Summer Air Travel Outlook + Airline Tips You Can Use

There’s probably a good chance that you or a family member will be traveling by air this summer. While we all enjoy the long days of sunshine the season brings, summer also presents unique travel challenges. Passengers line up inside crowded airport terminals, as lines of thunderstorms percolate outside. (blog.flightaware.com) More...

INFORM Aviation and FlightAware Agree to Optimize Airport Ground Operations

INFORM's GroundStar (GS) RealTime solutions combined with FlightAware's predictive flight data give airport ground operators more accurate calculations of turnaround milestones and operational data to improve customer service. (finance.yahoo.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...

United Airlines is texting travelers live weather maps to explain flight delays

Don't believe bad weather is the reason your United Airlines flight is delayed? The airline will now text you live radar maps to prove it. Even when it's bright and sunny, a thunderstorm hundreds of miles away can still disrupt your flight. The Federal Aviation Administration can issue ground stops, which prevent traffic from departing for a certain airport so that those facilities don't get overloaded. Bad weather can also force flights not only to depart late but to take longer… (www.nbclosangeles.com) More...

Ex-Boeing Employees Warn Against Flying on 737 MAX

Former Boeing employees, including a senior manager, express reservations about flying on the 737 Max, citing safety concerns stemming from alleged production pressures and compromised quality control. (www.airlinerwatch.com) More...

Remembering Dick Rutan, Aviation Legend and Decorated Veteran

This weekend, the aviation world mourns the loss of a pioneer in the industry. Remembering USAF Lt Col (ret) Dick Rutan, an aviation legend and decorated combat veteran. Rutan passed away on May 3, while battling a severe lung infection. (avgeekery.com) More...

Signature Aviation Unveils New Branding at S&D Show

Earlier this year, the company began the rebranding process at its terminals, starting with its facility at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, which hosted this year’s Super Bowl. (www.ainonline.com) More...

Planes flying from Lithuania to SE Asia mysteriously land in Iran

Iran smuggled two planes out of Lithuania, the country's public broadcaster announced on Thursday. The planes were due to fly to Sri Lanka and the Philippines. The two Airbus A340s, leased by the Gambian company Macka Invest, were due to fly to South Asia in February but reportedly ended up in Iran. The aircraft's transponders—which enable them to be identified on air traffic control radars—were turned off upon entry into Iranian airspace. The aviation data site ch-aviation reported… (www.msn.com) More...

Boeing Needs to Be Led by Engineers, Time is Not On Its Side, Emirates President Says

Boeing needs to be led by engineers if it wants to pull itself out of its current crisis, Tim Clark, the president of Emirates Airline, said Wednesday (www.cnbc.com) More...

Southwest May Soon Crack Down On Seat Savers And Wheel Chair Abusers

Southwest Airlines may look into the possibility of assigned seating, which would crack down on seat savers and those abusing the preboarding process. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

FlightAware Founder Daniel Baker on Flight Club!

Daniel shares his insights on the significant impact FlightAware has made, the challenges and rewards of building a technology enterprise within the aviation sector, and the transformative trends shaping the future of flight. This is a compelling discussion for aviation enthusiasts and future innovators alike. (www.youtube.com) More...

A jet missing since 1971 has been found at the bottom of Vermont's Lake Champlain

Fifty-three years after a private plane carrying five men disappeared on a snowy Vermont night, experts believe they have found the wreckage of the long lost jet in Lake Champlain. (www.npr.org) More...

Missile Strike Confirmed as Cause of Azerbaijan E190 Crash

Azerbaijani government sources have confirmed that a Russian Pantir-S1 surface-to-air missile was the cause of the Embraer E190 crash on Christmas Day. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Two Deceased After Oshkosh Opening Day Plane Crash

A fatal crash occurred during the opening morning of the 2024 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. According to remarks made by EAA CEO Jack Pelton before his opening day press conference at the event, the aircraft crashed approximately two miles south of the airport. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

Blast from the past: FlightAware’s Terrestrial ADS-B Network

This blog was posted back in 2021. Since then, we've added many new receivers and have seen increased interest in FlightAware's ADS-B Network. With this in mind we updated some aspects and wanted to reshare the content. In addition, we have new posts in the works that go deeper into the technical aspects of ADS-B engineering at FlightAware, so stay tuned! - Eric T. How It Started In the early 2000s, there was an emergence of a new aircraft surveillance technology known as Automatic… (flightaware.engineering) More...

Cool: New “Control Tower Mode” On United Airlines

United Airlines has added a nifty new “Control Tower” mode to its inboard IFE screens, allowing passengers to track the planes around them in real-time. JonNYC shares about a new component of United’s inflight-entertainment system that allows passengers to track the aircraft around them while on the ground, including where they are headed: Have you ever wondered where the airplane parked next to yours is heading? How about when you’re taxiing, and you see a plane take off? Well, you’re in luck,… (liveandletsfly.com) More...

