Aviation News

People at Southwest Airlines knew Herb Kelleher by a number of titles during his years as president, CEO and executive chairman: founder, inspiration, chairman emeritus and friend. When Kelleher died Thursday at age 87, Southwest Airlines posted on social media beneath a photo of a saluting Kelleher, “We already miss you, Herbie. #HonoringHerb.” Herb and […]

The government shutdown, now in its 18th day, continues to wreak havoc on everything from parklands to tax returns. With its strong connection to the government, the aviation industry is also suffering. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) said in a press release that the implementation of Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC or […]

Aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out avionics that meet altitude keeping requirements will no longer need to obtain reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) authorizations thanks to a new FAA rule. Operators of ADS-B Out-equipped aircraft can begin RVSM operations without a separate authorization when the new rule goes into effect on January 22. The RVSM application […]

Helicopter pilots can now take advantage of the latest and greatest version of Garmin’s G500 system, the G500H TXi. Garmin has achieved certification for the panel mounted equipment, which comes in several configurations, with 10.6-inch and 7-inch touch displays. The 7-inch screen can display either a PFD or MFD while the 10.6-inch version can display […]

Along with hundreds of thousands of other government employees, members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association are not happy about the partial government shutdown, now 13 days old. While NATCA members have no idea when they’ll see another paycheck, just like other federal employees, there’s even more at stake for anyone who flies. NATCA […]

While the FAA’s final decision on an alternative fuel for piston engine aircraft is delayed until next year, a number of civic and business-aviation leaders will meet on January 17 in Los Angeles to mark a milestone in the development and adoption of Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuels (SAJF) through “Business Jets Fuel Green: A Step […]

A rescue helicopter crashed on Saturday after it collided with the world’s longest zipline in Ras al-Khaimah in the northeastern region of the United Arab Emirates, killing the four crew members on board. Video showed the Leonardo AW139 spinning out of control before crashing in a fireball as the helicopter was flying a rescue mission […]

Much has been written about the mounting pilot shortage, with even critical operators such as firefighters being forced to park some of their planes since there were no qualified pilots to take the controls. The latest victim of that issue is southern California’s California Pacific Airlines. “We have temporarily suspended our Carlsbad flights and ticket […]

One casualty of the President’s shutdown of non-essential government offices has been public clarity about precisely which government functions continue to operate. Aviation has not been immune from the confusion once some designated pilot examiners began telling applicants they were unable to conduct pilot practical exams. Making matters worse of course, all Flight Standards District […]

Michael Graham, Textron Aviation’s director of flight operations safety, security and standardization, was last week nominated to fill the remainder of the five-year term of retiring member Earl Weener that expires December 21, 2020. Graham, a long-time member of the NBAA’s safety committee where he chairs the single-pilot working group, also serves as the chairman […]