Direct flights between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan to launch this year, sources say

Hong Kong never ceases to amaze me! I recently visited Hong Kong!

"... The new route follows close on the heels of Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific’s plan to launch a service to Almaty in Kazakhstan in the first quarter of next year, one of the outcomes of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s official visit to the region. ..."

Direct flights between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan to launch this year, sources say | South China Morning Post "Direct flights between Hong Kong and Tashkent to start as talks begin on reciprocal 30-day visa-free stay agreement to boost trade, tourism and regional ties"

Toxic fumes are leaking into airplanes, sickening crews and passengers.

Bad news! On what kind of flights does this happen?

"Thousands of so-called fume events, in which toxic fumes from a jet’s engines leak unfiltered into the cockpit or cabin, have been reported since 2010, and the problem is getting worse. Doctors compare their effects on the brain to concussions in NFL players, yet a WSJ investigation shows that aircraft manufacturers and airlines have played down health risks, successfully lobbied against safety measures and made cost-saving changes that increased the risks."

The Wall Street Journal What's news

Toxic Fumes Are Leaking Into Airplanes, Sickening Crews and Passengers (behind paywall)

At least two airlines are resuming their international flights to Israel

Good news!

The airlines are United Airlines and Lufthansa. However fares may stay high and they may only partially resume their flights.

Homeland Security Ends Shoes-Off Airport Rule

Good news! Given the fact that suicidal terrorists may try anything to do harm it was a necessary evil.

Are the body scanners at airports better now? I suppose so!

Will passengers experience more foot odor on board? We hope not! 😊

"Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday that air travelers in the U.S. will no longer be required to remove their shoes at TSA checkpoints, a rule that has been in place since 2006.

“We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience,” Noem said. ..."

Wednesday, July 9, 2025 - Join The Flyover

President Trump lifts US supersonic flight ban from 1973 'Making Aviation Great Again'

Good news! Let the boom begin! I bet current or new technologies can better handle the boom!

"On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order telling the FAA to lift its 52-year ban on supersonic flight over the US and told the FAA to devise a scheme to limit noise pollution from such aircraft.

Supersonic flight has been banned over the US for civilian aircraft since 1973 after testing showed the noise it created was too disruptive, breaking windows in some cases.  ..."

Trump lifts US supersonic ban 'Making Aviation Great Again' • The Register "It's boom time for the next generation of fast travel"

New nonstop flight from Phoenix to Taiwan

Good news! Maybe one day I will be on board flying from my hometown to Taiwan! 😊

Since the Taiwanese TSMC is so busy in Arizona direct flights were inevitable!

Mayor Gallego's push for Asia flight pays off with Starlux deal for Phoenix to Taiwan flight - Phoenix Business Journal "The new nonstop flight from Sky Harbor Airport to Taiwan was years in the making, with intense lobbying by Phoenix and Arizona officials behind the scenes"

America’s Air-Traffic Control System: An International Disgrace, totally anachronistic and outdated for decades

Recommendable! On average there are about 45,000 flight takeoffs per day in the US.

Trump to the rescue!

"“The (air-traffic control) system will remain mired in mid-twentieth-century technology until it’s run by an independent corporation accountable to regulators but freed from congressional micromanagement, annual budget battles, and the federal bureaucracy’s convoluted hiring and procurement regulations. ..."

"... Long before the Obama and Biden administrations’ quest to diversify staff in control towers, the system was already one of the worst in the developed world. The recent rash of near-collisions is the result of chronic mismanagement that has left the system with too few controllers using absurdly antiquated technology. ...

It was bad enough to see such outdated technology in 2005. But they’re still using those paper flight strips in American towers, and the Federal Aviation Administration’s modernization plans have been delayed so many times that the strips aren’t due to be phased out until 2032. The rest of the system is similarly archaic. The U.S. is way behind Europe in using satellites to guide and monitor planes, forcing pilots and controllers to rely on much less precise readings from radio beacons and ground-based radar.

Overseas controllers use high-resolution cameras and infrared sensors to monitor planes on runways, but many American controllers still have to look out the window—which is why a FedEx cargo plane almost landed on top of another plane two years ago in Austin, Texas. ...

Nearly all  other developed countries sensibly separate these roles, so that a federal aviation agency oversees an independent corporation that operates the control towers and the rest of the system, functioning as a public utility. This independent operator can be a state-owned company (as in Australia, Switzerland, Germany, and Scandinavian countries), a nonprofit corporation (as in Canada), or a company with private investors (as in the United Kingdom and Italy). ..."

America’s Air-Traffic Control System: An International Disgrace "After the Reagan Airport disaster, will we finally reform the FAA?"

The rise of China's low-altitude economy of drones and helicopters

Recommendable! Is China trying to take the lead?

Rocket plane makes first civil supersonic flight since Concorde's last flight in 2003

Good news! Next time you eat a Kiwi ... 😊

"

• The fastest aircraft ever to climb from ground level to 20 km.
• First New Zealand-designed and -built aircraft to fly supersonic.
• Highest altitude achieved by an aircraft flown from New Zealand.

..."

Rocket plane makes first civil supersonic flight since Concorde "The rebirth of commercial supersonic flight has kind of, sort of come to pass as Dawn Aerospace announces that its 16-ft (4.8-m) Mk-II Aurora rocket-powered aircraft broke the sound barrier with a speed of Mach 1.1 on November 12, 2024."

