Gilly Bachelor has shared her experience and told other passengers to be aware of the rules
Gilly Bachelor is an experienced flier and travel agency owner(Image: Jam Press)
A Ryanair passenger has shared her story after getting a fine over her suitcase. Gilly Bachelor said she was heading from Birmingham Airport to Malaga in Spain when her travel plans suddenly became £75 more expensive. The travel agency owner said she was boarding the plan when staff put her cabin bag into the baggage sizer.
The 55 year old claimed it was just her bag’s wheels poking out of the sizer, but alleged she was told it would cost her £75 to bring the bag on board on top of the £125 she had already reportedly paid for priority tickets and two cabin bag options.
She said: “I’ve taken that bag on lots of flights with no problem, just not Ryanair. As we were boarding, a gentleman was checking all the bags.
“They put it in the sizer, and the issue was with the wheels, and that it was slightly too wide. I travel a lot myself, so I’m usually pretty relaxed, and clearly this caught me out this time.”
The Cannock resident described the episode as “stressful”, but claimed she wasn’t the only one facing this issue on her flight. She claimed at least 20 people on her aircraft were pulled aside and fined as a member of staff checked every bag in the sizer as passengers boarded.
She added: “Ryanair is a very low-cost airline, so they operate to tight margins and will generate extra revenue wherever they can.”
Ryanair guidances notes: “Our overhead lockers can only fit 100 bags so we measure bags at the gate to make sure you are bringing the right size bag in order for us to make sure we can get all 100 bags on board.”
Gilly continued: “Ryanair gets a lot of criticism, but the rules are clear and easy to follow.
“I used them outbound because the timing worked, but flew home with easyJet and my bag was fully compliant, as it would have been with Jet2.”
The travel expert urged people to double check the regulations with the specific airline they’re using to avoid finding themselves in a predicament. She said: “My advice is to check the size rules carefully and invest in a compliant bag. It’s much less stressful than being caught at the gate and paying a fine.”
People who are scared of flying have been issued a message from a pilot with years of experience as he made an announcement in a video on social media addressing the “common” problem
Christine Younan Deputy Editor Social Newsdesk
12:01, 10 Jan 2026Updated 12:20, 10 Jan 2026
The pilot revealed his take on flying with fear(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Scared of flying? If the answer is yes, you are certainly not alone. In the UK, statistics estimate around 1 in 4 people (25%) experience some fear of flying, ranging from mild anxiety to severe aviophobia.
With numerous surveys indicating about 10% of people have intense fear, one pilot has issued an important message to those who worry about flying. In a post on Instagram, where he boasts 394,000 followers, the pilot shared a clip which read the words: “I’m not afraid of flying, I’m afraid of feeling trapped on the plane… If you think that, you need to know.”
He claimed many people feel anxious on a plane, but it has nothing to do with flying itself, but more the sensation of “being trapped”.
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The pilot continued: “That feeling is very common, and it’s important to understand where it comes from. There is something important you need to know.
“On an airplane, you are not immobilised. When the seatbelt sign is off, you can stand up, go to the bathroom, stretch or walk a few steps down the aisle.
“Moving your body reduces that feeling of confinement, much more than people expect. Even small movements help your nervous system understand that you still have freedom to move.”
He claimed the cabin air is constantly renewed and the pressure is controlled at all times, so there’s no need to worry about “running out of air”.
However, if the anxiety continues, he urged: “You don’t have to handle it alone, you can talk to the cabin crew, ask for water, or explain how you’re feeling. That support helps more than you might imagine.”
Meanwhile in the caption, he concluded: “That trapped feeling doesn’t mean danger, it means your nervous system wants control. Even though your body urges you to escape, you are safe and supported the entire flight.
“Learning how to calm your breathing and shift your focus can reduce that panic and help you feel more in control in the air.”
How to get over the fear of flying:
Educate yourself: Learn more about flight safety then it should minimise your own fears.
Relaxation techniques: Try deep breathing or any distraction methods, whether it’s watching a movie or listening to music.
Get help: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can assist you with your fears by talking about it.
Medication: A doctor might prescribe anti-anxiety meds for occasional use or regular treatment.
Talk to the crew: Let flight attendants know you’re nervous as they can offer reassurance.
The method has has been praised by some but others say it’s a really bad idea
Maria Ortega and Robert Rowlands Deputy editor, Money and lifestyle hub
14:21, 09 Jan 2026
A technique is being shared over how to get the seat you want when flying – but not everyone is keen on it
A controversial technique to avoid getting a seat you do not want has been criticised by a number of passengers. Many airlines charge more for seat selection on the plane – or automatically put you in a middle seat.
However, according to one travel specialist, there is a method that can stop the system from giving you a middle seat. And they say it comes without paying anything on top.
