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

Pilot reports of laser strikes reached 12,840 last year in the U.S., a 3% decline from 2023 but a number that the FAA still calls “dangerously high.”&nbsp;The FAA has long campaigned to discourage people from shining lasers at aircraft, warning that it poses a serious threat to safety and is a federal crime. Pilots have reported 328 injuries from such events since the agency began tracking laser strikes in 2010, the FAA noted.
In 2024, the most laser strike reports unsurprisingly came from some of the most populous states, with California leading the way at 1,489. This was followed closely by Texas at 1,463, then Florida (810), Tennessee (649), Illinois (622), Arizona (550), New York (531), Indiana (512), Georgia (416), and Virginia (415).
Under federal law, the FAA can impose fines of up to $11,000 per laser strike and $30,800 for multiple violations. This comes in addition to other federal criminal penalties that could include up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, along with state and local penalties.
The FAA has developed multiple online and other resources on this topic, including a <a href="https://bit.ly/426eWl4">visualization tool</a> that depicts current-year incidents (1,799 thus far in 2025), daily average occurrences (30.5), and other key information.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

FAA Warns Laser Strikes on Aircraft Still Too High

Reports dipped 3% in 2024 but still approached 13,000

“Laser strikes on aircraft are still dangerously high,” the FAA maintains, noting that reported incidents approached 13,000 in 2024.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

News, issues, personnel, equipment and developments about air traffic management.

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.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

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.

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.

FAA is immediately looking at 10 'hot spots' and ultimately nationwide

In Wake of Crash, FAA Looking at Mixed Traffic at Multiple Airports

Stuart “Kipp” Lau

Punishing flight crewmembers for mistakes impedes safety advancements

AINsight: Criminalization in Aviation a Genuine Concern

Curt Epstein

Aviation is under scrutiny after several accidents to open the year

NBAA Chief Talks Bizav Safety as SDC Opens in New Orleans

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Data analysis suggests key mitigation improvements

Nimbl Highlights Risk Assessments for Aviation Safety

Charles Alcock

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Australian company plans to license its vertiport designs in other countries

Skyportz Tackles eVTOL Downwash and Outwash With Vertipad Design

Sarah Rose

Aims to ‘maintain a healthy safety culture’

Wyvern Joins NATA Partner+ Program

Association's recent event drew 70 professionals who shared concerns with the FAA

NATA Forums Bringing Operators Together on SMS

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.

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