Flight Review: Delta One, Airbus A350-900, Paris to Los Angeles
Delta’s Airbus A350‑900, introduced in 2017 with the Delta One Suite, remains the airline’s flagship on long‑haul routes but shows signs of age after nearly a decade. The reviewer praised the suite’s privacy, lie‑flat comfort, and attentive service, including champagne and a nostalgic dessert cart. However, dust, a finicky sliding door, missing seat pads, and limited overhead storage detracted from the experience. Delta plans to retrofit its A350 fleet, including ten aircraft acquired from LATAM, with refreshed interiors and additional premium seats.
European Space Assets Drive Structural Transformation in Global Aviation
The European Commission’s Copernicus Observer reports that the EU Space Programme—Galileo, EGNOS, Copernicus and the upcoming IRIS²—is reshaping civil aviation by moving navigation and connectivity to orbit. Since July 2025 Galileo’s OSNMA has added cryptographic authentication, protecting flights from GNSS...
F/A-18 Beat F-15, F-16 & Mirage Jets in Canada’s 1970 NFA Program; Can F-35 Lightning II Repeat A Hornet?
In the late 1970s Canada’s New Fighter Aircraft (NFA) program pitted the F/A‑18 Hornet against the F‑15, F‑16 and Mirage F‑1, ultimately selecting the twin‑engine Hornet for its cost, reliability and Arctic suitability. Decades later the Royal Canadian Air Force...
Thrust Flight Awarded Phoenix Police Training Contract
Thrust Flight has been awarded a five‑year contract to provide fixed‑wing pilot training for the Phoenix Police Department’s Air Support Unit, beginning in March. The program will train roughly two students per year across private, commercial, instrument, and instructor ratings...
AMC Interim Commander Emphasizes Airmen, Aircraft Readiness Importance at AFA
Lt. Gen. Rebecca Sonkiss, the interim commander of Air Mobility Command, addressed service members, industry partners, and the press at the 2026 Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium. She underscored the twin priorities of maintaining Airmen readiness and ensuring...
AMC Interim Commander Emphasizes Airmen, Aircraft Readiness Importance at AFA
Lt. Gen. Rebecca Sonkiss, interim commander of Air Mobility Command, used the 2026 Air and Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium to stress that aircraft and Airmen readiness hinges on rapid modernization, enhanced connectivity, and survivability. She called for accelerating the...
4RCargo Launches in Baltics and Names New Regional Manager
Independent General Sales and Service Agent 4RCargo has launched operations in the Baltic region, covering Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The company appointed Vladislavs Pecevics as regional and product manager, leveraging his 15 years of air‑cargo network and commercial strategy experience....
Celeste Technologies Complete Successful 5G NR-NTN Interoperability Tests with Sateliot's D2D Constellation Payload
Celeste Technologies announced that its fully software‑based SmartgNB successfully completed 5G NR‑NTN interoperability tests with Sateliot’s direct‑to‑device payload at Qualcomm’s Lannion labs. The campaign validated end‑to‑end traffic across GEO and LEO scenarios, covering both transparent and regenerative satellite payloads, using...
Gilat Demonstrates 5G NTN End-to-End Connectivity over GEO Satellite
Gilat Satellite Networks demonstrated a 3GPP‑compliant 5G non‑terrestrial network (NTN) connection using its existing geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite infrastructure. The end‑to‑end test validated key capabilities such as 5G NTN VSAT, hub technologies, latency compensation and protocol optimizations. Gilat’s success...
Jet2 Announces New Destinations for Summer 2027
Jet2 will launch three new summer 2027 routes, adding Reus from Bournemouth Airport and Crete (Chania) plus Pula from Edinburgh Airport. The Bournemouth service runs weekly on Sundays from 2 May to 31 Oct, while Edinburgh offers weekly Wednesdays to Crete (5 May‑27 Oct)...
GE Wins First Digital TrueChoice Defense Deal for J85 Engine
GE Aerospace has secured its first TrueChoice Defense contract, applying AI and advanced analytics to the J85 engine that powers the Air Force’s T‑38 trainer. The seven‑month deal, with an optional four‑year, five‑month extension, aims to boost engine readiness through...
Korean Air and Skyports Sign MoU to Advance Air Mobility Tech Integration
Korean Air and Skyports Infrastructure have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a unified technology platform for eVTOL operations. The partnership will merge Skyports' Vertiport Automation System with Korean Air's Air Control & Routing Orchestrated Skyway System, creating an...
