Sat.Sep 21, 2024

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This merger could lead to major industry changes

Simple Flying

In an industry like commercial passenger aviation, where there are only a handful of carriers that control the vast majority of the market, the entrance or exit of any individual player is fascinating to explore. More interesting, however, are mergers and acquisitions, which not only involve one company leaving the market but another growing in size, allowing their market presence to become significantly more powerful.

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Weekly Review: September 21, 2024

One Mile at a Time

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! I’m in the middle of a review trip, which has been fun and exhausting, as usual. Stay tuned for more. On the points & travel front, this week Delta announced new seasonal routes to Europe, Alaska completed its takeover of Hawaiian, JetBlue outlined plans to introduce lounges and a premium credit card, Scandinavian Airlines revealed plans to add business class within Europe, and more.

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Trending Sources

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Boom Supersonic's XB-1 Completes 4th Test Flight

Simple Flying

Boom Supersonic conducted today a fourth and successful Boom XB-1 test flight, this time reaching an altitude of 16,150 feet and a speed of Mach 0.617 (about 313 knots equivalent airspeed) during tests for flutter, g-forces, handling, and landing gear. The proof-of-concept XB-1 is helping educate Boom Supersonic on how to build and test supersonic aircraft in the lead-up to building Boom Overture.

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Delta 737-800 First Class: Ancient Yuckiness

One Mile at a Time

Yesterday I shared my experience flying Delta’s Airbus A350 business class from Santiago to Atlanta. It’s probably the best business class offered by a US airline. Well, from Atlanta I connected to Mexico City on a Delta Boeing 737-800 business class, and this flight was basically the opposite extreme. Delta’s 737-800 cabins make me dream of American Historically, Delta has been known for flying older aircraft, but maintaining the cabins well, and making them feel new (just see my recent review

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Which airlines have ordered the Airbus A321XLR?

Simple Flying

The Airbus A321XLR is just two months away from its entry into service, with Iberia tagged as the launch customer and tentatively scheduling its first A321XLR flights for mid-November. Airbus, describing how the development of the A321XLR is approaching the finish line , confirmed that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had certified the aircraft , approving the type to operate commercial flights with the CFM International LEAP-1A engine, with certification of the PW1100G-powered A

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My Worst Hotel Room View, Ever

One Mile at a Time

As any frequent traveler knows, not all hotel room views are created equal. Sometimes you’re charmed with a view that makes you not want to leave the room, while other times you get a room with a view that makes you want to leave the room immediately. My stay last night fit in the latter category. Swing & a miss on a Hilton Diamond upgrade I spent last night at the Hilton Mexico City Airport.

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Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330-200 Lands In Portland After Passenger's iPad Battery Catches Fire

Simple Flying

A Hawaiian Airlines aircraft had to perform an emergency landing at Portland Airport after an iPad onboard the aircraft caught fire. The flight was met with emergency responders at the airport, where the device was identified and safely removed from the aircraft.

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Why The US Air Force Keeps Coming Up Short On Pilots

Simple Flying

Presently, the U.S. Air Force is facing a shortage of pilots, there are numerous reasons for this shortage. This issue comes up against the backdrop of increasing competition and hostility between the U.S. and China; a country that is rapidly modernizing and increasing the size of its military, aiming for regional domination and global power projection.

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Pilot Released By Papuan Rebels After 19 Months

AV Web

The family of a New Zealand pilot kidnapped 19 months ago have issued a statement thanking the Papuan rebels who snatched him for not killing him. Phillip Mehrtens was released by the West Papua National Liberation Army on Saturday. He told reporters there he was “very happy” to be going home but his family went a step further. In a statement thanking New Zealand, Indonesian and Papuan authorities for their role in freeing Merhtens, the family praised rebel leader Ekianus Kogoya and

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How To Fly On A British Airways A380 This Winter Using Points And Miles

Simple Flying

The Airbus A380 is a great aircraft and is always a popular choice for flying. Although no US-based airlines operate the type, British Airways flies several routes between the UK and the US using the A380. This winter, these include Miami, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

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Return to Cambridge KCGE

Gary's Flight Journal

We heard that the restaurant at Cambridge MD - KCGE has reopened. The new Carol's Kitchen opened on 9/11 so Mary and I decided to make the hop and try it out. Mary hasn't been in the plane since the Wilkes-Barre trip in June. I've been up in the air once more then my bride with a coastline tour in August. We waited for the low clouds to lift then made our way to the airport.

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Iconic Jet: Why The Gulfstream G550 Stands Out From The Crowd

Simple Flying

The Gulfstream G550 is one of the most iconic private jets ever created, synonymous with luxury, performance, and reliability. From CEOs to world leaders, the G550 is favored by those seeking unparalleled long-distance travel capabilities combined with luxurious interiors and state-of-the-art technology.

