Afterburner - The Aviation Magazine

27 August 2026

MILITARY AVIATION

A farewell to the L-39 Albatros

In the coming days, the Czech Republic will say farewell to its iconic jet, the Aero L-39 Albatros. Developed in the 1960s and used by approximately forty-five air forces all over the world, this training and light-attack aircraft will soon [...]
PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Dornier Do 24 ATT

Dornier Do 24 ATT (c/n 5345, D-CIDO, formerly RP-C2403 and D-CADT), exhibited at the static display during the spotter day organised on the eve of the 100th Anniversary of German Naval Aviation (Marineflieger), Nordholz, August 2013. The aircraft that later [...]
DREAMERS AND DOERS

Marco Waltenspiel’s “Fairy Slalom” over Cappadocia

In early August 2026, Red Bull Skydive Team member Marco Waltenspiel turned the sky above Cappadocia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with balloons, into a high-altitude slalom course. The project saw the Austrian skydiver complete a world-first wingsuit slalom among [...]
AVIATION HISTORY

12-28 August 1932 – Challenge International de Tourisme 1932

After two successful editions, Challenge International de Tourisme (the International Tourist Aeroplane Competition) had developed into the most prestigious aviation contest in Europe. Although the original idea was to compete with serially manufactured tourist aeroplanes, the desire to win became [...]
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 [...]

Marco Waltenspiel’s “Fairy Slalom” over Cappadocia

DREAMERS AND DOERS

24 August 2026

In early August 2026, Red Bull Skydive Team member Marco Waltenspiel turned the sky above Cappadocia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with balloons, into a high-altitude slalom course. The project saw the Austrian skydiver complete [...]

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. [...]

FEATURED