Aviation News

The RTCA has approved technical and operational standards for equipment to be used in automatic dependent surveillance — broadcast (ADS-B), a critical component of the NextGen air traffic system. RTCA is a joint committee that makes recommendations to the FAA, whose final rule on ADS-B equipment standards is expected in April. What last week’s RTCA […]

GE will begin certification testing on its up-to-800-shaft-horsepower H80 turboprop engine by year end. The company has also signed a launch customer — the Thrush 510 crop duster will be the first to fly with H80 power. GE expects the engine to be certified by mid 2010, with the Thrush 510 receiving FAA certification around […]

SpaceShipTwo, designed by Burt Rutan and bankrolled by Sir Richard Branson, made its first public appearance last week. Rutan’s prototype SpaceShipOne won the $10 million Ansari X-Prize in 2004 as the first privately operated aircraft to reach space, then repeat the feat within two weeks. Branson and Rutan hope to launch their commercial space tourism […]

Late next year or early in 2011, the National Test Facility for Fuels and Propulsion is scheduled to open at Purdue University. Funded by a $1.35 million Air Force grant, the facility will be located at the Niswonger Aviation Technology Building at Purdue Airport in Indiana. Its focus will be on testing aircraft engine and […]

Solar Impulse, a Swiss-designed aircraft, made its first flight last week. Its developers hope to eventually fly the Solar Impulse around the world, but for now are satisfied with a “flea hop” of around 1,150 feet at an altitude of about three feet. Still, their first flight traveled almost 10 times as far as the […]

Ed Stimpson, who succumbed last week to lung cancer (despite the fact that he never smoked), stood tall as an advocate for general aviation. Equally important, he was a remarkably effective coalition builder, a skilled negotiator and a pragmatic problem solver. His career record paints that picture. Stimpson was hired to handle public affairs by […]

Who will pay for the on board equipment required for FAA’s NextGen initiative? The prospect of government subsidy for aircraft equipage appears to be creating two sides to an increasingly complex issue. And the old debate over user fees seems to be overlapping the discussion. In his recent Left Seat column Paying for Nextgen Equipment, […]

Piper has completed certification allowing it to offer the Garmin G1000 avionics suite on its Mirage and Matrix aircraft models. The G1000 was previously available on the Piper Meridian. With the new certification, the G1000 panel is now available on all three Piper PA-46 versions. Both the Mirage and Matrix are piston-powered — the Mirage […]

Gulfstream’s latest widebody jet, the G650 flew for the first time last Wednesday afternoon. The flight was a short one, as a slight vibration originating with one of the landing gear doors led to a precautionary landing back at Savannah (Georgia) after 12 minutes. But Gulfstream still considers the flight a success, having reached an […]

A new FAA research park is now under construction outside Atlantic City, New Jersey. The facility will be dedicated to developing the Next Generation air traffic system, commonly abbreviated as “NextGen.” The new site sits on 55 leased acres adjacent to the William J. Hughes Technical Center. The FAA will not incur any cost associated […]