Aviation News

Someone must have forgotten to tell tradeshow visitors that general aviation is in a death spiral. Last week’s European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) proved to be among the most highly attended since the show launched in 2001. Figures reached well into five digits, and there were 65 aircraft on static display, compared with […]

As if in response to signals of an improved market, Bombardier announced at EBACE that development is continuing apace on its all-composite Learjet 85. This despite other manufacturers recently announcing slowdowns-if not worse-in their new-jet programs. The Learjet 85 program is currently in its joint definition phase, with certification and first deliveries scheduled for 2013. […]

If business aviation has been in a spin, the latest numbers from research firm ARG/US show we’ve likely reduced power and applied opposite rudder. Flight activity in April for that segment of general aviation did decline a whopping 18.8 percent compared with the same month in 2008, but was down only 1.86 percent from March. […]

At the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva this week, Honeywell announced upgrades to the avionics system that forms the basis for Gulfstream’s PlaneView avionics suite and Dassault Falcon’s EASy integrated avionics package. The upgrades include functionality for future air navigation system (FANS1/A); wide area augmentation system localizer performance with vertical guidance (WAAS […]

Transcripts of the cockpit voice recorders were released at hearings investigating last winter’s crash of a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 near Buffalo, New York. All 49 passengers and crew on the airplane died and one man was killed on the ground when the turboprop crashed into his house. According to the transcripts, the pilots expressed […]

Declining deliveries of business jets, lower demand for commercial and military aircraft, and administrative costs from a staff reduction program all added up to first quarter losses for Embraer. The losses amounted to $23.4 million, compared with last year, when the Brazilian airframer posted a net profit of $85 million in the same timeframe. Embraer […]

A footnote in the Obama administration budget plan has grown to become a serious threat to those opposed to user fees to support the FAA budget. According to the Transportation Department, cost-based user charges are expected to yield $9.6 billion of the FAA operating budget for Fiscal Year 2011. Details are under development, according to […]

Reno, Nevada-based Aerion announced it is proceeding with plans to develop a supersonic business jet. The company reported it is continuing discussions with possible manufacturing partners. The design-study, proof-of-concept phase is expected to cover nine to 12 months. Aerion hopes the initiative will lead to an agreement to go forward with full-scale development and ultimate […]

As general aviation advocates learned the bad news on user fees, mayors of close to 70 U.S. cities placed their signatures on a letter to President Obama extolling the benefits of GA. The letter also urged the president to help reverse a trend toward negative press that, they say, is helping cripple the industry. The […]

According to a report from Piper’s former owner American Capital, it realized a $31 million gain from the sale of Piper Aircraft to Asia-based Imprimis. American Capital said inception-to-date realized gains were $48 million with compounded annual rate of return (including interest and fees) of 19 percent over the life of its investment. American Capital […]