Tornado touches down near Eppley airport; Gen Aviation Damage

Tornado touched down near Eppley Airfield leaving behind major damage. That's all they know. (omaha.com) Altro...

Airbus Set to Increase A350 Production to 12 Units Monthly

Toulouse-based Airbus is set to boost production of its A350 aircraft to 12 units per month by 2028, a move driven solely by surging consumer demand and not by the challenges faced by its U.S. competitor Boeing, according to Airbus Chief Financial Officer Thomas Toepfer. (www.airguide.info) Altro...

Delta flight makes emergency return after exit slide separates from Boeing aircraft

"After the aircraft had safely landed [back at JFK] and proceeded to a gate, it was observed that the emergency slide had separated from the aircraft," a Delta spokesperson said in a statement to NPR Friday afternoon. (www.npr.org) Altro...

Cargo airline Amerijet warns of pilot furloughs amid downsizing

Amerijet's has lost some key customers and volume, so it plans to reduce the number of pilots to save money. (www.freightwaves.com) Altro...

Most dangerous electronic items passengers take on planes revealed

The worst device for causing fires by far are portable battery chargers – also known as battery packs – which have caused 199 incidents since records began in 2006. Second is vapes and e-cigarettes which together have sparked 99 incidents even though people cannot even smoke on aircraft. Mobile phones come third with 61 incidents and laptops fourth with 58. In total there have been 476 verified lithium battery incidents recorded by the FAA from March 2006 to March 2024 but figures have rocketed… (www.adsadvance.co.uk) Altro...

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $76 Million in Grants from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Modernize Airports, From Runway Improvements to Better Facilities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding another $76.1 million from the previously allocated $9 billion, for 45 airport-related infrastructure projects in 22 states. The projects are funded under President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program, part of the $25 billion total included in the law for airport improvements, including front-of-house projects such as terminal expansions and baggage… (www.faa.gov) Altro...

Airlines required to refund passengers for canceled, delayed flights

Good news for airline travelers: the Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced it is rolling out new rules that will require airlines to automatically give cash refunds to passengers for canceled and significantly delayed flights. "This is a big day for America's flying public," said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at a Wednesday morning news conference. Buttigieg said the new rules -- which require prompt refunds -- are the biggest expansion of passenger rights… (abcnews.go.com) Altro...

Pima Air and Space Museum Acquires Iconic Philippine Mars

The Pima Air and Space Museum (PASM) made public via Facebook its acquisition of the Philippine Mars. Coulson Aviation published a press release announcing that the Philippine Mars will soon find its “forever home” at the PASM in Tucson, Arizona this year. The Philippine Mars is one of only seven Martin JRM Mars flying boats produced. (vintageaviationnews.com) Altro...

India’s IndiGo orders 30 long-range Airbus A350 jets

The agreement follows Airbus and IndiGo’s record-breaking order at last year’s Paris Air Show, where they inked a deal for 500 aircraft from the A320neo family. (www.easterneye.biz) Altro...

Airbus in Talks with China Over Potential Aircraft Order Ahead of Xi Jinping’s France Visit

Airbus is reportedly in discussions with China regarding a potentially significant aircraft order ahead of an upcoming visit to France by Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to two sources familiar with the matter. Xi Jinping is scheduled to make his first trip to Europe in five years next month, with trade expected to be a key topic of discussion amidst growing tensions between the EU and China. (www.airguide.info) Altro...

American Airlines Pilots Union Reports Surge in Safety Concerns

The pilots union at American Airlines has reported a concerning increase in safety and maintenance issues, which includes lax routines in aircraft inspections and shorter test flights for planes re-entering service after significant maintenance. According to the Allied Pilots Association, there have also been instances of tools and other items being improperly left in critical areas like wheel wells and around aircraft at gates. (www.airguide.info) Altro...

Southwest Closes Four Stations Amid Ongoing Boeing Delivery Woes

The airline lost $231 million in the first quarter of 2024. (airlinegeeks.com) Altro...

The Impact of Automation and Artificial Intelligence on the Future of Aerospace Education

Automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have taken many industries by storm, aerospace being among them. Given that the modifications of technologies will further change aerospace systems, it is critical for aerospace education to keep abreast of the emerging situations that the generations to come will be dealing with. This article touches on how automation and AI influence aerospace schooling in terms of the possible good effects, as well as the challenges to be faced and the revolution to… (aeroxplorer.com) Altro...

JetBlue's in-flight entertainment system just got a watch party feature

JetBlue is revamping its in-flight entertainment system, complete with a new branding. It’s now called Blueprint and brings several features that should make your next flight just a teensy-bit less grueling. The biggest news here is a watch party feature that lets customers view the same TV show or film with up to five other people. (www.engadget.com) Altro...

Hawaiian Airlines slowly adds freighters for Amazon business

Hawaiian has faced some delivery delays for its A330 cargo jets. (www.freightwaves.com) Altro...

