Tue.Dec 24, 2024

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A Christmas miracle: Flying taxi manufacturer Lilium saved at final hour

Aerotime

A last-minute rescue may have saved innovative startup Lilium, as the company has announced a rescue deal with a consortium of European and North American investors. We are very pleased to announce the signing of an investment agreement with a very experienced consortium of investors, which is a major breakthrough, Lilium CEO Klaus Roewe said. Deal closing at the beginning of January will allow us to restart our business.

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Polar(is) Express: United Brings a 767 Full of Kids to Santa’s Workshop

Airline Reporter

The fine folks of the airline industry work extra hard this time of year so that the rest of us can enjoy the holidays. As if that weren’t enough, some of them volunteer to help share seasonal spirit with people in need. As one example, United operates “Fantasy Flights” that bring children experiencing significant medical issues or other hardships to visit Santa at the North Pole.

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Christmas Eve travel panic as American Airlines flights briefly grounded 

Aerotime

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated a nationwide ground stop for all American Airlines flights on Christmas Eve morning. The administration reports that the grounding was at the request of the airline and due to a technical issue affecting flights. The ground stop comes on one of the busiest travel days of the year when thousands of passengers are taking to the skies to see their loved ones for Christmas Day.

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BREAKING: Azerbaijan Airlines Flight Crashes Near Aktau

Simple Flying

Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8432, which was heading from Baku to Grozny, crashed near the Kazakh city of Aktau after being rerouted due to fog. Sky News reports that Kazakhstan's emergency ministry confirmed the crash.

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Flight attendant airlifted to hospital as SWISS Airbus A220 cabin fills with smoke

Aerotime

A SWISS Airbus A220-300 made an emergency landing in Graz, Austria, on December 23, 2024, after smoke and fumes filled the cabin. Local press reports one member of the cabin crew was airlifted to hospital, while at least 16 others have been taken to hospital, including the flight crew and several passengers. A Swiss Airbus A220-300 aircraft from Bucharest to Zurich made an emergency landing in Graz owing to Engine issues and smoke detection in both cockpit and cabin on Monday.

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Save On Airfare By Tracking Flight Prices, Repricing Tickets

One Mile at a Time

I imagine that most OMAAT readers already do this, but I figure that its a topic thats worth covering, and discussing the best ways to go about it Lack of change fees make repricing tickets easy One of the positive things to come from the pandemic is that airlines (at least in the United States) largely eliminated change fees on most kinds of fares, with basic economy fares typically being the only ones that dont offer this kind of flexibility.

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The US Air Force Bases Assigned F-22 Raptors

Simple Flying

The F-22 Raptor was the first fifth-generation fighter to enter mass production, and since its debut in 2005, the mighty stealth jet has been the premier air superiority fighter of not only the US Air Force but of the world. It is a unique and immensely powerful aircraft, built by Lockheed Martin s Skunk Works, it not only has an exceptional stealth profile but it is also one of the few planes in existence capable of super-maneuverability and supercruise flying without afterburners on.

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Breaking: American Airlines Grounds All Flights On Christmas Eve

Simple Flying

American Airlines had briefly grounded all flights with a groundstop issued by the FAA. According to the BBC , the carrier has grounded all services due to a "technical issue".

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Mark Your Calendars: Cranky Dorkfest 2025 is September 13

Cranky Flier

Ho, ho, ho fellow airline dorks. As you gather with your family and plot out plans for next year… take a little time to mark your calendars, because we have a date… Cranky Dorkfest 2025 will be on Saturday, September 13 What is Cranky Dorkfest? If you don’t know, then I’m happy to explain. For the main event, a bunch of us get together, watch airplanes near LAX, eat burgers, and talk shop.

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How the Eurofighter Typhoon Stacks Up Against the US F-35

Simple Flying

Across the pond, a contest for the fighter of the future is unfolding. In one corner of the ring, as defending champion, is the Eurofighter Typhoon and in the other corner, as the new contender, we have the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The Typhoon is billed as a swing-role, non-stealth but low observability fighter jet capable of air superiority and attack missions.

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Condor In Trouble, As Lufthansa Wins Battle Over Feeder Flights

One Mile at a Time

Earlier I wrote about how German airline Condor will be cutting half a dozen transatlantic routes in the summer of 2025. Were now getting more of a sense of why that is, and its very bad news for airline competition in German. The complicated Condor & Lufthansa relationship Theres a lot of history between Germanys two largest airlines, Lufthansa and Condor.

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Air France Will Introduce Airbus The A350 Its On Paris – Cape Town Route In April: What To Expect Onboard

Simple Flying

Air France is set to make an aircraft change on its seasonal route from its main hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Cape Town International (CPT) in South Africa. The French flag carrier operates the corridor over the northern hemisphere winter / southern hemisphere summer season, and its aircraft of choice for these flights is generally the Boeing 787.

