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The Switchblade Flying Car Does What No Other Flying Car Can, and You Can Reserve It Now

Dave Hartland
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The Switchblade Flying Car Does What No Other Flying Car Can, and You Can Reserve It Now

The Switchblade Flying Car is back in the headlines, this time for a patent that tackles one of the biggest engineering hurdles in the flying car world. 

Redmond, Ore.-based company Samson Sky recently secured its eighth patent, issued 19 November 2025, covering the Switchblade Flying Car’s tail fold and retraction system. In simple terms, the aircraft’s tail and propellers tuck into the body of the vehicle when it is driven on the road.

Why does that matter? Because flying surfaces do not love curbs, shopping carts, or drive-through lanes. And because the insurance industry does not love exposed control surfaces, navigating rush hour traffic. The Switchblade Flying Car’s approach is a mechanical solution to a very real-world problem that every flying car concept eventually has to confront.

How the Switchblade Flying Car Solves the “Where Do You Put the Tail” Problem

Switchblade Flying Car in flight
Switchblade Flying Car in flight | IMAGE: Samson Sky

I have to admit…we’ve covered several flying car stories over the years here at Avgeekery. But the Switchblade might be the coolest one yet. 

Why? Well, most flying car concepts run into the same wall: wings and tails are fantastic in the sky and a nightmare on a tight street. Samson Sky’s answer is a push-button retraction system that lets the Switchblade Flying Car collapse its tail and store it inside the vehicle. The wings also stow internally, which is how the whole machine fits into a standard garage.

Take a look at this incredible feature in the video below: 

For anyone who has ever tried to park a Cessna inside a rented storage unit, you understand that this is not a small detail. The Switchblade Flying Car is designed to live in the same spaces as normal vehicles, which is probably the only way a roadable aircraft ever becomes part of daily life instead of a hangar queen.

Performance That Looks Less Like Sci-Fi and More Like an Actual Two-Seat Aircraft

The Switchblade Flying Car in car and plane configurations
The Switchblade Flying Car in car and plane configurations | IMAGE: Samson Sky

The Switchblade Flying Car is not trying to out-muscle a Cirrus or outrun a Tesla, but the numbers are respectable. It cruises at around 160 mph, has a projected range of roughly 450 to 500 miles, and uses premium auto gas (91 octane) instead of avgas. Maximum driving speed sits north of 100 mph.

What makes the Switchblade Flying Car interesting is not its top-end performance, but rather the hybrid nature of its Skybrid propulsion system. It uses regenerative braking, can apply reverse thrust to keep the vehicle straight on wet runways, and integrates aerodynamic assist for approach and landing. These are features you do not usually see in the light sport or experimental space.

None of this will replace your Bonanza. But as a multi-role personal mobility vehicle, it is far more aircraft than novelty.

Switchblade Flying Car interior
Switchblade Flying Car (Limited Edition) interior | IMAGE: Samson Sky

Yes, You Still Have to Build It

Switchblade Flying Car driving through the woods
IMAGE: Samson Sky

Since the Switchblade Flying Car falls into the Experimental Category, buyers have to build 51 percent of the aircraft. That sounds intimidating on paper, but Samson Sky tries to make it feel more like a guided project than a solo marathon. Owners complete their required portion at the company’s Builder Assist Center, where much of the process is already set up and streamlined. Most people are hands-on for about a week before their Switchblade starts looking less like a kit and more like a real aircraft taking shape.

Switchblade Flying Car cabin interior
Switchblade Flying Car cabin interior | IMAGE: Samson Sky

Licensing is pretty simple. You drive it with a regular driver’s license (motorcycle or standard) and fly it with a private pilot certificate. Inside, the Switchblade Flying Car seats two, comes with modern avionics, and brings along safety features you do not usually see in roadable aircraft. There are front and rear crumple zones, roll-over protection, and even a whole-vehicle parachute. It feels more thoughtfully engineered than the usual “trike with wings” prototype. The cockpit has the safety mindset of a road vehicle and the instrumentation of a light airplane.

It aims to be the best of both worlds, not a compromise between them.

Reservations Are High, but That Comes with the Territory

Switchblade Flying Car in flight
Switchblade Flying Car in flight | IMAGE: Samson Sky

Samson Sky reports nearly 2,700 reservations for the Switchblade Flying Car from more than 50 countries. Reservations are free. Deposits of $500 (USD) lock in delivery positions. Like many emerging aviation concepts, the pre-order numbers appear impressive, although the true test will be the production volume and long-term support.

Pricing starts at around $200,000 for the base version, with premium and custom variants increasing significantly higher (the Switchblade Special Edition starts at $330K, while the Limited Edition – which allows customization – starts at $770K). The company also hints at future special-use models, such as a winterized Snowbird and a rugged Aurora version for short-field operations.

Switchblade Flying Car in car format
Switchblade Flying Car in road format | IMAGE: Samson Sky

First Flight: Not Just a Hop, but a Full Test Profile

The maiden flight of the Switchblade Flying Car comes in for a landing at MWH
The maiden flight of the Switchblade Flying Car comes in for a landing at Grant County International (MWH) in Moses Lake, Washington | IMAGE: Samson Fly

The Switchblade Flying Car made its official first flight on 5 November 2023 at Grant County International Airport (MWH) in Moses Lake, Washington. 

The flight was an actual flight, too…not just a token hop where the machine lifted off the ground for a few seconds. Test pilot Robert Moehle flew a complete six-minute pattern at 500 feet, evaluating control authority, stability on all axes, flap effectiveness, and general handling before returning to land on runway 32R.

Switchblade Flying Car first flight
Switchblade Flyinc Car first flight | IMAGE: Samson Sky
Switchblade Flying Car flying the pattern at MWH
Switchblade Flying Car flying the pattern at MWH | IMAGE: Samson Sky
Switchblade Flying Car coming in for landing at MWH
Switchblade Flying Car coming in for landing at MWH | IMAGE: Samson Sky

For a company in the flying car space, which is littered with design mockups and animated renderings, a legitimate test flight is a meaningful step. 

The Switchblade Flying Car has moved beyond concept art and into the realm of actual flight testing, which is where a lot of ideas either mature or fall apart.

Watch the footage of the first flight in the video below. 

Why the Switchblade Flying Car Matters More Than Its Hype

Switchblade Flying Car on a winding road
The Switchblade Flying Car | IMAGE: Samson Sky

Flying cars have been teased for nearly a century and have failed for almost as long. What makes the Switchblade Flying Car notable is not that it promises a Jetsons future. It is that it is grounded in the limitations of real aircraft, real roads, and real users.

Switchblade Flying Car in flight configuration
Switchblade Flying Car in flight configuration | IMAGE: Samson Sky

It tries to solve the parking problem. The insurance problem. The licensing problem. The runway problem. The infrastructure problem. And while the final product is still evolving, the Switchblade Flying Car is one of the few entries in this space that appears to have been designed with pilots and drivers in mind, rather than venture capital daydreamers.

Whether it becomes a mainstream mobility tool or remains a niche experimental aircraft for enthusiasts, it is pushing the conversation forward in ways the industry has not seen in years.

And that alone earns the Switchblade Flying Car a spot on the AvGeek radar.

Northwest Flight 1482 and Flight 299: A Collision in the Fog That Never Should Have Happened

Dave Hartland
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Northwest Flight 1482 and Flight 299: A Collision in the Fog That Never Should Have Happened

Dense fog had settled over Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) on the afternoon of 3 December 1990. 

The visibility was dropping by the minute, and the airport surface had become a maze of blurred centerlines, indistinct taxiway edges, and half-invisible signage. Inside that haze, two Northwest Airlines jets found themselves on the same runway without ever seeing each other until it was far too late. 

What happened that December afternoon at DTW remains one of the most studied runway incursions in modern aviation.

Two Flights Departing Detroit, Two Very Different Situations

The aircraft involved in the DTW runway collision: Northwest Airlines DC-9 (reg. N3313L) and Boeing 727 (reg. N278US)
The aircraft involved in the DTW runway collision involving Northwest Flight 1482 and Flight 299: A McDonnell Douglas DC-9 (reg. N3313L) and Boeing 727-251 Adv. (reg. N278US)

Northwest Flight 1482 was a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 (reg. N3313L) operating from DTW to Greater Pittsburgh Airport (PIT), which is now Pittsburgh International Airport. The aircraft pushed back from Gate C18 at approximately 1335 local time and was cleared to taxi to Runway 03C via Taxiway Oscar 6, Taxiway Foxtrot, and Taxiway X-Ray. 

The assignment was clear. The environment around them was not.

Oscar 6 sat in an area of the field where markings were already faded, even in good weather. Additionally, visibility had dropped to roughly one-quarter of a mile (something not reflected in ATIS information until minutes before the collision). The temperature was 41 degrees (F) and rising. 

The crew struggled to identify their correct turn. They taxied past Oscar 6 without realizing it and entered the outer taxiway instead. Ground control saw the mistake on the airport diagram and redirected them toward Oscar 4, with instructions to join X-Ray.

Inside the cockpit, the crew worked to interpret the signs they could barely see. They believed they had found X-Ray. In reality, they had not. Their next turn placed them directly onto Runway 03C, very near the intersection with Runway 09/27. They had entered active pavement at one of the busiest and most complex points on the field in conditions that erased nearly all visual cues.

When the captain realized they were no longer on a taxiway, he stopped the airplane near the left edge of Runway 03C and called ground control. He reported that the aircraft was “stuck.” The fog outside the windows was so thick that neither pilot could orient themselves with confidence. The controller instructed them to leave the runway immediately. There was no time to do so.

Only a few seconds remained.

Meanwhile, a Boeing 727 Begins Its Takeoff Roll

NWA299 B727
Image from “Air Crash Investigation” showing Northwest Flight 299, a Boeing 727, on its takeoff roll | IMAGE: Air Crash Investigation/Smithsonian Channel Aviation Nation

Northwest Flight 299, a Boeing 727-251 (reg. N278US), was preparing for departure from DTW to Memphis International Airport (MEM). The aircraft had been cleared to Runway 03C as well. The crew had also noticed that the visibility seemed worse than the 0.75 miles reported via ATIS. They even remarked on it. The numbers did not match what they were seeing through the windshield, but the ATIS had not been updated. Their takeoff clearance remained valid.

Captain Robert Ouellette positioned the aircraft on the runway and completed the final items on the before takeoff checklist. Once everything was in order, he advanced the throttles, and the Boeing 727 began accelerating through the fog. They were passing through more than 100 knots, committed to the takeoff, when a silhouette materialized through the murk ahead of them.

It was the DC-9.

Image from "Air Crash Investigation" depicting Northwest Flight 299 approaching Flight 1482
Image from “Air Crash Investigation” depicting Northwest Flight 299 approaching Flight 1482 | IMAGE: Air Crash Investigation/Smithsonian Channel Aviation Nation

Ouellette attempted to swerve left when the aircraft appeared, but there was simply no room and no time. The right wing of the Boeing 727 struck the right side of the DC-9’s fuselage just below the passenger windows. In the same motion, the impact sheared away the DC-9’s number two engine. The smaller aircraft ignited almost immediately as fuel and debris sprayed across the scene.

