Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

A regional jet flown by Horizon Air had the unfortunate honor of becoming the latest bird strike victim in Sacramento International Airport (SMF) on this past Tuesday. Departing on a scheduled flight for its parent company, Alaska Airlines, the Embraer E175 hit the bird just after takeoff. The jet landed safely, and emergency responders were not required, standing down when the plane returned to the terminal. Local news outlet KCRA relayed that, surprisingly, the year’s total of 161 wildlife strikes is actually significantly down from 245 last year. The Facts As We Know Them Credit: Shutterstock Information from FlightAware shows that…

Since the aircraft’s introduction in the 2000s, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor has dominated public and professional debate as the unquestioned symbol of American air power and air superiority. Designed during the closing stages of the Cold War and fielded into the early 21st century, the F-22 was originally conceived to outperform everything it might face in the skies. The aircraft features a cutting-edge blend of stealth, speed, and situational awareness, which, alongside the aircraft’s capable munitions systems, helped redefine what a fighter aircraft could be. However, the question that remains is whether this jet can actually be called the…

Even to the uninitiated, the Boeing 747 has long been one of the most recognizable airliners in the history of commercial aviation. The iconic double-decker widebody quadjet burst onto the scene in the 1970s, with its humped fuselage instantly standing out among the otherwise rather similar ocean of single-decker narrowbody twinjets. A key advantage of the 747’s much larger size was its increased capacity. This resulted in lower per-seat operating costs than other airliners of its generation, meaning that air travel became more affordable to the masses as a result. In the more than five decades that have passed since…

From the barren skies of Antarctica to the frontlines of Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invading forces, Windracers’ ULTRA heavy-lift drone has proven to be an extremely versatile and adept unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). In January 2025, Windracers unveiled its current UAV, the ULTRA MK2, a 10m-wingspan drone developed at Southampton University, UK, capable of travelling up to 1,000 km at 77 knots with a cargo capacity of 150kg. The ULTRA MK2 was a significant advancement on Windracers’ first drone to reach the market, ULTRA MK1, with the latest iteration offering double the power output, bringing a 50% increase in useful…

If you often fly with Delta Air Lines, check this out. For frequent flyers, airline elite status can dramatically reshape the travel experience, and one of the most influential loyalty programs in the US market is Delta’s SkyMiles Medallion program. From complimentary upgrades and lounge access to priority services and fee waivers, Medallion status offers tangible benefits that go well beyond simple mileage earning. Delta has spent years refining SkyMiles into a revenue-driven loyalty system, placing spending power at the heart of elite qualification. With some changes coming for the 2026 Medallion year, understanding how the system works and how…

Stepping into the cockpit of a Boeing 737 or Boeing 777, a pilot is greeted by a large central control column and a yoke between their legs. The panels are packed with switches, dials, and circuit breakers, giving a strong sense of mechanical connection. It feels like a cockpit designed for hands-on flying, where the pilot is directly linked to the plane’s controls. The experience is quite different in an Airbus A320 or Airbus A350. The area in front of the pilot is open, often with a pull-out tray table for meals or paperwork. The main flight control is a…

The Airbus A321XLR generated a lot of discussion even before entering widespread service for various reasons. Since Airbus formally launched the program, the aircraft has been framed in two very different ways. To some observers, it is simply the next logical step in the steady evolution of narrowbody aircraft. To others, it represents something far more disruptive: a genuine challenge to the long-standing dominance of widebody jets on international routes. That tension has increasingly been distilled into a single and short question: Can the A321XLR replace widebodies? It’s an understandable way to frame the conversation, especially as airlines place large…

Widows of two different crew members who were killed during a fatal helicopter crash in December 2023 have elected to sue Airbus, claiming that a dangerous design defect caused the fatal accident. Rosalyn Collins, the widow of pilot Monroe Smith, and Elaine Dougherty, the widow of photographer Christopher Dougherty, filed this case in Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas shortly before the tragic accident’s second anniversary. This complaint focuses on the helicopter’s hydraulic system, ultimately arguing that a failure can leave pilots with little chance to recover because manual control becomes exceedingly difficult. This lawsuit also targets maintenance and parts firms,…

Following the termination of the Airbus A380 in 2021, the Airbus A350 took its place as the flagship of the Airbus fleet. The aircraft is the world’s newest clean-sheet widebody aircraft, having entered service in 2015, four years after the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (2011). The Airbus A350 is one of the most comfortable airliners on the market today, and is a great option to fly business class. The type is currently the second most popular widebody aircraft on the market after the 787, and its A350-900ULR and upcoming A350-1000ULR are the longest-ranged commercial aircraft on the market. The aircraft services…

The ubiquitous Airbus A321 plays an important role in American Airlines’ fleet. According to ch-aviation, it has 304 of them, comprising 218 A321ceos, 84 A321neos, and now two A321XLRs. The 155-seat XLR entered commercial service on December 18. Let’s focus on its A321ceos. They exist in two layouts: the very notable, very premium 102-seater and the far less interesting, standard 190-seater. Ch-aviation shows that 15 frames still have the extremely low-capacity configuration. A Quick Look At American’s A321Ts Credit: American The 102-seaters are the airline’s so-called ‘transcontinental’ A321Ts, a highly different and premium subfleet. Although rare, some other airlines have unusually…