Headline News | Aero-News Network

Sat, May 23, 2026

Internal Failure Can Result In Loss Of Tail-Rotor Thrust
A newly discovered problem with the Apache helicopter’s transmission is plaguing the Army’s fleet, just as funding woes have pushed the service to drastically cut flight hours and rapidly retire older variants of the combat helicopter, according to reports. An Army investigation has indicated that “some AH-64E [improved drive system] main transmissions can experience an internal failure resulting in loss of accessory gearbox drive, which can result in loss of tail-rotor thrust, electrical power, and hydraulics,” according to an April internal safety document reviewed by Defense One reported. “The root cause is still under investigation.”

Sat, May 23, 2026

Charged With 2nd-Degree Assault And Intentional Discharge Of A Firearm
A St. Louis County, Minn. man who claims he was shooting at crows faces charges after authorities say he shot at an aircraft that was working to put out wildfires in northern Minnesota.Daniel Christian Pettit, 49, faces was charged with second-degree assault and intentional discharge of a firearm after authorities allege he fired multiple times at an Air Tractor Fire Boss aircraft fighting wildfires.Authorities were able to track the location of the shots that caused damage due to the remote proximity of summer cabins, and a 2024 incident during which Pettit expressed annoyance with planes flying overhead, Fox 9 reported. When speaking with investigators, Petitt allegedly said, “If I accidentally hit him crow hunting, too bad. He endangered my life,” while claiming that he was following Department of National Resources (DNR) regulations. He told investigators that “it was against FAA regulation to fly below 500 feet (over) a residential home.”

Sat, May 23, 2026

Seahawks And Apaches Signal Growing Regional Tensions
A multibillion dollar helicopter package is giving a clear look at how South Korea is preparing for future threats across land and sea.pen as tensions with North Korea remain a central security concern across the region.

Sat, May 23, 2026

Non-Profit Flies Rescue Missions Around The World
A non-profit based out of Nampa, Idaho, is helping a family leave the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after the father tested positive for Ebola. A rare strain of the virus is spreading in an outbreak the World Health Organization has labeled “of international concern.” Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), based at the Nampa Airport west of Boise, has been flying rescue flights around the world for 20 years. The organization was founded following World War II; the Nampa-based branch has been in Idaho 20 years and now brings pilots there for training. Brock Larsen, MFA’s vice president of global impact, told Idahonews.com the organization learned about the outbreak last Friday and soon realized it involved someone close to the group. “Our team first became aware of the Ebola outbreak last Friday, and at the same time, we realized a family near and dear to us, where the father, Peter Stafford, had been diagnosed as positive for Ebola. The family had been exposed. So

Sat, May 23, 2026

FAA Approval Opens A New Structured Career Pathway For Aspiring Pilots In The Dallas Fort Worth Region A new FAA certification at Spartan Flight Academy is adding another important training pipeline in one of America’s busiest aviation markets. Spartan Flight Academy has received Federal Aviation Administration Part 141 approval for its Grand Prairie, Texas, campus, giving the school authorization to offer a structured and FAA monitored professional pilot training program alongside its existing Part 61 operations.

Sat, May 23, 2026

U.S. Helicopter Crew Escaped Injury After An Unexpected Precautionary Landing Near Camp Humphreys A frontline Apache attack helicopter suddenly touched down in a rural rice field after crews reported a possible in flight issue. A U.S. Army AH-64E Apache assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division made a precautionary landing Friday in a rice field near Pyeongtaek, about 40 miles south of Seoul. The helicopter touched down in Hyeondeok myeon, roughly nine miles west of Camp Humphreys, according to South Korean authorities and reporting from Yonhap News Agency.

Sat, May 23, 2026

Also: Iridium Takes On Aireon, Leidos’s Hypersonic Weapons, New Rotorcraft Pathway, Airport Vehicle Safety Program
A parallel certification track is opening a potential early runway for advanced air mobility beyond traditional approval timelines. Archer Aviation is pursuing a restricted type certificate in the United Arab Emirates that could enable passenger and cargo flights in Abu Dhabi ahead of full FAA certification in the United States. Company officials describe the UAE framework as geographically limited rather than capability constrained… ZenaTech has completed manufacturing of its ZenaDrone 2000’s fuselage, finalized key system components including the gas-powered engine selection and configuration, and commenced in-house assembly and systems integration as well as test-bench activities for systems and components. The completed drone is expected to begin initial field-flight testing at the end of the third quarter of 2026 to

Sat, May 23, 2026

Also: AeroSummit Gets Underway, Hélicoptères Guimbal AD, VC-25B Bridge Aircraft, Rescue Team Saves 11
Canada’s iconic Snowbirds will be grounded following the 2026 air show season as the Royal Canadian Air Force retires its aging CT-114 Tutor fleet after more than five decades of service. Defence Minister David McGuinty confirmed that negotiations are underway to acquire additional CT-157 Siskin II aircraft for the demonstration team. While the turbo prop trainer has already been selected as the Snowbirds’ future platform, officials offered no timeline for when the squadron could return to flying demonstrations. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said officials are searching for the person who shot at the aircraft that was struck by a bullet after scooping water from Kjostad Lake around 7 p.m. Friday. Two single-engine Air Tractor fire-suppression aircraft, operating under contract of the Minnesota Department of

Sat, May 23, 2026

Retired Astronaut From El Paso One Of Those Eliminated
NASA has quietly removed the members of a key panel that had advised the agency for almost 50 years, according to elpasomatters.org. One of those removed from the NASA Advisory Council was Danny Olivas, a retired astronaut from El Paso who played a role in investigating the safety of the Artemis II heat shield that would allow the capsule to return through Earth’s atmosphere. “At this time, the structure of federal advisory committees at NASA is being adjusted, and your role will conclude at this time,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s letter to Olivas said. Olivas said he wasn’t surprised, because Isaacman had indicated before becoming NASA administrator in December 2025 that he planned to eliminate many of the advisory groups of outside experts who have provided feedback to NASA for decades.