Electric passenger aircraft deals and plans for interisland service in Hawaii. A tragic KC-135 tanker crash with preliminary collision clues. Dassault unveils the spacious Falcon 10X and its performance perks. Southwest trims routes at major airports. Renewed searches for MH370 and pressure on Boeing over KC-46 tanker problems.
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ALIA Specs Show Promise But Certification Pending
The ALIA family includes a VTOL and a CTOL five-passenger design with ~50-foot wingspan and ~153 kt max speed, but neither had full FAA type certification as of March 2026.
Beta raised over $1B via IPO and has component/test approvals, yet full certification remains pending.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Listener Tip Highlights Vermont Test Flights Over Lake Champlain
Listener Alan emailed about Vermont Public Radio coverage showing Beta will fly in Vermont under a DOT pilot program for medical and cargo flights across Lake Champlain.
Beta will partner with Metro Aviation for medical missions, benefiting from low-population test environments over water.
insights INSIGHT
KC-135 Crash Likely Midair Collision With Limited Details
A KC-135 crashed in western Iraq killing six; early indications suggest a possible midair collision while a second KC-135 landed safely.
U.S. Central Command said it was not caused by hostile fire and details remain limited pending investigation.
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Surf Air plans to launch commercial passenger electric aircraft with BETA Technologies, a KC-135 accident kills all 6 aboard, Dassault unveiled the Falcon 10X, another search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, changes at Southwest Airlines, and the USAF says Boeing has to fix KC-46 problems. Also, the United Airlines’ Contract of Carriage and the NTSB preliminary report on the fatal Challenger 600 crash in Maine.
Vermont-based electric aerospace company BETA Technologies announced an Aircraft Purchase Agreement and strategic partnership with Surf Air Mobility Inc. for 25 electric aircraft, starting with the ALIA CTOL aircraft, and options for up to 75 more. Surf Air Mobility plans to launch commercial electric aircraft passenger service in Hawaii. Surf Air also intends to operate a new Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) service center for BETA electric aircraft in Hawaii.
BETA offers two aircraft: the ALIA VTOL, a vertical takeoff and landing all-electric aircraft, and the ALIA CTOL, a conventional takeoff & landing all-electric aircraft. Both offer 5-passenger capacity and 200 cubic feet of cargo. BETA Technologies has not yet received full FAA type certification for its aircraft as of mid‑March 2026, although components and test approvals are in place.
U.S. Central Command reported that a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq, killing all six crew members. The KC-135 was supporting operations against Iran. Another KC-135 was involved in the incident and landed safely, reportedly in Israel. U.S. officials said the crash was not caused by hostile fire or friendly fire. Early indications suggest a possible midair collision.
Dassault Aviation has rolled out the first of four Falcon 10X prototypes at its Bordeaux-Mérignac facility, formally debuting its new flagship ultra-long-range business jet aimed at the top of the market. The Falcon 10X is a clean-sheet design with a 7,500‑nm range and top speed around Mach 0.925–0.95, intended to connect major long-haul city pairs nonstop while flying close to the speed of sound
Southwest wants to boost its profitability and is making some changes. The airline will end service to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) near Washington on June 4, 2026. Service to ORD began in 2021 when Southwest expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Southwest exited four of the eighteen new markets in 2024.
Ocean Infinity has recently been searching the Indian Ocean for MH370. After 28 days searching 2,900 square miles, the “no find, no fee” mission was unsuccessful. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a Boeing 8777, departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport for Beijing on March 8, 2014, and disappeared shortly thereafter. Under the agreement, Ocean Infinity would be paid $70m (£52m) if the wreckage was located.
In a March 4 hearing, the U.S. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff told lawmakers there would be no more orders for the KC-46 until Boeing fixed problems with the aerial refueling tanker. Past problems included the refueling boom, the visual system, and cracks. Reportedly, Boeing took a $565 million charge in its fourth quarter earnings and has lost more than $7 billion on the fixed-cost program.
Additional changes made to United’s Contract of Carriage: video calls are now banned, the ban on back-to-back ticketing is no longer limited to round-trip fares, and you can get kicked off for viewing offensive content.
Holdover time (HOT) likely contributed to the fatal crash. HOT is determined by fluid type and brand, mix ratio, outside air temperature (usually in bands), precipitation type and intensity, and aircraft wing surface material.
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