Aviation news and analysis with Tower. FAA policy changes, industry trends, safety data, and what the headlines mean for the pilots who fly every day.
DoorDash's FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate and planned Northern California drone delivery launch signals a meaningful shift in low-altitude airspace that every GA pilot should understand.
Stratolaunch is adding a Boeing 777 to its carrier fleet, expanding hypersonic test capacity by 35% as U.S. defense programs compete for flight-test infrastructure.
The FAA has certified Garmin Autoland on the Epic E1000 AX, making it the fourth turboprop to carry autonomous landing capability that can fly and land the aircraft without any human input.
Boeing's MH-139A Grey Wolf entered full-rate production in September 2026, marking a generational shift as the Air Force retires its last UH-1N Hueys from missile field operations.
Purdue University is backing a new deep-sea expedition to investigate potential wreckage from Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Electra, nearly 89 years after her 1937 disappearance over the Pacific.
A REACH Air Medical helicopter crashed off Catalina Island on October 1, 2026, killing two - here's what every pilot needs to know about over-water risk.
A United Express E175 returned to Houston on September 27 after the first officer's windshield shattered into the cockpit, raising critical safety questions for all pressurized aircraft operators.
Anduril's Barracuda-M cruise missile earned WOSA certification from the Air Force Research Laboratory, marking a pivotal shift toward plug-and-play military weapons integration.
Belgium confirmed its first three F-16AM/BM jets are transferring to Ukraine as of September 29, 2026, while Kyiv simultaneously explores acquiring the modern Block 70/72 variant.
Fifteen U.S. states and Harris County, Texas have challenged the FAA's environmental review of commercial drone delivery, arguing approvals expanded before required analysis was done.
A European flight school has equipped 35 training aircraft with flight data recorders, spotlighting a 70-year data gap that has hampered GA safety analysis.
A Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 diverted to Saudi Arabia on September 30 after a violent physical confrontation between the two pilots forced abandonment of the Dubai–Tel Aviv route.
The FAA has certified Garmin Autoland for the Epic E1000 AX, letting non-pilot passengers press a button and have the aircraft land itself automatically.
PlaneWX gives solo GA pilots a four-step decision loop - Brief, Assess, Decide, Debrief - modeled on the structured framework airline dispatchers provide commercial crews.
RAF roundels over Oshkosh represent over a century of Anglo-American aviation history, from Eagle Squadron volunteers to shared fifth-generation fighter technology.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is pushing for faster FAA aircraft certification, naming China's state-backed COMAC C919 as a direct threat to American aerospace dominance.
Stratolaunch has acquired a Boeing 777-200ER to expand its hypersonic air-launch test fleet alongside the Roc, signaling serious program growth.
Alaska Air Group is bringing lie-flat suites to the Boeing 737 MAX 10 - a first for North American narrowbody aviation - alongside widebody upgrades on its 787 and A330 fleets.
AOPA formally urged FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on September 29, 2026, to reconsider rescinding single-pilot exemptions for Cessna Citation 500 and 550 series aircraft.
Radio Hangar explores AOPA urges FAA to reconsider pulling single-pilot Citation exemptions.