Aviation News

The engine that powers Cessna’s CJ series, Hawker Beechcraft’s Premier and others has just demonstrated its ability to run on “coal-based alternative fuel,” according to Williams International. The Williams FJ44-3 test article burned 2,000 gallons of the fuel-developed at Penn State University. It performed “extremely well,” exhibiting performance numbers on par with the jet-A powered […]

It created a stir at AirVenture Oshkosh last summer, but until it actually lifted off, the Terrafugia ‘Transition’ really remained just another exciting promise. And in general aviation, we’ve had a bellyful of those. The Transition takes its name from what it proposes to do-switch quickly and easily from a car to an airplane and […]

From his perspective, ex-Air Force fighter pilot Bill Boisture has seen his share of business cycles and how the general aviation industry reacts to them. Boisture started his new job as head of Hawker Beechcraft on Monday, succeeding Jim Schuster, who last fall had announced his plans to retire as soon as a replacement could […]

With each passing day, the mystery grows deeper surrounding the Pilatus PC-12 crash last week in Butte, Montana. All 14 Californians on board died, including seven small children. They were on their way to a ski vacation at Yellowstone Club, near Bozeman, Montana. The single pilot-65-year-old Air Force veteran Bud Summerfield-requested a diversion to Butte […]

W.W. (Bill) Boisture Jr., who has made the rounds of top management of several leading business aviation companies, was appointed chairman and CEO of Hawker Beechcraft in late March. Boisture replaces Jim Schuster who had announced his retirement last year. Boisture has held top positions at Gulfstream, NetJets, SimuFlight and Butler Aviation, the predecessor of […]

Executive bonuses are at the top of the news’ hit list. And Cessna’s parent company, Textron, has revealed through filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that its CEO Lewis Campbell saw his performance bonus steeply diminish last year. The overall downgrade amounted to a bottom-line pay cut of 16 percent-down to $9.8 million […]

All aircraft owners who have retained their loran receivers as backups for GPS raise your hands. (Mine is up.) Well, it seems our strategic move could backfire, as the Obama administration is considering decommissioning loran as of next year. Eliminating the system would save Uncle Sam $190 million over five years, according to reports. Loran-C […]

U.S. Representative Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.) didn’t mince words when assessing the TSA’s Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP). After a meeting with the TSA on March 10th, the congressman said, “This is a prime example of a stupid rule. Simply put, the threat does not warrant this level of regulation.” Under provisions of LASP, passengers on […]

Selected as National Flight Instructor of the Year in 2006, Rich Stowell has resigned his membership in the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI)-and demanded a refund of his dues. NAFI management has faced considerable push-back from members in recent months, leading to the establishment of a rival group known as Society of Aviation and […]

Less than a year after an insolvency debacle that left its engine supplier in ruins, Diamond has achieved European certification for its DA42 NG-powered by Diamond’s own Austro diesel engines. The 170 hp Austro engines have 20 percent more power than the Thielert engines they replace, while nevertheless claiming lower fuel burn. Certification by the […]