- This is probably no longer news for Van’s aircraft builders and owners, but it was announced this week that Van’s Aircraft has entered into what in the U.S. refers to as Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company will continue doing business as it reorganizes. See this week’s featured video where Van’s owner and the bankruptcy consultant explain the situation and their implications.
- The Abbotsford International Air Show organizers have announced that the US Air Force F-22 Raptor will be returning to the air show scheduled for August 9 through 11, 2024. Its last appearances at the show were in 2015 and 2021.
- The RCAF Snowbirds announced their 2024 schedule this week which includes appearances at two iconic U.S. air shows. AirVenture 2024 will host the Snowbirds at Oshkosh and the organization behind the Reno Air Races will host them during an air show (but no races) scheduled for October 4 to 6 at the Reno-Stead airport. Both airshow organizers were quick to issue press releases announcing the Snowbird appearances. Click here to see a video of the Snowbirds’ last Oshkosh appearance.
- Top Aces of Montreal, which bills itself as the world’s leading provider of advanced adversary air training (ADAIR), announced this week that it will be adding Douglas A-4N Skyhawks to its training fleet, which already includes Dornier Alpha Jets, Bombardier Learjet 35As (all subsonic) and supersonic Lockheed Martin F-16As.
- A leaked audit report issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations agency, rated Canada with a dismal score in the low 60s out of 100, in a marked departure from the last audit result in 2005, when Canada scored 95 percent. The three main areas of concern were aircraft operations, airports and air navigation.
- Aviation YouTuber Jenny Blalock, the pilot whose YouTube channel was TNFlygirl, died on Thursday (December 7) when the Beechcraft Bonanza she was piloting crashed in Tennessee. Blalock’s father James was also on board and perished too.