This week's top stories include investigating what's going on with Tropic Air and its accident rate of a a seemingly successful aircraft, the Cessna…

Despite pandemic-related supply chain disruption, the redesigned Eviation Alice is in final assembly ahead of first flight by year-end.

Modern Aviation, based in New York, has signed an agreement to acquire five Sheltair Aviation fixed base operations in New York, subject to government approval.  The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021. Modern Aviation is backed by Tiger Infrastructure Partners, a private equity fund.

The European Space Agency and UK air navigation service provider NATS are exploring whether 5G cellular communications technology could help to provide a resilient positioning capability for uncrewed air systems. 

European engineering services company Akka Technologies has unveiled its concept for a zero-emission regional aircraft.

Aircraft finance and asset management company Amedeo has entered a strategic partnership with Aura Aero that includes a letter of intent to purchase 200 of the French startup’s planned 19-seat ERA hybrid-electric regional aircraft.

The U.S. Forestry Service has retired its Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopters used for the aerial supervision of firefighting operations.

Backed by Chinese electric car maker XPeng, startup HT Aero has reached agreement to raise more than $500 million to develop an integrated flying and driving vehicle.