Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

Lockheed Martin has completed the production of the 14 F-16s Block 70 ordered by Slovakia and the eight of the initial order by Bulgaria, with eight more to be produced as part of the second batch. Lockheed Martin has announced on Dec. 15, 2025, the completion of the production of the F-16s Block 70 for the Slovakian and Bulgarian Air Forces. Specifically, the aircraft involved are the 14 jets ordered by Slovakia and the first batch of eight aircraft ordered by Bulgaria. The aircraft were produced at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Greenville, South Carolina, and completed DD250 final acceptance through the…

United States Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy has unveiled the country’s new Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Strategy.   The program was announced on December 17, 2025, a date likely not chosen at random since it coincides with the anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ first flight in 1903.  The strategy outlines six key pillars (Airspace, Infrastructure, Security, Community Planning and Engagement, Workforce, and Automation) to develop the advance air mobility ecosystem in the US and issues 40 recommendations aimed at setting the basis of future policies in this field.   These recommendations have been addressed to several US government departments and agencies, including the Department of Transportation (DoT), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Homeland Security, and NASA, which will all play a role in the rollout of advanced air mobility in the country.  These…

Congestion at one of America’s busiest airports continues to plague arrivals and departures at New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), following the evacuation of the FAA Washington Air Route Traffic Center (ARTCC ZDC) earlier today. This saw several southbound aircraft stopped or restricted. It is uncommon for air traffic facilities to need to evacuate, and it is expected that this disruption will result in a significant disturbance to air travel at the airports the ARTCC ZDC serves. Initial reports, as suggested by eagle-eyed trackers on Reddit, indicated that pilots have told passengers that this is likely one of the…

A Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) was launched from the flight deck of littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara while operating in the Persian Gulf on Dec. 16, 2025. In a press release, the U.S. Department of Defense said on Dec. 18, 2025 that the launch of a Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) two days earlier marked the first time such a capability had been fielded from a ship while at sea. The USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), an Independence class littoral combat ship commissioned in 2023, used its large flight deck as a launch platform for the…

Spain has placed orders for 100 Airbus helicopters through the Directorate General for Armament and Material (DGAM), formalizing four contracts under the National Helicopter Plan announced in May 2025, Airbus said on December 18, 2025.  The deal represents the largest helicopter procurement ever carried out by DGAM and covers four different Airbus models intended for all three branches of the Spanish Armed Forces, marking a major step in Spain’s rotary-wing modernization effort.  Four helicopter types for the armed forces  (Credit: Airbus) Under the agreements, Spain will acquire 13 H135 light twin-engine helicopters, including 12 for the Spanish Air and Space Force and…

The Lockheed U-2 ‘Dragon Lady’ spy plane is famously one of the oldest aircraft types in service with the United States Air Force. The aircraft is a relic of the Cold War and first entered service in the 1950s, before playing a critical role in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Today, the type remains in service, although it is constantly flirting with retirement. Congress has blocked retirements, but the aircraft is expected to start retiring within a year. The airframes in service are ones built in the 1980s, meaning these airframes are old, but not exceptionally old (like the B-52).…

Former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and members of his immediate family were reported killed after a Cessna Citation II business jet crashed while attempting to land at Statesville Regional Airport (SVH) in North Carolina on December 18, 2025, according to local media reports and individuals with direct personal ties to the flight.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a Cessna 550 crashed at approximately 10:20 a.m. local time while returning to Statesville shortly after takeoff. Authorities said six people were on board, and all were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation and has not yet formally released the identities of the victims.  The aircraft, registered N257BW, was owned by GB…

Alaska Airlines has been spreading the Christmas cheer this month, with one of its most notable initiatives on this front being its operation of a North Pole-themed ‘Fantasy Flight.’ This saw the carrier welcome more than 40 children on board one of its narrowbody twinjets from the Boeing 737 family for a magical journey from Washington State. The point of departure in this instance was Spokane (GEG). Alaska Airlines has been running these flights for many years now, with the intent of bringing festive cheer to young people “from shelters and transitional housing.” These special scenes would not be possible…

The Flight Crew Felt A Bump/Thud In The Back Of The Airplane, Which They Thought Was Caused By Something Falling Into The Aisle Analysis: About 10,000 ft mean sea level during a repositioning flight, the flight crew felt a bump/thud in the back of the airplane, which they thought was caused by something falling into the aisle from the lavatory. The flight crew observed that the landing gear unsafe light was illuminated. The flight crew stated that they followed emergency/abnormal airplane checklist items and reset the landing circuit breaker, which did not retract the landing gear.

Lost Communications Loss of the ability to communicate by radio. Aircraft are sometimes referred to as NORDO (No Radio). Standard pilot procedures are specified in 14 CFR part 91. Radar controllers issue procedures for pilots to follow in the event of lost communications during a radar approach when weather reports indicate that an aircraft will likely encounter IFR weather conditions during the approach.