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 2026 Fourth of July travel window brings 19 million commercial passengers and a dense TFR network - here's what every pilot needs in their preflight brief this week.
Alaska Airlines has completed a Starlink WiFi rollout across its entire regional fleet ahead of schedule, offering free, low-latency connectivity to all passengers.
Pilots at Aeroflex-Andover Airport in New Jersey are fighting eviction notices from the state Forest Fire Service, with AOPA citing federal grant assurance protections.
United's A321XLR more than doubles premium seating versus the 757 it replaces, reshaping the economics of thin-route transatlantic flying.
Emirates operates the only scalable A380 premium network in existence, and no competitor can replicate it before the type's retirement horizon around 2041.
Delta is quietly preparing to open a second Delta One Lounge at LAX, signaling a broader industry shift toward premium ground experiences as a competitive weapon.
Seven airports around the world exist specifically to serve as emergency diversion points for long-haul flights - and understanding them reveals how the global aviation safety net is built.
DARPA's X-65 reached a key assembly milestone in June 2026 as its fuselage was mated to wings that carry no ailerons, rudder, or elevators - only pressurized air.
A US Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk crashed during a training flight near Sitka, Alaska, with four crew members aboard - highlighting the extreme risks of training for one of aviation's hardest jobs.
The B-21 Raider fixes the B-2 Spirit's core vulnerabilities with real-time connectivity, drone integration, and a fleet size that changes America's strategic posture.
Breeze Airways is expanding with 11 new routes and 3 new cities, betting that right-sized aircraft and point-to-point service can succeed where the majors failed.
Six airlines are leading a genuine reinvention of premium economy in 2026, turning the middle cabin into a serious product backed by real engineering investment.
American Airlines is removing seatback screens from 23 A319s and its first retrofitted A320, signaling a BYOD strategy shift on its narrowbody fleet.
A tail strike on a Boeing 787 or Airbus A350 can ground an aircraft for weeks - not days - because carbon fiber composites hide internal structural damage invisibly.
Robinson Helicopter and Skyryse announced an autonomous uncrewed R66 for the defense market on June 24, 2026 - a milestone for the rotorcraft industry.
Thai Airways has accepted delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner since emerging from court-supervised rehabilitation, signaling a substantive operational comeback.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is now flying leisure routes approaching 4,000 miles in 2026, reshaping how airlines think about international narrow-body operations.
The highest-paid Air Force aircrew roles in 2026 earn their premium through rank, years of service, and retention bonuses - not flight pay.
Radio Hangar explores Why Qatar Airways Is Rebuilding Qsuite After Its Ninth World's Best Airline Win.
EVA Air now offers the world's only 42-inch premium economy seat - and it's the airline that invented the cabin in the first place.