Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

Recently, in a series of exit interviews with sources as broad as the Mitchell Institute and Wings Over the Rockies Behind the Wings Podcast, outbound United States Air Force (USAF) Secretary Frank Kendall has shared his thoughts on artificial intelligence (AI) and its use in airpower. We at Simple Flying thought wed share those thoughts with you especially as they pertain to what is AI, the limits of AI, and whats next in military aviation - such as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).

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One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 4, 2025

There are many reasons that pilots may choose to quit and pursue a different career path. Heres a reason Ive never heard of, though, as flagged by AirlineGeeks. Veteran Air France captain quits over eco-anxiety A former Air France captain named Anthony Viaux has taken to LinkedIn , to share his major career change. In a lengthy post thats written in French, he explains how a few days ago he did the craziest thing of his life, by resigning from his position as a captain at Air France.

Pilot 112

Pilot Airline Airlines 112

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is the only commercial airport serving the California capital. Opened in 1967, the airport was called Sacramento Metropolitan Airport. It was the first public use airport west of the Mississippi that had been completely built from the ground up.

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Airline Geeks

JANUARY 4, 2025

State-run Aerolineas Argentinas could be preparing for a sale after it reduced 13% of its staff and cut several domestic routes.

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Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

Now that the New Year has passed, the aviation community - professionals, enthusiasts, and travelers alike - is looking back on 2024 as quite the oddity in terms of aviation safety. Towards the tail end of the year, the world saw some of its deadliest plane crashes in years. From an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer E190 being shot down to a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash landing at an airport in South Korea.

Tail 119

Tail Airline Airlines 119

AV Web

JANUARY 4, 2025

A Tecnam P2006T was unable to maintain altitude on one engine when a flight instructor tried for a freeway landing in Larkspur, Colorado last June 16 according to a preliminary report from the NTSB. The instructor and student took off just after 6 a.m. in the four-place twin, which is powered by 100-horsepower Rotax 912 engines, from Centennial Airport in Englewood.

Density Altitude 90

Density Altitude Ceiling Descent Pilot 90

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

There are plenty of options when it comes to private air travel. Among them there are jets that offer excellent speed, comfort and economy. One jet that takes the cake regarding both speed and comfort is the Bombardier Global 7500. Bombardier Aerospace has been leading the way in the development of small to mid-sized jets, and as I covered in a recent article focusing on the CRJ900, they have a long history of commercial success with planes of this size.

Jet 111

Jet 111

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

This video discusses how easyJets CEO reflects on its choices of aircraft and aircraft engines, which have resulted in fewer headaches for the carrier. Speaking with Bloomberg Television, easyJet chief Johan Lundgren explains how his airline essentially lucked out with its CFM LEAP-powered A320neo aircraft.

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Jet Airline Airlines 116

One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 4, 2025

Airlines are always looking for ways to lower their emissions, both to meet their climate goals, and also to reduce costs (after all, less fuel burn leads to savings). Along those lines, EasyJet has just introduced an interesting initiative, which shows how a little change can make a big collective difference EasyJet hopes to reduce fuel burn by 1,296 tons per year EasyJet is currently rolling out a lower-weight aircraft paint, in partnership with Mankiewicz Aviation Coatings, which is anticipat

Airline 85

Airline Airlines Jet 85

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

Since entering service, the Airbus A380 has forever changed air travel, and Emirates has been part of thatrevolution.

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One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 4, 2025

Emirates has one of the worlds largest global network of lounges, as the airline is hyper-focused on offering a consistent experience throughout its network. What many people dont realize is that the airline also sells access to its lounges, so in this post I want to take a closer look at that how much does it cost to buy Emirates lounge access, and is it worth it?

Airline 106

Airline Airlines 106

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

China Airlineshas long been prominent in global aviation as Taiwan's national flag carrier. Known for its innovation and agility, this airline has formed a profitable foundation on an eclecticmix of Airbus and Boeing designs.

Airline 111

Airline Airlines 111

Vintage Aviation News

JANUARY 4, 2025

PRESS RELEASE To better serve our visitors and staff in 2025, the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum announces new hours of operation, along with free general admission to all visitors. The Museum is committed to providing unique and authentic experiences that educate visitors on the historic aircraft, vehicles and artifacts in the collection, the Museums Executive Director, Adrian Hunt, said.

