All General aviation articles – Page 3
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Wake and tailwind led to Beech 18 wing-strike and excursion at air show
French investigators believe the pilot of a vintage Beech 18S lost control during a take-off in tailwinds, exacerbated by wake turbulence from a formation of other aircraft departing the same runway. The Beech, built in 1958, was participating in the Air Legends air show at Melun on 11 September last ...
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US inquiry probes fatal Cessna-Piper collision on approach path to same runway
US investigators probing a fatal mid-air collision between two light aircraft at North Las Vegas airport are trying to ascertain why both appeared to be on the approach path to the same runway. The aircraft collided on 17 July around 0.25nm from the end of runway 30R which runs parallel ...
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DA40 stalled after take-off as fluid container jammed control stick
UK investigators believe a Diamond Aircraft DA40, piloted by a flight instructor, failed to recover from a stall after take-off because a container of de-icing fluid stored in a cockpit footwell jammed the control stick. The aircraft had been loaded with five de-icing fluid containers ahead of a flight from ...
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ZeroAvia tightens flight-test regime after Piper crash probe flags pressure points
ZeroAvia has tightened the experimental regime for its hydrogen fuel-cell aircraft testing, including management of commercial pressures, after a UK investigation into a serious loss-of-power accident uncovered safety weaknesses in the programme. The accident, at Cranfield on 29 April last year, involved a modified Piper M350 (G-HYZA) whose single piston ...
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ZeroAvia’s electric Piper force-landed after windmilling propeller locked out motors
UK investigators have determined that the windmilling propeller on an experimental Piper M350 – which had been modified with a hydrogen fuel-cell engine – locked out power to the electric motors, leading to a forced landing which badly damaged the aircraft. The ZeroAvia aircraft (G-HYZA) had been undergoing a flight ...
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CityAirbus aft structure to be developed by automotive composite pairing
Airbus has selected German firms KLK Motorsport and Gerg to design and build the aft structure of the airframer’s electric vertical take-off and landing prototype CityAirbus NextGen. The companies are located in Hohenthann, south-east of Munich, and specialise in composite design. Airbus disclosed the new urban mobility partnership during the ...
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Chipmunk badly damaged in Danish formation-flight collision
Investigators have disclosed that the pilots of two De Havilland Chipmunks escaped injury after the aircraft – part of a formation flight – collided over Denmark. The Chipmunks were among four aircraft taking part in a formation training flight, in daylight and visual weather conditions, on 14 May. They had ...
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Pilots of PA-28 lost over Channel unqualified to fly in cloud
UK investigators examining the disappearance of a Piper PA-28 light aircraft over the English Channel have disclosed that its pilots were flying through cloud, despite neither being qualified for instrument conditions, when contact was lost. The single-engined PA-28 was one of a group of seven aircraft undertaking a Channel crossing ...
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Investigators yet to detail power loss behind ZeroAvia M350 forced-landing accident
UK accident investigators have disclosed few additional details of the crash involving an experimental hydrogen-electric Piper M350 a year ago, beyond stating that the aircraft suffered a power loss. The aircraft (G-HYZA) had been modified with an electric motor powered by hydrogen fuel cells, and was carrying out test flights ...
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FAA and aviation stakeholders launch unleaded fuel initiative
The Federal Aviation Administration and general aviation (GA) interest groups have agreed on a roadmap to phase out the use of leaded fuel for GA aircraft in the USA by 2030.
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Fatal Jodel crash probe finds pilot unlicensed and aircraft unmaintained
Australian investigators have discontinued an investigation into a fatal light aircraft crash after finding a catalogue of operational violations including the fact that it was being flown by an unlicensed pilot. The Jodel D11’s engine started intermittently cutting out at a height of 60ft, almost immediately after take-off from Ball ...
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Komsomolsk envisioned as eastern manufacturing site for LMS-901
Russian manufacturer Baikal Engineering is to establish an aerospace centre for regional aviation in the eastern Khabarovsk region, which is envisioned as a production facility for the new LMS-901 utility aircraft. The proposal has the support of the Russian ministry of regional development and the Far East and Arctic development ...
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DHC-2’s trim and balance scrutinised after fatal crash during parachute lift
Swedish investigators are closely examining elevator trim settings, and weight and balance calculations, as part of the inquiry into a fatal De Havilland Canada DHC-2 crash during a parachute drop. None of the nine occupants – a pilot and eight parachutists – survived after the single-engined aircraft, which had climbed ...
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Convertible ‘AirCar’ secures Slovakian certification
Slovakian authorities have granted a certificate of airworthiness to a road vehicle capable of transitioning to an aircraft, following a 70h flight-test campaign. The KleinVision AirCar, powered by a 1.6-litre BMW engine, undertook over 200 sorties as part of the certification effort. Transport Authority of Slovakia’s civil aviation director Rene ...
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Ural’s new LMS-901 utility aircraft becomes airborne during runway tests
Ural civil aviation plant UZGA’s multi-purpose LMS-901 Baikal, the utility aircraft intended to replace the Antonov An-2, has become airborne for the first time. The aircraft briefly lifted off the runway during a series of tests over the course of 14-18 January. Its developers had conducted low-speed taxi checks, before ...
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China’s AutoFlight seeks EASA certification for Prosperity I eVTOL taxi
Chinese electric vertical take-off and landing specialist AutoFlight is preparing to embark on a European certification bid for its Prosperity I air taxi aircraft. It has established a European operation at Augsburg airport and is pursuing approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency for the three-passenger eVTOL aircraft by ...
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Lessor GTLK to supply Grand Caravan fleet to improve Kamchatka connectivity
Russian leasing firm GTLK is to support the development of a relatively new operator in the eastern Kamchatka peninsula, supplying a fleet of Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft. The operator, Kamchatka Airlines, is intending to offer improved regional connectivity in the area, which features remotely-located settlements. GTLK says it will ...
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Fresh funding edges HAV closer to Airlander production
UK airship developer Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) is on the cusp of advancing its Airlander programme into its production phase, following a successful funding drive.
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Wrong turn took student's PA-28 into approach path of 737
South African investigators have found that the student pilot of a Piper PA-28 turned in the wrong direction after an air traffic control instruction, flying just 100ft directly above a Boeing 737-400 on approach to East London airport. The student was conducting a solo navigation flight on 25 August, from ...
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US court denies Wisk’s request for injunction against Archer
A US court has dismissed a motion for an injunction against urban air mobility start-up Archer Aviation, brought by competitor Wisk Aero.