Honoring Richard Abruzzo From U.S. And Sweden’s Hans Åkerstedt

The Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum announced that Richard Abruzzo of the U.S. and Hans Åkerstedt of Sweden are this year’s inductees into the FAI (World Air Sports Federation) Ballooning Commission Balloon and Airship Hall of Fame. The inductees were announced at the Ballooning Commission’s plenary meeting in New Delhi in March 2025.

Program with Covalen Aims to Make Flying Affordable for Small-Time Operators

The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association will now offer their own insurance option for pilots up North, citing a difficult landscape that makes flight harder than ever for the little guy. “Pilots in Canada have faced numerous issues related to eligibility, aircraft type, age, and costs, all of which have impeded their ability to take to the skies. COPA aims to remove these obstacles with its new insurance program that will make flying more accessible for everyone. Launching this spring, the Aviators Canada Insurance Program (ACIP) is uniquely tailored to the needs of Canadian pilots and aircraft owners..."

X-66A Flight Demonstrator Prototype Paused for Continued Thin Wing Testing

NASA and Boeing recently shared that they are putting the development of their X-66A Sustainable Flight Demonstrator on hold. In the meantime, testing and research of thin wing technology will continue from the ground. The aircraft project kicked off in 2023 with over a billion dollars of funding from both partners.

Also: EDMO Adds MicroAir, Starbase City?, B-29 Doc Goes To Reading, MX Provider Sued

Dynon Avionics has made a strategic investment in Trig Avionics. This investment brings Trig into the Dynon Group of companies and strengthens a long-standing partnership between the two innovators in general aviation. Dynon Avionics was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Woodinville, Washington. The U.S. Navy lost an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet in the Red Sea when it rolled off the USS Harry S. Truman while it was being towed. A factor in the incident was that the Truman was making hard turns to avoid Houthi fire. All personnel involved in towing the aircraft were able to avoid being dragged and are safely accounted for. Fairbanks pilot Kenneth Jouppi is being forced to forfeit his Cessna 206 Stationair after ‘knowingly’ using it to transport a six-pack to a dry village… 13 years ago. Jouppi, as the owner of KenAir LLC, was found guilty

Also: Sustainable Aircraft Test Put Aside, More Falcon 9 Ops, Wyoming ANG Rescue, Oreo Cookie Into Orbit

Joby Aviation has reason to celebrate, recently completing its first full transition from vertical to horizontal flight with a pilot on board. This puts the aircraft one step closer to achieving commercial operation. The manufacturer’s all-electric air taxi demonstrated its in-flight transition capabilities for the first time in 2017. General aviation manufacturer Diamond Aircraft recently launched its official flying community, Diamond Flying Club (DFC), and its connected online portal. Through this, members can register their profile, share stories, and presumably talk about how much they love their DA62. “Pilots in Canada have faced numerous issues related to eligibility, aircraft type, age, and costs, all of which have impeded their ability to take to the skies. COPA aims to remove these obstacles with its new insurance program t

French Fighter Fleet Grows, Settling Debate Over Future MiG Procurement

The long-running battle for India’s naval fighter dollars continued with a signed $7.5-billion deal for new Rafale Marines to outfit their carrier force, which nets them a full collection of simulators, weapons, logistics, and 26 aircraft. The first Indian-spec Rafale M should be ready for display in the next year or two, but some special modifications may add to the delay. Granted, the big headlining feature of Rafale Ms in Indian service should be fairly simple, but modifications to established designs always take some time. The Vikrant’s fairly small elevators mean the Rafale Ms need folding wingtips in order to fit the tight confines of their headlining carrier. Of the 26 airframes on order, India will get only 4 tandem-seat trainer planes for shore operations, aiding their simulators in bringing carrier pilots up to snuff before their solo flights.

Would Provide $15B For Investments In Staffing, Tech, Infrastructure

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association expressed support for a bill introduced in the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that would provide $15 billion for critical air traffic workforce, technology, and infrastructure investments.

Also: Boeing Reports, Airbus-Spirit, USAF CV-22 Milestone, ANN/Oshkosh 2025 Stringers

A HEXA electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft experienced a component failure while performing demo flights at EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan. Though it was able to land without an issue, the bird and its twin will remain grounded until event organizers say otherwise. The HEXA is manufactured by LIFT Aircraft. Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been busy spearheading a multi-million dollar communications project at the Federal Aviation Administration, the agency that regulates the same airspace Musk’s SpaceX flies through. Employees pulled into this project, charmingly named “Project Lift,” have claimed that they have been forced to sign non-disclosure agreements. As airmen medical applications reach an all-time high, the FAA is turning to the public to review questions, comments, and concerns about the ce

Also: Airplane-Helo Risks, AirVenture Showcasing Korean War, United Purchasing JetZero Birds, Boom Gears Up

The FAA announced that the agency will not move ahead with its policy of issuing denials of incomplete medical applications when the prior long-standing policy was to defer them until the applications were complete. The agency said it will instead work with the aviation community to establish initiatives that will give pilots information on best practices to facilitate their medical applications as well as assist the FAA in processing applications deferred by AMEs. A recent report from the National Weather Service, showing vacancies as high as 40% in some forecast offices, has the industry bracing for lower accuracy and slower data reporting. The agency has already begun cutting several weather collection methods in more heavily affected areas. Aviation charter company AeroVanti is adding to its long list of lost lawsuits with sports teams, b

Also: Cal Poly Aviation Club, $$un Country, Arkansas Aviation Academy, Teamsters Local 2118

In response to two recent general aviation accidents that made national headlines, more than 5,000 pilots have joined the “National Pause for General Aviation Safety.” This is a six-month campaign launched in April 2025 by the Air Safety Institute. The initiative, backed by the FAA and 22 other aviation organizations, urges GA pilots to slow down, refocus, and maybe—just maybe—stop flying into trouble. Epic Flight Academy and Seminole State College of Florida (SSC) have signed an agreement that enables pilots trained at Epic to transfer certifications as college credit hours toward a degree at SSC. A maximum number of 27 credits can be applied toward an Associate degree. An associate degree at Seminole State College requires 60 credit hours, so a pilot who goes from Private to CFI at Epic can get credit for nearly half that total. ALP