Inside the Boeing 727, the crew safely brought the aircraft to a complete stop on the remaining runway using maximum braking. Once stopped, the captain shut down all three engines, confirmed there was no immediate danger of fire, and directed the passengers to deplane through the rear airstair. 

All 154 people aboard Flight 299 survived without injury.

Inside the DC-9: Fire, Smoke, and an Evacuation with Critical Failures

The burned out hull of Northwest Flight 1482
The hull of Northwest Flight 1482, a Douglas DC-9, still smoldering after the collision | IMAGE: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The collision destroyed much of the right side of Northwest Airlines Flight 1482. Fire spread rapidly through the cabin. The usable escape routes were limited. The pilots exited through the left sliding cockpit window. The remaining survivors fought through heat and smoke to reach the left overwing exit or the left main boarding door. Eighteen passengers escaped through the left overwing exit. Thirteen escaped through the left main door. Four others jumped from the right service door before flames overtook that area.

First responders at the crash site of Northwest Flight 1482
DTW Fire Rescue teams check the wreckage of Northwest Flight 1482 | IMAGE: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives
An investigator examines Engine Number Two, which was ripped off of Northwest Flight 1482
An investigator examines Engine Number Two of the DC-9, which was ripped off of Northwest Flight 1482 | IMAGE: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

One of the most tragic failures occurred at the tail. The DC-9 tailcone contains a built-in evacuation exit that can be released from inside the aircraft. The release mechanism had been improperly rigged. When passengers and a flight attendant attempted to use it, they were unable to release the exit. Both the flight attendant and one passenger succumbed to the smoke and toxic fumes in their attempt to open the tailcone exit.

In total, eight people aboard the DC-9 were killed, and ten were seriously injured. Thirty-six survived.

The Human Factors Behind the Taxi Error

The NTSB found that the cockpit dynamic on Flight 1482 played a major role in setting up the sequence of errors. The captain had just returned from a six-year medical leave and was still adjusting to new manuals, procedures, and a different airline culture resulting from the mergers that had occurred during his absence. He had not yet attended Crew Resource Management (CRM) training because Northwest Airlines did not have a program in place at the time, unlike other carriers.

READ MORE ABOUT NORTHWEST AIRLINES ON AVGEEKERY

The first officer, hired only seven months earlier, projected a strong sense of confidence. He made several claims about his background that were later found to be exaggerated. He implied that he was highly familiar with DTW operations when, in fact, he was not. The captain accepted those claims at face value. The result was an unintended shift in cockpit authority. The NTSB described it as a near-complete reversal of roles. Instead of leading, the captain relied heavily on the first officer and deferred judgment in situations where he should have asserted command.

That imbalance left the crew uncoordinated during one of the most unforgiving taxi environments in the country that day. Confusing airfield signage and diminishing visibility only magnified the consequences.

Air Traffic Control and Airport Infrastructure Shortfalls

Wreckage of Northwest Flight 1482
Wreckage of Northwest Flight 1482

The NTSB also identified several institutional and environmental factors that contributed to the conditions that led to the accident.

Surface markings and signage at DTW were woefully inadequate. Many markings were faded and difficult to see, even in clear weather. The signage at the intersections near Oscar 4 and Foxtrot created opportunities for misinterpretation. Lighting systems were also insufficient for the prevailing conditions.

Visibility reporting in the tower was inaccurate. An off-duty controller correctly noted that visibility was closer to one-eighth of a mile, but the on-duty controller did not update the official report. This had direct influence on the Boeing 727 crew, who relied on the published visibility to justify continuing the takeoff (visibility mins for a Runway 03C departure was a quarter mile). 

Ground control did not provide progressive taxi instructions even after it became clear that the DC-9 crew was uncertain of their position. By the time the tower realized that Flight 1482 was actually stopped on Runway 03C, the Boeing 727 had already been cleared for takeoff for nearly a full minute. The tower controller believed that Flight 299 had already lifted off. The assumption proved to be incorrect and proved critical.

The FAA had not corrected deficiencies on the airport surface, despite the fact that DTW’s taxiway network was notoriously complex and had a history of confusing signage.

The Collision Sequence in Detail

The sequence of events, as depicted in the final NTSB report for Northwest Flight 1482 and Flight 299 collision
The sequence of events, as depicted in the final NTSB report for Northwest Flight 1482 and Flight 299 collision | IMAGE: NTSB

The final moments unfolded quickly. The DC-9 crew, still uncertain about their exact position, edged slightly forward while discussing their surroundings. The first officer mistakenly reported that they were holding short of Runway 09/27. The captain doubted this, but the fog was so heavy that they were effectively navigating blind.

“It looks like it’s going zero zero out here,” FO James Schifferns said at one point. Later, he added, “Man, I can’t see shit out here.” 

It looks like it’s going zero zero out here.

Northwest Flight 1482 FO James Schifferns

Flight 1482 was in a very precarious situation. 

Ground control instructed them to exit the runway immediately. The DC-9 remained partially on the runway as the captain steered left in an attempt to find pavement that seemed safer. At that same moment, Flight 299 was accelerating toward them.

When the Boeing 727 appeared through the fog, the DC-9 crew had almost no time to react. The impact on the 727’s right wing tore open the DC-9’s fuselage, ripped off an engine, and left the aircraft engulfed in flames as it spun slightly from the force of the collision. The fire spread so quickly that first responders arriving moments later could do little but attack the flames from the exterior.

AP Photo of Northwest Flight 299, a Boeing 727, after coming to a stop
Northwest Flight 299 stopped on the runway after the collision with Flight 1482 | IMAGE: AP

What the Industry Learned and Why It Matters

The accident prompted significant changes across multiple layers of aviation operations.

CRM became standardized. Northwest Airlines and many other carriers expanded CRM training to address authority gradients, communication breakdowns, and decision-making problems before they led to accidents.

Progressive taxi procedures became more widely used in low-visibility conditions. Controllers today are far more proactive in guiding aircraft step by step when crews report uncertainty.

Airport signage, lighting, and surface markings were improved not only at DTW but across the United States. Modern airports use clearer signage, more consistent lighting cues, and improved layout logic.

Runway incursion awareness training increased. The industry recognized that most surface accidents arise not from a single mistake but from a chain of minor misjudgments that accumulate into dangerous situations.

The importance of stopping the aircraft when uncertain became a central teaching point. Had Flight 1482 set the parking brake and waited for instructions the moment they realized they were lost, the collision might never have occurred.

A Foggy Afternoon That Still Teaches Today

The burned out hull of Northwest Flight 1482
The burned out hull of Northwest Flight 1482 | IMAGE: Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The story of Northwest Airlines Flights 1482 and 299 is not only the story of a collision. It is the story of how quickly small deviations can snowball when weather is poor, communication falters, infrastructure lags behind, and cockpit roles become blurred. 

Each link in the chain matters.

Unfortunately, for the lives lost at DTW on 3 December 1990, it would be a lesson learned far too late. 

ATC recording of the collision of Northwest Flight 1482 and Flight 299

Most A320s Now Fixed, But Airbus Flags New Metal Panel Issue Affecting Up To 628 Jets

Dave Hartland
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Most A320s Now Fixed, But Airbus Flags New Metal Panel Issue Affecting Up To 628 Jets

Airbus faces a fresh challenge as a new metal panel issue emerges, coming on the heels of its largest-ever mass grounding caused by a recent software problem.

Airbus has confirmed that up to 628 A320 family aircraft may require inspections due to a newly discovered supplier quality issue involving metal fuselage panels. The company says the issue is contained, does not affect flight safety, and is expected to impact only a small percentage of aircraft.

Still, the timing piles on the manufacturers’ woes as it navigates its most turbulent week in years. It doesn’t help that this is occurring in the midst of the busy holiday travel period, either.

That Was Quick: The Airbus Software Issue is Mostly Resolved

Airbus A220 and A320
IMAGE: Airbus

The software issue that triggered the grounding of approximately 6,000 A320 family aircraft was the result of an incident involving JetBlue Flight 1230, an A320 flying from Cancún International Airport (CUN) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) on 30 October 30. While at cruise, the jet experienced a sudden drop in altitude. The pilots diverted to Tampa International (TPA), where fifteen passengers were evaluated for injuries.

In the days that followed, engineers dug into the data and found something unusual. Intense solar radiation, like the bursts produced by solar flares, could corrupt the information feeding the A320’s flight control computers on certain software versions.

In response, Airbus issued a sweeping alert instructing operators to install an earlier, stable version of the software before their next flight. The order spanned nearly half of the global A320 family fleet, totalling more than 6,000 aircraft. Airlines worldwide scrambled to locate which software versions their jets carried, a process complicated by reporting lags that meant Airbus did not have real-time insight into every jet’s configuration.

The fix itself involved uploading the older software using a portable data loader brought into the cockpit. The process generally took a few hours per aircraft, although some older jets required more thorough checks and may eventually require full computer replacements. Even so, the disruption was far smaller than many feared.

Major European airlines, such as EasyJet and Wizz Air, reported no cancellations. JetBlue had nearly its entire fleet back in service within days. By Monday, 1 December, fewer than 100 aircraft still needed work, and most of those were awaiting maintenance slots or components. American Airlines, which had 209 aircraft affected by the issue, had all planes back in service by the time the post-Thanksgiving rush of travelers headed home over the weekend.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury publicly apologized for the disruption, an unusually direct tone that analysts say reflects a new willingness across the industry to address safety concerns swiftly and openly.

I want to sincerely apologise to our airline customers and passengers who are impacted now. But we consider that nothing is more important than safety when people fly on one of our Airbus aircraft, like millions do every day.

Guillaume Faury | Airbus CEO

“I want to sincerely apologise to our airline customers and passengers who are impacted now,” Faury said last week as the crisis unfolded. “But we consider that nothing is more important than safety when people fly on one of our Airbus aircraft, like millions do every day.”

Lessons from the Boeing 737 MAX era continue to shape how manufacturers communicate, escalate, and resolve technical issues.

A New Quality Issue Emerges: Up to 628 Jets Need Panel Checks

An Airbus Final Assembly Line (FAL)
Airbus Final Assembly Line | IMAGE: Airbus

Just as the software emergency reached its end, Airbus notified operators of a separate issue involving metal fuselage panels on some A320 family aircraft. The company is taking what it describes as a conservative approach by inspecting every aircraft that could theoretically contain the affected components.

The company told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Tuesday, 2 December, that up to 628 aircraft worldwide fall under the initial scope of its inspections. Airbus stressed that this figure represents the total number of aircraft that could theoretically have the issue, not the number confirmed to be affected.

According to Airbus, the issue involves metal panels located at the front of the aircraft. In some cases, panels supplied by an external manufacturer were found to be either too thick or too thin. The company emphasized that the issue does not compromise flight safety and that inspections are the only means to determine which aircraft, if any, require rework. The source of the quality problem has been identified and contained. All newly produced panels now meet specifications.

The latest guidance suggests that 168 aircraft already in service are among those requiring inspection. It remains unclear how many aircraft will ultimately require panel replacement or repairs, as well as how long those repairs could take.

Several airlines have begun responding.

• Delta Air Lines told the BBC that its teams completed the required checks and that there has been no operational impact. Fewer than 50 of its A321neo aircraft fall under the inspection scope.

