Aerotime

DECEMBER 23, 2024

In a highly embarrassing turn of events for both Malaysia Airlines and Airbus, the Kuala Lumpur-based carrier has temporarily grounded its first and only Airbus A330-900neo after operating just two return flights. The airline has stated that multiple technical defects with the plane have caused the grounding for safety reasons and so that the issues can be addressed before the aircraft flies with fare-paying passengers again.

Airline 301

Airline Airlines 301

AV Web

DECEMBER 26, 2024

Just days after announcing plans to cease operations, electric aircraft manufacturer, Lilium, has found a buyer in Mobile Uplift Corporation GmbHa coalition of European and North American investors. The German electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company announced the news on Tuesday noting that the deal is expected to enable its two subsidiaries to secure the funding needed to resume operations and hire back the nearly 1,000 employees it let go.

124

124

Simple Flying

DECEMBER 25, 2024

The largest airline in India, indigo , is allegedly close to signing a big contract with Norse Atlantic Airways to wet-lease six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The deal, mentioned by The Economic Times and other industry sources , is anticipated to be finalized shortly and would help IndiGo achieve its lofty goals of starting long-haul international service as early as 2025 to major European cities, including London and Paris.

Airline 136

Airline Airlines 136

One Mile at a Time

DECEMBER 25, 2024

While certainly niche, heres an interesting thing I just learned, thanks to OMAAT reader Hiro. Did you know theres an airline that offers lounge access to all economy passengers on one specific flight? Neither did I (Im not talking about Bangkok Airways, which offers lounge access to all passengers, but in reality lounges are just the gate area with some free drinks and snacks) Japan Airlines economy lounge access for one flight Japan Airlines has among the more generous lounge access policies o

Airline 117

Airline Airlines 117

Aerotime

DECEMBER 27, 2024

While much of the world was recovering from Christmas Day overindulgence, China was offering a glimpse of not one but two 6th generation fighter jets. On December 26, 2024, images began to emerge of what appears to be a large, tailless flying wing military aircraft undergoing a daytime test flight with a twin-seat Chengdu J-20S fighter serving as a chase plane.

Jet 274

Jet Tail Cockpit 274

Vintage Aviation News

DECEMBER 27, 2024

PRESS RELEASE For the third consecutive year, Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Airbase Georgia has met its annual 12 Planes of Christmas fundraising program goals to help restore its Republic P-47N Thunderbolt fighter. The online campaign has raised $11,200 to date for the P-47N. Adding a $50,000 grant from the Ray Foundation pushed donations over the original $50,000 goal, helping ensure the purchase of rims and new leading edges for the wings of the rare and historic aircraft.

Hangar 111

Hangar Pilot 111

Airline Reporter

DECEMBER 24, 2024

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.

Airline 113

Airline Airlines 113

Aerotime

DECEMBER 24, 2024

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.

Jet 293

Jet 293

Simple Flying

DECEMBER 24, 2024

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.

Airline 140

Airline Airlines 140

AV Web

DECEMBER 25, 2024

A new bill introduced in Congress aims to digitalize pilot certificateseliminating the need for pilots to carry physical copies of their medical and airman certificates. Congressman Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) introduced the Pilot Certificate Accessibility Act earlier this month, aiming to improve efficiency by allowing pilots to store these documents on electronic devices or cloud platforms.

Pilot 119

Pilot 119

One Mile at a Time

DECEMBER 26, 2024

It looks like Indias largest airline, IndiGo, has plans to launch long haul flights earlier than initially planned. Im fascinated by the implications of this. IndiGo nears deal for Norse Atlantic Boeing 787s IndiGo is a powerhouse in Indian aviation, but up until now, the airline has almost exclusively operated narrow body jets, and hasnt operated long haul flights.

Wide-Body Aircraft 120

Wide-Body Aircraft Jet Airline Airlines 120

Aerotime

DECEMBER 23, 2024

10 family members have been killed after a Piper PA-42-1000 Cheyenne 400 they were traveling on crashed shortly after takeoff in Brazil. The tragedy unfolded on December 23, 2024, after the aircraft left Canela in Southern Brazil for Jundia and appeared to run into difficulties after a few minutes of flight. The Piper Cheyenne, registered PR-NDN, crashed in Gramado, around six miles from Canela, after reportedly striking the chimney of a building then impacting a mobile phone shop in a residenti

Weather 261

Weather Pilot 261

Simple Flying

DECEMBER 27, 2024

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is entering a critical period of fleet modernization due to the discontinued production of its much beloved Airbus MH-65 Dolphin and recent mishaps involving high-flight-hour Sikorsky MH-60T Jayhawks. The Coast Guard is looking for alternative paths forward as its fleet is chronically underfunded. Currently, the source for the new MH-60s is retired Navy SH-60 hulls.

