Pilot's Life Blog
JANUARY 12, 2025
For many, the thought of flying sparks more fear than getting behind the wheel, even though statistics show otherwise. Is flying in a plane safer than driving? Absolutely. Flying is backed by rigorous safety protocols, highly trained pilots, and advanced technology. As Leopard Aviation, we understand these fears and prepare pilots to ensure every flight is as safe as possible.
Aerotime
JANUARY 13, 2025
The team at Boom Supersonic are determining whether a 12 th test flight of its XB-1 demonstrator is needed before undertaking its first attempt at breaking the speed barrier. On January 10, 2025, XB-1 reached speeds of Mach 0.95 during a 44-minute flight over the Mojave Desert with Chief Test Pilot Tristan Geppetto Brandenburg at the controls. The 11 th XB-1 test flight also saw the aircraft climb to 29,481 feet as it closes in on supersonic speeds.
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Cranky Flier
JANUARY 14, 2025
It was November 2021 when Avelo struck gold. The airline went into the recently-abandoned New Haven Tweed airport along the southern Connecticut coast, and it instantly found strong demand. It has grown to having almost 20 daily departures on peak days, a remarkable feat considering how constrained the airport is. But now, the airport seems to have hit a wall.
One Mile at a Time
JANUARY 12, 2025
I like to cover various aspects of the premium travel experience. For example, Ive shared what I consider to be the worlds best business class airlines , the worlds best business class seats , and the worlds best business class lounges. In this post, I want to take a look at a related but different topic which airlines have the best bedding in business class?
Vintage Aviation News
JANUARY 13, 2025
The Philippine Mars has made its way back to its home base for an engine replacement. The historic aircraft departed Sproat Lake three weeks ago on a journey to its new home at the Pima Air and Space Museum (PASM) in Tucson, Arizona. The planned route included stops in San Francisco and San Diego and an inland leg to an undisclosed desert lake. However, the journey hit a snag when the aircraft made an emergency landing in Patricia Bay on December 15.
Aerotime
JANUARY 17, 2025
AeroTime is excited to welcome Christian Charalambous as a guest columnist. A pilot operating Boeing 767s on global routes and a consultant leveraging his extensive aviation and technology expertise, Christian also holds a First-Class Honours degree in Air Transport Operations plus a masters degree in Blockchain. In his columns, he explores the modern challenges and innovative technologies that are shaping the future of flight.
Simple Flying
JANUARY 11, 2025
South Korean authorities said on Saturday that the black boxes from the tragic December crash of the Jeju Air aircraft had ceased collecting data around four minutes before the incident, marking a startling development in the inquiry into the country's deadliest aviation catastrophe, according to Reuters. The missing data is now complicating the investigation into the crash, which claimed the lives of 179 people and marked the worst aviation tragedy in South Korea's history.
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Vintage Aviation News
JANUARY 14, 2025
Platinum Fighter Sales has announced the listing of an extraordinary aircraft: the worlds only factory-built, two-seat Messerschmitt Bf-109 / Hispano HA-1112-M4L Buchon. This ultra-rare airplane represents a unique chapter in aviation history. Photo by Gavin Conroy via Platinum Fighter Sales The Origins of the Buchon By 1942, the Spanish Air Forces fleet of Messerschmitt Bf-109Ds was aging, prompting Spain to license the production of the newer Bf-109G model.
Aerotime
JANUARY 14, 2025
Lufthansa and Thai Airways International are expanding their existing codeshare program to expand connectivity between Europe and several Asian destinations. The deal will see two cities in Vietnam plus one in the Philippines join the program to be linked by the Thai carrier from its hub in Bangkok. The expansion will see flights between Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to Hanoi (HAN), Ho Chi Minh (SGN), and Manila (MNL) all continuing to be operated by Thai Airways but carrying an additional LH fligh
Simple Flying
JANUARY 17, 2025
The National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) has released its report on a United Airlines flight that ended in a damaged fuselage due to pilot inputs. The Boeing 767 was landing in Houston from Newark when the nose gear of the plane touched down with such force that it caused significant damage.
One Mile at a Time
JANUARY 14, 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a close call that happened at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) on Saturday, January 11, 2025. This is a case where automation prevented a potential disaster. TCAS saves the day for jets on approach to Phoenix This incident happened around 11AM this past Saturday, while two aircraft were on approach to Phoenix: Delta flight DL1070 was coming from Detroit (DTW), and was operated by a 17-year-old Airbus A330-300 with the regis
Plane and Pilot
JANUARY 13, 2025
In FBOs and online forums, many prospective airplane owners ask other pilots for aircraft recommendations. Oftentimes, the shopper specifies that they want to be able to carry multiple, full-sized adult passengers, access relatively short runways, and fly cross-countries at a reasonably quick speed. Faced with all of these simultaneous requirements, the aircraft type most often recommended as a true jack-of-all-trades is the legendary Cessna 182.
