Category: TOP STORIES

Mitsubishi SpaceJet M90 Test Plane Soars for the Maiden Flight

Reading Time: < 1 minute Some good news from Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation. The Flight Test Vehicle 10 (FTV10), the first SpaceJet M90 in final, certifiable baseline configuration has successfully completed its first flight. The first commercial plane manufactured in Japan operated an ordinary approximately 2-hour test flight under normal operating conditions over the Pacific Ocean. The captain of the flight […]

Game of Slots: Why Are Airlines Operating ‘Ghost Flights’?

Reading Time: 2 minutes In light of sharp decrease in air travel demand, recently the sky has been full of empty or nearly empty aircraft still operating on their routes. These flights are also referred to as ‘ghost flights’. What do you know about this phenomenon? As the name ‘ghost flight’ suggests itself, these are the flights without passengers […]

Ethiopian Boeing 737 MAX
Ethiopian Boeing 737 MAX Crash Caused by Design Flaws Only?

Reading Time: 2 minutes One year has already passed since the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX flight 302 killing 157 people on board on 10 March, 2019. On 9 March, 2020, the interim report into the crash was released by the Ethiopian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The interim report is not the final conclusion on the matter […]

Who Was the First Woman in the World to Get Pilot’s Licence?

Reading Time: 5 minutes On this day, 8 March, on the International Women’s Day, the whole world devotes the very special attention to women. To their achievements, their bravery and courage. In aviation this day also bears a very symbolic meaning and has its very own memorable occasion to mark. I believe you would agree that aviation is the […]

First Flight of Concorde: True Aviation Engineering Marvel

Reading Time: 2 minutes Concorde. The icon. The legend. The aviation engineering marvel. Today it celebrates the special event. On this day, 2 March, in 1969 the stylish Concorde took off for the maiden flight. Only 14 aircraft in service (out of 20 built in total), only two airlines operating the type (Air France and British Airways), only two […]

Eco-Friendly Supersonic Commercial Aircraft: Is It Real?

Reading Time: 2 minutes Since the Concorde stopped speeding across the Atlantic in 2003, no supersonic commercial aircraft took into the sky. The aircraft was mainly retired due to the consequences of the 25 July 2000 Air France Concorde crash, lower interest in air travel following 11 September, 2001,events and high operating costs. However, there were some other key […]

Pilots Reveal Salary Is Not the First Priority. What Matters Then?

Reading Time: 2 minutes It is difficult to argue the fact that pilot’s job is one of the most dynamic ones in the world, indeed. So many young and passionate people are dreaming about the office 35,000 feet high in the air. High rewards, endless travelling opportunities, personal prestige. The list is too long to name all the entries. […]

Spotlight on Questionable Pilot Training Requirements: 737 MAX

Reading Time: 2 minutes In light of two Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes, standards of pilot training both in the US, and on the global scale, have become a gray area. Especially in the context of pilots’ awareness of flight deck automation. While safety concerns are growing further, while Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) oversight and certification practices are still […]

British Airways Boeing 747 Breaks Transatlantic Speed Record

Reading Time: < 1 minute Every cloud has a silver lining, even in the storm. This is the case of British Airways Boeing 747-400, which on the New York-London route entered the area of ferocious Storm Ciara but thanks to the powerful transatlantic jetstream set a new subsonic speed record. Accelerated by Storm Ciara on 9 February, 2020, the jumbo […]

First Flight of Boeing 727: History of Risks and Benefits

Reading Time: 4 minutes On this day, on 9 February in 1963, the second successful Boeing’s commercial passenger jet – Boeing 727 – took off for its maiden flight into history. In the very beginning, the new aircraft did not promise to reach towering heights. Risky launch, weak order volume and gloomy future predicted more troubles than rewards. Originally, […]