Top 10 General Aviation Stories Of The Year

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

Plane & Pilot

Tuesday, December 18, 2018 at 05:08 AM ET

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Plane flies by control tower.

Key Takeaways:

Aviation in 2018 faced significant challenges including a failed attempt to privatize Air Traffic Control, impending ADS-B compliance deadlines, and contentious issues like high FBO fees and the closure of Santa Monica Airport.
The year also saw triumphs such as the Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet winning the Collier Trophy, record-breaking safety statistics for general aviation, and the introduction of more affordable digital retrofit avionics.
Emerging technologies, particularly the rise of drones, presented major regulatory and integration complexities, while concepts for autonomous air taxis ("Ubers of the Skies") highlighted future, albeit speculative, shifts in air mobility.
A robust airline hiring market, driven by pilot retirements and increased demand, created highly favorable conditions and increased opportunities for qualified pilots.

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2. Cirrus Jet Wins Collier

Cirrus Aircraft SF50 Vision Jet, photographed on March 27, 2017 from Wolfe Air Cessna O-337.

It’s not often that general aviation gets a big win, but in April Cirrus Aircraft took home aviation’s highest honor when it was awarded the 2017 Collier Trophy for its groundbreaking SF50 Vision Jet. Competing against a field of nine aircraft and spacecraft, including the favorite for the prize, the Boeing 737 MAX, and several other noteworthy nominees, the Vision Jet became the first light aircraft to take home the prize since 2005, when the Eclipse 500 twinjet won the honors. Cirrus delivered the SF50 in December of 2016 and has by now delivered almost 100 of the jets and has orders for hundreds more.

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