Press Release: Arajet Expands Fleet with 14th Boeing 737 MAX
Dominican carrier Arajet received its 14th Boeing 737 MAX 8, christened “Salto de Jimenoa,” continuing a rapid fleet expansion. Each aircraft is named after a protected natural site to promote the Dominican Republic’s biodiversity and sustainable tourism. CEO Víctor Pacheco Méndez said the addition strengthens inter‑American connectivity and supports economic development. The airline’s young, fuel‑efficient fleet reduces emissions and operating costs, reinforcing its competitive edge in the Caribbean market.
Typhoon Spotted Loaded With Rocket Pods for the First Time
An RAF Eurofighter Typhoon was photographed at BAE Systems Warton carrying two seven‑round LAU‑131 rocket pods, marking the first visual confirmation of the aircraft equipped with APKWS‑II guided rockets. The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II, originally a laser‑guided upgrade...
ESA Has Lost Contact With One of Its PROBA-3 Spacecraft
The European Space Agency announced on 6 March that it has lost contact with the Coronagraph spacecraft of its PROBA‑3 formation‑flying mission. An anomaly on 14‑15 February caused a loss of attitude, forcing the satellite into survival mode as its solar arrays...
Bjorn’s Corner: Faster Aircraft Development. Part 30. Wrap-Up.
The discussion highlights that successful aircraft manufacturers typically begin with modest, proven platforms before expanding into larger families. Rising crew‑costs, amplified by a global pilot shortage, erode the economics of hybrid regional jets that carry few passengers. Without an established...
American Airlines’ ‘Premium Push’ Now Sees It Serving Boxed Wine On Flights From Its Biggest International Premium Destination
American Airlines’ high‑profile premium push has hit a snag as boxed wine appears in Flagship Business Class on flights to and from London Heathrow, its biggest international premium market. The change follows a week‑long catering meltdown that forced the airline...
The Boeing Company (BA): Our Calculation of Intrinsic Value
Each week we run a DCF model on Boeing, arriving at an intrinsic share price of roughly $85, far below the current market level near $230. The analysis uses a 10% discount rate, 2.5% terminal growth, and forecasts free cash...
ENPULSION Secures €22.5 Million to Expand US Market Presence
ENPULSION, an Austrian electric propulsion specialist, raised €22.5 million in growth funding led by Nordwind Growth to accelerate its US market expansion. The capital will fund scaling of production capacity and a strategic shift toward integrated, turnkey mobility solutions for satellite...
American Airlines Set to Return to Venezuela With Miami Flights
American Airlines received DOT approval to restart flights from Miami to Caracas and Maracaibo, using its regional subsidiary Envoy Air under the American Eagle brand. The decision follows the rescission of a 2019 ban that halted U.S. carrier service to...
Royal Navy Seeks Rapid Counter-Drone Capability for Ships
The Royal Navy has launched Project TALON, a pre‑procurement effort to acquire a rapid, ship‑installable counter‑drone system. The Ministry of Defence seeks mature kinetic and non‑kinetic solutions that can detect, track and defeat NATO Class 2 UAVs with minimal integration, targeting...
JetBlue Expands to Its 11th Destination in Florida With Flights to Destin-Fort Walton Beach Today
JetBlue launched nonstop service to Destin‑Fort Walton Beach Airport (VPS) on March 5, offering five weekly seasonal flights from both New York JFK and Boston Logan. The route marks the carrier’s 11th Florida destination and adds to more than 30...
Aerospace Reinsurance Renewals More Benign than Expected Despite Claims Pressure: WTW
Willis Towers Watson (WTW) reports that aerospace reinsurance renewals for 2026 were more benign than market expectations despite a heavy claims year in 2025. While primary treaty‑layer pricing shows signs of upward pressure, overall capacity remains ample, limiting steep premium...
Podcast: Iris² and the European Space Programme
Dominic Hayes, spectrum manager for the European Commission, discussed the Iris² satellite programme on a PolicyTracker podcast, highlighting its role within the broader European Space Programme. Iris² aims to provide a European‑controlled direct‑to‑device (D2D) communications network, offering an alternative to...
