Author: Alan G.W.

Bombardier Completes Partial Redemption of US$500,000,000 of its 7.875% Senior Notes due 2027 June 13, 2025 Arevig.Afarian… Fri, 06/13/2025 – 17:18 Company news Listing text Bombardier Completes Partial Redemption of US$500,000,000 of its 7.875% Senior Notes due 2027 Page category News & Events

M&O International 2025 simon.lapare@a… Fri, 06/13/2025 – 17:04 Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE Save your seat by completing our form An email confirmation with a link to reserve your hotel room with our preferred rate will be sent to you after registering. REGISTER HERE Save your seat now by completing the form below! First name Last name Job title Company name Phone number (optional) Email Attendee Type Owners & Operators (optional) Partners & Suppliers (optional) Bombardier Employee (optional) Bombardier aircraft (optional) Learjet 20/30/50/60 Series (optional) Learjet 40/45/70/75 Series (optional) Challenger 300/3500 Series (optional) Challenger 600 Series (optional) Global Express…

At the Paris Air Show, aircraft are in the spotlight, jostling for position on the tarmac. Dassault Aviation’s static display includes Falcon and military aircraft. Presentation of Dassault Aviation aircraft present at the show: Rafale Air B Wingspan: 10.9 m Length: 15.3 m Height: 5.3 m Empty weight: ≈ 10 t Maximum takeoff weight: 24.5 t External stores capacity: 9.5 t Combat drone (scale model 1) Wingspan: 12.5 m Length: 10 m Height: 2.5 m Empty weight: 5 t Falcon 8X Wingspan: 26.3 m Length: 24.5 m Height: 7.9 m Range: 6,450 nm London City → New York Paris →…

Following Israeli strikes on Iran in the early hours of 13 June, airspace in Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Israel is closed. Jordan, Syria, and Israel have severely limited flights, while Iran and Iraq have closed to all traffic. The closures affect approximately 3,000 flights per day through canceled flights or re-routes. The first diversions away from Tehran were noted at 00:06 UTC while Iranian and Iraqi airspace was filled with hundreds of flights. Flights cleared the region over the subsequent two hours. 9-second video of the clearing of Iranian and Iraqi airspace. pic.twitter.com/VZLWbmk9sC— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) June 13, 2025 Airspace…

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Silver Airways ceases operations immediately and Qantas says subsidiary Jetstar Asia will wind down flights by the end of July. The NTSB releases the preliminary report on the American Airlines 737 fire in Denver. May was a big month for Boeing, with more than 300 orders, while Airbus recorded orders for precisely 0 aircraft. This month’s Paris Air Show has the potential to close the gap. Southwest is looking at “monetizing its order book,” while American Airlines sends the wrong 787 to Naples. And Condor operates five flights in a failed attempt to get…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxT9JNXJNj8

Here’s something for purists and art lovers in general! From June 19 to 22 in Paris, a high-profile exhibition and sale pay tribute to the world of Buck Danny. Collectors beware! From Friday, June 19 to Monday, June 22, 2025, Galerie l’Œil Bleu, in the Marais district of Paris (3rd arrondissement), is offering an unprecedented plunge into the world of “Buck Danny”, with an exhibition and sale of 12 Art Strips available in several formats. These posters feature some of the comic strip’s most iconic images, from 1954 to 1970 (volumes 11 to 36), with a retro chromatic makeover and…

(Saint-Cloud, France, June 13, 2025) – Dassault Aviation is proud to showcase its wide range of expertise to industry professionals and the general public at the 55th Paris Air Show, taking place at Paris-Le Bourget Airport from June 16 to 22, 2025. Dassault Aviation will be at stand A251, located in Hall 2A, underneath a giant video screen. We will be displaying models of our aircraft and projects, particularly in the space sector. Visitors will also get the chance to enjoy a virtual flight experience with our “Rafale Experience” simulators. Our static display, located in Row A – No. 7,…

About two dozen German A400Ms will receive missile countermeasure upgrades to enhance survivability during tactical operations.Airbus has secured a contract from the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) to equip 23 Luftwaffe A400M Atlas aircraft with Directed Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) systems. The upgrade will significantly enhance the survivability of the tactical transport fleet against infrared-guided missile threats.
Under the agreement, Airbus will not only oversee the integration of the DIRCM systems, supplied by Elbit Systems, but will also provide associated services including training, tooling, and service bulletins.
“Transporting troops, equipment and humanitarian supplies; refuelling other aircraft and helicopters in the air; serving as a flying hospital for the treatment of wounded personnel – the Airbus A400M is the face and workhorse of the German Air Force,” said Gerd Weber, Head of the A400M Programme at Airbus Defence and Space. “The new DIRCM system will provide A400M crews with even greater protection during their missions around the world.”
DIRCM systems are designed to detect incoming infrared-guided missiles and counter them using directed energy to disrupt the missile’s seeker head. The system is already being tested in Seville, Spain, on a German Air Force A400M. Certification is expected by summer 2025, with full fleet retrofit planned to be completed by 2032.
Luftwaffe A400M.
The 23 aircraft selected for the upgrade are those assigned to tactical operations, including medical evacuation missions in crisis zones. Logistical variants used for standard long-range transport missions typically fly in less contested airspace and will not receive the DIRCM enhancement.
Germany originally placed an order for 60 A400Ms in 2003 as a replacement for the aging C-160 Transall. The final contract was later revised to 53 aircraft, with deliveries initially expected to begin in 2009. After multiple development delays, the first A400M was delivered to the Luftwaffe on Dec. 18, 2014. The C-160 was fully retired following the disbandment of Air Transport Wing 63 in 2021. Today, more than 40 A400Ms are operational with the German Air Force, all assigned to Air Transport Wing 62 at Wunstorf Air Base. The final aircraft is scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2026.
The A400M is a four-engine turboprop tactical and strategic transport aircraft capable of carrying up to 116 personnel or heavy equipment. In addition to airlift duties, the platform can perform aerial refueling operations for fast jets such as the Eurofighter and Tornado, as well as helicopters. Germany was the first A400M operator to deploy the type in the aerial tanker role operationally, beginning in 2019. The aircraft can also be configured for aeromedical evacuation, with modular units capable of supporting intensive care patients in flight.
The DIRCM retrofit will be carried out during scheduled maintenance cycles at Airbus facilities in Manching, Getafe, and Seville.
Side view of a GAF A400M.

EASA publishes CZIB for airspace of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), in close coordination with the European Commission, has published a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin on the Middle East, addressing the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon. The issuance follows recent military developments in the region, including air strikes conducted by Israel and retaliatory actions taken by Iran. Annalisa Farina Fri, 13/06/2025 – 19:06

The Italian Air Force celebrated the phase out of the T-339A jet trainer and the phase in of its successor, the T-345A.The Italian Air Force said goodbye to its long-standing Aermacchi MB-339A jet trainer during a ceremony at Lecce-Galatina Air Base on Jun. 12, 2025. The event included both the phase out of the T-339A (as the MB-339A is designated by the Italian MoD) and the phase in of its successor, the Leonardo T-345A.
The ceremony
The ceremony was attended by the Chief of Staff of the Italian Air Force, Lt. Gen. Antonio Conserva, and the Commander of the Training Schools and 3rd Air Region of the Italian Air Force, Lt. Gen. Silvano Frigerio, as well as the Managing Director of Leonardo’s Aeronautic Division, Stefano Bortoli. Current and past pilots, technical officers and military and civilian maintainers, who worked on the aircraft during its over 40 years of activity, were also invited.
A special livery highlighted the importance of this agile jet trainer for the service, with the emblems of all the units that employed it. The tail, painted with the colors of the Italian flag, prominently features the 61° Stormo’s (61st Wing) emblem, with the eagle which embraces the bow of Diana the Huntress, as well as the emblems of the three squadrons which employed it at Galatina AB: the 212°, 213° and 214° Gruppo.
The special livery created for the phase out of the T-339A.
Following the welcoming remarks, a formation of three T-345As and one T-339A with the special livery took off for a flypast. The four-ship formation conducted two formation passes, before the T-339A symbolically left the formation to represent the “change of the guard” between the two trainers.

The phase-out of the #T339A and phase-in of the #T345A at Galatina Air Base (Lecce, Italy) represented a key milestone for the @ItalianAirForce and a valuable opportunity to showcase #Leonardo’s integrated training ecosystem, focused on #innovation, efficiency, and readiness.
We… pic.twitter.com/oM0fi3nlmF
— Leonardo Aeronautics (@LDO_Aeronautics) June 12, 2025

“The T-339A has trained many generations of pilots, making the history of training and of the Air Force,” Gen. Conserva said during his speech. ”Emotion and sadness because as 339A it ends its educational task but a farewell sweetened by the fact that it will continue its training mission as 339CD, just as it will continue to carry our tricolor throughout the world in its 339PAN version.”
The first formation pass, with the T-339A leading the three T-345As.
In fact, while the standard T-339A/MB-339A is now being retired, the modified AT-339A/MB-339PAN will continue to fly with the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team until it is replaced by the new T-346. Similarly, the upgraded FT-339C/MB-339CD will continue to fly until 2030, when it also will be replaced by the T-345A.

We were honoured to welcome the Chief of Staff of the @ItalianAirForce, Lt. Gen. Antonio Conserva, and the Commander of the Training Schools and 3rd Air Region of the Italian Air Force, Lt. Gen. Silvano Frigerio, to #Leonardo’s stand during the official induction ceremony of the… pic.twitter.com/r26sJaz6VT
— Leonardo Aeronautics (@LDO_Aeronautics) June 12, 2025

“We are happy to welcome the arrival of its successor, the best basic and basic-advanced trainer from now until the next 40 years, an aircraft with very low costs characterized by the ability to train our students in a completely digital environment preparing them, from the early stages, for future 4th, 5th and 6th generation fighters,” said Gen. Conserva about the new T-345A. “A further qualitative leap that places us as undisputed leaders in the pilot training sector in Italy, Europe and the world.”
The T-339A prepares to pull up, symbolically leaving the formation.
The mention of the 6th generation fighters is not casual, as the Italian Air Force is also starting to look at the future training requirements for the pilots that will fly the Global Combat Air Programme’s (GCAP) manned fighter. The modernization was also highlighted by the Managing Director of Leonardo’s Aeronautic Division, Stefano Bortoli.
“The M-345 is the result of Leonardo’s consolidated experience in the military trainer sector, the result of the success of aircraft such as the SIAI-Marchetti SF-260, the Aermacchi MB-326 and the Aermacchi MB-339,” said Bortoli. “The latter, in particular, has been in service for 45 years, training Italian and foreign military pilots and colouring the skies around the world with the Italian flag of the National Aerobatic Team, which will very soon adopt Leonardo’s M-346 as its new aircraft. Thanks to the introduction of the M-345 and its integration into the Armed Forces’ training syllabus, which already includes the M-346 for subsequent training phases, the Italian Air Force will be able to boast the most modern fixed-wing military training system in Europe.”

The ceremony included some notable moment, like the “passing of the baton” between an “older” T-339A pilot and a “younger” T-345A pilot and the presentation of the T-339A’s flight stick diplay, which will be put among the Wing’s memorabilia in the command’s building. Also, although he could not be present on site, the first test pilot of the MB-339, Franco Bonazzi, recounted some of his memories about the first flights of the aircraft.

A Galatina (LE) il T-339A lascia il posto al #T345A, nuovo trainer dell’#AeronauticaMilitare.Un passaggio di testimone reso ancora più simbolico con il videomessaggio del 1° collaudatore dell’MB.339 Comandante Franco Bonazzi #latuasquadrachevola #M345 pic.twitter.com/C6d7w06lYJ
— Aeronautica Militare (@ItalianAirForce) June 12, 2025

According to the service, in July 2025 the first students will start to train on the T-345A, while the T-339A’s operations will fade out and the 61st Wing will continue its training activities with the T-345A, the FT-339C and the T-346A. In future, the Wing will eventually transition to a two-aircraft fleet with only the T-345 and T-346.
The aircraft return to the parking spot, with the T-339A leading the T-345s.
The MB-339A/T-339A
The MB-339 was born as a replacement for the MB-326 and designed with almost all Italian technology,  with the exception of the Rolls-Royce Turbo Viper 632 engine. The MB-339 flew for the first time in 1976 and was introduced in service in 1981, immediately demonstrating great capabilities both as advanced trainer and as ground attack aircraft. Compared to the MB-326, the MB-339 has more power, better maneuverability and control’s precision. The forward part is also completely redesigned to have different heights for the pilot and instructor, allowing a better visibility from the rear seat.

