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Historic 1934 DH.88 Comet 'Grosvenor House' Crashes at Shuttleworth Airshow
Aviation SafetyAug 16, 8:41 AM

Historic 1934 DH.88 Comet 'Grosvenor House' Crashes at Shuttleworth Airshow

The de Havilland DH.88 Comet G-ACSS "Grosvenor House", the aircraft that won the 1934 MacRobertson England to Australia air race, overturned on landing at Old Warden aerodrome in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, on August 15, 2026, sustaining extensive damage. The Shuttleworth Trust said the accident happened at approximately 19:20 local time during its Flying Proms air show, with one crew member on board. Emergency services extracted the pilot, who was responding at the scene and was taken to hospital for assessment. Shuttleworth later confirmed that the pilot was discharged from hospital. Nobody else was hurt. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service sent crews from Sandy and Kempston to support the on-site fire service. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which has investigated several recent accidents involving historic aircraft in the UK , had not commented at the time of writing. An unfortunate incident occurred at the Shuttleworth evening airshow yesterday. The (notoriously tricky) DH -88 Grosvenor House crashed on landing.. Fortunately, the pilot suffered only minor injuries. pic.twitter.com/lgMV2c3nsp — Trev Clark's Obscure Aviation History (@clark_aviation) August 16, 2026 The only airworthy DH.88, and the MacRobertson winner De Havilland built five DH.88s, three of them for the 1934 race. Two survive. G-ACSP "Black Magic" has spent years under restoration, which leaves G-ACSS as the only airworthy example and the only one that actually won. Flown by Charles W. A. Scott and Tom Campbell Black, G-ACSS covered the Mildenhall to Melbourne course in 70 hours and 54 minutes. It was the first British aircraft to combine stressed-skin construction, a cantilever wing, retractable undercarriage, flaps, variable-pitch propellers and an enclosed cockpit in a single airframe, the design vocabulary de Havilland later carried into the Mosquito. The airframe has been rebuilt repeatedly since. Written off in Royal Air Force hands as K5084 and sold for scrap, it was rebuilt by Essex Aero, raced as "The Orphan" and set records as "The Burberry" before reaching the Shuttleworth Collection in 1965. A landing accident already grounded it for 12 years Restored with support from about 50 organizations, G-ACSS flew again on May 17, 1987, from Hatfield. That airfield closed in 1994 and the Comet went back to Old Warden by road, where the runway was initially too short to operate it. On October 28, 2002, after a test flight for its permit renewal, its undercarriage failed on landing. Investigators found that the legs as originally designed were liable to fail under certain conditions, and a modified structure had to be approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The aircraft did not fly again until August 1, 2014. Shuttleworth has not said whether the damage is repairable. Operators of historic fleets typically suspend flying until a cause is established, as the Royal Air Force did with its Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfires and Hurricanes . It is the second accident at Old Warden since May 30, 2026, when an Avro Triplane IV replica came down during the Wings and Wheels air show.

Top stories right now

  1. 01
    Military/Defense

    Spanish F-18 downs drone over Romania after Moldovan airspace breach

  2. 02
    Aviation Safety

    Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 Skids 120 Meters Past Munich Runway End During Takeoff

  3. 03
    Aviation Safety

    Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 overruns runway and suffers tail strike during Munich takeoff

  4. 04
    Airports

    Air India A320neo Lost Flight Controls, Dropped 300 Feet in Hydraulic Failure Incident

Most read this week

  1. 01
    Airlines

    Boeing Delivers 53 Jets in July Amid Airbus Lead in 2026 Production Race

  2. 02
    Aviation Safety

    Private Jet Pilot Flies Into Path of United 787 Over Newark Amid ATC Confusion

  3. 03
    MRO/Maintenance

    FAA Orders $2.66M Seat Inspections on 453 Boeing 737 MAX Jets Amid Certification Oversight

  4. 04
    Airports

    United Airlines Showcases Polaris Business Class on Transatlantic Newark-London Flight

  5. 05
    Airports

    Air India A320neo Lost Flight Controls, Dropped 300 Feet in Hydraulic Failure Incident

