A-10 Warthogs Are Doing Bizarrely Long Strafing Runs In Iraq
During Operation Epic Fury, U.S. Air Force A-10 Warthogs have been captured on video executing unusually long strafing runs in Iraq, with bursts lasting six to nine seconds—far beyond the typical two‑to‑three‑second bursts. Veteran pilots confirm these extended firings are not part of standard training and likely address dispersed militia targets or serve as a psychological deterrent. The footage coincides with a surge of A‑10 deployments to the region, even as the service plans to retire the aircraft by decade’s end. The anomaly highlights the platform’s continued tactical relevance despite its slated phase‑out.
Vietnam Airlines Announces Summer Schedule for London Flights
Vietnam Airlines unveiled its summer timetable, adding three weekly non‑stop flights from London Heathrow to Hanoi and two weekly non‑stop services to Ho Chi Minh City. All routes will be operated by Boeing 787‑9 Dreamliners departing from Terminal 4. The schedule provides the...
Merlin Labs Sees Incremental Path to Pilot-Free Passenger Flights
Merlin Labs, fresh from a SPAC merger that raised over $200 million, is adapting its defense‑grade Merlin Pilot AI flight control system for civil aviation. The company is testing the system on a Cessna Grand Caravan 208B and aims first at...
Cathay Pacific Restarts Seattle Service
Cathay Pacific announced it will restart nonstop service between Hong Kong and Seattle on March 30, 2026, after suspending the route during the pandemic. The airline will operate five weekly flights using Airbus A350 aircraft, offering business‑class reverse‑herringbone seats, premium‑economy, and free Wi‑Fi. The...
ESA Seeks Commercial Provider to Transport Payload to the Moon
The European Space Agency (ESA) has issued a call for a commercial provider to deliver its follow‑on NILS2 instrument to the Moon, building on the original NILS payload that gathered 346 minutes of data aboard China’s Chang’e 6 lander. NILS2 is...
Press Release: Tigerair Taiwan Taps Bluebox Wireless IFE for A320 Fleet
Tigerair Taiwan has partnered with Bluebox Aviation Systems to equip its 17 Airbus A320 fleet with a wireless inflight entertainment (IFE) solution. The Bluebox Wow portable system will deliver the Blueview digital platform directly to passengers’ personal devices, offering a...
Details of the NASA Moonbase Plans Include a Fifteen Ton Lunar Rover
NASA’s revised lunar architecture repurposes elements of the cancelled Lunar Gateway for the early phases of a permanent moonbase. The agency plans to launch two crewed lunar missions each year, supported by a 15‑ton rover being co‑developed with Japan that...
Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau Retires (To Take French Classes?)
Air Canada announced that CEO Michael Rousseau will retire by the end of the third quarter of 2026, concluding a twenty‑year tenure that saw the carrier navigate the 2007‑2008 financial crisis, the COVID‑19 pandemic, and the Aeroplan acquisition. The board...
Musk: “AI in Space Will Be Cheaper Than on Earth”… Umm…
Elon Musk recently suggested that running AI inference in orbit could eventually be cheaper than on Earth, proposing a 1‑gigawatt solar‑powered data center launched by Starship and built around a new semiconductor architecture. The claim hinges on the idea that...
Boeing 777-9: Phase 4A Makes 2027 Look Real
Boeing’s 777‑9 program, delayed six years and burdened with roughly $15 billion in charges, finally cleared a critical Phase 4A milestone on March 17, making a 2027 entry into service appear realistic. More than two dozen unfinished airframes sit at Paine Field, underscoring...
Spirit’s December and January Show Improvement, Future Schedules Slashed
Spirit Airlines released its December and January operating reports, showing a modest operating‑margin improvement over the bleak November figures but a decline again in January. Unit revenue rose to 11.1 cents per passenger in December before slipping to 10.2 cents in January,...
B-52 Vs F-14: BUFF Pilot Recalls an Unusual Bomber V Fighter Dogfight
Former B‑52 pilot Jay Lacklen recounts Cold‑War intercept drills where Navy Grumman F‑14 Tomcats routinely out‑maneuvered his massive bomber. While older USAF interceptors such as the F‑102 and F‑106 could be shaken off with steep decelerating turns, the Tomcat’s forward‑swept...