Oggi, a Galatina (LE), il passaggio di consegne tra il T-339A, il leggendario “Macchino”, e il #T345A, il nuovo velivolo addestratore dell’#AeronauticaMilitare.Un evento che segna la fine di un’era e l’inizio di un nuovo capitolo per l’addestramento al volo della Forza Armata pic.twitter.com/gxDm2XJ1fh
— Aeronautica Militare (@ItalianAirForce) June 12, 2025

The MB-339 became even more popular thanks to its adoption by the Frecce Tricolori National Aerobatic Team in 1982. The Frecce Tricolori use a modified version of the MB-339A, called MB-339PAN, which features key modifications, such as the installation of a smoke system and the removal of the tip tanks, which can be reinstalled for extended-range ferry missions such as the North American Tour 2024.
The T-339A on the taxiway before the beginning of the phase out ceremony.
The aircraft also had good commercial success outside of Italy, and has been in service in Argentina, Peru, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, Eritrea and Ghana. Some MB-339s from New Zealand now found a second life with Draken International, which uses them to support training of allied air forces.
The MB-339 “Macchino” has also been for a long time a synonym of the 61° Stormo where, in the last 40 years, it graduated 2,500 pilots and flew for 400,000 hours. Even if it’s closing to the end of its service life, the MB-339 continues to demonstrate itself as an exceptional, safe, reliable machine, and is still used in the “analog” A variant for the Phase 2 training and in the “digital” CD variant for the Phase 3.
The second special color T-339A on static diplay.
The M-345/T-345
The MB-339 is now being replaced by the T-345 High Efficiency Trainer, the new basic jet trainer of the Italian Air Force which will gradually replace the entire MB-339 fleet, beginning from the A variant and later continuing with the CD variant. In fact, thanks to its characteristics, the aircraft can be used for the entire training syllabus, from the Primary Pilot Training to the Specialized Pilot Training.

Diamo il benvenuto al nuovo velivolo addestratore, che entra in servizio al 61° Stormo.Il #T345A, prodotto da #Leonardo e dotato di avionica moderna, tecnologia all’avanguardia, elevata efficienza e flessibilità operativa, è destinato all’addestramento dei piloti militari pic.twitter.com/684Z3mZbxE
— Aeronautica Militare (@ItalianAirForce) June 12, 2025

The T-345 will bring multiple advantages. Similarly to the M346, the new aircraft will be part of an integrated netcentric system, which will allow to shrink the time needed for the training while improving its quality and efficiency. The T-345 trainer offers performance typical of a jet aircraft, such as the maximum altitude and speed, with operational costs comparable to the ones of a turboprop aircraft.
A T-345 takes off before the flypast.
The T-345 is equipped with simple and essential onboard systems, which require minimum maintenance and allow the maximum safety and reliability. The Williams FJ44-4M-34 turbofan engine is equipped with a modern digital control system and provides a good thrust with low fuel consumption. The acquisition costs are comparable to the ones of turboprop trainers, allowing a long service life of 15,000 flight hours.

Today, #Leonardo is taking part in the ceremony marking the phase-out of the #T339A and the phase-in of the #T345A at the @ItalianAirForce’s Galatina Air Base (Lecce, Italy), home of the 61st Wing. During the event, we will showcase our digital training solutions for the T-345A.… pic.twitter.com/rftuTUy5iN
— Leonardo Aeronautics (@LDO_Aeronautics) June 12, 2025

The swept high wing provides a greater maneuverability and an easier recovery from dangerous attitudes, while its profile also creates a higher lift. The aircraft is equipped with the latest technologies, such as touchscreen multi-functional displays, exposing the students to these technologies, similar to the ones of front-line aircraft, early in the training, so they can gradually improve their competencies with such advanced avionics before reaching the OCUs.
The three T-345s make a final pass over the runway after the T-339A left the formation.
The introduction of the T-345 will consolidate even more the new training model of the Italian Air Force and will allow a more fluid transition from basic training to advanced training. In fact, as we mentioned, the T-345 can be seen as an integrated training system similar to the one of the T-346, as they are both based on the same logic but with the latest technological advances for both avionics and ground training aids.
Allowing students to immediately get in touch with the most modern technologies and avoiding the transition to another aircraft, even if highly similar, for the Phase III training, will improve the efficiency and reduce even more the period required for the training.
A T-345A on static display.

Air India flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick crashed shortly after take off on the afternoon of 12 June. The Boeing 787-8 “Dreamliner” lost height just seconds after departure and impacted a neighborhood to the southwest of the airport. Air India says that one of the 242 people on board the aircraft survived the crash. This is the first hull loss of a Boeing 787. Air India flight 171 AI171 departed Ahmedabad at 08:08:44 UTC (13:38 local time). The aircraft climbed to a maximum recorded barometric altitude of 625 feet at 08:49:46 before losing altitude. The last received data from…

On June 5, 2025, the European Space Agency (Esa), the European Astronaut Club (ACE), ArianeGroup, Dassault Aviation and the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace organized the closing day of the 19th Student Aerospace Challenge at the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace in Le Bourget (93). This competition enabled higher education students to take part in the study of a reusable, manned suborbital or even orbital vehicle, on a theme chosen from among the ten work packages on offer (technical, medical, legal studies, etc.). For this year’s event, 21 teams from schools and universities in several European countries belonging…

From June 16 to 22, the Dassault Aviation website is at the pace of the Paris Air Show. news in images (flight demonstrations, etc.) web TV Dassault Aviation dassault-aviation.tv photo galleries photos.dassault-aviation.com Paris Air Show game daily newsletter… You can also find all our news and watch new content in real time on : an X @Dassault_OnAir account: x.com/Dassault_OnAir a LinkedIn Dassault Aviation page: linkedin.com/company/dassault-aviation a Facebook page @DassaultAviation: facebook.com/DassaultAviation an Instagram account @dassaultaviation : instagram/dassaultaviation a YouTube channel: youtube.com/thedassaultaviation une appli mobile Dassault Aviation (iOS et Android)

Calling all owners of small aircraft and/or microlights! After a break in 2024, the Traine-Queue gathering returns for a promising 21st edition. An event that’s becoming a must-attend! Since 2002, classic train aviation enthusiasts have been gathering in Paray-le-Monial (in the Saône-et-Loire département) to celebrate old-fashioned aviation. In 2025, Traîne-Queue returns for its 21ᵉ edition, on June 21 and 22 to be exact, for what promises to be an exceptional weekend right in the heart of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. In a warm and friendly atmosphere (with stands, catering and more), dozens of ULMs and aircraft with the famous tailwheel will…

Dassault Systèmes’ 3D UNIV+RSES at the 2025 Paris Air Show: Transforming Aerospace and Defense with AI-Powered Generative Experiences

Aircraft engaged for a good cause! The Sourire de Mômes association is organizing a meeting on June 14 and 15 in Plomodiern (29) to help children with disabilities. On June 14 and 15, aeronautics fans will be heading for the “Far West”! The Plomodiern airshow is organized by the Sourire de Mômes association, which works to “improve the daily lives of sick children by financing technical aids and making their dreams come true”. Each year, the association organizes one or more events (evenings, rides, meetings, etc.) to raise funds for the purchase of equipment to facilitate the mobility of disabled…

Procurement request documents obtained by Bloomberg show revised figures for F-35 deliveries in 2026, with the USAF receiving only 24 jets rather than 48.Bloomberg reports that the Pentagon seeks to reduce incoming deliveries for all branches of the U.S. military operating the F-35 Lightning II. The U.S. Air Force will receive 24 F-35As, rather than the 48 provisionally approved by Congress last year. The U.S. Navy’s F-35C deliveries will be cut from 17 to 12, and the U.S. Marine Corps will see a reduction of two jets – though it’s not clear if this means fewer F-35Bs, F-35Cs, or a mix.
While this move would slow down deliveries, it should be noted that the request on its own would not necessarily mean the overall procurement planned numbers for the F-35 have been reduced. The cut still needs to be approved by Congress, who instead might deny the request and potentially even adjust the Department of Defense’s (DoD) budget to accommodate. It is expected that the DoD has made the request in order to prepare for cuts to its general budget proposed by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

New Hegseth memo we obtained on Fy 2026-Fydp 8% alignment lists 17 exemptions to reductions. The Pentagon’s biggest program, the F 35, is not one of them..
— Anthony Capaccio (@ACapaccio) February 19, 2025

The F-35 is the most modern fighter currently in the U.S. arsenal, but the DoD will be seeking to protect investment into future programs like the Boeing F-47 as well as associated collaborative combat aircraft. There is additionally the chance that by delaying their take-up of F-35 orders, the DoD will be able to extract additional performance from their airframes thanks to proposed future upgrades to the fifth generation fighter.
Lockheed Martin has proposed a major technology boost described as a ‘supercharged F-35’ which leverages work undertaken on the Next Generation Air Dominance program. CEO Jim Taiclet said he expected it would deliver 80% of the F-47’s capability at 50% of the cost. Whether this is related to the “F-55” referenced by President Donald Trump is unclear.

Trump: F-35, we’re doing an upgrade, a simple upgrade, but we’re also doing an F-55. I’m going to call it an F-55, and that’s going to be a substantial upgrade, but it’s going to be also with two engines because the F 35 has a single engine. I don’t like single engines. pic.twitter.com/CUG8VK5JX9
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 15, 2025

Notably, while the Boeing F-47 appears to now have flagship status among defense programs, making cuts difficult without a significant hit to the administration’s political capital, the Navy’s F/A-XX proposal to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet has lingered much further into the background. The War Zone reported this week that the future of this development is still under review, and that many voices inside the Pentagon wish to prioritize development of the F-47 at the expense of F/A-XX.
The enormous cost of the F-35 program, as well as major delays to both its introduction and pending upgrades, has made it a key area of criticism from politicians and commentators across the political divide. Many figures close to the Trump administration, including President Trump himself, have a long history of bashing the jet.
Regardless of opinions on the aircraft, at this stage of the program the U.S. has little choice but to proceed – there are few alternatives for the DoD to take, and even when the F-47 arrives it will likely be cost prohibitive to procure on the scale of the planned 1,763 U.S. Air Force F-35 buy.

The U.S. Air Force has released for the first time a rendering of the new AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) which is set to replace the current AGM-86B ALCM.
The U.S. Air Force has released for the first time, on Jun. 9, 2025, a rendering of the new AGM-181A Long-Range Standoff (LRSO), the service’s next-gen stealth nuclear cruise missile that is set to replace the older AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM). The weapon is currently on track to be employed by both the B-21 Raider and the B-52 Stratofortress in the near future.
The LRSO is a priority for the Air Force as the U.S. is working to modernize its nuclear triad, and has been defined as a critical capability for the B-21 Raider. The new stealth bomber is set to be equipped with three nuclear weapons: the AGM-181 LRSO cruise missile and the B61-12 and B61-13 bombs, with the latter used exclusively by the Raider.
As the weapon is being tested in secret, last year the Air Force’s then Service Acquisition Executive Andrew Hunter told the Senate Committee on Armed Services that the program is on track. “It is tracking well, the program is definitely on track to meet its timeline and deliver to the warfighter any day and we’re also doing well on cost for that program as well,” said Hunter.
The rendering
The rendering published on June 9 is the first to publicly show the new weapon. However, given the secrecy of the program, it should not be given for granted that the rendering is fully accurate, as some features might have been altered for security reasons.
For once, the air inlet can’t be seen in the rendering, and this could be due to the inlet being on the top side or completely removed from the image as it is one of the weapon’s critical features. While not much is known about the LRSO’s capabilities, the weapon is expected to be propelled to subsonic speeds by an air-breathing engine.
The rendering shows that the AGM-181 has a trapezoidal shape, with a wedge-like profile both at the nose and tail. Similarly to the weapon it will replace, the LRSO is equipped with folding wings, as well as a vertical tail on the bottom side and slightly canted horizonal tail planes.
The AGM-181 LRSO
The AGM-181 Long Range Standoff (LRSO) Cruise Missile is a long range survivable standoff weapon capable of delivering lethal nuclear effects on strategic targets, which will replace the currently fielded AGM-86 Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM).  The LRSO will be integrated on both the B-52 Stratofortress and B-21 Raider bomber aircraft.
The LRSO weapon system will be capable of penetrating and surviving advanced Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS) from significant standoff ranges to prosecute strategic targets in support of the Air Force’s global attack capability and strategic deterrence core function.
In 2020, the Air Force selected Raytheon as the prime contractor for the program and, a year later, LRSO entered Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD). In 2022, it was revealed that LRSO conducted nine successful major flight tests demonstrating its ability to safely separate from the B-52H aircraft, as well as weapon flight surface deployment, engine operations, flight control actuations and controlled flight.
Initially, the Air Force and Congress have also been discussing potential acquisition of conventionally armed variants of the missile. However, it was later decide to not pursue a conventional warhead version of the LRSO, with the Air Force now looking to the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range) and the AGM-158D JASSM-XR (JASSM-Extreme Range) to fill the requirement for a conventional air-launched cruise missile.
The Air Force mentioned in its fact sheets that a total of 1,715 of AGM-86B missiles were produced, although in 2007 the service announced the decision to reduce the inventory to 528 missiles. The weapons are set to be retired by 2030, replaced by approximatively 1,020 AGM-181s, according to The War Zone, quoting a Pentagon acquisition report.
In late 2022, the program’s total cost was estimated in about $16 billion, with the most recent estimates mentioning a cost per unit of about $14 million, instead of the expected $10 million, as reported in 2024 by Air and Space Forces Magazine. A low-rate initial production decision is expected in fiscal year 2027.

