General Aviation
News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.
Aircraft
Second Cessna SkyCourier Completes First Flight
The first conforming production flight test Cessna SkyCourier flew for one hour 35 minutes on its inaugural flight.
Rotorcraft
Robinson Delivers 1,000th R66 Turbine Helicopter
The R66 fleet surpassed 1.2 million flight hours as Robinson delivered the 1,000th example.
Rotorcraft
Leonardo Breaks Ground on Temp Facility in Florida
Leonardo broke ground this week on its U.S. Navy TH-73A temporary support facility at the Peter Prince Airport in Milton, FL.
Rotorcraft
Air Ambulances Successfully Navigating Covid Skies
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the air ambulance industry is holding its own—for now.
Rotorcraft
USAIG Safety Bucks Fully Cover Airbus Helo IIMC Course
Aircraft insurer USAIG customers can now use their $2,500 Safety Bucks To Cover Airbus Helicopters' IIMC Course.
Rotorcraft
Bell Embraces Virtual Reality to Design Helicopters
Bell is using augmented and virtual reality, computer gaming technology, to develop new aircraft.
Rotorcraft
One in Five S-92 Helicopters Parked
Some 39 Sikorsky S-92s, comprising 19 percent of the global market, remain parked during the downturn.
Rotorcraft
Torqued: It Shouldn’t Take an Act of Congress To Mandate Safety Improvements
Changing regulations takes a long time, and there ought to be a simpler way to create mandates for safety improvements.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
GECAS Slashes Milestone's Value by $729M
GECAS has written down the value of its Milestone Aviation helicopter leasing unit by $729 million.
Training and Workforce
SimVenture Flyers Get a Taste of Oshkosh Operations
While this year's EAA AirVenture show was canceled, there was a way for pilots to try their hand at flying into a simulated version of the iconic airfield.
Aircraft
Covid Crisis Hits GippsAero
The Australian aircraft manufacturer has seen sales and deliveries of its GA8 Airvan dry up during the pandemic.
Avionics
Garmin Restores Database and Flight-planning Functions
A cyberattack on Garmin resulted in widespread problems for aviation and sports product users.
Rotorcraft
NASA Chief: Uncrewed Aircraft 'Safer'
The agency's administrator touts advanced UAM technologies.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance
HeliValue$: 'The Worst Helicopter Market in 40 Years'
Used helicopter values sink under the pressures of pandemic, cheap oil, and scarce credit.
Avionics
Daher Certifies HomeSafe Autoland in TBM 940
Daher has received both FAA and EASA approval of its HomeSafe emergency autoland system on its TBM 940.
Airports
SkyBridge Plans Bizjet MRO Complex at Miami Opa-Locka
The proposed 500,000 square-foot facility at Opa Locka will include hangars, offices, a hotel, and support buildings.
Maintenance and Modifications
Ruag Opens New Paint Shop in Oberpfaffenhofen
RUAG Oberpfaffenhofen’s new paint and drying shop is now operational.
Maintenance and Modifications
Wysong Enterprises Keeps First Responders Airborne
The helicopter MRO has worked on more than 20 aircraft during the Covid-19 pandemic in the last 12 weeks.
Other Voices: Playing the Pandemic Roulette
A young flight instructor ponders the pandemic's effect on his career as a pilot while remaining hopeful about the future.
Avionics
EASA Certifies Garmin G3X Touch
Europe-based owners of certified single-engine aircraft can now install this equipment in their aircraft.
Regulations and Government
EASA Grafts Cybersecurity Onto Certification Standards
New EASA cybersecurity standards include helicopters.
Avionics
Leonardo AW139 Gets Honeywell Primus Epic Upgrade
The new Honeywell Primus Epic Phase 8 software will be available in the Leonardo AW139 intermediate twin.
Rotorcraft
NHV's Airbus H175 Fleet Tops 40,000 Hours
NHV’s fleet accounts for more than 60 percent of the Airbus Helicopters H175’s 66,000 flight hours to date.
Maintenance and Modifications
Bell Buys Chinese MRO Zhenjiang Aerochine Aviation
Bell is acquiring Zhenjiang Aerochine Aviation Limited to increase its MRO capacity in China.
Aircraft
Electric Aircraft Maker Bye Raises $10M for eFlyers
Bye Aerospace aims to have its two-seat eFlyer all-electric aircraft ready to enter service in 2021, followed by the four-seat eFlyer 4.
Avionics
Garmin Adds TXi Compatibility for Meridian, SR22
Owners of airplanes with older instrumentation can gain new funcationality by installing Garmin TXi displays.
ATC
FAA's New Urban Air Mobility ConOps Raises Questions
Morphing existing helicopter VFR corridors into dedicated urban air mobility routes is among the challenges identified by critics of ConOps 1.0.
Rotorcraft
Airbus Helicopters Marks 60 Years in Japan
Airbus Helicopters marks 60 years in Japan with new maintenance facility, orders.
Aircraft
Electric Aircraft Symposium Set To Go Ahead Online
From July 28 to 30, the Electric Aircraft Symposium will focus on both eVTOL models and electric fixed-wing aircraft.
Aircraft
Other Voices: Playing the Pandemic Roulette
The coronavirus pandemic has completely upended the plans of pilots all over the world.
