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Two late passengers in high heels ran onto the airport ramp at Moscow Sheremetyevo to chase their Aeroflot aircraft after boarding had ended and the plane was already being towed away. Ground workers and police stopped them, but the stranger question is how they got through a secured door and close enough to interrupt ramp operations in the first place.
The Boeing 747 may have ended its commercial production run, but two of the most consequential examples ever built remain deep inside a modification program that has stretched years beyond its original timetable. Boeing 's two purpose-built VC-25B presidential aircraft, which are the long-awaited replacements for the US Air Force's aging VC-25As, were originally expected to be delivered by the end of 2024. Instead, the first aircraft is now scheduled for roughly mid-2028, while the second is expected around mid-2029, according to the latest program reporting summarized by Yahoo Finance .
Air Canada has been steadily expanding its international network in recent years. The airline has added several new destinations so far this year and increased its presence across leisure markets. It is continuing this expansion with more additions for the 2026/27 winter season .
Military exercise taking place when descending aircraft struck mountain ridge during visual approach in darkness. US investigators have yet to determine why a Beechcraft C90 King Air ambulance fatally crashed into high terrain during a night visual approach in New Mexico, at a time when military jamming was taking place in the area. The National Transportation Safety Board stresses that it is still probing the 14 May accident, which left no survivors from two pilots and two nurses on board. But the aircraft had been attempting to descend from 12,000ft towards Sierra Blanca regional airport, near Ruidoso, which lies at an elevation of about 6,800ft. Although the aircraft's crew had initially intended an area navigation approach – which requires satellite-based positioning – to runway 24, they opted to switch to an ILS approach owing to the loss of GPS navigation capability. But neither the area navigation nor the ILS approach procedure was authorised if no local altimeter setting had been received, and NOTAM information stated that Sierra Blanca airport's automated weather system was out of service. The aircraft had been directed to fly northwest in preparation for a vectored approach. While about 27nm northeast of Sierra Blanca airport, however, the crew informed the area controller that they had "a visual on Ruidoso" and could "go visual". This meant turning southwest and descending over the Capitan mountains – which rise to some 10,200ft – in darkness and zero moonlight, just after midnight. Nearly 5min after commencing the descent, the aircraft had reached the mountain ridge and – according to its Spidertracks flight-tracking equipment which provided GPS-generated altitude data – was flying at 9,400ft. The aircraft subsequently began climbing but, about 45s later, it collided with terrain at about 9,950ft. Complicating the inquiry is the fact that military GPS jamming activity was taking place near the White Sands missile range, and the Albuquerque area control centre had issued a NOTAM warning that it could interfere with GPS navigation and ADS-B. This has generated speculation in various media channels that the King Air's GPS equipment might have been providing false information to the crew. But amid these suggestions, the National Transportation Safety Board insisted on 5 August that it has "not yet determined the probable cause or any contributing factors". It points out that it validates and analyses "all available evidence" before reaching conclusions. There is evidence that GPS and ADS-B data from the flight was affected. The crew reported losing GPS capability shortly after departure, and requested headings. While Spidertracks GPS-based data was generated for the whole flight, there was only a partial ADS-B record owing to the reporting frequency substantially reducing for much of it. The Spidertracks data typically indicated altitudes 600ft higher than the ADS-B data. As area centre controllers sought to vector the aircraft they requested that the military jamming exercise cease temporarily. ADS-B reporting frequency returned to normal shortly afterwards. Jamming was permitted to resume when the aircraft's pilots confirmed they would make a visual approach to Sierra Blanca airport, and began their descent. Investigators state that at least three other aircraft in the vicinity reported a loss of GPS around the same time as the King Air. Generation Jets had been operating the 47-year old aircraft (N249CP), working with its partner Trans Aero MedEvac which provided the medical support personnel.
