Officials are concerned that North Korea's increased missile testing could endanger passenger planes in the region, as Pyongyang often fails to provide advance notice of its activities, contrary to international agreements. Recently, North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, claiming it can reach the mainland United States. This missile may have posed an immediate threat, as it flew close to the path a passenger jet had recently traveled. The missile landed

By Garth Calitz The British Monarch was the first head of state or government to have official and dedicated air transport. In 1928, two Westland Wapitis were delivered to No. 24 Squadron at RAF Northolt specifically for transporting the Royal Family. Between 1929 and 1935, Edward, Prince of Wales, acquired 13 aircraft. Although the RAF initially maintained at least one of these aircraft, the Prince of Wales eventually took full responsibility for them. When the Prince became

By Garth Calitz You've been renting a Cessna 172 or Piper Cherokee for some time. Renting and flying is both inconvenient and costly, and the rental aircraft are slow and lack excitement. An RV seems like the perfect solution... but which model? Rather than asking "which airplane," consider asking "what specific functions do I need an airplane to perform?" Numerous factors influence this decision, including personality, life stage, family, and budget—these elements form part

A test version of Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser spacecraft successfully landed on a runway at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Saturday after a glide test flight. This test was conducted to assess the craft's handling characteristics and guidance systems ahead of upcoming resupply missions to the International Space Station. The unmanned spacecraft was released from a helicopter and touched down on Runway 22L at Edwards, the same strip previously used by returning

By Garth Calitz The esteemed 28 Squadron was established on June 1, 1943. The war diary entry for that day states: “In modest conditions at SAAF Base Depot Almaza, Cairo, Middle East, 28 Squadron is born.” Major A.A.D. McKellar served as the first Officer Commanding, with most personnel being recruited from the 34 and 35 Flight South African Air Force (Maritime Reconnaissance). As the SAAF's inaugural air transport squadron, operating under 216 Group RAF, the squadron was out

The A330-900's maiden flight on October 19, 2017, marked the beginning of a 1,400-hour flight test campaign. This involved three prototypes and the first production aircraft, with 1,100 flight hours dedicated to the A330-900 and 300 flight hours for the A330-800, aiming for EASA and FAA Type Certification by mid-2018. The 4-hour and 15-minute flight reached an altitude of 30,125 feet (9,182 meters) and a speed of 502 knots (930 km/h). It aims to establish specific maximum ope

The advancement of Airbus' E-Fan series speeds up the path toward eco-friendly aviation. The E-Fan is introducing more-electric propulsion to the aviation sector. Created under a European program led by Airbus, the E-Fan's groundbreaking initial version was specifically engineered for electric power. This represents a significant milestone in Airbus's roadmap for electric aircraft and the future of electric and hybrid aviation. In a subsequent phase, the E-Fan was upgraded to

By Garth Calitz The world of city travel seems to be in for some massive changes very soon, and Dubai officials say they want theirs to become the world’s smartest city. A project certain to help reach that goal is developing a fleet of autonomous vehicles to handle a quarter of all passenger transport by 2030. Ignoring critics who scoffed at the claim earlier this year that the German-designed Volocopter 2X, recently renamed the Autonomous Aerial Taxi (AAT), would begin test

By Garth Calitz Birds and aircraft have been colliding with significant impacts on both humans and animals since the early days of aviation. The global aviation industry is increasingly acknowledging that bird strikes pose a significant safety threat. Birds are drawn to airport areas to feed or rest and frequently fly over these zones from their feeding or roosting locations. Air traffic in South Africa is on the rise, making it crucial to uphold international air safety sta

By Garth Calitz The squadron was formed on 1 October 1940 and participated as part of the 1 Bomber Brigade in the North and East African Campaign. It later engaged in operations in Sicily, Italy, and Yugoslavia. The Flying Cheetahs remain the only South African Airforce Squadron to have participated in every combat action involving the SAAF, giving them a long and distinguished history. During World War II, 2 Squadron operated the following aircraft: The Hawker Hartebeest, a