Agency Uses its $7.5M Jet to Get Execs to Ribbon Cuttings and Press Conferences

New Yorkers have come together in hopes of addressing the New York Power Authority’s superfluous private jet use. The $7.5 million jet, which was originally painted as a tool to get engineers and managers to time-critical sites, seems to now prioritize getting top executives to ribbon cuttings and press events.

Kunsan Air Base Reported the Accident During Routine Operations

The US Air Force has confirmed that it lost an MQ-9 Reaper drone to the South Korean waters on November 24. The aircraft, assigned to Kunsan Air Base, was conducting what officials described as a routine mission when it encountered an unspecified incident around 4:35 am near Maldo-Ri Island.

PowerUp S-1200 Series Approved, Available for 4- And 6-Cylinder Engines

Hartzell Engine Tech announced it received FAA Parts Manufacturer Approval for its PowerUp S-1200 Series aircraft magnetos, known for excellent performance and reliability in both 4- and 6-cylinder engines, and are available in impulse-coupled and “Shower of Sparks” configurations.

Structural, Avionics, Reusability, Recovery Enhancements To Be Phased In

Blue Origin announced that its New Glenn rocket will be getting new, more powerful engines along with enhancements to it structures, avionics, reusability, and recovery operations. The upgrades to New Glenn will be implemented in phases beginning with its upcoming NG-3 mission.

State-Of-The-Art Common Automation Platform To Replace Legacy Systems

The FAA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) regarding the initiative of the Trump Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation S. Duffy to design, build, and implement a brand-new Air Traffic Control System. This Request represents the first step in developing a Common Automation Platform, or CAP, that is intended to replace legacy systems with a state-of-the art platform.

Also: 1st-Ever Space Crime Was a Fraud, IAE Buys Diamonds, Kennon Bows Out, Perseverance Rover

An interesting moment came about this past Sunday as ANN CEO, Jim Campbell, noted that the Aero-News Network came into being 30 years ago. ANN was the first actual aviation online news service, and in the ensuing 30 years, has amassed an extraordinary record... over 600,000 stories, a total of videos, podcasts, Airborne and Aero-TV features surpassing 10,000 programs... The debut of SpaceX’s Starship Version 3 booster didn’t exactly go as planned, with its test campaign starting and ending before the sun even rose. Booster 18 suffered a major structural failure partway into what was supposed to be a long list of cryogenic checks and pressure trials at Massey’s Test Site. The US National Archives has declassified more than 4,600 pages of radio communications, maps, tables, and logs related to the disappearance of legendary aviator Amelia

Also: Elfin 20 Journey, BASE Jumper Rescue, Pipistrel Makes Waves, EAA Hall of Fame, Affordable Flying Expo 2026

Like most of the industry, kit manufacturer Sonex has been hit by the ever-increasing costs of parts and materials, and is being forced to pass some of the burden off to customers beginning December 15. Still, Sonex’s prices remain well under par, with many of its complete airframe kits available for under $40,000. The company detailed the price shifts for Complete Airframe Kits, Quick Build Kits, and AeroVee engine packages. Produced jointly by the Aero-News Network and SUN ’n FUN—in addition to the pre-show SNF Innovation Preview, the all-week SUN ’n FUN Digital Daily, Saturday Flight Live coverage, and our extensive daily news and video output—we are introducing something significant. MOSAIC Day Debuts Thursday at SUN ’n FUN and will designate Thursday as MOSAIC Day, featuring a full day of focused

Also: FedEx SAF, Archer Midnight Powertrain Tech, Rocket Lab Record, Perseverance Rover Find

EHang has logged a major milestone in the development of its pilotless air taxi, logging its first human-carrying flight in the urban Middle East. Working alongside Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, the company flew its EH216-S autonomously between the Port of Doha and Katara Cultural Village in a series of trials designed to validate real-world air taxi operations. The Army’s 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade is running with the service’s push to boost drone integration by pairing Apaches, Black Hawks, and Chinooks with small unmanned aircraft to handle reconnaissance, route surveillance, and other jobs that used to rely on pilots squinting out the window. One of the bigger shifts is happening in the field workshops. The debut of SpaceX’s Starship Version 3 booster didn’t exactly go as planned, with its test campaign starting and endin

Also: Bell 505 on SAF, NYPA Gets Flak For BizAv 'Abuse', FAA Venezuela Caution, Horizon Update

Textron Aviation has confirmed it will be ending production of the Beechcraft Bonanza G36 and Baron G58, after nearly 80 years of continuous manufacturing. The company is moving toward  new products such as the Beechcraft Denali, but promises to support the thousands of Barons and Bonanzas currently flying worldwide. The announcement brings to an end one of the longest production runs in the history of aviation. The first flight of the Bonanza was in December 1945 and production began in 1947. Archer Aviation’s plan to turn Hawthorne Airport into the heart of its Los Angeles air-taxi network earned it a big “WELCOME” from the mayor… and exactly the opposite from local NIMBYs. Members of the community started the predictable “Hawthorne Quiet Skies” group to express both confusion and disappointment with the decisio

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Germany’s Best by Way of Florida

Established in 1980 by German aerobatic pilot Walter Extra as a means by which to design and develop his own airplanes, EXTRA Aircraft—EXTRA Flugzeugbau in its founder’s native tongue—has evolved into one of the world’s premier makers of aerobatic aircraft. EXTRA’s aircraft line-up comprises the EXTRA 330 SC, a single seat, low-wing, aerobatic monoplane possessed of the sort of aerobatic performance that won world championships in 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022; the EXTRA 330 LX, a two-seat, tandem arrangement, low-wing, aerobatic monoplane eminently suited to both aerobatic competition and dual instruction; the EXTRA 330, a slick, two-seat, glass-panel machine that EXTRA rightfully touts as the Aerobatic Tourer; the EXTRA 330 LP, a two-seat, tandem arrangement, low-wing aerobatic monoplane that’s slightl