Newest USAF Drone Begins Process in Earnest

The YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft has begun its flight testing in coordination with the U.S. Air Force, taking a vital step towards the not-terrifying, super-cool future of autonomous hunter-killers. (We kid...mostly.) The current YFQ-42A is a production-representative version of the unmanned air dominance aircraft we will get once it's produced in quantity. GA-ASI says they plan to make 1,000 such aircraft on an "accelerated timeline", and for once a defense program seems to be proceeding on time!

Questions Mount Over Show Operator’s Sweetheart Deal

Leaders of Huntington Beach, California, are discussing a new deal with the operator of the Pacific Airshow, guaranteeing an annual music festival, airshow, and boat race to Catalina Island for 25 years as taxpayers get to pay the majority of the fees for the company.

GAO Report Says that Only 69 Aviation Meteorologists Work Alongside ATC

A federal watchdog says the FAA is running the nation’s air traffic system with fewer weather experts than ever, and the trend is not looking encouraging. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report claims that just 69 aviation meteorologists are currently stationed alongside air traffic controllers.

FAA Issued a Safety Redesign of PW4000-112 Turbofans, Due in 2028

Boeing has turned to the FAA for extensions to the PW4000-112 turbofan safety redesign deadline, originally set for March 2028. If the manufacturer gets its way, pushing the cutoff to 2033, most of the already 20-year-old jets will be on their way to the boneyard before changes are made.

Acquisition Gives Electric Air Taxis Access to Blade’s Network of Terminals and Flyers

Joby Aviation recently announced that its acquisition of Blade Air Mobility’s passenger business has been finalized, providing a well-established global network of terminals and flyers for the company’s electric air taxis to lean on once they are ready for the market. The deal reportedly cost Joby $76 million in stocks.

Airline Pilots Jettisoned 15,000 Pounds of Fuel Over Populated Areas

Five years after one of its Boeing 777s dumped 15,000 pounds of jet fuel onto neighborhoods, Delta Air Lines has agreed to pay $78.75 million to settle a class-action lawsuit. The proposed settlement still requires a judge’s approval, but could distribute compensation to residents of nearly 38,000 properties. After legal fees, the payout may total about $50.6 million.

Also: Boeing Pleads for Extension, Airport Admin Under Review, Huntington Beach Airshow, Spirit Files Again

DoT Secretary Sean P. Duffy notified FAA headquarters staff employees spread among six locations in Washington, D.C. that they’ll be relocating to the department’s building in the southeastern area of the city. Officials of the union, however, have raised concerns about the plan. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford wrote an email to staff that the timing for each office’s relocation would be finalized soon. Just days ahead of Poland’s largest aviation gathering, the leader of the country’s Tiger Demo Team was behind the controls of an F-16 that crashed, unfortunately costing him his life. Major Maciej “SLAB” Krakowian is remembered as one of Poland’s most talented and passionate pilots. The F-16C fighter jet crashed on August 28, 2025, during rehearsal for the Radom International Airshow. US Air For

Reliable Robotics to Provide Fully Autonomous Cessna 208B Aircraft to the Service

The United States Air Force recently awarded a $17.4 million contract to Reliable Robotics in hopes of redefining military cargo transportation. The company’s end of the bargain includes the purchase, integration, and testing of autonomous systems on Cessna 208B aircraft.

...Reported A Total Loss Of Engine Power, And That He Was Attempting An Emergency Landing In A Bean Field

On August 11, 2025, about 1505 Central daylight time, a North American T-28B airplane, N28XT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Monticello, Iowa. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to witnesses, the pilot reported, over the Monticello Regional Airport’s Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF), that he was experiencing a propeller governor failure, and he was returning to the airport. Shortly thereafter, he reported a total loss of engine power, and that he was attempting an emergency landing in a bean field about 2 miles Southeast of the airport.

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): New Owners Look to Revitalize Popular Ultralight Marque

Kolb Aircraft Company is a Kentucky-based manufacturer of kit-built ultralight aircraft. Founded in 1980 by Homer Kolb—who flew his initial design, the Kolb Flyer, in 1970—the company has marketed a dozen models of ultralight and experimental flying-machines, selling and delivering over 3,500 specimens in the last 43-years. In 1999, the company was sold to a group of investors; moved to London, Kentucky; and renamed The New Kolb Aircraft Company. Re-mastered, relocated, and rebranded, the New Kolb concern introduced several fresh models to the legacy Kolb lineup, to include the Pelican and the Super Sport.