United Pilot Calls Out Air Traffic Control at SFO

A United pilot got angry and called out the air traffic controllers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The aircraft was forced to go around twice due to a lack of spacing, which created an unnecessary 30-minute delay before being allowed to land. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Next Generation Model Serving

Model Server Motivation Producing real-time predictions requires two components: feature vector building and model evaluation (aka inference). Our original infrastructure (the Python streamer) handled both of these in one place. It followed our flight data feed to build feature vectors and evaluated those vectors on models it loaded into memory. The streamer was not performant enough to run for all the airports we wished to make predictions for, so we ran many copies of it, with each streamer… (flightaware.engineering) More...

Cessna Citation violates US Capitol airspace, crashes in Virginia

Reuters reported that U.S. authorities scrambled jet fighters to pursue a light aircraft that entered restricted airspace over the U.S. Capitol area, that later crashed into the mountains in southwestern Virginia. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, a Cessna Citation that took off from Elizabethton, Tennessee, and bound for Islip, New York crashed in the sparsely populated town of Montebello, Virginia in around 3 p.m. (www.foxnews.com) More...

New U.S. Flights Operated by Chinese Airlines to Avoid Russian Airspace

Chinese airlines are starting to avoid flying over Russian airspace for flights to the US. This suggests that China is looking to improve its relationship with the US as geopolitical tensions increase. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

PHOTOS: Spirit Receives its First Airbus A321neo

Ultra-Low-Cost-Carrier (ULCC) Spirit Airlines has just taken delivery of its first-ever Airbus A321neo aircraft. The company held an unveiling at its Detroit maintenance hangar this morning. The new aircraft, registered N702NK, will fly its first commercial route on June 7. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

New York smoke forces ground stop, delay at LaGuardia and Newark airports

By early afternoon, the FAA ordered ground stops at LaGuardia Airport in Queens and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, with NYC-bound flights being held on the ground at their airport of origin. The FAA sent out a message saying, "Boston to the New York metro area to Philadelphia and the DC Metro area, are all experiencing some smoke." (www.fox5ny.com) More...

Air India B777 Delhi-San Francisco flight diverted to Russia after 'technical issue'

The plane, carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members, landed safely at Russia’s Magadan airport in the country’s far east on Tuesday, Air India said in a statement. ... Air India would be sending a replacement aircraft to Russia so the passengers could continue their travel to the U.S. (ground.news) More...

Delta Opens New Exclusive Business Class Check-In Area

This week, Delta Airlines debuted a brand new space at LAX as part of the continuing facility upgrades at one of the airline's most prominent hubs. As part of a broader project to enhance and improve the experience for Delta passengers at LAX, the airline unveiled a new exclusive business class check-in area for Delta One business class passengers. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

New Technologies May Make a Big Impact on Business Aviation Sustainability

One area of focus for increasing sustainability and environmental friendliness is the aviation industry—and business aviation in particular. With the need to burn fuel to fly, it may seem like carbon emissions are an unavoidable part of air travel, and that nothing can make business aviation greener and more sustainable. (connectedaviationtoday.com) More...

Alaska Airlines trades water ballast for e-waste on Nome cargo flights

Alaska Air Cargo is hauling recyclable electronics out of Nome, Alaska, to provide weight balance on its empty return flights. (www.freightwaves.com) More...

Analysts and Airbus Clash Over Airbus A220-500 Launch at Paris Air Show

There seems to be a disagreement between analysts and Airbus regarding the potential launch of the Airbus A220-500, a stretched variant of the A220 aircraft, at the upcoming Paris Air Show. (www.airguide.info) More...

Is It Still Okay to Recline Your Seat?

Etiquette expert says now considered "rude" to recline any seat outside of First or Business class. But is it? The recline button is still intact in passenger jets...are we not supposed to use it? (www.seattletimes.com) More...

Delays Caused at Bush Airport Following Woman on Runway

Two runways at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport were closed for 15 minutes yesterday evening around 20:30 ET after a woman managed to enter the runway area and cause delays. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Canada wildfire smoke again slows flights in the Eastern U.S.

Smoke from Canada wildfires could disrupt flights in the Eastern U.S. again Thursday after hundreds were delayed a day earlier due to decreased visibility, the Federal Aviation Administration said. “The FAA will likely need to take steps to manage the flow of traffic safely into New York City, [Washington] DC, Philadelphia and Charlotte [North Carolina] due to reduced visibility from wildfire smoke,” the agency said. The FAA briefly halted inbound traffic to Philadelphia International Airport… (www.cnbc.com) More...

United And Alaska Airlines Aborted Landing In San Francisco To Avoid Hitting Southwest Airlines Jet

On May 19, a United Airlines flight was forced to abort landing in order to avoid a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 on the runway. Then an Alaska Airlines jet aborted its landing, too. Air traffic control called out the Southwest pilot – “you shouldn’t be on the runway” – yet the FAA dismisses this in a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle saying that there was no runway incursion (because of the aborted landings!) and that they “looked into the incident and determined the appropriate steps… (viewfromthewing.com) More...

Boeing warns new defect on 787 Dreamliners will slow deliveries

Boeing on Tuesday warned about a new defect on its 787 Dreamliner planes and that it will delay deliveries of the wide-body aircraft, the manufacturer’s latest production issue. “We are inspecting 787s in our inventory for a nonconforming condition related to a fitting on the horizontal stabilizer,” Boeing said in a statement. “Airplanes found to have a nonconforming condition will be reworked prior to ticket and delivery. (www.cnbc.com) More...

Enirates prepares new wide body order

ISTANBUL—Emirates has begun work on another large order for widebody aircraft as the airline prepares for the replacement of a bigger part of its current fleet. “We are looking at buying a number of extra aircraft,” Emirates Airline President Tim Clark said on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting in Istanbul June 6. (aviationweek.com) More...