116

116

AV Web

DECEMBER 25, 2024

Investigators found multiple human errors to be the primary cause of the fatal collision between a Japan Airlines jet and a Japan Coast Guard (JCG) aircraft at Tokyos Haneda Airport earlier this year. In a preliminary report released Wednesday, the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) identified crew confusion as the primary cause of the incident, noting that the JCG crew mistakenly believed they had clearance to enter the runway before being struck by Japan Airlines jetliner at Tokyos Haneda Air

Air Traffic Control 110

Air Traffic Control Runway Clearance Jet 110

One Mile at a Time

DECEMBER 26, 2024

Air France-KLM Flying Blue is one of the most useful frequent flyer programs for redeeming miles. Not only does the program have great award pricing for travel on Air France-KLM, but it also has lucrative award pricing for travel on partner airlines. Unfortunately the program isnt ending the year on a good note when it comes to redemption values Flying Blue increases many partner award costs On December 25, 2025, Flying Blue seems to have increased many award ticket costs on partner airlines.

Airline 122

Airline Airlines 122

Aerotime

DECEMBER 25, 2024

Air traffic has been steadily picking up since the pandemic disruption, with ACI reporting that it finally exceeded pre-pandemic levels in the first half of 2024. Connections that were abandoned in 2020 have been bouncing back, and the worlds busiest flight routes are returning to expected volumes. Global travel data company OAG has released its analysis of the busiest international flight routes of 2024, and there have been some changes.

Airline 273

Airline Airlines Clearance Lift 273

Simple Flying

DECEMBER 25, 2024

Passengers aboard Flight EK823 from Dubai to Dammam , Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday were in for a special treat. What is usually a Boeing 777-operated service was swapped for Emirates ' first-ever Airbus A350-900 , marking a pivotal moment in the airlines fleet transformation and the expansion of its global network. This flight not only showcased the A350's cutting-edge technology but also symbolized a significant step in Emirates' commitment to enhancing passenger experience and operational effici

Airline 137

Airline Airlines 137

Pilot Institute

DECEMBER 26, 2024

What are those flashing lights in the sky? Is it a drone, or an airplane? And what are those lights for? You may have noticed the seemingly random flashing and solid lights on an aircraft and wondered what they are supposed to mean. In this article, we will explain all the different lights you may encounter on an airplane and their purpose. Although every aircraft may have slightly different lights, a framework of the same types of lights exists.

Airplanes 111

Airplanes Horizontal Stabilizer Runway Pilot 111

One Mile at a Time

DECEMBER 22, 2024

For the next segment of my quick trip to Japan & Korea ,I flew Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900 first class on the 1hr30min flight from Sapporo (CTS) to Tokyo Haneda (HND). Its not often that I look forward to domestic flights, but this was an exception. Most OMAAT readers are probably familiar with the incredible Japan Airlines A350-1000 first class , which I rank as being among the best in the world.

Airline 114

Airline Airlines Tail Descent 114

Aerotime

DECEMBER 27, 2024

The COMAC C919 has been in operation for around 18 months, with 14 aircraft delivered to airlines and in service in China. However, commercial operations have been largely limited to mainland China, though the jet has made some international appearances without passengers onboard. Thats all about to change, though, with the news that C919 is to be scheduled on regular service between Shanghai (PVG) and Hong Kong (HKG) from January 1, 2025.

Jet 274

Jet Cargo Airline Airlines 274

Simple Flying

DECEMBER 25, 2024

IAG-owned Iberia has suspended its Airbus A321XLR winter schedule between Madrid and Washington, DC, the United States. The news comes more than a month after the Spanish carrier operated the world's first A321XLR flight.

