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

NASA Announces Senior Leadership Changes

Three To Assume New Posts Immediately

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden announced three changes to his senior leadership team Tuesday.

Curiosity Finishes Close Inspection Of Rock Target

Series Of Experiments Conducted On The Rover's First Martian Specimen

NASA's rover Curiosity touched a Martian rock with its robotic arm for the first time on Sept. 22, assessing what chemical elements are in the rock called "Jake Matijevic."

UK Liberal Democrat Party Backs No-Expansion Policy At Heathrow, Other Airports

Motion Also Rejects Thames Estuary Airport Proposal

The Liberal Democrat Party in the British Parliament has proposed an aviation policy that would sharply curtail expansion at airports near London, and rejects a proposed new hub airport in the Thames estuary area.

First Small Jump For SpaceX Grasshopper

VTVL Rocket Part Of Larger Reusable Spacecraft Program

On Friday, September 21, SpaceX’s Grasshopper vertical takeoff and landing test vehicle (VTVL) took its first test flight hop from the company’s rocket testing facility in McGregor, Texas.

Gulfstream To Showcase Three Aircraft At Jet Expo 2012

G150, G450, G550 To Be On Display As Moscow Event

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. will display three of its business jets at the seventh annual Jet Expo Russian International Business Aviation Exhibition being held Sept. 27-29 at Vnukovo-3 Airport near Moscow. The show will feature the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150, the large-cabin, long-range G450 and the large-cabin, ultra-long-range G550.

Robert Johns Joins Bye Aerospace Board

Jack J. Pelton Named Vice Chairman

Robert Johns, Managing Principal of Summit Growth Solutions LLC, has joined the Board of Directors of Bye Aerospace, Inc. In addition, Jack J. Pelton, former Chairman, President and CEO of Cessna Aircraft Company, was named Vice Chairman of the Bye Aerospace Board.

Keystone Med-Flight LLC Announces New Chief Pilot

Heidi Ames Tapped For Top Pilot Job At The Medical Aviation company

Keystone Med-Flight LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hawke Aerospace, has appointed Heidi Ames as the company's new Chief Pilot.

Alaska Airlines And Hawaii Schools Partner In 'Paint The Plane' Contest

Students Invited To Share State's Culture And The 'Spirit Of The Islands' On A 737 Airliner

Alaska Airlines is inviting school-aged children in Hawaii to create artwork honoring the unique culture of the Aloha State that will adorn a Boeing 737-800 in a "Paint the Plane" contest. In partnership with the Hawaii State Department of Education (DOE) and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS), contest forms will be distributed to more than 400 schools and 218,000 students throughout the Islands.

U.S. Air Force Receives 500th F119 Engine

F-22 Raptor's Final Engines To Be Delivered By Year End

Pratt & Whitney has delivered the 500th F119 engine, which powers the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, to the U.S. Air Force. This delivery is accompanied by another significant milestone for the F119 program – more than 20 years of simulated operational service through Accelerated Mission Tests (AMTs).

Life Imitates Art In Italy As Man Fakes It As A Pilot

Allegedly Managed To Fly Free In The Cockpit Of A Commercial Airliner At Least Once

An unemployed Italian man allegedly managed to fake his way into a free flight using a false uniform and ID, passing himself off as a foreign pilot. Police caught up with the man at the Turin, Italy airport after a months-long investigation.

AD: Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. (EMBRAER)

AD NUMBER: 2012-19-06

PRODUCT: All Embraer Model EMB-135 airplanes, and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes.

AD: Eurocopter France Helicopters

AD NUMBER: 2012-19-09

PRODUCT: Eurocopter France (Eurocopter) Model EC 155B, EC155B1, SA-365N1, AS-365N2 and AS 365 N3 helicopters.

Aero-TV: What Does It Take? Alan Klapmeier's Thoughts On Proving GA Value

One of GA's Greatest Innovators Opines On What GA Is REALLY All About

Making something successful in the aviation world is quite an undertaking... especially after several years of bad economy, bad press and atrocious politics. BUT... if there is ANYONE better to talk about the value proposition of GA than Alan Klapmeier, we're not familiar with them. Alan is the real deal... having built up a number of successful businesses (including doing the lion's share of the work that made Cirrus one of the few GA success stories in recent memory) and turned both sport and general aviation on its ear more than once.

FAA Certifies Robinson R66 Police Helicopter

Specially Designed Model Has Several Law Enforcement Features As Standard Equipment

The FAA has certified the Robinson R66 Turbine Police Helicopter. Robinson received notification of the certification on September 7th. The R66 Police model is specially configured for law enforcement and meets the latest FAA crashworthiness regulations.

Kelly Ortberg Named President Of Rockwell Collins

Clay Jones Continues As Chairman And CEO

Rockwell Collins has appointed Robert K. (Kelly) Ortberg, 52, as the company’s president. He joins Clayton M. (Clay) Jones, 63, who continues as chairman and chief executive officer, in the newly formed Office of the Chief Executive.

GAMA Adds Eurocopter, Nextant Aerospace To Membership

Two Well-Known Companies Join The Manufacturing Association

The board of directors of GAMA has approved Eurocopter and Nextant Aerospace as the association’s newest members. GAMA now has 80 member companies worldwide.

Piper Delivers 500th Single Engine Turboprop Meridian

Milestone Airplane Going To A Florida-Based Owner

SouthEast Piper is set to deliver a landmark 500th pressurized single-engine turboprop M-Class Meridian to the aircraft's new Florida-based owner. "The milestone delivery of the 500th Piper Meridian, since first delivery in the year 2000, emphasizes its enduring value proposition even during recent periods of economic uncertainty around the world," said Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott.

AUVSI Praises State-Based Effort To Move Unmanned Aircraft Technology Forward

Aerospace States Association Calls On FAA To Advance Test Site Program That Could Bring Jobs, Economic Investment To States

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) applauded the Aerospace States Association’s (ASA) call Tuesday for the FAA to move forward with its Congressionally-mandated program to establish six test sites for the development of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

Highly Competitive Field Set For 17th America’s Challenge

Some Of The Worlds Greatest Gas Balloonists Will Compete In Albuquerque At The Balloon Fiesta

Six balloon teams representing three nations and featuring some of the world’s greatest gas balloonists are preparing to compete in the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta’s America’s Challenge race for gas balloons. Four of the six competing teams include at least one member who has previously won the America’s Challenge, which should bode for an interesting and highly competitive race.

NORAD Fighters Intercept Two GA Aircraft Over New Jersey

TFR In Place For Presidential Visit To The UN Tuesday

Two F-22 fighters under the direction of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) intercepted two general aviation aircraft during separate responses who violated the temporary flight restricted area over the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday.