Aerotime

AUGUST 23, 2024

AeroTime is excited to welcome Michael Barnard as our columnist. Michael spends his time projecting scenarios for decarbonization 40-80 years into the future, and assisting executives, Boards and investors to pick wisely today. Whether it’s refueling aviation, grid storage, vehicle-to-grid, or hydrogen demand, his work is based on fundamentals of physics, economics and human nature, and informed by the decarbonization requirements and innovations of multiple domains.

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Center of Gravity Air Traffic Control Jet Lift 321

Alaska Air

AUGUST 19, 2024

The time period for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to complete its regulatory investigation of the proposed combination of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines under the HSR Act has expired. This is a significant milestone in the process to join our airlines.

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Airlines Airline 145

Simple Flying

AUGUST 20, 2024

The Boeing 777X program has faced another setback after a post-flight inspection of one of the aircraft led to the discovery of a failed engine mount, pausing the certification campaign of the type.

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Thrust 140

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 22, 2024

One of the most extraordinary warbirds in the skies today, the prototype North American XP-82 Twin Mustang, meticulously restored by Tom Reilly, is now available again for purchase through Platinum Fighter Sales. This aircraft, serial number 44-83887, is one of only five surviving P-82 Twin Mustangs and the sole flying example in civilian hands. The long-awaited moment for aviation enthusiasts arrived on January 28th, 2019, when the XP-82 completed its first “official” post-restoration flight in

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Lift Runway Pilot 122

Aerotime

AUGUST 21, 2024

Discover Airlines, the leisure-focused airline of the Lufthansa Group , announced on August 21, 2024, that it is planning to expand its fleet and introduce revamped cabins on all three service classes it currently offers (Business, Premium Economy and Economy). Not much is known about the specifics of Discover’s new business class cabin, other than the fact that it will be fitted on its Airbus A330 fleet, and all seats will have direct aisle access.

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Airlines Airline 306

Ask the Pilot

AUGUST 18, 2024

Unexpected Pleasures at a Terminal Near You. WITH SCATTERED EXCEPTIONS, airports don’t have a whole lot going for them. They’re noisy, dirty, poorly laid out, and just generally hostile to passengers. As my regular readers are well aware, I’ve made this point in numerous prior posts — perhaps too many times. Now, so that I’m not always harping on the negative, here’s something different. “Hidden Airport” is a semi-regular feature highlighting littl

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Ceiling Tarmac Jet Airlines 124

Simple Flying

AUGUST 21, 2024

Evidence is mounting that the Lockheed Martin SR-72 (aka the "Son of Blackbird") may be in production and nearing its entry into service. The United States has famously developed and produced spy planes in secret (like the F-117 Nighthawk). The Air Force is known to operate (or have in development) a number of secret or semi-secret stealth spy drones.

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Aerotime

AUGUST 22, 2024

Saudi Arabia may be considering the launch of a new cargo-only airline, according to a Bloomberg report published on August 20, 2024 , quoting unnamed sources with knowledge of this project. Little else is currently known about the initiative, which is reportedly being evaluated by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund.

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Cargo Airlines Airline 295

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 19, 2024

Romain Hugault developed a passion for aeronautics at a very young age, earning his pilot’s license at just seventeen. Faced with the choice of pursuing a career as a pilot and drawing as a hobby or becoming a designer and flying for pleasure, he chose the latter. After studying at the École Estienne, he went on to illustrate aviation reference books, including some for the French Air Force.

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Pilot Airplanes Jet Weather 119

Simple Flying

AUGUST 18, 2024

On August 16, the United States Western District of Washington District Courts Judge Richard A. Jones signed an order that, in part, requires the US Navy to study changing Boeing EA-18G Growler operations from NAS Whidbey Island in Washington State to Southern Californias NAF El Centro. The judicial order arises from multi-year litigation against a US Navy environmental impact study effort that started in 2013 due to some NAS Whidbey Island neighbors not being happy about Boeing EA-18G Growler s

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One Mile at a Time

AUGUST 17, 2024

Well, a SWISS Boeing 777 is having a pretty rough day, after it diverted to Kazakhstan for a medical emergency. SWISS 7777 diverts to Kazakstan for medical emergency This incident happened today (Saturday, August 17, 2024), and involves SWISS flight LX161 , scheduled to operate from Tokyo Narita (NRT) to Zurich (ZRH). The flight was flown by a six-year-old Boeing 777-300ER with the registration code HB-JNI.

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Runway Pilot 125

Aerotime

AUGUST 23, 2024

A decision over the fate of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner and its crew, Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, now appears to be imminent. NASA has confirmed that the picture will become much clearer on August 24, 2024. In an update on August 22, 2024, NASA explained that engineering and spaceflight specialists from Boeing and the space agency were continuing to analyze data, ahead of a decision “this week on the path forward for the Starliner spacecraft’s return from the International Space Station”

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Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 21, 2024

In May of this year, the CAF Gulf Coast Wing announced the acquisition of an AC-47 that had been stored in a hangar at the Atlanta Motor Speedway Airport, south of Atlanta, since 2020. The aircraft was ferried to the Commemorative Air Force headquarters in Dallas for an initial evaluation and assessment of the restoration work needed. Spooky tucked away in an hangar at the Atlanta Motorspeedway Airport.

