Solid Leadership Needed To Correct Safety Issues, Guide ATC Rebuild

The U.S. Senate confirmed Bryan Bedford on July 9 to become the next Administrator of the FAA, in a near party-line 53-43 vote. Bedford takes over the agency during a critical time when safety issues have become prominent and Congress has approved initial funding for the complete overhaul of the air traffic control system that is slated to be completed in the next 3-4 years.

“Let’s launch” Says Enthusiastic Secretary Of Transportation

President Donald Trump appointed U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy to take the reins as interim administrator of NASA in a move Trump said reflects the rising priority of space in national interests.

Classic Aircraft Adds Another Line to Its Long-Running Resume

NASA’s old-school WB-57 got a workout this week with a novel mission for the classic aircraft: Emergency assessment of the devastated Texas Hill Country. NASA deployed two WB-57s, dispatched under the NASA Disasters Response Coordination System, to help obtain crystal-clear imagery of the affected region. Cloud cover in the area has rendered much of the satellite data useless, so the WB-57s began aerial surveys with their DyNAMITE sensor system. Imagery collected will be sent to NASA’s Disaster Response Coordination System, and will eventually be disbursed for public reference via the NASA DIsasters Mapping Portal once they are finished.

80% Throttle Gives Good Climb And Impressive Level Flight Speeds

Sonex Aircraft’s first venture into high-wing design aircraft performed its second test flight just after the 4th of July weekend and flying at various throttle settings – but limited to 80% per UL engine break-in instructions – yielded some solid performance during its 20-minute flight over Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH).

No Mention Of Environmental Progress Made By Industry

The National Business Aviation Association is pushing back in a big way on a recent report by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) that it says provides an incomplete and inaccurate depiction of business jet emissions and private aviation in general.

Air Travel Just Got 2% Less Irritating

A longstanding rule of the Transportation Security Administration is done, after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the end to shoes-off screening. The new policy “will increase hospitality for travelers and streamline the TSA security checkpoint process, leading to lower wait times” according to the org. “Ending the ‘Shoes-Off’ policy is the latest effort DHS is implementing to modernize and enhance traveler experience across our nation’s airports,” said Secretary Noem.

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The Senate confirmed Bryan Bedford to become the next Administrator of the FAA, in a near party-line 53-43 vote. Bedford takes over the agency during a critical time when safety issues have become prominent and Congress has approved initial funding for the complete overhaul of the air traffic control system that is slated to be completed in the next 3-4 years. In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said, "I am pleased to announce that I am directing our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to be Interim Administrator of NASA. He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important Space Agency, even if only for a short period of time." NASA’s old-school WB-57 got a workout this week with a novel mission for the classic aircraft: Emergency assessment of the devastated Texas Hill Country. The high-altitude WB-57 has been a trusty workhors

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Middle Georgia State University will be joining the Federal Aviation Administration’s fight against the air traffic controller shortage through its collegiate training initiative program, known as AT-CTI. It joins six other educational institutions from across the US. With the buzz of the 2025 competition settling down, the Air Race Classic (ARC) is ready to re-stir the pot by unveiling its 2026 route. The all-women’s cross-country will center around Illinois, taking pilots on a southern loop through 10 stops. The race is set to take place from June 23 to 26, 2026, kicking off in East Alton, Illinois, and winding through eight additional stops before finishing in Mount Vernon, Illinois. With an increasingly high rate of flying car customers proving to be non-pilots, manufacturer Samson Sky is introducing a new training program using its Switchblade vehicle.

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The long-awaited Sonex High Wing prototype has flown... the Sonex gang tells us that the flight took place on the evening of Monday, June 30 2025, and was piloted by Sonex Advisory Board member Joe Norris. Admittedly; the flight was a brief one due to a passenger-side door latch issue. However, all engine temperatures were reported to be in the green and the aircraft was reported to have handled as-expected with only slight rigging adjustments needed. High on Jim Campbell’s flight test list, leading into Oshkosh 2025, is the Blackshape Gabriel... a close cousin to the Blackshape Prime he tested some weeks ago... to very positive result. He came away with solid opinions of the craftsmanship, handling and overall performance of the Prime, as well as the general attitude of the company folks he worked with, to whom integrity seemed to be a prim

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Joby Aviation announced its electric air taxi successfully completed a series of VTOL wingborne trial flights in Dubai, signaling the start of its commercial market readiness activities in the region. These flights will contribute to the advancement of Joby’s readiness ahead of its anticipated first passenger flights in 2026. Electra announced it has been awarded a $1.9 million Small Business Innovation Research contract from the U.S. Army to leverage its development and testing expertise in advancing research and development of hybrid-electric powertrain, power, and propulsion systems, or HEPPS. Air taxi developer Archer announced the successful first flight of its Midnight aircraft at Al Bateen Executive Airport (AZI/OMAD) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, representing the first test of the aircraft’s performance in the hot, humid, and dusty desert envi