B-58 Navigator Recalls Dropping Mark-53 Nuclear Bomb (without Plutonium Pit) While Flying at 500 Feet and at 628 Knots, Dinner...
Colonel Richard “Butch” Sheffield recounts his B‑58 Hustler service, highlighting ultra‑low‑level, supersonic training at 500 feet and 628 knots and a secret reconnaissance role kept from adversaries. He describes the Dual Exhaust program where his crew dropped a Mark‑53 nuclear bomb without...
Sovereignty for Sale
Elon Musk’s decision to block Russia from using Starlink satellites has hampered Russian drone and artillery operations, highlighting the strategic power of private space assets. After initially supplying Ukraine with terminals, Musk later restricted their use against Russian territory following...
The State of Alternative Propulsion Aircraft? Part 6.
The article reviews the limitations of series‑hybrid aircraft, highlighting the significant energy losses when a turbogenerator feeds an electric motor through multiple conversion stages. These inefficiencies make series hybrids uneconomical compared to conventional models like the Cessna Caravan or Saab 340....
Of Microchips and Mud: Repelling Drones in the Donbas
Ukrainian forces on the Donbas front line are confronting a relentless wave of Russian attack drones that patrol the open terrain. Soldiers rely on handheld drone detectors and small‑arms fire to knock out the buzzing threats, while command posts fuse...
Bomb Threat on Newark Flight Triggers Temporary Ground Stop at New York LaGuardia Airport
The FAA temporarily halted all arriving flights at New York LaGuardia Airport after a bomb threat was reported on Scandinavian Airlines flight SK 907, which had just landed at Newark Liberty International Airport. Authorities quickly determined the threat was unfounded, allowing...
UK Airport Hopes Hydrogen-Powered Ground Equipment Will Cut Emissions
Exeter Airport in the UK is conducting a second two‑week winter trial of hydrogen‑powered ground support equipment, focusing on a dual‑fuel (hydrogen/diesel) ground power unit operating in cold, inclement weather. The trial follows an April test that deployed a hydrogen...
WestJet’s First 737 MAX 10 Takes Flight
WestJet’s first 737 MAX 10, registration C‑FMWY, completed its maiden flight on March 2, marking the launch operator role for the new variant. The Canadian carrier now holds 96 firm MAX 10 orders with options for 25, after expanding its fleet with a 60‑aircraft...
The Royal Air Force Would Have Been Better With MiG-21s
The article examines a hypothetical swap of the RAF’s English Electric Lightning with the Soviet MiG‑21, focusing on late‑1950s to mid‑1960s interceptor variants. It compares climb performance, speed, simplicity, and weapons load, arguing that the MiG‑21’s rapid climb and lower...
Aviation Traffic Paralyzed by Iran Conflict
The Iran‑Israel conflict has effectively shut down the airspace over the Persian Gulf, halting normal operations for the Gulf’s three largest carriers—Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad. Only a minimal trickle of repatriation flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha is...
Press Release: Gilat Secures Multi-Million Dollar IFC Hardware Order
Gilat Satellite Networks announced a multi‑million‑dollar order from a leading in‑flight connectivity integrator for its AeroStream Ka‑band wideband amplifiers. The hardware, including 60 W Ka‑band block upconverters, will be delivered over the next 24 months to equip commercial aircraft. Gilat notes...
ESA to Open Call for European-Led Space Station Studies
The European Space Agency (ESA) has issued a call for tenders to conduct two Pre‑Phase A studies assessing the feasibility of a European‑led, modular space station in low‑Earth orbit. The studies will examine architecture, utilization, and technology needs, and will explore...
Aviation Week on the Value Airline Sector in 2030
Aviation Week’s Daily Memo projects a stark transformation for U.S. ultra‑low‑cost carriers (ULCCs) by 2030. Rising labor, airport and supply‑chain costs are eroding the traditional seat‑cost advantage, prompting all value airlines to add premium products and seek new revenue streams....
American Airlines Blasts United for Flooding Chicago O’Hare to Block Gates — The Employee Memo Isn’t Signed by CEO Robert...