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‘Poor Quality Work’ Grounds Brand-New A330neo

Airline Geeks

Malaysia Airlines said a series of technical issues from poor quality work has grounded its brand-new Airbus A330neo for two more days.

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Not Quite Pegasus: Why Some US Air Force Bases Have Horses 

Simple Flying

The idea of horses has been in the United States Air Force (USAF) even when the USAF was the US Army Air Corps with the North American P-51 Mustang family of fighters, todays KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueler jet tanker, and Joint Base Lewis-McChords 8th Airlift Squadron of C-17 Globemasters called the Workhorses. Another way that the US Air Force recognizes the horse is by stating that it is a de facto spirit animal by having horse clubs on its bases.

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Wow: United Serving Laurent-Perrier Champagne In Polaris Business Class

One Mile at a Time

United Airlines is seriously upgrading the champagne in its long haul business class, and its something Im sure many travelers will appreciate United upgrades Polaris business class champagne United Airlines has internally revealed plans to upgrade the champagne it serves in its Polaris business class , as flagged by Live and Lets Fly. As of January 1, 2025, United will serve Laurent-Perriers La Cuve Champagne on all Polaris business class flights.

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SWISS Airbus A220 Flight From Bucharest Makes Emergency Landing In Austria Due To Smoke In Cabin

Simple Flying

Yesterday evening, Swiss International Air Lines flight LX1885 from Bucharest Henri Coand International (OTP) to the carrier's hub in Zrich (ZRH) had to make an unplanned Austrian diversion. After the Airbus A220 operating the flight experienced engine issues and its cabin and cockpit were penetrated by smoke, the decision was made to touch down at Graz Airport (GRZ) in the Austrian state of Styria.

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Today in Aviation History: First Flight of the Handley Page Victor

Vintage Aviation News

As part of our ongoing series Today in Aviation History , we explore the history of one of the three “V-Bombers” flown by the Royal Air Force during the Cold War, the Handley-Page Victor, which made its first flight on December 24, 1952. The Victor served not only as a nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union, but also as a strategic photoreconnaissance aircraft and a refueling tanker well into the early 1990s.

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Delta Air Lines Will Resume 7 Seasonal Routes From 3 Hubs In Summer 2025

Simple Flying

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines is already planning for busy travel amid the warmest months of the new year. The legacy carrier will enhance its summer route network by bringing back seven seasonal routes from its hubs in Atlanta, Detroit, and MinneapolisSt. Paul.

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Italy places order for up to 24 Eurofighter Typhoon jets

Aviation News

The leaders of Eurofighter and NETMA (the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency) today signed the contract for up to 24 Italian Air Force Eurofighters.

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Which Fighters Will The US Navy Retire As The F/A-XX Is Introduced?

Simple Flying

The plan for the US Navys 6th Generation Fighter Jet has been in lock-step with the US Air Forces Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program. The Air Force has slowed their development but the Navy is pushing ahead, torpedoes be damned. When the new fighter finally takes its place on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, the Navy will need to make room by putting some of its older warbirds out to pasture.

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‘Vendor Issue’ Prompts Christmas Eve Ground Stop

Airline Geeks

American Airlines says a "vendor technology issue" prompted a nationwide ground stop on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

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5 Famous Pilots Who Revolutionized Modern Fighter Jet Tactics

Simple Flying

Advances in engineering are only one factor that has driven the evolution of fighter jet design since the mid-20th Century when the first jets took flight. By breaking through to previously unthinkable speeds, developing new air combat tactics, or demonstrating that pilot skill can defeat numerical or technological superiority, many pilots went above and beyond the bounds of what was thought possible.

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GAMI Says All High Aromatic Gasolines Are Hard On Paint

AV Web

General Aviation Modifications Inc. says long-term exposure of painted aircraft surfaces to avgas with high aromatic content, like its G100UL and, potentially, 100LL is “not recommended” but “incidental contact should not cause paint to peel.” The company was responding to a video released by a California A and P who conducted his own set of material compatibility tests on the high octane unleaded fuel.

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How Would Hypersonic Scramjets Work?

Simple Flying

Supersonic combustion is used to propel hypersonic scramjets, which travel at speeds over Mach 5. These engines are fundamentally different from traditional jet engines. They feature a more efficient, streamlined design that eliminates reliance on rotating parts like compressors and turbines. Compressed by the vehicle's forward motion, the incoming air is then combined with fuel and ignited in supersonic conditions.

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Happy Holidays!

Aviation News

As the year draws to a close and the festive season takes flight, we at AviationNews want to thank you for being part of our incredible journey through the skies of aviation in 2024.

