“Based on unique team requirements to fill the role of Thunderbird 1, the Commander/Leader of the Thunderbirds, ACC leadership made a personnel change. The team remains postured for a safe and effective 2026 show season.”

Source: The very basic, not-so-detailed explanation provided by the Thunderbirds as they announced a last-second change to their 2026-2027 Commander and Thunderbird 1 pilot. As expected, no drama was acknowledged…just “unique team requirements” that led them to reverse the earlier selection and install Lt. Col. Alexander “Knight” Prevendar as the next Commander/Leader.

30 Years? How Fast The Time Flies... 

An interesting moment came about this past Sunday as ANN CEO, Jim Campbell, noted that the Aero-News Network came into being exactly 30 years ago (original logo shown). ANN was the first actual aviation Daily Online News Service, and in the ensuing 30 years, has amassed an extraordinary record... over 600,000 stories, a total of videos, podcasts, Airborne and Aero-TV features surpassing well over 10,000 programs... some tremendously important LIVE programming done in support of a number of our media partners such as the SUN n FUN Aerospace Expo, AEA, AUVSI, and many others.  

Florida Pilot Urges Passage Of State Bill To Prohibit Practice

Donald Frano, a member of the Central Florida Pilots Association, posted a statement on Facebook as an urgent warning about the increasing number of airports using or considering using a third-party vendor to send landing fees to pilots based on ADS-B data. This began in Florida and is a growing threat that the aviation community needs to stand up to and strongly oppose.

Loss-Of-Control Accidents, Often Stemming From An Aerodynamic Stall, Remain The Leading Cause Of Fatal Incidents In GA

By: Gene Yarbrough

One of the benefits of a small airshow is the intimate contact with the people and vendors attending. The first annual Affordable Flying Expo afforded  in depth conversation with Mark Korin of Alpha Systems, who manufactures industry leading Angle of Attack systems for light general aviation aircraft. His commitment to superior quality and enhanced aviation safety are exceedingly evident to all who visit him. 

Entrepreneurs And Innovators Take Risks Every Day, Visionaries See Potential Where None Exists….Yet

The affordable flying exposition kicked off at  Lakeland-Linder airport Nov 6 with expected modest attendance on the first day and increasing over the course of the event. However, attendance by the most serious players in the light sport aircraft, sport pilot, and new MOSAIC world showed commitment to this aviation space on par with the beginnings of SUN n FUN and Oshkosh. Over 40 exhibitors registered for the event, all but a few showed up (Two due to airplane troubles,  and one because they admitted they couldn't get their act together in time) showing the commitment by these companies and faith in the industry and future of light general aviation.

Archives Reveal Previously Classified Communications Records, Maps, and Logs

Upholding President Trump’s September promise, the US National Archives has declassified more than 4,600 pages of radio communications, maps, tables, and logs related to the disappearance of legendary aviator Amelia Earhart. While the move isn’t solving the mystery any time soon, it helps fill in some pieces to a 90-year-old puzzle.

Also: 1st-Ever Space Crime Was a Fraud, IAE Buys Diamonds, Kennon Bows Out, Perseverance Rover

An interesting moment came about this past Sunday as ANN CEO, Jim Campbell, noted that the Aero-News Network came into being 30 years ago. ANN was the first actual aviation online news service, and in the ensuing 30 years, has amassed an extraordinary record... over 600,000 stories, a total of videos, podcasts, Airborne and Aero-TV features surpassing 10,000 programs... The debut of SpaceX’s Starship Version 3 booster didn’t exactly go as planned, with its test campaign starting and ending before the sun even rose. Booster 18 suffered a major structural failure partway into what was supposed to be a long list of cryogenic checks and pressure trials at Massey’s Test Site. The US National Archives has declassified more than 4,600 pages of radio communications, maps, tables, and logs related to the disappearance of legendary aviator Amelia

Liquid Oxygen (LOX) Tank On Booster 18 Ruptured While Testing

By Wes Oleszewski- ANN Spaceflight Analyst SpaceX has suffered what could be a large set-back in its Starship Program. On November 21, the Liquid Oxygen (LOX) tank on Booster 18 ruptured while testing. This is the first of the Block 3 Starship booster stages, which are the third generation of the huge Starships that have recently launched. The failure took place at SpaceX’s Masseys test facility in Texas. As of this writing no injuries have been reported. Booster 18 was rolled out to Masseys on November 20 expecting to run through an early series of cryogenic tests in preparation for a flight sometime in early 2026.

Summer Worden Pled Guilty to Falsely Accusing Her Astronaut Wife of Crime on the ISS

It seems that the space has returned to its status as a crime-free zone for the time being, with Summer Worden pleading guilty to falsely accusing her wife, NASA Astronaut Anne McClain, of illegally opening her bank account while on an International Space Station mission. She now faces up to 5 years in the can and a maximum fine of a quarter million dollars.

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 focused