The US Treasury Department has lifted sanctions on Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and two of its Boeing 737s, more than two years after accusing the carrier of transporting fighters and weapons for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and allied militant groups. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) removed Fly Baghdad, also known as Iraq Express, and the two aircraft from its Specially Designated Nationals list on August 5, 2026. A Treasury official said the airline had made major changes to its operations and had addressed the conduct that led to the sanctions. The department did not say exactly what those changes were. Fly Baghdad was sanctioned in January 2024 under US counterterrorism laws. At the time, the Treasury Department accused the airline of supporting the IRGC Quds Force by transporting personnel, weapons and money throughout the Middle East. The Treasury Department said Fly Baghdad flights had carried weapons to Damascus International Airport for delivery to the IRGC-Quds Force and Iran-aligned groups operating in Syria. The department said those shipments included missiles, rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns. US officials also accused Kata'ib Hezbollah of using Fly Baghdad flights to move fighters, weapons and cash to Syria and Lebanon. The Treasury Department said the airline helped move hundreds of Iraqi fighters in October 2023, including members of Iran-backed groups, following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Fly Baghdad denied the allegations after the sanctions were imposed and said the US decision was based on incorrect information. The sanctions effectively barred US citizens and companies from doing business with Fly Baghdad and blocked any property or financial interests the airline held within US jurisdiction. The OFAC issued a temporary exemption in 2024 that allowed certain transactions needed for civil aviation safety and for companies to wind down existing agreements with the airline. That included maintenance, insurance, ground services and the repossession of leased aircraft. The two aircraft removed from the sanctions list were Boeing 737s that the Treasury Department had previously identified as blocked property belonging to Fly Baghdad. The aircraft carry Iraqi registrations YI-BAF and YI-BAN. The department said removing the airline from the list does not signal a broader change in US policy toward Iran, the IRGC or other groups designated as terrorist organizations. A Treasury official also said the decision was unrelated to current US negotiations with Iran over the conflict in the Persian Gulf. "FBA has demonstrated major changes to their operations such that their listing is no longer warranted," the official said. "They have addressed sanctionable conduct." The department said sanctions could be imposed again if circumstances change. The US action does not clear Fly Baghdad of separate restrictions elsewhere. The airline remains on the European Union's Air Safety List and is banned from operating within the EU because of what European regulators describe as serious safety deficiencies. Fly Baghdad and Iraqi Airways were among six individual airlines subject to an EU operating ban when the list was updated in June 2026. Fly Baghdad was established in 2014 and operates scheduled passenger services from Iraq to destinations around the Middle East and other parts of the region.
Alaska Airlines, fresh off a merger with Hawaiian, is depending on long-haul flying for its gowth. Delta Air Lines plans to resume service between Seattle and Tokyo's Narita airport, putting it in direct competition with Alaska Airlines on a route critical to its post-merger growth plans. The Atlanta-based carrier stopped flights between the two airports in 2020, serving only Tokyo's Haneda airport from Seattle as well as from Atlanta, Detroit, and Minneapolis in the subsequent years. The returning daily, non-stop service will start in March using Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. "Japan is one of the most important and popular markets in Delta’s global network," says Delta vice-president of network planning, Jeff Arinder. "By launching flights to both Haneda and Narita airports, we will increase access to Tokyo and expand our seating capacity." Long-haul flying from Seattle is key to Alaska's strategy after acquiring Hawaiian Airlines in 2024 and will account for all of its growth in the second half of 2026, executives say. Flights to Tokyo on Hawaiian's former fleet were the first to launch by the combined carrier in 2025. "On the Incheon and Narita markets, what I’m seeing is year-over-year, significantly higher booked load factors," Alaska executive vice-president and chief commercial officer Andrew Harrison said on the company's earnings call in July. Once the route resumes, Delta will offer three daily departures to Tokyo: one to Narita and two to Haneda, which could present significant pressure on Alaska.
