Afterburner - The Aviation Magazine

27 July 2026

MILITARY AVIATION

Airbus A400M joins France’s aerial firefighting fleet

The Airbus A400M Atlas has taken on a brand new operational role. In response to one of its most severe wildfire seasons in recent years, France has deployed the Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace‘s (French Air and Space Force) [...]
AVIATION HISTORY

24 July 1897 – Amelia Earhart is born

On 24 July 1897, Amelia Earhart, an American aviation pioneer, was born in Atchison, Kansas. Amelia Earhart is one of the best-known American aviation pioneers. In 1928, she became the first female passenger to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a [...]
CIVIL AVIATION

Boeing forecasts 44,000 new airliners over the next 20 years

Ahead of the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, Boeing released its latest forecast for the global commercial aircraft fleet. According to the American aerospace manufacturer, nearly 44,000 new aircraft deliveries are expected over the next twenty years, while passenger traffic is [...]
PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Auster AOP.6 (Auster 6A Tugmaster)

Auster AOP.6 (c/n 2463, OK-AOP, formerly TW591 of the Royal Air Force and G-ARIH), exhibited during the open day at the Classic Trainers / Hangar 3 collection, Plzeň-Líně Airfield, May 2026. The Auster AOP.6, also known as the Auster Model [...]
MILITARY AVIATION

NISRF supports the first deployment of Belgian MQ-9B UAVs to Italy

Between April and July 2026, the NATO Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force (NISRF) supported the activities of two MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the Belgian Air Component, which were temporarily deployed to Sigonella Air Base in Sicily, Italy. [...]

The world-first wingsuit formation flight over Mont Blanc

DREAMERS AND DOERS

5 July 2026

On 25 June 2026, Red Bull issued a press release announcing that a group of eight of the world’s best wingsuit pilots had completed the longest terrain formation flight ever, launching from above Mont Blanc. [...]

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

FEATURED

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 [...]

DREAMERS AND DOERS