Aerotime
JANUARY 14, 2025
Austrian Airlines has become the latest carrier from the Lufthansa Group to adopt the aerodynamics-enhancing AeroSHARK technology. The Austrian flag carrier announced on January 14, 2024, that one of its Boeing 777-200ER aircraft (OE-LPC) had flown between Bangkok (BKK) and Vienna (VIE) featuring the specially treated fuel-saving fuselage surfaces. AeroSHARK was developed jointly by Lufthansa Technik, which is the engineering and maintenance arm of airline group, and German chemicals giant BASF.
Simple Flying
JANUARY 14, 2025
Low-cost airlines in Canada have struggled throughout the past two decades, with the model never quite seeming to hit its stride in the market. Almost every major Canadian carrier that operated with a low-cost model either went bankrupt, modified their business model to look more like a legacy carrier or a tour operator, or was acquired by a different airline that did not operate a low-cost model.
One Mile at a Time
JANUARY 15, 2025
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club has an ongoing status match offer. I want to cover the details in this post, especially as the list of airlines from which Virgin Atlantic will match has changed. On top of that, with the changes to British Airways loyalty program , presumably some people are considering another program. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club status match basics Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is offering a status match offer for both of its elite tiers: To become an instant Gold member, you need to
Pilot Institute
JANUARY 14, 2025
Even driving a car can be dangerous in foggy weather. So, how do pilots manage to land their aircraft safely and accurately without even being able to see where theyre going? The ILS (Instrument Landing System) uses radio signals to help pilots align the aircraft accurately on their approach to a runway. Lets learn more about this system! Key Takeaways ILS provides precise guidance for safe landings in low visibility.
Aerotime
JANUARY 15, 2025
Boeing delivered 180 fewer commercial aircraft in 2024 than 2023 after a torrid year which began with a door plug separating from an Alaska Airline 737-9 midflight. On January 14, 2025, Boeing confirmed that 348 passenger jets were delivered to customers last year including just 57 in the final quarter. In 2023, a total of 528 commercial planes were handed over to operators, with 157 delivered in the final quarter.
Simple Flying
JANUARY 13, 2025
The US Navy now has a preferred air-to-air missile loadout for its Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets called a Murder Hornet loadout. This is according to a list of 2024 US Navy accomplishments released by the US Navy's Chief of Naval Operations. The loadout is of four AIM-9X Sidewinder heat-seeking and five AIM-120 AMRAAM active radar missiles both made by Raytheon, a RTX Corporation company that has come about to address the need for Super Hornets to engage slow-moving, low radar return drones a
One Mile at a Time
JANUARY 12, 2025
I spend more nights in airport hotels than Id care to admit. Over the years, Ive developed some strong preferences, and I tend to have pretty polarizing takes on them. I love some airport hotels so much that Id almost want to vacation at them (purely for aviation geek reasons), while there are plenty I just wouldnt return to. In this post, I want to talk about that in a bit more detail.
Plane and Pilot
JANUARY 12, 2025
Many years ago, while working my way through college pumping avgas at the local airport, I discovered that one of our university deans owned a diminutive two-seat, twin-tailed airplanean Ercoupe. He was proud of his little bird, with its unique split sliding canopy, no rudder pedals, and a delightful art deco instrument panel. Long before he purchased his very own Boeing 707, actor John Travolta discovered this economical fun flier and began his remarkable aviation career as a proud owner.
Aerotime
JANUARY 15, 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has begun an investigation into a midair incident involving a United Airlines Boeing 737-900ER and a Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-300. According to the US aviation regulator, both aircraft were scheduled to arrive at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) on January 11, 2025, within 23 minutes of each other.
Simple Flying
JANUARY 14, 2025
As the world's largest passenger airliner, the Airbus A380 was designed to carry large numbers of paying guests on high-demand routes between airlines' main hubs. As such, the aircraft has become an established presence on major routes, such as the transatlantic corridor or between Europe and the Middle East. However, operational factors occasionally dictate that the superjumbo is used elsewhere.
One Mile at a Time
JANUARY 15, 2025
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was recently unbanned from the European Union , with the first route resumption being between Islamabad (ISB) and Paris (CDG). Well, Pakistans government is now reportedly investigating the airline, over what might be one of the most widely seen airline social media posts ever Pakistans Prime Minister calls PIA ad stupid When PIA resumed nonstop flights to Paris, the airline shared an attention grabbing post on social media, depicting a PIA Boeing 777 flying
Vintage Aviation News
JANUARY 17, 2025
We often receive questions about the fate of Lockheed L-1649A Starliner N7361Cthe aircraft Lufthansa invested heavily in restoring for airworthy use, only to cancel the project at the final stage. Nearly six years ago, Lufthansa announced the end of its ambitious Super Star project. Shortly after, the largely restored aircraft was shipped from the USA to Germany and stored in a hangar in Bremen.
