Track SANTA1 (callsign HOHOHO, type sleigh) flying from XMS (North Pole) to XMS via circumnavigation at https://fr24.com/R3DN053/3d9fb50a

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pretty crazy that i can see the A320 landing light from my window on a clear night from 25 miles away

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A fuller picture is starting to emerge from the UPS flight 2976 accident on Nov. 4 in Louisville, KY. The left engine separated during the takeoff roll for reasons that are yet to be determined (installation error, undetected fatigue cracks, etc.). This was bad enough on its own, but survivable barring serious damage to the wing structure, including hydraulic lines and flight controls. The MD-11 could have taken off on the remaining two engines, albeit with some fine piloting given the asymmetric aerodynamics and thrust. What sealed the flight's fate, though, is that some debris was ingested by engine #2 (the one at the base of the vertical stabilizer), causing a compressor stall. With only one engine left running (#3), the MD-11 no longer had sufficient thrust to take off, circle around, and land. Whether this all happened before or after the decision speed (V1) at which takeoff can no longer be rejected is yet to be determined. Regardless, as long as the pilots only realized the situation after V1, there was nothing else they could have done to change the outcome; there was not enough runway to stop the plane before the hard obstacles anyway. Sadly, they were just passengers on their own flight by that point. There is one precedent of engine separation on a DC-10, which is of a similar trijet design as the MD-11. That was flight AA 191 in 1979; the left engine fell at takeoff due to incorrect maintenance. The accident killed 271 people on board and 2 more on the ground, and was the deadliest air disaster in U.S. history back then. I wouldn't be surprised by calls for an accelerated retirement of the remaining MD-11s in service; the one that crashed (N259UP) was 34 years old, a venerable age (FedEx, for one, plans to phase out its own MD-11s by 2032). Of the 200 MD-11s ever produced, only 56 remain in service today, and all in cargo operations (the last passenger service was in 2014).

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What is FL360 ? Search returns nothing for now, and no LLM at hand but I prefer the nice people here. Noob question? First time to hear about the term in https://farcaster.xyz/aviationdoctor.eth/0x9ed5f415

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A United Airlines B737–8 MAX flying from DEN to LAX got hit in the windshield by some unidentified debris while cruising at FL360 on Thursday. The aircraft diverted safely to SLC. Only minor injuries among the pilots due to glass fragments. This is the first such incident I’m aware of. It’ll be interesting to see if the investigation identifies the object — satellite debris, weather balloon, ice, part of another aircraft, micro-meteorite, etc. https://avherald.com/h?article=52e80701

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Been waiting for this and didn’t disappoint. United Starlink WiFi is amazing

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Love this new safety video by MAS https://x.com/MAS/status/1971956233646289212

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They added a new hard to find holding point on our taxi way.

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Good thing I lingered at home more than I normally would. My flight to Hong Kong is now canceled due to a tropical cyclone. Coincidentally, the same flight (UA 877) was also canceled four months ago, when it clipped wings with another plane while preparing for departure.

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While A350 and A220 get most attention, A330neo might be a big silent winner for Airbus. Especially its versatility in the high density Asia/Pacific routes.

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The Mirage of the Green Plane ✈️ Aviation promised carbon neutrality by 2050 through biofuels, hydrogen and offsets. In reality, these solutions remain marginal, costly and tied to fossil sources, while carbon capture offsets just 1% of global CO₂. Air traffic is booming again, with 5B passengers expected in 2025 and steady growth that could triple emissions by 2050. Instead of cuts, the sector leans on weak schemes like Corsia carbon credits, riddled with loopholes and dubious compensations. The EU is now investigating 20 airlines for greenwashing, yet regulation is delayed until 2031 and political caution dominates. France has opted for a kerosene tax, but globally aviation still enjoys broad exemptions. The dream of the “green plane” remains a mirage, while emissions keep climbing.

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We've tripled the number of signature to save our beloved community since yesterday! More than 1500 supporters so far! I am very grateful to anyone here. But we have to continue the effort! If you can spread the love around you, I would really appreciate it. Please share this petition link to anyone who had love to provide. https://chng.it/4ZFMkFbTgG Thank you from my friends and myself!

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✈️ What’s at Stake? The GRAL has been training glider pilots and promoting ecological, accessible aviation for nearly 75 years. Now, its future at Rouen-Boos airfield is under threat. We must act to preserve this self-sufficient, environmentally friendly and safety-critical activity.

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It's not my habit, but today I need your help. For real. The sailplane club in Rouen, France, is being under attack by people who want to destroy a non-profit association, its community and all the knowledge, friendship and environmental consciousness for the sake of building more industrial activity. Please, aviation lovers, I need you to sign and share this petition https://chng.it/HDxDKbWKtb to save our close friends. (It's in FR but please just use translate and sign it if you can). Today it's them but tomorrow it may be us. Thanks for your help!

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Just discovered this series on Amazon Prime. Old geezers in sheds (sort of) restoring a wide variety of historic aircraft. Fascinating. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11892420/

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