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A regional airline pilot preparing to board a turboprop aircraft on the tarmac at a US airport during sunset
Flight TrainingAug 15, 11:00 PM

US Regional Pilot Shortage Eases As Cadet Programs Adjust to New Realities

Members of the PSA Airlines Cadet Program received a disappointing email in late July 2026, when the company advised pilot cadets that it would no longer sponsor the ATP/CTP course that all new hires are required to complete before officially joining the airline. Traditionally, this is paid for by the company, but for those in the PSA program, it's now on the cadet's shoulders to take the course and pay for it.

Sun Country Airlines aircraft taxiing at Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport
AirportsAug 15, 10:44 PM

Sun Country Cuts Flights at Minneapolis-St Paul, Raising Concern Over Fare Increases

Sun Country Airlines is sharply reducing its Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) schedule this fall, raising concerns that fewer seats and less competition could push airfares higher for travelers. The Minneapolis-based carrier is expected to operate roughly one-third fewer flights in September than previously planned, with some routes being removed altogether as the airline works through staffing problems following its acquisition by Allegiant Air .

Airbus A320neo taxiing on airport tarmac under cloudy sky
AirportsAug 15, 9:32 PM

Air India A320neo Lost Flight Controls, Dropped 300 Feet in Hydraulic Failure Incident

24 people were left injured after an Air India Airbus A320neo flight from Phuket International Airport (HKT) to Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) lost key flight controls. The service, AI2379 on August 4, operated by the Indian flag carrier, has prompted Airbus to request checks on the airplane's hydraulics, sensors, and wiring. In a report by Reuters , Airbus's initial analysis suggests that the plane lost all three hydraulic systems , causing the plane to drop 300 feet in a matter of seconds.

This New Tailless 6th-Gen Fighter Ditches Vertical Stabilizers & Bets The Airframe On Software
Military/DefenseAug 15, 9:00 PM

China's J-50 6th-Gen Fighter Ditches Vertical Stabilizers, Relies on Advanced Software

It seems that fifth-generation aircraft are beginning to give way to the next era of air combat, as the competition to develop a sixth-generation fighter has been underway for several years. The difference now is that these aircraft are quickly becoming a reality, with China publicly displaying its J-50 during test flights, the Boeing F-47 expected to conduct its first flight in the coming years, and the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) continuing its development.

Airlines

More Airlines →
Can American Airlines Close The Profit Gap With Delta & United?
AirlinesAug 16, 4:02 AM

American Airlines Struggles to Match Delta and United in Profitability Despite Market Size

American Airlines was founded in 1930 through a merger of 80 airlines. It wouldn't be until 2013 that American as we know it today was born through a merger with US Airways. With over 223 million passengers carried in 2025, the oneworld carrier remains one of the world's largest airlines alongside its largest competitors, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines . Despite this, American is lagging behind on one key metric: profitability. A gap the Dallas-based airline is desperately looking to close over the coming years.

Allegiant Air aircraft on tarmac with clear skies at a leisure destination airport
AirlinesAug 15, 7:25 PM

Allegiant Air to Launch First Class Cabin and Offer Free Drinks in Economy Starting Spring 2027

