Swept wings explained: critical Mach number, the cosine rule, Busemann’s 1935 idea, the MiG-15 and F-86, the price of sweep and why airliners use 25 to 35 degrees.
Infrared Search and Track (IRST): How Fighters Hunt by Heat
Infrared search and track (IRST) lets a fighter find other aircraft by their heat without emitting a thing. How it works, where it came from, and its limits.
Turbojet vs Turbofan vs Turboprop: How Jet Engines Differ
Turbojet vs turbofan vs turboprop: the same gas turbine core, spent four different ways. Bypass ratio, propulsive efficiency and why fighters, airliners and the L-39 chose differently.
Short S.23 Empire Flying Boat: The Ocean Liner of the 1930s Skies
Ninety years ago, the Short S.23 Empire flying boat Canopus entered service. How Imperial Airways and Qantas flew mail and passengers across the Empire in style.
NA-73X Prototype: The 1940 Plane That Became the P-51 Mustang
On 26 October 1940, test pilot Vance Breese flew the NA-73X at Mines Field. North American had designed and built it for Britain in a matter of months. It became the P-51 Mustang.
Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands: The Carrier Duel That Sank Hornet
On 26 October 1942, Japanese and American carrier aircraft clashed off the Santa Cruz Islands. Japan sank USS Hornet but lost 148 irreplaceable aircrew.
Jet2 737-800 Veers Off Runway at Birmingham in Storm Boelo Winds
A Jet2 Boeing 737-800 on flight LS1310 from Venice veered onto the grass after landing at Birmingham Airport in Storm Boelo winds on 25 October 2026.
AAA Rescue Helicopter Hit by Laser in Aargau, Three Crew Hurt
A green laser dazzled the crew of an AAA Alpine Air Ambulance rescue helicopter landing at an emergency in Reinach AG on 24 October 2026. Three crew suffered slight eye injuries.
Nigerian Air Force Lists Aksungur Drones and Six More T129s
Nigeria’s air force lists 12 Turkish Aksungur drones, two Chinese CH-4Ds and six more T129 ATAK helicopters among expected aircraft, in plans published on 25 October 2026.
Freedom Flag Exercise: South Korea and US Launch Air Drills at Kunsan
South Korea and the US opened the Freedom Flag combined air exercise at Kunsan Air Base on 26 October 2026, with F-15Ks, F-35s, F-16s and MQ-9s.
Airbus and BAE Systems to Discuss an Airbus Role in GCAP Fighter
Airbus is set to hold talks with BAE Systems about a role in the GCAP sixth-generation fighter, the Financial Times reported on 25 October 2026, as Germany weighs its options after FCAS.
Aeroelastic Flutter: The Failure Mode That Sets Every Speed Limit
Flutter is why your airspeed indicator has a red line. What it is, how it differs from buffeting and divergence, how engineers find its boundary without crossing it, and why a worn hinge on a 737 moved the FAA this month.
Supplemental Type Certificate: Why Boeing Doesn’t Own Its Winglets
Boeing does not own the design of the winglets on thousands of its own 737s. The supplemental type certificate is the regulation that makes that possible, and it is the foundation of an entire industry.
Formation Flying Explained: How Pilots Hold Position Inches Apart
Formation flying explained: how wingmen hold position by lining up references on the lead jet, and how the Blue Angels and Red Arrows fly feet apart.
BVR Air Combat Explained: Why Long-Range Kills Took Decades
BVR air combat promised to kill the enemy before he could be seen. How radar, missile energy, F-pole tactics and AWACS made it work, from Vietnam to Meteor.
Link 16 Explained: How Allied Jets Share One Air Picture
Link 16 lets NATO fighters, AWACS and ships share one tactical picture. How its time slots, frequency hopping and J-series messages work, and why stealth jets need more.
Pan Am 707 Clipper America: The First US Jet Service to Paris
On 26 October 1958, Pan Am’s Boeing 707 Clipper America flew 111 passengers from New York to Paris, opening American jet service three weeks after BOAC’s Comet 4.