Welcome back to the Aviation Newsletter, your go-to podcast for the pulse of everything that flies. I'm Luna, and this podcast is powered by the team at Starrime. Whether you're a lifelong aviation enthusiast, a frequent flyer or simply curious about the world above the clouds, we're truly grateful to have you with us. This year, we'll continue to bring you deeper insights, compelling stories from the industry and updates on the technology shaping the future of flight.We always welcome your thoughts and feedback in the comments. The podcast remains available in both English and Chinese.Thank you for being on this journey with us. Now, let's explore what's making news in aviation today.1.FAA Order Lays Groundwork for Unified Agency SMSSeptember 17, 2026The FAA this week released an order implementing a unified safety management system (SMS) throughout the agency. Effective September 15, Order 1030.8 establishes safety management policy and the requirements for a single SMS under the Aviation Safety Management Office.In January, the agency announced a reorganization that included a new safety oversight office tasked with implementing a single safety management system and risk management strategy throughout the FAA. The agency said that instead of having individual offices monitor their own safety metrics, the new office would pull together and share safety data from across the agency.At the time, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford had outlined a “Flight Plan” for the agency that called for streamlining its safety management activities. He explained to the Aero Club of Washington that there have been 14 lines of business at the FAA, and “We don’t collaborate well. We don’t share data across the silos. So we’re tearing those silos down, and we’re creating one FAA SMS and moving really more…to true risk management, risk identification, and threat assessment.”The order reiterated that the policy and requirements are designed to “improve the FAA’s ability to proactively identify hazards and manage risk at the enterprise level.” It outlines the roles and responsibilities of the Aviation Safety Management Office regarding SMS, as well as those of the agency’s executive leadership, Executive Safety Council, and other personnel.In addition, the order defines and standardizes safety management and facilitates information sharing, requiring a common approach to implementing and maturing a unified SMS that fosters a positive safety culture.Key in the order is that it applies to all FAA organizations: Everyone has a role in safety management activities in the FAA,” the agency said.FAA Order Lays Groundwork for Unified Agency Safety Management System | Aviation International News2.Beamed Power Could Keep Solar Aircraft Aloft in WinterSeptember 17, 2026The UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) has awarded a £15.7 million ($21.2 million) contract to Prismatic, a BAE Systems subsidiary, to test whether a ground-based energy beam can keep a solar-powered stratospheric aircraft flying around the clock—including through dark northern hemisphere winters. Announced on September 15, the contract calls for Prismatic to use its PHASA-35 uncrewed aircraft as the flight demonstrator.Solar-powered high-altitude pseudo satellites such as PHASA-35 recharge their batteries during daylight to stay aloft overnight—a limitation at higher latitudes during winter, when days are short. Prismatic contends that beaming power to the aircraft from the ground would eliminate that constraint, enabling continuous flight for months at a time.Working with British firms Space Solar and MuWave, Prismatic plans to direct a controlled energy beam from a ground station to a receiver built into the PHASA-35’s wing, which would convert it back to electricity to power the airplane and charge its batteries. A company press release described the approach as using microwave frequencies already common in aviation, satellite communications, and radar.The three-stage program runs 3.5 years and is funded through ARIA’s Enduring Atmospheric Platforms effort, which backs long-endurance platforms for high-altitude communications. It concludes with an integrated flight demonstration.“PHASA-35 has already proven its worth in the stratosphere as a low-cost alternative to satellites, and now this exciting project will explore whether we can make it even more capable,” Prismatic CEO Bob Davidson said.The aircraft has a wingspan of 35 meters (115 feet), weighs 150 kilograms (330 pounds), and first reached the stratosphere in 2023, climbing above 66,000 feet. Beyond enabling year-round flight, the power beaming system could shrink the aircraft’s onboard battery arrays, freeing up payload capacity. PHASA-35 can carry up to 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of sensors for surveillance, communications, and Earth observation.Beamed Power Could Keep Solar Aircraft Aloft in Winter | Aviation International News3.ACJ: Strong