Warthog’s Last War: A-10s Deploy Before Retirement
Share this story Quick Facts Units Deploying 124th Fighter Wing (Idaho ANG) and 127th Wing (Michigan ANG) Aircraft Approximately 20 A-10C Thunderbolt II “Warthogs” Operation Epic Fury (ongoing since February 28, 2026) Staging Route Portsmouth, NH → RAF...
A Sheep, a Duck, and a King: The Day Humanity First Left the Ground
Share this story On the morning of September 19, 1783, at the Palace of Versailles, King Louis XVI of France watched a balloon rise into the sky carrying three passengers: a sheep named Montauciel, a duck, and a rooster. They flew for eight minutes and landed two...
Behind Enemy Lines: The Most Daring Rescue Since Bosnia
Share this story Quick Facts EventCombat Search and Rescue of downed F-15E Strike Eagle crew deep inside Iran DatesApril 3–5, 2026 Aircraft LostF-15E Strike Eagle (48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath), A-10C Thunderbolt II, two MC-130J Commando IIs, at least one MH-6...
30 Hours, 11,000 Miles: The Longest Combat Mission Ever Flown
Share this story Quick Facts AircraftNorthrop Grumman B-2A Spirit stealth bomber Mission DurationOver 30 hours non-stop (some missions exceeded 33 hours) Distance~11,000 miles round trip OriginWhiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, USA Target AreaSerbia and Kosovo —...
United 232: The DC-10 That Landed With No Hydraulics
Share this story Quick Facts FlightUnited Airlines Flight 232, Denver to Chicago DateJuly 19, 1989 AircraftMcDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 (N1819U) CrewCaptain Al Haynes, First Officer Bill Records, Flight Engineer Dudley Dvorak, plus off-duty instructor Captain Dennis...
Your Instrument Checkride: What Really Happens
Share this story Quick Facts What It IsThe FAA practical test for an Instrument Rating — the licence to fly in clouds, fog, and low visibility PrerequisitesPrivate Pilot Certificate, 50 hours cross-country PIC, 40 hours actual or simulated instrument time, instrument...
The Go-Around: Aviation’s Most Dangerous Safe Decision
Share this story Quick Facts What It IsAborting an approach and climbing away instead of landing When It’s RequiredUnstable approach, runway not in sight at minimums, traffic on runway, wind shear, ATC instruction Accident Factor~83% of approach-and-landing...
Pentagon Orders 85 F-35s and a $6.6 Billion Engine Deal
Share this story Quick Facts AircraftLockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II 2027 Budget Request85 F-35s total — 38 for the Air Force, remainder for Navy, Marines, and allies Engine Contract$6.6 billion for Pratt & Whitney F135 engines (Lots 18 and 19) Contract...
B-52s Now Dropping JDAMs Directly Over Iran
Share this story Quick Facts AircraftBoeing B-52H Stratofortress Deployment BaseRAF Fairford, England (8 B-52s and 15 B-1s forward-deployed) Primary WeaponGBU-31 JDAM (2,000-lb GPS-guided bomb, ~$80,000 each) Payload CapacityUp to 20 x 2,000-lb JDAMs or 30 x 1,000-lb...
CIA Deception Saved the Downed F-15E Weapons Officer
Share this story Related: F-15E Down Over Iran — Crew Fate Unknown Quick Facts EventRescue of F-15E Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) shot down over Iran DateApril 5, 2026 — approximately 36 hours after shootdown on April 3 Aircraft LostF-15E Strike Eagle (494th Fighter...
Recent Comments