Tuesday morning, Boom Supersonic made its supersonic flight debut with its XB-1 test aircraft. The flight featured the first civil supersonic flight from a jet-powered aircraft made in America and was live-streamed for all to see. Using SpaceX’s Starlink and an iPhone, aviation enthusiasts were treated to some of the best in-flight views ever.

Boom Supersonic is working on bringing supersonic commercial air travel back. To do this, they have been working on their subscale XB-1 aircraft to test the systems needed to achieve supersonic flight. Today, the company is attempting its first supersonic flight.

The national airline of Qatar, Qatar Airways, has equipped the first Boeing 777 long-range aircraft with Starlink service and is ready for service. The airline also plans to equip its entire fleet of 777s by the end of 2025.

With the week wrapping up, here’s what NASA is presenting to the public at EAA Oshkosh 2024. Full of research and development, NASA’s Bob Pearce, Associate Administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, gave us some background into ongoing and upcoming projects.

Back in 2021, the Department of Transportation set in motion a plan for the US aviation sector to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. NASA, the government’s go to for civilian aviation research, discussed its advancements, challenges, and predictions on hybrid/electric aircraft at EAA Oshkosh this week.

The X-59 has been under development for years now. While its first flight is hopefully coming later this year, what do all the program’s test pilots do when there’s no plane to fly? The X-59’s lead test pilot Nils Larson and his partner Jim Less gave a good explanation with what has kept them busy.

It’s that time of year again where the aviation world descends onto the city of Oshkosh, Wisconsin for the annual EAA AirVenture fly-in convention. It is also our yearly reminder that the second letter of NASA stands for “Aeronautics,” as they will have a pretty serious presence this year surrounding their X-59 supersonic test plane.

After flying for over 50 years, NASA’s DC-8 aircraft was flown to Idaho State University with preparation to decommission it and hand it over to the university. The long serving research aircraft has served many roles for NASA but is most known for its Earth science missions.

Whether you believe AI is the future of humanity’s next greatest step or it will slowly destroy the world, it is here to stay. NASA believes this too as this week they announced they have appointed one of their chief civil servants to the role of Chief AI Officer.

A staple of the airshow/fly-in season, EAA’s AirVenture is back again in Oshkosh, Wisconsin with headline performers like twin B-29s and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.

A unique aerial demonstration is coming to SUN ‘n FUN on April 13, 2024. In Lakeland, Florida, the Polaris Program Ghost Squadron will be flying in the evening airshow with a mission to “inspire the next generation of aerospace enthusiasts and raise funds and awareness” for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The demonstration team consists of four L-39 jets, three Alpha Jets, and one MiG-29.

Did you know that operators spent a little over two months without communication with the helicopter on the surface of Mars? Its 50th flight, back in April of this year, was a record-breaking flight for the rotorcraft, called Ingenuity.

NASA announced last Thursday that its all-electric aircraft project will be shutting down later this year after years of research and development. The program will conclude without any flights of the X-57 Maxwell aircraft; however, the agency still considers the program a success with plenty of lessons learned.

With a path to provide cheap reliable access to higher altitudes and eventually space, Dawn Aerospace conducted its first rocket-powered test flight of its MK-II Aurora aircraft.

This past week, Lakeland, FL served as home once again for the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In Aerospace Expo. People from all around the country converged at Lakeland-Linder International Airport to celebrate all-things aviation.

Don’t you just hate it when an experience you have is very different than what you had hoped for? Sometimes it turns out to be just as fun. Sometimes you feel like the moment is ruined forever. You could end up with an even grander story to tell or you could end up like a bride on her wedding day when she notices one bouquet of flowers is out of place on the table in the back corner of the reception hall. As for me, I’m still trying to figure out where I stand on my first solo flight. Let’s go back to the beginning.

We’ve seen two different rockets take to the skies from the Space Coast this week, and now a number of planes will be doing the same for the Space Coast International Air show.

The flying bug bit me young. Seeing movies like Top Gun and catching The Blue Angels in my formative years had me ready to run and join the Navy right out of high school and fly Hornets off the deck of a carrier. To hell with a little propeller plane, I needed to be in a jet. The idea was to “Go fast or go home!” But, as with many of us, life took me in a different direction.

In only their second show of the season, the US Navy Blue Angels were forced to make some changes on the first day of the 2022 New Orleans Air Show. No official word has been given as to why the swap was needed but speculation abounds because not one but two planes remained grounded for today’s performance.

The Orlando Air and Space Show took flight this past weekend at the Orlando Sanford International Airport. Space Explored’s Derek Wise and Jared Locke were at the show to capture the flights.

Nothing is going to space at the Orlando-Sanford International Airport, even though you would be excused for thinking there was. Aerial demonstration teams are descending on Central Florida this weekend. UPDATE: The F-22 Raptor Demo Team will be coming to the air show!

After having to cancel 2020’s events due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sun ‘n Fun is back on and better than ever. A week-long air show and aviation convention, the benefits of which will empower future generations to take to the skies.