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A Deep Dive Into The Private Jet That Shaquille O'Neal Flies On

Simple Flying

For most professional athletes, the demands of travel are relentless long flights, tight schedules, and constant time zone changes. For someone like Shaquille O'Neal, a larger-than-life figure both on and off the basketball court, the need for speed, comfort, and privacy when traveling is even more crucial.

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New Hangar Complex On Tap For New Jersey Airport

AV Web

General aviation hangar developer/manager Sky Harbour Group announced this week it has entered into a lease agreement to develop a 10-acre footprint for a Sky Harbour Home Base hangar complex at Trenton-Mercer Airport (KTTN) in New Jersey. The campus will include corporate-jet storage hangars, associated office space, line services for hangar tenants, critical operating infrastructure, ramp-parking space for aircraft and ground-side automobile parking.

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Turbulence On The Rise: New South Korean Government Campaign Promotes Seat Belt Use On Planes

Simple Flying

The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport unveiled a new campaign on December 24 to promote the use of seatbelts during flights and to increase public awareness of the risks associated with in-flight turbulence , according to South Korea 's Yonhap News Agency. The campaign, which will run from December 25 to February 2, 2025, coincides with the peak of the year-end travel season, which increases passenger volume and, in turn, the hazards associated with air travel.

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V-22 Osprey Returns to Flight with New Restrictions After Latest Grounding

The Aviationist

The V-22s have been grounded for two weeks following a recent incident, however they are now returning to fly again after the inspection of the Proprotor Gearboxes. The U.S. Air Force and Navy are finally resuming flight operations with the V-22 Osprey after the latest grounding which followed a recent incident. However, the Naval Air […] The post V-22 Osprey Returns to Flight with New Restrictions After Latest Grounding appeared first on The Aviationist.

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San Antonio Airport To Lose Only Transatlantic Flight

Simple Flying

Condor Airlines, throughout 2024, has attempted to disprove the long-standing belief that long-haul non-traditional airlines will struggle to succeed. The airline launched new routes to destinations across the United States , including multiple cities with extremely few transatlantic services. Today, however, the carrier's latest move demonstrates that this latest expansion into middle-market US destinations could have been too ambitious.

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RNLAF F-35As Escort WW2 Veteran Douglas DC-3 Before New Life at Aviodrome Museum

The Aviationist

The aircraft, which flew sightseeing tours for tourists with DDA Classic Airlines and was previously part of the D-Day paradrop and Operation Market Garden, was saved from retirement by the famous Dutch aviation museum Aviodrome. In a historic flight on Dec. 18, 2024, two F-35A Lightning IIs of the RNLAF (Royal Netherlands Air Force) bid […] The post RNLAF F-35As Escort WW2 Veteran Douglas DC-3 Before New Life at Aviodrome Museum appeared first on The Aviationist.

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5,000+ Miles: Which Airlines Operate The Longest Boeing 787-10 Routes To & From The US?

Simple Flying

According to data from Cirium , an aviation analytics firm, there are 1,074 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner flights to and from the United States in December.

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The most memorable (and forgettable) Christmas aircraft liveries and designs

Aerotime

Special themed liveries have become an important mainstay of the aviation industry, with airlines keen to promote their latest dazzling paint job in some partnership with the new hit Hollywood movie or sports event. Such promotional tie-is are often big business with collaborations between airlines and organizations sometimes spanning several years, such as Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) Star Wars Project.

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A Closer Look At The Luxurious Fleet Of Qatar Executive

Simple Flying

Qatar Executive, the private jet charter division of Qatar Airways, epitomizes luxury and sophistication in air travel. Established in 2009, it has rapidly ascended to prominence by offering bespoke services tailored to the discerning traveler.

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Thousands track Santa’s sleigh on Flightradar24 on Christmas Eve

Aerotime

Fans of flight tracking website Flightradar24 will be familiar with many of the icons that appear every day. The service uses different markers for widebodies, narrowbodies, helicopters, fighter jets even weather balloons. But on December 24, theres another icon in the skies. Currently crossing the Cook Strait, Santas sleigh is tracked as flight number R3DN053 and registered as HOHOHO.

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Status Matches Now Available For Alaska & Hawaiian Airlines Frequent Fliers

Simple Flying

Frequent flyers with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines can now match elite status between the two airlines as they prepare to launch a unified loyalty program. The move follows several recent changes to enable more reciprocal benefits between the existing programs and enables members of Hawaiian Airlines' HawaiianMiles program to enjoy the benefits of status in the oneworld Alliance.

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Christmas 2024: How are airlines around the world celebrating?

Aerotime

The big day is nearly here, and air travelers all over the world are braving the crowds to jet off and spend time with their families. In the US, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipates screening nearly 40 million travelers between December 19, 2024, and January 2, 2025, 6.2% more than last year. Over in the UK, airlines expect to handle around 6.1 million passengers from December 20, 2024, to January 2, 2025.

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