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Hangar 113

Simple Flying

AUGUST 19, 2024

During the Farnborough International Airshow 2024 , Boom Supersonic unveiled its flight deck for the Overture. The company said it had reinvented the cockpit with a design that centers on pilots with safety at the forefront.

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Flight Deck Cockpit Pilot 128

One Mile at a Time

AUGUST 21, 2024

We’ve seen a trend lately whereby more airlines have made free Wi-Fi available for more passengers. Japanese Star Alliance carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) is the latest airline to introduce free inflight connectivity. While this was announced a few months back, this improvement has just gone live in business class. ANA adds free Wi-Fi in business class as of August 2024 As of August 20, 2024, ANA has begun offering free Wi-Fi for business class passengers on international flights.

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Jet Airlines Airline 117

Aerotime

AUGUST 23, 2024

In the latest development in their efforts to reach a new contractual agreement over pay, scheduling and retirement, disgruntled Air Canada pilots have overwhelmingly backed strike action. In a recent union vote, 98% of Air Canada pilots authorized the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) to call a strike, although negotiations will continue in the short term.

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Pilot Jet Airline Airlines 290

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 23, 2024

Last week, the Planes of Fame Air Museum of Chino, California welcomed the donation of a new airplane that flew into Chino Airport on August 13. The aircraft in question is a Beechcraft D17S Staggerwing, widely considered to be one of the most attractive airplanes by aviation enthusiasts. With its top wings slanted back from the bottom wings (hence the origin for its name), retractable landing gear and plush interior, the Staggerwing was seen as the last word in luxury aircraft for its time, bei

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Airplanes Jet Pilot 111

Simple Flying

AUGUST 18, 2024

The United States Air Force has found itself in the middle of a new age of Great Power Competition. Now FlightGlobal has claimed: " Overseas air bases can no longer be counted on as safe harbors for American aircraft forward deployed to conflict zones." This comes as the United States Air Force is building up its F-35As stationed in Japan while the Navy is replacing Super Hornets with F-35Cs on the USS George Washington (CVN-73) as it returns to Japan.

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Jet 128

One Mile at a Time

AUGUST 23, 2024

Us avgeeks can often have pretty strong aircraft preferences. Sometimes our picks are rational (like based on a plane’s capabilities, passenger comfort, etc.), while other times we just like the way a plane looks or sounds. In this post I thought it would be fun to share my favorite aircraft, and then I’d love to hear what planes OMAAT readers like most.

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Jet Airplanes Tail Cockpit 113

Aerotime

AUGUST 23, 2024

US cargo airline Atlas Air has secured the services of three Boeing 747-8 Freighters through a long-term finance lease agreement with lessor BOC Aviation. On August 22, 2024, Atlas Air Worldwide declared that the agreement came in response to “strong global demand for dedicated large widebody airfreight capacity,” driven by a surge in the e-commerce sector.

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Cargo Payload Airline Airlines 290

Airline Economics

AUGUST 23, 2024

Delta Air Lines chief operating officer and executive vice president Mike Spanos is departing from the company, it said in a filing. The departure is effective as of August 31, 2024. No replacement has been announced to date. Spanos joined the airline only in June last year. He brought with him no aviation experience.

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Airline Airlines 111

Simple Flying

AUGUST 23, 2024

A former Alaska Airlines pilot accused of recklessly endangering other passengers after attempting to cut off the engine of a San Francisco-bound regional flight is speaking up about the experience and importance of mental health for pilots.

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Pilot Airlines Airline 122

One Mile at a Time

AUGUST 20, 2024

The Boeing 777X is Boeing’s latest and (theoretically) greatest aircraft, which is eventually supposed to become the largest passenger jet in production. The catch is, the plane has experienced some major certification issues — while the plane was supposed to start commercial service in 2020, that timeline has now been pushed back until 2025. Well, there’s now potentially yet another setback, as reported by The Air Current.

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Thrust Airplanes Jet Airline 116

Aerotime

AUGUST 22, 2024

Few things capture the public imagination like the sleek lines of supersonic aircraft. The Concorde did the trick back in the day, managing to achieve a truly iconic status. Fast forward a few decades and Boom Supersonic, a startup that aims to bring back commercial supersonic flight, also wants its aircraft to be a head-turner. As if the uniqueness of its design was not enough, Boom Supersonic is looking for ideas to emblazon its aircraft with original, eye-catching liveries.

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Flight Deck Airlines Airline Runway 287

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 20, 2024

The Military Aviation Museum is partnering with the Air.Show Tour and NATO for the NATO Joint-Power Demonstration over Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Wednesday, August 21st. This event will showcase the Italian Air Force’s Frecce Tricolori jet team, the F-22 Raptor Demo Team from Langley AFB, and the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet Demo Team from VFA-106 at NAS Oceana.

