Always on Target
Aviation news roundup covering new aircraft certifications, training updates, military developments including Gripen F flight tests, and commercial spaceflight expansion targets for 2030.
VerdeGo, founded by innovators including Charles Lindbergh's grandson, has unveiled a hybrid-electric powerplant designed to advance electrification in urban air mobility applications.
U.S. aviation fuel prices increased in August, with JET A averaging $7.97 nationally and 100LL also rising compared to July, reflecting ongoing cost pressures for aircraft operators.
Lufthansa Cargo is acquiring LUG aircargo handling GmbH to strengthen its infrastructure and support sustainable growth in its freight operations.
India's business jet market remains constrained at approximately 200 aircraft, with restrictive tax policies limiting growth despite projections forecasting the sector to reach $1.2 billion within a decade, primarily through charter service expansion.
HAECO completed its first Trent 700 engine fan case replacement for Hainan Airlines, marking progress on a general terms agreement to expand engine maintenance services.
Eutelsat has contracted Infinite Orbits to perform life extension services on at least one of its geostationary orbit satellites.
KONGSBERG has integrated Echodyne's MESA radar into its PROTECTOR remote weapon stations to enable counter-UAS capabilities with radar detection and tracking functionality.
The global active satellite population has grown 29% year-over-year to approximately 16,800 spacecraft in orbit, according to recent industry tracking data.
Canadian UAS manufacturer Superwake obtained regulatory approval from Transport Canada for beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations of its SW-117 long-endurance drone with detect-and-avoid capability.
Europe is pursuing multiple next-generation fighter jet programs including FCAS and GCAP alongside potential Eurofighter Typhoon upgrades, representing competing approaches to modernizing continental air forces.
Bombardier highlights its U.S. economic footprint—3,500 domestic employees and $2.5 billion annual spending with American suppliers—amid potential policy impacts on aircraft deliveries.
Egyptian airline AIRCAIRO has ordered 15 Airbus A320neo aircraft and selected General Electric LEAP-1A engines, marking its first direct purchase from Airbus and supporting the carrier's fleet expansion.
The FAA has approved a Supplemental Type Certificate enabling Starlink connectivity installation on Hawker 700, 800, and 900 series business jets through AeroMech's aviation-specific kit.
Project West Ford, a 1963 US Air Force experiment, deployed 480 million copper needles into orbit to create a passive radio relay system for communications. The dispersed metallic dipoles formed a reflective ring around Earth, though only partial deployment of the payload was achieved.
Bevel Gears India inaugurated a new 70,000 sq ft manufacturing facility near Bengaluru airport to expand precision gear production capabilities for the aerospace sector.
MIT's Lincoln Laboratory has resumed receiving signals from LES-1, a satellite launched in 1965 that went silent decades ago. Amateur operators detected the historic spacecraft's transmissions again in 2012, and the lab now regularly records its radio signals using a rooftop antenna when the satellite passes through sunlight.
Maroomba Airlines, a Perth-based FIFO charter operator, is expanding its Dash 8 fleet to meet growing demand after carrying over 94,000 passengers last year.
Australia is investing $2.4 billion over six years in air and missile defence capabilities through Lockheed Martin, supporting hundreds of skilled jobs.
NTSB investigation reveals Amazon cargo plane pilots contemplated aborting their landing approach prior to the fatal crash at Miami International Airport, suggesting they may have recognized hazardous conditions.
An Amazon cargo aircraft crashed while landing in Miami, overrunning the runway and killing five people. Investigators will interview the pilots involved in the incident.
NASA's Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project restored high-resolution photographs from 1960s Moon reconnaissance missions by recovering data from 1,478 archived tapes using vintage drives, with restoration work conducted in a converted McDonald's restaurant facility near NASA Ames.
QantasLink received its first Embraer E190 regional jet in Perth as part of a fleet modernization program transitioning from Fokker 100 aircraft.
Cathay Pacific and Google are expanding AI trials to help aircraft avoid contrail-forming conditions, with early results showing approximately 40% reduction in contrail warming impact.
European space startup The Exploration Company secured $450 million in Series C funding, marking one of the largest capital raises for a European space company to date.
NASA's X-59 experimental aircraft is advancing to a new testing phase to evaluate sonic signature characteristics during supersonic flight operations.
Fiji Airways is joining Western Sydney Airport's lineup, commencing overnight 737 MAX 8 service between Sydney and Nadi starting March 17.
LOT Polish Airlines is expanding its Southeast Asian operations by launching new direct routes from Warsaw to Bangkok and Hanoi, enhancing connectivity to the region.
Indonesian carrier BBN Airlines has joined IATA, gaining membership in the international airline association representing over 370 carriers across 120 countries as part of its regional expansion strategy.
Star Alliance and Incheon International Airport have signed a cooperation agreement to establish a dedicated Star Alliance lounge facility at the airport's Terminal 1.