Author: Alan G.W.

NATO Air Command confirmed that Italian Eurofighter Typhoon jets deployed to Amari Air Base in Estonia were scrambled at 11:30 a.m. on January 16 to intercept a Russian Be-200 aircraft approaching the Baltic Sea. The interception took place as part of NATO’s routine air policing mission in the region, aimed at monitoring and responding to […]

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Boeing and Airbus report their final tallies for orders and deliveries in 2025 and it was Boeing’s best year since 2018. Allegiant is buying Sun Country in a shake up of the ultra low-cost market in the US. Delta comes full circle and orders up to 60 787s. And a pair of reports from British accident investigators highlight the importance of good procedure on the flight deck. Helpful links for this week’s episode Air France flight 191 Allegiant announcement on Sun Country merger Boeing 2025 orders and deliveries Airbus 2025 orders and deliveries Thank…

Russia has equipped a BM-35 one-way attack drone with a Starlink-type satellite terminal, Ukrainian specialists said after the aircraft was shot down and examined this week. According to Serhii Beskrestnov, known by the call sign “Flash,” the recovered drone showed clear evidence of remote control through the Starlink system. “For the first time, the fact […]

Russia has begun using a previously unseen jet-powered one-way attack drone. Such drones were spotted after a Russian military unit released footage showing the system striking a Ukrainian HIMARS launcher during an operation recorded earlier this week. The video was published by the unit operating the reconnaissance drone and captured the moment the target was […]

When Norwegian Air Shuttle was formed on January 22nd 1993, few could have predicted that it would grow to an aviation powerhouse, taking on legacy airlines and creating headlines in the process. The carrier’s journey from operating a handful of turboprops in Norway to becoming Europe’s third-largest low-cost carrier is a story of bold ambition and hard-won lessons. Norwegian Air Shuttle originally operated the Fokker 50. The humble beginnings of Norwegian Air Shuttle But let’s take it from the top. Like many airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY/NOZ) was founded amidst a time when the deregulation of national aviation markets was in…

Shield AI announced on Wednesday that it has begun wind tunnel testing of its X-Bat unmanned combat aircraft, marking the first major evaluation phase for the company’s next-generation autonomous strike platform. The company said the tests are intended to accelerate design refinement and reduce developmental risk as the aircraft moves toward flight demonstrations. According to […]

A United States Air Force MH-139 Grey Wolf executed its first operational mission on January 8 at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, flying alongside convoys from the 341st Missile Security Operations Squadron. The Air Force said the event marks the new aircraft’s initial integration into day-to-day nuclear security operations supporting the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile […]

United States Air Force personnel released a photo of an MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron on January 13, showing the aircraft positioned inside a shelter at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. The Air Force said the squadron’s presence reinforces U.S. commitment to security on the Korean Peninsula and provides a […]

Destinus, a European aerospace and defense company, announced the updated versions of its modular precision-strike weapons and interceptor systems, releasing new details on the Ruta Block2 cruise missile, the Vector Vista Block2 navigation system and the Hornet Block2 quick-response interceptor. The company published technical descriptions of the upgraded systems on its website. According to Destinus, […]

The fourth volume in the “Origines” series of “The Adventures of Buck Danny” and the second devoted to the early life of his sidekick Sonny Tuckson. In the previous volume devoted to Sonny Tuckson, “Air Race Pilot,” set in the 1930s, we discovered the youth of a kid who got up to all sorts of mischief with his sidekick Jo. Until the day Sonny’s uncle bought an old plane, sparking a vocation that would stay with the young man for the rest of his life. This time, we are at the very beginning of the 1940s. Jo and Sonny have…

Thailand’s flag carrier, Thai Airways (TG/THA), ended 2025 by adding a new aircraft to its fleet, a model it had never operated before. The first order In mid-2023, the airline announced its first order for brand new Airbus A321neo aircraft, expected to be delivered as of late 2025. The initial order was for five A321neo aircraft, with another five aircraft of this type to be added later. Thai Airways plans to use these aircraft for regional flights in South and Southeast Asia, based in Bangkok, the country’s capital and its main hub of operations. With regard to other narrow-body aircraft,…

China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense confirmed on Jan. 12 that the export-oriented J-10CE fighter jet achieved its first combat victory last May, stating that the aircraft downed several adversary aircraft in an aerial engagement without suffering losses. The agency described the operation as the J-10CE’s first confirmed combat result. […]

Northrop Grumman delivered its 1,500th center fuselage for the F-35 Lightning II on Jan. 12, completing the milestone at its Integrated Assembly Line in Palmdale, California. The delivery reflects the current production pace of one center fuselage every 30 hours. According to Northrop Grumman, the Palmdale facility uses advanced manufacturing processes to build center fuselages […]

Pegasus Arms has released detailed operational results for its Pegasus Arms 25 heavy strike drone, confirming that Ukrainian forces used the platform in more than a thousand engagements throughout 2025, including over 560 sorties by a single airframe. The company disclosed the figures in an official summary of wartime performance. According to the report, more […]

The United States Air Force has awarded Trust Automation a $490 million contract to research, develop, prototype, and produce counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) technologies, the company announced on January 12, 2026. According to Trust Automation, the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract will support the rapid development and transition of unmanned and counter-unmanned aircraft capabilities. Work will take […]

Ukraine’s General Staff said early on January 13 that Defense Forces carried out an overnight strike on the Atlant Aero industrial facility in Taganrog, Rostov region, hitting a site involved in producing Molniya strike-reconnaissance drones and components for the Orion unmanned aerial vehicles. According to the General Staff, explosions and a fire were recorded across […]

