A woman gave birth to a baby boy on the floors of Miami International airport Tuesday evening. The woman received assistance from Miami police officers, U.S. Customs and Border protection agents, and airport staff.
After the successful delivery, paramedics escorted the mother and her child to the hospital.
Baby on Board
On Tuesday after 1700 local time, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to a medical call at the Miami airport. Officers found that an unnamed female passenger’s water broke and was proceeding to give birth near Checkpoint 1 at the North Terminal, which is used exclusively by American Airlines.
According to 911 dispatch conversations, the dispatcher reported the incident as a “possible miscarriage”.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Spokeswoman Helen Avendano recalls reports of the scene to the media. She claimed the mother had plenty of assistance from law enforcement and airport employees to help deliver the baby.
Video footage of the woman and her baby was obtained by 7 News Miami.
Later on in the dispatch call, officers can be heard exclaiming “It’s alive!” and “We got a boy!”.
Following the birth at the American Airlines terminal, paramedics confirmed to arrive at the scene seven minutes later. They would rush the mother and her baby to the hospital.
Citing patient privacy laws, Avendano had no further information to share about the mother or her newborn child.
An American Airlines Boeing 787-9 from London Heathrow on short final for Runway 24R at LAX | IMAGE: Dave Hartland
An airport employee claims the mother was in between flights and was waiting to fly to another state. The employee speculated what might have happened had the mother’s water broke during one of the flights.
Other Notable “Air” Deliveries
Back in March of this year, a pilot left his cockpit to help deliver a baby during a flight from Taiwan to Thailand. The mother was giving birth inside one of the cabin’s bathrooms. The 18-year veteran had no prior experience in delivering.
In August 2021, a woman gave birth inside a bathroom at Norfolk International Airport in Virginia. Two months earlier on Father’s Day, another birth took place at Miami Airport. The mother named her newborn daughter “Mia”, named after the airport’s code, “MIA”.
Japan Airlines has laid the groundwork to place a large order of electric-vehicle-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Together with the Sumitomo Corporation, the airline formed a joint venture known as the Soracle Corporation.
Soracle is set to create an advanced air mobility (AAM) operation in Japan, designed to offer air transportation to passengers within Japan’s largest cities. These cities include Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido and others.
Japan Airlines Flying Low
To build a fleet of air taxis, Soracle has placed a $500 million-dollar order with Archer Aviation. The order is for 100 of the company’s flagship aircraft, known as the “Midnight”.
The deal also requires Archer to work with the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) to obtain the necessary certification for Archer’s aircraft to fly legally in Japan. Soracle will also work to obtain permits to legally own and operate the aircraft.
While the deal was made official on 7 November, the contract signing actually took place in September in Tokyo. Chief Commercial Officer Nikhil Goel and Senior Director of Strategy and Business Development Andrew Cummins represented Archer at the event.
Cummins shares his thoughts in a recent press release outlining the deal:
“We’re proud to stand with Soracle ahead of this new era of flight—together, we are committed to bringing an innovative, sustainable and convenient transportation alternative to the country.”
Soracle Chief Executive Officer Yukihiro Ota also had remarked on the agreement:
“Through the operation of eVTOL aircraft, Soracle aims to enrich lives and society by creating more accessible air transportation services in Japan. We will provide safe and reliable services to passengers by making the most of the wealth of knowledge we have accumulated at Japan Airlines and Sumitomo Corporation.”
Archer and Soracle plan to conduct the first public flight at some point during World Expo in 2025.
About Archer Air Taxis
Founded in San Jose, California in 2018, Archer Aviation has been at the forefront of air taxi manufacturing and design. The company has previously reached a deal with United Airlines in 2021 involving the delivery of “hundreds” of aircraft for $1.5 billion.
Archer has also landed a deal with Southwest Airlines. Both airlines will use Midnight to fly passengers across Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City as early as 2025.
Stellantis also invested $400 million into Archer to help the company produce up to 650 aircraft yearly. Stellantis is the automobile manufacturer that owns Jeep, Dodge, and many other brands.
Japan is seeing a bright future for air taxi services. Toyota Motors has pledged close to $1 billion into Joby Aviation towards the production and delivery of air taxis. Earlier this month, Toyota operated its first Joby test flight in Japan.
Last month, a WestJet baggage fee settlement proposed by the Evolink Law Group was approved by the Supreme Court of British Columbia. WestJet has yet to admit liability.
