Aero Linx: Space Medicine Association (SMA) The history of space medicine and the history of the Space Medicine Association are both so closely integrated with the history of space exploration that they can not be discussed separately. Below is a time line integrating the various histories and yet allowing them to still be viewed separately as needed. The significant space medicine related publications from the journal of Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine (formerly the Journal of Aviation Medicine and the Journal of Aerospace Medicine) are included as down-linked files as well as previously published "Classics in Space Medicine" articles that discussed several of those papers and their historical significance...

Flight Plan Area (FPA) The geographical area assigned to a flight service station (FSS) for the purpose of establishing primary responsibility for services that may include search and rescue for VFR aircraft, issuance of NOTAMs, pilot briefings, inflight services, broadcast services, emergency services, flight data processing, international operations, and aviation weather services. Large consolidated FSS facilities may combine FPAs into larger areas of responsibility (AOR). 

“Receiving FAA Experimental authorisation is a major milestone for Skyfly It allows us to move forward with piloted flight testing under the world’s most respected aviation regulator, while positioning the Axe at the heart of the US market – the largest and most dynamic general aviation community in the world. Source: CEO Michael Thompson, discussing how the first prototype of the SkyFly Axe has gotten the federal nod of approval to begin piloted flights, allowing it to stay on US soil as it progresses through its lengthy test campaign. The two-seat, vertically capable device was dreamed up six years ago and was debuted at this year’s EAA Oshkosh AirVenture.

Emirates Flight Veers Through Fence, Killing Two In Airport Vehicle

An Emirates Boeing 747 cargo aircraft skidded off the runway after landing at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG/VHHH), crashed through a perimeter fence and collided with an airport security vehicle, and slid into the sea. Two people in the vehicle were killed and the aircraft ended up partially submerged just offshore.

Chippewa Band Impounds Aircraft Following Emergency Landing

The Minnesota Pilots Association has issued an advisory regarding overflights of the Red Lake Indian Reservation in northwestern Minnesota. Turns out, the Red Lake Tribe of the Chippewa Indians passed a resolution this past May denying the U.S. Air Force permission for low-level overflights and simultaneously, banning all flights below 20,000 feet above the reservation.

Oklahoma City’s FAA Academy Expected to Go Dark By the End of the Month

The FAA’s training academy in Oklahoma City may soon go dark if the government shutdown drags on. According to industry organizations, the academy will run out of cheddar in less than two weeks, halting the hiring and training of new controllers at a time when the system is already short-handed.

Bankrupt Carrier to Furlough Almost 400 More Pilots to Kick Off 2026

Spirit Airlines is at it again, announcing further cuts to its workforce as its long-running bankruptcy restructuring drags toward another year. The Fort Lauderdale-based carrier announced on October 16 that it will furlough 365 pilots in early 2026, marking another blow to a company already in survival mode after filing for Chapter 11 protection for the second time.

Also: SkyFly’s Axe Prototype, USAF CCA, AV Expands Switchblade, DropShip Cargo Drone 

Air New Zealand has taken its first big step toward electric aviation, flying the US-built BETA ALIA CX300 out of Tauranga Airport as part of what the airline calls a “technical demonstrator” program. The aircraft, on a four-month lease from BETA Technologies, will tour several New Zealand cities as the carrier evaluates its performance and gets its crews situated with the new systems. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, the White House is turning its attention to the airspace above with plans for a $500 million drone program. This is aimed at helping state and local governments counter potential drone threats and keep pace with ever-advancing aviation technology. The effort centers on safeguarding airspace over the 104 soccer matches scheduled across the United States next summer. Textron has confirmed that it will be retiring it

United Airlines 737 MAX Captain Was Reportedly Injured By the Impact

A United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Salt Lake City after its cockpit windshield suddenly cracked mid-flight, reportedly sending glass shards flying into the Captain’s arm. The incident occurred on October 16, 2025, during flight UA1093 from Denver to Los Angeles.

Also: Helicopter Dog Rescue, USDOT Spared In Layoffs, Guardian Avionics, Isaacman Back In Running?

The name ’Dan Gryder’ is fairly well known to many in aviation.... Whether you like him or not. ANN is examining Police reports that describe an armed confrontation that took place at 147 Sky Harbor Way, Griffin, Georgia, on October 12th between Dan and a resident he accused of blocking the taxiway with an RV (which was reportedly a regular occurrence)... and which allegedly developed into an assault on Gryder by fellow resident Tracy Darrell Wallace the day before. The U.S. Air Force C-32 transporting Secretary of War Pete Hegseth from Europe back to the states declared a general emergency over the Atlantic Ocean west of Ireland after departing from Brussels where he attended a meeting of NATO Defense Ministers. The air crew immediately performed a rapid descent from 35,000 feet to 10,000 feet, a maneuver that is consistent wi