Allegiant Air, historically known as one of the United States' most disciplined ultra low cost carriers, plans to significantly improve its passenger experience. This includes introducing a first class product, and also adding free drinks in economy. At this point I don't think it'll surprise anyone, but clearly this premium trend isn't just a fad, but is a fundamental industry shift. I first covered this a couple of weeks ago, but would like to provide an update, as first class tickets are now on sale… and they're not as cheap as some might assume! Allegiant First product launches in the spring of 2027 Allegiant plans to introduce a first class product, which will be branded as Allegiant First . This will debut and be phased in on select aircraft as of April 2027, and represents the latest step in the company's long term strategy to modernize customer experience while expanding ancillary and premium travel offerings for leisure focused travelers. Allegiant First is coming to select planes Allegiant First will consists of eight seats, spread across two rows, in a 2-2 configuration. Seats will have 37″ of pitch, 5″ of recline, calf rests, and adjustable head rests. Each seat will also have USB-A, USB-C, and AC power outlets. The cabin will provide passengers with priority access to check-in and boarding, and Allegiant First fares will include one personal item, one carry-on bag, and one checked bag weighing up to 70 pounds. Allegiant First will also offer complimentary drinks & snacks, though it remains to be seen if that's just a selection from the standard buy on board selection, or if there's a completely different offering. The Allegiant First product will have 37″ of pitch Flights with the new product have just gone on sale, with the product launching as of the spring of 2027. The cabin will debut on flights to and from Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda (PGD). Allegiant First will complement, and not replace, Allegiant Extra, which is Allegiant's extra legroom economy seating option. With Allegiant First tickets now on sale, what are fares like? They're not as cheap as some people may assume. Looking at a random date from Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda to Atlantic City, you'll find that economy fares start at $87, while Allegiant First fares start at $371. Allegiant First fares Meanwhile looking at a flight from Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda to Boston on a certain date, you'll find economy fares start at a staggering $429, while Allegiant First fares start at $674. Allegiant First fares Keep in mind that even though Allegiant is an ultra low cost carrier, it doesn't necessarily have as consistently of a price conscious customer base as some other ultra low cost carriers. That's because the carrier largely operates routes that other airlines don't fly, so even many people who aren't that price sensitive fly the airline for the convenience. So I don't think the airline will have much trouble actually selling its first class with decent yields. With this development, I think it's interesting to note that Southwest is the only major carrier in the country that hasn't (officially) announced plans to introduce first class, though we also have reason to believe that's coming … Allegiant adds free non-alcoholic drinks in economy It's not just those willing to pay for first class who are getting an upgrade, but also those in economy. As of August 1, 2026, Allegiant has rolled out a free beverage service onboard all flights, instead of charging for virtually everything. Free drinks include water, soft drinks, juices, etc., so that's an upgrade. There are still upgraded alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks available for purchase, like cold brew, bloody mary mix, etc. Allegiant non-alcoholic drink selection These updates of course follow Allegiant acquiring Sun Country , and the idea very much seems to be to create a new set of product offerings for the combined passengers of both airlines. Here's how Allegiant Chief Commercial Officer Drew Wells describes this: "This is about giving customers more ways to travel with us. As we bring together two highly complementary leisure airlines, we see significant opportunity to expand complimentary and premium offerings in a way that strengthens the customer experience and supports the long-term growth of the combined company. Travelers are increasingly looking for more comfort, more personalization and more flexibility, and these new offerings are a meaningful step forward in delivering that." Bottom line Allegiant is improving its passenger experience. Starting in the spring of 2027, we'll see the airline introduce a first class product, with select flights having a dedicated cabin with eight seats. Tickets are now on sale, and the airline is trying to charge a hefty premium. On top of that, and more immediately, Allegiant is adding free non-alcoholic drinks in economy, rather than having a full buy on board model. These are all great updates for passengers, and I look forward to learning more about the new first class as we get closer to the launch date. What do you make of Allegiant's passenger experience updates?

Business Aviation

More Business Aviation →
Bombardier Challenger 300 business jet on taxiway at dawn
Business AviationAug 13, 1:00 PM

Owning a Bombardier Challenger 300 Beats Chartering Beyond 300 Flight Hours Annually

200 hours of flight time is the most commonly cited figure for when it makes more sense to purchase a private jet than charter one. However, the exact number of flight hours depends heavily on the cost of charter and the aircraft in question. To take the Bombardier Challenger 300 as an example, charter rates are usually between $5,950 (low-end quote) and $9,525 (billable average) per hour, according to the Air Charter Journal . The latter is the figure that this article will use.

Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet on runway at a small airport under clear sky
Business AviationAug 12, 1:00 AM

Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet Offers Ultra-Cheap Ownership Compared to Chartering Business Jets

Most people associate the term ' private jet ' with the largest, most expensive long-range jets produced by Gulfstream and Bombardier, but most business jets are significantly smaller with less range. These planes are less usable and may appear to provide fewer benefits, but they're also much cheaper to purchase. Meanwhile, at the bottom of the market lies the tiny Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet, a single-engine, single-pilot very-light-jet that's more similar in design and capabilities to turboprops than other VLJs.

