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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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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South Korea plans to rebuild aviation safety system following recent accidents 

Aerotime

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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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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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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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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Nigeria suspends Max Air flights for three months after 737 landing incident

Aerotime

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.

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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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Washington plane crash: critical data rests inside submerged Black Hawk wreckage

Aerotime

Critical data that could piece together the final movements of a Black Hawk helicopter before it crashed with an American Eagle Bombardier CRJ-700 in Washington DC are contained within the submerged wreckage, according to the National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB). On February 4, 2024, the NTSB confirmed that the US Army Black Hawk was at 300 feet (rounded to the nearest 100 feet) at the time of the collision but additional information to verify data points from the helicopter was needed.

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Bahamasair mulls Airbus A220 for possible 737 replacement and for network expansion

Aerotime

Bahamasair, the state-owned airline of the Bahamas, is reportedly considering a potential order for Airbus A220 narrowbody aircraft as the carrier mulls a replacement for its aging jet fleet of four Boeing 737-700s. The airline would also use the new aircraft to expand into new markets and develop its footprint across the Caribbean region, according to the airlines CEO.

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Riyadh Air prepares for the arrival of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner 

Aerotime

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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Safran secures EASA certification for pioneering electric aircraft motor 

Aerotime

French aerospace giant Safran has secured certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for its ENGINeUS 100 electric motor. The ENGINeUS 100 electric motor is capable of powering small regional transport aircraft with up to 19 passengers, with the potential to usher in a new era of commercial air mobility. It is the first time that an electric motor of its size and capability has been approved by EASA, requiring 1,500 hours of certification tests and more than 100 flight hours o

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Lufthansa and Thai Airways expand codeshare to Vietnam and the Philippines  

Aerotime

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

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Austrian Airlines fits B777-200ER with AeroSHARK technology 

Aerotime

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.

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Boeing delivers 180 fewer commercial aircraft in 2024 after torrid year 

Aerotime

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.

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Vertical Aerospace performs piloted thrustborne flight test in full-scale eVTOL

Aerotime

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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Boom Supersonic begins countdown to first attempt at breaking the sound barrier 

Aerotime

US-based flight developer Boom Supersonic has begun the final countdown to its first attempt at breaking the sound barrier with its XB-1 demonstrator. On January 25, 2025, Boom Supersonic declared the start of a five-day countdown to the historic flight, following 11 tests and 22 months of rigorous testing. Announcing XB-1’s first supersonic flight, Boom wrote: 3, 2, 1 Boom The countdown is on.

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Magma Aviation expands and enhances operations in 2024

Aerotime

In 2024, Magma Aviation, the innovative air cargo solutions company, made significant progress. With its strategic hubs in Europe and expansions in Dubai and Dublin, Magma Aviation is well-positioned to make substantial improvements in operational efficiency and market coverage. Last year, Magma Aviation signed a multi-year contract with Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) for freighter handling at Liege Airport (LGG) with the aim of enhancing handling capabilities.

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Asia Pacific airlines record solid traffic growth in both pax and cargo for 2024

Aerotime

Airlines in the Asia Pacific region recorded a solid traffic growth for the year 2024. This is based on preliminary traffic figures for the full calendar year 2024, released by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). The numbers showed strong growth in both international air passenger and cargo markets, brought by increase in flight frequencies, and a robust e-commerce landscape.

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Qatar Airways Executive takes 2 more Gulfstream G700 private jets

Aerotime

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

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Turkish Airlines flew 83.4M passengers in 2024, a rise of 2.1% over 2023  

Aerotime

The number of passengers carried by Turkish Airlines reached 83.4 million in 2024, a figure which represents an increase of 2.1% year-on-year, according to a statement issued by the national carrier of Turkey on January 8, 2024. The total included 31.7 million international passengers, up 6.4% over 2023, a rise it largely credits to a major international expansion push throughout 2024.

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Damascus Airport resumes international flights after fall of Bashar al-Assad

Aerotime

International flights have resumed at Syrias Damascus Airport (DAM) for the first time since former president and dictator Bashar al-Assad was overthrown on December 8, 2024. Images taken at the airport, and on flights to Damascus, show scenes of celebration as crew and passengers wear Syrias independence flag proudly. One of the first flights to arrive at Damascus Airport was Qatar Airways QR 410 from Dohas Hamad International Airport (DOH).

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Boeing expects $4B loss in Q4 2024 due to strike and defense charges

Aerotime

Boeing has announced that it expects a $4 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2024, due to a challenging year marked by a seven-week labor strike by US Coast factory workers and extra charges within the defense segment. In a statement released on January 23, 2025, Boeing announced that it will recognize impacts to its financial results related to the IAM work stoppage, charges for certain Defense, Space & Security programs and costs associated with workforce reductions when it reports its

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Lockheed Martin to upgrade USAF F-22 Raptor infrared defensive sensors

Aerotime

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $270 million contract by the US Air Force to integrate next-generation infrared defensive sensors on the F-22 Raptor. Under the agreement, the F-22 will be equipped with a distributed set of embedded TacIRST sensors, collectively known as the Infrared Defensive System (IRDS). These sensors are designed to bolster the Raptor’s ability to detect, track, and counter adversarial threats in the infrared spectrum.

