UPDATE 3 9:31am ET: Multiple sources have shared information on why the FAA acted to close El Paso airspace. @OSINTdefender on X reports that drug cartel drones violated US airspace. Military electronic warfare measures were used to down the drones. While the drones were disabled, there were initial concerns about the safety to aircraft in the area. It appears that those concerns have been mitigated.
FAA Lifts Closure of El Paso Airspace 4
UPDATE 2 9:03am ET: In a post on X, the FAA has lifted the restrictions on El Paso airspace, effective immediately. We’re sure there is more to this story. We’ll keep you updated.
FAA Lifts Closure of El Paso Airspace 5
UPDATE 1 8:44am ET: CNN aviation contributor Pete Muntean (x:@petemuntean) cited a source that the FAA released the NOTAM because the military could not guarantee the safety of aircraft during military operations at Biggs Army Air Field and Fort Bliss.
Original story: In a move widely seen as unprecedented, the FAA has issued a NOTAM that closes the El Paso airspace to all aircraft below FL180. The NOTAM is effective for 10 days. It was issued on the evening of Feb 10, 2026 and seems to include all airlines, cargo, general aviation flights, and even military flights. The NOTAM cites “Special Security instructions” as the reason behind the NOTAM.
The temporary flight restriction also includes airspace in neighboring New Mexico. It notably does not include airspace in neighboring Juarez, Mexico.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) Wednesday morning entirely closing the airspace over the Western Texas city of El Paso for the next ten days, citing “special security reasons,” while classifying a large area over both El Paso and… pic.twitter.com/UIcwVo7PAy
Since El Paso airspace includes the El Paso airport and Biggs Army airfield, El Paso International Airport put out an advisory on their Facebook page about the restriction. It states that all flights are halted from February 10th at 11:30pm until February 20th at 11:30pm.
FAA Lifts Closure of El Paso Airspace 6
El Paso Airspace NOTAM is unprecedented
A NOTAM like this is unprecedented in US aviation. Even after September 11th, 2001 airspace was only closed for a total of three days. While the affected area is significantly smaller than September 11th, the rushed nature of the closing, lack of communication to airlines and cargo operators, and the length of the effective NOTAM is interesting. Over the next few hours, we hope to learn additional information about the closure, the rationale behind it, potential exceptions, and how those affected by it will be accommodated.
A NOTAM of this magnitude either represents something very serious in terms of national security or it was a major mistake. The fact that the NOTAM was not rescinded or edited overnight suggests the former.
Many open questions
The FAA NOTAM will have many repercussions for the local El Paso area and the nation. It also leaves many unanswered questions. El Paso is a geographically isolated area. While the NOTAM is not large in size, El Paso residents do not have another commercial airport within 3 driving hours from the city.
Will the NOTAM evolve to allow emergency medical flights or even permit commercial flights? Can airlines and operators gain one time exceptions to ferry their aircraft outside of El Paso airspace? Is there a military exception? While doubtful, will affected residents and companies be compensated for the countless cancellations and affected plans? At this point, no one knows.
The Boeing 747-8 Required More Space, More Power, More Materials – More of Just About Everything You Can Think Of
When Boeing Commercial Airplanes built the 747-8I and 747-8F wide-body airliners, the sheer scale of the process was lost on most casual observers. The aircraft’s immense size meant that manufacturing methods used on smaller jets simply did not apply. From tooling to materials handling, nearly every step had to be rethought.
A documentary produced by the National Geographic Channel offered a rare look inside the process, detailing not only how these massive aircraft were assembled, but also how they were engineered, tested, and refined. The program explored the history of the 747 family and highlighted the unique challenges of producing the final and largest iteration of the Queen of the Skies.
The Boeing 747-8 was the final series of large, long-range wide-body airliners in the Boeing 747 family. It was the largest variant of the 747 and ultimately the largest aircraft Boeing ever produced. Following the success of the 747-400, Boeing explored several larger 747 concepts as potential competitors to the proposed double-deck Airbus A3XX, later developed as the Airbus A380.
Initially known as the 747 Advanced, the aircraft was officially launched as the 747-8 on November 14, 2005. The designation reflected its technological ties to the then-new 787 Dreamliner, particularly in aerodynamics, materials, and engine technology. At the time of launch, Boeing forecast a market for approximately 300 aircraft.
The 747-8 program represented the third major generation of the 747 series. It featured a significantly lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings, and improved overall efficiency compared to earlier models. It also became the largest commercial aircraft ever built in the United States.
First Flights and Entry Into Service
Image Courtesy Boeing Commercial Airplane Company
The freighter variant, designated the 747-8F, made the series’ maiden flight on 8 February 2010. The passenger version, known as the 747-8I Intercontinental, followed with its first flight on 20 March 2011.
Deliveries of the freighter began in October 2011, while the passenger variant entered commercial service in June 2012. As the program matured, it became clear that the 747-8 would find far greater success as a cargo aircraft than as a passenger jet.
Design, Performance, and Capability
Subtle design differences set the 747-8 apart from earlier variants | IMAGE: By Aktug Ates – Gallery page https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/7762446Photo https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/3/98870_1390969503.jpg, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31484773
The 747-8’s fuselage was stretched by 18 feet, bringing the total length to 250 feet and making it the longest airliner ever to enter service. While it retained the basic structural design and wing sweep of earlier 747s, the aircraft featured a deeper, thicker wing that enabled greater fuel capacity. Larger raked wingtips further improved aerodynamic efficiency.
Boeing 747-9 GEnx turbofans | IMAGE: By Gleb Osokin – CC BY-SA 3.0 – https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28641209
Power came from a smaller, more efficient version of the General Electric GEnx turbofan engine, derived from the 787 Dreamliner. The engines were easily recognizable by their chevron-edged nacelles, which reduced noise and improved efficiency. These upgrades increased the aircraft’s maximum takeoff weight to 975,000 pounds, making the 747-8 the heaviest airliner Boeing ever built.
The 747-8F, with its shorter upper deck, was capable of hauling up to 308,000 pounds of payload over a range of 4,120 nautical miles. The 747-8I Intercontinental could carry approximately 467 passengers in a typical three-class configuration and fly up to 7,790 nautical miles.
A Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 from Frankfurt (FRA) lands at LAX on 22 June 2024 | IMAGE: Dave Hartland
Production and Program Conclusion
Between 2008 and 2023, Boeing delivered a total of 155 747-8 aircraft. That total included 107 freighters and 48 passenger airliners. Demand skewed heavily toward cargo operators as airlines increasingly favored more efficient twin-engine widebodies for long-haul passenger service.
Born in a Different Era, the Legendary Boeing 747 Changed Aviation Forever
Prototype Boeing 747 on her first flight on 9 February 1969 | IMAGE: Boeing
The Boeing 747 program originated in the mid-1960s as global air travel demand surged. Boeing, led by chief engineer Joe Sutter, developed the aircraft in response to Pan American World Airways’ requirement for a jet roughly 2.5 times larger than the 707 in order to reduce per-seat operating costs. Pan Am’s landmark order for 25 aircraft in April 1966 prompted Boeing to construct its massive factory in Everett, Washington.
Prototype Boeing 747 taking off on her maiden flight on 9 February 1969 | IMAGE: Boeing
The original 747 design introduced revolutionary features, including the distinctive upper-deck hump, initially conceived to allow forward cargo loading in a future freighter role, and powerful high-bypass turbofan engines. The prototype first flew on 9 February 1969, received FAA certification in December of that year, and entered service with Pan Am on 22 January 1970.
Over the decades, the 747 family evolved through multiple variants. The 747-100 and 747-200 improved range and reliability, followed by the stretched-upper-deck 747-300 in the 1980s. The highly successful 747-400 entered service in 1989, introducing advanced avionics, extended range, and a two-crew flight deck.
The 747-8 series, introduced around 2010, represented the final chapter. While it modernized the iconic design with improved aerodynamics, engines, and systems, it ultimately reflected a shifting market that favored more efficient twin-engine aircraft such as the 777 and 787. In total, Boeing produced 1,574 747s across all variants, including the prototype, over a 54-year production run.
The end of the 747-8 was a bittersweet moment for all of us who live and breathe aviation. It was the conclusion of an era that permanently reshaped global air travel and cargo transport, sped up by a global pandemic and rapidly changing economics and technology.
We throw the word “legendary” around a lot these days. But that’s exactly what the Boeing 747 was and always will be.
Love Live the Queen!
Building the Boeing 747-8: A Look Inside the Final Jumbo Jet 15
In the history of big professional sports games few moments stand out as much as the National Anthem flyover. It’s a moment of patriotism, unity and pride that all can celebrate. Plus it is simply the coolest moment of the game – we think anyway. It’s the Super Bowl flyover.
Tonight’s Super Bowl flyover will crank it up a notch. It’s America’s 250th birthday, and so what better way to honor it at the biggest game of the year by doing it with both the Air Force and Navy together?
A B-1 bomber from Ellsworth AFB will lead the joint Super Bowl flyover formation on Feb 8, 2026
Super Bowl Flyover: 8 Aircraft will fly, call sign DRAGO
Eight aircraft will be participating. Call sign DRAGO. A B-1 bomber from Ellsworth AFB will lead a formation of 7, the rest all from California units. Two F-15C Eagles from the 144th Fighter Wing (CA Guard) will join the BONE, along with two Navy F-35C Lightning IIs from VFA-97 and two F/A-18 Super Hornets from VFA-2. Another B-1 will scream in from behind the formation, burners raging.
The Air Force will be live-streaming the flyover from their perch on the stadium roof. Tune in here starting 6:15pm eastern.
Super Bowl flyover details.
We had a chat with the Air Force and one of the B-1 crews about it a few days ago. Most importantly, we asked TOP OFF, one of the B-1 crew, if they will hit the afterburners? He simply said, “god gave the B-1 four afterburning engines for good reason”.
A few hours later, in Friday’s rehearsal, the second B-1 went full burners and set car alarms off for miles around Levi ‘s stadium. That answers THAT question!
A year of planning
The big flyover has been in planning for some time. It’s a nationwide effort, that will also require aerial refueling tankers for the B-1 bombers flying round-trip from South Dakota.
“The Air Force has been involved in the planning for about a year,” said Katie Spencer, sports outreach program manager for the Department of the Air Force out of the Pentagon. “When we were figuring out what we wanted the flyover to look like, we worked with Dept of War and thought a joint flyover would be really great to celebrate America 250, and so the Navy came in.”
Two F-15C Eagles from the 144th Fighter Wing California Air National Guard are in the formation, replacing two F-22 Raptors who had to back out due to operational needs. Photo by Mike Killian
It’s very rare to see an Air Force-Navy joint flyover of a Super Bowl, but it’s not the first time. In 2005, Air Force Raptors joined Navy Hornets for Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville. An incredibly rare sight for the public and tax payers, as well as any adversaries watching this airpower flex with multiple units from different locations all hitting a specific time on target. Down to the second.
“We’re really excited to see how all of this planning has come together to make this formation something truly spectacular,” added Spencer.
Check out our other great football flyover stories:
Image of Super Bowl flyover practice on Friday Feb 6, 2026. Photo by Brandon Schek.
It’s not just a flex on a world stage. The flyover is also valuable real-world training and doesn’t cost tax-payers a dime extra. It’s paid through already allocated training hours.
“Every year these squadrons get their bucket of flight training hours, and use them as they see fit to get their mission done,” says Spencer. “Because you have to be over a stadium at a certain point in time, you have to hit your time over target. There’s no better way to replicate that type of training than with a sports flyover. And when we’re talking about the Super Bowl, it’s high stakes, it’s high stress, and it very much replicates what these pilots feel during combat.”
“We’re all pretty excited, it’s a big honor to fly over the Super Bowl,” said Major “Top Off”, one of the B-1 pilots we spoke with. “We’re planning across multiple sister services, and we’re all at different dislocated locations, so that introduces some challenges in terms of not all being in the same room. It’s excellent training for us because that’s kind of how we fight too, not all from the same base.”
Refueling tankers will be supporting the Super Bowl LX flyover too, helping the B-1 bombers and providing added valuable training. Pictured is a B-1 refueling with a KC-135 (photo by Mike Killian)
We’re getting some night air refueling too, which is good practice for us and a pretty important currency that we track for all of our crews,” adds “Top Off”. “Getting the tankers supporting us in the background is huge.”
Timing the Super Bowl flyover to the exact second
“It’s pretty busy airspace here in San Francisco, so we can’t just go rolling in with no coordination with FAA and ATC. We also make sure that, as all of these jets come from different locations we’re rejoining in the hold appropriately and safely and then getting a nice tight formation ready to go at the appropriate azimuth over the stadium.”
Two Navy F-35C Lightning II jets from NAS Lemoore will be in the formation (photo by Navy Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Zachary Eshleman)
Being the lead, the B-1 bomber will have primary responsibility to nail the timing of the flyover, with eyeballs and support from the ground. The national anthem should start between 6:15pm and 6:20pm eastern time.
“We’ll be tuned in with the ground POC,” says Top Off. “We have timing for the anthem, and then the ground POC will be updating the crews based on whether we’re meeting certain time marks in the anthem. There’s somebody that sits in a booth as well that lets us know and keeps track of timing.”
Will the TV network show the Super Bowl flyover more than a second or 2?
In the past, the public has been unhappy with the air time given to Super Bowl flyovers. A noticeable percentage actually change the channel after the flyover is done. Some years however the networks actually show a considerable amount of the flyover, tracking the formation as they come and go.
Super Bowl LV flyover in Tampa, 2021 (photo by Mike Killian)
Neither the NFL or networks guarantee any amount of air time for the Super Bowl flyover, however the DOD does communicate and advocate as much as possible for the flyovers to be shown justice.
“We can’t get guaranteed air time, but we have had lots of conversations with the producers and directors, and they are as enthusiastic about the flyover as we are,” says Spencer. “So we are hopeful that we’re gonna get as much air time as possible. Of course understanding that the flyover is not the main objective of the national anthem. NBC has other requirements, the artists, the players, the flag, the fans, we are are just one piece of a larger operation.”
What message will the Super Bowl flyover send to the American public and the world?
“Flyover are a great display of air power and our military capability, and the fact that we are doing this with Navy and Air Forces really shows our joint interoperability and the fact that these aircraft – regardless of service – can be anywhere, any time in the world to answer the nation’s call,” says Spencer. “We hope this flyover gives the American public a sense of pride and patriotism, and a relief knowing that these warfighters are here to protect and serve.”
“At one of the most-watched events in the world, the flyover at Super Bowl LX is a visible reminder that America’s military remains united, ready, and dominant — 250 years strong.”
– Our sincere thanks to Katie Spencer and TOP OFF for giving us some time to chat this week. We wish all our crews good luck today. If you capture photos or videos of the flyover, pls message us we would love to share, and follow our FACEBOOK PAGE where we post every day!
An Agape Flights Embraer 110 aircraft operated by the Florida-based missions organization has been confirmed lost following a crash in mountainous terrain in Haiti, bringing a tragic end to an overnight search and rescue effort and sending shockwaves through the close-knit aviation ministry community.
