Aviation news and analysis with Tower. FAA policy changes, industry trends, safety data, and what the headlines mean for the pilots who fly every day.
The Royal Air Force renamed its headquarters to Air and Space Command on September 1, 2026, formalizing space as a core military mission with direct implications for pilots who depend on GPS.
Aevum's autonomous 80-foot Ravn X air-launch vehicle completed taxi tests at Long Beach Airport in September 2026, marking a visible milestone for autonomous aviation at public airports.
The USS Abraham Lincoln departed Thailand after a five-day port call, returning to Indo-Pacific operations - a news peg that opens a window into the world's most demanding aviation environment.
Four aerodynamic misconceptions - from equal transit time to fixed stall speeds - remain dangerous for experienced pilots who stopped learning after their checkride.
Passengers on an American Airlines flight used duct tape to restrain a disruptive first-class passenger, forcing a diversion - here's what the law says and why it matters for everyone who flies.
The U.S. Air Force has retired the EC-130H Compass Call after 44 years, passing its electronic warfare mission to the Gulfstream G550-based EA-37B.
The FAA's August report shows controllers at 77% of target - below the 85% threshold - with direct consequences for IFR pilots through at least 2027.
A Hellenic Air Force F-4 Phantom crashed during an airshow near Athens on September 5, 2026, killing both crew members aboard.
The WAAS-enabled LPV approach delivers ILS-equivalent minimums - 200 feet and ¾-mile visibility - at thousands of airports that never had ground-based navigation infrastructure.
A Hellenic Air Force F-4AUP Phantom crashed at Tanagra Air Base during Athens Flying Week - here's what investigators look for and why it matters for all pilots.
The ten-nautical-mile limit in a procedure turn is measured from the procedure turn fix - almost always the IAF - not the airport, a distinction that defines the edge of protected airspace.
The FAA decommissioned roughly 270 VOR stations to build a GPS-independent IFR backup network - but it only works if pilots can still fly raw VOR approaches.
The 1996 explosion of TWA Flight 800 killed all 230 aboard and triggered regulations that now govern fuel tank design on every commercial airliner built today.
Master the approach plate symbols every IFR pilot must recognize instantly - from the Maltese cross FAF marker to RNAV waypoint flags and the critical T and A triangles.
The Bristol Type 170 Freighter - pioneer of cross-Channel car ferry aviation - has reached a landmark restoration milestone at Aerospace Bristol's historic Filton site.
Flying Magazine spotlights a 1976 Beechcraft Bonanza V35B as a top pick - here's what a well-equipped V-tail is worth and what to verify before buying.
A PilotBound study of published flight school rates across all 50 states puts the national average cost of a private pilot certificate at $18,257.
The GAMA midyear 2026 report shows Cirrus Aircraft and Airbus Helicopters leading shipments, pointing to cautious optimism for general aviation's near-term health.
Eight of twelve Vermont Air National Guard F-35As have landed at RAF Lakenheath en route home from a combat deployment in the CENTCOM theater.
Weather is a top-tier factor in fatal GA accidents - not because pilots lack data, but because pressure overrides judgment. Here's what the research shows.