June saw an unprecedented number of movements of military aircraft all over Germany and the surrounding region. The reason: Exercise Air Defender 2023. More than 250 aircraft, including some 190 fighter jets, and more than 10,000 soldiers from 25 countries were on the move for two weeks.

From 3 to the 7 July, the Aeronautica Militare (AM – Italian Air Force) held its yearly SAR (Search and Rescue) training exercise. This year, the event took place at Frosinone Air Base in the Lazio region, southeast of Rome.

Air superiority depends heavily on the application of superior training and tactics. Jimmy Thach was a true pioneer of the development and application of effective aerial combat tactics.

This year’s annual convention turned out to be another record-setting year. Attendance was approximately 677,000, up from the previous record of 650,000 last year. But attendance numbers weren’t the only record.

Piper has often been often called the 'Henry Ford of aviation,’ due to his ability to make aviation more accessible to the general public.