Also: Beechcraft Not Happy With GAO, More Damage to GA From FAA, Cessna 172 SAIB, An Inspirational Leap 

The inability to reach agreement over a number of unsettled restrictions, involving the Reno Air racing Association and the FAA, forced the Unlimited Racing Division of the National Air Racing Group to call for a "safety stand down" from this year's Reno Air Races.

Yet, within hours of that announcement, the Reno Air Racing Association unveiled the Unlimited Warbird Racing Class, a new, high-profile racing class organization at the 50th annual National Championship Air Races this September. Ashley, Airbus’ entry into the fuel-efficient composite-construction market took off at 10 am local time from  Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in France on Friday, and flew for four hours and five minutes. An international flight test crew of six was on board for the inaugural flight. The brand new Great Lakes made its first flight, Sunday, June 9th under the pilotage of Gabriel Valim and the watchful eye of Waco Boss, Peter Bowers. The aircraft was reported to have flown exceedingly well, with specific appreciation for its having rigged out well right from the start. Basic performance and handling parameters were also reported to have been met or exceeded in the initial test flight. The aircraft will resume test flying this week and it expected to show up at this year's Oshkosh EAA Fly-In (so long as the FAA doesn't start charging pilots extra just to fly in...). All this... and MORE in today's episode of Airborne!!!

Airborne 06.18.13 is chock full of info about the half-week period ending Tuesday, June 18th, 2013... Presented by Aero-TV veteran videographer and Airborne Host Ashley Hale, and supported by ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell, Chief Videographer Nathan Cremisino, and Aero-Journalists Tom Patton, and Glen Moyer, this episode covers:

• Reno Air Races Debuts New Racing Class After Unlimited Division 'Stands Down'
• Airbus Calls First A350 XWB 'Successful'
• Progress! Great Lakes by Waco Classic Makes First Flight
• GAO Denies Beechcraft Protest Over LAS Contract
• City Of Davenport, IA, Boosts Quad City Airshow Rent
• TSA Misses Deadline To Finalize Repair Station Security Rule
• FAA Issues SAIB For Cessna 172Q Propellers
• AVW: An Inspirational Leap
• Hours Reduced At Naval Aviation Museum In Pensacola, FL
• FAA Strikes Again... Father's Day Fly-In Can't Afford FAA Temp Tower Fees

Get Comprehensive, Real-Time, 24/7 coverage of the latest aviation and aerospace stories anytime, at aero-news.net. And be sure to join us again next week for the next edition of "Airborne" here on Aero-TV. Thanks for watching. See you, again, in just a few days!

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