Quick Facts Steam Catapult (C-13)0 to 165 mph in under 2 seconds; uses 1,200 lbs of steam per launch EMALS (Electromagnetic)0 to 180+ mph; uses linear induction motor instead of steam Aircraft WeightUp to 100,000 lbs (F/A-18E: ~66,000 lbs loaded) Catapult Stroke~310...
Quick Facts Pilot1st Lt. Gail S. Halvorsen, USAF OperationBerlin Airlift (Operation Vittles), 1948–1949 AircraftDouglas C-54 Skymaster Nickname"Candy Bomber" / "Uncle Wiggly Wings" / "Rosinenbomber" (Raisin Bomber) What He DidDropped candy on tiny handkerchief...
Quick Facts What It DoesPrevents blood from pooling in the legs during high-G manoeuvres How It WorksAir bladders inflate around legs and abdomen, squeezing blood back toward the heart and brain G-Force RangeModern fighters pull up to 9g Unprotected Blackout~4–5g for...
Quick Facts ManoeuvrePugachev's Cobra PilotViktor Pugachev, Soviet test pilot AircraftSukhoi Su-27 (first demonstration); later performed in MiG-29 First Public Demo1989 Paris Air Show, Le Bourget Angle of Attack90–120 degrees — nose pulled past vertical Airspeed at...
Quick Facts DateJuly 23, 1983 FlightAir Canada Flight 143, Montreal to Edmonton AircraftBoeing 767-233 (C-GAUN) CaptainRobert Pearson First OfficerMaurice Quintal Fuel Loaded22,300 lbs (should have been 22,300 kg) Altitude at Flame-Out41,000 feet Landing SiteGimli...
Quick Facts Leading KillerVFR flight into IMC (instrument meteorological conditions) Fatality Rate~72% of VFR-into-IMC accidents are fatal Average Survival Time178 seconds — under 3 minutes from cloud entry to loss of control Root CauseSpatial disorientation after...
Quick Facts What Is a Go-Around?Aborting a landing and climbing away to attempt another approach Decision Window3–5 seconds at most How Common?Airlines: ~1–3 per 1,000 approaches; GA: higher but underreported Fatal FactorFailure to go around is a leading cause of...
Quick Facts IssueGuard and Reserve fighter fleets are dangerously old Primary AircraftF-16C/D Fighting Falcon, F-15C/D Eagle, A-10C Thunderbolt II Average AgeMany airframes 35–45 years old Guard/Reserve Share~40% of U.S. fighter capacity Replacement PlanUnclear — F-35...
Quick Facts Contract Value$6.6 billion EnginePratt & Whitney F135 CoverageTwo production lots (Lots 18 & 19) Aircraft PoweredF-35A (Air Force), F-35B (Marines), F-35C (Navy) Thrust43,000 lbs with afterburner (F135-PW-100) Total F-35s Delivered~1,300+ worldwide...
Quick Facts CompanyZeroAvia (HQ: Hollister, California) EngineZA601 — 600 kW hydrogen-electric powertrain How It WorksHydrogen fuel cell generates DC power → inverters → direct-drive electric motor at 2,200 rpm Target Aircraft10- to 20-seat turboprop-class...
Quick Facts AirportKuwait International Airport (KWI) StatusClosed to commercial flights since late February 2026 CauseRepeated drone strikes linked to Iran conflict DamageRadar systems, fuel storage, Terminal 1 infrastructure Reopening TimelineNone announced...
Quick Facts ProgrammeGlobal Combat Air Programme (GCAP) PartnersUnited Kingdom, Italy, Japan Lead CompanyEdgewing (BAE Systems + Leonardo + JAIEC) First Contract Value£686 million (~$912 million) Contract TypeBridge contract through June 2026 Target Delivery2035...
Quick Facts TeamU.S. Navy Blue Angels AircraftF/A-18E/F Super Hornet (6), C-130J Super Hercules "Fat Albert" (1) 2026 Season StatusMultiple shows cancelled; more cancellations expected ReasonHeightened base security (Iran war) + Fat Albert maintenance Fat Albert...
Quick Facts OperationEpic Fury (ongoing since Feb 28, 2026) AircraftB-52H Stratofortress WeaponsGBU-31 JDAM (2,000 lb), GBU-38 JDAM (500 lb) CapacityUp to 20 × 2,000 lb JDAMs or 30 × 1,000 lb JDAMs SignificanceFirst overland B-52 bombing runs inside Iran Targets Hit...
Quick FactsNationalityGerman 🇩🇪Aerial Victories15Aircraft FlownFokker Eindecker E.IIIWarsWorld War IBorn / Died21 Sep 1890 – 18 Jun 1916 (age 25)UnitKEK Douai, Feldflieger-Abteilung 62 Max Immelmann — via Wikimedia Commons Every pilot who has ever yanked an airplane...
Quick Facts DateSeptember 21, 1956 PilotThomas W. Attridge Jr., Grumman test pilot AircraftGrumman F11F-1 Tiger (BuNo 138620) LocationOff Long Island, New York ArmamentFour 20mm Colt Mk 12 cannons OutcomeAircraft destroyed; pilot survived with injuries The Grumman...
The world’s two busiest Middle East hubs seized up in early March 2026. Dubai International, the planet’s top airport for international passengers, went from processing 200,000 travelers a day to canceling flights by the thousands. Hamad International in Doha, the...
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