Jorden Tually explained the technique in a video on his TikTok account (@jordentually). He said low-cost airlines often automatically assign middle seats to those who select “random seat allocation”.
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He says that this encourages passengers to pay for a window or aisle seat. Yet he argues that there is a technique that can help here – although it has been criticised by some online.
He says the method stops the airline’s system from automatically assigning you a middle seat. First up, he said he looks at how many seats of this type are still available on the flight when checking in.
In a test of the method, he said he found a total of 10 middle seats available on a flight. He said the next step is to simulate the purchase of that number of tickets.
“I go straight to the website and pretend to buy 10 more middle seats,” he said. He said when doing this, he enters the name of each made-up passenger.
You can just put in ‘a bunch of letters in there,’ he said. Then, in the seat assignment, he selects all the middle seats or those he wants to avoid and clicks ‘continue’.
He said ‘the system is going to hold those seats for about 10 to 15 minutes.’ This is the amount of time users will have to actually check in and get a better seat.
When passengers select ‘random seat allocation,’ the system will not be able to assign the seats it has previously blocked. He said: ‘It only took me two minutes, and now I have a window seat. It has never failed me and is 100% successful when done correctly.”
He advises completing the process from a computer and says it is more effective if done as close to the check-in date as possible, as there are fewer seats available.
But while some praised the technique, others pointed out the obvious consequences it would have. One commenter online said: “OMG, the self-entitled brigade again. If this does work, everyone will now try it, freezing up loads of seats and could stop genuine people wanting to book that flight, all because you think you deserve a better seat than those who have paid.”
Others criticised the idea and said it would lead to prices going up where dynamic pricing is used, which sees prices fluctuate according to demand. One person commented on the YouTube post put up late last month to say: “Don’t you know about airlines’ dynamic pricing??” Yet another echoed this, saying: “Damn, that will spike up cost by 10-20%”
Another person said: “Now you delayed your flight 10 minutes while they wait for the computer queue to clear so other passengers can select their seats.” A further commenter agreed, saying: “This is not a good hack, cause your ticket costs more when the system thinks it’s fully booked.”
Another added: “Congrats. Due to dynamic pricing, you’ve just raised the price of your ticket by 50%”
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Over the past week or so, U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones have been spotted carrying increasingly greater numbers of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles on sorties from Puerto Rico. This includes at least one Reaper seen armed with 10 Hellfires, a loadout that does not previously appear to have been disclosed as being an option for these drones. This all now comes amid reports that it was the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that recently carried out a first-of-its-kind covert strike on a target in Venezuela using an unspecified drone.
The unusually large Hellfire loads are the latest in a series of changes in U.S. force posture in the region that go well beyond simply bolstering support to the U.S. military’s ostensibly expanded counter-drug operations. Readers can first get up to speed on this and other recent developments in the Caribbean in our recent reporting here.
An MQ-9 Reaper recently seen at Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla in Puerto Rico. Michael Bonet
CNNwas first to report yesterday that a CIA-directed drone strike targeted what has been described as a “port facility” and a “dock” somewhere along Venezuela’s coast sometime earlier this month, citing anonymous sources. The site is said to have been used by the Tren de Aragua criminal organization, which the U.S. government designated as a terrorist organization earlier this year, to smuggle drugs. The New York Timeshas also now reported that the CIA led this operation, per its own unnamed sources. TWZhas previously highlighted ports and other logistical nodes as among the likely first rungs in a kinetic escalation ladder for operations inside Venezuela.
President Donald Trump had first mentioned the strike publicly in a phone call with WABC radio in New York last Friday. He brought it up again while speaking to the press yesterday alongside visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The President did not say in either case who had carried out the mission. Back in October, Trump said he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela.
When it comes to U.S. MQ-9s in the region, Reapers have been operating from Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla in Puerto Rico since September. They have generally been seen carrying between two and four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles at a time, as well as range-extending fuel tanks and pods, the latter of which we will come back to later on. This is a very typical combat loadout that has been seen on Reapers operating globally in the past.
New publicly available images show that nine USAF MQ-9As have flown/are flying out of Aguadilla (BQN/TJBQ) 🇵🇷 in support of ongoing counternarcotics ops in the Caribbean.
However, between December 21 and December 24, MQ-9s started being seen flying from Aguadilla armed with six, eight, and then a whopping 10 AGM-114s. Local spotter Michael Bonet has shared some images of Reapers operating from the airport with larger Hellfire loadouts, seen earlier in this story and below, directly with TWZ.
An MQ-9, still carrying a significant number of Hellfire missiles, seen recently coming into land at Rafael Hernandez Airport. Michael Bonet
At least as of 2021, the Air Force had said its Reapers could carry no more than eight Hellfires at once. The MQ-9 can also carry a variety of other munitions, including 500-pound-class Paveway and Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) series precision-guided bombs. Only Hellfires have been seen so far on Reapers in Puerto Rico.
