Behind Enemy Lines: The Most Daring Rescue Since Bosnia
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 Little Bird (all...
United 232: The DC-10 That Landed With No Hydraulics
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 Fitch...
Your Instrument Checkride: What Really Happens
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 ground school,...
The Go-Around: Aviation’s Most Dangerous Safe Decision
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 accidents involve a...
Pentagon Orders 85 F-35s and a $6.6 Billion Engine Deal
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 Breakdown$3.8 billion...
B-52s Now Dropping JDAMs Directly Over Iran
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 JDAMs per sortie...
CIA Deception Saved the Downed F-15E Weapons Officer
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 Squadron, 48th...
World’s Only Airworthy Yak-7B Takes Flight at Wanaka
Quick Facts AircraftYakovlev Yak-7B (Flugwerk reproduction, ZK-YKB) StatusOnly airworthy Yak-7B in the world First FlightMarch 26, 2026 — Omaka Aerodrome, Blenheim, NZ OwnerMike O’Rourke (New Zealand) Restored ByJEM Aviation, Blenheim (Jay McIntyre)...
How to Read the Sky Like a Pilot
Quick Facts Cloud FamiliesHigh (cirrus), Middle (alto), Low (stratus), Vertical development (cumulus/cumulonimbus) Key Warning SignsAnvil-shaped cumulonimbus (thunderstorms), lenticular clouds (mountain wave turbulence), rapidly building cumulus (convection) Wind...
471 Pages to Reinvent How America Trains Pilots
Quick Facts ReportComprehensive Modernization of Part 141 Training Organizations Length471 pages Prepared ByNational Flight Training Alliance ReleasedApril 1, 2026 Comment DeadlineApril 10, 2026 (10 days) Key ProposalsCentral Management Office, SMS for all schools,...
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