Chinese Airlines to Add 2,900 Flights to Europe as Russia Access Pays off...China’s Net Overseas Assets Rise 28%...China’s Top-Tier Cities...
Chinese airlines will add nearly 2,900 China‑Europe flights this summer, exploiting unrestricted Russian airspace to offer faster, cheaper services. China’s net overseas assets rose 28% to $4.07 trillion, supported by a $735 billion current‑account surplus that fuels outbound investment. In top‑tier cities,...
Boeing’s Starliner History Shows Safety, Quality Concerns Exist Systemically Across the Company
NASA’s February 19 investigative report blames both Boeing and NASA for the 2024 Starliner failure that left its crew stranded on the International Space Station for nine months before a SpaceX capsule returned them. The 311‑page document details software glitches,...
Sophisticated Mystery Drones Disrupt Operations at U.S. Air Force Base in Louisiana
Earlier this month, sophisticated drone swarms of 12‑15 units each loitered over Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana for about four hours daily. The intrusion forced the Global Strike Command headquarters to suspend B‑52 bomber launches for Operation Epic Fury...
Rethinking That Space Message
Keith Cowing warns that public awareness of Artemis II remains surprisingly low, despite the mission’s historic importance. He urges NASA to step out of its insular “space bubble” and communicate directly with everyday audiences. The post highlights Jared Isaacman’s claim that...
Frontier Airlines Makes Emergency Landing at Atlanta Hartsfield After Pilots Repot Possible ‘Hijacking Incident’
Frontier Airlines flight F9‑2539 from Columbus made an emergency landing at Atlanta Hartsfield after pilots issued a Level 4 alert, indicating a possible cockpit breach. A passenger in seat 3A claimed to have a bomb and threatened the passenger beside him,...
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Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Mar 29 ’26 Business Report]
The Defense & Aerospace Report podcast highlighted a fifth consecutive down week on Wall Street as the US‑Israel war on Iran escalates, driving energy prices and inflation higher. Iran’s strike reportedly destroyed a $500 million U.S. Air Force E‑3 AWACS aircraft...
Why Vertical Aerospace (EVTL) Is Expanding Its Valo Supplier Network Ahead of Certification
Vertical Aerospace announced on March 27 that Italy‑based Isoclima S.p.A. will become a strategic supplier for the transparency suite on its Valo eVTOL, providing canopies and glazing systems. The partnership is designed to support the aircraft through certification, production ramp‑up,...
Yikes: Delta Regional Jet Was Landing At LaGuardia — The Wrong Controller Asks, “Where Are You?”
On March 15, Delta Connection flight 5752, operated by Republic Airways, mistakenly tuned to JFK Tower’s 119.1 MHz instead of LaGuardia Tower’s 118.7 MHz while on final approach to LaGuardia. The crew received a landing clearance from JFK before realizing the error,...
Starlink Is Taking Revenues Telcos Couldn’t Capture
Starlink has surpassed 10 million active subscribers, adding roughly 19,600 new customers each day since reaching the 9 million mark. The service is rapidly expanding beyond its traditional niche of rural, aviation, and maritime broadband. By contrast, traditional telcos face prohibitive costs—$3,000...
Merlin From HMS St Albans Opens Fire at Night in Drills
A Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 helicopter from 814 Naval Air Squadron performed night‑time gunnery drills using its M3M heavy machine gun while operating from HMS St Albans. The exercise demonstrated live‑fire capability under low‑light conditions, highlighting the coordination required between aircrew and...
A-10 Pilot Tells Why Flying the Hog without Earplugs Is Like Attending the Biggest Heavy Metal Concert in the World
U.S. Air Force A‑10 pilots rely on the Attenuating Custom Communication Earpiece System (ACCES) to block cockpit noise that can exceed 125 decibels. Pilot Lynn Taylor recounted a rare lapse when he flew without the custom‑molded earplugs, describing the experience...
