Aviation News

After protracted delays, Bell’s Model 429 light twin helicopter has received type approval from U.S. and Canadian regulatory agencies. With letters of intent for more than 300 Model 429s, Bell expects to begin deliveries next month. Powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207DI turboshaft engines, the Bell 429 is priced at $4.87 […]

With its sights set squarely on the light sport and kit aircraft markets, Teledyne Continental Motors has announced a new, lightweight version of its legacy O200 four-cylinder piston engine. Weighing in at 199 pounds (including starter, ignition and fuel systems), the new O200 Lightweight Engine line also features a balanced crankshaft, sprocket propeller flange and […]

Russell Meyer, Jr., current chairman emeritus and past chairman and CEO of Cessna, which he led from 1975 to 2003, will be inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Russ Meyer is largely credited with promoting product liability legislation in 1994, which became known as the General Aviation Revitalization Act. Following passage of that […]

A pair of runway incursion incidents at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport are under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. On June 3, a Boeing 737 was cleared into position on Runway 6L at the same time an Embraer E-145 had been cleared for takeoff from the same runway. On June 26, another Embraer 145 […]

“The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering for approach to land. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s operation of the airplane above the design gross weight.” Such was the verdict of the National Transportation Safety Board as to the probable cause of the fatal crash of a Cessna 172 at St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport […]

Master Instructors LLC and its board of review announced the following two additions to the ranks of Master Instructors. Fewer than 700 of the country’s 92,000 flight instructors have been honored with this ranking. New to the ranks as of June are Tony Condon (independent flight and ground instructor, Wichita, Kansas) and Ted Matthews (president […]

LetsFly, which bills itself as “the largest aircraft cooperative in the country,” is offering quarter shares in the Legend Cub, an updated version of the classic Piper J-3, from American Legend Aircraft. Down payment on the quarter share is $2,900, which is the same as for a Cirrus or Mooney from LetsFly. Monthly payments for […]

United States airlines and business aviation will be exempt from a law limiting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In an 11th hour move, the House struck aviation from the requirement to cut carbon dioxide emissions by one-third as early as 2012. Reportedly, the change of heart resulted from a report from the Government Accountability Office that […]

Alan Klapmeier has begun approaching investors in an attempt to purchase the rights to develop and build the Cirrus Vision Jet. For the past two months, the current chairman of Cirrus Design has been meeting with as many as 100 potential investors. Kuwait-based Arcapita Ventures currently controls Cirrus Design and the rights to developing the […]

As of June 12, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has suspended the type certificate of the Eclipse 500. The certification was granted last November after a long delay, four months after Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Eclipse Aviation announced the removal of founder Vern Raburn from control of the company. Four days after receiving EASA approval, […]