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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pratt & Whitney's iconic 747SP test bed to soar into EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025
American aerospace leader continues its centennial celebration with a special showcase during the world's greatest aviation gathering Pratt & Whitney 747SP Oshkosh, Wisconsin, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 will feature a unique version of one of the world's most popular airliners as RTX's business Pratt & Whitney brings a Boeing 747SP test bed aircraft to Boeing Plaza during the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration. The 72nd edition of the Experimental Aircraft Association's fly-in convention is July 21-27 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. The aircraft's appearance is part of Pratt & Whitney's global centennial celebration, commemorating 100 years since its founding in 1925. The 747SP will arrive on Sunday, July 20, and depart on Thursday, July 24, offering attendees a rare opportunity to tour this iconic flying test bed up close. 'Pratt & Whitney has built a storied legacy in general, commercial, and military aviation,' said Rick Larsen, EAA's vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. 'As a means of celebrating its 100 years of innovation, Pratt & Whitney is flying the 747SP to be displayed for the more than half-a-million aviation enthusiasts who will attend the show.' Pratt & Whitney began operations in 1925 with the invention of the R-1340 Wasp engine, which revolutionized military and commercial aviation. The 1940s saw more innovation as the company powered several era-defining aircraft for the allies in World War II and began exploring jet propulsion. 'Pratt & Whitney has always pushed the boundaries of what's possible in flight,' said Maria Della Posta, president at Pratt & Whitney Canada. 'Bringing our 747SP to Oshkosh isn't just about showcasing a unique aircraft — it represents how our legacy of innovation continues to shape the future of aviation. This aircraft has played a pivotal role in the testing and development of our advanced propulsion technologies — from the PW800 for business jets to our groundbreaking GTF engine for commercial fleets. As a proud EAA AirVenture exhibitor for more than 15 years, we've valued every opportunity to connect directly with pilots, operators, maintainers, aviation enthusiasts, and OEM partners who share our passion for flight.' Canadian subsidiary Pratt & Whitney Canada, founded in 1928, has attended the annual EAA show for decades and is a major player in the general aviation space. Its legendary PT6 engine — celebrating over 60 years of flight — has logged more than 500 million flying hours and remains a benchmark for performance, reliability, and innovation in turboprop propulsion. PT6 engines continue to power thousands of aircraft around the globe, from bush planes to business aviation and beyond. The Boeing 747SP (for special performance) is a shortened version of the 747 airliner that features a longer range than its full-sized counterpart and is powered by four Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines. Only 45 such aircraft were produced, with Pratt & Whitney owning the only two that are currently airworthy. The test bed variant features a fifth engine mount separate from the four main powerplants located below the wings. This extra engine configuration allows for testing engines in real-life weather conditions. Since 2001, Pratt & Whitney's test beds have completed more than 1,400 ground runs and flight tests using 71 different experimental engines. In addition, RTX's booth located in Exhibit Hangar B will showcase Pratt & Whitney Canada's iconic PT6 engine cutaways, as well as Collins Aerospace technologies throughout the week of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025. About EAA AirVenture Oshkosh EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is 'The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration' and EAA's membership convention. Additional information, including advance ticket and camping purchase, is available at For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or visit -30- EDITOR'S NOTE: A high-resolution image of Pratt & Whitney's Boeing 747SP is available at EAA's media resources website: Pratt & Whitney 747SP Attachment Pratt & Whitney 747SP CONTACT: Dick Knapinski EAA 920-426-6523 dknapinski@ Drew Stephani EAA 920-426-6559 dstephani@
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
At commemoration of Dayton Peace Accords, Balkan and US officials say NATO helps maintain peace
