“We respectfully call on the City of Mesa to: 1. Withdraw the landing fee proposal immediately 2. Engage with the aviation community before making decisions that impact safety, training, airport accessibility, and financial hardship to users. 3. Honor the historical legacy of Falcon Field and uphold its federal obligations as an open, public-use airport” Source: Arizona’s Falcon Field (FFZ) is looking to impose some landing fees of their own, and locals are putting up a fight. A petition to cease this punishing decision cites Falcon Field’s creation by the government itself in 1941, as well as its federally-funded, tax-paid public-use status.

Company Claims to Offer a Turnkey Solution for Buying and Owning Sport Aircraft

Gratia Aero believes it has cracked one of experimental aviation’s most persistent challenges: making sportplane ownership accessible. The company has turned itself into a coordinated ecosystem that considers not only buying and building a new plane, but also learning to fly it, maintain it, and insure it.

Strong Q&A Format Helps Pilots Cut Through Confusion

The AFE25 MOSAIC Town Hall turned out to be one of the weekend’s most substantive events, giving sport aviators a rare opportunity to question industry experts directly and get candid, practical answers about the rapidly evolving MOSAIC environment. Moderated by Aero-News Network Editor-in-Chief Jim Campbell, the Town Hall featured an experienced panel including Madison Nortz (EAA Government Advocacy), Meredith Holliday (Holladay Aviation), Travis Marshall (Pik West Insurance), and Ric Peri (AEA VP of Government & Industry Affairs). Between them, they brought deep operational, regulatory, insurance, and instructional perspectives to an audience hungry for clarity.

Round of Advisory Circulars Impact Pilots, Instructors, and Light-Sport Repairmen

The FAA has released an updated set of advisory circulars to support the transition to the long-awaited Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (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published November 14, aim to align long-standing guidance with the performance-based system that will replace the outdated light-sport framework.

ANN Analysis — A Safety System Hijacked for Profit, and a Community That’s Had Enough

The Affordable Flying Expo didn’t just showcase new aircraft and ideas — it exposed a brewing aviation scandal that is rapidly turning into a flashpoint for general aviators across the country. Knowledgeable pilots arrived angry, and for good reason: ADS-B, the system the FAA swore would never be used for enforcement or billing, is now being weaponized as a cash register. Florida is the latest and loudest battleground. Kissimmee Gateway Airport (KISM) has teamed with Vector Solutions, a company that pitches airports on a no-effort way to make money off the backs of aircraft owners. They capture publicly broadcast ADS-B data, match it to tail numbers, count landings, and send invoices — all without a single conversation, notification, warning, or handshake.

Agency’s New Protocol Reduces Medication Stabilization Time from 6 to 3 Months

The Federal Aviation Administration has taken an unusually cooperative step towards pilot mental health reform, reducing the stabilization wait time for approved antidepressant medications from 6 months to just 3. Though this is, in itself, a basic change, it reflects years of industry efforts that seem to finally be getting the attention they deserve.

Manufacturer Reduced Its Commercial Aircraft Target from 820 to 790

Airbus has backed down from its initial 2025 commercial aircraft delivery target, cutting its projection from 820 aircraft to approximately 790 after dealing with defects affecting thousands of A320-family aircraft. The adjustment, announced on December 3, comes as the company recovers from one of its most significant share plunges in years.

Air Transat Pilots Have Been Negotiating For Almost A Year

Way too close to the Christmas holidays, Air Transat pilots have set the stage for a potential strike later this week. In the official notice to airline management, (as required under the Canada Labour Code), ALPA issued a 72-hour strike notice, which could begin as early as 0300 ET this Wednesday, December 10. “There is still time to avoid a strike but unless significant progress is made at the bargaining table, we will strike if that’s what it takes to achieve a modern contract,” said Capt. Bradley Small, Chair of the Air Transat Master Executive Council (MEC).

Klyde; R&D Stands For 'Ripoff and Duplicate' In China...

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Partners Showcase the Battery-Electric R-66 Helicopter Demonstrator

Robinson Helicopters has officially entered the electric arena with an early version of the magniX-powered eR-66, which debuted at this year’s EAA Oshkosh AirVenture. The partnership opens the door to a zero-emissions alternative for the ever-popular turbine R66. At the center of the aircraft is the HeliStorm: a 330-kilowatt motor that operates at higher speeds of around 6,000-7,000 rpm. magniX pairs the motor with its Samson battery system, creating the full propulsion package for the eR-66. “This collaboration… will give us a foundation to determine one of the key parameters for a commercial variant that customers can use in all sorts of applications, like training, private use, agriculture, and tourism,” said David Smith, CEO of Robinson Helicopters. “All those areas have expressed interest in a zero-emissions helicopter.”

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