Although the Airbus-supplied video confirms less than one minute of continuous self-piloted flight, the egg-shaped Vahana electric aircraft did fly on January 31, 2018 in Pendleton, Oregon. Dubbed Alpha One, the vehicle reached a height of 16 feet before returning to the ground and completed a second flight the following day. The Vahana project was […]
A video shows progress in the extensive taxi testing that preceded the first flight.
FlightSafety International is expanding the availability of its initial and recurrent night-vision goggle courses. NVG courses are being added at the company’s facilities in Dallas; Denver; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Stavanger, Norway, covering simulators for helicopters built by Airbus Helicopters, Bell and Sikorsky. The Part 142 approved NVG courses are conducted in FlightSafety’s Level D full […]
Just because some business aircraft meet the technical specifications of Level 4 Automation guidelines doesn’t necessarily mean all the flight crews operating these sophisticated systems completely understand the procedures they’re asking the computers to fly. Recently, two airports separated by some 2,500 miles have experienced nearly the same number of pilot deviations on respective RNAV […]
If the stylized dragonfly in its new logo didn’t tip you off, the disappearance of the word “helicopter” from its name should provide an ample clue that Bell Helicopter – or just Bell, we should say now – recognizes that its future lies well beyond the boundaries of rotorcraft like the ubiquitous Hueys and JetRangers […]
As economic conditions continue to improve globally this year, buyers are holding firm to purchase expectations that should see between 4,000 and 4,200 new civil helicopters delivered in the next five years, according to Honeywell’s latest forecast released on the eve of Heli-Expo in Las Vegas, which opened its doors this morning. In its latest […]
When we think of drones we tend to conjure images of miniature quadcopters flitting across the sky. That’s what makes the new FLYOX Mark II amphibious cargo drone so unusual. First, the thing is massive, with a ramp weight of 8,800 pounds and a 35-foot wingspan. It’s also the only drone we know of that’s […]
The year 2017 closed with companies evaluating their successes and failures. In a year that saw only a slight increase in the total number of airplanes delivered, Cirrus and Daher boasted the strongest numbers since the market crashed about a decade ago, while Honda Aircraft boasted producing the best-selling light jet in the market. With […]
Year-end delivery numbers released yesterday by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association paint a mixed picture of an industry still struggling to regain the market ground it lost in the turmoil of the 2008 economic recession. Still, bright spots in the report included sales of new business jets, which were up slightly, a welcome increase in […]
Lots of aviation folks are Twitter geeks simply for the news value. Chicago-area pilot and CFI Rod Rakic added a unique explanation. “Twitter is like the common traffic advisory frequency. Transmit in the blind and you might connect with someone who finds value in your message.” For Rakic, co-founder of Open Airplane (@openairplane), an unusual […]
Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.
SUBSCRIBE
