Aircraft

Swiss charter operator VistaJet has placed the largest Bombardier business jet order in history with a deal to acquire as many as 142 Global twinjets. The $3.1 billion firm order announced on Tuesday includes commitments for 56 Global jets, and could climb to $7.8 billion if VistaJet exercises options for 86 more Globals. “By any […]

FlyThisSim has just received the paperwork from the FAA signing off on additional capabilities for the company’s touch-screen TouchTrainer simulator. The TouchTrainer now features configurations for round-gauge and G1000 panels for Cessna 172, 182 and 206 airplanes (including the retractable gear versions). The analog version of the panel includes Garmin’s GNS430W and an STEC autopilot. […]

The Willamette Valley in western Oregon stretched below us, green vineyards hugging the curves of the river, squared-off farmers’ fields, some browner this year than most, a patchwork of life all fringed by the hills that contain and define this timeless place. On days such as the one we were enjoying, the valley was the […]

After two decades of producing hundreds of kits for the SeaRey – an experimental amphib that features swept wings, a pusher prop and retractable gear – Progressive Aerodyne received FAA certification this month for a production LSA version of the airplane. The production airplane will be available in two models, a basic version priced between […]

Citing safety concerns and privacy issues, the FAA has delayed the selection of U.S. sites for the testing of unmanned aircraft, effectively putting the brakes on a push to integrate UAVs into civil airspace. In a letter to Republican Congressman Howard McKeon of California, chairman of the House Unmanned Systems Caucus, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta […]

One use for pilotless drones could be to provide lifesaving data and communications links after a natural disaster. A circling drone could serve as a sort of temporary AWACS platform, beaming WiFi and cell phone coverage down on an area stricken by downed powerlines and damaged cell towers. After the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, for […]

The FAA recently signed off on the type certificate for XtremeAir’s XA42 — a two-seat, all-carbon-fiber aerobatic airplane, which has been EASA certified since March 2011. Powered by a 315-horsepower Lycoming AEIO-580 engine, the German airplane boasts a max cruise speed of 210 knots and load factor limits of +/-10 g. Center sticks in front […]

The first customer has arrived in Savannah, Georgia, to take delivery of Gulfstream’s newly certified G280. The super-midsize business jet was a joint effort between Gulfstream and Israel Aerospace Industries and it achieved certification on August 30 from the FAA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel. Gulfstream does not make planned deliveries public, but […]

Piper celebrated its 75th anniversary over the weekend with a fly-in that drew Piper airplanes from every era to the company’s headquarters in Vero Beach, Florida. Several hundred people came out to the event to pay tribute to the storied manufacturer, enjoy a factory tour, visit with aviation vendors and take in the sights and […]

GE Aviation’s H85 turbine engine has been selected to power the new Primus 150 single-engine business turboprop, launched this week by CAIGA at Airshow China 2012 in Zhuhai. This would be the first application for the 850-shaft-horsepower H85 turboprop engine, a derivative of GE’s H80, which recently entered service on the Thrush 510G agplane. GE […]