Aviation Safety

More Aviation Safety →
Historic 1934 race-winning DH.88 Comet badly damaged at Shuttleworth
Aviation SafetyAug 16, 8:41 AM

Historic 1934 DH.88 Comet 'Grosvenor House' Crashes at Shuttleworth Airshow

The de Havilland DH.88 Comet G-ACSS "Grosvenor House", the aircraft that won the 1934 MacRobertson England to Australia air race, overturned on landing at Old Warden aerodrome in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, on August 15, 2026, sustaining extensive damage. The Shuttleworth Trust said the accident happened at approximately 19:20 local time during its Flying Proms air show, with one crew member on board. Emergency services extracted the pilot, who was responding at the scene and was taken to hospital for assessment. Shuttleworth later confirmed that the pilot was discharged from hospital. Nobody else was hurt. Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service sent crews from Sandy and Kempston to support the on-site fire service. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which has investigated several recent accidents involving historic aircraft in the UK , had not commented at the time of writing. An unfortunate incident occurred at the Shuttleworth evening airshow yesterday. The (notoriously tricky) DH -88 Grosvenor House crashed on landing.. Fortunately, the pilot suffered only minor injuries. pic.twitter.com/lgMV2c3nsp — Trev Clark's Obscure Aviation History (@clark_aviation) August 16, 2026 The only airworthy DH.88, and the MacRobertson winner De Havilland built five DH.88s, three of them for the 1934 race. Two survive. G-ACSP "Black Magic" has spent years under restoration, which leaves G-ACSS as the only airworthy example and the only one that actually won. Flown by Charles W. A. Scott and Tom Campbell Black, G-ACSS covered the Mildenhall to Melbourne course in 70 hours and 54 minutes. It was the first British aircraft to combine stressed-skin construction, a cantilever wing, retractable undercarriage, flaps, variable-pitch propellers and an enclosed cockpit in a single airframe, the design vocabulary de Havilland later carried into the Mosquito. The airframe has been rebuilt repeatedly since. Written off in Royal Air Force hands as K5084 and sold for scrap, it was rebuilt by Essex Aero, raced as "The Orphan" and set records as "The Burberry" before reaching the Shuttleworth Collection in 1965. A landing accident already grounded it for 12 years Restored with support from about 50 organizations, G-ACSS flew again on May 17, 1987, from Hatfield. That airfield closed in 1994 and the Comet went back to Old Warden by road, where the runway was initially too short to operate it. On October 28, 2002, after a test flight for its permit renewal, its undercarriage failed on landing. Investigators found that the legs as originally designed were liable to fail under certain conditions, and a modified structure had to be approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The aircraft did not fly again until August 1, 2014. Shuttleworth has not said whether the damage is repairable. Operators of historic fleets typically suspend flying until a cause is established, as the Royal Air Force did with its Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfires and Hurricanes . It is the second accident at Old Warden since May 30, 2026, when an Avro Triplane IV replica came down during the Wings and Wheels air show.

Disaster Narrowly Averted as Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner Plows 120 Meters Past End of Runway During Takeoff at Munich Airport
Aviation SafetyAug 16, 1:08 AM

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 Skids 120 Meters Past Munich Runway End During Takeoff