Agape Flights CEO Allen Speer delivered the confirmation in a somber update on Friday, 6 February, stating that the organization has confirmed that there were no survivors. The aircraft, an Embraer 110 Bandeirante registered as N316AF, was operating a mission flight when contact was lost on Thursday afternoon, 5 February.
“Today is a day none of us ever imagined having to stand before you like this,” Speer said in a message posted on Agape’s YouTube and social media pages. “It’s with heavy hearts that we want to share an update that has shaken our entire Agape Flights community.”
According to Speer, the aircraft dropped off radar over Jérémie, Haiti, prompting an extensive search and rescue operation that continued through the night and into Friday. The wreckage was ultimately located in the mountainous terrain to the southeast of Jérémie, and while the cause of the crash remains unknown, the outcome is now tragically clear.
Agape Flights Embraer 110 on the runway | IMAGE: Agape Flights
We do not believe that there were any survivors. Our hearts are broken.
Allen Speer | Agape Flights CEO
“What we do know and what we share with you is profound sorrow,” Speer said. “We do not believe that there were any survivors. Our hearts are broken.”
One week after the tragedy, Agape Flights posted an emotional tribute on social media, identifying the two pilots lost in the crash as Patrick Decker and Kory Elleby.
Today, our hearts are broken as we mourn the loss of two incredible men, Patrick Decker and Kory Elleby. Both faithfully answered the call God placed on their lives and gave themselves fully to it. They served with humility, loved without reservation, and ran their race with perseverance. We hold solace in the fact they were welcomed at the gates of Heaven with the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servants.” They were more than Agape Flights pilots. They were our brothers in Christ, devoted servants of God, and men who lived out their faith with sincerity and courage.
Patrick Decker
Patrick was first and foremost a loving and dedicated husband to Kathy for 40 beautiful years and a proud father to their two grown children. His family was the center of his world. If you knew Patrick, you knew how deeply he loved; steadily, faithfully, and without needing recognition. Service wasn’t something Patrick did. It was who he was.
He flew for United Airlines for 40 years, a career that reflected both his incredible skill and his steady confidence in the cockpit. Flying was not just a job to him; it was something he truly loved. One of Patrick’s greatest joys in his final months at United was getting to fly as Captain while his son served as First Officer. Sharing the cockpit together was more than a professional milestone; it was a deeply meaningful season for both of them. To sit side by side, doing what he loved most with one of the people he loved most, was a gift Patrick treasured.
After the tragedy of 9/11, Patrick was among the first pilots granted clearance to return to flying at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. That moment required courage and trust, and Patrick carried both with quiet strength. He also volunteered to be a part of a special program within the FAA, taking on the responsibility of protecting others in the face of potential danger. That was Patrick, always willing to step forward when something needed to be done. And as remarkable as his aviation career was, it was only part of his story.
Patrick served as a firefighter for 50 years, including as Fire Chief for Sparta, New Jersey in 1996. For five decades, he ran toward emergencies when others were running away. He led with strength, but also with compassion. When Patrick and Kathy moved to Florida ten years ago, he did not slow down. Nine years ago, he became a volunteer pilot with Agape Flights, and he faithfully served each week in cargo as well. He was the kind of man you could always count on. If something needed fixing, organizing, or just plain doing, Patrick was there. He baked pies for Pie in the Sky. He helped a fellow volunteer install a toilet without hesitation. He showed up early. He stayed late. He never needed applause. He just loved helping.
Patrick and Kathy loved to travel and ride their bikes around town. Wherever they went, joy seemed to follow. You could often hear Patrick before you saw him. His booming, unmistakable voice filling the room, usually followed by laughter. He had a presence that made you feel safe, welcomed, and included. We will miss him more than we can put into words. Patrick lived a life that mattered. Not because of titles or accomplishments, though there were many, but because of the way he showed up for people. He served faithfully. He loved deeply. He gave generously of his time, his strength, and his heart. And that kind of life leaves a mark that will never fade.
Kory Elleby
Kory was a devoted husband, a loving and proud father of two grown sons, a kind-hearted brother, and a caring presence in his mother’s life. He approached life and his call to serve with Agape Flights with wholehearted devotion.
In 2016, he and his wife, Ruthie, relocated from Illinois to Venice, Florida, where they founded Sunshine Electrical Services, Inc. What began as a modest venture grew into a trusted and respected business serving Venice and the surrounding communities. From the outset, Kory built the company on two guiding principles: loving God and serving people well. That commitment was evident in every project, every conversation, and every relationship he cultivated.
Kory flew with Agape Flights for eight years, and aviation was one of his greatest joys. His passion for flying began early, he earned his pilot’s license even before obtaining his driver’s license and flying remained a defining part of his life. He possessed a rare gift for making strangers feel like lifelong friends, leaving people everywhere he went feeling encouraged, valued, and truly seen. Kory carried a servant’s heart into every space he entered and often said that flying with Agape Flights was not simply a role, but his calling that he deeply cherished.
All of us at Agape Flights will miss his kindness, his unwavering humor, and even his bold, unforgettable shirts. Kory faithfully served the Kingdom of God, and his legacy will endure through the countless lives he touched with every encounter.
God called these men to serve, and they responded without hesitation. Though their lives ended in tragedy, their faithfulness and obedience will continue to live long after this moment. They lived everyday with purpose, served God with conviction, and placed their trust fully in the Word of God. Today, we grieve their loss and honor the lives they poured out in service to Him. Our hearts are hurting, yet we hold fast to hope, knowing that these faithful servants are now home, resting in the presence of the One they loved and served so faithfully every flight.
Flight path of the Agape Flights Embraer 110 N316AF | IMAGE: Google Earth
Data from FlightAware provides a partial picture of the aircraft’s final movements, though flight tracking in Haitian airspace can be inconsistent and should be interpreted carefully.
The Embraer 110 began its day at Venice Municipal Airport (VNC) in Florida, the longtime home base of Agape Flights. N316AF departed Venice at 0734 local time bound for North Eleuthera Airport (ELH) in the Bahamas, a common refueling stop for Haiti-bound missionary flights from Florida. The aircraft arrived in Eleuthera at 0905 and departed again at 0936, this time bound for Cap-Haïtien International Airport (CAP) on Haiti’s northern coast.
FlightAware data shows the next leg of the journey listed with estimated times rather than confirmed radar tracking. The aircraft was shown departing Cap-Haïtien at 1318, with a last estimated position near Jérémie at 1351. A subsequent track shows the aircraft first appearing near Jérémie at 1433 local time, with contact lost four minutes later at 1437 over mountainous terrain southeast of the city.
Jérémie lies along the southwestern coast of Haiti’s southern peninsula, roughly 180 miles from Port-au-Prince. It remains unclear whether the aircraft actually landed in Jérémie or was transiting the area when tracking ceased.
The aircraft was built in 1980 and was 46 years old at the time of the accident.
The Embraer 110 Bandeirante holds an important place in aviation history, both globally and within mission aviation. First flown in 1968, the type entered commercial service in the early 1970s and helped propel Embraer into the ranks of major global aircraft manufacturers. Between 1968 and 1990, 501 examples were built in numerous configurations, capable of carrying between 15 and 21 passengers or substantial cargo loads.
Although production ended more than three decades ago, the EMB 110 continued flying well into the modern era. As recently as 2018, approximately 150 examples remained in service worldwide with airlines, air taxi operators, governments, and air forces.
Notably, the Embraer 110 was the launch aircraft for the Irish budget carrier Ryanair.
At Agape Flights, the Embraer 110 was configured for cargo operations and could carry up to 3,000 pounds of supplies. Alongside a Cessna F406, the aircraft formed the backbone of the organization’s aviation ministry, delivering critical humanitarian aid, medical supplies, mail, and everyday necessities to missionary partners throughout the Caribbean.
Nearly 45 Years of Service and Faith
A rainbow arches over the Agape Flights Embraer 110 | IMAGE: Agape Flights
Agape Flights was founded in 1980 by Keith and Clara Starkey following mission trips to Haiti, Spain, Guatemala, and Africa. Seeking a way to expand their impact, they turned to aviation, purchasing a Cessna 411 and launching their first mission flight from Sarasota to Cap-Haïtien later that same year.
Operating out of a modest hangar at Venice Municipal Airport, Agape has grown into a vital logistical lifeline for roughly 300 missionaries and affiliated partners. The organization employs 13 paid staff members and relies heavily on a volunteer force of approximately 150 individuals, including pilots who donate their time and expertise.
Agape Flights’ Embraer 110 brings disaster relief to Les Cayes, Haiti, after a 2021 earthquake | IMAGE: Agape Flights
While Agape Flights functions as a shipping operation on paper, faith and service remain central to its identity. Mission partners pay a modest annual fee and share shipping costs, while donors and corporate supporters frequently step in to cover expenses. In addition to routine deliveries, Agape has repeatedly supported disaster relief efforts, including emergency flights following Haiti’s devastating 2021 earthquake.
“We listen. We respond. God always delivers,” Speer said, reaffirming the organization’s core beliefs even in the face of tragedy.
In his message, Speer asked for prayers for the families of the pilots lost in the crash and for the entire Agape community as it begins to grieve.
Please allow God to guide this situation and to work in ways that only He can.
Allen Speer | Agape Flights CEO
“We ask for prayer for strength when the weight feels unbearable, for comfort when there are no words, and for God’s peace to surround them in every moment,” he said. “Please allow God to guide this situation and to work in ways that only He can.”
China’s Luanniao “flying aircraft carrier” concept imagines warfare from the edge of space, though reality may be far behind the renders.
China’s state media has unveiled what may be one of the most ambitious military concepts ever rendered in glossy 3D animation. Or one of the most creative. Or possibly one of the most elaborate exercises in strategic trolling ever broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV).
The concept is a so-called flying aircraft carrier named Luanniao, revealed last week on CCTV. The craft is presented as part of a sweeping integrated air and space defense architecture known as the NanTianMen Project, which translates to the “South Heavenly Gate Project.” If that name sounds less like a weapons program and more like a fantasy novel chapter title, that may be the point.
According to Chinese state media, Luanniao would function as an orbital or near-space mothership, launching unmanned fighters and hypersonic weapons from the edge of Earth’s atmosphere. It is, on paper and in animation at least, gargantuan. It is also very likely not real in any practical sense. Still, the announcement has succeeded in doing exactly what it was probably meant to do: get attention.
A Mythical Name for a Mythical Machine
IMAGE: CCTV
Luanniao translates loosely to “Luan bird,” a creature pulled straight from Chinese mythology. The luan is a divine or auspicious bird often associated with peace, harmony, and virtuous rule. It appears in ancient texts such as the Classic of Mountains and Seas and is sometimes described as closely related to the fenghuang, or Chinese phoenix.
It is an inspired name for something that currently exists only as a concept. Majestic, otherworldly, and firmly untethered from engineering constraints.
In official concept videos, the Luanniao appears as a massive triangular spacecraft designed to operate at the boundary between atmosphere and orbit. It would serve as the centerpiece of the South Heavenly Gate Project, a coordinated vision that aligns China’s aerospace, defense, and space ambitions under one very dramatic banner.
Western media has largely stuck with the pinyin name rather than translating it, usually noting that the vehicle is named after a mythical bird. That framing is absolutely appropriate because – let’s face it – myth is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here.
The Numbers Are Staggering, and Also Conveniently Inexact
IMAGE: CCTV
According to the specifications promoted by Chinese state media and cited by outlets such as the Telegraph, the Luanniao would be the largest military asset ever conceived by mass. The spacecraft is projected to have a maximum takeoff weight of roughly 120,000 metric tonnes (264 million pounds). That would make it about 20 percent heavier than a fully loaded USS Gerald R. Ford-class US Navy aircraft carrier.
The dimensions are even more eye-catching. The triangular platform is depicted as measuring approximately 242 meters (794 feet) in length with an immense wingspan of 684 meters (2,244 feet). For context, that wingspan would stretch more than seven (American) football fields end to end. Its total mass would be roughly equivalent to 300 fully loaded Boeing 747-400 jumbo jets.
These figures are, by admission, not precise. No firm technical documentation has been released, and no credible pathway has been outlined for how such a structure would be built, launched, or powered. The propulsion needed for something like this simply does not exist. Not even anything close. It seems, therefore, that the numbers function less as engineering targets and more as narrative devices. They are meant to convey scale, dominance, and inevitability.
IMAGE: CCTV
Once operational, the Luanniao is depicted as carrying up to 88 unmanned space fighters known as Xuannu. These autonomous craft are named after Jiutian Xuannü, a mythological goddess of war and strategy. The fighters are shown launching hypersonic or “hyper-ballistic” missiles and conducting operations in both atmospheric and orbital environments.
Like the mothership itself, the Xuannu fighters are conceptual. Variations of the design have appeared at Chinese aerospace exhibitions since at least 2019, often presented as sixth-generation systems intended to inspire students and engineers rather than be deployed anytime remotely soon.
Why Show This Now?
IMAGE: CCTV
The timing is not subtle. Last weekend, a YouTube channel affiliated with CCTV released a video highlighting recent developments in Chinese autonomous aerial vehicles. Most of the footage featured real, operational platforms like the Wing Loong II long-range drone and the Lanying R6000 tiltrotor. Included as part of the presentation among them was the Luanniao concept, presented with the same visual confidence as systems that actually exist.
The result was predictable. Chinese social media lit up with excitement, including fictional stories set in a near future where fleets of Luanniao carriers patrol Earth’s orbit. American and other Western defense analysts took notice as well, even while acknowledging the extreme technical hurdles involved.
Peter Layton, a defense expert and fellow at Australia’s Griffith Asia Institute, told the Telegraph that if such a platform ever became real, it would outclass existing systems and allow China to deploy military power virtually anywhere on the planet, largely beyond the reach of weather and conventional defenses.
That is a big “if.” The energy required to launch and sustain a 132,000-ton spacecraft alone places the Luanniao firmly in the realm of science fiction for now. A target date of 2040 has been floated in Chinese reports, but there is no realistic pathway to achieving anything close to this capability by then.
Sci Fi, Psyop, or Something in Between?
Conceptual IMAGE of the Xuannu fighter | IMAGE: CCTV
Viewed through a Western lens, the Luanniao announcement looks very much like epic trolling. A flashy, cinematic concept designed to unsettle adversaries, dominate headlines, and provoke familiar anxieties about falling behind in space and defense technology.
And yet, dismissing it outright would be a mistake.
China has made no secret of its long-term ambitions in space and military technology. Beijing is investing heavily in orbital infrastructure, hypersonic weapons, autonomous systems, and counter-space capabilities. While a flying aircraft carrier may never leave the concept art stage, the thinking behind it is very real.
Every transformative military technology once sounded impossible. Until it wasn’t.
The Luanniao is unlikely to ever patrol Earth’s orbit, but it does offer a revealing glimpse into how Beijing wants to frame the future of warfare. Space as the ultimate high ground. Autonomy as the norm. Scale as a signal of power.
