Aerotime

JANUARY 13, 2025

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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Approach Knot Pilot 362

Cranky Flier

MARCH 11, 2025

When we look back in the distant future, I think we’ll remember today as the day that Southwest died. No, it is not going out of business, but its entire value proposition — everything that made it different — has disappeared faster than you can say “Elliott Investment Management.” For this, Southwest has earned the Cranky Jackass Award, but even that seems insufficient.

Airline 358

Airline Airlines 358

Aerotime

MARCH 31, 2025

Germanys Lufthansa Group has declared that, from summer 2025, all ITA Airways flights at Frankfurt and Munich airports will be managed from Lufthansa terminals. On March 30, 2025, the German airline group announced that this change means ITA and other Lufthansa Group airlines will operate under one roof at all the Group’s hubs. The move follows a previous announcement in February 2025 , where the German airline outlined detailed plans for incorporating the newly acquired Italian carrier in

Airline 303

Airline Airlines 303

Aerotime

MARCH 11, 2025

The Air France-KLM Group has reportedly tabled an offer of 300 million ($330 million) to take a controlling stake in Spanish carrier Air Europa. The move places the Franco-Dutch airline consortium in the running to take control of the Spanish airline with Germanys Lufthansa Group, which until now, had been considered as the clear favorite to take a majority shareholding in the Madrid-based airline.

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Stability Airline Airlines 332

Aerotime

MARCH 31, 2025

Virgin Atlantic has posted its 2024 financial results, which show an Earnings Before Interest and Tax profit (EBIT) of 230m (US$297 million), an almost five-fold increase over the 48 million (US$62.1 million) posted the preceding year. In terms of revenue, 2024 was a record year for the UK-based long-haul carrier. Virgin Atlantics revenues went up by 183m (US$236.7 million) to a total of 3.3bn (US$4.27 billion).

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Cargo Airline Airlines 294

Aerotime

MARCH 20, 2025

The National Transport Safety Bureau (NTSB) has issued a preliminary report into the fatal accident involving a Bering Air Cessna 208B Caravan registered N321BA, which crashed in a remote part of Alaska on February 6, 2025, operating flight number 445. The wreckage of the airplane was found two days after the crash in which all nine passengers and the sole pilot lost their lives.

Knot 305

Knot Air Traffic Control Gross Weight Airplanes 305

Aerotime

JANUARY 10, 2025

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.

Airline 301

Airline Airlines 301

Aerotime

MARCH 25, 2025

If you were to try to list the airports around the world hosting the largest number of A380 double-decker aircraft, Dubai (DXB), Singapore (SIN) and London Heathrow (LHR) might possibly spring to mind. However, a rather unsuspected name pops up on that list not far behind these major global hubs, On a regular day, Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrenees Airport (LDE), a small regional airport in the south of France, presents quite a sight to behold, with several of these giant aircraft lined up on the apron whi

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Tarmac Airline Airlines Weather 298

Aerotime

MARCH 27, 2025

Wednesday, March 26, 2025, marked another milestone in the 38-year history of London-City Airport (LCY), located in the Docklands area of East London just a stones throw from the financial and legal hub of Canary Wharf. At 12:01 local time, an Embraer E195-E2 regional jet operated by Helvetic Airways and registered HB-AZI touched down at the airport, simultaneously taking a place in the airports history books.

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Jet Approach Cockpit Runway 306

Aerotime

JANUARY 28, 2025

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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Pilot Jet Airline Airlines 329

Aerotime

MARCH 17, 2025

Communities along France’s Atlantic shore have long held a special relationship with the sea. What has for centuries been a region of sailors, shipbuilders and maritime traders has evolved into one of Europe’s most dynamic centers for sailing technology innovation. The region is home to a thriving ecosystem where boat builders, equipment manufacturers, naval architects, and sailing technology startups collaborate to push the boundaries of what’s possible on water.

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Aileron Lift Tail General Aviation 308

Aerotime

FEBRUARY 4, 2025

South Korea is set to completely rebuild its aviation safety system after recent aviation accidents in the country, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) announced. On February 4, 2025, MOLIT revealed plans to create an Aviation Safety Innovation Committee, which will include around 20 private experts aimed at improving safety in the aviation industry.

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Runway Pilot Airline Airlines 299

Aerotime

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Air India and Germanys Lufthansa Group have agreed to build on their longstanding codeshare partnership which intends to boost flight options and connectivity for travelers between the Indian Subcontinent and Europe. The expansion, which will also see the Indian national carrier enter into a new codeshare agreement with Austrian Airlines, will include the broadening of existing codeshare agreements between the carrier with both Lufthansa and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS).

Airline 298

Airline Airlines 298

Aerotime

JANUARY 8, 2025

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).