Russia has announced a record increase in its export weapons portfolio, with First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov stating on Friday that Moscow now holds $70 billion in signed defense contracts. Manturov delivered the figures during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, marking the largest reported volume of foreign military orders in Russia’s history. According […]

Elbit Systems announced on January 12, 2026, that it has signed contracts worth approximately $275 million to supply an advanced airborne self-protection electronic warfare suite, including its Direct Infra-Red Counter-Measure system, to an unnamed country in the Asia-Pacific region. The company said the work will be carried out over a five-year period. According to Elbit […]

Paris – Saint-Cloud, France, January 12, 2026 – Dassault Aviation and Harmattan AI today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the integration of controlled autonomy and AI technologies into combat aviation systems. As part of this collaboration, Dassault Aviation is leading Harmattan AI’s $200 million Series B funding round. Harmattan AI has been awarded multiple Programs of Record by the French and UK Ministries of Defence for its autonomous systems portfolio and is now scaling globally in response to growing demand. The proceeds from this investment round will be used to expand the deployment of AI-enabled missions across new operational…

Colombia announced on January 10 that it is launching a COP 6.2 trillion (approximately $1.6 billion) National Anti-Drone Shield, a move taken directly in response to the recent U.S. military strike on Venezuela, the Colombian government said in an official statement. According to the Ministry of Defense, the program creates a nationwide detection and interdiction […]

Israel placed its security apparatus on high alert on January 10 after senior officials assessed the possibility of direct U.S. intervention in Iran as nationwide anti-government protests there enter their most volatile stage in years, according to Israeli sources who spoke to Reuters. Three Israeli officials with knowledge of internal security consultations said the alert […]

Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate (GUR) has confirmed that Russia used a new jet-powered strike drone, identified as the Geran-5, during combined air attacks at the start of 2026. The announcement, released today, states that Russian forces employed the platform for the first time against targets inside Ukraine. The Geran-5 has a length of around six […]

The United States Commerce Department has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have imposed new restrictions on Chinese-made drones, according to a government notice posted Friday. The reversal ends a months-long review process and comes ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Beijing this April. According to documents published on the federal website, Commerce […]

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have begun formal discussions to convert a $2 billion Saudi loan into a transaction for JF-17 fighter jets, Reuters reported. The talks center on a broader package valued at $4 billion, including an additional $2 billion allocated for related equipment. Reuters, citing sources familiar with the negotiations, reported that “the total […]

India is moving toward approving a large-scale purchase of Rafale fighter jets, as New Delhi prepares for French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit next month, according to senior officials familiar with the process. Indian Air Force leaders have submitted a proposal to acquire what the service described as a “substantial” number of new aircraft under a […]

A CIA-linked LM-100J Super Hercules operated by Pallas Aviation landed in Caracas on January 10. The aircraft, using callsign WDE08 and tail number N96MG, departed shortly afterward and returned to Puerto Rico. The aircraft belongs to Pallas Aviation, described as a private company that performs “specialized work worldwide that most others refuse.” The company operates […]

France’s Dassault Aviation announced that it delivered 26 Rafale fighter jets in 2025, surpassing its annual plan of 25 aircraft. The company said the deliveries included 15 jets for export customers and 11 for the French Armed Forces. According to Dassault Aviation, the 2025 output exceeds the previous year, when 21 Rafales were delivered — […]

The United States Air Force formally received its first T-7A Red Hawk on January 9, 2026, during an arrival ceremony hosted by Air Education and Training Command (AETC), marking the start of the service’s transition to a new generation of jet trainer aircraft. The event at Joint Base San Antonio–Randolph marked the first delivery from […]

In the late 1950s, Douglas Aircraft Company began developing a narrow-body aircraft for short to medium haul routes, which would complement its only operational aircraft at the time, the Douglas DC-8, configured for long-haul routes, along with its high density. McDonnell Douglas MD-81 Douglas DC-9 The first flight in the history of the DC-9 took place on February 25th, 1965, entering regular service on December 8th of that year with Delta Air Lines. Registered as N3304L, this aircraft was the first DC-9 ever built, produced in Long Beach, as were the remaining 975 aircraft manufactured. Delta Air Lines was one…

We begin the year with a mess in Amsterdam as more than 3,000 flights have been canceled at the airport this week following snow storms and a long list of operational problems. We look at the impact on civil aviation from the US military action in Venezuela last weekend. Kazakhstan investigators issue an update on their investigation into Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243. We delve into a wide variety of regulatory updates, including another round of radio altimeter updates because of 5G mobile data. It would appear that Pakistan International Airlines is actually on its way to privatization. And in our…

Integrity and compliance
carolina.barre…
Fri, 01/09/2026 – 11:37

Integrity and compliance
A competitive advantage for long-term business growth

A robust ethics and compliance programmeEverything Airbus does is guided by its core principles of safety, quality, security, integrity and compliance. These pillars enable us to fulfil our commitments while navigating risks and leveraging opportunities. We embed these interconnected principles into our daily operations to ensure resilience, competitiveness and adherence to the highest possible standards.Our Ethics & Compliance Programme and Culture of Integrity reinforce one another. The programme provides the structural framework, policies, and guidance for responsible conduct worldwide; whereas the culture is nurtured as a living commitment maintained with unwavering focus. This section explains:- Our commitments: The core standards that govern our actions.- Our Ethics & Compliance Programme: The detailed policies guiding our daily interactions, addressing key areas like anti-corruption, responsible lobbying, and third-party due diligence.- Our Culture of Integrity: The way we ensure accountability, including training, and a ‘Speak Up’ and ‘Listen Up’ culture that empowers our people.

