State Aviation Journal

Cirrus Expands Grand Forks Manufacturing Facility to Support Growing Demand
Photo – Dignitaries at the Cirrus Grand Forks expansion ribbon cutting. On Friday, Cirrus celebrated the opening of its expanded manufacturing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota, marking a significant milestone in the company’s continued investment in manufacturing excellence, safety and quality as well as long-term growth. The multi-million-dollar expansion provides the additional production capacity […]
Plans Unveiled to Transform Washington Dulles International Airport
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy alongside President Donald J. Trump in the Oval Office unveiled last week renderings for a landmark transformation of Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). Backed by a $20+ billion capital investment program, a historic collaboration between USDOT, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), and United Airlines will oversee the transformation […]
Rotortrade Completes 30 Super Puma Transactions
Rotortrade is reporting that they have successfully completed 30 Super Puma transactions, the vast majority involving the H225 platform, supporting operators, governments, leasing companies and financial institutions across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. These projects have included aircraft sales and acquisitions, return-to-service programs, heavy maintenance coordination, aircraft repossessions, long-term storage, mission conversions, technical upgrades, […]
Wearing the #26 Florida Panthers “Thunderbirds” Jersey at AirVenture 2026
I’m always up for trying something new and being unique in some way. As some of you know, my day job is working in the video game industry and I love it when games and aviation come together! A couple of years ago I bought a bunch of aviation related video game shirts to wear […]

State News

ADOT Releases Draft 2026 Arizona State Aviation System Plan Update for Public Comment

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has released the draft 2026 Arizona State Aviation System Plan for public review and comment. The State Aviation System Plan serves as Arizona’s long-term roadmap for the state’s public airport system. The plan looks ahead for 20 years and helps identify the improvements, investments and priorities needed to keep Arizona’s airports safe, reliable and prepared for future growth. The plan also evaluates how Arizona’s airport system supports economic development, emergency services, business, tourism and community access throughout the state. Key updates to the plan include: Forecasts of future demand for commercial airline, general aviation and air cargo activities in Arizona through 2044. Alignment of the aviation system goals with the goals identified in the 2050 Arizona Long Range Transportation Plan. Estimates of systemwide project costs to meet system goals and fulfill airport needs over a 20-year planning period. Comments on the plan can be made through Sept. 1 in the following ways: Online comment form at: azdot.gov/SASPcomments Email to: ngbecerra@azdot.gov Phone: 855.712.8530 Mail: Nancy Becerra, ADOT Community Relations, 1655 W. Jackson St., MD126F, Phoenix, AZ 85007 The draft Arizona State Aviation System Plan Update and additional details are available for review on the Airport Development and Planning webpage at azdot.gov/SASP.
PHX Celebrates the Past, Present, and Future of Aviation on National Aviation Day

National Aviation Day is celebrated annually on Aug. 19. It is a day to reflect on how far the world of aviation has come since the first flight by the Wright Brothers in 1903. The Phoenix Airport System supports the continued development of aviation by being the largest economic engine in the state and working to keep up with the Valley’s growth. 1948 Photo Airports are major hubs of commercial activity, with a significant economic development footprint. Phoenix Sky Harbor, Deer Valley and Goodyear airports together generate a total economic impact of more than $44.3 billion per year. Phoenix Sky Harbor plays a crucial role as an employment center for more than 47,000 people. Also, the City of Phoenix Aviation Department is recognized nationally as a great place to work and has attained Level 3 recognition in the Airport Workforce Development Accreditation program through Airports Council International – North America. With Phoenix Sky Harbor serving more than 140,000 passengers and more than 1,300 flights each day, the roles that support operations are essential. One example is city of Phoenix Aviation Department employee Lourdes C. She is an Aviation Supervisor II and Terminal Operations Coordinator who manages importing airline schedules into the airport gate management system and charting flights across concourses, keeping operations running efficiently. Lourdes plays a key role in keeping flights operating on time. Visit PHX’s Employee Spotlight webpage for more stories about airport employees and the important work they do. As Phoenix Sky Harbor continues to see passenger numbers grow, investing in the future to accommodate growth and the thriving community remains a priority. The airport’s 20-year plan provides a roadmap for meeting future demand. Some of these projects include: Taxiway U to bridge the north and south airfields on the airport’s west side A second north concourse in Terminal 3 A new terminal on the west side of the airport No local tax dollars are being used for these projects. Visit our Building the Future of PHX webpage for more information on these large projects. According to world airport traffic rankings released by Airports Council International (ACI) World, Phoenix Deer Valley Airport was the busiest general aviation airport in North America in 2025, with nearly 500,000 take offs and landings, further supporting the region’s economy. Phoenix Goodyear Airport is a general aviation airport supporting significant maintenance, repair, and overall (MRO) of large aircraft, airline flight training, and corporate aircraft. These are additional critical components of the region’s aviation network. All three airports play a key role in honoring aviation’s history, and Phoenix Sky Harbor celebrated the 90th anniversary of the city of Phoenix purchasing the airport in 2025. By being the state’s largest economic engine and continuing to accommodate passenger and city growth, the Phoenix Airport System is a testament to how far the aviation industry has come since the first takeoff in 1903. For more information, visit skyharbor.com. Phoenix Sky Harbor is holding an activity to commemorate National Aviation Day, 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, in Terminal 4 near the A Gates.

