Join Jessie & Co-Host Jordan Scales on this week’s pod

Jet Tracker Banned from Meta and X

College student Jack Sweeney has been tracking famous private jet owners for years. Efforts to block his activities have been met with frustration, as flight tracking data is public and accessible through Freedom of Information Requests (FOIA) through the FAA. Finally, X and Meta officially banned his accounts, citing community safety concerns.

Union Says FAA Dropping ATC Center Weather Forecasters

The National Weather Service Employees Organization is raising the alarm on the FAA’s plan to replace all in-person meteorologists at its air traffic control centers nationwide with automated technology. Meteorologists were mandated at all 21 centers after a crash in 1977 of Southern Airways when 72 passengers perished due to controller’s and pilots’ lack of access to weather information.

Lilium Bankruptcy; Joby Dilutes Shareholders with Capital Raise

The eVTOL industry shows signs of strain as Lilium is expected to file for bankruptcy. The move comes following the Bavarian government’s cancellation of a $54 million loan, leading other investors to back out. The manufacturer may reorganize after bankruptcy and continue operations at some point. It had 780 orders and MOUs for its concept. Joby also announced a $500 million investment from Hyundai but diluted shareholders in a capital raise of $200 million, dropping its share price by 15%.

Sky Harbour Cinches Funding

Sky Harbor is the leader among private aviation SPACs. Its unique business model has led to a share price increase of almost 94% year over year. This week, the company announced that it has secured $240 million to fund its expansion plans into 2026, including building 6 to 7 more airport campuses.

Boeing is trying to get out of the space business

In a Wall Street Journal report, Boeing is allegedly looking for a buyer of its space business. This comes after the Starliner debacle that left astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS) for months, unplanned and massive delays, and cost overruns on its Artemis moon mission. Boeing was also involved in the ISS, which is expected to be decommissioned in 2031.