Free Republic

A WestJet pilot sought medical attention after a laser strike during a flight to Fort McMurray last month, airline officials say. The laser was shone into the cockpit of a WestJet aircraft on Aug. 22, WestJet spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said in an email. The flight landed safely in Fort McMurray, but the next flight was cancelled until a replacement co-pilot could be brought in. Pilots are trained to look away to protect their eyes in the event of a laser strike, but the pilot was advised to seek medical attention as a precaution. "A laser has the potential to cause...

Joe Sutter, who was dubbed “Father of the 747” by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, has died at age 95. As the former chief engineer of Boeing’s 747, Sutter is credited with leading the birth of the first widebody airliner, which ushered in the globe-shrinking age of mass air travel.

This year is special when it comes to the relationship between the Viper and the Polish Air Force since it has been 10 years since Poland has acquired this slick airframe, significantly modernizing the inventory which remains at disposal of the military aviation units. The anniversary provides an interesting opportunity to sum up the history of the relationship between the Lockheed’s jet and the Polish Air Force. Within the Polish Air Force, the F-16 “Jastrząb” (Jastrząb – Northern goshawk – is the Polish name for the F-16 jet) is being used for a variety of missions, including air-superiority, close air...

ockheed Martin's (LMT) F-35 wowed crowds at the Farnborough Airshow in the U.K. last month... Despite ongoing concerns about its development, the stealth fighter continues to reach key milestones, and production will hit full speed in a few years. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman (NOC), which is a major subcontractor on the F-35, has locked down the other key piece of the Pentagon's combat aircraft upgrade cycle, winning the B-21 contract last year to build replacements for Cold War-era Boeing (BA) B-52s. With the $400 billion F-35 and $80 billion B-21 contracts in hand, Lockheed and Northrop would appear to have established...

The latest, upgraded, version of Russia’s Mi-28H “Night Hunter” helicopter gunship will be virtually invulnerable to enemy fire, Zvezda TV reported. Even though it looks much like its predecessor, the Mi-28NM “Super Hunter” boasts the latest and most innovative materials available and is armed with the most advanced active defense systems money can buy. The “Super Hunter” is also equipped with circular-view radar previously installed on export models only. However, according to the makers of “Super Hunter”, the NO25E radar offers a notable improvement over even the export-oriented unit. Another thing making the souped-up Mi-28NM so special is its unique...

Northrop Grumman has been awarded a USD39.3 million contract related to the development of a laser-based self-defence system for the US Air Force (USAF). The contract, which was awarded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on 23 August, is for the Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) Turret Research in Aero-Effects (STRAFE) programme. Northrop Grumman will develop and deliver an advanced beam control system for integration as part of a complete laser weapons system into a tactical pod for USAF fighter aircraft.

The world's longest aircraft - the Airlander 10 - has been damaged after nosediving on landing during its second test flight. The 302ft (92m) long aircraft - which is part plane and part airship - was damaged during the flight from Cardington Airfield in Bedfordshire.

Encounter Report from November 6, 1944 Cool historical document Chuck Yeager shoots down an ME-262 and damages 2 more.

After photos leaked of Northrop Grumman and BAE System’s new T-X trainer offering, Boeing and Saab revealed their own T-X sneak peak this week. A few shadowy glimpses of the trainer appeared over four videos posted on Boeing’s new T-X website over the weekend. The clean sheet design has two engine inlets, a high mounted wing and a conventional, vertical tail. That design marks a departure from Boeing’s original V-tail concept the company put forth before partnering with Saab. The new aircraft’s design is also unique from the Boeing T-45 Goshawk used by the US Navy. Boeing’s T-X bid not...

How long does it take to prep and fly a large plane? It is not trivial. What are the odds they would do all that for a 20 MILE flight. It would cost a fortune too. So. what seems more likely? Instead of just driving there they would prepare a flight plan for a 20 mile flight, drive to the airport, load onto the plane, taxi, fly, and land about 3 minutes later... OR Her rumored medical condition flared up during flight so they immediately landed? The condition she is rumored to have is one that is supposed to prohibit...

