Also: uAvionix AV-Link, F-16 Viper Demo, TN National Guard, 'Staff the Towers'

A Saturday afternoon jump run, originating from SkyDive Kansas City, went bad when it was reported that, "a Skydiver premature parachute deployment at 14,000 msl damag(ed) the tail section." The turbine-upgraded Cessna 206, N29173, was abandoned by the pilot, who made a safe and successful jump, though the aircraft is a total loss. The parachute-equipped jump pilot exited the aircraft after all six jumpers had cleared the aircraft. The fourth flight test of Starship could launch as soon as June 5, pending regulatory approval. SpaceX notes that Starship’s third flight test made tremendous strides towards a future of rapidly reliable reusable rockets with the test completing several exciting firsts, including the first Starship reentry from space, the first ever opening and closing of Starship’s payload door in space, and a successful propellant transfer demons

Premiering June 18, CHOPPER COPS Will Be Offered by Paramount+

If you've been looking for exciting aviation-oriented programming, a new reality series just MAY do the trick. Paramount+ has announced the June 18 launch of CHOPPER COPS, a new docuseries that takes viewers into the cockpit of an elite Florida police team of helicopter pilots. They’re just north of Disney World, but to the men and women of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, the 1,600 square-mile area they patrol is no theme park. Marion County deals with crime scenes amounting to more than 7,000 felonies a year. But with a jurisdiction larger than the state of Rhode Island, ground units find it impossible to have eyes everywhere.

Updates Will Be Available To New Latitude Jets In 2025 And Longitudes In 2026

Textron is bragging about new G5000 avionics enhancements coming to the the Cessna Citation Latitude, and the Citation Longitude. Textron’s updates will be available to new Latitude jets beginning in 2025 and the new Longitude jets in 2026. "Citation jets offer customers performance, productivity and profitability that opens a new world of possibility in aviation and their business,” said Lannie O'Bannion, senior vice president of Global Sales & Flight Operations.

Spacecraft Designed To Investigate Jupiter’s Icy Moon Europa

Assembled at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the spacecraft arrived at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 23 for launch preparations. NASA’s Europa Clipper, a spacecraft designed to investigate Jupiter’s icy moon Europa and its potential to support life, arrived in Florida on Thursday, May 23. The spacecraft, assembled at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, landed aboard a United States Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Citation CJ1+/2+ Aircraft Registered In Europe Can Now Be Upgraded

Cessna Citation CJ1+/2+ aircraft registered in Europe can now be upgraded with Pro Line Fusion avionics systems after receiving certification approval from EASA. "Clearing this certification hurdle is a major step forward in providing European CJ customers with a solution that not only enhances their aircraft operations but can also extend the life and functionality of an aircraft," said Nathan Voight, vice president and general manager, Business and Regional Avionics at Collins Aerospace.

Also: Samson Sky, CAF Great Plains Wing, New Cert Standards, Flying Start Day

There are, occasionally, blisteringly dunderheaded bits of governmental incompetence to be found with increasing regularity... but the most recent move by the Nat'l Parks Service leaves us shaking our heads and a bit ashamed of Uncle Sam. The leaders of the Arsenal of Democracy consortium had planned to execute a World War II aircraft flyover at Mount Rushmore on Memorial Day to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. It would have been grand... and NOT a sight to miss. Vertical Aviation International is worried that an NYC helicopter port is in danger of permanent closure courtesy of a recently introduced piece of legislation. The legislation, A.10224/S.9408 by Simone & Hoylman, would permanently close the West 30th Street Heliport (KJRA) within New York City's Hudson River Park. The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) has selected Roswell, NM as the new hom

Massive Aviation News Event Started 2024 Off With a Plethora of Exciting Info

Last year, we introduced the SnF Innovation Preview in which 25 companies introduced over 30 new planes, products, engines, accessories, and more… in other words… a LOT of news. Rotax previewed the powerful 916iS, CubCrafters showcased the Carbon Cub UL, Bose introduced the A30, Aerox revealed the Boomula… and so much more. This year, we went beyond that... way beyond all that, with a larger selection of news announcements that covered ALL aspects of sport, general and commercial aviation... all at the start of the 50th Annual SUN n FUN Aerospace Expo... the undisputed start to the aviation year. This year was also a major news-breaker... especially with the announcement that the DeltaHawk Diesel engine folks were working with Piper Aircraft on an STC for the PA44 Seminole. It also hosted the first forma

Stratus Financial and Wayman Aviation Academy Offer Student Training Finance Programs

Stratus Financial and Wayman Aviation Academy have joined forces to deliver customized financing that are reportedly tailored specifically for Wayman Aviation Academy's students. "We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Wayman Aviation Academy," said Brandon Martini, COO of Stratus Financial. "By combining our financial expertise with Wayman's renowned pilot training programs, we are empowering aspiring pilots to turn their dreams into reality."

Also: ALPA Warns, ASA Updates Training Logs, Florida Teen Scholarship, Aviation Meteorology

The EAA Ray Aviation Scholarship program has seen its 500th student pilot graduate helped along the way, marking off a significant milestone for the group's most widely useful scholarship. The Ray Scholarship is funded by the Ray Foundation, but managed by EAA. That allows it to source candidates through its network of EAA chapters. Women in Corporate Aviation has announced the recipients of its Spring Scholarship Program, noting that they've had a record amount of applications in the last year. All in all, WCA saw more than 300 applicants for the scholarship, meaning the group also needed a record number of graders to assess just who was most deserving of the honors. The Air Charter Association is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a new sponsored internship program. It has been termed the ACA 75 Internship Program, and will offer a 3.5-month stin

350 Shipsets Already Delivered

Astronics has confirmed the delivery of 350 shipsets of the EmPower UltraLite G2 Power System since its launch in 2022.  Better yet, the Company has a backlog of 300 more systems to be delivered by the end of 2024 demonstrating the rapid increase in adoption rate. The EmPower Ultralite G2 is both linefit offerable with aircraft OEMs and suited for retrofit applications. This makes it suited for carriers with mixed fleets that want to provide a consistent passenger experience.