Onboard Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 787-9 Inaugural Flight From Honolulu to San Francisco

Hawaiian Airlines’ first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner might have been one the biggest hyped aviation stories in the western hemisphere this year, with promises of a completely modernized long hauler, with new cabins in economy and business/first class. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

FAA Issues Ground Stop Advisory for Alaska Airlines

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop advisory on Wednesday for Alaska Airlines, saying: "All Alaska mainline and subcarrier flights ground stopped." (www.msn.com) More...

Delta is Giving Away Free Flights to the Paris Olympics. Here's How to Enter

As airlines around the world gear up to ferry passengers to the 2024 Paris Olympics, one airline is holding sweepstakes for one lucky person to win a free ticket to Paris. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

FAA Grants Historic Authorization for Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 Flight Tests

In a groundbreaking decision, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued its first-ever special flight authorization for the testing of a civil supersonic aircraft, the Boom XB-1. This milestone paves the way for Boom Supersonic to commence flight tests, marking a significant advancement in the development of faster-than-sound travel. (www.airguide.info) More...

Paint Job On Kazakhstan’s New A400M Looks Like A Plane In A Bond Film

Paint Job On Kazakhstan’s New A400M Looks Like A ‘Soviet’ Plane In A Bond Film (www.twz.com) More...

Iranian Drone Attacks Force Airspace Closures, Airlines to Cancel or Divert Flights

Several Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace to flights after Iran launched a drone attack against Israel on April 13. This drone attack comes a few days after an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus killed seven officers from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Multiple airlines canceled or diverted flights flying over the region amid the worsening geopolitical environment. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Kalitta Charters II retires last Boeing 727

April 5th, 2024, marks a sad day for old jet and aviation lovers as Michigan based Kalitta Charters II has retired its final Boeing 727 freighter. N729CK sn 22982 was a Boeing 727-264 built in May 1982. The almost 42 year old aircraft was the last operating 727 in Kalitta’s fleet. The aircraft was ferried from the companys headquarters at Willow Run, KYIP to its maintenance and storage facility in Oscoda, KOSC. The short 39 minute flight operated as KII729 or dragster 729. Prior to its… (www.youtube.com) More...

Before GPS: How Did Pilots Navigate in the Early Days of Aviation?

Navigation is something we do every day without even considering it. In its simplest terms, navigation is getting from point A to point B. It's fairly easy when the distances are short, and the environs are obvious. Finding your way to the kitchen in your own home, for example. But when the distances grow longer, and if the destination is unfamiliar, then the challenges increase. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

This AI-controlled jet fighter has now flown against human pilots

An AI test pilot has successfully flown a jet fighter in dogfights against human opponents. It's the latest development for DARPA's Air Combat Evaluation program, which is trying to develop aerospace AI agents that can be trusted to perform safely. Human test pilots have a bit of a reputation thanks to popular culture—from The Right Stuff to Top Gun: Maverick, the profession has been portrayed as a place for loose cannons with a desire to go fast and break the rules. The reality is… (arstechnica.com) More...