Representatives of Balkan nations that benefited from the 30-year-old Dayton Peace Accords joined Americans of both political parties on Friday to affirm the value of NATO to maintaining peace around the world. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told a public forum at the University of Dayton held in conjunction with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly being held this week in the Ohio city that there's 'no doubt' that the U.S., as the world's leading superpower, will be challenged in the future and it's 'going to need friends.' "NATO is a great alliance to get together with our friends and our allies and make sure that we're as strong as we possibly can be so we can have peace for generations to come,' he said, while at the same time emphasizing the Trump administration's new demands on European allies to spend more on military defense. NATO was created in 1949 to provide collective security against the Soviet Union and now comprises 32 nations. U.S. Reps. Rick Larsen, a Washington Democrat, and Neal Dunn, a Florida Republican, also defended the value of U.S. membership in the peacetime military alliance during a panel titled, 'Why NATO Matters to Everyday Americans.' Both also spoke in support of U.S. and NATO support for Ukraine, characterizing its victory against Russia in the 3-year-old war as crucial to European stability and to deterring future invasions by other nations, particularly China. 'NATO is a blessing for peace, and it is the best insurance for peace,' Dunn said. A panel earlier in the day drove home that point, as representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia discussed the lasting impacts of the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, negotiated at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base not far from the parliamentary gathering site. 'I can tell you how close the value of the peace is to all of us," said Elmedin Konakovic, foreign affairs minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who was a 17-year-old soldier at the time of the Bosnian war. He said the importance of the deal struck in Dayton, with the help of military and diplomatic interventions by the U.S. and NATO, was 'massive.' 'It's important, especially today, because we can see pictures now — from Ukraine, from Gaza, from Sudan, from other places — and peace is possible,' he said. 'I'm sitting today and negotiating the future of my country with the people I was literally fighting against 30 years ago, and it's much better than war, trust me. It's complex, it's complicated, it's not easy. We have many political issues, but it's much better than war." Some who were in official roles during the Bosnian war were in attendance, including former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, who moderated the discussion. She recalled a trip to Sarajevo during which touring lawmakers witnessed how the devastated capital city had turned its former Olympic Stadium into a massive burial ground. Hutchison invited former Ambassador Peter Galbraith to the stage and acknowledged the presence of retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO. The five-day anniversary event culminates in a plenary session Monday. The gathering of about 300 parliamentarians and other guests was spearheaded by Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, who was mayor of Dayton when the accords were negotiated and now heads America's NATO parliamentary delegation. Several speakers on the morning panel, entitled 'Dayton Accords 30 Years Later & Goals of Tomorrow,' spoke in favor of membership in NATO for Bosnia and Herzegovina, as it continues to resolve issues left unaddressed by the 1995 pact — a temporary solution whose framework remains generally in place today. ___
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
At commemoration of Dayton Peace Accords, Balkan and US officials say NATO helps maintain peace
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Representatives of Balkan nations that benefited from the 30-year-old Dayton Peace Accords joined Americans of both political parties on Friday to affirm the value of NATO to maintaining peace around the world. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told a public forum at the University of Dayton held in conjunction with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly being held this week in the Ohio city that there's 'no doubt' that the U.S., as the world's leading superpower, will be challenged in the future and it's 'going to need friends.' 'NATO is a great alliance to get together with our friends and our allies and make sure that we're as strong as we possibly can be so we can have peace for generations to come,' he said, while at the same time emphasizing the Trump administration's new demands on European allies to spend more on military defense. NATO was created in 1949 to provide collective security against the Soviet Union and now comprises 32 nations. U.S. Reps. Rick Larsen, a Washington Democrat, and Neal Dunn, a Florida Republican, also defended the value of U.S. membership in the peacetime military alliance during a panel titled, 'Why NATO Matters to Everyday Americans.' Both also spoke in support of U.S. and NATO support for Ukraine, characterizing its victory against Russia in the 3-year-old war as crucial to European stability and to deterring future invasions by other nations, particularly China. 'NATO is a blessing for peace, and it is the best insurance for peace,' Dunn said. A panel earlier in the day drove home that point, as representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia discussed the lasting impacts of the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, negotiated at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base not far from the parliamentary gathering site. 