Aircraft
News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.
Aircraft
Bizjet Market Expected To Ride Out Economic Storm
“Things are better than they appear,” Sentient Flight Group vice president of aircraft management Gil Wolin said today at the 13th annual Corporate Aircraf
Aircraft
Excel-Jet Expects Second Sport-Jet To Fly by Year-end
Monument, Colo.-based Excel-Jet plans to bring the composite fuselage of its second Sport-Jet to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., next month and fly the ne
Aircraft
At Long Last, Hawker 4000 Gets FAA Approval
Hawker Beechcraft this week received full FAA type approval, in addition to production certification, for its Hawker 4000 super-midsize business jet–a mile
Aircraft
Stuck Power Control Leads To Eclipse 500 Tire Blowout
Eclipse Aviation on Monday issued a “customer pilot communication” regarding an incident last Thursday in which an Eclipse 500’s main gear tires blew out d
Aircraft
Dassault delivery marks a momentous milestone
Last month, Dassault Aviation delivered its 1,500th Falcon, a Falcon 2000.
Aircraft
First Legacy delivery slips to December
Certification setbacks have postponed Embraer’s plans to deliver the first Legacy business jet to launch customer Swift Aviation.
Maintenance and Modifications
Boeing Closes on Global Aeronautica Acquisition
Boeing has closed on the deal to acquire Vought Aircraft Industries’ interest in Global Aeronautica, the fuselage subassembly maker for the Boeing 787.
Aircraft
Gulfstream V-SP back in the sky
Flight testing of Gulfstream’s GV-SP is back on pace following a schedule interruption caused by last month’s terrorist attacks.
Aircraft
Ibis Ae270 aims for approval next year
Ibis Aerospace, a joint venture company formed by Aero Vodochody of the Czech Republic and Aerospace Industrial Development Corp.
Aircraft
Hoover joins FJ44 Eagle II team
Legendary aerobatic pilot Bob Hoover recently joined the flight testing and evaluation team for Sierra Industries’ FJ44 Eagle II, a retrofit of the Cessna
Aircraft
Bell still bullish on BA609 despite Osprey difficulties
The fortunes of the Bell/Agusta BA609 are closely linked to those of the U.S.
Aircraft
Challenger 604 gets optional AutoPower
The latest option for owners of Challenger 604 business jets is the enhanced version of the Safe Flight AutoPower system, which was installed and certified
Aircraft
Qatar to show first A319CJ buzjet at Dubai show
Middle East-based carrier Qatar Airways plans to show its new executive shuttle-configured Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliner at the Dubai 2001 airshow in the
Aircraft
Freight feeder mockup was ready for viewing in New Orleans
American Utilicraft’s full-size fuselage mockup arrived in New Orleans on September 11, to be ready for display at the scrubbed NBAA Convention.
Aircraft
Sino Swearingen CEO test flies the SJ30-2
Sino Swearingen president and CEO Jack Braly made his first flight in the conforming prototype SJ30-2 in early September from San Antonio International Air
Aircraft
728JET first flight scheduled for spring
With components arriving from Spain and Belgium, Fairchild Dornier has begun component integration of its first 728JET 70- to 85-passenger regional jet at
Aircraft
Ten-pax t-prop in the works
In a surprise announcement, Leland Snow, president of agplane manufacturer Air Tractor, said his company is developing a new passenger/utility turboprop ai
Aircraft
BAE looks to build its bizplane business base
BAE Systems Aircraft Services Group is looking to build on the success of the deal it forged at the NBAA show last year, when it announced a lease agreemen
Aircraft
Eclipse 500 certified in the Pacific
Eclipse Aviation announced last month that it received certification from India and Australia for the Eclipse 500 very light jet.
Aircraft
Embraer’s Phenom 300 enters flight-test phase
Embraer achieved two milestones on April 29, the first flight of the Phenom 300 light jet and the first time any airplane has made a first flight from Embr
Aircraft
Korea Grants Certification of the G550
Gulfstream has received type certificate validation from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of the Republic of Korea for the G550.
Aircraft
Learjet 85 Composite Work Goes South of the Border
Bombardier Aerospace late last week announced that it will manufacture the all-composite structure for the new Learjet 85 at its facility in Querétaro, Mex
Aircraft
Embraer's newest bizjets will continue the legacy
Embraer took advantage of the EBACE stage to officially introduce the latest additions to its line of business jets–the Legacy 450
Aircraft
Epic forges ahead on certification process
Epic Aircraft continues development of its all-composite turboprop singles and very light jets, though without the $200 million in funding pledged by India
Aircraft
The jury is still out on all-business-class airlines
Can a stand-alone all-business-class “boutique” airline make it as a private-jet alternative? With the failure of transatlantic carriers MAXjet in December
Aircraft
In The Works: Cessna CitationJet CJ4
Cessna flew the first prototype CitationJet CJ4 on May 5, with senior engineering test pilot Dan Morris at the controls and engineering flight-test manager
Aircraft
In The Works: Cessna Citation XLS+
On April 28 Cessna rolled out the first production version of the XLS+, the latest version of the Citation that entered production in 1998 as the Excel.
Aircraft
In The Works: Embraer Phenom 300
The Phenom 300 made its first flight on April 29, months ahead of Embraer’s previously announced schedule.
Aircraft
In The Works: Grob Aerospace SPn
Grob Aerospace has settled on a strategy to perform completions and provide pilot training for its all-composite SPn business jet at St.
