‘Next Gen’ Tecnam P2006T Gets EASA Certification By Mark Phelps Tecnam announced this week its P2006T NG (Next Generation) piston twin has been granted European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification. The news comes 15 years after the original P2006T entered the market. Among the improvements is a redesigned flight deck with a center console accommodating a Garmin GCU 477 Flight...Read More

China’s AG600 Amphibious Aircraft Completes All Prior-Certification Flight Tests By Xinhua China’s AG600 large amphibious aircraft on Friday completed all of its prior-certification flight test subjects, a key step toward achieving its airworthiness certification target, announced the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The Chinese independently-developed AG600 aircraft on Friday accomplished the compliance flight test subject of combustible liquid discharge...Read More

Quiet Supersonic Research Aircraft Successfully Completes EMI Testing NASA’s X-59 Completes Electromagnetic Testing By Nicholas Cholula NASA’s quiet supersonic X-59 research aircraft has cleared electromagnetic testing, confirming its systems will work together safely, without interference across a range of scenarios. “Reaching this phase shows that the aircraft integration is advancing,” said Yohan Lin, NASA’s X-59 avionics lead. “It’s exciting to...Read More

FAA Advises Boeing 757 Freighter Operators to Evaluate Cargo Doors By Caleb Revill The FAA has issued a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) advising operators of Boeing 757-200 freighter planes to be aware of an “airworthiness concern” regarding the main deck cargo door opening while in flight. The bulletin, issued Friday, stated that this concern is not an unsafe condition that...Read More

British Airways To Acquire Boeing Gatwick MRO Hangar By James Pozzi British Airways is set to grow its domestic maintenance presence by acquiring Boeing’s MRO operation at London Gatwick Airport. The UK flag carrier announced the acquisition Feb. 17, subject to conditions, and says it will establish a new wholly owned subsidiary called British Airways Engineering Gatwick. The business will join...Read More

ATR Presses On With Maintenance Interval Extensions By Thierry Dubois After the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127 XT engine resulted in a major extension of maintenance intervals in 2022, ATR has received approval for a comparable improvement on the nose landing gear, and engineers are working on alleviating the servicing needs of more subsystems. The effort aims to address pain...Read More

AA Mandates Rudder Replacements For Thousands Of Piper Aircraft The FAA issued an airworthiness directive for rudder replacements for thousands of Piper aircraft on Feb. 13. By Amelia Walsh The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a final airworthiness directive (AD) requiring the replacement of rudders on specific Piper series aircraft. The AD, effective March 20, 2025, addresses safety concerns stemming from...Read More

Vertical Aerospace and its VX4 eVTOL makes you believe the future is possible By Ian Molyneaux After a few past wobbles, Vertical Aerospace has the feel of a company that is entering a new era of real significance backed up by an experienced, international team with a binding belief in its future success. In just the past few weeks, the...Read More

Nuuva V300 takes off with successful first flight Pipistrel, a Textron Inc. company, has announced the successful first hover flight of the Nuuva V300, a long-range, large-capacity hybrid-electric VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) unmanned aircraft. This milestone marks an advancement in the development of advanced, sustainable and versatile unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The Nuuva V300 is designed to carry a 600-pound...Read More

FAA Calls For Boeing 787 Seat-Track Inspections After Manufacturing Fault Found By Rytis Beresnevicius The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) addressing a potentially unsafe condition of the Boeing 787 seats. Quality escapement On January 17, the FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the Boeing 787-8 , 787-9, and 787-10, saying that following multiple supplier notices...Read More