'I can tell you how close the value of the peace is to all of us,' said Elmedin Konakovic, foreign affairs minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who was a 17-year-old soldier at the time of the Bosnian war. He said the importance of the deal struck in Dayton, with the help of military and diplomatic interventions by the U.S. and NATO, was 'massive.' 'It's important, especially today, because we can see pictures now — from Ukraine, from Gaza, from Sudan, from other places — and peace is possible,' he said. 'I'm sitting today and negotiating the future of my country with the people I was literally fighting against 30 years ago, and it's much better than war, trust me. It's complex, it's complicated, it's not easy. We have many political issues, but it's much better than war.' Some who were in official roles during the Bosnian war were in attendance, including former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, who moderated the discussion. She recalled a trip to Sarajevo during which touring lawmakers witnessed how the devastated capital city had turned its former Olympic Stadium into a massive burial ground. Hutchison invited former Ambassador Peter Galbraith to the stage and acknowledged the presence of retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO. The five-day anniversary event culminates in a plenary session Monday. The gathering of about 300 parliamentarians and other guests was spearheaded by Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, who was mayor of Dayton when the accords were negotiated and now heads America's NATO parliamentary delegation. Several speakers on the morning panel, entitled 'Dayton Accords 30 Years Later & Goals of Tomorrow,' spoke in favor of membership in NATO for Bosnia and Herzegovina, as it continues to resolve issues left unaddressed by the 1995 pact — a temporary solution whose framework remains generally in place today. ___ Smyth reported from Columbus.
Fox News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump, lawmakers at odds over whether FEMA should be elevated to Cabinet-level agency or completely overhauled
While President Donald Trump wants to gut the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are seeking to elevate FEMA to a Cabinet-level agency. FEMA is currently housed under the Department of Homeland Security, but the House effort would solidify FEMA as its own separate agency, according to a discussion draft of the legislation released Thursday. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., and committee ranking member Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., are spearheading the legislation. Other proposals included in the draft legislation are instructing the Office of Management and Budget to create a centralized website tracking disaster assistance recovery across the federal government, and allowing FEMA to foot the bill for repairs to homes suffering damage in disasters. Currently, FEMA only covers expenses that make a home livable following disasters. "By releasing this discussion draft legislation, we hope to engage our colleagues and stakeholders on comprehensive FEMA reform," Graves said in a Thursday statement. "This draft bill includes substantive changes that will transform FEMA and our emergency programs to be much more state and locally driven – not micro-managed into ineffectiveness by the federal government." While Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have voiced support for eradicating FEMA, the former acting administrator of FEMA, Cameron Hamilton, warned against gutting the agency on Wednesday. "I do not believe it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency," Hamilton told lawmakers on the House Appropriations committee on Wednesday. "Having said that, I'm not in a position to make a decision," Hamilton said. "That is a conversation that should be had between the president of the United States and this governing body." However, Hamilton, who previously served as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy with SEAL Team 8 and started leading FEMA in January, was ousted from his post Thursday. FEMA confirmed to Fox News Digital Thursday that Hamilton was no longer with the agency. Days after his inauguration in January, Trump visited North Carolina to oversee the state's efforts to recover from Hurricane Helene, more than 120 days after the storm struck the state. On the trip, Trump floated plans to gut FEMA, which oversaw the disaster relief efforts. "I'll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA," Trump told reporters in North Carolina. "I think, frankly, FEMA is not good." The executive order established a review council to evaluate potential reforms to FEMA, including whether the agency's bureaucracy restricts its ability to appropriately respond to disasters. Likewise, Trump's budget proposal includes plans to slash nearly $650 million in FEMA grants. On Tuesday, Noem told lawmakers that Trump stands by his statements that FEMA's current setup should be quashed. "He believes that FEMA and its response in many, many circumstances has failed the American people, and that FEMA as it exists today should be eliminated," Noem said.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
House committee proposes annual $250 fee for EVs
