Blitz Aviation orders three Pilot 100i trainers from Piper Aircraft

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Piper Aircraft, Inc. announced on Friday that Ogden, Utah-based Blitz Aviation has joined the Piper Flight School Alliance. Alongside the partnership, the flight school has placed an initial order for three Pilot 100i aircraft, signaling a shift from Cessna to Piper trainers. According to the Blitz Aviation website, its current fleet consists of Cessna 172s, a Piper Archer, and a Beechcraft Baron aircraft.

Founded by brothers Mycah and Michael Pittman Jr., Blitz Aviation has established itself as an emerging player in the flight training industry, focusing on safety-driven, personalized instruction. According to the school, the decision to modernize its fleet with Piper aircraft was heavily influenced by the benefits offered through the Piper Flight School Alliance. Membership provides the school with a suite of resources, including dedicated customer support, prioritized access to parts, and collaborative marketing initiatives designed to bolster long-term operational success.

The Pilot 100i aircraft ordered by Blitz Aviation are scheduled for delivery in late 2026.

Based on the proven PA-28-181 airframe, the Pilot 100i is designed to withstand the daily rigors of a flight school environment while offering a cost-effective platform for operators. The cockpit features the Garmin G3X touchscreen flight deck, providing students with advanced, glass-cockpit avionics without the high maintenance costs associated with more complex systems.

The Pilot 100i is powered by a 180-hp Lycoming IO-360-B4A engine. It offers a maximum cruise speed of 128 knots and a range of 522 nautical miles, with a 45-minute fuel reserve. These specifications, combined with the aircraft’s reputation for simplicity and durability, have made it a popular choice for flight schools looking to balance performance with lower operating costs.

By integrating the Pilot 100i into its operations, the flight school aims to enhance the quality of its training while scaling its capacity to meet future demand.

Piper Aircraft, headquartered in Vero Beach, Fla., continues to leverage its Flight School Alliance program to strengthen its foothold in the global training market.

By providing flight schools with both the hardware and the institutional support necessary for growth, Piper aims to maintain its position as a leading provider of flight training aircraft to aviation institutions worldwide.

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Budget cuts prompt NASA to explore launch imagery as a service

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NASA’s Information Technology Procurement Office (ITPO) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gauge commercial interest in providing "Launch Ascent Imagery" as a service for the Exploration Ground Systems Program.

Driven by budget constraints and a streamlined launch manifest—which currently maintains an approximate cadence of one launch per year—NASA is looking to transition away from traditional, internally managed methods. The agency is specifically investigating whether private industry can offer a more efficient, service-based model to replace its current mobile Kineto Tracking Mounts and internal ascent imagery systems.

According to the RFI released by the agency on Friday, the objective is to modernize the capture of high-resolution optical data, which is essential for flight test analysis and providing situational awareness to launch control personnel.

The agency is seeking potential partners capable of providing a comprehensive suite of multispectral imagery, including high-speed visual, infrared, and multi-focal length data. The requirements emphasize the need for remotely operable systems to ensure safe imagery acquisition near active launch sites.

The scope of the requested service encompasses four primary technical requirements:

• Short-Range Tracked Imagery: Equipment located within the Pad B perimeter (approx. 1,200 feet from the vehicle) cover the period from first motion through loss of view.
• Medium-Range Tracked Imagery: Systems positioned roughly five miles from the pad to capture launch events from ignition through loss of sight, accounting for restricted access zones.
• Long-Range Tracked Imagery: Capabilities situated between five and 40 miles away, tasked with maintaining visual contact with the vehicle and capturing critical events, such as Solid Rocket Booster separation.
• Launch Abort System (LAS) Tracked Imagery: Highly specialized tracking capable of responding instantly to an LAS activation, which involves rapid separation events.

NASA officials noted that this process is purely for planning purposes. The RFI aims to verify the feasibility of a commercial service model while promoting competition within the aerospace support sector.

By moving to an "as-needed" service model, NASA hopes to maintain high-quality diagnostic data while optimizing costs relative to the current launch schedule.

Industry stakeholders have until April 24 to submit their responses to the ITPO.

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