Government officials signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) through a U.S. government foreign military sale Thursday, making the country the 19th to purchase the aircraft, the company said.

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“We are excited to welcome Greece into the F-35 enterprise,” U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Mike Schmidt, director and program executive officer of the F-35 Joint Program Office, said in a statement. “The F-35 will provide exceptional capability to the Hellenic Air Force, build interoperability between our allies, and strengthen the combat effectiveness for all of NATO.”

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The Hellenic Air Force also operates F-16s and C-130s, as well as S-70 B and MH-60R helicopters, according to Lockheed Martin. Earlier this year, Greece also signed an LOA worth nearly $2 billion for the purchase of 35 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.

The post Greece Signs Deal to Buy 20 F-35 Lightning IIs appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The purchase approvals, announced late Friday, set the stage for a significant expansion of NATO air power and came hours after Turkey ratified its approval of Sweden joining the alliance.

“Sweden’s entry into NATO will make the whole alliance stronger,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday. “I look forward to Hungary’s ratification as soon as the parliament reconvenes.”

• READ MORE: NATO Launches Exercise with 90,000 Troops, Largest in Decades

The approval for the possible foreign military sale of 40 new F-16 aircraft and upgrades of 79 existing F-16s granted to Turkey comes as the country’s existing fleet approaches the end of its service life, the State Department said. The approval included 32 F-16 C Block 70 aircraft and eight F-16 D Block 70 aircraft, along with 40 installed F110-GE-129D engines and eight spares.

“These new and refurbished aircraft will provide Turkey with a fleet of modernized multirole combat aircraft to enable it to provide for the defense of its airspace, contribute to NATO missions to preserve regional security and defend NATO allies, and maintain interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement Friday. “Turkey has F-16 aircraft in its inventory and will have no difficulty absorbing these aircraft and services into its armed forces.” 

U.S. officials also cleared the path Friday for the possible sale to Greece of up to 40 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Conventional Takeoff and Landing aircraft. That approval also included 40 installed Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines, along with two spares.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security of the United States by improving the air capabilities and interoperability of a NATO ally that is a force for political and economic stability in Europe,” DSCA said in a statement.

• READ MORE: Slovak Air Force Takes Delivery of First 2 F-16 Block 70 Jets

Defense officials in Athens, Greece, said they expect deliveries to begin in 2027-28, Reuters reported.

Congress was notified of the approval determinations for both Turkey and Greece on January 26, DSCA said.

The post U.S. Approves Sales of F-16s to Turkey, F-35s to Greece appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

I got into aviation as a hobby and became a pilot before becoming a multinational motivational speaker. When I started seeing more of the world because of speaking invitations, I realized that general aviation is regarded as a novelty in most countries. People don’t just wake up one day and set out to become a pilot.

For some cultures, it would be almost like waking up one day and deciding to go to the moon. Aviation is considered an elite field. Opportunities in this space are rare in other countries compared to the U.S. Particularly when women still represent only a single-digit percentage of certificated pilots. And the opportunities in aviation for people with disabilities? Almost zero.

Pair the rarity of women in aviation with the assumptions about disability present worldwide, and the combination becomes infinitesimal. I understood why my story is so profoundly received—an armless woman achieving the almost impossible by being a pilot.

December 3 was International Disability Day, and I thought about the intersection between disability and my international outreach. Aviation provided such a unique platform for advocating for disability awareness.

I’ve flown an Ercoupe in Athens, Greece; a Cessna over Manila, Philippines; and a Diamond twin over Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Each experience has been a unique opportunity to shed light on what is possible for someone with a disability.

Shortly after becoming a pilot, a local pilot and businessman invited me to speak in El Salvador. After having me speak for his company and a local charity for disadvantaged youth, we flew to the neighboring country of Guatemala. While there, he arranged for a private tour of the city.

As I walked the cobbled streets of the historic district, I saw a blend of shops and not a few locals asking for handouts. I was not far behind some other tourists when I walked past a young girl asking for money.

I did a double take when I noticed that she did not have hands but stubs at her wrists. Upon realizing this, I grabbed a five-dollar bill and gave it to her with my foot. I saw her face light up with a smile. I thought about how I could have been in her place if I had been born in a country with fewer opportunities. Instead, I was there in her country, being welcomed as a celebrity for my accomplishments in aviation. What a jarring contrast in our fates. After more than a decade, I remember that moment as if it was yesterday.

That was one of my first trips where I witnessed the disparity in opportunities for people with disabilities between the U.S. and other countries. I have since seen many different manifestations of this gap. Through aviation, I have also had many opportunities to highlight that gap and invite people to work towards eliminating those disparities.

