Aircraft

When Boom Technology in a virtual event last week rolled out its tri-engine XB-1—a one-third scale version of the company’s future supersonic Overture passenger aircraft—it proved the Denver company was serious about developing a worthy follow-on to the Mach 2 Concorde whose last flight took place nearly 17 years ago. Boom Technologies first announced its […]

The people of Bombardier pride themselves in offering some of the best jets you can buy in their respective categories, and as the company announces that its new Learjet Liberty 75 has entered service, it adds a competitive-priced model the light jet category. The newest addition to Bombardier’s diverse business jet portfolio recently saw the […]

When you venture into the world of airplane ownership and evaluate different aircraft models for purchase, it quickly becomes clear that each offers various combinations of strengths and weaknesses. Some have outstanding payload at the expense of increased fuel burn. Some are capable of accessing very short runways at the expense of cruise speed. But […]

The hierarchy of personal general aviation aircraft types has, over the years, come to be defined by certain mainstays. The Cessna 150-152 and light taildraggers have been the stalwarts of basic, entry-level aviation. The Skyhawk and Cherokee families have long served as the go-to solution for economical four-place aircraft—and more-powerful, complex machines like those from […]

It is often said that a first-time airplane buyer should buy his or her last airplane first. The reasoning is, it makes little sense to invest in an airplane the pilot will outgrow or become bored with. A more expensive option may, in fact, prove to be a better long-term value by serving as a […]

The fourth test article in Gulfstream’s G700 development program made its first flight on October 2, adding to the fleet that will advance the model towards certification. The initial flight, which clocked 1 hour, 56 minutes, took the platform to an altitude of 41,000 feet and reached a speed of 0.89 Mach. The airplane’s primary […]

Textron Aviation announced on October 5 the FAA type certification of the upgrades to its Becchcraft King Air 300 series—the King Air 360 and 360ER—paving the way for deliveries to begin. The 360 and 360ER feature autothrottles from Innovative Solutions & Support that ease pilot workload in most phases of flight, including takeoff, climb, cruise, […]

In a normal year, Honeywell has released its annual Global Business Aviation Outlook in a kickoff event at the National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition. This year, the team at Honeywell delivered an advanced briefing to Flying ahead of the forecast’s debut on October 6. In that briefing, the tempered optimism stood […]

And then there were three: Textron Aviation continues apace with its flight test program on the twin turboprop, the Cessna SkyCourier, adding a third test article to the pre-production fleet. The aircraft, P2 in company parlance, made its first flight on September 28, 2020, in Wichita. That initial flight, led by pilots Todd Dafton and […]

When a highly-modified Piper Malibu Mirage broke ground in Cranfield, England, last week for a lap around the pattern and return for landing, from the ground it appeared to be a typical flight. What was notable about this short circuit around the airport was that the airplane was powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, which […]