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☆ A United flight was grounded after a passenger found a bomb threat note in the bathroom: reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A United Airlines flight was grounded for several hours in Vermont on Sunday. A local NBC affiliate obtained audio of the plane's pilot discussing an apparent bomb threat. The Burlington airport was closed during the search and reopened around 7:30 p.m. local time. "A flight attendant just came up and said that a passenger found a note in the aft lav that said there was a bomb on board," the pilot can be heard saying. A spokesperson for United referred Insider to Republic Airways, which was operating the regional flight.

☆ Europe is trying to move from planes to trains. Here's how that's going
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Miquel Ros | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Aviation emissions in Europe increased an average of 5% year-on-year between 2013 and 2019, according to the EU. Not surprisingly these moves have set alarm bells ringing in the aviation industry. “For many decision-makers, banning short-haul flights and showing support to the rail industry is an easy win to gain favor with the public, especially in Europe,” Montserrat Barriga, the ERA’s director general, told CNN. “Governments continue ignoring the biggest source of aviation emissions – long-haul flights, that remain unpriced and unregulated,” says T&E’s Dardenne. Better connectivity between intercity rail and airports would also reduce the need for short-haul flights.

“The Learjet pilot read back the instructions clearly but began a takeoff roll instead,” the FAA said in a statement. The NTSB says neither airplane was damaged and nobody on board was hurt. The FedEx plane, meanwhile, climbed as its crew aborted their landing to help avoid a collision, the FAA said. Air traffic controllers had “noticed another aircraft crossing the runway in front of the departing jetliner,” the FAA said in a statement. Audio recordings detail swift action by an air traffic controller kept the airplanes from colliding as they drew closer.

☆ Reasons Plane Travel, Airline Customer Service, Airports Are so Terrible
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Bartie Scott | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

It's almost impossible to imagine a time when air travel was pleasant, much less enjoyable. Lost baggage, overbooked flights, outdated equipment, hidden fees, and disorganized staffing have fliers at their wits' end; consumer complaints about airline service have risen by 300% from pre-pandemic levels. Many of these measures had been put in place to improve safety following some rattling accidents in the early days of commercial air travel. So in 1978, at the urging of the economist and "inflation czar" Alfred Kahn, President Jimmy Carter enacted the Airline Deregulation Act. He added that "airline service, by any standard, has become unacceptable."

☆ India cuts windfall tax on crude, aviation turbine fuel and diesel
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BENGALURU, Feb 16 (Reuters) - India has cut its windfall tax on crude oil and exports of aviation turbine fuel and diesel, according to a government notification dated Feb. 15. Windfall tax on crude was cut to 4,350 rupees ($52.60) per tonne from 5,050 rupees per tonne, effective Thursday. The government also cut export tax on aviation turbine fuel to 1.50 rupees per litre from 6 rupees per litre, and reduced export tax on diesel to 2.50 rupees per litre from 7.50 rupees per litre, the notification said. India had in July imposed the windfall tax on crude oil producers and levies on exports of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel after private refiners wanted to make gains from robust refining margins in overseas markets, instead of selling it cheap at homeThe cuts came as Indian refiners continued to stock up discounted Russian fuel amid a steady increase in domestic consumption. ($1 = 82.7010 Indian rupees)Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru and Nikunj Ohri in New Delhi; Editing by Sohini GoswamiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ This is the best place to be sitting if your plane is about to crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Plane crashes are extremely rare. Data from past crashes and crash tests show that the back of the plane is probably the safest. In the rare case that a plane goes down, some research indicates that the safest place to be sitting is in a middle seat near the back of a plane. A 2015 analysis by Time magazine of the Federal Aviation Administration's aircraft accident database looked at 17 plane crashes with seat charts that could be analyzed. Middle of the plane, middle seat: 39% — about one in 2.5 passengers.