Bombardier Challenger 3500 mockup in Olbia 2025 kamie.luu@aero… Tue, 06/10/2025 – 14:38 Eccelsa Aviation, Via Degli Aviatori, snc, 07026 Olbia SS, Italy Visit us at anytime!Want a private viewing, fill out the form below and request an appointment.  First Name Last Name Company {updateSelectField()})” x-on:change=”updateSelectField()” data-bba-analytics-page-event-on data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-name=”filter_click” data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-page data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-category data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-module=”Event list” data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-title=”Year” data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-label data-drupal-selector=”edit-country” id=”edit-country” name=”country” class=”form-select required bba-form-select” required=”required” aria-required=”true” x-ref=”fieldSelectRef”>- Select -AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua & BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAscension IslandAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia & HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCanary IslandsCape VerdeCaribbean NetherlandsCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicCeuta & MelillaChadChileChinaChristmas IslandClipperton IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongo – BrazzavilleCongo – KinshasaCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaCôte d’IvoireDenmarkDiego GarciaDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland…

BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 3500 MOCKUP IN OLBIA kamie.luu@aero… Tue, 06/10/2025 – 14:38 Eccelsa Aviation, Via Degli Aviatori, snc, 07026 Olbia SS, Italy Visit us at anytime!Want a private viewing, fill out the form below and request an appointment.  First Name Last Name Company {updateSelectField()})” x-on:change=”updateSelectField()” data-bba-analytics-page-event-on data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-name=”filter_click” data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-page data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-category data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-module=”Event list” data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-title=”Year” data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-label data-drupal-selector=”edit-country” id=”edit-country” name=”country” class=”form-select required bba-form-select” required=”required” aria-required=”true” x-ref=”fieldSelectRef”>- Select -AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua & BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAscension IslandAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia & HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCanary IslandsCape VerdeCaribbean NetherlandsCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicCeuta & MelillaChadChileChinaChristmas IslandClipperton IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongo – BrazzavilleCongo – KinshasaCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaCôte d’IvoireDenmarkDiego GarciaDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe…

Olbia Mockup Challenger 3500 2025 kamie.luu@aero… Tue, 06/10/2025 – 14:38 Eccelsa Aviation, Via Degli Aviatori, snc, 07026 Olbia SS, Italy Visit us at anytime!Want a private viewing, fill out the form below and request an appointment.  First Name Last Name Company {updateSelectField()})” x-on:change=”updateSelectField()” data-bba-analytics-page-event-on data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-name=”filter_click” data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-page data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-category data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-module=”Event list” data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-title=”Year” data-bba-analytics-page-event-four-label data-drupal-selector=”edit-country” id=”edit-country–2″ name=”country” class=”form-select required bba-form-select” required=”required” aria-required=”true” x-ref=”fieldSelectRef”>- Select -AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua & BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAscension IslandAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia & HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCanary IslandsCape VerdeCaribbean NetherlandsCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicCeuta & MelillaChadChileChinaChristmas IslandClipperton IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongo – BrazzavilleCongo – KinshasaCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzechiaCôte d’IvoireDenmarkDiego GarciaDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench…

Gen. Allvin hinted that the service might resume working on the AGM-183 ARRW hypersonic weapon, after previously stating that it would not be procured.After previously stating that it would not procure the weapon, the U.S. Air Force might have had a change of heart and decided to continue working to procure the AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW). This was hinted by Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin during a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing while detailing budget proposals for hypersonic weapons.
Bring back the ARRW
“I will tell you that we are developing — and you’ll see in the budget submission, assuming it’s what we put forward — two different programs,” said Allvin. “One is a larger form factor that is more strategic long range that we have already tested several times — it’s called ARRW.”
The ARRW program, now completed, faced an uncertain future as the U.S. Air Force was planning to abandon it and focus instead on the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM). However, following Gen. Allvin’s statement, it appears the AGM-183 might get another chance to be fielded to operational units.
File photo of a B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 419th Flight Test Squadron taking off from Edwards Air Force Base, California, for a captive-carry flight test of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon Instrumented Measurement Vehicle 2 hypersonic prototype at the Point Mugu Sea Range off the Southern California coast. (Air Force photo by Matt Williams)
In fact, the General said the plan includes “continuing to develop and moving beyond” the research and development phase and “getting into the procurement range in the very near future.” He further stated “we are accelerating in our development not only of the technology, but of the procurement of the capabilities that it will create.”
While the ARRW program had a troubled story, with multiple failed test, it was nonetheless fundamental to collect data which would help mature hypersonic technology for future programs. The data, if the service confirms the intention to procure the ARRW, would be crucial to solve deficiencies of the weapon and further refine the design before fielding.
In a period where budget constraints are a fundamental part of military procurements, the cost of the AGM-183 ARRW is an important part. The goal is, in fact, to develop affordable hypersonic weapons for mass production, as mentioned by Air Force Secretary Troy Meink on the same occasion.
“It’s got to be affordable,” said Meink. “We’ve got to be able to buy more than 10 of these things. A big focus right now is ramping up the production and lowering the cost so we can get enough of that kit to actually make a difference.”
B-52 Stratofortress crews from the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota and the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, participated in hypersonic weapon familiarization training at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 27, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio)
The AGM-183 ARRW
The AGM-183A ARRW is based on hypersonic glide vehicle technology derived from the Air Force and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Science and Technology (S&T) Demonstration known as Tactical Boost Glide (TBG). A fragmenting glide vehicle is launched from a conventional rocket, or more precisely a Solid-Rocket Motor (SRM) booster, to the upper atmosphere and, once it reaches hypersonic speeds, it separates from the rocket and glides to its target at speeds up to Mach 15. At these speeds, there is no need for a conventional explosive warhead as the kinetic energy alone delivered during impact would be enough to destroy most targets.
The Air Force also defined the ARRW as an “operational hypersonic air-launched weapon enabling the U.S. to hold fixed, high value, time-sensitive targets at risk in contested environments from standoff distances.” The missile would have provided a survivable, lethal, long-range strike capability to go after high-end capabilities of a potential adversary, such as deep-inland strike against targets of strategic importance and coastal strike against high-end systems. Initially, the expected introduction in service of the AGM-183 was planned for 2022.
In 2023, the Air Force said it does not currently intend to pursue follow-on procurement of ARRW once the prototyping program concludes, adding that there is inherent benefit to completing the all-up round test flights to garner the learning and test data that will help inform future hypersonic programs. The decision apparently was influenced by the latest test flight of the missile at that time, which ended with another failure. The FY 2025 Budget Request also did not include ARRW.
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress loaded with two AGM-183 ARRW missiles. (Courtesy photo via U.S. Air Force)
Although the Air Force decided in April 2023 to not pursue the procurement of the weapon, the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation report mentioned in 2024 that the ARRW program has shown preliminary indications that it could become an operationally lethal weapon, however the lack of terminal characterization data to date, due to technical failure of the test range sensor systems in the December 2022 test and the shroud not ejecting in March 2023, does not yet allow for a full assessment. Preliminary info released from the August 2023 test’s data analysis say it achieved nominal conditions.
The report continues saying that, given the limited number of planned test events, there is a risk that the test program will not be able to demonstrate the ARRW lethal effects against the required tactical and strategic targets. The survivability assessment estimated the probability that a single ARRW will complete its mission, given the capabilities of various early warning radars, surface-to-air missile systems, and anti-aircraft artillery batteries to detect and engage ARRW in various one-on-one scenarios, indicating that it will meet its survivability requirements.
The test conducted from Guam in 2024, which saw the launch of a live AGM-183 at the Reagan Test Site in the Pacific, was considered to be the last test of the hypersonic weapon. The test was significative as it represented the first time a U.S. hypersonic weapon was seen this close to China, and was supposed to replicate an operational mission where the bomber flies for 4,000 km before launching the hypersonic weapon.

SESAR call for research on Digital European Sky evolution open for submission Earlier this year, SESAR Joint Undertaking published a call for high-priority applied research (AR) (Digital European Sky Exploratory Research 03) to help shape the future regulatory framework for a Digital European Sky (DES). Charalampos Ka… Wed, 04/06/2025 – 11:28