• Lufthansa Group, including SWISS, ITA Airways, and Eurowings, said 11 recently delivered aircraft require inspections. The company stressed that safety is guaranteed at all times.

• Korean Air is awaiting additional information to determine whether any of its aircraft are affected.

• Major carriers in Europe and the United States, including British Airways and American Airlines, have been contacted but have not yet publicly detailed their inspection counts.

The error in panel thickness does not compromise structural integrity or safety, according to Airbus.

Delivery Forecast Cut as Inspections Begin

Airbus A320 Family of aircraft in flight, including the A318, A319, A320, and A321
IMAGE: Airbus

The fuselage panel issue has already impacted Airbus production and delivery workflows, forcing the manufacturer to revise year-end delivery targets downward.

On Wednesday, 3 December, Airbus announced that it has reduced its delivery target for 2025 to 790 commercial aircraft, down from its original target of 820. The revision represents a 3.7 percent reduction.

Airbus did not specify whether delivery targets for 2026 will also be affected. The company confirmed that its financial guidance remains unchanged.

The inspections are being folded into existing maintenance programs whenever possible. Most aircraft will be cleared quickly, with only a fraction likely to need rework. Airbus has emphasized that flights can continue unless an aircraft is identified as requiring immediate action.

What It All Means for the World’s Best-Selling Jet

Airbus assembly plant
Airbus FAL in Mobile, Alabama | IMAGE: Airbus

The A320 family is the backbone of modern commercial aviation. It shows up in nearly every major airline’s fleet, racks up thousands of flights a day, and has quietly become the best-selling jetliner in the world. Airbus has delivered 12,257 of them, which now puts the A320 just ahead of the Boeing 737 in the long-running contest of who builds the world’s favorite single-aisle aircraft.

The last ten days have forced Airbus to move fast and communicate even faster. First came the software directive that grounded thousands of aircraft almost overnight. Then came the realization that a batch of fuselage panels deserved a closer look. It has been a stress test of engineering, logistics, and messaging, and one that Airbus is still working through.

Airlines, for the most part, are taking the news in stride. Regulators seem comfortable with the information they are getting. The scramble to update the software is nearly wrapped up worldwide. The panel inspections are narrowing each day as mechanics work through the list. Even with the new delivery forecast trimmed, day-to-day operations for most carriers look steady.

For travelers, the experience should feel normal. While the problems could have caused bottlenecks and backups galore, they actually did anything but.

The A320 continues to fly its schedules while technicians check a small set of panels near the front of the fuselage. The aircraft is safe, and the fixes are manageable. After a chaotic stretch, Airbus is trying to steady the story ahead of the busy Christmas rush and get the world’s most popular narrowbody back to business as usual.

Somewhere in Seattle, Boeing is exhaling just a little, grateful that the spotlight has shifted eastward for a change. Pure speculation on my part, but you get the idea.

JSX ATR 42 Joins Fleet, Announces Controversial Airport as First Destination

Dave Hartland
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JSX ATR 42 Joins Fleet, Announces Controversial Airport as First Destination

JSX ATR 42 service is set to reshape how the public charter carrier reaches underserved airports. Is this the start of a turboprop comeback in the United States?

In an era when turboprops have all but disappeared from the US commercial landscape, JSX is doing something some might have questioned just a few years ago.

The semi-private, “hop-on” carrier has taken delivery of its very first ATR 42, a move that instantly turns heads and raises a deliciously retro question: is JSX about to spark a turboprop revival in a country that fell hard for regional jets and never looked back?

The timing is just as intriguing as the aircraft itself. JSX plans to launch its first ATR service from the legendary Santa Monica Airport (SMO), a storied general aviation field with roots that run deep into American aviation history, even as it marches toward its scheduled closure in 2028. The move is equal parts audacity, nostalgia, and strategic opportunism. It certainly has created plenty of controversy, to which JSX is no stranger. 

A Pink Unicorn Lands in Dallas

JSX ATR 42 on approach
A JSX ATR 42 on approach | IMAGE: ATR

JSX took delivery of its first-ever turboprop on 13 November 2025. The ATR 42-600, registered as N408SV, touched down at the company’s Dallas headquarters at Love Field (DAL) after a ferry flight from Bar River Airport (YBE) in Ontario, with stops at Sault Ste. Marie Municipal Airport (ANJ) in Michigan, and Oklahoma City’s Will Rogers International Airport (OKC). The aircraft is the first of two ATR 42s the carrier will acquire by the end of 2025, with two more leased examples arriving in early 2026.

JSX ATR 42
JSX ATR 42 exterior | IMAGE: ATR

For most avgeeks, the registration should ring a bell. The aircraft previously flew for Silver Airways, delivered new to the now-defunct Florida-based carrier, in December 2021, and configured for 46 passengers. After being withdrawn from use in February 2025, the ATR sat dormant in storage until JSX swooped in. Now the aircraft has been retrofitted with 30 business-class-style seats and ATR’s HighLine interiors, bringing its cabin experience in line with the premium vibe JSX is known for.

Owned by lessor TrueNoord, the aircraft will eventually become N400JX.

Why Turboprops, and Why Now?

ATR 42-600
An ATR 42-600 on approach | IMAGE: ATR

Because JSX has its eyes on airports most travelers never get to use. 

According to the company, the ATRs unlock access to more than 1,000 airports across the United States, many of which currently serve private aviation only. This fits neatly into JSX’s niche as a Part 380 public charter operator flying under Part 135 rules, allowing it to offer scheduled flights from private terminals with an experience that feels semi-private.

Alex Wilcox, JSX Chief Executive Officer, put it this way. “The ATR 600 series will bring over 1,000 new airports into reach for JSX, expanding access to reliable public charter flights across the great United States. Many of these airports were, until now, reserved only for those who had the means to fly private. I am confident that our Customers will love the ATR product, not just for the variety of new routes it allows JSX to operate, but also for its quiet cabin and comfortable seating.”

JSX has bigger plans, too. At the 2025 Paris Air Show, the company signed a letter of intent (LOI) for up to 25 ATRs, including 15 firm and 10 options. These could be ATR 42-600s or ATR 72-600s, all configured with 30 seats.

The economics sweeten the deal even more. Turboprops burn roughly half the fuel of JSX’s Embraer jets and are about 30 percent cheaper to operate. For a carrier that already runs 50 ERJs, including ERJ-135s and ERJ-145s, the savings are significant.

With Horizon Air retiring the Dash 8-Q400 in 2023 and Silver Airways collapsing in 2025, turboprops have nearly vanished from the national stage. JSX is bringing them back, and doing it with style.

Santa Monica Airport Gets a New Chapter… For Now

Promotional poster announcing JSX ATR 42 service to Santa Monica (SOM)
Promotional poster announcing JSX ATR 42 service to Santa Monica (SOM) | IMAGE: JSX

JSX’s first ATR route is set to begin on 19 December 2025 between Santa Monica Airport and Las Vegas. SMO will get a single daily departure at 1730 local time, landing in LAS at 1845. The return leaves LAS at 1145 and arrives back at SMO at 1300. 

Marketed as a premium, stress-free alternative to the chaos of LAX, JSX is offering one way fares as low as $149, including taxes, cocktails, snacks, and two checked bags. That even covers golf clubs and skis, as well as planeside retrieval, which is part of the JSX appeal.

The real twist is the airport itself. Santa Monica has one of the richest aviation histories in the nation. It is among America’s oldest airports, the former home of Douglas Aircraft, birthplace of every piston-powered DC airliner, and once the busiest single-runway airport on Earth. Howard Hughes, Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post, and Wallace Beery all called it home. The first Powder Puff Derby launched from its field. It opened on 15 April 1923 and has been a general aviation legend ever since.

But the runway is shorter now. In 2017, the city cut it from 4,925 feet to 3,500 feet due to tensions with nearby residents. The airport is officially scheduled to close on 31 December 2028, ending a battle that dragged on for seven decades. Santa Monica city officials remain adamant that nothing about JSX changes that timeline.

Promotional poster announcing JSX ATR 42 service to Santa Monica (SOM)
Promotional poster announcing JSX ATR 42 service to Santa Monica (SOM) | IMAGE: JSX

“Santa Monica Airport will close at the end of 2028, and nothing about this process with JSX Air changes that fact,” said City Manager Oliver Chi.

Santa Monica Airport will close at the end of 2028, and nothing about this process with JSX Air changes that fact.

Oliver Chi | Santa Monica City Manager

Commercial airlines are barred from operating there, but this is where JSX’s clever structure comes into play. JSX is not classified as a Part 121 airline. Its public charter model gives it access while staying within the FAA’s rules. Critics have already filed lawsuits to stop the service before it starts, though JSX argues that the ATR’s quiet operation directly addresses long-standing noise concerns.

SMO’s days are numbered, but JSX appears determined to give it one last act.

What JSX Brings to the Table

JSX ATR 42
JSX ATR 42 | IMAGE: ATR

JSX is not your typical operator. Since launching in 2016 with flights between Burbank and Concord, the carrier has built a strong following for its streamlined, semi-private “hop-on” experience. It goes out of its way to ensure it is not called an “airline.” 

Travelers can check in just 20 minutes before departure, skip long lines, use private terminals, enjoy bright 30-seat cabins with business class legroom, bring two checked bags at no charge, and retrieve them planeside within minutes of landing. Free cocktails help too.

The carrier was also the global launch customer for SpaceX’s Starlink inflight Wi-Fi and has offered it free since 2023. The ATRs are scheduled to receive Starlink capability in early 2026.

With up to 140 daily flights to 27 destinations across the Southwest, Mountain West, Texas, Florida, New York, and Mexico, JSX has carved out a space few competitors dare to enter.

In 2019, we profiled the carrier back in its JetSuiteX days, asking the question, “Will it last?” Well, not only has it lasted, it is thriving. In fact, the company reached another milestone earlier this year when it took delivery of its 50th Embraer jet. 

Will America Warm Back Up to the Turboprop?

JSX ATR 42
JSX ATR 42 | IMAGE: ATR

That is the big question. For many travelers, turboprops evoke memories of rattling ATRs, Dash 8s, and Saab 340s from the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. But the ATR 42-600 is a different machine. It is quieter. It is smoother. It burns less fuel. And in JSX’s hands, it is dressed like a private jet.

JSX hopes that airports like Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) in Colorado and Truckee Tahoe Airport (TKF) in California, both underserved and altitude-challenged, will benefit from what turboprops do best: short runways, steep terrain, and high elevation performance. TKF is a perfect example of the type of airport JSX has its sights set on – underserved and void of any commercial service whatsoever. 

Will customers embrace it? Will the turboprop mount a comeback? Or will JSX stand alone as a modern operator in a jet-obsessed market?

We will find out starting in December when the first SMO-LAS flights take wing.

One thing is certain. JSX is once again zigging where the rest of the industry zags, and that is exactly what makes this carrier fascinating to watch.

Why the Connecticut Air and Space Center Is One of New England’s Best Aviation Museums

Robert Waldvogel
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Why the Connecticut Air and Space Center Is One of New England’s Best Aviation Museums

Located in Stratford at the Sikorsky Memorial Airport, the Connecticut Air and Space Center was founded by George Gunther in 1998, after the Stratford Army Engine Plant closed.  

