Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have awarded the Boeing 777-9 flight training simulator initial qualification. On February 20, 2026, Boeing announced that simulator qualification certificate meant the company was “one step closer to conducting regulator-approved pilot training”. “Securing these approvals is an important step as we prepare for the start of flight training,” said Capt. Gary Mandy, 777X Chief Technical Pilot. “Pilots will benefit from an immersive training experience that will help ensure our customers’ operational readiness for the 777-9.” The 777-9 training devices are located at the Boeing Training Campus in London-Gatwick…

Emirates is currently undergoing an aggressive retrofit project for the interiors of its aircraft, to introduce a new product standard, and also to roll out premium economy. Along those lines, the airline has revealed plans to reconfigure the highest capacity aircraft flown by any airline. With this, we’ll no longer see any commercial aircraft with over 600 seats. Emirates’ densest A380s go from 615 to 569 seatsEmirates has a fleet of well over 100 Airbus A380s. While a vast majority of those feature first class, there are also 15 of these planes without a first class cabin, intended primarily for…

Embraer and Northrop Grumman aim to offer advanced aerial refueling options amid a tanker capability gap in the U.S. and other Allied air forces. Brazilian aerospace major Embraer and Northrop Grumman announced on Feb. 19, 2026, a collaboration to further develop the KC-390 Millenium tanker-transport aircraft “to provide advanced tanking capabilities for the United States Air Force and allied nations.” The team-up will see a refueling boom being developed and installed on the centerline, adding to the two underwing hose-and-drogue refueling pods, as shown by the concept rendition released by Embraer. The two firms will combine their technical expertise to…

A German fast-track effort to give the Luftwaffe a reusable, jet-powered deep-strike drone by 2029 is showing signs of slowing. The procurement effort only surfaced publicly in August 2025, when German reporting described an accelerated timeline aimed at fielding an initial capability by 2029.  Hartpunkt now reports that the selection process has gained an extra review round, with a direct award currently off the table. Officials have introduced an additional review round involving three candidates for further evaluation.  Germany’s push for a “Jagdbomberdrohne” is part of the Luftwaffe’s Tornado transition, a broader effort to preserve deep-strike and electronic attack options as the aging fighter-bomber fleet heads toward retirement…

Embraer and Northrop Grumman say they are working together to evolve the KC-390 Millennium into a tanker variant aimed at the United States Air Force and allied operators, with a central focus on adding a boom refueling capability to the aircraft.   In a statement issued on February 19, 2026, the companies said the collaboration is intended to “rapidly advance” a next-generation air-refueling system and set the stage for a KC-390 “Multi-Mission Tanker” concept.   Planned enhancements cited by the partners include an “advanced autonomous” aerial refueling boom, upgraded communications, improved situational awareness, survivability options, and adaptable mission systems.   Tom Jones, Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman Aeronautics…

NAVAIR is looking for an advanced anti-radiation missile with a longer range than the ones in the Navy’s current inventory and which can also engage airborne targets. The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has published a new Sources Sought notice for Advanced Emission Suppression Missile (AESM) – Enhanced Capabilities of Feb. 18, 2026. While the U.S. Navy is already working on a new anti-radiation missile, set to enter service soon, the new weapon would have an interesting feature: the capability to engage both air and ground targets. It should be noted that this does not mean the service has already…

Passengers on LEVEL flight LL2623 operating between Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) were surprised by a special inflight classical musical performance on February 17, 2026.  When the aircraft, an Airbus A330-200, was mid-flight more than 150 singers belonging to the “Orfeó Català”, a Barcelona-based choir, stood up to perform an a capella rendition of Beethoven’s Symphony No 9 (also known as “Ode of Joy”).  Founded in 1891 and based at Barcelona’s iconic modernist-style “Palau de la Música Catalana” concert hall, the “Orfeó Català” is one of Catalonia’s oldest and most renowned choral ensembles.   Its singers were…

A few months ago, Chase and Hyatt announced plans to expand their partnership, including introducing a new premium credit card. This is something that has been rumored for a long time, as Hyatt has been surveying this concept for years. While there still hasn’t been an official announcement, we have reason to believe that the introduction of the new card may be imminent. An anonymous Reddit user shares what are reportedly the details of the new card, and the logic tracks. Separately, I’ve also covered the rumored World of Hyatt award pricing changes, which also tie into this overall announcement.  Rumors of…

Vienna International Airport (VIE) has suspended flights as staff struggle to clear mounting snow following bleak winter conditions overnight According to Reuters, a flight suspension was extended to three hours on February 20, 2026, resulting in both cancelled and diverted flights. Flightradar24 also reported that Vienna Airport was closed. On the Vienna Airport website, passengers were warned of possible restrictions due to weather conditions, blaming heavy snowfall for disruptions. In a Facebook post, the airport explained that winter maintenance crews had been working around the clock since yesterday evening. Vienna Airport According to the post, approximately 20 cm of fresh…

BERLIN — With North Korean soldiers and equipment playing a key role at Russia’s front line in Ukraine, some experts worry Moscow may be ready to return the favor by providing highly sensitive information on nuclear submarines to its newfound ally in Pyongyang. Russia could trade away what Peter Roberts, associate fellow at the University of Exeter’s Centre for Public Understanding of Defence and Security, described as the “crown jewels of military knowledge,” if Moscow runs out of things to offer Pyongyang in exchange for Kim Jong Un’s support.Roberts was speaking as an expert before the U.K. Parliament during a…