ATC Towers Unlikely To Reach Full Staffing Under Current Operations

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told Congress on December 16 that if the agency continues operating as it currently does, air traffic control towers across the country are unlikely to ever reach full staffing levels.

15th Head Of Agency Sworn In During Ceremony In Eisenhower Building

Jared “Rook” Isaacman was sworn in on December 18, 2025, as the 15th Administrator of NASA by District Judge Timothy J. Kelly. Isaacman took the oath during a ceremony held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Intended For Airline’s Future Boeing 737-10 Fleet

Turkish carrier Pegasus Airlines has signed a deal with CFM International for up to 300 LEAP-1B engines that are intended for its future Boeing 737-1- fleet. The contract includes spare engines and long-term maintenance services by the engine manufacturer.

Passes Out Of House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee

The National Business Aviation Association lauded the passage by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of a bill that would maintain continued operations of the FAA and the nation’s air traffic control system in the event of future government shutdowns.

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The FAA has released an updated set of advisory circulars to support the transition to the long-awaited MOSAIC rule, offering new direction for pilots, instructors, and light-sport repairmen. The documents, published November 14, aim to align long-standing guidance with the performance-based system that will replace the outdated light-sport framework when MOSAIC takes effect in 2026. Minnesota CFI Gabriel Kesler has won Sporty’s $2,500 Pilot Training+ Scholarship, which he will use to obtain his multiengine and multiengine instructor ratings. Kesler is a newly certificated flight instructor who teaches in a variety of training environments, including EAA’s Sport Pilot Academy in Oshkosh, where he instructs in RV–12s and contributes to the Pilot Proficiency Center during AirVenture. Frasca International, a provider of flight simulation

Company Partners With US Cities to Begin Initial Air Taxi Trials

Archer Aviation was quick to take advantage of the White House’s push to expand Advanced Air Mobility, announcing that it is pursuing partnerships with multiple US cities to launch early electric air taxi operations. This comes on the heels of a new AAM-focused executive order and the release of the Department of Transportation’s long-awaited National AAM Strategy.

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The owners of Solberg-Hunterdon Airport (N51) have taken their dispute with local officials to court, arguing that a newly adopted zoning procedure by Readington Township is designed to quietly “suffocate” airport operations -- not just regulate them. The lawsuit claims the measure would prevent modernization and eventually make the family-run field economically unsustainable. Tecnam has introduced the P2008JC NG: a much-anticipated update to its two-seat training aircraft, now certified under EASA CS-23 standards. The variant replaces the earlier certification basis with CS-23 Amendment 6, applying current airworthiness requirements to a long-standing design. Spirit Airlines has managed to scrape in an immediate $50 million boost through its debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing arrangement, providing short-term liquidity as it continues anoth

Also: The Aircraft That Delivered, Breakthroughs and Breakdowns Report, Aero-Standouts, Aero-Stumbles 

Welcome to a special episode of Airborne Unlimited... with a look back at 2025 and what it all might mean for 2026. Call it The Aero-News Aviation Reality Check — 2025 Edition, bit make no mistake... in one form or another, these are the stories, companies, planes and products that distinguished aviation this year. While there was a;lot to cover and much that we really didn't have th s[pace for, we wanted to offer some kudos to planes, products, powerplants and programs that deserved serious kudos... as well as those who most definitely did NOT. With MOSAIC finally out of the bag, partially, the industry stands at the forefront of great possibilities so long as it is ready to take advantage of the opportunities ahead of us and NOT blow it as it has with so many other promising developments. Still there are hazards ahead and in an upcomi

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The Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) has wrapped up its investigation into a recent skydiving incident, revealing that one of the jumpers was left hanging 15,000’ AGL from the aircraft’s horizontal stabilizer due to an inadvertent deployment of his reserve parachute. He was able to cut himself free and pull his primary chute. Cooper Aircraft Corporation has expanded support for Rotax installations with a new mount for naturally aspirated engines. The new mounts cover the Highwing, Legacy, B Model, Onex, Sonex, Waiex, and Xenos. The mounts are delivered in white, and will mount up the Rotax 912UL, 912ULS, 912iS, 914UL, 915iS and 916iS. Section 373 of the newly passed National Defense Authorization Act isn’t sitting well with much of the industry, sparking public frustration from the National Transportation Safety B

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Electra is walking its EL9 hybrid-electric aircraft into the formal certification phase, filing its application with the FAA to begin the Part 23 process. Work with the FAA now shifts from compliance in development to acceptance of the certification plan and building out the test program. “This certification application signals that the EL9 is fast becoming a reality and reflects the progress our team and the FAA have made together,” said Electra CEO Marc Allen. EVIO has unveiled the product of more than eight years of rigorous development: the EVIO 810 hybrid-electric regional aircraft… and a lengthy list of customers to go with it. The Montreal-based company has secured conditional agreements and options for 450 airplanes, setting the stage for an entry into service in the early 2030s. The clean-sheet design is backed by investment fr