The growing loadouts seen on Puerto Rico-based Reapers have also necessitated the use of four-rail launchers. TWZ has so far been unable to find any past imagery of U.S. MQ-9s flying with these quad-launchers. They are commonly seen on U.S. Army AH-64 Apache and U.S. Marine Corps’ AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters, as well as the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R and MH-60S Seahawks. It is worth noting that General Atomics, the MQ-9’s manufacturer, has touted the ability of its Mojave drone to carry loads of up to 16 Hellfires using the four-rail launchers.
An MQ-9 Reaper seen last week after returning to Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla in Puerto Rico. This particular drone is seen configured to carry up to eight AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, including on a four-rail launcher under its left wing. However, some of the launch rails look to be empty. Michael BonetA stock picture showing a pair of Hellfire missiles on a four-rail launcher under the stub wing of a US Army Apache attack helicopter. US ArmyA stock picture showing two-rail Hellfire launchers under the wing of an MQ-9. USAF
Many of the MQ-9s with the larger AGM-114 loads have also been seen carrying a still-unidentified pod. The pod first emerged following the loss of two U.S. Reapers in what was said to have been a mid-air collision over Syria in 2020.
The mysterious pod has since been observed on MQ-9s operating in Romania, Japan, and South Korea. It is typically seen on Reapers that are also fitted with a very large ventral blade antenna under the rear of the fuselage. The pod’s exact purpose remains unconfirmed, but it is assumed to contain additional sensors and/or communications relay and data-sharing capabilities, as you can read more about here.
An MQ-9 Reaper seen at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea in November 2025. The still-unidentified pod is seen under its wing. This drone also has the large ventral blade antenna fitted. USAF
Why Reapers have begun flying more heavily armed missions from Aguadilla recently is unknown, but the loadouts are at odds with the scope and scale of the existing campaign of strikes on small boats in the region. Between September 2 and December 29, the U.S. military is known to have attacked 31 vessels in the Caribbean Sea, as well as the Eastern Pacific Ocean. This averages out to one strike every four days, a general tempo that does not point to an immediate need for more ordnance per sortie. At least a portion of these missions have been carried out by AC-130J gunships, as well. Questions about the legality of these operations and the underlying intelligence behind them also continue to be very hot topics of debate.
On Dec. 29, at the direction of @SecWar Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations in international waters. Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known… pic.twitter.com/69ywxXk30N
There is also now Trump’s disclosure of at least one covert action against a target inside Venezuela proper. To be clear, much about that operation, including exactly what the target was and what type of drone may have been used to strike it, remains murky.
The CIA is understood to operate a fleet of MQ-9s capable of flying armed missions. Earlier this year, reports said that the Agency’s Reapers had also been flying unarmed sorties over Mexico to snoop on drug cartels. At the same time, Reapers are not the only drones that the CIA has access to. Depending on the exact location and nature of the target, the attack could have been more localized and involved shorter-range armed uncrewed aerial systems, including ones under the control of individuals operating covertly inside the country, but this seems less likely to have been the case.
The aforementioned descriptions of the target in Venezuela as being a “port facility” and a “dock” would seem to point to something of substantial size. This, in turn, could well have necessitated the employment of a relatively large amount of ordnance, such as what we’ve recently been seeing on Puerto Rico-based MQ-9s, to ensure adequate destruction.
It is also worth noting here that there have long been strong indications of some form of overlap in both ownership and operational control of drones, including MQ-9s, between the CIA and the U.S. military’s secretive Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), as well as the U.S. Air Force. JSOC has been directly involved in at least some of the strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean since September. In response to CNN‘s report, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), to which JSOC is technically assigned, did notably send that outlet an on-the-record statement denying any involvement in the recent strike in Venezuela.
More clandestine assets could still have been used instead, but there also would have been no real need to do so if something like a Reaper could have accomplished the job with a reasonable level of survivability. The strike on the target in Venezuela, which did not prompt any kind of immediate response on the part of Venezuelan authorities, at least that we know of, raises additional questions about the effectiveness of the country’s air defenses. Whether or not any standoff electronic warfare support, of which there is plenty in the region currently in the form of Navy EA-18 Growler jets and at least one Air Force EC-130H Compass Call plane, was utilized during the operation is unknown, but this seems likely to have been the case. As TWZhas explored in detail in the past, Venezuela’s air defense capabilities are limited, but could certainly present real threats.
A video posted to social media yesterday (20 Dec) shows the arrival of a USAF EC-130H at Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport (SJU/TJSJ) in Puerto Rico.
There are only a few EC-130Hs left in USAF inventory.