It currently occupies the research and design hangar where Chance Vought conducted its flight testing between 1944 and 1948.  As one of only a few museums housed in a portion of an original World War II factory, it seeks to “honor the pioneers, founders, workers, and companies from Connecticut; preserve the aircraft, vehicles, and artifacts they used; and educate future generations about this significant local collective history.”

Its Sikorsky Memorial Airport location is itself synonymous with Connecticut aviation development, having been the spawning ground for the first four-engine airplane, as well as seaplanes, flying boats, the first rotary-wing helicopter, and the production of countless thousands of engines.

Early Aviation Roots

Aerial view of Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR) near Bridgeport, CT
Aerial view of Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR) near Bridgeport, CT, location of the Connecticut Air and Space Center | IMAGE: airport-data.com

The airfield’s predecessor was the Avon racetrack, a flat expanse on which takeoffs and landings of early aircraft could be conducted.  But the area’s first true airport, straddling Long Island Sound, took root nearby.

Initial construction, encompassing a converted farmhouse, two hangars, and the state’s first commercial service terminal, gave it structure, and a 5 July 1929 dedication gave it a name—Bridgeport Airport.

Like a magnet, it attracted soon-to-be-famous aviators, such as Igor I Sikorsky, who established his own airplane manufacturing company there, and Glenn H. Curtiss, who initiated the Curtiss Flying School.

Four years later, Scottish aviators Jim Mollison and Amy Johnson placed the first stain there when they crash-landed during their transatlantic flight from Wales to New York, precariously low on fuel.

Helicopter Innovation and the World War II Era

While the Wright Brothers will be forever associated with inventing the first heavier-than-air aircraft, Sikorsky took the title as the inventor of the first practical, rotary-wing helicopter, which made its maiden ascent in the form of the VS-300 on 14 September 1939.  Although it fulfilled its proof-of-concept intention, it required significant development and refinement before it could fulfill its “practical” purpose.

During World War II, the single-engine, gull-wing Chance Vought F4U Corsair, churned out by the thousands there, was integral in Pacific theater victory.

In 1972, the airfield was renamed Igor Sikorsky Memorial Airport.

Many of these Connecticut aviation milestones can be inspected and interpreted in the museum.

Gustave Whitehead and Early Flight Claims

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IMAGE: Connecticut Air and Space Center

The seed that grew into the state’s aviation contributions was planted by German-born Gustave Whitehead—or “Weisskopf” in its original language—when he built and flew, according to controversial claims, the world’s first heavier-than-air type, the Whitehead No. 21, over Bridgeport on August 14, 1901, predating the Wright Brothers of Kitty Hawk fame by 2.4 years.  

Gustave Whitehead
Gustave Whitehead | IMAGE: Connecticut Air and Space Center

Although no photographs documented the event, numerous witness accounts did, and four days after it occurred, the Bridgeport Sunday Herald reported it.  In its 100th edition, Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft, the virtual aviation version of the Bible, credited Gustave Whitehead with constructing and flying the first such machine.

Almost a century later, Andy Kosch, of the Connecticut Air and Space Center, built his own replica, the No.21B, and successfully flew it some 20 times in the field outside of the museum, its longest stretch measuring 330 feet, but he remained in ground effect in all of them.  

Deviating from the original design, he employed two ultralight aircraft engines, which replaced the original steam and acetylene ones; used different fabric coverings; and introduced a greater landing gear track to improve ground stability.

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A replica of Gustave Whitehead’s 1901 flying machine | IMAGE: Connecticut Air and Space Center

Whether official credit will ever be shifted from the Wright Brothers to Gustave Whitehead remains to be seen.

The Corsair: Centerpiece of the Collection

The centerpiece of the museum is an FG-1D Corsair, considered the official state aircraft.  Although its primary role was to engage in air-to-air combat with the Japanese Zero fighter during World War II and it was credited with Pacific theater victory, along with the Grumman Hellcat, it was also used as a night fighter and fighter-bomber at the end of it and throughout the Korean conflict.

Of the 12,571 produced, Brewster and Goodyear license-built the type to meet insatiable demand, the latter accounting for 1,997 examples.

Vought F4U Corsair
Vought F4U Corsair, like the one on display at the Connecticut Air and Space Center

The museum’s FG-1D, produced at Goodyear’s Akron, Ohio, factory, was pedestal-mounted outside and braved the elements for 37 years before it was moved inside in 2008 to begin its extensive restoration process.

Civil Aviation Exhibits

The focus from the military to the civil branch of aviation can be shifted with an inspection of the Connecticut Air and Space Center’s Cessna 150L, a high-wing, single-engine, two-place type that served as both a private pilot trainer and the foundation of the succeeding C-152.

“Mostly it’s a great airplane to get in and go flying,” according to the Connecticut Air and Space Center’s website.  “For the person who wants an economical airplane, the Cessna 150 just cannot be beat.”

The donated example, registered N7021G, is a 1973 model.

If it seems small in comparison to other types, an initial glance at the display next to it redefines the concept of size and prompts the question, “Is it a tiny airplane or a large toy?”

That display, designated the BD-5 and designed by Jim Bede, seems to have all the features of an airborne machine—an aluminum frame and fiberglass panel fuselage, tiny straight wings, a tailplane, a canopied cockpit in which its pilot and only occupant sits in a semi-reclined position, and an engine behind him that turns a two-bladed, tail-installed propeller in pusher configuration.

It was sold in kit form by the Bede Aircraft Corporation in the early 1970s, but it was hardly successful.  At 358.8 pounds, its turbine version holds the world’s record as the smallest jet.

Bede BD-5 Micro
The Bede BD-5 Micro | IMAGE: By Andi Siebenhofer – The 7 Group, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19140955

The Connecticut Air and Space Center’s BD-5 was once owned by Reinhart May and was donated by his wife after his final earthly departure.

Sikorsky Legacy and Helicopter Collection

Aside from being synonymous with Gustave Whitehead and the Chance Vought Corsair, Bridgeport will forever be associated with Sikorsky, and the museum certainly counts several of his designs in its collection.

“For pilots who prefer propellers over their heads instead of in front of their noses, Sikorsky Memorial Airport…is a must-see historic field,” points out Dennis K. Johnson in his “Sikorsky Memorial Airport” article in AOPA Pilot magazine (December 2019).  “Since 1929, it’s been home to the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a helicopter manufacturing company…”

One of his designs on display, the S-52, was the first rotary craft to have featured an all-metal rotor blade and initially took to the sky on February 12, 1947.  Of its many versions, the HO5S-1 was operated by the US Navy and Marine Corps, the HO5S-1G by the US Coast Guard, and the YH-18A by the US Army.

Sikorsky S 52
YH-18B(S-52-5) Helicopter Powered with an Artouste XT51-T-3 Turbine Engine | IMAGE: Sikorsky Archives

As opposed to earlier helicopters in which stretcher cases and medical evacuees were externally carried and thus exposed to the elements, it accommodated internal litter patients, as used during the end of the Korean War.

The Sikorsky S-55/UH-19B Chickasaw, which is also on display, was originally a testbed for subsequent, advanced features.  Aside from having been instrumental in its role as a multi-purpose rotary craft vehicle operated by the US Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard, it was similarly flown by Denmark, Portugal, Greece, and Turkey in Europe, Israel in the Middle East, South Africa, and Chile in South America, and license-built by Westland, SNCASE in France, and Mitsubishi in Japan.

“The H-19 Chickasaw holds the distinction of being the US Army’s first true transport helicopter and, as such, played an important role in the initial formulation of Army doctrine regarding air mobility and the battlefield employment of troop-carrying helicopters,” according to the Connecticut Air and Space Center’s website.

Sikorsky UH-19B Chickasaw
DAYTON, Ohio — Sikorsky UH-19B Chickasaw at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo), similar to the one on display at the Connecticut Air and Space Center

The Air Force’s 50 H-19As, primarily deployed on rescue and evacuation missions, were used during the Korean War and at the beginning of the Vietnam conflict.

The Sikorsky’s S-60 “Flying Crane”

Sikorsky S-60
Lending a hand! The S-60 “Flying Crane” slinging one of its Sikorsky sisters over Bridgeport Harbor. Though underpowered, the S-60 proved itself again in November 1959, when it airlifted 16 Sikorsky H-34 helicopters from the Bridgeport airport to the Sikorsky factory for overhaul. (Photo courtesy of the Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archieves)

The Sikorsky S-60 “Flying Crane” on display, at an early stage of restoration, was significant on both a personal and design level.  In terms of the former, it was the last aircraft Igor Sikorsky himself constructed and tested.  In terms of the latter, it was essentially a frame consisting of a nose-mounted cockpit, podded piston engines, and main and tail rotors, while the huge space below it accommodated sling-hoisted outsize cargo loads or a rectangular pod internally housing passengers or smaller freight shipments.  It was used as a testbed for the subsequently successful S-64 Skycrane.

Sikorsky S-64
Sikorsky S-64 | IMAGE: Michael Pereckas – commons.wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=134760216

The Hughes OH-6A “Cayuse”

Finally, the Hughes OH-6A “Cayuse” in the Connecticut Air and Space Center’s collection, initially designated Model 369 in conceptual form, constituted the Hughes Tool Company Aircraft Division’s submission for the Army’s 1960 Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) Technical Specification 153 requirement, competing with designs from a dozen other companies.

First flying on 27 February 1963, it entered service three years later, at which time it set 23 world helicopter records for speed, distance, and time-to-climb.

The museum’s example, serial number 67-16477, played many roles, among them a military one in Vietnam, as a stunt flyer with the Army, and as a surveillance aircraft with the Air National Guard.

After a two-year restoration, the OH-6A on display was donated for the purpose of honoring Vietnam veterans.

Hughes OH-6 Cayuse helicopter in flight.
Hughes OH-6 Cayuse helicopter in flight | IMAGE: Public Domain

The Historic Curtiss Flying School Building

Attached to the museum is the derelict, empty shell that was built in 1929 and once housed the Curtiss Flying School.  Visited over the years by notable aviators Igor Sikorsky, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, and Juan Trippe of Pan American, it is slated to become the museum’s post-renovation showcase, for which a 98-year lease from the Town of Stratford, the City of Bridgeport, and the necessary funding have already been obtained.

Curtiss Flying School building
A derelict, empty shell that was built in 1929 and once housed the Curtiss Flying School

A visit to the Connecticut Air and Space Center, especially because of its Sikorsky Memorial Airport location, offers a journey through the area’s rich aviation heritage, from the disputed “first-to-fly” Whitehead design to the military Corsair fighter, entailing both traditional and vertical flight realms.

IF YOU GO

LOCATION: 225 B Main St., Stratford, CT
HOURS: Saturdays & Sundays from 10AM to 4PM
WEBSITE: ctairandspace.org

JetBlue Flight Plunge Triggers Airbus A320 Emergency Airworthiness Directive and Massive Global Grounding

Dave Hartland
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JetBlue Flight Plunge Triggers Airbus A320 Emergency Airworthiness Directive and Massive Global Grounding

EASA has issued an Airbus A320 emergency airworthiness directive after a JetBlue A320 suffered an uncommanded altitude drop and diverted to Tampa last month.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued an emergency airworthiness directive that affects a significant portion of the global Airbus A320 fleet. The directive requires an immediate software modification before the next routine flight following a serious in-flight incident involving a JetBlue Airbus A320 on 30 October 2025.

