Pia Bergqvist

NASA’s Search and Rescue Mission Office this week conducted the third and final Cessna 172 Skyhawk crash test at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, in its quest to improve the post-crash effectiveness of Emergency Locator Transmitters in severe but survivable crashes. Video clips from several angles show a Skyhawk being dropped from […]

As we all know, bad weather can wreak havoc on air traffic flow for all airplanes from light single-engine propeller airplanes to heavy airliners. Here is a cool video that shows the traffic flow around Atlanta during a time of severe but localized thunderstorms. The video shows the accelerated flight paths of airplanes going into […]

It was a tough weekend for airshows in Europe, ending with multiple fatalities of not only airshow pilots but also unsuspecting bystanders. At the Shoreham Airport in southeastern England, a Hawker Hunter, a vintage warbird jet developed in the late 1940s and early 1950s, crashed in a massive fireball into the busy A27 freeway, killing […]

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. recently announced details on the progress of the test program for its G500 and G600 family of business jets, which are expected to hit the market in 2018 and 2019 respectively. The G500 took to the skies for the first time on May 18. Since then, company test pilots have completed five […]

Enstrom Helicopters announced that the flight test program for its two-seat TH180, currently in development, is progressing on schedule with the second prototype building flight hours. “We are into the envelope expansion phase,” said Enstrom test pilot Bill Taylor. “We’ve had it out over 90 knots so far, and everything is performing as expected.” A […]

King Schools has made some modifications to its Flight Instructor Refresher Course to allow CFIs to focus on areas of weakness or greater interest. Rather than having a list of set course components that must be completed, the course now includes elective sections. “CFIs new to the King FIRC can customize their course for what […]

I’m generally biased in favor of anything that flies, but truth be told there have been a few light-sport aircraft that I haven’t enjoyed flying. I felt that those airplanes were so light on the controls that it was rather unsettling. While the Icon A5 looks cool, I was prepared for the worst when I […]

South African airshow pilot Nigel Hopkins, who is in France getting prepared for the 28th FAI World Aerobatic Championships, is fortunate to be alive after his MX Aircraft MX2 airplane broke up in flight. Hopkins was on a practice flight in preparation for the competition, which is set to take place August 20 through 29 […]

When flying into uncontrolled airports, you rely on other pilots in the area to help avoid midair collisions by following the recommended procedures and communicating intentions on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). Without a controller providing guidance, it is important to follow the recommended arrival and departure procedures to minimize the risks. While radio […]

The Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) has concluded another successful mission in its quest to reopen closed airstrips and prevent the closure of others around the country. Located on a state-owned 820-acre island in Lake Michigan called North Fox Island, about 27 miles northwest of Charlevoix, the scenic 3,000-foot grass strip is now open to the […]