Large-aircraft Market Growth Ahead in AsiaSeptember 17, 2026Business aviation industry professionals across Asia anticipate a growing demand for large business jets through 2030, with 30% believing that the increase will be dramatic, according to new research commissioned by Airbus Corporate Jets.Researcher Pureprofile surveyed 60 business aviation financiers and brokers in Asia who work for companies that either own or use business aircraft. The survey revealed growing confidence in the Asian business aviation market, Airbus Corporate Jets said, noting that 85% of respondents expect purchases of large business jets to increase through the remainder of the decade.In addition, 62% of the respondents estimated that new business jet spending between 2025 and 2034 will be concentrated on large and long-range aircraft, results that Airbus Corporate Jets said point to a significant shift. As further evidence of that shift, more than half of the respondents (56%) reported that at least a quarter of the aircraft they are involved in either selling or financing are upgrades into larger aircraft; they expect the 56% figure to climb to 89% by 2030.As for reasons behind purchase decisions, 45% of respondents said that buyers place equal importance on range and larger cabin space, and 28% pointed to cabin comfort, passenger capacity, and aircraft customization. Additionally, 27% called range and mission flexibility a primary purchase driver.Other factors involve charter revenue opportunities and residual value, along with operating costs. About two-thirds (67%) said financing for large business jets will become easier compared with smaller aircraft in coming years, and 75% believe fleet modernization will accelerate.“The business aviation market in Asia continues to demonstrate remarkable confidence, and the actual increase of ACJs in service in Asia is a testimony of this growth,” said Airbus Corporate Jets president Chadi Saade. “Buyers are increasingly looking for aircraft that deliver long-range capability, greater flexibility, and a premium onboard experience, while also offering strong long-term economic performance.”ACJ: Strong Large-aircraft Market Growth Ahead in Asia | Aviation International News4.Beijing New Rules: Capital Prohibited & Restricted Airspace from Sept 20; Citywide No Drone Zone from Nov 15September 15, 2026Civil Aviation News of China announced on September 13: To strengthen airspace safety management in the capital region, maintain air traffic order, and protect important ground targets and the safety of people’ s lives and property, in accordance with relevant laws and regulations and with reference to internationally accepted practices, China will designate Prohibited & Restricted Airspace in the capital and surrounding areas. It will be activated on September 20, 2026. It mainly restricts certain flight activities other than civil aviation flights and emergency rescue operations, and will not affect the public’ s air travel. Flight activities conducted within the Prohibited & Restricted Airspace in the capital region must strictly comply with relevant requirements for flight approval, communications, target identification, and safety status reporting.Another major policy, the new edition of the Regulations of Beijing Municipality on the Administration of Unmanned Aircraft, was adopted by a vote of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People’ s Congress and will be officially implemented on November 15, 2026.The new rules explicitly state: the entire administrative area of Beijing is designated as a No Drone Zone. Except for special support scenarios prescribed by the state, unmanned aircraft flights within Beijing are in principle not permitted. At the same time, individuals and organizations are prohibited from possessing or storing unmanned aircraft and core components within the city, and are also not allowed to bring unmanned aircraft and core components into Beijing. Special entities that truly need to conduct flights must establish a complete safety management system and carry out tasks strictly in accordance with approvals granted by the state.These controls mainly target flight activities other than civil passenger aviation and emergency rescue. Ordinary people traveling by air will not be affected in any way. If flight operations are truly necessary within the Prohibited & Restricted Airspace, the complete approval process must be completed, and all mandatory requirements such as communications, identification, and status reporting must be implemented.The unmanned aircraft information verification work associated with the previous version of the management regulations, which took effect on May 1, had already been fully completed by July 31. As the new regulations take effect, the original Measures for Information Verification of Unmanned Aircraft in Beijing will also be repealed at the same time.Meanwhile, multiple disposal channels are fully open, and subsidy policies