The SR-71 is perhaps the most iconic Cold War spy aircraft, famous for many record-setting flights. Seemingly impervious to loss by enemy defenses, a dozen Blackbirds were lost to accidents.Blackbird Beginnings
On July 24, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced at a news conference the existence of a Mach-3 capable reconnaissance aircraft designated the SR-71 (Strategic Reconnaissance). The aircraft was touted as a long-range, high-speed plane capable of very high altitude for worldwide military reconnaissance operations. The SR-71 also pioneered stealth technology with a small radar cross section, making it the perfect and impervious spy platform.
Carrying a crew of two in tandem cockpits, the SR-71’s design was based on the Lockheed A-12 developed during Project Oxcart, but longer and heavier with a greater fuel capacity along with cameras and other intelligence gathering equipment. It could operate at speeds greater than Mach 3.2 and altitudes around 88,000 ft. The SR-71 used the same J58 engines as the A-12.
The first flight of the SR-71 was in December 1964, and a total of thirty-two aircraft were built, with twelve lost to accidents and none to enemy action. Dubbed the “Blackbird,” it was also known as “Habu” named after a Japanese venomous snake. Entering service in January 1966, the SR-71 served the United States until its final flight by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) on Oct. 9, 1999.
An SR-71A landing with the drag chute deployed. The drag chute would play a key part in some Blackbird accidents. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Dramatic Early Loss
On Jan. 25, 1966, Lockheed Skunk Works’ test pilot Bill Weaver found himself involuntarily outside his SR-71A aircraft (64-17952) while traveling at Mach 3.2 at an altitude of over 78,000 ft. The Blackbird had suffered a right engine inlet control system malfunction, creating a disturbance in the inlet which resulted in a phenomenon known as “inlet unstart.” This resulted in loss of engine thrust and a violent yawing of the aircraft. The right engine suffered an unstart forcing the aircraft into a roll and begin to pitch up.
Weaver attempted to control the aircraft but to no avail, and his communications with Jim Zwayer in the rear cockpit were unintelligible due to the excessive g-forces causing his words to be garbled. The cockpit layout of the SR-71 did not allow the two men to visually see one another. All of the system malfunctions, angle of attack, supersonic speeds, and forces exerted on the airframe caused the Blackbird to disintegrate with the pilots still onboard.
Weaver blacked out because of the extreme g-forces, regaining consciousness outside the aircraft with the rushing air around him, blinded by his ice-covered faceplate, in a state of confusion and disorientation. Realizing he had not initiated ejection, in fact the ejection seat never left the aircraft, his pressure suit had inflated and his emergency oxygen cylinder was functioning. Weaver’s parachute system functioned just as it was supposed to, with the small chute deploying before the main chute opened at 15,000 ft, just as he reached to open his frozen faceplate. At this time he could see the sky was clear and also see Jim’s parachute a quarter mile in the distance.
Weaver came down in New Mexico, in a remote area with an antelope witnessing his descent. As he hit the ground, he struggled with the wind and his parachute, being handicapped to one hand as his faceplate had broken and he used one hand to hold it open. While struggling with the chute, Weaver heard a voice ask “Can I help you?” A cattle rancher, Albert Mitchell Jr., had landed a helicopter nearby and had witnessed the parachutes come down. Mitchell helped Weaver with the chute. The rancher then flew off to check on Zwayer, whom he discovered dead of a broken neck. The rancher had someone watch over Jim’s body until help could arrive, and took Weaver in his helicopter to the hospital.
Weaver recounted the helicopter ride as perhaps more dangerous than the one he had just taken. Bill explained that the helicopter  “vibrated and shook a lot more than I thought it should have . . . I couldn’t help but think how ironic it would be to survive one disaster only to be done in by the helicopter that had come to my rescue.” Suffering mostly minor injuries, Bill Weaver’s suit had saved him during his fall from the edge of space, and his experience was used to make improvements to the SR-71 in order to prevent this type of accident from reoccurring. The death of Jim Zwayer is the only fatality of an SR-71 crew member during the program. Two weeks later, Weaver was back in the cockpit of an SR-71.
Lockheed SR-71 test pilot Bill Weaver. (Image credit: United States Air Force)
Other Early Losses During the 1960s
Aircraft number 64-17950 was lost on Jan. 10, 1967 at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California, while conducting anti-skid brake trials. Bill Weaver was scheduled to conduct the test; however he was attending the funeral of fellow pilot Walt Ray who had been killed in an A-12 accident. Art Peterson substituted for Weaver with no one in the rear cockpit.
When landing, the brake parachute failed to deploy properly and the wheel brakes were ineffective until clearing the flooded test area. Upon hitting dry surface, the brakes locked up blowing the tires. The aircraft’s momentum carried it forward as the brakes heated up and the magnesium wheel hubs caught fire. Peterson skillfully kept the aircraft on the runway until he ran out of runway, and upon hitting the lake bed, the landing gear legs dug into the ground, ripping off the nose gear. This immediately halted the aircraft but also broke the SR-71’s back. Fire spread over the Blackbird, but Peterson escaped the wreck while suffering back injuries. The SR-71 prototype was written off as beyond repair.
Pilot Lt. Col. William Sklair and RSO (Reconnaissance Systems Operator) Maj. Noel Warner escaped injury during an event similar to the fate of 64-17950 on Apr. 11, 1967. Attempting a maximum gross weight take-off when one of the left main gear tires blew, the aircraft’s weight immediately caused remaining tires to also blow. The take-off was aborted but once again the magnesium wheel hubs disintegrated catching fire, which rapidly spread enveloping the aircraft.
Skilair exited the aircraft and assisted Warner out as most of the left side of the SR-71A was a blazing inferno, the wind keeping the right side clear allowing them an escape route. Their aircraft, 64-17954, would never fly again, however after this accident aluminum wheels replaced the magnesium originals and beefed up B F Goodrich tires were also installed on SR-71s.
SR-71A 64-17954 after the blown tire accident during the maximum gross take-off weight trial. The aircraft would never fly again. (Image credit: United States Air Force)
SR-71A 61-7966 was lost on Apr. 13, 1967 near Las Vegas, New Mexico when Pilot Capt. Earle M. Boone and RSO Capt. Richard E. “Butch” Sheffield were flying a night training mission, including refueling and a Mach 2.8 run. Leaving the tanker near El Paso Texas, Boone turned the aircraft to avoid a thunderstorm. While attempting to climb to perform the “dipsy doodle” maneuver, the Blackbird laden with fuel lost speed to below the .9 Mach profile.
In an attempt to regain momentum, Boone lowered the nose below level flight, only to find the aircraft shuddering in an accelerated stall when he attempted to pull the stick back. The aircraft became uncontrollable and entered a pitch-up rotation that was unrecoverable. Both crewmen ejected as the aircraft broke in half, filling the sky around them with fuel. The rocket ejection seat from Sheffield ignited the fuel cloud as he ejected first, causing Boone to eject through a fireball a second later.
Winds drug the crewmen and their parachutes across the New Mexico desert until they made contact with a barbed wire fence over a half a mile away from where they initially landed.  Boone suffered minor burn injuries and both had considerable bruising from the wind-blown ride over the desert floor, which was not a great distance from Bill Weaver’s Jan. 10 crash.
1967 saw another SR-71A loss when, on Oct. 25, pilot Maj. Roy L. St. Martin and RSO Capt. John F. Carnochan were on a night flight on aircraft 61-7965 when the gyro-stabilized artificial horizon failed. The aircraft nose fell below a safe descent angle plunging the Blackbird rapidly below 60,000 ft and it began rolling over to an inverted position.
Martin attempted to roll the plane upright and recover, but it was in a terminal dive and recovery was not possible. The crew bailed out with the plane striking the ground near Lovelock, Nevada. No permanent injuries were suffered by the crew although Carnochan did receive a severe concussion. As a result of this accident, changes were made by adding warning lights to indicate failure of the artificial horizon system as well as enlargement and relocation of the standby altitude indicator. Pilots would also receive more daytime training before flying at night.
Two Blackbird trainer aircraft were built, designated the SR-71B. The B model was distinguished by the raised rear cockpit for the instructor pilot as well as the addition of two ventral fins beneath each engine nacelle for added stability. The B model was not equipped with reconnaissance or intelligence gathering sensors.
One of those trainer aircraft, the second to be built, 61-7957, crewed by pilot Lt. Col. Robert G. Sowers and his student Capt. David E. Fruehauf, was lost on Jan. 11, 1968 on approach to Beale AFB, California. The aircraft suffered from a single generator failure followed by the second generator also failing over the Pacific Northwest.
Shutting down all non-essential electrical systems and running essential systems off battery power, they attempted to make it to Beale. However, the aircraft attitude they were at allowed the dry fuel tanks to suck air and without the fuel boost pumps that were now inoperative, fuel cavitation occurred. Both engines flamed out, with Sowers getting them restarted only to flame out once again. The crew bailed out at 3,000 ft. and watched the inverted aircraft hit the earth only seven miles from Beale’s runway.
Stunning night photo of one of only two SR-71B trainer aircraft built. Note the raised rear cockpit for the instructor pilot as well as the two ventral fins beneath the engine nacelles added for increased stability. (Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
SR-71A 61-7977 was lost at Beale AFB on Oct. 10, 1968, when take-off was aborted due to tire failure. As the aircraft speed down the runway, shrapnel from the exploding tire was thrown up into a fuel cell and leaking fuel was ignited by the after burner. Pilot Maj. Kardong aborted the take-off on the runway, and the remaining tires began to fail as well on the effected landing gear.
As the drag chute deployed to slow the aircraft, it was consumed by flames and the aircraft continued on to the end of the runway and towards the overrun. Beale AFB had arresting cable barriers at the end of the runway to stop aborted high-speed take-offs, and Kardong steered the stricken Blackbird towards the barrier. However, the effected landing gear had collapsed and the cable was sliced by the engine inlet’s sharp edges making it useless.
Maj. James Kogler ejected from the rear seat as the aircraft ran out of paved real estate and he descended safely. Kardong stayed with the Blackbird until it came to rest a half mile later and was pulled from the blazing wreckage by the backup flight crew William Lawson and Gilbert Martinez who witnessed the event and had taken a car out to the scene. Both crew members survived with Kardong suffering spinal compression along with cuts and bruises.
An in-flight explosion and high-speed stall resulted in the demise of SR-71A 61-7953 near Shoshone, California. Pilot Lt. Col. Joe Rogers and RSO Maj. Gary Heidelbaugh flew the aircraft on Dec. 18, 1969 for a routine test sortie when the explosion occurred soon after transitioning to supersonic flight. Loss of power and control followed, with Rogers attempting to correct the continuing angle of attack by pushing the stick forward. The aircraft, full of fuel, slowed to subsonic speed but was becoming increasingly uncontrollable resulting in the both crew members ejecting ten seconds after the explosion. The men landed safely and the cause of the explosion was never determined.
Losses during the 1970s and Later
Pilot Maj. William Lawson along with RSO Maj. Gilbert Martinez hit a thunderstorm while operating SR-71A 61-7969 from Kadena Air Base, on Okinawa, during operations against North Vietnam. It was May 10, 1970, and the aircraft had just refueled, with Lawson initiating a normal full power climb, and as it entered the turbulence of the storm, the Blackbird was unable to maintain a high rate of climb as the engines flamed out. The engines could not be restarted and Maj. Lawson and Maj. Martinez ejected after the aircraft stalled, with the plane going down near Korat RTAFB, (Royal Thai Air Force Base) Thailand.
Crashing twenty miles east of El Paso Texas, SR-71A 61-7970 suffered a collision with a KC-135Q tanker during refueling on June 17, 1970. Pilot Lt. Col. Buddy L. Brown and his RSO Maj. Mortimer J. Jarvis hit some sort of disturbance causing the Blackbird to bump and shake, possibly the jet wash of an airliner that had previously passed the area. A second bump was corrected with stick input and then the aircraft flew smooth again.
Suddenly the nose of the SR-71 pitched down and gave a hard pitch up with the nose and canopy striking the bottom of the tanker. The nose section detached just forward of the cockpit area and the canopy was crushed inward. Brown ordered Jarvis to bail out, himself also bailing but concerned about being ejected into the bottom of the tanker. Both men managed to eject clear of both aircraft, but Brown had suffered broken legs during ejection.  An Army rescue helicopter from Fort Bliss at El Paso picked them up and took them to the Fort Bliss hospital. The tanker flew on to Beale AFB and landed safely despite a severely damaged horizontal stabilizer along with fuselage and refueling boom damage. Brown healed and was returned to crew duty.
Interesting photo of SR-71A 61-7970 at Beale AFB along with a Boeing KC-135Q tanker, a Convair B-58 Hustler bomber, and a Boeing B-52 bomber armed with Hound Dog missiles. 61-7970 would be lost after a collision with a KC-135Q while refueling. (Image credit: United States Air Force)
Perhaps one of the best known Blackbirds was SR-71A 61-7978, nicknamed “Rapid Rabbit,” known for its popular white bunny logo on the tails. This aircraft was lost on July 20, 1972 when involved in a landing accident at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. Crewed by pilot Capt. Dennis Bush and RSO Capt. James Fagg, the aircraft had attempted a landing in excessive crosswinds as a typhoon approached. The braking chute was deployed upon touchdown, but suffering poor directional control on the runway, Bush jettisoned the chute, pushed up the power, and took the aircraft around for a second landing attempt.
Successfully touching down on the second attempt, the crosswinds had become so strong Bush could not keep the aircraft on the runway and as a result one set of landing gear hit a concrete structure. The landing gear was damaged as well as significant damage occurring to the aircraft. Both crew members escaped serious injury, and the aircraft was robbed of spare parts with the remaining airframe sections scrapped.
The final SR-71 loss occurred on Apr. 21, 1989, to aircraft 61-7974 over the South China Sea, near the Philippines. Flown by Maj. Daniel House and his RSO Capt. Blair Bozek, the Blackbird known as “Ichiban” was at Mach 3 and 75,000 ft when it began yawing to the left. House determined the left engine had seized and shortly afterwards the right engine went through four unstarts. The aircraft lost speed and altitude, and House decided to attempt to divert to Clark AFB, Philippines.
Loss of hydraulic pressure from severed lines during the left engine explosion led them to bail out near the main island of Luzon, landing in the water and rescued by Filipino fishermen. The two men were flown to Clark AFB on an HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant.  The salvage ship USS Beaufort pulled the crashed remains of 61-7974 from the sea on May 7, 1989. The wreckage was returned to the hangar it originally had departed from for an accident investigation, and later buried at sea in the Mariana Trench on Dec. 24, 1989.
Blackbird 61-7974 Ichiban sporting the Habu image wrapped around a red number 1 flying with a Northrop T-38. The aircraft flew out of Okinawa and Ichiban means “number 1” in the native language. (Image credit: United States Air Force)

The B-2 Spirit would be able to employ up to 80 500 lb QUICKSTRIKE weapons, holding at risk multiple targets in a maritime environment.The U.S Air Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announced on Jun. 4, 2025, the test of a “new, more versatile variant of the QUICKSINK maritime weapon,” based on a 500 pound GBU-38 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition). The weapon was employed by a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber at the Eglin Air Force Base Gulf Test Range.
While it was not mentioned when the test took place, the VIRIN name assigned to the photos released on the DVIDS network said they were captured on Apr. 22, 2025. One of the photos shows a B-2 from Whiteman AFB, Missouri, as Airmen from the 393rd Bomber Generation Squadron prepare to load the weapon on the aircraft.
The latest test comes after the 2024 edition of the RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) exercise saw a B-2 Spirit demonstrating the QUICKSINK capability with a 2,000 pound GBU-31/B JDAM during the Sinking Exercise (SINKEX) component of the drills. That marked the very first time a B-2 Spirit was publicly reported to have employed this anti-ship capability. Previous QUICKSINK demonstrations in 2021 and 2022 saw F-15E Strike Eagles deploying modified 2,000-pound GBU-31 JDAMs.
Another shot of a 393rd BGS member loading a GBU-38 JDAM on to a B-2 Spirit at Whiteman AFB for the QUICKSINK test. (Image credit: USAF/Senior Airman Joshua Hastings)
Tactical utility and cost-benefit advantages
With the Air Force Test Center (AFTC) and Air Combat Command’s 53rd Wing also participating in the effort, the AFRL said the capability offers a “rapid response to maritime threats across vast ocean expanses, significantly bolstering the U.S. Air Force’s counter-maritime deterrence and operations.” The 53rd Wing commander, Col. Dan Lehoski, called the 500-pound QUICKSINK “an affordable, game-changing solution to rapidly and efficiently sink maritime targets.”
This variant “expands” the B-2’s targeting capabilities, and provides combatant commanders with an “expanded complement” of weapons for the role. The U.S. is obviously incorporating lessons from the naval wars in the Black Sea and the Red Sea.
A B-2 Spirit from the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB receives fuel from a U.S.A.F KC-135 of the 185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard in the sky over northwest Missouri on Aug. 29, 2018. (Image credit: USANG/Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot)
The Russian and Western navies have been harrowed by the threat posed by cheaper Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV), one-way attack (OWA) drones, cruise missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles, employed by Ukraine and the Houthis, respectively. The B-2s can carry 80 500-pound GBU-38 JDAMs, costing roughly $25,000, while the QUICKSINK seeker reportedly costs around $200,000. The price can be driven down to $50,000 upon increased production, AFRL officials told The War Zone.
The stealth bombers can work together with tactical jets like F-35Bs, F/A-18E/Fs, F-15Es and F-15EXs carrying the AGM-158C LRASM (Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile). For an instance, QUICKSINK missions with the greater magazine depths can damage or disable the smaller surface combatants protecting a PLA Navy Carrier Strike Group, while the fighters prosecute the larger vessels, or even China’s offshore bases in the South China Sea (SCS). This preserves LRASM stocks, roughly worth $2-3 million a unit, allowing U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force fighters to have greater flexibility in prosecuting a naval war.