China Advances C929 Widebody Jet Development to Compete with Airbus and Boeing

China is accelerating efforts to enhance its aviation industry’s competitiveness with the development of the C929 widebody aircraft, a direct competitor to Western giants Airbus and Boeing. The state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has initiated a major collaborative effort, rallying 280 experts from 21 universities and various civil aviation companies to propel the C929 project forward. (www.airguide.info) Altro...

Automatic Refunds and No More Hidden Fees: D.O.T. Sets New Rules for Airlines

The Transportation Department issued new requirements on refunds when flights are canceled or delayed and on revealing “junk” fees before booking. (www.nytimes.com) Altro...

Hawaiian Slated to Return Grounded A321neos to Service

The airline says troubles with GTF engines remain a 'fluid situation.' (airlinegeeks.com) Altro...

US Postal Service to migrate air cargo to UPS during summer

UPS will begin taking Postal Service air shipments from FedEx as the incumbent's contract winds down in the coming months. (www.freightwaves.com) Altro...

Robin Hayes, Ex-JetBlue CEO, Appointed Head of Airbus North America

Airbus has announced the appointment of Robin Hayes, former CEO of JetBlue Airways, as the new leader of its North American operations. This strategic move by the European aircraft manufacturer was disclosed on Monday, signaling a significant shift in leadership aimed at strengthening its presence and operations in North America. (www.airguide.info) Altro...

New Marine One POTUS Copter Demoted to Back-up to Fix its Tendency to Scorch the White House Lawn

While Lockheed Martin, maker of the new VH-92 Patriot Marine One type, actively advances a fix, USMC Helicopter Squadron One's (HMX-1) lawn friendly Nixon-era Sikorsky VH-3D Sea Kings will cover all Pennsylvania Ave. segments. (www.bnnbloomberg.ca) Altro...

Douglas C-54 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska

Another veteran lost ... what a shame for the aircraft and crew (lasvegassun.com) Altro...

The New Boeing CEO Must Be an Airplane Geek, Not Just a Bean Counter

As Boeing prepares for a leadership change later this year, the incoming CEO faces an immense challenge: orchestrating a profound cultural shift within the company’s vast workforce of over 170,000 employees, a significant portion of whom are engineers. (www.airguide.info) Altro...

When Culture and Air Travel Intersect

In Ask the Pilot: Crossover. Those moments when history, culture, art or politics intersect unexpectedly with commercial aviation. (askthepilot.com) Altro...

ALPA to Return $50 Million in Member Dues Amid ‘Record Revenue Gains’

The world's largest pilots union is returning member dues in a 'first-of-its-kind' move. (airlinegeeks.com) Altro...

Flight returns to CLT after smoke in cabin is reported

An American Eagle flight from CLT to CHA returned to CLT after smoke was reported in cabin after takeoff. (www.wcnc.com) Altro...

Regulator Investigating "Serious" Incident Involving ANA Wings Boeing 737-800 Ground Warning System

The incident involved two go-arounds. . (simpleflying.com) Altro...

New Data Suggests a Rise in Aircraft Near-Misses

While it is true that plane collisions occur quite frequently, recent events may be overstating just how often they may occur. Accidents themselves do not occur as often as many believe and it is incredibly rare for a plane to experience difficulties during the flight itself. (aeroxplorer.com) Altro...

The Iron Dome: How Israel Was Able to Thwart 99% of Iran's Missile Attacks Thus Far

Since 2011, Israel's Iron Dome defense system has intercepted thousands of rockets and protected the country during times of conflict. It consists mainly of a three-part system that intercepts short-range rockets. (aeroxplorer.com) Altro...

US FAA to mandate use of safety tool by charter airlines, manufacturers

WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday said it is finalizing new rules requiring charter, commuter, air tour operators, and aircraft manufacturers to implement a key safety tool aimed at reducing accidents. The FAA is adopting a final rule mandating the use of Safety Management Systems (SMS), which are a set of policies and procedures to proactively identify and address potential operational hazards, after first proposing to do so in January 2023.… (www.reuters.com) Altro...

Nasa Veteran’s Propellantless Propulsion Drive That Physics Says Shouldn’t Work Just Produced Enough Thrust to Overcome Earth’s Gravity

Dr. Charles Buhler, a NASA engineer and the co-founder of Exodus Propulsion Technologies, has revealed that his company’s propellantless propulsion drive, which appears to defy the known laws of physics, has produced enough thrust to counteract Earth’s gravity. A veteran of such storied programs as NASA’s Space Shuttle, the International Space Station (ISS), The Hubble Telescope, and the current NASA Dust Program, Buhler and his colleagues believe their discovery of a fundamental new force… (thedebrief.org) Altro...

FAA will require more rest for air traffic controllers

"There are 1,000 fewer certified air traffic controllers working today than a decade ago, according to NATCA. As a result, many air traffic facilities are short-staffed, union president Rich Santa told a Senate subcommittee in November. Mandatory overtime — including six-day workweeks and 10-hour shifts — are routine, he said." (www.npr.org) Altro...

