October was a big month in aviation. Monarch Airlines collapsed after 50 years, right at the start of October. Travel chaos ensued as over 100,000 travellers were left stranded, with the CAA stepping in to repatriate them over the course of two weeks. And then, on October 27th, Air Berlin made its final flight: a … Continue reading “Good Times, Bad Times: Air Berlin Falls, Bombardier Flies”
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Fear of Flying: How Safe Are Commercial Flights?
Travelling by plane is a unique experience: watching the world below you shift from landscape to landscape, from sea to sea. But for some people, flying is an unnatural horror – one so terrible that they avoid it entirely, for their whole lives. The Facts of Commercial Flight Safety When trying to help a nervous … Continue reading “Fear of Flying: How Safe Are Commercial Flights?”
How Many Plane Finder Jets are in the Air?
Right now, it’s Friday afternoon in the UK. Most of the inhabitants of the USA are awake – or will be stirring from their slumber soon. And there are already thousands of planes in the sky. Plane Finder is flight tracking over 12,000 planes as we write at this moment. How do You Manage 12,000 … Continue reading “How Many Plane Finder Jets are in the Air?”
Monarch Airlines: What Happened, and What’s Next?
Monarch’s chief has publicly come out to blame international terrorism for the failure of the airline: but passengers’ fears only represent part of the problem. What happened to Monarch Airlines, and what’s next for passengers and staff? Are You Affected? Important Information If you’re affected by the collapse of Monarch and need information on getting … Continue reading “Monarch Airlines: What Happened, and What’s Next?”
North Korean Airspace – Are Commercial Flights in Danger?
Missile testing around North Korean airspace has dominated recent headlines. The United States may be confident that a nuclear war with North Korea would be won easily – but Japan, given its history and proximity to North Korea – feels far less secure. In amongst the international tensions are the fears of individuals, particularly air … Continue reading “North Korean Airspace – Are Commercial Flights in Danger?”
The Aftermath of Irma: Airport Damages and widespread Flight Cancellations
Hurricane Irma – A force to be reckoned with Following one another only 16 days apart, Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma mark the first time since records began that “two Atlantic Category 4 hurricanes have made U.S. landfall within the same year” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The horrific scale of Hurricane Irma’s trail of … Continue reading “The Aftermath of Irma: Airport Damages and widespread Flight Cancellations”
Pilotless Airliners: How realistic and how soon?
Today, with commercial and privately flown aircraft, autopilot technology already does most of the piloting and can be used to guide, direct and land an aircraft even in the most challenging weather conditions. In some regions it can even be argued that autopilot technology is more in control of the plane than a human pilot … Continue reading “Pilotless Airliners: How realistic and how soon?”
Boeing 747-8 Airliners Confirmed to Become New Air Force One Aircraft
On the 4th August 2017, the US Air Force and Boeing finalised a deal for the purchase of two Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental airliners. After significant modification, the ready-built aircraft will serve as the next generation of Air Force One for future presidents, replacing the ageing VC-25A Presidential support aircraft. The decision to purchase pre-existing aircraft … Continue reading “Boeing 747-8 Airliners Confirmed to Become New Air Force One Aircraft”
European Airports hit with 3 hour delays – What’s happening?
Following some particularly testing times for commercial passenger aviation, new security measures were put in place to ensure the safety of those flying in and around Europe. Understandably, this is a precaution that should be taken and should not be begrudged by those flying, however, new reports and cited passengers are now reporting being delayed … Continue reading “European Airports hit with 3 hour delays – What’s happening?”
How Graphene could Revolutionise the Future of Aviation
Graphene is a super strong, thin, conductive material, made from a hexagonal lattice of carbon atoms. First isolated in 2004 by two scientists from Manchester who later went on to win a Nobel Prize, it has the potential to revolutionise the world as we know it, from electronics and energy storage to security and aviation. … Continue reading “How Graphene could Revolutionise the Future of Aviation”