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Cadet Air Corps Museum AT-10 Restoration Report – Winter 2024

Vintage Aviation News

Periodically, we have presented reports from Chuck Cravens detailing the restoration of an ultra-rare Beechcraft AT-10 Wichita WWII advanced, multi-engine trainer. As mentioned in previous articles , the project belongs to the Cadet Air Corps Museum and comprises the remains of several airframes, but is primarily focused upon Wichita 41-27322. The restoration is taking place at world-renowned AirCorps Aviation in Bemidji, Minnesota, and here is their latest update on progress with the Wichita as

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Examined: The Top Airline At Each of London's 6 Airports By Seat Availability

Simple Flying

In the aviation industry, several metrics are used to analyze airline offerings. Whether it be the number of flights, number of seats, or seat miles. London has six major commercial airports, and according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, there are more than 215 million seats available on flights to and from those airports.

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Jewish Delta Flight Attendant Sues Over Ham Sandwich, Yom Kippur

One Mile at a Time

A Delta flight attendant has filed a lawsuit against the airline, alleging antisemitism (thanks to Justin for flagging this). This is an interesting case, because I can’t help but think that maybe this person just has unrealistic expectations about their employment. Flight attendant accuses Delta of antisemitism Sasi Sheva is a 44-year-old Israeli from Encino, California, who has worked as a flight attendant at Delta since 2022.

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5 Delta SkyMiles Deals For the Fall

Simple Flying

Atlanta-based legacy carrier Delta Air Lines (DAL) offers an expansive loyalty program, which allows recurrent passengers and those who hold cobranded credit cards to rack up award miles that can be used to book free flights. This program, SkyMiles, is among the most popular in North America, and, as a result, good award deals can be hard to find and the company will charge a premium for these kinds of flights.

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eVTOL SFAR Expected In October

AV Web

The FAA’s long awaited rules governing the operation of eVTOL (powered-lift) aircraft will be released in October, a couple of months ahead of the date mandated by Congress according to a senior Department of Transportation official. Various outlets reported that Christopher Coes, acting undersecretary of transportation for policy for the U.S.

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United to open new lounge in Houston

Simple Flying

This week, United Airlines announced that it would continue to grow its lounge network by building on its popular grab-and-go lounge which had opened at Denver International Airport (DEN) in 2022. These grab-and-go lounges, marketed by the airline as Club Fly, aim to serve passengers who prefer to access quick complimentary food, beverages, and other amenities rather than entering a full-service lounge.

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Seaplane Operator Gets Wheels

Airline Geeks

Harbour Air, North America's largest seaplane airline, announced on Friday the launch of its first-ever wheeled flight service.

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AirAsia And Airbus ASEAN SAF Initiative As More A321neos Arrive

Simple Flying

The aviation industry is picking up the pace on sustainability, which is timely given that the commitment to net zero emissions by 2050 is rapidly coming into sharper focus. AirAsia and Airbus are solidly in lockstep on reaching that goal, and last week, the two announced a new partnership to advance research into sustainability initiatives in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.

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Meal-Borne Mouse Forces Diversion

AV Web

Although the ick factor probably justified it, the surprise appearance of a mouse in a passenger meal on a Scandinavian Airlines flight last week forced an emergency landing for a more practical reason. The wire chewing rodent posed a legitimate threat to the safety of the flight so the passengers spent some time in Copenhagen before continuing to Malaga, Spain from Oslo.

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Unique Way To Fly: 4 Popular Kit Aircraft

Simple Flying

The general aviation industry is a large market for various types of aircraft. This industry typically includes single-engine trainer aircraft, such as the popular Cessna 172 Skyhawk, the Piper Archer, the Beechcraft Bonanza, and the Cirrus SR22.

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Machinists Union Head Joins Boeing Strike Lines Across Pacific Northwest

Airline Geeks

IAM President Brian Bryant calls furlough announcement by upper management ‘smoke and mirrors.

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These routes regularly see widebody service

Simple Flying

There are multiple reasons why legacy airlines might choose to operate widebody aircraft on domestic routes, but not for the reason you might immediately think. Most may believe that the use of widebody jets primarily serves to increase capacity on high-demand routes between their hub airports, which is, at least in some capacity, partially correct.

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Better Braking

Plane and Pilot

On my first flight lesson in 1994, my instructor guided me through the preflight process, and then we started the engine. “It’s going to be different from driving a car,” he said. My response was a blank facial expression. I was too young to drive a car. We both had a good chuckle, then we lurched out of the parking spot as I tested the toe brakes for the first time and began to waddle our way to the runway in the mighty Cessna 150.