据美国海军学院新闻报道，环太军演中的高潮部分SINKEX击沉演习中，B-2隐身轰炸机使用了QUICKSINK快沉炸弹攻击了充当靶船的塔拉瓦号两栖攻击舰这是一种威力堪比重型鱼雷的武器（QUICKSINK见转推介绍）
PS：B-2无与伦比隐身性，载弹量和低成本的QUICKSINK大威力相结合，对解放军大型战舰构成巨大威胁 https://t.co/WKnehZIT74 pic.twitter.com/enxYtPDmQn
— 极光 (@Aurora107E) July 24, 2024

The B-2 Spirit’s stealth, with a much reduced risk of detection, can get closer to the targets. The weapon’s lack of an active seeker and low infrared signature leaves little trace for surface-to-air radar sensors to engage, increasing the chances to hit the target.
The AFRL also confirmed in 2022 that it had developed a dedicated seeker for the QUICKSINK role. The Chief of the AFRL’s Munitions Directorate, Col. Matthew Caspers, offered the doctrinal concept behind B-2 Spirit employing the new weapon: “QUICKSINK is the result of a Joint collaboration that rapidly prototyped an affordable concept for holding surface targets at risk.”
B-2 Spirits are poised to receive new upgrades under the “Spirit Realm 1” program, comprising an open mission systems architecture, new software, sensors and weapons to enhance the B-2’s survivability and combat capability. The possibility of the incoming B-21 Raider being also considered for maritime strike roles in the near future cannot be discarded.
F-15E Strike Eagle at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. with modified 2,000-pound GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munitions as part of the second test in the QUICKSINK Joint Capability Technology Demonstration on April 28, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo / 1st Lt Lindsey Heflin)
Previous tests
The 2024 RIMPAC’s QUICKSINK demonstration with the B-2 used the GBU-31 JDAM’s existing GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) guidance in the tail with a new radar seeker installed on the nose, combined with an IIR (Imaging Infra-Red) camera mounted in a fairing on the side.
Upon release, the bomb’s standard JDAM kit guided the weapon to the target area and the seeker/camera then locked on the ship. After locking on, the guidance system directeds the bomb to detonate near the hull, below the waterline.
An AFRL video of a QUICKSINK test, from Apr. 28, 2022 in the Gulf of Mexico, showed a decommissioned cargo carrier simulating a target of a “full-scale surface vessel” being hit in that exact spot, subsequently breaking in half. Footage from cameras both on the ship and overhead recording captured the impact.
Another Mar. 2022 concept video by the AFRL showed an F-35B dropping a QUICKSINK weapon from its internal bays on a container carrier disguised as a ballistic missile carrier.
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Powered JDAM
JDAM’s developer Boeing has also announced developing a Powered JDAM (PJDAM), with a Kratos TDI J85 air-breathing engine, that fits on JDAM kits of 500 and 2,000 lb gravity bombs. The company’s description of the munition mentions it allows engagement from “outside anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) systems’ effective ranges,” suggesting a clear maritime strike role. The weapon has undergone High Fidelity Wind Tunnel Testing in three configurations, which include a ‘Baseline PJDAM’, ‘Quickstrike Powered’ and a ‘Maritime Strike’ variant.
The PJDAM offers a range of over 300 nautical miles with a 500 pound warhead or 700 nautical miles with a “lost-cost decoy fuel tank.” Swapping out a warhead for fuel tank converts into a sort of loitering munition that can stay aloft longer, while possibly receiving targeting updates.

Jet-Powered JDAM Aims To Turn Bombs Into Cruise MissilesThe company is pitching the Powered Joint Direct Attack Munition (PJDAM) as a flexible and lower-cost cruise missile that can be used to attack targets on land and ones at sea. It could help countries, including the United… pic.twitter.com/0UxcWNGMcT
— Havoc Six (@Havoc_Six) October 25, 2023

An optional enhancement includes a 1.2 kW alternator for seekers and data link. Light disabling strikes on the sensor masts of warships or ground-based air defense radars in the opening stages of anti-maritime operations can be succeeded by follow-on LRASM or even NMESIS fires on PLA Navy surface combatants.

The Experimental Operations Unit will help accelerate the integration of Collaborative Combat Aircraft in service.The U.S. Air Force has announced the activation of an Experimental Operations Unit (EOU) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, to accelerate the introduction of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The unit, which will be subordinated to Eglin AFB’s 53rd Wing, has operated as a detachment since 2023, but has now been elevated to a fully operational squadron equivalent, said the service in a press release.
“This is a pivotal moment for our force,” said Col. Daniel Lehoski, 53rd wing commander. “The EOU embodies our commitment to rapid innovation and ensuring our warfighters have the most advanced tools to dominate the future battlespace. They are ready to reduce risk in concurrency and deliver capability faster.”

Another milestone down in delivering CCA to our warfighters! We activated an Experimental Operations Unit @NellisAFB to be an operational squadron. This unit is dedicated to testing and refining human-machine teaming concepts to dominate the battlespace. https://t.co/HzBjdNSXjM pic.twitter.com/6wSqNRBIiA
— General David Allvin (@OfficialCSAF) June 6, 2025

The Experimental Operations Unit
The service explained that the activation of the EOU marks “a significant step forward in the Department of the Air Force’s focus to deliver substantial operational capability for Collaborative Combat Aircraft Increment 1 before the end of the decade.” This new development also follows the selection of Beale Air Force Base, California, as the preferred location to host a CCA Aircraft Readiness Unit (ARU) and the start of the ground testing of the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A production representative test vehicles in May 2025.
The CCAs will be the first platform to enter service with a higher degree of autonomy, and the Air Force is working hard to make sure it can be safely integrated to support current and future generation crewed fighters. Making sure the autonomy agents carefully follow all assigned instructions is a big part of the work, as noted by the service by saying that the “deliberate development of mission autonomy [is] tightly coupled with a principled protection of human decision-making.”
The Air Force further explained the role of the EOU, saying it “will play a key role” in the introduction of these uncrewed force multipliers, “providing a proving ground for testing and refining human-machine teaming concepts for CCA in realistic scenarios.” As the service plans to have each crewed aircraft control a number of CCAs, it is fundamental the drones can be easily controlled by the pilot at all times, without increasing the workload, and they can cooperate to achieve mission’s success.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Matthew W. Jensen, inaugural commander of the Experimental Operations Unit (EOU), delivers remarks during the EOU activation ceremony at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 5, 2025. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Michael Sanders)
“We are here to accelerate the delivery of combat-ready capabilities to the warfighter,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Jensen, EOU commander. “Our experimental operations will ensure that CCA are immediately viable as a credible combat capability that increases Joint Force survivability and lethality.”
The choice of Nellies AFB is not casual, as the service explained “the EOU will integrate into the Virtual Warfare Center and the Joint Integrated Test and Training Center Nellis [JITTC-N] to conduct realistic simulations and refine non-materiel considerations of CCA employment concepts in a virtual environment.” It is important to note that the JITTC-N oversees the operation of the Joint Simulation Environment (JSE), the new realistic simulated battlespace with high-density threat environment and high-fidelity platform representation, created to train 5th gen aircraft operations in “an unprecedented level of fidelity.”
In future, the EOU will also “conduct live-fly experiments to verify simulation results and optimize tactics, techniques and procedures,” added the service. While a timeline is not available, it is possible that this phase will start once the initial flight testing of the CCAs is complete.
“Our vision is to create a collaborative combat ecosystem that is more agile, adaptable and lethal,” Jensen said. “This will enable our forces to dominate the future battlespace and achieve decisive advantages in complex, contested environments.”
A YFQ-44A production representative test vehicle is staged in a testing chamber at Costa Mesa, Calif. (Courtesy photo via U.S. Air Force)
Testing the CCAs
The U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced in May 2025 that the service has started the ground testing of the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A production representative test vehicles as part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The General described this as “a key milestone for the CCA Increment 1 program,” ahead of the first flights expected during Summer 2025.
Additionally, the Department of the Air Force also announced it selected Beale Air Force Base, California, as the preferred location to host a CCA Aircraft Readiness Unit (ARU). The mission of the ARU will be “to provide combat aircraft ready to deploy worldwide at a moment’s notice,” said the statement.
The announcement comes two months after the U.S. Air Force announced the official designation of the first two CCAs, the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A production representative test vehicles developed by General Atomics and Anduril, respectively.
A YFQ-42A production representative test vehicle is staged in Poway, Calif. The Department of the Air Force has begun ground testing for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program to validate performance and readiness for future flight testing. (Courtesy photo via U.S. Air Force)
“We’re moving fast because the warfighter needs this capability,” Allvin said. “CCA is about delivering decisive advantage in highly contested environments. The program is accelerating fielding through innovative design and acquisition strategies—and both vendors are meeting or exceeding key milestones. These aircraft will help us turn readiness into operational dominance.”
“The CCA program prioritizes speed, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness,” said the DAF. This is done by leveraging open architectures and commercial technologies, which have become in recent years a mantra for the military as they allow for rapid integration, iterative upgrades, and scalable production while keeping the costs under control.
The ground test phase will see rigorous evaluations of the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A production representative test vehicles, focusing on propulsion systems, avionics, autonomy integration, and ground control interfaces, said the service. These assessments will validate performance, inform future design decisions, and prepare the two aircraft to move to the flight testing phase later this year.

