“The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard. Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard. An investigation is underway.”

Source: From a US Navy statement after they lost an F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet into the Red Sea when it rolled off the carrier USS Harry S. Truman while it was being towed. An official said reports from the scene indicated a factor in the incident was that the Truman was making hard turns to avoid Houthi fire.

Joins Gathering Of Warbirds, Reenactors At 34th Annual Event

The historic B-29 Superfortress “Doc” has been added to the list of aircraft that will attend the 34th annual World War II Weekend at the Reading Regional Airport/ Carl A. Spaatz Field (KRDG) in Reading, Pennsylvania, running June 6-7-8, 2025.

Alaskan Man Seeks a Supreme Court Opinion in Decade-Old Case

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. The case has been through the weeds since then and may now be on its way to the Supreme Court.

Voting Underway Until May 3, 90% Support Incorporating

SpaceX’s Starbase facility may become Starbase City soon, as residents voting on whether to incorporate as a city have until May 3, 2025 to cast their ballots. Starbase is the home of SpaceX’s Starship facility and its current population is less than 300, including 120 children.

Bringing Stability To Commercial Aircraft Programs

Airbus has finalized a definitive deal to acquire all industrial assets and certain sites of Spirit AeroSystems pertaining to production of airframe parts and components for its commercial aircraft production programs. The divestiture is expected to close concurrently with Spirit’s previously announced acquisition by the Boeing Company, approximately in Q3 2025.

Reaches 250 Satellite Missions, 20th For Falcon 9 Booster

SpaceX continues to add to its megaconstellation of Starlink satellites with its 48th launch of 2025 that carried 23 more on Sunday April 27. The mission lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at 10:09 pm EDT from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

CAF Volunteers Help “Bringing The Boys Back Home” Effort

Volunteers from the Commemorative Air Force are honoring the legacy of the 423 British servicemen who were killed in the U.S. during training for World War II and were buried on American soil. The aim of the “Bringing the Boys Back Home” project is to reconnect the fallen heroes with their families in the UK.

From 2016 (YouTube Edition): Who You Gonna Call When You Have a Rocket Engine that Needs a Spacecraft?

While at EAA AirVenture 2016, ANN CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell, sat down to talk with an old acquaintance about rocket flight and the spaceflight industry. He met up with Jeff Greason, who is the CEO of a new company called Agile Aero. Greason had been previously connected with XCOR Aerospace, and Jim asked about his venture in this new direction. You really have to watch the video to get the whole story about what Agile Aero is going to accomplish, but in a brief explanation, it could best be described as an organization that helps other companies find quick solutions to prototype spacecraft. 

Pilot’s Failure To Maintain Airplane Control During Final Approach After Encountering An Unexpected Windshear

Analysis: According to the pilot, about 150 ft above ground level, the airplane encountered an unexpected windshear which resulted in a “significant sink rate” and loss of about 10 knots of airspeed. The pilot attempted to arrest the descent by adding engine power but was unsuccessful. The airplane landed hard, bounced, and then settled on the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

New Variant Enables Conventional Takeoff & Landing

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions revealed an artist’s rendering of what will become the distinguishing feature of its new variant of the XQ-58 Valkyrie: retractable landing gear. The illustration was posted on X by the company.