Etihad Operates 66 Flights Ex-Abu Dhabi On Sunday, March 29, 2026
Etihad Airways resumed commercial flights three weeks after suspending operations when the Iran‑UAE conflict began on Feb. 28, and on March 29 it operated 67 passenger flights from its Abu Dhabi hub. The airline’s daily schedule now sits at roughly...
Alaska Buying JetBlue? Not So Fast
Alaska Air is eyeing JetBlue as a potential acquisition, attracted by the combined route map and East Coast foothold. The deal would give Alaska access to Boston, JFK slots, the Mint premium brand, and a fleet of A321LRs suited for...
US 'Only Certain Of Having Destroyed A Third' Of Iran's Missiles
U.S. intelligence confirms it has definitively destroyed roughly one‑third of Iran's missile inventory, far short of President Trump’s claim that 99 percent are eliminated. A second third remains uncertain, while the remaining missiles appear largely intact, preserving Tehran’s retaliatory capacity....
Air Algérie “Inherits” 10 Boeing MAX 8s From Previous GOL Order
Air Algérie will receive ten Boeing MAX 8 jets, with five arriving in July 2024 and the remaining five in 2027, taking over slots originally allocated to Brazil's GOL. The deliveries bring the carrier’s fleet renewal program to 42 new...
The Allegiant Airports Conference and Leocha's Travelers United
At the Allegiant Airports Conference, the keynote speaker warned that the U.S. aviation system is stuck in an over‑capacity mindset, relying on 350 commercial airports and subsidies like EAS and SCASD despite a mature market. He argued that the real...
What Do Aircraft Maintenance Shortages Mean for Investors
North America faces a shortfall of roughly 17,000 aircraft maintenance technicians in 2026, widening the gap between a growing fleet and available labor. The deficit is inflating wages, pushing labor to nearly a third of total MRO costs and extending...
Fake Airline ‘Help’ Accounts Surge on X as Middle East Disruption Fuels New Wave of Scams
Travelers across the UK and Europe are seeing a sharp rise in fake airline customer‑service accounts on X as the Middle East conflict forces widespread flight cancellations and delays. Fraudsters impersonate carriers such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways, replying...
Bristol Airport Sets Out Long-Term Expansion Plans to Boost Capacity and Unlock Long-Haul Growth
British regional hub Bristol Airport unveiled a long‑term masterplan targeting a rise to about 15 million passengers per year by the late 2030s. The plan includes extending the runway to accommodate larger aircraft, enabling the first long‑haul services to North America,...
Middle East Airspace Closures Trigger Sharp Drop in Flights
Widespread airspace closures across the Middle East have slashed flight activity by 59% since February 28, 2026, according to IBA analysis. Emirates trimmed its schedule by 53% and Qatar Airways nearly halted operations, parking roughly 43% of its fleet. Rising...
ESA Member States Call for Cancellation of Earth Return Orbiter
European Space Agency member states have voted to cancel the Earth Return Orbiter, a €491 million ($535 million) contract awarded to Airbus Defence and Space for NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission. The cancellation follows a US Senate decision in January 2026 to...
ICAO’s Bans Recharging Power Banks Inflight & Limits Them Two Per Passenger
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) updated Doc 9284 to ban in‑flight recharging of power banks and cap each passenger at two devices. The amendment, endorsed by the ICAO Council’s 36 states, takes effect on 27 March 2026 and applies to all 193...
Iranian Attack on Prince Sultan Air Base Reportedly Struck U.S. KC-135s – Reports
Satellite imagery on March 27 confirmed a heat signature and visible damage on the apron of Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base, where U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft are stationed. The Wall Street Journal reported that an Iranian missile, supported by...
Volaris–Viva: Building Mexico’s “Super?ULCC”
On March 25, 2026 Volaris approved a merger with Viva Aerobus, creating a combined entity that will control roughly 71% of Mexico's domestic low‑cost market. The deal is financed by a $248.3 million capital increase that will dilute existing shareholders by...
CNES Publishes Call for Drone Swarm to Monitor Launch Operations
CNES has launched a call for proposals to create an autonomous drone swarm that will monitor perimeter security and support launch‑operation activities at the Guiana Space Centre. The initiative is funded under the Flexible, Digital and Sustainable (FDS) programme, a...
