Check out https://affordableflying.net/attend/ Right Away and Get YOUR Tickets To the Affordable Flying Expo!

OK.... with a little over a month to go, it’s time to get serious! Thanks to the folks at Sun n Fun, we have a highly professional online ticketing apparatus at our disposal for next month’s Affordable Flying Expo. And we have other good news... use the code “AFE2025” and you can get $5 OFF the adult ticket price of $15 or even more for a three day pass. After an insane amount of work on the part of the ANN crew and more than a little hand holding by the event experts at Sun n Fun, the Expo is shaping up. We have an amazing series of seminars and forums in the works as well as a LIVE Friday Night Town Hall in which we will be dissecting MOSAIC in as great a detail as we can muster. 

Threats Force Air Ambulances to Reroute, Delaying Medical Service

A social-media call for people to point laser beams at aircraft flying over Portland’s ICE facility led authorities to treat the post as a credible threat and adjust emergency operations. Officials say the “laser event”, planned for the evening of October 11, could have endangered aircrew, forced medical-flight diversions, and disrupted routine policing of the area.

Europe Has Experienced an Uptick in Unidentified Drones Impeding Air Traffic

German regulators are pushing forward a law that would allow police officers to shoot drones out of the sky. The legislation follows an unexpected increase in sightings of unidentified drones over major airports, hospitals, and other facilities.

Charter Company Blames GE, Bombardier, Learjet for Engine Corrosion

Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter is coming after multiple major business aviation providers, including General Electric and Bombardier, for negligence and concealment related to a 2024 crash that resulted in the death of two of its pilots. A probe into the accident claims that the dual engine failure was caused by known corrosion.

Air Force Chief of Staff Cites Lack of Spare Parts, Aging Fleets, Supply Chain Issues

The US Air Force’s next Chief of Staff nominee says pilots are flying too little to maintain proficiency, citing chronic issues with spare parts, aging aircraft, and supply chain delays. Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach told Senators on Oct. 9 that fighter pilots currently fly about two to two and a half times per week…far short of what he sees as necessary for combat readiness.

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. 

Pan Am Moves for FAA Certification Over Thirty Years After Shutting Its Doors

More than three decades after it went defunct, Pan American World Airways is attempting a comeback. Aviation merchant bank AVi8 Air Capital, alongside Pan American Global Holdings, has officially kicked off the Part 121 airline certification process to reestablish what was once the picture of aviation luxury on a small fleet of used Airbuses.

Ban Would Prevent Chinese Airlines from Entering Russian Airspace on US-Bound Flights

Three years after Russia blocked Western airlines from using its airspace, the US Department of Transportation is aiming to level the playing field by proposing a ban that would impose the same restrictions on Chinese carriers. The Chinese government is arguing that this would be a lose-lose situation, extending travel times and jeopardizing a large Boeing deal.

Also: UK Abandons GA?, ‘Emergency’ Notification, FAA's Big Move, Skydiving Instructor Lost

ICAO has rejected the airline industry’s push to raise the mandatory retirement age for pilots from 65 to 67. The proposal was backed primarily by IATA, which argued that even a two-year rise to the cap could have a dramatic effect on the pilot shortage. IATA’s argument claimed that the change would ease workforce pressures without harming safety. Duncan Aviation announced that its testing facility co-located in the company’s Technical Education Center in Battle Creek, Michigan, has been officially approved as an FAA Testing Center, making Battle Creek the only Duncan Aviation location to gain that designation. The approval of the new testing center enables Duncan team members to take their tests onsite and avoid the hour or more drive to the nearest FAA facility. Just over three months after hitting the market, Piper Aircraft&rs

11-Percent Drop Follows Three Public Demonstration Flights in California

Joby Aviation managed to pull off the full Silicon Valley cycle this week: exciting public demos, bold promises about the future of air mobility, and a sharp stock drop to top it off. The Santa Cruz-based air taxi startup announced a $514 million stock sale on October 7, pricing 30.5 million new shares at $16.85 per share. This marked a roughly 11 percent discount, viewed by investors as the company’s way of acknowledging that it’s still not generating profits.