As already noted, it is not otherwise clear what new mission requirements and/or intelligence streams may have fueled the decision to begin arming MQ-9s flying from Puerto Rico with the significantly larger loads of Hellfires. The need to respond to drug cartels sending out larger waves of boats in order to survive, or to provide armed overwatch due to concerns about surface threats from small boats, are possibilities, but there are no indications so far of either of these being the case.
As a general point, taking direct action against a target in Venezuela does mark another significant escalation, regardless of how it was carried out. The full extent of plans now for this covert campaign, and whether it might be intended as a prelude to overt action, remain to be seen.
At the same time, the expanding Hellfire loads on Air Force MQ-9s flying from Puerto Rico add to the growing evidence that U.S. operations in the region, and with respect to Venezuela, specifically, are entering a major new phase.
Special thanks again to Michael Bonet for sharing his pictures of MQ-9 Reapers operating recently from Rafael Hernandez Airport with us.
Airports outside London are set to be ‘most extreme’ as they face ‘unprecedented’ rises
Many of the UK’s airports are set to be affected(Image: NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Air travellers are being urged to prepare for soaring ticket prices as regional airports throughout the UK brace for “unprecedented” property tax increases next year. An examination of official Government figures for the Press Association has shown that regional airports are among those confronting the sharpest business rates rises of any industry in the UK during a comprehensive overhaul of property assessments that determine the levy.
While London’s Heathrow and Gatwick are also being hammered with staggering business rates increases, the data reveals that the most severe cases are concentrated beyond London, with regional airports poised to bear the brunt. Global tax consultancy Ryan’s analysis of Valuation Office Agency (VOA) figures discovered that rateable values have rocketed more than six times over in certain instances during the latest property reassessment, causing tax demands to skyrocket.
Despite so-called transitional relief, which caps rises at 30% next year, regional airports will still face some of the most substantial cash hikes nationwide. The majority of airports will witness their bills more than treble over the coming three years.
Manchester Airport stands among the hardest hit, with its business rates demand poised to leap by £4.2 million to £18.1 million next year, Ryan’s figures show. Bristol Airport will experience a £1.2 million jump to £5.2 million, whilst Birmingham International Airport anticipates a £1.8 million surge to £7.6 million.
Newcastle International Airport faces a £244,755 rise to £1.1 million. Alex Probyn, who leads property tax practice for Europe and Asia-Pacific at Ryan, said: “With an unprecedented 295% sector-wide uplift, regional airports simply cannot absorb a cost shock of this magnitude. These increases will inevitably flow through the system: first into airport charges, then into airline costs, and ultimately into ticket prices.”
Airport operators have raised concerns that this tax hike could stifle investment in the sector.
A spokesperson from Manchester Airports Group said: “Airports were already some of the highest rates-payers in the country and were prepared to pay significantly more. But increases of more than 100% mean we have to look again at our plans to invest more than £2 billion in our airports across the UK over the next five years.
“It is inevitable air travel will become more expensive as the industry absorbs these costs. That impacts hard-working people throughout the country and makes global trade harder for businesses.”
AirportsUK, the trade group representing the sector, is formulating a response to the Treasury’s consultation on the business rates plan, which concludes in February. It criticised the plans as “short-sighted” and warned they will “have a knock-on effect for the businesses that depend on airport connectivity in all areas of England”. This threatens to “negatively impacting local economies that depend on the supply chains, tourists and connections their airports provide”, the organisation warned.
The group emphasised the significance of government intervention: “That is why the long-term review into how airport business rates are calculated, also announced by Government, is so important and we will engage with Treasury to ensure this delivers the positive outcome airports need to drive investment and economic growth.”
Additional regional airports bracing for colossal rate hikes include Liverpool Airport facing a £233,100 surge to £1 million, East Midlands International Airport confronting a £437,895 leap to £1.9 million and Bournemouth Airport dealing with a £102,398 jump to £443,723.
Tips for flying with a toddler that I actually found useful as a first-time mum – The Mirror
Need to know
There are so many tips for flying with a toddler out there so when I took my toddler on our first solo flight together I listened – here are the ones that I actually found useful
Some tips from fellow parents came in handy(Image: Getty Images/Cavan Images RF)
Useful tips for flying with a toddler
As a first-time mum, the idea of flying with my toddler for the first time was quite daunting – but a few travel tips from fellow parents were absolute game changers.
Invest in a travel pram: If you’re going to be travelling regularly, a pram that can easily be unfolded one-handed or zip through narrow airport queues etc makes all the difference. I had the Stokke YOYO which was brilliant as it was easy to manoeuvre, not to mention it didn’t take long when airport security needed to scan it. Most airlines let you take the pram up to the gate, but as I was solo parenting, I decided to pay extra to have it in the cabin on my easyJet flight, a choice which proved handy when we landed and my son just wanted to run off in every direction.
