January, 2025

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Boom Supersonic one step from first Mach 1 flight after XB-1 completes 11th test

Aerotime

The team at Boom Supersonic are determining whether a 12 th test flight of its XB-1 demonstrator is needed before undertaking its first attempt at breaking the speed barrier. On January 10, 2025, XB-1 reached speeds of Mach 0.95 during a 44-minute flight over the Mojave Desert with Chief Test Pilot Tristan Geppetto Brandenburg at the controls. The 11 th XB-1 test flight also saw the aircraft climb to 29,481 feet as it closes in on supersonic speeds.

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Molokai and Lānaʻi Deserve Better as Air Service Trouble Leaves Them Stranded Again

Cranky Flier

It’s hard to fathom just how vital air service is to some of the more remote communities in the US, and possibly none have suffered quite as much as Molokai and Lnai in the Hawaiian Islands. Last week, the islands were cut off from the rest of the world for the second time in a year when flights operated by Mokulele (actually Southern Airways Express under the Mokulele name) 9-seat Cessna Grand Caravans were suspended due to maintenance concerns.

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Philippine Mars Flies Back to Sproat Lake

Vintage Aviation News

The Philippine Mars has made its way back to its home base for an engine replacement. The historic aircraft departed Sproat Lake three weeks ago on a journey to its new home at the Pima Air and Space Museum (PASM) in Tucson, Arizona. The planned route included stops in San Francisco and San Diego and an inland leg to an undisclosed desert lake. However, the journey hit a snag when the aircraft made an emergency landing in Patricia Bay on December 15.

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China Certifies First Commercial Electric Plane

AV Web

China has certified a four-place electric aircraft under Part 23 regulations making it the first to qualify for commercial operations beyond flight training. The Liaoning General Aviation Academy (LGAA)’s RX4E, which first flew in 2019, will be marketed globally with a focus on short-haul flights in areas without good roads. The manufacturer says the plane, which is about the size of Cessna 182 but with a much longer 45-foot wing span will have a 90 minute endurance with a range of about 1

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Black Box Data Missing From Final 4 Minutes Before Jeju Air Crash

Simple Flying

South Korean authorities said on Saturday that the black boxes from the tragic December crash of the Jeju Air aircraft had ceased collecting data around four minutes before the incident, marking a startling development in the inquiry into the country's deadliest aviation catastrophe, according to Reuters. The missing data is now complicating the investigation into the crash, which claimed the lives of 179 people and marked the worst aviation tragedy in South Korea's history.

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JetBlue Fined For Chronic Flight Delays, A First-Ever DOT Penalty

One Mile at a Time

While JetBlue is known for its pleasant passenger experience, the airline hasnt historically been known for its operational reliability. The situation got so bad that the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) has just issued its first-ever fine for chronic flight delays against the airline. DOT fines JetBlue $2 million for unrealistic scheduling The DOT has today announced a $2 million penalty against JetBlue for operating multiple chronically delayed flights. $1 million of that goes

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Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 goes supersonic for the first time 

Aerotime

Boom Supersonics XB-1 demonstrator became the first manned civilian aircraft to break the sound barrier since the end of the Concorde era. The aircraft took off from the Mojave Air and Space Port (MHV), California, at 8.22am local time on January 28, 2025, and headed towards a reserved airspace section over the Mojave Desert which had been previously approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the purpose of this test.

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American Renumbers Wichita-D.C. Flight

Airline Geeks

American began nonstop service between Wichita and Reagan National in January 2024. Flights operate once daily between the two cities.

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Naples Airport Authority Launches App For Noise Complaints

AV Web

The Naples Airport Authority (NAA) introduced a new app to make it easier for disgruntled neighbors to file noise complaints. NAA partnered with EnviroSuite in developing the app, which allows users to report aircraft noise events directly from their smartphones. The Naples Airport is no stranger to noise complaints as it saw more than 123,000 aircraft operations in fiscal year 2024 a significant increase from the 119,000 in 2023, intensifying long-standing noise issues.