40 years ago, the first BONE arrived at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.June 2025 marks a major milestone for one of the U.S. Air Force’s most iconic bombers. As detailed in a public release posted by the service on June 6, 2025, the B-1B Lancer celebrates 40 years of operations from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The base has been closely associated with the aircraft since the first B-1, “The Star of Abilene,” arrived on June 29, 1985.
Members of the U.S. Air Force hold a ceremony to recognize the arrival of the first B-1B Lancer at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, June 29, 1985. This June marks the 40th anniversary of the first B-1 to arrive at Dyess AFB. The B-1 was developed as a supersonic nuclear bomber to replace the B-52 Stratofortress after the Cold War. (Courtesy photo)
Officially named “Lancer”, but affectionately called the BONE (from “B-one”) within the fighter pilot community, the bomber was first developed as the B-1A, a highly supersonic (capable of over Mach 2) nuclear-delivery bomber, but it eventually entered service in a modified slower (but still supersonic) version, the B-1B, in the final years of the Cold War.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the B-1B fleet underwent a refit to improve its conventional capabilities, until the limitations of the New START arms-control treaty with Russia completely removed the bomber’s ability to deliver nuclear weapons, relegating it to a conventional strike role, a position in which it excelled thanks to its 75,000-pound (34,000 kg) payload, the heaviest among the current U.S. bombers.
In fact, with nuclear delivery capabilities consolidated under the B-52 Stratofortress and B-2 Spirit fleets, the B-1 evolved into a conventional, multi-mission bomber with unmatched speed, payload, and flexibility.
“The B-1 is an incredible aircraft. It brings unmatched versatility and firepower to the fight,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Stillwell, commander of the 9th Bomb Squadron. “Here at the 9th, we’ve demonstrated the B-1’s ability to rapidly deliver munitions across the globe, consistently showing up for our allies and partners.”
Capable of carrying the largest conventional payload of any U.S. bomber, both guided and unguided, the B-1 has become a global symbol of U.S. strike capabilities.
“For decades, the B-1 has been the foundation of our long-range strike capability,” said Lt. Col. Brian Guyette, commander of the 28th Bomb Squadron. “At the formal training unit for the B-1, we take pride in forging the world’s best combat aviators who will carry forward the proud legacy that has defined B-1 operations for the last 40 years.”
Following the 2015 alignment of the 7th Bomb Wing under Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), the B-1 supported continuous bomber presence missions in Europe until the launch of the Bomber Task Force (BTF) concept in 2018. These rotational deployments allowed B-1 crews to integrate with allies, conduct multi-day sorties in various environments, and test the aircraft’s ability to operate from new airfields using hot-pit refueling techniques.
“The B-1’s ability to deploy quickly, operate at supersonic speeds and carry the largest conventional payload makes it inherently unpredictable to adversaries and a flexible combat asset,” Stillwell explained. “Whether it’s integrating with our allies or responding to our adversaries, the B-1 enables a forward presence alongside critical strategic reach. Our adversaries never know when or where a B-1 will show up, but they all know exactly what it can do when it does.”
One of the clearest examples of this capability came last year. Between Feb. 1 and 3, 2024, B-1s from Dyess flew a 34-hour round-trip combat mission to strike targets in Iraq and Syria. The aircraft launched from the U.S., conducted its mission, and returned home without any intermediate landing.
“When it comes to penetrating enemy defenses and delivering the final blow before coming right back home again, there is no aircraft or crews finer than the B-1 and the Airmen that support them,” said Col. Seth Spanier, 7th Bomb Wing commander. “With in-flight refueling and advanced targeting capabilities, we can ensure bombs hit their target and aircrews return safely, all without the need for forward basing. It’s a proven model; our adversaries know it, and our Airmen demonstrate it. The B-1 has always been and remains a testament to the dominance of U.S. airpower.”
With 40 years of operational experience, the B-1 continues to serve as a key asset in supporting the National Defense Strategy. AFGSC relies on the B-1 as the fastest, highest-loading, and only purely conventional bomber in the U.S. Air Force inventory.
U.S. Air Force identity design graphic depicts the 40th anniversary of the B-1B Lancer at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, June 3, 2025. A longhorn skull sits above a vertical Texas flag and beside a silhouette of the state, referencing elements found in past B-1 nose art. Below the design is a Joint Direct Attack Munition bomb, representative of the B-1’s payload. “The Star of Abilene” appears above, referencing the first B-1 delivered to Dyess AFB. The red, white, blue, grey, and yellow color palette reflects the Texas flag, the aircraft’s metal, and the 7th Bomb Wing crest. Three black crosses in the background symbolize the 7th BW. (U.S. Air Force graphic by Senior Airman Jade M. Caldwell)
The B-1B is expected to be replaced by the B-21 stealth bomber, and the last Lancers, whose divestment started in 2021, should serve until 2036.
“The B-1 has defined what it means to deliver rapid, precise power across the globe, shaping how we project strength in today’s era of great power competition,” said Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost, commander of Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center. “Its legacy of combat credibility and adaptability laid the foundation for the future, the B-21 Raider. The B-21 is a bomber built from the lessons, achievements and relentless drive of the bomber community. Modernization isn’t the retirement of the past, but a continuation of excellence forged through decades of real-world operations.”

From June 5 to 8, 2025, Villacoublay Air Base 107 will host the twenty-fifth edition of the Air Raid challenge, which showcases the ground skills of French Air Force aviators. Because sometimes, you just have to be prepared for anything! Co-organized by the Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace (for which it is listed in the blue book of training activities) and its national associations of reserve officers and non-commissioned officers, the Air Raid challenge takes place at a different base each year. After BA 133 Nancy-Ochey, it’s now the turn of BA 107 Villacoublay “sous-lieutenant René Dorme” to host…

A Condor flight from Palma de Mallorca missed the curfew at Munich by mere seconds earlier this week. Flight DE1513 was just 2,100 feet from touching down when the clock ticked over 12:30 am, forcing the aircraft to divert to Frankfurt-Hahn airport 375 kilometers away. The story was first reported by German newspaper Bild, who just happened to have a reporter on the flight. How can that possibly happen? Many German airports have a strict nighttime curfew and airlines and airports can be heavily fined for operations outside permitted times. The standard curfew at Munich is 12:00 am, though exemptions…

Corporate Jet Investor Miami 2025 maximiliano.ri… Fri, 06/06/2025 – 13:53 Fontainebleau Miami Beach, United States Off November 04, 2025 November 06, 2025 Aircraft events Bombardier

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Airbus’ Montreal final assembly line is invaded by a family of raccoons. Newark reopens its main runway a few days early as airlines and the FAA jostle over flight cuts. United and JetBlue announce their Blue Sky partnership, while the IATA annual general meeting generates announcements of its own. A Condor flight misses Munich’s curfew by mere seconds and Air India reveals how much flying around Pakistan is costing the airline. Helpful links for this week’s episode Condor diversion due to missed curfew Global Airlines LinkedIn post addressing recent media Thank you for listening!…

OUTSCALE EXPERIENCES: Digital sovereignty and artificial intelligence take center stage at OUTSCALE’s 11th edition

First-ever Rafale fuselage production in India Dedicated manufacturing facility to be set up in Hyderabad (Saint-Cloud, Mumbai, June 5, 2025) – Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems Limited have signed four Production Transfer Agreements to manufacture the Rafale fighter aircraft fuselage in India, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the country’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting global supply chains. This facility represents a significant investment in India’s aerospace infrastructure and will serve as a critical hub for high-precision manufacturing. Under the scope of the partnership, Tata Advanced Systems will set up a cutting-edge production facility in Hyderabad for the…

Commission launches open call for research on Digital European Sky evolution On 1 April 2025, the European Commission has launched a call for high-priority applied research (AR) (Digital European Sky Exploratory Research 03) to help shape the future regulatory framework for a Digital European Sky (DES). Charalampos Ka… Wed, 04/06/2025 – 11:28

On June 2, in a special display case in the Salle De Gaulle of the Musée de l’Ordre de la Libération at the Hôtel National des Invalides, the silver-bound case decorated with a vermeil and enamel cross containing editions from 1943 to 1946 of the Compagnons de la Libération yearbook was unveiled to the general public. The ceremony took place in the presence of the patrons who made the acquisition of this unique object possible, namely Dassault Aviation, represented by its CEO Éric Trappier, as well as Cartier, restorer of the case, and the Société des Amis du Musée de…

One of the highlights of the season! The famous La Ferté-Alais airshow takes place this year on the weekend of June 7 and 8, 2025. Created in 1970 under the name “Fête aéro-folklorique”, the La Ferté-Alais airshow, now known as “Le Temps des Hélices”, is now in its 52nd year, with a poster designed by Romain Hugault, who is no longer a familiar face to aviation and comics fans. The formula is a classic one: two similar days, with two mornings where the public can get up close to aircraft on the ground, chat with pilots and mechanics and enjoy…

Bringing happiness to children who are different, without forgetting those who are more ordinary! The Tour 2025 Rêves de Gosse takes place this year from May 30 to June 7, with Quimper in Brittany as its first stopover. As with every spring, it’s time to take off for those whose lives have already changed… Faced with the differences linked to disability, Dassault Aviation and other entities (companies, institutions, etc.), under the patronage of the President of the French Republic, are partnering the Rêves de Gosse association, to enable these children (and others) to marvel at being several hundred feet above…

2025 ANAC Technical Standard Order (TSO) Workshop The TSO Workshop is organised in turn by ANAC/EASA/FAA/TCCA. This year ANAC is hosting the 20th TSO Workshop in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil(1).  Annalisa Farina Mon, 02/06/2025 – 16:56

Etihad Airways has announced that it will begin services between Abu Dhabi and Charlotte, North Carolina, as of May 4th, 2026. The airline will operate four times a week with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft configured for 300 passengers in two classes (28 seats in Business and 262 seats in Economy). Charlotte will be Etihad’s sixth U.S. destination after Atlanta (starts on July 2nd), Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington DC. In addition, it also serves Montreal and Toronto, reaching eight routes in the Americas. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday EY 15  Abu Dhabi AUH 03:15 · 10:15 CLT Charlotte EY…

Corporate Jet Investor Asia 2025 Marie.Lossowski Fri, 05/30/2025 – 15:28 Shangri-La, Singapore Off September 30, 2025 October 01, 2025 Aircraft events Bombardier

Flightradar24 is so much more than a great way to track flights, it’s a window into what’s happening in the world – right now. If you’re using our mobile apps, the easiest way to get this information is to use the features contained in our pull down menu.  Swiping down from the top of your screen reveals an array of data on flight tracking trends, as well as a handy place to easily access items you find the most useful. Here’s what’s included…Most tracked flights – a list of the top 10 most tracked flights by number of users following…

On this episode of AvTalk, Ian and Jason and back home from Stockholm and ready to take on the week’s news. The NTSB is out with a handful of reports, including details on the FedEx 767 bird strike in Newark, Frontier’s hard landing and go around in San Juan, and Alaska Airlines’ main landing gear collapse. We also discuss the crash of a Cessna Citation in San Diego last week. Plus, Boeing says it has a fix for the 777X thrust link problem, which grounded the test fleet for months. Helpful links for this week’s episode FedEx 767 birdstrike preliminary…

South African Airways (SA/SAA) has had several wide body aircraft in its fleet throughout its history, both Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The first of these, according to the airline’s website, was added in 1971, being a brand new Boeing 747. Over the years, South African has continued to expand its fleet of wide body aircraft, reaching around 20 747s at its peak during some years in the 1990s. Six Boeing 747SPs, eight Boeing 747-200s, six Boeing 747-300s and eight Boeing 747-400s were part of SAA, operating between October 1971 and October 2010. First Boeing 747 The first wide body aircraft,…

Bombardier Announces Closing of its New Issuance of Senior Notes due 2033 May 29, 2025 marie-laurence… Thu, 05/29/2025 – 15:11 Company news Listing text Bombardier Announces Closing of its New Issuance of Senior Notes due 2033 Page category News & Events

Medidata Debuts Protocol Optimization at ASCO, Leveraging AI to Transform the Study Experience

Bombardier to Showcase its Top Performing Global 7500 and Challenger 3500 Business Jets at the Catarina Aviation Show in Brazil May 29, 2025 matthew.nicholls Wed, 05/28/2025 – 20:54 Business jets and services Listing text Bombardier to Showcase its Top Performing Global 7500 and Challenger 3500 Business Jets at the Catarina Aviation Show in Brazil Meta Image Page category News & Events

Attention enthusiasts! From May 29 to June 1, the Sport et Collection event will be raising funds for cancer through donations from participants, who will be treated to a show by the French Air Force. An event that links automobiles and aviation! From May 29 to June 1, 2025, don’t miss the 31st “Sport et Collection, 500 Ferrari contre le cancer” event on the Val de Vienne circuit (Vienne department – 86). Every year for more than three decades, the event has been a resounding success (40,000 people last year) in support of the fight against cancer. Europe’s leading charity…

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Hyères naval aeronautics base is organizing a meeting with an impressive line-up. 100 years is a great age… To celebrate its first century of existence, the naval aeronautics base at Hyères, in the Var department of France, has decided to pull out all the stops! And to invite the local public to “vibrate with pleasure to the sound of these superb machines, from the most mythical to the most sophisticated”, according to Captain Paul Zanassi, commander of the base. To this end, he and his teams have concocted an aerial stage and ground animations…

SAFE 360° — Safety in Aviation Forum for Europe 2025 The Safety in Aviation Forum for Europe (SAFE 360˚) conference strives to break down silos by examining the key safety issues in Europe from a cross-domain perspective. The conference includes the full spectrum of aviation stakeholders taken from up and down the technical and management chain. The conference follows the “Chatham House Rules”, which allows its participants to talk freely without judgement. Attendees are asked not to identify and take information out of the conference without the source’s permission. Darya Kalsi Tue, 27/05/2025 – 11:06

Lot n°29 – Falcon wind tunnel model On Wednesday June 18, at 7pm, Artcurial will be holding a charity auction in aid of the Aviation Sans Frontières association, under the patronage of the French actor and pilot Jose Garcia, in conjunction with the Paris Air Show. In support of the association’s humanitarian missions, numerous artists, celebrities, top sportsmen and women and companies have come together to donate unique experiences and exceptional objects, which will be offered for sale in 33 lots. Public exhibition from Friday June 13 to Wednesday June 18, 11am to 6pm. Sale catalog: on line end of…