Lean on cabin crew if you need to: I was so worried that I’d be an annoying passenger, but crew were actually really helpful in helping me put my pram in the overhead lockers, and assisting with explaining how the baby’s extender belt worked. The most stressful part for me was boarding/getting off the plane, and asking for help was daunting but staff were more than happy to accommodate (I suspect because it then made the process smoother as I wasn’t blocking other passengers).
Distraction is key: Pack fidget toys and snacks, as well as toys that can be ‘stuck’ to the tray table and not hurled across the aisle. One fellow mum told me to remember that the airport/plane is an exciting and stimulating place for toddlers – so I leant on that too, and it turned out that the highlight of my toddler’s flight was intently staring at the safety card in the plane seat!
Ears popping: A tricky one here as it depends on your child, but I had come prepared with a bottle of milk and a sippy cup, which I encouraged him to drink during take-off and landing to help ease the sensation.
Don’t stress about other passengers: This was easily the best advice I was given. I was so conscious of getting in the way/my child being loud/trying to stop him disturbing others. The reality is that, unless you’ve got a kid who’s actively kicking someone’s chair, most passengers don’t care. In fact, a lot of people around me turned into free babysitters because they pulled faces at my child and chatted to him. I was conscious to make sure he wasn’t in their way, but most people on a flight are in their own little world anyway!
Beware the baby change: Annoyingly, in a lot of airports, baby change facilities don’t necessarily have toilets in them for adults. That meant that once I’d changed my toddler’s nappy, I then had to navigate the queue into the ladies’ toilets, and then figure out where to leave my pram and bags outside the cubicle. One mum previously suggested putting key valuables in a smaller handbag that was on my person, so at least I could leave the bulkier bags outside in the pram.
Have you got any great travel tips to share for parents? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com .
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
A 737 Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) with a luxurious VVIP interior has re-emerged unexpectedly tied to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as evidenced by a large departmental seal in the main cabin. The aircraft’s appearance follows news that DHS recently signed a contract to buy six 737s, ostensibly to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) deportation efforts. However, the BBJ, which also wears a paint scheme that is very similar to one President Donald Trump had previously selected for the U.S. Air Force’s two future VC-25B presidential aircraft, looks to have a very different role.
The 737 BBJ in question, a 737-8 model, currently has the U.S. civil registration number N471US. The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) public database shows the jet has been registered with that number to a company called Valkyrie Aviation Holding Group, LLC, since October. The address given for Valkyrie in the database is an office in Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.
As seen in pictures at the top of this story and below, which were taken this past weekend at Washington’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, N471US currently has a red, white, and blue livery. “United States of America” is written prominently in large lettering on either side of the forward fuselage. “Independence” is also written in much smaller font on both sides of the fuselage, right under the cockpit, a spot where aircraft nicknames are often printed. A large American flag, depicted blowing in the wind, is featured on both sides of the tail.
As noted already, a relatively large DHS seal fitted to a bulkhead inside the cabin is visible through an open door in one picture. The jet’s exact internal configuration at present is unknown, something we will come back to later on.
As mentioned, N471US’s general external look is very much in line with what President Donald Trump had picked for the pair of forthcoming Boeing 747-8i-based VC-25B Air Force One aircraft during his first term. President Joe Biden subsequently reversed that decision, bringing back plans to paint those jets in the same iconic, Kennedy-era livery as the current VC-25A Air Force Ones. In August, the Air Force told Inside Defense it was “implementing a new livery requirement for VC-25B,” but did not elaborate.
A rendering of a VC-25B with the livery President Trump had selected. BoeingA rendering of a VC-25B wearing the same paint scheme as the current VC-25A Air Force One aircraft. USAF
Almost as quickly as it emerged at National Airport in D.C., N471US departed for points overseas, according to online flight tracking data. The jet arrived in Jordan’s capital Amman yesterday, having made at least one stop at Chania International Airport on the Greek island of Crete along the way. Chania International Airport also serves as an important hub for U.S. military forces operating in Europe and the Middle East, with facilities there under the oversight of the U.S. Navy’s Naval Support Activity Souda Bay.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s lone C-37B, a version of the Gulfstream G550 business jet, also departed from National Airport in D.C. on December 14 and arrived in Amman yesterday after stopping in Chania. That aircraft had arrived in both locations just ahead of N471US, lending credence to a direct connection between the two flights, and underscoring the 737 BBJ’s links to DHS.
Interesting flights to Jordan: a Dept of Homeland Security 737 landing Amman from DC (n471us), shortly after a CoastGuard glf5 (c102) from DC as well pic.twitter.com/yCpgICUjlM
The Coast Guard currently falls under the purview of DHS. The service’s C-37B, also known as a Long Range Command and Control Aircraft (LRCCA), is regularly used as a VIP transport for the Secretary of Homeland Security and other senior departmental leaders, as well as top Coast Guard leadership. The LRCCA is based at Coast Guard Air Station Washington, which is collocated with National Airport.
