Aviation News

European private equity firm Permira agreed last month to sell business aviation service company Jet Aviation for a reported $2.25 billion. Permira bought the Swiss-based general aviation conglomerate in 2005 for an estimated $700 million from an ownership group led by the Hirschmann family. The late Carl Hirschmann founded Jet Aviation decades ago. With its […]

Almanac data stored in the receivers of some early Garmin ‘Flybuddy’ GPS units has led to degraded operation. Affected units, according to a service advisory from Garmin, include all Model 819 and Model 820 Flybuddy GPS units and Model 2001/2101 systems with TSO-C115b GPS sensors. The company noted that Model 2001/2101 systems with later TSO-C129 […]

Often considered one of the best barometers of general aviation health, the numbers for used turbine aircraft sales continue to decline overall, though sales outside North America are on the rise. According to AvData, based in Utica, New York, business jet sales in North America were down from 199 in June 2007 to 116 in […]

The FAA has announced more specific plans to begin scaling back its commitment to VOR stations beginning in 2010. Seen as a measure of commitment to GPS as a primary source of navigation information, the move, nevertheless, has some concerned. Reliance on GPS as primary source guidance is contingent on the adoption of wide area […]

The Transportation Security Administration has issued two new documents encompassing security action items (SAIs) for FBOs and for aircraft operators. The documents amplify and restate many of the same recommendations in the originally issued documents from May 2004, including limiting or prohibiting vehicle access to ramps, locking fences and gates, installing surveillance equipment, encouraging based […]

On January 9, 2006, a Cirrus SR20 crashed at Lancaster, California, during a training flight. The airplane had apparently stalled during an attempt to turn back to the runway after a simulated power loss. The helicopter-rated private pilot and his instructor both died on impact. The Cirrus had arrived half an hour earlier from Van […]

Thai businessman Supap Puranitee ordered his Cessna Mustang on the day it was announced at NBAA 2002. He took delivery of his VLJ, the 100th Mustang off the production line, last week at the Cessna plant in Independence, Kansas. Cessna delivered 45 Mustangs in its first partial year of production last year, and expects to […]

German manufacturer Grob Aerospace has declared insolvency, placing the future of its all-composite SPn light jet in question. Company CEO Niall Olver cited delays in the certification program as creating increased funding requirements, which current financial backers are unwilling to support. Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based Alpha Flying Service, with its PlaneSense fractional program (which currently operates […]

In post-World War II years, Piper Aircraft patriarch William Piper surrendered financial control of his namesake company to creditors, and watched from an office in a hangar as expenses were shaved to bare minimums. Now, it appears Eclipse Aviation is experiencing a similar process, as new CEO Roel Pieper seeks to achieve “operational excellence” on […]

Stevens Aviation delivered the first Learjet modified under its Lear4Ever program this week. Stevens, working with several partners, transforms the classic turbofan-powered Learjet with a package of new avionics, aerodynamic modifications, plus its highly regarded new interior and paint work. Big Universal flat glass displays are among the most notable cockpit changes. The Universal system […]