Aviation News

A heated battle in the House and Senate over union organizing rights is threatening to block congressional action needed to keep the FAA operating, raising the possibility of an agency shutdown as early as this week. The top issue preventing passage of a new FAA reauthorization bill are changes to National Mediation Board rules that […]

The wing of a Boeing 767 clipped the tail of a regional jet while taxiing last week at Boston Logan International Airport, adding to the growing tally of commercial airliner ground incidents in recent months. The Delta 767 involved in the collision was taxiing out for departure at around 7:30 p.m. last Thursday when its […]

The X2 technology demonstrator has made its final flight, allowing manufacturer Sikorsky to shift its focus to the development of the S-97 Raider, a fast and agile light attack helicopter that borrows the X2’s twin-coaxial rotor design. The final flight on July 14 was the 23rd test flight of the Collier-Award-winning X2, which flew about […]

Scaled Composites recently took the wraps off its Model 367 BiPod, a hybrid gasoline-electric roadable aircraft designed by the company’s legendary founder Burt Rutan before he retired in April. The BiPod contains twin fuselages and dual single-seat cockpits, and is designed to be flown as an aircraft from the right seat and driven as a […]

Just when it appeared as though the glare of public scrutiny had shifted away from air traffic controllers, the FAA now says it is investigating “the possibility” of a tipsy controller who failed an alcohol test six hours into his eight-hour shift at the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center on July 5. The FAA […]

In a sign that the Chinese market is extremely important to the company, Gulfstream earlier this week changed the name of its super-midsize business jet from the Gulfstream G250 to the Gulfstream G280. The change was prompted because the company “determined that G280 is a more amenable number sequence in certain cultures,” said Larry Flynn, […]

The NTSB has launched a study of homebuilt aircraft that aims to gather data about the machines that make up what NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman cited as having played “A crucial and inspirational role in leading the way toward greater achievements in manned flight.” The purpose of the study, however, is not to inspire advancements […]

A Hong Kong business journal has reported that Cessna is in preliminary talks with Chinese conglomerate AVIC on the subject of a joint venture between the firms to build and distribute business aircraft in mainland China. The story in the South China Morning Post quotes Cessna’s Trevor Esling as confirming that the talks are preliminary. […]

If you’re headed to Oshkosh later this month, be sure to download Sporty’s free show app. The official EAA AirVenture 2011 Fly-In App is available for Apple devices (iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch) and Android phones and tablets. It includes everything show-goers need, from maps to guides to schedules, and can even help you get to […]

Two airshow pilots are safe after the warbirds they were piloting collided in mid air during last weekend’s Flying Legends airshow at Duxford, England. The incident involved a P-51D Mustang known as Big Beautiful Doll and a Douglas AD-4NA Skyraider. The airplanes were flying in a triangular formation along with one additional P-51 when they […]