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Air Busan Airbus A321 Gutted By Fire At Busan-Gimhae International Airport

Simple Flying

A fire broke out on an Air Busan A321-200 operating flight BX391 bound for Hong Kong at Gimhae International Airport in Busan-Gimhae International Airport in South Korea. The fire started before departure at around 22:26. Officials say all passengers and crew evacuated safely, though four persons were reportedly injured during the evacuation and were sent to a local hospital.

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Best Business Class Bedding: Which Airlines Care About Coziness?

One Mile at a Time

I like to cover various aspects of the premium travel experience. For example, Ive shared what I consider to be the worlds best business class airlines , the worlds best business class seats , and the worlds best business class lounges. In this post, I want to take a look at a related but different topic which airlines have the best bedding in business class?

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Avolon: airline industry to reach US$1 trillion revenue milestone in 2025 

Aerotime

Dublin-based aircraft leasing company Avolon has published a new market outlook report , predicting that the global airline industry will reach US$1 trillion in revenue for the first time ever during 2025. According to this analysis, the main driver behind this growth is the Asia-Pacific region, which will be adding more capacity than all other regions of the world combined.

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Air Wisconsin Goes It Alone as American Ends Eagle Partnership

Cranky Flier

There are a handful of regional airlines that I’m always surprised to find still in business. There’s Mesa, of course, and yes, GoJet, but one of the biggest surprises of all is Air Wisconsin. And now, it just lost its only regional relationship with no replacement on the horizon. Survival is… going to be a challenge. Air Wisconsin started up flying commuter routes in the 1960s.

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Aircraft Down in Potomac River

Airline Geeks

One of the aircraft was an American Eagle CRJ-700 operated by PSA Airlines, while the other was a helicopter, according to the FAA.

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Lear 55 Crashes Into Philadelphia Mall, Multiple Casualties

AV Web

Responders in Philadelphia PA are on the scene of what a plane crash that impacted Roosevelt Mall that has erupted a fire across several street blocks. The FAA has confirmed that it was a Lear 55 that had just taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport on its way to Branson, Missouri on a medical flight. FAA reported two people on board. 6ABC in Philly is reporting multiple casualties, and reports are the impact (captured by doorbell cams) has ignited underground gas lines.

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FAA Confirms That A Gulfstream G550 Collided With Metallic Object At 27,000 Feet

Simple Flying

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reportedly confirmed that a Gulfstream G550 business jet was struck by an unidentified object at an altitude of 27,000 feet off the Florida coast on December 11, 2024. The news comes following a series of unidentified drones flying over US bases.

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Alaska Mileage Plan Elite Status For Award Flights: Game Changer?

One Mile at a Time

Alaska Airlines has rolled out some major changes to its Mileage Plan program as of 2025. In this post Id like to discuss the details of my single favorite change, which is that you can now qualify for elite status with award flights. If you ask me, this is a pretty revolutionary development. Alaska credits elite qualifying miles on all award flights As of January 1, 2025, the Alaska Mileage Plan program has started awarding elite qualifying miles (EQMs) for award tickets, when redeeming Mileage

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airBaltic successfully tests inflight Starlink connectivity 

Aerotime

On January 7, 2025, airBaltic announced that it had successfully conducted a certification test flight of its new SpaceX’s Starlink internet connectivity on one of its Airbus A220-300 aircraft. This flight, which departed and landed at the airlines main base in Riga, Latvia (RIX), is one of the necessary steps required in order to obtain the required certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

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Breeze’s Entry Into New Haven Has Been a Bumpy One

Cranky Flier

It was November 2021 when Avelo struck gold. The airline went into the recently-abandoned New Haven Tweed airport along the southern Connecticut coast, and it instantly found strong demand. It has grown to having almost 20 daily departures on peak days, a remarkable feat considering how constrained the airport is. But now, the airport seems to have hit a wall.

