Policy Would Have Limited Airports Allowed For Phase I Tests

After receiving numerous complaints, the FAA overturned a policy set in December involving experimental aircraft testing. The regulation limited aircraft in Phase I to operating out of only a single airport. With only one field permitted for use, inspectors could not verify an aircraft’s performance in various environments.

Selects Air Force Veteran and Space Agency Official Troy Meink

President-elect Donald Trump has finalized his service secretary roster by selecting Troy Meink as the next Air Force head. Meink has extensive experience with the branch and space operations. In 2020, Meink was appointed Principal Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (PDDNRO).

Telemetry Dish And Pedestal Tracked Spacecraft, Aircraft

When NASA’s administration Building 4800 at the Dryden Flight Research Center was built in the 1950s, it contained the infrastructure to support and anchor a rooftop telemetry dish and its pedestal that were used to track and collect data from many different experimental aircraft as well as spacecraft.

SpaceX Required To Conduct Mishap Investigation

The FAA released the following statement regarding the loss of the SpaceX Starship vehicle during the launch of Flight Test 7 on January 16, 2025...

Deliveries In 2026 As Testing Progresses To Field Operational Level

Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have agreed to adjust aspects of the T-7A Red Hawk jet training aircraft to meet the operational needs of the Air Education Training Command’s (AETC), and to deliver in 2026 four “Production Representative Test Vehicles” (PRTVs).

Converts Order To Mix Of  ATR 42-600 And 72-600 Aircraft

Irish aircraft leasing company Abelo deepened its partnership with regional aircraft manufacturer ATR with a significant expansion of its leasable fleet by converting its original order for 10 ATR 42 aircraft to a mix of five ATR 42-600 and five ATR 72-600 aircraft. Additionally, Abelo firmed its order for three more ATR 72-600 via options agreed upon during the Dubai Airshow in 2023.

Expands Footprint In Wichita, Adding Capacity And Expertise

Yingling Aviation, a full-service provider of MRO and FBO services for business and general aviation based in Wichita, Kansas, announced its acquisition of Global Engineering & Technology, Inc. (GETI), provider of aircraft interior services also based in Wichita.

Succeeds John L. Barry, Maj. Gen. USAF (Ret)

Wings Over the Rockies (Wings) Air & Space Museum announced that Marcus A. Harshaw, Jr., has been named the new President and CEO, succeeding John L. Barry, Maj. Gen. USAF (Ret) who headed Wings with dedication and vision since 2017.

FedEx Pilot Follows Woman Onto a Delta Flight From Toronto to Atlanta

A woman traveling with Delta was reportedly being followed to Atlanta by another passenger who used to be a pilot for the airline. The flight crew was able to contact dispatch and help her get out of the airport safely. The female trainee stated that the FedEx pilot has been stalking and harassing her since September 2024.

Also: Emirates Fights Back, Embraer Delivers 75, Ryanair Sues Passenger, Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

Skyryse has introduced its updated production cockpit for its Skyryse One aircraft. The innovative and enhanced cockpit is scalable to fit any aircraft. The updated Skyryse One interior design brings to life the company’s vision to enable enhanced access to flight controls from both front seats with a streamlined design that will accelerate the approval of its technology for any aircraft. Huntington Beach, California will be forced to chalk up $182,092 in attorney fees and other costs related to a 2023 court case. The city had been sued by a resident af

While Climbing To Cruise Altitude After Takeoff, The Engine Suddenly Lost Total Power

Analysis: The pilot reported that, while climbing to cruise altitude after takeoff, the engine suddenly lost total power. He attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful, and subsequently conducted a forced landing into a pond. While maneuvering, the airplane impacted a tree, resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage.

From 2016 (YouTube Edition): What's Holding YOU Back From Your Dream Of Flight?

While at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2016, ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, shares a conversation with us that he had with Sean O'Donnell, a pilot and representative for Able Flight. In this video, we see an interesting airplane called the Sky Arrow, and we also hear the fantastic and poignant story of an organization called, Able Flight. The Sky Arrow has been around for a while as an early entry into the field of light sport aircraft. It's a great little plane, but it also has one particular feature that made it perfect for the mission of Able Flight.

Aero Linx: X-51A Waverider The experimental X-51A Waverider is an unmanned, autonomous supersonic combustion ramjet-powered hypersonic flight test demonstrator for the U.S. Air Force. The X-51A is designed to be launched from an airborne B-52 Stratofortress bomber. The flight test vehicle stack is approximately 25 feet long and includes a modified solid rocket booster from an Army Tactical Missile, a connecting interstage, and the X-51A cruiser. The nearly wingless cruiser is designed to ride its own shockwave, thus the nickname, Waverider. The distinctive, shark-nosed cruiser has small controllable fins and houses the heart of the system, an SJY61 supersonic combustion ramjet or scramjet e

Descend Via An abbreviated ATC clearance that requires compliance with a published procedure lateral path and associated speed restrictions and provides a pilot-discretion descent to comply with published altitude restrictions.

“EAA appreciates the FAA’s action in responding to our feedback and reversing this change. Needlessly limiting airports during flight testing is detrimental to safety and the flight testing process itself.” Source: Tom Charpentier, the EAA’s government relations director, commenting on changes made after receiving numerous complaints as the FAA overturned a policy set in December involving experimental aircraft testing. The regulation limited aircraft in Phase I to operating out of only a single airport.