Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

Runway Profile Descent An instrument flight rules (IFR) air traffic control arrival procedure to a runway published for pilot use in graphic and/or textual form and may be associated with a STAR. Runway Profile Descents provide routing and may depict crossing altitudes, speed restrictions, and headings to be flown from the en route structure to the point where the pilot will receive clearance for and execute an instrument approach procedure. A Runway Profile Descent may apply to more than one runway if so stated on the chart.

Merchant vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday received radio messages from Iran’s navy telling them they were not allowed to pass, while two ships reported being hit by gunfire, shipping sources said.Several commercial vessels tried to transit the strait after receiving a notice to mariners a day earlier saying passage would be allowed but restricted to lanes Iran deemed safe.On Saturday, at least two ships reported that Iranian boats fired shots, shipping and maritime security sources told Reuters. The incidents were reported in waters between the Qeshm and Larak islands. The vessels turned back without completing…

Bell Textron said on April 17, 2026, that it has formed a subsidiary in Ukraine and plans to open a dedicated office there as part of a longer-term industrial cooperation effort with the country. The new entity, Bell Textron Ukraine, will serve as the hub for the company’s activities in Ukraine, Bell said. The subsidiary will support planned and future work focused on helicopter assembly, maintenance and repair. Bell did not name a permanent office location in its announcement. The move follows letters of intent Bell signed in October 2025 with Ukrainian counterparts. In those earlier announcements, Bell said it…

By Hanneke Weitering Science & Technology Editor AIN The small dark circles on these titanium components contain diamond nanoparticles whose random orientation creates a fingerprint no counterfeiter can replicate. DUST Identity’s new Theseus platform uses them to give MROs independent proof of a part’s identity and provenance. April 18, 2026, © AIN: DUST Identity, a Massachusetts company whose Diamond Unclonable Security Tag (DUST) technology uses diamond particles to authenticate objects, has launched a new platform that it says will help maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) providers identify fraudulent aircraft parts. Called Theseus, the platform combines a physical material marking with…

Is it just me, or is this a very strange several weeks for the airline industry? I never thought I’d write the first part of the above headline, because the concept is just so outlandish. American says United merger would be bad for consumers Several days ago, it was reported that in late February 2026, United CEO Scott Kirby approached the Trump administration about the concept of a merger with American. Kirby reportedly tried to argue that a combined airline would be a stronger competitor internationally (which I think is a really bad take, given the way joint ventures are…

The YFQ-44 flew sorties with the U.S. Air Force Experimental Operations Unit at Edwards AFB, allowing to start working on development of the initial tactics, techniques and procedures for CCAs. The U.S. Air Force and Anduril announced a first round of testing of the YFQ-44A with the Experimental Operations Unit (EOU) at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The service said that the exercise puts principles of the new Warfighting Acquisition System into practice, with “earlier, operator-driven experimentation to inform tactics and procedures that will accelerate the delivery of this transformative capability to the warfighter.” Testing at Edwards In its statement,…

It was recently reported that Spirit Airlines might be on the verge of liquidation, and that it could happen within days. The airline is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy (for the second time in two years), and while the company was hoping to emerge from bankruptcy by early summer, that strategy seemed hopeful at best. As you might expect, the current price of jet fuel has probably thrown a wrench in those plans, so there’s another update… Spirit Airlines asks for government bailout to stay in business The Air Current reports that Spirit has asked the Trump administration for hundreds of…

Despite being one of the oldest aircraft still flying in U.S. service, the U-2 remains relevant enough for Skunk Works to seek a qualified pilot in Palmdale. Skunk Works, the legendary Lockheed Martin’s secretive advanced projects division, is hiring a U-2 pilot in Palmdale, California. The job posting, that you can find here, calls for an onsite, full-time, first-shift position in Test Engineering for an experienced professional pilot, with a 4x10h schedule and possible relocation, and it is clearly framed as a test-oriented role rather than routine operational flying: according to the listing, the pilot would conduct engineering flight tests,…

A new sequel will see Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’s return in Top Gun 3, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer saying Tom Cruise had liked a proposed storyline for the new film. After reports said that a third installation in the Top Gun saga is in the works, following 2022’s hugely successful Top Gun: Maverick, that project is now confirmed, along with Tom Cruise returning as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Variety reported along with other publications. Paramount studios made the official announcement during the annual CinemaCon presentation, with Jerry Bruckheimer also back as producer. Bruckheimer previously said in 2024 that Tom Cruise liked the…

04.16.26: Tecnam & MOSAIC, Mental Health In Aviation Bill, ALERT Act Progress Luke Wippler, new chairman of the board of trustees for AOPA, told a membership town hall at SUN ’n FUN that he is committed to increased visibility of AOPA leadership at events around the country. “We need a strong AOPA and every member matters. We will be showing up and leading differently,” Wippler told the tent full of members at the town hall. “It means a lot to be part of this organization and I will push initiatives and objectives. I am ready to get to work for…