“...The Airmen that work on the flight line can turn around to the shelf, grab the part, put it in the airplane, and now it’s going to perhaps be several more days before that jet needs to be maintained again. And that all the time where it’s sitting, waiting for that part, is downtime where we can’t use the aircraft to train. So that investment is really important to backfill the shelves with parts...” Source: The US Air Force’s next Chief of Staff nominee says pilots are flying too little to maintain proficiency, citing chronic issues with spare parts, aging aircraft, and supply chain delays. Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach told Senators on Oct. 9 that fighter pilots currently fly about two to two and a half times per week…far short of what he sees as necessary for combat readiness.

Jet Operator Files For Bankruptcy a Month After Its Founder Passed

As of October 9, Verijet has officially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, with $10.5 million in unused jet card balances. The Florida-based charter and jet card operator has been in a downward spiral for years, most recently being hit with the passing of its founder, Richard Kane.

Settlement With AerCap Ditches Previous Commitment to 52 Airbus A320neo Jets

Spirit has inked a major settlement with its largest aircraft lessor, AerCap, that terminates a previous order for 52 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The decision comes as the low-cost carrier works through its second round of Chapter 11 restructuring and takes any and all opportunities to save cash.

Officials Say Reports of a Strong Natural Gas Smell Led to the Temporary Ground Stop

Operations are back on track at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) after a strong gas smell led to a temporary evacuation of its air traffic control tower. A ground stop was in place while the controllers set up shop in a secondary location.

Tesla’s Announcement Turned Out to be Completely Unrelated to Aviation

Archer Aviation’s brief moment in the Tesla spotlight ended as quickly as it began. After days of social media buzz suggesting a possible partnership between the two companies, Tesla’s October 7 announcement came and went without a single mention of aviation.

Also: UK Abandons GA?, ‘Emergency’ Notification, FAA's Big Move, Skydiving Instructor Lost

ICAO has rejected the airline industry’s push to raise the mandatory retirement age for pilots from 65 to 67. The proposal was backed primarily by IATA, which argued that even a two-year rise to the cap could have a dramatic effect on the pilot shortage. IATA’s argument claimed that the change would ease workforce pressures without harming safety. Duncan Aviation announced that its testing facility co-located in the company’s Technical Education Center in Battle Creek, Michigan, has been officially approved as an FAA Testing Center, making Battle Creek the only Duncan Aviation location to gain that designation. The approval of the new testing center enables Duncan team members to take their tests onsite and avoid the hour or more drive to the nearest FAA facility. Just over three months after hitting the market, Piper Airc

Emphasize Need For Safety Guardrails At Low Altitudes

The EAA recently submitted its formal comments on the FAA’s notice of proposed rulemaking, or NPRM concerning Normalizing Unmanned Aircraft Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations. In its 28-page feedback, EAA affirmed its support for the safe integration of UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS), and while the proposed rule begins to establish a pathway toward that objective, there are significant areas of concern especially for manned operations.

Lost Trail, Disoriented, Fatigued, Activated SOS On GPS Device

An 81-year-old woman, an avid hiker, was rescued via helicopter hoist after she lost the trail, became disoriented, and activated the emergency signal on her GPS device. The rescue took place on the Upper Franklin Trail in Carpinteria, California, near Santa Barbara.

Three Demo Flights Add To Growing Total During Public Tour

Joby Aviation, developer of air taxi aircraft for commercial passenger service, announced that it flew its all-electric aircraft at the California International Air Show in a series of flights between the company’s home field of Marina Municipal (KOAR) and the air show at Salinas Municipal Airport (KSNS), both in California.

RE Advisor To Lead Urban Air Mobility Facilities Development

VertiPorts by Atlantic, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlantic Aviation, a nationwide network of FBO facilities and services, announced the selection of Cushman & Wakefield as its real estate advisor to support the company’s initiative to develop vertiports across strategic U.S. markets.