Market Intelligence: -General Aviation

Grob Aircraft SE’s SK 40 Enters Service with Swedish Air Force Pilot Students in 2025

Sweden – Grob Aircraft SE, a Germany-based aircraft manufacturer specialising in pilot training platforms, has marked a significant milestone with the first official sorties of its SK 40 (locally designated G 120TP) conducted by pilot trainees at the Swedish Air Force Flight School in Linköping. The aircraft has now formally entered service, replacing the legacy SK 60 and ushering in a new phase of military flight training in Sweden.

Source: Grob Aircraft SE
Photo Credit: Grob Aircraft SE

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New Scholarship Cycle for 2026 Opens to Boost Women Pilot Representation in Helicopter Industry

USA – The Whirly-Girls Scholarship Fund, Inc., the nonprofit dedicated to advancing women in helicopter aviation, has officially opened its 2026 scholarship season, offering a record number of training opportunities for women worldwide.

  • A total of 25 distinct scholarships, valued at over USD 550,000, are available this year for 48 women across pilot and maintenance pathways.

  • Applicants must submit their materials by 1 October 2025, and successful candidates will be honoured on 8 March 2026 at the Whirly-Girls Gala during VERTICON in Atlanta, Georgia.

  • The program continues to empower both newly certificated pilots and those pursuing advanced qualifications—such as turbine transitions, airline transport pilot (ATP) licenses—and broadens support for maintainers, including both licensed technicians and applicants working toward certification.

  • Esteemed returning sponsors this year include Bristow, CAE, Coptersafety, FlightSafety International, Garmin, Leonardo Helicopters, MD Helicopters, PHI Aviation, and others. New additions comprise Precision & Pureflight Aviation Training, Rogue Aviation, and a prospective opportunity from PHI for Asia-Pacific members.

  • These scholarships aim to diversify the rotorcraft workforce in an industry where women still represent fewer than 6% of pilots internationally.

Source: Whirly-Girls

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USA’s Flight School Association of North America to Host 17th Annual Flight School Operators Conference in Coronado, California in February 2026

USA – The 17th Annual International Flight School Operators Conference & Trade Show, hosted by the Flight School Association of North America (FSANA), will take place from February 25–27, 2026, at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort near San Diego, California.

  • The 2026 conference will feature nearly 20 professional sessions, offering practical strategies on increasing profits, embracing technology, reducing costs, and exploring new business models in the flight training sector.

  • The conference is tailored for a wide range of participants, including:

    • Flight school owners

    • Flight instructors

    • Flight school managers

    • Chief flight instructors

    • Future school owners

    • Flight school investors

    • Maintenance staff

  • Attendees will have access to a dedicated trade show with aviation product and service providers essential to the training supply chain.

  • The event facilitates high-impact networking opportunities with government representatives, regulators, suppliers, and peer professionals in the pilot training industry.

  • FSANA highlights the importance of this annual event in helping schools adapt to changing market dynamics, scale operations, and become model training institutions in a competitive training landscape.

Source: FSANA

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Experimental Aircraft Association Strengthens Youth Aviation Pathway with Young Eagles Connect Portal to Mentor Future Pilots

USA – The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) has launched Young Eagles Connect, a new digital portal aimed at strengthening support for aspiring pilots who have participated in the Young Eagles program. The initiative is designed to extend engagement beyond the initial flight by pairing young participants with mentors who can guide them through their early flight training journey.

  • Young Eagles Connect is available to youth who have completed a Young Eagles flight and are enrolled in the complimentary Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course.

  • The portal facilitates mentorship by enabling students to share their training progress, including coursework and practice test results, with a designated mentor—typically their original Young Eagles pilot or a local EAA chapter member.

  • If the mentor is a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), they receive automatic access to the student’s course progress. Non-CFI mentors can request access via EAA channels.

  • The platform is designed to maintain motivation, provide structured guidance, and support continuity from initial exposure to aviation through to potential flight certification.

  • This program builds upon the long-running Young Eagles initiative, which has offered more than 2.5 million free introductory flights to youth aged 8–17 since its inception in 1992.

Statements

  • “The goal of Young Eagles Connect is to have aspiring aviators stay connected, stay inspired, and stay on course,” said David Leiting, EAA Young Eagles program manager. “This connection is an added benefit to Young Eagles who look to discover more through EAA’s programs that are available to follow their initial Young Eagles flight.”

Source: EAA

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Training Aircraft Manufacturer Blackshape Aircraft Showcasing Aircraft Solutions at 2025 Sanicole Airshow in Belgium

Belgium – Blackshape Aircraft, a global pioneer in high-performance, fully-composite general aviation and training aircraft, will be showcasing its aircraft at the 45th International Sanicole Airshow, set to take place on 13 & 14 September 2025 at the Sanicole Airfield (Leopoldsburg/Beverlo Airfield) in Limburg, Belgium.

  • Saturday, 13 September (Sunset Airshow): Doors open at 15:00; flight displays from 17:00 to 20:15

  • Sunday, 14 September (Sanicole Airshow): Doors open at 08:00; flying programme runs from 10:00 to 17:30

To learn more about Blackshape Aircraft check out its interview with AFM here.

Source: Blackshape Aircraft
Photo Credit: Blackshape Aircraft

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