It is unlikely that this moment will mark the opening act of a new space race. However, it is only a matter of time until other nations attempt to challenge America’s space superiority. And this time, the rival will not be the Soviet Union of the past, but a technologically ambitious China with a long memory and a long timeline.
That is precisely why American leadership in space matters. Peaceful exploration, scientific discovery, and yes, the quiet missions the public will never hear about all serve the same purpose. They preserve hard-won capability, deter aggression, and ensure that the high ground above Earth remains stable.
Every mission, from Artemis II to programs still wrapped in classification, helps shape the balance of power beyond the atmosphere. Not through spectacle of mythmaking, but through sustained competence. And should the US enter into another space race in the decades to come, that may be the most decisive advantage of all.
The preliminary Greg Biffle plane crash NTSB report sheds new light on cockpit problems, crew roles, and the jet’s final moments.
The NTSB has released its preliminary report on the crash of retired NASCAR legend Greg Biffle’s Cessna Citation in December 2025. The accident has rocked the NASCAR community, and the early findings do little to put lingering questions to rest. If anything, the report opens the door to even more uncertainty about what went wrong in the final minutes of the flight.
What is clear is that the jet departed Statesville Regional Airport (SVH) in North Carolina on 18 December 2025 and was airborne for barely ten minutes before attempting to return.
What happened in between appears to have been a rapidly escalating cockpit workload involving malfunctioning instruments, deteriorating weather, and a flight crew that was not fully qualified for the aircraft being flown.
The Victims
Greg Biffle Plane Crash NTSB Report Answers Few Questions and Raises Many More 43
The victims of the crash were:
Greg Biffle, 55, retired NASCAR driver
Cristina Biffle, his wife
Emma Biffle, 14 (Biffle’s daughter from previous marriage to Nicole Lunders)
Ryder Biffle, 5 (Biffle’s son from current marriage)
Dennis Dutton, retired airline pilot
Jack Dutton, private pilot and son of the pilot
Craig Wadsworth, a close family friend of Greg Biffle with long-standing ties to the NASCAR community
The loss reverberated through both the motorsports and aviation communities, particularly given Biffle’s well-known use of aircraft for personal travel and humanitarian efforts.
Who Was Flying and Who Wasn’t
The aircraft owned by Greg Biffle that was involved in the accident
From the moment news rolled in of the tragedy, there was no definitive answer on exactly who was flying the Citation that day.
One of the most significant clarifications in the preliminary report is that Greg Biffle was not flying the aircraft at the time of the crash.
The report confirms that the jet, which bore the registration N257BW, was being flown by Dennis Dutton, a retired airline pilot with extensive flight experience. Sitting in the right seat was Dutton’s 20-year-old son, Jack Dutton, a junior in the Professional Flight program at Auburn University’s School of Aviation. He held a private pilot license and had just recently become instrument-rated, but was not qualified to serve as a second in command on the Cessna Citation.
That detail is significant.
According to the NTSB, the left seat pilot’s type rating for the Citation carried a requirement that a qualified second in command be present. Neither Jack Dutton nor Biffle held the required endorsement to serve in that role. Despite that, Jack Dutton was handling radio communications, running checklists, and at one point was handed control of the aircraft while the elder Dutton attempted to troubleshoot cockpit issues.
Aviation safety consultant and former NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti summed it up bluntly.
“This airplane requires two trained pilots, and if things go wrong and you don’t have a trained pilot, then bad things can happen,” he told the Associated Press. “The airplane might have been able to be landed safely if there were two qualified pilots up front.”
Early Warning Signs Before Takeoff
The report indicates that issues began surfacing even before the jet left the ground.
During taxi, the crew discussed an inoperative thrust reverser indicator light. While they believed the thrust reverser itself was functioning correctly, the presence of a known indication problem before departure adds an early layer of complexity to the flight.
During the takeoff roll, one of the pilot-rated passengers seated behind the cockpit noted that the engines did not appear to be producing equal power. The possibility of a faulty gauge was mentioned, but the takeoff continued.
Within minutes, the flight would become far more complicated.
A Short Flight That Quickly Unraveled
Flight path illustration of the Cessna Citation | IMAGE: NTSB
The Citation departed from SVH’s Runway 10 on a planned flight to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) in Florida, a trip that would normally have taken just over an hour in the light business jet. The departure itself appeared routine, but the margin for error began shrinking almost immediately after liftoff. In fact, the aircraft was airborne for only about ten minutes before the crew decided to return.
The jet departed under visual flight rules with the intention of picking up an IFR clearance once airborne. That clearance never came. Multiple attempts were made from the right seat to contact air traffic control, but controllers were busy, and the flight was unable to activate its IFR flight plan.
As the Citation climbed away from Statesville, it initially reached approximately 2,200 feet before beginning a wide left turn back toward the airport. At one point during the return maneuver, flight data shows the aircraft climbing rapidly from roughly 1,800 feet to about 4,000 feet, before descending again. During this period, ground speed and airspeed fluctuated as cockpit workload increased.
Weather conditions in the area were deteriorating at the same time. Ceilings were lowering, and visibility was decreasing, pushing the aircraft closer to instrument meteorological conditions while it was still technically operating under VFR. With unresolved instrument concerns and no IFR clearance, the margin for safe continuation of the flight to Florida was rapidly disappearing.
The decision was made to abandon the trip to Sarasota and return to Statesville. Diverting to a larger airport such as Charlotte (CLT) was likely not a viable option given the aircraft’s proximity to Statesville and the apparent need to land promptly.
As the jet maneuvered back toward the airport, it descended through approximately 1,500 feet while traveling at around 160 knots, then continued descending as airspeed gradually bled off. By the time the aircraft turned toward final approach, recorded data shows it was already well below a typical stabilized approach profile.
What began as a routine departure quickly evolved into a compressed, high-workload scenario, with altitude, airspeed, weather, and systems all in play at once.
“We’re Having Some Issues Here:” Instrument Failures and Cockpit Confusion
According to the preliminary report, the pilot reported that his altimeter and other left-side flight instruments were not working properly. The CVR captured discussion about possible electrical issues, although portions of the audio were degraded or missing during critical moments.
The pilot briefly transferred control of the aircraft to the right seat occupant while troubleshooting the problem. This occurred despite the fact that the right seat pilot was not qualified to act as a second in command under FAA regulations.
During the return to Statesville, the right-seat pilot transmitted, “we’re having some problems here,” according to the NTSB’s preliminary report.
Around the same time, recorded aircraft data shows gaps in airspeed and heading information, and the autopilot disengaged. Audio quality on the cockpit recorder deteriorated significantly before later returning to normal. At one point, a crew member asked about power to the alternator, even though the Citation is not equipped with one, hinting at confusion during troubleshooting.
Eventually, the pilot indicated that he had found the problem, though he did not specify what it was. After that, there was no further recorded discussion of instrument failures.
Whether the issue was fully resolved or only partially mitigated remains unclear.
A Low and Unstable Approach
The Greg Biffle plane crash NTSB report shows this approach lighting was the first point of impact of the doomed Citation | IMAGE: NTSB
With the runway finally in sight, the crew configured the aircraft for landing. Flaps and landing gear were selected, though the report notes that landing gear indicator lights were not illuminated, raising additional questions about electrical or indication reliability.
As the Citation turned onto final approach, data shows the aircraft continuing to descend and slow. Investigators determined that the jet struck approach light structures well short of the runway before impacting trees and terrain roughly a third of a mile from the threshold.
The throttles were found in the full-forward position, suggesting the pilot may have attempted to arrest the sink rate or to initiate a last-second go-around.
The aircraft erupted into a post-impact fire, killing all seven people on board.
Fatal Crash of Cessna 550 -240 | IMAGE: NTSB
More Questions Than Answers
Fatal Crash of Cessna 550 271 – NTSB officials examine the engine | IMAGE: NTSB
At this stage, the NTSB is careful not to draw conclusions, but several critical questions remain unresolved.
Why did multiple cockpit instruments fail, and were those failures electrical, mechanical, or both? Why was a flight that required two qualified pilots operating without one? Why did the aircraft arrive so low and slow on final despite having the runway in sight?
Aviation safety expert John Cox believes the instrument failures may ultimately prove more significant than the lack of a qualified copilot.
“In the clouds with failing flight instruments is a serious situation,” Cox told the Associated Press.
That may be true. But the absence of a properly qualified second pilot during exactly that kind of high-stress scenario is difficult to ignore.
“Be Like Biff”
Greg Biffle and his family
Beyond the technical questions, the crash remains a devastating loss.
Biffle, 55, was one of NASCAR’s most accomplished drivers, with more than 50 wins across NASCAR’s top three series, including championships in the Truck Series and Xfinity Series. He was widely respected not only for his driving career but also for his humanitarian work, including personal aviation efforts to deliver aid after Hurricane Helene.
Since his untimely death, the sentiment “Be Like Biff” has emerged as a way to remember and honor Biffle’s legacy.
That sentiment was repeated often as hundreds gathered in Charlotte in January to honor Biffle at a public memorial. Family, friends, and fans remembered him for the impact he left on the NASCAR community and the friends and family who knew him best.
For now, the investigation continues. As for the final NTSB report, it will likely not be released until 2027. Let’s hope the final report puts some of the lingering questions to rest.
To read the preliminary Greg Biffle plane crash NTSB report in its entirety, you can view it below.
Who had turtles in a bra on their 2025 bingo card?
The Transportation Security Administration has seen just about everything. But every year, a handful of discoveries rise above the usual pocketknives and oversized shampoo bottles and earn a place in TSA lore.
This week, the agency released its list of the top ten most unusual items discovered at airport security checkpoints in 2025, and while this year’s lineup may be slightly more benign than some infamous lists from the past, it still delivers plenty of head-shaking moments.
Through the years, there have been some…let’s say…unusual items confiscated at TSA security checkpoints. Remember in 2022 when a gun was found inside a raw chicken at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL)? Well, it happened. And you can read about it here.
Fairly or unfairly, TSA shouldered much of the public’s travel frustration in 2025. The year brought wild weather, record-breaking passenger volumes, the nationwide rollout of REAL ID in May, and a 43-day government shutdown that throttled flights at some of the nation’s busiest airports and left many TSA officers working without pay for weeks.
The numbers alone explain why strange things occasionally slip into the X-ray tunnel. In 2025, TSA screened 906.7 million passengers, averaging about 2.48 million travelers per day. Eight of the ten busiest travel days in US history occurred in 2025, including a record 3.1 million passengers screened on Sunday, 30 November, the day after Thanksgiving.
Over the course of the year, officers screened 2.1 billion carry-on bags and 480 million checked bags, confiscating more than one million prohibited items, including 6,669 firearms.
It goes without saying that with that sheer volume of bags passing through TSA hands each and every day, there are bound to be wacky items discovered from time to time. I’m sure TSA agents reading this right now are laughing to themselves and saying under their breath, “You have NO idea, man. No idea.”
Oh, the stories they could tell.
TSA, But Make It Internet-Savvy
IMAGE: Transportation Security Administration (TSA) @tsa via Instagram
While it may seem odd for a federal security agency to crack jokes about confiscated contraband, TSA has leaned into humor as a way to connect with travelers. Its social media feeds are equal parts public service announcement and dad-joke masterclass, with puns that feel suspiciously well-workshopped.
This year’s unusual finds list continues that tradition. Compared to past years, most of the items were relatively harmless, though “relatively” is doing a lot of work in that sentence.
So, without further ado, here is the official countdown.
The Top Ten Most Unusual TSA Finds of 2025
From replica explosives to turtles in a bra, TSA brings humor to a serious matter | IMAGE: Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
#10: Bullets and Knives Wrapped in Tinfoil
Akron-Canton Airport (CAK), Ohio, and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
A classic case of optimism over logic. Wrapping ammunition and knives in foil may keep leftovers fresh, but it does not make them invisible to X-ray machines.
#9: Firearm in a Golf Bag
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
A shotgun concealed among golf clubs, complete with a head cover. Apparently, someone took “driving range” a bit too literally.
#8: Bullets in Strawberry Nesquik
Miami International Airport (MIA)
In July, a passenger heading to Cuba tried to sneak 64 hollow-point bullets through security by hiding them inside a rubber glove buried in a container of strawberry Nesquik. TSA officers noticed the container felt unusually heavy, which is generally a bad sign for powdered flavored milk.
A discovery that made seasoned TSA officers pause. The knife was found during screening of a child’s booster seat, prompting a reminder that kids’ gear gets screened just as carefully as adult luggage.
In August, TSA officers discovered two plastic bags filled with hydrocodone and benzodiazepines hidden inside a shampoo bottle in checked luggage. The passenger was arrested, and TSA gently reminded travelers that shampoo is for hair, not pharmaceuticals.
Supportive for joints. Not approved for carry-on. The knee brace did its job too well by hiding a blade where no one should be hiding anything sharp.
#4: Drugs in Shoes
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA), Hawaii
Two pairs of sneakers were found stuffed with heroin, fentanyl, ketamine, meth, acid, Xanax bars, and soma pills. TSA summed it up best online: “Dirty socks are bad enough… but these kicks were criminal.”
An attempt to scatter razor blades throughout clothing, presumably hoping quantity would equal invisibility. It did not.
#2: Turtles in a Bra and Down Some Pants
These turtles in a bra were found wrapped in tape and plastic wrap | IMAGE: Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
Miami International Airport (MIA) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Really? This happened not once, but twice? Yes. Really.
In April, a passenger at MIA attempted to smuggle two turtles taped and wrapped inside her bra. TSA responded on social media with a request to “please stop hiding animals in weird places on your body.” Sadly, one of the turtles did not survive.
Just a month earlier at EWR, another passenger tried to conceal a five-inch turtle in his groin, wrapped in a small blue towel. TSA officials noted it was the first time they had encountered someone hiding a live animal down the front of their pants. That turtle, at least, was unharmed.
According to the report… “passenger divested two turtles from her breast area.” pic.twitter.com/7kQPPMctJW
Topping the 2025 list of most unusual TSA findings is a replica pipe bomb discovered in May at Boise Airport. After a bag alarmed during screening, TSA explosives specialists found PVC pipes and wooden blocks marked “C4,” complete with wires, an initiator, and a detonator.
The items were determined to be non-functional training aids, abandoned at the checkpoint after the passenger admitted what they were. TSA’s response online captured the moment perfectly: “BOI, oh boy!”
TSA’s 2025 list may not feature raw poultry packed with firearms or live snakes in carry-ons, but it’s still surprising the lengths people will go to be creative when they are late for a flight.
Somewhere between the booster seat knife and the turtles in undergarments lies the tried and true truth of air travel: no matter how many signs you post, someone will always test the boundaries.
And TSA agents will be there, scanning bags, shaking their heads, and quietly adding another story to the pile.
Now, for one more laugh, check out TSA’s video highlighting the year’s strangest finds.
A beautifully-made cinematic French-language anniversary film celebrates the Air France Concorde and the era of supersonic commercial flight.
