Tracking Yourself at Forty Thousand Feet - What Flight Trackers Actually Show You
Flight trackers show pilots far more than position data - groundspeed variations, step climbs, and oceanic routing decisions are all readable in real time.
ATIS
Aviation news and analysis with Tower. FAA policy changes, industry trends, safety data, and what the headlines mean for the pilots who fly every day.
Airbus and the A320 Successor - What a 2030 Launch Decision Means for the Narrowbody That Runs the World
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury has confirmed a 2030 target launch decision for the A320 successor, the aircraft that will define airline travel into the 2060s.
Operation Epic Fury - The A-10 Warthog Makes Its Case One More Time
The U.S. Air Force is keeping 54 A-10 Thunderbolt IIs in service following Operation Epic Fury, a live-fire demonstration that made the case for the Warthog's continued relevance.
Air Canada's A321XLR and the Narrowbody That Rewrites Thin-Route Economics
Air Canada is deploying the A321XLR on US routes, marking a North American turning point for a narrowbody that matches widebody range at a fraction of the operating cost.
The Bombardier Global 8000 Flies Dubai to Los Angeles Nonstop - Range as the Ultimate Differentiator
Bombardier's Global 8000 completed a nonstop Dubai to Los Angeles flight, covering roughly 7,200 nautical miles and proving its certified range holds up in operational reality.
The Engine That Closed Anchorage - How the Boeing 747-200 Rewrote the Pacific
How the Boeing 747-200's upgraded engines eliminated the mandatory Anchorage fuel stop and permanently reshaped transpacific air travel.
American Airlines Premium Economy vs Delta Premium Select - The Cabin Arms Race of 2026
American Airlines' new premium economy product is closing the gap on Delta Premium Select, reshaping the competitive landscape for long-haul international travel in 2026.
Delta's Domestic Widebody Push - Lie-Flat Seats on Transcontinental Routes in 2026
Delta's June 2026 widebody domestic push marks the carrier's largest-ever deployment of lie-flat seats on U.S. routes, reshaping transcontinental travel and pilot career calculus alike.
The FIFA World Cup Team Charters - How Thirty-Two Nations Are Moving Their Squads Across North America by Air
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is one of the largest coordinated charter aviation operations ever staged in North America - here's what pilots need to know.
The JetBlue Lightning Strike - When the Storm Takes Out the Tool You Need to See the Storm
A JetBlue A320 declared an emergency after a lightning strike destroyed its weather radar on departure - what every pilot should learn from this incident.
AOPA at Oshkosh and the Answers You Can Only Get Face to Face
AOPA is at booth 463 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, offering pilots free face-to-face access to medical, regulatory, and legal specialists.
The Fourth of July Rush and What Nineteen Million Travelers Mean for Every Pilot Flying This Week
The 2026 Fourth of July travel window brings 19 million commercial passengers and a dense TFR network - here's what every pilot needs in their preflight brief this week.
Alaska Airlines and the Starlink Switch - How Free WiFi Became a Fleet-Wide Competitive Weapon
Alaska Airlines has completed a Starlink WiFi rollout across its entire regional fleet ahead of schedule, offering free, low-latency connectivity to all passengers.
The Aeroflex Eviction and the New Jersey Pilots Fighting to Stay
Pilots at Aeroflex-Andover Airport in New Jersey are fighting eviction notices from the state Forest Fire Service, with AOPA citing federal grant assurance protections.
United's A321XLR and the Narrowbody That's Quietly Doubling the Premium Experience
United's A321XLR more than doubles premium seating versus the 757 it replaces, reshaping the economics of thin-route transatlantic flying.
The Emirates A380 Premium Monopoly and Why the Skies Belong to Dubai Until 2041
Emirates operates the only scalable A380 premium network in existence, and no competitor can replicate it before the type's retirement horizon around 2041.
Delta's Secret Second Lounge and the Ground War Heating Up at LAX
Delta is quietly preparing to open a second Delta One Lounge at LAX, signaling a broader industry shift toward premium ground experiences as a competitive weapon.
The World's Diversion Hotspots - Airports That Exist to Save the Day
Seven airports around the world exist specifically to serve as emergency diversion points for long-haul flights - and understanding them reveals how the global aviation safety net is built.
The X-65 and the Aircraft That Flies Without Moving Its Wings
DARPA's X-65 reached a key assembly milestone in June 2026 as its fuselage was mated to wings that carry no ailerons, rudder, or elevators - only pressurized air.
The MH-60 Jayhawk Crash Near Sitka and What It Costs to Train for the Hardest Flying in the World
A US Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk crashed during a training flight near Sitka, Alaska, with four crew members aboard - highlighting the extreme risks of training for one of aviation's hardest jobs.