Now, those that have been wrongly charged a certain baggage fee by the airline can get a share of $12.5 million. There are multiple ways that passengers can make a claim, and they have until February of next year to do so.
About the WestJet Baggage Fee Settlement
Back in June, a plaintiff stated that WestJet charged passengers for a checked bag that was advertised as free, according to a policy that was in effect at the time.
The class action lawsuit is open to any traveler that flew with the Canadian airline. This includes Canadian residents and those that live abroad.
Here’s a rundown of the time period in which the free checked bag rule was supposed to be in effect:
Type of Flight
Time Period
Domestic Flight
From October 29, 2014 to July 29, 2017
International Flight
From 6 January, 2016 to 27 February, 2019
Those that flew with the airline within these time frames and paid for a checked bag can file a claim.
If there was any other time you paid for a checked bag during a time in which it was advertised as a free bag, you can also file a claim.
How to Join the WestJet Baggage Fee Settlement
The easiest way to file a claim is to submit a form online. Click on the blue “Enter Online Filing Site” button to get started. You will need credentials such as flight information and proof of payment. This way, the law firms know for sure you were unjustly paid for a bag.
If the Claims Administrator has already emailed you regarding this class action lawsuit, you can click the link within the email. The link will have a pre-populated claim form already filled out for you before you send it.
Alternatively, you can print the form in paper by going to this link. You will also need to provide proof of payment along with your form. Send the credentials and form to this address:
Those that file a claim don’t have to pay any fees. Attorney and court costs are already covered in the $12.5 million amount.
How Much Could Passengers Get?
The compensation that affected passengers will receive is a pro rata amount. This amount depends on how many valid claims are received and the rate of each claim.
The settlement notes that there are some restrictions on how much each passengers can received based on the fare option that was paid for:
“The settlement provides that distribution for each approved claim will not exceed $45 for class members on or after July 6, 2017, and $18 for class members before July 5, 2017.”
In addition, if you’ve paid this fee multiple times, you can only get compensation for up to three checked bags.
Passengers have now until 10 February, 2025 to file a claim and receive compensation.
The cross-country mission was tasked to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing and 350th Air Refueling Squadron RED FALCONS, based at McConnell AFB in Wichita, Kansas.
Fly along with AvGeekery and the 350th Air Refueling Squadron and the Thunderbirds!
McConnell AFB is home to 18 KC-135s, one of which was our plane for the mission. They also house 24 KC-46s (currently the only base to operate both aircraft). With McConnell located in the center of the country, it makes sense.
Thunderstorms nearly scrubbed our mission
Pilot Maj. Greg Rettler (left) and copilot Capt. Cody Devan (right), begins to taxi out for takeoff from McConnell AFB (Mike Killian photo)
The plan was to conduct several aerial refuelings of all 8 Thunderbird jets (two 2-seaters for media rides, plus the 6 demo jets), saving them the trouble of having to hop across the country landing repeatedly for gas.
We don’t need to remind our readers how important tankers are, or their role as the backbone of global air dominance. As the crews say, nobody kicks ass without tanker gas!
The flight deck of our KC-135 (Mike Killian Photo)
Thunderstorms around Wichita almost scrubbed our mission. However, under the expertise of pilot Maj. Greg Rettler and copilot Capt. Cody Devan, we were able to go wheels-up on-time.
We climbed to about 30,000 ft and headed SE, dodging storms along the way, heading for a point where the team would join us for their first aerial refueling.
Epic Aerial Refueling Adventure: AvGeekery Flies with the Thunderbirds! 15
In the meantime, Senior Airman Martin Hekking got busy in the boom station to prepare for refueling.
Meeting the Thunderbirds at 28,000 ft
We enjoyed the views flying over supercells that were causing trouble below us, before the team joined off our wings thirsty for gas. I headed to the boom with Hekking, along with Adventure Journalist Jim Clash from Forbes, to capture imagery.
Senior Airman Martin Hekking operating the boom, refueling the Thunderbirds 28,000 ft over Mississippi (Mike Killian photo)
Hekking has conducted thousands of “contacts” in his career, refueling more jets and bombers than he can count. The kind of experience you’d expect for such a mission. He was right at home.
I’ve been privileged to embed on many tanker missions over the years, but it never gets old.
We descended to 28,000 ft, cruising at 425 mph, with our eyes glued to the small windows in the boom station, anticipating the first jet’s approach.
Thunderbird approaching for aerial refueling 28,000 ft over the Mississippi River (Mike Killian Photo)
Before we know it, Hekking confirmed visual and the first Thunderbird approached as we flew high over the Mississippi River.