Airline 313

Airline Airlines 313

Aerotime

JANUARY 17, 2025

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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Weather Approach Pilot Aviation Technology 293

Aerotime

JANUARY 2, 2025

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.

Airline 301

Airline Airlines 301

Aerotime

MARCH 31, 2025

Singapore-based aircraft leasing firm BOC Aviation has announced a large new order of narrowbody aircraft, with both Boeing and Airbus sharing the spoils of the new contracts. On March 31, 20256, the leasing giant confirmed commitments for 70 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft, while Boeing has benefited too, with an order for 50 new Boeing 737 MAX 8 twin-engine jets.

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Airplanes Lift Jet Airline 295

Aerotime

MARCH 10, 2025

Robinson Helicopter Company (‘Robinson’), based in Torrance near Los Angeles in California, has just announced the launch of its first all-new aircraft type in nearly 15 years. The R88 helicopter will be a larger helicopter than both the companys existing R22 and R44 models, which, according to Robinson, is a helicopter designed to meet a wider range of mission requirements while maintaining the companys hallmark reliability, affordability, and safety.

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Payload Cockpit Cargo Clearance 293

Aerotime

MARCH 27, 2025

Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Jennifer Homendy, has appeared before the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) subcommittee, where she was questioned about the January 2025 crash between a Black Hawk helicopter and a American Eagle Bombardier CRJ700. When asked by Chairman Steve Womack to pick the most alarming data conclusions drawn from the accident investigation so far, Homendy indicated that her biggest concern was the regularity of collision alerts

Runway 277

Runway 277

Aerotime

MARCH 20, 2025

A panicked Hong Kong Airlines flight crew raced to extinguish a fire using bottles of water after a blaze reportedly broke out in an overhead bin during a flight. Video posted on social media on March 20, 2025, showed crew members and passengers scrambling to douse the blaze as the pilot initiated an emergency landing. Hong Kong Airlines confirmed to local media that the fire aboard an Airbus A320-200 was successfully extinguished and flight HX115 landed safely at Fuzhou Changle International Ai

Airline 284

Airline Airlines Pilot 284

Aerotime

MARCH 20, 2025

Air India is reportedly considering a new multi-billion dollar order for a significant number of widebody passenger aircraft, with products from both Boeing and Airbus said to be in the running, according to Reuters. The deliberations underway are said to be focused on orders for between 30 and 40 aircraft which would potentially be split between the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777X models.

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Airline Airlines Jet 314

Aerotime

MARCH 25, 2025

On March 24 to 25, 2025, Airbus held its annual Summit, in which the company shared insights into some of the most innovative projects on which it is working, plus, more broadly, its view of the future of commercial aviation. One of the highlights of the 2025 edition of the Airbus Summit was the announcement by the European aircraft manufacturer that it is already working on some concepts for a new generation of narrow-body airliner.

Airline 308

Airline Airlines Aviation Technology 308

Aerotime

MARCH 6, 2025

It is understood that Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways have cancelled flights to and from Mogadishu, Somalia, following a warning from the US of a potential imminent attack at Aden Adde International Airport (MGQ). On March 4, 2025, after tracking credible information the US Embassy in Somalia issued an alert indicating multiple locations in the country, including Mogadishus airport, were at risk of attack.

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Airline Airlines Pilot 317

Aerotime

JANUARY 10, 2025

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

Pilot 313

Pilot 313

Aerotime

FEBRUARY 23, 2025

The company behind the Lilium Jet has filed for insolvency after its funding options dried up and promises of new financing failed to materialize. Lilium Aerospace , which evolved after Lilium GmbH and Lilium eAircraft GmbH filed for insolvency at the end of last year, confirmed on February 21, 2025, that operations had stopped. As the funding options to secure Liliums future have not materialized in time, Lilium Aerospace has filed for insolvency today, a spokesperson for Lilium said.

Jet 307

Jet 307

Aerotime

MARCH 31, 2025

United Airlines has revealed that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved its first aircraft type equipped with Starlink, less than eight months after finalizing a deal with SpaceX for the service. On March 31, 2025, a statement by United announced that the FAA had granted a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the aircraft, with plans for the first commercial flight featuring Starlink in-flight internet to take place on a United Express Embraer 175.

Airline 290

Airline Airlines 290

Aerotime

JANUARY 9, 2025

Saudi startup airline Riyadh Air has announced that it is preparing for the arrival of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The leased aircraft, painted in the airlines pearl livery, will be showcased at Riyadhs King Khalid International Airport (RUH), the carrier announced on January 9, 2025. The new aircraft will be used as a technical spare and for training purposes in the upcoming months, the statement read.