American Airlines Pilot Gets Petty Over Radio Phraseology Reprimand

After being reprimanded by an air traffic controller over bad phraseology, an American Airlines pilot became very bitter and petty on frequency. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

New FlightAware iOS Widgets By FlightAware

FlightAware is excited to introduce our latest iOS widget update — your gateway to instantaneous ADS-B receiver metrics directly from your home screen. What is a widget? Mobile widgets offer users a convenient way to access important information and perform common tasks directly from their device's home screen, enhancing efficiency and usability in mobile interactions. FlightAware now has two new widgets to keep you up-to-date on your ADS-B positions and receiver status Positions Reported… (blog.flightaware.com) More...

American Airlines Incident: Hero or Hindrance? Passenger Actions on Flight 2045 Spark Debate

Oliver Jankai, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 2045 evacuating to Miami on Friday, likely had a weekend he won’t soon forget. Whether he acted heroically, posed a hindrance, or a mix of both remains uncertain. (www.airguide.info) 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...

NASA Kicks off Testing Campaign for Remotely Piloted Cargo Flights

NASA recently began a series of flight tests with partners to answer an important aviation question: What will it take to integrate remotely piloted or autonomous planes carrying large packages and cargo safely into the U.S. airspace? Researchers tested new technologies in Hollister, California, that are helping to investigate what tools and capabilities are needed to make these kinds of flights routine. (www.nasa.gov) More...

Southwest Airlines 737 MAX Suffers Dutch Roll at 32,000 Feet

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX suffered a Dutch Roll at 32,000 feet. (aviationsourcenews.com) More...

Frontier Airlines CEO urges crackdown of ‘rampant abuse’ of airport wheelchair service

The 1986 Air Carrier Access Act requires airlines to provide a wheelchair for passengers with disabilities at the airport. The problem, though, is that many travelers are faking it, Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle said. He said he has seen some Frontier flights where 20 people were brought in wheelchairs at departure, with only three using them upon arrival... some travelers were “using wheelchair support to try to get fast-tracked through the airport.” (www.cnbc.com) More...

United tells Boeing to stop making the Max 10s the airline ordered

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby reportedly revealed Tuesday March 12 the carrier has asked Boeing to halt production of the 737 Max 10s the airline ordered, and to build Max 9s instead after an extended delay. "We’ve asked Boeing to stop building Max 10s, which they’ve done, for us and start building Max 9s," Kirby said Tuesday at a JPMorgan investor conference, according to Bloomberg. "It’s impossible to say when the Max 10 is going to get certified." (www.foxbusiness.com) More...

United Airlines Boeing 757s’ Days Numbered

United's SVP of Global Network Planning and Alliances has confirmed that its entire fleet of 757s will be replaced by Airbus A321XLRs. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

Emirates Successfully Flies Damaged Airbus A380 from Moscow to Dubai, Circumventing Western Sanctions

Emirates airline has ingeniously circumvented Western sanctions on Russia by flying a significantly damaged Airbus A380 back to Dubai. The aircraft encountered an unusual accident at Moscow Domodedovo Airport last Wednesday, where it was hit by a service truck, causing substantial damage to its undercarriage just before a scheduled flight to Dubai. (www.airguide.info) More...

Flight engineer reveals what it was really like to operate supersonic jet Concorde

As the flight engineer, it was Hazelby’s job to operate the controls – to make the adjustments needed to ensure the aircraft safely punched through the sound barrier to reach speeds of over Mach 2. That first day, Hazelby looked at the floor to ceiling panel and felt “very nervous.” Flight engineer colleagues had warned him Concorde duties were all consuming – he’d barely have time to eat or drink a cup of coffee for the duration of the flight. (www.cnn.com) More...

Delta A350 Tears Off Tail Section Of Delta Connection CRJ-900 In Atlanta

On Tuesday September 10, a Delta Airbus A350 came into contact with a Delta Connection CRJ-900 in Atlanta, completely tearing the tail section of the smaller regional jet at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

A NEW Trace! The FULL MH370 Story...So Far.

Petter from Mentour Pilot gives an excellent summary of MH370 so far and calls for a renewed search. (www.youtube.com) More...

787 Whistleblower in suit with Boeing found dead

A former Boeing employee known for raising concerns about the firm's production standards has been found dead in the US. In the days before his death, John Barrett had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company. (www.bbc.co.uk) More...

Man Punches And Kicks Airplane After Being Denied Boarding

An American traveler was deported from Colombia after assaulting gate agents, and trying to board an already closed aircraft at Bogota’s El Dorado International Airport. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

Passengers Stranded on Airplane for 7 Hours After De-Icing Trucks Run Out of Fuel

On January 15, an American Airlines flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Nashville International Airport (BNA) was stuck on the ramp for over eight hours. American Airlines flight 4275 (AA 4275) departed DCA at 10:52 a.m. and landed shortly before 2:00 p.m. local time. However, passengers onboard could not leave the plane until approximately 10:00 p.m. local time. (aeroxplorer.com) More...

FAA Report Slams Boeing's Safety Culture as 'Inadequate and Confusing'

On February 26, U.S. regulators released an assessment of Boeing's safety measurements and company culture. The report pressured the company since it had already dealt with the aftermath of the Alaska Airlines incident in January and the two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 involving the 737 MAX 8 jet. The expert panel stated, "A lack of awareness of safety-related metrics at all levels of the organization." (aeroxplorer.com) More...

