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President Donald Trump signed an order Friday creating a presidential commission to design a proposed U.S. Space Academy. The NASA-led federal academy would train students for careers across military, civil and commercial space programs. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will chair the commission, while NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson will serve as executive director.

National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Michael Graham announced Friday that he will retire Oct. 2, little more than three months after the Senate confirmed him to another five-year term on the board. The Senate confirmed Graham on May 18 to a term expiring Dec. 31, 2030. His retirement also comes less than six months after President Donald Trump designated him NTSB vice chairman for a three-year term. Friday’s announcement did not give a reason for the timing of his departure.

Saab’s two-seat Gripen F made its first flight Friday, beginning the airborne test campaign for the Gripen E-derived fighter. The aircraft departed Saab’s airfield in Linköping, Sweden, at 9:40 a.m. local time and remained airborne for 40 minutes. Saab chief test pilot Jakob Högberg and Brazilian Air Force test pilot Lt. Col. Abdon de Rezende Vasconcelos conducted the flight.

RV-7A takes flight toward clear skies. [Credit: Karen M. Powell] An image depicts a Van's RV-7A aircraft taking off from KXBP, Bridgeport, TX. The photograph was captured by Karen M. Powell using a Nikon Z6_3 camera. The captured image underwent editing in Lightroom. See a mistake? Contact us. “Van’s RV-7A taking off from KXBP, Bridgeport, TX. Nikon Z6_3 image edited in Lightroom.” — Karen M. Powell

The FAA on Friday proposed special certification conditions for Skyryse’s SkyOS flight-control system, a fly-by-wire platform being installed in the Robinson R66. Skyryse’s R66-based Skyryse One replaces the helicopter’s conventional controls with a single control stick, touchscreens and software-controlled flight systems designed to manage many functions normally handled directly by the pilot.

Investment firm Apollo on Thursday acquired a significant stake in Atlantic Aviation in a deal valuing the FBO operator at nearly $10 billion. KKR-managed funds will remain a substantial shareholder under the agreement, although financial terms beyond the valuation were not disclosed. “The private aviation market has structural tailwinds that we believe will persist,” Apollo partner David Cohen said in the companies’ announcement.

Louisiana transportation officials on Thursday launched an advanced air mobility (AAM) test program at Houma-Terrebonne Airport, where emerging aircraft will eventually operate alongside the airport’s existing helicopter and fixed-wing traffic. The LIFTOff Louisiana initiative is intended to provide the FAA with operational data as it develops standards for integrating new aircraft into the National Airspace System. Houma-Terrebonne is a major hub for offshore helicopter operations.

Communication problems between Marine One and air traffic control preceded an Aug. 4 incident involving the presidential helicopter and a departing Envoy Air Embraer E170 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to an NTSB preliminary report released Thursday. The FAA estimated the aircraft came within 0.82 nautical miles laterally and 700 feet vertically, although the NTSB said that distance met the applicable Class B radar-separation standard.

Garmin on Wednesday expanded SmartCharts availability to Garmin Pilot Premium users in Canada and Mexico on Garmin Pilot Web and Apple mobile devices. The charting feature, first announced in May 2025, was initially available in the United States and the Bahamas. SmartCharts allows pilots to select items such as aircraft type, runway and procedure transition to narrow the information displayed on SIDs, STARs and approach charts.

The FAA is moving to fire two air traffic controllers who left their shifts early at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on the night of the March 22 collision between an Air Canada Express regional jet and an airport fire truck. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that the FAA determined the controllers departed about an hour before their shifts ended. CBS News reported that, according to an unnamed source, the FAA considers the alleged conduct timecard fraud.