Bush Pilot’s Cessna on the Line Over Beer Run

Good morning! It’s been a busy week over here at Flybuyer—airplanes are moving fast. Case in point: this 1976 Cessna 172M with just 900 hours total time barely hit the market before it was gone.

And the perfect buyer is about to fly this 2016 Murphy Moose home—he’s a former Navy fighter pilot (and good buddy of mine) who wanted a one of one for his flying adventures in the backcountry.

If you’re thinking about selling your airplane, send me an email at [email protected] and I’ll make sure it gets the attention it deserves. 🛩️

-Rob Roy

In today’s email:

• Alaska Bush Pilot’s Cessna at Risk Over Passenger’s Hidden Alcohol

• Around the Skies: Blade Air Mobility completes Joby deal, IATA pushes to raise pilot retirement age, Students compete in Aviation Design Challenge 2026, Navy drops carrier landings for student pilots, Joby and Air Force advance autonomous flight trials, FAA faces critical shortage of meteorologists, Wheels Up launches Premium Signature Membership Plan

• PilotTube: Inside the Life of a Contract Pilot

THE BUSINESS OF AVIATION

Pilot’s Cessna Could Be Grounded Permanently Over Beer Run

For more than a decade, Alaska bush pilot Ken Jouppi has been fighting a legal battle that could cost him his most valuable tool: his 1969 Cessna U206D, worth $95,000. The dispute traces back to 2012, when troopers at Fairbanks International stopped Jouppi before a planned flight to Beaver. His passenger had packed three cases of beer in her luggage, headed for a village that had voted to go dry years earlier. Jouppi was charged with knowingly transporting alcohol, convicted of a misdemeanor and given a $1,500 fine and three days in jail.

The fine wasn’t the end of it. Alaska prosecutors also moved to seize his aircraft under a law that allows forfeiture of any vehicle used to bring alcohol into a dry community. While a trial court initially found the punishment excessive, both the Alaska Court of Appeals and the state Supreme Court upheld the forfeiture, ruling that even a small amount of alcohol was enough to trigger the statute.

Now 82, Jouppi has taken his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. He argues that losing a $95,000 airplane over a minor violation violates the Constitution’s ban on excessive fines. His petition asks the justices to decide whether proportionality should be measured by the specifics of a case—or, as Alaska courts have held, by the general nature of the offense.

Jouppi’s fight has drawn support from the Institute for Justice, which says the case highlights a growing reliance on forfeitures to generate revenue. For Alaska’s flying community, the outcome could have broad implications: in a state where airplanes are often as essential as trucks or boats, the question is whether a single passenger’s misstep should be enough to strip a pilot of his livelihood.

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AROUND THE SKIES

🛩️ Blade Air Mobility has sold its passenger business to Joby Aviation for up to $125 million and rebranded as Strata Critical Medical Inc. The move lets Strata focus fully on organ transplant logistics and medical transport while retaining access to Joby aircraft for critical missions. Joby, meanwhile, gains Blade’s terminals, lounges and brand as it pushes its eVTOL plans in major U.S. cities.

🛩️ The International Air Transport Association (IATA) wants the pilot retirement age raised from 65 to 67 to help address a global pilot shortage. The group says many pilots remain fit to fly past 65, but unions argue the change could compromise safety. The U.N.’s aviation body, ICAO, will debate the proposal at its September assembly.

🛩️ The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has opened registration for the 2026 Aviation Design Challenge, now in its 14th year. The first 150 U.S. high school teams will receive free STEM curriculum and use X-Plane software to design aircraft for a simulated mission. Top prizes include a CubCrafters manufacturing experience, a Redbird Flight STEM Lab and ForeFlight Premium subscriptions. Registration closes Dec. 19, 2025, or once slots are filled.

🛩️ The Navy has dropped carrier landing qualifications as a requirement for student jet pilots to earn their Wings of Gold. Aviators bound for the F/A-18, F-35C and EA-18G will now make their first carrier landings at fleet replacement squadrons. Officials say the shift streamlines training and reflects modern aircraft equipped with Precision Landing Mode, leaving field practice on land but ending a long-held tradition at sea.

🛩️ Joby Aviation and the U.S. Air Force successfully tested an autonomous Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Hawaii, remotely managed from Guam 3,800 miles away. The aircraft completed taxi, takeoff, flight and landing without pilot input, showcasing potential for distributed logistics under the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment concept. Officials say such autonomy could strengthen flexibility and resilience across the Indo-Pacific.

🛩️ A GAO report warns the FAA is short of meteorologists, with just 69 on staff instead of the 81 agreed upon with the National Weather Service. Hiring freezes, retirements and burnout have left some centers with only one or two forecasters, especially along the East and Gulf coasts. The shortage raises safety and efficiency concerns, and while the FAA pledged action, it is also weighing a new model that could reduce staffing even further.

🛩️ Wheels Up has introduced its Signature Membership, offering guaranteed nationwide access to Phenom 300 and Challenger 300 jets. With a $200,000 prepaid deposit and $500 monthly fee, members can choose flexible dynamic pricing or predictable fixed rates. The plan is part of Wheels Up’s fleet modernization and includes integration with Delta for combined private and commercial travel options.

PilotTube

Being a contract pilot means trading predictability for adventure. Unlike airline or charter flying, freelancers juggle their own schedules, line up clients and take full ownership of every trip—from flight planning to execution. In this video, you’ll see the behind-the-scenes hustle: early briefings, last-minute changes, unpredictable weather and the business grind that comes with flying on call. It’s a raw look at a career where no two days are ever alike.

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