Airbus Board of Directors – Guillaume Faury

A message from our CEO

 Integrity is the basis for the trust our customers, partners, and society place in us. We are committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in all our business practices, ensuring we not only pioneer sustainable aerospace, but that we conduct ourselves in the right way.Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer Airbus

Integrity and compliance at Airbus

Our commitments
We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards, which means adhering to both internationally recognised benchmarks and our…

Ethics & Compliance Programme
Our Ethics & Compliance Programme is structured around three pillars – Detect, Prevent, and Remediate – allowing us to manage…

Our culture of integrity
True accountability is achieved by fostering an environment of trust, transparency, and continuous improvement.

The Ethics and Compliance team

You have further questions or would like to bring something to our attention?

Contact us

All Nippon Airways’ Star Wars C-3PO-themed Boeing 777-200 (registration JA743A) will make its final scheduled commercial flight today, bringing an end to one of aviation’s most distinctive special liveries. A busy final day JA743A has been working hard on its last day. After early morning flights between Tokyo Haneda and Sapporo, the gorgeous 777 currently is awaiting departure as NH265 from Haneda to Fukuoka, a grand finale worth celebrating.Operating as flight NH270, C-3PO is scheduled to depart Fukuoka at 19:55 local time (11:55 CET) and arrive at Tokyo Haneda at 21:30 local time (13:30 CET). That’s the equivalent of making…

The U.S. State Department has approved Denmark’s request to purchase AGM-114R Hellfire missiles and related equipment in a potential foreign military sale valued at $45 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Thursday. According to the agency, Denmark requested up to 100 AGM-114R missiles, along with three Captive Air Test Missiles, six M299 launchers, […]

United States forces conducted a strike in Venezuela on January 3 using the AGM-154C-1 Joint Stand-Off Weapon, after local authorities released images showing debris from the precision-guided glide munition at one of the impact sites. According to photographs published by Venezuelan officials, identifiable fragments of an AGM-154C-1 were found after the January 3 attack. The […]

Emirates Airline (EK/UAE), the leading carrier in the Middle East, has a large fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, all based at Dubai International Airport. The airline began operations in 1985 with two aircraft, which were not its own, expanding rapidly from the early 1990s onwards after placing a major order for new Boeing 777s and changing its business model by developing a hub in Dubai. Emirates’ Airbus A310 A6-EKB at Frankfurt – September 1987 Launch of Emirates On October 25th, 1985, with a Boeing 737-300 and an Airbus A300-600B2, both wet-leased from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the airline made…

(consolidated figures as of December 31, 2025) Deliveries, order intakes, backlog in number of new aircraft, and net sales guidance (unaudited figures) AIRCRAFT DELIVERED IN 2025 26 Rafale (15 Export, 11 France) were delivered, while 25 had been guided, versus 21 Rafale (14 France, 7 Export) delivered in 2024. 37 Falcon were delivered, while 40 had been guided, versus 31 Falcon delivered in 2024. AIRCRAFT ORDERED IN 2025 26 Export Rafale were ordered versus 30 Export Rafale in 2024. 31 Falcon were ordered versus 26 Falcon in 2024. AIRCRAFT IN BACKLOG As of December 31, 2025, the backlog includes: 220…

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (EHAM/AMS) has during the past couple of days faced one of its most challenging operational periods in recent memory. Since Friday, January 2nd, the airport has cancelled over 3,200 flights. Thousands of passengers have been stranded and the effect has been felt across the European aviation network. Your flight has (probably) been cancelled Flightradar24 departure and arrival statistics paint a grim picture of the disruptions faced at Amsterdam Schiphol during the first days of 2026.Friday, January 2: 345 cancellationsSaturday, January 3: 384 cancellationsSunday, January 4: 569 cancellationsMonday, January 5: 711 cancellations Tuesday, January 6: 563 cancellationsWednesday, January 7:…

The United States Air Force moved multiple special operations support aircraft north along the coast of the United Kingdom today, as three U-28A Draco intelligence and reconnaissance aircraft were tracked heading toward the North Sea amid rising tensions over the Russian-flagged crude oil tanker Marinera. Aircraft spotters observed U-28A aircraft using the callsigns AGREE32, AGREE34, […]

Video footage published on Facebook shows United States Air Force CV-22B Osprey aircraft from the 7th Special Operations Squadron conducting fast-rope and rescue training at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom. The aircraft, stationed at RAF Mildenhall, carried out the drills using standard special-operations procedures. According to OSINTdefender, the training activity involved fast-rope insertion teams […]

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Pentagon’s research and technology arm, released a new program solicitation on January 6, 2026, for the Frosty effort to develop technology that enables new radar-based sensing modes in the Arctic environment. The notice invites industry to submit proposals by January 30, 2026, for solutions that improve detection […]

The United States Air Force has continued intensive reconnaissance flights near Venezuela’s coastline, deploying RC-135V/W intelligence aircraft over the Caribbean at activity levels comparable to those recorded in early January, according to open flight tracking data and regional monitoring reports. On the latest mission, an RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft, tail number 64-14848, operated from Homestead […]

The United States Navy has awarded Collins Aerospace a $20.3 million contract modification to produce and deliver three high-power transmit set modernization kits for the E-6B “doomsday plane,” according to a Department of the Navy contract announcement. The award was issued to Rockwell Collins Inc., operating as Collins Aerospace Government Systems, under a firm-fixed-price and […]

