Major Shane Gentry USMC First Drone Pilot Named Aviator of the Year

Major Shane Gentry, a third-generation Marine and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilot, was recently named the 2024 Marine Aviator of the Year, a distinguished accolade traditionally reserved for pilots of manned aircraft. This historic recognition marks the first time a drone pilot has been honored with the prestigious Alfred A. Cunningham Award, an annual recognition given by the Marine Corps Aviation Association. At the helm of MQ-9A MUX/MALE drones, Major Gentry has significantly advanced the capabilities of Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, demonstrating the growing strategic importance of UAVs in modern military operations.

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Boom Supersonic got the first instance of Special Flight Authorization to go supersonic, planning to push their XB-1 aircraft beyond the sound barrier. The FAA granted the authorization for them to test fly at Mach 1+ in the R-2508 Complex and part of the R-2515 High Altitude Supersonic Corridor. The FAA says that it completed a thorough review and Environmental Assessment, paving the way for future supersonic flight testing in the commercial sphere. Paul Poberezny's work needs little introduction in the world of experimental aviation, sport flying, and hobbyist aeronautics, being attached to what has grown into a titan today. Sometimes, growth makes it easy to miss the little things, and today's "little guy" is smarting more than ever just looking at the price tags of "cheap" aircraft. Poberezny, seeing similar things while he was still with us, tried to fores

EASA Looking to the Future with Green Regional Aircraft

Aura Aero's Electric Regional Aircraft program issued an update in its quest to create an affordable, sustainable 19-seat commuter plane under the EASA CS-23 category, stating that they have launched a call for first work packages under it. Aura Aero is now issuing the first calls for tender for packages under Fuselage Design, Airframe Engineering Services, Turbogenerator, and Primary Flight Control System Actuators/Inceptors. Under the current schedule, the first parts of the flight test aircraft should be manufactured as soon as early 2025.

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Van's Aircraft posted a short video recapping the goings-on around their reorganization as they continue to move away from the brink, and by all accounts, things are going great. Clyde Hamstreet indicated that things are going pretty well in the Chapter 11 process, and they expect their reorganization plan to be approved by the court come May. Hammerstreet noted, with pleasure, that few companies in a similar position manage to survive the process, but Van's is sitting pretty. The Affordable Flying Expo is on the books for January 9th through the 11th of 2025. The new fly-in offers a well-timed excuse to take the family down south to enjoy the Florida sunshine in the same excellent facilities as Sun 'n Fun. The Affordable Flying Expo will focus on the love of flight, and all things that bring it into reach of the average, fun-loving p

U.S. Solicitor Settles for $2.02 Million in SDM Ground Collision

The United States has successfully settled for $2,020,000 in damages from various parties following an aircraft collision that occurred on May 30, 2020, at Brown Field Municipal Airport in San Diego. This legal resolution marks the end of a significant legal battle that started in 2023, involving the U.S. Department of the Navy, which claimed extensive damages due to negligence and breach of restrictive covenants. The incident involved two aircraft: a parked MV-22 Osprey, owned by the United States Marine Corps, and a taxiing De Havilland DHC-6-100 Twin Otter, owned by Kapowsin Air Sports but leased and operated by Tac Air Ops, LLC, and Tac Air California, Inc.

Also: Junkers A50 Heritage, Montaer Grows, Dynon-Advance Flight Systems, Vans' Latest 

Officially, the Carbon Cub UL and Rotax 916 iS is now in its 'market survey development phase', meaning it's just about to head into the oven, but the recipe isn't inked just yet. CubCrafters VP Brad Damm wants to see everyone chip in with their two cents to see how they feel about the prospective aircraft. So far, everything that's been shown off paints a very attractive portrait of a lightweight, capable, eager little bird, boasting an empty weight "well below 900 lbs..." CKD Aerospace hit innovation preview with a couple goodies right off the bat, updating fans on their line of kit aircraft, Fisher Flying Products. Now, Fisher Flying Products are looking to moving from spruce into rag & tube. The Affordable Flying Expo is on the books for January 9th through the 11th of 2025. The new fly-in offers a well-timed excuse to take the family down sou

Mars Sample Return Program To Be More Feasible and Timely

NASA's Mars Sample Return program is set to greatly enhance our understanding of Mars, the solar system, and potentially life itself. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has outlined a renewed approach to make this mission more feasible financially and time wise, addressing the high costs and long timelines initially projected.

FAA Grants New York Power Authority Outasight Waiver for Drones

The FAA has recently granted the New York Power Authority (NYPA) a significant waiver that permits the operation of unmanned aircraft systems beyond the pilot's visual line of sight. This landmark approval, announced on April 11, 2024, allows NYPA to operate drones within a one-mile radius in unrestricted Class G airspace without prior approval, enhancing their ability to inspect and monitor statewide infrastructure.

Also: Seaplane Pilots Association, Rotax 916’s First Year, Gene Conrad

After a decade and a half of struggling with the FAA and other aero-politics, G100UL is in production and there are a million gallons currently available. You can NEVER have too many good aids in keeping a flight safe... Holy Micro has an interesting approach to keeping pilots informed. The folks at Plane Tags have collected memorabilia from over 200 aircraft of all makes and categories... And offer mementos of great planes in aviation’s proud history. SPA’s Steve McCaughey updates the Airborne team on the latest and greatest in one of the aviation world’s coolest (sometimes we mean that literally) aviation pursuits. ANN had the honor of helping to introduce the Rotax 915 at last year’s Innovation Preview and we got a chance to review what a year in the field is teaching the aviation biz. Gene Conrad Catches His Breath During Our Morning Brie

Duke U. Prof Dies in Flight, Passenger Lands

Joseph Izatt, a distinguished Duke University professor, tragically passed away following a midair medical crisis while piloting a single-engine airplane. This incident occurred over North Carolina on April 7, 2024. Izatt was not only piloting the aircraft but also suffered the emergency that led to his untimely death. During the flight, a passenger heroically took control of the plane and managed a successful emergency landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The specifics of what caused Izatt's medical emergency remain unclear.