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☆ We became the first mother-daughter duo to copilot an international flight — here's how the FedEx trip happened and what it was like
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Teri Eidson and Nicole McCallister are the first mom-daughter co-pilots of an international flight. Eidson's husband was a relief pilot on the flight, meaning McCallister got to fly with both parents. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Teri Eidson and Nicole McCallister, FedEx pilots who became the first mother-daughter duo to copilot an international flight. So I started working with FedEx as a box handler and FedEx helped pay for part of my instruments. How it happenedThe FedEx flight used by Teri Eidson and Nicole McCallister on their record breaking journey.

☆ I'm a 21-year-old helicopter pilot. Nothing makes me happier than flying — and yes, I can land in your backyard.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Amelia Joanna Brunt is a 21-year-old student in London who's qualified as a helicopter pilot. She grew up flying with her dad, who inspired her to get her private pilot's license. I officially got my helicopter license this January at 21. After a minimum of 45 hours of flight training, including at least 10 hours of solo flying, you take a license skills test with an examiner. At ICE Helicopters, there is a group of six women who are certified, from private license holders to flight instructors.

☆ Boeing says 11 Chinese airlines have resumed operating 737 MAX
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, April 11 (Reuters) - Boeing (BA.N) said on Tuesday that 11 Chinese airlines have resumed operation of the 737 MAX as of April 10, in a positive sign for the U.S. planemaker's attempts to rebuild its business in the world's second-largest aviation market. Based on these airlines, the number of 737 MAX returning to commerical service reached 43, accounting for approximately 45% of the Chinese 737 MAX fleet, the company also said in a social media post on its official WeChat account. Boeing did not name who the 11 airlines were but carriers including Hainan Airlines Holding Co Ltd (600221.SS), Fuzhou Airlines, Lucky Air and Air China (601111.SS) have flown the jets in the months since. "The move reaffirms our commitment to our civil aircraft customers in China," said Sherry Carbary, president of Boeing China. "The equipment upgrade allows us to further enhance our support for Chinese 737 MAX customers as they expand the aircraft's operations in and around China."

☆ The Russian air force's struggles in Ukraine reveal glaring problems in now Moscow trains its pilots
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +35 min

Despite being bigger and more advanced than its enemy, Russia's air force has struggled in Ukraine. It's commonly said that Russian fighter pilots are not as well trained as their Western counterparts, particularly those from the United States. But however ineffective you may think Russian pilot training is compared to the West, the truth seems to be … much worse. A Russian air force pilot prepares to take off in an Su-35 fighter jet at Hemeimeem air base in Syria in September 2019. Put simply, the Gulf War air campaign creates a damning juxtaposition when compared directly to Russia's air campaign over Ukraine.

☆ Delta to launch flight academy to train more pilots
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 21 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL.N) said on Tuesday it would launch a flight academy to train pilots for the airline as the industry struggles with a shortage of aviators. The carrier said the academy, operated in partnership with training provider Skyborne Airline, would start training its first batch of students in June. The Delta Propel Pilot Academy will be based in a 12,000-square-foot facility situated within Skyborne's Florida campus, the statement said. Atlanta-based Delta joins United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL.O), which agreed to purchase a flight training academy in Phoenix in 2020, in an effort to bolster its roster of pilots. Reporting by Priyamvada C in Bengaluru; Editing by Shweta AgarwalOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Labor shortagesAs the pandemic swooped in, air travel was among the industries most affected, as more than 90% of flights were grounded. Today, labor shortages exist throughout the economy, but the problem drags on in the air travel sector, where more extensive employee training is usually required. Steven Senne / APOutdated technology and infrastructureThere is near-universal agreement that the infrastructure underpinning segments of America's air travel system is outdated and vulnerable. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Montana, said the incident highlighted "a huge vulnerability in our air transportation system." Air travel should be predictable and consistent, and you shouldn’t have to wonder if air traffic control is going to be working today as you head to the airport.