This story was originally published on Smart Cities Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Smart Cities Dive newsletter. UPDATE: MAY 1, 2025: The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved its portion of the budget reconciliation bill yesterday on a party-line vote of 36-30. Democrats put forward some 120 amendments to the committee's bill, Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., said during the meeting, none of which were adopted. Proposed amendments included protecting grants to Amtrak's Northeast Corridor issued before Jan. 20, 2025. Larsen lamented the lack of bipartisanship in an emailed statement: 'Today's markup of the Republican reconciliation legislation is a departure from the regular, bipartisan work of this Committee.' Support for the bill came from road builders, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, agricultural interests and truckers. The Amalgamated Transit Union expressed its support in an April 29 letter, saying 'the federal gas tax is no longer capable of sustaining the [Highway Trust Fund] on its own.' In addition to roadway infrastructure, the fund also supports mass transit. 'Congress must find a long-term solution to declining real gas tax revenue,' Albert Gore, executive director of the Zero Emissions Transportation Association, said in an April 28 letter to the committee and shared with Smart Cities Dive. The organization favors a $100 per vehicle yearly fee over the $250 annual federal registration fee the committee adopted. Gore said the lower fee would be 'commensurate with the annual gas tax paid by an internal combustion engine vehicle with average fuel efficiency.' More legislation affecting electrical vehicle adoption may be included in the reconciliation package. The full House voted yesterday to overturn the Biden administration's approval of California's clean truck rules and is expected to vote today to nix California's Advanced Clean Cars II regulations requiring all new passenger vehicles sold in the state to be zero emission vehicles by 2035. APRIL 29, 2025: The House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure included a $250 annual registration fee for electric vehicles and a $100 annual registration fee for hybrid vehicles during the budget reconciliation proposal reported out today. The proposal's goal is to ensure that EV and hybrid owners contribute to the Highway Trust Fund. An excise tax on gasoline and diesel fuels, along with a sales and use tax on heavy duty vehicles, currently support the fund, which committee Chairman Sam Graves called 'broken' in a press release Tuesday. 'For far too long, EVs have operated on our nation's roads without paying into the system,' Graves said at the committee meeting. 'Plain and simple, this is a fairness issue, and it's time these roadway users pay their share for the use of the road.' The current federal gasoline tax, at 18.4 cents per gallon, hasn't changed since 1993. If it were indexed to inflation, the current rate would be 37 cents per gallon, according to the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution's Tax Policy Center. As a result of the static tax rate, inflows to the trust fund haven't kept up with expenditures. Since 2008, Congress has made up the shortfall by transferring funds, mainly from the federal government's general fund, to the tune of $275 billion, including $118 billion from the 2021 infrastructure law. Outlays from the trust fund go to states and local governments for the maintenance and construction of highways, bridges and related infrastructure. A portion of the fund's investments go to mass transit. In the 2024 fiscal year, the Highway Trust Fund spent $26.7 billion more than it took in from user fees, according to analysis by the Eno Center for Transportation. The Congressional Budget Office projects the fund will have insufficient funds to cover its expenditures by 2028 if funding increases at the rate of inflation and the tax rate remains the same. By 2035, the CBO projects the trust fund will be short $242 billion. Democratic committee members uniformly denounced the budget proposal, which they say favors the wealthy while cutting programs for other citizens. 'This bill would raise new taxes on the American people in order to provide trillions of dollars in tax breaks for billionaires,' Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., said at the meeting. The House committee bill would cut $4.6 billion over the next 10 years by rescinding funds for Inflation Reduction Act programs that the press release called unnecessary, which include Neighborhood Access and Equity Grants, Environmental Review Implementation Funds and Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants under the Federal Highway Administration; Assistance for Federal Buildings and Use of Low-Carbon Materials, and Emerging Technologies funding under the General Services Administration; and the Federal Aviation Administration's Alternative Fuel and Low-Emission Aviation Technology Program. 'Today's legislation is, in part, a response to investments that Democrats prioritize, some of which are objectionable to our [Republican] colleagues,' Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., said. 'We want to keep these investments going.' Larsen said he and other Democrats would introduce amendments to the budget proposal. 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