Also: NBAA-BACE 2025, Fresh Boeing 777-9 Flies, Pilots-Comnche Busted, RAA Urges Recognition

After a flight that was supposed to last days turned into one that lasted months, Butch Wilmore has retired -- following a total of 25 years at NASA, flying in four different spacecraft, and accumulating 464 days in space. 

During his time at NASA, Wilmore completed three missions launching aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, Roscosmos Soyuz, and Boeing Starliner to the International Space Station. The U-2 Dragon Lady was on display all week at AirVenture. It was a homecoming of sorts for the aircraft but even more so for its pilot. Lt. Col. GOGO, is a veteran U-2 pilot and inspector general of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. He flew the aircraft directly from Beale Air Force Base in Yuba County, California, assisted by instructor pilot John Huggins of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron following in the chase care to provide guidance via radio during the landing. The NTSB conducted three days of hearings into the causes of the deadly mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in D.C. in January, and one of the most striking things that came out was that nobody seemed shocked or surprised that it happened. All this -- and MORE in today's episode of Airborne-Unlimited!!!

Airborne 08.08.25 is chock full of info in this Daily News Episode, Friday, August 8th, 2025... Presented by Aero-TV veteran videographer and Airborne Host Holland Lee. Holland is supported by ANN Chief Videographer Nathan Cremisino, as well as ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief Jim Campbell. This episode covers:

• Astronaut Retires After Ultimate ‘Over-Time’ Flight To ISS
• AirVenture Homecoming For U-2 Dragon Lady  
• NTSB Hears Disturbing Truths About Aviation System
• NBAA-BACE 2025 Putting Sharp Focus On Safety  
• Fresh Boeing 777-9 Takes Flight for the First Time in Five Years
• Two Busted With Pot, Cash At Mississippi Airport
• RAA Urges U.S. Department of Education to Recognize Accredited Flight Training Programs as Professional Degrees

Get Comprehensive, Real-Time, 24/7 coverage of the latest aviation and aerospace stories anytime, at aero-news.net. And be sure to join us again tomorrow, for the next edition of "Airborne Unlimited" here on Aero-TV. Thanks for watching. See you, again, tomorrow!

© 2025, Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved.

FMI: www.airbornetv.net, www.aero-news.net, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, https://vimeo.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews