Fahad Naim
Licensed aircraft engineer (EASA/UKCAA) posting timely commercial aviation incident analysis and maintenance/operations context.
Columbia's First Unpowered Landing: A Historic Glide
45 years ago.. April 14, 1981..spacecraft with no engines glided down and touched down like a giant paper airplane on a dry lakebed in California. Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-1, the very first Shuttle mission, coming in hot over Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base. You see the chase planes, the perfect unpowered approach, wheels kissing Runway 23, and that massive dust cloud as it rolls out. Then the crew..John Young and Robert Crippen..stepping out after 54 hours and 36 orbits in space
Unprofessional Radio Chatter Undermines Safety in DCA Airspace
Two pilots at Reagan National turned the radio into a barnyard.. meowing, barking...until ATC called them out: 'You guys need to be professional.' Then the punchline: 'This is why you still fly an RJ.' DCA isn’t forgiving airspace. One...
Gate Bridge Failures Can Rip Aircraft Doors Off
If you’re still shocked by yesterday’s China Airlines A350 in Melbourne rolling back and mangling its L1 door on the aerobridge… have a look at this absolute classic from 2023 Back on July 9, 2023 at Dublin Airport, an American...
A350 Door Costs Around One Million Dollars
Damn… take a close look at the state of this China Airlines A350 door. An Airbus A320 passenger door already runs you about $700,000–$800,000 USD. Scale that up to the bigger, more advanced composite A350 door (plus hinges, seals, actuators, and...
China Airlines A350 Rolls Back, Damages Door and Bridge
Ground incident at Melbourne Airport this morning: China Airlines Airbus A350-941 (B-18902) rolled backwards while connected to the aerobridge, causing significant damage to the left forward passenger door hinges and the bridge structure itself. Flight CI58 to Taipei has been...
Bolivian Cessna Disappears 30 Minutes After Takeoff
Tragic update from Bolivian skies. A private Cessna Citation Bravo (CP-3243) departed La Paz’s El Alto Airport around 8:19 local time on April 13, bound for Santa Cruz, with only two pilots on board. Roughly 30 minutes after takeoff, the crew lost...
Qantas' First A350‑ULR Rolls Out, Flights 2027
The very first Qantas A350-1000ULR for Project Sunrise just got its RR Trent XWB-97 engines installed in Toulouse . This aircraft (MSN 707) has now rolled out of final assembly and will start flight testing soon, with delivery expected late...
Damaged KC-135 Arrives at RAF Mildenhall for Repairs
A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker just rolled into RAF Mildenhall looking like it went through a war zone… because it kinda did. This is one of the five KC-135s that got hit by shrapnel during the Iranian missile strike...
Taiwan Converts All Four Dreamlifters at Taoyuan Airport
Did you know? all four Dreamlifters owe their existence to Taiwan. Every single one of Boeing’s 747-400 Large Cargo Freighters was converted by EGAT (Evergreen Aviation Technologies, linked to EVA Air) right here at Taoyuan Airport. They turned regular jumbos into...
LAIRCM Dome: Laser Turret Jams Missiles on Military Aircraft
That spherical dome on the MC-130J.. That’s the LAIRCM turret. It detects incoming missiles and blinds their seeker heads with a laser. Like a plane’s “missile jammer.” Used on MC-130Js, C-130s, C-17s, and CV-22s.
Artemis II Proves Engineering Consistency Fuels Lunar Future
53 years after Apollo 17, humans circled the Moon again with Artemis II and returned safely. The Orion capsule's re-entry was a high-stakes test: faster than ISS returns, intense heat, but the adjusted trajectory and robust design delivered. Crew healthy,...
Forgotten Vent Plug Caused Wing Collapse From Overpressure
Ever seen what happens when a fuel tank gets way too pressurized? This old C-141 Starlifter had its entire wing bend and collapse like cheap cardboard during ground refueling... all because a vent plug was accidentally left in after a...
Old Saudi 787 Misidentified as Pakistan‑Iran Escort
This video has been circulating, but the aircraft shown is clearly a Saudi Boeing 787. Neither Pakistan nor Iran operate the B787. While reports about the Pakistan Air Force escorting an Iranian delegation may be accurate, the footage itself is...
Even Guide Dogs Need a Layover Break
Ever seen a story that just sticks in your head? This old viral pilot tale has been doing the rounds forever: Woman flying Melbourne to Brisbane, plane makes an unscheduled stop in Sydney. Everyone deplanes to stretch their legs… except...
South Korea Deploys 24‑Hour High‑Altitude Strategic Drone
Busan, April 8, 2026. South Korea rolls out its first production strategist drone... the MUAV/KUS-FS. 13m fuselage, massive 25–26m wingspan, powered by a 1,200 hp turboprop. Developed domestically with 90% local parts by Korean Air, Hanwha, and LIG Nex1. It can...