U.S. forces used one-way attack drones during strikes on Caracas on January 3 as part of Operation “Absolute Resolve,” marking the first confirmed large-scale combat employment of kamikaze-style drones by the United States, according to sources and newly published visual evidence from Venezuela. Local residents in Caracas released videos recorded during the strikes that captured […]

Ukrainian Air Force pilots operating F-16 fighter jets were forced to revise NATO-taught air combat tactics after returning from training abroad, as the methods proved unsuitable for the realities of combat near the front line in Ukraine, according to a report published by Militarnyi citing official Air Force video footage. In comments shown in the […]

The United Kingdom expects to have taken delivery of its 75th F-35 Lightning aircraft by the end of 2033, the British government confirmed in a written parliamentary response published on January 5, 2026. In a response to a question from Lord West of Spithead, Defence Minister Lord Coaker said “the Department expects to take delivery […]

Have you been eyeballing the Flightradar24 list of most tracked flights during European morning hours for the past couple of weeks? Then you’ve probably noticed how quite a few flights have ended up holding around Kraków’s John Paul II International Airport (KRK/EPKK). The culprit? Fog. Kraków Airport is perfectly located for fog formation Kraków Airport’s location makes it particularly susceptible to fog formation. The airport lies in a natural basin where cold air settles and accumulates, especially during calm overnight periods. This geographical feature, combined with the proximity to the Vistula River and surrounding wetlands, creates the perfect recipe for…

Third volume of this original comic book series on the theme of time travel. After jumping back in time to World War I, we now head to 1939-1945! In the first two volumes of “Les Ailes du temps” (Wings of Time), the protagonists Lucie and Dunk found themselves caught in a space-time hole that took them from 2024 to… 1917! Finding themselves on the front lines of the Great War, the two companions, with their opposing temperaments, managed as best they could to overcome all the obstacles that stood in their way, particularly within Lucie’s own family, as they began…

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, we’re beginning 2026 by looking back at a pair of our favorite conversations from 2025.  Throughout the year, we focused a lot on the seemingly unending stream of news and what it meant for the aviation industry, but we also had a chance to speak with some very interesting people. We first revisit our conversation with Eliska Hill, Senior Vice President for Cargo at Air Partner. We chatted about her career path, how the cargo market has evolved post-COVID, and some of the more interesting shipments she’s had to deal with. And then we…

A beautiful book that pays tribute to the Rafale Marine and to those who enable it to shine around the globe. Former artistic director of the magazine “Air et Cosmos” and a photographer with countless hours of flight time, Cyrille Cosmao currently works for Dassault Aviation. To pay tribute to the Rafale Marine (or Rafale M), he focused on the current generation of aircraft that travel the world aboard the aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle.” Following a preface by Captain Sébastien Martinot, the book analyzes and explains the aircraft’s technology, its weaponry, and its capabilities depending on the missions entrusted…

Finnair has announced the launch of its first regular route to Australia, marking its first-ever entry into Oceania, a market currently served by only two European airlines. Flights will begin on October 26th, 2026, and will operate daily with Airbus A350-900 aircraft configured for 278 passengers, flying the Helsinki-Bangkok-Melbourne route and vice versa. In addition to offering tickets between Helsinki and Melbourne, the Finnish airline will have traffic rights on the Helsinki-Bangkok and Bangkok-Melbourne routes, the latter via fifth freedom rights. Daily AY 145  Helsinki HEL 00:10 · 16:30 BKK Bangkok AY 145  Bangkok BKK 18:15 · 07:15+1 MEL Melbourne…

Every Christmas, millions of aviation enthusiasts and excited children around the world turn their attention to Flightradar24 to track one very special flight. This year was no exception. Secretive as always, Santa shared his flightplan with us via Telex (used once yearly at the office) at the last minute, announcing his immediate departure at 08:00 UTC, on December 23rd. Santa tracked by millions on Flightradar24 After a brief warm up run over the North Pole, flight SANTA1 (using the callsign R3DN053) began his trip, flying east for a surprise stop in Riovanemi, Finland. During the next day and a half,…

Airports at the end of the year are a special place. Everyone is tired, slightly overpacked, and emotionally invested in being somewhere else. It’s no wonder filmmakers keep returning to aviation as the perfect setting for drama and heartfelt reunions.The Flightradar24 Cinephile Division brings you a smorgasbord of airport adjacent movies to binge watch as 2025 comes to an end. We also imagine how access to Flightradar24 would have impacted the plot (or even being) of these flicks.Dim the lights please! The Terminal (2004) Right out of the gate (ha!), we have The Terminal. Tom Hanks makes a brave attempt…

This story draws parallels between two destinies: that of a vole and that of Amelia Earhart, a true aviation legend. One fine day, a vole meets a mouse. Together, they discover several objects, such as a stamp that inspires them to travel around the world. Accompanied by another mouse, an aviator herself, the two companions set off to explore the globe. Soon, a small flying machine is concocted, despite the uncertainties of the vole’s family, who fear for the fate of the little creature once it leaves the ground… Very quickly, however, the vole manages to fly aboard the aircraft,…

A Falcon 50 business jet carrying Libyan military leaders crashed approximately 30 minutes after take off from Ankara on 23 December. According to Turkish authorities, the aircraft was carrying Muhammed Ali Ahmed Al-Haddad, the Libyan army chief, along with at least four others. The Falcon 50 operated by Harmony Jets Malta departed Ankara at 17:17:24 UTC, climbing to cruising altitude at 32,475 feet at 17:32. Beginning at 17:33:25 the aircraft experienced a brief, but high negative vertical speed, lasting just a few seconds. Based on the granular data we have processed (included for download below), the aircraft began squawking 7700 at…

