Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

In December the Air Force awarded Boeing Defense Systems a more than $2 billion contract to start the first engine replacements on the B-52H Stratofortress, marking a major step forward for the overhaul of the venerable Cold War-era bomber.In a Dec. 23 contract announcement, the Pentagon stated that the task order for the Commercial Engine Replacement Program, or CERP, requires Boeing to modify a pair of B-52s with new engines and associated subsystems — and then test the aircraft. This will be development and systems integration work intended to take place after the CERP program’s critical design review.The CERP program…

American Airlines formally kicked off its centennial celebrations on January 5, 2025, marking 100 years since the carrier completed its first airmail flight between Chicago and St. Louis in 1926. The milestone places American among a small group of global airlines that have operated continuously for a century or longer, a rarity in an industry shaped by consolidation, bankruptcies, and repeated economic shocks.  The airline plans to mark the anniversary throughout 2026 with a series of customer-facing updates spanning aircraft liveries, onboard products, digital platforms, and historical storytelling. The effort is designed to acknowledge American’s past while reinforcing its long-term strategy at a time of intensifying competition…

Several weeks ago, I wrote about a frustrating situation that an OMAAT reader dealt with when booking a Frontier Airlines flight. Long story short, he used a friend’s credit card to buy a Frontier ticket, since that friend had an Amex Offers deal on it, which offered a discount on the flight (fair enough, that’s smart!). However, the traveler noticed something wasn’t right when he tried to check-in online. So he contacted Frontier support, and was told to bring copies of the purchaser’s ID and credit card to the airport, which he did. Despite that, he was denied boarding, and…

MILAN — The U.S. administration’s proclaimed takeover of Venezuela has renewed concerns in Canada over President Donald Trump’s annexation threats and Ottawa’s deep military dependence on Washington.Following the weekend military operation capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a number of Canadian officials were spooked by the U.S. administration’s talk of reordering the Western Hemisphere to Trump’s liking.“It confirms the new U.S. National Security Strategy, particularly towards the Americas and, therefore, Canada — Canadians should be concerned that for Trump, force is now a sufficient reason to impose his will on other countries,” Jean Charest, former deputy prime minister of Canada, wrote…

Joby Aviation has received its first CAE flight simulator as it prepares to train the first generation of electric vehicle takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft pilot cadets. On January 6, 2026, Joby Aviation announced that the first simulator is preparing for installation later this month at the Marina, California pilot training facility. The CAE flight simulator, the first generation of the 3000 series, is a fixed-based training device and is expected to be qualified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a Level 7 Flight Training Device. A second unit, a full-motion simulator, is expected to arrive later this year…

Oh Cathay Pacific, you spoil us! Cathay Pacific celebrates 80th anniversary with retro livery Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific is celebrating its 80th anniversary. While the airline is promising a variety of initiatives as part of this celebration, there’s one that us aviation geeks will be especially excited about. Specifically, the oneworld airline will be rolling out two planes in its iconic “lettuce leaf sandwich” livery: The Airbus A350-900 with the registration code B-LRJ has entered service as of January 6, 2026 A Cathay Pacific Cargo Boeing 747-8 is expected to enter service as of January 24, 2026 Cathay Pacific is…

Location, location, location. Greenland’s position above the Arctic Circle makes the world’s largest island a key part of security strategy. But for whom?Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economy have put Greenland at the heart of the debate over global trade and security, and U.S. President Donald Trump wants to make sure his country controls this mineral-rich island that guards the Arctic and North Atlantic approaches to North America.Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally that has rejected Trump’s overtures. Greenland’s own government also opposes U.S. designs on the island, saying the people…

Ukraine has begun operating its Mirage 2000-5F fighter jets with French-supplied MICA medium-range air-to-air missiles.  Unconfirmed images circulating on social media show a Ukrainian Mirage 2000-5F carrying a MICA missile under the fuselage, alongside short-range Magic 2 missiles on the wing pylons. This is the first publicly observed instance of Ukraine’s French-supplied fighters being equipped with beyond-visual-range air-to-air weapons.  First photo of a French Mirage 2000-5F in Ukrainian service armed with a MICA air-to-air missile. Confirms that France is supplying Ukraine with the Mirage’s most modern missile, additionally expanding its per-sortie weapons load by 50%. pic.twitter.com/HYtt9jGjpU— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) January 5, 2026 The Mirage 2000-5F…

In April 2025, American made an exciting and overdue announcement, that it would introduce free inflight Wi-Fi as of January 2026. Well, there’s now an exciting update, as the free inflight connectivity is starting to go live as of today. Let’s go over all the details. American begins offering free Wi-Fi for AAdvantage members American Airlines has started to introduce free inflight Wi-Fi as of January 6, 2026, sponsored by AT&T. Free Wi-Fi is available exclusively for members of the carrier’s AAdvantage program, and the airline highlights how it will offer free high speed inflight connectivity on more planes than…

Iraq may be moving closer to a long-discussed acquisition of the Dassault Aviation Rafale, with new reporting suggesting negotiations have entered a more advanced phase and that a contract could be signed in 2026.  Citing Iraqi sources, French aviation outlet Avions Légendaires reported on December 16, 2025, that Baghdad and Paris are in late-stage discussions over the potential purchase of 14 new-build Rafale F4 fighters.  Reported deal centers on 14 Rafale F4 aircraft  According to the report, the package under discussion would include 10 single-seat Rafale C aircraft and four two-seat Rafale B variants, all delivered to the Rafale F4 standard.  The F4 standard includes updates to…