Hawaii-Based F-22s Scrambled On FAA's Request But Nobody Will Say Why

A pair of F-22 Raptors were launched on an alert scramble out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Sunday at around 4:00 PM local time. A third F-22 joined the mission about an hour after pair's departure. A KC-135 was also launched to support the fighters. Hawaii News Now reports that the scramble, described as an "irregular patrol," was initiated at the request of the Federal Aviation Administration, which reported an 'incident,' although nobody is providing any clear… (www.thedrive.com) More...

Boeing and Airbus Meet New Competition: Their Own Used Planes

Vaccination campaigns are finally giving airlines the visibility they need to buy jets again. This is of particular relief to Boeing , which back in July had about 100 of its 737 MAX planes in storage without an owner. Now the number is only about 10, thanks to a wave of orders from major carriers like United Airlines and Alaska Airlines. (www.wsj.com) More...

US carriers eye unclaimed Boeing 737 MAX jets amidst fast recovery in domestic air travel

SEATTLE — Boeing finds new customers for its unclaimed 737 Max jets thanks to the faster-than-expected recovery in domestic air travel after more than a year pandemic period that crippled the airline industry severely.Some airlines are now buying these jets from canceled order books amid a vaccine-fueled travel rebound in the U.S. and other parts of the world. (www.airlinerwatch.com) More...

Shenzhou-12: China to launch first human spaceflight since 2016

A Chinese spacecraft will blast off from the Gobi Desert on a Long March rocket in the coming days, ferrying three men to an orbiting space module for a three-month stay, the first time China has sent humans into space for nearly five years. (www.aljazeera.com) More...

FedEx Express retires world's last MD-10-10 freighter jet

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE — FedEx Express retired its last, and also the world's last, MD-10-10F on June 4, 2021. The 43.6-year-old aircraft with registration N562FE (MSN 46496) operated in a passenger configuration by American Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines before being converted into a freighter for FedEx in 2004. (www.airlinerwatch.com) More...

Airbus focus is on evolving existing jet models, CEO says

Airbus (AIR.PA) Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said in remarks aired on Thursday that the planemaker is looking at how to evolve existing models, and he also voiced optimism about long-term progress toward hydrogen-powered aviation technology. (www.reuters.com) More...

737 Max report calls for overhaul of Canada’s approval process for new planes

Transport Canada needs more stringent procedures for vetting new aircraft, and less reliance on the U.S. federal aviation authority, in the aftermath of the Boeing 737 Max disasters, says a new federal report that examined the department’s approval of the plane. The long-awaited report from the House of Commons Transport Committee comes after hearings were held last year into the government’s role in clearing the 737 Max to fly. It recommends Transport Canada review several of its policies,… (www.theglobeandmail.com) More...

Time Capsule: Delta Pilot Finds Letter In Parked Aircraft Written In Early 2020 During The Start Of The Pandemic

Delta Air Lines First Officer Nick Perez was part of a crew tasked with shuttling one of the fleet’s parked Airbus A321s from Victorville to its Minneapolis/St. Paul hub. He was not expecting to find a letter from the previous pilot written 435 days before, just around the time when the pandemic started. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

First Air Canada freighter routes include Miami, Mexico and S. America

Air Canada is becoming a hybrid passenger-cargo airline. (www.freightwaves.com) More...

‘WELCOME TO PERTH’: Rooftop Sign Scares Passengers Flying Into Sydney Airport

A “welcome to Perth” sign painted on a building rooftop is scaring fliers descending to Sydney airport into thinking they have been flown to the wrong Australian city. The prank was spotted by a passenger coming into land at the country’s busiest airport and shared on Reddit. The building, in the Sydney suburb of Sydenham, is directly on the flight path. The building owner, Brad Heasman, told Australia’s Traveller he has been quietly waiting for someone to notice it since painting it three… (www.independent.co.uk) More...

American Airlines is Rapidly Expanding their Austin Network

Austin Airport, already one of the fastest-growing airports in the United States just received new city pairs commencing this fall thanks to American Airlines. American Airlines is now adding 14 new routes from AUS set to begin daily this fall. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Alaska Airlines And Qatar Airways File For US Codeshares

The newest member of the oneworld alliance, Alaska Airlines, and Qatar Airways have filed with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to codeshare on US routes. If granted by the DOT, this codeshare will see Qatar Airways place its QR designator code on many of Alaska’s flights. (simpleflying.com) More...

Major delays for Southwest flights after reported network outage

All Southwest Airlines flights were temporarily grounded after a nationwide outage Monday evening, according to an airport in Southern California. While the outage is now resolved and flights are resuming, it led to delays for all Southwest planes, including ones at the Sacramento International Airport. (www.kcra.com) More...