Also: The Aircraft That Delivered, Breakthroughs and Breakdowns Report, Aero-Standouts, Aero-Stumbles 

Welcome to a special episode of Airborne Unlimited... with a look back at 2025 and what it all might mean for 2026. Call it The Aero-News Aviation Reality Check — 2025 Edition, bit make no mistake... in one form or another, these are the stories, companies, planes and products that distinguished aviation this year. While there was a;lot to cover and much that we really didn't have th s[pace for, we wanted to offer some kudos to planes, products, powerplants and programs that deserved serious kudos... as well as those who most definitely did N

Industry Speaks Against Section 373 of the National Defense Authorization Act

Section 373 of the newly passed National Defense Authorization Act isn’t sitting well with much of the industry, sparking public frustration from the National Transportation Safety Board, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and Washington, D.C. officials. Their statements all serve as a warning to Congress, claiming that the provision undoing necessary safety protections put in place after January’s deadly mid-air collision.

Committee Meets December 17 To Evaluate Status Following Prime Integrator Selection

Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, announced his call to convene a hearing titled, “FAA’s Plan for ATC Modernization: Evaluating Progress, Ensuring Accountability and Results” on Wednesday December 17, at 2:30 pm EST.

ANAC Clears Way For Operations By Capable, Multi-Role Aircraft

Daher Aircraft announced that its Kodiak 900 has received its airworthiness certification from the Brazilian ANAC, or Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil, enabling the larger and faster version of the venerable Kodiak 100 for operations in a country that has a compelling need for modern, highly capable multi-role aircraft.

Sure, Real Estate in LA is Expensive…but How About Airport LA Real Estate? 

Archer Aviation announced the completion of phase one in its acquisition process, putting them on track to have their own playground in Hawthorne Airport of California. They are going for the master lease from the City of Hawthorne along with the associated subleases, which will grant control of the real estate of the airport complex. They plan to acquire the FBO and passenger terminal in 2026 as part of phase 2 of the transaction. Once complete, that will grant full control. 

Airbus CEO Admits They Will Lose The Crown in 2025 Despite Winning in Deliveries, Backlog

Boeing is shaping up to earn the gold medal for aircraft orders in 2025… but what does that really mean for the competition? The answer is not much, as Airbus remains firmly ahead in deliveries and backlog despite not having tariffs on its side for much of the year.

Also: Project Talon, McFarlane Acquisition, Sky-Tec Service, JPL Earth Helo Tests

Bombardier has earned a round of applause from the business aviation community, celebrating the formal entry into service of what it calls the “fastest civil aircraft since the Concorde.” Keys to the first Global 8000 were turned over to loyal customer and GFL Environmental CEO Patrick Dovigi on December 8. The Global 8000 comes with a headline-grabbing Mach 0.95 top speed, a certified 8,000-nautical-mile range, and a cabin altitude of just 2,691 feet at cruise. California Representative Darrell Issa (CA-48) announced the finalized 2026 National Defense A

Yes... We Will Be On A Holiday Schedule For The Christmas Holiday

As the Aero-News staff observes the worldwide holiday of Christmas this weekend, we wanted to let our readers know that ANN will still be on the job, reporting breaking news in the aviation and aerospace fields as it happens -- in Real Time -- just like always. Aero-News will be publishing at a slightly reduced level on December 25th and 26th, as our staffers spend some time with their families... some of whom may not recognize them away from their computers. Basically, we're going to treat the long weekend as just that: a long weekend, meaning you'll still be able to find several new stories each day on our website.

Klyde Celebrates Yet Another Unsung Hero Of The FAA

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Also: Cosmonaut Kicked Out, Airbus Scales Back, AF Silver Star, Russian A-60 Clobbered

A Samaritan’s Purse humanitarian flight was hijacked on Tuesday, December 2, while attempting to supply a mobile medical unit in South Sudan. Authorities were able to meet the aircraft on the ground and take the suspect into custody without further incident. The aircraft involved was one of the organization’s Cessna Grand Caravans that operates solely within Africa. The FAA has taken an unusually cooperative step towards pilot mental health reform, reducing the stabilization wait time for approved antidepressant medications from 6 months to just 3. T

Acquisition Makes Spirit’s Commercial and Aftermarket Operations Part of Boeing

Boeing has checked off all the boxes on its Spirit AeroSystems acquisitions, officially absorbing the company’s commercial aircraft manufacturing and aftermarket affairs. The combined operation will also be launching a new standalone defense business under the banner “Spirit Defense.”