Air Algérie Places Order for Five New Airbus A330-900s and Two A350-1000s

Air Algérie, the flag carrier airline of Algeria, has entered into a firm agreement to acquire seven widebody aircraft, further bolstering its growth in the commercial aviation sector. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Oman's SalamAir Announces Plans to Launch Seven New Routes

Oman's SalamAir has announced flights to new destinations this summer, with the most highly anticipated route being to Bahrain. The Salalah-Bahrain route is in high demand because tourists are interested in visiting southern Oman to escape the summer heat of neighboring countries. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Spirit's Inaugural A321neo Flight Lands in Chicago

American low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines recently completed the inaugural revenue service of its brand-new Airbus A321neo. The flight operated on June 7th, 2023 from Fort Lauderdale to Chicago. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Jet Crashes After Supersonic Intercept Near Washington, D.C.

A Cessna Citation Jet was intercepted near Washington, D.C. by F-16s, producing a loud supersonic boom audible to the DMV Metro Area. Efforts to reconnect with the pilot were unsuccessful, and the plane ultimately crashed (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Why you’ll never fly in an airplane with those double-decker seats

Regular travelers know all too well just how uncomfortable airplanes have gotten over the last few years. Seats are narrower and offer less legroom than they have in years past, and as prices rise, thanks to the perfect storm of inflation and corporate greed, flying economy feels more like some form of modern torture to be endured than a luxurious experience. Add in the terrifying double-decker and standing-room-only seat configurations that airliners and designers are attempting to sell to the… (arstechnica.com) More...

Japan’s Starflyer Launches Unlimited Flight Pass Between 2 Destinations

The carrier is placing its bet on remote workers who may desire an unlimited flight pass between the two cities. (simpleflying.com) More...

PGA Tour and LIV Golf Merger: What's in it for Airlines?

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf have announced plans to merge into one global golf league after months of legal disputes. The merger is expected to have a significant impact on golf, including in terms of the airlines that currently sponsor the existing leagues. Who will be the league's official airline in the future? (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Riyadh Air to Purchase 150 Boeing 737 MAX Jets

Saudi Arabia's newest airline, Riyadh Air, is planning to purchase at least 150 737 MAX aircraft from Boeing. This will be Boeing's second large deal with its customers in Saudi Arabia this year. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Southwest Pilot Shortage Will Last For Three Years

Currently, the airline has 40 aircraft grounded due to a shortage of pilots. (simpleflying.com) More...

FAA Proposes Rule To Remove Instructor Certificate Expiration Date

The FAA has proposed a rule that would remove the 24-month expiration date on flight instructor certificates and instead establish 24-month recent experience requirements. (www.avweb.com) More...

Replacement 777 for Air India Flight Diverted to Russia Safely Lands in San Francisco

A replacement aircraft for an Air India flight, which had to make an unexpected landing in Magadan, Russia due to an engine issue, has successfully arrived in San Francisco with all passengers and crew members onboard, according to the airline. (www.airguide.info) More...

China’s answer to Boeing and Airbus isn’t as ‘homegrown’ as it seems

China is claiming a historic win this week after its answer to Boeing and Airbus, the C919, took to the skies for its first commercial flight. However, a large chunk of the plane’s parts come from foreign suppliers, predominantly in North America and Europe. Chinese state media has said about 40% of the model’s components are imported, though experts say the real proportion is much higher. (www.cnn.com) More...

Boeing’s Mid-Market Jet Delayed Until the Mid-2030s

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said last week that the plans for a New Midsize Airplane, initially intended to replace the out-of-production 757, were canceled in 2020, prompting a call for a fresh approach. Looking forward to 2025 and beyond, should Boeing invest in its 797 New Midsize Airplane (NMA) project or replace it’s best selling 737 with a brand new 150 to 250 seat design using 787 and 777X technologies? (www.airguide.info) More...

Southwest Airlines Employee Accused Of Selling Nearly $1.9 Million In Fake Travel Vouchers

Since flying isn’t already miserable enough, a customer service agent for Southwest Airlines allegedly decided to up the ante and is now charged with fraudulently creating and selling travel vouchers worth over $1.87 million, according to USA Today. The soon-to-be-former employee was working for Southwest at Midway Airport in Chicago when he allegedly devised a scheme to use fake customer names to fraudulently generate vouchers without the airline’s knowledge or approval. (jalopnik.com) More...

Fleet Analysis: Japanese Airlines ANA and JAL and Planned Aircraft Orders

All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL), the two largest airlines in Japan, are reportedly engaged in advanced discussions with Airbus and Boeing regarding potential aircraft acquisitions. Official announcements are expected to be made during the upcoming Paris Air Show. (www.airguide.info) More...

Airbus Nears Record Deal with IndiGo for 500 A320 Jets and Plans 720 Deliveries in 2023

Airbus, the European planemaker, is on the verge of finalizing a groundbreaking agreement to sell 500 A320-family jets to IndiGo, India’s largest carrier, according to industry sources. The official announcement is expected to take place during this year’s Paris Air Show. (www.airguide.info) More...

Wamos Air Airbus A330 Operating For BoA Enters Madrid With Half A Ton Of Cocaine

Almost 500kg of cocaine was discovered onboard a Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) flight from Santa Cruz, Bolivia to Madrid, Spain in February. Concerning details about the drug bust have emerged that suggest Bolivian authorities were complicit in the trafficking operation. Half a ton drug bust in Madrid As first reported by El País, 484kg of cocaine was smuggled into Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) on a February 12th BoA flight from Viru Viru International Airport (VVI), operated by Spanish charter… (www.msn.com) More...