Jon Ostrower

Afghans surround a Kam Air Airbus A340 at Hamid Karzai International Airport. Wakil Kohsar / AFP via Getty Images

Three Points: A reflection on Afghanistan, Embraer’s turboprop rethink, A350’s paint headache

Jon Ostrower·August 17, 2021

Afghanistan is lost. Beyond the crushing enormity of the human tragedy unfolding there, the jarring images from Kabul Airport capture not only the desperation to escape the Taliban, but the very essence of what aviation represents as a path to the future. Embraer heavily revised its turboprop concept and with it the company is shifting its focus from Asia squarely to North America. Qatar Airways has pulled 13 A350s from service on the order of its home regulator, but what's paint issue facing the aircraft?

Boeing’s Max lands in China amid a fog of political uncertainty

Jon Ostrower·August 11, 2021

Challenges from logistical to geopolitical permeate every level of the Boeing’s 737 Max visit to China. ATR's struggle to certify its own turboprop is a template for Boeing's uncertainty.

Three Points: Airbus & Boeing freighters, swappable aircraft batteries, Cockpit Casual

Jon Ostrower·August 2, 2021

Airbus has launched its A350 freighter and the move is kicking off an arms race with Boeing, which has enjoyed a near-monopoly in the segment for decades. What if you could swap a battery between flights on an electric airplane? Tecnam thinks they may have the solution to speed up turn times for its P-VOLT commuter. Globetrotting ferry pilots document life in the air and what it's like flying through a pandemic when business is booming. Cockpit Casual is finally here and its worth every moment of your time.

A question of profitability again hangs over Boeing’s 787

Jon Ostrower·July 27, 2021

Dogged by languid demand for twin-aisle aircraft and a spate of inspections, rework and manufacturing quality issues on already-built 787s, a question of the program’s long-term profitability hangs over Boeing. In its decade of deliveries, Boeing has earned back about half of the more than $28 billion in 787 production costs it has consistently reassured Wall Street it will recover.

TAC Explains: What’s program accounting and how is it used by Boeing?

Jon Ostrower·July 27, 2021

With a method called program accounting, long blessed by both the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and its auditor, Deloitte, Boeing spreads its high early costs of jetliner production over a roughly 10-year block of deliveries, enabling it to book future earnings in times of steep cash usage. Ultimately the intent is to balance out the enormous costs of producing a jetliner and recognize the long-term rewards of a successful program.

Boeing grapples with a ‘Pandora’s box’ on 787

Jon Ostrower·July 15, 2021

Even as Boeing works to explain its detailed statistical analysis to the Federal Aviation Administration of its inspection findings on its fleet of undelivered 787 Dreamliners, the company continues to disclose new issues with its aircraft that further disrupt its path toward resetting its production system and restarting deliveries.

Three Points: Delta’s deals are done, business travel’s green shoots, Alice’s new look

Jon Ostrower·July 6, 2021

Delta's A350 & 737 deals are done, clear signs of business travel's green shoots, Eviation's new look for its all-electric Alice.

United & Delta, head-to-head, chart different paths for fleet additions

Jon Ostrower·June 29, 2021

United unveiled a record deal on Tuesday with Boeing and Airbus for 270 new aircraft, but don’t take your eye off Delta.

Amazon Air set to add ATR turboprops to freighter fleet

Jon Ostrower·June 23, 2021

A large turboprop freighter opens a new front in its strategy as Amazon expands its reach to smaller communities.

Airbus pivots A350 to cargo to fix its freighter fortunes

Jon Ostrower·June 23, 2021

Seeing an opening with uncertain Boeing product strategy, Airbus advances toward an A350 freighter. Possible buyers urge consideration of an engine from GE.

As China freezes out Boeing, Airbus ramp grows output imbalance

Jon Ostrower·June 17, 2021

“Boeing is very much relying upon that commercial pressure from the airlines in China, putting political pressure on Beijing...And so far it hasn’t happened yet,” said Air Lease CEO John Plueger.

Archer in June 2021 unveiled its Maker technology demonstrator on the heels of its merger agreement with Atlas Crest Investment Corp. and backed by a partnership with United Airlines that helped fuel the company’s lucrative public offering.

Three Points: CFM’s RISE strategy, Archer’s Maker unveil, a return to flying

Jon Ostrower·June 14, 2021

GE Aviation and Safran laid out their post-pandemic strategy, a broad technology development plan called RISE aimed at low-emission propulsion for commercial aviation in the 2030s. In a ceremony befitting the cinematic legacy of Southern California, eVTOL entrant Archer unveiled its Maker technology demonstrator. The well-funded start up is part of an industry gold rush that looks a lot like aerial entrepreneurs of the 1920s. Your humble correspondent returned to flying again after 470 days on the ground. But who's counting?