Fifty years ago, commercial aviation crossed a line that has yet to be crossed again. Here at Avgeekery, we marked the occasion with a tribute to one of the most elegant and ambitious human feats ever achieved.
IMAGE: Air France
On 21 January 1976, Concorde entered scheduled passenger service with Air France and British Airways, ushering in an all-too-brief, but unforgettable, era of supersonic travel. Half a century later, that moment still resonates, not just for what Concorde was, but for what it represented: confidence, ambition, and a belief that speed itself could be elegant.
To mark the milestone, Air France has released a beautifully produced anniversary video celebrating Concorde’s legacy. The film is entirely in French (don’t worry, it has English subtitles), but language quickly becomes secondary. This is not a technical briefing or a corporate retrospective. It is a visual and emotional tribute, and one that aviation enthusiasts will appreciate regardless of fluency.
Put simply, the video is an invitation to remember a time when airlines did not just move passengers from point A to point B, but dared to redefine what was possible.
Oh, how we long for those days again.
A Love Letter to Supersonic Flight: The Air France Concorde 50th Anniversary Film Is Worth Your Time 55
Concorde, Through Air France’s Eyes
Air France Concorde flying in formation with the French display team Patrouille de France | IMAGE: Air France
The Air France Concorde story is inseparable from the aircraft’s legacy, yet it carries a distinct national and cultural pride. Concorde was not merely flown by Air France. It was embraced as a symbol of French engineering excellence and European cooperation.
IMAGE: Air France
Developed jointly by France and the United Kingdom, Concorde was a technological moonshot of its era. It cruised at Mach 2, more than twice the speed of sound, at altitudes above 60,000 feet. At that height, the sky darkened, the curvature of the Earth became visible, and the Atlantic crossing shrank to just over three hours.
Air France operated Concorde on premium routes, most famously between Paris and New York, where time itself became a selling point. Breakfast in Paris. Lunch in Manhattan. For a brief window in aviation history, that wasn’t marketing hype. It was reality.
The anniversary video leans into this romance. Through archival footage, elegant pacing, and modern production techniques, Air France presents Concorde not as a retired airliner, but as a living idea.
Engineering That Still Feels Futuristic
IMAGE: Air France
What makes the film especially compelling is how it subtly highlights Concorde’s engineering brilliance without turning clinical.
Concorde’s slender delta wing, its drooping nose for improved visibility during takeoff and landing, and its Olympus engines optimized for sustained supersonic cruise were all solutions to problems that commercial aviation has largely avoided since. Heat expansion alone caused the airframe to grow several inches in flight. Cabin windows were small to manage pressurization. Fuel was actively pumped around the aircraft to maintain balance at different speeds.
These features were all part of the inner workings that made Concorde fly.
The video doesn’t spell out all this in technical detail, but it doesn’t need to. The visuals do the work. Close-ups of the aircraft. Shots of Concorde slicing through the sky. Quiet moments on the flight deck. Together, they remind the viewer that Concorde was not just fast. It was purpose-built for a regime of flight no other passenger jet has dared to revisit.
A Celebration, Not a Postmortem
Air France Concorde (reg. F-BVFA) in flight | IMAGE: Air France
Importantly, this Air France Concorde video is not about why Concorde ended. It does not dwell on economics, noise regulations, or the factors that led to its retirement in 2003. Instead, it focuses on why Concorde mattered.
That choice feels intentional, and appropriate.
They were like children with eyes full of wonder. They wanted to enjoy each moment. And often, upon their return, customers would tell us, “It was too short!”
Laëtitia Auchoix | Concorde Lounge Agent (1996-1998), Paris CDG
Fifty years after Concorde entered service, its absence still leaves a noticeable gap. No commercial aircraft today offers a supersonic experience. Speed has been traded for efficiency, range, and scale. And while the industry has moved on, it has not replaced what Concorde represented, even as companies like Boom Supersonic quietly work toward a return to supersonic flight with aircraft such as Overture.
This is why the video works so well. It is not trying to argue for Concorde’s return. It is simply asking the viewer to pause and appreciate what once existed.
Why You Should Watch It
An Air France Concorde flies over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | IMAGE: Air France
Even if you don’t speak French, the Air France Concorde anniversary film is worth your time. It is truly a love letter to Concorde, clearly made by people who understand that Concorde was more than metal and fuel burn charts.
For avgeeks, especially those in the US who associate Concorde primarily with New York arrivals and sonic booms over the Atlantic, the video offers a slightly different perspective. It shows Concorde as Air France saw it: a national achievement, a technical marvel, and a defining chapter in the airline’s identity.
Fifty years on, Concorde still captures imaginations. This video reminds us why.
If you care about aviation history, engineering ambition, or the lost art of going faster simply because we could, this is an anniversary worth celebrating — and, in this author’s opinion, a film worth watching.
Following its very recent 787 Dreamliner deal, the Delta Airbus widebody order for 31 A330-900 and A350-900 aircraft will support its international growth efforts.
Delta Air Lines is continuing to build toward its long-haul future, announcing on Wednesday, 28 January, that it will purchase 31 additional Airbus widebody aircraft as part of its ongoing fleet renewal and international expansion strategy.
The order includes 16 Airbus A330-900s and 15 A350-900s, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2029. The agreement combines a new incremental order with the exercise of 10 previously held Airbus widebody options. Delta also added 20 additional widebody options for future use.
A350 from below | IMAGE: Delta Air Lines
The Atlanta-based carrier says the purchase fits within its previously announced capital expenditure and capacity plans.
We value our long-standing partnership with Airbus, and with these widebody aircraft, we will see additional operational efficiencies and long-term cost benefits in the years to come.
Ed Bastian | Delta Air Lines CEO
“As we grow our international footprint and prepare our fleet to serve expanded long-haul markets, these aircraft will enhance our capabilities and elevate our premium offerings,” Delta chief executive officer Ed Bastian said. “We value our long-standing partnership with Airbus, and with these widebody aircraft, we will see additional operational efficiencies and long-term cost benefits in the years to come.”
Once the deliveries are complete, Delta’s Airbus widebody fleet will include 55 A330-900s and 79 A350s, including 20 A350-1000s that are slated to begin joining the fleet in early 2027.
Widebodies for Where Delta Is Headed Next
Delta Airbus A350-900 | IMAGE: Delta Air Lines
The timing of the Airbus order is interesting, as it comes just two weeks after Delta placed a major order for up to 60 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners. The Boeing order was significant because it is the carrier’s first direct widebody order from Boeing since 2008.
Together, the two deals signal how aggressively Delta is positioning itself for international growth over the next decade, particularly in premium-heavy markets.
The A350 has already become a key part of that strategy. Its long-range and performance have enabled Delta to launch new service to destinations such as Taipei (TPE), Melbourne (MEL), Hong Kong (HKG), and Riyadh (RUH), with the aircraft playing a central role in the airline’s expansion across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the South Pacific.
Delta Airbus A330-900 | IMAGE: Delta Air Lines
The A330-900 is expected to complement that growth, adding premium capacity on medium and long-haul international routes while offering improved fuel efficiency and operating margins compared to older widebody types.
“With today’s announcement, Delta’s A330-900 fleet will increase to 55 aircraft, and the A350 fleet will reach 79 aircraft,” the airline said in a statement.
Airbus executives welcomed the expanded partnership.
“We are grateful for Delta’s continued trust in Airbus products and our people,” said Robin Hayes, chairman and CEO of Airbus in North America. “It is a privilege to power their global growth with the A330neo and A350, providing the flexibility and performance Delta needs to connect more of the world.”
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Airbus executive vice president of sales for the commercial aircraft business, added that Delta’s selection reflects confidence in the widebody family’s capabilities. “Delta’s renewed confidence in both the A330neo and the A350 is a testament to our enduring partnership and the excellence of the Airbus widebody family performance,” he said.
Engines, Cabins, and the Passenger Experience
Delta’s new Airbus A350-900s will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 EP engines, featuring improved fuel efficiency and range over earlier variants | IMAGE: Delta Air Lines
Both aircraft types will be powered by Rolls-Royce engines. The A330-900 uses the Trent 7000, which has accumulated more than 4 million flight hours worldwide, including 1 million with Delta. The A350-900 will be powered by the Trent XWB-84 EP, offering improved fuel efficiency and range over earlier variants.
Delta has also entered into long-term maintenance agreements with Rolls-Royce to support the engines.
“Rolls-Royce is proud to have Delta Air Lines as our largest partner in the Americas,” said Rob Watson, president of Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace. “This reorder underpins our combined commitment to reliability, durability, and customer success.”
Interior of Delta Airbus A330-900 | IMAGE: Delta Air Lines
From a passenger perspective, Delta says all new widebody aircraft entering the fleet in the coming years will feature larger premium cabins and updated onboard amenities. That includes Delta One Suites, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort, and Delta Main seating, along with free seatback entertainment through Delta Sync, free high-speed Delta Sync Wi-Fi, and upgraded food and beverage offerings.
Today, Delta operates more than 500 Airbus aircraft across every major product family, from the A220 through the A350. With the commitments announced this week, the airline now has 232 narrowbody and 85 widebody aircraft on order for future delivery.
UPS retires MD-11 freighters following the November crash, leaving FedEx and Western Global as the world’s only remaining operators.
In a move that signals a major shift for global cargo aviation, United Parcel Service (UPS) has confirmed it has permanently retired its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighters, bringing an abrupt end to the aircraft’s service with the world’s largest parcel carrier.
The announcement came on 27 January in UPS’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings release, following months of uncertainty after the fatal crash of UPS Flight 2976 on 4 November 2025, which claimed 15 lives. The aircraft involved was an MD-11. Shortly after the accident, the fleet was grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration “out of an abundance of caution” while the investigation continues.
Now, that grounding has become permanent.
UPS Accelerates MD-11 Exit
UPS MD-11 landing at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) | IMAGE: By King airaglub – Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=176392526
UPS disclosed that it completed the retirement of its MD-11 fleet during the fourth quarter of 2025, recording a $137 million non-cash, after-tax charge tied to the write-off of the aircraft. The MD-11 had previously accounted for roughly 9 percent of the UPS fleet and was primarily used on long-haul international cargo routes.
The move significantly accelerates UPS’s long-standing fleet modernization plan. Prior to the crash, the company had already been phasing out older widebodies in favor of newer, more fuel-efficient twin-engine freighters. The MD-11, a three-engine design that traces its lineage back to the DC-10, has long faced higher maintenance costs and diminishing parts availability compared to modern alternatives.
UPS has operated the MD-11 since the early 2000s, using it as a workhorse successor to its DC-10 fleet. At the time of the grounding, the carrier operated 31 MD-11s, making it the second-largest MD-11 operator in the world, behind FedEx.
The Sun is Setting for the MD-11
UPS retires MD-11 fleet, leaving FedEx and Western Global as the only other MD-11 operators. Seen here are two MD-11s on the ramp at Hong Kong International Airport | IMAGE: Dltl2010, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
With UPS now fully out, the MD-11’s presence in global cargo operations has narrowed dramatically.
FedEx, which operates the world’s largest MD-11 fleet
Western Global Airlines, a smaller US cargo carrier heavily impacted by the grounding
Both carriers’ MD-11 fleets have remained grounded since November 2025, pending FAA-approved inspections. FedEx has previously indicated it expects the MD-11 to return to service in 2026, while Western Global has yet to announce a confirmed timeline.
For now, however, UPS’s decision leaves no active MD-11 flights in US commercial cargo service, a development that would have been unthinkable just a few months ago for an aircraft that once formed the backbone of long-haul freight networks.
The Beginning of the End for Trijets
UPS MD-11 N295UP at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) | IMAGE: Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
UPS’s MD-11 retirement is likely the end of another era in the industry: the trijet era is quietly coming to an end.
Once prized for redundancy and long-range performance, three-engine aircraft like the MD-11 have been steadily displaced by more efficient twin-engine designs that benefit from modern ETOPS rules, lower fuel burn, and simpler maintenance profiles. Passenger operators retired the type years ago. Cargo carriers were the last holdouts.
Today’s announcement may prove to be one of the defining moments in the MD-11’s long farewell.
The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the November crash, and the FAA’s fleet-wide grounding remains in place as inspections and reviews continue. While FedEx and Western Global are still positioned to bring their MD-11s back into service, UPS has made it clear there is no path back for the type within its network.
Will FedEx and Western Global follow in UPS’s footsteps?
With UPS stepping away, the MD-11 moves one step closer to history…and the skies grow quieter for the last of the commercial trijets
The story behind the Qatari 747 Air Force One conversion and the race to have the aircraft ready by summer.
A Boeing 747 donated by the Qatari government could soon be flying as Air Force One, potentially entering service as early as this coming summer, according to Air Force officials. The US Air Force has designated the aircraft as a VC-25 “bridge” aircraft, positioning it as an interim solution while the long-delayed replacement aircraft remain years from completion.
The jet was formally accepted by the US government in May 2025, with modification work beginning later in the year. According to Air Force statements, delivery is anticipated no later than summer 2026, with some indications that the aircraft could be available even sooner.
If the timeline holds, the bridge aircraft could enter service in time for peak summer travel and a period when high-visibility presidential operations are expected around the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations this summer.
If deployed, the aircraft would supplement the existing presidential fleet and would be referred to as Air Force One only when the president is on board. Its role is not to permanently replace current aircraft, but to provide additional capacity during a period of strain on the presidential airlift system.
Converting a Luxury 747 Into a Presidential Aircraft
Qatari 747 Air Force One jet, seen here at London Heathrow (LHR) in 2015 | IMAGE: By John Taggart from Claydon Banbury, Oxfordshire – A7-HBJ 03122015LHR, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45496259
Turning a former luxury Boeing 747-8 BBJ into a presidential transport is not a simple undertaking. Air Force One aircraft are not merely executive airliners. They function as secure, airborne command platforms designed to operate during national emergencies.
The former Qatari VIP Boeing 747-8, a BBJ-configured jumbo built as MSN 37075 and previously registered as P4-HBJ (the nearly 14-year-old jet was originally delivered to the Qatari government in April 2012), was placed on the US civilian register as N7478D on 5 August 2025.
The Air Force has kept most details of the conversion classified, declining to specify which systems will be installed or how closely the bridge aircraft will match the capabilities of the current VC-25A fleet. Multiple reports indicate that Melbourne, Florida-based aerospace company L3Harris has been tasked with performing the conversion. The defense contractor has extensive experience with secure communications, avionics integration, and special-mission aircraft, including prior work on presidential and executive airlift platforms.
While neither the Air Force nor L3Harris has publicly detailed the scope of the work, the company’s role is understood to involve transforming the former luxury airliner into an aircraft capable of meeting presidential transport requirements, at least in an interim capacity.
Experts note that the accelerated timeline is likely to limit the scope of modifications. Full presidential aircraft typically require years of work to integrate hardened communications, defensive countermeasures, electromagnetic protection, and in-flight refueling capability. Whether the bridge aircraft will support all of these features remains unclear, raising questions about how it would be used operationally and under what circumstances.