In this 77th issue of the bimonthly, the lion’s share of the coverage is devoted to France’s armed forces, with an extensive feature on the DGA EV, which ensures the quality of aircraft serving France. In this spring issue, we zoom in on the Direction Générale de l’Armement Essais en Vol (DGA EV), formerly known as the Centre d’Essais en Vol (CEV). In other words, this is France’s reference center for aeronautical systems, in charge of testing, expertise and certification of flying aircraft (airplanes, helicopters, etc.), their equipment and any weapons systems. Rafale, Mirage, Falcon, Gazelle, Pilatus… every aircraft is…

If you happen to track Emirates flight EK261 on the right day, you might spot something unusual. The A380 aircraft from Dubai (DXB | OMDB) to São Paulo (GRU | SBGR) sometimes follows a rather unusual course. What does the route look like? Emirates’ flight from Dubai to São Paulo is a long one, usually around 15 hours (the average flight time is 14:57 according to our tracking data). It crosses some 6,650nm, which means a lot of fuel for the A380 to carry. The aircraft has a maximum fuel load of just under 254,000kg and a maximum take off…

This week, Gabe Leigh joins Ian and Jason in Stockholm for a special episode of AvTalk. Gabe recounts his experience on the first Global Airlines revenue flight and we discuss the future prospects for the would-be, all-A380 airline. We also get into the interesting media relations strategy being pursued by Global Airlines CEO James Asquith. We also cover Etihad’s aircraft order and surprise route announcement to Charlotte. Spanish investigators release their final report on a Lufthansa pilot’s incapacitation near Zaragoza last February. And the story of how the 747 deal between the US and Qatar unfolded gets murkier. Helpful links…

In just one year, the Airbus H160 helicopters have become a prominent sight in North American skies, racking up over 1,500 flight hours. Contributing to this deployment were five dedicated Technical Representatives (Tech Reps), who stepped into action to ensure the helicopters were mission ready. A multi-layered support systemAirbus Tech Reps form the frontline of aircraft readiness, backed by a support structure designed for swift and effective problem-solving using a tiered approach.  Level 1: The first responders On-site Tech Representatives, such as Gregg Young, an H160 Avionics Regional Technical Representative, serve as crucial first points of contact for customers experiencing technical issues. “I act as a key liaison for providing expert support to both mechanical field representatives and customers operating the H160 throughout the U.S.,” said Young. His expertise lies in diagnosing and resolving intricate avionics and electrical issues, ensuring that the aircraft performs optimally.Young follows a meticulous process: he gathers detailed information from the customer, reviews relevant technical documentation, assesses the severity of the issue, and offers initial guidance. If necessary, he travels to the customer’s location to provide hands-on support. “My primary focus is to deliver prompt, accurate, and professional support,” said Young.Level 2: The central role of the Product Support Manager.  For issues demanding wider coordination, the H160 Product Support Manager (PSM), Robert Way, serves as the central point of contact. Utilizing global insights from Airbus’ digital data and worldwide network, Robert reviews the technical events, identifying the affected system, and ensuring information is clear before any necessary escalation.  Oftentimes, a simple answer is provided.  When more information is needed, Robert seeks out an expert for clarification.  It’s this approach that successfully resolves many questions.Level 3: Deep expertise for complex challenges For highly complex issues, particularly with dynamic components, Level 3 experts like Ala Ramadan step in. “If some sort of escalation happens in the field and they need more help, particularly in the dynamic component area, I can help based on my experience,” said Ramadan. Level 3 experts analyze the issue, always prioritizing safety, and may consult original design drawings to determine the best course of action, ensuring comprehensive solutions.  

The digital edge: revolutionizing H160 maintenanceThe H160 leads in digital maintenance, and its U.S. operations benefit significantly from these advanced systems, which provide real-time diagnostics, reduce downtime, and enhance efficiency.  “The advanced digital maintenance systems integrated into the H160, such as the WACS (Wireless Airborne Communication System), FlyScan, and the features within Helionix, have significantly transformed both my work and the overall maintenance process,” said Young.  WACS System: Enables real-time health monitoring and remote data access for quicker diagnostics.  FlyScan: Enhances troubleshooting with detailed flight data analysis.  Helionix Features: Improve situational awareness with easier access to avionics data. “Overall, these advanced tools have improved the accuracy and speed of maintenance operations, reduced downtime, and enhanced the overall reliability of the H160,” said Young. For instance, Helionix alerts allow proactive issue addressing via WACS post-flight, speeding up resolution through data sharing with remote experts.  “Technology has really played a big factor in our jobs and also in ensuring safety,” said Ramadan. “They allow you to contact somebody immediately for a second opinion.” The WebTech tool, standard since 2013, facilitates communication and stores valuable history. 

A partnership for successAirbus Tech Reps are true partners with helicopter operators, aiming to keep aircraft in optimal condition. “The partnership between Airbus Helicopters Tech Reps and customers plays a crucial role in the success of H160 operations,” said Young. This involves expert support, tailored solutions, continuous feedback, and operator training. Ramadan shared an instance of traveling to a customer to demonstrate a swash plate design’s safety, building trust through hands-on dedication.  The technicians’ work directly enables customers to perform critical, often life-saving, missions. “It’s really great when you know your aircraft is ready to be able to do a scene mission to rescue somebody,” said Ramadan. “It feels really great. I think anybody will be proud when they know they were involved in missions like this.” Way concurs, emphasizing the goal is always to “help the customers.”  

The unseen backbone of aviation safetyThe dedication of professionals like Gregg Young, Robert Way, and Ala Ramadan has been critical to the H160’s successful entry into North America, and will continue to be crucial as the aircraft enters into service in greater numbers. Their commitment, supported by digital tools, ensures the Airbus H160 operates at peak performance for essential missions. As Ramadan aptly states, “Teamwork is really the secret to succeed in any mission,” and for these technicians, “safety is number one, always.” Copyright Airbus Helicopters 2025

Aviation Non-CO2 Expert Network (ANCEN) Plenary Meeting The Aviation Non-CO2 Expert Network (ANCEN) was established in 2024 to facilitate a coordinated approach across a wide range of relevant stakeholders (e.g. scientific community, academia, aircraft manufacturers, aircraft operators, fuel producers, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), regulators, analysts, and policymakers) in order to provide objective, timely, common, and credible technical advice. Darya Kalsi Fri, 23/05/2025 – 11:16

1st EASA Ground Handling Implementation Webinar Get ready on time for the EU Ground Handling safety regulations that will become applicable from 27 March 2028.Between 2025 and 2028, EASA will organise a series of webinars aimed at helping the European ground handling (GH) industry to prepare for the implementation of the new GH safety rules.The webinars will include participation of competent authorities and industry experts, depending on the topic under discussion.1st Ground Handling Webinar: What should ground handling service providers do to prepare for the implementation of the new GH Regulations? Darya Kalsi Fri, 23/05/2025 – 17:13

Join us on May 24 and 25, 2025 for the Orléans-Bricy airshow on air base 123, which hasn’t hosted the event since 2010. Some 40,000 spectators are expected. The return of a major airshow to BA 123 “Commandant Charles Paoli” must have delighted aviation fans in the Orléans region! And for good reason: it had been fifteen years since the military installation had hosted the event. This has now been achieved in 2025, and the festivities, organized with the support of Dassault Aviation, promise to be particularly beautiful. So much so that the meeting will be preceded for a week…

Wizz Air has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR, and it’s set to be a game changer for the operator.  The aircraft is joining the UK branch of the business, Wizz Air UK (W9/WUK) and is registered G-XLRA. The aircraft brings Wizz Air’s total fleet (across all AOCs) to 237 aircraft, the majority of which are Airbus A321neo variants. The Wizz Air fleet in May 2025 Aircraft typeNumber in fleet Airbus A320neo6 Airbus A321neo152 Airbus A32037 Airbus A32142 Wizz Air is expected to use the XLR on its new, long distance route from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Jeddah (JED).…

Paris Airshow Brunch Reception eliot.khemlani Tue, 05/20/2025 – 20:17 6 Pl. de la Concorde, 75008 Paris, France Kindly complete the form below to RSVP for the reception: Rank/Job Title (optional) First name Last name Company Name / Government entity Email For further information on how we collect and process your personal data, please see our Privacy Statement. By checking this box, you consent to receive communications related to new & pre-owned aircraft, customer services, company updates & announcements, and exclusive invitations for Bombardier events. (optional) See our Privacy Statement to opt-out at any time. Submit Leave this field blank (optional) Bombardier…

The “tariff war” between the United States and China is making headlines around the world and upsetting the already delicate process of delivering Boeing aircraft to China. The on-again-off-again status of deliveries is creating a logistical headache for Boeing. In March 2025, two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft made their delivery flight from Seattle Boeing Field (BFI/KBFI) for China, as both were scheduled to join a Chinese carrier. However, a few weeks later, the 737s left the country, returning to Boeing’s U.S. factory, without ever having performed a regular flight in China. These airplanes, as can be seen in our database,…

Dassault Systèmes and the FondaMental Foundation Launch a Sovereign and Secured Nationwide Health Data Warehouse in France Dedicated to Psychiatry

First Production Aircraft of World’s Fastest Business Jet, the Bombardier Global 8000, Completes Flawless Inaugural Flight May 20, 2025 matthew.nicholls Mon, 05/19/2025 – 22:43 Business jets and services Listing text First Production Aircraft of World’s Fastest Business Jet, the Bombardier Global 8000, Completes Flawless Inaugural Flight Meta Image Page category News & Events

EASA Summer Safety Campaign 2025 — Safety Culture (to be confirmed) No matter how many procedures, regulations, or systems are in place, it is the people across every part of the aviation ecosystem —  flight and cabin crew, engineers, air traffic controllers (ATCOs), ground handlers, and many more — who ultimately ensure safe operations. Darya Kalsi Tue, 20/05/2025 – 09:54

EASA Summer Safety Campaign 2025 — Safety Culture No matter how many procedures, regulations, or systems are in place, it is the people across every part of the aviation ecosystem —  flight and cabin crew, engineers, air traffic controllers (ATCOs), ground handlers, and many more — who ultimately ensure safe operations. Darya Kalsi Tue, 20/05/2025 – 09:54

Below are the new workstations certified by Dassault Systemes this April 2025 

If you’re staying in the Drôme region this weekend, don’t miss the very first edition of this meeting, organized by students from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Founded in 2020, the UniFly aeronautical club brings together students from the Valence and Grenoble campuses, and aims to promote aeronautics, notably through its “Journée de l’Aéronautique” event. On the occasion of the sixth edition of the latter, eight students are organizing their first meeting (which also marks the 10th anniversary of the EsiFly-UniFly club), to be held on Saturday May 17, 2025. On the program for this premiere: aerial demonstrations (including helicopters, ULMs and…

Departures and arrivals at major airports aren’t as simple as lining up with the runway and climbing up to cruising altitude. Aircraft at most major airports follow SIDs and STARs, which give aircraft a set guide for departing and arriving. SID stands for Standard Instrument Departure. STAR stands for Standard Terminal Arrival. These are the primary way aircraft route out of and into airports, at least at major ones. So let’s take a look at how they work, and what the pilots do in order to follow these. How do they work? Airports sit in their own terminal area –…

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Ian and Jason are joined by resident numbers expert Gavin Werbeloff for the facts and figures behind some of the large aircraft we’ve seen this week. There are more changes coming to Newark as the FAA tries to prevent more air traffic control outages. And we dig in to the history of the 747-8I Qatar wants to gift the US and why any thought of quickly turning it into a temporary Air Force One is a flight of fancy. Helpful links for this week’s episode DOT’s new ATC outline FAA statements on Newark P4-HBJ…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCzGkbbqa14

Eurowings (EW/EWG), the low-cost arm of the Lufthansa Group, operates a pan-European network from its bases across Germany, Austria, and beyond. Originally established to offer affordable leisure and short-haul options for Lufthansa passengers, Eurowings has developed into a major player in Europe’s budget airline sector.The Eurowings fleet has 124 active aircraft as of May 2025. Let’s take a look at the newest and oldest aircraft in active service. Aircraft typeNumber in fleet Airbus A320neo8 Airbus A321neo5 Airbus A31932 Airbus A32066 Airbus A3216 Boeing 737-8007 The newest and oldest Eurowings aircraftThe newest aircraft in the Eurowings fleet is D-AENI, an Airbus…

Required Navigation Performance — Visual with Prescribed Track This operational safety online event is part of the Summer Safety Campaign 2025 of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).Join EASA, DGAC France (the French Civil Aviation Authority), Airbus, Lufthansa, Iberia, Austrian Airlines, and EasyJet, to discuss the key aspects of required navigation performance (RNP) visual with prescribed track (VPT) path tracking. The Webinar will focus on the practical implementation and oversight of this novel technological innovation that will enhance the conduct of circle-to-land operations and of visual approaches.  Darya Kalsi Fri, 16/05/2025 – 11:24

