Aviation News

Congress not only extended accelerated “bonus” depreciation rules for business-related aircraft purchases, but also upped the limits on what businesses can spend. There had been some concern that temporary tax rules designed to buttress the industry would fall victim to the last minute deal cut to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. Instead, businesses can now […]

Jason Blair, who has been acting as the executive director for the National Association of Flight Instructors since 2008, has resigned from his position. In his official resignation statement Blair hinted at the reason for his departure being the inability of NAFI to financially support his position. “I fully support the mission of NAFI and […]

Aeromedical services provider Air Methods rang in the New Year with some big news, announcing it has completed its acquisition of Las Vegas tour operator Sundance Helicopters while also placing bulk orders for dozens of new medical helicopters from Bell and Eurocopter. Sundance focuses primarily on Grand Canyon and Las Vegas helicopter tours, but the […]

The National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) has polled its members to get a sense of the compensation instructors are receiving for their services to determine the ability of the industry to train future pilots. NAFI is still evaluating the results and collecting more data, but the initial analysis does not bode well for the […]

Working in total secrecy for the past three years, Raisbeck Engineering and Hartzell Propeller have teamed to develop and certify an all new swept-wing propeller that the companies claim offers greatly improved FAA-certified takeoff, climb and landing performance. The effort has culminated with FAA certification of the Raisbeck/Hartzell Swept Turbofan Propeller for the King Air […]

Still confused about whether you’ll need an ADS-B receiver that’s capable of operating in the 978-MHz UAT or the 1090 MHz frequency band? Garmin is making that discussion more or less moot for the vast majority of us with the introduction of the GDL 88, the first FAA-certified ADS-B receiver capable of receiving both frequency […]

According to his mother, 17-year-old student pilot Jordan Smith had his own key and access to the security code provided by the owner of a Piper Twin Comanche in Jasper, Alabama. But on the night of New Year’s Day, the teen, who did not have a pilot’s license, apparently decided to take two friends for […]

Most pilots have enjoyed flying over their houses for a look-see, and Cessna Skylane owner David Zehntner is no exception. But on a flight from North Carolina to his LaBelle, Florida, home, he and his wife spotted something out of the ordinary. He told reporters, “At about 800 feet, we fly over our house. We […]

One of my favorite jokes is the offhand remark that “Everyone talks about the weather, but no one ever does anything about it,” a quote that has been attributed to Mark Twain. Twain’s comment about the weather reminds us that there are some things, such as death, taxes and fuel prices, that we can complain […]

2012 was a year full of innovation and change for the aviation industry, a year that saw the introduction of some revolutionary new aircraft, along with the ongoing turmoil caused by the global economic downturn. While the list of major events could go on and on, check out our picks for the top 20 stories […]