Aviation News

Fans of the late Flying columnist Gordon Baxter (author of ‘Bax Seat’) will fondly remember his eloquent descriptions of flying M&M Air Service’s two-hole 450 Stearman. Founded in 1946 in Baxter’s hometown Beaumont, Texas, M&M now operates nine turbine powered ag-spraying Ayres Air Tractors. But back in the day, the company made its bread and […]

For the past week, pilots and ground controllers have been getting used to the new rules on runway crossing clearances. The short story is that pilots may not now cross a runway without “explicit instructions” from the ground controller. No more “Taxi to” [the takeoff runway] clearances are permitted. And the rules apply to all […]

For pilots planning to fly into EAA AirVenture (July 26-August 1), the 32-page official FAA Notam is must reading, and an integral element of your flight planning. The notam contains all the arrival/departure procedures, radio frequencies, airport details, parking information and more. If you’re an AirVenture veteran with years’ worth of visits in your logbook, […]

As of Sept. 1, new rules from the FAA and Transportation Security Administration will affect flight in the Washington D.C. Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA). After that date, a VFR pilot who loses radio contact with controllers after takeoff from an airport within the SFRA may return to the airport of origin if it is […]

“In its current form, the [Department of Transportation draft plan for 2010-2015] places more emphasis on travel by bicycle than on general aviation.” So said AOPA President Craig Fuller in comments to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The draft ignores the contribution and economic importance of general aviation and its relevance to five of the six […]

The European consortium EADS has introduced a quad-electric-motor version of the 1970s French design, the single-place, aerobatic ‘Cri Cri” (Cricket). Unveiled at the Green Aviation Show in Paris, the new lithium-battery-powered Cri Cri was redesigned in composite for lower weight and is said to fly 30 minutes at 60 knots.

As soon as this fall, owners could be required to re-register their aircraft with the FAA every three years. The current policy is a one-time registration with a five-dollar fee. The fee for re-registration, if any, has yet to be announced. The re-registration strategy was first proposed two years ago as a means of updating […]

The annual NBAA/CAN Charity Benefit and Auctions will take place this year on Oct. 20 at the Murphy Ballroom, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia. The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. during the annual NBAA Convention, and benefits the Corporate Angel Network, which arranges transportation for cancer patients aboard corporate aircraft.

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of John Pistole to head the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Pistole is a 27-year FBI veteran with significant experience in counterterrorism, but has been criticized for his lack of direct experience in aviation-related security. His confirmation ends an 18-month search that saw two prior nominees rejected by Congress. The […]

Cirrus expects its SF50 single-engine jet to begin deliveries in “late 2013,” six years after work began on the project. Company CEO Brent Wouters told the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune that the project is at the halfway point, and about 100 current customers had been invited to a flyover of the prototype at the Twin […]