Stole Navy Truck, Damaged Gates on San Clemente Island

Andrew Kyle White of San Diego, age 37, pled guilty to federal criminal charges after admitting he twice illegally landed a small aircraft on the U.S. Naval Auxiliary Landing Field San Clemente Island. The second time he landed there he stole a Navy truck and used it to damage gates on the island, causing thousands of dollars in damages.

New Solution For Undergrad Jet Training

Textron Aviation Defense has launched a tour to show off the Beechcraft M-346N jet trainer as a “ready-now” total integrated training system for the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS).

At Least One Injured in Mid-Air eVTOL Crash Ahead of Live Flight Demo in China

Just ahead of a live flight demonstration, two electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft built by the self-proclaimed ‘largest flying car company in Asia’ collided mid-air. While it is unknown exactly what went wrong, incidents like this draw attention from the already skeptical public, especially given the limited proof that this futuristic technology could be a functional reality.

SpaceX Can Expand Operations At Starbase

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols said in Washington, D.C. that the FAA had fulfilled its obligation “to take a hard look at the effects of light on nearby wildlife” in rejecting a suit brought by conservation groups opposing the FAA’s 2022 approval of expanded rocket launch operations by SpaceX at its Starbase facility in south Texas.

Also: Tidal Flight And DeltaHawk Collab, Russian Drone Strikes, Vertical Aerospace Transition, Power Bank Rules

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 launc

Also: Mexico A/C Production, AI-Powered Smart NOTAMs, Drunk 787 Pilot, Renovating Runway Lighting

Spirit Airlines filed for its second bankruptcy in less than a year at the end of last month, and its competitors are now suggesting that this may be the beginning of the end. Speaking at an industry conference on Thursday, United CEO Scott Kirby called the ultra-low-cost carrier approach a “fundamentally broken business model” and argued that customers have already voted with their wallets. The Illinois Aviation Academy at DuPage County Airport (KDPA) in West Chicago, Illinois, announced it has been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of Vi

Long-Haul Travel Fees Could Cost Passengers Up to 70 Euros Per Ticket

The European aviation industry is urging the Dutch government to take a step back from its proposed air passenger tax increase, which could put travel fees at up to 70 Euros per ticket by 2027. Stakeholders argue that the price hikes would harm the economy more than help it, especially factoring in tourism and decarbonization initiatives.

Also: Douglas Day Event, Tidal Flight And DeltaHawk, Runway Lighting Systems, Supersonic Regs

British Airways suspended one of its pilots who was drunk while traveling as a passenger and caused a disruption in the cabin, with the captain returning to the departure gate at Edinburgh Airport (EDI/EGPH) and delaying the flight to London Heathrow Airport (LHR/EGLL) for more than 90 minutes. Textron Aviation announced the rollout of the first production unit of its new Citation Ascend business jet from its manufacturing facility in Wichita, Kansas. The FAA is expected to certify the aircraft later this year. The Citation Ascend is the newest member of the 560XL series of business jets, and employees held a special celebration to note the program m

Also: Potential Mars Biosignature, Boeing August Deliveries, JetBlue Retires Final E190, Av Safety Awareness

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, establish

Also: New NTSB Nom, Plan To Accelerate AAM, New GAMA Members, SC CAP Wing Honors Duke

Van’s Aircraft is giving potential buyers their final chance to pick up a kit for the RV-3, RV-4, and RV-6 aircraft before they move into retirement once and for all. The deadline for orders is September 30, 2025. After that, no more empennage, fuselage, wing, or finish kits will be offered for the three models. Northrop Grumman announced that the second B-21 Raider stealth bomber flew from Palmdale, California, to Edwards Air Force Base after conducting a strenuous test flight. At Edwards, the U.S. Air Force will move forward with integration

Klyde Is Starting To Dread The Next Lay-Over...

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Software Detects and Summarizes Weather Patterns for Dispatchers

In an intriguing technological development for pilots and dispatchers, the Weather Company (TWC) has debuted its Smart NOTAMs software. The system leverages artificial intelligence to track trends, summarize points, and spotlight priority information within airport notices, aiming to streamline preflight decision-making.

