Africa's largest carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, has taken delivery of the first of two new De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Classic 300-G aircraft from De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, marking a further investment in regional and domestic connectivity across Ethiopia. The first aircraft was delivered in Addis Ababa on 22 June and will be used to strengthen air services to remote communities while supporting a range of specialised aviation missions. A second aircraft is expe

The United States has officially introduced a new presidential aircraft to serve as Air Force One, with President Donald Trump unveiling the modified Boeing 747 at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on 19 June 2026. The aircraft, formerly operated by the government of Qatar, has undergone extensive modifications to meet U.S. presidential transport requirements and will serve as an interim solution until the long-delayed Boeing VC-25B aircraft enters service, currently expected in

For decades, the light helicopter sector has changed relatively little compared with other areas of aviation. While advances in avionics, materials, and manufacturing have transformed commercial airliners and automobiles, many light helicopters still trace their origins to designs developed several decades ago. UK-based Hill Helicopters believes there is an opportunity to modernise this segment of the market through a combination of new technology, in-house manufacturing, and

Airbus Helicopters is advancing development of the Tiger Mk III, a major mid-life upgrade programme designed to ensure the Tiger attack helicopter remains capable of meeting the demands of future high-intensity combat operations. Developed through cooperation between France and Spain, the programme combines new avionics, sensors, communications systems and weapon capabilities with the proven performance of the existing Tiger platform. Launched in 2022 under the auspices of th

Dassault Aviation has reached a major milestone in the development of its new flagship business jet, the Falcon 10X, with the successful completion of the aircraft’s maiden flight. The achievement marks the beginning of an extensive flight-test campaign as the manufacturer moves closer to certification and entry into service. The first Falcon 10X departed Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport in southwestern France at 11:10 local time on 19 June, with test pilot Sébastien Dupont de Dinec

By Garth Calitz The Vietnam War remains one of the most studied air campaigns in military history. Fought between 1955 and 1975, the conflict saw the first large-scale use of helicopters in combat, intense jet-versus-jet dogfights, strategic bombing campaigns and the emergence of sophisticated air defence systems. More aircraft types were employed in Vietnam than in any conflict since the Second World War. From supersonic fighters and heavy bombers to rugged propeller-driven

Airbus Helicopters has unveiled the U145, an autonomous, uncrewed version of its widely used H145 twin-engine helicopter, marking a significant step forward in the evolution of rotary-wing aviation. Introduced at the ILA Berlin Air Show, the U145 combines the proven performance and payload capacity of the H145 with advanced autonomous flight technologies. Airbus plans to conduct the aircraft's maiden flight, initially with a safety pilot on board, before the end of 2026, with

Gulfstream Aerospace has reached two notable milestones for its flagship Gulfstream G700 business jet, completing its 100th customer delivery and recording its 100th city-pair speed record. The latest speed record was achieved on a flight from Savannah, Georgia, to San Jose, California, completed in 4 hours and 36 minutes at an average cruise speed of Mach 0.91. The aircraft then continued from San Jose to Teterboro, New Jersey, covering the route in 4 hours and 14 minutes, a

Bell Textron has reached a major development milestone in its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program, successfully completing the assembly of the first two wing structures for the MV-75 Cheyenne. The achievement marks a significant step toward flight testing and eventual production of the U.S. Army’s next-generation tiltrotor aircraft. The newly completed wings will be integrated into the first two MV-75 test aircraft, advancing assembly activities as Bell moves c

The race to unlock practical electric aviation reached another notable milestone on June 5 when Florida-based nonprofit Helios Horizon announced what it describes as the first piloted electric aircraft flight powered by solid-state batteries. At Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (KZPH), northeast of Tampa, Helios Horizon founder and chief test pilot Miguel Iturmendi conducted a series of test flights in a modified Pipistrel Taurus motor glider equipped with a newly developed soli