The Concorde flew its final commercial flight in 2003. That was twenty-three years ago. Since then, commercial aviation has accelerated in efficiency and coverage, but not in speed. The fastest passenger aircraft today cruise barely faster than the fastest aircraft did in 1970. The technological stagnation is striking when you consider the progress in nearly … Read more
Boeing’s 737 MAX is back. The aircraft that was grounded worldwide for 21 months returned to service in late 2020, and the order backlog today exceeds 4,500 units. Yet Airbus’s A320 family maintains a commanding lead with over 7,000 aircraft on backorder. The numerical advantage understates Airbus’s position. They’re delivering faster, facing fewer production challenges, … Read more
The aviation industry burns through roughly 90 million tons of jet fuel annually. That number won’t drop significantly without a major shift in fuel technology. Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF, has moved from theoretical solution to operational reality at most major airlines, yet production still lags behind demand by a factor of ten. I’ve watched … Read more
Private aviation strips away airport congestion, security lines, and scheduled departure times. Six European cities have infrastructure and appeal that justify the premium charter costs. Nice, France: The Côte d’Azur Gateway Nice is the most accessible private aviation destination in southern Europe. The airport (LFMN) sits five kilometers from the city center, with two fixed-base … Read more
Some airports sell the approach itself. You’re paying as much for the view out the window as the destination below. Here are six approaches that justify the ticket price purely on visual drama. Queenstown, New Zealand (ZQN): The Alpine Extreme Queenstown sits in a valley ringed by mountains that rise 1,500 meters on all sides. … Read more
In 1991, a startup airline with a single aircraft launched service between Dublin and London Luton. The aircraft was a 46-seat turboprop. The airline charged 99 pounds for a round-trip ticket. Passengers complained it was expensive. That airline was Ryanair, and it would fundamentally alter the economics of aviation. Today, Ryanair operates nearly 500 aircraft, … Read more
On January 30, 2009, a Boeing 747-400 took off from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport carrying something unprecedented: a blend of conventional jet fuel and algae-based biofuel. Japan Airlines Flight 109, registration JA8076, flew to Haneda on a route it had flown thousands of times before. But this flight mattered far more than routine operations suggested. That … Read more
When Juan Trippe, the visionary founder of Pan Am, placed the first order for the Boeing 747 on April 13, 1966, he changed aviation forever. The aircraft would be called a “jumbo jet,” a term that didn’t exist before. Pan Am wanted an aircraft to carry twice as many passengers as anything then flying. Boeing’s … Read more