The aircraft has been spotted at L3Harris facilities in Texas, where conversion and integration work is believed to be underway. Aviation observers have tracked the jet’s presence at locations associated with the company’s special-mission aircraft operations, reinforcing reports that L3Harris is leading the effort.
One such facility is located at TSTC Waco Airport (CNW). L3Harris’s Waco operation focuses on Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missionization and large-aircraft retrofit work. The site has become a hub for major programs, including the OA-1K Skyraider II production line, and has supported other high-profile refurbishment and modification projects. Beyond mission systems integration, the facility’s capabilities include work typically associated with complex special-mission conversions, such as interior design and build-out, painting, and fabrication.
The Air Force has confirmed that it is working with “other government entities” to ensure proper security measures and mission requirements are addressed, but has declined to provide specifics on testing timelines or when the aircraft might become fully operational after delivery. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink has emphasized that security remains paramount, stating, “As we lay out the plan, we will make sure that we do what’s necessary to ensure security on the aircraft.”
Aging Aircraft and a Delayed Replacement Program
Livery of the upcoming VC-25B Air Force One aircraft | IMAGE: USAF
The need for an interim solution stems from two realities.
First, the current VC-25A aircraft have been flying since the early 1990s and are increasingly maintenance-intensive. That reality became visible again recently when the VC-25A carrying President Trump to the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was forced to turn back to Washington due to an electrical issue, with the presidential party continuing the trip aboard a C-32, the Air Force’s 757-based executive transport.
Second, the official replacements remain far behind schedule. The Air Force now expects the first VC-25B delivery in mid-2028, roughly four years later than originally planned. President Trump has openly expressed frustration with those delays, which has helped drive the pursuit of a faster interim option.
At the same time, the Air Force is investing in long-term sustainment of the 747-8 platform, including plans to acquire two former Lufthansa 747-8 aircraft for training and spare parts to support the future VC-25B fleet.
Controversy, Cost, and Operational Implications
Global Isle of Man Boeing 747-8, the aircraft soon to become a VC-25 “bridge” Air Force One, the Qatari 747 Air Force One | IMAGE: By Mark Bess – P4-HBJ_JFK_Parked_On_GAT_Ramp_Global_Jet_Isle_Of_Man_B747_8KB_BBJ_Small, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=178187092
The acceptance of a foreign-donated aircraft for presidential airlift has drawn criticism and raised questions about security, cost, and precedent. While the aircraft itself was donated at no cost, the U.S. government is expected to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to modify it to meet mission requirements.
Air Force officials have stated that the conversion is projected to cost less than $400 million, significantly less than the multibillion-dollar VC-25B program. Critics argue that even with modifications, the aircraft may not achieve the full survivability and command capabilities traditionally associated with Air Force One.
There are also implications for how the aircraft would be used. If the bridge aircraft lacks certain capabilities, it may be restricted to lower-threat environments or domestic missions, serving primarily as a stopgap for capacity and reliability rather than a full replacement.
Still, from an aviation perspective, the effort highlights both the complexity of presidential airlift and the difficulty of replacing a platform as unique as Air Force One. Whether the VC-25 bridge aircraft serves briefly or becomes a regular sight during a milestone year for the nation, its rapid conversion represents one of the most unusual aircraft transitions ever undertaken by the US Air Force.
The Wall Street Journal reveals the best US airline of 2025 and a surprising shakeup in the rankings.
Nobody can deny that 2025 was a turbulent year for air travel in the United States. And while no single airline operated perfectly (or anywhere close to it), one airline managed to rise above the industry’s familiar challenges by simply running a more reliable operation.
On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal released its 18th annual ranking of the best and worst US airlines. Despite continued disruptions across the industry, including staffing shortages, technology failures, weather events, and network strain, the Journal named Southwest Airlines the best airline in America for 2025.
It marks the first time Southwest has topped the rankings since 2020 and ends Delta Air Lines’ four-year streak as the industry’s top performer.
The complete list of 2025 WSJ airline rankings is:
Southwest
Allegiant
Delta
Alaska
Spirit
United
JetBlue
American and Frontier
How the Wall Street Journal Ranks Airlines
The Journal’s airline scorecard is not based on passenger surveys or subjective travel experiences. Instead, it is a data-driven evaluation built around operational performance.
For 2025, nine major US airlines were ranked across seven equally weighted metrics:
On time arrivals
Flight cancellations
Delays of 45 minutes or more
Mishandled baggage
Tarmac delays
Involuntary denied boarding
Passenger submissions filed with the US Department of Transportation (DOT)
Each airline is ranked in every category, and the carrier with the lowest combined score across all seven metrics is crowned the overall winner.
Hawaiian Airlines was excluded from the 2025 rankings because of its “regional focus.” Its performance data will be incorporated into Alaska Airlines’ results following the airlines’ merger in 2026.
Why Some Airlines Are Not Included
A Breeze Airways Airbus A220 and an Avelo Airlines Boeing 737 | IMAGE: (Breeze: Breeze Airways) (Avelo: Avelo Airlines)
You might notice that several newer or smaller US airlines are missing from the rankings. Carriers such as Breeze Airways, Avelo Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines are not evaluated, not because of performance, but because of how the scorecard is constructed.
The Wall Street Journal limits its analysis to a defined group of major US airlines that generate enough consistent, year-round data across all seven operational categories. The rankings rely heavily on DOT reporting, which only applies to carriers that meet specific thresholds for scheduled service and revenue. Airlines that do not report complete data across every metric are excluded to keep comparisons consistent and directly comparable.
In short, the scorecard reflects operational performance among the largest US carriers with fully comparable datasets, rather than a comprehensive list of every airline flying domestically.
Why Southwest is the Best US Airline of 2025
Southwest Airlines 737 MAX-8 | IMAGE: Ashlee D. Smith/Southwest
Southwest did not dominate every category, but it performed consistently well across all of them. That balance proved decisive.
According to the Journal, Southwest recorded the fewest customer complaints and tarmac delays among the nine airlines ranked. It finished second-best in both on-time arrivals and the cancellation rate. Its lowest ranking was fourth place in baggage handling.
Most notably, Southwest posted a cancellation rate of just 0.84 percent in 2025, keeping it below 1 percent for the second year in a row. Only Allegiant Air performed better, at 0.55 percent. By comparison, American Airlines canceled 2.2 percent of its flights, the highest rate among airlines on the scorecard.
Southwest’s performance comes after years of heavy investment following its operational breakdown during the late 2022 and early 2023 holiday travel period. Since then, the airline has invested billions in improving its systems, staffing, and processes, even as it navigates significant internal changes. Those included a 15 percent reduction in its corporate workforce and the introduction of overnight red-eye flights and Hawaii flights for the first time in the carrier’s history.
Much to the traveling public’s dismay, Southwest also began charging for bags in May 2025 and announced it would begin assigned seating in early 2026 (which begins next week on 27 January).
Despite the high-profile negative press over the changes that had defined Southwest since its inception, the Dallas-based carrier still came out on top.
Southwest Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson told the Journal that keeping cancellations low requires close coordination when disruptions begin to cascade.
“It’s very easy to cancel a flight. That’s the path of least resistance,” Watterson said.
Allegiant and Delta Round Out the Top Three
Allegiant and Delta Airlines named second and third best US airlines of 2025 by the Wall Street Journal
Allegiant finished second overall, buoyed by standout performance in three categories. The airline posted the lowest cancellation rate, mishandled the fewest bags, and involuntarily bumped the fewest passengers among all carriers ranked.
Its weaker results came in on-time arrivals and extreme delays. Allegiant has said those longer delays reflect a deliberate strategy of holding flights rather than canceling them outright, a choice the airline argues helps avoid stranding passengers.
Delta slipped to third place after topping the rankings for four consecutive years. While the airline again led the industry in on-time arrivals, its overall score suffered due to increases in cancellations, tarmac delays, and passenger complaints.
Much of that decline traces back to Delta’s summer 2024 operational meltdown following a CrowdStrike software outage. Because the Journal’s 2024 rankings only included data through May, the full impact of that disruption appeared for the first time in the 2025 results.
Delta told the Journal it plans to reclaim the top spot in 2026, saying its employees “set the bar high for airline performance as part of our drive for continuous improvement.”
Trouble at the Bottom of the Rankings
IMAGE: American Airlines
At the other end of the scorecard, American Airlines and Frontier Airlines tied for last place out of the nine carriers ranked.
A Frontier Airbus A320neo | IMAGE: Frontier Airlines
American’s 2025 performance marked a sharp deterioration. Its cancellation rate rose from 1.37 percent in 2024 to 2.2 percent, the highest among the airlines ranked. In no category did American finish higher than sixth.
The airline attributed part of its poor showing to weather disruptions and congestion at several major hubs and said investments in baggage handling and scheduling are already producing improvements.
Frontier ranked last in four of the seven categories and returned to the bottom of the rankings for the second year in a row.
Other Notable Takeaways from the 2025 Scorecard
A Spirit Airlines jet taxis past a JetBlue Airbus at the gate at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) | IMAGE: Photo by Randolph Rojas on Unsplash
Beyond the headline results, the Journal found that airline performance in 2025 looked much like the year before, with a few exceptions.
Overall airline performance remained largely flat compared with 2024, with no sharp improvements or declines.
Spirit Airlines posted the largest year-over-year improvement, rising to fifth place despite ongoing bankruptcy proceedings and questions about its survival.
United Airlines posted the worst baggage handling rate at 7.07 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers, well above the industry average of 5.11. United ranked sixth.
JetBlue Airways ranked seventh, performing relatively well in baggage handling but struggling with delays and reliability.
No airline exceeded an 80 percent on-time arrival rate in 2025. The industry average slipped to 76.45 percent, with the DOT defining on-time as arriving within 15 minutes of schedule.
Delays. Cancellations. Frustrated travelers. A pajama “ban.” Air traffic controller shortages. High-profile accidents and incidents. An ongoing pilot shortage. A 43-day government shutdown. In many ways, 2025 was a year defined by disruption and chaos across US airspace.
And yet, the system held. More than 17 million flights moved through it, roughly 47,000 every day, making 2025 the busiest year for US air travel in more than 15 years. It was not flawless, but it worked.
With long-awaited air traffic control modernization now underway and thousands of new controllers expected to enter the system in the months and years ahead, there is cautious optimism that some of the strain may ease. How much of a difference that makes will be reflected in the 2026 rankings.
For now, the 2025 scorecard offers a clear verdict. There were winners and there were losers, but the data also reveals a sobering message. Reliability remains fragile, passenger satisfaction remains uneven, and the margin between success and failure in US aviation is still uncomfortably thin.
The Freedom Plane will soon embark on a landmark mission, transporting America’s most iconic founding documents nationwide as the country celebrates its semiquincentennial.
Announced on 20 January 2026, the Freedom Plane National Tour will see a specially equipped Boeing 737 transport an exhibit called Documents That Forged a Nation beyond Washington, DC, for the first time in history. Beginning in March and running through August, the tour will bring these irreplaceable artifacts to eight cities nationwide, allowing millions of Americans to experience them up close in their own communities.
The Freedom Train passes through Naval Air Station, Miramar, California, on 15 Jan 1976 | IMAGE: Public Domain
The Freedom Plane, inspired by the 1976 Bicentennial Freedom Train, is organized by the National Archives Foundation, the National Archives and Records Administration, and partners such as Boeing.
“Americans across the country can bear witness to the people and principles that shaped our nation through the Freedom Plane National Tour,” said Jim Byron, Senior Advisor to the Archivist of the United States. “There is no more noteworthy an occasion than America’s 250th birthday to share this history, to inspire our fellow Americans to champion our nation’s founding ideals into the future.”
The Aircraft Behind the Freedom Plane Mission
The Freedom Plane will be operated by a Boeing 737-7BC(WL) Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). Registration N836BA. Seen here at Munich Franz Josef Strauss International Airport (MUC) in Germany in February 2024 | IMAGE: Björn Huke via planespotters.net
The aircraft selected for the tour is a 26-year-old Boeing 737-700 Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) flying in a dedicated Freedom Plane livery. Registered as N836BA, the aircraft is owned by Boeing Executive Flight Operations. With the exception of a couple of stints with NetJets and the Government of Kazakhstan, the jet has been owned by Boeing since 18 May 2000, according to planespotters.net.
Model of the Freedom Plane, unveiled on 20 Jan 2026 by Jim Byron (Senior Advisor to the Archivist of the United States), Jeff Shockey (Executive VP of Boeing Government Operations, Global Public Policy & Corporate Strategy), and Patrick Madden (National Archives CEO) | IMAGE: National Archives
Boeing will provide the Freedom Plane aircraft along with the “operational support required to safely transport the documents between each tour stop,” according to officials.
“At Boeing, we’re honored to help bring these foundational documents directly to communities across the country,” said Jeff Shockey, Executive Vice President of Boeing Government Operations, Global Public Policy and Corporate Strategy. “Just as flight connects people and places, this tour will connect Americans to the ideas and sacrifices that forged our nation, and make history accessible to people from coast to coast.”
Just as flight connects people and places, this tour will connect Americans to the ideas and sacrifices that forged our nation, and make history accessible to people from coast to coast.
Jeff Shockey | Executive CP of Boeing Government Operations, Global Public Policy and Corporate Strategy
By using air travel, the Freedom Plane transforms what was once a static exhibition into a moving national experience, placing aviation at the center of how history is shared.
Protecting History Every Step of the Way
George Washington’s Oath of Allegiance 12 May 1778 RG 93 War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records Rediscovery # 01669
Moving documents of this significance requires precision, planning, and security on par with any complex aviation operation.
According to remarks made during Tuesday’s announcement, every movement of the documents aboard the Freedom Plane is tightly scheduled, diligently monitored, well-prepared for, and secured. Once the documents disembark from the aircraft, they are transferred to climate-controlled vehicles and handled by professional National Archives staff. Each arrival occurs under police escort, with Archives personnel coordinating closely with experienced, credentialed museum teams to prepare the materials for public display. While on view, the documents are protected at all times.
Model depiction of the Freedom Plane livery | IMAGE: National Archives
The Freedom Plane cargo includes some of the most consequential records in American history. Among them are the 1823 original engraving of the Declaration of Independence, commissioned by John Quincy Adams, the Articles of Association signed by all 53 delegates in 1774, and the Treaty of Paris signed in 1783 by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay, formally recognizing the United States as an independent nation.
Also traveling aboard the Freedom Plane are Oaths of Allegiance signed by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr; a rare, secret printing of the Constitution in draft form from 1787, complete with handwritten notes; and the official tally of votes approving the Constitution at the Constitutional Convention.
Freedom Plane National Tour logo | IMAGE: National Archives
“The Freedom Plane National Tour underscores that the rich history of our nation belongs to all of us, not just those Americans living in or visiting Washington, DC,” said Rodney E. Slater, Chair and President of the National Archives Foundation Board of Directors.
The exhibition will be free and open to the public at all eight stops. Tickets can be obtained through individual museum websites or by contacting the museums directly, with complete tour details available on the National Archives website.