On Saturday August 6, I was privileged to attend the unveiling of the memorial to American airmen who fought in World War II at the Wings Over the Rockies aviation museum in Denver, Colorado. Created by Major Frederic Arnold (ret.), an artist who flew P-38 Lightnings in the Mediterranean theater of the war, the monumental sculpture depicts a pre-flight briefing, with the squadron leader at the mapboard explaining the mission plan, while the men of the squadron and the pale ghosts of their fallen comrades listen on. American airmen suffered a horrific casualty rate during World War II, with over...

Two Syrian Su-24 Fencer attempting to fly over a Kurdish-held area in northeastern Syria where U.S. SOF (Special Operations Forces) are operating, get intercepted by U.S. F-22 and encouraged to depart the airspace. Twice in the last few days, Syrian jets performing air strikes close to where U.S. SOF are operating in northeastern Syria caused coalition aircraft to scramble. On Aug. 18, U.S. jets were dispatched to intercept the Syrian attack planes that were attacking targets near Hasakah supporting regime forces fighting the Syrian Kurdish forces. About 300 U.S. military operate in the same area, training Kurdish forces who are...

© Sputnik/ Uliana Solovyova A Sukhoi Su-34 bomber has been named after Lieutenant-Colonel Oleg Peshkov, the Russian pilot who was killed by militants in Syria after his aircraft was shot down by a Turkish fighter jet in November 2015, RIA Novosti reported citing the Lipetsk city administration’s internet portal. “I see this as a sign of respect for a real man, a patriot who loved his Motherland and honestly fulfilled his duty as a military man and a citizen,” said Oleg Peshkov’s onetime commander Colonel Yuri Gritsaenko, who will be piloting the newly dedicated Su-34. On Thursday Oleg Peshkov’s widow...

Northrop Grumman’s entry for the T-X competition was publicly revealed on 19 August in Mojave, California. Dubbed the Model 400, the Northrop bid is powered by a single GE Aviation F404-102D engine with 17,200lb-thrust, according to the US Federal Aviation Adminitration’s aircraft registration database. Scaled Composites, the Northrop subsidiary devoted to rapid prototyping and flight testing, registered the aircraft on 16 June 2015, but the design was kept under wraps for several more months. Images of the aircraft on Twitter show an aircraft with a prominent, single vertical fin and a nose section similar to the T-38. Northrop revealed a...

The Airlander 10 - which is part plane and part airship - took off from Cardington Airfield in Bedfordshire. Its original test flight on Sunday was postponed, but it finally left the ground at 19:40 BST. The £25m aircraft measures 302ft (92m) long and is about 50ft (15m) longer than the biggest passenger jets. ... Christened the Martha Gwyn, the aircraft was first developed for the US government as a surveillance aircraft but the project was shelved amid defence cutbacks. ... The huge aircraft will be able to stay airborne for around five days during manned flights. HAV claims it...

A monkey was briefly “loose” on a Las Vegas-bound Frontier flight from Ohio at one point late Tuesday, according to McCarran International Airport officials. Melissa Nunnery, a spokeswoman with the airport, couldn’t clarify what “loose” meant, but said a Frontier staffer reported to McCarran “that the monkey was loose, or got loose” briefly during the flight. It’s unclear what type of monkey it was, but Nunnery said the monkey was an emotional support animal, adding that “the passenger had all the proper paperwork to have the monkey on the plane with him.”

Delta Air Lines Inc. has grounded all flights worldwide as a computer glitch is leaving passengers unable to check in. The second-biggest U.S. airline DAL, -1.78% said via Twitter that “all flights are grounded due to a system outage,” prompting long delays at airports around the world.

Delta Airlines has announced that they have grounded all flights due to system outage. More to follow.

A passenger plane has declared a mid-air emergency and seemingly disappeared from radar, according to reports. The Air Algerie Boeing 737-600 took off from Algiers this afternoon on a flight to Marseille but let out an emergency call shortly after take-off. Flight radar showed the plane turn around and head back towards the point where it took-off but before arriving, the jet disappeared from radar.

DUBAI -- An Emirates flight from India with 300 people on board, including 6 Americans, crash landed at Dubai's main airport on Wednesday, sending black smoke billowing into the air and halting all traffic at the Middle East's busiest airport. Authorities said all passengers were evacuated safely. Dubai-based Emirates said the accident happened around 12:45 p.m. local time as Flight EK521 was arriving from the southern Indian city of Thiruvananthapuram.