A Chinese-owned aircraft maker just landed on the Pentagon's radar, and Cirrus pilots want to know what it means for them.

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson break down the news that Cirrus's parent company, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), has been added to the Pentagon's list of Chinese military-linked companies operating in the US. The hosts walk through what the designation actually means, who else got named alongside Cirrus, and why this story is surfacing now. They cover:

• What the Pentagon's blacklist designation is and why it's not the same as a flight ban
• Why Cirrus parent company AVIC was added, and how it ties back to a 2011 ownership deal
• What it means for the Department of Defense's procurement contracts starting June 30th
• Continental Aerospace Technology and Align Aerospace, the two other aviation suppliers named in the same update
• Why this surfaced now, including Cirrus's 2024 Hong Kong Stock Exchange listing and shifting US policy on foreign-owned companies

🚀 Whether you fly a Cirrus, train in one, or just want to understand how geopolitics can intersect with general aviation, this episode breaks down what pilots actually need to know, and what they don't need to worry about.

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Is Cirrus secretly owned by a Chinese company, and could carbon monoxide be hiding in your training aircraft right now? ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Brandon and Carson tackle a stacked listener Q&A covering the biggest questions general aviation pilots are asking right now. Carson also catches Brandon off guard with breaking news about Cirrus. They cover:

• Carson asks Brandon if he's heard the news: the Pentagon just added Cirrus to its list of Chinese military companies, and Brandon's reaction says it all
• Whether carbon monoxide poisoning is a real risk in training aircraft, including a real ATC story that shows why CO sensors matter
• How the DPE shortage is affecting checkride scheduling and training timelines for student pilots
• Whether you can really afford to own an airplane, and why the dream isn't as out of reach as people think
• What basic med actually requires, and whether it's a better option than a regular FAA medical for most GA pilots
• Where the unleaded fuel transition for general aviation actually stands today

🚀 Whether you're a student pilot, private pilot, or CFI, this episode breaks down real questions affecting your training, your aircraft, and the industry news you need to know about.

🌎 New episodes drop every Friday. Join us, learn, and stay inspired in aviation.

Sponsored by Stratus Financial: stratus.finance/scholarship-2026/ Ascend Flight Training Summit: ascendflighttrainingsummit.com

Flight training in 2026 — is it still worth it, and what do the numbers actually say? ✈️

In this episode of the Aviation Mentors Podcast, Carson delivers a data-driven state of the union for flight training in 2026. Real numbers pulled from FAA records, industry surveys, and airline hiring reports. Carson breaks down:

• The real state of airline hiring in 2026, with actual numbers from American, United, and Delta
• Why 2025 was a pause and not a collapse, and what the rebound looks like right now
• Student pilot pipeline data, CFI supply, and what the competition actually looks like
• The true cost of flight training from private pilot to CFI in today's market
• Why waiting to start could cost you more than financing now
• The checkride examiner bottleneck and how it is quietly adding thousands to your training bill
• Whether starting flight training today, in June 2026, is actually the right call

🚀 Whether you are a student pilot weighing the investment, a CFI waiting on the airline rebound, or just trying to cut through the noise on the pilot shortage debate, this episode gives you the honest, unfiltered picture.

🎓 Apply for the Aviation Mentors $10,000 Scholarship (25+ flight hours required): stratus.finance/scholarship-2026/

✈️ Ascend Flight Training Summit — Dallas, September 8-10: ascendflighttrainingsummit.com

🌎 New episodes drop every Friday — join us, learn, and stay inspired in aviation.