Dawn Aerospace Achieves Historic Flight - Breaks Sound Barrier and Global Records (original news release)

Look how small this rocket is. A lot smaller than a Concorde! 😊

Israeli El Al airline pilots, executives raking in huge bonuses thanks to the Hamas/Hezbollah war

War profiteers?

"... The jump in value is of course due to the circumstances of the war which has seen El Al's share price jump 170% since last October. Because so many foreign airlines have stopped flying to Israel, El Al has become a monopoly on many routes, particularly between Israel and North America, and has had a 46% market share of passengers flying to and from Ben Gurion airport. This situation has led to a jump in fares and huge profits. On those profits, El Al does not pay taxes to the state, as it is still carrying over large losses from previous years, and the company is not expected to pay tax on its profits in the coming quarters either. ..."

El Al pilots, executives raking in huge bonuses - Globes "El Al's 555 pilots will each receive an average bonus of $67,500 this year, as the airline makes record profits due to lack of competition."

The Flights That Changed How Pilots Handle Disaster

Recommendable!

The AI and video are Making Airport Towers Obsolete

Very recommendable!

Prager University: Your Pilot Is a DEI Hire. Say a prayer before you go on board next time!

Food for thought! Now tighten your seat belt!

"United Airlines set an aggressive diversity goal for their pilot training academy: at least 50% will be women or people of color. Shouldn’t the only requirement be competence? As a frequent flyer, Dennis has never looked at a female pilot and wondered if she’s qualified to fly a plane. But as airlines prioritize DEI quotas over our safety, is there cause for concern?"

Ep. 326 — Your Pilot Is a DEI Hire. Good Luck! | PragerU

NASA and Lockheed Martin reveal 'supersonic' jet that could be next generation of commercial air travel with sonic thump

Good news! Supersonic without sonic boom? How boring! 😊

"NASA and Lockheed Martin officially unveiled the agency's X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft on Friday. The experimental aircraft could represent the next phase in the evolution of commercial air travel, according to the agency's recent release. It is suggested that the new aircraft can travel "faster than the speed of sound," reaching a maximum speed of 925 miles per hour. ...
The X-59 is at the center of NASA’s Quesst mission, which focuses on providing data to help regulators reconsider rules that prohibit commercial supersonic flight over land. For 50 years, the U.S. and other nations have prohibited such flights because of the disturbance caused by loud, startling sonic booms on the communities below. The X-59 is expected to fly at 1.4 times the speed of sound, or 925 mph. Its design, shaping and technologies will allow the aircraft to achieve these speeds while generating a quieter sonic thump. ..."

NASA and Lockheed Martin reveal 'supersonic' jet that could be next generation of commercial air travel | Blaze Media

NASA, Lockheed Martin Reveal X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft (NASA)

Utah’s empty parking lots could see future drone, air taxi takeoffs

Turning city parking lots into airports! Why driving when you can fly!

"The Utah Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division has issued its Legislature-requested report on “advanced air mobility,” which gives a rough outline for the rollout of “vertiports” across the state.

“Vertiports” are vertical take-off and landing facilities. The report presents data from the Wasatch Front Regional Council on underutilized parking lots, including those at large shopping centers that could be repurposed for vertiports “simply by rearranging paint and lighting.” ..."

Utah sketches out a plan for skies filling with drones and air taxis A state “advanced air mobility” study says the lots could become “vertiports” for drones and air taxis.

When completed, the massive airport in central Poland could create 150,000 jobs

Good news!

While Missiles Fly, Flights Land: How Israel’s Airport Stays Open

Very recommendable! Amazing how Israel manages civilian flights into and out of Tel Aviv and Haifa airport.

Delta, Southwest Search for Jet Engine Parts Sold With Forged Safety Records

This is very serious stuff! Minimum sentence for this kind of crime (similar to forging of medications) ought to be life in prison with no pardon.

"The biggest U.S. airlines are searching for thousands of jet-engine parts with fake safety certificates that were installed on their planes, an unusual incident that highlights the complexity and risks in the aerospace global supply chain."

"The questionable components—from simple nuts and bolts to turbine blades—have been found on 126 engines so far. A lawsuit filed by General Electric and its engine partner Safran accuses AOG Technics, a little-known broker that acquires basic parts and sells them to maintenance and repair organizations, of document falsification. An attorney for the components middleman declined to comment on the continuing legal matter. The U.K.-based firm was established in 2015 and currently lists an address that is a co-working space near Buckingham Palace, public records show."

Delta, Southwest Search for Jet Engine Parts Sold With Forged Safety Records - WSJ Engine makers claim that a small broker sold spare parts that found their way onto at least 126 jet engines

IndiGo's Mega Deal with Airbus with Palki Sharma

Good news! Mind boggling! IndiGo agreed to buy 500 airplanes. The largest such purchase ever of civilian aircraft. The domestic competitor of IndiGo earlier this year purchased just under 500 aircraft.

India is the third largest air travel market in the world. India, a rising superpower!

Coming Soon: Airplanes with Sleeping Pods, Double-decker Seating with Palki Sharma

Well, airlines have to do something in the age of Zoom, work from home, virtual reality etc.