Author: FlyMarshall Newsroom

China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has completed its first electromagnetic catapult-assisted takeoff and arrested landing trials with three carrier-based aircraft types, according to state media.  The training involved the J-15T fighter (a Chinese version of the Russian Su-33), the J-35 fifth-generation fighter, and the KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft. Each successfully launched and recovered from the Fujian’s flight deck, marking the first time that China has demonstrated catapult-and-arrest operations across multiple carrier aircraft.  Initial full-deck capability  According to the China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), the event confirmed the compatibility of the Fujian’s domestically developed electromagnetic catapults and arresting systems…

Sept. 22, 2025, © Leeham News:  In Part 5 of this series, we described the efforts to improve Airbus’ present production, and what the learnings were from changes in the FAL setup.Airbus A220 production line in Montreal, when it was still Bombardier. Airbus is revamping the process to become more efficient and reduce costs. Credit: Leeham News.We also described how Airbus has learned to refocus on the production mechanic, as he/she is finally the enabler and problem solver in a complicated system.For the next generation aircraft that will replace today’s single aisle A320/A321 there are special challenges that are forcing…

Crosswinds are a concern when piloting an airplane. Very rarely do winds align perfectly with an airplane’s path of travel. Instead, winds typically move in a different direction, which can result in crosswinds. To learn more about crosswinds and how they affect airplanes, keep reading. An Introduction to Crosswinds A crosswind is a wind that moves perpendicular to an airplane’s path of travel. In other words, it strikes the airplane from the side. Whether a wind is a crosswind depends on its direction and the direction of the airplane. If an airplane is traveling north or south, crosswinds may come…

London-Gatwick Airport has seen its planning application for a second runway approved by the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander. The announcement was made by the UK government on September 21, 2025.  The move comes as the UK government continues its policy of approving investment in new infrastructure to boost the UK economy in the future. The £2.2bn ($2.97) privately-financed project will see the relocation of the airport’s current northern runway 12 metres (36.6ft) to the north to bring it into regular use. The runway is currently only used as a parallel taxiway during the day or as…

For a few years now, there have been serious discussions about raising the retirement age for airline pilots. This was initially proposed in 2022, as air travel demand started to recover after the pandemic, leaving us with a major pilot shortage (given all the pilots who accepted early retirement packages). Ultimately nothing actually came of this, but we’re now seeing this issue raised once again. Given that there’s a new administration in the White House, I can’t help but feel like chances of this concept getting approved may have just increased considerably. Trump urged to back older retirement age for…

Vietnam Airlines has released plans to take on up to 30 Airbus A350-900 or Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft in an official invitation to the aviation market.   On September 22, 2025, addressing those “who it may concern,” Vietnam Airlines declared that it was looking to add multiple widebody jets to its fleet, for delivery between 2028 and 2030.   The airline said that it was open to “all available options,” whether through “purchase, lease, sublease or any other arrangement”.  Prospective partners have been asked to contact Vietnam Airlines with their proposals by October 8, 2025.  In the document, Vietnam Airlines wrote: “Interested…

The United Kingdom has officially granted London Gatwick Airport (LGW) approval to use its second runway on a regular basis. Normally limited to taxiing operations or as a fallback for the main runway, a plan has been approved to bring this strip into routine use with a series of modifications and conditions. IATA Code LGW City London Gatwick Designation Major-International The implementation of regular flight operations on London Gatwick Airport’s second runway marks part of a wider investment plan, which will see £2.2 billion ($2.97 billion) poured into the facility in order to boost its capacity. A quick turnaround is…

The German Air Force dispatched two Eurofighter jets to monitor a Russian IL-20M reconnaissance aircraft that entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea on September 21, 2025.  “Once again, NATO tasked the German Quick Reaction Alert detachment, consisting of two Eurofighters, to investigate an unidentified aircraft without a flight plan or radio contact in international airspace,” the German Delegation to NATO announced in a statement on the evening of September 21, 2025.  After visually identifying the aircraft, the German Air Force transferred the escort responsibility to Swedish NATO allies and returned to Rostock-Laage. The escort process was carried out safely…

Cathay Pacific has announced that it’s resuming a route that was “permanently” cut several years back. The timing here is quite interesting, if you ask me. Cathay Pacific’s Hong Kong to Seattle route returns As of March 30, 2026, Cathay Pacific plans to operate 5x weekly flights between Hong Kong (HKG) and Seattle (SEA), with the following schedule: CX852 Hong Kong to Seattle departing 1:30PM arriving 10:10AMCX853 Seattle to Hong Kong departing 11:50AM arriving 4:45PM (+1 day) The flight will operate in both directions on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The 6,500-mile flight is blocked at 11h40min eastbound and…

Cathay Pacific has unveiled plans to return to the US tech hub Seattle, making it the ninth North American city to which the Hong Kong flag carrier flies.   On September 9, 2025, Cathay Pacific announced that non-stop flights to Seattle would begin from March 30, 2026, with five flights between Hong Kong and the US city scheduled each week.   Cathay noted Seattle’s vibrancy and strong tech-industry links, which include both Microsoft and Amazon being headquartered there.  Cathay CCO Lavinia Lau said: “We are excited to resume direct passenger flights to Seattle, reinforcing our goal to deepen business and cultural ties…