Aircraft

Icon Aircraft, the developer of the Icon A5 amphibious light sport aircraft, has received a $60 million cash infusion from undisclosed investors in North America, Europe and Asia, “led by a top-notch privately held strategic investor from China,” according to Icon’s CEO and founder Kirk Hawkins. Icon maintains full control of the management of the […]

| The light sport category has come a long way in eight short years. What began as an FAA initiative to bridge the price and performance gaps between ultralights and certified general aviation airplanes has evolved into a bona fide market segment all its own. Incredibly, more than 50 manufacturers around the world build light […]

Diamond Aircraft has signed an agreement with Ural Works of Civil Aviation to jointly design and produce diesel-powered light utility airplanes in Russia. Russian market demand for the commuter airplanes is estimated to exceed 200. The 19-seat composite light twins will help connect remote communities in Russia, the companies said at a joint signing ceremony […]

Blackhawk Modifications this week got the nod from the FAA for its STC upgrade for the Cessna 208A Caravan, which we reported on recently. “We are very excited to now be able to offer the XP42A upgrade package to the entire Caravan fleet,” said Jim Allmon, President and CEO of Blackhawk Modifications. “The upgrade significantly […]

At the Paris Air Show, Daher-Socata and Voldirect, a small charter company with six employees, might have made history. The two jointly announced that the French civil aviation authority has officially awarded Voldirect an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) enabling the company to fly commercial passengers on its TBM 850 turboprop single. As U.S. vice president […]

Two teams of four high school students each have traveled to Arlington, Washington, for a very different form of summer camp. The eight campers won’t leave until they have built an airplane — at least to the stage where it will start its engine and taxi. Glasair’s “Two Weeks to Taxi” program is designed to […]

There were plenty of storylines worth following as the Paris Air Show opened yesterday at the famed Le Bourget Airport. The Russians are filling the void left by the absence of U.S. military aircraft and the heated rivalry between Boeing and Airbus is growing more fierce as billions of dollars in deals are on the […]

Fathers were celebrated in style this weekend with an event on famed fashion street Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. The annual Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance displays vintage, racing, high end and other unique cars and motorcycles. The street was packed with visitors perusing antique Mercedes, brand new Porsches and even several Batmobiles, to name […]

Photo by Terry Shepherd| Perusing the for-sale sections of used-jet websites turns up some intriguing listings for older Citations, Learjets, Falcons and Gulfstreams, many of which are selling for less than the price of a typical high-performance piston single. When you can pick up a Cessna Citation I/SP for around the same price as a […]

There’s been no shortage of companies seeking to take good business jets and make them a whole lot better by upgrading their performance, providing a fresh coat of paint, adding modern interiors and selling them for millions less than a new jet. It’s not a bad idea — if you can target just the right […]