An aviation catastrophe appears to have been only narrowly averted at Munich International Airport (MUC) on Saturday after a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner with as many as 274 passengers on board plowed 120 meters past the end of the runway as it attempted to take off, with the wheels smashing into the runway lights as the plane eventually became airborne. Aircraft Details Registration VN-A867 Aircraft Type Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Engines General Electric GEnx-1B Operator Vietnam Airlines Route Munich (MUC) to Hanoi (HAN) Flight Number VN34 .pyok-callout { display: flex; border-radius: 0; background: #f7f9fc; margin: 24px 0; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; } .pyok-callout-inner { padding: 20px 24px; width: 100%; } .pyok-callout-head { margin-bottom: 12px; } .pyok-callout-tag { font-size: 20px; font-weight: 900; letter-spacing: 0.04em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #120E43; } .pyok-aircraft-list { margin: 0; padding: 0; } .pyok-aircraft-row { display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: baseline; gap: 16px; padding: 10px 0; border-top: 1px solid #e1e7ef; } .pyok-aircraft-row:first-child { border-top: none; padding-top: 0; } .pyok-aircraft-row dt { font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.04em; color: #8a93a3; margin: 0; flex-shrink: 0; } .pyok-aircraft-row dd { font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; color: #1a1a1a; margin: 0; text-align: right; } @media (max-width: 420px) { .pyok-aircraft-row { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 4px; } .pyok-aircraft-row dd { text-align: left; } } Vietnam Airlines flight VN-34 from Munich to Hanoi, operated by a 10-year-old Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, departed at around 1:57 pm on August 15, for what should have been a routine ten-hour flight to Vietnam. The aircraft departed from Munich’s Northern Runway, officially known as 26L, a 4,000-meter-long concrete runway, which, by global standards, is considered long. This is important as the pilots appeared to have major issues in getting the aircraft airborne. Video footage captured by plane spotters at the airport showed the aircraft speeding along the runway. At the point that you would expect the aircraft to take off, it carried on accelerating along the runway. Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner reportedly overruns the runway during take-off from Munich. The aircraft is currently on approach to the airport after holding. Video: MunichAviation pic.twitter.com/qqbWSV2jrN — Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) August 15, 2026 The aircraft carried on like this for the entire length of the runway, reportedly plowing 120 meters past the end of the runway, kicking up dirt and dust, before it eventually became airborne, with the plane still so low that the tires scraped the runway approach lights, which mark the runway threshold. The pilots already knew that something was very amiss and told air traffic control that they had to make a return to Munich Airport. Due to the amount of fuel loaded on the aircraft for the long-haul flight to Vietnam, however, the aircraft had to enter a holding pattern for 90 minutes to dump some of the excess fuel and bring the plane down to a safer landing weight. The pilots didn’t, however, land the aircraft immediately after dumping the excess fuel. First, they carried out two low approaches across Runway 26R – presumably so that the air traffic control tower could observe what damage had been caused to the underside of the plane. On the third approach, the plane landed with smoke and debris seen coming from the landing gear, because the tires had been ripped to shreds. The plane came to a stop on the runway and became disabled there. Confirmed tail strike damage on VN-A867 The whole tail strike module is gone. There's a clear puncture through the lower fuselage, with torn composite and heavy scrape marks running aft. This was not light contact… they must have been pulling hard to get it airborne. This jet… pic.twitter.com/WNBqFvzMzf — Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) August 15, 2026 Tail strike on VN-A867 + possible ELECTRIC BRAKE ACTUATOR ISSUES On Both MAIN GEAR. Vietnam Airlines 787-9 out of Munich today… very late rotation, almost full runway used, confirmed tail strike, then returned with multiple tires shredded. Electric Brake Actuator (EBA)… pic.twitter.com/d2t2mD52T5 — Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) August 15, 2026 Munich’s Northern Runway remains closed, and airport authorities have warned of continued delays as a result of this incident. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but leaked photos showing the underside of the aircraft show just how serious the situation was. It appears that the pilots were so desperate to get the aircraft in the air that when it did finally take off, the tail struck the ground with such force that it created a gash in the underside of the fuselage. The cause of the accident has yet to be established, although one theory is that the pilots may have entered the incorrect takeoff calculations into the flight deck computer. A mechanical issue cannot, however, be ruled out at this stage. The aircraft is likely to remain grounded for some time as it will require specialist maintenance to fix the fuselage damage caused by the tailstrike.