☆ U.S. lawmakers focus on aviation safety after 2 near-miss crashes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress needs to address serious concerns about the country's aviation system after recent incidents including two near miss crashes and the failure of a key pilot computing system, lawmakers said on Tuesday. "Right now the alarm bells should be going off across the aviation industry -- our system is stretched and stressed," Representative Garret Graves, the Republican chair of a subcommittee on aviation, said at a hearing. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure committee chair Sam Graves, a Republican, said the incidents showed the aviation system is in need of "urgent attention." David Boulter, the Federal Aviation Administration's acting head of aviation safety, said the two recent events were serious. The FAA has hired 200 new aviation safety employees in the last year and about 200 the year before, Boulter said.

☆ Bill Gates on why he'll carry on using private jets and campaigning on climate change
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

During a recent interview with the BBC, the billionaire said rich countries needed "to get their emissions down to zero as fast as they can." Bill Gates does not agree that using a private jet and campaigning on the issue of climate change represents a contradiction open to allegations of hypocrisy. It says it "uses a technology called 'direct air capture' to capture carbon dioxide directly from the air." Gates has previously spoken about using Climeworks to "pay for direct air capture." "So a new way of making cement or steel, you know, electric passenger cars, that's all in the rich countries."

☆ China might have sent a spy balloon over the US as a power play to prove it can do what it wants, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A Chinese spy balloon was detected over the US, the Department of Defense said. Experts say spy balloons can do things satellites can't, and China may have wanted to get caught. The balloon, the Pentagon said, was "most certainly" sent by China to spy on the US. What is the Chinese spy balloon? A spy balloon is a balloon with any kind of surveillance equipment is attached.

☆ U.S. House committee to hold aviation safety hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - A Federal Aviation Administration safety official, National Transportation Safety Board chair and head of the largest pilots union are among those who will testify on Feb. 7 before Congress. Associate FAA Administrator for Aviation Safety David Boulter, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, Air Line Pilots Association President Jason Ambrosi, National Business Aviation Association CEO Ed Bolen and General Aviation Manufacturers Association CEO Pete Bunce are among the witnesses, the committee said Wednesday. Billy Nolen, the head of aviation safety, has been acting FAA administrator since April 1 when Steve Dickson left halfway through his five-year term. The Senate Commerce Committee has yet to schedule a hearing on President Joe Biden's FAA nominee who has drawn fire from Republicans. Last month, the FAA named two dozen experts to review Boeing’s safety management processes and safety culture.

☆ Airbus and Qatar edge towards agreement in A350 dispute - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A view shows the Qatar Airways' airbus A350 parked outside Qatar Airways maintenance hangar in Doha, Qatar, June 20, 2022. REUTERS/Imad CreidiPARIS, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Airbus (AIR.PA) and Qatar Airways are edging towards an agreement to settle a bitter dispute over grounded A350 jets, two people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. "There will be an agreement," one of the sources said, while another cautioned that the talks were still ongoing. Airbus and Qatar Airways had no immediate comment. The dispute between two of aviation's largest players has led to the unprecedented cancellation of large-scale orders from Airbus, and extra business for its U.S. rival Boeing (BA.N).

[1/2] Myanmar's military parade to mark the 72nd Armed Forces Day in the capital Naypyitaw, Myanmar March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The United States and its allies imposed further sanctions on Myanmar on Tuesday, marking the two-year anniversary of the coup with curbs on energy officials and members of the junta, among others. Washington imposed sanctions on the Union Election Commission, mining enterprises, energy officials and current and former military officials, according to a Treasury Department statement. It marks the first time the United States has targeted Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) officials under the current Myanmar sanctions program, a Treasury spokesperson said. Washington also targeted former and current Myanmar military officials, the Treasury said, accusing the Air Force of continuing to launch air strikes using Russian-made aircraft against pro-democracy forces that have killed civilians.

[1/2] Myanmar's military parade to mark the 72nd Armed Forces Day in the capital Naypyitaw, Myanmar March 27, 2017. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The United States and its allies imposed further sanctions on Myanmar on Tuesday, marking the two-year anniversary of a military coup with curbs on energy officials and junta members, among others. Washington imposed sanctions on the Union Election Commission, mining enterprises and energy officials, among others, according to a Treasury Department statement. It marks the first time the United States has targeted Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) officials under the current Myanmar sanctions program, a Treasury spokesperson said. Mining Enterprise No 1 and Mining Enterprise No 2, both state-owned enterprises, as well as the Union Election Commission, were also hit with sanctions by Washington.

