There were so many huge and unexpected aviation stories in 2017 that it’s hard to believe it all happened in 12 short months. Here’s a rundown of the headlines that changed our flying world.
1. Hurricanes: A pair of Category 5 hurricanes hit the U.S. mainland and GA was there to help. Read more aboutHarvey and Irma.
2. The Eclipse: This was a magical and crazy few days for those of us who love the places our planes can go. Read more here.
3. ADS-B Ongoing Drama: By now, it’s impossible to pretend that ADS-B isn’t happening, because it’s now only two years away. See how the GA community is doing with its preparations.
4. Icon Disasters: After two fatal crashes, it was about as bad a year for Icon Aircraft as one could imagine. Read more about the Lake Berryessa accidentandthe loss of Roy Halladay.
5. Cirrus Jet Certified: The jet that everybody has been talking about became the jet that people can actually buy. Read more here.
6. Basic Med: The simplified medical process made a lot of pilots happy. See how Basic Med changed things quite a few of them.
7. Garmin G1000 NXi: What would Garmin do to top G1000? A better G1000. NXi. Check out our experiences flying with it for the first time.
8. Textron Launches Denali: On paper, Textron’s Cessna Denali turboprop will be an awesome airplane, in part because of its revolutionary engine. See how the Denali is coming along.
9. Acclaim Ultra Certification: It was worth the wait, the first M20 with a pilot-side door, and lots more. Read more about the certificationand then check out our pilot report.
10. Part 23 Rewrite Becomes Law: Manufacturers got a big break when the FAA created new kinds of standards for certifying light planes. Read more here.
11. Santa Monica vs. Its Own Airport: The question was, could it possibly get worse for SMO. The answer is, sadly, yes. See what happened.
12. FBOs that Gouge: AOPA takes the lead in shining the spotlight on FBOs that charge ridiculously high prices for fuel. Read more here.
13. Pilatus PC-24: The Swiss company’s awesome new jet is approved and ready to roll. Find out why it’s a game-changer.
14. Garmin G5: Garmin comes out with a revolutionary new retrofit display that’s cheap and works with your autopilot. See how it works.
15. 10,000th RV Flies. That’s a lot of any kind of airplane, but a kit? You bet. Find out more about the company that made it and the pilot who built it.
16. New Autopilots: It was the year of the autopilot, with new models introduced by Genesys, Garmin, TruTrak and more.
17. NBAA and Vegas Shootings: The National Business Aviation Association in Las Vegas came on the heels of the worst mass shooting in US history. Read more here.
18. Mustang Farewell: Cessna’s small jet says farewell. Check out the send-off.