April, 2025

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The Role of Newton’s Third Law in Aviation

Pilot Institute

The largest passenger aircraft flying today weighs more than 1.2 million pounds. How does it stay airborne, supported by nothing but thin air? Lift is the force that aircraft use to counter gravity. Newton’s Third Law is one of the key laws of physics that explains lift. Lets see what Newtons Third Law is, and why we need it to understand lift.

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The American Airfields Where British Pilots Learned to Fly

Vintage Aviation News

By Kevin Wilkins On Friday, we published a press release from the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) announcing a poignant new initiative: Bringing the Boys Back Home a tribute to British WWII servicemen buried in the U.S. As part of the 80th anniversary commemorations of the Allied victory in World War II, the CAF is honoring the 423 British airmen who lost their lives while training in the United States.

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Comparing Baltic airports: do they prioritize competition or have shared goals?

Aerotime

In 2024, passenger traffic at European airports rose by 7.4%, surpassing pre-pandemic levels by 1.8%, according to newly released data from Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe). While ACI data show that some smaller airports remain 34.5% below their pre-pandemic figures, three airports in North-East Europe, home to the Baltic states, have all overcome this challenge.

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And Then There Were Two(ish): Republic Swallows Mesa’s Remains

Cranky Flier

The end of Mesa has finally arrived, and lucky for the airline, it was the rosier situation that prevailed. Instead of failing outright, Mesa has now been bought. No doubt many a United customer is now celebrating this turn of events. Republic is the winner, and that means that outside of wholly-owned regionals, there are really only two major regional carriers of note left: SkyWest and Republic.

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Thailand Regains Category 1 FAA Rating: Will We See Nonstop US Flights?

One Mile at a Time

Theres some exciting news for Thailand, and it presents some new opportunities for airlines from the country. FAA upgrades Thailand from Category 2 to Category 1 In 2015, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgradedThailands aviation safety rating from Category 1 to Category 2. This came after FAA inspectors conducted a review of the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), and identified several areas of non-compliance with minimum safety standards.

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Pneumatic Pressure Required

Fear of Landing

The flight crew reported for duty at Bournemouth Airport at 3am on Friday the 7th of May 2004. They were flying a thirty-three-year-old Fokker F27 Mark 500, registered in the UK as G-CEXG, to the island of Jersey and back. The Fokker F27 Friendship was designed as a successor to the DC-3, which had been popular with KLM and other commercial operators after the war.

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Quick Crosswind Calculation for Pilots

Pilot Institute

As soon as you start flying, youll quickly learn that the wind nearly always has a sideways component. But how strong is it, and how big will its effects be? Relax. There is a quick, easy and reliable way to work it out. In this article well demonstrate how to perform a quick crosswind calculation and why it is important to know. Key Takeaways Crosswinds are nearly always present Knowing how to calculate them is essential for safe flying.

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Double Sunrise: The story behind the world’s longest-ever commercial air service

Aerotime

Generally speaking, any commercial flight these days that exceeds ten hours (or so) is considered long, or at least certainly long-haul. Some of the longest airline flights operating today exceed even that length, with some lasting anything up to 17 or 18 hours flying time. Yet, as long as these flights may be, they are not even in contention for the accolade of the worlds longest-ever commercial passenger air service in terms of duration.

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Failure To Deice Cited In Fatal Phenom 300 Crash

AV Web

The pilots failure to deice an Embraer Phenom 300 before takeoff in icy conditions was identified as the probable cause of a fatal Jan. 2, 2023 crash moments after departure from Utahs Provo Airport (KPVU), according to the National Transportation Safety Boards (NTSB) final report. The pilot flying, who held an airline transport pilot certificate, was killed while several passengers were injured.

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REAL ID Deadline Is May 7, 2025, Only 17 Years Late (For REAL This Time?)

One Mile at a Time

For literally my entire adult life, the US government has been saying that the REAL ID requirement for travel would be implemented imminently. However, it kept getting pushed back. Were now just under a month from the implementation date, and the government insists its really, actually, finally, truly, happening, this time around. REAL ID enforcement starts May 7, 2025 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) insists that REAL ID enforcement will begin as of May 7, 2025.

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Joby Achieves Landmark Crewed eVTOL Transition Flight

Flying Magazine

Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi developer Joby Aviation this month achieved something no manufacturer has before. The company on Tuesday said it recently completed a series of crewed transition flights with its full-scale eVTOL prototype at its flight test facility in Marina, California. The transition from vertical liftoff and hover to forward flight is an essential feature of the aircraft, which takes off vertically like a helicopter but uses both a fixed wing and propel

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How to Calculate Density Altitude (Without a Math Degree)

Pilot Institute

Calculating density altitude is like filing your taxes; annoying and often neglected until the last minute, but crucially important. Why is density altitude critical to ensuring safety, what factors affect it, and how is it calculated? Today is the day that the mystery of density altitude is solved. Key Takeaways Density altitude affects aircraft performance.

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Flight Test Files: Grumman F-14 Tomcat

Vintage Aviation News

With the launch of The Other First Man, we introduced a new series titled Flight Test Files , focused on the fascinating legacy of aeronautical advancements pioneered by NACA and later by NASA. This series highlights the aircraft operated by NASAs Dryden Flight Research Centernow known as the Armstrong Flight Research Centerlocated in Edwards, California.