A Badly Damaged 33-Year-Old United 767 Comes Back From The Dead

Eight months after one of United Airlines’ Boeing 767-300ERs suffered substantial frame damage during landing, the aircraft lives to see another day. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

Airlines crackdown on what passengers can carry on flights

Passengers are often allowed a carry-on a bag and personal item for their flights, but airlines are looking to clarify and enforce their rules for what people can bring with them on board. NBC’s Sam Brock reports for TODAY. (www.today.com) More...

Robotics Firm Confident Amelia Earhart’s Plane Found

A South Carolina marine robotics company seems pretty sure it’s found Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan’s Lockheed Electra in an area not previously searched west of their destination of Howland Island. Earhart and Noonan vanished in 1937 while trying to fly across the Pacific. Late Monday, Deep Sea Vision released side scan sonar images of an object on the ocean floor about the same size and shape of the aircraft. The company had been searching a 5,200-square-mile area for almost three months when… (www.avweb.com) More...

FAA Tells Pilots To Go Analogue As GNSS ‘Spoofing’ Incidents Increase

The Federal Aviation Administration is advising pilots to prepare to use conventional navigational aids to manage the risks of ‘spoofing’ attacks on global positioning systems and global navigation satellite systems. (www.forbes.com) More...

FlightAware 2024 Intern Summer Projects

This summer, FlightAware welcomed five interns from various parts of the country. These interns worked closely with our engineering team on their projects, achieving remarkable results that they later showcased to the entire company. Throughout their time with us, they also connected through social events and engaged in tech and career development discussions led by our engineers. We’re excited to share the outcomes of their efforts and spotlight their achievements. - Samantha T. (flightaware.engineering) More...

Counterfeit titanium was found in Boeing and Airbus jets

Titanium that was distributed with fake documentation has been found in commercial Boeing and Airbus jets. Now the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft manufacturers and supplier Spirit AeroSystems are investigating whether those components pose a safety hazard to the public. (www.cnn.com) More...

FAA Urges Pilots to Rely on Traditional Navigation Amid Rising GPS Spoofing Threats

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is cautioning pilots about the increasing threat of GPS spoofing, advising them to familiarize themselves with traditional navigational tools. GPS spoofing, a sophisticated form of interference, involves broadcasting false navigation signals to disrupt aircraft’s navigation systems, leading to potential off-course flights and endangering safety. (www.airguide.info) More...

KC-46 Flies Around The World Nonstop

A KC-46 from the 22nd Air Refueling Wing accomplished something no 767 or KC-46 has ever done before. On June 29th, the jet took off from McConnell Air Force base and flew west. It landed 45 hours later back at McConnell completing an around the world journey. (avgeekery.com) More...

Boeing grounds 777X test fleet on failure of engine mounting structure,

Boeing’s next generation widebody – the 777X, with several size variants – faces new challenges today. It’s years behind schedule, and the airframe manufacturer’s test fleet has just been grounded. As first reported by The Air Current, a Boeing 777-9 test plane operated a Kona flight on Friday. When inspected after the flight, Beoing found “cracks in the thrust link structure.” Furthermore, there’s also been an issue with the mounting of the engine to the plane on Boeing’s other two test 777-9s.… (viewfromthewing.com) More...

When a Wing Comes Apart

Or, more accurately, when it doesn't. Ask the Pilot takes a look at the UAL 757 incident. (askthepilot.com) More...

‘Miracle on the Hudson’ First Officer Retires

Jeff Skiles continued flying for American Airlines after the 2009 incident. (airlinegeeks.com) More...

There Are Only 5 747 Passenger Jet Operators Remaining In 2024

If you haven't flown the passenger Boeing 747 yet, here are the remaining passenger airlines still operating them. (www.gatechecked.com) More...

How to Make an ATR-72 Spin

Friday's crash of an ATR-72 near Sao Paulo left behind a few important clues. (www.jetwhine.com) More...

Tradewind Aviation - FlightAware Global Feature

Tradewind Aviation, a leading provider of private charters and scheduled flights throughout North America and the Caribbean, has been using FlightAware Global for nearly 3 years to track their growing fleet. (blog.flightaware.com) More...

Lightly Used Boeing 787 Heads to Scrapyard

This Dreamliner never entered revenue service and will now be stripped for parts. (airlinegeeks.com) More...

Boeing’s Decline in Innovation: The Impact of the McDonnell Douglas Merger

Boeing and McDonnell Douglas agreed to a merger in December, 1996. At the time, Phil Condit, then CEO of Boeing, called the acquisition a “historic moment in aviation and aerospace”. The past 28 years have proven that it was definitely a historic moment–just not in the way Boeing originally envisioned. (avgeekery.com) More...

World’s Longest-Serving Flight Attendant Passes Away

Bette Nash began her career in 1957 at Eastern Air Lines and continually flew since. (airlinegeeks.com) More...