Latest from Key.Aero
Explore the latest news and features by our world-class aviation journalists. Stay up to date on the latest military aviation developments, commercial airline news, historic restoration projects, flight simulation releases and much more.
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Historic
De Havilland Comet: The airliner that changed aviation forever
On Sir Geoffrey de Havilland’s 67th birthday in 1949, the aircraft that propelled the world into the jet age took to the skies for the first time. Key Aero examines the history of the revolutionary DH.106 Comet
The ground-attack Mosquito that used cigarette technology
Used for daring, low-flying raids, the Mosquito FB MkVI packed huge firepower – partly thanks to some ingenious thinking from an unlikely source.
The Mosquito’s 272kg bomb
Known as the ‘Highball’, only 200 were ever made. Watch footage of one that was raised up from the bottom of a Scottish loch – 74 years after being dropped by a Mosquito from 618 Squadron.
Made of wood, held together with four bolts: de Havilland’s WW2 game-changer
From being turned down by the Ministry of Defence to becoming de Havilland’s greatest wartime aircraft, the story behind the Mosquito – and the incredible engineering behind it – showed aviation ingenuity at its very best.
Inside the de Havilland Mosquito B35 bomber
Watch our video of the Mosquito’s interior – these are the conditions that pilots and navigators faced…
Military
F-111E exercises and weapons detachments
Lt Col Nick Frasca (ret’d) recalls the exercises and weapons detachments he participated in while flying with the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing
Ukraine ‘appreciates’ Turkish defence support, calls out earlier German reluctance
A senior Ukrainian official has praised the contribution that Turkey has in providing support to the country’s armed forces, before calling out Germany's earlier reluctance
Flying the F-111E in the UK, roles and memorable sorties
Lt Col Nick Frasca (ret’d) recalls what it was like flying in the UK and describes a typical F-111 low-level training sortie
Commercial
Work Begins on World's First A380 Freighter
German MRO provider Lufthansa Technik has revealed that it is conducting its first operational change on an Airbus A380. The firm is supporting an undisclosed customer with a passenger-to-freight conversion of the type, as the COVID-19 pandemic fuels a global cargo capacity shortfall.
Qantas Places Project Sunrise on Hold
Australian flag carrier Qantas has shelved its plan to launch a series of new record-breaking nonstop routes and will review its international fleet due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on air travel.
Coronavirus: Virgin Atlantic Announces Radical Survival Plan
Virgin Atlantic has revealed plans to cut up to a third of its workforce, ground its Boeing 747s immediately and close its Gatwick base as the airline scales back its operations in a bid to secure its future amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus: Norwegian Shareholders Approve Rescue Plan
Investors of the embattled carrier Norwegian Air have voted in favour of a plan which will see the airline convert its debt to equity in a bid to secure its future amid the COVID-19 crisis. The approval will also unlock the rest of a NOK 3bn (£230m) bailout package from the Norwegian government.
Which Aircraft is Leaving Air Canada with Immediate Effect?
In a bid to reduce its costs, Air Canada is accelerating the retirement of 79 older aircraft from its fleet including the Boeing 767, Airbus A319 and Embraer E190, with the latter exiting immediately. The decision comes as the flag carrier revealed a C$1bn (£599m) net loss for the first quarter, compared to a C$345m (£197m) profit for the same period last year.
Flight Simulation
Just Flight’s PA-38 Tomahawk
Just Flight have faithfully recreated the Piper PA-38 Tomahawk for their simulation platform.
