Flying Staff

On Wednesday afternoon the crowds at EAA AirVenture witnessed the arrival of Cirrus’ SJ50 personal jet at 2:35 p.m. Central Daylight Time. The single-engine seven-place jet made its maiden flight on July 3, and potential customers and enthusiasts await their first look at the airplane. Cirrus has a cabin mock-up on display here at AirVenture, […]

Punctuated by a blast of dry ice smoke, Rolls-Royce rolled out its latest new civil engine, the RR500 turboprop during the week of EAA AirVenture. The new engine is derived from the RR300 turboshaft announced last year to power the Robinson R66 helicopter. The RR500 uses the same core, but includes a gearbox for attachment […]

Garmin announced at EAA AirVenture it has received TSO certification for its G600 avionics suite, and has AML approval for some 785 aircraft models. At a suggested price of $29,995, the units began shipping on Monday. According to a company spokesman, a large benefit of the G600 is the two 6.5-inch displays-primary and multifunction displays-configured […]

Vern Raburn has left the company he founded more than 10 years ago in a move required by terms of the latest round of financing. Raburn made the announcement Monday morning at the annual Eclipse press breakfast the first day of EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. Taking over as chairman and interim CEO is Roel Pieper, […]

Bendix/King announced a trio of portable GPS and synthetic vision products at EAA AirVenture. Classed under the overall brand of AV8OR, the line starts with a portable GPS receiver with both aviation and automotive applications. Priced at $749, the 4.3-inch touch-screen navigator also has an optional real-time weather receiver available. For now, a $250 discount […]

As previously announced, Lycoming will proceed with development of its TIO-360-EXP Thunderbolt engine, designed to operate at 180 horsepower on unleaded fuel. The turbonormalized, intercooled fuel-injected engine is noncertified and is currently approved for use with ASTM D910 100LL fuel. Future approvals are expected for use with EN228 and ASTM D4814 automotive-based fuels with supplemental […]

The super-midsize Hawker 4000 business jet received final FAA certification earlier this summer and the company began deliveries. The airplane has a carbon fiber fuselage with 6-foot headroom and a flat floor and is, in most respects, the most advanced midsize jet in service. The rudder, steering and brakes all are fly-by-wire controlled, and the […]

If the list of twin-engine, very light jet contenders seems long, those hoping to build single-engine jets are now also starting to grow in number. Newcomer Stratos Aircraft in Bend, Oregon, announced last week it is developing a four-place very light personal jet (VLPJ) to be called the Stratos 714. Stratos claims it has the […]

Operators of Diamond aircraft that are currently powered by Thielert Aircraft Engines’ diesel piston power plants will have a first chance to see the alternative next week at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Diamond will have an example of its developmental AE 300 Austro engine on display. The developmental 170 hp turbodiesel engine is earmarked […]

More than 1,000 general aviation buyers braved triple-digit temperatures to visit Centennial Airport in Denver last week for the third in a series of Parade of Piston events. Fifteen aircraft manufacturers were represented and up to a dozen aircraft were sold on site. Sponsored in part by Flying and AMPT Associates, a leading motor sports […]