COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — FlowerDeliveryExpress.com recently conducted the first flower delivery by drone. The company was immediately notified by the FAA that commercial use of drones is only authorized on a case-by-case basis, which led CEO Wesley Berry to halt future testing with drones. FlowerDeliveryExpress.com had intended to deliver as many free rose bouquets as […]
General Aviation
Career forum to be featured at Northwest Aviation Conference
An Aviation Business and Career Forum will be held one day before the Northwest Aviation Conference and Trade Show in Puyallup, Wash., next weekend. Every year aviation enthusiasts flock to Puyallup for the show, which is hosted by the Washington Aviation Association. The 2014 conference and trade show is scheduled for Feb. 22-23. This year […]
Low-altitude manuever goes bad
Aircraft: Aventura II. Injuries: 2 Fatal. Location: Laceys Spring, Ala. Aircraft damage: Destroyed. What reportedly happened: The pilot was said to have logged 700 hours, including about 10 flights in the accident airplane. However, his most recent flight review was completed nearly six years prior to the accident and he did not possess the required rating to operate […]
NextGen over budget and behind schedule
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pilots and aircraft owners at all levels of aviation are reluctant to invest in the necessary new equipment for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). One reason is that the FAA has not clearly defined what benefits will be achieved and when. A recent report from Calvin Scovel III, Inspector General […]
How a ghost doomed the Skycatcher
In a new blog post, Flying magazine’s Robert Goyer says that the Cessna Skycatcher failed because it was overly sensitive to wind, had a “Made in China” label that infuriated the American marketplace, plus a high price tag. Once the price was raised to $150,000, “the price was too high for what you got, and what […]
Google to manage Moffett Field
A Google subsidiary, Planetary Ventures LLC, will take over management of the 1,000-acre Moffett Federal Airfield, a former U.S. Navy based located four miles from Google’s Mountain View, Calif., headquarters. The airfield, which was built in the 1930s, has been managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center for the past 23 years. According to a story […]
Eclipse receives STCs for auto throttle, brakes
Eclipse Aerospace has received Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for both the auto throttle and anti-skid brake (ASB) systems for the Eclipse 550 twin-engine jet. The auto throttle, developed in partnership with Innovative Solutions & Support, is a first for FAR Part 23 aircraft, according to Eclipse officials. The lightweight ASB system does not require a […]
Garmin recognizes GPS milestone
OLATHE, Kan. — Garmin is commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Garmin GPS 155 receiving FAA Technical Standard Order (TSO) authorization, the industry’s first FAA TSO-C129 approach approved IFR GPS receiver. The GPS 155 TSO received FAA TSO approval Feb. 16, 1994, which set the bar for future technological GPS advancements in aviation, Garmin officials […]
Wipaire gains new leadership in engineering, manufacturing
SOUTH SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Wipaire, Inc. has named new leaders to its engineering and manufacturing management. Tim Hendrickson was appointed Wipaire’s new director of manufacturing, while Chris Woken was named engineering manager. Hendrickson brings over 15 years of manufacturing expertise to Wipaire, according to company officials. “Tim brings knowledge and experience from working at large […]