137

137

AV Web

DECEMBER 23, 2024

G100UL unleaded fuel appears to damage aircraft paint under specific circumstances according to a California A and P who conducted his own compatibility tests on it and 100LL. Michael Luvara also said new nitrile O rings swelled beyond certified limits when submerged in the unleaded fuel for five to six days. GAMI recommends replacing nitrile components with those made of silicone or fluoropolymer elastomers.

Airplanes 134

Airplanes 134

One Mile at a Time

DECEMBER 26, 2024

In July 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stepped up oversight of Southwest Airlines , after the airline hada series of close calls, mostly involving pilot error. Since then, the FAA has been auditing the airline to figure out if there are any areas for improvement, and the results are in FAA identifies no safety issues at Southwest Last week, the FAA put out a statement regarding its Southwest safety audit, indicating that it has finished its Certificate Holder Evaluation Program

Airline 114

Airline Airlines Approach Pilot 114

Aerotime

DECEMBER 23, 2024

Lilium may have laid off around 1,000 employees, almost all of its staff, on December 20, 2024, according to German digital tech media outletGrnderszene , which quoted unnamed sources within the company. According to the reports, only a caretaking team of a few dozen staff members remain at Lilium. However, the information has not been officially confirmed by the troubled eVTOL developer, nor by filings made public by the US Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC).

274

274

Simple Flying

DECEMBER 25, 2024

The Taiwanese carrier announced the order, disclosed in a stock exchange filing on December 19th.

Airlines 136

Airlines Airline 136

Airline Geeks

DECEMBER 23, 2024

Starting next summer, the Atlanta-based carrier is slated to swap even more 767-300ERs for Airbus A330-900neo aircraft.

131

131

One Mile at a Time

DECEMBER 26, 2024

For the last lounge visit of my quick trip to Japan & Korea , it was time to fly Japan Airlines Airbus A350-1000 business class from Tokyo (HND) to New York (JFK). Prior to my flight, I visited two of the oneworld carriers lounges. In the previous installment, I reviewed the Japan Airlines Sakura Lounge , which is the primary business class lounge for the airline.

Airline 114

Airline Airlines Runway Ceiling 114

Aerotime

DECEMBER 24, 2024

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.

NOTAMs 272

NOTAMs Airline Airlines 272

Simple Flying

DECEMBER 24, 2024

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".

Airline 136

Airline Airlines 136

Cranky Flier

DECEMBER 24, 2024

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.

Tarmac 130

Tarmac Airplanes Airline Airlines 130

One Mile at a Time

DECEMBER 24, 2024

Every hotel loyalty program has a different policy when it comes to being able to combine points among members. Arguably Hilton Honors has the most generous policy of any program when it comes to letting members combine points, so I wanted to take a closer look at that in this post. For what its worth, Ive written in the past about the policies of Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt when it comes to combining points.

111

111

Aerotime

DECEMBER 23, 2024

COMAC (the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has been making moves to attract airlines based in Indonesia, Cambodia, and Kazakhstan, to place orders for its C919 narrowbody 158-192 seat aircraft. The move comes as the Chinese planemaker seeks its first orders for the jet outside of mainland China, say sources close to the Shanghai-based company.

Airline 284

Airline Airlines Jet 284

Simple Flying

DECEMBER 24, 2024

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.

Jet 136

Jet 136

Airline Geeks

DECEMBER 27, 2024

International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways and Iberia, has been in discussions with Starlink.

Airline 127

Airline Airlines 127

One Mile at a Time

DECEMBER 24, 2024

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.

Airline 111

Airline Airlines 111

Aerotime

DECEMBER 23, 2024

On December 23, 2024, Cirrus Aircraft announced the delivery of its 600th Vision Jet. The single-engine private jet is the worlds only Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified private jet aircraft and has become hugely popular in the smaller private jet aircraft space since its original certification in October 2016. According to a company statement, the delivery of the 600th aircraft to its customer marks a major milestone for the company and a defining moment in the evolution of persona

Jet 284

Jet General Aviation Clearance Knot 284

Simple Flying

DECEMBER 25, 2024

A tragic incident unfolded at Mauis Kahului Airport on Christmas Eve, when the body of an unidentified man was discovered in the wheel well of a United Airlines aircraft, according to Hawaii News Now. The Boeing 787-10 , which had arrived from Chicago, landed safely in Hawaii before the grim discovery was made.

Airline 135

Airline Airlines 135