Boeing 787-9 on runway after a takeoff incident with visible dust and emergency response
Aviation SafetyAug 15, 4:23 PM

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 overruns runway and suffers tail strike during Munich takeoff

A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 had an accident today while taking off on a long haul flight from Germany to Vietnam. Fortunately no one appears to have been injured, but I can't even begin to wrap my head around how something like this could happen… Vietnam Airlines 787 struggles to take off on very long runway This incident happened today (Saturday, August 15, 2026), and involves Vietnam Airlines flight VN34, scheduled to fly from Munich (MUC) to Hanoi (HAN). The flight was operated by a 10-year-old Boeing 787-9 with the registration code VN-A867 . At 1:57PM local time, the plane started its takeoff roll on runway 26L, which is 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) long. This is about as long as commercial runways get, so it's way longer than what even a fully loaded Dreamliner would need. However, something went seriously wrong with this takeoff. The plane accelerated down the runway… and kept accelerating, and accelerating, and accelerating. Eventually the plane seemingly overran the end of the runway, causing damage to runway lights. In the video you can see that huge clouds of dust rose around the aircraft, as the tail struck the ground. Fortunately the plane did manage to become airborne, though the crew immediately declared an emergency. The plane climbed up to 10,000 feet, and at that point the crew reported that they had an indicator that they had an issue with tire pressure. The plane circled around the area for around 90 minutes (either to burn or dump fuel), at which point the aircraft performed two low approaches over the runway, so damage could be assessed. Then the plane landed on runway 26R on the third approach, and it became disabled on the runway, closing the runway for an extended period of time. That landing was at 3:57PM, two hours after the plane first took off. The path for Vietnam Airlines flight VN34 Below is the takeoff video. Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner reportedly overruns the runway during take-off from Munich. The aircraft is currently on approach to the airport after holding. Video: MunichAviation pic.twitter.com/qqbWSV2jrN — Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) August 15, 2026 Then below is the landing video. Vietnam B787-9 appears to have shredded its tires on emergency return landing to Munich https://t.co/4ZvkFG1nXC pic.twitter.com/2Gz0ZiTLs8 — Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) August 15, 2026 Below are pictures showing the tire damage and tail strike after the plane returned to Munich. Tail strike on VN-A867 + possible ELECTRIC BRAKE ACTUATOR ISSUES On Both MAIN GEAR. Vietnam Airlines 787-9 out of Munich today… very late rotation, almost full runway used, confirmed tail strike, then returned with multiple tires shredded. Electric Brake Actuator (EBA)… pic.twitter.com/d2t2mD52T5 — Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) August 15, 2026 Confirmed tail strike damage on VN-A867 The whole tail strike module is gone. There's a clear puncture through the lower fuselage, with torn composite and heavy scrape marks running aft. This was not light contact… they must have been pulling hard to get it airborne. This jet… pic.twitter.com/WNBqFvzMzf — Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) August 15, 2026 I think it's safe to assume that this plane will be on the ground for quite some time, and isn't going anywhere any time soon… What could possibly explain this messed up takeoff? Looking at the video of the takeoff, there's nothing that stands out to me as being particularly unusual. It looks like the plane is accelerating decently, the flaps are in use, etc. But the plane just keeps going and going. I tried to pull up the flight data through Flightradar24, which typically shows you the altitude and speed for a plane, but oddly there's a roughly five minute gap around the takeoff time. I'm not sure how we're supposed to interpret that. Flightradar24 data on this Vietnam Airlines flight Either way, it's hard to comprehend what happened here. If the pilots felt something was off during the takeoff roll, they'd logically abort the takeoff. And a 13,000+ foot runway is particularly long, so they should've had a major buffer here. Typically when we see incidents like this, it's because the takeoff performance for the plane wasn't calculated correctly (that's not to say that's the cause here, but I'm just saying that's the most common explanation for this kind of an incident). Did the crew not have the right "numbers" for this flight when determining takeoff performance? That mistake can happen sometimes, but typically pilots would catch the error, because something looks off. I mean, this was a long haul 787 flight, so pilots roughly know what kind of takeoff performance they should be expecting. Was there some technical or other glitch that prevented the plane from taking of when it was supposed to, or what? We'll have to wait for a full investigation, but everything about this incident is very strange. Bottom line A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 had a seriously messed up takeoff from Munich, as the plane overran the runway on takeoff, causing it to damage runway lights, strike its tail, and cause huge clouds of dust to rise. When the plane came back to land, it also had serious issues with its wheels, and the full damage of the tail strike was discovered. Particularly given how long Munich Airport's runway is, there's nothing about this that looks good… I'm curious to see what an investigation reveals. On the plus side, thank goodness no one was hurt, because it seems like this could've also had a much worse ending. What do you make of this Vietnam Airlines runway overrun in Munich?

