Aircraft

Even if you’re not a particular fan of the bureaucracy that is the Federal Aviation Administration, you have to feel for Randy Babbitt. Since taking over as FAA Administrator a little over two years ago, bringing with him fresh ideas about ways for improving aviation’s safety record and transitioning to the satellite-based NextGen operating environment, […]

Another day of airplanes, airplanes and more airplanes.

Flight Design came to AirVenture with a mockup of its four-seat C4 and said that it was close to making selections for the suppliers for the engine and the avionics. An all-carbon-fiber Part 23 high-cantilever-wing airplane designed to be a kind of amalgam of Skyhawk, Skylane and Cardinal, the C4 has projected specs — if […]

There were numerous questions on the minds of many in the aviation universe about how this year’s AirVenture would play out. So far, the aviation gods are smiling upon the show. Despite widespread FAA furloughs, the threat of federal loan defaults and the specter of economic havoc, the EAA’s annual aviation extravaganza is off to […]

Daher-Socata, the French maker of the TBM 850 turboprop single, plans to decide by the end of the year whether to add the Grob SPn composite business jet to its product portfolio or instead start from scratch with a bizjet design of its own. Launched in 2005, the Grob SPn was well along in certification […]

After more than 20 years as a professional airshow pilot, Greg Poe died unexpectedly from an apparent heart attack, according to his official website www.gregpoe.com. Poe was 57 years old and was to fly in more than 20 shows scheduled this year – one in El Salvador and the remainder around the United States. Poe […]

Airshows energize me. No, I’m not talking about the hotdogs or the fried food. It’s the energy generated by a large group of people with a mutual passion for airplanes that fuels me. This week, one of the largest gatherings of aviation aficionados can be found at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the […]

The X2 technology demonstrator has made its final flight, allowing manufacturer Sikorsky to shift its focus to the development of the S-97 Raider, a fast and agile light attack helicopter that borrows the X2’s twin-coaxial rotor design. The final flight on July 14 was the 23rd test flight of the Collier-Award-winning X2, which flew about […]

Scaled Composites recently took the wraps off its Model 367 BiPod, a hybrid gasoline-electric roadable aircraft designed by the company’s legendary founder Burt Rutan before he retired in April. The BiPod contains twin fuselages and dual single-seat cockpits, and is designed to be flown as an aircraft from the right seat and driven as a […]

Diamond Aircraft, which a few months ago laid off a large number of its North America workforce, is cutting back some more. Citing the continued slow market for piston airplanes and its recent financial woes, Diamond Aircraft says that it has made the difficult decision to cancel its plans to attend the three most important […]