Protecting Aircraft and Ground Assets at High-Traffic UK Airports
UK airports are increasingly adopting smart security technologies to protect aircraft, workers, passengers, and cargo amid rising traffic volumes. Biometric ID cards, mobile access apps, and connected cameras enable real‑time credential updates and granular tracking of staff across airside and...
With ITA Airways Profit Alitalia’s Ghost Is Put to Rest
ITA Airways announced its first net profit for 2025, posting €209 million (≈$230 million) after a €436 million swing from the prior year. The carrier achieved the result while operating 11% fewer flights and carrying 8% fewer passengers, lifting its load factor to...
Press Release: AIX on What’s Redefining Cabin Innovation Across APAC
Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) released a new APAC cabin‑innovation report, outlining five trends reshaping aircraft interiors across the region. Ultra‑long‑haul routes are prompting sleep‑focused seats and wellbeing amenities. Passengers now demand seamless, high‑speed connectivity and personalized digital services. APAC carriers...
UK Reliant on US, Japan for Key Defence Materials
UK defence minister Luke Pollard confirmed the nation largely sources advanced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) from the United States and Japan. CMCs, critical for high‑temperature propulsion and aerospace platforms, remain scarce domestically as the UK’s own production capability matures. The...
China Deploys Fighter Drones Near Taiwan Strait
China has positioned roughly 200 aging J‑6 fighter jets, retrofitted as strike drones, at six airbases in Fujian and Guangdong, directly overlooking the Taiwan Strait. Satellite imagery confirmed the deployments, which Reuters and the Mitchell Institute reported. The unmanned aircraft...
F-104 Pilot Recalls when He Nearly Intercepted a CIA U-2 and Caused the Replacement of ANG Starfighters with F-102 Delta...
The F‑104 Starfighter, once a record‑breaking supersonic fighter, was used by the Air National Guard as a short‑term interceptor in the early 1960s. In 1963, a South Carolina ANG pilot, Maj Gen Stan Hood, was scrambled to intercept an unidentified high‑altitude aircraft...
Video of US Navy Super Hornet Close Call with Iranian MANPADS
A video released on March 26 shows a U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet narrowly avoiding a missile launch, likely an Iranian MANPADS, during a strafing run near Chabahar Port in Operation Epic Fury. The missile detonated behind the aircraft, but the pilot...
Bjorn’s Corner: Blended Wing Body Airliners. Part 3.
The discussion centers on blended wing body (BWB) airliners and their aerodynamic challenges compared with conventional tube‑and‑wing (TWB) Part 25 aircraft. Commenters note that BWB designs generate a nose‑down force that must be countered by a horizontal tailplane on a long...
NASA How-To Guide For Artemis Interviews
NASA’s Public Affairs Office released a how‑to guide for media interviewing the Artemis II crew, outlining vetted questions, a dedicated interview‑request portal, and a ban on political topics. The document standardizes the interview process to ensure consistent, technically accurate messaging as...
Javelin Production Ramp Drives Supply Chain Expansion
Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are accelerating Javelin missile production by expanding a network of nearly 100 part‑level suppliers and 25 major subcontractors. Over the past year each supplier invested eight to ten months in new tooling, test equipment and additional...
When Staff Feel Like Top-Tier Flyers
Airlines and airports have invested trillions in technology, yet passenger frustration persists, highlighting a gap in the human service element. The article argues that optimizing staff experience is the missing ingredient that can transform travel, citing Heathrow’s staff app as...
American Airlines Is Serving $1 Shelf-Stable Pasta In First Class — While Selling A Premium Comeback
American Airlines is serving a $1 shelf‑stable three‑cheese pasta on its Salt Lake City‑Philadelphia First‑Class route, a meal that must be pre‑loaded due to the airline’s lack of local catering contracts. The pasta, originally priced at 99 rupees (about US$1.05), is...
Dutch F-35s Deploy to US for High-Tempo Combat Training
Dutch F‑35A fighters have deployed to Hill Air Force Base in Utah for the largest‑ever Dutch training detachment, participating in Exercise Lightning Forge with the U.S. 388th Fighter Wing. Over March, the squadron flew two daily sortie waves, using live...