A stock picture of the US Coast Guard’s C-37B LRCCA jet. Missy Mimlitsch/USCG
Flight tracking data shows N471US left Amman today and flew to Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Coast Guard’s C-37B also made the same trip. Who has been flying on either aircraft since they left D.C. on Sunday, and why, is unknown. TWZ reached out to DHS yesterday morning for more information about N471US, but we have not yet received a response. We have also reached out to the White House.
A screen capture from ADS-B exchange showing N471US’s flight from Amman to Abu Dhabi today. ADS-B Exchange capture
N471US itself, which has the Boeing manufacturer serial number 61329, is a known quantity. The jet, which has been flying since July 2021, is curiously still listed for sale on Avjet Global’s website at the time of writing. Avjet’s site and an accompanying brochure show the plane in a previous taupe-over-brown paint scheme. It is also described as having “low hours with 672 TT [hours total time]” and “154 landings.”
Avjet’s brochure says the jet has a “5 zone VVIP cabin configuration” designed to accommodate 17 passengers. Accompanying pictures show an extremely luxurious interior layout that includes two suites with full-size beds and a master bathroom with a shower stall, among many other amenities. Whether any changes have since been made to the aircraft’s internal configuration is unknown, but there are no indications that it has. It would be expensive and time-consuming to make major changes to the core internal layout. Doing so would also call into question the basic rationale for any buyer to select this particular low-time VIP aircraft rather than a 737 in a more basic configuration, to begin with.
A picture of the 737 BBJ in its previous paint scheme. Avjet GlobalA quartet of pictures offering a sense of the luxurious interior of the 737 BBJ, at least as it was being offered for sale. Avjet GlobalA full breakdown of the jet’s VVIP interior layout. Avjet Global
The jet was not tracked again until October 31, when it flew with the N471US registration number from Ardmore to Chennault International Airport in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This airport has also been tied to the maintenance and repainting of U.S. government aircraft.
N471US returned to Ardmore on November 21. The aircraft conducted multiple local flights to and from the airport on December 10, according to Flightradar24. Observers have already noted this could have been for flight testing and/or crew training purposes.
On December 12, N471US then made a circuitous trip to the Grissom Aeroplex in Peru, Indiana, by way of the St. Louis, Missouri, area, much further to the west, where it did not land. The Grissom Aeroplex is collocated with Grissom Air Reserve Base, a major hub for Air Force Reserve aerial refueling tankers. It then returned to the Washington, D.C. area on December 13, where it was spotted at National Airport.
A screen capture from ADS-B exchange showing a portion of N471US’s flight on December 12. ADS-B Exchange capture
Altgoether, there are clear signs that N471US is now flying as a VIP transport for one or more entities under the DHS umbrella, possibly as part of a contractor-owned and/or operated arrangement. The U.S. federal government as a whole has historically operated a mix of government and contractor-owned and operated aircraft to support the travel demands of senior officials.
It had emerged earlier in the year that the U.S. Coast Guard was looking to replace its older Gulfstream V-based C-37A jet, which the service has been flying since 2002. Like its C-37B, the Coast Guard also refers to its C-37A as a Long Range Command and Control Aircraft (LRCCA), and performs the same general slate of missions. The service received the C-37B second-hand from the Air Force in 2022 after a deep refurbishment.
A stock picture of the Coast Guard’s C-37A LRCCA jet. USCG
DHS subsequently confirmed plans to supplant both of the Coast Guard’s C-37s with newer Gulfstream 700-series jets modified with the requisite secure communications suite and other systems needed for their VIP mission. The total price tag for both of those aircraft has been pegged at between $170 and $200 million. DHS, and particularly Secretary Kristi Noem, has faced criticism for these plans for various reasons, including disputes over funding and for entering into the contract to buy the jets during the recent government shutdown. DHS has pushed back on that criticism, saying that acquiring newer jets is critical to meeting current and future mission requirements, and doing so safely and reliably. DHS’s top leadership does have particular demands to travel with access to specialized and secure communications, given the role the department has in larger continuity of government plans. The U.S. government has various measures in place to ensure it can continue to function in the event of any number of severe contingency scenarios, including major hostile attacks or severe natural disasters.
A stock picture of a Gulfstream 700 (G700) business jet. Gulfstream
There have been no reports previously of DHS plans to acquire a 737 to further expand its VIP transport capacity. However, DHS confirmed toThe Washington Post just last week that it had recently entered into a $140 million contract with a company called Daedalus Aviation for the purchase of six 737s to support ICE deportation activities. This followed a report from The Wall Street Journal in November that ICE attempted to buy 10 737s via Spirit Airlines for this purpose earlier in the year. That plan is said to have fallen through when it became apparent that Spirit did not actually own the aircraft in question, which also had no engines.