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Jet 113

Simple Flying

AUGUST 23, 2024

41% of Italian carrier ITA Airways is currently in the process of being bought by the Lufthansa Group. The deal was given a conditional green light by EU regulators earlier this year, and one of the conditions was that Lufthansa would have to give up a number of short-haul slots to rival airlines.

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Airline Airlines 122

One Mile at a Time

AUGUST 19, 2024

While we’ve heard of airports temporarily halting operations due to security situations, this has to be one of the strangest such incidents we’ve seen… Hokkaido Airport closes due to lost scissors This incident happened on Saturday, August 17, 2024, at New Chitose Airport (CTS) in Hokkaido, Japan. Shortly after 10AM local time, a store in the departures area (past security) reported that a pair of scissors had gone missing.

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Aerotime

AUGUST 23, 2024

US advanced air mobility developer Archer Aviation has announced the closing of a $230 Private Investment in Public Equity (PIPE) funding round that is set to strengthen the capitalization of the company as its Midnight eVTOL approaches certification stage. Of the $230 million, $220 million has already been confirmed and the remaining $10 million is awaiting the approval of Stellantis shareholders, which is expected to happen later this year.

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Approach Airline Airlines Aviation Technology 278

iPad Pilot News

AUGUST 20, 2024

Understanding pressure altitude and GPS altitude in aviation apps iPad Pilot News Ten years ago, ForeFlight introduced synthetic vision and gave pilots a new way to view the world on their iPads. Nowadays, most other aviation apps offer a similar view. In addition to a 3D view of terrain and obstacles this shows glass cockpit-style tapes for speed and altitude, making it an excellent backup tool in case of panel avionics failure.

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Altimeter Indicated Airspeed Pitot Tube Groundspeed 111

Simple Flying

AUGUST 17, 2024

The United States is one of the two top producers of fighter jets (the other being China, which produces a similar number ). The United States currently produces four types of fighter jets: the F-16 Fighting Falcon , the F-15EX Strike Eagle II , the F/A-18 Super Hornet (and Growler), and the F-35 Lightning II. Many of these aircraft are produced for export (the F-16 is only produced for export).

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Jet 126

One Mile at a Time

AUGUST 22, 2024

Hong Kong Airlines once again wants to expand by launching long haul flights, after that strategy nearly liquidated the airline back in 2019… Hong Kong Airlines eyes North America flights Hong Kong Airlines CEO Jeff Sun Jianfeng has stated in an interview with Bloomberg that the airline intends to once again launch long haul flights as of 2025. Specifically, the airline wants to acquire at least three secondhand Boeing 787s, and use those for this service.

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Airlines Airline Jet 112

Aerotime

AUGUST 19, 2024

A SWISS Boeing 777-300ER carrying 319 passengers became caught in a grassy area of Astana International Airport (NQZ) in Kazakhstan after diverting due to a medical emergency. The incident occurred on August 17, 2024, when flight LX161, operating a Boeing 777-300ER with registration HB-JNI, was flying from Narita International Airport (NRT) in Tokyo to Zurich Airport (ZRH).

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Runway Airline Airlines 299

Airline Economics

AUGUST 21, 2024

American eVTOL manufacturer Archer Aviation is set to launch an air mobility network in Los Angeles. The company plans for passengers to fly on Archer’s Midnight aircraft which will fly between different points of the city – with the aim of transporting passengers to their destination in 10 to 20 minutes.

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Simple Flying

AUGUST 20, 2024

Hailstorms are more than just a minor inconvenience for aircraft; they represent significant hazards that can compromise safety, cause costly damage, and disrupt operations. Here are five key reasons hail poses such a danger to aircraft and a deeper understanding of hail as a weather event.

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Weather 124

Vintage Aviation News

AUGUST 19, 2024

By Adam Estes Nearly every person on earth has seen a Cessna 172 fly overhead, and most of the world’s pilots get their first flight lessons and make their first solos behind the controls of a 172. However, the favorable flight characteristics of the 172 have also seen the aircraft used as military trainers with the United States Army and Air Force as the Cessna T-41 Mescalero, serving the same purpose of introductory flight training as the Boeing-Stearman Model 75 did during the World War II.

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Pilot Knot Jet 111

Aerotime

AUGUST 20, 2024

Qatar Airways has acquired a 25% equity stake in South African airline Airlink, one of Africa’s largest carriers. The deal, which was signed on August 20, 2024, in Doha, builds upon years of collaboration between the two airlines, which already codeshare some of their flights. After this equity investment, the two airlines are expected to strengthen their partnership, enhancing the connectivity between their respective networks, cooperating in the commercial sphere and linking their respective l

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Airlines Airline Jet 292

AV Web

AUGUST 19, 2024

A New York Times documentary looks into the mental health issues affecting the aviation industry and builds the case using the sensational story of an Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to crash a plane he was on last fall. Capt. Joe Emerson was in the jump seat of the E175 hitching a ride to San Francisco from a weekend with friends in Oregon when he tried to pull the engine fire extinguishers.

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Pilot Airlines Airline 110