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How Starlab Space looks to Switzerland for the next generation of space stations  

Aerotime

Space exploration is not usually among the topics that come to mind when thinking about Switzerland. This Alpine nation is most often associated with its mountain landscapes, cheese and love for precision clockwork. However, in late 2024, Starlab Space, a Houston-based joint venture developing a next-generation space station, selected it as the location of its European hub.

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FAA Announces New Measures To Support Air Traffic Controllers At Reagan National

AV Web

On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced new measures to support air traffic controllers at Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA). The agency said it would be increasing the Operational Supervisor staffing from six to eight, reviewing Certified Professional Controller staffing numbers, and reassessing DCAs arrival rates, which are disproportionately concentrated in the final 30 minutes of each hour.

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American’s New York To Tokyo Flight Diverts To Dallas… After 12+ Hours

One Mile at a Time

Flights divert all the time, for a variety of reasons. However, this is definitely one of the more eye-catching diversions that weve seen in some time. American 787 flies from New York to Dallas in 12+ hours This incident happened yesterday (March 31, 2025), and involves American flight AA167, scheduled to fly from New York (JFK) to Tokyo (HND). The flight was operated by an eight-year-old Boeing 787-9 with the registration code N829AN.

Jet
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Following the story of the Fokker F27

Fear of Landing

Last week I wrote about the Fokker F27 mk 500 Friendship that came off the runway at take-off at Bournemouth Airport. Rudy commented on his experience flying the F27 in the comments of that post. The F27 was still a very reliable workhorse when I flew it. In widespread use as a cargo aircraft, they were in use with quite a few “feeder” cargo operators.

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United Airlines To Install Starlink On 40 Aircraft Per Month Thanks To FAA Green Light

Simple Flying

United Airlines has received the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration for its first Starlink-equipped aircraft type, paving the way for further installation on other aircraft. The airline plans to install this technology across its entire fleet of regional jets by the end of this year.

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Flight Test Files: The Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket – Chasing Mach 2

Vintage Aviation News

With the debut of The Other First Man, we launched our Flight Test Files seriesan exploration of the groundbreaking flight research conducted by NACA and later NASA. These stories shine a light on the aircraft and test pilots that pushed the limits of aeronautical knowledge, many of them flying out of the legendary Dryden Flight Research Center (now Armstrong Flight Research Center) at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

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Examining over 100 years of flight automation and the history of the autopilot

Aerotime

The automatic pilot (autopilot) has to be one of aviations finest technological inventions. Yet, it is also one of the earliest, having been introduced (in its most rudimentary form) in 1912, just nine years after the Wright Brothers first took to the air in their powered Wright Flyer in 1903. Since those early days, the autopilot has developed enormously, both in terms of capabilities and functionality.

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Malaysia Airlines Unveils Manchester United Livery, Resumes Brisbane Service; Boosts Asia-Pacific Frequencies

World Airline News

Special Aircraft Livery in Collaboration with Manchester United unveiled Brisbane Returns to the Network from November 2025 Regional Connectivity Strengthened with Additional APAC Flights Preview of first ever Lie-Flat Business Class Seat for its narrowbody aircraft Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330-323 9M-MTA (msn 1209) DPS (Pascal Simon). Image: 965121.

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Black Hawk & American Eagle Crash: Shocking Investigation Details Revealed

One Mile at a Time

On January 29, 2025, we saw the tragic collision of an American Eagle CRJ-700 and Black Hawk helicopter near Washington National Airport (DCA), claiming 67 lives. This was the first fatal commercial aircraft crash in the United States since 2009, so suffice it to say that this made a lot of people uneasy. In the few months since the accident, weve gotten more and more details about what happened.

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Switch Tanks!

Plane and Pilot

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday Aircraft calling? There was no immediate reply to Atlanta Centers query. The frequency returned to being quiet. An American Airlines jet said it was pretty smooth at FL 300. The controller tried again. I was hearing a mayday call. Is there an aircraft calling with mayday? Mayday, Mayday. Whos calling Center? N74586. Ive got a rough engine.

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How & Why Did This Small Colorado Airport Recently Handle Nearly 25 Diversions?

Simple Flying

On March 31st, 2025, Denver International Airport faced significant operational challenges due to strong winds, leading to the diversion of 24 flights to Colorado Springs. This surge in unexpected traffic tested the capabilities of the smaller airport and highlighted the broader implications of adverse weather conditions on aviation operations.