JetBlue Flight 1230, operating from Cancún International Airport (CUN) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), experienced an uncommanded drop in altitude approximately one hour after departure. The aircraft, registered N605JB , rapidly lost about 14,500 feet in five minutes, followed by another 12,200 feet in the next five minutes. The crew diverted to Tampa International Airport (TPA) and landed at approximately 1420 local time.

N605JB is JetBlue’s Blue Monster Boston Red Sox special livery.

Around 15 to 20 passengers were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. The flight was met by medical personnel, and the aircraft was taken out of service for a short time.

The FAA confirmed that the crew reported a flight control issue and is investigating the incident.

The Technical Root: A Fault in the ELAC Flight Control Computer

American Airlines Airbus A320, the type affected by the Airbus A320 Emergency Airworthiness Directive
American Airlines says about 340 of its 480 A320 jets will be affected by the Airbus A320 Emergency Airworthiness Directive | IMAGE: American Airlines | IMAGE: By Quintin Soloviev – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75210603

Thankfully, a cause for the JetBlue incident was determined quickly.

Following the diversion, Airbus traced the altitude loss to a malfunction in the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC). This critical flight control computer translates pilot side-stick inputs into elevator movements that govern the aircraft’s pitch. Airbus determined that intense solar radiation has the potential to corrupt certain data used by the ELAC, creating the possibility of unexpected pitch commands.

The ELAC is supplied by France-based Thales. The company told Reuters that the component meets Airbus specifications and that the software function involved is not within Thales’ responsibility.

A preliminary Airbus assessment concluded that, while the JetBlue event was limited, a similar malfunction could result in unsafe elevator movement under the worst circumstances. To prevent that outcome, Airbus issued an Alert Operators Transmission instructing carriers to install serviceable ELAC units or apply available software protections. EASA’s Airbus A320 emergency airworthiness directive mirrors that instruction and requires immediate compliance.

A Potential Massive Global Impact

Airbus A320 in corporate branding
Roughly 6,000 jets will be affected by the Airbus A320 Emergency Airworthiness Directive | IMAGE: By Pedro Aragão – Gallery page https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/7617615Photo https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/4/40557_1369649361.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28967487

Airbus estimates that roughly half of all A320 family aircraft in service are affected. That equates to approximately 6,000 jets worldwide. The A320 family is the most widely operated single-aisle aircraft family in the world, with more than 11,300 built.

The directive covers dozens of variants across the A319, A320, and A321 lineup. It will affect airlines in every major region, including the United States, where operators include American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Allegiant Air, and Frontier Airlines. United Airlines is not affected, according to a report from Reuters.

This precautionary grounding is the largest mass corrective action in Airbus’ 55-year history.

Operators Scramble Ahead of Heavy Holiday Travel

JetBlue "Blue Monster" Airbus A320
JetBlue’s “Blue Monster” Airbus A320 in Red Sox colors at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) | IMAGE: Spotter PR via Facebook

There is both good and bad news regarding this directive.

First, the bad news: The timing.  

The timing is especially challenging. Airlines are navigating record passenger volumes and already dealing with an unusual number of Airbus aircraft grounded due to ongoing engine repairs, parts shortages, and MRO bottlenecks.

American Airlines reported that about 340 of its 480 A320-family jets require the fix. The carrier expects to complete the majority of updates by 30 November and is working to minimize cancellations. In a statement to USA Today, American said it is focused on keeping customers moving during the post-Thanksgiving travel surge and that safety remains the top priority.

Frontier Airlines told USA Today that it is evaluating the directive and its impact. JetBlue, already managing the fallout from the Flight 1230 incident, is conducting its own internal review.

Airbus conceded that the directive will cause disruptions but emphasized the necessity. The manufacturer stated that solar radiation and recent coronal mass ejection activity, which have produced spectacular auroral displays around the world, can affect modern flight control systems. Airbus apologized for the operational impact and said it is working closely with airlines.

How Long Will Repairs Take

Now, the good news: Airbus believes that the majority of affected aircraft will require only a quick software update, which should take approximately two hours to complete. Many US airlines have reported that they have already begun the process of updating affected aircraft. Airlines are also working to minimize delays ahead of one of the busiest travel days of the year.

Hundreds of jets, however, will need a more substantial hardware change. Those aircraft will face significantly longer repair times and correspondingly longer operational outages.

FAA Expected to Follow With Its Own Directive

EASA issued the directive because Airbus is certified under European jurisdiction. The FAA is expected to issue its own directive soon. The agency has already confirmed it is investigating the JetBlue event, which triggered the global response.

Airbus Statement and Models Affected

Lufthansa A321
A Lufthansa Airbus A321 on approach at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in 2004. Certain A321 variants are affected by the Airbus A320 Emergency Airworthiness Directive | IMAGE: By Raimund Stehmann – Gallery page http://www.airliners.net/photo/Lufthansa/Airbus-A321-…/0620267/LPhoto http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/7/6/2/0620267.jpg, GFDL, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28500020

Airbus provided the following summary of the issue:

“Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls. Airbus has consequently identified a significant number of A320 Family aircraft currently in-service which may be impacted. Airbus has worked proactively with aviation authorities to request immediate precautionary action from operators via an Alert Operators Transmission in order to implement the available software and hardware protection. Airbus acknowledges these recommendations will lead to operational disruptions to passengers and customers. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and will work closely with operators, while keeping safety as our number one and overriding priority.”

The Airbus A320 emergency airworthiness directive covers the full scope of A319, A320, and A321 variants including:

A319: A319-111, A319-112, A319-113, A319-114, A319-115, A319-131, A319-132, A319-133, A319-151N, A319-153N, A319-171N, A319-173N

A320: A320-211, A320-212, A320-214, A320-215, A320-216, A320-231, A320-232, A320-233, A320-251N, A320-252N, A320-253N, A320-271N, A320-272N, A320-273N

A321: A321-211, A321-212, A321-213, A321-231, A321-232, A321-251N, A321-251NX, A321-252N, A321-252NX, A321-253N, A321-253NX, A321-271N, A321-271NX, A321-272N, A321-272NX

EASA_EAD_2025-0268-E_1Download

Happy Holidays?

Airlines around the world are now racing to implement the fix. EASA’s directive requires compliance before the next routine flight, which places operational strain on carriers but eliminates the risk of further uncommanded pitch events.

The JetBlue incident ended safely, and the autopilot remained engaged throughout the event, according to the Airbus technical summary. Even so, the event highlighted the need for immediate corrective action to ensure pitch control integrity across the fleet.

With holiday travel at its peak and maintenance capacity stretched thin, airlines face a difficult but necessary challenge: complete the emergency updates while keeping tens of millions of passengers moving.

New Pacific Airlines Shuts Down: A Sudden End to a Complicated 2-Year Journey

Dave Hartland
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New Pacific Airlines Shuts Down: A Sudden End to a Complicated 2-Year Journey

New Pacific Airlines shuts down after years of rebrands, regulatory delays, and an unfocused business model.

It is a grim Thanksgiving for the employees of New Pacific Airlines, who learned on Wednesday, 26 November, that the Anchorage-based carrier has ceased operations.

The news arrived in an all-staff email from President and CEO Thomas Hsieh. It was first reported by View From the Wing and read, in part:

“Dear New Pacific Team,
It is with a heavy heart that I’m announcing that we will be ceasing operations today. Unfortunately, we are unable to continue to fund the losses in our business. Although we are ceasing operations immediately, all W-2 employees will be paid through end of day Thursday (November 27th). For those of you on the road, we will work expeditiously to get you home. I’m extremely proud of all of you and everything we have accomplished as New Pacific/Ravn Alaska. Thank you for your hard work, commitment, and being part of the team.”

Email to New Pacific employees from CEO Thomas Hsieh

The closure was sudden, but for many in the industry, not exactly shocking. New Pacific had struggled to find its identity ever since it hit the scene in 2022. What began with lofty ambitions and a distinctly Icelandair-inspired vision slowly eroded under the weight of market shifts, regulatory delays, and financial strain.

A Startup With Big Plans and Bigger Headwinds

Northern Airways Boeing 757 in flight
A Boeing 757-200 in the Northern Pacific livery | IMAGE: New Pacific Airlines

New Pacific Airlines began life as Corvus Airlines, later rebranded as Northern Pacific Airways. The pitch was unique: connect North America and Asia through Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) using an Icelandair-style model that encouraged both short connections and multi-day Alaskan stopovers. The fleet chosen for the job consisted of aging Boeing 757-200s that once flew for USAir in the 1990s.

From the start, the airline faced uphill battles.

In October 2022, BNSF filed a trademark infringement lawsuit, arguing that the “Northern Pacific” name was too similar to the historic Northern Pacific Railroad. While the airline attempted to move forward, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction in August 2023, which barred the continued use of the name. Rather than appeal, leadership unveiled a new identity: New Pacific Airlines.

Employees were invited to suggest ideas and, after a round of internal deliberation, New Pacific became the official brand. The change preserved key visual elements, including the stylized “N” that had already been painted on aircraft and printed across marketing materials.

External forces soon squeezed the airline’s plans even further. Once Russian airspace became off-limits and approvals stalled in Korea and Japan, the long-haul model that had defined the startup was no longer viable. By April 2024, the company shut down its last scheduled flights and committed solely to charter service.

Through all of this, New Pacific continued to lean on the legacy of Ravn Alaska, its in-state brand (which itself shut down in August 2025). Ravn Connect was a related but separate subsidiary. The company’s roots traced all the way back to 20 June 1948, when it started life as Economy Helicopters. It began with a single Bell helicopter mapping the wilds of Alaska. Now, more than seventy years later, the entity that once represented Alaska’s bush flying spirit has ended its scheduled passenger operations and survived only through its charter business until the events of this week.

A Final Attempt at Reinvention

Two Boeing 757s in the fleet as New Pacific Airlines shuts down on 26 Nov 2025
New Pacific Airlines shuts down, leading to the desert storage of at least two of its Boeing 757s | IMAGE: New Pacific Airlines

As recently as early November 2025, New Pacific appeared to be forging ahead with new plans. The carrier announced a partnership with beOnd, the Maldives-based luxury operator known for its all-premium cabins. Together, the airlines intended to launch a new operation called BeOnd America, with New Pacific providing the US operating certificate and its 757 fleet to bring beOnd’s upscale model to American shores.

BeOnd currently connects the Maldives with destinations across Europe and the Middle East. Its US expansion was set to be its most ambitious move yet. That plan now appears to be on indefinite hold. It remains unclear what beOnd will do next, especially after investing months into a launch that depended entirely on New Pacific’s certificate and operational footprint.

It raises an uncomfortable question. Why would New Pacific leadership go through the trouble of laying the groundwork for a high-profile premium partnership while its own finances were unraveling behind the scenes. One must assume that Thomas Hsieh understood how deeply the carrier was struggling. Yet the company pressed forward, perhaps hoping that the beOnd deal would become the lifeline it needed.

A Carrier That Never Found the Runway It Wanted

Northern Pacific Boeing 757
New Pacific Airlines shuts down, leaving behind a convoluted legacy of ambitious dreams and plans | IMAGE: New Pacific Airlines

New Pacific received its full FAA authorization on 9 July 2023 and launched its first commercial flight, from Ontario International Airport (ONT) to Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), five days later. Its underwhelming scheduled route map was…interesting, to say the least…with ONT, LAS, Reno (RNO, and Nashville (BNA) as its first four destinations. But after months of slow bookings and operational challenges, the airline abruptly put the kibosh on scheduled service in April 2024.

