All General aviation articles – Page 544
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Luscombe starts to flight-test Spartan
Luscombe Aircraft has begun certification flight testing of its Spartan light aircraft, a reincarnation of the 1946-vintage Luscombe 11A. The first of two conforming pre-production prototypes flew in March and US Federal Aviation Administration flight testing is expected to begin within three months, says Joe Courtney, director of administration ...
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Differences
There is no longer any doubt that the safety standards between cargo and passenger operations are massively different - and the latest figures prove it. According to a study by the Netherlands National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR), the most dangerous commercial aviation activity in the world is ad hoc cargo charter ...
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Kaman wins MD Helicopters deal
Kaman Aerospace has signed a 10-year agreement with MD Helicopters to supply all of its MD500/600 series helicopter fuselages in a deal worth up to $100 million. The work reduces Kaman's heavy reliance on the SH-2G Super Seasprite and K-Max niche product lines. The agreement forms part of a ...
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European helicopter teams link concepts
Julian Moxon/PARIS The European Commission (EC) has succeeded in bringing together the European helicopter industry to combine proposals for tiltwing/tiltrotor aircraft projects in a single programme. A decision on EC research is expected in mid-year. Eurocopter proposed its tilt-rotor solution independently of an Agusta-GKN Westland submission for a tiltwing ...
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Commander raises production
Commander Aircraft has revamped its line of high-performance piston singles and is stepping up production to meet increased demand. The new Commander 115 incorporates airframe, engine, avionics and systems refinements. It has replaced the Commander 114 on the production line at the company, which is based at Bethany, Oklahoma. Commander ...
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Crash pilot on manslaughter charge
The captain of an Ansett New Zealand Bombardier Dash 8, which crashed in June 1995, killing five people, is facing a manslaughter charge based partly on the use of cockpit voice recordings. The aircraft hit a ridge in poor weather on a non-precision approach to Palmerston North, New Zealand, ...
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B-N calls in receiver
UK utility aircraft specialist Britten-Norman (B-N) has gone into receivership. Attempts are being made to sell the Isle of Wight manufacturer as a going concern, but if a buyer is not found quickly its assets will be sold. Only 21 of 112 staff have been kept on. Source: Flight International
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Association calls for end to noise discrimination
The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) is calling on the region's regulatory authorities to implement pan- European regulation to prevent the continuation of what it considers are discriminatory local rules and noise classification of aircraft at the region's airports. These measures, it believes, are placing a stranglehold on many ...
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Karat expands fleet as it aims for bigger network and longer range
Paul Duffy/MOSCOW Western Russian regional carrier Karat Airlines is expanding its fleet and network. The Moscow Vnukovo-based airline recently added seven aircraft to its fleet of six Yakovlev Yak-42s and one Antonov An-24 - two Tupolev Tu-134s, a Tu-154, two Yakovlev Yak-40s and two An-24s. The Tupolevs will ...
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M-309 launch marks composite first
Guy Norris/MOJAVE An all-composite, six- seat twin developed in secret by Colorado-based Adam Aircraft Industries and Scaled Composites, was unveiled on 5 April at the Californian manufacturer's Mojave site. The aircraft represents a breakthrough in manufacturing techniques, according to Scaled Composites president Bert Rutan. Incorporating several design and manufacturing ...
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Mitsubishi aims for IFR MH2000
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)is hoping to add instrument flight rules (IFR) capability to its MH2000 medium twin-turboshaft helicopter, and is working on further noise reduction measures. According to MH2000 business development director Shinichiro Sakamoto, the company is aiming for IFR certification in 2001. Internal and external noise and vibration ...
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Number of airline fatalities fell in 1999
There were marginally fewer fatal airline accidents last year than in 1998, and far fewer fatalities, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) analysis of preliminary information. Among aircraft over 2,250kg (5,000lb) maximum take-off weight, ICAO recorded 20 scheduled air carrier fatal accidents in 1999 compared with the ...
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Eclipse tests
Eclipse Aviation has completed initial windtunnel testing of its Eclipse 500 personal jet. The trials were conducted over three weeks on a 22%-scale model. "The tests found some discrepancies, leading to changes that optimised the wing root fairings, but, overall, we verified the stability, control and handling characteristics of the ...