GE’s Catalyst close to certification as first all-new turboprop engine design in more than 50 years

GE Aviation unit Avio Aero said it has continued to progress toward certifying its new Catalyst turboprop engine, they said it has completed 50 percent of certification testing which involves more than 3,000 hours of combined operations... (www.aviationweekly.org) More...

World's fastest passenger jet goes supersonic in tests

The race to resume supersonic passenger flights nearly two decades after the retirement of Concorde was offered a glimmer of excitement on Monday when plane manufacturer Bombardier revealed high speed achievements while confirming the launch of its new business jet. The Canadian company said the in-development Global 8000 will be "the world's fastest and longest-range purpose-built business jet." The news comes after a Global 7500 test vehicle broke the sound barrier during a… (www.ctvnews.ca) More...

Mental health of pilots under scanner after China Eastern 737-800 jet crash

An anonymous survey of 1,848 pilots in 2015 found 12.6% suffered from depression while 4.1% experienced suicidal thoughts. How would you feel about getting on a flight knowing that the pilot had been having suicidal thoughts? If you’re a regular passenger, you’ve probably already done it. (www.airguide.info) More...

Foreign Policy Mag: Homeland Security Hasn't Made Us Safer

Hardly anyone has seriously scrutinized either the priorities or the spending patterns of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its junior partner, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), since their hurried creation in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. ...year in, year out, they continue to grow faster and cost more -- presumably because Americans think they are being protected from terrorism by all that spending. Yet there is no evidence whatsoever that the agencies are… (www.foreignpolicy.com) More...

Aviation Giants Enter Final Stretch to Replace Black Hawk

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As the Army prepares to decide on a replacement for the venerable but aging Black Hawk, competitors are putting the finishing touches on their offerings. The service is expected to make a decision on its future long-range assault aircraft, or FLRAA, program this fall, a decision so imminent that the Army has entered a “quiet period” on the competition. (www.nationaldefensemagazine.org) More...