Agency Publishes Request for Information for Low-Cost, Safety-Enhancing Lighting
The FAA is looking for cheaper, faster ways to light up America’s runways. On Thursday, September 11, the agency issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a new safety lighting system that could be deployed nationwide within the next two to three years.
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Czech plane maker Bristell was awarded its first FAA Type Certification for the B23 two-seater, assisting its effort to get on the US flight training map. The bird totals more than 1,100 delivered since 2009. Nearly 100 B23s are already flying in the United States. Personal aviation company Jetson recently completed the first-ever delivery of its ONE electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and to none other than Oculus and Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey. This comes as Jetson works to shift its business overseas, establishing new headquarters in California. The recently published Second Quarter 2025 General Aviation Aircraft Shipment and Billing Report, compiled by GAMA, shows a solid uptick in shipments for the first half of this year compared to last. Business jets and piston airplanes both stood out, though helico
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The recently concluded Midwest Aviation Expo, hosted by the Mt. Vernon Outland Airport is a modest but overtly positive event in the sport aviation scheme of things. Led by Airport Boss Chris Collins, one of the best in the business, the event has been going on for 17 years and emphasizes a close and personal opportunity for companies to display their wares and for potential customers to spend time looking them over... There are a LOT of SportPlanes out there and while ANN’s Chief Test Pilot, Jim Campbell, has flown well over a 1000 unique types, there are still a lot of birds on his “Must-Fly’ List. One of them was the Flight Design F2. Jim says the F2 IS NOT a modified CT series bird... it is distinctively different and is most definitely not your Father’s CT. The Rotax 912iS powered F2 is a spacious, easily acces
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Textron eAviation is putting the development of its Nexus electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft on hold, meaning its first flight is no longer part of the 2025 agenda. The manufacturer claims that its current aircraft lineup takes priority over the Wichita-based eVTOL project. The Nexus, a four-passenger, single-pilot design designed to serve short urban routes, was slated for tethered flight testing this year. Joby Aviation announced the completion of a first-of-its-kind demonstration of its autonomous flight technology in logging more than 7,000 miles of autonomous operations in over 40 flight hours, including the successful completion of a 4,925 mile ferry flight across the Pacific Ocean and Hawaii. The demonstration flights were part of the Resolute Force Pacific (REFORPAC) exercise led by the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) from
Engine Lost All Power. Unable To Maintain Altitude, He Elected To Make An Off Airport Landing To An Open Field
On August 18, 2025, about 1300 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Jabirwatt, N824DW, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Albany, Oregon. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that about 3.5 miles northwest of the Albany Municipal Airport (S12), Albany, Oregon, at 1,500 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine lost all power.
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The FAA aims to accelerate the deployment of AAM, or advanced air mobility vehicles. The new technologies are full of potential to transform aviation, expand connectivity in rural America, reduce road congestion in urban areas, and enhancing medical and emergency transport services. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and AeroVironment announced their collaboration successfully completed the first-ever air launch of a Switchblade 600 loitering munition system from a Block 5 MQ-9A Reaper UAS and marks the first time a Switchblade has been launched from an unmanned aircraft. The SB600 was successfully integrated with the MQ-9A and flight testing was conducted from July 22-24 at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Grounds Test Range in Arizona. Personal aviation company Jetson recently completed the first-ever delivery of its ONE
Aero Linx: Swift Museum Foundation
The Swift Museum Foundation was started by Charlie Nelson, our President, over 40 years ago with an ad in Trade-A-Plane to Swift owners inquiring about any interest in forming a type club. It started as the International Swift Association, grew and ten years later became the only type club to purchase the FAA Type Certificate for it’s aircraft. It also acquired with the Type Certificate the original factory tooling, the remaining parts inventory and the original manufacturing plans. This allows us to have FAA PMA parts manufactured to keep this great aircraft flying for the foreseeable future.
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DETRESFA (Distress Phase) [ICAO]
The code word used to designate an emergency phase wherein there is reasonable certainty that an aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger or require immediate assistance.
"The next great technological revolution in aviation is here. The United States will lead the way, and doing so will cement America’s status as a global leader in transportation innovation. That means more high-paying manufacturing jobs and economic opportunity. By safely testing the deployment of these futuristic air taxis and other AAM vehicles, we can fundamentally improve how the traveling public and products move."
Source: Comments from U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy as he announced a new pilot program in the FAA that aims to accelerate the deployment of AAM, or advanced air mobility vehicles. The new technologies are full of potential to transform aviation, expand connectivity in rural America, reduce road congestion in urban areas, and enhancing medical and emergency transport services.
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