National News

The Great Indifferent: Your Airport’s Most Important Audience

By Eric Blinderman In our last piece, we addressed the need to connect with the community on its terms – going beyond airplanes and runways; how your operations positively impact residents and business every day — through revenues and jobs, safety, law enforcement and disaster relief.That value story is the narrative of community connection, the story that answers “what’s in it for me?” The value you provide outside the fence.Why is that so important? Simply recall that losing money is not the airport’s greatest threat, it’s losing the community. You may have grant assurances and other regulatory protections to keep the airport open, but it’s community that allows you to thrive.The most important question now is: who needs to hear that story? Where is your value of the most value?The easy answer may be the quick one … everyone. Why shouldn’t every resident, business leader and elected official understand the airport’s story? That’s a noble goal and frankly would be a tremendous asset.But whether you run an airport in a small town, or one in a larger city – and given your five-page to-do list – talking to everyone is a tall order. You need to get airport stuff done, and be efficient with your time. If the answer isn’t everyone, then, who’s your target?As a starting point, remember that people only value what they understand. I’m sure you already know those who get the airport’s true value — the pilots, technicians, tenants and those in the community who already grasp what you provide to the community every day. They know your story, not someone else’s.On other side of the scale, you have a good idea of those that will never be on your side, no matter what facts and value you bring forward. The ones who call you to complain, write to the newspaper (often), call talk radio and show up to city council meetings. The ones who never let facts get in the way of a good story. For illustrative purposes, let’s say the advocates comprise 10 percent of the community, and the naysayers another 10 percent. That leaves a huge gap in the middle; 80 percent of the community without an up or down view of the airport.Simply stated, the great indifferent.You may discount them, but make no mistake, those without a sentiment are probably the most important people you need to engage. They are the folks who are neutral – for now. Nothing negative to say – yet.They may be indifferent, but are often willing to listen to others, including those who would love to espouse their negativity and color their neutrality.As a simple way to think about this, let’s take a page from (gasp) political elections.Usually, a candidate has voters from their side on their side. Red votes red, blue votes blue. But in today’s society, many don’t belong to a color, or are purple at best. We hear about tremendous efforts to court the independents – voters in the middle, unaffiliated and dispassionate, who usually determine the outcome of an election.If you think of airport advocates as one color and the naysayers on the other, it’s the aviation purple that can dictate how the community at large feels about you. Talks about you. Supports you. Votes for you (for votes for those who vote for you).One airport that gets this is Chicago Executive, owned by the municipalities of Wheeling and Prospect Heights.“Broad-based community understanding and support is vital for us, and any airport, which means we need to pay close attention to the silent majority who may not (yet) have an opinion about us,” said Jeff Miller, Executive Director of Chicago Executive. “It’s important that residents and businesses fully understand the value we bring to the community, and how we positively impact their lives every day.”For independent voters in an election, it comes down to education. A lot of time, money and energy is spent to ensuring the great middle understands why their policies make best sense for their lives. How what they supports is in tune with their daily needs.It’s the same idea for your airport and the great indifferent: educating the middle on why the you enhance the lives of residents and the community every day. Makes the community a safer one, a more robust one, a more connected one.If these folks are indifferent and disconnected, and have no starting point about your airport, how do you engage them and educate them? The core of your community events probably take place at the airport: appreciation days, Civil Air Patrol, EAA Young Eagles flights, just to name a few. But those in the indifferent middle probably have no context or reason to visit you, so like the candidates, go where they are. Go to their turf, speak on their terms — about what matters to them.When you’re taking your message outside the fence, think outside the box. Some opportunities may be more obvious, and you may already be doing these: city council meetings, chambers of commerce, civic organizations. Those are certainly important audiences, but go deeper. Where can your message be more unexpected, but still relevant? Where can you tap more of the important indifferent?Here are a few to consider … Junior Achievement: how the airport offers great aviation opportunities (more than you think) PTA meetings: how the airport makes the community safer State and community fairs: you think these rides are fun? Business and real-estate associations: companies only want to do business where access is easy (and not a full-day time suck) Homebuilders and realtor associations: we can peacefully co-exist and here’s how Remember, you’re there to connect your value to the community’s value – how aviation enhances what’s important to residents and businesses. How local aviation makes the community safer and more successful.It’s about education – reach and recruit the indifferent with reality before the naysayers have a chance to turn minds. Eric Blinderman is the principal of Narrative Aviation, a communications consultancy enabling airports and aviation companies to own and tell their own stories, before others do. Eric led communications at READ MORE
When Aviation Runs Short of People, Regional Airports Feel It First

