Ride of the Valkyries

Like Britain’s excellent TSR2 and Canada’s outstanding Arrow interceptor, America’s incredible XB-70 Valkyrie supersonic bomber is one of the great ‘might have beens’ of military aviation history and over 60 years since it was deemed obsolete in an age of anti-air and ballistic missiles, the concept might be on the way back.

The shape of things to come

In the past Chinese military aviation relied on crude copies of Soviet planes. Today’s Chinese airforce fields large numbers of modern aircraft based on stolen Western designs. Tomorrows Chinese airforce may take the lead, just as China has in other areas of techology, and the “J-XX” may be the shape of things to come.

Alternative aviation

Transport is one of the world’s biggest polluters, but on the path to net zero, aviation is reinventing itself, potentially building a new kind of jet age.

The sky’s the limit

As the government prepares the Aviation White Paper, is it time to reconsider aviation flight laws that are no longer fit for purpose?

The politics of international aviation

Commercial aviation is being transformed into a new form of soft power by nations around the world. While we might like to think that passenger planes can soar above the troubles of the world, recent incidents show how aviation can be manipulated for political purposes.