Made even more difficult by the many iterations of the Boeing 737, the Boeing narrow-bodies can be hard to tell apart. Having already explored the features of the manufacturer’s array of wide-bodies, we turn our eyes to the smaller aircraft in Boeing’s fleet.  The Boeing 717 Originally a successor to the MD-90 before McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in 1997, the Boeing 717 is on its way out of the skies. In fact, it’s only operated by two airlines, Delta and Hawaiian, the former of which aims to retire it this year. Because it was initially designed by McDonnell Douglas,…

This Sunday, May 18, the Les Mureaux-Verneuil airfield in the Yvelines region (78) hosts the now traditional Fête de l’Air et de l’Espace, with some 15,000 spectators expected. A not-to-be-missed air show in the western Paris region, the Fête de l’Air et de l’Espace (first held in 2001) is set to live up to its promise once again this year! On Sunday, May 18, spectators will be able to enjoy traditional activities such as: first flights, immersive activities (including several simulators), meetings with aeronautical professionals and a “little pilots’ park” (inflatable structures, creative workshops, face painting, simulator, sun and space…

Bombardier Announces Pricing of its New Issuance of Senior Notes due 2033 May 14, 2025 stephanie.fara… Wed, 05/14/2025 – 20:41 Listing text Bombardier Announces Pricing of its New Issuance of Senior Notes due 2033 Page category News & Events

– Ceremonial signing witnessed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump and His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Amir of the State of Qatar

Bombardier Announces Conditional Notice of Partial Redemption for US$500,000,000 of its 7.875% Senior Notes due 2027 May 14, 2025 stephanie.fara… Wed, 05/14/2025 – 14:37 Company news Listing text Bombardier Announces Conditional Notice of Partial Redemption for US$500,000,000 of its 7.875% Senior Notes due 2027 Page category News & Events

On May 8, 2025, a Ryanair (FR/RYR) flight made an unscheduled stop in Limoges (LIG) with an unexpected extra passenger. Flight FR4797, operating from Brussels Charleroi (CRL) to Castellón (CDT), diverted after a passenger gave birth to a baby girl at 18,000 feet. The Boeing 737-800 departed Brussels at 13:30 UTC and was cruising over central France when the medical emergency unfolded. The flight crew elected to divert, landing safely in Limoges at 12:35 UTC, where emergency services were waiting on arrival. More babies are born on planes than you might think. In September 2021, a passenger from Morocco gave…

Financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 alex.rodriguez Tue, 05/13/2025 – 18:59 8:00 a.m (Eastern) On February 05, 2026 February 05, 2026 February 05, 2026 February 05, 2026 Financial Report – 2025 To be released on February 5, 2026 Financial Statements – Q4 2025 To be released on February 5, 2026 Presentation – Q4 2025 To be released on February 5, 2026 Presented by: Éric Martel President and Chief Executive Officer Bart Demosky Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Francis Richer de La Flèche Vice-President, Financial Planning and Investor Relations  Investors events Bombardier

Financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025 alex.rodriguez Tue, 05/13/2025 – 18:25 8:00 a.m (Eastern) On November 06, 2025 November 06, 2025 November 06, 2025 November 06, 2025 Quarterly Report – Q3 2025 To be released on November 6, 2025 Financial Statements – Q3 2025 To be released on November 6, 2025 Presentation – Q3 2025 To be released on November 6, 2025 Presented by: Éric Martel President and Chief Executive Officer Bart Demosky Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Francis Richer de La Flèche Vice-President, Financial Planning and Investor Relations Investors events Bombardier

The Touquet Air Show takes place this year on May 16 and 17 for its fourth consecutive edition. For the fourth year running, the seaside town of Le Touquet organizes its airshow, spread over two days. On the first day, Friday May 16, there will be a paying show at dusk (the nocturnal event is organized for the second year and takes place at Le Touquet – Elizabeth II airport, close to the beach). Then, on the second day, Saturday May 17, there will be a free show for the many tourists, young and old, who are staying in the…

CBAA 2025 Annual Convention and exhibition Marie.Lossowski Mon, 05/12/2025 – 13:10 Richmond, British Columbia Off June 10, 2025 June 12, 2025 Aircraft events Bombardier

EASA Member States’ Air Operations Technical Body (Air OPS TeB) Meeting 2025-01 This is the first regular meeting of the EASA Member States’ Air Operations Technical Body (Air OPS TeB) for 2025.  If you wish to learn more about the EASA Member States’ Advisory Body (MAB) and Technical Bodies (TeBs) as well as the Stakeholder Advisory Body (SAB), please visit the EASA Advisory Bodies webpage.  Charalampos Ka… Mon, 12/05/2025 – 16:14

Aviation Technician Meet & Greet Madeleina Breton Fri, 05/09/2025 – 16:15 Wichita, KS Off June 10, 2025 June 10, 2025 June 10, 2025 June 10, 2025 Event Information Career events Bombardier

Hiring Event – Wichita, KS Madeleina Breton Fri, 05/09/2025 – 15:54 Wichita, KS Off June 10, 2025 June 10, 2025 June 10, 2025 June 10, 2025 Event Information Career events Bombardier

The 2025 edition of Airexpo, France’s only student-organized meeting and the third-largest event of its kind in France, features a top-class line-up. Take a look! The Airexpo meeting in Muret promises to be an action-packed event, both on the ground and in the air. This Saturday, May 10, for the 39th edition of the event organized by students from the École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC) and ISAE-Supaéro, some 50 aircraft are expected to take to the skies of south-west France, alongside a host of stands and other entertainment venues open to all. Among the aircraft expected to take to…

These last few days, some social medias have displayed offers for “Dassault Aviation savings account” or “Dassault Aviation alternative equity investments”. These are fraudulent, and most certainly swindle, maneuvers. These proposal are based on our company’s visual codes (logo, typo, pictures, etc.), but in no way originate from Dassault Aviation. Dassault Aviation reserves the right to take legal action against the authors and/or distributors of these fraudulent proposals.

On this episode of AvTalk, we learn more about what happened at Newark last week, what is still causing dozens of daily cancellations, and what’s being done to mitigate the problem. We also discuss some of the ideas touted by Newark’s biggest user, United Airlines, to improve the situation. We get an update on the situation in India and Pakistan as tensions continue to rise and airlines are staying further away. Plus, just as things at Pratt and Whitney were looking up for the GTF engine, machinists are on strike, with a long work stoppage threatening to further disrupt an…

Financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025 alex.rodriguez Thu, 05/08/2025 – 14:12 July 31, 2025 8:00 a.m (Eastern) On July 31, 2025 July 31, 2025 July 31, 2025 July 31, 2025 Quarterly Report – Q2 2025 To be released on July 31, 2025 Financial Statements – Q2 2025 To be released on July 31, 2025 Presentation – Q2 2025 To be released on July 31, 2025 Presented by: Éric Martel President and Chief Executive Officer Bart Demosky Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Francis Richer de La Flèche Vice-President, Financial Planning and Investor Relations Investors events…

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Aviation Climate Week Marie.Lossowski Thu, 05/08/2025 – 12:47 ICAO Headquarters, Montreal, Canada Off June 02, 2025 June 04, 2025 Aircraft events Bombardier

The Forty-second ICAO Assembly Marie.Lossowski Thu, 05/08/2025 – 12:38 Montreal, Canada Off September 23, 2025 October 03, 2025 Aircraft events Bombardier

In late April 2025, escalating tensions between India and Pakistan spilled into the skies, as both countries issued reciprocal airspace bans. What started with Pakistan closing its airspace to Indian aircraft on April 24 was swiftly followed by India prohibiting Pakistani aircraft from entering its airspace just days later. The result: drastically altered flight paths, significant increases in flight time, and growing logistical headaches for both regional and international carriers. Whilst some non Indian and Pakistani-registered carriers initially continued using the airspace, direct military action taken by India on May 7 has compelled most airlines to avoid Pakistan altogether.  Air…

Airbus Helicopters’ German Chief Test Pilot, Volker Bau, is the person responsible for charting the H140’s flight path to certification. “There’s no space for emotions during flight tests,ˮ says Volker Bau and as one of Airbus Helicopters’ chief test pilots since 2011, he knows what he’s talking about. With 20 years of flight experience in the military followed by a flight test career now in its 25th year, the H140 campaign is the latest landmark in his career. “It’s definitely not another day at the office. It’s emotional when you come home, but before that, you’re very focused on the mission. It’s a kind of positive stress, you work in a team, you choose what you’re going to test and, as part of the team, you solve any problems.” 

Hot, high and coldFor every campaign, everything is meticulously planned. “We do a risk assessment for every flight, ˮ says Bau. “So if we do CAT A in high altitude by shutting down one engine and we can land safely, then we will carefully increase the weight of the aircraft and see how it operates under these new ‘conditions’. When we are on a campaign, there are around 10 people sitting in the briefing and debriefing to discuss the results and how we can improve, how we can change the rotor law, the rotor speed, the engines, the full authority digital engine control (FADEC).” The H140’s flight testing will focus on the helicopter’s performance in hot, high and cold conditions. “We have to go to environments where it is very cold: we are looking for -40°C or less,” explains Bau. “Where it’s hot: we are looking for +45°C or more. And for high altitudes that’s around 10,000 ft up to 20,000 ft.” 

The rigour that gets in rightOne thing that Bau emphasises is that the process is extremely thorough. “On this prototype, we always have telemetry. So, there are up to 10 people in a room monitoring everything. They see every movement you make; they see every input. They hear every voice, every word, and they comment on everything you do. You are monitored,” he emphasises. Whilst absolute rigour is essential to create the safest possible helicopter, it is also clearly beneficial to the quality of the product that will be on the market. This is due to the influence pilots have during flight test campaigns, providing feedback that is actioned. “The most challenging aspects are, naturally, working to test vital functions of the helicopter as safely as possible, working in this team and working to develop the most effective helicopter possible, for the operator to use later,” says Bau. “In the early days of testing the H145 I was not happy with where the engine knobs were and where the generator knobs were. So, I drafted on paper where I would like to have these knobs, gave it to the team and the next day I had the technical drawing. Today every helicopter that we sell has this installation of knobs. So yes, pilots have influence, and this is part of the challenge, to ultimately ensure that the operator can fulfil their mission optimally, efficiently and safely.” 

At the controls for the first flightWith a new cabin, T-tail, and Fenestron, the H140 is a brand-new helicopter and, as one of the first people to fly it, Bau is one of a select few who can describe how it flies. He is happy with the early results. “We had this stroke of genius on the H145 with these five-bladed rotors which reduced the vibrations to almost zero and we now see the exact same positive effect on the H140 with its five-bladed rotor,” he notes.

In 2025, Dassault Aviation is continuing its recruitment drive, in all professions, throughout France, from CAP/BEP to Bac+5, with or without experience. As part of the 55th Paris-Le Bourget International Air Show, from June 16 to 22, several Jobs Dating events are being organized in the Dassault Aviation HR area. A wide range of career opportunities will be on offer, focusing on the following target professions: Monday, June 16: Production Tuesday, June 17: Design Wednesday, June 18: Support and Customer Service Selected candidates, who have previously applied online to the vacancies available on our careers site, will be offered a…

Bombardier Announces Launch of US$500 million New Issuance of Senior Notes due 2033 to retire US$500 million of its Senior Notes due 2027 May 14, 2025 christina.lemy… Sun, 05/04/2025 – 22:09 Company news Listing text Bombardier Announces Launch of US$500 million New Issuance of Senior Notes due 2033 to retire US$500 million of its Senior Notes due 2027 Page category News & Events

Production and Continuing Airworthiness Technical Body (P&CA TeB) Meeting 01-2025 This is the first meeting of the Production and Continuing Airworthiness (P&CA TeB) Advisory Body in 2025.Learn more about the EASA Advisory Bodies  Annalisa Farina Fri, 02/05/2025 – 20:52

On this week’s AvTalk, Indian airlines lose access to Pakistani airspace and gain a massive fuel bill. A massive power outage in Spain and Portugal affects millions of passengers, but airports keep moving. Newark falls victim to equipment outages again as Congress proposes $15 billion to modernize air traffic control. And JetBlue and United are said to be in talks about a proposed partnership that could see United back at JFK, but what form that partnership takes long-term is in the hands of United CEO Scott Kirby. And another major aerospace manufacturer lays out its plans for dealing with tariffs.…

We are providing this Technical Note to inform you about the release of BIOVIA Compose and Capture 2024 SP1 HF2 which includes the following enhancements and fixed defects:

We are providing this Technical Note to inform you about the release of BIOVIA Compose and Capture 2024 SP1 HF1 which includes the following enhancements and fixed defects:

We are providing this Technical Note to inform you about the release of BIOVIA Compose and Capture 2024 SP1 which includes the following enhancements and fixed defects: