Month: February 2022

Disconnecting Russia from aviation’s world order came gradually – then all at once

Jon Ostrower·February 28, 2022

Denial of aviation is a weapon that predates the 21st century battlefield. Yet, with the return of war to Europe, it is also aviation’s Achilles’ heel. With it comes a cascading series of immediate and longer term consequences in the skies as commercial and industrial links are quickly broken after decades of cultivation following the fall of the Soviet Union.

Making sense of aviation’s vibe shift to hydrogen

Elan Head·February 23, 2022

Less than four months after the Federal Aviation Administration rolled out its 2021 Aviation Climate Action Plan, the agency’s official blueprint for achieving net-zero aviation emissions by 2050 is already starting to look dated. The plan relies overwhelmingly on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as the principal pathway for reducing the U.S. aviation sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. It is plainly dismissive of hydrogen, stating: “we do not expect hydrogen-powered aircraft to make a significant contribution toward achieving net-zero aviation emissions by 2050.”

Spirit and Frontier merger is about the search for high-hanging fruit

Courtney Miller·February 21, 2022

In this TAC Analysis, we look at both the benefits and the risks of the proposed merger between Spirit and Frontier. We look beyond the traditional metrics to the futures of the airlines, both together and separate, as well as how the combination of the two ultra-low-cost airlines changes the competitive landscape for the remaining U.S. carriers.

Three Points: Joby’s crash, FAA’s Dickson resigning, EK231 update

Elan Head and Jon Ostrower·February 17, 2022

Joby Aviation's lead test aircraft crashed on Feb. 16, kicking off an NTSB investigation that could have implications for the aggressive timeline the company has embraced to be the first eVTOL company to fly passengers in 2024. FAA Administrator Steve Dickson has resigned. The U.S.'s top aviation regulator was about half way though his five year term. His dealings with Boeing will be the defining characteristic of his time at the agency. The UAE offered its preliminary report on the bizarre circumstances around Emirates 231. The brief report confirms much of The Air Current's reporting on the Dec. 20 botched takeoff out of Dubai.

Eviation zaps its uncharacteristically candid founder

Jon Ostrower·February 14, 2022

His public comments at recent events — including an interview with The Air Current — have provided a previously unseen glimpse at Alice’s design and Eviation’s technical assumptions, nuances and operational necessities that accompany the world’s first all-electric commercial aircraft — including a begrudging acknowledgement of the slow pace of battery innovation.

TAC/Forum: The future of piloting

TAC Staff·February 11, 2022

From the acute regional airline pilot shortage to the strategies and technologies laying the foundation for single-pilot and autonomous operations, TAC’s editorial and analytical team hosted a candid 60-minute discussion and Q&A session on the future of aviating and the enablers and limits to growth.

What a safety debate about self-driving cars means for self-flying aircraft

Elan Head·February 9, 2022

The safety case for autonomous vehicles is weaker than it has been made out to be — both on the ground and in the air.

FAA not giving an inch as Boeing big jet programs face slide

Jon Ostrower·February 7, 2022

Influential customer has “hard time seeing” 787 deliveries resuming before July, 777X certification likely to slip past 2023.

A Boeing 737-7 and 737-8-200 (Boeing Photo)

The duopoly is alive, well, and working to the benefit of the 737 Max

Courtney Miller·February 3, 2022

A backlog with available delivery slots is both a curse and a blessing, And that’s how Allegiant Air picked its horse.

Three points: Exhausted Gulf pilots, Wisk’s pilotless ambition, United’s new academy

Elan Head and Jon Ostrower·February 2, 2022

Reuters took a close look at Qatar Airways and claims its pilots are making around crew scheduling in the wake of the pandemic, which significantly resized the airline. The result is a broader discussion around fatigue and the risk of cockpit mistakes that should serve as context given other recent incidents, including Emirates 231. Boeing is betting on Wisk to be its pathfinder to autonomy, so how does the eVTOL entrant plan to do it? United Airlines formally launched its own flight academy, giving aspiring pilots a private certificate and a leg up to an eventual job flying with the airline. Yet, there are still very real obstructions that are clogging the pipeline of pilots.