Also: Bombardier’s Mach 0.95 Jet, Bristell Upgrade, Leonardo M-346, Happy Holiday!

The effort to reunite a plane with its pilot has continued to rise through the ranks, reaching federal levels in a recent letter to the DoT and the Department of the Interior. The agencies are being asked to step in after a Stinson 108 was emergency-landed and held captive on the tribal land in northern Minnesota. The request centers on a 1946 Stinson 108 owned by Darrin Smedsmo which was flying over the Red Lake Indian Reservation toward Bemidji for training when his engine suffered a catastrophic failure, forcing a landing on Minnesota Highway 1. An early-morning aircraft theft at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) ended quickly, and surprisingly without leaving the ground, when a stolen LA Flight Academy Cessna 172 crashed into the side of a hangar. Authorities say the training aircraft struck the building while taxiing. Jared “Rook” Isaacman was swor

Also: The Aircraft That Delivered, Breakthroughs and Breakdowns Report, Aero-Standouts, Aero-Stumbles 

Welcome to a special episode of Airborne Unlimited... with a look back at 2025 and what it all might mean for 2026. Call it The Aero-News Aviation Reality Check — 2025 Edition, bit make no mistake... in one form or another, these are the stories, companies, planes and products that distinguished aviation this year. While there was a;lot to cover and much that we really didn't have th s[pace for, we wanted to offer some kudos to planes, products, powerplants and programs that deserved serious kudos... as well as those who most definitely did NOT. With MOSAIC finally out of the bag, partially, the industry stands at the forefront of great possibilities so long as it is ready to take advantage of the opportunities ahead of us and NOT blow it as it has with so many other promising developments. Still there are hazards ahead and in an

Also: New Katanas, Kern County FD Training, IndiGo’s Botched Roster, MGen. Leavitt Named ERAU Dean

The Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) has wrapped up its investigation into a recent skydiving incident, revealing that one of the jumpers was left hanging 15,000’ AGL from the aircraft’s horizontal stabilizer due to an inadvertent deployment of his reserve parachute. He was able to cut himself free and pull his primary chute. Cooper Aircraft Corporation has expanded support for Rotax installations with a new mount for naturally aspirated engines. The new mounts cover the Highwing, Legacy, B Model, Onex, Sonex, Waiex, and Xenos. The mounts are delivered in white, and will mount up the Rotax 912UL, 912ULS, 912iS, 914UL, 915iS and 916iS. Section 373 of the newly passed National Defense Authorization Act isn’t sitting well with much of the industry, sparking public frustration from the National Transportation S

Klyde Deals With A Little Disappointment

FMI: www.klydemorris.com

Also: Archer Takes On Hawthorne Airport, Saudi GACA, Soyuz Return, Push To Invest In SAF 

Electra is walking its EL9 hybrid-electric aircraft into the formal certification phase, filing its application with the FAA to begin the Part 23 process. Work with the FAA now shifts from compliance in development to acceptance of the certification plan and building out the test program. “This certification application signals that the EL9 is fast becoming a reality and reflects the progress our team and the FAA have made together,” said Electra CEO Marc Allen. EVIO has unveiled the product of more than eight years of rigorous development: the EVIO 810 hybrid-electric regional aircraft… and a lengthy list of customers to go with it. The Montreal-based company has secured conditional agreements and options for 450 airplanes, setting the stage for an entry into service in the early 2030s. The clean-sheet design is backed by invest

Its Offerings Are Lighter, Cleaner, and Now Pushing Past 1,000nm on SAF Jet Fuel

DeltaHawk’s diesel-powered aircraft lineup has seen incredible upgrades over the last few years. Not only has the company worked its design into three new planes, but it has also given its original Cirrus SR-20 a dramatic boost in performance and efficiency through an extensive refinement process… and the team says they’re not done yet. The SR-20 test bed has been around since 2013. A dozen years of R&D later, the aircraft is now posting more than 1,000 nautical miles of range with reserves while burning nearly 40% less fuel than a standard avgas-powered engine, putting it into competitive territory for real-world operators. A major part of the progress came from aggressive weight reduction. By redesigning oil and coolant lines, downsizing coolers, switching to lighter composites, and reworking the oil tank, DeltaHawk cut more than 200

Dozens of Companies Unveiled Innovative Products Ahead of the 51st SnF Aerospace Expo

Kicking off the 51st SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, we hosted the second annual SnF Innovation Preview to give more than 20 companies just enough time in the spotlight to debut their new planes, products, engines, accessories, and more… In other words… it was a LOT of news, and it’s all still up for your viewing pleasure.

Third-Edition Resource Guide is Getting Ready… But It’s Waiting on You

The third edition of the SportPlane Resource Guide—soon to launch as the expanded, fully digital eSPRG—is almost ready for release. The layout is there, dozens of instructional chapters are written, and hundreds of aircraft write-ups are complete. This edition will be bigger, more detailed, and easier to update than the previous 1,100-page print version (probably settling in at more than 2000 pages!), with the potential to far exceed even our own anticipations with S-LSA, E-LSA, ultralights, avionics, and accessories. The only major thing slowing it down is one simple piece: more data from manufacturers.

With The eSPRG Only Weeks Away From Its Start Date, A-AF Will Help To Support Sport Flyers, Worldwide

With the all-new and all-digital SportPlane Resource Guide getting ready for publication early next year, the Aero-News Network is pleased to announce yet another addition to the Airborne video news programming roster… Airborne-Affordable Flyers. Dedicated to keeping people up-to-date on the most affordable aspects of sport and general aviation, Airborne-Affordable Flyers is one of our most exciting offerings yet. A-AF will delve into more than just the current LSA community, but look at all aspects of aviation to examine and evaluate the most enjoyable, and most affordable, solutions to flying, operating, and owning aircraft in the 21st century.

During The Landing Roll, The Airplane Lifted Off But Then Descended Back To The Runway And Veered To The Left

Analysis: The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was approaching his destination airport for landing. During the landing roll, the airplane lifted off but then descended back to the runway and veered to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder, but the airplane then ground looped to the left and exited the left side of the runway. The airplane subsequently nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder, aft fuselage, and right-wing lift strut.