Aero-News Network: The aviation and aerospace world's daily/real-time news and information service

Aero-News Alert (Updated): Aero-Adventure Down During Sebring Fly-In

Names Released In Sebring Fatal Accident

Officials identified the pilot as 56-year-old Dennis Gordon Day, of Groveland, and the passenger as 44-year-old Jason Reid Spinks, of Orlando.

Embraer Delivers 30 Commercial, 52 Executive Jets In Last Quarter Of 2014

Full-Year Deliveries Total 208 Airplanes

Embraer delivered 30 commercial and 52 business jets, 38 light and 14 large jets, during the fourth quarter of 2014 (4Q14), thus closing out the year with 92 airplanes delivered to the commercial airline market and 116 to the executive aviation market, that is, 92 light and 24 large jets. On December 31, the firm order backlog stood at $20.9 billion.

FAA Grants STC For 3-Blade MT-Propeller On Piper PA-24-250/260

Claims Significant Performance Increases, Reductions In Vibration And Noise

The FAA has granted an STC (SA03501NY) for MT-Propeller's next generation 3-blade scimitar composite propeller MTV-9-B/188-50 on the PA-24-250 and the PA-24-260.

Airbus To Put Production Emphasis On A320

Will Allocate A330 Assets To Single-Aisle Airplane Production

Soft demand for the Airbus A330 has Airbus admitting that it may slow production of the larger airliner in favor of the popular A320 line, according to a report from Reuters.

Pilot In Daytona, FL Accident Not Authorized To Fly Plane Solo

Cessna 152 Went Down In Heavy Fog With 420-Hour Pilot In Command

A Cessna 152 belonging to a company called Flight Time Building went down Tuesday near the beach in Daytona Beach, FL, but the company said the pilot had not been given permission to fly the plane.

NASA, ESA Celebrate 10 Years Since Titan Landing

Probe Was Able To Transmit Data For Only An Hour Before Batteries Were Drained

Ten years ago, an explorer from Earth parachuted into the haze of an alien moon toward an uncertain fate. After a gentle descent lasting more than two hours, it landed with a thud on a frigid floodplain, surrounded by icy cobblestones. With this feat, the Huygens probe accomplished humanity's first landing on a moon in the outer solar system. Huygens was safely on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn.

Mitsubishi Regional Jet Starts Full-Scale Tests Expected To Lead To First Flight

Initial Engine Run Performed On First Flight Test Aircraft

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation started full-scale testing of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) in anticipation of its first flight scheduled in the second quarter this year.

BTS Releases October 2014 U.S. Airline Traffic Data

Schedule Load Factor Increased To 83.4 Percent For The Month

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported Thursday that U.S. airlines’ systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service load factor – a measure of the use of airline capacity – rose to 83.4 percent in October, seasonally adjusted, after having remained virtually unchanged at 83.3 percent for two months.

Airbus Helicopters Oil And Gas Fleet Surpasses 10 Million Flight Hours

Marks 50 Years Of Heli-Lift Duties By The Airbus Helicopter Line

Utilized worldwide in some of the most challenging conditions, the deployed fleet of Airbus Helicopters rotorcraft in service for the oil and gas industry has accumulated more than 10 million flight hours as of the end of 2014.

Turbomeca Introduces Additive Manufacturing Capability For Engine Components

Fuel Injector Nozzles Being Made Using Selective Laser Melting Techniques

Helicopter engine manufacturer Turbomeca is setting up new manufacturing capability at its facility in Bordes (France). After years of maturation and prototype testing, Turbomeca has entered serial production of parts using the latest additive manufacturing, or 3D printing process. Bordes facility is one of the first of its kind to serial produce additive components for aerospace propulsion industry in France.

AD: Airbus Helicopters (Previously Eurocopter France)

AD NUMBER: 2014-26-02

PRODUCT: Airbus Helicopters (previously Eurocopter France) Model EC155B1 and AS 365 N3 helicopters with a certain automated flight control system (AFCS) and with a Garmin global positioning system (GPS) installed.

AD: Bombardier, Inc. Airplanes

AD NUMBER: 2014-26-09

PRODUCT: Certain Bombardier, Inc. Model BD-700-1A10 airplanes.

Airborne 01.16.15: Viking SportAv Engine, Transatlantic A321neo, UAV Tower Climb

Also: RV-12 Upgrade, 25 Years For NGPA, New Huntsville Runway, Expensive 'Free' Helo, Navy Seal Lost In Skydive

Viking aircraft engines has been producing the Viking 110 for 4-years, and has now upped its game with the new Viking 135. The Viking 135 is a new product and will be completely tested and ready for deliveries in January of 2016. It is made in America and use traditional American engine architecture. It is essentially a baby Corvette engine. Same layout but half as many cylinders and in a miniature format. Airbus officially launched the A321neo program with a heavier maximum take-off weight of 97 metr

Branson: We’re Building Rockets That Will Launch The Small Satellite Revolution

WhiteKnightTwo Reconfigured To Carry LauncherOne

While every other gadget in our lives has gotten smaller, lighter, and cheaper, satellite technology has somehow gotten bigger, heavier, and more expensive since the days of Sputnik and Explorer I. But now, thanks to the recent advances in Cubesats and microsatellites, commercial satellite start-ups, universities, schools, and even IndieGoGo campaigns can put their own satellites into space.

U.S. Department Of Transportation Fines Southwest $1.6 Million

Largest Civil Penalty Assessed Against A Carrier For Violating Tarmac Delay Rules

The U.S. DOT on Thursday announced that Southwest Airlines violated federal rules involving lengthy tarmac delays last January. Southwest failed to offer passengers on 16 aircraft delayed at Chicago Midway International Airport (Midway) the opportunity to deplane within three hours of arrival and failed to have sufficient staff available to implement its Tarmac Delay Contingency Plan.

Boeing, Air Europa Announce Order For 14 787-9 Dreamliners

Largest Ever Boeing Widebody Order From A Spanish Carrier

Boeing and Air Europa have announced an order for 14 787-9 Dreamliners, valued at $3.6 billion at list prices, the largest ever Boeing widebody order from a Spanish carrier. The order was booked in December 2014 and was previously attributed to an unidentified customer on the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website.

FAA Offers Reminder On Fatigue Rule Awareness Program

InFO Directed At Part 121 Certificate Holders Operating Under Part 117

The FAA has posted an Information For Operators (InFO) reminding part 121 certificate holders conducting operations under part 117 that the deadline for initial FAA approval of the certificate holder’s fatigue education and awareness training program is January 31, 2015.

ARSA To Congress: Overregulation Hinders Growth, Competitiveness

Remarks Come In A Letter To Congressional Leadership

On Jan. 15, Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) Vice President of Legislative Affairs Daniel B. Fisher laid out the association’s legislative agenda in a letter to congressional leadership. Fisher focused on economic growth, operational freedom and safety on behalf of the aviation maintenance industry.

AeroSports Update: Van’s RV-12 Now With Garmin G3X Touch

The Garmin G3X Touch System Updates The Already Popular RV-12 LSA

Van’s Aircraft and Garmin have announced the availability of G3X Touch in the Van’s RV-12. The G3X Touch system seamlessly blends the use of familiar buttons and knobs and puts flight information right at your fingertips. Orders are now open for both experimental kits and certified factory built RV-12’s.