FlightAware 2024 Intern Summer Projects

This summer, FlightAware welcomed five interns from various parts of the country. These interns worked closely with our engineering team on their projects, achieving remarkable results that they later showcased to the entire company. Throughout their time with us, they also connected through social events and engaged in tech and career development discussions led by our engineers. We’re excited to share the outcomes of their efforts and spotlight their achievements. - Samantha T. (flightaware.engineering) More...

Confessions of a New Corporate Pilot

Who knew that getting through the FlightSafety training would be the easiest part? (www.jetwhine.com) More...

Airlines must monitor vapour trails under new EU climate rules

Airlines operating flights from European airports will soon have to report the estimated climate impact of vapour trails from jet engines to the European Commission, as well as the amount of carbon dioxide they emit annually. The airline industry had lobbied hard against the new rules — adopted by government delegates behind closed doors on Friday (30 August) — saying there wasn't enough research data on the effects of contrails. But the European Commission, while acknowledging “inherent… (www.euronews.com) More...

Cathay Pacific inspects Airbus A350 fleet after engine part failure

Engine failure that caused a Zurich flight to return to Hong Kong caused scrubbing of Cathay A350-1000 flights. Problem appears to be in the fuel nozzle for the RR Trent version used in A350-1000. (www.reuters.com) More...

Air New Zealand ATR 72-600 Engine Catches Fire Before Landing At Wellington Airport

Passengers on board an Air New Zealand flight heading into Wellington on Sunday were in for a shock after the left engine of their aircraft caught fire moments before touch down. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

U.S. Seizes Venezuelan President’s Jet, Transfers It to Florida

The United States has seized a Dassault Falcon 900EX, used by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, in the Dominican Republic and transferred the aircraft to Florida. This action, announced by the U.S. Department of Justice on September 2, 2024, marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and the Maduro regime. (airguide.info) More...

Flight engineer reveals what it was really like to operate supersonic jet Concorde

As the flight engineer, it was Hazelby’s job to operate the controls – to make the adjustments needed to ensure the aircraft safely punched through the sound barrier to reach speeds of over Mach 2. That first day, Hazelby looked at the floor to ceiling panel and felt “very nervous.” Flight engineer colleagues had warned him Concorde duties were all consuming – he’d barely have time to eat or drink a cup of coffee for the duration of the flight. (www.cnn.com) More...

Airbus A330neo Tops Widebody Orders with 57 New Aircraft Since July

The Airbus A330neo has become the most ordered widebody aircraft in recent weeks, securing 57 firm orders and 60 additional options since the July Farnborough Airshow. With orders from four major customers, the re-engined A330 is seeing a resurgence, raising questions about its growing popularity in the competitive widebody market. (airguide.info) More...

Boeing Starliner Set to Leave Space Station Without Its Crew

The troubled spacecraft is scheduled to undock on Friday for a trip back to Earth while two NASA astronauts will stay in orbit. (www.nytimes.com) More...

Nigerian Airlines Banned from US Flights After FAA Safety Status Lapse

Nigerian airlines have been barred from operating flights to the United States following a lapse in their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category One safety status. This restriction, effective immediately, is the result of Nigeria’s airlines failing to maintain direct flights to the US for over two years, as mandated by the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Program. (airguide.info) More...

Security Researchers find SQL injection in Cockpit Access Security System

Ian Carroll and Sam Curry discover that anyone with basic knowledge of SQL injection could add anyone they wanted to Known Crewmember (KCM) and Cockpit Access Security System (CASS) via FlyCASS.com, allowing themselves to both skip security screening and then access the cockpits of commercial airliners. FlyCASS has fixed the flaw in the application. (ian.sh) More...

Scandinavian Airlines Officially Joins SkyTeam, Exits Star Alliance

On May 14th, 1997, five airlines formed a new airline network called “Star Alliance.” The alliance called itself “The Airline Network for Earth,” supported by these five airlines representing three different continents. These five founding members consisted of Air Canada, United Airlines, Lufthansa, Thai Airways, and Scandinavian Airlines. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Possible Flight Deviation over the White House (Video)

By none other than Donald Trump's/JDVance's 737...... (www.youtube.com) More...

Airline rewards programs under scrutiny by U.S.

The U.S. is investigating whether major airlines have unfairly devalued customers' frequent flier points, part of a broader probe into potentially fraudulent, deceptive or anticompetitive practices. Why it matters: Rewards points earned on trips or from using an airline's branded credit card are an important form of currency that travelers may redeem for flights, upgrades and other products and services. But the airlines have sole power to determine how much they are worth. Driving the… (www.msn.com) More...

