Mark Phelps

On a mission over southern Germany during World War II, undisciplined P-51 Mustang ace Ralph Hofer earned his commander’s ire by blurting out over his combat frequency, “Gee! Ain’t the Alps pretty!” The group wasn’t under attack at the time, but the breach of strict radio discipline elicited an immediate rebuke. Unnecessary chatting on the […]

The ANAC National Civil Aviation Authority of Brazil approved Embraer’s Phenom 300 light jet for production last week. With the factory in São José dos Campos, Brazil, gearing up to meet orders, FAA certification and first deliveries are expected within the next few weeks. The $8.14 million, Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535-E-powered twinjet has exceeded […]

The RTCA has approved technical and operational standards for equipment to be used in automatic dependent surveillance — broadcast (ADS-B), a critical component of the NextGen air traffic system. RTCA is a joint committee that makes recommendations to the FAA, whose final rule on ADS-B equipment standards is expected in April. What last week’s RTCA […]

GE will begin certification testing on its up-to-800-shaft-horsepower H80 turboprop engine by year end. The company has also signed a launch customer — the Thrush 510 crop duster will be the first to fly with H80 power. GE expects the engine to be certified by mid 2010, with the Thrush 510 receiving FAA certification around […]

SpaceShipTwo, designed by Burt Rutan and bankrolled by Sir Richard Branson, made its first public appearance last week. Rutan’s prototype SpaceShipOne won the $10 million Ansari X-Prize in 2004 as the first privately operated aircraft to reach space, then repeat the feat within two weeks. Branson and Rutan hope to launch their commercial space tourism […]

Late next year or early in 2011, the National Test Facility for Fuels and Propulsion is scheduled to open at Purdue University. Funded by a $1.35 million Air Force grant, the facility will be located at the Niswonger Aviation Technology Building at Purdue Airport in Indiana. Its focus will be on testing aircraft engine and […]

Solar Impulse, a Swiss-designed aircraft, made its first flight last week. Its developers hope to eventually fly the Solar Impulse around the world, but for now are satisfied with a “flea hop” of around 1,150 feet at an altitude of about three feet. Still, their first flight traveled almost 10 times as far as the […]

Where I lived in Wisconsin, no one considered storing an airplane outside. But here in New Jersey, we sum up the expected wear and tear on paint and compare it to the cost to keep an airplane under wraps. So, for a lot of us, it means keeping our pride and joy out in the […]

Who needs the hassle of shoehorning bags of holiday gifts into the tight luggage compartments found in most general aviation aircraft? And for extended holiday stays with Grandma, the amount of luggage piled up on the ramp can cut into your useful load as well as your cabin space. Why not consider shipping most of […]

Ed Stimpson, who succumbed last week to lung cancer (despite the fact that he never smoked), stood tall as an advocate for general aviation. Equally important, he was a remarkably effective coalition builder, a skilled negotiator and a pragmatic problem solver. His career record paints that picture. Stimpson was hired to handle public affairs by […]