American Airlines issued an internal memo, signed by its COO and chief commercial officer, accusing United Airlines of flooding Chicago O’Hare with flights to manipulate gate allocations under a unique lease provision. The memo’s omission of CEO Robert Isom raises...
Breaking: Israeli F-35I Shoots Down Iranian Yak-130 Over Iran
On March 4, 2026, the Israeli Air Force confirmed that an F‑35I Adir shot down an Iranian Yak‑130 over Tehran, marking the first time an F‑35 has downed a manned fighter. The Yak‑130 was reportedly on a counter‑drone mission, equipped...
Singapore Airlines Newark–Singapore Flight Clips a Spirit Jet at the Gate — One of the World’s Longest Routes Sits for...
Singapore Airlines Flight 21, a 19‑hour‑10‑minute non‑stop Newark‑Singapore service, clipped the tail of a Spirit Airlines aircraft while departing the gate. The low‑speed contact prompted a six‑and‑a‑half‑hour delay while the A350‑900 underwent mandatory structural checks. FAA officials classified the event as...
And Now We Have “NASA Force”
NASA announced the launch of “NASA Force,” a two‑year term recruitment program in partnership with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The initiative will bring top aerospace, software, and systems engineers into the civil service workforce to restore core competencies...
Why FlightPath3D Stays Ahead of Geopolitics for Aviation Map Clients
FlightPath3D, a leading 3‑D moving‑map supplier for more than 90 airlines, has built a rapid‑response system to update geopolitical changes on inflight displays. The firm monitors global disputes, executive orders and naming mandates, rolling out map revisions—such as the Taiwan...
Navantia UK to Hire 35 Apprentices in Scotland
Navantia UK announced it will recruit 35 apprentices for its Scottish yards in Methil and Arnish, covering Level 2 and Level 3 programmes in electrical engineering, fabrication, welding and CAD design. The hiring supports the company's broader pledge to train 500 apprentices...
Infinite Orbits Goes on Spending Spree After Securing €40 Million
Infinite Orbits announced back‑to‑back acquisitions of LMO’s Luxembourg operations and UK‑based Lúnasa Space within a week, leveraging the €40 million financing it raised in November 2025. The deals add advanced space‑situational‑awareness software and autonomous rendezvous capabilities to its Endurance and Orbit...
American Airlines Is Handing Out Bonus Loyalty Points Through April 30 — 500 Per Segment Up to 5,000 Toward Status
American Airlines’ AAdvantage program is offering a limited‑time promotion that awards 500 bonus Loyalty Points per flown segment, up to a maximum of 5,000 points, for travel booked and completed by April 30. The bonus excludes basic‑economy fares, applies only to...
European Cargo to Establish Cargo Base at Teesside Airport
European Cargo will open a new operational base at Teesside International Airport, launching five weekly Airbus A340‑600 freighter services to a major Chinese hub later this month. The route will move up to 375 tonnes of freight each week, providing...
UK–Middle East Flights Face Widespread Disruption as Regional Airspace Closures Continue
Cirium’s latest data shows extensive disruption to UK‑Middle East flights as regional airspace closures persist. On 2 March, 74 UK departures to the Middle East were scheduled, but cancellation rates vary dramatically, with the United Arab Emirates, Israel and Bahrain seeing...
Crossroads, Interrupted
A sudden conflict with Iran has forced the closure of Persian Gulf air traffic, curtailing more than 90% of flights for Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad. The three Gulf carriers—often called the ME3—operate the world’s busiest transit hub, moving 182 million...
Three USAF F-15E Strike Eagles Shot Down By Friendly Fire (Updated)
Three U.S. Air Force F‑15E Strike Eagles were lost over Kuwait in an apparent friendly‑fire incident during Operation Epic Fury. All six crew members ejected safely and were rescued. CENTCOM confirmed the jets were shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,...
Lufthansa Unveils Airbus A380 in Striking 100th Anniversary Livery
Lufthansa has added an Airbus A380 to its centennial fleet, unveiling a bold blue livery featuring a 47‑meter crane motif and the dates 1926 | 2026. The aircraft was repainted over 34 days by 35 specialists at Shannon Airport, covering more than...
