Milestone Mission Proves the Potential of Reusable Rocket Technology

SpaceX checked off another benchmark this week by completing the 500th orbital launch mission using a reusable rocket booster. Falcon 9 lifted off at 12:21 am on November 17, sending Europe’s Sentinel-6B ocean-monitoring satellite into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Fleet Now At 32 Trainers With 24 More Planned Over Two Years

Tecnam Aircraft announced that Universal Flight Concepts has acquired four more Tecnam aircraft including two each of the P2008 LSA and P2010 models. This acquisition brings Universal’s Tecnam fleet to a total of 32, with plans to add an additional 24 over the next two years.

New Pricing Scale Takes Effect on December 15

Like most of the industry, kit manufacturer Sonex has been hit by the ever-increasing costs of parts and materials, and is being forced to pass some of the burden off to customers beginning December 15. Still, Sonex’s prices remain well under par, with many of its complete airframe kits available for under $40,000.

Also: Abu Dhabi’s 1st Vertiport Network, Anduril-EDGE Partner, Vertical Permit/eVTOL Regs

Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane has cleared another round of pre-flight milestones at Kennedy Space Center. The company has been running the spacecraft through a long list of test campaigns ahead of its debut under NASA’s CRS-2 cargo contract. The Dream Chaser’s most recent accomplishments include electromagnetic interference and compatibility testing inside the Space Systems Processing Facility, demonstrating that its avionics and subsystems behave properly in the kinds of charged environments it will encounter from launch to landing. Joby Aviation announced the first flight of its recently developed turbine-electric, autonomous VTOL aircraft. This comes just three months after the aircraft concept was announced in conjunction with L3Harris Technologies, who brings technologies and expertise to address defense application

Also: ATI Strike Prep, Spirit Still Troubled, New CubCrafters Dealership, A-29 Super Tucano

Samaritan’s Purse is officially moving its historic Douglas DC-8 cargo jet into retirement and bringing in a new Boeing 767. This marks the end of an era for the world’s last flying, US-registered DC-8. For more than a decade, the four-engine DC-8 served as the backbone of Samaritan’s Purse’s disaster response efforts. The aircraft was acquired in 2015 and has since flown 217 missions, delivering over 9.2 million pounds of critical relief supplies. Boeing delivered 53 jets in October, bringing its 2025 total to 493 aircraft and marking its strongest output since before the pandemic. Of the log, 39 aircraft were 737 MAX models, including nine to Southwest Airlines and five to Ryanair. Widebody deliveries included eight 787 Dreamliners, two 777 freighters, and four 767s. Dynon’s Trig Avionics announced the introduction of the TT23

Momentum Continues For Manufacturer At Dubai Airshow

Boeing announced during a signing ceremony at the Dubai Airshow 2025 that Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, placed its third order for 777X airplanes to bolster its future expansion plans and meet the growing demand for air travel. With 270 now on order, Emirates is the largest customer for the 777X line with a mix of 777-9 and 777-8 models.

Also: Pipistrel Makes Waves, ‘Dream Chaser’, EAA Hall of Fame, BizAv SOP Manual

Blue Origin finally logged a clean booster recovery with New Glenn, giving Jeff Bezos’ company proof that its heavy-lift rocket can reuse components the same way SpaceX has since October 2024. The flight also shipped two NASA satellites towards Mars as New Glenn’s first paying-customer science payload. The launch marked an impressive step forward in the long catch-up effort for New Glenn. Just over a month ahead of its potential ban in the US, DJI has launched its lightest and most compact drone to date… and for obvious reasons, it won’t be coming stateside anytime soon. The Neo 2 joins a lineup of DJI releases that have hit the market almost everywhere but the US this year, though the company’s spotlight in the US government runs much deeper. Joby Aviation announced the first flight of its recently developed turbine-ele

Also: Taiwan Cuts Age Limit, Denver To Pay ATC?, NBAA Calls Out False Claims, Another Regional Shuts Down

The longest federal government shutdown in history is finally coming to a close… but the aviation industry is taking its time to bounce back. Airlines are getting ready to shoulder thousands more flight delays and cancellations as the President himself takes to warning air traffic controllers with pay cuts. The FAA’s game plan involved an initial 4 percent flight reduction at 40 major airports, incrementally working its way up to 10 percent. Through years of first-hand experience, Adriana Barrigan has seen how damaging holes in the flight training industry can be on student pilots… and she created an app to fix it. FlyORKA, which recently made its way onto Apple and Android platforms, is designed to make training more efficient and promote student confidence. Spartan Education Group announced the acquisition of Aviato

Blending Knowledge, Expertise On Next-Gen AAVs

Anduril Industries and EDGE Group, two defense companies developing autonomous systems, have formed a Production Alliance intended to accelerate the design, development, and production of advanced autonomous systems for both civil and defense missions in the Middle East and beyond.

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