At FlightAware, our software needs to gracefully handle all sorts of weird and wonderful situations. While we as engineers might hope for aviation data to be clean and well-standardized, the real world is messy. There are a lot of assumptions one could make when designing data types and schemas for aviation data that turn out to be inaccurate. In the spirit of Patrick McKenzie’s classic piece on names, here are some false assumptions one might make about aviation. While many of these are simply… (flightaware.engineering) More...
Turkish authorities penalizing travelers who stand up before the aircraft has come to a stop and the seatbelt sign is turned off. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
A Beechcraft Super King Air landed safely using Garmin's emergency Autoland system after the pilot became incapacitated during flight. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
A Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight traveling from Denver to Los Angeles as United flight 1093 with 140 souls on board was forced to divert to Salt Lake City after a cracked windshield was discovered midair. The incident occurred on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at an altitude of 36,000 feet. No definitive cause has been declared for the incident, although a meteorite strike is the leading theory. A pilot was injured in the incident. If a meteor strike is to blame, it would be an aviation first. There’s been… (weatherboy.com) More...
A California tech executive has been sentenced to jail and ordered to pay restitution after his DJI Mini 3 Pro drone collided with a vital firefighting aircraft battling Los Angeles’ January Palisades Fire. The crash forced the plane out of service at a critical moment in the firefight, underscoring the dangers of flying drones near emergency operations. (airguide.info) More...
Airbus has called for immediate precautionary action across all global operators of A320 Family aircraft following the discovery of a rare but critical vulnerability linked to intense solar radiation. (aeroxplorer.com) More...
A UPS plane with three crew members aboard crashed late Tuesday afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky, officials said. UPS Flight 2976 crashed around 5:15 p.m. local time after departing Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said. […] (www.nbcnews.com) More...
United Airlines has added a nifty new “Control Tower” mode to its inboard IFE screens, allowing passengers to track the planes around them in real-time. JonNYC shares about a new component of United’s inflight-entertainment system that allows passengers to track the aircraft around them while on the ground, including where they are headed: Have you ever wondered where the airplane parked next to yours is heading? How about when you’re taxiing, and you see a plane take off? Well, you’re in luck,… (liveandletsfly.com) More...
FlightAware is looking for FlightFeeder hosts near specific airports. Selected hosts receive a free FlightFeeder to visualize the sky above them while contributing to the world’s largest ADS-B network. (go.flightaware.com) More...
In many locations, November, December, January, and February offer harsh weather conditions. These winter months can lead to disruptions which could tempt travelers to stay inside and wait for more welcoming spring conditions. Whether it’s a holiday vacation to see family and friends or a much-needed winter getaway to a warmer climate, the FlightAware app can help travelers navigate winter travel challenges and delays. Using FlightAware to Make Your Next Trip Go Smoothly. (blog.flightaware.com) More...
The FAA is urging airlines to update safety videos after seeing passengers increasingly try to take carry ons off the plane during emergency evacuations. The FAA wants airlines to change briefings and videos to make clear these items should not be removed from the plane during emergency evacuations and the risks it creates for passengers if they ignore the rule. I kind of wish airlines would not count a fanny pack as a carryon because then you could at least have keys, Passports, medicines, and… (www.patreon.com) More...
When Delta Flight 4819 from Minneapolis to Toronto crash-landed, losing a wing and flipping upside down, onlookers feared the worst. Yet, in what seemed like a miracle, all 80 passengers and crew survived Monday’s crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport. (airguide.info) More...
Earlier today, Spirit airlines kicked off its 4th of July with a foam celebration. The unfortunate festivities started when the fire suppression system was inadvertently set off at the airlines maintenance hangar at Detroit metro airport. With the hangar doors being open, the foam also flowed onto the hangars ramp. The system was most likely set off by the lightning storm that passed over Metro airport around 5PM local time. (www.youtube.com) More...
Following almost six years in storage, a Qantas Airbus A380 was grounded just after one flight after one of the slats broke apart during flight. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
On June 24, 2025, a United Airlines aircraft was incorrectly cleared to cross a runway while another was also cleared to depart from the same runway at the same time. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history continues, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered flight reductions at 40 major airports, including Atlanta, New York, Boston, and Los Angeles. The move begins with affecting 4% of flights, with plans to ramp up to impact 1 in 10 flights at those airports, disrupting travel plans for thousands of Americans every day. (www.fastcompany.com) More...
Two ValueJet pilots were suspended after almost hitting ground staff while taxiing for departure at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
By simplifying baggage handling, and being extremely meticulous, this airport has not lost a single checked bag since opening in 1994. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
Airline pilots and flight attendants are sending food to air traffic controllers amid the shutdown. Two working controllers told Business Insider that financial strains are causing stress and fatigue. One said some controllers are looking at gig work, like driving for Uber, to make ends meet. They're keeping the skies safe without a paycheck — and now, airline pilots are sending lunch as a thank you. Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told Business… (www.businessinsider.com) More...
PARIS- An Air France (AF) transatlantic flight to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) was forced to return to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) after nearly seven hours in the air. (aviationa2z.com) More...
I'm a frequent United flyer, so imagine my surprise last week when I stumbled upon a new inflight map feature: Control Tower view. This view allows you to pull up a map of the airfield that's overlaid with all the aircraft around you. Clicking on each little plane brings up its call sign and operating airline. Going forward, the pilot won't need to tell you that you're No. 25 for departure — you'll be able to see that clearly on your inflight monitor. Control Tower view… (thepointsguy.com) More...