Aerotime
JANUARY 17, 2025
South Korean authorities have discovered bird feathers and blood in both engines of the Jeju Air aircraft that crashed and killed 179 people on December 29, 2024. On January 16, 2025, Korean investigators announced that feathers were found in one of the engines recovered from the crash scene, as reported by local news outlet MBN. The Korea Aviation Accident Investigation Board confirmed that feathers were also found in the other engine.
Simple Flying
JANUARY 11, 2025
With the 21st century now a quarter complete, the world of aviation has come on leaps and bounds, technologically speaking, since the turn of the new millennium. Recent years have seen the development of next-generation twinjet aircraft in both the narrowbody and widebody sectors, with larger quadjets simultaneously falling by the wayside. All in all, the modern nature of aviation today is rather exciting.
One Mile at a Time
JANUARY 13, 2025
Theres finally going to be some competition between Israel and the United States, as EL ALs monopoly will be challenged Arkia will fly to United States as of February 2025 Carrier Arkia Israeli Airlines will start flying to the United States. Specifically, as of February 8, 2025, the airline will fly 3x weekly between Tel Aviv (TLV) and New York (JFK).
Vintage Aviation News
JANUARY 13, 2025
by Marty Steiner As America geared up for what became World War II, it established and built numerous military training bases. The aviation components of every service built their share. The Army Air Corps, and after June 30, 1941, the Army Air Forces, Naval and Marine Air as well as the Coast Guard all were active in this expansion. While many of these bases continue to exist today as military facilities of some form another, others became civilian airports or industrial parks.
Aerotime
JANUARY 14, 2025
Australian airline Qantas has said it is being repeatedly forced to delay its flights operating between Sydney and Johannesburg in South Africa with little notice due to warnings the airline receives about descending debris from Elon Musks SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets re-entering the Earths atmosphere. The delays of up to six hours are being caused due to last-minute changes in coordinates for the location and timing of the re-entry of rockets from Musk’s space technology firm.
Simple Flying
JANUARY 11, 2025
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new airworthiness directive (AD) requiring airlines to inspect the landing gear on certain Boeing 767 aircraft. The directive, which takes effect on February 12, 2025, is a response to a safety concern regarding potential heat damage to the aircraft's main landing gear (MLG) that could lead to structural failure during landing.
One Mile at a Time
JANUARY 15, 2025
Many of us aviation enthusiasts are big fans of the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 , given that these planes are no longer in production, and wont be in passenger service for that much longer. Korean Air is one of two airlines in the world to operate both of these jets (the other is Lufthansa). Up until recently, the carriers plan was to retire Airbus A380s by 2026, and retire Boeing 747s by 2031.
Pilot Institute
JANUARY 13, 2025
When a pilot transitions from an aircraft with a fixed-pitch propeller to one with a constant-speed propeller, they need to get their head around the manifold pressure gauge, what it does, and how to use it. Any online search will give you a lot of information on manifold pressure, much of it difficult to understand, and some is simply wrong. In this article, well step through manifold pressure starting from the basics and moving through to some interesting advanced knowledge that may save your
Aerotime
JANUARY 12, 2025
The Jeju Air black boxes aboard a Boeing 737-800 that crashed at Muan International Airport (MWX) on December 29, 2024, failed to record the final minutes of flight data. According to the Yonhap News Agency , the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the Jeju Air Boeing 737 only captured data up until around four minutes before the plane collided with an airport embankment.
Simple Flying
JANUARY 11, 2025
An Australian regional airline based in Mascot, a city in New South Wales, Rex Airlines today operates scheduled regional services across multiple regions of the nation using small turboprop-powered aircraft. The airline today stands as a shell of what it once was, as the carrier operated an extensive network of jet services between several major Australian cities between 2021 and 2024.
One Mile at a Time
JANUARY 14, 2025
Could Korean Air launch a nonstop flight between Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN) and Orlando International Airport (MCO)? Well, thats what airport executives in Orlando seem to think, though Im not holding my breath Orlando wants a nonstop flight from South Korea Orlando Business Journal reports on how the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and Osceola County have signed a partnership agreement with Incheon International Airport, laying the groundwork for direct service between the two airports.
AV Web
JANUARY 13, 2025
Police have arrested three people involved in two drone incidents related to aerial firefighting in Los Angeles. L.A. County Sheriff’s department did not release details of the circumstances of their arrest or whether either of the incidents involved the collision of a drone with a CL-415 waterbomber late last week. The specific charges have also not been released.
Aerotime
JANUARY 15, 2025
Southwest Airlines is pausing corporate hiring and promotions and will be suspending most of its summer internships to cut costs and improve profits, CEO Bob Jordan said in a message to employees. Every single dollar matters as we continue to fight to return to excellent financial performance, Jordan said in a memo to employees on January 13, 2025, which was seen by CNBC.
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