In Athens, Greece, I flew over the coast with an Ercoupe owner to be part of the introduction to a disability film festival to promote awareness. With the help of Handicap International, I flew over the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, hoping to encourage inclusion for children with disabilities in school.

When word got out, press people met us at the airport, and a memorable young boy named Tarikou came to meet me. He was only 8 years old but also did not have arms. He and his family lived in such a rural area that he had never even ridden in a car. When he came to the airport, it was the first time he rode in a car and definitely the first time he saw an airplane. He told his mom he wanted to become a pilot just before we parted ways.

When we were lobbying for the International Disability Treaty in the U.S., Senators were willing to meet with me because of the aviation connection. In the Philippines, we made waves showing the importance of supporting people with disabilities after natural disasters. Not long ago, I met the president of Egypt when I spoke to 8,000 young people from around the world in the opening ceremonies of the World Youth Forum.

It makes me wonder what more I can do and what possibilities are just around the corner. The Impossible Airplane is on track for completion in 2025. I hope more doors open when it’s finished. If not, at least I’ll be able to buzz those closed doors on my way to the next.

I have aviation to thank for opening up these international opportunities. I will continue to use the power of being a pilot to show the world that disability does not mean inability. 

The post Changing the World One Flight at a Time appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

When I started my journey in aviation almost 16 years ago, I did not realize it was going to turn into a whole lifestyle. I caught the bug after a single flight. Was there a little bit of drive to prove the doubters wrong? Possibly. But those who caught the bug know the drive comes from you and not those around you.

Last year, my husband, Patrick, drove two hours to a flight school for each lesson. In flying, you have to want it bad enough to put in the effort. I was so proud of him when he passed his check ride. 

The phrase “a family that flies together, stays together” couldn’t be more accurate. I got to cheer my husband on as he earned his wings. Then we flew together for the first time with him as PIC, appropriately, on December 17, the anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first flight. We have traveled to Kill Devil Hill, in North Carolina, and many other aviation landmarks as a couple.

Soon, our newest furry family member will take to the skies too. My black goldendoodle service dog, Chewie, (the best copilot in the galaxy) hasn’t flown in a small airplane yet. It isn’t very practical or safe with just the two seats in the Ercoupe. 

Family, though, isn’t just about relatives. I also refer to the aviation family. I didn’t know that going to EAA AirVenture every year would become a family reunion. Aviation brings people together in profound ways. I am always amazed when the immense aviation family comes together.

I remember my first international trip as a newly certificated pilot. Suddenly, I was a low-time Ercoupe pilot jumping through government hoops to allow me to fly over Athens, Greece. Luckily, I didn’t have to find a way to fly an Ercoupe across the Atlantic. We found a pilot and an Ercoupe already in Greece. 

We realized the short planning time wasn’t enough to get an exemption to fly solo as a U.S. light sport airplane pilot in Greece. We could have just thrown our hands up and given up on the flight. After all, I was there for a speech; the flying was just icing on the cake.

The Ercoupe owner and I decided to fly together. He would be PIC. This was one of the first times that I witnessed aviators coming out of the woodwork at an event or gathering to help share their love of the skies.

There are a few ways I try to give back. This summer, I look forward to cheering on the new Able Flight graduates when they get their wings. I hope to meet the Wright Flight students here in Tucson when they finish their course. And assuming another business jet doesn’t try to flip my Ercoupe over, my foundation and I will plan airport days for children with disabilities in the fall. 

• MORE STORIES: Previous editions of “Flying Over Adversity”

The homebuilt community is also part of the aviation family—and I’m looking forward to meeting more of them. The empennage of “The Impossible Airplane” arrives at the end of this month. The Impossible Airplane will be a Van’s Aircraft RV-10 modified to be flown with just feet in the left seat. The whole goal is to add another way to inspire more people. 

If all goes according to plan, many will be inspired to take up aviation. But I’m not a CFI. I’m not a DME either. And I don’t work for ATC. I’ll be relying on you, dear reader, to help.

The aviation family is one of those things that makes flying so unique. Let’s keep it going! When you hear that someone wants to learn to fly, don’t shoot them down with the price tag—offer to help them find a scholarship. Don’t let another year go by without flying a Young Eagle. Who needs help with the fly-in a few airports away?

A family that flies together, stays together. Let’s make sure we never stop flying together as a community, as people with a common interest, and as a family.

I thank you for being that family for me.

The post The Aviation Family Keeps Getting Stronger appeared first on FLYING Magazine.