Boeing and the Dark Age of American Manufacturing

Somewhere along the line, the plane maker lost interest in making its own planes. Can it rediscover its engineering soul? (www.theatlantic.com) Altro...

FlySafair Boeing 737 loses wheel on take-off Johannesburg Airport, safely returns

On 21 April, a FlySafair Boeing 737-800 (registered ZS-FGE) operated domestic flight FA212 between Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. (www.aviation24.be) Altro...

JetBlue, Southwest planes nearly collide – experts warn of air traffic control fatigue

Two planes were cleared on a collision path at Washington Reagan National Airport on Thursday. Thankfully, air traffic controllers got both aircraft to stop before disaster struck. JetBlue flight 1554 from Washington to Boston was cleared for takeoff, while Southwest flight 2937 to Orlando was cleared to cross the same runway. (www.usatoday.com) Altro...

United Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Diverts To San Francisco After Smoke Fills Cabin

Passengers arrived safely in San Francisco around 45 minutes after departure from Los Angeles. (simpleflying.com) Altro...

Sunclass A330neo cockpit to Phuket Thailand

In the cockpit of the Sunclass Airlines Airbus A330-900neo from Oslo to Phuket and returning Phuket to Gothenburg with a fuel stop in Varna Bulgaria. (www.youtube.com) Altro...

China Eastern Airlines has one of the top 10 fleets in the world

On April 17, it was learned from China Eastern Airlines that with the continuous development of large-scale operations, China Eastern Airlines' fleet has exceeded 800 aircraft, reaching 803 aircraft, ranking among the top 10 in the world. Among them, there are 789 passenger aircraft, 14 all-cargo aircraft, and 120 large wide-body aircraft (wide-body passenger aircraft and all-cargo aircraft), accounting for about 15%. (i.carnoc.com) Altro...

United Cockpit Breach Incident: FAA Begins Investigation

United Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating how a passenger gained access to the cockpit of a 757 at cruise altitude in violation of the company’s policy and FAA regulations. (aviationa2z.com) Altro...

China will develop low-altitude economy

These days, China's economy is currently developed, but the low-altitude economy is still backward. In the past, the low-altitude economy was only used for China's agriculture (e.g. spraying pesticides with drones or general aircraft), but China is aware of the backwardness of the low-altitude economy and is now in its infancy. Some parts of China (Shanghai, Shenzhen, etc.) have already begun experimenting with drone delivery. In Shenzhen, you can even take an eVTOL plane from Shenzhen… (www.gov.cn) Altro...

Southwest Flight Declares Emergency in St. Louis: Engine Failure

In the last 30 minutes, a Southwest Airlines flight to Sacramento declared an emergency due to an engine failure, prompting a return to St. Louis. (aviationsourcenews.com) Altro...

FAA investigating near collision of two jets at Reagan National Airport

Two passenger jets came within 400 feet of each other before controllers took last-minute evasive action and immediately stopped the two planes. It’s not clear why the jets were authorized to be on the same runway at the same time. (wtop.com) Altro...

American Scales Back Pilot Hiring Plans, Pauses Summer Classes

The airline is reducing its hiring targets by nearly half in 2024. (airlinegeeks.com) Altro...

This AI-controlled jet fighter has now flown against human pilots

An AI test pilot has successfully flown a jet fighter in dogfights against human opponents. It's the latest development for DARPA's Air Combat Evaluation program, which is trying to develop aerospace AI agents that can be trusted to perform safely. Human test pilots have a bit of a reputation thanks to popular culture—from The Right Stuff to Top Gun: Maverick, the profession has been portrayed as a place for loose cannons with a desire to go fast and break the rules. The reality is… (arstechnica.com) Altro...

Onboard Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 787-9 Inaugural Flight From Honolulu to San Francisco

Hawaiian Airlines’ first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner might have been one the biggest hyped aviation stories in the western hemisphere this year, with promises of a completely modernized long hauler, with new cabins in economy and business/first class. (www.gatechecked.com) Altro...

Pilot Shortage ‘Isn’t Real,’ ALPA Says

The union claims that there's a surplus of airline pilots. (airlinegeeks.com) Altro...

Two Southwest 737s Remain in Legacy ‘Canyon Blue’ Livery

The airline has gradually been phasing out the 2001 paint scheme. (airlinegeeks.com) Altro...

Russian Airlines Adopt Domestic Software for Maintenance of Western-Made Airliners

In response to increasing international tensions, Russia’s major airlines are beginning to implement domestically developed software solutions to support the maintenance of their Western-manufactured aircraft. This strategic shift aims to reduce reliance on Western technology and enhance the sustainability of Russia’s aviation operations amid global trade restrictions. (www.airguide.info) Altro...

Delta is Giving Away Free Flights to the Paris Olympics. Here's How to Enter

As airlines around the world gear up to ferry passengers to the 2024 Paris Olympics, one airline is holding sweepstakes for one lucky person to win a free ticket to Paris. (aeroxplorer.com) Altro...