Is the Valkyrie Co50 a test case for the FAA’s willingness to innovate?

You wouldn’t think that an iPad in an airplane is a big deal, but when it’s used as part of flight control, it’s not only big, it’s verboten.

Three months ago, Cobalt aircraft made a big splash when it introduced the Valkyrie Co50, a Canard-style five seater, with sexy looks and record-shattering speed.

The Valkyrie Co50 can fly at up to 260 knots (roughly 299 MPH), significantly faster than other single-engine aircraft, which typically cruise at a max of roughly 242 knots. The plane stands at 30 feet long and 10 feet high, with a wingspan of 30 feet. Its unusual design, forward stabilizer and rear-positioned engine promised an usually smooth ride with, even in low altitudes, little-to-no-chance of a stall. According to Cobalt, 30% of fatal aircraft accidents are in low altitude stalls, a claim supported by the the Air Safety Institute's 2012 general aviation accidents study. Read more...