Aviation News

The U.S. Air Force has signed off on a plan to put AI in the left seat of its Boeing KC-135 tanker fleet. Autonomous flight developer Merlin announced it will begin flying the KC-135s – an airframe designed in the 1950s alongside the Boeing 707 airliner from the original 367-80 prototype – with Merlin Pilot, […]

President-elect Donald Trump has suggested that one of the first priorities for Sean Duffy, his pick for Transportation Secretary, is to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs for pilots and air traffic controllers to “make our skies safe again.” Duffy was selected late Monday and was not among those being touted for the job. […]

Spirit Airlines is trying to convince customers (and future customers) that its bankruptcy filing is actually a good thing and that they should continue to book flights. The long-expected application for creditor protection happened early Monday in New York and the airline pitched it as a way to “reduce our total debt, provide increased financial […]

All four people aboard a Cherokee Six that crashed into California parking lot on Sunday survived with minor to moderate injuries. The plane hit a few cars and a motorhome at the Pomona Fairplex, which was hosting the National Hot Rod Association drag race finals. The accident happened about 11:30 a.m. local time. Thousands of […]

NBAA has hit back at a study on the environmental impact of business aviation it says relies “on a cherry-picked data set, flawed analysis and omission of key facts.” Last week the journal Communications Earth and Environment issued its report that concluded that “regulation is needed to address the sector’s growing climate impact.” The summary […]

Authorities in Dallas are trying to trace the source of what has been termed a stray bullet that hit a Southwest 737 while it was taxiing at Love Field late Friday. The aircraft was on its way to the runway just before 10 p.m. local time for a flight to Indianapolis when the bullet hit […]

Some boisterous turbulence turned into an emergency on Thursday for the crew of an SAS A330. The air was rough enough to shut down an engine on the widebody over Greenland as it went from Stockholm to Miami. The crew was able to relight the engine but the jolt was enough to mandate an inspection. […]

In compliance with the most recent FAA reauthorization, the agency has expanded the aircraft size and passenger load permitted under BasicMed. Those who use the self-reporting medical regime can now use it to operate aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of up to 12,500 pounds (up from 6,000 pounds) and carry up to six passengers […]

Japan’s Self Defense Force (JSDF) has cleared its V-22 Osprey fleet to return to flight after determining pilot error was the cause of an October accident on Yonaguni Island. The incident occurred during a joint exercise with U.S. military where the V-22 Osprey tilted and hit the ground as it was taking off, though no […]

On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it has set a new record, overseeing 148 licensed space operations in Fiscal Year 2024—a 30% jump from last year.  The agency also forecasted that the number of commercial space operations could more than double by 2028, signaling unprecedented growth in the sector. To keep pace with […]