[1/10] A Boeing E-4B "Doomsday Plane" military aircraft takes off at Joint Base Andrews, in Maryland, U.S., May 11, 2022. But it was in the seemingly endless rows at the back of the new jumbo that the 747 transformed travel. "This was THE airplane that introduced flying for the middle class in the U.S.," said Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith. "Prior to the 747 your average family couldn't fly from the U.S. to Europe affordably," Smith told Reuters. Now, two previously delivered 747s are being fitted to replace U.S. presidential jets known globally as Air Force One.

☆ U.S. private jet buyers seek distressed planes in early sign of turbulence
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Allison Lampert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] A Gulfstream logo is pictured during the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) at Geneva Airport, Switzerland May 28, 2018. From preowned planes selling more gradually to flattening business jet traffic, demand is beginning to moderate, aviation lawyers, brokers and analysts said. Investors will be watching for clues when Gulfstream-maker General Dynamics Corp (GD.N) and Cessna business jet maker Textron Inc (TXT.N) report earnings on Wednesday. Planemakers rarely disclose cases of distressed planes, but argue they can easily resell unwanted models. Some buyers also scrambled late last year to find distressed planes to qualify for favorable taxation rules.

Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin announced on Friday that he married his longtime love, Anca Faur, on his 93rd birthday. Aldrin, one of the first people to land on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission over 50 years ago, posted the news on his Twitter. "On my 93rd birthday & the day I will also be honored by Living Legends of Aviation I am pleased to announce that my longtime love Dr. Anca Faur & I have tied the knot," Aldrin wrote. In 1969, Aldrin, along with astronaut Neil Armstrong, became one of the first people to land on the moon. Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin took his first airplane ride with his father when he was 2.

☆ At least 4 U.S. residents among those killed in Nepal plane crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Chantal Da Silva | Chantal Da Silva Is A Breaking News Editor For Nbc News Digital Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Two Americans and two permanent residents living in the United States were among the 72 people killed after a plane crashed in Nepal over the weekend, the State Department said. Price did not identify or provide any further details on the two U.S. citizens and permanent residents killed in the crash. On Wednesday, the French Embassy in Nepal said France had dispatched a team of aviation experts to assist the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal at the site of the crash. Sunday's crash was the deadliest Nepal has seen since 1992, when all 167 people on board a Pakistan International Airlines plane were killed when the aircraft struck a hill as it tried to land in Kathmandu. Since 2000, nearly 350 people have died in plane or helicopter crashes in Nepal.

☆ Agencies investigate averted plane crash at New York's JFK airport
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Brian Heale, a passenger on the Delta flight, said at first he thought the abrupt stop was a mechanical issue. “There was this abrupt jerk of the plane, and everyone was sort of thrust forward from the waist,” he recalled. The Delta plane stopped about 1,000 feet (about 0.3 kilometers) from where the American Airlines plane had crossed from an adjacent taxiway, according to the FAA statement. The plane returned to the gate, where the 145 passengers deplaned and were provided overnight accommodations, a Delta spokesperson said. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and delay of their travels,” a Delta spokesperson said in a statement.

"At this time, we do not believe the cause is related to the FAA outage experienced earlier today." Share this -Link copiedNearly half of Southwest flights delayed just weeks after mass cancellations Nearly half of Southwest Airlines flights were delayed as of about 11:15 a.m. Share this -Link copiedMore than 540 Delta flights delayed, 14 canceled More than 540 Delta flights were delayed as of 9:13 a.m. ET, the airline had three flights canceled and 208 flights delayed, amounting to 21% of its overall flights, according to FlightAware. Alaska Airlines had 11 flights canceled and 149 flights delayed, also amounting to 21% of its overall flights, FlightAware noted as of 8:53 a.m.

