Aircraft

According to his mother, 17-year-old student pilot Jordan Smith had his own key and access to the security code provided by the owner of a Piper Twin Comanche in Jasper, Alabama. But on the night of New Year’s Day, the teen, who did not have a pilot’s license, apparently decided to take two friends for […]

Most pilots have enjoyed flying over their houses for a look-see, and Cessna Skylane owner David Zehntner is no exception. But on a flight from North Carolina to his LaBelle, Florida, home, he and his wife spotted something out of the ordinary. He told reporters, “At about 800 feet, we fly over our house. We […]

After receiving FAA certification for its ultra-long-range business jet in September, Gulfstream handed over the first fully-outfitted G650 to a U.S. customer last week. The milestone marks the culmination of the company’s flagship jet, first announced in 2008 as an airplane that would up the ante in terms of speed, range and cabin space. The […]

With an eye toward increasing oversight of coming unmanned aerial vehicle operations, the Drone Aircraft Privacy and Transparency Act is now under consideration as a bill in the House of Representatives. Introduced by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on Tuesday, the bill is designed to “provide guidance and limitations” to language in the FAA funding reauthorization […]

The variety of final destinations for retired airplanes can be quite fascinating, ranging from scrap metal to incredible pieces of art. Now a police officer and race car driver, Jeff Bloch (aka Speedycop), who has become known for creating unique racing machines, has come up with a new idea for the use of a parked […]

Eurocopter’s first production EC175 medium-size, twin-turbine helicopter has successfully completed its first flight at the company’s headquarters in Marignane, France. With test pilot Augustin Dupuis at the controls, the flight confirmed handling characteristics and basic performance as Eurocopter advances the design toward a late-2013 certification goal. “With this first production series aircraft now airborne, the […]

An FM-2 Wildcat that sat at the bottom of Lake Michigan for nearly seven decades was brought to the surface on Friday as the nation marked the 71st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The airplane was lost during a training mission after its engine failed on takeoff from a converted steamship in late […]

Piper Aircraft’s 2008 agreement with the state of Florida has been amended. The original incentive package included government tax incentives, payments and other benefits provided Piper maintained a minimum level of employment at its Vero Beach facility. That agreement was drawn up just before the economic collapse of November 2008, and Piper has struggled to […]

Bombardier recently delivered the first Signature Global 6000 to NetJets. A big deal has been made of the delivery of this ultra-long-range business jet since it is the first Global to be delivered as part of one of the largest orders in business aviation history – a deal worth a total of $2.8 billion. Bombardier […]

Embraer on Wednesday flew the first U.S.-built Phenom 300 after the light twinjet emerged from a new factory in Melbourne, Florida. Delivery will be made to Embraer Executive Jets for use as a flight demonstrator. Embraer said the production time for the Phenom 300 was half that of the first Phenom 100 built in Melbourne, […]