Gift idea! A book that allows children and their parents to have fun and enjoy building (or assembling) around twenty different aircraft. With Christmas approaching and even afterwards, this is a gift idea that should delight young and old alike! Aerobatic planes, military transport aircraft, seaplanes, bombers… In total, no fewer than twenty aircraft are featured in this fun book, with over 250 stickers of wings, engines, and cockpits to help build modern and/or vintage aircraft. For each of the models featured, children and adults alike will enjoy discovering a complete description (the weapons they can carry, their maximum speed,…

Every December, as huge chunks of the world deck the halls and trim the trees, a special breed of pilot decides that standard flight patterns are beneath (pun intended) them. Because why fly a straight line when you can create Grinch sky art across the winter sky?This holiday season, we’ve spotted not one but two ambitious attempts to paint everyone’s favorite Christmas villain (let’s keep the debate civil in the comments) across the sky. Using Flightradar24’s historical data, we can compare these aerial masterpieces and ask the important question: which Grinch is, uhm, Grinchier? The contenders Flight A took to…

On Saturday, 20 December 2025, the Garmin’s Emergency Autoland was used for the first time in a real world emergency situation. The Emergency Autoland system is designed to take control of an aircraft in the event of pilot incapacitation and safely land at a nearby airfield.That is precisely what happened on Saturday as the pilot of Beech B200 Super King Air N479BR became incapacitated about 20 minutes after departing Aspen for Denver. The operator of the aircraft, Buffalo River Aviation, tells local media that everyone on board is safe, but did not release any information on the condition of the…

Stockholm, Sweden – December 22, 2025 – Flightradar24, the world’s leading flight tracking service, today announced it has entered into an agreement to supply flight data services to Boeing. Under the agreement, Boeing will gain access to Flightradar24’s comprehensive live and historic flight data, based on the latter’s global network of more than 55,000 ADS-B receivers.“We are proud to collaborate with Boeing, one of the world’s most respected aerospace companies,” said Lasse Schmidt Westrén, Vice President of Sales & Business Development at Flightradar24.“This data service is one element of Boeing’s continued innovation and build-out of a robust digital services platform…

With the holiday period being just around the corner, why not write a festive piece to show exactly how much air traffic expands during the days leading up to Christmas? Armed with a rich dataset provided by the digit gurus down in the Flightradar24 data vault, I set out for what I expected to be this year’s easiest assignment—to statistically prove how we’d seen a boost in flights ahead of Christmas last year. Surely this would be a walk in the park? No. As it turns out I was entirely wrong in my assumption.In fact, the month of November last…

When you think planespotting paradise, St Maarten (SXM) immediately comes to mind. Our new 24/7 automated camera puts you as close to the action as you can get without actually standing on the beach. This camera is fully automated, using Flightradar24 ADS-B data to precisely track aircraft with a PTZ camera from CamStreamer hosted by Showme Caribbean Live Cams. Just like our live stream in Las Vegas, live ATC audio is included in the stream. How it works The camera in St Maarten is located just north of the runway on the east side of the airport. Fully automatic aircraft…

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, a pair of incidents involving civilian aircraft and military aircraft without active transponders operating in Curaçao’s airspace sounds a bit too familiar. We discuss the events from the last week and the state of airspace in the southern Caribbean. NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy had choice words for Congress after legislation weakening airspace protections put in place in the wake of January’s crash in Washington DC passed as part of the NDAA. But the Senate has now passed the ROTOR Act, which seeks to further strengthen those protections. We discuss what this might mean for…

Stockholm, Sweden — [18 December 2025] — Flightradar24, the world’s leading flight tracking service, today announced two significant additions to its Board of Directors: SAS CEO Anko van der Werff as Chairman of the Board and Alex Dichter, former leader of McKinsey’s global aviation practice, as Non-Executive Director. Together, these appointments reinforce Flightradar24’s commitment to strategic leadership and continued global growth within the aviation industry.“We’re excited to welcome Anko van der Werff as our new Chairman of the Board and Alex Dichter as Director,” said Fredrik Lindahl, Flightradar24 CEO. “Both Anko and Alex bring extensive experience and clear strategic vision…

Dassault Aviation was a partner in the eighth national edition of DuoDay, held on Thursday, November 20, 2025. The initiative was part of the 29th edition of European Disability Employment Week, which took place from November 17 to 23 (SEEPH). With 33 professional pairs—people with disabilities—the 2025 DuoDay event provided an opportunity to discover many talents and advise them on their career plans. In total: Seven major job categories and their working environments were presented: Production, Purchasing, Human Resources, Quality & Environment, Information Systems, Customer Service, and Design & Testing. Eight of our establishments were involved: Biarritz, Mérignac, and Poitiers…

Antarctica stands as Earth’s most remote and inhospitable continent. Nature clearly tells you not to go. And yet, you feel the call of the wild. But how do you get there? Where do you land? You naturally have questions—let’s dig in. Why fly to Antarctica? The primary driver of Antarctic aviation is scientific research. International agreements, particularly the Antarctic Treaty System signed in 1959, established Antarctica as a continent dedicated to peaceful scientific investigation. National Antarctic programs from countries including the United States, Russia, China, Australia, and numerous European nations operate year-round and seasonal research stations across the continent. The…

OUTSCALE Achieves SOC 2 Type 2 Attestation, Strengthening Transparency and Confidence in Its Security Controls