Freedom Plane National Tour Schedule
Artist rendering of the Freedom Plane National Tour exhibit | IMAGE: National Archives
Kansas City, Missouri | National WWI Museum and Memoria | 6-22 March
Atlanta, Georgia | Atlanta History Center | 27 March – 12 April
Los Angeles, California | University of Southern California Fisher Museum of Art | 17 April – 3 May
Houston, Texas | Houston Museum of Natural Science | 8-25 May
Denver, Colorado | History Colorado Center | 28 May – 14 June
Miami, Florida | HistoryMiami Museum | 20 June – 5 July
Dearborn, Michigan | Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation | 9 July – 26 July
Seattle, Washington | Museum of History and Industry | 30 July – 16 August
More than half a century after Apollo 11 changed the course of human history, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin once sat together and reflected on the mission that carried them to the Moon and back.
The first mission to land people on another world blasted off from Cape Canaveral on 16 July 1969, hurtling three men 250,000 miles atop the largest operational rocket the world has ever known – the Saturn V.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would land on the moon several days later, while Michael Collins orbited overhead in the command module. Together, they forever cemented both the mission and their places in human history.
The Apollo program ended in 1972, but its influence never faded. The lessons learned from Saturn V launches, lunar navigation, life support systems, and deep space operations still shape modern spacecraft design. Apollo proved the Moon was reachable. What came after required patience, new technology, and a different kind of planning.
The next chapter is now right on our doorstep.
Artemis and the Return to Deep Space
NASA’s current human spaceflight effort is the Artemis program. Unlike Apollo, Artemis is designed as a long-term architecture rather than a short sprint. The goal is to establish sustained human presence at the Moon and use it as a proving ground for missions deeper into the solar system.
The first uncrewed test flight, Artemis I, flew successfully in late 2022, sending the Orion spacecraft around the Moon and safely back to Earth. The next step is far more personal.
Apollo 11 launch. Photo: NASA
Artemis II is the Next Giant Test
Artemis II prepares for rollout of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in January 2026
Artemis II will be NASA’s first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17. The mission will send four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft on a roughly ten-day journey around the Moon before returning to Earth.
NASA rolled out Artemis II to the launch pad on 17 January, aiming to send four astronauts on a 10-day mission to the moon and back as soon as 6 February 2026.
The crew includes:
Reid Wiseman, mission commander
Victor Glover, pilot
Christina Koch, mission specialist
Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, mission specialist
Artemis II will not land on the Moon. Its purpose is validation. Life support systems. Communications. Navigation. Heat shield performance. Crew operations in deep space. Everything that must work before humans attempt another lunar landing.
And, talk about a full-circle moment: Artemis II’s journey to the pad took place aboard NASA’s crawler-transporter CT-2, the very same machine that carried Buzz Aldrin’s Saturn V rocket to the launch pad in 1969. More than fifty years apart, the same steel crawler traced the same slow path from the Vehicle Assembly Building toward history.
In terms of distance from Earth, Artemis II will take astronauts farther than any human has traveled in more than half a century.
The Road to Mars
President Trump’s space executive order does not explicitly provide Mars plans | IMAGE: SpaceX
Even as Artemis II sets its sights on the Moon, plans for sending humans to Mars continue to take shape. NASA’s current timeline places the first crewed missions to Mars no earlier than the 2030s, though no firm launch date has been set.
That uncertainty reflects the scale of the challenge. Before humans can set foot on Mars, NASA must demonstrate:
Long-duration life support systems that can operate reliably for years
Deep space propulsion capable of moving large crews and cargo
Entry, descent, and landing systems for Mars’ thin atmosphere
Surface habitats and ascent vehicles for the return journey
The Artemis missions, and indeed the Moon itself, are the testbed for all of it.
From Apollo to Artemis
(20 July 1969) — Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during an Apollo 11 extravehicular activity (EVA) on the lunar surface. The Lunar Module (LM) is on the left, and the footprints of the astronauts are clearly visible in the soil of the moon. Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, took this picture with a 70mm Hasselblad lunar surface camera. While astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin descended in the LM, the “Eagle”, to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Michael Collins, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) “Columbia” in lunar orbit. Photo credit: NASA
When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin reflected on Apollo 11, they were looking backward at a moment that reshaped history.
In the weeks ahead, a new chapter of spaceflight history is set to begin. Artemis looks forward with the same spirit that drove Apollo and the American heroes who made it possible.
And you can bet that AvGeekery will be there to tell the story!
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on 16 July 2017. It was updated on 20 January 2026 with the latest information on NASA’s Artemis program.
Follow Mike Killian on Instagram and Facebook, @MikeKillianPhotography
If you have ever flown the Northrop T-38 Talon, you already know one thing. This airplane does not feel old.
Even in 2026, the Talon is very much alive. More than 500 are still in active service, training Air Force pilots who will go on to fly front-line aircraft like the F-15, F-16, and B-1B. Most have been modernized into the T-38C configuration, giving this supersonic trainer just enough of a technological edge to keep pace with today’s demands.
And it is not just the Air Force. At NASA, the T-38 remains a staple of astronaut training, with more than 30 aircraft helping crews stay sharp between missions.
A replacement is on the way (albeit slowly). The Boeing T-7A Red Hawk is expected to take over in the years ahead. But until then, and likely into the 2030s, the Talon is still doing what it has always done best. Teaching pilots what it means to fly fast, think faster, and stay ahead of the airplane.
The T-38: A White Rocket
The T-38 Talon is a two-seat fast-jet trainer capable of supersonic flight. (USAF Photo)
In 1970, Air Force flight training was divided into three phases, primary flight in the Cessna T-41 (Cessna 172), primary jet in the Cessna T-37, and advanced jet in the Northrop T-38 Talon. I survived—actually passed—the first two phases. With six months to graduation, we transitioned to the T-38.
The T-38, or “White Rocket,” was an entirely new flying experience. It is a tandem two-seat, twin-jet, advanced “fast-jet” (supersonic) trainer with a top speed of 1.3 Mach (speed of sound) and a maximum G-load of +9.0, i.e., the airframe could withstand a load force equal to 9 times the force of gravity.
Our training program called for approximately 90 hours in the T-38, including initial aircraft training, two- and four-ship formation flying, instrument flying, supersonic flight, night flying, and low-level, high-speed navigation. Basic flight included all of the maneuvers that we had learned in the T-37, but the responsiveness of the T-38 and the physical sensations were entirely different.
Powered by a G-Suit
For one thing, a “G-suit” was added to our gear. The G-suit, worn over our flight suit, looked like a cross between cowboy chaps and tight-fitting jeans with holes cut in the knees and the seat. It had an 18-inch hose sprouting from the waistband. Once in the aircraft, the hose was plugged into a port.
When maneuvering the aircraft at forces above 1.0 G, compressed air was pumped into the G-suit, squeezing the legs and around the waist to force blood back up into the upper part of the body—i.e., the head—to prevent the pilot from blacking out during high G-forces.
In addition to the G-suit, pilots can perform an “M-1” maneuver that will provide some relief from G-forces. The M-1 maneuver requires tightening all of the muscles of the abdomen and legs, and usually involves a specific type of breathing that sounds kind of like grunting.
There is nothing like flying 600 knots while only three feet away from another aircraft. (USAF Photo)
This also requires that I explain what “blacking out” means—it does not mean becoming unconscious. The most oxygen-sensitive organs of the body are the eyes. If the eyes are deprived of oxygen for even a brief period, color vision is the first capability to be lost—everything becomes black and white.
Increase the G-force, and the field of vision shrinks inward from the outer edges, creating, in effect, tunnel vision. Continue increasing the forces, and vision is lost—at this point, the pilot is fully conscious, just cannot see, i.e., blacked out. Further increasing the G-force can lead to unconsciousness. Interestingly, if the pilot releases some of the G-force, the field of vision increases again. Therefore, it is possible to control G-force, thereby allowing some control over vision.
In the G-meter shown above, the needle pointing to “1” (between 0 and 2) indicates the aircraft’s current G-force. In straight and level flight, the G-force is “1,” i.e., on time, the force of gravity (zero would be weightless). The upper needle indicates the maximum positive g-force the aircraft has experienced on the current flight. The lower needle indicates the highest negative G-force (imagine going over a hill fast and being “lifted” out of your seat—that is negative G)
T-38 G Envelope from Jeff’s archives.
In basic flight, the average pilot can withstand up to 3 Gs before blacking out. Performing the M-1 maneuver will increase the pilot’s tolerance to about 4 Gs. The G-suit can extend tolerance another two Gs. So, a properly trained pilot in an aircraft equipped with a G-suit system can function through six Gs.
Keep in mind that the T-38 is engineered to operationally withstand +7.33 sustained Gs. While more modern jets like the F-16 have reclining seats and G-suits, the T-38 didn’t have that luxury. So famous 9 G turns in a T-38 weren’t possible, and because of structural limits, weren’t ever attempted.
Time for the Pre Check Flight
Jeff’s notes from his T-38 training flights back in 1970.
After the first 20 hours of flying the T-38, I had qualified to fly solo. That meant I could takeoff, fly around a little, and come back and land—these were the easiest skills required for the T-38. For example, to take off, you simply pulled onto the runway, pushed the throttles (two) to full forward, that is maximum thrust. The aircraft practically leaped forward, and in about 2000 feet the speed was 250 knots (about 280 mph) and the aircraft was climbing at 2000 feet per minute.
Landing was not much harder (although it took a few flights to begin to believe that). Once the jet was lined up with the runway, you simply flew the aircraft at the prescribed speed and attitude and waited for the runway. Eventually, you learned just when to raise the nose a bit and touchdown smoothly.
Instructor flights consisted of reviewing and honing our skills on all of the maneuvers we had learned, as well as demonstrating we knew the steps—by memory—to respond to any emergency that might occur. Our maneuvers included level flight, turns, steep turns, rolls, loops, and combinations of these. These were called confidence maneuvers, i.e., instill confidence in the student pilot that he was in control!
I actually enjoyed all of the maneuvers, especially loops and rolls. In the T-38, the loop was supposed to be a 5-G maneuver. I was not really comfortable with the G-forces and tended to fly the loop at a more relaxed 4-Gs. This makes the maneuver a big, lazy vertical circle in the sky—it is great for looking out and seeing the world from upside down at the top of the loop. Not good for dogfighting—good way to get shot down.
Once we soloed, we would fly one lesson with our instructor and one solo to practice what we had learned. At some point during this initial training, we would have a proficiency check ride with one of the check pilots from the evaluation group.
Prior to our check rides, the commander or one of the senior officers in our training group would conduct a pre-check flight to ensure we were ready for the check ride.
Our class commander (we’ll call him Major Paladin to protect—me) was my pre-check flight pilot. He was a no-nonsense major, about five feet five inches tall, with a dark, rough complexion, a thin dark moustache, and a perpetually fresh crew cut.
He had been an F-100 Super Sabre (fighter) jock (fighter pilots like to be called “jocks”) in Vietnam before coming to the flight training command. He spoke little and expected me to conduct the flight with him as an “interested passenger.” Recall that the T-38 is tandem seating—he sat in the back—in a separate cockpit. He could see the top of my helmet; I could not see him at all.
We collected our gear and went out to the assigned aircraft. I completed the usual preflight inspection. He was already strapped in as I climbed into the front cockpit. I started the aircraft, obtained the required clearances, taxied out to the runway, and took off.
Occasionally, Major Paladin would ask a question—something about the aircraft, such as a maximum speed, procedures, etc., all the while I cruised out to the practice area. I checked in with our command post (area confirmation) and began my routine.
A student and his instructor preparing for their next flight. (USAF Photo)
Somewhere in the routine—I think it was when I was upside down in a roll, he closed one of the throttles to idle and announced that I had a simulated engine failure. I was supposed to recite and perform the emergency procedures for an engine failure and demonstrate that I could control the aircraft on one engine (the other at idle speed was useless).
When that was completed, he simply said, “Continue.” I set up for a loop, eased the throttles forward, and raised the nose, powering up the first half of the loop. It was my typical 4-G loop. We came across the top, inverted, enjoying the view, and then more back pressure on the stick, eased the throttles back, and dove down the back side of the maneuver.
As I returned to level flight, the intercom cracked open. “Lieutenant Richmond, you’re such a wimp, I don’t even plug in my G-suit when I fly with you! The loop is supposed to be a 5-G maneuver. Minimum.” There was some emphasis on the last word.
There I was…
“Yes, Sir,” I responded. I could feel my face flush inside my helmet.
“You have got to make the airplane do what you want it to do!” He added. “Fly it or yourself to the limit.”
Now I was really fuming. But of course, I could not say anything but, “Yes, Sir.” I paused, thinking. “Ah, Sir, may I try that again, Sir?”
“Yeah, go ahead, we have plenty of time.” He sounded bored.
Once again, I set up for the loop. Entry speed was supposed to be 500 knots minimum. I eased the speed up to 540 knots. Then I pushed the throttles forward to full military power and pulled—firmly but steadily—back on the control stick, immediately pegging the G-meter at “5.” The airplane bolted up in a tight arc. I continue to pull back on the control stick.
The G-meter edged up toward 6 as I came across the top of the loop inverted. My G-suit was pumping away, and I was squeezing my abdomen (without grunting!—I did not want to make it sound like it was any effort for me). As the nose started down the back of the loop, I pulled a little more. I lost color vision; then, as I pulled a bit more, the field of view got smaller and smaller until all I could see was the big round attitude indicator in the middle of the instrument panel. I held that pressure.
By now, I figured I was going to be in real trouble, but the deed was done. There was no comment from the back seat. I regained some composure, finished the rest of my routine, and was getting set up to return to the base. About that time, he came on the intercom, “Okay, Lieutenant, take us back to the base.”
“Yes, Sir.”
He instructed me to make two touch-and-go landings and then a full stop. I acknowledged his instructions and heard nothing more from him. The ground crew guided me into the parking spot, I shut down the engines, and we got out of the aircraft.
As we walked to the crew bus I was preparing to be told I was “out of the program.”
Finally, he spoke, “Well, Lt Richmond, you might make it after all. You blacked me out, you son-of-bitch!” And he smiled.
What he wanted was to see me exercise positive, firm, aggressive control over the aircraft. He did not care about smoothness or comfort. He wanted the airplane put where it was supposed to be—now!
Also, I got over being uncomfortable with high-G maneuvers.
Editor’s Note: The original post had incorrect G limits and loop parameters. We’re impressed that Jeff can remember most of this 45 years later. I can’t even remember what I ate for breakfast. And he still has his UPT checklists!
Eastern’s Demise Was Painful to Watch, No Matter Who You Were
It was the airline that was destroyed by infighting and a soft economy. The airline was headed by World War I ace Eddie Rickenbacker. For a time, Eastern Airlines was known for high-quality service with innovative technology. The airline was the first to fly the Lockheed L-1011 and the Boeing 757. Over 60 years, the airline went from one of the ‘big four’ airlines in the US to a failure.
On 18 January 1991, Eastern Airlines permanently suspended service.
But why?
What happened to Eastern?
