Aviation News - 2026-06-29

Incident Cessna 152 VT-AFB, Monday 29 June 2026

A Cessna 152 training flight ended in a forced landing in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh, leaving the student pilot injured and the aircraft substantially damaged. The incident is a sobering reminder of how quickly routine training sorties can turn serious, especially in light aircraft operations. Read the full report.

Edwards Resumes Flying After Deadliest B-52 Crash in 44 Years

Edwards Air Force Base has resumed flight operations after a devastating B-52 crash that killed all eight people on board. The accident, described as the deadliest involving the type in decades, has raised major questions about what happened and how investigators will piece together the sequence of events. Read the full report.

JetBlue passenger plane hit by drone on JFK approach

A JetBlue Airways aircraft landed safely at New York JFK after the pilot reported a collision with a drone during approach. No damage was found after landing, but the FAA has opened an investigation. For airline crews and airport operators, it is another sharp reminder of the growing drone-safety challenge near busy airspace. Read the full report.

A skydiving plane crashes in northeastern France, killing all 11 people on board

A skydiving aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff in northeastern France, killing all 11 people on board, including instructors and novice jumpers. The tragedy has deeply shaken the sport aviation community and will likely prompt close scrutiny of the aircraft, operating conditions, and the moments immediately after departure. Read the full report.

Lufthansa Technik breaks ground on new 55,000-square-meter facility in Portugal

Lufthansa Technik has broken ground on a major new 55,000-square-meter facility in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal. The site is expected to create up to 700 jobs and expand the company’s aircraft maintenance capabilities, giving Portugal an even bigger role in Europe’s fast-growing MRO landscape. Read the full report.

Iran Strikes Back: IRGC Hits US Bases Across the Gulf

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reportedly launched ballistic missiles and armed drones at U.S. military installations across the Persian Gulf, marking a major escalation in regional tensions. For aviation watchers, the use of drones and missile systems highlights how airpower and air-defense dynamics continue to shape modern conflict. Read the full report.

Ghost Bat Goes to War: MQ-28 Debuts at Valiant Shield

Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat has made its debut at the Valiant Shield military exercise, putting the autonomous combat drone in the spotlight. As air forces explore teaming crewed aircraft with uncrewed wingmen, this sleek platform could offer a glimpse of how future combat aviation formations may operate. Read the full report.

The German Jump Jet That Lost to Math

The VFW VAK 191 B remains one of aviation history’s most fascinating “what if?” machines: a German VTOL strike fighter concept that pushed engineering boundaries but struggled against the unforgiving realities of weight, thrust, complexity, and mission requirements. It is a brilliant case study in ambition meeting aerospace math. Read the full report.

How Fly-by-Wire Replaced Cables and Changed Everything

Fly-by-wire transformed aircraft design by replacing traditional mechanical control linkages with electronic systems, opening the door to lighter structures, advanced stability control, and aircraft that could be safely flown despite inherently unstable designs. From fighters to airliners, it is one of the defining technologies of modern aviation. Read the full report.