White House to Drop $500M on Securing Airspace Above Stadiums

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, the White House is turning its attention to the airspace above with plans for a $500 million drone program. This is aimed at helping state and local governments counter potential drone threats and keep pace with ever-advancing aviation technology.

Also: Kodiak 100 Joins USFS, Innovative Solutions & Support Renamed, Gulfstream Selects Honeywell, Special Olympics Airlift 

The Phantom 3500 mockup made an appearance where the futuristic BizJet continued to make some aggressive claims for the future... so aggressive AND impressive that they already have an order books numbering in the hundreds... Textron‘s Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen2 has gained type certification from the FAA, which brings the most comprehensive Citation Gen2 investment to the market. Customer feedback reportedly drove the enhancements to the aircraft, including autothrottle, an additional 4.5 inches of legroom for pilots, and a fully customizable cabin environment. At NBAA-BACE 2025, ANN dropped in on the folks at True Blue Power to see what’s keeping a number of high-power jets energized of late... including a number of Gulfstreams. And... At NBAA-BACE 2025, ANN dropped in on the folks at True Blue Power to se

Also: USAF Pilots, Atlanta Tower Evac, Archer Spotlight Dissipates, Hop-A-Jet Sues

A social-media call for people to point lasers at aircraft flying over Portland’s ICE facility led authorities to treat the post as a credible threat. Officials say the “laser event” could have endangered aircrew, forced medical-flight diversions, and disrupted routine policing of the area. The post invited participants to gather at multiple city locations at 2100 and shine handheld lasers at helicopters and other aircraft, calling them “spy planes.” 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. Founded in 2020, Verijet bet big on the troubled single-engine Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet. As the government shutdown drags into the do

JJ Frigge At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025

ANN’s Rex Alexander spoke with JJ Frigge, President of Hartzell Propeller at the 2025 EAA AirVenture Air Show and Fly-in in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Frigge said the company’s been dedicated to innovation in blade technology and focused on carbon fiber for quite a while. They feel the combination of durability, strength, quality, and reliability sets it apart from other materials and options available. Carbon fiber props have been in the market for over 40 years and the blades are certified for unlimited life. With some of the fleet operators, the blades come in for overhaul every 4-6 years.

Student Pilot’s Failure To Maintain Airspeed And Altitude Resulting In A Collision With The Ground During The Base To Final Turn

Analysis: The solo student pilot reported she was on downwind to land and noted she was a bit lower than usual so she turned base early to compensate. While on the base leg her recollection of events wasn’t clear. She remembered feeling task saturated and that she may not have maintained her altitude and airspeed resulting in the glider impacting the ground during the base to final turn.

Aero Linx: FAA Managers Association (FAAMA) Recognized by the FAA, FAAMA is a professional association dedicated to the promotion of excellence in public service. The Association is a vehicle for managers and other non-bargaining unit employees to communicate their interests in the political arena. Acting as an original source of responsible, balanced, and fact based information to our employer, the White House, Congress, and other relevant venues, FAAMA pursues political solutions representing the interests of our membership. 

Flameout Pattern An approach normally conducted by a single-engine military aircraft experiencing loss or anticipating loss of engine power or control. The standard overhead approach starts at a relatively high altitude over a runway (“high key”) followed by a continuous 180 degree turn to a high, wide position (“low key”) followed by a continuous 180 degree turn final. The standard straight-in pattern starts at a point that results in a straight-in approach with a high rate of descent to the runway. Flameout approaches terminate in the type approach requested by the pilot (normally fullstop). 

There's A Lot To Like On ANN's Latest Social Media Site

We all know how important Social Media is to a lot of people, particularly those under 30. We also know how important those folks are to the future of aviation. In so many forums and at so many events, we talk about how to attract the next generation of pilots, mechanics, and enthusiasts to our industry, and social media is certainly critical to getting the message out to those who practically live online.

“We developed this prototype from concept to reality in under a year. The U-Hawk continues the Black Hawk legacy of being the world’s premier utility aircraft and opens the door to new capabilities as a UAS.” Source: Rich Benton, Sikorsky Vice President and General Manager, describing how they took the conversion of its UH-60L Black Hawk into the S-70UAS U-Hawk fully autonomous, heavy-lift cargo vehicle from concept to reality in just 10 months. The U-Hawk was modified to have 25 percent more cargo space and integrated it with MATRIX autonomy technology.