CesiumAstro Acquires Vidrovr to Embed AI in Communications Systems
CesiumAstro announced the acquisition of AI‑focused startup Vidrovr to embed artificial intelligence into its space‑based communications payloads. The deal, closed in late 2025, adds multimodal signal‑analysis and edge‑computing capabilities to CesiumAstro’s software‑defined phased‑array systems, including the Element satellite. By integrating...
Sierra Space Names Dan Jablonsky CEO
Sierra Space announced that longtime defense executive Dan Jablonsky will assume the role of chief executive officer on March 2, succeeding interim CEO and founder Fatih Ozmen, who will remain board chair. Jablonsky previously led Ursa Major Technologies and Maxar Technologies, bringing deep aerospace...
Phantom Space Reclaims Former Vector Launch Technology
Phantom Space has acquired launch assets from the defunct Vector Launch, including flight‑proven design elements and engineering data. The assets will be integrated into Phantom’s Daytona two‑stage rocket to cut development risk and accelerate its schedule. Phantom, which has raised...
Superconducting Thruster Cuts Power and Mass for Space Propulsion
Chinese researchers unveiled a compact high‑temperature superconducting magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster, replacing bulky copper coils with YBCO superconductors. The new design slashes power consumption from 285 kW to under 1 kW and trims mass from 220 kg to 60 kg, making it viable for small...
UK Royal Navy Notes Hybrid Air Wing Progress with Eyes on Peregrine Drone Development
The UK Royal Navy’s Maritime Aviation Transformation (MATX) programme is advancing toward a hybrid air wing by 2040, with recent progress highlighted at the Defence IQ International Military Helicopter 2026 conference. Officials confirmed ongoing discussions to expand the deployment of the Peregrine...
China’s Tianwen-2 Probe Operating Normally on Approach to Asteroid
China’s Tianwen‑2 probe is operating normally on its heliocentric transfer toward the near‑Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa, with a sample‑return window set for the end of November 2027. The spacecraft, launched in May 2023, will conduct multi‑altitude investigations before employing three redundant sampling techniques...
Golden Dome for America Hits One-Year Mark but Key Questions Remain on Its Progress
One year after its launch, the Pentagon’s Golden Dome for America program aims to create a layered “shield” of sensors and interceptors to protect the U.S. homeland from aerial threats. The effort, a complex system‑of‑systems, is hampered by inter‑service integration...
Aerion Recognised for Innovation at STAT Trade Times Air Cargo Awards
Aerion was awarded the Innovative Logistics Solutions in Air Cargo of the Year at the 2026 STAT Trade Times International Award for Excellence in Air Cargo. The accolade, presented by Dallas Fort Worth International Airport CEO Chris McLaughlin, acknowledges Aerion’s technology‑driven,...
U.S. Navy Fields Single-Use EW Decoy Program for Naval Aviation
The U.S. Navy has launched a market‑research effort to field single‑use Active Expendable Decoys (AED) for its F‑35 and F‑18 fighter fleets. The program targets an initial purchase of roughly 3,000 decoys per year, rising to about 6,000 units annually...
Bowersox to Retire From NASA
Ken Bowersox, a former astronaut and four‑time shuttle veteran, announced his retirement from NASA effective March 6, ending a brief stint as associate administrator for space operations. He will be succeeded on an acting basis by deputy Joel Montalbano. The announcement...
World-First Gigabit-per-Second Laser Link Between Aircraft and Geostationary Satellite
European Space Agency, Airbus Defence and Space, TNO and TESAT have demonstrated the world’s first gigabit‑per‑second laser link between a moving aircraft and a geostationary satellite. During test flights over Nîmes, the UltraAir optical terminal maintained an error‑free 2.6 Gbps connection...
ESA Selects Venturi Space for a Study on Future Lunar Rover Technologies
The European Space Agency (ESA) has commissioned Venturi Space to lead a study on next‑generation lunar rover technologies, focusing on mobility, power supply, and thermal regulation. Using its MONA LUNA test platform, Venturi will evaluate hyper‑deformable wheels, high‑performance batteries, advanced...
SkyGrid, TAMU-CC to Research Cooperative Separation of AAM Traffic in FAA Programme
SkyGrid has been awarded Task Order One under the FAA’s Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies, partnering with Texas A&M‑Corpus Christi to evaluate cooperative separation for advanced air mobility. The multi‑year effort, running through February 2027, will develop and validate a...
