Tailwind

News

A few fresh stories from the world of small planes that caught our eye. We sum them up in our own words, and the source link takes you to the full original.

Latest stories

In brief

3 November 2026 · USA

Avgas keeps getting pricier in the US

Bad news if you fill up across the Atlantic. iFlightPlanner data from more than 3,300 FBOs puts full-service 100LL at an average of $7.85 a gallon in October, 10 cents more than in September. Self-serve went up 15 cents to $6.82. That’s the fourth monthly rise in a row, and in Hawaii a gallon now costs $12.35. Jet-A didn’t do any better at $8.66.

Source: AIN (Curt Epstein), 3 November 2026

22 October 2026 · Italy

Tecnam has a new boss and a plane for private owners

Giovanni Pascale Langer is Tecnam’s new CEO, the third generation of his family to run the Italian company. He wants Tecnam to sell more to private pilots, not just flight schools, and the clean-sheet P2026 Rivale is the plane that’s supposed to do it. Roll-out is planned for early 2027, and Tecnam also wants a bigger industrial presence in the US.

Source: FlightGlobal (Dominic Perry), 22 October 2026

17 September 2026 · USA

Bye’s electric eFlyer 2 flies for the first time

Bye Aerospace’s two-seat electric trainer is finally airborne. Chief test pilot Elliot Seguin took off from Centennial Airport near Denver and was back on the ground six minutes later, after a first look at handling and systems. The eFlyer 2 runs on a battery of about 90 kWh and a 125 kW (167 hp) motor, and Bye promises more than two hours of training time with a recharge in under 30 minutes. Next up: the long certification flight test programme.

Source: MiGFlug Afterburner (Connor Kerr), 25 September 2026

24 July 2026 · USA

MOSAIC part two is live in the US

The second phase of the FAA’s MOSAIC rule kicked in on 24 July. Phase one, back in October 2025, already opened a big chunk of the existing fleet to sport pilots. Now newer, more capable light-sport aircraft can come to market without the huge cost of full type certification. It’s an American rule, but we’re curious whether Europe picks up any of these ideas.

Source: EAA – Sport Pilot 2.0 (MOSAIC)

20 July 2026 · USA

Pipistrel shows off the Voyager trainer

At AirVenture in Oshkosh, Pipistrel (part of Textron) unveiled the Voyager, a two-seat trainer with a Rotax 912 ULS. It’s built for busy flight schools: it’s approved for IFR training and intentional spins, and it comes with a ballistic parachute. It was designed with the new MOSAIC rules in mind and should enter service in 2027.

Source: Textron press release, 20 July 2026

25 May 2026 · Europe

EASA wants to be friendlier. Is it?

EASA put out an article about making general aviation friendlier, pointing to the LAPL, modular instrument ratings like the CBIR, and the Easy Access Rules. Mark Dwyer at Flying in Ireland likes the new tone, but says EASA built many of those barriers in the first place: pricey certification, heavy demands on instructors, and maintenance rules that keep light aircraft on the ground longer than they need to be. His take is that kind words are a start, and real rule changes would be better.

Source: Flying in Ireland (Mark Dwyer), 25 May 2026