Stephen Pope

When British daredevil Gary Connery first announced plans to make a wingsuit jump over England and land without a parachute, the one question on everybody’s mind was, how in the world would he pull it off? We got our answer on Wednesday as Connery leapt from a helicopter hovering over the English countryside at 2,400 […]

Sandia Aerospace, the Albuquerque, New Mexico, avionics manufacturer, said it has started delivering its new STX 165 Mode C transponder with built-in encoder. Designed to occupy a minimum of panel space, the transponder can slide into a one-half 3-ATI opening, and measures seven inches deep. In case you’re not familiar with the term “one-half 3-ATI,” […]

Hawker Beechcraft said it received orders for 11 airplanes – including three of its flagship Hawker 4000 super-midsize business jets, a Hawker 400XPR, six King Air 350i turboprops and a King Air 250 – during EBACE at Geneva International Airport in Geneva, Switzerland, last week. The total sales amount to more than $120 million, providing […]

When we think about keeping our landing skills sharp, generally that means going out on days when the wind is blowing straight across the runway to hone our crosswind technique. That makes sense since we never know what the wind might be doing at the destination and we need to be ready for anything. But […]

The NTSB held a fascinating meeting at its Washington headquarters on Tuesday morning that explored in detail the poor safety record of experimental amateur-built aircraft and produced a laundry list of solutions aimed at stemming the problem. The raw data presented in the NTSB’s study of experimental aircraft safety was wholly absorbing in and of […]

Every time you train for a new pilot rating you’re faced with a check ride — an event that can cause the blood pressure to rise even in the best of pilots. After being grilled for hours about your knowledge pertaining to the rating you’re attempting to achieve, you’re expected to perform precision maneuvers under […]

Since Eurocopter‘s formation 20 years ago from the merger of helicopter producers in France and Germany, the company has steadily increased its market share, capturing and holding onto the coveted spot as the world’s largest civil helicopter maker. One product above all others deserves the credit for initiating this rise to prominence: the EC 135. […]

Eclipse Aerospace has signed an agreement with Sikorsky subsidiary PZL Mielec in Poland covering the production of Eclipse jet wings, fuselages, empennages and other components. The parts will be built by PZL Mielec at its factory in southern Poland and shipped to the Eclipse factory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for final assembly and customer deliveries […]

Warn the neighbors and anybody else who will listen: The FAA and FBI are cracking down on people who intentionally point laser lights at aircraft in flight, launching dozens of investigations and charging nearly 30 alleged perpetrators since stepping up enforcement last summer. A new law enacted in February makes doing so a federal crime […]

A Fairfax, Virginia, judge has dismissed drunk driving charges filed late last year against former FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt after ruling that patrol car video appeared to contradict the arresting officer’s original report. Babbitt was arrested on December 3 in Fairfax after police said his car was spotted crossing the double yellow lines and driving […]