The Light Utility Chopper First Flew in 1975 Before Being Certified in 1979
Robinson Helicopter Company is celebrating the 50th air-niversary of its iconic two-seat workhorse design: the R22. This light utility helicopter is not only the cornerstone of Robinson’s offerings, but also a staple in the worldwide market for entry-level buyers and flight training centers. Since it hit the market in 1979, more than 5,000 have been delivered.
Controversial Study Finds that Facial Hair Compromises Oxygen Mask Seals
Qantas Airways is considering cracking down on grooming standards for its pilots, referencing a recent (and controversial) study that tied beards to improper seals in oxygen masks. Prior research directly contradicts these findings, earning the airline plenty of pushback from crewmembers.
Project Earned $8.5 Million in FAA Funding Last Year
After more than a year, Philadelphia International Airport’s Runway 8-26 has reopened with a new feature to protect runaway aircraft. The Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS) is proven technology, with 24 real-world overrun saves already under its belt.
Also: New SAF, Korean Air Buys 103 Boeings, Maryland SP Helo Rescue, OK AWOS Update
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation announced its first customer delivery of the all-new Gulfstream G800, “the world’s longest range business aircraft.” The G800 capped off its certification process back in April. Its biggest point of pride is the “industry’s lowest cabin altitude of 2,840 feet” at a 41,000 ft cruise. It even has the newer “plasma ionization air purification system” that became something to have in the COVID days, as well as a 100% fresh air system inside. Freezing temperatures and water-contaminated hyd
Also: Air Race Tkts Marked Down, Kirk Hawkins Lost, GADFLY AI-Driven Engine Analysis, Sport Aviation Halls of Fame
The Aero-News crew is getting ready to pack up a lot of video gear, their laptops and other tools in order to cover next week’s MidWest Aviation Expo. The 17th ANNUAL Midwest Aviation Expo will be Thursday, September 4-6, 2025 at the Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (MVN) Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Midwest Aviation Expo has been specifically organized to showcase the sport aviation industry and they do it quite well... turning into one of our favorite annual events... affording one and all to see some of the latest LSA and other sport aircraft as
Cadets Collect Atmospheric Observations With GLOBE Observer App
The Civil Air Patrol and NASA collaborate in the agency’s Aviation Weather Mission team to lead a nationwide project to advance scientific understanding of weather in the atmospheric layers where aircraft fly.
Also: 500-Aircraft Deal With China, Florida ANG's F-35, FAA Denies Petition, UC Central Arkansas Aviation Academy
The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) is offering its apologies to fans for the double class withdrawal from this year’s National Championship Air Races (NCAR). This comes in the form of 10 percent ticket refunds on existing orders, a 10 percent price drop on all new tickets, and the option to seek a complete refund or deferral to 2026. The three largest European suppliers of leaded avgas were recently granted an extension to the EU’s ban, securing 100LL production until April 2032. The first of the three approvals, grante
With SpaceX’s Push for 44 Launches Per Year, Delays Will Only Worsen
SpaceX’s plan to not only bring its Starship megarocket to the Sunshine State, but also expand operations to 44 launches per year could mean serious trouble for major airports and airlines. The FAA predicts average delays of up to two hours… or longer, if Starship keeps its habit of turning launches into firework shows.
MOSAIC-Centric Event Set For November 6-8, 2025... DON'T Miss It!
After a master strategy meeting this last week on the grounds of the Sun n Fun Aerospace Expo campus, details have been completed for the first MOSAIC-dedicated, MOSAIC-centric Affordable Flying Expo (AFE25). With the rule officially announced, AFE25 stands to be the best opportunity for MOSAIC-interested folks to get their questions answered and for the industry to show the aviation community that they are ready to serve this expanding niche.