Flight Training

More Flight Training →
A regional airline pilot preparing to board a turboprop aircraft on the tarmac at a US airport during sunset
Flight TrainingAug 15, 11:00 PM

US Regional Pilot Shortage Eases As Cadet Programs Adjust to New Realities

Members of the PSA Airlines Cadet Program received a disappointing email in late July 2026, when the company advised pilot cadets that it would no longer sponsor the ATP/CTP course that all new hires are required to complete before officially joining the airline. Traditionally, this is paid for by the company, but for those in the PSA program, it's now on the cadet's shoulders to take the course and pay for it.

Modern Spirit Airlines corporate headquarters campus in Dania Beach with adjacent residential units and parking
Flight TrainingAug 1, 9:04 PM

Spirit Airlines' $250M Dania Beach Campus Faces $88M Bankruptcy Bid

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.

Military/Defense

More Military/Defense →
Spanish F-18 shoots down drone over Romania after approach via Moldova
Military/DefenseAug 16, 8:28 AM

Spanish F-18 downs drone over Romania after Moldovan airspace breach

A Spanish Air and Space Force F/A-18 Hornet shot down a drone over southeastern Romania in the early hours of August 16, 2026, the fourth unmanned aircraft destroyed over Romanian territory this year. The Romanian Ministry of National Defense said its surveillance systems detected an aerial target entering national airspace at 04:44 local time from the direction of the Republic of Moldova, around 24 kilometers (15 miles) north of Galati. An F/A-18 Hornet assigned to air policing duty at the 57th Air Base at Mihail Kogalniceanu was already airborne on a monitoring mission, established radar contact and received approval to engage. The drone was destroyed at 05:01, 17 minutes after detection. A probable debris impact point was identified between the villages of Baleni and Cudalbi in Galati County, in an unpopulated area. The air alert for the county was lifted at 05:20. No injuries or damage were reported. The ministry did not identify the drone's type or operator. Drone entered Romania after crossing Moldova The target did not cross directly from Ukraine, despite Romania's 614-kilometer (382-mile) land border with the country. It arrived over Moldova, which is not a NATO member, fields no fighter aircraft and takes part in no allied air policing arrangement. Moldovan airspace has been penetrated repeatedly in August 2026. A drone exploded near Crocmaz in the Stefan Voda district on August 9, prompting Chisinau to recall its ambassador from Moscow. The following night, Moldova's Air Operations Service tracked an aircraft crossing over Priozerne for about a minute and assessed its characteristics as consistent with a Geran-3, the jet-powered Shahed variant now common in Russian strike packages against Odesa. Spanish Hornets two weeks into Romanian deployment Spain took over the mission from Italian and British detachments at a ceremony at the 86th Air Base in Borcea on July 31, 2026. The contingent operates seven F/A-18M Hornets and around 200 personnel from Mihail Kogalniceanu, supported by an A400M tanker, with three NH-90 helicopters assigned to counter-drone tasks due in the final phase. The rotation runs to the end of November 2026. It is Spain's fourth deployment to Romania, after 2021, 2024 and February 2026, and the detachment flew its first live Alpha scramble on August 12, 2026. Romanian F-16 pilots shot down three drones on three consecutive days between July 24 and July 26, 2026, the first such engagements inside national airspace. Prosecutors identified the July 24 aircraft as a Shahed type, and Bucharest expelled a Russian diplomat and recalled its ambassador from Moscow. A Russian drone had earlier struck a residential building in Galati on May 29, 2026, injuring two people. The interception is the second by allied fighters on NATO's eastern flank in three days, after NATO jets downed a drone over Latvia on August 14, 2026.

