In his first public flight in the U.S., "Jetman" Yves Rossy leapt from a helicopter about 6,500 feet above Oshkosh on Tuesday, and flew above the crowd for just under 10 minutes, navigating among the clouds, powered by his unique strap-on jet system. Jumbotrons scattered around the field helped show-goers to share Rossy's experience. Viewed from ground level, he was a tiny dark triangle, silhouetted beneath the gray clouds. Rossy circled the field several times, and executed an aerial somersault or two. While still about 3,000 feet above the ground, he activated his chute, and floated down to the surface. Read More

Former F-14 and A-10 driver Justin Lewis worked to update the BD-5 and was invited this year to fly it over the grand stage of EAA's AirVenture Oshkosh airshow as the FLSMicroJet -- so that's exactly what he did. Lewis said he worked with BD Microtechnologies to help create the FLSMicroJet, a modernized BD-5. The jet weighs 416 pounds empty, has a glass panel, and delivers 265 lbs of thrust that drive it to speeds up to 320 mph. It has a wingspan of just 17 feet and, says Justin, "a CG range of about 2 inches." Read More

Justin Lewis, a former F-14 and A-10 driver, has updated his homebuilt BD-5 with the help of FLSMicrojet. He was invited to perform at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013 and, with sponsorship from US Fleet Tracking, brought "the world's smallest jet" back to experimental aviation's biggest stage. Read More

Flight Design will open production facilities in the U.S. and China in the next couple of years as it broadens its product line and market reach. At a news conference at AirVenture 2013, CEO Matthias Betsch confirmed the company, which now produces aircraft in the Ukraine, will open a U.S. final assembly and component plant in Windham, Conn. Read More

Sonex has announced it is accepting $10,000 deposits for its SubSonex Personal Jet, saying it expects deliveries of the $125,000 "ultra-quick build kits" (a price set for the first 10 depositors) to begin as early as mid-year, 2014, depending on demand. The SubSonex is a single-seat aircraft powered by the PBS TJ-100 turbojet, which produces 274 lbs of thrust and, according to Sonex, has exceeded expectations "with flawless performance and an outstanding service history." The company first flew the jet in August 2011 with test flights continuing through 2012. Performance figures show a range of 300 miles, a clean stall at 64 mph, a sea level cruise of more than 180 mph TAS and a 1900 fpm rate of climb. Read More

EAA on Monday morning opened this year's AirVenture event with the introduction of a new Innovations Pavilion right at the center of the show, just off Phillips 66 Plaza. "We've been working on this for a long time, and we're glad to get it launched," EAA chairman Jack Pelton told AVweb. "We were expecting a big presence from NASA and other government entities that had to pull out, but we've filled it up with other technologies. We're going to continue to expand and develop this." Companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing have a large presence in the hangar, but smaller startups with new ideas also have space. "We held a competition and gave away 15 free spaces to entrepreneurs," said Elissa Lines, of EAA. Read More

The president and CEO of Honda Aircraft Company (HAC) stood before two FAA conforming HondaJets displayed for the first time at AirVenture, Monday morning, and thanked EAA for its support, before the jets flew in formation for the airshow crowd later in the afternoon. HAC President Michimasa Fujino told a crowd gathered at AirVenture's Phillips 66 Plaza that he was inspired by the support of the AirVenture community. "I want to thank you, today, from the bottom of my heart," he said, "I am very honored to share this moment with you." Read More

Glasair Aviation LLC was acquired in 2012 by Chinese company Zhuhai Hanxing General Aviation Co. Ltd. (ZHGAC) of China and announced Monday at AirVenture two recent projects: one involving Build-A-Plane, another that would develop a diesel option for the company's Sportsman aircraft. The diesel project is meant to stimulate the company's worldwide market and Glasair said Monday it is working with long-time AirVenture vendor DeltaHawk on the task. DeltaHawk has had a moving target for certification since at least 2006. Read More

The Cessna 182 is a great cross-country plane. Add some power and put it on amphib floats, and you have a wonderful adventure platform. We take a look at the Seaplanes West Super Sealane. Read More

Before AirVenture 2013, Bendix/King hinted that it would have new products to show, and early Monday morning, it delivered. The company announced a new angle-of-attack indicator called the KLR10 and a new, attractively priced Mode-S transponder with extended squitter to meet the 2020 ADS-B Out requirement. The company also added a surprise addition to the long-awaited KSN770, the KSN650, a navigator-only version of the multi-purpose box Bendix/King has had in the works for several years. Bendix/King’s Roger Jollis said development work on the KSN770 is complete and it’s expected to be available later this year. Read More

Australian researchers have created a study that aims to answer questions regarding pilots' reliance on automated systems and information overload in emergencies, and seek to inform better delivery of information to pilots in the cockpit. The study, funded by Australia's Defence Science Institute, will be carried out by University of Melbourne and Swinburne University of Technology. Researchers will seek to develop better understanding of performance challenges and human factors as they relate to pilots' interaction with equipment and avionics. Read More

Can't make it to AirVenture this year? Photo galleries of the people, products, and planes that make Oshkosh a pilot's paradise will pepper our coverage throughout the week, courtesy of eagle-eyed aviation photographer Mariano Rosales. Read More

Investigators are reportedly checking into the possibility that a short-circuit in the wiring of a Honeywell International ELT led to a fire aboard an Ethiopian Airlines 787 on the ground at Heathrow this July, and Boeing is asking airlines to initiate inspections of all aircraft models carrying that product. According to sources close to the investigation, wires crushed under a cover of Honeywell's ELT may have led to a short-circuit that triggered the fire on the Ethiopian Airlines jet, Bloomberg reported Tuesday. Boeing hopes inspections will gather data useful in identifying and rectifying a flaw if one is identified. Read More

There's so much to see and touch at AirVenture that your eyes may tire of looking and your button-pushing finger can get a little stiff. That doesn't deter the AVweb team, however, as they poked, prodded, and otherwise product-tested their way through some of this year's most interesting products in a series of "Product Minute" videos. Read More

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