CATEGORIES

Airfields & Flight Training

What's happening at our airfields, aerodromes & airports.

Meca-quartz elegance

AV-8 meca-quartz chronograph || Crash Detectives & Burma Spitfire books

DELIVERY BY DRONE

Managing failures without a pilot, UAV corridors, and heavy lift drones. A Covid ‘check flight’ opens the door onto a whole new world

Single-Engine Over London

The coronavirus pandemic and associated decline in Commercial Air Transport open up an opportunity for private pilots

VSS Unity flies from Spaceport America

Virgin Galactic recently announced the successful completion of its first SpaceShipTwo test flight from Spaceport America. The flight was an unpowered glide, and marks the inaugural solo flight of VSS (Virgin Space Ship) Unity in New Mexico. It is an important flight test milestone in preparation for commercial service.

Rotax-powered JMB VL3 Evolution hits 200 knots

Czech company JMB Aircraft has completed flight testing of the latest version of its VL3 Evolution, which included exceeding 200kt TAS. The aircraft, which is powered by a 142hp Rotax 915iS engine has had its Vne increased to 184kt.

The Isolated Aviator

Entertainment − and even flying practice − for the grounded pilot

The oldest active pilot?

Instrumental in the growth of general aviation in Spain, Laureano Ruiz Liaño is a living piece of European aviation heritage

The A380 makes a comeback – as a freighter

German maintenance specialist Lufthansa Technik is currently working on a conversion programme for an Airbus A380 as part of its effort to offer temporary passenger to-cargo modification services.

TESTING THE Lysander

Making the first flights in an immaculately restored historic aircraft, notorious for its handling peculiarities

Safety Matters

Safety Matters and Safety Briefs are based on the AAIB Bulletin and UK Airprox Board reports, with additional material from the US National Transportation Safety Board.

Hard times for the airlines

The pandemic continues to have a profound effect on the UK’s airlines, virtually all passenger flights being grounded, the majority of aircraft in each airline’s fleets laid up and thousands of pilots furloughed and facing an uncertain future.

Former RAF chief chosen as CAA Chairman

Sir Stephen Hillier has been declared the prefered candidate to become the new Chairman of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Civil Air Patrol assists NHS with Covid-19 tests

The United Kingdom Civil Air Patrol (UKCAP), the air support charity that uses volunteer pilots and crews, has recently undertaken an operation related to routine Covid-19 testing activity on behalf of NHS Western Isles.

The Chippie 'Duster

Adapted as an agplane, now enjoying a second life as a glider tug, the only airworthy Mk 23 is a fine flying machine

Rusty PPL to MEP/IR in eighteen months

Inspired to fly again after a long period of absence from GA – and finding huge reward in training on state-of-the-art aircraft

RF47 recovery Part 3

As the project becomes ever more complicated and difficult, Bob turns to re-designing the instrument panel from scratch. Spoiler alert: the ending is not like that of a Hollywood movie

Flight training

News from the clubs, schools & ATOs

Replica racers revealed

A round-up of historic aircraft display and restoration news

Not Dead Yet

Environmental activists are seeking to shame air travellers and attacking business aviation. GA may soon be in their sights

Aerobility buys ex-RAF motor glider fleet

In a move that surprised many industry observers, the RAF’s fleet of 63 decommissioned Vigilant T1 motor gliders has been sold by the MoD’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) organisation to the UK charity Aerobility.

Bell V-280 Valor speeds ahead

Bell Textron Inc has been selected as a project agreement holder for the competitive demonstration and risk reduction (CD&RR) effort of the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) programme.

A private air force to reckon with

When Air USA, a flight training contractor to the US Air Force, concludes its purchase of 46 former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornets, it will have a fleet of fighters comparable to the Swiss Air Force.

What's Happening At Our Airfields, Aerodromes & Airports

Concerns about new Farnborough airspace

My first long trip

Bob is a former professional pilot. In over thirty years of airline flying he has operated from more than 250 airports in every continent – except Antarctica

Goosed!

A memorable experience of flying a highly original Grumman Goose − tricky to taxi and somewhat laborious on the water but a benign and fun-to-fly machine in the air

The Isolated Aviator

Entertainment − and even flying practice − for the grounded pilot

California Dreamin'

... and something of a nightmare over Nevada. Touring US West Coast destinations, encountering bad weather and reflecting on flying freedom in the USA and at home

Safety Matters

Safety Matters and Safety Briefs are based on the AAIB Bulletin and UK Airprox Board reports, with additional material from the US National Transportation Safety Board.

COLDWAR LEGACY

Coming from a line of aerobatic aircraft designed to challenge the West, this aggressive looking Russian is more ballet dancer than bear