50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

United States aviation news

JetSmarter's debut private JetShuttle services take off in Europe

Members of revolutionary app JetSmarter can now enjoy free flights on private jets between key European cities, via its JetShuttle service. JetSmarter is the fastest growing private jet company in the world, and aims to democratise private jet travel by eliminating hours at the airport, and mitigating travel time spent flying commercial. JetSmarter allows users to quickly and easily book privat...

Rockwell Collins unveils ADS-B driven airspace modernization packages for Pro Line 21™-equipped King Airs

Rockwell Collins has unveiled three Pro Line 21™ upgrade packages for King Air turboprops that give operators more flexibility in equipping their aircraft for next-generation airspace and procedures. The upgrades are Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)-validated and available now through all Rockwell Collins-authorized dealers. The th...

Boeing's most important plane could be headed for trouble

The 787 Dreamliner is the first new plane Boeing has designed and built from scratch in 20 years, but its entry into service has been far from smooth. The program has been beset by engine and production issues. In 2013, the worldwide Dreamliner fleet was grounded after the lithium-ion battery packs on several aircraft caught fire. With more than $30 billion invested in the plane, Boeing h...

Boeing Reveals Just How Far 777 Output Is Poised to Fall

In late 2013, Boeing formally launched the 777X -- the next-generation version of its popular 777 widebody jet. The 777X, which features updated engines and a new wing to boost range, payload, and fuel efficiency compared to the 777, is scheduled to enter service in early 2020. Despite the fact that it has this 777 replacement in the works, Boeing insisted throughout most of 2014 and...

1 dead in crash at metro Atlanta air show

The pilot was killed Saturday afternoon when a biplane crashed during an air show at a metropolitan Atlanta airport, authorities said. The biplane and another aircraft were performing stunts in tandem during the next-to-last performance of the day at the Good Neighbor Day Open House Airshow at DeKalb Peachtree Airport, said CNN Digital news writer Melissa Gray, who attended the show with her fa...

The U.S. Military Wants a Robot That Can Fly Any Plane

The U.S. Air Force is looking to fund the development of a system that allows it to easily convert any of its manned aircraft into robot-piloted planes, potentially making huge portions of its existing fleet fully autonomous. According to a public solicitation notice, the “drop-in” system would “rapidly convert a variety of traditionally manned aircraft” to be autonomous...

Former head of Google’s Project Ara on leaving to start Airbus’ new Silicon Valley lab

At this point in Silicon Valley’s history, it’s nearly impossible to walk down the street without tripping over some incubator or accelerator created by a major corporation hoping to magically capture a little bit of the region’s innovative pixie dust. Most of these efforts don’t amount to much more than sightseeing trips, however. And nobody knows that better than Paul...

Man Attempts Suicide During British Airways Flight

On Monday, a British Airways flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Iceland after a passenger reportedly attempted suicide in the bathroom of the plane. According to The Hollywood Reporter, British Airways Flight 6185 was en route from Los Angeles to London when the pilot diverted the plane to Iceland at around 6 a.m. local time with about four hours left in the trip. Witnesses on...

Dozens of A-10s and F-16s Roll Out for an "Elephant Walk"

Earlier this week, the U.S. Air Force rolled out dozens of A-10s and F-16s in an "elephant walk"—a military demonstration that involves taxing entire squadrons of aircraft down the runway to train for the type of en masse takeoffs that would be necessary in wartime. An elephant walk also serves as a reminder to surrounding nations of the United States' military capabi...

Astronauts won’t be flying to space in Boeing’s Starliner until 2018

Since 2011, NASA has been trying to wean itself off Russian rockets as the only way of getting astronauts up to the International Space Station, and in 2014, Boeing and SpaceX won contracts to carry out launches. Now, though, Boeing says it's going to have to delay its crewed flights, pushing them back from 2017 to 2018. Boeing's executive vice president Leanne Caret made the announcement,...

The eye of the storm

Building a new plane to take on Airbus would be a huge risk for Boeing. BOEING’S factory at Everett, near Seattle, is the largest building in the world, as befits the world’s biggest planemaker. From within its cavernous halls a new passenger jet emerges every working day. After an empty fuselage enters at one end of the factory, it can take as little as a month for some models to e...

Gama Aviation secures Jersey 'premiere' of new HondaJet for client event

Gama Aviation have secured the inaugural visit to the island of the new HA-420 HondaJet, an advanced light jet. The jet is being exclusively showcased by us at our event for ourclients on Thursday 12 May at Jersey Airport. The HondaJet seats up to six passengers and is the fastest, highest-flying, quietest, and most fuel-efficient aircraft in its category. The revolutionary...