News

A few other airplanes have drawn large numbers of readers but Chip Erwin creations seem to do that with regularity.

The Schweizer 300C series has trained a whole lot of new helicopter pilots over its long lifetime, and now the new company shepherding this classic rotorcraft model has a great way to take older airframes and give them a second life. Schweizer has finished the first of its factory refreshed S300CBi helicopters. The new program […]

A little after 9 a.m., 45 seconds after takeoff, one of the pilots of a Velocity V-Twin radioed the tower at Janesville, Wisconsin (KJVL): “We’d like to circle back and land Runway 32 and…work through some engine issues if we could.” ATC acknowledged the request, asked the pilot to report turning final for Runway 32, […]

By Amy Wilder As seismic activity increases beneath Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano, experts warn of a potential eruption that could have far-reaching consequences for air travel. The Icelandic Meteorological Office has been closely monitoring the situation, raising the alert level, and prompting discussions about the potential impact on both commercial and general aviation operations. The Icelandic […]

By Amy Wilder Skywings Flight Training has secured a deal for four new Austro Engine jet-fuel powered DA40 NG aircraft from Diamond Aircraft, the school announced at the European Airline Training Symposium (EATS) in Cascais, Portugal. Skywings also purchased a Diamond flight simulator, and its aircraft investment increases the Diamond Aircraft fleet at Antwerp International […]

By Paul Bertorelli University of North Dakota’s flight school has decided to abandon Swift UL94 and return to 100LL after exhaust valve recession in Lycoming-powered aircraft. The school conducted an extensive trial using the new unleaded fuel almost exclusively in its Lycoming-powered Piper Archers and Seminoles. After recording exhaust valve recession, the school opted to […]

Piper Aircraft has announced the delivery of Skyborne Airline Academy’s first Pilot 100i, marking a milestone in the long-standing partnership between the aircraft manufacturer and flight school. Skyborne, based in Vero Beach, Florida, signed a multiyear fleet agreement for 11 new Pilot 100i aircraft, further expanding its commitment to Piper’s reliable training platforms. The Pilot […]

The pioneering system sets a new benchmark for general aviation safety.

Remembering how we got it in the first place might help.

Because of a happy combination of enthusiasm, economics, and encouragement, by far, the greatest number of aircraft in our current general aviation fleet was built from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s. Traded frequently, relocated far and wide, and in various turns lavishly preserved and sorely neglected, this aerial armada is nevertheless slowly eroding, replaced infrequently […]