Aircraft

__Eurocopter recently reported that flight-testing on the X3 is progressing nicely and its test pilots attained a sustained true airspeed of 232 knots. This number, which was achieved during stable, level flight on the third flight-testing mission after the X3’s gear boxes were modified, is significantly higher than the 220 knots the Marignane, France-based company […]

__Continuing a trend that is sweeping business aviation, Hawker Beechcraft says it has developed an aftermarket retrofit kit allowing the installation of blended winglets on the Hawker 750. The modification will add 100 miles to the airplane’s range and improve time-to-climb by 5 percent, the company says. An effective increase in the wing aspect ratio […]

“Flying the Cessna Skycatcher” is a new course from King Schools designed specifically for pilots transitioning to the Skycatcher or for those who would like to know what the airplane is like to fly. The Cessna Skycatcher is a light-sport airplane, powered by a Continental O-200D engine and equipped with a Garmin G300 avionics suite, […]

Tecnam recently introduced two certified airplanes currently in development: the P2012 Traveller and the P Twenty-Ten. Both of the new airplanes will undergo FAA Part 23 and European Aviation Safety Agency CS-23 certification concurrently. With the capacity to carry 11 passengers, the P2012 is by far the largest airplane Tecnam has brought to market since […]

DO YOU REMEMBER THE Venn diagrams used in math and logic classes to illustrate relationships between sets? That is what comes to my mind when trying to understand who can and can’t fly light-sport aircraft … well, actually there is no “can’t.” Most of us in aviation know that six years into the Sport Pilot/LSA […]

The new Conservative Canadian government has denied a $35 million loan request from Diamond Aircraft, possibly affecting the D-Jet program and the Canadian segment of Diamond Aircraft. The Liberal party had made it clear that, if elected, it would be in support of the request after Diamond laid off 213 of its 380 workers at […]

After a difficult 2010, Cirrus shipments bounced back during the first quarter of 2011, according to recent data released by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. A GAMA report showed Cirrus made 61 aircraft shipments in the first quarter, up from the 53 the Duluth, Minnesota-based manufacturer reported during the same period last year. The company’s […]

For the first time since the introduction of the Lancair Evolution in 2008, potential customers are now able to finance their airplanes through NAFCO – National Aircraft Finance Company. The Evolution kit and the new Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A engine that powers the airplane is eligible for 70% financing. Bill Leckie III, vice president and […]

Dassault unveiled the Falcon 2000S on Monday at EBACE in Geneva, positioning the new model as a lower-priced Falcon 2000DX replacement that will compete directly against the Gulfstream G250, Bombardier Challenger 300 and Hawker 4000 in the super-midsize business jet segment. With a price tag of around $25 million, Dassault claims the Falcon 2000S will […]

__Flight level 280 in a TBM 850 was just perfect for us coming out of Peachtree in Georgia, headed down to cozy North Perry Airport near Fort Lauderdale in south Florida. On a really long trip we could have climbed up to FL 310, lost a few knots, saved a few gallons per hour and […]