By Patrick Arnzen, CEO of Thrust Flight If your flight was delayed or canceled this summer, weather or mass travelers probably got the blame. But behind many of the disruptions travelers experience is a staffing problem that reaches across aviation: the industry doesn’t have enough trained people to keep pace with demand. Boeing’s latest outlook says the industry will need 674,000 new pilots through 2045, up from 660,000 in last year’s forecast, and that number tells only part of the story. Aviation needs pilots in large numbers, but it also needs enough mechanics, dispatchers and air traffic controllers to support every flight those pilots operate. The shortage goes beyond pilots I’ve seen this problem from two sides, having flown commercially before moving into aviation training and now leading Thrust Flight, where we train the next generation of pilots and mechanics. Pilots tend to get most of the attention since they’re the people passengers see walking through the terminal and boarding the airplane, yet every flight still depends on mechanics, dispatchers and air traffic controllers doing their jobs before the airplane ever leaves the gate. The demand for pilots remains very real, and Boeing’s forecast makes clear how many new aviators the industry will need in the years ahead. At the same time, the people supporting those pilots are under similar staffing pressure, which makes the problem much harder to solve. Aviation is trying to train enough people across several professions, each with its own certification requirements and years of experience behind it. That process takes time, and the industry can’t simply speed through the training and experience each job requires. Regional airports feel the cuts sooner Airlines facing staffing shortages have to make choices about where to use the crews they have, and large markets with strong passenger demand are easier to protect when schedules have to be reduced. A place like Dubuque or Eau Claire is more vulnerable than New York or Dallas when an airline starts cutting flights. A route serving a smaller city may already operate with limited frequency or tighter economics, so losing one crew can mean losing the day’s flight. I’ve watched that happen in communities where passenger demand isn’t large enough to guarantee a full airplane every day. For residents, the impact goes well beyond an inconvenient drive to another airport since air service connects local companies with customers and suppliers, helps employers recruit people and gives residents access to the rest of the country without adding hours to every trip. Smaller airports often have less staffing flexibility, too, since a major hub can draw from a deeper bench when someone calls out or a crew times out. A regional airport may have far fewer options available, which means one missing person can affect an entire day’s operation. That difference leaves regional service more exposed when staffing shortages spread across the aviation ecosystem. Experience still takes time Patrick Arnzen Airlines can add airplanes faster than the industry can produce experienced people, and that timing problem sits at the center of the staffing issue. A new aircraft can enter service within a few years, but training a pilot, mechanic, controller or dispatcher to work independently takes sustained instruction and real experience. Technology can make parts of that process more efficient, but it can’t replace the time people need to learn the job. A pilot needs hours in the cockpit before an airline will trust that person with passengers. A mechanic needs hands-on experience before signing a maintenance log carries the weight it should, and a controller needs supervised time handling real traffic before working independently. A dispatcher has to learn how real-world conditions affect a flight plan before taking full responsibility for one, and that judgment develops through experience. Those skills are built over time, which is why technology alone won’t solve aviation’s staffing problem. Better tools can help a short-staffed operation get through this month’s schedule, but they can’t create an experienced workforce overnight. The industry has to use the people it has more effectively now while training far more people for the years ahead. The shortage is creating careers too There’s another side to this problem that deserves more attention since aviation needs people, and many of the careers facing shortages have clear training paths that can lead to work much sooner than many people realize. At Thrust Flight, we’ve built accelerated pilot training programs around that need. The goal is to give students a focused path from little or no flight experience to the certificates and hours they need to begin building an aviation career, without stretching the process over more years than necessary. I see people make that transition every day. Some arrive knowing they’ve wanted to fly for years, while others discover aviation later and realize there is a practical route into the cockpit. The same workforce need exists for aircraft mechanics, dispatchers and controllers, where training and certification can lead to long-term careers without following a traditional four-year college path. That matters for regional communities in particular. Some of the students entering aviation today come from the same kinds of smaller cities that stand to lose service when staffing gets tight. Training more pilots and technicians gives those students a career path while helping the industry build the workforce needed to keep those communities connected. National Aviation Day is Aug. 19, marking Orville Wright’s birthday and more than a century of American flight. It’s a good time to think about what aviation will need in the years ahead, especially as more airplanes enter service and passenger demand continues. The industry has aircraft coming and passengers ready to fly, but keeping those flights moving will depend on whether enough pilots, mechanics, dispatchers and controllers are trained and ready to do the work. Patrick Arnzen Bio A former airline pilot, and designated pilot examiner (DPE) since 2012, Patrick has built and run several aviation businesses over the course of his career. He currently serves as the CEO of Thrust Flight, READ MORE