In July 2026, Airbus lost some of the momentum it had recently been building on commercial aircraft deliveries, but overall, the planemaker remains ahead of 2025. On August 7, 2026, Airbus confirmed it delivered 67 aircraft in July 2026 to 39 customers. Last year the company announced 67 jets had been delivered in July. The total deliveries for this year rose to 418 against 373 at the same point last year. In June 2026, Airbus delivered 89 planes and in May 2026, 81 aircraft were delivered. The 67 deliveries in July 2026 match exactly where Airbus was in April 2026. Last month, Airbus published its half year and second quarter results , where the company reaffirmed its ambition to deliver around 870 commercial aircraft in 2026. In July 2026, we delivered 67 aircraft to 39 customers and added 204 gross orders to the books, including 100 latest-generation #A320neo Family aircraft to @SMBCAVIATION one of the world's leading aircraft lessors. Read more https://t.co/N405BA8hBD pic.twitter.com/1Qdr4PGFqH — Airbus (@Airbus) August 7, 2026 IndiGo received seven new A320neo family aircraft in July 2026 while China Southern Airlines received four new aircraft, including one through BoCom leasing. Airbus also delivered three A350-900s to Emirates and three A321neos to American Airlines. In terms of orders, Airbus received 418, which included some from the agreements announced at Farnborough Airshow 2026. Among the July 2026 figures are Riyadh Air's confirmation that it would purchase an additional six A350-1000s and SMBC's huge order for 100 new aircraft. China Eastern's order for 25 A330-900s was also listed as was an order for six A321neos from an undisclosed customer. RELATED Airbus profits surge 126% thanks to strong deliveries in second quarter
The frequent flyer ecosystem has operated on a silent contract between airlines and their most loyal customers, but now that contract seems to be ending. There was once a period defined by the exploitation of fixed award charts, complex routing rules, and the mathematical beauty of carrier-imposed surcharges. Travelers spent years reverse-engineering award flight availability, viewing the loyalty landscape as a puzzle where deep knowledge of program intricacies provided access to premium cabins for a fraction of their cash value.
The 777 succeeded Boeing's first widebody twinjet, the 767 , and showed the world just how great the platform could be for both the economics of the notoriously volatile flying business and the satisfaction of flyers. The success of the 777 series directly contributed to the end of its larger quadjet predecessor, the 747.
The first class cabin is always seen as the ultimate in luxury with lavish features that many can only dream of. Business class has evolved into a more extensive product, with lie-flat beds and now private suites, and with more business class products than ever, first class has become more exclusive and somewhat rare on long-haul international flights.
The first of 14 VIP-configured Airbus A321neo aircraft arrived to Delta Air Lines last week, which the airline will soon operate for the National Basketball Association (NBA). These planes will be a welcome replacement for the airline's flying pencil, the Boeing 757-200 . For Delta, the 757-200s for the NBA are leased from Aviation Capital Group and are at least three decades old.
Apollo and Castlelake had both been given a 7 August deadline to firm acquisition interest. US investment firm Apollo Management has agreed to a £5.7 billion ($7.7 billion) recommended offer for EasyJet , shortly after potential rival bidder Castlelake disclosed it would not be making a formal bid for the UK budget carrier. Apollo had appeared in pole position to acquire EasyJet after the latter's board signalled its intent to back the proposed £7.15-per-share acquisition. That came after the carrier had previously outlined its intention to support a potential offer from another US investment firm, Castlelake, based on a £6.90-per-share acquisition. Both suitors were given until 7 August to put forward binding offers and, shortly after Castlelake disclosed it had dropped out of the running, Apollo now says it has agreed a recommended offer for EasyJet based on a price of £7.15 per share. The offer has been made through Eagle Bidco, a company indirectly owned by Apollo Funds and managed by Apollo Capital Management and its affiliates. In a statement outlining the offer, Apollo says it represents an 81% premium on EasyJet's share price of 28 May, and a 22% premium on its highest closing price in the four years before that. "The EasyJet board has carefully evaluated the proposal from Apollo alongside EasyJet’s standalone prospects,” says EasyJet chair Stephen Hester. “While we remain confident in the strength of our business and the opportunities ahead, we believe this offer appropriately recognises the quality of the business we have built and delivers immediate, certain and attractive value for shareholders.” Antoine Munfakh, partner and deputy global head of Private Equity at Apollo, says: “Our partnership with EasyJet will draw upon Apollo’s extensive experience investing in and growing businesses in the airline sector, bringing capital and deep operational and strategic expertise to support the team in generating long-term, sustainable growth. "We are committed to supporting the EasyJet Group in reaching its full potential.” Apollo says it has also secured irrevocable undertakings supporting the offer from Stelios Haji-Ioannou and his family, which together account for over 15% of the carrier's share capital. “I am pleased with Apollo’s strategic intentions for the EasyJet business, which aim to create more growth,” says Haji-Ioannou. “The fact that Apollo, as one of the most well-resourced and experienced institutional investors in the world, has decided to back and grow EasyJet, the leading member of the easy family of brands, is testament to the strength of the Easy brand and the business model of EasyGroup.” Haji-Ioannou adds that he and his family intend to remain invested as “ long-term major shareholders” of EasyJet. Apollo expects the acquisition to complete by the end of the first quarter of 2027. Earlier investment firm Castlelake said it had opted against making a formal offer for the carrier. "Castlelake is very appreciative of the constructive engagement with the EasyJet board and management team, and would like to thank them for their time and consideration of this potential transaction,” it says.