Also: ERAU Uses UAVs, P550 Group 2 UAS, Starship’s Florida Launches, NASA Missions Chopped
The Air Force has put out a call to commission a one-to-one copy of the Iranian-designed Shahed-136. This is a low-cost attack drone that Russia has been using heavily against Ukraine… and that the US wants to know just how to take down. The request for information specifies that the drone must match the Shahed’s form, fit, and function, though the government isn’t providing any technical specifics. The X37B Orbital Test Vehicle launched this past week, August 21, on its eighth mission, lifting off at 11:50 p.m. ET aboard a SpaceX Fa
With Vintage Halon Units About the Expire, the Time to Replace is Now
Avcon Industries has been given STC approval for the installation of their non-halon portable fire extinguisher replacements in a long list of Learjets. With Halon on the outs around the globe, it's good news if any Learjet operators are still running around with their original units. Avcon says they've got things started for approval from EASA, but for now, the FAA's given their blessing.
This year’s Zenith Homecoming event will soon be taking off at the plane maker’s kit factory, located on the grounds of Mexico Memorial Airport (KMYJ) in Missouri. 2025 marks the 34th round of the annual Open Hangar Days and Fly-In, bringing together kit builders and aviation enthusiasts from across the country. The event, held on September 19 and 20, has a fairly similar format to previous years. The FAA’s Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) is the current path for unleaded aviation fuels to clear regulatory hurdle
Aviation Needs Stability, Credibility, Expertise, and Integrity...
We're coming off one of the most successful, if not THE most successful, Oshkosh special event coverage programs in our 30 year history. It was an uplifting week, despite a few moments of serious heartburn. By now, most of you know that the state of aviation journalism has gone from really really (really) bad... to far worse, as a number of combined publications utilizing practices that disturbed us, appear to be swirling the drain.... taking some good people and a fair amount of the industry with it.
Also: Spartan Acquires, ICAO Warns, Mesa Standing Strong, Fight Against the ATC Shortage
India’s primary aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is forcing IndiGo to the stand after learning that up to 1,700 of its pilots may have conducted training in unapproved flight simulators. The airline has two weeks to respond. The regulator says the lapses involve training for “critical airfield” operations into Leh, Kozhikode, and Kathmandu… all airports that demand extra preparation due to terrain, runway layout, or other unique challenges. Body cam footage was recently pulled from the arrest
Organizers of the iconic annual Air Race Classic will soon be opening registration for their spin-off event, called the Air Derby. This so-called “Twist on Tradition” condenses the usual four-day, 2,000-mile odyssey into a one-day exercise in precision, planning, and navigation. Registration opens on September 1, with flights allowed anytime between October 1 and 14… and yes, unlike the original event, it is open to both male and female pilots. The National Championship Air Races have reve
Japanese eVTOL aircraft developer SkyDrive announced the successful completion of a series of demo flights of its SKYDRIVE, the SD-05 model, it conducted at the Expo 2025 held in Osaka, Japan, from July 31 to August 24.
Also: New A4A Head, NCAR Still Green Lit, Textron ATAC, E-130J Becomes “Phoenix II”
SecTrans Sean Duffy, shortly after receiving $12.5 billion for the same cause, is looking for lawmakers to put another $19 billion towards the ATC system overhaul. However, it seems that Congress won’t bite until it sees meaningful progress from previous efforts. Duffy is signaling that what’s been allocated so far barely scratches the surface of what he claims is needed for the full modernization effort… lucky for him, the proposal has already earned some high-profile support. The Federal Aviation Administration Office of Airport Com
Easy Online Forms Available For Sport Plane Manufacturers And Suppliers To Be Listed In The Upcoming eSPRG
Work on the SportPlane Resource Guide is going well… Albeit a little bit behind schedule, because as we got into this process, things became a bit more complicated simply because we learned we could do an even better job at certain aspects of this project than we thought from the beginning. They say that the enemy of true quality is the phrase "good enough" and we want to be far more than “good enough.”
