50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

United States aviation news

This Plane Can Be Controlled Using Only Your Brain

There is an airplane that can be controlled using only your brain. Seriously. After 12 years of research from neuroscientists and engineers at Honeywell Aerospace, a six-seat Beechcraft King Air C90 was tricked out to be operated with an elastic cap housing 32 electrodes. The “pilot,” or person wearing the cap, maneuvers the plane by focusing on a screen. The electrodes in the ca...

Richard Branson is bringing us the next supersonic passenger aircraft

On Tuesday, the founder of Virgin Group is joining forces with Boom— an aircraft production startup — to unveil the XB-1 Supersonic Demonstrator, a prototype supersonic passenger airliner. The aircraft will reportedly provide 3.5-hour flights between New York and London for the "affordable" price of $5,000. Creating affordable supersonic flight has been on Branson&...

Top Aerospace Officials Just Called Hypersonic Planes "inevitable"

Aviation experts from NASA, the US Airforce, and Lockheed Martin have come together in California to announce that hypersonic planes are "inevitable" - meaning we’d better get used to the idea of travelling at more than five times the speed of sound. If that speed doesn’t mean that much to you, how does 4800 km/h (3,000 mph) sound? Or how about London to New York...

Rolls-Royce expands Aerospace research center in Southern California

Rolls-Royce announced that it is growing its presence in Southern California, with a $30 million expansion into a new 62,000 square foot facility that will be dedicated to research and development of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials and processes for use in next generation aircraft engine components. Rolls-Royce held a dedication ceremony with federal, state and local officials, cu...

Trump will have to say goodbye to Trump Force One

When he was running for president, Donald Trump boasted he would swap out Air Force One with his private jet. But now that he has won the presidency, can he really continue to use his personal aircraft? A US official told CNN it would be "nearly functionally impossible" for President Trump to fly on anything other than the Air Force One, which is owned by the US military. AF1, t...

Cirrus Aircraft Vision Jet Achieves FAA Certification

Cirrus Aircraft announced the arrival of a new era in personal transportation as the Cirrus Vision® Jet – the world’s first single engine Personal Jet – achieved FAA certification.  With this milestone accomplishment, the Vision Jet ushers in a new category of aircraft that delivers an unrivaled pilot, passenger and operator experience, and certification paves the way fo...

Piaggio Aerospace signs contract for the sale of 5 Avanti EVO in the United States

Piaggio America, a Piaggio Aerospace subsidiary, announces at the NBAA - Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, a new contract for the sale of 5 Avanti EVO to the US based West Coast Aviation Services, which will use them for charter and fractional ownership activities. This is the first Avanti EVO sale in the US market. West Coast Aviation Services – celebrating it...

Pilots at biggest US budget carrier fly off with 29 per cent pay rise

Southwest Airlines pilots have approved a new contract that will boost pay almost 30 per cent over its term and improve retirement benefits while falling short of recent raises proposed at some rival US carriers. The agreement was approved by about 84 per cent of those voting, the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association said. The labor group, which represents 8,500 aviators, and the airlin...

Jeppesen offers new avionics and app data bundle options and pricing for general aviation pilots

Jeppesen, a Boeing Company, recently announced a series of three new data bundle services that combine access across both general aviation avionics, including Garmin and Avidyne, and popular mobile apps. The new data bundles will be offered to general aviation pilots at a reduced cost, with key coverage areas included and the choice of two or four device installations, to meet individual pilot nee...

If your Gulfstream’s just too slow, fear not – the supersonic private jet is coming

For the ultra-wealthy, a Gulfstream 650 or a Bombardier 6000 is fine but, given the choice, most would jump at the chance of their own supersonic luxury jet that could whisk them from Abu Dhabi to London in under four hours, or cut the flight time from Dubai to Singapore by about 2 hours. And that is exactly what they will be offered once the plane maker Aerion, backed by the Texas billionaire...

It's over: The airline that never flew a single passenger in 27 years

A US airline, which was founded in 1989 with the aim of offering a "high quality three-class passenger service" has just taken its only aircraft out of service – despite having never operated a single commercial flight in its 27-year history. Baltia Airlines started with great promise. It aimed to offer the only non-stop flight from New York to St Petersburg, as well as holiday...

Bell and Mecaer unveil new 505 luxury interior

Bell Helicopter and Mecaer Aviation Group (MAG), an acclaimed designer and manufacturer of high-end cabin comfort systems, today announced the collaboration for the MAGnificent interior for the Bell 505 Jet Ranger X . “Bell Helicopter continues to raise the bar for our customers in bringing innovative and well-designed offerings to our product line,” said Patrick Moulay, B...