The market for small narrowbodies has traditionally been smaller than the one for mainline aircraft, but it's still a space with significant demand. Embraer has long been a dominant player, with its E-Jet family having received nearly 2,000 orders since its launch. Still, the company's refreshed E2 family has sold in relatively low numbers, as the Airbus A220 (formerly the Bombardier C Series) has been grabbing market share.
Military exercise taking place when descending aircraft struck mountain ridge during visual approach in darkness. US investigators have yet to determine why a Beechcraft C90 King Air ambulance fatally crashed into high terrain during a night visual approach in New Mexico, at a time when military jamming was taking place in the area. The National Transportation Safety Board stresses that it is still probing the 14 May accident, which left no survivors from two pilots and two nurses on board. But the aircraft had been attempting to descend from 12,000ft towards Sierra Blanca regional airport, near Ruidoso, which lies at an elevation of about 6,800ft. Although the aircraft's crew had initially intended an area navigation approach – which requires satellite-based positioning – to runway 24, they opted to switch to an ILS approach owing to the loss of GPS navigation capability. But neither the area navigation nor the ILS approach procedure was authorised if no local altimeter setting had been received, and NOTAM information stated that Sierra Blanca airport's automated weather system was out of service. The aircraft had been directed to fly northwest in preparation for a vectored approach. While about 27nm northeast of Sierra Blanca airport, however, the crew informed the area controller that they had "a visual on Ruidoso" and could "go visual". This meant turning southwest and descending over the Capitan mountains – which rise to some 10,200ft – in darkness and zero moonlight, just after midnight. Nearly 5min after commencing the descent, the aircraft had reached the mountain ridge and – according to its Spidertracks flight-tracking equipment which provided GPS-generated altitude data – was flying at 9,400ft. The aircraft subsequently began climbing but, about 45s later, it collided with terrain at about 9,950ft. Complicating the inquiry is the fact that military GPS jamming activity was taking place near the White Sands missile range, and the Albuquerque area control centre had issued a NOTAM warning that it could interfere with GPS navigation and ADS-B. This has generated speculation in various media channels that the King Air's GPS equipment might have been providing false information to the crew. But amid these suggestions, the National Transportation Safety Board insisted on 5 August that it has "not yet determined the probable cause or any contributing factors". It points out that it validates and analyses "all available evidence" before reaching conclusions. There is evidence that GPS and ADS-B data from the flight was affected. The crew reported losing GPS capability shortly after departure, and requested headings. While Spidertracks GPS-based data was generated for the whole flight, there was only a partial ADS-B record owing to the reporting frequency substantially reducing for much of it. The Spidertracks data typically indicated altitudes 600ft higher than the ADS-B data. As area centre controllers sought to vector the aircraft they requested that the military jamming exercise cease temporarily. ADS-B reporting frequency returned to normal shortly afterwards. Jamming was permitted to resume when the aircraft's pilots confirmed they would make a visual approach to Sierra Blanca airport, and began their descent. Investigators state that at least three other aircraft in the vicinity reported a loss of GPS around the same time as the King Air. Generation Jets had been operating the 47-year old aircraft (N249CP), working with its partner Trans Aero MedEvac which provided the medical support personnel.
