FlightGlobal
• Ryan Finnerty
The FAA has approved Hermeus to conduct supersonic flights with its Quarterhorse Mk 2.2 aircraft. The hypersonic startup has already broken the sound barrier with its Mk 2.1 jet, marking another regulatory milestone for its aircraft development program.
Policy & Regulation
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The FAA has approved Hermeus to conduct supersonic flights with its Quarterhorse Mk 2.2 aircraft. The hypersonic startup has already broken the sound barrier with its Mk 2.1 jet, marking another regulatory milestone for its aircraft development program.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is updating competition policy to favor strategic consolidations, citing the proposed Thales-Airbus-Leonardo space merger as an example. The policy shift could ease regulatory scrutiny of larger European aerospace combinations intended to strengthen the region’s industrial position.
Vertical Aviation International and other industry groups support an FAA notice of proposed rulemaking intended to establish a uniform federal framework for aviation safety and crew duty standards. The proposal would clarify the agency’s preemption authority and limit potential conflicts among state requirements.
Twenty-five years after the attacks, measures introduced in response to 9/11—from National Security Areas to permanent prohibited zones—continue to define where general aviation pilots can fly. The lasting restrictions remain a central feature of U.S. airspace access, security policy and flight planning.
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A technical failure at National Air Traffic Services disrupted operations across the UK, with reports ranging from 1,055 cancellations to more than 2,000 cancellations and delays. The transport secretary called the failure “avoidable,” while Ryanair and Wizz Air urged urgent reforms as schedules gradually recover.
IranAir CEO Taher Abdolhai says the carrier hopes to return to European markets once sanctions are lifted and it regains the necessary regulatory approvals. The plan points to a potential renewal of Iran’s air connectivity with Europe, contingent on changes in both policy and compliance conditions.
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The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned 27 Iranian airlines under Executive Order 13902, alongside 36 third-party enablers. The designations mark Washington’s first action against Iranian carriers since determining on Aug. 24, 2026, that Iran’s aviation sector was subject to sanctions.
A Pakistani court is considering a dispute over the proposed privatization of Pakistan International Airlines, placing the carrier’s ownership transition and restructuring plans under legal scrutiny. The case could affect the timing and terms of efforts to shift PIA into private hands.
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