This year, AMR Corp., parent of American Airlines, recorded the highest passenger revenue for the second quarter in its history and logged a $357 million net profit, which is $262 million more than the same period last year. This appears to show forward momentum for the airline that hopes this quarter to merge with US Airways and emerge from Chapter 11 reorganization in what it touts as “one of the most effective major corporate restructurings ever.” To accomplish this, American must pass several crucial, impending milestones:

1949 article examines the emerging market for twin-engine lightplanes.

Delays in certifying software in Garmin’s G3000 and G5000 avionics suites are pushing back certification of three of Cessna’s new or upgraded aircraft – the M2, Sovereign and X – by a few months, Cessna parent Textron reported July 17. The all-new M2, along with the Sovereign and X upgrades, are among six new or upgraded products Cessna had hoped to bring to market this year. But with the software delays, deliveries of the X now will push into early 2014, while the M2 and Sovereign are to come later this year.

FAA published its “residential-through-the-fence” policy, following through on a congressional mandate and easing a ban on agreements that permit pilot access to airport runways and taxiways from adjacent homes. The new policy reverses a March 2011 interim policy that prohibited new through-the-fence access points.

Embraer’s Phenom deliveries are showing signs of improvement, reaching their highest second-quarter total since 2010. At the same time, the Brazilian airframer’s backlog fully rebounded from last year’s slide, coming in at the highest level since third quarter 2009.

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is awaiting court action on its petition that the association hopes will put an end to FAA’s recent efforts to charge for air traffic control services at AirVenture and other aviation events. EAA this month filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago to require FAA to refund more than $450,000 in payments that the agency is charging for air traffic control services it will provide during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., from July 29-Aug. 4.

A bill calling on FAA to improve certification standards for light aircraft moves to the Senate following House passage July 16. The bill, H.R.1848, the Small Aircraft Revitalization Act, is designed to boost the sagging general aviation segment by mandating the adoption of new Part 23 standards by the end of 2015.

Airbus is targeting a 10% reduction in direct maintenance costs compared to the Boeing 787-9