On November 28th at 06:36 local time, Luxair’s state-of-the-art Embraer E195-E2, registration LX-LEA, took off from Professor Urbano Ernesto Stumpf International Airport in São José dos Campos, bound for Luxembourg, marking a historic milestone for the country’s flag carrier. London Gatwick – September 1968 The beginnings Luxair, originally named Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A., is a European airline based at Luxembourg Findel Airport, with a current fleet of Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 737 MAX 8, Dash 8, and now also Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. The airline is the successor to Luxembourg Airlines Company, which began operations in the 1940s.…

Inspired by American comics from the interwar period, Romain Hugault, together with historian Éloi Rousseau, has produced a work of the highest caliber. United States, early 1930s. Young pilot Lloyd Fairbanks, a brilliant mechanic, flies over the Grand Canyon giving people their first taste of flight at the controls of a dilapidated biplane for a pittance. One day, a certain Lowell Finley arrives in a brand-new Gee-Bee to refuel. He realizes Lloyd’s potential and offers him a job in Los Angeles, working for the aeronautics division of a Californian oil company owned by the wealthy Leixter family. Weeks go by,…

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Ian and Jason return from their respective travels to survey this week’s news. We return to India where IndiGo’s meltdown last week left the government none-too-pleased with the airline. In the US, Peraton gets the nod as the FAA’s prime integrator for ATC modernization. Boeing completes its acquisition of Spirit Aerosystems (with Airbus picking up some pieces too). A quickly fixed typo in a Qantas computer started a chain of events that resulted in a 737 taking off thinking it was much lighter than it actually was. And Air India is on the hook…

When China Eastern Airlines flight MU9191 took off from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on May 28, 2023, it marked more than just another domestic flight to Beijing. The aircraft, a COMAC C919 registered as B-919A, represented the culmination of China’s then 15-year journey to challenge the Airbus-Boeing duopoly. It has been far from a smooth ride. The rise of COMAC The story of the C919 begins in May 2008, when the Chinese government established the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) in Shanghai. Right off the bat, the newly formed aerospace venture had its sights set on developing a domestic…

The second volume of this trilogy dedicated to Marcel Bloch continues the adventures of the aircraft manufacturer from the mid-1930s to the very beginning of World War II. After an initial volume that traced Marcel Bloch’s career in the early 1930s and the creation of a first company bearing his name, author Philippe Ricco focuses on the improvements made to the MB 200 bomber, mentioned in the first volume. He presents the MB 210, then its successor, the MB 211, as well as the three-engine MB 300, the four-engine MB 160, and more. We should also mention the MB 220,…

A historic and unprecedented route, at least for Argentina, began on December 4th, 2025, connecting three different continents. Buenos Aires Ezeiza – November 2017 On December 4th at 02:19 local time, one of China Eastern Airlines Boeing 777-300 aircraft departed Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Auckland, operating scheduled flight MU745. The airline has been offering the Shanghai-Auckland route since December 2014, with the Chinese city being one of its current four destinations performed to/from AKL, including Hangzhou, Sydney, Shanghai, and now Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires is the latest addition, resulting from an agreement with Auckland Airport, which encouraged the re-establishment…

OUTSCALE enhances OUTSCALE Kubernetes as a Service to support and accelerate sovereign AI initiatives

In this new volume of Buck Danny’s “Classic” adventures, Buck Danny and his companions dive into the heart of the Suez Canal crisis, during the most tense hours of the Cold War. April 1955, Indonesia. The Bandung Conference brings together some thirty leaders of non-aligned countries, one of whom stands out by delivering the closing speech: the president of the Revolutionary Command Council of the Republic of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser. July 1956, Egypt. The same Nasser, newly elected president of the Egyptian Republic, decided to nationalize the Suez Canal, which allows ships to pass between the Red Sea and…

Airlink (4Z/LNK) is one of South Africa’s leading airlines, based at Cape Town International Airport and Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport, the country’s main cities, operating a fleet of narrow-body aircraft. SA Airlink The airline was founded in 1992 and began operations in 1995 under the name SA Airlink. That same year, it joined the South African Airways frequent flyer program and aligned its branding with South African Airways, the country’s flag carrier. Its relationship with South African strengthened over the months, merging with South African Airways and South African Express in a strategic alliance, which led to the creation…

India’s largest airline IndiGo (6E-IGO) has cancelled over 900 flights in just four days, causing an uproar among travellers. We break down what has happened, and explain why passengers can expect the turbulence to continue for weeks—if not months. Why are IndiGo cancelling flights? At the heart of IndiGo’s current crisis lies a regulatory change that’s been years in the making. In January 2024, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules to combat pilot fatigue:Weekly rest increased from 36 hours to 48 hoursThe definition of night hours expanded from 0000-0500 to 0000-0600Night…

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Ian is joined by new Flightradar24 crew member Daniel Gustafsson in the Flightradar24 offices in Stockholm, while Jason finishes his journey through Japan’s cat cafes. We walk through the current NOTAMs affecting flights in and around Venezuela, as well as some of the unofficial pronouncements made with regard to Venezuelan airspace. We also discuss new reporting on the rift between the NTSB and India’s AAIB regarding the investigation of AI171. Airbus A320 family aircraft were grounded for a period last week to address a vulnerability in certain elevator aileron computers (ELAC). And a pair…

On December 3rd 2003, a prototype of the Honda HA-420 HondaJet took to the skies for the very first time. Yes, that Honda. The company famous for Civics, lawnmowers, and outboard boat motors also happens to be in the aircraft manufacturing business. Let’s take a closer look at the flying Honda. It all started with a sketch The history of the aptly named HondaJet traces back to 1997. Aeronautical engineer (and later founding president of Honda Aircraft Company) Michimasa Fujino had one of those middle-of-the-night ideas that engineers dream (pun intended) about. Unable to find paper, he grabbed a calendar,…