☆ Galactic Energy sends five satellites to space
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The mission marks the fifth launch of the Ceres-1 rocket — a small solid fuel orbital rocket designed by the company, Galactic Energy said. So far, it has successfully put 19 commercial satellites into space, setting a record for a private Chinese firm. Galactic Energy conducted the first Ceres-1 launch on November 7, 2020, which makes it the second Chinese private company to launch a satellite into low Earth orbit. Last year, Galactic Energy successfully tested its liquid-propellant Welkin engine for its next-generation rockets. Over the past few years, more than 170 private companies have entered the space industry, according to a 2020 research report by Future Space Research, a research institute based in Beijing.

☆ Russia's long-range air force to get new hypersonic missiles - Interfax
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MOSCOW, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Russia's long-range air forces are to be refitted with new wing-borne hypersonic missiles, the Interfax news agency reported on Monday, citing the force's commanding officer. "In the interests of long-range aviation, the development and supply of the entire range of aviation weapons, including new cruise hypersonic missiles, is being carried out," Interfax cited the commander, Sergei Kobylash, as saying in an interview with the Russian defence ministry's newspaper. Russia's fleet of long-range bombers are part of its nuclear triad, and are capable of launching both nuclear and conventional missiles. Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Russian airlines continue to operate many of the jets, but some have struggled to secure replacement parts. AerCap (AER.N), SMBC Aviation Capital and Avolon, the world's largest lessors, declined to comment on whether they were involved in talks on payment for jets from Russian airlines or their insurers. RUSSIAN STATE FUNDSRussian state backing for the talks was demonstrated in an Aug. 30 letter from its Transport Ministry to 23 airlines. That was "considerably less than the aggregate Agreed Values" for the aircraft, SMBC said in the letter. But one Western finance official said any deal would face major legal and diplomatic hurdles and talks may be premature.

☆ Airbus and Qatar Airways line up for new UK court tussle
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Tim Hepher | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The latest court confrontation comes as France's progression to the World Cup final in Qatar increases high-level contacts that have previously been seen as the opportunity to explore room for agreement. French President Emmanuel Macron was welcomed at Doha airport on his arrival for Wednesday's semi-final by officials including Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, Qatar News Agency reported. Qatar Airways says widespread paint cracking has exposed deeper surface damage on the jets, prompting it to stop taking deliveries. Airbus (AIR.PA) has acknowledged quality problems with its premier long-haul model but denies any risk to safety and has cancelled all outstanding new business with Qatar Airways, which has increased purchases from rival Boeing (BA.N). Additional reporting by Andrew Mills Reporting by Tim Hepher Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A sneaky photo taken the last time a stealth bomber was unveiled shows why some parts of the new B-21 are still under wraps
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

On December 2, the US Air Force revealed its new stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider. That may have been an effort to avoid what happened the last time a stealth bomber was unveiled. One reason for that may be what happened the last time the Air Force unveiled a stealth bomber. Scott told Aviation Week in an article about the photo scoop published on the same day as the B-21's rollout. A US Air Force B-2 stealth bomber.

☆ Corporate travel propels boom in sustainable aviation fuel
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Jamie Freed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

SAF accounted for only 0.5% of aviation fuel in 2021, but many airlines have a target of 10% by 2030 and the industry's goal of "net zero" emissions by 2050 relies on SAF accounting for 65% of fuel. The corporate sector interest could build momentum for the SAF industry to scale up given businesses account for around 20% of air travel globally and 30% in Europe, said Denise Auclair, corporate travel campaign manager at European non-governmental organisation Transport & Environment. 'GREEN PREMIUM'Buying SAF is more costly than purchasing emissions offsets but experts say it can play a key role in reducing travel emissions alongside switches to video-conferencing and cleaner alternatives like rail. "They contract with us, they pay for the cost premium of sustainable aviation fuel over the conventional jet fuel, and then enable us to deliver sustainable aviation fuel for our partner airlines to consume," he said. Companies are able to contract directly with airlines, travel agencies like American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) (GBTG.N) and fuel providers like Neste as they look to claim SAF credits and avoid pitfalls like double claiming.

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