Safety Issues And Fraudulent OT Pay Under Scrutiny

Federal officials are investigating the abuse of overtime pay received by three police officers in the New York Police Department’s Aviation unit when Winston Faison was the Chief of the unit. NYPD transferred Faison to the Transportation Bureau after the FAA conducted a surprise investigation into safety issues in the unit, and he has since retired.

Inaction By FAA And Congress Share Responsibility For Shortcomings

The independent National Transportation Safety Board conducted three days of hearings that wrapped up on August 1 into the causes of the deadly mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in D.C. in January, and one of the most striking things that came out was that nobody seemed shocked or surprised that it happened.

St. Louis, Illinois Fighter Jet Plants Affected

More than 3,200 workers at Boeing’s St. Louis area and Illinois defense division facilities voted to reject a second contract offer and went out on strike on August 4, curtailing production of F-15 and F/A-18 fighter jets, T-7 trainers, and MQ-25 drones for aerial refueling for the U.S. Navy.

Also: NASA-Firefly Contract, US-EU Trade Deal, Boom Symphony Engine, AIR Snags $23M

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries announced its participation in a practical training exercise in conjunction with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Asaka Garrison, the goal of which was to improve response capabilities in the event of an earthquake centered in the Tokyo metro area. The mid-size UAV is electric powered and intended for a variety of missions including transport of disaster relief supplies, logistical support to remote areas, and transport of construction materials for power transmission towers. The DJI Neo was a surprising hit amongst content creators, acting as an autonomous cameraman and lightweight tag-along, but the regulatory environment of 2025 may keep its sequel away. The DJI Neo 2 recently showed up on the FCC website, an essential step whenever a new drone came to the U.S. domestic market. But drone fans have been eyeing shipment

Aciturri Aerostructures to Build the Airframe for Vertical’s VX4

Vertical Aerospace recently entered a new partnership, passing down the responsibility of building the VX4 eVTOL’s pre-production airframe to Aciturri Aerostructures. The team will begin with a pre-production version that, if all goes to plan, will put the VX4 on track for certification and scalable production.

Piper Comanche And Firearms Among Items Seized

Two men were arrested on July 29 at the Ruleville-Drew Airport (M37) in Drew, Mississippi, after landing and their Piper Comanche was searched along with a residence connected to the two that resulted in the discovery of 247 pounds of marijuana, $295,495 in cash, and two firearms.

Advancing Air Cargo, Transportation At Scale

Reliable Robotics announced a partnership with NASA as part of the Space Act Agreement (SAA) to support the integration of large UAS into the National Airspace System, with a focus on addressing UAS capabilities for air cargo and air transportation operations at scale.

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The final numbers are in, and EAA AirVenture 2025 has once again outdone itself. According to the EAA, the event drew approximately 704,000 visitors to Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, beating last year’s record by 18,000. Visitors came from 94 countries, and camping areas were packed, with over 15,000 sites accounting for 40,000 people staying on the grounds. Aircraft arrivals across east-central Wisconsin topped 10,000, including 16,246 takeoffs and landings at Wittman Field alone between July 17 and July 28. One of aviation’s most beloved aerobatic biplanes is now back in production under its original name: the Christen Industries Eagle. Rights to the Eagle were purchased out of the Aviat collection by long-term admirer Chuck Therriault. Therriault’s passion for all-things-Eagle has been clear since he was eight years old,

Public Benefit Flying Awards Presented With Air Care Alliance

The National Aeronautic Association revealed the recipients of its esteemed Public Benefit Flying Awards for 2025. They are presented in collaboration with the Air Care Alliance, a nationwide network of flying organizations who utilize aviation for humanitarian purposes.

International Airlines Group Puts its Entire 737 MAX Order into Vueling’s Fleet

The International Airlines Group (IAG), owner of British Airways, Aer Lingus, and other well-known subsidiaries, finally announced the operator of its three-year-old Boeing aircraft order: Vueling. The 50 new 737 MAX jets mark a step away from Vueling’s previously all-Airbus fleet.