A manual flap handle, also known as a “Johnson Bar,” is a mechanical lever that is directly connected to wing flaps via a system of cables and pulleys. These were once commonplace in general aviation, but have since been nearly completely replaced by electrical switches and handles. Relatively few aircraftContinue Reading
AeroTime is reporting that on August 12, 2025, a ride-along passenger on an F-15D inadvertently activated the eject system while it was taxiing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts. The incident involved a two-seat F-15 variant operated by the 104 Fighter Wing. Online footage shows the jetContinue Reading
On Sunday, August 20, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200 struck the wingtip of a stationary Airbus A350 parked at an adjacent gate. As reported by CNN, the incident occurred during pushback as the 757 prepared to depart for Guatemala City on the morning of the 10th. Delta confirmed theContinue Reading
Travelers headed in and out ofSpain are bracing for significant disruptions from August 15 to August 17, 2025. The Daily Mail is reporting that over 3,000 baggage handlers employed by Azul Handling, a subsidiary of Ryanair, will begin a strike action at 12 airports in Spain. These will commence onContinue Reading
Qatar Airways is the flag carrier of Qatar. Based in Doha, Qatar Airways is also one of the “Big Three” Middle Eastern carriers, alongside Emirates and Etihad Airways. It flies to all six inhabited continents and essentially positions itself as a global superconnector, all because of where Doha is located.Continue Reading
In 2020, a Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules suffered a hard landing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The aircraft sustained damage to its wings, landing gear, and engines, damage so severe that the aircraft never flew again. That is, until July 15, 2025, when the same C-130J took off from RamsteinContinue Reading
Local news station, Virginia Mercury, is reporting that plans for an expansion to Washington Dulles International Airport have been sent for review to the FAA. These plans include new offices, retail space, and most notably, a fifth runway. These were approved by the airport board on July 16, with FAAContinue Reading
Spectrum News is reporting that Boeing has extended a final contract offer to mechanics represented by the International Association of Machinists (IAM) in St. Louis, Missouri. Workers in this region, designated as District 837, have been negotiating with their employer for several weeks. Now, Boeing is pushing its offer ontoContinue Reading
There was once a time when airliners came with their own airstairs. These were usually fitted to smaller aircraft that were lower to the ground and served less developed airports. The Boeing 727 and McDonnell Douglas DC-9 are two classic examples, as these icons of aviation both featured integrated airstairsContinue Reading
On July 17, 2025, United released its financial report for the second quarter of 2025. As part of the report, United also hosted an earnings call. During this call, a reporter raised a question about potential changes to United’s Polaris business class, to which United’s Chief Customer Officer, Andrew Nocella,Continue Reading
Airports in the United States will no longer require passengers to remove their shoes during security checks. As per an official TSA (Transportation Security Administration) announcement, the decades-old “shoes-off” policy will be coming to an end nationwide effective immediately. This comes as part of a larger overhaul of TSA procedures.Continue Reading
Qantas is streamlining its Qantaslink fleet. Qantaslink is the group’s regional brand, with flights operated by Eastern Australian Airlines, National Jet Systems, Network Aviation, and Sunstate Airlines. Rather uniquely, Network Aviation operates 15 Fokker 100s out of less than 60 in the world, but these are now set to beContinue Reading