By early 1991, Eastern Airlines had been flailing for a few years. As we previously chronicled, labor relations at the airline were toxic – a combination of challenging management and labor unions that didn’t see eye to eye. CEO Frank Lorenzo was despised by most employees. The labor disputes led to a strike in 1989. This CBS video from 1989 covered the event. Although the airline resumed flying after the strike, the airline never recovered.
Labor and Cash Pressures Doomed Eastern
In addition to complex labor relations, Eastern also struggled with high debt. The airline flew in markets with intense competition. The airline also had a mixed fleet of gas-guzzling DC-9s, 727s, and L1011s. When you added in a softening economy brought on by high oil prices due to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, it was a recipe for disaster.
When the airline originally shut down, some people held on to the false hope that it would resume service with an additional investment of capital. That wasn’t to be. The airline that Eddie founded never flew again. Below is a news report from the day the airline shut down.
Eastern Returned sorta…Twice
Although the original Eastern Airlines never flew again, a second incarnation began operating under the same name in 2015. The famed hockey stick took to the skies on a Boeing 737-800. The airline mostly flew charters with scheduled service from a few US markets to Central American destinations.
The airline never reached the level of success its predecessor did. The most notable aspect of the airline was that it flew Vice President Pence during his campaign. This second version also ceased service in 2017. Its assets were acquired by Swift Air. Swift then sold the rights to the Eastern name to Dynamic Aviation.
The third iteration of Eastern Airlines took to the skies in 2018. Based at Kansas City International Airport, the carrier operates a small but eclectic widebody fleet made up of four Boeing 767-300ERs and two Boeing 777-200ERs.
In 2023, the company expanded into cargo with the acquisition of Hillwood Airways, which was rebranded as Eastern Air Express. Operating as a subsidiary of Eastern Airlines, Eastern Air Express flies a fleet of 19 Boeing 737 freighters, including four -300s, ten -400s, three -700s, and two -800s.
We are excited to bring the former Hillwood Airways and its fleet of passenger and cargo 737s into our dynamic mosaic at Eastern Airlines.
Today’s Eastern Airlines is firmly charter-focused. Its flying centers on government and military missions, sports team travel, cruise ship charters, and ad hoc long-haul work when large-capacity lift is needed on short notice. The airline has periodically experimented with scheduled passenger service, but it has never been the core of the operation or a model it has sustained long term.
Eastern Air Express, meanwhile, is a pure cargo operation. It handles domestic and regional freight routes, contract flying, and overnight logistics support. Like its parent company, it does not operate scheduled passenger service. The airline also conducts flights on behalf of the United States government, including participation in deportation operations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Despite sharing the storied Eastern name, neither Eastern Airlines nor Eastern Air Express has any legal or operational lineage connecting them to the original Eastern Air Lines that ceased operations in 1991.
IMAGE: Eastern Airlines
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on 18 January 2021. It was updated with new information on 18 January 2026.
Ozark Air Lines almost didn’t make it off the drawing board.
Back in the 1940s, the company – formed by four Missouri businessmen who were operating a small intrastate air service within the confines of the Show Me State – had applied to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for permission to start a local service airline (also called a feeder airline at the time) with a system based in St. Louis.
Ozark lost out to Parks Air Lines, which was founded by Oliver Parks, who operated Parks Air College in East St. Louis, Illinois.
In a desperate attempt to retain its CAB certificate, Parks Air Lines inaugurated DC-3 service from St. Louis to Chicago on 21 June 1950. But it was too little, too late. The CAB canceled Parks’ certificate and transferred it to Ozark Air Lines. PHOTO: R. DEAN DENTON COLLECTION
But Parks did not act on his CAB awards. He was obviously in no hurry to inaugurate flights to the small Midwestern cities expecting airline service. It seems that members of Parks’s organization were unwilling to invest their own money in a startup airline.
The Board canceled Parks’ certificate and decided to award it to another applicant.
Ozark Air Lines inherited the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB)-issued certificate to serve a network of local service routes in the Midwest. Although it is not shown on this original route map, the official company name, “Airlines,” is separated into two words: Air Lines. DAVID H. STRINGER COLLECTION
MR. HEYNE GETS A PHONE CALL
In late July 1950, Arthur G. Heyne – one of Ozark’s four founding executives – received a telephone call from his friend Clyde Brayton of Brayton Flying Service. Brayton was also an instructor at Parks Air College. Heyne reported that the phone call went like this:
“Congratulations!”
“For what?” Heyne replied.
“I see you just got a certificate from the CAB!”
“Aw, you’re pullin’ my leg. It’s been seven years. Are you sure it’s us?” Heyne asked.
The official telegram arrived on 1 August 1950. Ozark Air Lines had, indeed, been awarded all of the routes originally given to Parks in the CAB’s Great Lakes and Mississippi Valley Cases. Ozark would be one of 13 local service airlines to serve the needs of small-town America throughout the 1950s, ‘60s, and beyond.
Ozark wisely made a deal with the Parks folks to bring Parks pilots, personnel, and a few DC-3s into the Ozark organization.
An early-1950s photo of an Ozark Air Lines DC-3 at St. Louis. PHOTO: R. DEAN DENTON COLLECTION
OZARK GETS AIRBORNE
Ozark’s CAB certificate became effective on 26 September 1950. On the evening of 25 September, the Ozark group gathered at the Statler Hotel in downtown St. Louis and waited for the stroke of midnight. At 00:01, the founders of Ozark officially signed the paperwork, accepting the certificate, and the airline was in business. At 06:58 that morning, Ozark’s first flight took off from St. Louis Lambert Field bound for Springfield, Illinois, Champaign/Urbana, and Chicago… with one passenger on board! That would be the first in a history of flights that lasted for 36 years.
This 1953 timetable featured a drawing of an Ozark Mountains “hillbilly” on the cover. DAVID H. STRINGER COLLECTION
STEADY GROWTH
In less than one year from the time of its first flight, Ozark had inaugurated service to 29 stations, covering all the routes awarded to the company as a result of the Parks Investigation Case.
Ozark’s route system grew throughout the 1950s. Like the other twelve local service airlines in the country, Ozark relied on the tried and trusted Douglas DC-3 to transport passengers throughout its Midwestern service area.
In 1957, Ozark Air Lines’ fleet of DC-3s underwent an upgrade program that included the addition of wheel well doors. This photo from the Paul Zogg Collection (Zoggavia.com) was taken at Chicago-Midway.
Ozark Air Lines’ DC-3s were painted in a distinctive green and white livery. To keep its aging fleet as competitive as possible, management undertook a modification program for the old Douglas airliners. Dubbed the Challenger 250 project, the goal was to upgrade the fleet to higher performance standards by installing wheel well doors, flush-type antennas, short exhaust stacks, and other enhancements, thereby transforming Ozark’s DC-3s into the most efficient in the industry.
The program was completed by September 1957, when all 20 of the company’s DC-3s had been standardized with the new equipment, and each had been configured with 27 passenger seats.
Passengers board an Ozark Air Lines DC-3 at an unidentified Midwestern airport. This photo captures the essence of America’s local service airlines, which were created to transport passengers from smaller communities to big city airports. DAVID H. STRINGER COLLECTION
A DC-3 REPLACEMENT
As reliable as the DC-3s were, they would not last forever.
A new design called the Fairchild F-27 – an American-built version of the Dutch Fokker Friendship – became available. Referred to as a “jet prop” or “prop jet”, the turboprop F-27 employed modern technology. Carrying 40 passengers, the F-27 had two engines set into a high wing above the fuselage that gave every passenger an unobstructed view of the world below.
With the introduction of turboprop Fairchild F-27s, one of which is pictured, Ozark Air Lines adopted a new logo known as the Three Swallows, seen on the tail of this aircraft. PAUL ZOGG COLLECTION (ZOGGAVIA.COM)
In December 1958, Ozark placed its initial order for three of the brand-new F-27s.
CONVAIRS AND MARTINS
When American Airlines dropped service at Peoria and Springfield, Illinois, as well as at Joplin and Springfield in Missouri, Ozark remained the only carrier serving those cities. American had served these stations using 40-passenger Convair 240s. Ozark bought four second-hand Convairs to accommodate its expanded schedule at cities formerly served by American.
This staged company photo shows the Ozark Air Lines ticket counter at Lambert Field in St. Louis in the late 1950s. The ticket counter of another local service carrier, Central Airlines, is just beyond the Ozark space. PHOTO: R. DEAN DENTON COLLECTION
Ozark Air Lines boarded its four millionth passenger on 11 September 1962, and continued adding capacity by purchasing an additional F-27 and another Convair. The company ended the year with 32 aircraft: four F-27s, five Convair 240s, and 23 DC-3s.
In 1962, when Ozark Air Lines replaced American Airlines service at Peoria and Springfield, Illinois, as well as Joplin and Springfield, Missouri, the company purchased four second-hand Convair 240s to serve these cities. N2404Z was photographed at St. Louis in 1963. PHOTO: BOB WOODLING VIA PROCTOR-LIVESEY-THOMAS COLLECTION
In 1964, the company introduced the slogan “Go-Getters Go Ozark!” Also that year, Ozark worked out a lease/trade agreement with Mohawk Airlines to take that company’s 14 Martin 404s in exchange for Ozark’s Convair 240s, a type that Mohawk had been flying since 1955. The aircraft swap began with the first Martins going into service on Ozark’s system on 1 December 1964.
In a 1964 lease/trade agreement with Mohawk Airlines, Ozark acquired 14 Martin 404s. Note the “Go Ozark” titles reflecting the company’s new slogan, “Go-Getters Go Ozark!” PROCTOR-LIVESEY-THOMAS COLLECTION
INTO THE JET AGE
In January 1965, Ozark’s president, Thomas L. Grace, announced that Ozark would soon enter the ranks of pure-jet operators. Six DC-9-15s and three stretched DC-9-30s were ordered in 1965.
Ozark’s route map as of 1 June 1964. DAVID H. STRINGER COLLECTION
Grace’s plans did not stop there. He ordered yet another new type to replace the Martins and the F-27s: the Fairchild-Hiller FH-227B, an enlarged and modernized version of the F-27. The new airplane would carry 48 passengers, feature more powerful Rolls-Royce turbine engines, and be equipped with its own Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). The company placed an order for 21 FH-227B aircraft. Grace’s goal was to turn Ozark into an all-turbine-powered carrier.
Ozark’s first jet – a Douglas DC-9-15 – entered scheduled service with the company on 15 July 1966. PROCTOR-LIVESEY-THOMAS COLLECTION
Ozark’s initial DC-9 service took to the skies on 15 July 1966, from St. Louis to Chicago via Peoria. On board that inaugural jet flight was Arthur B. Skinner of Kirkwood, Missouri. Mr. Skinner had been Ozark’s very first passenger in September 1950 when a DC-3 taxied away from the gate in St. Louis with just one passenger on board… himself!
Ozark ordered 21 Fairchild-Hiller FH-227Bs to replace the F-27s and Martin 404s. PHOTO: R. DEAN DENTON COLLECTION
The first FH-227B service took place on 15 December 1966.
FROM CORNFIELDS TO THE BIG APPLE
The line separating trunk carriers from local service carriers began to blur as the CAB granted local airlines more permission to fly long-distance routes, allowing them to generate revenue with their new jets.
The CAB granted Ozark permission to serve Washington (Dulles) and New York (LaGuardia) nonstop from Peoria, Springfield, and Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, as well as from Waterloo, Iowa. The Waterloo to New York award – 956 miles – was the longest segment awarded to a local service carrier up until that time. Service to Washington and New York was inaugurated on 27 April 1969. In 1971, the slogan “Up there with the biggest!” was adopted.
In the late 1960s, the D’Arcy Advertising firm of St. Louis created three very successful campaigns for Ozark. The first of these featured St. Louis model Pat Christman (pictured) wearing an Ozark flight attendant uniform, striking various poses, accompanied by two-line copy that conveyed the “Go-Getter” message. The Hostess Campaign, as it was known, was replaced the following year by the Go-Getter Bird Campaign, which featured a cartoon bird dressed in a pilot’s uniform. Finally, in 1969, D’Arcy introduced the “Letting George Do It” Campaign, which featured a new, up-and-coming comedian named George Carlin. DAVID H. STRINGER COLLECTION
THE SEVENTIES AND DEREGULATION
In 1973, a strike by the company’s mechanics, represented by the Air Line Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), shut the airline down for 73 days. Shortly after the strike was settled, Ozark suffered its only fatal accident. On 23 July, Flight 809 – an FH-227B operating between Nashville and St. Louis via Clarksville/Hopkinsville/Fort Campbell, Paducah, Cape Girardeau, and Marion/Herrin – crashed while on final approach to St. Louis in a thunderstorm. Of the 44 aboard, 37 passengers and the flight attendant perished.
Ozark’s management team was vehemently opposed to the concept of deregulation, but on 24 October 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the Airline Deregulation Act into law. The CAB would slowly be phased out of existence, and a dramatic new world of airline economics would take hold of the industry.
A rare photo, taken at Boeing Field in Seattle, of one of the two Boeing 727s built for Ozark. These aircraft never saw service with the airline. They were sold to generate cash during a 1979 strike against the company by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA). PROCTOR-LIVESEY-THOMAS COLLECTION
In 1979, the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) shut the airline down with a 53-day strike. Shortly after recovering from that work stoppage, Ozark’s operations were again brought to a halt in 1980 with a 38-day strike by mechanics. To generate cash while the flight attendants were on strike, the company sold its two factory-fresh Boeing 727-200s, which had never been put into service.
THE EIGHTIES
Initially, Ozark seemed to meet the challenges of deregulation by expanding in a conservative, yet methodical manner. Service was added from St. Louis to several Florida destinations, as well as to New Orleans and Houston.
The new livery that had been created for the Boeing 727s transferred well to the DC-9 fleet. DC-9-15 N969Z was photographed at St. Louis. PROCTOR-LIVESEY-THOMAS COLLECTION
However, the company then drastically changed its business model from a regional airline to a national competitor. Each new timetable issue introduced service to another station: San Antonio, Norfolk, Las Vegas, Cleveland, San Diego. Ozark management fell into the trap of fighting for the same passengers that every other major airline was fighting for, using the hub-and-spoke model. And they were doing it from their St. Louis hub, an airport that already had a formidable competitor – TWA.
Ozark’s 15 November 1983 route map. Most of the carrier’s small, Midwestern stations are gone, and the airline is operating a hub-and-spoke network from its headquarters in St. Louis – the corner that the company had painted itself into. DAVID H. STRINGER COLLECTION
152-passenger McDonnell Douglas MD-80s entered the fleet in 1984.
Sadly, on the other side of the coin, many of the smaller cities that Ozark had originally been formed to serve – Quincy, Bloomington, Sterling/Rock Falls, Galesburg, Mattoon/Charleston, Mt. Vernon, Marion/Herrin, Rockford, and Decatur, Illinois; Fort Leonard Wood, Kirksville, and Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Ottumwa, Clinton, Dubuque, Burlington, Mason City, and Fort Dodge Iowa; Paducah and Owensboro, Kentucky, and Clarksville, Tennessee/Hopkinsville, Kentucky – all eventually disappeared from the Ozark route map.
