Search Results for: Pipistrel

Disrupt or be disrupted. It’s one of the hard lessons emerging in today’s tech-fueled economy, in which the frenetic pace of innovation means not only seeing new ideas materialize with dizzying speed but also watching as they threaten to obliterate entire industries that came before them. We’ve glimpsed this trend in aviation already with everything […]

Dueling press releases arrived in my email inbox at around the same time on Friday morning, one from Airbus claiming the E-Fan demonstrator had made history by becoming the first electric-powered airplane to cross the English Channel and another saying French pilot Hugues Duval had actually pulled off the same feat the night before in […]

Airbus Group’s E-Fan demonstrator was able to successfully cross the English Channel on Friday morning, mirroring Louis Blériot’s historical flight nearly 106 years ago. But the record flight is already proving controversial. Taking off from Lydd Airport in southern England, the twin-fan electric airplane completed the flight in 38 minutes, reaching a cruise altitude of […]

Aero Friedrichshafen, the biggest general-aviation event in Europe, opened in April with the delivery of an EASA type certificate to Diamond Aircraft for its twin-engine DA62. CEO Christian Dries said FAA certification should follow by early next year. Other news was the first flight of a four-seat C4 prototype from Flight Design, just a few days before the show, and Pipistrels introduction of the Alpha Electro battery-powered trainer, ready for sale. At Sun n Fun, in Lakeland, Florida, Piper debuted three new M-class models–the M350 piston and M500 and M600 turboprops–and Mooney brought a mockup of its new all-composite M10T three-seat trainer.

Check out some of the aircraft featured at Europe’s annual general aviation show held in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

Perhaps you are the type of person who likes to go on road trips while traveling within the protective confines of a car. Or maybe you prefer to experience the trip with all of your senses, on a motorcycle, where you can feel the speed, touch the elements of nature, and hear and smell the […]

Seaplanes led the news at EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh this year, with Icons debut of the final production version of its aircraft. The company is ramping up for production at a new plant in Vacaville, Calif., with plans to start deliveries of the LSA seaplane next year. Also, a new contender, MVP.aero, showed off a concept with a bundle of unique features. The mock-up and graphic display of the MVP.aero Model 3 amphibians unusual design, targeting fun flying, featured a cockpit that opens up to a deck for fishing, relaxing, and camping out.

Two general-aviation aircraft designs, the Turbine Mallard and the all-metal tandem SAM LSA, are up for sale. Thierry Zibi said he enjoyed designing and building the SAM, but doesnt want to run a production company. The SAM is certified in Canada as an Advanced Ultralight, and is compliant with the LSA rule in the USA. Frakes Aviation acquired classic Grumman Mallards type certificate some years ago, and upgraded the fleet with turbine engines. The TC is back on the market now, as the current owners are ready to retire. Were looking for someone to take on the entire project, said Sam Jantzen, of Mallard Aircraft, who is working with Frakes. That would include not just the type certificate but the inventory of parts and several partially-built aircraft now owned by Frakes and based in Texas.

Flying along the Atlantic Coast recently I glimpsed the future of aviation without even realizing it at the time. Enjoying my unique view of the sunlight glimmering on the waves as they pounded the sandy beaches below, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a traffic target on my DiamondStar’s Garmin G1000 flight […]

A Senate Appropriations Committee report says Aeronav should immediately restore the 17-day advance availability of digital charts to the public on its website, and further demands to see a business case supporting Aeronavs claims that it needs to charge fees for digital charts. Sales of paper products have fallen but the FAA should not view the sale of digital products simply as a convenient source of revenue to compensate for the loss of revenue, the…