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.
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,”
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.
Also: Boom Gears Up, Archer-UAE, Sierra Space Replicates Impacts, CRS-32 Mission
United Airlines has opened a partnership with JetZero that could eventually put it on course to receive 200 Z4 “all wing” aircraft. The design aims to reduce fuel consumption by up to 50 percent. The investment was pushed through under United Airlines Ventures, which was created specifically to “support our efforts to find innovative companies that can enhance the customer travel experience and help the airline lower its carbon footprint,” explained UAV head Andrew Chang. The MQ-9A Reaper recently surpassed 1,000 flight hours in training exerci
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.
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.
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.
Also: CiES Documents, Hypersonic Tech, SKYTRAC Health Monitoring, Skyryse
Archer Aviation announced a blueprint for an eVTOL network in New York City that would connect travelers between Manhattan and nearby airports in New York and New Jersey that would use existing aviation assets like helipads in the city and airports as nodes for travelers looking to save travel time. In preparation for an upcoming In-Space Advanced Manufacturing (ISAM) mission, UK-based startup Space Forge has officially shipped its ForgeStar-1 satellite to the US. The work aims to harness space’s extreme conditions to create materials unavailable here on the blue planet
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 othe
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.
Aero Linx: Aviators Code Initiative (ACI)
Innovative tools advancing aviation safety and offering a vision of excellence for aviators. The ACI materials are for use by aviation practitioners -- pilots, mechanics, organizations, and the entire aviation community. Designed to be adaptable by the implementer, they are provided without charge and periodically updated.
Expedite
Used by ATC when prompt compliance is required to avoid the development of an imminent situation. Expedite climb/descent normally indicates to a pilot that the approximate best rate of climb/descent should be used without requiring an exceptional change in aircraft handling characteristics.
"In my opinion, if this isn't an excessive fine, I don't know what is... The odds are good that we're gonna be seeking review in the United States Supreme Court. So we gotta muster our resources and proceed forward."
Source: Robert John, Pilot Kenneth Jouppi's attorney. The Fairbanks pilot 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.
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