Also: AirVenture Tkts, Pipistrel TC, Samson Patent, Kolb Aircraft Resumes Production

The FAA has released an updated set of advisory circulars to support the transition to the long-awaited Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) rule, offering new direction for pilots, instructors, and light-sport repairmen. The documents, published November 14, aim to align long-standing guidance with the performance-based system that will replace the outdated light-sport framework when MOSAIC takes effect in 2026. Dynon has released SkyView HDX software version 17.4, bringing a fresh round of upgrades and quality-of-life improvements to its

Also: Airbus Acquisition, USCG Helo Sniper, Remember Pearl Harbor, New Thunderbird 1

Gulfstream’s newest addition to its next-gen lineup, the super-midsize G300, is officially airborne. The jet lifted off from Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), staying in the air for 2 hours and 25 minutes. The crew took the aircraft to 30,000 feet and cruised at Mach 0.75, checking off the major boxes needed to kick off the flight-test campaign. The Trump administration has officially locked in its pick to spearhead the biggest upgrade to America’s air traffic control system in decades. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Br

Also: Electra Goes Military, Miami Air Taxi, Hypersonics Lab, MagniX HeliStrom

Amazon’s Prime Air drones are back in the spotlight after one of its newest MK30 delivery drones struck an overhead internet cable in Waco, Texas. The incident serves as an unnerving replay of safety concerns that surfaced just two months ago involving back-to-back collisions with a crane in Arizona. The more recent event occurred on November 18. The drone, registered  N139PA, had just wrapped up a delivery when it “clipped a thin, overhead internet cable,” according to Amazon. The maiden flight of LandSpace’s ZhuQue-3 rocket on December 3 w

Third-Edition Resource Guide is Getting Ready… But It’s Waiting on You

The third edition of the SportPlane Resource Guide—soon to launch as the expanded, fully digital eSPRG—is almost ready for release. The layout is there, dozens of instructional chapters are written, and hundreds of aircraft write-ups are complete. This edition will be bigger, more detailed, and easier to update than the previous 1,100-page print version (probably settling in at more than 2000 pages!), with the potential to far exceed even our own anticipations with S-LSA, E-LSA, ultralights, avionics, and accessories. The only major thing slowing it down is one simple piece: more data from manufacturers.

Dozens of Companies Unveiled Innovative Products Ahead of the 51st SnF Aerospace Expo

Kicking off the 51st SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, we hosted the second annual SnF Innovation Preview to give more than 20 companies just enough time in the spotlight to debut their new planes, products, engines, accessories, and more… In other words… it was a LOT of news, and it’s all still up for your viewing pleasure.

The Flight Crew Felt A Bump/Thud In The Back Of The Airplane, Which They Thought Was Caused By Something Falling Into The Aisle

Analysis: About 10,000 ft mean sea level during a repositioning flight, the flight crew felt a bump/thud in the back of the airplane, which they thought was caused by something falling into the aisle from the lavatory. The flight crew observed that the landing gear unsafe light was illuminated. The flight crew stated that they followed emergency/abnormal airplane checklist items and reset the landing circuit breaker, which did not retract the landing gear.

With The eSPRG Only Weeks Away From Its Start Date, A-AF Will Help To Support Sport Flyers, Worldwide

With the all-new and all-digital SportPlane Resource Guide getting ready for publication early next year, the Aero-News Network is pleased to announce yet another addition to the Airborne video news programming roster… Airborne-Affordable Flyers. Dedicated to keeping people up-to-date on the most affordable aspects of sport and general aviation, Airborne-Affordable Flyers is one of our most exciting offerings yet. A-AF will delve into more than just the current LSA community, but look at all aspects of aviation to examine and ev

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Reflections on War’s Collective Lessons and Cyclical Nature

The exigencies of war ought be colorblind. Inane social-constructs the likes of racism ought break down precipitously amongst men thrust together into combat’s equal-opportunity abattoir. Faced with a common, indiscriminate enemy, human beings ought perceive—suddenly, and with perfect clarity—the immateriality of color, creed, religion, and the myriad trivialities by which they fatuously divide themselves in peacetime.

South Korean University’s Flight Training Program Growing

Frasca International, a provider of flight simulation technology for training, announced that Hanseo University in South Korea is purchasing a new Level 5 Cessna 172 Flight Training Device, the seventh Frasca device to join the school’s fleet.

