Greg Poe won the second round of the eXtreme Airshow Challenge, held at Smith-Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, N.C. The challenge, dubbed NASCAR of the air, continues this weekend in Denton, Texas. Meanwhile, Peter Besenyei beat 10 other pilots in the second leg of the Red Bull Air Race World Series on May 6 in Barcelona, […]
Sportair USA adds two LSA dealerships
SportairUSA will distribute the Parrot and SportCruiser certified Special Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA) via its North American dealer network. Manufactured in the Czech Republic by Czech Aircraft Works (CZAW), the SportCruiser and Parrot recently attained S-LSA certification.
Eclipse rolls out #5
Eclipse Aviation has rolled out a fifth jet for flight-testing in pursuit of certification. According to the Albuquerque-based company, certification of the Eclipse 500 is expected by the end of June. Customer deliveries could begin as soon as July.
Iowa creates state av fund
The Iowa state legislature has created a dedicated state aviation fund. Revenues from aircraft registration and aviation fuel taxes will begin to flow into the fund beginning in July 2007, and will be subject to annual appropriations by the legislature. In FY2008, 50% of the registration and fuel tax revenues will flow into the fund […]
Boom times reported by GA manufacturers
GA manufacturers recorded the highest first quarter billings in history, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Billings for the industry totaled $4 billion, an increase of 39.7%, compared to $2.9 billion for the first quarter of 2005. Shipments for the first three months of 2006 totaled 845, a 34.1% increase over the 630 […]
What’s in a name?
Does your aircraft have personality? “They all do,” insists Danny Groggins, an official with Legend Aircraft Co., as he taxied the Texas company’s latest plane, a Cub Special named “Baloo,” to a display area at Sun ‘n Fun. “We named this one Baloo because it’s blue and because of the cartoon character. Baloo was the […]
A cup a day sends an aspiring pilot on her way
Many enterprising aviators ran lemonade and Kool-Aid stands in their youth to raise money for flight training. Café Avion, an organic coffee roasting company based in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, is taking that idea to a new level by making a donation to the Ninety-Nines scholarship fund for every pound of its Aviatrix blend purchased. “I […]
Prove it!
When I was a small boy, if a schoolmate made a statement with which another disagreed, the accepted rejoinder was “Prove it!” Later on, having discovered an interest in science, I learned that this is an appropriate response to any theory. “Prove it.” Today, however, theories abound, proofs are as scarce as hens’ teeth, and […]
A simple solution to FAA’s funding woes
I continue to be astonished by what appears to be the inability of both the FAA and those now debating its funding sources to perceive a blinding flash of the obvious that surrounds the passenger excise tax issue. The portion of FAA income that does not originate from general fund revenues contributed by all income […]