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Hughes H-1 Racer Project at the San Diego Air and Space Museum

Vintage Aviation News

At the southern portion of San Diegos Balboa Park and standing under the flight path of San Diego International Airport lies the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Situated in the historic Ford Building, constructed for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition, the SDASM is visited by millions of visitors every year and is one of the premier aerospace museums on the West Coast of the United States.

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67 People Involved In Collision Between CRJ700, Army Blackhawk Helicopter In Washington

AV Web

There were 60 passengers and four crew aboard a PSA CRJ700 regional jet that collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter, with three service member on board, on short final for Reagan National Airport. The flight was operated on behalf of American Airlines and originated in Wichita. The plane ended up in the Potomac. No official word on casualties yet.

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The US Air Force Sent 39 A-10 Warthogs To The Boneyard At Davis-Monthan AFB In 2024

Simple Flying

As Simple Flying has previously reported, the Air Force is progressively retiring its fleet of A-10s. As they retire, they are sent to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. Publicly available data from the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (the group responsible for maintaining the aircraft in storage at the boneyard) shows that the United States Air Force sent at least a total of 39 A-10s to be mothballs at the famous Boneyard.

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American Airlines Expands Espresso In First & Business Class

One Mile at a Time

Its not often we see American leading the way when it comes to inflight service, so heres a small but noteworthy victory, as reported by @xJonNYC. American expands premium cabin espresso offering American Airlines is expanding the planes and cabins on which it serves espresso-based drinks. Thanks to a recent change, American now offers espresso in first and business class on Boeing 777s (777-200ERs and 777-300ERs), Boeing 787s (787-8s and 787-9s), and Airbus A321Ts.

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airBaltic cancels 4,670 flights for summer 2025 due to engine maintenance delays 

Aerotime

Latvian-based carrier airBaltic has announced the cancellation of 4,670 flights from all its bases for the summer season of 2025. The decision is due to unexpected delays and prolonged engine maintenance by its supplier Pratt & Whitney, the carrier announced in a press release published on January 2, 2025. airBaltic said the engine manufacturers inability to meet its timely maintenance obligations has impacted the operational capabilities of the airlines Airbus A220-300 fleet.

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Abra Makes a Push for a Consolidated Brazil

Cranky Flier

Brazil has always been a fascinating yet incredibly difficult market for airlines. The country is huge, but for years air travel was only for the wealthy. It has changed, but it is not a settled market by any means, as evidenced by the new plans for a blockbuster merger between Gol and Azul. Before talking about this combo, let’s take a trip back in time.

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World Only Factory Built Two Seat Messerschmitt BF-109 For Sale By Platinum Fighter Sales

Vintage Aviation News

Platinum Fighter Sales has announced the listing of an extraordinary aircraft: the worlds only factory-built, two-seat Messerschmitt Bf-109 / Hispano HA-1112-M4L Buchon. This ultra-rare airplane represents a unique chapter in aviation history. Photo by Gavin Conroy via Platinum Fighter Sales The Origins of the Buchon By 1942, the Spanish Air Forces fleet of Messerschmitt Bf-109Ds was aging, prompting Spain to license the production of the newer Bf-109G model.

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Report: Gulfstream Hits ‘Metallic’ Object at 27,000 Feet

AV Web

Multiple news reports are circulating about an incident involving a Gulfstream G550 that apparently struck an unidentified metallic object at 27,000 feet off the Florida coast on December 11, 2024. The business jet, registered to what appears to be a financial trust at a Utah bank, departed from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) en-route to Westchester County Airport (KHPN) near New York City.

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The 10 Largest Airline Operators Of The Airbus A350

Simple Flying

After the cancellation of the Airbus A380 , the Airbus A350 is now Airbus' flagship widebody airliner. Not only does it boast the world's longest range for any commercial passenger jet, but it also has the world's highest ETOPS 370 rating. As the Airbus A350 turns 10 , we look at the airlines that operate most of this widebody aircraft. Here are the ten (eleven) largest operators of the A350 as of January 2025, according to information gathered by ch-aviation.

