Aviation News

On the surface, 3½ feet — just over a yard — might not mean much to most people. Spread your arms out and that’s about it. But in a business jet, every inch of extra space, like every pound of weight designers can eliminate, translates into additional customer options for organizing that new cabin. Aboard […]

After coming to terms on a short-term bill that kept the federal government funded through last week, congressional leaders reached a full agreement on Sunday for a $1.07 trillion budget deal that will run through September 30, which is the end of the fiscal year. And, for now, the Essential Air Service program is one […]

Using a Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) or Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) as a checklist is cumbersome and can damage these valuable documents that must be carried in the cockpit. To protect the books and for convenience, most pilots prefer to use a smaller checklist, which can be purchased from a third-party provider, downloaded from the […]

To satisfy the need for a growing workforce in what Alabama Governor Kay Ivey calls a growing “aerospace cluster,” the state has announced plans for a $6.5 million Alabama Aviation Education Center. The Alabama Aviation Education Center will feature classrooms, workshops and innovation rooms, providing aviation-themed activities and STEM-focused educational programs. The Alabama Governor’s Office […]

Aireon, the partnership between Iridium Communications and air navigation service providers like NavCanada and the Irish Aviation Authority, this week confirmed multiple successful validating tests of the ADS-B system on board a number of recently launched Iridium NEXT satellites. One NavCanada test conducted on March 7 used a specially-equipped Bombardier aircraft with both top- and […]

An FAA study released last week concluded that people on the ground are susceptible to three dominant kinds of injuries should they be unfortunate enough to meet up with a drone, especially a unit’s unprotected propellers. Those risks include blunt force trauma, the most significant contributor to fatalities, lacerations and penetration injuries. When queried about […]

In 1909, the French experimenter Louis Bleriot made the first crossing of the English Channel by airplane. The aircraft he used, his Model XI, was similar in its general configuration to what we consider conventional today: engine in front, pilot close behind a monoplane wing, horizontal stabilizer and rudder at the tail end of an […]

Something told me to check the 777 simulator clipboard for a schedule change. I glanced at the name listed as the check airman for my 0945 time slot. Yup, there had been a reassignment. I smiled. Capt. Scott Meade was now in charge. In a former life, Scott was the chief pilot at my New […]

Each of us, or maybe just most of us, has a parental figure who looms large in our day-to-day lives. I know I do. My tall, imposing father held us kids to high standards, and for the most part we benefited mightily from these great expectations. As I grew up, I would project onto other […]

It was past 10 o’clock, and we were beat after eight hours grinding around Illinois and Wisconsin on check rides for a new Part 135 air-taxi company. Goldie and I were sitting in the dark, deserted terminal building at Rockford Airport while Don went back out on the ramp to see if the mechanic was […]