Rob Mark

ONE Aviation told employees last week that some will lose their jobs as the company phases out production of the Eclipse EA550 light jet and makes room for the new EA700 Project Canada aircraft still under development. ONE Aviation successfully completed the first flight of the proof-of-concept wing for the EA700 last month. A ONE […]

The story behind the final report released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau following the three-and-a-half year search for Malaysian Airlines 370 makes fascinating reading to anyone interested in aviation safety. The volume actually reads almost like a good mystery novel with page after page of evidence, opinions and insights. The difference, of course, is […]

The National Transportation Safety Board this week called upon the FAA to treat balloon pilots like all others by requiring them to possess a current medical certificate. Currently, balloon pilots are exempt from medical certificate requirement in order to conduct commercial operations. In an abstract of the soon-to-be-released final report, the NTSB took the FAA […]

Just two weeks after an Air France Airbus A380 enroute to Los Angeles from Paris made an emergency landing at Goose Bay Labrador, following the failure of an engine fan hub, the FAA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive against the airplane’s Engine Alliance GP7200 series powerplants. The Air France A380’s number four engine on September […]

A number of media outlets in Maine have, over the past few weeks, reported significant financial troubles for Kestrel Aircraft, one of two companies created under the One Aviation parent in 2015. One Aviation is headed by Alan Klapmeier, former co-founder of the successful Cirrus Aircraft company he left in 2009. One Aviation also builds […]

Even aboard business airplanes, there are people who simply don’t like the bumps that often accompany flying. Some passengers tell operators many of the pets flying along these days don’t like the bumps either. Bombardier believes a smooth ride is an important benefit to be had in the right aircraft. The company created a small […]

There are people who claim their cell phone works everywhere, even while cruising along at 10,000 feet in their Baron, or PC-12. Experts will tell you of course that while there’s always the chance an airborne phone might grab a scrap or two of cell service in flight, it’s never reliable enough to regularly send […]

Active sidestick operations make so much sense to most pilots that talk of anything else seems a waste of time. Sidesticks are a mainstay in business aircraft like the newest Falcons, recent Embraer jets and Airbus aircraft. The Cirrus fleet of single engine piston aircraft even sports a sidestick of sorts. There’s a difference though […]

One significant bit of positive news at Dassault’s NBAA press conference was how well the year-old Falcon 8X seems to be settling in with the customers, especially regarding cabin size and range. The 8X recently completed a 6,300-nm leg from Singapore to London. Another was mention of an additional new Falcon being considered down the […]

Safe Flight Instrument Corporation has begun testing its digital angle of attack indicator using a Viking 400 Twin turboprop as the testbed. The AoA provides pilots with increased awareness of the margin above stall, as well as trend information approaching a stall, both important elements as an aircraft slows during final approach. The system also […]