Isaacman, Duffy May Both Want Job

Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur who was initially nominated for the role of NASA Administrator by President Donald Trump and then had his nomination withdrawn, met with Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy on October 13, who interviewed him again for the position.

$461M Deal Raises Total Contract To 18 Aircraft

Boeing announced that the U.S. Army has awarded it two separate contracts for the purchase of nine CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters, a deal worth $461 million. The company said the order increases the number of aircraft under contract to 18.

Manufacturer Expands Used Servicable Materials Inventory to Ease Pressure on Suppliers

In true Halloween fashion, a new Boeing program is looking to bring in more to-be-retired aircraft parts to give operators more steady access to replacements. The planemaker estimates the Used Serviceable Materials (USM) market to be worth upwards of $7 million, meaning the project could be a financial lifeline for both Boeing and commercial operators.

SBIR Direct-To-Phase II Contract For Long-Range Multi-Mission Platform

Pyka announced it has been awarded a Direct-to-Phase II (D2P2) SBIR contract to focus on the development of DropShip, a next-generation long-range, multi-mission cargo UAS platform intended for the needs of the Department of the Air Force (DAF).

Michael Thompson At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025

ANN’s Rex Alexander spoke with Michael Thompson, CEO of SkyFly,  at the 2025 EAA AirVenture Air Show and Fly-in in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Thompson said they refer to the aircraft they call the Axe as a VCA or vertically capable aircraft because its two large wings enable it to take off and land like a conventional airplane as well as vertically using only rotor lift. Thompson noted that the Axe is intended for personal ownership customers rather than the commercial air taxi market. The two-seat aircraft technically has a canard and a wing that are both 5 m / 16 ft in length, with the forward canard having a narrower chord than the main wing. Each wingtip has two electric motors for redundancy, so if one motor fails the other one immediately takes over to power the rotors that are mounted at a 45-degree fixed angle relative to the wing.

Three Next-Generation Options Deliver Mission-Flexible, Scalable Lethality

AeroVironment, a global provider of loitering munition systems, announced three new variants of its Switchblade family of precision loitering munitions: the Switchblade 600 Block 2, the Switchblade 400, and the Switchblade 300 Block 20 equipped with a modular explosively formed penetrator (EFP) payload.

Postaccident Examination Revealed That The Right Brake Linings Had Exceeded The Manufacturer’S Serviceable Wear Limit

Analysis: The pilot was taxiing from the fixed-base operator’s building to the runway. As he increased brake pressure to stop the airplane before the runway hold short line, it turned to the left and completed a full 360° turn before coming to rest. The passenger then offered to try his brake pedals but the airplane only turned to the left; the pilot and passenger  concluded they had no control of the right brake. The passenger then observed a fire emanating from under the right wing. The airport’s aircraft rescue and firefighting personnel responded and extinguished a fire associated with the right brake assembly. The right wing’s lower surface sustained substantial thermal damage during the ground fire.

Aero Linx: African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) AfBAA is dedicated to promoting the understanding and advantages of Business Aviation across Africa. Our mission centers on showcasing how Business Aviation contributes significantly to economic development and prosperity throughout the continent. We are committed to our Guiding Principles that facilitate support for businesses, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, governments, and their respective Civil Aviation Authorities.

Go Around Instructions for a pilot to abandon his/her approach to landing. Additional instructions may follow. Unless otherwise advised by ATC, a VFR aircraft or an aircraft conducting visual approach should overfly the runway while climbing to traffic pattern altitude and enter the traffic pattern via the crosswind leg. A pilot on an IFR flight plan making an instrument approach should execute the published missed approach procedure or proceed as instructed by ATC; e.g., “Go around” (additional instructions if required). 

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