At the time of closure, New Pacific operated three Boeing 757-200s, each outfitted with 78 oversized seats, including 48 sleeper seats arranged for an all-business-class configuration. The airline boasted that any of the aircraft could be swapped for a high-density layout of 181 seats if needed. These airframes were over thirty years old, and all three had long histories within the USAir/US Airways/American Airlines fleet.

  • N627NP, delivered in March 1995
  • N628NP, delivered in May 1995
  • N629NP, delivered in June 1995

By 26 November 2025, N627NP and N628NP had already been ferried to the desert for storage. N629NP made the trip from Long Island’s Republic Airport (FRG) to Mohave on Thanksgiving Day. AvGeeks may recall that N629NP made headlines in 2024 as the campaign plane for Kamala Harris.

It’s always a sad moment when an airline goes under. As I took a look at New Pacific’s still-active website less than 24 hours after it ceased operations, a banner on the homepage summed up dreams that have now faded:

“While our ambitions to connect Asia and North America remains our end goal, we seek to expand throughout the US and North America in the meantime.”

The End of a Complicated Journey

A pair of New Pacific Boeing 757-200s on the ramp
IMAGE: New Pacific Airlines

Those ambitions marked the conclusion of a complicated journey.

In the end, the company that once set out to be the next Icelandair never got to fly a single transpacific passenger. It tried to build a global link through Anchorage, but geopolitics, branding battles, and financial gravity kept dragging it back to earth.

The shutdown of Ravn Alaska in August 2025, followed by this week’s announcement, closes the book on a long, winding aviation lineage that stretched from a lone Bell helicopter in 1948 to a trio of ex-USAir 757s in 2025.

For the dedicated employees who held on through the rebrands, the setbacks, and the countless reinvention attempts, this Thanksgiving brings little reason to celebrate. Their inboxes delivered a painful but predictable truth. New Pacific Airlines, in all its forms, simply ran out of runway.

We wish all the folks at New Pacific the best of luck as they figure out what’s next.

From TWA to Southwest: The Real Airlines in Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Jeff Gilmore
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From TWA to Southwest: The Real Airlines in Planes, Trains and Automobiles

This Heatwarming Thanksgiving Classic Movie Is Also An Avgeek Time Capsule

Every Thanksgiving, millions of Americans settle down after a turkey dinner for a holiday tradition. They laugh as Neal Page (Steve Martin) and Del Griffith (John Candy) suffer through the worst Hollywood-ized version of Thanksgiving travel. John Hughes’ 1987 classic, Planes Trains and Automobiles stands the test of time with relatable humor and a heartwarming ending. For aviation enthusiasts, there’s another reason to watch. The airlines and airport featured in Planes Trains and Automobiles are a time capsule and a trip down memory lane for avgeeks.

Mid-Central Airlines: A Caricature of 1980s Budget Airlines

When Neal Page’s business trip goes sideways with a winter storm, he finds himself dealing with the laughably bad staff at Mid-Central Airlines.

Mid-Central is a great caricature of some of the airlines that existed in the early days after the deregulation of the 1980s. While watching, you can definitely relate to some of the poor experiences of that era. New York-based Tower Air comes to mind along with a host of other airlines who were dealing with bankruptcy and labor challenges during that era.

Ben Stein in Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Paramount Pictures)
Ben Stein in Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Paramount Pictures)

Hughes’ fictional airline had a host of delayed departures, cancelled flights, a weather diversion to Wichita, crabby flight attendants, and a monotone Ben Stein announcing Neil’s cancelled flight.

Trans-American Airlines: Airplane!

airplaneplane PTA
The “Airplane” 707 makes a cameo appearance in Planes Trains and Automobiles.

Avgeeks and film aficionados immediately key in some of the exterior plane shots in Planes Trains and Automobiles. Hughes’ recycled film from the movie Airplane!

Trans-American Airlines 707 makes a sneaky cameo. The production team obscured the tail but the similarities are unmistakable. Aviation nerds like us have paused the movie just to examine the scene thinking “hmm, I’ve seen that before somewhere.”

TWA: The Real Airline Star In Planes, Trains And Automobiles

TWA PTA
Scenes in Planes Trains and Automobiles remind us of busier times at STL.

While no real airlines were featured in Neil’s and Del’s travels, multiple TWA aircraft are visible in scenes at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

The St. Louis airport scenes include TWA L1011s on the ramp, 727s taxiing, and even footage of a TWA MD-80 on departure. It’s a bittersweet reminder of how busy St. Louis Lambert used to be.

Southwest Makes A Cameo In Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Planes, Trains and Automobiles movie scenes with a Southwest 737 making a cameo
Planes, Trains and Automobiles movie scenes with a Southwest 737 making a cameo. (Paramount Pictures)

Also visible at St Louis Lambert is a brief clip of a Southwest 737-300 taxiing to its gate at St Louis Lambert. At the time the movie was filmed, the Dallas-based airline had only been serving the St. Louis airport for two years with flights to Chicago-Midway, Little Rock, Houston Hobby, and Phoenix. Today, Southwest is now the dominant carrier in St. Louis with around 110 daily departures.

America West, American, and US Air Make Subtle Appearances

In a brief b-roll clip from New York, American Airlines Boeing 767 taxis past. In a cut scene showing a snowy O’Hare, multiple US Air DC-9 jets are briefly shown parked at the gate. Near the end of the movie, an America West ad shows discount flights to Phoenix and Tucson. Back in the ’80s, you could easily fly to the land of the desert sun for less than $100 each way.

The Airports of Planes, Trains and Automobiles

The film’s airport scenes span New York to Wichita, Kansas with an additional stop at St Louis Lambert to pick up their rental car.

New York serves as the starting point of the trip despite Neal’s ticket. The departure boards and terminal architecture look similar to LaGuardia airport. While multiple pages online cite that the scenes were filmed at New York’s LaGuardia old terminal (and it does look similar), others state that the NY airport scenes were filmed in Hollywood or St. Louis Lambert. We may never know.

O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is the promised land Neal never quite reaches by air. The only scene supposedly showing a snowy O’hare is a brief cut with a terminal filled with US Air DC-9 jets. US Air never really had a particularly large presence at O’Hare making the footage more likely taken from one of their hubs in the northeast. (You can watch the brief scene in the timestamped YouTube clip above.)

Wichita, Kansas becomes the unlikely setting for the film’s pivotal weather diversion. The terminal is so generic that it too was likely just a Hollywood set.

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL) hosts perhaps the most memorable aviation scenes in the entire film. A frustrated Neil walks on the tarmac at Lambert to get back to the car rental desk after his rental was stolen from a spot.

Neal’s profanity-laden confrontation with the Marathon Car Rental agent (Edie McClurg) was pure comedy classic. His vulgar rant likely led to the film’s R rating. (We even tracked down a great video by Ryan K Films above showing where the St. Louis airport scenes were filmed.)

Why Planes, Trains and Automobiles Stands The test of Time

Planes Trains and Automobiles movie poster (Paramount Films)
Planes Trains and Automobiles movie poster (Paramount Films)

Planes Trains and Automobiles captures something essential about the human spirit and frustrations of travel. Anyone who has ever flown has felt the annoyances and fallout of an on-time flight changing to delayed, then diverted, then finally cancelled. As if things couldn’t get any worse, they did for Neil. An annoying passenger who then becomes an unbearable and unwanted travel partner. Yet through all the absurdity, Del somehow turns into a friend by the end.

As fans of everything aviation, the film works on so many levels. We’ve all experienced the pains of travel and met people we can barely stand to be around for a few moments. Yet travel also reminds us of how fortunate many of us are to be able to have something to come home to at the end of a trip. And it reminds us of the opportunity to extend that gratitude to someone in need, just like our buddy Neil did with Del–the shower curtain salesman with nowhere to go.

As you settle in for some movie watching this Thanksgiving, take a moment to appreciate the brilliance of John Hughes and appreciate his attempt to portray the world of airlines, airports and travel within his larger plot to remind us of why we take the time to give thanks each year.

US DOT Secretary Sean Duffy Says He Wants Americans to Stop Treating Airplanes like an Airborne Walmart at 2AM

Dave Hartland
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US DOT Secretary Sean Duffy Says He Wants Americans to Stop Treating Airplanes like an Airborne Walmart at 2AM

With the government shutdown finally behind us and the Thanksgiving travel rush hitting full throttle, airports across the country are bracing for what could be some of the busiest days in TSA history. Into this holiday storm steps US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has a seasonal request for the nation: dress a little better, act a lot nicer, and maybe stop pretending the airport is your living room.

Speaking at Newark Airport last week, Duffy said he has noticed a “degradation in civility” in air travel and has launched a new national campaign titled “The Golden Age of Travel Starts with You.” The effort encourages passengers to show respect, wear actual clothing, and treat fellow travelers like human beings rather than obstacles in a boarding group.

Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport. I think that is positive.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy

“You know, whether it is a pair of jeans and a decent shirt, I would encourage people to maybe dress a little bit better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little better,” he said. “Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport. I think that is positive.”

Is It Such a Bad Idea?

A photo depicting the golden age of air travel
IMAGE: Altman, Chris. “Vintage Photos From The Golden Age Of Air Travel.” AllThatsInteresting.com, February 26, 2015, https://allthatsinteresting.com/golden-age-air-travel. Accessed 26 November 2025.

Predictably, critics mocked the idea. But while Duffy’s comments have inspired plenty of jokes, there is a reasonable point buried beneath the noise. His suggestions are not inherently bad ideas. American air travel has been plagued by viral gate-side meltdowns, unruly passenger videos, endless kerfuffles, and the ever-present scourge known as gate lice. Flight crews are exhausted, travelers are tense, and everyone seems convinced their carry-on and their comfort matter more than anyone else’s. Maybe a little decency would go a long way.

FAA data underscores Duffy’s concern. The agency reports a 400 percent rise in in-flight incidents since 2019. Other FAA findings include:

  • 13,800 unruly passenger incidents since 2021, including a 500 percent spike from 2020 to 2021 during the height of the Covid pandemic
  • One in five flight attendants reported being victims of a physical altercation in 2021
  • Unruly incidents in 2024 doubled compared to 2019
  • A rare bit of good news: A drop to 2,000 total incidents in 2023, well below the pandemic peak
Delta Air Lines meal service in the early 1950s
IMAGE: Delta Flight Museum

A recent FAA press release backing the civility push says that “we can all do our part to bring back civility, manners, and common sense. When we can unite around shared values, we can feel more connected as a country.”

We can all do our part to bring back civility, manners, and common sense.

FAA

To that end, Sean Duffy is encouraging travelers to ask themselves simple questions before stepping onto an airplane. Among them:

  • Are you helping a pregnant woman or an elderly traveler with their bag?
  • Are you dressing with respect?
  • Are you keeping control of your children?
  • Are you thanking your flight attendants?
  • Are you saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ at all?

Honestly, this list sounds like the house rules for my son’s elementary school classroom. But I suppose this is where we are as a society.

