Afterburner - The Aviation Magazine

20 August 2026

OTHER

Heart Aerospace X1 completes its first flight 

On 13 August 2026, Heart Aerospace – the Swedish-founded, Los Angeles-based manufacturer of hybrid-electric regional aircraft – announced the successful first flight of its X1 demonstrator aeroplane. With a wingspan of 32 metres (106 feet), a fuselage measuring 23 metres [...]
PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Embraer C-390 Millennium

Embraer C-390 Millennium (c/n 39000020, “0520” of Vzdušné síly AČR / the Czech Air Force) during one of its first training flights over the country, August 2026. Development of the Brazilian medium-sized military transport aircraft began in the mid-2000s. Initially, [...]
MILITARY AVIATION

Boeing signs Apache offset agreements with WZL-1 and WCBKT

Boeing, Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 1 S.A. (the Military Aviation Works No. 1 – WZL-1) and Wojskowe Centralne Biuro Konstrukcyjno-Technologiczne S.A. (the Military Central Bureau of Design and Technology – WCBKT) have signed offset implementation agreements related to Poland’s acquisition [...]
AVIATION HISTORY

14 August 1937 – the air battle of Jianqiao

The Battle of Jianqiao, also known as the 814 Aerial War, was part of the Second Sino-Japanese War and the first aerial combat that was a prelude to the Second World War. On 7 July 1937, the Marco Polo Bridge [...]
MILITARY AVIATION

Three nations, one mission – historic RC-135 integration over France

During a unique multinational exercise over central France, an Airbus A330 MRTT Phénix of Armée de l’air et de l’espace (the French Air and Space Force) refuelled United States Air Force and Royal Air Force RC-135 aircraft, marking the first [...]

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