Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Democratic leaders are seeking an investigation into the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) purchase of four Gulfstreams—two G650s and two G700s—and eight Boeing 737s for the Trump Administration’s use.
Appropriations Committee vice chair Patty Murray (D-Washington) and Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut), the ranking member of the homeland security subcommittee, sent a letter to both DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin and the DHS inspector general requesting the investigation, calling the purchases a “gross misuse” of tax dollars.
“It has come to our attention that the Department of Homeland Security is effectively running an in-house private jet service for Trump Administration officials with a slew of new luxury jets and other airplanes it has acquired and begun providing to officials over the last year,” they wrote in the letter.&nbsp;
They noted that the jets were acquired with funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), even though Congress did not authorize the purchase for executive travel, and thus questioned the legal authority to acquire them.
The Senators maintain that, during last fall’s government shutdown, DHS used nearly $200 million in OBBBA funding intended for the U.S. Coast Guard to acquire two G700s. “The jets were acquired despite the fact that DHS already owns two Gulfstream jets to support executive travel and despite the fact that DHS had never raised the need for any additional jets in any of its annual budget requests,” they said. “The department stole money that should have been used to support modernization of the Coast Guard’s fleet, meet operational needs, and improve military readiness to instead purchase two new luxury jets to shuttle the DHS Secretary and Deputy Secretary around the globe.”
Other aircraft acquired include two G650s, one of which is on lease to the FBI for senior official travel while the other is being retrofitted for DHS official travel. A VIP Boeing 737 Max 8, equipped with a bedroom, shower, and other amenities, is intended for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation flights and Cabinet-level travel, along with first lady use. Four Boeing 737s will be used for congressional delegation travel, and three more will be used for ICE travel.
“The Department’s purchase of these airplanes to shuttle administration officials around the globe demonstrates a remarkable disregard for American taxpayers who work hard and expect government officials to responsibly manage their tax dollars, not burn them on extravagant luxury jets,” the lawmakers added, further stating, “This administration has lit taxpayer dollars on fire by acquiring new and unnecessary planes to jet Trump officials around in extreme luxury that the vast majority of Americans will never experience.”
Stating the public should have a full accounting of the purchases, they directed the department to provide by August 26 the contract details of the purchases, retrofit, and missionization of each aircraft; cost analysis for their operations and maintenance; flight logs to date, including passenger manifests; a copy of the agreements with other departments for their use; and the legal justifications.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Senate Dems Urge Probe into DHS Purchase of 12 Aircraft

Purchase includes four Gulfstreams and eight Boeings

Senate Democratic leaders are calling for an investigation into the DHS acquisition of a dozen aircraft for senior official transport and ICE operations.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Robert Sancetta

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

One favorable test after an emergent medical situation may not be enough to satisfy the FAA

AINsight: Explain the Symptoms

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Tom Chapman additionally was confirmed for another term at NTSB

David Cummins Steps In as TSA Administrator

Charlotte Bailey

News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Alleged omission of Israeli co-developed FalconEye system under scrutiny

Irish DoD: No Falcon 6X Capability Limitations sans EFVS

Amy Wilder

NBAA seeks operator invoices to bolster advocacy efforts

Bahamas Fee Hikes Hit Operators Retroactively

Hanneke Weitering

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Israeli start-up will make SunTrax its U.S. headquarters

Air To Build eVTOL Aircraft at Florida’s SunTrax Hub

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In Regulations and Government

AINsight: Explain the Symptoms

One favorable test after an emergent medical situation may not be enough to satisfy the FAA

David Cummins Steps In as TSA Administrator

Tom Chapman additionally was confirmed for another term at NTSB

Irish DoD: No Falcon 6X Capability Limitations sans EFVS

Alleged omission of Israeli co-developed FalconEye system under scrutiny

Bahamas Fee Hikes Hit Operators Retroactively

NBAA seeks operator invoices to bolster advocacy efforts

Air To Build eVTOL Aircraft at Florida’s SunTrax Hub

Israeli start-up will make SunTrax its U.S. headquarters

Red Lake Nation Returns Detained Stinson Airplane to Darrin Smedsmo

Airplane was detained after he made an emergency landing on tribal land.

How Long from Toke to Yoke? The FAA Wants To Find Out

Rescheduling created what FAA calls a dual-status gap

SCOTUS To Hear Alaska Alcohol, C-206 Forfeiture Case

Issue has to do with proportionality of punishment

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN