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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 22h

Although it's yet another significant sign of the quiet, steady progress being made by UK-based Skyfly Technologies, selfishly we also hope it's not the end of those exquisite English landscapes in the background of their photos and videos. Their latest press release with link. | 🛩️ ⚡️ 🚁 📰 🥇

Skyfly Axe SN001 granted Experimental Permit by Federal Aviation Administration to begin piloted flights in the USA - Skyfly

Skyfly’s prototype Axe VCA (Serial Number 001, registration N250EV) will now remain in the United States, where the flight test programme will continue.

skyfly.aero

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 22h

This month, Managing Editor @terencecgannon.com leads off with this month's barnstorming-themed cover photo triggering him to soliloquise about his not-yet-written screen adaptation of Richard Bach's 'Nothing by Chance'. But he could use your help. (📸 Richard 'Zulu' Souza | Full Disc Aviation) | 🛩️

BluFly 🛩️ | October, 2025 | In The Air

« I fell in love with the picture before I knew either where or when it was taken. That it turned out to be tied in with barnstorming is karma … »

blufly.media

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 23h

And « X-VERT VTOL RTF » was taken, of course. (📸 E-flite | Horizon Hobby) | 🛩️ 📡 ⚡️ 🚁 | 🔗 www.e-fliterc.com/product/x-ve...

A planform view of E-flite's sadly discontinued 'X-VERT VTOL RTF’, which resembles Sikorsky's newly branded 'Nomad™'. It consists of a foam wing with two motors and props mounted on the leading edge. Each prop is mounted within a circular guard to reduce the possibility of prop strikes. A bracket is mounted on the tip of each wing, each of which provides a two-point landing skid. The aircraft has green and black graphic stripes. It has two large control surfaces on the trailing edge of the wing aft of the prop. The combination of these control surfaces and differential thrust provides all of the control for the wing. The logos for E-flite and Horizon Hobby appear on these control surfaces. The aircraft is flying in a vertical orientation in a mostly clear blue sky. (📸 E-flite | Horizon Hobby)

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 1d

In a follow-up from March of this year, @sikorskyair.bsky.social has branded its twin-rotor tail-sitter and introduced S, M, L, and XL sizes: « Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Introduces Nomad™ Family of Long-Endurance, Runway-Independent Drones » | 🛩️ 📡 ⚡️ ⚔️ 🚁 📰 📹 | 🔗 news.lockheedmartin.com/2025-10-06-L...

A planform view of four versions of Sikorsky's new Nomad™ long-endurance, runway-independent drones are shown in their vertical, take-off, and landing configuration. The largest is in the back with progressively smaller versions positioned in front of it. A person, holding what appears to be a controller, is shown over on the right for scale. The aircraft itself consists primarily of a straight, high-aspect-ratio wing with two forward-facing motor nacelles turning disproportionately large propellers — each of the props has a diameter roughly equivalent to a third of the wing span. Instead of a fuselage and tail, there is a small pod where the fuselage would normally be located, which mostly extends forward of the wing. There is no conventional tail. There are two vertical stabilisers located just outboard of the motor nacelles. A 'leg' extends aft from both the upper and lower tip of the vertical stabilisers. These legs will enable the aircraft to land vertically and remain stable while in vertical orientation while on the ground. (📸 Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company)

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 1d

Isn’t the rule of thumb along the lines of: hardware store bolt, $1; ‘marine’ bolt, $10; ‘aviation’ bolt, $100? 😉

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 1d

Emergency Services Times reporting by Deputy Editor Lanna Deamer: new research on drone delivery of defibrillators conducted by the @uniofsurrey.bsky.social, @airambulancekss.bsky.social and South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust with funding from @nihr.bsky.social. | 🛩️ 📡 🚁 ⚡️ 🥇

Drones to deliver defibrillators in new 999 emergency response project - Emergency Services Times

A new research project will test how drones could be integrated into the UK’s 999 emergency response system to rapidly deliver defibrillators to people experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHC...

emergencyservicestimes.com

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 2d

That's what we thought to ... we speculated on some potential influences in our ALT. Undoubtedly, there are quite a few others as well. It sure is pretty. 😍

