Shock diamonds, or Mach diamonds, are a standing pattern of shock waves in a supersonic exhaust. Here is why they form, why they glow, and why airliners never show them.
Operation Mikado: Britain’s Planned SAS Raid on Argentina’s Exocets
In May 1982, Britain planned to land SAS troops in two C-130 Hercules on Argentina’s Río Grande air base to destroy the Exocet-armed Super Étendards. Here is why it never happened.
Instrument Landing System: How ILS Guides Airliners Through Fog
How the Instrument Landing System works: localizer and glideslope beams, the 90 and 150 Hz modulation trick, decision heights, CAT I to CAT III, and why GBAS is coming.
Benjamin O. Davis Jr.: The Tuskegee Airman Who Became a General
On 27 October 1954, Tuskegee Airmen commander Benjamin O. Davis Jr. became the first African-American general in the US Air Force.
Ukrainian Air Force Wings: NATO-Style Overhaul Planned to 2035
Ukraine plans to reorganise its Air Force around NATO-style aviation wings and multi-type air bases by 2035, spokesman Yurii Ihnat told RBC-Ukraine.
Castelion Blackbeard Hypersonic Missile Heads for the F-16
Castelion announced on 26 October 2026 an AFRL contract modification to begin integrating its Blackbeard hypersonic weapon on the US Air Force F-16.
Pilot Fatigue Survey: Three in Four European Pilots Report Microsleeps
A European Cockpit Association survey of 7,198 pilots published on 26 October 2026 finds 76.8% had a microsleep in the cockpit in the past four weeks.
RAF A400M Atlas Emergency: Hours Over Wiltshire, Then Bournemouth
An RAF A400M Atlas squawked 7700 after leaving MOD Boscombe Down on 26 October 2026, circled over Wiltshire for hours and landed at Bournemouth.
ASELSAN KGK-84 Wing Kit Passes First F-16 Qualification Firing
ASELSAN says its KGK-84 winged guidance kit for 2,000 lb bombs has completed its first qualification firing from a Turkish F-16 at the Sinop range.
Electra EL2 Lands at Manhattan Heliport: No Runway Required
On 26 October 2026 Electra flew its hybrid-electric, blown-lift EL2 demonstrator into and out of Downtown Skyport, the Lower Manhattan heliport.
ARRW Hypersonic Missile Enters Production in $694M Air Force Deal
The US Air Force has ordered Lockheed Martin’s AGM-183A ARRW into production with a $694 million contract, three years after it moved to cancel the hypersonic missile.
FAA Designees: DER, DAR and Who Really Signs Off an Aircraft
The FAA issues the certificate, but private individuals make most of the findings underneath it. DER, DAR, DPE and ODA explained, with the numbers from the 737 MAX and the statute Congress rewrote in 2020.
Buzz Aldrin in MiG Alley: The Sabre Pilot Who Filmed a MiG Pilot Ejecting
Sixteen years before he walked on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin was an F-86 Sabre pilot in MiG Alley. On 14 May 1953 his gun camera filmed a MiG-15 pilot ejecting, and Life magazine ran the frames. Here is the story, from Korea to Gemini 12 and Apollo 11.
PMA Parts vs OEM Parts: What the FAA Rules Actually Say
The term OEM appears nowhere in 14 CFR Part 21. Inside Parts Manufacturer Approval, the three routes to proving a part, and why 82 per cent of airlines are blocked by a lease clause rather than a safety rule.
Surface-to-Air Missile Explained: How a SAM Hunts an Aircraft
How a surface-to-air missile works: the radars, launchers and five guidance families behind SAMs, from the SA-2 that downed Powers to Patriot and Stinger.
Swept Wings Explained: How Sweep Pushed Jets Toward Mach 1
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.