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Jet Airline Airlines 293

Aerotime

MARCH 6, 2025

Air France-KLM Group has released its latest set of figures for both the final quarter of 2024 (4Q24) as well as its full-year results. The results, announced on March 6, 2025, are generally favourable, with capacity increasing and the Franco-Dutch airline group benefitting from the use of more efficient aircraft. However, KLM is finding headwinds are hampering its overall performance, with a range of cost-cutting measures being actioned to improve its position in 2025 and beyond.

Airline 284

Airline Airlines Cargo Approach 284

Aerotime

JANUARY 30, 2025

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended Max Airs domestic flight services for three months following an incident where a Max Air Boeing 737-400 suffered a nose gear collapse during landing at Kano Mallam Aminu International Airport (KAN). The announcement was made by Michael Achimugu, the Director of Consumer Protection and Public Affairs at the NCAA, on January 29, 2025.

Knot 306

Knot Stability Thrust Runway 306

Aerotime

MARCH 7, 2025

SpaceXs Starship spacecraft has exploded in space shortly after taking off from Texas, leading the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reroute or delay air traffic in some areas of Florida and the Caribbean due to rocket debris. SpaceX confirmed they lost contact with the Starship rocket nine minutes and 30 seconds into its eighth test flight on March 6, 2025, as the spacecraft began tumbling to Earth.

Lift 301

Lift Cargo 301

Aerotime

MARCH 31, 2025

PLAY Airlines, the Icelandic low-cost operator has announced that it has received the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) for its new Malta-based subsidiary company, to be known as PLAY Europe. The announcement of the awarding of an AOC by the Maltese Civil Aviation Directorate was made on March 28, 2025, as the carrier hosted a special event at the new subsidiarys headquarters in Malta.

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Cabin Crew Airline Airlines Pilot 271

Aerotime

JANUARY 8, 2025

UK-based electric vehicle takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace has become only the second company in the world to perform a piloted thrustborne flight test in a full-scale vectored thrust aircraft. The full-scale eVTOL aircraft, known as VX4, took off on January 7, 2024, with pilot Simon Davies at the controls, at the Vertical Aerospace test center at Cotswold Airport (GBA).

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Pilot Thrust Stability Lift 322

Aerotime

JANUARY 15, 2025

Boeing delivered 180 fewer commercial aircraft in 2024 than 2023 after a torrid year which began with a door plug separating from an Alaska Airline 737-9 midflight. On January 14, 2025, Boeing confirmed that 348 passenger jets were delivered to customers last year including just 57 in the final quarter. In 2023, a total of 528 commercial planes were handed over to operators, with 157 delivered in the final quarter.

Jet 313

Jet Airline Airlines 313

Aerotime

JANUARY 14, 2025

Lufthansa and Thai Airways International are expanding their existing codeshare program to expand connectivity between Europe and several Asian destinations. The deal will see two cities in Vietnam plus one in the Philippines join the program to be linked by the Thai carrier from its hub in Bangkok. The expansion will see flights between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to Hanoi (HAN), Ho Chi Minh (SGN), and Manila (MNL) all continuing to be operated by Thai Airways but carrying an additional LH fligh

Airlines 301

Airlines Airline 301

Aerotime

JANUARY 14, 2025

Austrian Airlines has become the latest carrier from the Lufthansa Group to adopt the aerodynamics-enhancing AeroSHARK technology. The Austrian flag carrier announced on January 14, 2024, that one of its Boeing 777-200ER aircraft (OE-LPC) had flown between Bangkok (BKK) and Vienna (VIE) featuring the specially treated fuel-saving fuselage surfaces. AeroSHARK was developed jointly by Lufthansa Technik, which is the engineering and maintenance arm of airline group, and German chemicals giant BASF.

Airline 301

Airline Airlines Aviation Technology 301

Aerotime

JANUARY 6, 2025

Gulfstream Aerospace announced on January 6th, 2025, that two more G700 aircraft have been delivered to Qatar Executive , the private aviation arm of Qatar Airways. These deliveries take the total number of G700s in Qatars fleet to six, with four more scheduled to arrive in the near future. Mark Burns, president of Gulfstream, praised his team for the swift delivery of the new aircraft to Qatar, noting that the unprecedented speed with which the team has been able to deliver this remarkable airc

Jet 274

Jet 274

Aerotime

MARCH 28, 2025

Alaska Airlines Flight 261 was one of the worst aviation disasters in modern US history. What should have been a routine flight turned into a tragedy after a part of the tail assembly failed. Twenty-five years on from this terrible accident, we look back at what led up to the crash, what was learned from it, and why the pilots Ted Thompson and Bill Tansky are now hailed as heroes for their actions during the incident.

Horizontal Stabilizer 261

Horizontal Stabilizer Stability Airline Airlines 261