Why Fly Boring When You Can Fly Epic?

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-Rob Roy

In today’s email:

• Epic Aircraft Just Made the E1000 Even More Epic

• Around the Skies: 100% aircraft bonus depreciation, Beta’s cross-country flight test, New FAA rule targets ADS-B trolls, Girls in Aviation Day, Better support for Reagan tower, Daher’s electric vision, Trump shops for new Air Force One

• PilotTube: The Giant Airliner That Never Took Off

THE BUSINESS OF AVIATION

Meet the E1000 AX: Smarter, Sleeker, and Seriously Loaded

Epic Aircraft made a bold impression at this year’s Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida with the debut of its latest single-engine turboprop, the E1000 AX. A successor to the E1000 GX, the AX arrives with over 25 new features designed to make flying safer, smarter and more luxurious. From advanced avionics to clever creature comforts, the AX is built to deliver high performance with minimal fuss. It is a serious machine with just the right touch of flair.

Quick Specs:

• Max Cruise Speed: 333 KTAS

• Max Operating Altitude: 34,000 FT

• Rate of Climb: 4,000 FPM

• Max Range: 1,560 NM

• Useful Load: 2,860 lbs

• Max Full Fuel Payload: 1,150 lbs

The big headline is the integration of Garmin's G1000 NXi suite, which brings with it some serious tech firepower. Pilots can now enjoy Autothrottle and Autoland—two systems that can lend a hand when needed or take over entirely if things get spicy. Other notable upgrades include an automatic yaw dampener, electronic brake hold and a new panoramic windshield with CoolView glass—because why not cruise in comfort and style?

The E1000 AX also includes Garmin's GDL 60 with PlaneSync, which updates databases automatically and keeps everything humming without the usual thumb-drive dance. Add in features like 3D Safe Taxi, a radar altimeter, StormOptix weather radar and lithium-ion batteries that are smarter than some passengers, and it’s clear Epic is pushing for a new high watermark in the owner-flown turbine space.

Doug King, CEO of Epic Aircraft, summed it up best by calling the AX a "testament to our team’s passionate and ongoing commitment" to automation, safety and performance. Translation: it flies fast, looks cool and helps you land like a pro. 😎 

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AROUND THE SKIES

🛩️ President Trump has proposed bringing back 100% bonus depreciation, a move that could supercharge aircraft sales by allowing businesses to instantly write off the full cost of qualifying purchases. If passed, the measure would offer major tax savings and strong incentives to buy sooner rather than later. Industry experts anticipate a spike in demand, tighter inventory and rising prices.

🛩️ Beta Technologies’ all-electric CX300 has completed a six-week, 22-state round trip from New York to California, flying through snow, heat, day and night. The sleek five-seater wowed crowds, charged using Beta’s own network and proved it can handle real-world flying with ease. Along the way, it demonstrated cargo ops with UPS and previewed routes for the 2034 Winter Olympics.

🛩️ The FAA is taking steps to restrict public access to aircraft owner information in response to online harassment and anonymous complaints. Under a new rule, private owners can request to keep their names and addresses confidential through the CARES system. The move follows the misuse of ADS-B data by internet trolls who have targeted pilots.

🛩️ Girls in Aviation Day closed out the 36th annual Women in Aviation Conference in Denver with hands-on STEM activities and plenty of inspiration. Girls ages 8 to 18 explored aviation through scavenger hunts, simulators, drone flights and games that blended learning with fun. Keynote speaker Jessica Cox, a pilot who flies with her feet, encouraged them to think big and dream boldly.

🛩️ The FAA is boosting support for air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport with a review of staffing levels, arrival rates and mental health resources. After the January collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and a CRJ-700 that killed 67 people, the agency is adding supervisors, adjusting traffic flow and deploying stress management teams. New safety measures include stricter airspace rules and mandatory use of ADS-B.

🛩️ Daher plans to launch a “more electric” aircraft by 2027, likely a hybrid-electric version of the TBM 960 or the Kodiak 100 or 900. The design builds on lessons learned from the EcoPulse demonstrator, which logged 100 flight hours with six wing-mounted electric motors. CEO Nicolas Chabbert noted that battery performance remains underwhelming, with a 360-kilogram pack delivering the energy equivalent of just a few gallons of jet fuel. Still, customer interest is strong, and Daher aims to balance safety, efficiency, and innovation—without leaving pilots behind.

🛩️ Seven years after placing an order for a new Air Force One, President Trump is reportedly shopping elsewhere due to continued delays from Boeing. He recently inspected a Qatari-owned 747 that was flown to Florida specifically for the occasion. Previously used by Qatar’s royal family, the jet comes fully loaded with luxury.

PilotTube

The Bristol Brabazon was Britain’s answer to luxury air travel, a flying ocean liner complete with a dining room, cocktail bar and even a 23-seat movie theater. With a wingspan larger than a 747 and packed with cutting-edge technology, it was capable of flying nonstop from London to New York in the 1940s. Unfortunately, it was built for a world that quickly moved on, as faster jetliners like the Comet and 707 took center stage. In the end, the Brabazon became a magnificent misfit, remembered more for its ambition than its airtime.

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