I’ve got a confession to make. Even though my mom thinks that my computer skills are of almost mythical proportions, the truth is far from it. Not that I am completely illiterate. I can work my way around my laptop, I can even program the MCP onboard a Boeing 737. But ask me to code anything, and I will give you a look of confusion, shame, and perhaps a healthy dose of fear.When I recently joined Flightradar24, a colleague asked me a few days in if I’d had the time to use the Flightradar24 API? “No, I’m not that good…

Airbus A380-800s to the Japanese capital. Etihad Airways has announced the commencement of flights between Abu Dhabi and Tokyo Narita using Airbus A380 aircraft as of June 16th, 2026, replacing the Airbus A350-1000s which currently operate this service. Its Airbus A380s are configured with 2 seats in The Residence®, 9 seats in First, 70 seats in Business, and 405 seats in Economy, for a total of 486 seats. Meanwhile, its A350-1000s have a capacity for 371 passengers. Daily EY 800  Abu Dhabi AUH 21:05 · 11:40+1 NRT Tokyo EY 801  Tokyo NRT 17:20 · 00:40+1 AUH Abu Dhabi   Current schedules…

More than 102 years ago, more precisely on May 23rd, 1923, the Societé anonyme belge d’Exploitation de la Navigation aérienne, known by its acronym Sabena, was founded by the Belgian government. Its first commercial flight took place on June 1st, 1923, connecting Brussels and London via Ostend. The airline later expanded its operations in Europe, reaching France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland before the 1930s. Image: SDASM Archives – Wikimedia Commons The beginnings In addition to the European footprint in its early days, the idea of starting flights to Africa was always on the table, operating within its colonies. By…

Given how speed and efficiency is a crucial component of its DNA, the aviation industry can be surprisingly slow in embracing new concepts and technology. But behind the scenes of air traffic control, a silent revolution is underway. Meet Point Merge, a sophisticated yet simple air traffic management technique that’s quietly transforming how the world’s busiest airports handle their arrival flows. Traffic arriving into Istanbul (IST) using Point Merge sequencing. What is Point Merge? In 2006, bright minds (we assume) at the Eurocontrol Experimental Centre developed Point Merge, a conceptual sequencing technique to simplify and enhance arrival operations. The traditional…

This book recounts the extraordinary life of a pilot and a great figure in the military: Ramon Josa. Spain then France, the sea then the skies! Born on the other side of the Pyrenees, the young Ramon Josa arrived in France at the age of two as a refugee, with the Spanish Civil War raging at full force. The year was 1938, and this stay in France would end up lasting quite a while for the young man, who would soon become a naturalized French citizen. Two decades later, in the mid-1950s, he became a quartermaster mechanic on the aircraft…

On this week’s episode of AvTalk, Ian is joined by aviation journalist Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren to discuss a trio of recently released preliminary accident reports. UPS flight 2976 — MD-11F crash on take off in Louisville Emergency Airworthiness Directive regarding MD-11s Emergency Airworthiness Directive regarding DC-10s United Airlines flight 1093 — impact with object at 36,000 feet airACT 747-400F runway excursion in Hong Kong Plus, Jason reports in from Seoul, South Korea where he’s joined by Seth Miller. They chat about their very different methods of getting from the US to Seoul this week and Seth’s quest to achieve the JetBlue…

Another aviation legend! A look back at the career of a French aviation pioneer who has been somewhat forgotten by history… Alongside names such as Blériot, Lindbergh, Earhart, Saint-Exupéry, and many others, some names in aviation are less well known, a century after the first records and other crossings (New York–Paris for Lindbergh in 1927, for example) that marked the epic history of aeronautics. This is somewhat the case with Joseph Le Brix, famous in his day but whose memory has gradually faded from the collective consciousness over the years. Justice is partially done with this book, which recounts the…

In late September, Lufthansa unveiled a special 100th anniversary livery on one of its new 787s. The livery features a deep blue background with a white crane across the fuselage that blends into the wings. On the left side of the fuselage is painted a large “100,” and on the right side, “1926-2026,” to mark the airline’s centenary. This week, the airline announced that it would feature this special livery on not one, but six aircraft. In addition to the already painted Boeing 787-9, Lufthansa will also paint an Airbus A320neo, A350-900, A350-1000, A380, and Boeing 747-8I. Tracking Lufthansa’s special 100th…

Founded in 2022, Utrecht based Rotate describes itself as “the go-to team in the air-cargo industry”. Rotate helps their clients make sense of the fast-moving world of air cargo, capturing the status and cargo metrics of more than 500,000 flights a week. Their client portfolio spans everything from airlines in need of quality benchmark data for competitive analysis, to freight forwarders who arrange transportation of cargo. A key ingredient that underpins this work is real-time flight-tracking and aircraft activity data from Flightradar24. “We chose to work with Flightradar24 for two main reasons. For starters, they offer the biggest data set…

A New Era of Sovereign AI: Dassault Systèmes and Mistral AI Deepen Their Partnership

French Polynesia, officially known in French as Polynésie Française or Porinetia Farani in Reo Tahiti (Tahitian), is located in Oceania. The archipelago is made up of 118 islands and atolls, many of them having air connectivity within the French overseas collectivity. Faa’a International Airport (PPT/NTAA) is the main airport in French Polynesia, situated in Papeete, the territorial capital. The runway, with heads 04/22, is 3,420 meters long, about 11,420 feet, and receives wide-body aircraft from foreign airlines such as Air New Zealand, Hawaiian, and United, as well as French and French Polynesian airlines including Air France, French Bee, and Air…

