Mark Phelps

Back in the 1980s when I worked in the Flying offices, I remember overhearing then-Editor in Chief Dick Collins talking with now-Editor in Chief Mac McClellan on the phone. “It’s time for the thunderstorm article again. Do you want to do it this year, or is it my turn?” Of course, given the lead time […]

With an amendment last week to the Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act, the aviation industry will now be able to review and provide input on proposed TSA security measures. Under amendment to H.R.2200, a new Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) will be formed. It will include a group of aviation industry stakeholders and a general […]

The two largest general aviation ‘alphabet groups’ have always had a cooperative working relationship. But that synergy was formalized last week in a meeting between the two groups’ leaders. AOPA President Craig Fuller and EAA Chairman and President Tom Poberezny met to map out strategies in using the groups’ resources to further the interests of […]

Despite previous claims insisting he had experienced catastrophic damage to his Piper Malibu, an Indiana fund manager pleaded guilty last week to intentionally crashing the airplane and sending false distress calls. Marcus Schrenker, 38, bailed out of his PA-46-500TP over Alabama, near where he had stashed a motorcycle in a storage facility. The airplane crashed […]

Lawyers for Cirrus Design are considering their appeal options in a Minnesota court ruling that found the company negligent in a fatal accident. The pilot of a Cirrus SR22, who was killed in the crash along with his passenger, was found 25 percent negligent. The jury found Cirrus and the University of North Dakota 75 […]

The January 15 ditching of a US Airways Airbus earlier this year highlighted the growing problem of bird strikes. Now, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has established a center for studying wildlife hazards, including bird strikes. Aviation safety has always included wildlife experts-not just to mitigate bird strikes in flight, but also to minimize runway encounters with […]

After 28 flights, stage one of testing is complete for the Terrafugia ‘Transition’ roadable airplane. Woburn, Massachusetts-based Terrafugia (Latin for ‘escape from land’) now moves on to the Beta Prototype testing stage, with a second airframe to be developed based on lessons learned from the POC vehicle. First flight was March 5. First deliveries of […]

Most East Coast pilots are more familiar with flight restrictions involving Presidential travel, but a half dozen Los Angeles-area pilots will now become a lot more aware. The six were observed within Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) airspace during President Obama’s visit to L.A. two weeks ago, and directed by air traffic controllers to leave. The […]

Bell Helicopter reports it needs only software approval to notch Canadian type certification for its new Model 429. The light twin rotorcraft has completed all component trials in more than 1,800 hours of flight test involving five aircraft. Approval from Transport Canada is expected by the end of this month, with U.S. FAA approval following […]

Cirrus announced this week it is increasing production rates to eight aircraft per week and rehiring 50 furloughed employees. The production rate increase is the second in a month and a half at Cirrus, with the rate now double what it was at its low point of four aircraft per week. The ramp-up is attributed […]