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Joby Aviation announced its electric air taxi successfully completed a series of VTOL wingborne trial flights in Dubai, signaling the start of its commercial market readiness activities in the region. These flights will contribute to the advancement of Joby’s readiness ahead of its anticipated first passenger flights in 2026. Electra announced it has been awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research contract from the U.S. Army to leverage its development and testing expertise in advancing research and development of hybrid-electric powertrain, power, and propulsion systems, or HEPPS. Air taxi developer Archer announced the successful first flight of its Midnight aircraft at Al Bateen Executive Airport (AZI/OMAD) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, representing the first test of the aircraft’s performance in the hot, humid, and dusty desert envi

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The Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona is taking its “Flying Legends of Victory Tour” to Boeing Field/King County International Airport (KBFI) in Seattle, Washington, where its prized B-17G Sentimental Journey will land on July 28, 2025 to coincide exactly with the 90th anniversary of the first flight of the B-17 prototype on July 28, 2035, from that very same airfield. Three board members of the Northeast Florida Regional Airport (UST) Authority, including board chair Reba Ludlow, are facing criminal charges ranging from a misdemeanor for violating public meeting laws to felony witness tampering. Chair Reba Ludlow and members Dennis Clarke and Len Tucker are facing criminal charges tied to long-running violations of Florida’s Sunshine Law, which mandates public access to governmental decision-making. The North American Aerospace Defense Command

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Middle Georgia State University will be joining the Federal Aviation Administration’s fight against the air traffic controller shortage through its collegiate training initiative program, known as AT-CTI. It joins six other educational institutions from across the US. With the buzz of the 2025 competition settling down, the Air Race Classic (ARC) is ready to re-stir the pot by unveiling its 2026 route. The all-women’s cross-country will center around Illinois, taking pilots on a southern loop through 10 stops. The race is set to take place from June 23 to 26, 2026, kicking off in East Alton, Illinois, and winding through eight additional stops before finishing in Mount Vernon, Illinois. With an increasingly high rate of flying car customers proving to be non-pilots, manufacturer Samson Sky is introducing a new training program using its Switchblade vehicle.

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The long-awaited Sonex High Wing prototype has flown... the Sonex gang tells us that the flight took place on the evening of Monday, June 30 2025, and was piloted by Sonex Advisory Board member Joe Norris. Admittedly; the flight was a brief one due to a passenger-side door latch issue. However, all engine temperatures were reported to be in the green and the aircraft was reported to have handled as-expected with only slight rigging adjustments needed. High on Jim Campbell’s flight test list, leading into Oshkosh 2025, is the Blackshape Gabriel... a close cousin to the Blackshape Prime he tested some weeks ago... to very positive result. He came away with solid opinions of the craftsmanship, handling and overall performance of the Prime, as well as the general attitude of the company folks he worked with, to whom integrity seemed to be a prim

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Captain Sully Sullenberger, the pilot who saved 155 people by safely landing an A320 in the Hudson River, has come forward with his thoughts on Trump’s pick to head the FAA: “We all deserve better.” The nominee has made some highly questionable comments regarding pilot experience requirements. The British Counter Terrorism Policing South East unit has charged four people following their arrest for trespassing into the RAF Brize Norton airbase and causing £7 million ($9.5 million) worth of damage to two military Airbus A330 MRTT multi-role Voyager aircraft. They were charged on July 2, 2025, with  conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the UK, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage. Retired American space shuttle Discovery has gotten tied into President Trump’s Bi

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On his journey to become the first pilot to land solo on all seven continents, 19-year-old Ethan Guo hit a legal roadblock. He was arrested for altering his flight plan and landing in Antarctica without notifying ATC. Guo is an instrument-rated private pilot, allegedly with more than 700 hours of flight time. Via his Cessna 182Q Skylane, registered N182WT, he has already managed to land in all 48 contiguous states and cross the Atlantic three times. Four Vietnam Airlines pilots have been suspended as the carrier investigates a recent ground collision between a Boeing 787 and an Airbus A321, at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi. There were no injuries, and the planes were quickly swapped out for flights to continue. The U.S. Senate passed the budget reconciliation bill, aka President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, that contains $12.5 billion for the modernization and

Also: Outlaw Prop 4 Mooney, Ready 4 Duty, Ukrainian F-16 Pilot Lost, Blue Origin Flt

On his journey to become the first pilot to land solo on all seven continents, 19-year-old Ethan Guo hit a legal roadblock. He was arrested for altering his flight plan and landing in Antarctica without notifying ATC. Guo is an instrument-rated private pilot, allegedly with more than 700 hours of flight time. Via his Cessna 182Q Skylane, registered N182WT, he has already managed to land in all 48 contiguous states and cross the Atlantic three times. Four Vietnam Airlines pilots have been suspended as the carrier investigates a recent ground collision between a Boeing 787 and an Airbus A321, at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi. There were no injuries, and the planes were quickly swapped out for flights to continue. The U.S. Senate passed the budget reconciliation bill, aka President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, that contains $12.5 billion for the modernizati

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Jet Central Micro-Turbine Engines Impress

Founded in the late-1990s, Mexico City-based Jet Central produces a unique and fascinating line of micro-turbine engines for the hobby and professional sectors. The company’s single-stage centrifugal-flow gas-turbine engines are configured to operate as turbojet propulsion systems for use primarily—but not exclusively—in remotely-piloted fixed-wing aircraft. Jet Central’s micro-turbine powerplants range in size and output from the 7.95-inch-long, 1.81-pound (mass), 19.11-lbf-thrust, Hornet 85 SE to its 13.6-inch-long, 6.4-pound (mass), 61-lbf-thrust Dragon 300 SE. Interposed between are the 24-lbf-thrust Rabbit 100 SE, the 29.22-lbf-thrust Lynx 130 SE, the 36-lbf-thrust Cheetah 160 SE, the 45-lbf-thrust Rhino 200 SE, and the 56.2-lbf-thrust Mammoth 250 SE. The engines range in price from $2,350 to $4,995.

The Airplane Came To Rest Underneath A Set Of Damaged Power Distribution Lines On The Floor Of A Coulee

On June 19, 2025, at 1412 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172K airplane, N79306, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Billings, Montana. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. Preliminary ADS-B data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration showed that the airplane departed Ostlunds Airport, Billings, Montana at 1407 in a climbing left turn to the southeast. At 1411 the airplane overflew a private ranch and the flight track subsequently ended at 1412 about 230 ft southeast of the accident site.

 

 

Middle Georgia State University will be joining the Federal Aviation Administration’s fight against the air traffic controller shortage through its collegiate training initiative program, known as AT-CTI. It joins six other educational institutions from across the US. With the buzz of the 2025 competition settling down, the Air Race Classic (ARC) is ready to re-stir the pot by unveiling its 2026 route. The all-women’s cross-country will center around Illinois, taking pilots on a southern loop through 10 stops. The race is set to take place from June 23 to 26, 2026, kicking off in East Alton, Illinois, and winding through eight additional stops before finishing in Mount Vernon, Illinois. With an increasingly high rate of flying car customers proving to be non-pilots, manufacturer Samson Sky is introducing a new training program using its Sw

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