What connection Daedalus Aviation may or may not have to Valkyrie Aviation is unknown, but the latter company did reserve seven other N numbers (N473US, N474US, N475US, N476US, N477US, N478US, and N479US) on October 27, according to the FAA’s database. A search of entries tied to Valkyrie in the database also turns up N472US, a Gulfstream G650 business jet, which is now said to be registered to a company called Vigilant Aviation Holdings LLC with an address in Lewes, Delaware. Valkyrie also interestingly reserved N702F, the registration number previously applied to N471US, on November 13.
A screen capture of the entries in the FAA’s online database for Valkyrie Aviation Holdings Group at the time this piece was written. FAA capture
Overall, observers have already pointed out that N471US looks to have a configuration ill-suited to conducting deportation flights, just from a practical perspective, and a VIP role for that jet still seems far more likely. At the same time, rolling it in with the acquisition of a fleet of less luxurious 737s intended primarily to serve in the deportation role would not necessarily be surprising. Whatever deal DHS may have with Valkyrie could also be an entirely separate arrangement from the one it has with Daedalus. Regardless, all of this could easily fuel new criticism around DHS’s recent aviation acquisition efforts.
In the meantime, N471US is continuing its trip overseas on what looks to be its first major flight in its present role, and more details about the plane and how it is being utilized may now start to emerge. From what we’re seeing now, it certainly looks like DHS’s new 737 fleet includes at least one aircraft fully equipped as a luxurious VIP transport.
Special thanks to David Lee for sharing pictures he took of N471US at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this past weekend with us.
Editor’s Note: The feature image originally at the top of this story was swapped with another at the request of the source.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
We have got what could be our first look at China’s CH-7 stealthy flying-wing drone in flight. While it’s no longer the biggest Chinese drone of this configuration, it’s still of impressive size and, as we have noted in the past, appears to be tailored for intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance (ISR), as well as possibly a secondary strike role.
One of the first officially sanctioned images showing the CH-7 in the air. via Chinese internet
Video and stills released by Chinese state media today show the drone, for the first time, being prepared for flight, taking off, and landing. The video includes air-to-air footage of the CH-7 and, overall, the suggestion is that Beijing is making a notable effort to promote the progress of this program, especially in contrast to other, far more secretive flying wing drone programs.
It’s also notable that the CH-7 appears to have made its first flight from Pucheng Airport in Shaanxi province, which also saw the recent maiden flight of the Jiutian heavyweight jet-powered ‘mothership drone,’ which you can read more about here. The Pucheng facility is operated by the China Flight Test Establishment (CFTE), underscoring its growing importance as a drone ‘center of excellence.’
The CH-7 over Pucheng Airport in Shaanxi province. via Chinese internet
The CH-7 seen in the new imagery retains the yellow-colored coat of primer that was seen in video and stills of the drone on the ground, released by Chinese state media earlier this year. Yellow primer is frequently seen on Chinese aircraft during their test phase. The drone also has air data probes on the leading edges of the wing and nose, again consistent with it being a prototype or perhaps a pre-production machine. Overall, the CH-7 has a ‘cranked-kite’ planform, of the kind that we have seen on various other Chinese drones. There are also various measures to reduce the radar and infrared signature, including a slot-like low-observable platypus engine exhaust, with the nozzle fully concealed from most angles of view, and serrated edges on doors and panels.
Interestingly, the attachment points previously seen on the upper surfaces of the rear of the drone have been removed in the new official imagery. It seems these were used to mount vertical tail surfaces.
Unofficial imagery, captured from an observer on the ground, suggests that the CH-7 was initially flight-tested with outward-canted tailfins, presumably to ensure stability during initial sorties, or otherwise to test an alternative aerodynamic configuration.
While the identity of this drone has not been confirmed, it appears to be the CH-7, with the outward-canted tailfins fitted. via Chinese internet
Compared to the previous imagery, we now also get to see some other details of the CH-7, including a distinctive small teardrop-shaped fairing mounted below the fuselage. This enclosure is very likely an air-to-ground datalink used for line-of-sight control of the drone and is a common feature on larger drones, including the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper. This very unstealthy feature would be removed for most operational uses once the aircraft has entered service.
via Chinese internet
We now have a much better look at the series of antennas that runs in a line along the spine, flanked by two air scoops. There are also two prominent blade aerials, above and below the fuselage. Below the fuselage, immediately behind the nose landing gear, there appears to be a large radio frequency sensor aperture, and there could also be space for conformal arrays under the inner wings.
via Chinese internetvia Chinese internet
As we presumed, the previous prominent gaps inboard of the trailing-edge flaps, where the wing meets the blended body section, were a temporary configuration and have now been filled.
