Aviation News

Grob Aerospace is now virtually out of sight as far as its SPn light jet program is concerned, but a new group of investors could resurrect the program from insolvency. Development of the composite light jet ceased last year when funding evaporated, but a report indicates the former Grob CEO is assembling a group to […]

Tensions are running high surrounding the Korean peninsula as North Korea has threatened the safety of civil aircraft in its airspace over the Sea of Japan. In a statement North Korea warned, “Security cannot be guaranteed for South Korean civil airplanes.” Fueling the tension is the upcoming joint South Korean-U.S. military exercise, which North Korea […]

This week, groups of air medical services providers from around the country are meeting in Washington, D.C., as part of their annual trade conference. The meeting this year takes on larger significance with the recent attention called to the poor safety record of medical transportation providers, specifically those operating helicopters. Today, leaders of the Association […]

Aircraft operators in Illinois are responding to reports that their state is proposing a 5 percent luxury tax on aircraft valued at $500,000 and up. The tax would be in addition to state and local use taxes already in effect. Aviation advocacy groups have been quick to respond. The National Business Aviation Association, for example, […]

Gulfstream Aerospace will lay off 1,200 employees and furlough 1,500 more for five weeks. The job losses will be spread throughout its facilities nationwide. The airframer currently employs 6,000 in Georgia (most at its Savannah headquarters) and some 4,000 more at satellite facilities around the country. Gulfstream attributed the employment reduction to shrinking order backlogs. […]

The latest version of the House FAA funding legislation-H.R. 915 (known as the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009) received a nod from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The bill does not incorporate user fees, and is supported by most in the general aviation industry. Next in line is the House Ways and Means Committee, […]

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) maintains that its Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) was drawn up with input from the industry it is meant to address. The overwhelming majority of some 4,800 respondents disagreed, and expressed their opinions during the proposal’s public comment period. LASP aims to set airline-style security procedures for general aviation aircraft […]

A spokesman for a group of Eclipse 500 owners sounds less than thrilled with some plans to resurrect the manufacturer. Randall Sanada of Jet Alliance said the Eclipse Owners Group would, itself, like to buy the assets of Albuquerque-based Eclipse, which is now facing Chapter 7 liquidation proceedings. He called the efforts of others to […]

“The next generation of air travel has arrived,” according to the FAA in the person of retiring Acting Administrator Robert Sturgell, who gave the go-ahead for ADS-B to go live in South Florida airspace late last year. ADS-B, which is short for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, is a datalink approach to air traffic management. It is […]

Back in my youthful exuberance days, I and another guy (whose name and face both now elude my memory) used to compete to see how short we could land a Cessna 150. The answer was, pretty short. We would come in hanging on the edge of a stall and stomp on the brakes the moment […]