Aircraft

NASA has completed the initial test phase of a new morphing wing technology that the agency says could dramatically increase fuel efficiency, reduce airframe weight and decrease aircraft noise during takeoffs and landings. The test phase included 22 flights with Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge (ACTE) flight control surfaces attached to a Gulfstream III jet at […]

Bell Helicopter is cutting another 1,100 jobs from its overall workforce as global demand for helicopters softens. The Fort Worth, Texas, company said it made its decision to cut staff because the commercial helicopter market has not rebounded as expected. In an email to employees, Bell Helicopter CEO John Garrison said the helicopter maker must […]

Those who’ve had the chance to fly an AirCam will know it as a fun-loving airplane made for low and slow flying. But they might not have seen it quite like this before. This awesome footage captures Ben Groen as he receives a unique sort of “lift” from the airplane as it pulls him up […]

One of the greatest aircraft compromises — in a good way — in history is Cessna’s franchise model, the 172 Skyhawk. The iconic Kansas-based airplane maker has turned out more than 40,000 of the sheet-metal birds since the model’s debut in 1956, and the utilitarian singles continue to roll down the line and out the […]

The future of battery-powered flight got a major boost after Siemens researchers in Germany announced they have achieved a technological breakthrough with a new type of electric engine for aircraft that is five times more powerful than previous generation motors. Weighing in at a little over 100 pounds, the new motor delivers a continuous output […]

The first Piaggio Avanti Evo is flying with its new owner four months after the twin pusher turboprop received its type certification. Piaggio Aerospace delivered the airplane to an unnamed Greek customer that plans to use it for charter. Five more Avanti Evos are due for deliveries before then end of the year to customers […]

Another flying car prototype made its debut a couple of weeks ago at the Aero Friedrichshafen show in Germany. Rather than having one cabin, the unusual two-seat, high-wing design has two fuselages arranged side-by-side. The designers from Braunschweig, Germany, claim the arrangement improves drivability on the ground, allowing the Carplane to drive as well as […]

Diamond DA42 and DA40 owners with diesel engines are cheering as they can now fly their airplanes longer before paying for an overhaul. The AE300 turbo diesel produced by Diamond Aircraft subsidiary Austro Engine GmbH in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, recently achieved a TBO boost, increasing the interval before a recommended overhaul to 1,800 hours. A […]

At a customer appreciation event at Sun ‘n Fun on Thursday evening, Cirrus Aircraft shared some new details of the progress of the Cirrus Vision SF50 jet. Marketing VP Ben Kowalski said that the four production conforming jets are flying up a storm as the company works toward FAA certification late this year. The $2 […]

Jeppesen is rolling out Version 2.1 of Mobile FlightDeck VFR, the chart maker’s data-driven iPad app designed specifically for fair weather fliers. The latest iteration of the software offers a number of minor enhancements, but pilots will love two changes in particular. Mobile FlightDeck VFR 2.1 now includes the ability to automatically log flight time […]