Flightcom has appointed Reed Stager executive vice president. Stager, who has nearly three decades of experience in high-technology marketing, business development, and strategic planning, is tasked with expanding Flightcom’s products, including its wired and wireless aviation headsets, intercoms and accessories to other communication needs in the aviation and military markets. “Hundreds of thousands of pilots […]
Low altitude roll results in fatality
This July 2009 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: Aero Vodochody L-29. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Tehachapi, Calif. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The airplane was participating in three-airplane formation flight. A […]
Should rare planes be grounded?
“Liberty Belle crashed just outside of Aurora. Seven out of seven onboard made it out.” This text message greeted me the morning of June 13. Like so many other warbird enthusiasts, I went to the Internet to search for information about the accident. I found video shot from both the ground and the air showing […]
EPA dramatically scales back ethanol mandates
The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer, aviation sales rep for U-Fuel, and president of EAA1114. The EPA has once again been forced to face […]
Over the horizon LSA producers: Iran and Malaysia
Most of what our media reports about Iran is bad: Islamic militants. Contested elections. Brutal suppression of dissent. Nuclear ambitions. What we don’t hear is about the country’s light aircraft producers. Then consider Malaysia. Do you think of that country relative to aircraft production? Do you think of it in any way? My guess is […]
Production complete on ‘Rise Above’
Filmmaker Adam White has completed production on his new film “Rise Above,” which is being produced by Hemlock Films for the Red Tail Squadron. The film, about the Tuskegee Airmen, will be shown in a mobile theater, complete with a 170° curved screen to put you in the airplane. The Tuskegee Airmen, the educational focus […]
China is making a big GA mistake
A recent blog post by Aviation International News’ Matt Thurber notes that while Chinese companies are making huge investments in GA, the Chinese government is making “a gigantic mistake that will make it difficult for these investments ever to pay off.” Thurber goes on to say: “A recent report notes that China plans to manage […]
The world that wasn’t – past visions of aviation’s future
Aviation is poised to enter a bold new era of superjumbo jets, low-emissions engines powered by algae and commercial space flight. Yet, these innovations are pedestrian compared with conceptions of flight that date back centuries, according to a new photo gallery at Txchnologist, an online magazine presented by GE that looks at new innovations in science […]
Triple Play: Pipistrel wins SLSA approvals
After a pause in new SLSA, Pipistrel burst onto the scene with multiple approvals — three at once — reports Michael Coates, the importer for Pipistrel USA. We raced to get these placed on the SLSA List because it’s news, but also because FAA uses this list to verify new models before assigning them N-numbers. […]