Top Aviation Stories Of 2017

You’ve forgotten so many of these huge 2017 aviation stories

Plane & Pilot

Monday, December 25, 2017 at 09:29 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

2017 brought significant regulatory changes for General Aviation, including the implementation of Basic Med to simplify pilot medicals and a rewrite of Part 23 aircraft certification standards.
The year saw major innovations in aircraft and avionics, with the certification of the Cirrus Vision Jet and Pilatus PC-24, new models like the Mooney Acclaim Ultra, and advancements from Garmin with the G1000 NXi and G5, alongside many new autopilot systems.
The GA community responded to natural disasters like hurricanes, while also facing challenges such as fatal incidents involving Icon Aircraft and ongoing concerns over FBO fuel pricing and airport access.

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There were so many huge and unexpected aviation stories in 2017 that it’s hard to believe it all happened in 12 short months. Here’s a rundown of the headlines that changed our flying world.

1. Hurricanes: A pair of Category 5 hurricanes hit the U.S. mainland and GA was there to help. Read more aboutHarvey and Irma.

2. The Eclipse: This was a magical and crazy few days for those of us who love the places our planes can go. Read more here.

3. ADS-B Ongoing Drama: By now, it’s impossible to pretend that ADS-B isn’t happening, because it’s now only two years away. See how the GA community is doing with its preparations.

4. Icon Disasters: After two fatal crashes, it was about as bad a year for Icon Aircraft as one could imagine. Read more about the Lake Berryessa accidentandthe loss of Roy Halladay.

Courtesy of ICON Aircraft

5. Cirrus Jet Certified: The jet that everybody has been talking about became the jet that people can actually buy. Read more here.

6. Basic Med: The simplified medical process made a lot of pilots happy. See how Basic Med changed things quite a few of them.

7. Garmin G1000 NXi: What would Garmin do to top G1000? A better G1000. NXi. Check out our experiences flying with it for the first time.

8. Textron Launches Denali: On paper, Textron’s Cessna Denali turboprop will be an awesome airplane, in part because of its revolutionary engine. See how the Denali is coming along.

Cessna Denali under construction — *Courtesy of Textron Aviation*

9. Acclaim Ultra Certification: It was worth the wait, the first M20 with a pilot-side door, and lots more. Read more about the certificationand then check out our pilot report.

Planes of the Year - Mooney Acclaim Ultra

10. Part 23 Rewrite Becomes Law: Manufacturers got a big break when the FAA created new kinds of standards for certifying light planes. Read more here.

11. Santa Monica vs. Its Own Airport: The question was, could it possibly get worse for SMO. The answer is, sadly, yes. See what happened.

12. FBOs that Gouge: AOPA takes the lead in shining the spotlight on FBOs that charge ridiculously high prices for fuel. Read more here.

13. Pilatus PC-24: The Swiss company’s awesome new jet is approved and ready to roll. Find out why it’s a game-changer.

14. Garmin G5: Garmin comes out with a revolutionary new retrofit display that’s cheap and works with your autopilot. See how it works.

Dual Garmin G5 units — *Courtesy of Garmin*

15. 10,000^th RV Flies. That’s a lot of any kind of airplane, but a kit? You bet. Find out more about the company that made it and the pilot who built it.

David Porter with his Van's RV — *Courtesy of Van’s Aircraft*

16. New Autopilots: It was the year of the autopilot, with new models introduced by Genesys, Garmin, TruTrak and more.

TruTrak Vizion autopilot — *TruTrak Vizion. Courtesy of TruTrak.*

17. NBAA and Vegas Shootings: The National Business Aviation Association in Las Vegas came on the heels of the worst mass shooting in US history. Read more here.