Training On Advanced Capabilities In High-Fi Sim Environments

Lockheed Martin announced a contract with the Republic of Korea to upgrade its Air Force’s F-16 Block 52 flight simulators with the new advanced capabilities of its upgraded F-16 aircraft. The upgrades include enhanced mission capabilities and provide high-fidelity sim environments for the Korean Air Force pilots to train like they fly.

Also: SUN ‘n FUN’s EarlyBird, Rotax Advanced Start, Girls in Aviation Day, Lockwood RV-916!

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

Also: Commercial A/C Certification, GMR Adds More Bell 429s, Helo Denial, John “Lucky” Luckadoo Flies West

CAF’s Col. Mark Novak has accumulated more than 1,000 flight hours in the two remaining airworthy B-29 Superfortress aircraft, Fifi and DOC, a feat that has not been accomplished in at least 65 years. Col. Novak has been a member of the CAF for more than 30 years and began flying Fifi in 2012 as the Second in Command. One year later he upgraded to Pilot in Command and flew the aircraft until 2022... On Friday, September 5, Texas pilots learned the hard way exactly how important it is to use tie-downs, with one plane being flipped b

Also: Commercial A/C Certification, GMR Adds More Bell 429s, Helo Denial, John “Lucky” Luckadoo Flies West

CAF’s Col. Mark Novak has accumulated more than 1,000 flight hours in the two remaining airworthy B-29 Superfortress aircraft, Fifi and DOC, a feat that has not been accomplished in at least 65 years. Col. Novak has been a member of the CAF for more than 30 years and began flying Fifi in 2012 as the Second in Command. One year later he upgraded to Pilot in Command and flew the aircraft until 2022... On Friday, September 5, Texas pilots learned the hard way exactly how important it is to use tie-downs, with one plane being fl

From 2011 (YouTube Edition): A Unique, Affordable and Isolated way to Enjoy Ballooning

Ballooning is both a unique as well as eclectic pursuit... and it attracts (naturally) a pretty unique brand of aviator to its ranks. But solo balloons are particularly rare... though an undeniably cost effective way to play in the sky. While there have been a number of single seat experimental and ultralight balloon systems offered over the years, Cameron says its Sky Hopper is a smaller, lighter and simpler concept.

During Takeoff, The Gyroplane Pitched Up And When The Pilot Attempted To Arrest The Motion, The Backstick Forces On The Control Stick Were Greater Than Expected

Analysis: The pilot was performing a post inspection test flight of the gyroplane. Prior to the flight, the pilot noticed the control stick pressures were greater than he had experienced with other gyroplanes he had previously flown. The gyroplane’s owner and a mechanic explained the gyroplane’s trim system to the pilot who then adjusted the trim to a setting he assumed would be sufficient to maintain control when the gyroplane was airborne. During takeoff, the gyroplane pitched up and when the pilot attempted to arrest the motion, the backstick forces on the con

Aero Linx: International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA) IFATCA is the recognised international organisation representing air traffic controller associations. The Federation has been representing air traffic controllers for more than 60 years, and has member associations in more than 130 countries.

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While we're very proud of our newly-redesigned website, we know that some folks really enjoy the convenience of having their Aero-News dropped into their e-mail boxes every day. Our new site makes that process even easier than before.

Downburst A strong downdraft which induces an outburst of damaging winds on or near the ground. Damaging winds, either straight or curved, are highly divergent. The sizes of downbursts vary from 1/2 mile or less to more than 10 miles. An intense downburst often causes widespread damage. Damaging winds, lasting 5 to 30 minutes, could reach speeds as high as 120 knots. 

“Whatever [White’s] intentions were, the military did not know them; they responded as one might expect the military to respond to an unknown threat: they assumed the worst. The island went on a complete lockdown. Personnel engaged in a highly dangerous mission to locate the unknown intruder(s) notwithstanding the dangers they were exposing themselves too, from the weather, the terrain, and the potential unexploded ordnances that could have been underfoot in that area.” Source: Federal prosecutors, In court documents, as Andrew Kyle White of San Diego, age 37, pled guilty to federal criminal charges after admitting he twice illegally landed a small aircraft on the U.S. Naval Auxiliary Landing Fi