Category Archives: AVIATION NEWS

Aviation News of Interest

Watch Aerobat Mike Goulian Perform His Amazing Stunts

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And then, in the second video, watch as he instructs Sandra Daniels in some of the primary and far milder aerobatic maneuvers out of Plymouth, MA (KPYM).  All military-trained pilots learn these and some more advanced aerobatics in their early aviation schooling, but Mike is a top competitor who takes what the world-famous Czech pilot Ladislav Bezak started with his mind-blowing “Lomcovokian” wild-flying innovation and giration of 1998 to an entirely new level.  The name that Ladislav gave to his famous maneuver was the  “Lomcovák,”  which is commonly used in Moravia to describe the rotating motions of someone who has had one drink too many of its infamous alcoholic drinks called slivovitz. Lomcovák is the slang name for a shot of a strong drink.

The video right below is of Mike Goulian at Sun n’ Fun 2021, while flying his “Extra 330.” The video is 8: 51 long. Watching Mike perform his routine makes it obvious why he has won so many aerobatic competitions. He has won multiple national championships, including the United States National Unlimited Aerobatic Championship in 1995 and the United States National Advanced Aerobatic Championship in 1990. We suggest you watch the videos right here to minimize advertising interruptions.

Next, let’s watch full-time actress Sarah Deniels as she takes to the sky with Mike Goulian for her first aerobatic instruction.  The video is 22:08 long. 

U.S. NEW B-52 AFTER UPGRADE SHOCKED THE WORLD!

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Deep inside the B-52’s belly, a rotating launcher spins like a revolver, and a current upgrade nearly doubles the smart missiles it can fire from there.

This is the story of the strangest decision in American air power: instead of replacing its oldest bomber, the US Air Force is rebuilding it to fly for one hundred years.

The B-52 Stratofortress first flew in 1952, and the last one rolled off the line in October 1962.

Since then, every bomber designed to replace it has faltered: the supersonic B-58 Hustler lasted barely a decade, the Mach-3 XB-70 died after two prototypes, and now even the B-1B Lancer and the two-billion-dollar B-2 Spirit are scheduled to retire first, handing their missions to the B-21 Raider while the B-52 flies on.

In this documentary, we go inside the rebuild turning the B-52H into the B-52J. Eight new Rolls-Royce F130 engines under the Commercial Engine Replacement Program — with the first aircraft arriving at Boeing’s San Antonio plant this year. The Conventional Rotary Launcher and Internal Weapons Bay Upgrade, which raised the bomber’s smart-weapon capacity by 67 percent and turned it into a standoff missile truck carrying twenty precision weapons. And a new Raytheon AESA radar, derived from fighter radars, that gives the old airframe modern eyes.

By the time it is done, airframes built in 1962 will be flying toward a full century of service — longer than any combat aircraft in history. 

If you watch this video right here, there should be fewer ad interruptions. Remember to open for full view and to keep your sound turned on.

Thanks to ‘Beyond Facts‘ for this insightful documentary.                    The video is 22:05 long.

THE FASTEST AIRLINER NOBODY WANTED. Find Out Why

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If you haven’t heard of this instance, now is the time to learn what role this historical event played in ending CONVAIR’s Airliner Manufacturing business.  The video is 17:54 Long.

Why Pan Am’s Luxury Flying Boat was an Engineering Hell

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This video exposes many serious defects and safety issues long obscured by Pan Am and the media about those highly romanticized Clippers from the pre-WWII era.  The Video is 22:39 long.   

Discover the fascinating history and mechanical struggles of the Martin M-130, Pan American Airways’ pioneering flying boat. Built to conquer the Pacific Ocean in the 1930s, the China Clipper faced severe design flaws, from leaky wet wings and heavy drag-inducing sponsons to deafening cabin noise. Learn how astronomical logistical costs and relentless maintenance issues forced Pan Am to replace this iconic aircraft. Boeing took off where Martin failed; Explore the harsh reality of early transoceanic commercial aviation. Video produced thanks to Jet Deck.

Top 10 Most Affordable LSA’s to Own in 2026 – Prices Plus

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Under the relatively new MOSAIC regulations put out by the FAS, we have seen a huge explosion in the variety of amazing new Light Sport Aircraft (LSAs).  Here is a short (21:17)l. Enjoy in full-screen mode.

THE SECRET CANCELED U.S. CENTURY SERIES AIRCRAFT

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An interesting study of the Mach 3 frontier in U.S. high-Mach Air Superiority aircraft.  Did you ever hear of the XF-103?  Watch this YouTube Video and learn more about our long-running R&D work directed toward achieving Air Dominance with high-speed fighters . . .1:04:52 Long.

We’ve Explored the V-22, But Would This Have Been Better?

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  Why didn’t everyone want this “U Wing” plane that was so difficult to crash?  19:33 long video.

