The San Diego Air & Space Museum has launched its BEAM Virtual Tour Program, which enables both school groups and people who are physically unable to visit the museum to take tours through the use of a computer and Internet connection. Virtual visitors can see museum exhibits in real-time with an interactive tool that moves, sees, […]
Briefings
NASA launches competition for airspace redesign
NASA has launched a new competition for the redesign of our national airspace. Sky for All: Air Mobility for 2035 and Beyond is a $15,000 challenge to develop ideas for technologies that could be part of a clean-slate design and concept of operations for the airspace of the future. The challenge is open now. Deadline for submissions […]
GA airports included in FAA’s Runway Incursion Mitigation Inventory
Several popular general aviation airports, as well as a number of other airfields across the country, may participate in a new FAA program that will provide funding for the mitigation of runway incursions at facilities that have complex or potentially confusing runway-taxiway geometry, according to a report from the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). In […]
AWOS to be installed at S52
A new weather reporting system will be installed at Methow Valley State Airport (S52) in Washington state in February. The Washington State Department of Transportation will purchase and operate the weather reporting system, also known as an Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS), for use at the airport in Winthrop and neighboring airports. Once activated, the AWOS will […]
NATA celebrates 75 years
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) celebrated its 75th year as the voice of aviation business Dec. 28. As a response to military efforts in 1940 to ground all private flying in America for the duration of World War II, activists moved to prevent the cessation of general aviation activity — in the process […]
First flight: Mooney M10
Mooney International Corp. has successfully completed the first flight of the M10T Proof of Concept (POC) aircraft. The first flight was performed by test pilot Len Fox on Wednesday, Dec. 23, in the vicinity of the Chino Airport in California. The flight lasted approximately 15 minutes, with Fox conducting basic flight maneuvers and verifying design data. […]
Congress passes FAA funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Congress has passed an omnibus measure that includes key funding for general aviation manufacturers in safety, certification, and alternative fuels for piston-engine aircraft. It also makes permanent the Research & Development (R&D) tax credit, and extends bonus depreciation for five years. The bill, which now heads to President Obama for his […]
Merlin PSA makes U.S debut
Just introduced to the U.S. is the Merlin PSA, a single-seat Personal Sport Aircraft. The all-aluminum aircraft features a cantilevered wing and a 120 mph cruise speed. Price is under $35,000, which includes the builders’ assistance program in Florida, according to company officials. The Merlin PSA is available now as a quick-build Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft. The design was created on 3D CAD/CAM […]
FAA Small Unmanned Aircraft registration begins Dec. 21
The FAA’s Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) registry has gone live online. In preparation for registering online, each owner must provide his or her name, home address and email address. Upon completion of registration, the web application will generate a Certificate of Aircraft Registration/Proof of Ownership that will include a unique identification number for the UAS […]