Aviation News

When the U.S. Navy decommissions the 800-acre airport portion of its Naval Air Station in Brunswick, Maine, in November, the runways, control tower and instrument landing system (ILS) are poised to revert to civilian operation. The Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) has submitted its plans to the FAA and could open the day after the […]

Aviation is still buzzing over the N-number mix-up that led to a profound law enforcement blunder. It’s pretty clear that none of the Santa Barbara (Calif.) police who responded to a stolen aircraft alert last Saturday are pilots. Who among us would not have recognized John and Martha King as they deplaned from a 2009 […]

One of the victims of the economic slowdown was the Aces game studio, a Microsoft subsidiary that the software giant closed down. Aces was responsible for developing and maintaining Microsoft’s iconic Flight Simulator game — used by non-flying enthusiasts for entertainment, and pilots for helping to retain some of their flying skills. Now, Microsoft has […]

Sporty’s has relaunched its LearnToFlyHere.com website, with rich video content and a new learn-to-fly blog. Designed as an Internet resource for anyone interested in learning to fly, the redesigned site includes 20 minutes of video content, divided into four segments: Why you should learn to fly; How to go about it; A typical first lesson; […]

A 22-year-old airshow performer survived essentially unscathed after his RANS S-9 lost a wing, and he deployed his Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS) whole airplane parachute. Click here for dramatic video of the incident on YouTube. At an airshow in at El Trebol, Argentina, performer Dino Moline was making an inverted pass, pushed up, and the […]

If you’re a student pilot and think you’re a good role model for other young women who want to learn to fly, sharpen up your typing skills. An effective essay on your motivation, inspiration and future plans could win you a $1,000 scholarship from Girls With Wings. Students who have soloed but not yet earned […]

Last week, FAA tests demonstrated that a 100 low lead (100LL) alternative from Swift Enterprises can deliver the equivalent of 102 octane. The fuel is made of pure hydrocarbons and can be manufactured using biomass, natural gas or petroleum raw materials, making the new fuel substitute both clean and sustainable. According to Swift co-founder Louise […]

“Soft orders” have led to a workforce reduction on Cessna’s Citation Mustang production line. The company now expects to deliver roughly 70 of the entry-level jets this year, after a major order from a European air-taxi operator was cancelled. About 75 workers received notice last week. The Mustang is built at Cessna’s Independence, Kansas, plant.

The Corporate Angel Network (CAN) announced that Gulfstream had donated $50,000 to its cause. CAN arranges flights for cancer patients in empty seats aboard corporate jets. More than 500 corporations and individuals donate empty seats to CAN patient flights. The charity organization was founded in 1981, and arranges more than 250 flights per month — […]

En route from Miami to Medellin, Colombia, the cockpit satellite phone rang on board Kalitta Air’s 747-200. Dispatch was calling with a request. A competitor’s 747 freighter was experiencing mechanical problems in Bogotá. The competitor would be unable to transport a large load of flowers back to the United States. Would the crew divert into […]