communicate directly with Intercomp RFX Wireless scales with RS232 output via the new iACWeigh Module, sold separately. iACWeigh allows users to view live weights (or manually enter them), save weight data, export the information to a spreadsheet for future analysis and email reports. Intercomp’s RFX Wireless […]