U.S. Army Moves Toward Plug-and-Play Drone Munition Architecture
The U.S. Army issued a sources‑sought notice to find industry partners capable of delivering a standardized munition payload interface for uncrewed aerial systems, based on the Picatinny Common Lethality Interface Kit (CLIK) and the smaller Universal Payload Interface (sUPI). The...
U.S. Air Force Initiates Program to Replace LC-130H Polar Aircraft
The U.S. Air Force has launched the Polar Modernization LC‑130J program to replace its aging LC‑130H fleet with a digitally upgraded, ski‑equipped variant of the C‑130J. The initiative will study structural reinforcements, avionics integration, and thermal protections needed for Arctic...
Boeing Secures U.S. Special Operations Command MH-47G Deal
Boeing received a $19.4 million contract modification from U.S. Special Operations Command to continue procurement of MH‑47G special‑operations helicopters. The funding extends production at Boeing’s Ridley Park facility through November 2030, sustaining the heavy‑lift, long‑range capability essential for special‑operations missions. The MH‑47G variant...
JetEffect Marks 25 Years in Business with 900 Transactions Completed
JetEffect celebrates 25 years, having completed more than 900 aircraft transactions. The U.S.-based broker handles turboprop, light, midsize, super‑midsize and long‑range business jets. Over half its workforce has been with the firm for more than two decades, enabling senior‑level advisory...
Aerobits Launches TR-10 Transponder Pre-Sale & Enhances Drone Visibility for Controlled Airspace
Aerobits has opened a pre‑sale for its TR‑10 transponder, a 10‑W low‑power Mode A/C/S unit with optional ADS‑B extended squitter designed for small drones operating in Transponder Mandatory Zones. The 75‑gram, 53.5 × 43.5 × 18 mm device delivers +40 dBm output, a dynamic range of...
F-47 Still ‘Doing Exceptionally Well,’ on Track for 2028 Flight
The U.S. Air Force says the sixth‑generation F‑47 fighter remains on schedule for its first flight in 2028, just three years after Boeing won the contract. Gen. Dale White praised Boeing’s rapid personnel ramp‑up and highlighted the aircraft’s projected combat...
Space Force in Final Test Phase for Second GBOSS Radar Upgrade
Space Force is moving the upgraded Ground‑Based Optical Sensor (GBOSS) into operational testing at its second site in Maui, Hawaii, after the first configuration at White Sands Missile Range was approved. The modernized telescope doubles field of view, scans faster,...
New Drone Factory Opens in Suffolk to Boost Ukraine's Armed Forces Against Russia's War
Ukraine’s leading drone maker Ukrspecsystems opened a £200 million production and testing facility in Suffolk, creating up to 500 British jobs. The plant will manufacture SHARK, Mini‑SHARK and PD‑2 drones that have already inflicted nearly $3 billion of damage on Russian forces....
TriMas Corp (TRS) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
TriMas Corp reported third‑quarter 2025 net sales of $269 million, a 17% year‑over‑year increase driven by 16% organic growth and strong aerospace performance. Operating profit rose 34% to $30.3 million and adjusted EBITDA climbed 25% to $48 million, while adjusted EPS jumped 42%...
Thai AirAsia Pins Growth Hopes on China, Long-Haul Markets
Thai AirAsia is targeting 6‑9% year‑on‑year revenue growth in 2026, driven by an expected 23.5 million passengers and an 85% load factor. The carrier will add five Airbus A320s to launch new China‑Chiang Mai services and expand fifth‑freedom routes. It is also...
How Aerospace, Federal Contractors Can See Real CMMI Readiness
Aerospace and federal contractors are struggling with traditional, snapshot‑based CMMI assessments that leave evidence collection to the last minute. The Defense Contract Audit Agency issued over 2,400 audits in FY2024, highlighting the growing demand for continuous, evidence‑driven process management. Momentum...
Rheinmetall Showcases Integrated Attack and Counter-Drone Stack at Enforce Tac 2026
Rheinmetall unveiled an integrated asymmetric‑warfare stack at Enforce Tac 2026, combining the RCWS320C‑UAS counter‑drone weapon station, the 40 mm SSW40 squad support gun, and the portable FV‑014 loitering munition. All systems are tied into a unified command‑and‑control layer that fuses Gladius...
Who’s Watching for Human Trafficking in Aviation?