Passenger Makes Bread at 35,000 Feet on Long-Haul American Airlines Flight

Add bread-making to the list of things one can do thousands of feet in the air on a commercial flight. This impressive feat was done on August 18 on an overseas flight. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Cathay Pacific Identifies 15 Airbus A350s Needing Engine Repairs

Cathay Pacific has confirmed that 15 of its Airbus A350 aircraft require repairs following a fleet-wide inspection initiated after an engine component failure. The inspections, which began on September 2, 2024, covered all 48 of the airline’s Airbus A350s—comprising 30 A350-900s and 18 A350-1000s. (airguide.info) More...

Man Punches And Kicks Airplane After Being Denied Boarding

An American traveler was deported from Colombia after assaulting gate agents, and trying to board an already closed aircraft at Bogota’s El Dorado International Airport. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

Kyle Newsom Captures the Magic of the Blue Angels in His New Film "Angels In the Sky"

Kyle Newsom's passion for aviation is deeply rooted in his early experiences at air shows. At just seven years old, Kyle was captivated by the exhilarating performances of the USAF Thunderbirds and the US Navy Blue Angels, a fascination that only grew stronger with each passing year. His journey into aviation was marked by unforgettable moments, from his first aerobatic flight to his trek through the Himalayas, all of which fueled his desire to not only fly but also to capture the beauty… (avgeekery.com) More...

A Day in the LAM Q-400 Cockpit across Mozambique

A Day in the LAM Dash 8 Q-400 Cockpit across Mozambique (www.youtube.com) More...

Pilot Convicted of Lying on FAA Medical Application Faces Up to 5 Years in Prison

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has disclosed that a federal jury convicted Dallas-based pilot for making false statements on his Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Class 1 medical certificate application. The conviction, which occurred on August 16, pertains to two incidents where Ojo failed to report his prior misdemeanor theft convictions. (airguide.info) More...

The End Of An Era: Alaska Airlines Begins Boeing 737-900 Retirements

Alaska Airlines is planning to bid farewell to its entire Boeing 737-900 fleet in 2025. The Seattle-based carrier, which operates 11 examples of the aircraft, will retire the fleet gradually. It comes as the carrier has been taking delivery of newer 737 MAX aircraft. However, ongoing delivery delays have pushed some planes that were expected to enter the fleet this year into next year. (www.msn.com) More...

Russia's MiG-41 6th Generation Fighter Looks Doomed Now

-Expected to make its first flight in 2025, the MiG-41 aims to achieve speeds over Mach 4, include advanced stealth features, and operate at near-space altitudes. -However, given Russia's struggles with mass-producing fifth-generation aircraft, skepticism surrounds the project’s feasibility. -The MiG-41 is expected to use the Saturn AL-51 engine, promising increased thrust and advanced avionics, though doubts remain whether this advanced fighter will ever leave the drawing board. (www.msn.com) More...

Asian airlines equip 777 cargo jets with sharkskin system to reduce drag

ANA and EVA Air are pioneering the use of the new AeroShark technology. (www.freightwaves.com) More...

Avianca 787 cockpit landing at London Heathrow

Approach & landing on runway 27R at London Heathrow Airport in the cockpit of Avianca's Boeing 787-8 (www.youtube.com) More...

Harris/Walz Boeing 737 Makes Debut As Presidential Race Heats Up

The 2024 US Presidential campaign is in full swing. Presidential and vice presidential candidates are criss-crossing the country to make their pitch to voters. This year, both vice presidential candidates are utilizing Boeing 737-800s. Earlier we reported on Sen Vance’s Boeing 737-800 as part of the Trump/Vance ticket. Now we are getting our first glance at the Harris/Walz Boeing 737. (avgeekery.com) More...

IATA Welcomes Abolition of Swedish Aviation Tax

Geneva - The International Air Transport Association welcomed the announcement from the Swedish government that it will abolish the country’s aviation tax as of 1st of July 2025. The tax, which charges passengers between SEK76-504 (USD7.4-49, EUR6.7-44) depending on destination, is a drag on Swedish economic competitiveness while making no positive environmental impact. (www.iata.org) More...

How Starlink and Others are Going to Supercharge Airplane Wi-Fi

The WSJ tested out @SpaceX's Starlink Wifi on an Airplane and was blown away: "It was like working from home, but home is an airplane seat. Google Docs, slack web browsing, Spotify, it all kept up the whole time and there were no dropped connections." (www.youtube.com) More...

