Community Group Fights Against Its Skies Becoming an AI Test Bed

Archer Aviation’s plan to turn Hawthorne Airport into the heart of its Los Angeles air-taxi network earned it a big “WELCOME” from the mayor… and exactly the opposite from locals. Members of the community started the “Hawthorne Quiet Skies” group to express both confusion and disappointment with the decision.

Agency Advisory Cites Troublesome Security and Increased Military Activity

The FAA has issued a fresh advisory urging airlines to use caution when flying in or above Venezuela, citing a “potentially hazardous situation” driven by deteriorating security conditions and increased military activity. The notice applies to all operations in the Maiquetia Flight Information Region (SVZM FIR), where tensions have escalated since early fall.

Milestone Comes Just Over Three Years into the Safran Engines Partnership

Bell Textron has logged a new sustainability landmark, announcing that its dedicated Bell 505 helicopter has surpassed 700 flight hours using blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The milestone, revealed at European Rotors 2025 in Cologne, comes just three years after Bell and Safran Helicopter Engines partnered to study how SAF affects performance and operating economics.

Water-Based Green Veriport Brings Much-Needed Flexibility to Urban Air Mobility

AutoFlight Aviation Technology recently unveiled and demonstrated its Water-based Green Veriport (WGV): an aircraft carrier-like platform that supports electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) operations rather than fighter jets. The system aims to fill a major gap in urban air mobility infrastructure.

Castagna Discusses Members, Advocacy, Safety, MOSAIC

Aero-News Network’s Rex Alexander talked with Curt Castagna, President and CEO of the National Air Transportation Association at the 2025 EAA AirVenture fly-in and air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. NATA currently has about 3,700 member companies representing all segments of business aviation interests and beyond. Those include FBOs, Part 135 charter operators, flight schools, maintenance & repair shops/MROs, fuel suppliers, insurance companies, and numerous other aviation-related businesses. The organization is very active in doing a lot of legislative and regulatory advocacy work in Washington D.C., and through its well-known Safety 1st platform on its website is their key program in advancing safety in the industry.

Pilot Reported That The Airplane Encountered A Crosswind Gust Just Prior To Touchdown

Analysis: The pilot reported that the airplane encountered a crosswind gust just prior to touchdown, which pushed it to the left, and the pilot corrected with right aileron and left rudder. Upon touchdown, the pilot felt a “soft bump rather than the typical soft touch of the main [landing] gear,” which was followed by a “large bounce and porpoising.” 

Aero Linx: The 1-26 Association (Schweizer)

The Association’s goal is to foster the helpfulness, the camaraderie, and the opportunity for head-to-head competition that is found in One Design groups in sailing. It is an organization of people who share the common ideal that soaring should be fun, not frantic – people who include pilots, families, crews and others who are interested. Membership is open to everyone. Owning a 1-26 or being a pilot is not required! We encourage your to browse our website and visit our new Online Community.

Takeoff Hold Lights (THL) The THL system is composed of in-pavement lighting in a double, longitudinal row of lights aligned either side of the runway centerline. The lights are focused toward the arrival end of the runway at the “line up and wait” point, and they extend for 1,500 feet in front of the holding aircraft. Illuminated red lights indicate to an aircraft in position for takeoff or rolling that it is unsafe to takeoff because the runway is occupied or about to be occupied by an aircraft or vehicle.

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Even with the vast resources and incredibly far-reaching scope of the Aero-News Network, every now and then a story that should be reported on slips through our fingers. There's a lot of news out there, and sometimes we just don't get to all of it... so we came up with the idea of News Spies.

“We are disappointed with today’s verdict and respectfully disagree with the outcome. From the outset, we have maintained that Gogo’s independently developed 5G technology does not infringe SmartSky’s asserted patents, and their claims of patent protection are invalid..." Source: From a statement by Gogo, following their court loss, as a federal jury in Delaware has ruled against Gogo Business Aviation and found the company liable for infringing four patents held by its competitor SmartSky Networks. The decision orders Gogo to pay $22.7 million in damages.