50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

United States aviation news

Textron Aviation bolsters factory-direct Citation, King Air and Hawker support programs

Textron Aviation Inc. announced it has added new factory-direct coverage programs – Pre-Buy Assurance, Extended Care and King Air Direct – furthering its commitment in supporting the world’s largest installed fleet. Through these new programs, Citation, King Air and Hawker customers can increase efficiency, reduce costs and optimize the value of their aircraft. “As the m...

Solar plane successfully departs from Hawaii with no fuel

 Two pilots are slowly carving their way into a new future of solar-powered flight as one embarks on the latest leg of their around-the-world journey in a plane powered only by the sun. After some uncertainty about winds, the Solar Impulse team took off from Hawaii on Thursday, and hours later it was still ascending over the Pacific attempting to reach a high altitude before night sets in....

XTI Aircraft exceeds $1 million in equity crowdfunding investments

After capturing the imagination of the public with its TriFan 600 vertical takeoff airplane, XTI Aircraft Company (XTI) is accelerating its development program and redoubling efforts to translate excitement about the aircraft into $3 million in actual investments. The $3 million milestone is essential to fund important next steps in an accelerated development program that in...

First RAAF P-8A takes shape at Renton final assembly line

Boeing has released two photos of the first Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft undergoing final assembly at the manufacturer’s Renton facility just outside Seattle. The first photograph, taken on March 11, shows the wings being joined on the aircraft, while the second photograph shows the tail being added. Acquisition of eight P-8As for the...

Boeing Runs Up the Score on Airbus

More and more, it looks like the sky's the limit for Boeing 737 sales.  2016 is not looking like a good year for Airbus . In the perpetual, and perpetually renewing, race to sell the most airplanes in a calendar year, Airbus has beaten Boeing with a stick for three years running. But 2016 looks to be the year that Boeing turns the tide. And how. Keeping score Last week, we ran...

Bell speeds 525 prototype to 200kt

Bell Helicopter has now taken its developmental 525 super-medium twin to a speed of above 200kt (370km/h) as it prepares for the arrival of the programme’s third flight-test vehicle. The Dallas-based manufacturer says the Relentless has accumulated over 300h of flight and ground testing across its two certification prototypes. Envelope expansion work is “nearly complete”, i...

Airbus nears deal to sell 37 A321 jets to Delta: sources

European planemaker Airbus is close to a deal to sell 37 current-generation A321 passenger jets to Delta Air Lines, three people familiar with the matter said. Such a deal would be worth $4.3 billion at list prices. Airbus declined to comment. A Delta spokesman said "no decision has been made on any aircraft transaction." If confirmed by the airline's board, which has the fi...

A350 XWB full-flight simulator installed at Airbus Training Center in Miami

Airbus Training Center (ATC) in Miami – part of the growing worldwide network of Training by Airbus* facilities – has installed its first A350 XWB full-flight simulator. The A350 XWB simulator has received Level-D** qualification from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).  This is the first A350 XWB full-flight...

Blackhawk gains EASA approval of PT6A-140 for Cessna Caravan upgrade

Blackhawk Modifications, the leading provider of engine upgrades for turboprop aircraft, announced the continued growth of their portfolio of worldwide certified engine upgrades with the European Aviation Safety Alliance (EASA) approval of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine upgrade for the Cessna Caravan and Grand Caravan. The added performance and value associated with the Blackhawk X...

U.S. poised to approve Boeing fighter jet sales to Qatar, Kuwait

The U.S. government is poised to approve two long-delayed sales of Boeing Co fighter jets to Qatar and Kuwait, and could announce the multibillion-dollar deals during President Barack Obama's visit to the Gulf this week, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Both deals have been stalled amid concerns raised by Israel that equipment sent to Gulf states could fall into the wrong...

DARPA VTOL X-plane takes flight in miniature

It may look like a backwards airplane with a collection of fans for wings, but a miniature test version of DARPA's Vertical Take-off and Landing Experimental Plane (VTOL X-Plane) took to the skies recently. According to the builder, Aurora Flight Sciences, the subscale vehicle demonstrator (SVD) prototype of the LightningStrike successfully completed a series of takeoff, hover, and landing man...

Boeing proposes 3D printing "ice" for aircraft certification

In another potential aerospace application for 3D printing, Boeing has filed an application with the US Patent Office for a way to make artificial "ice." The company isn't planning on making novelty ice cubes for the first class passengers (yet), but has come up with a way of printing plastic and composite shapes that can be tacked onto the wings and other surfaces to simulate icing...