From 2021: The Inside Skinny On What Being An ANN Oshkosh Stringer Is All About

By ANN Senior Stringer Extraordinare, Gene Yarbrough The annual gathering at Oshkosh is a right of passage or a pilgrimage to Mecca for many. However the rank and file public rarely have the opportunity to experience the FULL Oshkosh experience. Oshkosh, like onions and ogres, is a multi-layered microcosm within the enigma of the greater Wisconsin county in which it transpires. The Aero-News Network stringer has opportunity, and if so inclined, the access to every aspect of general aviation including the "behind the scenes" view few even know exist.

An Amazing Experience Awaits The Chosen Few...

Oshkosh, to us, seems the perfect place to get started on watching aviation recover the past couple of years... and so ANN is putting EXTRA effort and resources into our coverage of Oshkosh 2025... just a little under 90 days hence. We are now undertaking the process to seek talented stringers to help us present Oshkosh and the sport and general aviation community to the world around us. If you ever thought about joining us, this is THE year to do it. IF YOU want to be a part of this unique adventure, speak up NOW, rather than later, because we're going to be looking for the best volunteer folks we can find and are planning to do so ASAP. You've been warned (grin)....

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Joby Aviation announced its electric air taxi successfully completed a series of VTOL wingborne trial flights in Dubai, signaling the start of its commercial market readiness activities in the region. These flights will contribute to the advancement of Joby’s readiness ahead of its anticipated first passenger flights in 2026. Electra announced it has been awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research contract from the U.S. Army to leverage its development and testing expertise in advancing research and development of hybrid-electric powertrain, power, and propulsion systems, or HEPPS. Air taxi developer Archer announced the successful first flight of its Midnight aircraft at Al Bateen Executive Airport (AZI/OMAD) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, representing the first test of the aircraft’s performance in the hot, humid, and dusty dese

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The long-awaited Sonex High Wing prototype has flown... the Sonex gang tells us that the flight took place on the evening of Monday, June 30 2025, and was piloted by Sonex Advisory Board member Joe Norris. Admittedly; the flight was a brief one due to a passenger-side door latch issue. However, all engine temperatures were reported to be in the green and the aircraft was reported to have handled as-expected with only slight rigging adjustments needed. High on Jim Campbell’s flight test list, leading into Oshkosh 2025, is the Blackshape Gabriel... a close cousin to the Blackshape Prime he tested some weeks ago... to very positive result. He came away with solid opinions of the craftsmanship, handling and overall performance of the Prime, as well as the general attitude of the company folks he worked with, to whom integrity seemed to be

"OIQ"???—What The Heck Is That?

Pay attention, Oshkosh exhibitors... this is IMPORTANT. The OIQ is something essential for those of you doing any kind of business at AirVenture 2025— it's your OSHKOSH INNOVATION QUOTIENT, and it can be critially important to the success of your efforts. It determines your relevance, your ability to innovate, and your value to the aviation world.  And this year, we think there is no better way to display it than one of the most anticipated episodes of ANN's award-winning Airborne news program—dramatically scheduled for the Friday before AirVenture opens the gates. 

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Captain Sully Sullenberger, the pilot who saved 155 people by safely landing an A320 in the Hudson River, has come forward with his thoughts on Trump’s pick to head the FAA: “We all deserve better.” The nominee has made some highly questionable comments regarding pilot experience requirements. The British Counter Terrorism Policing South East unit has charged four people following their arrest for trespassing into the RAF Brize Norton airbase and causing £7 million ($9.5 million) worth of damage to two military Airbus A330 MRTT multi-role Voyager aircraft. They were charged on July 2, 2025, with  conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage. Retired American space shuttle Discovery has gotten tied into President Trump&rsq

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On his journey to become the first pilot to land solo on all seven continents, 19-year-old Ethan Guo hit a legal roadblock. He was arrested for altering his flight plan and landing in Antarctica without notifying ATC. Guo is an instrument-rated private pilot, allegedly with more than 700 hours of flight time. Via his Cessna 182Q Skylane, registered N182WT, he has already managed to land in all 48 contiguous states and cross the Atlantic three times. Four Vietnam Airlines pilots have been suspended as the carrier investigates a recent ground collision between a Boeing 787 and an Airbus A321, at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi. There were no injuries, and the planes were quickly swapped out for flights to continue. The U.S. Senate passed the budget reconciliation bill, aka President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, that contains $12.5 billion for the modernizati

Klyde Ain't Happy About The Space Program...

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

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Volocopter has resumed work towards the certification of its VoloCity eVTOL, this time under the guiding hand of Diamond Aircraft. The manufacturer filed for insolvency late last year before being saved in a $11 million deal this March. Volocopter had big plans: high-profile air show appearances, flashy partnerships with Honeywell and Mercedes-Benz, and a demo flight debut planned for the 2024 Paris Olympics... Swiss electric aircraft developer H55 completed over 50 demo flights in the Palo Alto stop of its Across America tour. The Bristell B23 Energic aircraft demonstrated the reliability of its electric propulsion system and the company said total purchase commitments garnered during the tour now account for the first two years of production. Searching through the debris of an assault on Ukraine led drone hunters to a startling discovery: Russia may b

Easy Online Forms Available For Sport Plane Manufacturers And Suppliers To Be Listed In The Upcoming eSPRG

Work on the SportPlane Resource Guide is going well… Albeit a little bit behind schedule, because as we got into this process, things became a bit more complicated simply because we learned we could do an even better job at certain aspects of this project than we thought from the beginning. They say that the enemy of true quality is the phrase "good enough" and we want to be far more than “good enough.” FMI: www.sportplane.com, Online eSPRG Vendor Survey Form, Online eSPRG Sp