Aviation News

The FAA has certified the Tecnam P2006T twin for VFR and analog IFR. Its Garmin G1000 suite is certified for IFR in Europe with FAA compliance expected later this year. Power comes from a pair of Rotax 912S3s rated at 98 horsepower each. Performance figures list maximum cruising speed at 148 knots, with a 53-knot […]

In the April 9, 2010, issue of the Federal Register, the FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) affecting certification of light turbine aircraft. The new rule would require “real-world” function and reliability testing — previously mandated for larger aircraft, but not required for those weighing less than 6,000 pounds. The NPRM states, in […]

At last week’s Sun ‘n Fun event, Erik Lindbergh promoted his foundation’s electric aircraft prize. The aim of the award is to promote electric aircraft technology. This will be the first time for the grant, which will be announced and presented at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh July 26 – Aug. 1. Awards will go in four […]

Midway through next month, general aviation pilots are called upon to do their part to promote personal flying on International Learn to Fly Day. May 15 was chosen as the day to focus on generating interest in learning to fly. As suggested by the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, here […]

Cessna Chairman President and CEO Jack Pelton was honored Wednesday night along with FedEx Corp. by the Lindbergh Foundation. Pelton received the 2010 Lindbergh Award, presented annually “to individuals whose work over many years has made significant contribution toward the Lindberghs’ [Charles’ and Ann Morrow Lindbergh’] concept of balancing technology and nature.” Lindbergh Foundation Chairman […]

The Hawker Beechcraft display at Sun ‘n Fun featured a unique, signature edition of the twin-engine G58 Baron. The limited edition 50th anniversary Beechcraft Baron celebrates half a century of production for the iconic light twin. This version has high-performance Hartzell Scimitar propellers, some signature interior amenities and a choice of four color schemes dedicated […]

Flight Design president and chief operating officer Matthias Betsch arrived at Sun ‘n Fun direct from the Aero general aviation show in Friedrichshafen, Germany. He reported that the event included a meeting of several national aviation regulatory bodies including the FAA, Europe’s EASA, and governmental aviation regulatory agencies from China, Brazil, India and others. Betsch […]

Sun ‘n Fun was the backdrop for a pair of happy presentations. Flying presented its previously announced 2009 Editors’ Choice Awards to Avidyne for its Release 9 update to the Entegra integrated avionics suite; and to Diamond Aircraft for — not just one, but two upgraded versions of its DA42 light twin. One of the […]

The biggest photo op for Piper at Sun ‘n Fun was the first delivery of a PiperSport light sport aircraft (LSA). Three co-owners took delivery of their new airplane, with the common thread being their high levels of flying experience. Two were former airline pilots and current Airbus simulator instructors with 20,000 and 16,000 hours […]

A graph showing the current U.S. fleet of light sport aircraft showed Flight Design dominating. With more than 300 aircraft flying, the German-based manufacturer bests its closest rival by a wide margin. At Sun ‘n Fun, Flight Design demonstrated its intention to expand its market share even further with new and upgraded models and some […]