By RexResearch: The idea of the channel wing predates most of those reading this. It all began in the 1920s, when Willard Custer took shelter in a barn during a near-hurricane velocity storm. Much to his surprise and fascination, the barn roof suddenly lifted off and soared through the air. He wondered why an airplane had to gather speed on a runway, while a barn roof, a poor airfoil by any reckoning, could fly from a standing start. He soon realized that it was the speed of the air over the surface, not the speed of the surface through the air, that created lift.

                                                        Custer’s Channel Wing 5 seconds into takeoff

Bernoulli principle in both cases, but an application that had eluded aviation up to that time. He settled on the idea of pulling the air through channels that were, in fact, the lower half of a venturi. He was reversing the normal method of powered flight. Instead of using the engines to move the airfoil through the air, he used the engine to move the air through the airfoil. His channel had the effect of going several hundred miles per hour, due to the induced air flow, while standing still. The airflow over the surface of the channel created conventional lift, and a lot of it. It was at this point that Custer settled on,” It’s the speed of the air, not the airspeed,” which became his mantra: “AEROPHYSICS”.

If you click on the RexResearch link at the beginning of this article, you will find a wealth of new and well-presented information about both Mr. Custer and his remarkable STOL Flying Machines.

Cover of Popular Mechanics Magazine from May of 1947

Channel Wing with Inventor Willard Custer

Two-place light plane envisioned by Willard Custer, held by Harold ‘Curley’ Custer himself

                                                               CW-1 in the Smithsonian Museum

 

INSANE ENGINEERING OF THE BELL-BOEING V-22 “OSPREY”

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The length of this video is 23:07.  Rotor Blade downdraft equivalent to hurricane – 150 MPH!

Below, “How Safe Is it?  The video is 6:50 min. long. V-22 = Extreme Mechanical Complexity.

Below is a “SHORT” Portrait perspective video regarding V-22’s downwash danger.

In respect to the question of “How safe is this ship?” we should explore its history: Where its earliest operations had evidenced high accident rates, its current advanced versions are well within the normal boundaries of aircraft safety standards (meaning that it is no longer the dangerous aircraft its early prototypes indicated).

New SJ-100 Engine Changes Scenario – US & EU Cut Short

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This video is only 13:10 min. long.  Open in full-screen and turn on your sound to learn about the PD-8 Engine and why it has such an important impact on both Boeing and Airbus.  This Russian experience illustrates one of the shortcomings of universal globalization for the world’s nation-states, and about more than just their military security.                                                                                                

 The following video is 3:55 min. long.

THE NEW WACO YMF-5 LOOKS JUST LIKE THE OLD UPF-7 !

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Cover Photo of the new WACO YMF-5, Which Looks like the OLD WACO UPF-7 –  – – Let’s explore the differences below.

This Post is a follow-up to the last WACO Post of May 3, 2026, which was titled:

“Grand Old WACO Closes Its Factory Doors – – – Once Again“

Here’s a side-by-side look: Why the new Battle Creek WACO looks much like the old UPF-7.

Feature                     WACO YMF-5                          WACO UPF-7
Era/role Modern reproduction of a classic open-cockpit biplane Original 1940s-era civilian trainer/biplane
Engine Jacobs R755A2, 300 hp Continental W-670-6A, 220 hp
Wingspan 30 ft 30 ft
Length 23 ft 4 in to 23 ft 11 in, depending on source/configuration 23 ft 1 in
Cruise speed About 115 mph / 100 kts About 114 mph
Stall speed 59 MPH 48 MPH
Structure Corrosion-resistant welded steel-tube structure, modern fabric, avionics options Original-era construction; design details varied across the F series

Why they seem nearly identical:

The two airplanes share the same classic WACO silhouette: double wings, open cockpits, and a round radial engine at the nose. WACO says the YMF-5 was built to preserve the Golden Age look while using modern construction and equipment. Don’t you think they were successful?

What actually changed

The YMF-5 has more power, modern materials, and the option for a glass cockpit or IFR-capable equipment, while the UPF-7 was a simpler 1930s-40s aircraft with a 220 hp engine. The UPF-7 was also part of the broader Waco F-series, where landing gear and tail details could vary between versions.  Note: The old UPF-7 had a safer approach speed: 48 MPH, compared to the new YMF-5, which stalls at the much higher speed of 59 MPH.  That’s a 23% higher stall speed!

Practical takeaway

From a distance, the resemblance is strong enough that many people would think they are the same airplane. Up close, the YMF-5 is best understood as a faithful re-creation of the classic UPF-7 with modern performance and support, not a museum-original UPF-7.

Follow-up Questions: You Might Want to Explore:

Differences between the Jacobs R755A2 and Continental W-670-6A engines

How does the modern YMF-5 structure improve safety over the UPF-7

Can the YMF-5 avionics package include full glass cockpit displays

Are there other vintage aircraft types that WACO reproduces today

Historical context of the 1940s WACO F-series design lineage

The 1932 Great Lakes 2T-1A, although not a creation of the original WACO operation, it was developed in Ohio, Cleveland in particular.  Of the same 1930s era as the UPF-7, it was also an acrobatic ship and acquired along with the rights to the WACO designs. This is explained because the WACO video below includes several photos and clips of a Great Lakes in action.