The US Treasury Department has lifted sanctions on Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and two of its Boeing 737s, more than two years after accusing the carrier of transporting fighters and weapons for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and allied militant groups. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) removed Fly Baghdad, also known as Iraq Express, and the two aircraft from its Specially Designated Nationals list on August 5, 2026. A Treasury official said the airline had made major changes to its operations and had addressed the conduct that led to the sanctions. The department did not say exactly what those changes were. Fly Baghdad was sanctioned in January 2024 under US counterterrorism laws. At the time, the Treasury Department accused the airline of supporting the IRGC Quds Force by transporting personnel, weapons and money throughout the Middle East. The Treasury Department said Fly Baghdad flights had carried weapons to Damascus International Airport for delivery to the IRGC-Quds Force and Iran-aligned groups operating in Syria. The department said those shipments included missiles, rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns. US officials also accused Kata'ib Hezbollah of using Fly Baghdad flights to move fighters, weapons and cash to Syria and Lebanon. The Treasury Department said the airline helped move hundreds of Iraqi fighters in October 2023, including members of Iran-backed groups, following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Fly Baghdad denied the allegations after the sanctions were imposed and said the US decision was based on incorrect information. The sanctions effectively barred US citizens and companies from doing business with Fly Baghdad and blocked any property or financial interests the airline held within US jurisdiction. The OFAC issued a temporary exemption in 2024 that allowed certain transactions needed for civil aviation safety and for companies to wind down existing agreements with the airline. That included maintenance, insurance, ground services and the repossession of leased aircraft. The two aircraft removed from the sanctions list were Boeing 737s that the Treasury Department had previously identified as blocked property belonging to Fly Baghdad. The aircraft carry Iraqi registrations YI-BAF and YI-BAN. The department said removing the airline from the list does not signal a broader change in US policy toward Iran, the IRGC or other groups designated as terrorist organizations. A Treasury official also said the decision was unrelated to current US negotiations with Iran over the conflict in the Persian Gulf. "FBA has demonstrated major changes to their operations such that their listing is no longer warranted," the official said. "They have addressed sanctionable conduct." The department said sanctions could be imposed again if circumstances change. The US action does not clear Fly Baghdad of separate restrictions elsewhere. The airline remains on the European Union's Air Safety List and is banned from operating within the EU because of what European regulators describe as serious safety deficiencies. Fly Baghdad and Iraqi Airways were among six individual airlines subject to an EU operating ban when the list was updated in June 2026. Fly Baghdad was established in 2014 and operates scheduled passenger services from Iraq to destinations around the Middle East and other parts of the region.
The agency targets a 737 structural concern and an issue that could cause a dual Trent 1000 failure. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is taking action to address risks involving Boeing 737 Max door-related structural components and concerns about uncontained failures of 787 Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 turbofans. The agency this week issued two regulatory documents, including an airworthiness directive (AD) responding to the potential for some 737 Max structural fasteners called “bear straps” to develop stress cracks. Affected straps are on the upper corners of 737 Max right-side forward doorframes, the FAA says. While no 737 Max have been found with cracked straps, the problem has for more than a decade been known to affect earlier-generation 737s. The FAA in 2014 required operators to inspect bear straps on 737 Classics for cracking, and Boeing tells FlightGlobal that in 2019 it notified 737NG operators about the issue and provided them with inspection instructions, which the FAA mandated in 2021. Boeing then in December 2024 issued 737 Max operators an Alert Requirements Bulletin, calling on them to inspect fuselage skins and bear straps. The FAA’s latest AD mandates those inspections, saying 737 Max are likely “susceptible to the same crack conditions” due to the variants’ similarities. The cracks can result from “high operating stresses in the fuselage skin and bear strap due to stress concentration at the corner of the door cutout”, it adds. Cracks “may lead to the inability of the principal structural element to sustain limit loads”. “Inspections provide multiple opportunities to identify and correct possible cracking before cracks exceed critical length,” Boeing says, adding that it “conducted engineering analysis to identify root cause and is working through engineering changes that would prevent such cracking.” Separately, the FAA this week issued a proposed rule addressing risks associated with the 787’s Trent 1000 engines. “The FAA has received a report from the manufacturer indicating that the protection system on the left fan cowl of the right engine does not sufficiently cover the components and systems,” the proposed AD states. The risk arises if a 787’s left-side Trent suffers an uncontained failure, in which case debris ejected from that powerplant’s intermediate pressure turbine rotor could strike the right-side Trent, damaging its oil lines or air-pressure sensor, the FAA says. The result could be dual engine failure, it adds. Boeing addressed the risk in January with a Special Attention Requirements Bulletin sent to operators. That document calls on them to inspect Trents and replace fan cowls on right-side engines. The FAA’s proposal would mandate those actions. It applies to only 22 US-registered 787s – a small number because US airlines primarily operate 787s powered by GE Aerospace GEnx turbofans.