International News

MatrixSpace Strengthens Executive Team with UAS Sales Leader, US Marine Veteran John Bagocius

As demand for rapidly deployable counter-drone technology accelerates worldwide, MatrixSpace has appointed industry veteran John Bagocius as Head of Sales to expand the company’s global go-to-market efforts across defense, federal civilian, public safety, critical infrastructure and commercial markets. John Bagocius John brings over two decades of leadership experience helping these markets deploy advanced UAS technologies worldwide. This spans commercial growth, strategic partnerships and mission enablement, including leadership positions at Draganfly, Aeryon Labs, FLIR Systems and Crossmatch (HID). John is also a US Marine Corps veteran and FAA licensed private aircraft pilot. He served as a member of the prestigious White House Honor Guard performing duties at the White House, Pentagon, and Arlington National Cemetery. John also served as a member of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, as part of a joint United Nations Task Force conducting operations in Africa. “John’s track record helping organizations adopt, operationalize and scale emerging technologies makes an outstanding addition to our leadership team,” said Greg Waters, CEO of MatrixSpace. “As organizations around the world seek solutions to improve airspace awareness and security, John’s experience will be instrumental in expanding our global footprint and customer adoption.” Governments, public safety agencies and critical infrastructure operators are facing rapidly increasing drone activity, driving demand for portable, AI-powered detection and identification systems that can be deployed quickly and integrated into existing operations. “MatrixSpace has changed what’s possible, with a highly differentiated platform that delivers new levels of situational awareness in a portable, scalable, and affordable solution,” says John Bagocius. “I’m excited to help customers put this technology to work and to grow its adoption across the markets we serve.”
DTA Displays JP1, Personal Hybrid eVTOL at EAA AirVenture

