New Mexico Considers Taxing Virgin Galactic Tickets

Proposed bill would tax passengers on Virgin Galactic suborbital flights from the State-owned Spaceport America near Las Cruces. Millions in public funds went toward building the site in expectation of economic and tax benefits. Tax hit on VG's $450K tickets, 700 of which are now reserved, is $31,000 (6.9%). When shopping for future half-million dollar suborbital flights, don't be surprised by the big add-on at check-out. (apnews.com) Mehr...

Battery breakthrough achieves energy density necessary for electric planes

Researchers have achieved a world-leading energy density with a next-generation battery design, paving the way for long-distance electric planes. The lithium-air battery, developed at the Japanese National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), had an energy density of over 500Wh/kg. By comparison, lithium-ion batteries found in Tesla vehicles have an energy density of 260Wh/kg. (uk.finance.yahoo.com) Mehr...

First Boeing 737 MAX jet lands in Antarctica

PRAGUE, CZECHIA — Low-cost Czech carrier Smartwings became the first airline to land in Antarctica with a Boeing 737 MAX 8. The landing at Troll Airfield at the northern tip of Antarctica took place on January 26, 2022. (www.airlinerwatch.com) Mehr...

China Airlines orders four Boeing 777 Freighters

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — Boeing today announced the Taiwanese flag carrier China Airlines has ordered four 777 Freighters, adding to its extensive fleet of Boeing airplanes. (www.airlinerwatch.com) Mehr...

US Air Force spends $60 million on supersonic commercial airliner

The US military has indicated its interest in commercial supersonic flight by granting as much as $60 million to Boom Supersonic for its airliner development efforts. The Colorado-based company has announced that the Air Force awarded a three-year contract to Boom to accelerate research and development of its Overture airliner. Separately this week, Boom selected Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina, as the site of its first full-scale manufacturing facility. There,… (arstechnica.com) Mehr...

Breeze Airways Announces Major Route Shuffles

Breeze Airways, America's newest airline, is making major changes once again. In advance of the addition of the a220 to the fleet, Breeze is cutting several routes and adjusting frequencies on many others. (aeroxplorer.com) Mehr...

General Dynamics Will Ramp Up Gulfstream Output to Meet the Strongest Demand in a Decade

GD says annual Gulfstream output will need to increase 45% to complete nearly 450 orders by the close of 2024. In 2021, 119 aircraft were delivered. Deliveries going forward are set to be: 123 in 2022; 149 in 2023; and 170 in 2024. Production work-arounds are being introduced to reduce supply chain risks. (www.bloombergquint.com) Mehr...

Embraer trademarks Energia name for electric, hybrid aircraft line

Following an initial refusal by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer has filed trademark applications covering its upcoming Energia family of new low-emission and zero-emission electrified aircraft. (electrek.co) Mehr...

The One Active Division of Pan Am That is Still Up and Running

During “the golden age of flying,” the U.S. had 3 iconic airlines among others: Eastern Air Lines, Trans World Airlines (TWA) and Pan American World Airways (Pan Am). They were all immensely popular for decades, but all three eventually fell prey to changing times, increased competition, and rising costs in the latter quarter of the 20th century. (yourmileagemayvary.net) Mehr...

Italian Shipping Magnate Gianluigi Aponte Wants to Move Into Aviation

Gianluigi Aponte, founder and chair of family-owned Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC), world's largest container ship line with 570 vessels, is joining Deutsche Lufthansa in a bid to acquire ITA Airways, successor to Italy's historically unprofitable Alitalia. Sitting on a huge cash pile from a sea shipment boom that seems never-ending, Aponte sees ITA, if re-tooled as an LCC with deep cargo expertise, as a ripe investment target. (www.bloombergquint.com) Mehr...

GOL agrees US$600 million financing to finance 12 Boeing 737 MAX

The transaction will include... The interest rate for finance leases is approximately... which represents a reduction from operating lease costs for current aircraft in the fleet. The proceeds from the transaction will... (cmsherbert.blogspot.com) Mehr...

Relatives of 737 MAX crash victims want to re-open a settlement that protected the manufacturer from criminal prosecution

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — Relatives of victims who lost their lives in two Boeing 737 MAX jet crashes want to re-open a settlement that protected the American aircraft manufacturer from criminal prosecution although it was revealed that the company misled federal safety regulators during type certification of the plane. (www.airlinerwatch.com) Mehr...

Air Serbia Announces New Routes

Air Serbia today announced three new routes commencing in the summer of 2022, connecting the Serbian capital city of Belgrade with Amman, Jordan; Sochi, Russia; and Lyon, France. Flights to Amman will begin on June 1st, while flights to Sochi and Lyon will start the following day on June 2nd. Tickets for flights to Amman and Lyon have gone on sale already, while sales for the Sochi route are awaiting permits from Russian authorities. (aeroxplorer.com) Mehr...

Ryanair Says Sorry After Saying Scotland Isn’t A Country

Ryanair has apologized after a staff member told a passenger that “Scotland is not a country.” (simpleflying.com) Mehr...