By Garth Calitz The Republic XF-84H was an exceptional aviation experiment: a turboprop fighter featuring a supersonic propeller, producing an astounding level of noise and earning a reputation that has endured long after the aircraft vanished from the skies. There are aircraft that are remembered because they were successful. Others are remembered because they changed aviation. And then there are aircraft remembered simply because engineers were brave enough, or perhaps opti

By Garth Calitz Air Botswana, Botswana’s national flag carrier, is facing a growing operational challenge as two of its Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets remain grounded in Namibia, despite earlier expectations that they would return to service by July 2026. Their continued absence has contributed to schedule reductions and the cancellation of routes including Gaborone–Windhoek and Maun–Windhoek. The situation highlights a familiar problem in African regional aviation: owning or

A lightweight bush aircraft is not necessarily the first machine that comes to mind when considering a transatlantic ferry flight. Yet that is precisely what a new Carbon Cub UL has accomplished, completing an extraordinary 6,900-nautical-mile journey from Lewiston, Idaho, to Poland and demonstrating just how far modern light aircraft technology has progressed. The flight, completed in July 2026, marks the first transatlantic crossing by a Carbon Cub UL and represents a signi

Few aircraft have changed the way people move, work and respond to emergencies quite like the helicopter. From battlefields and remote agricultural fields to offshore oil platforms, city police departments and rescue operations, rotorcraft have become an indispensable part of modern aviation. Few manufacturers have been as closely associated with that evolution as Bell. Over the decades, Bell aircraft have been involved in some of the most significant developments in vertical

The idea of an artificial intelligence system controlling a fighter aircraft in combat once belonged firmly in the realm of science fiction. Today, it is becoming an increasingly practical engineering challenge, and one that the aerospace and defence industry is tackling at remarkable speed. In the latest demonstration, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®, working with the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (TPS) and industry partners, has taken another significant step towards autono

The arrival of electric air taxis in the United Kingdom has moved another step closer to reality, with Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic signing a definitive multi-year agreement to develop and launch commercial electric air taxi services across the UK. Announced at the Farnborough International Airshow on 22 July 2026, the agreement turns a partnership first announced in 2025 into a binding commercial framework and establishes Virgin Atlantic as Joby’s exclusive airline part

Brazilian approval clears the way for deliveries of Cirrus Aircraft’s latest-generation Vision Jet, bringing greater cabin capacity, enhanced avionics and additional safety and convenience features to the South American market. Cirrus Aircraft has secured an important regulatory milestone for its latest-generation Vision Jet, with Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) granting type certification for the G3 Vision Jet. The approval, announced on 6 August 2026, clears

Alaska Airlines has taken delivery of its 100th Boeing 737 MAX, marking an important step in the airline’s ongoing fleet renewal and expansion programme. The milestone comes as the carrier prepares for further growth in both its domestic network and international operations, supported by an expanding fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and 787 Dreamliners. The latest delivery took place in Seattle, Washington, where Alaska Airlines employees joined Boeing personnel to mark the a

By Garth Calitz If South African aviation had a frequent flyer programme for regulatory amendments, many aircraft owners would already qualify for lifetime platinum status. After months of uncertainty, countless meetings, legal opinions, media statements and enough paperwork to keep several forests in business, there finally appears to be a glimmer of light at the end of the regulatory tunnel. Whether that light is the sun, an approaching train, or simply another committee me

By Rob Russell I remember writing an article, albeit in November 2018, talking of the consequences of there only being one runway available at Cape Town. Should it become blocked, there would be diversions all over the country. And passengers stranded at Cape Town that could not fly out. Read it here Well, it happened on a grey, misty and overcast day, Tuesday the 4th August 2026 to be precise An international operator due to land mid-morning on a scheduled flight had to dive