Philippine Mars Moves to Pima Air and Space Museum

The final Martin JRM Mars flying boat, dubbed Philippine Mars, took its last flight on February 10. The iconic aircraft is now being taken apart and hauled to its permanent display in the Pima Air and Space Museum. The Martin JRM Mars is a four-engine cargo flying boat designed to serve the United States Navy during World War II.

Expanding Applications Beyond Cargo Delivery

German drone manufacturer Wingcopter announced the extension of its offerings beyond cargo drones to include long-range BVLOS LiDAR surveying solutions by equipping its Wingcopter 198 product with laser scanning and camera systems to enable the efficient and rapid gathering of high-quality LiDAR data.

Jesse Torres-Alonso Faces Up To Five Years in Prison

On February 11, 35-year-old Jesse Torres-Alonso pled guilty to pointing a laser beam at Kern County’s Air One helicopter. He now faces up to five years in the can as well as a $250,000 maximum fine. Torres is set to be sentenced on May 20, 2025, by US District Judge John A. Mendez.

An Alert Notice (ALNOT) Was Issued When The Pilot Did Not Reach Their Intended Destination

On January 14, 2025, about 0622 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6502P, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Rock Springs, Wyoming. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane departed Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport (RKS), Rock Springs, Wyoming, on a cross-country flight, with a destination of Apple Valley Airport (APV), Apple Valley, California, where the pilot was going for work. An alert notice (ALNOT) was issued when the pilot did not reach their intended destination. The wreckage was located the following day by local law en