☆ China says it's sending its junior air force pilots to keep an eye on increasing activity by US spy planes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Minnie Chan | South China Morning Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Chinese pilots fresh out of training are being deployed to respond to flights by foreign jets. Without giving details about the foreign aircraft, it said the intensive training programme pushed junior pilots to master practical air confrontation skills and countermeasures within a short time. Chinese fighter pilots during combat exercises around Taiwan in August 2022. "I received radar warnings from foreign aircraft soon after heading to the scene, meaning my aircraft was targeted [by air-to-air missiles]." In 2021, large US reconnaissance aircraft conducted around 1,200 close-in spying flights over the South China Sea, the think tank said in a report in March.

☆ How airlines plan to create a new generation of pilots amid fears of decade-long cockpit crisis
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Focusing more long-term, though, airlines are boosting training programs to unprecedented levels and trying to attract a younger and more diverse next generation of aviators. That formula has been adopted by regional airlines, too, such as Mesa Air Group , Republic, Envoy, Cape Air and SkyWest . The regionals have always been an entry point for the mainline airlines' pilots, providing them the requisite number of hours of flight time needed before advancing. "The pilot shortage has abated to some extent," Murray said, "but at the expense of lower frequencies and fewer connection opportunities for travelers." Regional airline Republic has its own flight school, the Leadership in Flight Training Academy, in Indianapolis.

☆ United gives pilots 5% raises early, citing return to profitability
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

United Airlines on Thursday said it was giving pilots 5% raises that were part of a pandemic cost-reduction agreement months ahead of schedule, citing the carrier's return to profitability and upbeat outlook. United is offering the raises during talks for a new contract with its pilots union. The company could have waited until May 2023 to pay the raises, Bryan Quigley, senior vice president of flight operations at United wrote to pilots on Thursday. United pilots overwhelmingly voted down a recent proposed agreement that would have increased pay by about 15% over 18 months. The union said that United pilots plan to picket outside United's flight training center in Denver next Tuesday.

☆ Australia launches review into former pilots training Chinese military
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Australia will launch a review into the obligations former Defence Force personnel have to protect state secrets, following reports that Australians were among the Western military pilots who had been approached to help train the Chinese military. Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Wednesday the intelligence agencies and Australian Federal Police were "investigating a number of cases" in Australia, and announced a review into the policies and procedures governing Australian Defence Force personnel. "It's important that we have the most robust framework possible that is in place to protect Australia's information and protect our secrets." Britain has said it would change its national security laws to stop former military pilots being recruited by third-party agencies to work in China, after reports up to 30 pilots had trained the Chinese military. An Australian citizen, Daniel Edmund Duggan, was arrested in New South Wales state in the same week that Britain announced the crackdown on former military pilots.

☆ 6 top battery players vying to power the $27.7 billion electric-airplane business
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Andrew Moseman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

While today's technology doesn't allow for battery-powered long-range airliners, plenty of companies are working on short- and medium-range electric aircraft. The global market for electric aircraft is estimated to have reached $7.9 billion in 2021, according to market research company MarketsandMarkets. It's projected to reach $27.7 billion by 2030, and building the batteries to power those aircraft could be a billion-dollar market by 2030. Electric Power SystemsCEO: Nathan MillecamHQ: North Logan, UtahNASA's X-57 Maxwell, meant to prove the potential of electric flight, uses Epic batteries built by Electric Power Systems. Those lithium-ion cells need to become more efficient, however, for Eviation to reach its goal of flying hundreds of miles on only electric power.

☆ I'm a commercial pilot for Frontier. The commute and unruly passengers are a challenge, but I love that I get paid to travel.
▼ + stars: | 2022-04-20 | by ( David Silverberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Ron Fishman is a commercial pilot for Frontier Airlines with more than 17 years of experience. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ron Fishman, a 42-year-old commercial pilot from Toronto, Ontario, who's been flying for more than 17 years. This one-year certificate gave me my private pilot license (PPL), commercial pilot license (CPL), instrument rating (IR), and other things like night ratingsA private pilot license allows you to fly for fun, meaning you aren't allowed to profit from piloting. A commercial license allows you to make money as a pilot, with limitations. I'm not anxious and I support United, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, and each airline's decisions, regardless of their stance on masks.

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