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The FAA’s 48th annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey (GA Survey), reporting on calendar year 2025, is still underway, but time is running out! The last day aircraft owners and operators can complete the survey is this Friday, Jul. 10. VAI highly encourages participation in the survey, whose data is used by governmental agencies and industry organizations to compute safety metrics, determine funding for infrastructure and service needs, and more.

We highlight the basics of the recent US government counter–unmanned aircraft system (UAS) rulemaking and outline VAI’s position on several items.

(National Agricultural Aviation Association) – Amid the life-threatening heat the United States and other countries have been experiencing this month, it’s important to know what to do to keep yourself, your coworkers, and your colleagues safe. Click on the headline above for tips on everything from hydrating properly to evaluating the impact of air temperature on aircraft performance.

Four Wright brothers sites have been named to the new list from World Monuments Fund recognizing 10 historic places across the United States whose preservation is deemed essential to the richness and complexity of American history.

The United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) is highlighting practical tools already available to help pilots identify hazards and strengthen situational awareness, including the Hughes App (iOS), a free commercial application available through the USHST that includes slackline depictions, geo-referenced helicopter charts, weather and FAA weather cameras, risk-assessment tools, offline chart storage, and mobile access to USHST safety resources.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the probable cause of the accident to be the student pilot’s failure to maintain rotor rpm during a simulated autorotation, which allowed for a resonance phenomenon to develop. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate monitoring of the student pilot’s collective control inputs.

In this interim final rule, the two departments codify the framework for implementing the SAFER SKIES Act, which authorizes US state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement or correctional agencies to conduct counter–unmanned aircraft system operations. The rule is effective as of Jul. 1. Comments are due by Sep. 4.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Model H160-B helicopters modified by Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SR00223IB. This AD, prompted by a report that several self-locking nuts of the window jettisoning system could be loosened by hand due to a nonconformity in the cable kit, requires modifying an affected window into a serviceable window. The rule also prohibits installing an affected window or an affected door on any helicopter modified with STC SR00223IB. The AD is effective Aug. 10.

This new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Helicopters Model H160-B aircraft was prompted by reports of missing retaining rings on the hinge pins installed on the jettisonable window systems. This AD, effective Aug. 10, requires inspecting for missing retaining rings on all the hinge pins installed on the jettisonable window systems and, depending on the findings, installing the missing retaining rings.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2025-13-09, which applies to all Airbus Helicopters Model AS365 N2, AS365 N3, EC155 B, EC155 B1, SA 365 N, and SA 365 N1 helicopters. AD 2025-13-09 requires inspecting the tightening torque, reporting the results of the inspections, and, depending on the results of the inspection, taking corrective action. This proposed AD would retain some of the actions of AD 2025-13-09 and would also require additional inspections and, depending on the results of the inspection, corrective actions. Comments on the proposed rule are due by Aug. 17.