By Garth Calitz Photos by Trevor Cohen and Garth Calitz At its heart, aviation has always been about more than aircraft, technology and engineering. It is about inspiration, possibility and the ability to open horizons that once seemed unreachable. Few events capture that spirit better than the annual Children’s Flight initiative, which once again brought South Africa’s aviation community together in May 2026 to provide an unforgettable experience for close to five hundred un

By Rob Russell What do you say? Comparing a large animal with a “mystical bird-like character” doesn't quite make sense! But these two nicknames are given to two very different, but actually very similar, transport aircraft. The moose is the nickname for the Boeing C-17 Globemaster, which continues a very successful line of large military transport. It can trace its success back to WW2, with the C-47 and C-54, followed by the legendary, still-produced C-130 Hercules, then t

By Garth Calitz Sixteen years after opening its doors ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, King Shaka International Airport remains one of ACSA’s most debated infrastructure projects. To some critics, it was an expensive “white elephant” built for a once-off global event, which has been pretty much derelict since. To others, it has become a vital economic gateway for Durban and the broader KwaZulu-Natal province. The reality today sits somewhere between those two extremes. When

The aviation community is paying tribute to Irving Louis Burrows Jr., the former McDonnell Aircraft chief test pilot who became the first person to fly the F-15 Eagle, following his death on April 10, 2026, at the age of 98. Burrows leaves behind a legacy closely intertwined with one of the most recognisable fighter aircraft of the modern era, having played a pivotal role during the formative years of the Eagle programme. His passing has prompted reflections from colleagues,

The delivery flight of a newly acquired helicopter is often little more than a routine ferry mission, but for Airborne Group owner Max Lunov and crew member Nazar Doroshkevych, their latest journey became a remarkable demonstration of endurance, planning and confidence in the capabilities of the Bell 505. Max Lunov (left) taking possession of his Bell 505 from Patrick Moulay The pair recently completed a transatlantic ferry flight in their new Bell 505, travelling more than 1

By the end of this decade, uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) will support crewed fighter jets on their missions. Wondering what a UCCA is? Let's try to answer the most commonly asked questions. Imagine you are the pilot of a Eurofighter or an F-35, tasked with taking out an air defence position in a heavily protected zone. Thanks to seamless connectivity, you are not tackling this mission alone – far from it. All the information you need is consolidated in your co

Piaggio Aerospace has secured the first customer order for its newly launched P.180 Avanti NX, marking an important milestone for the Italian manufacturer as it works to rebuild momentum following several years of financial uncertainty and restructuring. The announcement was made during AERO Friedrichshafen 2026, where Piaggio confirmed that a European operator had signed a contract for two Avanti NX aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered in an executive business configurat

NASA has continued its airborne research operations in support of earthquake science and satellite calibration, with the agency’s Gulfstream III completing a series of missions over Central California on April 29. Operating from NASA Armstrong Flight Research Centre, the aircraft carried the sophisticated Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) system to collect detailed geophysical data along the San Andreas Fault system. The latest missions form part of

By Trevor Cohen Photos by Rayno Snyman and Trevor Cohen On a chilly, rainy Friday morning, May 1st, we departed from Johannesburg, heading towards the Lowveld. As we descended along the N4 escarpment, the sun emerged, prompting us to shed our layers upon arriving at FANS. Enjoying a toastie and a cold drink at the Lowveld Aero Club, while watching aircraft manoeuvre in the warm sun, was truly a privilege. After leaving the airport, we checked into our hotel, allowing suffic

Ethiopian Airlines has once again affirmed its leadership in African aviation after being named Best Airline in Africa at the APEX Passenger Choice Awards. The 2026 awards were announced on 4 May in Addis Ababa, recognising the airline’s continued commitment to customer satisfaction and operational excellence. The accolade is particularly significant as it is based entirely on independently verified passenger feedback, offering a direct measure of traveller experience. Drawin