Pia Bergqvist

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched a new design for landing gear that could enable helicopters to land just about anywhere. Rather than the traditional fixed skids or wheels that are attached to the bottom of the helicopter’s fuselage, the Mission Adaptive Rotor (MAR) Robotic Landing Gear is comprised of four articulated, […]

Doc’s Friends have a reason to cheer once again as the Wichita, Kansas-based volunteer crew has reached the point of engine start in the monumental task of returning the massive B-29 bomber to the skies. The first engine run was conducted days ago at the McConnell Air Force Base on the east side of the […]

If you are an air race fan, it’s time to make the annual migration to Reno for the National Championship Air Races. The competition starts today at Reno Stead Airport, 10 miles northwest of the city. In addition to the promise of adrenaline-pumping races from buzzing miniature sport airplanes to roaring unlimiteds, the weekend promises […]

Unless you are required by a lender to carry liability insurance for your airplane, you likely don’t have to pay for such a policy. Only 11 states require some form of liability insurance for general aviation aircraft operators, according to the Government Accountability Office, unlike automobile owners and commercial airlines, which are federally obligated to […]

The FAA has issued guidance to offices that handle pilot certificate action, offering an alternative tool for handling FAA violations through remedial training. The FAA said the new guidance was put in place in an effort to make the National Airspace System safer by correcting deviances through training rather than litigation. The remedial training will […]

The French commercial jet manufacturing giant Airbus this week held the official opening of its first manufacturing facility in the United States, at a sprawling new plant in Mobile, Alabama. The facility has been in operation since July and Airbus expects to deliver its first U.S.-built airplane next year. The $600 million, 53-acre facility will […]

If you are a responsible pilot you run through a before takeoff checklist that includes a runup of the engine that makes sure the magnetos are both grounded and that there is no gunk preventing the spark plugs from firing to produce a smooth running engine. But if there is an issue during the runup, […]

The Citation Jet Pilots association is offering a free six-month trial membership to operators of turbine-powered Textron Aviation aircraft, including Citations, Hawkers, King Airs, Caravans and Cessna turboprop twins. The membership includes CJP’s FuelAdvantage program, which offers lower pricing for jet A fuel at more than 100 airports around the world. “FuelAdvantage FBOs strive to […]

Changes in the software for Gulfstream’s G280 is highlighting how advanced technology has become in the bizjet world. Gulfstream and Rockwell Collins have updated the PlaneView280 software installed in the G280, a change that has resulted in performance improvements for the luxury 10-passenger jet. The change has reduced the approach speed by as much as […]

Seattle-based Raisbeck Engineering is working with Hartzell Propeller on a new project for the King Air 350, bringing a swept blade propeller design to the largest model of Beechcraft’s twin turboprop. Two versions are in development: a five-blade composite and a four-blade aluminum propeller. Raisbeck said the four-blade aluminum prop is close to achieving FAA […]