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 2d

Exactly. 🙌🏻 The downside some may point out is the single seat. To which we would say: "buy two"; his and hers. 😉

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 2d

If we managed to set the hook with that, let Frederick Johnsen reel you in with this excellent, copiously illustrated write-up for General Aviation News. | 🛩️ | 🧵 2/2

Let the Spirit move you — General Aviation News

When you first see the Spirit Engineering SE-1, it stops you in your tracks. It conjures airplanes from an earlier era that were designed for aerodynamic efficiency that did not forget art and beauty.

www.generalaviationnews.com

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 2d

So … any takers? (📸 Spirit Engineering, Inc.) | 🛩️ 🥇 | 🧵 1/2 | 🔗 spiriteng.com/se-1-aircraf...

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 2d

New from @petchmo.bsky.social writing for the @flightrader24.com blog about their recent Custom Alert for the 100th Airbus A380. Anybody out there have any speculative thoughts on what the future may hold for the seemingly star-crossed 2-JAYN? | 🛩️ 📹 🥇 | 🔗 www.flightradar24.com/blog/flight-...

What’s the deal with this A380? | Flightradar24 Blog

What’s going on with 2-JAYN, Airbus A380 MSN 114? The 100th A380 built recently returned to the skies and has now flown to Abu Dhabi.

www.flightradar24.com

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 4d

2. “Doped linen has been deemed a fire hazard and therefore shall no longer be employed in current or future designs.”

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 4d

Quite often corporate email newsletters 🗞️ are watered down, content-free, repetitive sales pitches. Not so with DarkAero's offering in this regard, as they really give a peek behind the curtain of the development program for their 'DarkAero 1' prototype. Well worth a read and subscribing. | 🛩️ 🥇

DarkAero September 2025 Recap

Development work continued on the DarkAero 1 prototype in September. The remaining wing shear webs were installed, and the center section of the wing was closed out.

www.darkaero.com

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 5d

Airships in general and LTA Research in particular seem to capture the imagination of the BluFly community. While they have a number of positions open at the moment, this one really caught our attention: Senior Flight Test Engineer. 😎 Details with link. | 🛩️ 🥇 🎈 ⚡️ 🧰 | 🔗 jobs.lever.co/ltaresearch/...

A white, cigar-shaped airship floats alongside an airship hangar under a gin-clear sky either in the late morning or the early evening. The bow (ie. nose) of the airship is pointing away from the camera position at a slight angle to the right. At the aft of the vehicle are four control surfaces. Aft of these are four motors and props mounted on pylons such that they can be rotated to maneuver the tail in all directions. Longitudinal framework is evident through the shiny skin. A number of groundhandlers are milling about below, holding onto ropes which extend upwards toward the aircraft's bow. Almost all of them are wearing yellow vests and hard hats. The hangar is off to the left, and the large door at the end of it is open. A line of trees is visible in the distance. (📸 LTA Research)

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 6d

Worthy of a repost @bfaballooning.bsky.social?

BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 6d

For those on @flightradar24.com, you can follow 5W-FAY on its rather epic journey from the Spring of the Southern Hemisphere to the Fall of the Northern Hemisphere. For our part, we've set a Flightradar24 Custom Alert so we're kept up to date. | 🛩️ | 🧵 2/2 | 🔗 www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraf...

A screenshot from Flightradar24 showing satellite imagery of central California near Bakersfield. The framing of the screenshot shows the Pacific Coast. Superimposed over the map is a green line tracing an aircraft's flight over the ocean and thence onwards to Bakersfield, where the flight terminates. Town and road labels are also shown. (📸 Flightradar24)

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 6d

From Andrew Curran writing for the eminently readable @aerosouthpacific.bsky.social comes news of: « Samoa Airways Sends Second Twin Otter to Canada for Overhaul » We'll be watching for it in the skies over or near the home office. | 🛩️ 🥇 | 🧵 1/2

Samoa Airways Sends Second Twin Otter to Canada for Overhaul

Samoa Airways expects it one of its three DHC-6-300 Twin Otters to be out of service until February 2026 after it ferries to Canada for a refurbishment.

