On February 2, 2010, Gulfstream Aerospace announced that the Gulfstream G150 aircraft had achieved steep approach certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The approval allowed the mid-size, high-speed G150 to operate at airports with an approach angle of up to 6 degrees. Most airports have an approach angle of 3.5 degrees or less. […]
Hijacking of Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305
The aviation industry has come a long way in terms of commercial aviation safety, but on November 24, 1971, the first hijacking involving extortion occurred during a flight from Portland to Seattle. The hijacker- who may have been named Dan Cooper- told a flight attendant he was armed with a bomb, demanded $200,000 in ransom […]
Opening of Dulles International Airport
On November 17, 1962 ceremonies marked the o. The first airlines to fly into Dulles were Braniff, Delta, Eastern, Northwest, and TWA. Dulles went from serving over 54,800 travelers in its first year to over 23 million per year today. Another change was its original identifier. Due to passenger confusion between Dulles and the Dallas […]
Gulfstream G500 Earned Type and Production Certifications from the FAA
On July 20, 2018, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced the Gulfstream G500 received both its type certification and production certificate from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These certifications paved the way for the first completed G500 delivery. The first G500 was delivered on September 27, 2018 and since then it has become […]
Gulfstream G600’s FAA Certification
By the end of June 2019, the Gulfstream G600 earned FAA certification. The aircraft received both its type and production certificates on the same day from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The certifications cleared the way for the first completed G600 deliveries to customers as scheduled in 2019. The FAA type certification allowed G600 […]
The Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)
On June 23, 1981, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator J. Lynn Helms announced the FAA’s decision to adopt the threat alert and collision avoidance system, soon renamed the traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS). If there is a potential collision developing, the TCAS alerts the pilots and provides climb/descend instructions to them. In 1981, […]
Penalties for Pointing a Laser into a Cockpit
On June 2011, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it would begin to impose civil penalties against people who point a laser into the cockpit of aircraft. Civil penalties imposed can be of up to $11,000 per violation. Laser strikes continue to stay at high levels with pilots reporting nearly 9,500 laser strikes to the […]