Production Plans Contingent On Getting UJTS Contract

Textron Aviation Defense announced production plans for the UJTS, or Undergraduate Jet Training System program. That is, if they get the contract, the company will assemble the Beechcraft M-346N at its Wichita, Kansas factory. The historic Beechcraft brand called Wichita home for almost a century, and the announcement reinforces the company’s commitment to delivering the U.S. Navy its most advanced integrated jet training system.

CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL Climbed More than 7 Miles High, Breaking a 75 Year Record

In a truly mind-boggling and somewhat concerning performance, a CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL has quite literally soared to new heights by climbing to an altitude of 37,609 feet above sea level. The previous record, set almost 75 years ago, was achieved by a Piper Super Cub at 30,203 feet.

Month-Long Funding Lapse Sets Back Long-Term Programs at a Crucial Time

The FAA finally has a decent excuse to put its drone agenda on hold… and, of course, it comes at a crucial time for the industry’s future. With major updates in the works, including the long-awaited Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rulemaking, the agency is being forced to focus all its efforts on core safety work as the government shutdown drags on.

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Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, in partnership with NASA, successfully completed the first flight of the X-59, an innovative, quiet supersonic aircraft designed to return the capability of supersonic flight to commercial air travel. The X-59 launched from the Skunk Works facility at the U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, and landed near the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. King Schools is stepping up to help fill the gap left by the sudden closure of AceCFI, offering impacted CFIs a major discount to its Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC). AceCFI, an online FIRC service, ceased operations after its FAA authorization expired on September 30, 2025. While the FAA had officially removed AceCFI from its list of approved providers on August 29, few customers received any advance notice. Nearly a month in

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OK... this is an insane record... and one that is likely to stand for a while as we’re not sure there are many who would choose to challenge it. A next-gen CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL has climbed to a verified altitude of 37,609 feet above sea level over the California coast just a few days ago — setting what CubCrafters claims to be an unofficial new world altitude record for Cub-type aircraft (and let’s face it, it’s not likely that most Cub-types have seen anywhere near HALF that altitude. The Affordable Flying Expo is building up a healthy head of steam as additional exhibitors join the mix and the list of aircraft on display grows by the day. Recently, we received confirmation of the Deltahawk RV14 test vehicle, and added both Tecnam and JMB Aircraft added 5, possibly as many as 7 additional aircraft to the growing static display lin

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Purdue University’s Research Foundation and the Archaeological Legacy Institute have confirmed that they will be putting their quest to find Amelia Earhart’s Lockheed Electra aircraft on hold until next year. The announcement blamed seasonal weather that would jeopardize the expedition if it continued to wait for Kiribati’s green light. SpaceX is clipping the wings on its Starlink Mini users. The company announced that starting November 7, 2025, the maximum supported operating speed for its Roam, Local Priority, and Global Priority plans will drop from 550 mph (471 knots) to 450 mph (391 knots). The change comes as part of what SpaceX calls “ongoing efforts to optimize network performance.” Months after the Federal Aviation Administration pulled her medical on bogus mental health-related claims, Xyla Foxlin has retu

Says Engine Is ‘Optimal Choice’ For Full-Scale Cavorite X7 Aircraft

New Horizon Aircraft, dba Horizon Aircraft, a Lindsay, Ontario-based aerospace engineering firm developing a hybrid eVTOL aircraft, announced it selected the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engine for its full-scale Cavorite X7 aircraft.  

Modernizes Fleet And Strengthens Aerial Firefighting Capability

The County of Los Angeles announced a contract with Sikorsky for two new S-70i FIREHAWK helicopters to enhance wildfire suppression, search and rescue, and emergency medical services throughout the county’s 4,000 square mile area.

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The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is at the front end of a year-long AI policing experiment, putting a completely autonomous, $200,000 squad car equipped with thermal imaging drones to the test. The so-called Police Unmanned Ground (PUG) Patrol Partner was developed and donated by Policing Lab and Perrone Robotics. The SUV comes on a Ford Explorer platform, fitted with 360-degree cameras, thermal sensors, license plate readers, and a rooftop drone dock. U.S. National Parks have prohibited the use of drones for any reason – absent a special permit – since 2014, yet increasing numbers of drone pilots have ignored the ban, and there are some reports that it’s gotten noticeably worse since the government shutdown, although that is not entirely clear. Conducting illegal drone flights can lead to penalties of up to $5,000 and six months in ja

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More than a decade of hard work, legal setbacks, and community advocacy has finally come to fruition, with MOSAIC officially becoming a final rule on October 22, 2025. Around three-quarters of the entire GA fleet now falls under the sport aviation category. The October 22 date is the initial effective date, with additional reforms scheduled for July 2026. Diamond Aircraft is responding to a wave of popular demand from flight schools, clubs, and owners by restarting the production line for its Katana 2-seat single-engine piston airplane. The Katana is well-known for its performance, reliability, and value in the training environment. The company will be building the Katana at its facility in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, and the DA20i will be powered by the Rotax 912 iSc3. One of the more intriguing features of the 2025 Affordable Flying Expo, scheduled fo