Aircraft

It was the middle of a short December day when a call came to a helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) firm in Soldotna, Alaska, requesting transport for a patient to Anchorage from a clinic in Cordova. Soldotna is south and west of Anchorage; Cordova is 127 nm east. The helicopter would first have to position […]

Cirrus co-founder Alan Klapmeier has suspended his efforts to assemble a group of investors to take control of the Cirrus Vision single-engine jet program. In an unrelated matter, Klapmeier’s employment agreement to be Chairman of the Board of Cirrus is set to expire in mid-August. Alan will continue as a member of the board and […]

Richard Santulli, the Wall Street mathematician who left Goldman Sachs to form NetJets in 1986, stepped down Tuesday as Chairman and CEO. Santulli is credited with inventing the fractional aircraft ownership business model. Fueled by the Dotcom boom of the early 1990s, the NetJets program soared to huge success in that decade, and the company […]

When US Airways Flight 1549 splashed down on the Hudson River in January, Captain Chesley Sullenberger and Copilot Jeffrey Skiles became instant celebrities. They attended President Obama’s inauguration, made the rounds of television talk shows, and continue to be a huge draw as motivational speakers. But their best audience was probably the overflow crowds who […]

Eclipse Aerospace, headed by Eclipse 500 order holder Mason Holland and Eclipse 500 operator Mike Press, signed an asset purchase agreement July 31. Unless new bidders emerge or other complications arise, the $40 million deal to purchase the assets of the defunct manufacturer could be completed in a few weeks. Immediate goals for Eclipse Aerospace […]

Textron Chairman and CEO Lewis Campbell said in a recent report that Bell Helicopter “delivered a strong performance,” with a modest $4 million increase in profits. This was despite a decrease in revenues of $28 million. The net gain was attributed to “improved performance.” The Textron CEO is also optimistic that the recent certification of […]

As more “progress payments” come due, jet manufacturers face challenges as customers might have difficulty raising the cash. Progress payments are scheduled payments toward the sales price, agreed to under a sales contract, and made at fixed dates as the delivery date approaches. According to business aviation analyst Brian Foley, a new, stricter credit culture […]

According to a report from parent company Textron, Cessna delivered 84 Citations in the second quarter of this year, compared with 117 for the same time period last year. Revenues also decreased by $630 million, a shortfall of some 42%. Profits were down also, to $48 million (from $214 million) due to low sales volume […]

The Icon A5 was introduced at last year’s AirVenture, and this year it’s back, in flying form. True, the airplane flying here in Oshkosh is a non-conforming prototype. It flew in to Wittman Field early in the week for display, and is expected to make three flights tomorrow from the Vette/Blust Seaplane on Lake Winnebago […]

If airshow attendance were an overall economic indicator, then it might be time to start reloading the 401k. At the approximate halfway point of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (July 28-August 2), the association reports attendance is up by as much as 10%. The North 40 parking and camping areas are jammed, and incoming aircraft have been […]