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BluFly 🛩
@blufly.media
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A humans-in-the-loop feed for the aviation community. If made by people and flying between the surface and the Kármán Line you'll find it on BluFly. Read the current issue at https://blufly.media/2025/11. (📸 ©2024 Cheryl Goodwin | Good 2 Go Photography)
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blufly.media
We prefer stories written in the past tense of accomplishments actually having been — well — accomplished. ✅ This announcement seems to meet that bar with uncrewed, BVLOS, cargo drone operations approaching what we might have imagined as the technology evolved over the past few years. | 🛩️ 📡 🚁 ⚡️ 📰 🥇
Milestone Story: Skyways Delivers Precision Under Pressure with Historic Long-range, Offshore Cargo Drop
Skyways, Skyports, and RWE completed Germany’s first autonomous offshore wind resupply mission, proving dependable long-range BVLOS cargo logistics.
www.skyways.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:48 PM
blufly.media
We've had this well-written and illustrated opinion piece from @ntlmuseumsscot.bsky.social on hand for some time, but it’s still relevant. What do you say? Do you think there are other aircraft that could be added to this list? Or perhaps there are some listed here that ought not to be? | 🛩️ 📍 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🥇
Five aircraft that pioneered commercial aviation | National Museums Scotland
Many have become accustomed to air travel, with the low-cost of airline tickets allowing regular flights to Europe and beyond. It is hard to believe that i
www.nms.ac.uk
November 13, 2025 at 3:49 PM
blufly.media
Fred is a legend for many avgeeks like us: « Creating a Community of Mentors to Support the Next Generation of Pilots ▫️ Fred North's worldwide mentoring programme connects young aviators with veteran peers to enhance safety. » (📸 Airbus Helicopters) | 🛩️ 🚁 🧰 🥇 | 🔗 www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/...
An all-white and otherwise unmarked Airbus H125 (formerly the Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil) is shown in an air-to-air photo. The aircraft is pictured from above, looking down, and is heading toward and slightly to the right of the camera position. The passengers inside the helicopter are visible through the cockpit windscreen. In the background is a rugged, rocky coastline dotted with some trees. A blue ocean or lake is visible beyond that. The weather appears sunny. (📸 Airbus Helicopters)
November 13, 2025 at 2:32 PM
blufly.media
Highly respected, UK-based freelance journalist @markep.bsky.social has been busy again and has just published an interesting new article just out on the BBC website. His previous work includes the noteworthy 'N-4 Down: The Hunt for the Arctic Airship Italia'. (📸 Outbound Aerospace) | 🛩️ 🥇
Blended wings: The sci-fi aircraft concept that could appear at an airport near you
The concept of blended-wing aircraft – where fuselage and wing are all one structure – is not new. But this radical design might soon be a credible concept for airliners.
www.bbc.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:08 PM
blufly.media
New Season of Behind The Wings® on @pbs.org: this excellent series returns for a seventh season, with complementary 'behind the scenes' podcasts, and episodes on the Hurricane Hunters and the enduring F-16. (📸 @noaa.gov | SrA A. Schwier-Morales, USAF) | 🛩️ 🎙️ 📹 ⚔️ 🥇 | 🔗 wingsmuseum.org/resources/po...
An image of the Lockheed WP-3D Orion nicknamed 'Kermit' and also known as one of the ‘Hurricane Hunter' aircraft. It is photographed from below and appears to be on final approach for landing set against a backdrop of a sunny sky with lots of puffy, white cumulus clouds. Inset, lower right, is a picture of a formation of four F-16 aircraft in flight over a cloud deck seen below. Original caption from source: « U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing fly in formation during a training sortie over South Korea March 14, 2014. » (📸 NOAA | SrA Armando Schwier-Morales, United States Air Force in the public domain)
November 10, 2025 at 3:44 PM
blufly.media
From Jennifer Chu for MIT News: « [R]searchers don’t yet know how these unconventional designs might respond to lightning strikes. ¶ MIT aerospace engineers are hoping to change that with a new physics-based approach that predicts how lightning would sweep across a plane with any design … » | 🛩️ 🏫 🥇
Lightning-prediction tool could help protect the planes of the future
A new model predicts how lightning would sweep across any airplane, including those with experimental designs. The tool generates a zoning map of the plane, showing which sections require more or less...
