New Research
Situation Awareness Requirements for Taxi Under STBO: Results of a Future-Oriented GDTA
Corentin Conan, Elodie Bouzekri, Hugo Doyen, Philippe Doyon-Poulin and Jeremy R. Cooperstock
Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making
Maintaining Operational Skills in Long-Duration Missions With Corollary Cognitive Training
Esther Putman, Sage Sherman, Luca Bonarrigo, Torin Clark, Allison Hayman, Karen Mae Baldonado, Stephen Robinson
2026 International Conference on Environmental Systems
Train like you're there: Use of immersive visualizations while training to operate a satellite improves outcomes in operations
Savannah Buchner, Jennifer Wood, Gabriella Schauss, Blake Bateman, Hanspeter Schaub, Allison Hayman
International Journal of Human - Computer Studies
Supporting Pilot Decision-Making in Trajectory-Based Operations: Card-Sorting Study
Cécile Lescieux, Nami Bae & Philippe Doyon-Poulin
HCI International 2026
Enhancing Pilot-Autopilot Collaboration in Cruising Operations Through Task Allocation: A Psychophysiological Approach
Cho Yin Yiu, Qinbiao Li, Kam K. H. Ng & Xin Yuan
International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction
In the news
Business
Boeing sells Wisk and two other AAM ventures to competitor Archer - As part of this all-stock deal, Boeing invests $55 million in Archer and agrees to buy up to $200 million stocks in the future, making it the largest outside shareholder. Boeing will keep access to Wisk autonomous flight technology and will use it for its current and future aircraft programs. Archer gets access to Wisk engineering talent that will be helpful for their current work with Anduril Industries on loyal wingman drones. Archer also agrees to buy two other Boeing's AAM subsidiaries: SkyGrid that has developed an air traffic management platform for urban air mobility; and Insitu Inc working on autonomous flight technologies with contracts from the defence sector. In 2022, Boeing invested $450 million in Wisk to scale the development of its electric vehicle.
Joby to buy Resonant Sciences, establish defense business in $500 million deal - The acquisition will be funded by roughly $450 million in cash and $50 million in Joby common stock and is expected to close "in the first half of 2027," according to a press release.
Autonomy
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Achieves AI Fighter Intercepts in Live Flight Tests - During live flight trials at Edwards Air Force Base, a highly customized F-16 derivative completed 27 live intercepts of a T-38 Talon target jet that were all done by AI. It uses what Lockheed calls the "Legion Pod" that passively detects and tracks heat signatures without emitting radar signals, feeding precise angular data directly into the AI flight algorithm. The autonomous system then calculates tactical intercept geometries and pilots the aircraft into ideal attack positions without human intervention.
Wisk completed simulated tests of its 1:3 supervisor-to-autonomous-vehicle ratio. The tests were done at NASA's Ames Research Center with a single ground-based supervisor managing three autonomous aircraft at once in controlled airspace. Scenarios included IFR flights between Moffett airfield and San Martin Airport (CA), with ATC communicating directly with Wisk's supervisors through both routine and contingency situations.
Merlin Advances Autonomous Flight System Toward Certification. Merlin is working with the Civil Aviation Authority in New Zealand to certify its Merlin Pilot autonomous flight system. CAA has completed the software verification stage of two of the system's components: the Flight Control Computer directing the aircraft flight path and the Automated Communication System that is able to translate verbal ATC communications into flight command.
Bluetail's AI Platform Tops 30 Million Aircraft Records - Aircraft records management company Bluetail has now digitized more than 30 million aircraft records on its platform, a dataset the company describes as among the largest of its kind in the industry. According to the company, the records span a broad customer base, from individual aircraft owners to large U.S. and international fleet operators.
Aviation
Boeing 737 MAX 7 Earns FAA Certification - The FAA has granted an amended type certificate for the Boeing 737-7, paving the way for deliveries of the penultimate MAX derivative to get underway in early 2027 and marking a key milestone on the company's long path to industrial and financial recovery.
Comac C919 makes its first international flight - China's homegrown C919 passenger jet departed on its first scheduled international commercial flight Wednesday, marking a milestone in Beijing's push to develop an alternative to Boeing and Airbus.
Two planes, with the same call sign, at the same airport, at the same time. American Airlines flight 2482 was departing Phoenix when another American Airlines Flight 2482 was arriving from Chicago at the same time. The Air Traffic Controller in charge was quick to see emerging problem and resolves the issue by calling flights as "American 2482 on the arrival" and "American 2482 on the departure."
Update on WindRunner Cargo. Ultra-size freighter that can move six CH-47 Chinook helicopters lined up in the cargo. The aircraft uses existing technology with an immense cargo space and will be certified under part 25 rules. First aircraft assembly in 2029 and flight tests planned to start in 2030. How much market demand there is for such a super-size freighter remains an open question.
FAA wants to regulate Cannabis use among pilots and ATCs. Cannabis consumption is allowed in certain states for recreational use, yet DOT drug testing for pilots and ATCs have not changed. The FAA fears that this regulatory mismatch risks normalizing cannabis use among pilots and complicates disclosure. To address this challenge, the FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine sponsors a high-pace, one-year research project with specialists from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to know how long a person remains impaired after having consumed cannabis.
Sikorsky Is Upgrading the Black Hawk Helicopter for Evolving Military Needs - The Black Hawk helicopter has been a mainstay of air combat for decades, but Lockheed Martin is now stepping up investments in new capabilities it says could keep the aircraft in service into the 2070s. Changes will include new engines, enhanced armament support, digital upgrades, and autonomous capability for missions that are best conducted without a crew on board.
FAA Floats Special Conditions for Skyryse Fly-by-wire R66 - The FAA has published proposed special conditions for the certification of Skyryse's fly-by-wire flight control system in the Robinson R66 helicopter. It notes that the fully digital system is a novel design feature not addressed by existing FAR Part 27 regulations for control margin awareness-a cue pilots normally feel, and one the fly-by-wire system will have to synthesize. Public comments on the proposal are due by October 13.
ATM
FAA Runway Mitigation Program Shows Measurable Gains. Airports where the FAA has mitigated problematic taxiway geometry are showing 77% fewer runway incursions per year after mitigation, according to the agency's fiscal year 2025 Runway Incursion Mitigation (RIM) Program Annual Summary. The report describes the RIM program as "one of the most successful safety programs in the FAA…there has been a 45% reduction in the RIM inventory since program inception, due to mitigation activity."
FAA Awarded $74.3 million to AT&T for an early indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for the FAA Enterprise Network Services (FENS), encompassing a range of communications and information management systems. The agency said it anticipates the IDIQ contract will ultimately carry a "multibillion-dollar" value over 15 years. FENS will be a key communications program for the agency, supporting telecommunications functions in addition to administrative functions such as email, payroll, and online training.
What is Advanced Air Mobility and what does it mean for pilots? - Advanced air mobility (AAM) has become a popular buzzword in aviation circles. The FAA is developing regulations for it. Airports and airlines are preparing for it. But what exactly is AAM, and what will it mean for pilots?
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-ASTG Team
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