New Second-In-Command to Serve Under… Who?

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) veteran Chris Rocheleau was recently sworn in as the agency’s Deputy Administrator. He will serve as the acting chief while we await the new president’s formal pick. Finding - and keeping - a suitable FAA Administrator has posed a challenge over the last several years.

Flight Training Europe to Acquire 20 New Piper Archer DX

On January 23, Piper Aircraft announced its fleet deal with FTEJerez, or Flight Training Europe, for 20 Archer DX training aircraft. The first half of the lot was delivered last December. The 20-aircraft deal is Piper’s second large Archer DX fleet agreement this month.

Demonstrator Aircraft Set to Break the Sound Barrier on January 28

On its journey to restoring supersonic commercial air travel, Boom has confirmed that its XB-1 demonstrator aircraft is ready to break the sound barrier for the first time. The event will be livestreamed on January 28, taking place in the same airspace where Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier for the first time almost 80 years ago.

Industry Shows Signs of Another Year in an Extreme Pilot Shortage

As most pilots know by now, the aviation industry has faced a nearly continuous labor shortage ever since the effects of COVID-19 began to wear off. Though at first the issue seemed to straighten out, all signs are now pointing at a serious lack of pilots in coming years.

Also: H225M Helos To France, C919 Ramps Up, Spirit Chops 200, Frontier’s Q4 Stats

After receiving numerous complaints, the FAA overturned a policy set in December involving experimental aircraft testing. The regulation limited aircraft in Phase I to operating out of only a single airport. The order, 8130.2K, was issued on August 28 and took effect in December. It cut down the number of airports permitted for Phase I flight testing. DJI recently launched its new ‘Flip’ drone to cater to content creators and newbies. The Flip drone is a compact, foldable model that weighs under 249 grams, making it highly portable and exempt from FAA registration requirements for recreational use. It is equipped with a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor capable of capturing 48MP photos and shooting 4K HDR video at 60 fps. Avilution’s new FAA-approved Air Data Computer (ADC) upgrade recently took flight for the first time on board the Eclipse 500 Je

Also: Presidential TFRs, Daher FL Lease, Charter Security, T-7A Acquisition

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) for certain Rotax engines installed on various general aviation aircraft. Rotax previously notified owners of such aircraft about the issue through its own Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) in December 2024. The family of Barrett Bevacqua, a student pilot killed in a 2023 plane crash, is suing the flight school and airline related to the flight. They claim that the flight instructor is to blame and are seeking $27 million. 20-year-old Bevacqua enrolled in the Ascend Pilot Academy, spearheaded by Alaska Airlines and subsidiary Horizon Air, in January 2023. Drone manufacturer DJI recently decided to remove drone geofencing, allowing users to fly their drones over potentially dangerous areas. Though rumors of the update being politically motivated have been swirling, DJI argues that th

Also: Single Pilot Ops Nonsense, New FAI President, Jolly Green II, Mystery Runway

NAA announced the recognition of the Polaris Dawn orbital mission launched by SpaceX Dragon spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit, during which it reached a record-breaking apogee of 875 miles, setting records for Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon as the furthest any women have flown from Earth. On January 21, a Piper PA-18A-150 Super Cub collided with two tandem paragliders near Méribel-les-Allues, Savoie. The aircraft then plummeted onto the roof of an unoccupied chalet, resulting in the deaths of its two occupants. The paragliders were in shock but are currently “out of danger,” according to Albertville public prosecutor Benoît Bachelet. The iconic Super Cub, registered F-BAYP, sustained critical damage. FAA veteran Chris Rocheleau was recently sworn in as the agency’s Deputy  Administrator. He will serve as the acting chie

Double Power Output, Can Transport 50% More Payload

UK-based Windracers announced the unveiling of the ULTRA MK2, its next-generation autonomous cargo UAV that is designed for middle-mile logistics and compared to its predecessor, has double the power generation and able to carry up to 150 kg in payload while also realizing a significant reduction in fuel costs.

Don't Miss Our Comprehensive Annual Coverage Of Aviation's 'Spring Break'

Here it comes! ANN has prepared its most comprehensive coverage EVER of the SUN n FUN Aerospace Expo... and we guarantee you that this is the best there is. We’re already posting stories to the SUN n FUN Digital Daily website at www.snfdd.com, but the real excitement starts on Monday aftewrnoon at 1600ET when the SUN n FUN Innovation Preview starts with announcements of dozens of new products, developments, and other surprises. Log on to www.airborne-live.net to see it all LIVE... and we have to say... some of these announcements are pretty exciting!

Also: Pilot Stalker, Wildfire Drone Incident, Senate Commerce Leadership, Airline BK Woes

Despite a brief period of pilot oversupply following the COVID-19 pandemic, new data from the FAA indicates a concerning decline in certifications. This threatens to re-ignite the pilot shortage faced in recent years. In 2024, over 9,600 pilots earned FAA certifications. This created a slight oversupply in the labor market, with 0.3% more than required for stability. However, analysts warn that the surge is tapering off. The National Flight Training Alliance (NFTA) has been named by the FAA as its industry partner to coordinate efforts in modernizing FAA Part 141. NFTA works to 'unify, protect, and promote' the flight training industry in the U.S. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued a'Part 23' Type Certification for an electric aircraft to Liaoning General Aviation Academy’s (LGAA) RX4E. The fixed tricycle gear, high wing, fou