news.mit.edu
November 7, 2025 at 4:08 PM
blufly.media
We're total fans of meticulous restorations — keepin’ ’em flyin’ — and this looks like another one being undertaken by the Airbase Georgia of the Commemorative Air Force. A great update on a really interesting P-47 Thunderbolt project. | 🛩️ ⚔️ 🥇 | 🧵 1/2 | 🔗 commemorativeairforce.org/news/airbase...
A montage of four photos from various stages of a restoration project of a P-47 Thunderbolt currently being undertaken by the Commemorative Air Force Airbase, Georgia. Top left: the supercharger on a forklift with a yellow rental moving van nearby. Top right: in a workshop, two men carry what appears to be the leading edge of the aircraft in the form of a bent aluminum sheet. Bottom left: the same two men carry the same part after having removed it from the yellow moving van. Bottom right: the supercharger on a forklift, but this time either being loaded onto or removed from the yellow moving van. All of these photos are montaged over a washed-out, black-and-white image of a schematic diagram seemingly from the original P-47 technical manual. It's a cut-away drawing of the aircraft's supercharger as mounted in its fuselage. (📸 Commemorative Air Force Airbase Georgia)
November 6, 2025 at 6:11 PM
blufly.media
New from Conrad Hatcher writing for Skies Magazine, a detailed, thorough, and yet very readable article on this elegant new training aircraft. (📸 Tecnam) | 🛩️ 🥇
We fly the Tecnam P Mentor - Skies Mag
We fly Tecnam’s newest two-seat aircraft—a modern trainer for a modern student pilot.
skiesmag.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
blufly.media
An interesting new @darpa.mil program has just opened up: the « DARPA Lift Challenge » with $6.5M in prize money. All that's required 😉 is to have your team's drone fly one hundred and ten pounds over a five-mile circuit. (📸 Alan Clarke | DARPA) | 🛩️ 📡 ⚔️ 🏫 🥇 | 🔗 www.darpa.mil/research/pro...
An artist's rendering, resembling a watercolour, wherein the point of view is at grass level looking out over a grace race course marked by yellow chequerboard vertical banners. The start/finish line is also shown consisting of two vertical poles joined by a cloth banner. The latter has black and white chequerboard at either end and the DARPA Lift challenge logo in the centre. The logo consists of a circular black barbell plate with the words « DARPA LIFT CHALLENGE » in white letters arranged around the periphery. Two feathered wings extend outwards to the left and right from the plate. In the foreground, two sets of barbells are shown suspended by straps from a drone which is out of frame at the top. The sky is blue with white, puffy clouds. (📸 Alan Clarke | DARPA)
November 4, 2025 at 4:48 PM
blufly.media
The « Conservation FLYer Featured Mission » for @lighthawk-org.bsky.social this month was in pursuit of the « protection for 62,500 acres of lands in Northwestern Maine ». An interesting read about this excellent work of this group. (📸 Jake Metzler) | 🛩️ 💺 🥇 | 🔗 www.lighthawk.org/what-we-do/c...