Spirit opened its new $250 million "Spirit Central" corporate campus in 2024, complete with training facilities, employee housing, and space for more than 1,000 workers. Now, in bankruptcy, a stalking horse bidder is offering just $88 million for much of the nearly brand-new headquarters complex — an extraordinary markdown for a project that symbolized how far the airline had drifted from its ultra-low-cost roots.
Anyone convinced that aircraft ownership is only for the affluent, or that working for FBO line wages is no longer a viable plan to support flight training, ought to chat with Mike McCoy, a 31-year-old private pilot who lives in Mentor, Ohio.
A few weeks ago, it emerged that flight attendants at United Airlines who are using their ‘non-rev’ staff travel privileges might soon be able to occupy one of the most comfortable flat beds on board the Chicago-based carrier’s international widebody aircraft fleet. And, no, we don’t mean a Polaris Business Class seat. We’re referring to something far more comfortable and spacious… the secret crew bunks, or what is officially called the ‘Overhead Flight Attendant Rest’ or OFAR on Boeing 777s and 787 Dreamliners. The idea behind the policy is that non-rev flight attendants who have been left with a jumpseat because every seat is otherwise occupied by a fare-paying passenger will now be able to get some rest during a long-haul flight – something that is almost otherwise impossible if you’re stuck on a pull-down jumpseat. While some other U.S. airlines, including non-unionized Delta Air Lines, have allowed their non-rev jumpseating flight attendants to use crew bunks for several years, the opportunity has only now been opened up to United Airlines flight attendants following an agreement between the carrier and the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) as part of the successful conclusion of very lengthy contract negotiations. But there was a delay in actually implementing the benefit because the union needed to lock down a policy to make it as fair as possible. Thankfully, that policy has now been agreed. Here’s how it will work: The crew bunks (or crew rest seats on aircraft without bunks) will only be offered to flight attendants who have been assigned a jumpseat. If a non-rev passenger has been assigned any type of passenger seat, that’s where they have to stay. The bunks will only be available for use by United Airlines flight attendants. If a flight attendant for another airline is jumpseating, then they can’t use the crew bunks, even if they are trained on that aircraft type. Dependent on the aircraft type and the number of crew actually working the flight, there may or may not be a spare bunk that can be used. And no, flight attendants can’t share bunks. If there is more than one non-rev jumpseater, then use of the bunks will go in seniority order. The bunks can only be occupied when the aircraft is at an altitude of at least 15,000 feet on Boeing 787s and 25,000 feet on Boeing 777s. For taxi, takeoff, ascent, descent, and landing, non-rev crew have to be in their jumpseat. Non-rev flight attendants need to be careful not to disturb the working crew when they are taking their assigned breaks. United Airlines managers, even those who have gone through flight attendant training, aren’t allowed to occupy the bunks as part of this policy. Even when there aren’t enough crew rest seats or bunks available for non-rev flight attendants when the working crew is taking their breaks, that doesn’t mean they can’t still be used. A non-rev traveler could use the bunks during the first and second meal service, and then sit on their jumpseat during the assigned crew breaks. Every flight attendant who works on widebody aircraft will have their favorite bunk, so you can probably imagine there being some type of coordination with the international purser over which bunks the non-rev travelers are allowed to occupy, so as not to annoy the working crew. The bunks of the Boeing 777-300 are generally regarded as one of the best OFAR facilities, with every bunk being equal in the amount of space available and the threat of noise disturbance from the cabin. In contrast, the Boeing 787 has some bunks that are slightly more private, and one bunk that is slightly roomier… but additional space comes at the expense of peace as it is located right above the galley area. While not a concern for United’s flight attendants, one of the most hated crew bunks are one the Airbus A380, and, specifically, a module that was built in the cabin on the main deck. These bunks are not only pretty cramped, but they also carry every bit of sound from within the cabin.
