Afterburner - The Aviation Magazine

18 January 2026

AVIATION HISTORY FRIDAY

16 January 2003 – launch of STS-107, the final flight of Columbia

On 16 January 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia launched on STS-107 mission. The flight ended on 1 February with the Columbia disaster, resulting in the deaths of all seven crew members and the destruction of the space shuttle. The STS-107 [...]
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From active duty to history – a short review of military aircraft retirements in 2025

The year 2025 marked aviation history with several notable farewells to iconic military aircraft. These included both well-known workhorses from the Cold War era and relatively newer designs that proved ineffective in the modern combat environment. One of the most [...]
PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Agusta HKP 15A

Agusta HKP 15A / A109E LUH (c/n 13761, “31” of Försvarsmaktens helikopterflottilj / the Swedish Armed Forces Helicopter Wing), on static display during the 11th edition of the Sanicole Sunset Airshow, Hechtel-Eksel, September 2024. The A109 helicopter was developed in [...]
MILITARY AVIATION

B-52 Radar Modernization Program

In early December 2025, Boeing delivered the first flight-test aircraft for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) to the United States Air Force (USAF). As announced by the company and the US Department of War, the bomber is being evaluated [...]
AVIATION HISTORY

9 January 1793 – the first balloon flight in the Americas

On 9 January 1793, Jean-Pierre Blanchard performed the first balloon flight in the Americas, taking off from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and landing in Deptford Township, New Jersey. Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a French inventor, aviation pioneer, and the world’s first professional balloon pilot, [...]

From active duty to history – a short review of military aircraft retirements in 2025

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14 January 2026

The year 2025 marked aviation history with several notable farewells to iconic military aircraft. These included both well-known workhorses from the Cold War era and relatively newer designs that proved ineffective in the modern combat [...]

First ever wingsuit foil soaring flight with altitude gain

DREAMERS AND DOERS

26 November 2025

In its press release published on 19 November 2025, the Red Bull company announced that Austrian wingsuit pioneer Peter Salzmann had once again pushed the boundaries of what is possible in human flight. This time, [...]

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