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NEWS Dec 29, 2025 FAA Finalises AD to Resolve A350 Flight-Control Hazard The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a final rule, Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2025-25-12, aimed at eliminating a critical "runaway" flight control hazard affecting the Airbus A350-900 and A350-1041 fleets. The directive, published today, December 29, 2025, mandates the installation of new flight-control software to prevent uncommanded surface movements that could lead to a loss of aircraft control. Read More →
STORIES Dec 29, 2025 How Drone Swarms Rewrote the Rules of Aviation For a century, aviation has been defined by the "Lone Wolf" model: one pilot, one aircraft, one mission. But as we close out 2025, that paradigm has officially collapsed. This year, the aviation industry didn't just see better drones; it witnessed the birth of collective intelligence. Read More →
NEWS Dec 29, 2025 AeroXplorer Named Official Media Partner for Airliners International 2026 in Denver AeroXplorer is proud to announce its appointment as the Official Media Partner for Airliners International™ 2026 Denver. This partnership marks a significant collaboration between the world's largest airline collectibles show and one of the fastest-growing digital voices in the aviation industry. Read More →
TRIP REPORTS Dec 26, 2025 VIDEO: What It's Like Onboard China's COMAC C919 We flew onboard China Eastern's COMAC C919 to experience China's homegrown narrow-body up close. From seat comfort to cabin layout to noise levels to tech: how does it really compare with the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320? This review puts all three workhorses under the same spotlight. Read More →
STORIES Dec 25, 2025 KAL858: The North Korean Bombing that Shocked the World Among the 99 passengers boarding Korean Air Flight 858 on November 29, 1987, few could imagine their journey would end as one of aviation's darkest mysteries. Read More →
TRIP REPORTS Dec 25, 2025 Ghost Networks: The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Fifth-Freedom Flights Fifth-freedom flights — routes where an airline flies between two countries outside its home base — have always lived in aviation's twilight zone. We chart their rise, their near-disappearance, and the surprising markets where they still thrive today. Then we take you on board a special Seoul-Tokyo fifth-freedom flight to show how the experience stacks up against a typical regional carrier. Read More →
NEWS Dec 24, 2025 US Air Force to Launch New Experimental One-Way Attack Drone Unit In a move that signals a tectonic shift in American airpower, the U.S. Air Force is preparing to stand up its first-ever experimental unit dedicated solely to "One-Way Attack" (OWA) drones. Read More →
NEWS Dec 24, 2025 Pentagon Alarm: China’s ‘Tailless’ 6th-Gen Fighter Prototypes Are Already Airborne The Pentagon’s annual 2025 China Military Power Report (CMPR), released this week, has sent a clear signal to Capitol Hill: the race for air dominance is no longer a one-horse race. For the first time, the U.S. Department of Defence has formally acknowledged the rapid progress of China’s sixth-generation fighter programs, highlighting the successful flight testing of multiple "novel tailless" stealth prototypes. Read More →
NEWS Dec 24, 2025 No "Mate's Rates" in the Sky as Qantas Bans All Staff (Including CEO) From New A350 First Class In a move that signals just how "ultra" Qantas intends its new ultra-long-haul product to be, the Flying Kangaroo has made a rare and dramatic policy shift: barring all staff from its upcoming Airbus A350 First Class cabins. Read More →
ROUTES Dec 24, 2025 IndiGo Unveils Delhi–London Expansion and First A321XLR Launch IndiGo, India’s largest carrier, has officially unveiled its roadmap for a transformative 2026, marking its definitive entry into the long-haul arena. In a series of landmark announcements today, December 24, 2025, the airline confirmed it will launch direct flights between Delhi (DEL) and London Heathrow (LHR) starting February 2, 2026, utilising wide-body aircraft. Read More →