Month: March 2022

A slowing global economy is still pushing aviation higher

Courtney Miller·March 30, 2022

In this latest TAC Analysis, we bring the air travel recovery into context with increasingly cloudy economic horizons. Despite calls to pick a side between aviation growth or a global recession, we find evidence that both can be true – an apparent contradiction worthy of the wild times in which we find ourselves today.

Airlines lend brands for cheap eVTOL shares

Elan Head·March 29, 2022

While such deals across the rising eVTOL industry seemingly represent a new aerospace business model in which customers have a stake in the overall success of the product, a detailed review of securities filings and other fine print by The Air Current reveals a far more transactional arrangement. Airlines are lending their branding and credibility in exchange for a possibly lucrative piece of a buzzy market, regardless of whether or not an aircraft will be delivered or even formally ordered.

Three Points: Alaska, Delta & Air Canada fleet notes, MU5735’s dive in context, Whisper Drone

Jon Ostrower and Elan Head·March 25, 2022

It's been a frenetic week for fleet moves. Alaska Air is formally removing the asterisk on its Proudly All Boeing moniker, Delta got an all-new aircraft type, Air Canada's getting in line for early A321XLRs and the FAA is putting a significant question mark over the availability of the 737 Max 10. After the crash of China Eastern 5736, The Air Current compares historical high rates of descent for key air accidents. It's an important dose of perspective in the early phases of the investigation into what brought down the 737-800. Whisper Drone charts a course for high-speed electric flight. TAC spoke with Whisper Aero founder Mark Moore about its new drone testbed and its prospects as a promising early application for its ultra-quiet electric propulsors.

The Russian aircraft fleet is set on a course to crumble, but it won’t happen overnight

Jon Ostrower·March 24, 2022

The most far-reaching sanctions of the modern economic era have disconnected Russia and its civil aviation industry from much of the world. Its digital connection is severed, along with its access to parts, services, international markets and crucial airspace. Yet what will come of the fleet that operates today inside of Russia?

Whisper Drone charts a course for high-speed electric flight

Elan Head·March 22, 2022

Whisper Aero sees drone testbed as a promising early application for its ultra-quiet electric propulsors.

China Eastern 5735’s sudden sharp dive put in context

Jon Ostrower·March 22, 2022

China Eastern flight 5735 crashed near Wuzhou on March 21 during a flight between Kunming and Guangzhou. Chinese state media...

Textron buys its way into the electric revolution

Elan Head and Jon Ostrower·March 18, 2022

The industrial giant Textron has the attributes – favorable and unfavorable – of having been around for a long time. It doesn’t have to loudly hype its technological and product viability to excite investors, it doesn’t have to stand up an organization from nothing, and it has a balance sheet and engineering bench that would make any newcomer envious. It also is weighed down by the institutional inertia, silos and competing internal priorities and executive attention spans that come with a sprawling aerospace conglomerate, antithetical to the fast-moving and creative startups.

The western airliner fleet inside Russia: An interactive data visualization

Jon Ostrower·March 17, 2022

As part of our on-going detailed coverage of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the resulting impact to global aviation, The Air Current has constructed an interactive data visualization of the fleet of Western-made aircraft flying today inside of Russia.

USAF pilots make electric flights as Pentagon again cultivates new propulsion

Elan Head·March 14, 2022

Two years ago, the U.S. Air Force launched its Agility Prime program with the aim of fielding its first advanced air mobility aircraft in 2023. Last week, the service achieved a major milestone toward that goal when Air Force pilots flew Beta Technologies’ electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, Alia, for the first time.

The airlines that win and lose with Russian airspace closed

Courtney Miller·March 10, 2022

In this TAC Analysis, we reveal the losers – and winners – of the recent airspace restrictions. We examine the tactics used to circumvent the restricted areas for those carriers without access and identify the few airlines still with access to the top of the world.

Three Points: Buffett units bet on UAM, Chorus acquires Falko, U.S./U.K. bilateral eVTOL cert

Elan Head·March 9, 2022

NetJets and FlightSafety International – both units of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway – have jumped into the electric vertical take-off and landing market, announcing plans for a strategic partnership with the German eVTOL developer Lilium. Buffett’s aviation investments have been stretched across the aerospace chain and with varying success. Chorus Aviation is acquiring Falko Regional Aircraft, kicking off a fresh round of consolidation in the leasing space -- this time among those who focus on regional aviation. The Federal Aviation Administration and U.K. Civil Aviation Authority have started working toward a bilateral agreement for the future certification and validation of eVTOL aircraft. It’s a post-Brexit signal that the CAA is not looking exclusively to Europe for guidance.

TAC/Forum: Russia, Ukraine and the global aerospace supply chain

TAC Staff·March 9, 2022

On March 8, 2022, The Air Current's Editor-in-chief Jon Ostrower and Senior Editor Elan Head hosted an in-depth and candid discussion with Dr. Kevin Michaels, Managing Director of AeroDynamic Advisory on Russia and the global aerospace supply chain.