French Transport Minister Looking Into Tax on Private Jet Use

French Transport Minister Clement Beaune said he’s looking into a tax on flights by private jet or using other means to get companies and rich individuals to limit their use. The comments feed into a long-standing campaign by some environmental groups against private jets ferrying corporate titans and the wealthy because of their emissions. Before the pandemic cratered the aviation sector, the United Nations predicted the aviation industry as a whole would overtake power generation as the single… (www.bloomberg.com) More...

FAA Alert: United delays all flights nationwide due to ‘equipment outage’

The FAA alert says the airline requested that all flights be held at their departure airports—known as a ground stop—until 2 p.m. EDT. The agency did not elaborate, referring questions to United. “We are experiencing a systemwide technology issue and are holding all aircraft at their departure airports,” (www.cnn.com) More...

Seattle Times (no paywall): After 4 tough years, can Boeing break through the clouds?

Production is slowly rising to meet that demand, and Boeing is hiring 300 to 400 machinists a month to gear up. It recently reopened its third MAX assembly line in Renton and is preparing a fourth in Everett. ... One central strategic decision is whether Boeing should get to work on an all-new airplane or instead keep a head-down focus on churning out existing jet models. ... With many tiers of its supply chain still shattered by the pandemic, parts shortages are delaying Boeing’s planned… (www.seattletimes.com) More...

Boeing’s execs refuse to relocate, instead taking private jets to work, while pushing employees to return to office

Calhoun and West have barely been spotted in Boeing’s Arlington offices since they opened two years ago, people who have worked there told the Journal, though there’s been a big push to get lower-ranking staffers to report in person. Calhoun has taken more than 400 trips using Boeing’s fleet of private jets [since Jan. 2020]. Boeing opened an office in New Canaan that’s five minutes from CFO Brian West's home. (nypost.com) More...

Russian airlines staff start to receive conscription notices

Russian employees at airlines and airports have started to receive conscription notices after President Putin ordered a partial military mobilisation, the Kommersant newspaper reported on Friday citing sources. Employees of at least five airlines, including Russian top carrier Aeroflot (AFLT.MM), and staff at more than 10 airports received notices within a day of Putin ordering the mobilisation, the paper reported. (www.reuters.com) More...

2 passengers were kicked off an Air Canada flight because they refused to sit in seats covered in vomit

"The flight attendant was very apologetic but explained that the flight was full and there was nothing they could do," Benson's post continues. "The passengers said they couldn't possibly be expected to sit in vomit for five hours." " the pilot came down the aisle and very calmly knelt down and told the two ladies that they had two choices: They could leave the plane on their own accord and organize flights on their own dime, or they would be escorted off the… (news.yahoo.com) More...

Think you could land a plane in an emergency? Here’s why you can’t.

Picture this: You are on a flight when you learn that the pilots have fallen ill and can no longer fly the plane. A voice comes over the public address system, asking for a volunteer to help land the aircraft. You have no experience, but you have seen “Airplane!” and “Snakes on a Plane.” Maybe you’ve frittered away hours on Microsoft’s Flight Simulator. You throw off your seat belt and march toward the cockpit, your cape rustling behind you. Hold on, hero. You might want to return to your seat… (www.seattletimes.com) More...

FAA's next leader may come from outside aviation

The White House is set within days to announce Phil Washington, CEO of Denver International Airport, as its nominee to be the next FAA administrator, according to two people familiar with the deliberations. Washington’s aviation experience is relatively light. He has headed operations at the Denver airport for less than a year and has a strong track record of leadership in ground transportation at big city transit organizations. However, his lack of deep roots in the aviation industry may be… (www.seattletimes.com) More...

Mexican president says operations at capital airport 'very risky'

The Mexico City International Airport (AICM) is operating at 150% of its capacity, Lopez Obrador said at a regular press conference, as he sought to make the case for reducing the number of flights there. Last year, his administration opened a state-run airport to the north of the main hub to alleviate congestion, though traffic there still remains much lower than at the more centrally located AICM. (www.reuters.com) More...

FAA denies Republic Airways bid to reduce co-pilot training hours

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Monday it had denied a request by Republic Airways to allow the regional airline to reduce the number of hours needed to become a co-pilot. The FAA said it disagreed with the airline’s argument for allowing only 750 hours of flight experience instead of 1,500 hours. (www.reuters.com) More...