This New Tailless 6th-Gen Fighter Ditches Vertical Stabilizers & Bets The Airframe On Software
Military/DefenseAug 15, 9:00 PM

China's J-50 6th-Gen Fighter Ditches Vertical Stabilizers, Relies on Advanced Software

It seems that fifth-generation aircraft are beginning to give way to the next era of air combat, as the competition to develop a sixth-generation fighter has been underway for several years. The difference now is that these aircraft are quickly becoming a reality, with China publicly displaying its J-50 during test flights, the Boeing F-47 expected to conduct its first flight in the coming years, and the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) continuing its development.

US Army to use Robinson R66 as next rotary-wing trainer under $10bn contract with M1
Military/DefenseAug 14, 9:27 PM

US Army selects Robinson R66 for $10bn Flight School Next rotary-wing training overhaul

Military training services provider M1 won the hotly contested Flight School Next contract with a bid centred on the R66 light-single. The US Army has selected a winner in the hotly contested competition for a multi-billion-dollar overhaul of the service’s rotary-wing flight instruction programme. Military training provider M1 Support Services was announced as the army’s vendor of choice on 13 August. The associated contract is valued at $10 billion over a potential 26-year period. Known as Flight School Next, the deal will entirely replace the service’s current helicopter instructional programme, which is split among multiple different vendors using a fleet of government-owned Airbus Helicopters UH-72 Lakotas as the primary training aircraft. Unlike the current model, Flight School Next will use a contractor-owned/contractor-operated approach to the physical rotorcraft as well as instructional and sustainment services. The service says consolidating the various functions into a single fixed-price contract will ultimately reduce costs. “Flight School Next delivers a critical improvement in our Initial Entry Rotary Wing Training model,” says Major General Clair Gill, commander of the US Army Aviation Center of Excellence. “Simply put, it delivers new military helicopter pilots with far better foundational skills," he adds. "The fact that it delivers this increased capability at a significant long-term savings to our army is a great added benefit." The new training structure will provide basic flight instruction for 800-1,500 new pilots annually, compared to 1,250 annually under the current system. M1 was chosen from a crowded field that had at various points included vertical lift heavyweights Lockheed Martin, Bell and Boeing. "M1 will deliver a fully integrated, innovation‑rich training solution designed to develop more proficient army aviators on time and on budget,” says M1 chief executive George Krivo. The company calls its comprehensive rotary-wing training package “Flight School First”. US Army leaders have long been critical of the UH-72A as a trainer helicopter, saying they would prefer a simpler single-engined alternative. Credit: US Army Three of the four finalists for the Flight School Next contract, including both M1 and Lockheed, had submitted bids based around the Robinson R66. Bell, meanwhile, had crafted a proposal using its 505 light single, while Boeing had partnered with Leonardo Helicopters to offer the TH-73. The army says the first phase of the Flight School Next plan will cover a three-to-four-year transition that will see the UH-72 phased out. The service has long been critical of the Lakota, describing the light twin as too sophisticated an aircraft on which to teach rudimentary flying skills. In particular, army leaders allege automation features included in the UH-72 led to new pilots graduating without sufficient “stick and rudder” flying skills. The army has linked an increase in serious rotary-wing accidents to adoption of the UH-72A as the service’s primary trainer in 2020. Airbus has countered that the automated flight assistance can easily be dialled down or turned off entirely using existing aircraft controls but that the US Army has not endeavoured to modify its flight procedures. In the run-up to the Flight School Next decision, army leaders made it clear they wanted a lightweight, single-engined rotorcraft with minimal computer assistance as the next trainer. The Army National Guard will continue to operate the UH-72, which is based on the Airbus H145 civil rotorcraft, in a light utility role for natural disaster response and other domestic operations. Robinson assembles the R66 at a factory in Torrance, California, that uses a highly vertically integrated supply chain, extending as far as sheet metal fabrication.