Photo – DTA display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026. SAJ photo by Kim Stevens. DTA opened its US chapter, with its American home base at Scottsdale, Arizona. The JP1, a two-seat, hybrid-electric personal eVTOL that flies for two full hours on a single tank and refuels like a car, was unveiled at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The JP1’s production hybrid powertrain matches the range of a two-seat helicopter, 180 miles with two people on board and up to 270 miles flown solo. Hybrid is how DTA solved the range problem the electric eVTOL field still has not. The JP1 did not start as a product. DTA’s owner, a former gyro‐plane pilot, bought the company with a personal idea: build himself a far safer machine, one he could fly straight from the office to his weekly Tuesday lunch with his mother. There was no plan to sell it. The plan was to fly it. Today the idea has grown – why not let a wider public fly it too. “I left everything in France to open this chapter here,” said Theo Parant, Co-Founder & CEO, DTA Americas. “America is where owning your own aircraft still means something. The JP1 was built safety first and built to be flown and owned by one person. That is the adventure I came to start.” DTA is not a startup. It has been designing and building aircraft in France since 1990, primarily gyroplanes and trikes, with 595+ machines flying across 33+ countries and 300,000+ cumulated flight hours. The JP1 itself has logged 200+ hours of flight testing in France, data that now supports its FAA Light Sport certification path in the US. The aircraft flies. It is not a slideshow. Safety is the whole point. Eight rotors keep the JP1 flying through up to four propeller failures, an autopilot flies the aircraft while the pilot makes the decisions, and a whole airframe ballistic parachute is the final layer: if everything fails, the entire aircraft comes down under one canopy. The JP1 does not fly farther or longer than a two-seater helicopter. It flies far safer, and far easier: the autopilot handles the flying, so a helicopter’s demanding stick-andpedal skills are not part of the deal. Priced at $385,000, the JP1 sits in the same bracket as a new two-seater helicopter. Its width folds from 10 to 8 feet, the US road-legal trailer width, so owners store it at home and tow it like a boat. Under the FAA’s new MOSAIC rule (Light Sport provisions effective July 24, 2026), a Sport Pilot can fly it with a passenger after about 20 hours of training, no FAA medical required. DTA is meeting press, pilots, and prospective owners at AirVenture all week, and the US pre-order book is open at dta-aircraft.com.

Unmanned Systems

MatrixSpace Strengthens Executive Team with UAS Sales Leader, US Marine Veteran John Bagocius

As demand for rapidly deployable counter-drone technology accelerates worldwide, MatrixSpace has appointed industry veteran John Bagocius as Head of Sales to expand the company’s global go-to-market efforts across defense, federal civilian, public safety, critical infrastructure and commercial markets. John Bagocius John brings over two decades of leadership experience helping these markets deploy advanced UAS technologies READ MORE
Drone-Delivered AED Used in Life-Saving Cardiac Arrest Response in Sweden

An automated external defibrillator (AED) delivered by Everdrone’s drone system was used in response to a confirmed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest involving a man in his 60s in Borås, Sweden, on 19 July 2026. The drone was dispatched as part of Västra Götaland Region’s (VGR) standard emergency response and delivered the AED to the scene of READ MORE

Aviation Education

College Park Aviation Museum and Fig Factor Media to Host Sixth Annual Latinas in Aviation Global Festival Sept. 26

Fig Factor Media, in partnership with the College Park Aviation Museum, presents the Sixth Annual Latinas in Aviation Global Festival Saturday, Sept. 26, at the museum in College Park, Maryland. Held during Hispanic Heritage Month and free to the public, this family-friendly event recognizes the important contributions Latinas have made to aviation in a variety READ MORE
Five New Jersey Cadets Advance Aviation Dreams at Civil Air Patrol’s Falcon Flight Academy

Five New Jersey Civil Air Patrol cadets are taking significant steps toward earning their private pilot certificates as students at a Civil Air Patrol’s National Flight Academy, held July 10-19. Flight Academy Student Cadet Maj. Adrian Chaberek performs a preflight inspection before departing on a training flight during Falcon Flight Academy. Hosted by Civil Air READ MORE

ADOT Releases Draft 2026 Arizona State Aviation System Plan Update for Public Comment