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Air Canada cuts flights at Toronto Pearson after storm and Delta DL4819 crash

Aerotime

Air Canada has cut its flight capacity at Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) as a result of winter storms in eastern Canada and the recent Delta Air Lines DL4819 crash. On February 18, 2025, Air Canada provided an operational update , stating that that recent severe winter storm activity and the Delta DL4819 accident has created extremely challenging conditions for airlines in Eastern Canada.

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REGENT breaks ground on new seaglider factory in Rhode Island 

Aerotime

REGENT, a US startup working on the development of a 12-passenger seaglider, a novel form of wing-in-ground vehicle, has broken ground on its new greenfield production facility in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. This 255,000 sq ft factory will house the production of several key components for the seaglider, as well as the vehicles final assembly line and the pre-delivery testing facilities.

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FAA says up to 574 Boeing 767 aircraft may require landing gear inspections

Aerotime

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that up to 574 Boeing 767 aircraft may require landing gear inspections as part of an Airworthiness Directive (AD). The AD, issued on January 8, 2025, raised concerns over landing gear on US-registered 767-200s, 767-300s and 767-300 Freighters following an incident during maintenance. According to the FAA , the AD was prompted by a report of a main landing gear (MLG) collapse event following maintenance where a grinder was operating outside

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FAA begins probe after United and Delta jets draw near on runway approach

Aerotime

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has begun an investigation into a midair incident involving a United Airlines Boeing 737-900ER and a Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300. According to the US aviation regulator, both aircraft were scheduled to arrive at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) on January 11, 2025, within 23 minutes of each other.

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Jeju Air crash: South Korea investigators find bird feathers, blood in engines 

Aerotime

South Korean authorities have discovered bird feathers and blood in both engines of the Jeju Air aircraft that crashed and killed 179 people on December 29, 2024. On January 16, 2025, Korean investigators announced that feathers were found in one of the engines recovered from the crash scene, as reported by local news outlet MBN. The Korea Aviation Accident Investigation Board confirmed that feathers were also found in the other engine.

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Federal Aviation Administration restores NOTAM system after brief outage

Aerotime

The Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) NOTAM computer system is back up and running following a temporary shortage, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. On February 2, 2025, the FAA confirmed in a statement that the NOTAM system, which provides updates about anything that may affect the safety of flight, is online and operational.

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Air India and Lufthansa Group expand codeshare relationship to 60 more cities

Aerotime

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).

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Life as a British Airways engineer – a career without limits or boundaries

Aerotime

British Airways, the national carrier of the United Kingdom (UK) and one of the defining airlines within the contemporary aviation world, offers its engineers a career without limits. Its a workplace in which they can handle a modern fleet that includes the giant A380 superjumbo and advanced 787 and A350 wide bodies, plus a wide range of the latest engine types, while remaining free to think big and bring their ambition to work every day.

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Uruguay may soon have a new airline with A220s wet-leased from airBaltic

Aerotime

Uruguay may soon have a new national airline if plans outlined by a startup called Sociedad Uruguaya de Aviacin (SUA) come to fruition. This new airline project was publicly unveiled during the Fitur international travel trade show, which took place in Madrid, Spain, on January 22-26, 2025. While most details about the planned operation will be disclosed on January 28, 2025, at an event that will take place at Carrasco International Airport (MVD), in Montevideo, SUA has disclosed that it aims to

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World’s first: easyJet tests paint that enables fuel savings and cuts emissions 

Aerotime

easyJet has become the first airline in the world to trial a new lower-weight paint, which should cut emissions and enable fuel savings. On January 3, 2025, easyJet announced that it is working with Mankiewicz Aviation Coatings to create the new solution. Compared to previous systems, this will use less paint to create the colors for easyJets livery. easyJet is constantly exploring and developing innovative solutions to lower the impact of our operations, said Lahiru Ranasinghe, Director of Sust

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No delay: These were the most on-time airlines in the world in 2024

Aerotime

Aviation analytics company Cirium has released its rankings for the most on-time airlines in the world in 2024. Data is based on hundreds of real-time feeds, from airlines, distribution systems, and aviation authorities, providing a thorough and objective view of the performance of carriers. Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO, said, 2024 was a difficult year for airlines, facing a large-scale IT outage, and unseasonable and severe weather patterns.

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Boeing outperforms Airbus with 45 aircraft deliveries in January 2025

Aerotime

Boeing delivered 45 new aircraft in January 2025, outperforming rival Airbus which handed over 25 planes to 17 customers during the same period. The 45 Boeing aircraft deliveries were the highest the US aircraft manufacturer had achieved since December 2023, and the first time it had eclipsed Airbus since March 2023. Before the latest data was released on February 11, 2025, Boeings last busiest month was in June 2024 when the company delivered 45 aircraft, but this was far from the 105 deliverie

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