aerosouthpacific.com

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 7d

October is here, already. 💥 What started as a hunt for a Halloween-themed 🎃 cover photo ended up at the 'Barnstormer Carnival' in Springfield, Ohio, with thoughts by Managing Editor @terencecgannon.com on writing an adaptation for Richard Bach's 'Nothing by Chance'. (📸 Richard 'Zulu' Souza) | 🛩️ 🥇

October, 2025

A humans-in-the-loop feed for the aviation community — if made by people and flying up to the Kármán Line you'll find it on BluFly 🛩️.

blufly.media

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 9d

Outstanding find, Jim, thank you for posting. 🙌🏻

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 10d

Another one for you @bfaballooning.bsky.social. | 🛩️ 🎈

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 11d

Hearty congratulations. 🙌🏻 Keep the photos coming so we can all live vicariously 🙇🏻 through your unique experience of getting to know your new ride.

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 12d

The fourth Friday of the month can mean only one thing: Friday Fédèle. This photo is 🔍 zoomworthy: the high-resolution details are quite fascinating. (📸 Fédèle Azari [1895-1930] | Digital image courtesy @gettymuseum.bsky.social's Open Content Program) | 🛩️ ⚔️ 🎨 🥇 | 🔗 www.getty.edu/art/collecti...

An old, sepia-toned photo of two biplane aircraft parked in a field of short, scrubby grass. Both aircraft are pointed toward and slightly to the left of the camera position. Between the two aircraft, a group of men, some in overalls and some in suits, gather and pose for the camera. Two more men also look at the camera from just to the left of the left aircraft. A hill rises up above and behind the flying field. It's dotted with what appears to be whitewashed Italianate villas. Between the aircraft in the foreground and the structures in the background, a crowd gathers to watch the action from behind a fence. The fence consists of wooden posts of three or four metres high and then joined with wire, making it effectively transparent. Original caption from source: « A group portrait of men in suits and pilots in between two propeller planes in a field. There are houses on the hill behind the field. People line the fence behind the planes to watch. » (📸 Fédèle Azari [1895-1930] | Digital image courtesy the Getty Museum's Open Content Program.)

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 13d

The work is being supported by the @darpa.mil program entitled 'Albatross'. It « seeks to develop effective autonomous aircraft soaring capabilities as evaluated via real-world flight testing. » More info on the program with link. | 🛩️ 📡 ⚔️ 🪽 | 🧵 2/2 | 🔗 www.darpa.mil/research/pro...

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 13d

« Mississippi State to Develop Autonomous Soaring for Federal DARPA Albatross Program » RC gliders are only for fun? Their super-efficient flight has attracted the attention of researchers at @msstate.bsky.social and @darpa.mil. | 🛩️ 📡 ⚔️ 🪽 ⚡️ 🏫 🥇 | 🧵 1/2 | 🔗 www.raspet.msstate.edu/news/2025/07...

Two young men work in the cockpit area of a radio-controlled glider which is located on a small folding table in a large, well-lit workshop. The glider is all white and resembles the full-size, high-performance gliders of current vintage. The model, however, is powered with a small electric motor mounted in the nose. In the background there are various shop fixtures and supplies as well as an overhead crane. Original caption from source: « Randy Welch, right, a research engineer at Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, and Chris Busutil, left, a flight operations technician at Raspet, integrate early electrical systems to a small, fixed-wing plane on July 7 for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s Albatross program at Raspet Flight Research Facility. The DARPA Albatross project is a multi-university project seeking to develop automated weather and flight systems to test if smaller fixed-wing planes are able to travel while using 50 to 75% less energy. » (📸/✍🏻 Claire Wilson | Mississippi State University Office of Public Affairs)

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BluFly 🛩 @blufly.media · 13d

… for the dedicated Commemorative Air Force volunteers committed to « to return her to flying condition so that future generations can enjoy her ». To which you'll join us, we're sure, in offering them a hearty bravo. 👏🏻 The whole story with link above. | 🛩️ ⚔️ | 🧵 2/2

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