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 SR-71 Blackbird's silver tires endured more wear sitting parked than landing at 200 knots - and the reason teaches every pilot about tire care.
The B-52 Stratofortress has outlived roughly 20 retirement attempts and may serve until age 100, thanks to its overbuilt airframe and standoff-weapon mission.
A US Marine Corps Major pilot earns roughly $160K–$180K in total 2026 compensation, with tax-free allowances making it worth far more.
Alaska Airlines completed a fleet-wide 737 premium cabin retrofit at a pace of one jet every three days - here's why it matters.
A ranked look at the ten fastest fighter jets of 2026, why top-speed numbers mislead, and what pilots should know.
Dubai's new Al Maktoum airport is designing all 400 gates to fit the Airbus A380 - here's why that bet matters.
A live explosive device with a timer was caught before a Sacramento flight - here's how layered airport security stopped it and what it means for pilots.
The US Air Force confirms an operational pilot has flown the B-21 Raider, a milestone marking the stealth bomber's shift from flight test toward frontline service.
Newark Liberty leads the Northeast in on-time flights for 2026 after FAA flight caps and a controller staffing rebuild reversed a brutal year of delays.
A Marine F/A-18D Hornet crashed near Rimrock Lake, WA on a low-level VR route; the pilot ejected safely. Here's what pilots should know.
Western Sydney International Airport opens as Australia's first major new airport, with Jetstar operating the inaugural commercial flight.
The Boeing 747SP sacrificed fuselage length to achieve ultra-long-range nonstop flights no other airliner could match in the 1970s.
Air Canada's first Airbus A321XLR delivers lie-flat business class and transatlantic range in a single-aisle frame.
Soviet bombers featured glass noses because the USSR lacked compact radar technology, placing human navigators where Western jets mounted radar.
Military pilot retention bonuses up to $600,000 still can't compete with airline careers paying double with better quality of life.
Australia's fighter pilots are leaving the RAAF for airline jobs, exposing a global military retention crisis no defense budget can solve.
A Southwest Boeing 737 safely returned to Austin after ingesting metal debris, highlighting FOD risks and textbook crew decision-making.
Concorde's iconic drooping nose was a brilliant mechanical solution that modern electronics have made permanently obsolete.
AFSOC has designated the Embraer Super Tucano as the A-29B Skyraider II, reviving a legendary name for austere-field light attack operations.
NTSB findings on United flight 169's low approach at Newark reveal critical lessons about visual approach discipline for all pilots.