Today In Aviation
Last Updated: Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, 12:34 PM PST
2025-11-13T12:34:20.421021-08:00 2025-11-13T12:34:20.421021-08:00 (2025-11-13T12:34:20.421021-08:00)
Aviation Week
• Chen Chuanren
COMAC to take 49% stake in Lao Airlines, signaling push into Southeast Asian market
By Aviation Week: The Laotian government has agreed to sell a 49% stake in Lao Airlines to China’s Comac.; the state will retain the remaining 51% share of the flag carrier.
Textron
• News Release
Pipistrel Velis Electro, Explorer, Velis Club aircraft earn type certificate validation from Transport Canada
By Textron: Ajdovčina, Slovenia, November 12, 2025 Pipistrel, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced that Transport Canada has validated the type certificate for the currently produced Pipistrel Explorer, Velis Club and Velis Electro.
Aviation Week
• Robert Wall; Ben Goldstein
Abu Dhabi’s Lodd Begins Flight Trials of Hili Autonomous Cargo eVTOL for Hub-to-Distribution Logistics
By Aviation Week: Abu Dhabi-based Lodd has begun flight trials of its autonomous Hili cargo aircraft which is designed to replace the trucks and aircraft that are linking logistics hubs with distribution centers.
FlightGlobal
• David Kaminski-Morrow
Fully-substituted MC-21 prototype flown to Zhukovsky for certification tests
By FlightGlobal: United Aircraft has flown the latest, fully import-substituted Yakovlev MC-21 prototype to the test centre at Moscow Zhukovsky from Irkutsk, to join the certification fleet.
Virgin Atlantic
• News Release
Apollo Provides $745M Senior Secured Financing Backed by Virgin Atlantic’s Heathrow Slots to Fund Fleet Investment
By Virgin Atlantic: Senior financing of London Heathrow slots portfolio will fund fleet investment and further strengthen Virgin Atlantic’s balance sheet LONDON and NEW YORK, Nov.
Airline Economics
Virgin Atlantic secures $745 million against Heathrow slots
AINonline
• Curt Epstein
FAA Clarifies 'Based Aircraft' Definition After General Aviation Ban Exemption, Affecting Grant Determinations
By AINonline: Based aircraft counts are also a factor in grant determination.
FlightGlobal
• Alfred Chua
Air India losses and intensifying competition weigh on Singapore Airlines' earnings
By FlightGlobal: Singapore Airlines Group saw its second-quarter net profit impacted by loss-making associate Air India, despite seeing an increase in its revenues from strong travel demand.
