Fri, Jun 05, 2026
Damage From Explosion Not As Severe As Initially Thought
Jeff Bezos’s rocket company Blue Origin said Tuesday the damage was not as severe as initially feared and that the company plans to resume New Glenn rocket launches by the end of the year, according to SpaceFlight Now. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp, in an overnight post on the social media platform X, said propellant tanks at launch pad 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station made it through the blast in good shape, as did a nearby processing hangar. The main support gantry, while damaged, can be repaired in place. “Now that we’ve had access to the pad and integration facility we can share a bit of good news,” Limp said. “The propellant farm, oxygen, liquid hydrogen and LNG [cryogenic methane] tanks are all in good shape. This is good luck because these are very long lead items.
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Fri, Jun 05, 2026
World’s Largest Military Air Show Canceled As RAF Fairford Supports Operations
The cancellation of RIAT 2026 is more than the loss of a major airshow. As RAF Fairford shifts into a critical operational role, the effects of the Iran conflict are reaching aviation events, military communities, and travelers across the globe. From grounded displays to rising fuel prices, the ripple effects continue to grow far beyond the battlefield.
Fri, Jun 05, 2026
An Examiner-Informed Guide To Preparing For An Instrument Checkride
PilotWorkshops has released a new training resource designed to help instrument-rating applicants prepare for the practical test with greater confidence and less stress. “Checkride Insights: Instrument Rating” is a fully annotated version of the FAA’s Instrument Rating Airman Certification Standards (ACS), enhanced with practical explanations, examiner insights, and real-world instrument flight rules (IFR) scenarios. Designed specifically for instrument students preparing for the test, Checkride Insights takes the guidance of chief instructors, check airmen, and designated pilot examiners (DPEs) and maps it directly to the ACS tasks to which those comments apply.
Fri, Jun 05, 2026
Aircraft Was Lost Not Due To Design, But Loss Of Battery Power Flighting Bad Weather And Turbulence
Skydweller Aero CEO Robert Miller remains optimistic despite the loss of the company’s prototype aircraft, telling Forbes that the situation was very different from the accidents that ended other solar projects, and that Skydweller’s technology is not just mature but improving. The experimental solar-powered aircraft Solar Impulse 2—converted into an autonomous drone by Skydweller Aero—crashed into the Gulf of Mexico during an uncrewed test flight for the U.S. Navy. The loss happened after a U.S. Navy fleet exercise in the Caribbean, during which the Skydweller flew for eight days and carried out the sort of activities it would do in a real-life mission.
Fri, Jun 05, 2026
Successful First Flight of Full-Scale Test Aircraft
Honda says that an April 1 flight test was conducted in San Luis Obispo County, Calif., where a full-scale technology demonstrator weighing approximately 7,000 pounds successfully completed its first flight, lasting about 90 seconds. This first full-scale flight builds on research and development efforts that began in 2020, along with more than 400 flight tests conducted using subscale models. With this milestone, development advances into the full-scale validation phase, where the foundational technologies of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are being verified at real scale.
Fri, Jun 05, 2026
Also: No Pause For Snowbirds?, Customs Cutbacks Oppo, “So Much Good” In NFTA Report, NGPA’s $500K Scholarships
SecTrans Sean Duffy became the first Transportation Secretary in American history to fly aboard an electric vertical take off and landing aircraft during a visit to BETA Technologies headquarters in Burlington, Vermont. The milestone comes as the Trump Administration and the FAA expand efforts to bring next generation aircraft into the national airspace. During the visit, Duffy and FAA officials announced the Electric Innovative Pilot Program, a nationwide initiative designed to accelerate the safe testing and deployment of advanced air mobility technologies. A new software update is giving Carbon Cub pilots another way to unlock more capability from the Rotax 916 iS engine. Developed with renowned STOL pilot Luke Czepiela and RS Flight Systems, the upgrade focuses on improving how power is delivered throughout flight. The resu
Fri, Jun 05, 2026
Also: Skydweller Solar Aircraft, Bulgaria v Military Birds, Epic Flight Academy, Honda eVTOL Milestone
A vintage aircraft display at a British aviation venue took an unexpected turn on Saturday evening, leading to a pilot being taken to hospital following an air show incident. The event occurred during the Wings And Wheels Air Show at Shuttleworth, where spectators had gathered for a full day of flying displays and heritage aviation demonstrations. The incident involved a replica Avro Triplane IV with only the pilot on board. Emergency services were called after reports that the aircraft came to rest in a tree within Old Warden Park, approximately fifteen meters above the ground. The way pilots prepare for written exams is about to change. The FAA is moving away from static study materials and toward dynamic, scenario-based testing. Training programs and applicants will need to adapt quickly. The FAA is preparing a major overhaul to pilot knowledge
Fri, Jun 05, 2026
Also: Launching Drones From Helicopters, MQ-9B w/AEW Pods, Eve Wingborne Testing, Tamarack Satellite WiFi
The YFQ-42A collaborative combat aircraft has resumed flight testing after a six-week pause that began when one of the drones crashed in early April. General Atomics builds the YFQ-42A, announced the return to flight May 21 and said a safety review conducted determined the crash was caused by an “autopilot miscalculation for the weight and center of gravity of the aircraft…” The aircraft was destroyed in the crash near an airport in the California desert owned by General Atomics, though no one was hurt. While US forces deployed to the southern border employ several fixed and mobile counter-drone systems, the top general in charge of stateside defense said troops lack adequate counter-drone technology for patrols. The southern border region has become what officials dubbed a testbed for counter-UAS systems, part of an
Fri, Jun 05, 2026
Also: FAA Evals eAircraft, Super Guppy Returns, CAF Goes Hawaiian, NTSB on Cockpit Voice Recordings
A South Carolina pilot is facing criminal charges after witnesses reported a small aircraft repeatedly flying at an extremely low altitude over a crowded stretch of beach on Pawleys Island. The incident occurred on April 10, when Georgetown County deputies received multiple calls about an aircraft making low passes near Atlantic Avenue and beachfront homes. Several witnesses told authorities the airplane appeared dangerously close to the sand. The 2026 World Aerobatic Championship is headed to Mason City, Iowa (KMCW). The venue change from Batavia, N.Y., has been approved by the international aerobatics commission (CIVA) , and planning at the new location is well underway for the championship event. The contest dates remain the same: Aug. 23 – Sept. 2, 2026. The Air Force has lifted the operational pause on the Talon T-38 aircraft and expects t
Fri, Jun 05, 2026
Seeking Cheap Firepower For A New Era Of Warfare
As battlefields evolve, the Pentagon is looking beyond traditional defense contractors and toward an unlikely group of innovators. Some built businesses around golf course analytics, aerial entertainment, and competitive drone racing. Now they are being asked to help shape the future of military aviation.