A view from a small aircraft of the forests of northwestern Maine near the border of the United States. The leading edge of the red, white, and silver wing of the photographer's aircraft is visible in the bottom right of the frame. The landscape below consists of rolling hills of yellow and green. The sky above is clear with a small band of mist on the horizon. Original caption from source: « A group of LightHawk partners have come together to pursue protection for 62,500 acres of lands in northwestern Maine known as the Magalloway region » (📸 Jake Metzler)
November 3, 2025 at 4:13 PM
blufly.media
We featured DarkAero's excellent newsletter 🗞️ last month, wherein they are sharing engineering details of their 'DarkAero 1'. Here's this month's, including a video with details of the wing centre section by President and Co-Founder Ryley Karl. | 🛩️ 📹 🥇 | 🧵 1/2
A picture of the 'DarkAero 1' prototype in a test rig. It is located in a well-lit hangar. The aircraft is barely discernible amongst all the test equipment as well as the test rig itself. Original caption from source: « Ratchet straps were used during load tests of the wing mount lugs to apply simulated drag loads. » (📸 DarkAero, Inc.)
November 2, 2025 at 11:05 PM
blufly.media
The November issue just dropped. 💥 It kicks off with an essay on remembrance appropriate for this time of year, triggered by the photo of this magnificent Lanc. Thence onwards to Avergreen, a new feature for viewing article photos and an adorable 🐸 little green frog. (📸 @goodnrg.bsky.social) | 🛩️ ⚔️ 🥇
November, 2025
A humans-in-the-loop feed for the aviation community — if made by people and flying up to the Kármán Line you'll find it on BluFly 🛩️.
blufly.media
November 1, 2025 at 6:02 PM
blufly.media
October seems to have unofficially become lighter-than-air month. Therefore, it's right that we should wrap it up with its most modern of incarnations, focused on improving the accuracy of weather forecasting. Windborne's co-founder, John Dean, writes at length for @spectrum.ieee.org. | 🛩️ 🎈 📡 🤖 📹 🥇
What Makes WindBorne's AI Weather Forecasts so Accurate?
Autonomous weather balloons surf air currents to gather data from remote locations, staying aloft for weeks.
spectrum.ieee.org
October 31, 2025 at 1:02 PM
blufly.media
The sixth annual iteration of this cost-free, virtual event, capably presented by H₂ maven @zeroavia.bsky.social. This year's line-up of sessions and speakers looks great. 'Must attend' for all those interested in hydrogen aviation. Many more details and event registration with link. | 🛩️ ⚡️ 📅 🥇
Hydrogen Aviation Summit 2026
The sixth annual Hydrogen Aviation Summit will explore the drivers and impacts of a shift to the electric era of flight across the world.
zeroavia.com
October 29, 2025 at 10:07 PM
blufly.media
A brand new press release from LTA Research: « Pathfinder 1 Expands Flight Testing Area » wherein they are now « authorized to operate within an expanded flight envelope around the San Francisco Bay Area. » The accompanying image, below, is a stunner. | 🛩️ 🎈 ⚡️ 📰 | 🔗 ltaresearch.com/news/pathfin...
LTA Reseach's 'Pathfinder 1' rigid airship flies from left to right over the Golden Gate Bridge at the entrance to San Francisco Bay. The sky is clear blue. A helicopter is visible up and to the right of the airship. (📸 LTA Research)
October 28, 2025 at 11:04 PM
blufly.media
This guest editorial from Mathieu Labs, writing for the Recreational Aviation Foundation, caught our attention. Mathieu was lucky to have Grandpa Bob in his life, and we think Grandpa Bob was likely thrilled to have Mathieu as his grandson. Do you have a 'Grandpa Bob' story? | 🛩️ 🥇
WORTH THE READ: MATHIEU LABS GUEST EDITORIAL - Recreational Aviation Foundation
Our many RAF supporters have such vast and varied experience, and we’re capturing some of their words of wisdom to share with you. This guest editorial is by Mathieu Labs, a pilot, and RAF Vice Presid...
theraf.org
October 28, 2025 at 6:09 PM
blufly.media
We can't think of a better way to launch our recently announced, brand-new Avergreen imprint than with this great story by Jon Davison from 2016. Here's Part I of four parts featuring Jon's spectacular photography and eminently entertaining writing. Follow us for Part II, coming soon. | 🛩️ 🌲 🥇
Under African Skies
The first of four parts where Pilatus air-to-air photographer Jon Davison talks about shooting a PC-12 in the skies over Tanzania.
blufly.media
October 27, 2025 at 2:25 PM
blufly.media
Having kicked October off with the post below from LTA Research, it seems fitting to feature its distant ancestor as our Friday Fédèle this time. (📸 Fédèle Azari [1895-1930] | Digital image courtesy @gettymuseum.bsky.social's Open Content Program) | 🛩️ 🎈 🎨 🥇 | 🧵 1/2 | 🔗 www.getty.edu/art/collecti...
