Aviation News

Brazilian airframer Embraer hasn’t let the down economy slow its developments plan. The company surprised NBAA convention attendees by announcing a new product, the Legacy 650 large-cabin business jet priced at $29.5 million. The Legacy 650 combines the fuselage of the smaller EMB-135 regional airliner with the wings of the larger EMB-145, resulting in more […]

The tone at this year’s 62nd National Business Aviation Association convention was almost warlike. In fact, Hawker Beechcraft’s press conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, was conducted as though it were a combat mission briefing. CEO Bill Boisture and other members of the management staff wore flight suits and boots and […]

This year’s NBAA convention fund raiser for the Corporate Angel Network (CAN) will consist of a silent auction and a live auction to be conducted during the NBAA/CAN Charity Benefit on the evening of Oct. 22. If you aren’t among the estimated 900 paid attendees for the closing event, you can still bid online the […]

Calling the existing fractional aircraft ownership model “broken,” Cessna has recast and rebranded its CitationShares program. Cessna launched its Northeast-based CitationShares program in 2000 to compete with NetJets, but last week renamed the program CitationAir by Cessna to reflect a new approach better integrating Cessna’s products and services. CitationAir President Steve O’Neill said, “Our customers […]

It was one of those fine, late-fall, California desert nights: velvety-black, moonless and calm. The 182 took off from the North Las Vegas Airport bound for Rosamond, California, which is in the Mojave Desert about 70 miles north of Los Angeles. The pilots aboard, two ATPs who had logged between them 53,000 hours in military […]

It has to hurt that Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft have chosen to forego their large floor displays, but the National Business Aviation Association remains optimistic about next week’s annual show. NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said he expects strong attendance numbers at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, but doesn’t aspire to set […]

According to the most recent statistics from aviation safety researcher Robert E. Breiling Associates, business flying got almost 50 percent safer this year. Numbers for the first three quarters show only four fatal accidents this year (23 deaths), compared with 17 fatal accidents in the first nine months of last year, resulting in 46 deaths. […]

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is asking the FAA to reconsider its plans to cancel some of the 154 ground-based instrument approaches that are on the budget chopping block. The pilots’ association has asked that 22 of the approaches be preserved and asked the agency to consider comments from pilots on 21 more, before […]

High-speed Internet service is now much more affordable for light jets. Aircell has announced its $85,000 ATG 5000 system (including all antennas, but not including installation). Tom Myers, director of marketing for Aircell, calls the new product a “sea change.” He said, “Because Aircell uses air-to-ground technology for this system, a host of benefits are […]

For those of us who donned military uniforms during the Vietnam venture — either voluntarily or reluctantly — and came home to a less than supportive populace, today’s bands, banners and parades honoring our retrurning soldiers are gratifying. We seem to have learned our lesson and now publicly show our appreciation for the sacrifices too […]