END OF THE LINE
In 1985, two things happened that would change everything for Ozark: Southwest Airlines, the low-cost carrier that did not follow the pack, entered the St. Louis market. Then, through a hostile takeover, Carl Icahn gained control of TWA. Icahn went to work reducing labor costs at TWA and reducing passenger fares, making it a more formidable competitor.
In 1984, Ozark added 152-passenger McDonnell Douglas MD-82s to its fleet. In 1986, Ozark disappeared as the airline was absorbed into TWA via merger. PROCTOR-LIVESEY-THOMAS COLLECTION
Ozark management had abandoned Ozark’s smaller stations and built the airline into a national player with routes radiating solely from St. Louis, which ultimately became the corner that the company had painted itself into. It had not grown big enough to withstand major players, and it was too late to change its game plan and become a low-fare point-to-point carrier like Southwest.
When Icahn made an offer to buy Ozark for $19 per share, he knew he had the upper hand. On 27 October 1986, Icahn merged Ozark with TWA. On that day, the eradication of Ozark began. Ozark Air Lines disappeared into Icahn’s TWA, an airline that would meet the same fate when it merged with American Airlines 15 years later.
Despite months of political pressure, dramatic headlines, and legislative maneuvering, it appears that Space Shuttle Discovery is not leaving the Smithsonian. For now.
As of early 2026, the most flown orbiter in NASA’s Space Shuttle fleet remains on permanent public display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, where it has been since April 2012. There is no approved plan, funded pathway, or safe method currently in place to relocate the historic spacecraft to Houston. According to NASA leadership, the risks and costs involved may be too high to justify the move at all.
For now, Discovery stays exactly where she belongs. Preserved intact and accessible to the public.
A National Treasure Preserved Intact
Space shuttle Discovery, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) flies near the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, 17 April 2012, in Washington. Discovery, the first orbiter retired from NASA’s shuttle fleet, completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles. NASA will transfer Discovery to the National Air and Space Museum to begin its new mission to commemorate past achievements in space and to educate and inspire future generations of explorers. Photo Credit: (NASA/Rebecca Roth)
Space Shuttle Discovery is an American symbol of progress and ambition. It is the most flown orbiter in NASA’s Space Shuttle program.
Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery STS-120 on 23 October 2007 | IMAGE: Public Domain
Over 27 years of service, Discovery completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, traveled nearly 150 million miles, and carried 251 crew members across 184 individual spaceflights. No other orbiter flew more missions or supported a broader range of objectives.
Discovery launched and serviced the Hubble Space Telescope, helped assemble the International Space Station, deployed interplanetary probes, and twice served as NASA’s Return to Flight orbiter following the Challenger and Columbia disasters. In 1998, it also carried John Glenn back into orbit, making him the oldest human to fly in space at the time.
NASA retired Discovery after the STS-133 mission in March 2011. In April 2012, the agency transferred the orbiter to the Smithsonian Institution, conveying full ownership. Discovery was delivered intact aboard a modified Boeing 747 and placed on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center, where it has remained ever since, preserved as closely as possible to its final flown configuration.
The Push to Move Discovery and the Reality of the Cost
Space Shuttle Discovery at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center | IMAGE: Dave Hartland
In 2025, Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz renewed efforts to relocate Space Shuttle Discovery to Houston, arguing that Mission Control and astronaut training were historically centered at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
That effort culminated in a provision included in President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed into law in July 2025. The provision authorized $85 million to transfer a space vehicle that had flown astronauts to a NASA center involved in the Commercial Crew Program. While Discovery was not named explicitly in the bill, Texas lawmakers made clear it was the intended vehicle.
The proposal quickly ran into major obstacles.
View of Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) (A20120325000), mated to a Boeing Model 747-100 NASA Shuttle Carrier aircraft, in flight over the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 17 April 2012 | IMAGE: Smithsonian Institution
NASA and the Smithsonian jointly estimated that relocating Discovery would cost between $120 million and $150 million, excluding the cost of building a new facility to house the orbiter. Other estimates placed total costs, including construction, as high as $325 million.
More critically, both organizations warned that Discovery cannot be transported intact. The two Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCAs) used to ferry orbiters were retired years ago and are now museum artifacts themselves. Any overland or maritime move would require partial disassembly of the orbiter, a process that would permanently alter and damage the historic spacecraft.
NASA’s Administrator Hits the Brakes
Rear view of Space Shuttle Discovery at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center | IMAGE: Smithsonian Institution
After taking office in December 2025, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman publicly questioned whether the relocation of Space Shuttle Discovery could or should proceed.
In a late December interview, Isaacman said:
“My job now is to make sure that we can undertake such a transportation within the budget dollars that we have available and, of course, most importantly, ensuring the safety of the vehicle.”
My job now is to make sure that we can undertake such a transportation within the budget dollars that we have available and, of course, most importantly, ensuring the safety of the vehicle.
Jared Isaacman | NASA Administrator
That statement marked a clear shift in tone from earlier momentum behind the move. Isaacman acknowledged that cost overruns and preservation risks could prevent Discovery from being relocated at all.
IMAGE: Dave Hartland
Isaacman’s caution carries particular weight given his own background in spaceflight. Before becoming NASA administrator, he flew to orbit twice as a private astronaut, commanding the Inspiration4 mission in 2021 and later flying aboard SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn. He has personally experienced launch, microgravity, and reentry, and has spoken publicly about the risks inherent in spaceflight and the responsibility that comes with operating flight-proven hardware. Discovery is not a mockup or a replica. It is a flown spacecraft that endured the same forces Isaacman himself has experienced, multiplied across 39 missions. Understanding what it takes to safely send a vehicle to space should also mean understanding why a historic orbiter should be preserved intact once its flying days are over.
Isaacman also emphasized that the “One Big Beautiful Bill” does not explicitly require the spacecraft to be a Space Shuttle. If moving Discovery proves impractical, he said NASA could instead transfer a different flown spacecraft, such as an Orion capsule from the Artemis program, to Houston. Orion vehicles are routinely transported by truck and can be displayed without dismantling.
As of this writing in January 2026, no vehicle transfer has occurred, no funding beyond the initial authorization has been finalized, and no safe transport plan for Discovery has been approved.
Why Cutting Up Discovery Was the Wrong Idea
Close-up view of Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) (A20120325000) on display in the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 21 April 2012 | IMAGE: Smithsonian Institution
Thankfully, it appears that Discovery will remain intact after all.
Space Shuttle Discovery – like any of the other surviving shuttles – is not expendable. It is a national treasure. In America, we don’t “dismantle” national treasures in the name of politics. We preserve them.
Breaking up Discovery for transport would cause irreversible damage to a spacecraft that survived launch, reentry, and the most demanding operational environment imaginable. To dismantle it now, after decades of service and careful preservation, would permanently compromise its historical integrity.
The Smithsonian has made clear that Discovery is a cornerstone of its human spaceflight collection. Ongoing expansions at the Udvar-Hazy Center reinforce the museum’s long-term commitment to displaying the orbiter intact and accessible to the public.
Discovery flew every mission the Space Shuttle was meant to fly. It embodies the full arc of America’s shuttle era, from early optimism to hard-earned resilience.
For the foreseeable future, Discovery remains exactly where it should be. Fully intact, publicly accessible, and preserved as it last flew in 2011.
And that is not a failure of ambition.
It is an act of stewardship.
NASA Orbiter Tribute for Space Shuttle Discovery | IMAGE: Public Domain
Real birdstrikes, split-second decisions, and calm under pressure.
If you’ve flown planes long enough, you’re bound to strike a bird. With many airports located near migratory routes, water, and farmland, the risk is real. Tools are out there to predict times of high bird activity. There is even a network of radars that can be used to detect bird activity. Unfortunately, there are just too many birds out there and too much activity near where birds fly/live to avoid issues.
Most birdstrikes are pretty benign for the pilot and crew. A smear on the windscreen, a couple of feathers on the fuselage, or a tiny dent in the aircraft’s skin is the only proof that you hit a bird. Occasionally, a small bird will fly into the engine, resulting in little to no damage to the engine but making the jet smell a bit like fried chicken. Then there are those rare times (like US Airways flight 1549) where a birdstrike can bring down an aircraft.
US Airways Flight 1549 partially submerged in the Hudson River on 15 January 2009 | IMAGE: NTSB
5.) Large Bird Almost Rips Tip Tank Off of L-159 Jet
Czech fighter pilot Abel Zbynek was flying his L-159 jet when a bird struck the outer edge of his right wing. It ripped a large gash into the leading edge, leading to a fluttering tip tank and control issues. Abel stayed calm. He initially thought to eject, but as he slowed the jet, the buffeting also slowed down. Spoiler alert: Abel successfully landed the crippled jet.
4.) Bird Strikes C-17 on Departure Roll
In what might be some of the best footage of a bird strike, YouTuber HD Melbourne Aviation posted an amazing video capture of a March AFB tail ingesting a bird on its takeoff roll during the 2019 Avalon Airshow in Melbourne. Fortunately, the incident occurred relatively early in the C-17’s takeoff roll. The crew rightly rejected the takeoff. With great brakes and an aircraft at a relatively light airshow weight, the aircraft safely stopped the jet, with the only casualty being the bird. The crew also probably smelled a bit of burnt chicken in the cockpit and cargo compartment.
3.) FedEx Boeing 777 Chews up birds on landing
Aviation videographer Cargospotter captured a unique situation in beautiful 4K footage at Liège Airport. A FedEx Boeing 777 cargo jet hit several birds just before commencing its touchdown flare. The 777 pilot did a great job of maintaining control of the jet. He or she didn’t get distracted by the birds during such a critical phase of flight.
Although it doesn’t appear to have sustained any damage, it left a significant mess on the runway. A Boeing 747-400 aircraft departing afterwards noticed the mess and requested a crew to clean the runway of bird guts. It’s a pretty incredible sight, as Cargospotter not only captured the bird strike but also filmed the clearing of the runway and a gorgeous ‘Queen of the Skies’ departing on a wet runway.
2.) T-38 Strikes a Bird in the Clouds
Who knew that birds could fly in the weather? Here’s a video of a T-38 on a training sortie when it struck a bird. The crazy part is that the jet was in IFR. Birds have been known to fly in the clouds. Some birds are also commonly spotted above a low layer of clouds. Fortunately, this crew was able to declare an emergency and return safely. What’s the lesson? Always be prepared for an emergency. Even birds fly in clouds! Footage: Youtube 15EFlyer
1.) In the Cockpit Aboard a Twinjet
YouTuber Isi Attie uploaded this footage shot from the cockpit of a Hawker 4000. The jet ingested a bird in the right engine during climbout after takeoff. The crew managed the situation and their sudden single-engine power configuration well.
Delta 787 order adds momentum to Boeing’s recent wins while reshaping Delta’s long-haul fleet for the next decade.
For the first time, Delta Air Lines is bringing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner into its fleet.
The Atlanta-based carrier announced on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, that it will order 30 Boeing 787-10 aircraft, with options for up to 30 additional units. Deliveries are slated to begin in 2031.
This represents a significant shift for an airline that has leaned heavily toward Airbus for widebody growth in recent years. The 787-10 will be a new fleet type for Delta and will be used primarily on transatlantic and South American routes where capacity, efficiency, and premium demand matter most.
The decision reflects long-term planning more than short-term momentum. Delta had no widebody deliveries positioned deep into the next decade, and the 787 order provides clarity and continuity where there was previously a gap.
Our next big reveal for 2026: the Dreamliner is joining our fleet ✨
From larger cabins to better fuel efficiency, tap the link to learn how this new addition will bring you more unforgettable experiences in the air. https://t.co/YrhaROZgKq
RENDERING: Delta 787 Dreamliner in flight | IMAGE: Delta Air Lines
Delta is opting for Boeing’s largest Dreamliner variant, and the reasoning is straightforward. The 787-10 offers roughly 25 percent better fuel efficiency per seat compared to the older widebodies it will replace, while delivering more capacity and stronger cargo capability. It also fits neatly between Delta’s existing Airbus A350 fleet and the aging Boeing 767s that still anchor many long-haul routes.
Delta is building the fleet for the future.
Ed Bastian | Delta CEO
Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian called the aircraft an ideal fit for the airline’s international flying, particularly across the Atlantic and into South America.
“Delta is building the fleet for the future, enhancing the customer experience, driving operational improvements, and providing steady replacements for less efficient, older aircraft in the decade to come,” said Bastian. “Most importantly, these aircraft will be operated by the best aviation professionals in the industry, providing Delta’s welcoming, elevated, and caring service to travelers worldwide.”
The 787-10 does not have the same range or size as the A350, which helps keep operating costs in check while still offering meaningful capacity growth.
Inside the cabin, Delta plans to lean heavily into premium seating. Expect Delta One Suites, which already account for nearly half of all Delta One seats across the widebody fleet, along with expanded Delta Premium Select and Delta Comfort offerings. The Dreamliner’s quieter cabin, larger windows, improved pressurization, and higher cruise altitudes all align with Delta’s push toward a more refined long-haul experience.
A Strategic Return to Boeing Widebodies
RENDERING: Delta 787 Dreamliner in flight | IMAGE: Delta Air Lines
This order also signals a significant recalibration in Delta’s fleet strategy. While the airline operates Airbus A350s and has more on order, its only Boeing widebodies today are roughly 60 767s, some of which date back to the early 1980s. About 20 of those aircraft are expected to retire around 2030.
By adding the 787-10, Delta avoids relying on a single manufacturer for widebody growth and gains flexibility as global demand continues to evolve. The move complements Delta’s existing order for 100 Boeing 737-10 MAX jets, which are expected to enter service once certification is complete. Speaking of which, certification of the 737 MAX 10 is one step closer to reality this week as testing moves into the second phase. While there is still no green light in clear view, it is still progress, and any progress is good.
Delta’s Dreamliners will be powered by GE Aerospace GEnx engines, continuing a partnership that spans more than six decades. Delta has also signed a long-term services agreement with GE to support the engines throughout their lifecycle.
Delta’s Financial Strength and a Timely Boost for Boeing
Delta jets at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) | IMAGE: Delta Air Lines
The Delta 787 order comes at a time of high travel demand and robust profits. The airline closed 2025 with solid momentum, reporting $63.4 billion in operating revenue and $5.8 billion in operating income for the full year. Management expects margin expansion and earnings growth to continue into 2026, providing Delta with the financial confidence to commit to long-term fleet investments without straining its capital plans.
The Dreamliner order also continues Boeing’s forward momentum. The announcement adds to a welcome string of positive developments in recent weeks and comes at a moment when the company is working to rebuild confidence, stabilize production, and move past a turbulent period.
Delta now has 232 narrowbody and 54 widebody aircraft on order, but the Dreamliner agreement matters for reasons that go beyond the count. It marks a clear return to Boeing widebodies and sets the 787-10 up as a key player in Delta’s next chapter of long-haul flying.