When He Next Looked Outside He Was Surprised To See That The Airplane Had Drifted To The Left

Analysis: The pilot of the vintage, tailwheel-equipped airplane was departing from a turf runway. The pilot described that as he initiated the takeoff toward the west, and into the setting sun, he looked inside the airplane to verify the engine instruments. It took his eyes several seconds to adjust to the shaded cockpit and when he next looked outside he was surprised to see that the airplane had drifted to the left and he was no longer able to see the runway edge markers.

We’re Hiring Editors, Developers, Video Journalists, Oh My!

Yes, despite the last few years being one of the most unpredictable stretches in aviation media we can remember, ANN is still standing… and somehow, still expanding. The pandemic didn’t exactly make life easy, but we’ve come through it with enough energy to tackle our next round of projects. Fortunately for you, they are already stacking up faster than we can keep up with. Moving forward, we’ll be ramping up efforts on an expanded “Airborne Unlimited,” launching the third version of the SportPlane Resource Guide in a digital format, rolling out coverage for all the greatest airshows, and diving into new Aero-Reality programmin

And That's But One Of Over A Dozen Major Developments Planned For The Next Year Or So

Aero-News Network is now available on Roku and Amazon FireTV! That’s right folks. You can now get your daily dose of aviation news… right on the ol' giggle box! This is an EPIC development for our network, one of many to come, and we’re thrilled to offer you this new way to watch our news programming. Whether you’re a traditional website reader, podcast listener, or YouTube subscriber, we’re dedicated to giving you quality, honest, aviation news that you can trust and broadening our reach and audience aggressively in the coming years, so that we may both Grow and Inform the aviatio

SportPlane Resource Guide (NG) Volume 3 is Bigger, Bolder, and a Whole Lot Easier to Carry

The SportPlane Resource Guide has, like many old kit builds, been collecting dust for years. Over the next year, the book is finally getting a third edition…and this time, it's going digital -- uit HAS to... its simply too big to carry around. Aero-News Network is well on its way to debuting the new e-book with a renewed focus on affordable, entry-level flying mach

Brand New! Avoid The Need For A Comeback... Get Your Marketing Right, Right Now!

Some time ago, the Aero-News Network, responding to numerous requests, established a marketing and communications sister company by the name of AEROPRENEUER... and it's been doing amazing work under these difficult circumstances -- and getting results! We're getting rave reviews from our clients, and working hard to earn the trust of a number of new marketing partners along the way. ANN's Amber Cedroni has come up with a few tips to help aero-businesses stay alive in these tough times, and

Whether You’re a Reader, Watcher, or Listener, ANN Has Got the Coverage You Need

Aero-News Network has been delivering aviation and aerospace news for thirty years (!!!), and by now, we’ve wiggled our way onto just about every platform out there. Whether you’d rather read, watch, or stream, there’s a way to keep ANN in your daily routine. Here’s a quick rundown of where you can find us...  

Aero Linx: Michigan Helicopter Association (MHA)

The Michigan Helicopter Association (MHA) exists to bring together people who share an interest in helicopters, including private, commercial, police, and EMS operations, to enjoy fellowship, learn from one another, and celebrate the role of rotorcraft and heliports in Michigan aviation.

Lost Communications Loss of the ability to communicate by radio. Aircraft are sometimes referred to as NORDO (No Radio). Standard pilot procedures are specified in 14 CFR part 91. Radar controllers issue procedures for pilots to follow in the event of lost communications during a radar approach when weather reports indicate that an aircraft will likely encounter IFR weather conditions during the approach.

Things To Know When You Send A News Release

Aero-News gets hundreds of releases every week, ranging from industry giants like Boeing and Cessna to the smallest of flying clubs and the most quaint of air shows. After having seen the best and the worst in press releases over the years, we have some ideas to help companies do so much more to help themselves, both with ANN and with the general media.

“Our air traffic control system is in need of modernization, and Congress made a major investment in improving the system earlier this year and is working to continue investing in this effort through annual appropriations... I look forward to hearing from Administrator Bedford on next steps to implement a new air traffic control system, including the role of the recently announced Prime Integrator Peraton, additional resources needed and the current state of aviation safety.” Source: Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, has announced a call to convene a hearing titled, “FAA’s Plan