The Boeing 747 may have ended its commercial production run, but two of the most consequential examples ever built remain deep inside a modification program that has stretched years beyond its original timetable. Boeing 's two purpose-built VC-25B presidential aircraft, which are the long-awaited replacements for the US Air Force's aging VC-25As, were originally expected to be delivered by the end of 2024. Instead, the first aircraft is now scheduled for roughly mid-2028, while the second is expected around mid-2029, according to the latest program reporting summarized by Yahoo Finance .
While Brazil is typically not considered a 'Western' country, its Embraer C-390 Millennium is part of the Western supply chain, and it is marketed to various Western countries as an alternative to the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. It is seen as a geopolitically acceptable military aircraft for NATO allies to purchase in a way that Chinese and Russian military aircraft are not.
Embraer announced on August 4, 2026, that the Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana (FAC) has signed a contract for two KC-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft, making Colombia the first Latin American customer for the type outside Brazil and the 13th nation to order it. The FAC put the value of the contract at $366.4 million at fixed prices, with execution spread over four years. The package covers the two aircraft, mission equipment, initial training for pilots, maintenance technicians and mission support personnel, ground support equipment, and 24 months of integrated logistics support. Embraer said the deal also includes an offset program structured to meet Colombian regulatory requirements. Deliveries are scheduled for 2029 and 2030, with the first aircraft to be ferried from Embraer's Gavião Peixoto plant to CATAM air base in Bogotá. Replacing an aging Hercules fleet The purchase falls under the FAC's heavy tactical military transport requirement, part of a modernization plan the force ties to its Air and Space Development Strategy 2042 (EDAES 2042), formulated in 2019. Colombia's tactical airlift currently rests on a small fleet of Lockheed C-130B and C-130H Hercules, operated since the late 1960s and supplemented over the years by second-hand US transfers. That fleet came under scrutiny after a C-130H registered FAC-1016 crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguízamo on March 23, 2026, killing 70 of the 126 people on board. The decision was not entirely free of controversy. President Gustavo Petro directed the FAC to conclude negotiations with Embraer in July 2026, according to Infodefensa , before the force had completed a technical comparison that also included the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules and Airbus A400M. The FAC nevertheless maintained that its selection followed technical, legal and financial analyses conducted by its own personnel. Tanker role and Gripen interoperability Two Brazilian Air Force F-39E Gripen fighters refuel simultaneously from an Embraer KC-390 Millennium. (Credit: Embraer) Embraer said the aircraft will be delivered with connectivity allowing them to operate alongside the 17 Gripen E/F fighters Colombia ordered from Saab in November 2025 under a €3.1 billion contract. The KC-390 can be fitted with removable air-to-air refueling equipment, allowing it to serve as either tanker or receiver. Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, said the company was "honored by the FAC's decision to select the KC-390 Millennium," pointing to a relationship dating back more than 35 years to Colombia's purchase of the EMB-312 Tucano and later the A-29 Super Tucano. Embraer says the KC-390 carries up to 26 tons of payload at speeds of up to 470 knots and can operate from short or unpaved strips. Beyond Brazil, the type has been selected by Portugal, Hungary, South Korea, the Netherlands, Austria, the Czech Republic, Uzbekistan, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Slovakia and Lithuania [though the latter postponed the procurement – ed. note]. The Czech Air Force received its first aircraft on July 16, 2026.