Common Sense Rules the Day

Bare feet on tray tables

Sean Duffy has been clear that he is not demanding a return to three-piece suits or top hats. He is simply calling for a baseline of courtesy in an environment that is increasingly tense. He also offered a few examples of modern misbehavior that fall well short of outright violence but still test the limits of public patience. Things like shoes coming off the moment the seatbelt sign goes dark. Feet on armrests. Movies and music played out loud. People tapping the seatback entertainment screens with their bare toes. The minor inconveniences that add up to a much bigger cultural headache.

In an interview with The Blaze on Tuesday, 25 November, Duffy said the decline in civility has many causes. Long lines frustrate travelers well before boarding begins. Airline seats continue to shrink even as…ahem…derrières grow. A 2022 study found that fewer than half of the public can reasonably fit into seats at their current width. And during the pandemic, flight attendants were thrust into the role of mask enforcers, which led to tense and sometimes aggressive confrontations.

Sean Duffy Wants Healthier Snacks, Too

Sean Duffy says pretzels are too salty
Sean Duffy says he would like to see healthier options for snacks on board US airlines | IMAGE: Delta Air Lines

It was during this same Blaze interview that Duffy raised a separate request for airlines: healthier snacks. He said the familiar offerings of pretzels and cookies might be overdue for an upgrade.

“I would love some better snacks. I would love a little healthier snack on the airplane,” he said. He added that it would be far better “if I didn’t get the really fattening cookie full of butter, sugar, and crap. Or that little snack pack of pretzels.”

His snack comments drew their own share of headlines, though this too is an idea that is not exactly controversial. Healthier food in flight cabins is hardly a radical concept, even if it has been overshadowed by bigger debates about behavior.

The Campaign for Civility Comes Amid a Flurry of Air Travel Initiatives

TSA Line at DEN
IMAGE: Denver International Airport Facebook

This civility campaign arrives on top of an already full agenda. Duffy is overseeing efforts to modernize the air traffic control system, hire thousands of new controllers, and make travel more family-friendly. He is also heading the new Beautifying Transportation Infrastructure Council (BTIC), created to restore architectural beauty to highways, bridges, and transit hubs.

“What happened to our country’s proud tradition of building great, big, beautiful things?” Duffy asked when he unveiled BTIC. “It is time the design for America’s latest infrastructure projects reflects our nation’s strength, pride, and promise.”

The Department of Transportation accepted nominations from architects, landscape designers, urban planners, artists, transportation engineers, and historic preservation advocates interested in joining the council.

As for the flying public, the timing of Duffy’s plea is worth noting. The TSA expects to screen more than 17.8 million travelers between 25 November and 2 December, with as many as 3 million passengers passing through checkpoints on Sunday, 30 November alone. A typical week sees about 2.48 million per day.

In a season defined by long lines, juggling families, competing priorities, and an entire nation trying to get somewhere at once, Duffy’s request does not seem unreasonable. Keep your shoes on. Keep your headphones in. Keep your temper in check.

Or, as the Secretary put it, “Let’s all be better when we travel together.”

And at this point, who can argue with that?

D.B. Cooper: The Boeing 727 Legend Born on a Stormy Thanksgiving Eve

Dave Hartland
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D.B. Cooper: The Boeing 727 Legend Born on a Stormy Thanksgiving Eve

On a gloomy Thanksgiving Eve in 1971, a man in a black suit, thin raincoat, and clip-on tie paid $20 in cash for a one-way ticket. He walked onto a Boeing 727, took his seat near the back of the cabin, ordered a bourbon and a 7Up, and by the end of the night had become the most mythologized fugitive in modern aviation: the man the world calls “D.B. Cooper.”

It is a case so legendary that it manages to be both aviation folklore and a fully documented FBI investigation. And, in typical 1970s fashion, it comes with a bit of style.

Thanksgiving Eve at Portland International Airport

A copy of the ticket D.B. Cooper used for Flight 305
A copy of the ticket purchased by “Dan Cooper,” aka D.B. Cooper, for his flight to Seattle | IMAGE: FBI

At approximately 1450 local time on 24 November 1971, a passenger identifying himself as Dan Cooper (the name D.B., which the world came to know, was the result of a mistake made by the media in the early days of the investigation) purchased a $20 one-way ticket from Portland International Airport (PDX) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) on Northwest Orient Flight 305. Witnesses described him as a man in his mid-40s, around six feet tall, dressed like a business traveler who had opinions about briefcases and ties.

The airplane that day was a Boeing 727-100, tail number N467US, with only 36 passengers aboard. Evidently, holiday travel had not yet become the anxiety sport it is today.

Cooper’s seat was 18E. Close to the rear airstair. A detail no one thought much about at the time.

The Note That Was Not a Phone Number

FBI Composite Sketch of D.B. Cooper
FBI Composite Sketch of D.B. Cooper | IMAGE: FBI

Shortly after takeoff, Cooper passed a note to flight attendant Florence Schaffner. She did what many flight attendants in the early 70s likely did with unsolicited notes from men: she ignored it.

He leaned in.

“Miss, you’d better look at that note,” Cooper told her. ”I have a bomb.”

The handwritten message read in all caps:

“MISS – I HAVE A BOMB IN MY BRIEFCASE AND WANT YOU TO SIT BY ME.”

Cooper showed her what looked like dynamite sticks, wires, and a battery. Later analysis suggests they were flares.

He then delivered a calm shopping list of demands:

  • $200,000 in non-sequential twenty-dollar bills
  • Four parachutes
  • A fuel truck waiting in Seattle
  • No “funny business,” or he would “do the job.”

Schaffner relayed everything to the cockpit.

The Slow Circle Over Puget Sound

Captain William A. Scott informed passengers the plane had “minor mechanical difficulty,” an understatement of historic proportions, as Flight 305 began circling Puget Sound.

On the ground, FBI agents and Seattle police scrambled. Banks assembled 10,000 twenty-dollar bills. Every serial number was photographed in roughly three hours using Regi-Micro micro-perforation machines, a genuinely impressive feat in 1971.

Northwest Orient president Donald Nyrop authorized full compliance. Company policy: pay the ransom and avoid casualties.

At 1746 local time, Flight 305 landed at SEA and parked at a remote stand away from the terminal. Cooper ordered the shades closed and lights dimmed.

A suitcase containing $200,000 and four parachutes was rolled up on a baggage cart. Cooper released all passengers and all but one flight attendant, Tina Mucklow. She remained as the intermediary.

A Second Takeoff, a Strange Flight Plan

Cooper now ordered the 727 to fly to Mexico City with the following configuration:

  • Flaps at 15 degrees
  • Gear down
  • Cabin unpressurized
  • Altitude below 10,000 feet
  • Airspeed at or below 200 knots
An example of rear airstairs on a Northwest Boeing 727
An example of the type of aft airstairs D.B. Cooper used to jump out of the Boeing 727. This image was captured at Gallatin Field (BZN) in Bozeman, Montana, on 1 January 1975 | IMAGE: By Robert Rynerson from Denver, U.S.A. – Bozeman 2, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=145918970

The crew explained that the 727 could not make it to Mexico City nonstop at 10,000 feet and 200 knots, and Cooper agreed to a necessary refueling stop at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO).

But Cooper knew what he was doing. He specifically requested the configuration because he knew the aircraft well enough to understand what would happen to the aft airstair at higher speeds. He also knew the 727’s unique capability: those stairs could be lowered in flight.

Moments after a 1940 departure from SEA, Cooper told Tina to join the cockpit crew and close the curtain. She was the last person to see him.

Minutes later, the cockpit warning light indicated the aft airstair had deployed.

The Jump Into the Dark

The flight path of Flight 305, and the approximate location D.B. Cooper jumped
The flight path of Flight 305, and the approximate location D.B. Cooper jumped | IMAGE: FBI

At approximately 2011 Pacific time, over rural Washington near Ariel and Lake Merwin, the cabin shuddered. A pressure bump registered. The crew felt tail oscillation.

And that was it.

Cooper, the parachute, and the canvas bank bag of cash were gone into a cold, rainy night at roughly 10,000 feet. Temperature: about 20 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill. His outfit: business suit and loafers.

Two F-106 fighters dispatched from McChord AFB and a Lockheed T-33 trainer diverted from a mission saw nothing. Not too surprising, considering D.B. Cooper was wearing all black and it was a cold, dark, and stormy night in the Pacific Northwest.

The crew of Flight 305 in Reno
The crew of Flight 305 after landing at RNO. (L-R: Captain Wiliam Scott, FO Bill Rataczak, FA Tina Mucklow, FE Harold Anderson) | IMAGE: Washington State Historical Society Image Collection

Meanwhile, the aircraft continued on to Reno, the crew unsure if Cooper was still on board or not.

Hours later, at 2302 local time, Flight 305 landed safely at RNO (with the aft airstair still deployed). The FBI boarded the aircraft and found:

  • Cooper’s black clip-on tie
  • Eight cigarette butts
  • Two parachutes
  • A hair on the headrest

Cooper himself appeared to have evaporated.

A Skyjacking Era Hiding in Plain Sight

Northwest Airlines Boeing 727 51 N467US
N467US, the Northwest Orient Boeing 727-51 involved in the D.B. Cooper hijacking. The aircraft is seen here roughly a year later, in December 1972, approaching Miami International Airport (MIA) | IMAGE: By Clint Groves – https://www.airlinefan.com/airline-photos/Northwest-Airlines/Boeing/727-100/N467US/2025281/, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=88966010
Newspaper clipping of TWA Flight 106 hijacking, which occurred 72 hours after the D.B. Cooper incident
Newspaper clipping of TWA Flight 106 hijacking, which occurred 72 hours after the D.B. Cooper incident

Today, the Cooper case stands alone as the most iconic unsolved hijacking in US history. But in late 1971, the skies were far less secure and far more chaotic than most modern travelers realize. Hijackings had become disturbingly common, and Cooper’s dramatic escape was only one chapter in a turbulent season for commercial aviation.

The impact on the news cycle was immediate. Just seventy-two hours after Cooper disappeared into the night, on 27 November, Trans World Airlines Flight 106 was hijacked at Albuquerque International Sunport by three armed fugitives wanted for the murder of New Mexico State Police Officer Robert Rosenbloom.

The men, linked to the Republic of New Afrika, hijacked a wrecker, stormed the parked Boeing 727, and forced the crew to fly them to Havana. All 45 passengers were released safely after a stop in Tampa, and Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro granted the hijackers political asylum.

Two US-registered airliners hijacked within three days. If that happened in 2025, the national security response would be immediate and overwhelming. In 1971, it was simply another reminder that commercial aviation was operating with virtually no modern security standards.

America’s Largest Manhunt

Newspaper from the D.B. Cooper hijacking
A newspaper article from the day after D.B. Cooper jumped from Flight 305

The search that followed was enormous. FBI agents, soldiers, and helicopters scoured a 28-square-mile region. They found nothing.

Not a parachute. Not a body. Nothing.

For nearly a decade, the Cooper mystery remained evidence-free. Then, in February 1980, eight-year-old Brian Ingram found $5,880 in decaying twenty-dollar bills on a sandbar called Tena Bar on the Columbia River near Vancouver, Washington. The serial numbers matched the ransom.

