r/aviation

UA1813 Was supposed to depart from CVG to ORD around 7pm ET 7/4, and did not depart until ~1:30am 7/5 due to storms.

I had the whole flight to myself. The flight crew was incredibly kind - let me meet the pilots, sit in the cockpit for a pic, sit anywhere I wanted on the plane, gave me free snacks, and even gave special announcements throughout the flight directly to me.

Thank you United for saving me from British Airways (abandoned me in Cincinatti… my LHR to ORD flight was diverted to CVG due to storms in Chicago, and BA refused to help or get me home - they told me to “figure out my way home and situation on my own“ and would not help me after 10+ calls to AA and BA customer service). Was able to book this United flight with thanks to an extremely patient and friendly baggage claim employee. Thank you United Airlines for getting me home after a ~24 hour travel day.

According to multiple reports, NATO is expected to select Saab’s GlobalEye to replace its aging fleet of 14 Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft. The official announcement is expected at the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7–8.

The GlobalEye is a multi-domain airborne early warning platform based on the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet, equipped with Saab’s Erieye radar system. It can track air, land, and maritime targets simultaneously, and is already in service with the United Arab Emirates ,and already ordered by France and Canada.

This would mark a major shift away from the E-3 platform, which has been in service since the early 1980s, and follows the earlier collapse of the planned E-7 Wedgetail replacement effort.

If confirmed, this would be one of the biggest NATO surveillance capability transitions in decades, and a major win for Saab in the AEW&C market.

My husband took this photo on his approach to JFK last night during the storm last night and I thought it was incredible...

Tidal basin overlooking Jefferson memorial

Europe's only airworthy B17 'Sally B' flies in formation with a KC135 to commemorate the Bloody Hundredth, which started as the 100th Bombardment Group with B17s, and is now the 100th Air Refuelling Wing with KC135s based at nearby RAF Mildenhall.

They were called bloody due to the high amount of losses suffered during WWII. One of its honours is it is the only USAF unit allowed to keep its original tail code of a Square D, which was also applied to Sally B for the flypast.

30 years ago today Russell Casse, Vietnam era F4 pilot turned small-town crop duster turned unlikely hero as he made the ultimate sacrifice to save Earth from an alien invasion.

This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.

Edit: thank you for pointing out caption is misleading!! I was so excited I accidentally made it plural but the planes are (to my milky eyes): stratofortress, b2 and b1

Oppo find x9 ultra

OC