The latest configuration of the CH-7, with the attachment points for tailfins deleted and with the gaps removed inboard of the trailing-edge flaps. via Chinese internetvia Chinese internetThis view of the CH-7 prototype on the runway reveals the previous gaps inboard of the trailing-edge flaps. via Chinese Internet
The CH-7 was previously assumed to have an internal payload bay. That is not immediately obvious in the new imagery, but there is a suggestion of a notably long and slender bay immediately inboard of the main landing gear on the right-hand side, presumably with a similar bay on the left-hand side, too. If these are indeed for weapons, then they would be able to accommodate smaller stores only. This could point to a secondary strike role, but that seems somewhat less than likely at this point.
An underside view of the drone reveals only limited evidence of internal stores bays. via Chinese internet
The CH-7 has already gone through several different iterations since it was first revealed, as a full-scale mockup in 2018, with the design being progressively adapted. Earlier changes included a less sharply swept wing compared to at least one early model, as well as an apparent growth in overall size.
The CH-7 (or Caihong-7, meaning Rainbow-7) has been developed by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), specifically by its 11th Research Institute. A high-altitude, long-endurance drone, it is generally understood to be optimized for penetrating into or very near hostile airspace. It achieves this through a combination of a low-observable (stealth) design and flying at high altitudes, leading it to operate for extended periods of time without being successfully engaged.
via Chinese internet
Published specifications for the CH-7 include a length of 10 meters (33 feet), a maximum takeoff weight of 10,000 kilograms (22,000 pounds), a maximum speed of 926 km/h (575 mph), and an endurance of up to 15 hours. Bearing in mind the various design changes, these figures should be considered very much as provisional.
Earlier this year, Chinese state-owned media reported that the CH-7 had completed testing and was scheduled to complete development in 2024. This would imply it had also completed the flight-test program by this date, which remains possible, and the new imagery may actually date back a year or so.
via Chinese internet
Regardless of the timeline, the CH-7 is a fascinating program.
It represents one part of China’s accelerated efforts to develop low-observable, long-endurance drones, and there is a general expectation that, once in service, it will be used for both ISR and as a UCAV. Official statements from Beijing claim that, as well as bringing back critical intelligence, the CH-7 should also be able to strike strategic targets.
When it was unveiled, the CH-7 was described as a high-altitude, long-endurance stealth combat drone. Its chief designer, Shi Wen, said the aircraft would be able to “fly long hours, scout, and strike the target when necessary.”
via Chinese internetvia Chinese internet
It should be noted, however, that the latest imagery doesn’t provide definitive evidence of an extensive internal payload capacity, which might throw some doubt on the strike role, at least as a primary mission.
Even if the CH-7 ends up being exclusively an ISR platform, it remains highly relevant within China’s growing portfolio of stealthy drones, especially since it is apparently tailored to penetrate into or very near hostile airspace at high altitudes. Flying ISR missions with this profile would be especially relevant for China in a naval context, with the drone potentially roaming far out into the Pacific, monitoring the movements of enemy ships and providing targeting data for ground-based long-range missiles, for example, as well as anti-ship missiles launched from warships and bombers. Other theaters of operation in which a drone of this kind would be valuable include around the islands of the South China Sea and along the border with India.
A rear three-quarter view of the CH-7. via Chinese internet
Furthermore, it seems that the CH-7 will be offered for export. This hypothesis might also be supported by the unusually open nature of the imagery that’s been released of the drone so far.
If the CH-7 were to be offered for foreign customers, it would come with advanced capabilities that no other country is currently pitching on the arms market. It would also come without the various restrictions that limit the sale of high-end U.S. and other Western defense products.
A still from an official video showing what is purported to be a control center used for the CH-7 testing. via Chinese internet
Not only is the United States not currently able to offer for export a stealthy long-endurance surveillance drone or UCAV, but it’s also possible that no uncrewed platform of this class is even under development in that country — the still-mysterious RQ-180 may have fit in this category, but its current status is unknown. The stark contrast between the U.S. and Chinese approaches to very stealthy uncrewed aircraft for independent strike missions is something that we have addressed before in this feature of ours.
At this point, we should remember that we don’t know exactly how far the development of the CH-7 has progressed and when it might end up being ready for service with China, let alone with export customers. It remains possible that they might have to wait for a downgraded or otherwise sanitized version of the drone.
Nevertheless, the CH-7 program remains very much one to watch. Provided it fulfills its promise, it could provide China with a multirole low-observable drone family that could also be offered for export. For now, the CH-7 stands as more evidence of the huge strides that China is making in terms of drone technology, and the particular focus being placed on stealthy uncrewed aircraft.