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Learning Aeronautical Engineering From Historic Aircraft Designs

Vintage Aviation News

“Vintage Aviation News staff did not write this article; the content comes via our partners who wish to help support our website.” Though the Wright brothers’ maiden flight in 1903 marked a turning point in aeronautical engineering, the principles of aircraft design are still anchored in the past. Aspiring aeronautical engineers can learn a great deal regarding aerodynamics, materials, propulsion, and structural advances that have defined modern aviation by studying ancient air

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SAS reintroduces European Business Class in response to growing premium demand

Aerotime

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has confirmed that it will be reintroducing business class on its European flights, starting October 1, 2025. The intention had previously been announced by SAS Chief Commercial Officer, Paul Verhagen, in September 2024 during a media event in Copenhagen celebrating the Scandinavian carriers accession to SkyTeam. Although SAS offers business class on its long-haul flights to the United States and Asia, this is not the case on its European network, where the most prem

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Delta Air Lines announces March quarter 2025 financial results

World Airline News

Delta Air Lines today reported financial results for the March2025 quarter and provided its outlook for the June quarter. Delta Air Lines Airbus A321-271NX WL N589DT (msn 12417) (100 Years) SAN (Michael B. Ing). Image: 965481. ATLANTA, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL ) today reported financial results for the March quarter and provided its outlook for the June quarter.

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Review: United First Class Boeing 737 MAX (IAD-MIA)

One Mile at a Time

For the final segment of our royal visit to Versailles , I flew United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 first class on the 2hr20min flight from Washington (IAD) to Miami (MIA). I booked this flight because it was the most convenient way to get home, but I was excited about this because it would be my first flight with Uniteds new interiors. United has been doing an impressive job upgrading its cabins on narrow body aircraft, and it was nice to finally experience that.

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Blinded by the Light

Plane and Pilot

The national transportaTion Safety Board (NTSB) has recently released final reports on two very similar fatal accidents that happened only a week apart. Both involved single-engine piston aircraft landing at their home fields. The first was an Extra 300 at Galt Field Airport (10C) in Wonder Lake, Illinois, on November 25, 2022. The second was a Mooney M20 at Falmouth Airpark (5B6) in Massachusetts on December 2, 2022.

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How Exactly Does Reverse Thrust On A Plane Work?

Simple Flying

When an aircraft lands, it needs an effective way to decelerate and come to a complete stop safely. While brakes and aerodynamic drag contribute significantly to this process, another critical component is reverse thrust. In this article, we explore the origins, technical workings, and variations of reverse thrust systems , shedding light on how this essential technology operates in different types of aircraft.

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From the Bottom of the Sea to Wildwood: The Incredible Story of the F6F Hellcat at the NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum

Vintage Aviation News

Inside every museum, every artifact has a story. At the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum in Lower Township, New Jersey, one Grumman F6F Hellcat has quite the story to tell. From crashing into the Pacific Ocean during WWII and spending 26 years on the bottom of the Pacific, to having a cameo in a 1980s romantic comedy and being displayed in three museums, this is the story of Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat, Bureau Number 66237.

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Flight chaos at Newark airport linked to ‘staffing issues’ at Philadelphia ATC

Aerotime

Hundreds of flights were delayed or cancelled at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) because of telecommunications and equipment issues at an air traffic control center in Philadelphia. The flight delays began on April 28, 2025, and continued into the evening. The airport confirmed that it was experiencing “ residual delays ” on April 29, 2025, and advised passengers to check with their airlines for flight updates.

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British Airways welcomes summer schedule, including the addition of Kuala Lumpur and Tbilisi to its route map

World Airline News

British Airways touched down in two new destinations this week, including the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, after a 12-year hiatus and in Kuala Lumpur for the first time in five years Both routes will operate from London Heathrow this summer and have been carefully timed so customers can take advantage of onward connections across the two continents and further afield The flag carrier will operate daily flights to the Malaysian capital with return fares starting from 574, and flights to Tbilisi w

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Review: British Airways Lounge San Francisco Airport (SFO)

One Mile at a Time

For the outbound portion of our winter trip to Tokyo and Niseko , we flew Japan Airlines 777 first class from San Francisco to Tokyo. Japan Airlines sends its premium passengers to the British Airways Lounge San Francisco (SFO), so in this post, I want to review that experience. The British Airways Lounge SFO is a pleasant facility, which was renovated several years back.

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ANA pioneers global use of AeroSHARK on both cargo and passenger 777s

Aviation Bussiness News

Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) has become the first airline in the world to operate both passenger and cargo Boeing 777 aircraft equipped with AeroSHARK, a fuel-saving riblet film developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF. ANA has started commercial operations with a Boeing 777-300ER (registration JA796A) outfitted with the innovative AeroSHARK film, marking the first deployment of the technology on a passenger aircraft in Asia.

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United Airlines Could Buy Up To 200 JetZero Blended Wing Planes

Simple Flying

United Airlines has announced an investment that, if successful, will see it boost its sustainability credentials while taking its fleet to the next level. Specifically, as revealed yesterday, the US legacy carrier and Star Alliance founding member has teamed up with JetZero on a deal for a conditional order of up to 200 of the startup company's Z4 blended wing body (BWB) aircraft.

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Adam’s Profile Reports: Air and Space Exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago

Vintage Aviation News

The Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) in Chicago stands as one of the most prestigious science museums not only in the Midwest, but in the United States as a whole. From tractors and automobiles to trains and the German U-boat U-505, the MSI, also known in the past as the Rosenwald Museum, had been host to several aircraft in its collection since the founding of the modern museum in 1933, which was based on The Palace of Fine Arts at the 1893 Columbian Expositions “White City.” Vi