Always on Target
What lies behind the projected doubling of aviation support demand by 2045? Airbus presented its outlook in Toulouse on October 14, 2026. Airbus services forecast: The Airbus announcement projects compound annual growth of 3.8% through 2045. The manufacturer values the market at $209 billion in 2026, rising to $422 billion in 2045. All dollar figures
What caused YL-ABS to require an emergency response at Brussels Airport on its sixth flight legs of October 14? airBaltic A220: An airBaltic Airbus A220-300, registration YL-ABS, landed safely at Brussels Airport on October 14, 2026, following a technical problem while operating Brussels Airlines flight SN2590 from Berlin. Brussels was the scheduled destination, so the
Bombardier and Saab: could the first Gripen E built outside Sweden offer a preview of how Saab intends to expand aerospace production with local partners—including Canada? Two developments this week make that question more concrete. In Brazil, the first Saab Gripen E manufactured by Embraer completed its maiden flight on October 6, 2026. Meanwhile, reporting
Airbus A220-500: is the 160-seat A220-300 certification programme becoming the commercial evidence Airbus needs before deciding whether to launch the long-discussed A220-500 stretch? That question sharpened on October 7, 2026. In a new Aviation Week interview with Airbus, Europe region president and head of commercial Europe Johan Pelissier offered a numerical indication of demand. He
How did AnimaWings move from eight aircraft to no scheduled flights? UPDATED October 7, 2026 – Airbus A220 and A320: Romania’s AnimaWings has suspended every flight from October 2 through October 24, 2026. Its six A220-300s have left commercial service, while two A320s remain the basis of a proposed smaller operation. Air Journal’s October 2
Volatus Aerospace has opened its Mirabel drone factory—but what is taking shape inside, and how does Ukraine fit? The answer runs through aircraft engineering, autonomous flight software, operator training and a partnership connecting Ukrainian developers with Canadian manufacturing. On September 29, 2026, the company formally opened its 53,000-square-foot facility at Montréal–Mirabel International Airport (YMX), Québec
Walker S2 update: what has changed since Airbus began evaluating the Chinese humanoid robot, and what does the evidence now tell us about its industrial readiness? Since Fliegerfaust last examined the programme on April 18, 2026, Airbus has disclosed almost nothing new about its trial. UBTECH Robotics, however, has moved quickly around it. The Chinese
Canada GlobalEye negotiations now have a six-aircraft framework—but will Ottawa convert it into a binding contract with substantial Canadian work? Saab announced on September 25, 2026, that it had signed a non-binding term-sheet agreement with Canada’s Defence Investment Agency (DIA). The document establishes the scope for detailed negotiations over a GlobalEye airborne early warning and
JAL E190-E2 momentum is building—but can Airbus still overturn Embraer’s installed-fleet advantage in Japan? Japan Airlines (JAL) is leaning toward Embraer for an order of about 20 regional jets, according to The Japan Times, citing Bloomberg. The campaign pits the Embraer E190-E2 against the Airbus A220-100. A final decision could come as early as October
Canada’s first F-35 has flown—what comes next for the fleet and the Canadian companies behind it? The first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II built for Canada completed its maiden flight on September 23, 2026. Aircraft AR-1 departed Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, beside the manufacturer’s assembly complex. The Aviationist documented the