An old, sepia-toned photo of the airship 'Bodensee' inside a hangar seemingly designed for this purpose. The airship is oriented with its bow pointed toward and to the left of the camera position. The gondola, with nearly wrap-around windows, is visible below the main gas envelope. Immediately above the gondola is the word « BODENSEE » in large black, block letters. The airship appears to be undergoing some sort of maintenance, as a number of ladders stretch up the airship from the floor. On the ground below, a number of people are standing in small groups. Overhead and in the background, the intricate interior of the hangar is visible. Original caption from source: « Rigid Airship Bodensee » as well as « 1919–1921 ». (📸 Fédèle Azari [1895-1930] | Digital image courtesy the Getty Museum's Open Content Program.)
October 24, 2025 at 1:08 PM
blufly.media
Want to make a big splash for Christmas? ❄️ Attend European Rotors on November 17–20, 2025 for a copy of Jon Davison and Jude Brazendale's new book « Climb Higher ». It's being released then, and available for order shortly thereafter. | 🛩️ 🚁 📚 📰 📅 🥇 | 🧵 1/2 | 🔗 www.robinsonheli.com/press/robins...
The cover of the book entitled « CLIMB HIGHER » by Jon Davison and Jude Brazendale. If features a Robinson R44 helicopter in profile, flying from left to right past a blue/white iceberg. The helicopter is dark in colour and the registration is indistinct. In the distance, other icebergs are visible and then a uniformly grey sky as the background. The book's title appears at the top, with the word « CLIMB » in black and « HIGHER » in white. Immediately below the title are the words « Worldwide adventures with Robinson Helicopters » in black letters. At the bottom of the cover are the words « Jon Davison & Jude Brazendale ». (📸 Robinson Helicopter Company)
October 23, 2025 at 1:01 PM
blufly.media
We're pleased to formally announce our brand-new imprint dedicated to bringing back the classics. The best part? Avergreen articles feature a pristine format optimised for the human reading experience. Watch for the 🌲 emojitag in the near future, for the very best of legacy aviation writing. | 🛩️ 🥇
Avergreen 🌲
BluFly's imprint dedicated to the restoration, preservation, promotion, and distribution of the best legacy aviation literature.
blufly.media
October 22, 2025 at 3:37 PM
blufly.media
The results of our latest meander through the Norsk Luftfartsmuseum digital archives: we fell hard for the elegant, Mid-Century Modern lines of this Scheibe Bergfalke photographed at the Øysand glider school in the summer of 1959. (📸 See ALT) | 🛩️ 🪽 📍 🇳🇴 🥇 | 🔗 digitaltmuseum.no/021011364740...