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Guide To Alaska Mileage Plan MVP Gold Status: Oneworld Sapphire & More

One Mile at a Time

While Alaska Airlines isnt one of the big three US airlines, the Seattle-based carrier has quite a robust loyalty program, which many people are loyal to. In particular, Alaska Mileage Plan is the only major US frequent flyer program that still awards miles based on how far you fly rather than how much you spend. In this post, I want to take a look at Alaska MVP Gold status for 2025, especially in light ofthe (minor) program changesthat have been rolled out.

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Civilian drone grounds LA firefighting plane after collision over Palisades fire

Aerotime

A Los Angeles aircraft has been grounded and pulled from firefighting service in the United States (US) after being hit by a civilian drone. According to the LA County Fire Department, the Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper was struck on January 10, 2025, at 13:30, local time, while operating in the Palisades fire area. The grounding of the lifesaving aircraft will come as a massive blow to the LA region, as firefighters try to defend homes and businesses from the devastating fires that have so far r

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JetBlue’s EvenMore Loses the Space — Twice — to Boost Desperately-Needed Revenue

Cranky Flier

Just a quick note before I get into this post. I, like all of you, saw the crash of American 5342 last night, and I am sure there will be much to say about this. As always, I’m not here to break news but rather analyze it over time. So I will just run the scheduled post below and will talk about this more in the future. In case you missed it, this has not been a good week for JetBlue.

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The Last Pathfinder Flies West

Vintage Aviation News

We share with a heavy heart the passing of Lt. Col. David Hamilton, the last Pathfinder, who was laid to rest on Sunday evening, January 5. A national treasure has flown west. Out of respect for all the veterans who have passed and those who will continue to pass, we don’t often write about the passing of specific individuals, with only a few exceptions.

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Report Finds FAA Ignores Majority Of Whistleblower Complaints

AV Web

A new Seattle Times report took a deep dive into whistleblower complaints concerning the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeingfinding that the agency dismisses the majority of complaints it receives. Looking at data from 2020-2023, the report found that more than 90 percent of safety complaints ended with no violation found by the FAA. The Times article highlighted that the FAA dismisses whistleblower complaints on preliminary review when they lack sufficient information to investigat

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Pittsburgh International Airport Inches Closer To Opening New $1.5 Billion Terminal

Simple Flying

Visitors to Pennsylvania's Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) will soon enjoy an entirely overhauled experience as the airport nears completion of a new $1.5 billion terminal. The ambitious project will dramatically increase the airport's efficiency and include a number of new benefits for passengers.

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Boom Achieves Supersonic Flight With XB-1, An Impressive Milestone

One Mile at a Time

Boom is an aeronautics company that has been working onbringing back supersonic passenger air travel. The companys main product is the Boom Overture, which is essentially intended to be the modern day Concorde. The company was founded back in 2014, and the goal is that the Boom Overture could be carrying passengers before the end of the decade. While this is no doubt an ambitious project, a major milestone was reached yesterday.

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Smart Skies: How IoT is transforming aircraft maintenance and operations

Aerotime

AeroTime is excited to welcome Christian Charalambous as a guest columnist. A pilot operating Boeing 767s on global routes and a consultant leveraging his extensive aviation and technology expertise, Christian also holds a First-Class Honours degree in Air Transport Operations plus a masters degree in Blockchain. In his columns, he explores the modern challenges and innovative technologies that are shaping the future of flight.

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Cranky Weekly Review Presented by OAK: Tragic Crash on Potomac, Frontier Tries Again for Spirit

Cranky Flier

American Flight 5342 Crashes with Helicopter on Approach at DCA American Eagle Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ-700 with tail number N709PS, operated by American’s wholly-owned subsidiary PSA Airlines had a mid-air collision with a United States Army Sikorsky VH-60M Black Hawk just before 9 p.m. Wednesday night while the CRJ was on approach to Runway 33 at Washington/DCA.

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