Spirit Airlines Furloughs 74 Fewer Pilots Than Initially Projected

Spirit Airlines recently announced the furlough of 186 pilots, 74 fewer than the 260 initially projected. This move comes as the airline struggles with financial challenges, including a second-quarter net loss of nearly $193 million. The decision to furlough fewer pilots than anticipated may provide some relief, as Spirit aims to save millions amid ongoing operational issues. (airguide.info) More...

DOT Launches Probe Into Four Major U.S. Airlines' Frequent Flyer Programs

Frequent flyer programs are great ways for airlines to build customer trust and loyalty. If you're a frequent traveler on U.S. domestic flights, you might be annoyingly familiar with the constant credit card and mileage program pitches on each flight. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Czech Airlines to End Operations in October After 101 Years of Flying

After a century of flying, CSA Czech Airlines called it a career after first opening on October 26, 1923. The airline will close its doors one day after its 101st anniversary — October 27, 2024. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

CEIBA Intercontinental Boeing 737-800 overruns runway in Equatorial Guinea

A CEIBA Intercontinental Boeing 737-800 with registration ET-AWR has overrun the runway at Malabo in Equatorial Guinea, sustaining damage but with no injuries sustained by passengers or crew. The incident occurred on Thursday, August 29, 2024, at around 18:30 local time. The aircraft involved was operating flight C2 205 from Bata Airport (BSG) in the west of the country to Malabo International Airport (SSG), Equatorial Guinea’s busiest international airport. The route is just 148 (237 km) miles… (www.aerotime.aero) More...

Airbus and Rolls-Royce to Brief Airlines on Cathay Pacific A350 Engine Incident

Airbus and Rolls-Royce are set to break their silence by briefing airlines on the recent Cathay Pacific Airbus A350 engine issue, according to sources. This follows an engine emergency that led Cathay Pacific to ground 15 of its 48 A350s for fuel line repairs. The incident involved a Rolls-Royce XWB-97 engine on a flight from Hong Kong to Zurich, which was forced to return due to a fuel leak. (airguide.info) More...

Beijing to New York in 2 Hours? China's Hypersonic Plane Could be Flying as Soon as 2035

China is planning to build a full-size prototype for a hypersonic jet. See where the project is going and how this new plane might stack up to the Concorde. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

After 72 Years, United Airlines Just Made a Bittersweet Announcement. It All Ends This Month

This is a story about United Airlines, the march of time, and maybe a bit of nostalgia. We need context. Our story begins in 1952, when Pan Am, the big U.S. airline of that era, introduced the world's first airline-published inflight magazine. The idea was a hit, and almost every other airline copied it. A few years later, there were many different airline magazine titles around the world, sometimes running hundreds of pages per issue. Passengers devoured them, even as they also developed a… (www.inc.com) More...

Junkers’ comeback: How a luggage magnate brought back a legendary aviation brand

Visitors to the Sun’n Fun 2024 Aerospace Expo, which took place in April 2024 in Lakeland, Florida, came across an aircraft that looked like straight of the 1920s. The aircraft in question certainly looked the part, but it didn’t come out of a museum or some heritage flight formation, nor had it traveled through time. It was, in fact, a newly built plane. The Junkers A50 Heritage has, in fact, been designed to recreate, to the smallest detail, the look and feel of the aircraft of that era,… (www.aerotime.aero) More...

FAA Proposes Checks Of Pilot Seats On Boeing 767 Planes

The FAA is proposing inspections of Boeing 767 pilot seats to prevent unexpected movement. (simpleflying.com) More...

Why Alaska Airlines is investing in a jet that’s like nothing you’ve seen before

Alaska Airlines was the first domestic carrier to sell tickets online, in 1995, and the first to use GPS to guide its airplanes in 1996. Now it wants to be the first to implement a new vision for a passenger jet in a bid to slash emissions. Alaska’s just-announced investment in JetZero, a Long Beach, California-based company seeking to pioneer the blended-wing-body airliner, is part of the company’s long-term innovation strategy. The undisclosed amount of funding fits into a larger vision to… (www.fastcompany.com) More...

CAL FIRE Aviation introduces the C-130H

The first C-130H was put into service at McClellan Air Base on Monday, and today media got an up close look at the newest addition to CAL FIRE’s Aviation fleet. Despite its size, the C-130H will be used in initial attack operations throughout the state once the full fleet comes online. Tanker 122 is based at McClellan where CAL FIRE’s Aviation headquarters are. The tanker carries 4,000 gallons of retardant, compared to the max. 1,200 gallons S-2 tankers (like Tankers 88 and 89 out of Grass… (yubanet.com) More...

EASA Orders ‘Precautionary’ A350 Engine Inspections

The European aviation regulator is planning to issue an order requiring operators to inspect Airbus A350 engines. (airlinegeeks.com) More...