FMI: www.sportplane.com,
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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
Formerly known as Mosquito, Trenton, Florida-based Composite FX is a designer and manufacturer of personal kit and factory-finished helicopters. The company’s offerings comprise three piston-engined models and a single jet-powered machine. The agile XE and the float-equipped XEL both make use of the 63-horsepower, two-cylinder, two-stroke, fan-air-cooled, carbureted, MZ202-powerplant. The larger XE-290 model is powered by the ninety-horsepower, two-cylinder, two-stroke, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, CFX-800 engine. Finally, the flagship XET is motivated by a 95-horsepowe
While Flying About 1,500 Ft Above Ground Level, A Large Bird Struck The Right Side Of The Airplane
Analysis: The pilot reported that while flying about 1,500 ft above ground level, a large bird struck the right side of the airplane and the right main landing gear separated from its attachment point. The pilot flew back to the airport and performed a soft field landing in the grass adjacent to the taxiway.
BIG Upgrades In The Works --- ANN Is Seeking EXCEPTIONAL New Staffers
The last few years have been about as challenging a time as we can recall... but we survive (yeah, we're kinda surprised, too) and look forward to 2025 and what we see as a very rewarding (and yes, still challenging) new generation of activities at ANN. After some truly weird times during the pandemic, ANN continues to expand slowly, but surely, and we have some truly intriguing upgrades coming up over the next few months. In other words, we're about to grow again -- REALLY/TRULY -- and in some novel directions. The much-appreciated expansion of
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Massive Aviation News Event Started 2024 Off With a Plethora of Exciting Info
Last year, we introduced the SnF Innovation Preview in which 25 companies introduced over 30 new planes, products, engines, accessories, and more… in other words… a LOT of news. Rotax previewed the powerful 916iS, CubCrafters showcased the Carbon Cub UL, Bose introduced the A30, Aerox revealed the Boomula… and so much more. This year, we went beyond that... way beyond all that, with a larger selection of news announcements that covered ALL aspects of sport, general and commercial aviation... all at the start of the
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
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
Emphasis On Growing The Future of Aviation Through Concentration on 'AFFORDABLE FLYERS'
It's been a number of years since the Latest Edition of Jim Campbell's HUGE SportPlane Resource Guide first saw the light of day. That massive 1100 page book last featured over 800 exciting sport aircraft from all over the SportPlane universe... at a time when the SportPlane industry was still a healthy, thriving enterprise (those were the days...). While there has been some consideration, off and on, toward updating the nearly 5 pound book, the near implosion of the SportPlane and kit industry over the last decade has made such a pursuit an unwieldy one... until now.
It’s been a while since we have reminded everyone about all the ways we offer your daily dose of aviation news on-the-go...so here is a full list of ways you can subscribe to our channels and get notifications when there are new episodes or breaking news!
1) Subscribe To Our Newsletter
When surveyed, almost half of our audience shared with us that they rely on our daily newsletter to get their aviation news for the day and stay up-to-date in their field or craft. Are you subscribed yet? If not, use the link below to receive our daily Propwash emails that always feature a feed of our latest stories and breaking news.
SUBSCRIBE >&g
Aero Linx: Historic Aircraft Association (HAA)
The Historic Aircraft Association (HAA) was founded in 1979 with the aim of furthering the safe flying of historic aircraft in the UK and, later on, supporting the restoration and preservation of these aircraft. The Association, which currently has over 200 active pilot and engineer members, has made a major contribution to General Aviation, ensuring that British flying heritage is kept alive by promoting the safe flying of valuable, historic and heritage aircraft...
Low Approach
An approach over an airport or runway following an instrument approach or a VFR approach including the go-around maneuver where the pilot intentionally does not make contact with the runway.
There's A Lot To Like On ANN's Latest Social Media Site
We all know how important Social Media is to a lot of people, particularly those under 30. We also know how important those folks are to the future of aviation. In so many forums and at so many events, we talk about how to attract the next generation of pilots, mechanics, and enthusiasts to our industry, and social media is certainly critical to getting the message out to those who practically live online.
"This is just an absolute win win win. If there is a rejected takeoff we now have the confidence that the arrestor system will ensure passenger and crew safety."
Source: FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, supporting the rationale behind how after more than a year, Philadelphia International Airport’s Runway 8-26 has reopened with a new feature to protect runaway aircraft. The Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS) is proven technology, with 24 real-world overrun saves already under its belt.
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