Category: Blog
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Why does Swiss balance first class weight with lead in the tail instead of better, heavier economy seats
Swiss International Air Lines recently made headlines with a rather unconventional move—adding around 1.5 tons of lead to the tails of some of their Airbus A330-300 aircraft. Why? To balance the weight caused by their luxurious new first-class suites. Let’s dive into the reasons behind this decision, its impact, and whether it’s a necessary trade-off.…
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Voepass 2283 accident – preliminary report
The investigation of the accident of the flight Voepass 2283 is still in progress and is lead by the Brazilian CENIPA – Centro de Investigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos. The investigation did reach a first public milestone with the publication of an intermediary report. Before we dig into it, a few reminders: Click here…
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A Splash of Tradition in the Sky: The Water Cannon Salute
You know, the aviation industry is all about efficiency, safety, and streamlining operations. Every procedure is designed with precision, and there’s hardly room for anything that doesn’t serve a clear purpose. That’s what makes the water cannon salute such a delightful contradiction. It doesn’t serve any practical function—no added safety, no fuel-saving hack. It’s just…
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Cathay Pacific 383 – Engine fire after take-off – EASA orders inspections
Cathay Pacific flight CX383 from Hong Kong to Zurich suffered an engine failure shortly after take-off on the 2nd of September. It stopped its climb at 9’000 feet and flew two loops over the sea before being vectored back to the airport, where it did land without problem. The total flight time was 1h15 and…
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Chaos in the Skies: EasyJet Flight Diverts to Munich After Unruly Passenger Causes Uproar
What should have been a routine flight from London Gatwick to the sunny island of Kos turned into an unexpected adventure for passengers aboard an easyJet flight on September 3, 2024. In an incident that highlights the growing problem of unruly passengers, a heavily intoxicated man managed to disrupt the flight so badly that the…
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The unusual case of Air France flight AF1162…
Aviation is a well oil, global travel machine and it has an excellent track record, but every now an then, there are hiccups. On the 29th of August 2024, Air France flight AF1162 on the suffered not from one, not from two of those hiccups but… five! AF1162 is a scheduled flight from Paris Charles…
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Let us set this straight: it will not take-off!
This website is for aviation professionals and enthusiasts alike, and there’s something I need to clear up once and for all. I’ve seen way too many posts about this online, and frankly, I’m fed up. And yes, these posts come from both enthusiasts and professionals. So, let’s settle this. An aircraft flies because of the…
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Next! Ryanair raises an airport closure in Eindhoven to EU Presiden von Der Leyen
Earlier this month, I wrote about how Ryanair criticized the Spanish Air Traffic Control (ATC) over a temporary arrivals stop at Palma de Mallorca Airport. Now, Ryanair is at it again—this time targeting the Dutch ATC for a closure at Eindhoven Airport, which occurred on August 28 due to staff shortages and equipment failure. Ryanair’s…
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Emirati Women in Aviation: Progress or PR?
While the UAE’s aviation sector is making headlines for its increasing female representation, a deeper look reveals a mixed picture. Both Emirates Group and flydubai have celebrated significant strides in gender equality, but these announcements raise questions about the broader implications and true impact of these initiatives. flydubai’s Record Growth: Genuine Progress or Strategic PR?…
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Livery wanted! Design Brussels Airlines next A320
Who does not like an aircraft in special livery? We are not talking about retro-jets here, not standard special liveries like Condor’s sadly famous stripes (still not a fan, sorry), but really unique, one of a kind and single execution liveries. Lufthansa often play with their name and logo and reactivated their Fanhansa fleet of…