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Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that it will continue its enhanced oversight of Boeing indefinitely. A year on from the Alaska Airlines door plug incident, outgoing FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said its scrutiny of Boeing's manufacturing practices is "here to stay" and isn't just a year-long project.

Airline 111

Airline Airlines 111

Vintage Aviation News

JANUARY 4, 2025

On this day in aviation history, the Vought SB2U Vindicator, one of the first American monoplane dive bombers, made its first flight on January 4, 1936. The Vindicator would fall into a category of naval aircraft that, while advanced for the 1930s, would be quickly superseded by rapid developments leading up to WWII. In 1934, the United States Navy issued a requirement for a new carrier borne scout bomber that could double as a dive bomber.

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Tail Cockpit Pilot Approach 52

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has been named the top airport in the United States based on on-time flights. Cirium stated the airport had an on-time departure rate of 83.80% and an on-time arrival rate of 84.78%. Delta Air Lines also led US-based airlines to be the most on time (most of the flights at SLC are Delta-operated). This follows on from 2023, when Delta also led in US Department of Transportation performance.

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Airline Airlines 105

The Aviationist

JANUARY 4, 2025

While the Cobras served in the PAF for a short period of just five years, the Broncos were used in the Philippines for over three decades. The Philippine Air Forces (PAF) 15th Strike Wing retired two each of its two AH-1S Cobra attack helicopters and the last two OV-10 Bronco aircraft at the Major Daniel […] The post Philippines Air Force Retires OV-10 Bronco and AH-1S Cobra After Long Service in Counter-Insurgency Operations appeared first on The Aviationist.

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Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

US carrier Delta Air Lines is one of the busiest airlines in the world, and its SkyMiles frequent flyer program is one of the largest. The airline introduced a series of changes to its loyalty offering over the last two years but has not increased the requirements for earning elite status this year.

Airlines 105

Airlines Airline 105

The Aviationist

JANUARY 4, 2025

The Hrku-II will replace the TAFs current Hrku-B trainers, with the first 15 aircraft expected to be delivered this year and the remaining 40 being handed over by 2027. The new advanced version of Hrku, Turkeys primary trainer aircraft, named Hrku-II, made its maiden flight on Dec. 30, 2024, marking its entry into the competitive […] The post Turkeys New Hrku-II Primary Flight Trainer Takes to the Skies appeared first on The Aviationist.

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Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

In early December, Icelandair became the first airline to introduce Panasonics brand-new Astrova In-flight Entertainment (IFE) system, doing so on its Airbus A321LR.

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Airlines Airline 105

One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 4, 2025

An American Airlines flight attendants support for Palestine wasnt well received by a Jewish passenger, and it caused a pretty heated standoff, as flagged by PYOK. Passenger confronts pro-Palestine American flight attendant Jewish influencer Melissa Chapman took to Instagram yesterday, to post a video that was shared with her about an incident that happened the evening of Thursday, January 2, 2024, as an American flight arrived at Miami International Airport (MIA).

Airline 109

Airline Airlines 109

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was a new chapter in the annals of US Naval Aviation. Conceived in the late 1950s, the Skyhawk emerged during a period of rapid technological change in the aerospace world and arrived just in time to help the American effort in the Vietnam conflict.

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Jet 105

Adventures of Cap'n Aux

JANUARY 4, 2025

Fly-Spy Declassified Fly-Spy Declassified! Folks, from the Flight Blog, this is Cap’n Aux speaking. Guess what? I’ve been busy writing stories again! It’s been awhile, but sometimes the creative coffers need to fill on their own. Once the creativity overpressure light starts blinking red, I know it’s time to forsake all else, get lost in that literary world, and WRITE !

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Pilot Cockpit Airline Airlines 119

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

The Apollo 8 mission was a monumental chapter in the space race. The NASA astronauts were the first to orbit the moon and return to earth. The mission was a historic milestone in mans foray into the final frontier of outer space. Launched on December 21, 1968, Apollo 8 not only demonstrated the technical capabilities of NASA in pursuit of lunar exploration but also achieved profound cultural and scientific progress for America.

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One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 4, 2025

In this post, I want to take a closer look at Marriott Bonvoy Titanium status, which is Marriotts elite tier that requires 75 nights annually. All the time I see people ask whether its worth going for Titanium status over Platinum status, so Ill share my take on that. Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador requirements Marriott Bonvoy has five elite tiers, but Id argue that status really starts to get valuable at the Platinum tier.