Former FAA rotorcraft director David Downey has petitioned the agency to amend Parts 121 and 135 so that airline and charter employees receive mandatory human‑trafficking recognition and response training, a requirement he says Congress already mandated but the FAA has not codified....
Miami-Dade County Mayor and American Airlines Unveil Plans for MIA’s Concourse D Expansion
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and American Airlines CEO Robert Isom announced a $1 billion expansion of Concourse D’s Gate D60 at Miami International Airport. The three‑level project will convert the existing area into 17 new contact gates, upgraded boarding lounges, retail,...
New Hypersonic Missiles Unveiled for Fighter Planes, Ground Systems
Ursa Major unveiled the HAVOC hypersonic missile system, a medium‑range weapon that can be launched from fighter jets, bombers, ground platforms and even from space. Powered by a liquid‑rocket engine, the missile can vary its speed in flight and be...
Farming on the Moon or Mars? How Recycled Sewage Could Turn Regolith Into Crop Soil
Researchers at NASA and ACS Earth and Space Chemistry have shown that recycled sewage, processed through a bioregenerative life‑support system (BLiSS), can chemically weather simulated lunar and Martian regolith, releasing key plant nutrients. After a 24‑hour shake, the effluent‑treated simulants...
Post-Lanteris Acquisition, Intuitive Machines Invests $175M to Advance Satellite Capabilities
Intuitive Machines announced a $175 million equity investment following its January acquisition of Lanteris Space Systems, the former Maxar spacecraft manufacturing unit. The funding will expand the 1300 satellite platform, enhance near‑space network services, and pursue a solar‑system internet independent of...
Why Mars Astronauts Need More than Just Space Greenhouses
A new Acta Astronautica paper by Blomqvist and Fritsche argues that Martian food systems must go beyond simple greenhouses, integrating production, post‑harvest, waste, preparation, and sociocultural elements. The authors warn that radiation, micro‑gravity cooking, and menu fatigue could jeopardize crew...
Ascent Solar’s PV Blankets to Power NOVI AI Pathfinder Spacecraft
Ascent Solar Technologies has supplied its lightweight, flexible CIGS photovoltaic blankets to NOVI Space’s N‑1 ATLAS spacecraft. The N‑1 ATLAS, a toaster‑sized hyperspectral imaging satellite, will launch aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter‑16 in March and generate 150 W of power. The integration...
NTSB Warns First Responders of Ballistic Parachute Hazards
The National Transportation Safety Board issued safety alert SA‑102 warning that ballistic parachute recovery systems can remain active after a crash, posing a danger to first responders. These rocket‑powered devices, like Cirrus CAPS, may deploy unexpectedly if activation cables stay...
CSA to Invest in Future Lunar Mining and Power Infrastructure
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has launched the Lunar Surface Exploration Initiative (LSEI) Architecture Studies to shape Canada’s contributions to NASA’s Artemis program. The agency will fund up to two contracts per focus area—mining and in‑situ resource utilization (ISRU) and...
PHL Surpasses 30 Million Passengers for Second Consecutive Year
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) handled 30.1 million passengers in 2025, marking the first consecutive 30‑million‑plus years since 2018‑19. International traffic rose 7.5% to over 4.1 million passengers, driven by new routes from Aeroméxico, American Airlines and Frontier. Cargo volumes increased 7.4% to...
Seasonal Flights Between Blue Grass Airport and Minneapolis Return
Delta Air Lines will resume seasonal nonstop service between Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport and Minneapolis‑Saint Paul International Airport, operating Saturdays from May 9 to August 8, 2026. The route, previously discontinued in 2021, will be flown on a 76‑seat CRJ‑900, offering travelers a...
Boulder Airport Sets Timeline For Phasing Out Leaded Avgas
Boulder Municipal Airport aims to start offering unleaded aviation fuel by late 2026, ahead of Colorado’s 2030 statewide leaded‑avgas phase‑out. The draft transition plan, due by Jan. 1, 2026, outlines annual reviews but omits specifics on fuel type, infrastructure, and financing. To...
Making an Entrance
NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway entered the International Space Station on Feb. 14, 2026 as the pilot of SpaceX Crew‑12, joining Expedition 74. The four‑person crew—Hathaway, Jessica Meir (NASA), Sophie Adenot (ESA) and Andrey Fedyaev (Roscosmos)—began a long‑duration microgravity research stint. Early investigations include...