Top 10 General Aviation Stories Of The Year

Here are the blockbuster aviation stories of a remarkable 2018 for GA.

Control tower
Plane flies by control tower.
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • General aviation in 2018 was marked by significant regulatory battles, including successfully stymieing the privatization of air traffic control, addressing the complex integration and regulation of drones, and facing the looming ADS-B equipage deadline.
  • The year also celebrated key industry triumphs, such as the Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet winning the Collier Trophy, advancements in low-cost digital retrofit avionics for GA planes, and a robust hiring frenzy for airline pilots.
  • Aviation achieved its safest year on record, while simultaneously grappling with emerging disruptive technologies like "Ubers of the Skies" (autonomous air transport) and the persistent issue of high FBO ramp and fuel fees.
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10. Ubers Of The Skies

Airbus
Airbus

The mobility world—yes, that is a thing—is all abuzz with mobility solutions talk, and for many city dwellers, that means learning how to dodge out-of-control e-scooters. But the big plan for many companies, including Boeing, Airbus, Google, Uber, and others, is to make automated air transportation—meaning, no pilots needed—the standard way of getting around. Many of the so-called solutions involve the development of autonomous flying machines, many of which are electrically powered multi-copters that feature computer-controlled operation, including navigation and collision avoidance. Listening to these developers talk about their inventions, you’d come to believe that it’ll all be here in a year or two. We remain highly skeptical, but it inarguably will be interesting to watch this movement play out. We’ll keep you apprised.

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