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Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

AirAsia is the operating brand of Capital A Berhad, a Malaysian company founded in 1993. AirAsia commenced operations three years later, based at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL), making it the first commercial airline to form part of the brand. Since then, the AirAsia brand has grown exponentially, and today encompasses seven different airlines.

Airline 116

Airline Airlines 116

One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 4, 2025

Miles & points can let you have some pretty incredible experiences for pennies on the dollar. With airline miles you can fly almost any first or business class product in the world, as there are very few aspirational products that arent bookable with miles. Hotels are a different story, though. There are a lot of great points hotels, though the reality is that many boutique and high end brands dont belong to any of the major hotel groups with loyalty programs.

Airline 112

Airline Airlines 112

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), a joint civil-military facility located around four miles from the city center of Utah's capital, is by far the largest and most important such facility in the state and serves as a major gateway to the many ski resorts and natural attractions within the region. The airport works alongside the smaller Provo Airport (PVU) and Ogden-Hinckley Airport (OGD) to serve the roughly three million people who live in Utah's largest urban area.

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One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 4, 2025

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far, and happy new year! Ive been at home with family over the holidays I have one more trip report series to publish, before I get back on the road and do more flying. On the points & travel front, this week JetBlue was fined for chronic flight delays, Silver Airways filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, British Airways announced massive changes to its loyalty program, Etihad opened a US Preclearance lounge in Abu Dhabi, a Jeju Air 737 cras

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Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

The General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger is a 30 mm seven-barrel autocannon installed onboard the United States Air Force (USAF) A-10 Thunderbolt II. The hydraulically-driven cannon is designed to deliver a high rate of fire, destroying a wide range of ground targets. Designed by General Electric, the type has been produced by General Dynamics since 1977.

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One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 4, 2025

In this post I want to address a situation that I think just about anyone who has hotel elite status has found themselves in. Fortunately in recent years there have been a few new solutions Having hotel elite status & traveling with others There are different trips for different occasions sometimes I travel alone, sometimes I travel with Ford, sometimes I travel with our son, and sometimes our parents are in tow as well.

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Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

GE Aerospace has joined the investigation into Jeju Air flight 7C2216 , which crashed on Sunday after performing an emergency belly landing, killing 179 of the aircraft's 181 occupants. Along with French firm Safran, GE Aerospace is one of the parent companies of joint venture CFM International, which manufactures the Boeing 737-800's CFM56 engines.

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One Mile at a Time

JANUARY 4, 2025

Nowadays Delta awards elite status exclusively based on how many Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) members rack up. In this post, I want to take a look at all the ways you can rack up MQDs with the airline, in order to earn status. Im not saying that one should pursue status with Delta SkyMiles, but rather if you are going to, this is how youd go about it Delta Medallion Qualifying Dollars elite status requirements To start, I should mention that Delta SkyMiles Medallion status is earned based

Airline 84

Airline Airlines Approach 84

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

Emirates has officially inaugurated its Airbus A350 into commercial service, launching it on flights between its Dubai (DXB) hub and the Scottish capital, Edinburgh. The aircraft takes over from a mix of Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 777-200LR equipment. The Airbus A350 is scheduled to operate on the route on a daily basis.

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Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

A year ago, Japan Airlines flight 516, a domestic flight from Sapporo to Tokyo , was on its final approach to the capitals Haneda airport shortly after sunset. Having been given clearance to land on runway 34R, the Airbus A350-900 touched down and almost immediately hit another aircraft, a stationary Dash-8-300 of the Japan Coast Guard.

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Runway Final Approach Clearance Approach 105

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator, Mike Whitaker, said that Boeing needs a "fundamental cultural shift" to prioritize safety and quality over profits. This comes as the FAA chief posts an online blog post marking the one-year anniversary of an incident in which a door plug detached from an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.

Airline 97

Airline Airlines 97

Simple Flying

JANUARY 4, 2025

Jeju Air has made headlines in the past several days after a horrendous accident left 179 people dead. While the exact cause of the crash is still being determined, videos taken from the crash site show the Boeing 737-800 skidding down the runway before overrunning the landing strip and crashing into a wall.

Runway 94

Runway 94