Aviation News

Most US pilots probably don’t know that an FAA license is required to conduct any kind of commercial space launch or reentry within the United States. Last year, the agency office that issues these permits said it was busier than ever, with 41 commercial space operations launches and reentries. One launch in May, a SpaceX […]

A low spot for me on last year’s calendar—in addition to the daily chaos surrounding the pandemic—was the announcement that the world’s annual trek to Oshkosh had been postponed, the first time in EAA history. I’ve been attending this show each year since I was in high school. Recent word from Oshkosh, however, indicates EAA […]

As I close my logbook on 2020, I’ve totaled up the hours and shown gratitude for every one of them. This year has changed us, and brought us the opportunity to reflect on our experiences, and use them to make 2021 an improvement over the past 366 days. The bar is low, I’d say. In […]

The NTSB has issued a safety recommendation on the F&M series of oil filter adapters used on a range of piston aircraft engines. Pilots and owners of aircraft using the adapters should be aware of the report and take action as needed. The oil filter adapter allows the use of a spin-on oil filter—rather than […]

When we look at the sleek outlines of the latest Cessna Citation Latitude, Pilatus PC-24 or Gulfstream G600, we see the potential for performance, agility, and the speed that gets us to a destination safely and in style. What a cancer patient sees—looking at that same airstair door—is entirely different. Therein lies a protected cocoon, […]

A new coalition called the Air Charter Safety Alliance (ACSA) says that while the overwhelming majority of on-demand charter flights comply with national and international safety standards, there have been instances of unauthorized aircraft operators actively avoiding aviation authority oversight by operating illegal flights, placing at risk the safety of passengers and hurting the economic […]

Paul Hudson has been skeptical of the FAA’s order lifting the grounding of Boeing’s 737 Max since that day last month when the agency cleared the aircraft to once again carry passengers in the US. Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org, is one of four plaintiffs named in an action before the DC Circuit Court of Appeals […]

Based on the demands of the current marketplace—as in much reduced air traffic as a result of the worldwide pandemic—Nav Canada is considering reducing the number of air traffic controllers it employs at a handful of locations. In a news release, Nav Canada referred to the review as a method to “streamline the nation’s ATC […]

Love Flying’s “I Learned About Flying From That” series? Tune in for the rest of the story—with exclusive interviews with pilots who have shared their emergencies, crises, and mistakes over 950-plus installments of the iconic I.L.A.F.F.T. series. Host Rob Reider relates a tale from our archives—as told by the author—then catches up with that pilot […]

With airlines such as United pledging to become carbon-neutral by 2050, the primary question among pilots remains, “How will they get there without a massive overhaul of infrastructure and aircraft?” The answer lies in part in sustainable aviation fuel—and recent news from fuel producer Gevo gives a solid basis for those placing a bet on […]