August 23, 2026August 23, 2026 Kim Stevens

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) has released the draft 2026 Arizona State Aviation System Plan for public review and comment. The State Aviation System Plan serves as Arizona’s long-term roadmap for the state’s public airport system. The plan looks ahead for 20 years and helps identify the improvements, investments and priorities needed to keep […]

The Great Indifferent: Your Airport’s Most Important Audience

August 22, 2026August 22, 2026 Kim Stevens

By Eric Blinderman In our last piece, we addressed the need to connect with the community on its terms – going beyond airplanes and runways; how your operations positively impact residents and business every day — through revenues and jobs, safety, law enforcement and disaster relief. That value story is the narrative of community connection, the story […]

PHX Celebrates the Past, Present, and Future of Aviation on National Aviation Day

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 Kim Stevens

National Aviation Day is celebrated annually on Aug. 19. It is a day to reflect on how far the world of aviation has come since the first flight by the Wright Brothers in 1903. The Phoenix Airport System supports the continued development of aviation by being the largest economic engine in the state and working […]

MatrixSpace Strengthens Executive Team with UAS Sales Leader, US Marine Veteran John Bagocius

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 Kim Stevens

As demand for rapidly deployable counter-drone technology accelerates worldwide, MatrixSpace has appointed industry veteran John Bagocius as Head of Sales to expand the company’s global go-to-market efforts across defense, federal civilian, public safety, critical infrastructure and commercial markets. John brings over two decades of leadership experience helping these markets deploy advanced UAS technologies worldwide. This […]

Lee County Port Authority Welcomes New Chief Technology Officer

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 Kim Stevens

Carrie Davis has joined the Lee County Port Authority (LCPA) as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In this role, Davis will lead the information technology department responsible for directing strategic technology infrastructure at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) and Page Field (FMY) in Fort Myers, Florida, to include oversight of networks; airport operational continuity; cybersecurity; […]

Abra’s Gol and Avianca Join Forces to Transport Humanitarian Aid to the Coffee Region

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 Kim Stevens

In response to the emergency facing Colombia, Abra Group launched a humanitarian air bridge this past Saturday and Sunday to transport essential aid to the Colombian Coffee Region. The operation, carried out jointly by GOLLOG and Avianca Cargo, made it possible to complete two cargo flights on a B737 from São Paulo, via Bogotá, to […]

DTA Displays JP1, Personal Hybrid eVTOL at EAA AirVenture

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 Kim Stevens

Photo – DTA display at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026. SAJ photo by Kim Stevens. DTA opened its US chapter, with its American home base at Scottsdale, Arizona. The JP1, a two-seat, hybrid-electric personal eVTOL that flies for two full hours on a single tank and refuels like a car, was unveiled at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. […]

North Platte Airport Celebrates Opening of New Terminal

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 Kim Stevens

Photo – Dignitaries and airport officials cut the ribbon officially opening the new terminal at LBF. Photos provided by HDR. The North Platte Regional Airport officially opened its new passenger terminal August 10th, marking a significant milestone for air transportation in western Nebraska. Federal, state, and local leaders joined airport officials for a ribbon cutting […]

When Aviation Runs Short of People, Regional Airports Feel It First

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 Kim Stevens

By Patrick Arnzen, CEO of Thrust Flight If your flight was delayed or canceled this summer, weather or mass travelers probably got the blame. But behind many of the disruptions travelers experience is a staffing problem that reaches across aviation: the industry doesn’t have enough trained people to keep pace with demand. Boeing’s latest outlook […]

NBAA Welcomes Decisive Opposition to Burke Lakefront Airport Closure from FAA, Ohio Senators

August 17, 2026August 17, 2026 Kim Stevens

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is applauding the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Ohio’s U.S. senators for recent comments explicitly opposing the closure of Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL). Following a tour of an FAA air traffic control facility in Oberlin, OH, on Aug. 14, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) made […]

Cirrus Expands Grand Forks Manufacturing Facility to Support Growing Demand

Plans Unveiled to Transform Washington Dulles International Airport

Rotortrade Completes 30 Super Puma Transactions

Wearing the #26 Florida Panthers “Thunderbirds” Jersey at AirVenture 2026