(Meudon – Saint Cloud, 25/11/2025) – Dassault Aviation and Thales, through cortAIx, its artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator, have entered into a strategic partnership for the development of controlled and supervised AI for defence aeronautics. This partnership was signed on 18 November by Eric Trappier, Chairman & CEO of Dassault Aviation, and Patrice Caine, Chairman & CEO of Thales. The announcement was made on Tuesday 25 November at the Grand Palais in Paris, during the International Adopt AI Summit organised under the patronage of the French President. Dassault Aviation, an architect of collaborative air combat systems, and cortAIx, Thales’ trusted AI…

SmartLynx Airlines (6Y-ART), has announced it will halt all commercial operations as of November 24, 2025. The announcement follows a review of the company’s financial outlook and its ability to sustain long-term activity. The carrier described the choice as a “difficult but necessary step after exploring potential paths forward”.The news comes roughly a month after the airline changed ownership. Senior management, supported by an investment fund based in the Netherlands, had recently taken control of the Latvian business from its previous corporate parent. Despite that transition, the company entered a legal protection process in late October, signaling increasing financial pressure.…

A direct sequel to “Dark Star,” volume 17 of “Team Rafale” pits Tom Nolane and the French forces against a mysterious terrorist group. In the previous installment, Tom Nolane and his companions Tank and Dozer, stationed aboard the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, were tasked with finding a top-secret American reconnaissance aircraft that had disappeared in the waters of Bengal before another aircraft carrier became involved in the plot. In “Anarchy,” which follows on directly from the previous installment, Tom Nolane, recently rescued from the water by the crew of the “Charles de Gaulle,” alerts his superiors to the threat…

On Friday, 21 November 2025, the US FAA issued a security NOTAM cautioning civil aircraft operators about potential dangers in Venezuelan airspace. The FAA says the NOTAM is the result of increased GNSS interference in Venezuelan airspace and military drills beginning in September. US operators must now provide 72 hours prior notice to the FAA before flying through Venezuela. As part of an order issued in 2019, US airlines are already prohibited from flying to/from Venezuela. Flightradar24 GPS jamming map The new security NOTAM What is Venezuelan airspace? The FAA NOTAM covers the MAIQUETIA (SVZM) flight information region. Flight information…

On this episode of AvTalk, the Dubai Airshow wraps up with a long list of major orders and other announcements. The FAA cancels its cancellation order and air traffic in the US returns to pre-government shutdown levels. Plus, anti-GPS jamming technology is coming from Fokker Services in early 2026. We’re also joined by The Up Front editor-in-chief and Airbus A340-600 aficionado/historian John Walton for an in depth discussion on the development and staying power of Airbus’ longest airplane. AvTalk listeners have exclusive access to a special 24% off subscription rate to The Up Front. Helpful links for this week’s show…

Dubaï, UAE, 20 November 2025 – Dassault Aviation is expanding its network of strategic technology partners through a new collaboration with the Technology Innovation Institute and ASPIRE, subsidiaries of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). At Dubaï Airshow 2025, Dassault Aviation, together with TII, and ASPIRE signed a Strategic Cooperation Agreement to drive innovation in next-generation aeronautical products and solutions. This collaboration will focus on developing high-value technologies that advance the future of aerospace and defense. Key areas of innovation include stealth materials, autonomous sub-systems and AI-based functions for aircraft, radio frequency (RF)  measurement systems, communication and secure systems to…

Caidya Reimagines Next Generation Clinical Trial Innovation and Study Delivery with Medidata AI-Powered Experiences

The 20th edition of the Student Aerospace Challenge is officially open. The Challenge was created in 2006 on the initiative of the European Astronaut Club (Astronaute Club Européen, ACE). Its current industrial and institutional partners are: ArianeGroup, Dassault Aviation, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Air and Space Museum. It is open to all students from European countries that are members of the ESA and offers the opportunity to participate in the launch of a manned suborbital vehicle, propelling itself to an altitude of 100 km. The competition allows participants to study and explore different aspects of suborbital or…

Pilot, author, and screenwriter Frédéric Zumbiehl has been working for several years on the comic books “Team Rafale,” “Les Aventures de Buck Danny,” and “Les Chevaliers du ciel Tanguy et Laverdure.” He agreed to answer our questions. Hello Frédéric, after a career as a fighter pilot, what inspired you to become an author and comic book writer specializing in aviation? I’ve always loved reading! So the desire to write came naturally to me. I started by writing my first thriller about climate weapons and psychic powers, “Titan.” Then, by chance, I met the boss of Altipresse, Richard Delahaye, who commissioned…

The Hong Kong Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA) has released its preliminary report on the airACT 747 freighter that veered off the runway on 20 October, striking a security vehicle and pushing it into the sea, killing both occupants. The 747 also went through the airport perimeter fence into the sea. The aircraft’s crew of four were able to safely evacuate, while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. As with all preliminary accident investigation reports, the AAIB only provides factual information. The final report, usually available approximately 12 months after an accident, will detail what investigators believe to be the probable…

National Cancer Institute Broadens Partnership with Medidata to Bring Unmatched Continuity of Medical and Clinical Data for Lead Protocol Organizations

Rafale International takes part in the EDEX 2025 (Egypt Defense Expo 2025) exhibition, from December 1 to 4, 2025, at the Egypt International Exhibition Center in New Cairo, Egypt. RAFALE INTERNATIONAL BOOTH 2 models (scale 1/5) : Rafale C, Rafale B 1 models (scale 1/10) : Falcon 2000MRA