Mark Phelps

AOPA President Craig Fuller summarized the thoughts of many aircraft operators in response to the devastation in Haiti: “We all want to jump in our aircraft and fly down to help.” Indeed, in the days following the Jan. 12 earthquake, operators of aircraft ranging from individual owners of single-engine pistons to corporate fleet and charter […]

Approximately 3,000 airport operators are not sure how best to respond to a survey form from the Transportation Security Administration. As part of the TSA response to the 9/11 Commission Recommendation Act of 2007, the security agency is assessing liabilities at all airports. The focus is on those with runways of at least 2,000 feet […]

Electronic screen failures, runway incursions, separated propeller blades and turbine engine debris are all represented on the list of new incidents requiring a report to the National Transportation Safety Board. In a rule that becomes effective March 8, operators will have to report: complete loss of more than half of an aircraft’s cockpit displays (not […]

The FAA and Europe’s EASA have approved Hawker Beechcraft’s latest King Air 350 variant, the 350i. The updated turboprop twin features HBC’s “FlexCabin” configuration — able to be swapped easily for various missions. The 350i also boasts a quieter cabin with sound levels reduced to an average of 78 dBA. The standard cabin management system […]

According to numbers supplied by Avdata, North American sales of used turbine aircraft in November last year were comparable to those recorded in 2008 — the first month following the economic collapse. For example, in 2009, there were 36 sales of light business jets compared with 35 in 2008. Medium jet sales improved last year […]

Business aircraft management firm Solairus Aviation will donate 1 percent of first-year management fees for new 2010 clients to the Corporate Angel Network. Solairus added 40 aircraft to its fleet in 2009. CAN arranges free flights on corporate aircraft for cancer patients traveling to receive treatment. With more than 500 participants, CAN has arranged more […]

Enhanced vision technology firm Max-Viz announced its EVS-1500 is now in service on a Cessna Citation S550 (Citation II) operated by Robertson Racing. In addition, Max-Viz announced an STC approval in association with One Sky Aviation to install EVS-1500 systems on Eurocopter AS-350s and EC-130s.

Piper had planned to make an announcement at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, today. Piper did not reveal any details of the planned announcement before hand, but the fact that the announcement will be made at the fourth annual U.S. Sport Aviation Expo has ignited all manner of speculation that Piper will […]

One of my short local flights last week reminded me that the time of year has a lot to do with what I can expect from wind conditions. It’s winter in the Northeast, and the season brings some pretty reliable presumptions. It’ll be colder, and the days are shorter. In clouds, icing assumes center stage […]

In a move that will save each American taxpayer $1.38 over the next five years, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has directed the Coast Guard to discontinue support for Loran C, starting Feb. 8. The USCG notice said, “At that time, the U.S. Loran-C signal will be unusable and permanently discontinued.” Though overwhelmingly superseded […]