Wed, Dec 10, 2025
Also: Elfin 20 Journey, BASE Jumper Rescue, Pipistrel Makes Waves, EAA Hall of Fame, Affordable Flying Expo 2026
Like most of the industry, kit manufacturer Sonex has been hit by the ever-increasing costs of parts and materials, and is being forced to pass some of the burden off to customers beginning December 15. Still, Sonex’s prices remain well under par, with many of its complete airframe kits available for under $40,000. The company detailed the price shifts for Complete Airframe Kits, Quick Build Kits, and AeroVee engine packages. Produced jointly by the Aero-News Network and SUN ’n FUN—in addition to the pre-show SNF Innovation Preview, the all-week SUN ’n FUN Digital Daily, Saturday Flight Live coverage, and our extensive daily news and video output—we are introducing something significant. MOSAIC Day Debuts Thursday at SUN ’n FUN and will designate Thursday as MOSAIC Day, featuring a full day of f
Read More
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
Also: SpaceX Starship Carries on, Hartzell Adds Lamar, Mar-a-Lago TFR Ooopppss, CAF Lobo Wing
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association issued the Third Quarter 2025 General Aviation Aircraft Shipping and Billing Report, covering results worldwide, and the result for the first nine months of 2025, when compared to the same period last year, show increased shipments in the business jet sector as well as an increase in the overall value of aircraft shipments. Airbus released an update on the deployment of precautionary fleet measures on its approximately 6,000 A320 family of aircraft. The actions were required after several aircraft experienced an unexpected loss of altitude and Airbus issued an Alert Operators Transmission (AOT). Upon inspection, Airbus engineers traced the anomalies to corrupted altitude data believed to be caused by intense solar radiation that affected software vulnerabilities feeding the altitude data to aircraft sys
Read More
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
Nav Systems Find Great Test Range in the Mojave
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been working on their future Martian helicopters, after Ingenuity was such a smashing success. A recurring problem towards the end was the poor thing's navigational systems: It's hard to tell the difference from one featureless martian sand dune to another. So NASA folks headed to some of Earth's own featureless sand dunes to start training the next one...
Read More
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
Also: USAF Reaper Accident, Baikonur Damage, Horizon eVTOL IFR/FIKI, New Glenn Update
Honda has outlined its clearest timeline yet for its entry into the world of electric vertical-lift, confirming that its first full-scale eVTOL prototype will be finished by the end of 2025. The inaugural flight is slated for March 2026, marking the company’s transition from years of under-the-radar development to a much more public testing phase. Arctus Aerospace announced it raised $2.6 million from Version One Ventures, South Park Commons, gradCapital, and several angel investors in a pre-seed round to accelerate the development of its large, unmanned aircraft intended to fly at 45,000 feet for up to 24 hours. Arctus said the funding will be deployed to establish one of the deepest full-stack unmanned aircraft manufacturing and engineering capabilities that will be built entirely in-house. Sam Bousfield, CEO of Samson Sky, has been granted his eigh
Read More
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
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.
Read More
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
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.
Read More
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
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 evaluate the most enjoyable, and most affordable, solutions to flying, operating, and owning aircraft in the 21st century.
Read More
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
From 2024 (YouTube Edition): Providing Continuous Talk, Text, And Email
General Manager of Airtext Jonathan Pinson brought his company’s newest Oasis suite to NBAA 2023, and he gave ANN founder Jim Campbell the rundown. Their new Oasis IFE offers dual-channel satellite radios for continued communications in-flight, offering passengers and pilots moving maps, 2-way radio, ATIS, and even clearances before, during, and after flights. The in flight entertainment system jacks into cabin multimedia equipment to provide a locally stored media server that requires no data usage in flight. Airtext continues to provide continuous talk, text, and email functionality as their flagship product, with faster connections in the pipeline for future release.
Read More
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
Airplane Descended Into Trees Located Beyond The Departure End Of The Runway
Analysis: The pilot departed in variable light wind conditions for an aerial application flight. During the initial climb, the airplane reached an altitude of about 40 ft agl as the pilot began a turn away from the runway. The pilot described that the wind shifted to a tailwind and the airplane’s airspeed decreased. The airplane then exceeded its critical angle of attack, resulting in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude. With insufficient height to recover, the airplane descended into trees located beyond the departure end of the runway and came to rest in an upright position near a tree line. The airplane’s wings, fuselage, and tail section were substantially damaged during the accident sequence.
Read More
Wed, Dec 10, 2025
From 2022 (YouTube Edition): Still Life with Verve
David Uhl was born into a family of engineers and artists—a backdrop conducive to his gleaning a keen appreciation for the form, function, and beauty of machines, and an intuitive understanding of the passions they inspire. Mr. Uhl purchased his first motorcycle in 1988, and his pencils, brushes, and artistic sensibilities hastened to document the arcane syncretisms of line, curve, and color by which the brute concomitantly aroused the intellectual and visceral ecstasies.
Read More