MaiaSpace Pushes Inaugural Launch of Maia Rocket to 2027
MaiaSpace, an ArianeGroup subsidiary, announced that the inaugural flight of its two‑stage Maia rocket is now slated for 2027, pushing back the original late‑2026 target. The partially reusable vehicle can lift up to 1,500 kg to low‑Earth orbit in an expendable...
Satellite Networks Minimise Data ‘Freshness’ Delay in Age of Entanglement
Researchers introduced the Age of Entanglement (AoE) metric to quantify the freshness of bipartite entanglement in satellite‑assisted quantum repeater chains. They modeled intermittent satellite‑ground links as a two‑state Markov chain and cast AoE minimisation as an infinite‑horizon Markov decision process,...
The Man Who Bought All the Spare B-2 Windshields and Used Them in His Daughter’s Tree House. USAF Had to...
The U.S. Air Force discovered that its only spare B‑2 Spirit stealth bomber windshields had been sold as surplus to a private individual. After a goose strike caused a hairline crack, the squadron had to locate the owner and buy...
Air Astana Grows A321LR Fleet Thanks to New Airbus Order
Air Astana has secured an incremental order for 25 Airbus A320neo family aircraft plus 25 purchase rights, with most units expected to be A321LRs. The order, approved by shareholders in February, adds to a current fleet of 59 A320 family...
Airbus: Repeatedly Missing the Mark on Delivery Guidance
Airbus has failed to meet its commercial aircraft delivery guidance for three consecutive years, with shortfalls driven by engine shortages, buyer‑furnished equipment delays, and quality‑control problems. The company repeatedly revised its outlooks as supply‑chain bottlenecks persisted, undermining the reliability of...
Open Forum, Week of March 2
Airlines across the Middle East and India have plunged into the worst travel chaos since the COVID‑19 pandemic, with more than 7,000 flights cancelled over a three‑day span. Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways alone scrapped hundreds of services, while Air...
American F-15 Jet Comes Down over Kuwait
Reports from regional media claim a United States Air Force F-15 fighter crashed in northern Kuwait near the Iraqi border, with video showing a smoking aircraft and visible flames. Sources suggest the pilot ejected and was assisted by local residents,...
In Aviation, A Little Change Can Be Good
Rob Gifford reflects on two decades of Jetwhine, the aviation blog he launched in 2006, and announces the debut of his new podcast, Stories about Flying. The blog evolved from solo writing to a partnership and later to a senior...
Shareholder Advisory Firms Disagree on Avio Bylaw Amendments
Proxy advisers are split on Avio’s proposed bylaw changes ahead of its March 3 extraordinary meeting. Glass Lewis recommends shareholders approve a board size reduction to nine directors, giving the controlling shareholder seven seats, while ISS advises voting against the amendments....
Press Release: EASA Warns Operators to Avoid Middle East Airspace
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB) warning operators to avoid the entire airspace of the Middle East and Persian Gulf at all altitudes, following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The...
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Defense & Aerospace Report Podcast [Mar 01 ’26 Business Report]
The Defense & Aerospace Report podcast highlighted Wall Street’s worst day of 2026, driven by AI‑related worries and disappointing U.S. job numbers. A joint Israel‑U.S. strike on Iran sparked a broad regional retaliation, raising concerns over depleted U.S. weapons stocks...
Turn of Fortunes As Thai Airways Posts Record 30.9 Bln Baht Profit For 2025
Thai Airways reported a record FY2025 net profit of 30.9 billion baht, reversing a 26.9 billion‑baht loss from the prior year. Revenue rose 1.3% to 190 billion baht, edging past pre‑pandemic levels. The carrier plans to expand its fleet to about 100 aircraft...
Passengers On American Airlines Flight From Philadelphia Experience One of the World’s Longest Ever ‘Flights to Nowhere’
American Airlines flight AA-120 from Philadelphia to Doha was forced to turn back after seven hours when Gulf airspace closed amid the Israel‑Iran escalation. The Boeing 787‑9 spent a total of 16 hours in the air, becoming one of the...