The Gulfstream G500 and G600, which entered service in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and are powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada engines, have each surpassed 100,000 flight hours. Both aircraft have seen strong demand and continuous global utilization in the private aviation industry due to their reliability and popularity. Both aircraft are U.S. Federal Aviation […]
First Emergency Use of a Martin-Baker Ejection Seat
On May 30, 1949, test pilot John Oliver (“J.O”) Lancaster went out to test a Rolls-Royce Nene-powered Armstrong Whitworth A.W.52 (radical “flying wing”) aircraft. During the test, he encountered severe pitch oscillations in a 320 mile per hour dive, which made him fear the aircraft would disintegrate. Due to the situation, Lancaster became the first […]
Gulfstream’s Enhanced Vision System (EVS) Installed on Gulfstream IV-SP® Business Jet
EVS was one of the best aviation safety advancements since the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) since it enabled the flight crew to see runway markings, taxiways, adjacent roads and surrounding conditions. The EVS also helped crews avoid runway incursion and hazards that would otherwise not be easily visible. At the time, FlightSafety International, […]
First Flight Over the North Pole
Byrd and Chief Aviation Floyd Bennett flew over the North Pole on May 9, 1926, in the Josephine Ford, a triple-engine Fokker high-wing monoplane. Byrd’s and Bennett’s flight was the first time an aircraft had flown over the top of the world. The pair took off from Spitsbergen, Norway, and reportedly covered the 1,545-mile […]
The First Nonstop Transcontinental Flight
During the flight, Macready and Kelly faced flying over unknown territory at night and through storms and rain for over half the flight. Also, by the time Macready and Kelly reached the Continental Divide in Arizona, the T-2 had used up most of its fuel, making the airplane lighter and easier to control as they […]
Gulfstream Celebrated the G700’s Certification
On April 4, 2024, at the Savannah Convention Center riverwalk, the newly FAA-certified G700 jet flew over the Savannah River. During the flyby, the G700 was accompanied by a G800 jet, which wa expected to be certified later that year. At the time, the G700 was dubbed the most spacious business jet in the industry, […]
“Blinded” Pilot Flew and Landed in Newark, NJ by Using Radio
On March 21, 1933, Department of Commerce pilot James L. Kinney, climbed into the cockpit of a plane in College Park, Md, pulled a hood over his head and fastened it. Then, unable to see anything of the outside world, at 9:30 a.m. he took off, using instruments and radio guides alone. Kinney completed the […]
Denver International Airport’s Opening Day
DEN, which is owned by the city and county, has grown from serving 31 million passengers in 1995, to more than 82 million passengers in 2024. As of October 2024, it was the largest airport in the United States by land area and one of the busiest in the world, thus employing over 40,000 people, making […]
“World’s best-selling light jet”: Phenom 300 Series
On February 21, 2024, Embraer announced that its Phenom 300 series had maintained its status as the “world’s best-selling light jet” for 12 consecutive years. According to data released by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), since Embraer delivered 63 Phenom 300 series aircraft throughout 2023, the Phenom 300 also attained the best-selling twinjet for […]
First Flight of the Cessna Citation II
Cessna Citation is a marketing name used by Cessna for several “families” of turbofan-powered jets that have been produced over the years. The Cessna Citation II was a direct development of the Citation I. It was also the first of the Model 550 series of light corporate jets. The Citation II had an increased seating […]