A black and white photo of a Scheibe Bergfalks IIa at rest, apparently adjacent to a runway on a sunny day. The aircraft is oriented so the nose is pointing toward the left of the frame. The nature of the photograph reveals nothing about the actual colour of the aircraft; it appears to be uniformly grey. The registration « LN-GAI » is painted in black, block letters on the side of the fuselage and the visible upper surface of the right wing. A man is seated on the wing just to the left of the cockpit. Rolling hills with some built-up structures are visible in the distance. A hard, small shadow is being cast by the aircraft indicating high summer sun. The ground appears sandy with scrubby vegetation. Note that defects from the original photo have been digitally removed. The original, unretouched photograph is located at https://digitaltmuseum.no/0210113647403/scheibe-bergfalke-iia-brukt-i-undervisning-av-elever-pa-oysand-seilflyskole. Original caption from source (Norwegian): « Scheibe Bergfalke IIa, brukt i undervisning av elever på Øysand seilflyskole sommeren 1959. » Translated to English, by Google Translate: « Scheibe Bergfalke IIa, used in teaching students at Øysand glider school in the summer of 1959. » (📸 Norsk Luftfartsmuseum in the public domain)
October 21, 2025 at 2:17 PM
blufly.media
First it was their immaculate 'Super Star' project, and now: « The Historic Junkers Ju 52 Arrives in Frankfurt ». Puts the Lufthansa Group’s Conference and Visitor Center on our must-visit list for 2026. Yours too? (📸 ©2025 Lufthansa Group) | 🛩️ 📰 📍 🇩🇪 🥇 | 🔗 newsroom.lufthansagroup.com/en/the-histo...
Two men in fluorescent yellow safety jackets look up at the fuselage of a Junkers Ju 52 which appears to be resting on some sort of transportation skid. The fuselage is oriented so that it is pointing to the right. The aircraft is mostly grey, perhaps unpainted metal, with dark blue or even black trim at the nose and then curving under the fuselage. The word « LUFTHANSA » is painted on grey metal just aft of the trim paint. Below this, the words « BERLIN-TEMPELHOF » are painted in smaller letters. The aircraft is situated in a well-lit hangar. Other equipment and people are visible just beyond the fuselage. (📸 ©2025 Lufthansa Group)
October 20, 2025 at 6:20 PM
blufly.media
"What's old is new again" is an overused cliché, but it really applies to the subject of this new article by @markep.bsky.social writing for @aerosociety.bsky.social, wherein he draws a through line between drones used in World War II and those being contemplated for present-day conflicts. | 🛩️ 📡 ⚔️ 🥇
Déjà drones
Eighty years after the US military first used drones in the Pacific, the idea is back on the table for any future operations in the South China Sea. MARK PIESING asks what lessons can be learned from ...
https://www.aerosociety.com/news/déjà-drones/?utm_source=blufly.media&utm_campaign=06877
October 17, 2025 at 1:32 PM
blufly.media
The Cirrus newsletter always has a nugget or two. This time it's « Transatlantic Trip in a Cirrus: 25 Countries Explored », which describes what most would call the trip of a lifetime, except Ken and Jen Kelly have even more ambitious adventures planned. | 🛩️ 🥇 | 🔗 cirrusaircraft.com/story/transa...
A man and a woman stand in front of a Cirrus Aircraft SR22T with registration « N717KK ». They are dressed in fluorescent yellow immersion suits, which presumably are required for long, overwater flights in small aircraft. They are both giving the thumbs-up sign. The aircraft behind them is sage green, dark grey, and gold combined in a curvaceous graphic pattern. The aircraft is parked on what appears to be an airport ramp, and the skies in the background are blue with some clouds. (📸 Ken and Jen Kelly)
October 16, 2025 at 6:02 PM
blufly.media
We thought we'd found the ultimate in airborne opulence with the Global 8000 a few days back. Not to be outdone, Boeing Business Jets will retrofit a 747-8 to whatever spec your heart desires. 🥰 Order yours today, using the online configuration tool. | 🛩️ 🥇 | 🔗 businessjets.boeing.com/wp-content/u...
An artist's rendering of a Boeing 747-8 as it either departs or arrives from an unknown airport. It is flying toward and slightly to the right of the camera position. The extended landing gear is depicted just a metre or two above the runway. The aircraft is mainly white on the upper surfaces and navy blue on the lower surfaces of the fuselage. A gold accent stripe appears close to the curvaceous boundary between the two main colours. There is no registration number visible, although the Boeing Business Jets logo is partially visible on the vertical stabiliser. The aircraft appears to be flood-lit from above and the background is entirely black. (📸 Boeing Business Jets)
October 15, 2025 at 11:43 PM