In response to the USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy's question about making travel easier, Boom Supersonic Founder and CEO Blake Scholl said that TSA screening should be done away with completely. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
Thousands of passengers at one of America's busiest airports may have been exposed to measles during peak holiday travel, health officials warned. An alert has been issued for travelers at Newark Liberty International Airport about potential exposure to the world's most infectious disease. Anyone who visited terminals B and C between 7am and 7pm on December 19 may have been exposed to a contagious non-New Jersey resident who traveled through the concourses, the New Jersey Department of… (www.dailymail.co.uk) More...
AeroXplorer spoke with Meagan Villanueva of Otto Aerospace about how the startup plans to build the world's most efficient business jet. Otto is betting on a simple but radical idea: if you can minimize drag across an aircraft's surface, you can unlock performance improvements that legacy designs can't even touch. (aeroxplorer.com) More...
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the Boeing 717 that will have a material impact on the operations of at least two US airlines. The AD was prompted by the investigation into a 2023 incident with a Delta Air Lines 717 that landed without nose landing gear, and requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the upper lock link assembly. The AD will impact nearly 100 Boeing 717s that are currently active with Delta and Hawaiian Airlines.… (www.msn.com) More...
If you’re not familiar with the whole-hearted way of life that accompanies the Midwest, look no further than Oshkosh, Wisconsin amidst the July summer heat. Held at Wittman Regional Airport, the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture (EAA) — or “Oshkosh” — has been a staple for aviation fans since it was founded in January of 1953. Each year, Oshkosh becomes the epicenter of aviation knowledge, with thousands of aircraft flying in and hundreds of thousands of aviation enthusiasts flocking… (blog.flightaware.com) More...
A United Airlines flight from Washington Dulles to Rome was forced to make an unexpected mid-flight U-turn on October 15, 2025, after a passenger’s active laptop slipped through the cabin and fell into the aircraft’s cargo hold — creating a potential lithium battery fire hazard that pilots deemed too risky for a transatlantic flight. (airguide.info) More...
A Delta regional jet on approach to Minot, North Dakota, made an "aggressive maneuver" to avoid a mid-air collision with a B-52 bomber, according to the Delta pilot. Once on the ground, the pilot apologized to passengers for the abrupt move and explained the situation. (abcnews.go.com) More...
The pilots of a business jet that crashed in Michigan last month chose to perform a high-risk test flight themselves instead of waiting for a qualified test pilot, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). (airguide.info) More...
A GOL Boeing 737 MAX 8 departing Rio de Janeiro in Brazil struck a service vehicle on the runway, causing significant damage to the aircraft’s fuselage. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
A flight paramedic with no pilot training was forced to take control of a medical helicopter after the pilot suffered a sudden medical emergency mid-flight, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). (airguide.info) More...
A private Cessna Citation VI headed to Tampa International Airport almost landed at MacDill Air Force Base in error, breaking off the approach on the very last minute. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) crew has successfully completed a daring 19-hour medical evacuation mission from the U.S. McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Flying a C-130J Hercules, the team rescued three American personnel—one in critical condition—amid 24-hour darkness and sub-zero temperatures during the Antarctic winter. (airguide.info) More...
On October 15th a 1946 Stinson 108 made an emergency landing en route to Bemidji (BJI). The pilot landed on a road inside the Red Lake Tribal Reservation. The plane suffered engine failure at ~3,500' over Lower Red Lake. Happily, the pilot successfully landed on a road inside Red Lake Indian Reservation. Tribal authorities, however, impounded the aircraft citing Tribal Resolution No. 59-78, which is a 1978 measure the tribe passed to protest a proposed military training route over the… (www.patreon.com) More...
A United Airlines Boeing 737-900 narrowly avoided a collision with a privately operated Piper Cherokee Arrow III while on approach to Newark Liberty International Airport on August 8, 2025. (communication transcript between United pilots and Newark Air Traffic Controller enclosed). (airguide.info) More...
There are few aircraft more iconic than the F-14 Tomcat. There are even fewer that captured the world’s imagination as strongly as the Concorde. One was a naval interceptor built for the Cold War, the other a commercial jet built for the luxury of time itself. Their paths were never meant to cross in any dramatic fashion. Yet, during the tensions of Operation Desert Shield, high above the Red Sea, they briefly did. And in that moment, a United States Navy aircrew, primed for a threat, instead… (luxurylaunches.com) More...
In a major strategic redeployment, more than 24 U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling aircraft crossed the Atlantic on the night of June 16, 2025. The unusual mass movement of tanker aircraft departed from North America and headed eastbound, with flight patterns suggesting a coordinated redeployment rather than routine operations, according to military analysts. (airguide.info) More...
Captain Martin Rush makes his final landing for his retirement from Delta Air Lines after 27 years of flying. Date: 6-25-25 Flight: DAL135 Airport: Detroit metro, KDTW Route: AMS-DTW Gate: A50 A/C: A330-323 Ship: N801NW/3301 (www.youtube.com) More...
Due to lower demand, Iberojet will swap out their A330 heavies for a Boeing 737 MAX 8 on two days in April 2025 to operate flights between Madrid and Punta Cana. (www.gatechecked.com) More...