$5800 found in 1980 is the only physical evidence ever recovered from the D.B. Cooper hijacking
In February 1980, eight-year-old Brian Ingram found $5,880 in decaying twenty-dollar bills on a sandbar called Tena Bar on the Columbia River near Vancouver, Washington. The serial numbers matched the ransom. It remains the only significant piece of physical evidence directly tied to Cooper | IMAGE: FBI

It remains the only significant piece of physical evidence directly tied to Cooper.

The Strange, Verified Details That Deepen the Mystery

• Cooper asked specifically for “negotiable American currency,” avoiding marked or sequential bills.

• He refused military parachutes and chose civilian sport chutes instead.

The canvas bag containing one of the parachutes given to D.B. Cooper
This canvas bag originally held one of the parachutes handed over to D.B. Cooper. Of the four chutes he demanded, he jumped with two, including a sewn-shut training reserve, and used the cord from another to secure the bag of ransom money | IMAGE: FBI

• He demonstrated knowledge of local geography. When someone referenced Tacoma’s distance, he corrected them.

• He insisted on configurations that kept the airstair stable.

• A 1978 discovery of a 727 airstair placard near Castle Rock supported the estimated jump zone.

727 Airstairs placard found in the area where D.B. Cooper jumped
727 Airstairs placard found in the area where D.B. Cooper jumped | IMAGE: FBI

• The tie he left behind contained titanium particles, hinting he may have worked in aerospace or manufacturing.

The tie D.B. Cooper was wearing prior to jumping
The JCPenney tie worn by D.B. Cooper prior to jumping which investigators were able to get DNA evidence from | IMAGE: FBI

• One parachute the FBI delivered was a dummy reserve sewn shut. Cooper spotted it instantly and left it behind.

An unused parachute left on board Flight 305
An unused parachute left on board Flight 305 | IMAGE: FBI

• He offered to buy the flight crew meals in Seattle, using his own $20 bill.

The Case That Refuses to Close

The wanted poster created by the FBI for the capture of D.B. Cooper
The wanted poster created by the FBI for the capture of D.B. Cooper | IMAGE: By U.S. Federal Government – Public Domain

The FBI officially suspended active investigation in 2016. But citizen sleuths continue to pore over the evidence. More than a dozen suspects have been proposed, from military veterans to former Boeing employees to con men with colorful histories.

Yet as of November 2025, none have been proven to be the man who stepped off the airstair of a 727 into aviation mythology.

Roughly $194,000 of the ransom remains missing. No parachute has been definitively tied to Cooper. And researchers still argue about whether he even survived the jump.

But the legend continues to fascinate because the story is almost too perfectly American: a calm, polite hijacker who sipped bourbon, knew his aircraft, paid for the crew’s dinners, and then disappeared into thin air on the night before Thanksgiving.

50+ Years Later, the Skyjacker Still Has the Last Word

Cooper left almost nothing behind except a clip-on tie, a pile of cigarette butts, and a puzzle that refuses to solve itself.

He jumped into a stormy night with $200,000 and a plan only he understood.

And to this day, Northwest Orient Flight 305 remains the last US commercial hijacking where the perpetrator was never found.

In other words: D.B. Cooper got away with it. And the Boeing 727 will forever carry one of aviation’s greatest mysteries in its wake.

A Top Gun Attraction is Coming to Vegas, and Maybe Orlando

Mike Killian
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A Top Gun Attraction is Coming to Vegas, and Maybe Orlando

A new Top Gun attraction is coming to the famous Vegas Strip, and maybe another in Orlando, FL.

Paramount Global and Advent Allen Entertainment have partnered to create Top Gun Las Vegas for fans of the beloved films, promising thrilling rides, jet simulators, immersive experiences, and entertainment.

Rooster jamming on the piano with fellow Naval aviators at the Hard Deck bar in Top Gun: Maverick.
Rooster jamming on the piano with fellow Naval aviators at the Hard Deck bar in Top Gun: Maverick. Photo courtesy Paramount Pictures

And food and drinks, of course. The venue will feature a new restaurant and bar themed after the Hard Deck bar in “Top Gun: Maverick,” with live piano playing and singing just like in the movies.

As for a Central Florida location for the Top Gun attraction, Advent Allen Entertainment is currently evaluating potential sites in the Orlando area for a location.

Details Are Classified

Details surrounding the proposed Top Gun attraction remain classified, but the powers that be are well at work with development. Top Gun Las Vegas is scheduled to open at the Strat Hotel in 2028, located at the iconic north end of the Vegas Strip.

A new Top Gun attraction could make its home at the Stat Hotel in 2028
Top Gun Las Vegas is scheduled to open at the Strat hotel in 2028, located at the iconic north end of the Vegas Strip. A second Top Gun attraction is being proposed for Orlando, Florida. | Photo via Strat Hotel Facebook page / @_ben.photos_

“This innovative venture marks a new milestone for ‘Top Gun’ and expands Paramount’s portfolio of immersive entertainment,” said Pam Kaufman, president and CEO of international markets, global consumer products, and experiences at Paramount. “Paramount is committed to delivering authentic, mind-blowing experiences for fans, and Mark Advent and Bill Allen are the perfect team to make this destination soar.”

“The Top Gun films are one of the most emotionally charged stories of our time,” added Mark Advent, co-founder of Advent Allen Entertainment and creator of Las Vegas’ New York New York Hotel & Casino. “We’re proud to unite with Paramount to bring this timeless, action-packed epic to life — delivering experiences that embody teamwork, excellence, the exhilaration of speed, and the thrill of flying. We are pulling out all the stops and looking forward to bringing Top Gun to even higher heights on the strip and beyond.”

Artist rendering of the new Top Gun attraction
The entrance to the new Top Gun attraction (bottom rendering) bears a resemblance to the famous hangar featured in the original Top Gun film.

“Our vision is to connect the excitement of these films with the reality of elite aviation, creating a unique, non-theme park attraction in a standalone, non-gated setting,” added Advent. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop a destination rooted in two of the most celebrated movies in history. With Top Gun now a multigenerational franchise, it boasts a dedicated fan base eager to experience more of the action firsthand in an authentic environment.”

Top Gun Attraction Will Honor Veterans and Current Military

“Every aspect of the experience – programming, design, food, drink, and execution – will be crafted to create a welcoming environment,” Advent says. “Our goal is to make veterans, current, and future active-duty military personnel feel comfortable and valued, fostering a sense of community.

Our goal is to make veterans, current, and future active-duty military personnel feel comfortable and valued, fostering a sense of community.

Mark Advent | Co-Founder of Advent Allen Entertainment
F-14 Tomcat flying against a sunset
Tomcat in the sunset. Navy photo

“We aspire to develop a destination that’s a must-see for everyone – an experience you can’t wait to explore, one that feels inviting and where visitors will never want to leave.”

If you’re a true avgeek, head to the race track after the Top Gun Experience and watch real jets blast out of Nellis AFB.

Lufthansa’s 100th Anniversary Livery Might Be the Best Looking Livery Yet

Dave Hartland
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Lufthansa’s 100th Anniversary Livery Might Be the Best Looking Livery Yet

Lufthansa’s 100th Anniversary Livery Joins a Growing List of Stunning Centennial Paint Jobs

Are we quietly entering a golden age of airline liveries? With American Airlines debuting its retro-styled Boeing 787 and Delta Air Lines preparing for its own centennial in 2025, airlines worldwide are highlighting their histories. Now Lufthansa steps into the spotlight with a reveal that is both nostalgic and forward-looking.

In 2026, Lufthansa will celebrate 100 years since the founding of the original Deutsche Luft Hansa in 1926. To mark the anniversary, the airline is launching a dedicated “anniversary fleet” that will roll out over the next two years, progressively introducing aircraft showcasing nearly a century of design language, the iconic crane logo, and a modern artistic twist that will make these planes instantly recognizable on the ramp.

A Livery That Marries Past and Future

Lufthansa's 100th anniversary livery
Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary livery celebrates the carrier’s past and looks forward to its future | IMAGE: Lufthansa

The new design, revealed on 24 November by the Cologne, Germany-based carrier, features a deep blue fuselage. A sweeping white crane whose wings visually merge with the aircraft’s wings runs along the side. On the left side, a crisp “100” is integrated into the design. On the right side, the years “1926 / 2026” mark the airline’s milestone. A bold “100” also shines on the belly, giving spotters and those on the ground a dramatic view during approach and departure.

Several of Lufthansa’s most important fleet types will wear this celebratory look, with aircraft being painted over the next two years. An Airbus A380, an Airbus A350-1000, an Airbus A350-900, an Airbus A320, and a Boeing 747-8 are all scheduled to receive the special livery. Personally, I can’t wait to see the Boeing 747-8 in these colors.

The entire lineup is expected to be completed by fall 2026.

Leading the Charge: The New Boeing 787-9 Berlin

Lufthansa's 100th anniversary livery on D-ABPU, a Boeing 787
Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary livery on D-ABPU, a Boeing 787 | IMAGE: Lufthansa

Front and center in the anniversary fleet is Lufthansa’s brand-new Boeing 787-9, named Berlin, carrying the registration D-ABPU. The aircraft received its special livery at Boeing’s facility in Charleston, South Carolina. After painting, it repositioned to Everett, Washington, on 16 November. It is expected to arrive in Frankfurt just before Christmas.

D-ABPU is set to enter scheduled service in January and will serve as the flagship for the 100th anniversary celebration. Its striking crane artwork and anniversary markings turn the Dreamliner into a flying ambassador for one of Europe’s most storied carriers.

Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner "Berlin" lifts off
D-ABPU, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner takes off in Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary livery | IMAGE: Lufthansa
Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
D-ABPU, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner takes off in Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary livery | IMAGE: Lufthansa

A Century of Lufthansa

Lufthansa's 100th anniversary livery features a "100" on the left side of the fuselage
Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary livery celebrates 100 years of operation | IMAGE: Lufthansa

While the current Lufthansa began operations in 1955, its roots stretch back to the original Deutsche Luft Hansa of 1926. That airline was dissolved in 1951, but the modern Lufthansa inherited its name, branding, and crane icon after adopting the heritage in 1954.

Today, Lufthansa stands as the largest airline group in Europe by revenue and a cornerstone of global aviation. It is a founding member of Star Alliance and operates an extensive network from its hubs in Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC). Across the group, more than 300 subsidiaries span passenger airlines, logistics, consulting, and one of the world’s leading maintenance and overhaul organizations, Lufthansa Technik.

With more than 200 destinations across 74 countries and a fleet of 274 aircraft, a strategic focus on sustainability, and its new Allegris long-haul experience rolling out, Lufthansa continues to blend tradition with innovation in a way that feels distinctly German while remaining admired worldwide.

The Golden Age of Liveries?

Lufthansa's 100th anniversary livery on D-ABPU, a Boeing 787
Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary livery painted on its flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner “Berlin” | IMAGE: Lufthansa

In a year filled with milestone anniversaries across the industry, the crane airline has delivered a design that honors its past while looking confidently toward the future.

Spotters will have plenty to look forward to over the next two years as Lufthansa’s 100th anniversary livery rolls out on the different aircraft, as well as the special liveries by American and Delta.

The golden age of aviation may be long gone, but it is quite possible that the golden age of special liveries is upon us.

Happy spotting!

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