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Heavy Fog Prompts Flight Diversions At Portland International Jetport

Simple Flying

On Thursday night, Portland International Jetport (PWM) experienced heavy fog in its vicinity, which resulted in multiple diversions, flight cancellations, and delays. The diversions severely inconvenienced passengers who were left stranded. The fog persisted throughout the night and impacted flight operations on Friday morning as well.

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Better Braking

Plane and Pilot

On my first flight lesson in 1994, my instructor guided me through the preflight process, and then we started the engine. “It’s going to be different from driving a car,” he said. My response was a blank facial expression. I was too young to drive a car. We both had a good chuckle, then we lurched out of the parking spot as I tested the toe brakes for the first time and began to waddle our way to the runway in the mighty Cessna 150.

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Turkish Airlines Set For Santiago And Secures Sustainability Loan For 2 Airbus A321neos

Simple Flying

Turkish Airlines already flies to more than 350 destinations, more than any other carrier, so it must be increasingly difficult to find where it can profitably operate its fleet of more than 450 aircraft. The airline has won awards for its innovative financing methods and has now secured its first sustainability-linked loan for two Airbus A321neos.

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Kortokrax, Olshock LOI’s (CFI/student currency) Rescinded

Ask a Flight Instructor

While going through Chief Counsel interpretations today, I discovered three Memorandums published Aug 16, 2024 dealing with the question of CFI and student currency when flying together. The memorandums stated that the LOI’s for Kortokrax, Olshock, and Schaffner were rescinded on July 23, 2023. I just wanted to share the information. I’m not going to link them here, they’re easily found on the Chief Counsel interpretations website.

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Why Do Passengers Need To Get To The Airport Early & Observe Boarding Times Even When Flights Are Late?

Simple Flying

How early one needs to get to the airport before departure depends on whether one is on a domestic or an International Flight. It has been a staple view that one needs to arrive at the airport three hours before departure if you are scheduled for an international flight. For Domestic Flights , one should arrive two hours prior to departure, though people wonder if we should arrive at the airport so early.

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Flight Test Files: B-47A Stratojet

Vintage Aviation News

The “Flight Test Files” series of articles explores the aircraft used by the Dryden Flight Research Center over the years in its pursuit of aeronautical advancements. Since the 1940s, the Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, CA, has built a unique and specialized capability for conducting flight research programs. This organization, composed of pilots, scientists, engineers, technicians, mechanics, and administrative professionals, has been and continues to be a leader in the fi

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Philadelphia Ranks Worst For Passenger Satisfaction In Large Airport Category

Simple Flying

Philadelphia International Airport ranked lowest in the "large airport" category in a recent study of North American airports. The study involved an extensive sample size of over 26,000 passengers who participated in the survey over the course of the year.

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Tales From The A-6 Intruder Cockpit: AGM-84 Harpoon vs Libyan Patrol Craft

The Aviationist

Operation Prairie Fire: The First Use of Harpoon Missiles In Combat by U.S. Navy A-6 Intruders Operation Prairie Fire, launched in March 1986, was a response by the U.S. Navy to hostile actions from Libyan [.] The post Tales From The A-6 Intruder Cockpit: AGM-84 Harpoon vs Libyan Patrol Craft appeared first on The Aviationist.

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The Last Machinist Strike: What Happened When Boeing's Unions Walked Out In 2008?

Simple Flying

With the second consecutive contract negotiation between Boeing and its employees, the latter party has decided to strike following the failure to come to an agreement over a new contract.

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Who Is In Your Right Seat?

AV Web

It was time for our weekly lunch meeting of the local aviation mafia, and we were all at the sandwich shop around the corner from the airport. Our group included yours truly and three guys I had known for years from our shared flying experiences. Once the food had been ordered, delivered, and eaten, we settled into our seats around our usual table in the back.

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What Is The Difference Between An Airline Base And A Hub?

Simple Flying

If you live in Europe, you might have heard of airlines such as Wizz Air and Ryanair establishing 'bases' across the continent, with the figure in the dozens. However, some of these bases may have just one or two planes, along with a handful of staff, very different from what you usually see with legacy airlines at their major operating 'hubs'.

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A first look at the Heart Aerospace X1 demonstrator aircraft

All Plane

One of the most exciting projects right now in the world in the field of electric and hybrid-electric aviation is Heart Aerospace. The Swedish startup has garnered interest from a rather impressive roster of investors and partners, including some major airlines such as United Airlines, Air Canada and SAS. So, now is time to move onto the decisive stages: flight testing and getting the aircraft certified.