Epic Aerial Refueling Adventure: AvGeekery Flies with the Thunderbirds! 16
One by one each Thunderbird took on a few thousand pounds of gas. Both the tanker crew and team made it look easy, even though we were hitting turbulence along the way.
Mike Killian Photo
The Thunderbirds said thank you to the tanker crew with a smoke-on Delta formation
The team then came together behind the boom, and formed up their signature Delta maneuver with 6 jets in very close formation and smoke-on.
Mike Killian Photo
It’s one thing to see at an air show, but quite another at nearly 30,000 ft. It’s their way of saying thank you to the tanker crew for their help.
Mike Killian Photo
The team then spread out across the sky as we cruised over Texas, hidden under clouds below us. They gave me some great enthusiasm for the photos, waving and making sure I got some cool shots of them saying hello.
Mike Killian Photo
After another refueling for each jet, we surfed the cloud-tops together for a bit, and then said farewell and went our separate ways with mission accomplished.
Mission Accomplished
Our return to McConnell was uneventful, as most of the weather had moved on. We landed, shook hands, took some photos together and headed for the squadron building to debrief and call it a day.
Epic Aerial Refueling Adventure: AvGeekery Flies with the Thunderbirds! 17
The crew were all very cool and gave us a lot of their time, showing us around and sharing stories of their service and some short interviews.
Epic Aerial Refueling Adventure: AvGeekery Flies with the Thunderbirds! 18
It’s always an honor to embed with our airmen to help tell their story. The folks at McConnell AFB and the 22nd Air Refueling Wing are some of the best there is. My sincere thanks to all involved.
I need to visit the Thunderbirds at Nellis to do a story next!
As an avid AvGeekery addict, sometimes scrolling through YouTube validates the dangers of temporal distortion. Basically, watching videos of airplanes… for much longer than anticipated…
Seeing these YouTube Videos Made Me Reminisce about my Dollar Ride in the Tweet
Discovering the following videos led to many more T-37B videos, and well, we know what happens then… (nothing productive).
My Flight Journey from T-3A Firefly to my first Jet Flight
These T-37 videos wax nostalgia with me, as this was my first “Jet” to fly. Having previously flown Cessna 152/172s for a Private Pilot’s License, the next stop during the Air Force Pilot Training journey consisted of the T-3A Firefly. It was a beast of a plane: plus or minus 6 G’s, a fully aerobatic platform with 260 HP. The T-3A had a short tenure in the Flight Screening Program, but I was able to experience it. I flew the T-3A out of Hondo Airport, Texas. The Firefly introduced me to the Air Force’s expectations of a new pilot.
T-3A Firefly: Courtesy USAF
Once in the 53-week rigorous Undergraduate Pilot Training, the primary jet trainer T-37B “Tweet” gave me the thrill of a lifetime! Here’s the story of my first flight.
The Dollar Ride in the T-37B Tweet
After completing 6 weeks of academics that taught every airplane system in excruciating detail and a series of simulator sessions, it was time to fly the legendary trainer. With the July heat in Lubbock, Texas, in the 100s, preparation, nervous excitement, and anticipation from nearly 8 years hunting for this coveted position led to the sweaty, exhilarating “dollar ride.”
t-37b tweet formation at reese afb, tx: courtesy USAF
Engine startup complete, safety checks – checked. We taxied out to the runway and were ready to take off. As I literally “stood” on the brakes with all my force available to keep the airplane from rolling, I increased the two Continental J-69 T-25 Turbojet engines to Military power. I then felt the 1025 lbs of thrust begin to violently shake the aircraft. By this time, I was sweating profusely under the helmet, parachute, Nomex flightsuit, and gloves. The sun-heated bubble canopy didn’t help.
When I performed my final checks, I immediately sent my internal organs toward the aircraft tail, compressing the body into the ejection seat from the sudden rush of instantaneous forward momentum.
By 65 knots indicated airspeed, the body normalizes just in time to slowly raise the nose, then wait what feels like an eternity until the aircraft slips the surly bonds of earth. Gear retraction, flaps up, and the first flight has commenced. Acceleration to 250 knots occurs quickly, faster than I had ever gone under my own command.
Radio frequency changes followed in a flurry. We flew the stereo route to the Military Operations Area while the instructor demonstrated basic maneuvers. It provided a near-overwhelming set of new experiences and stimulations.
Bonus time in the training area
On my first flight, we had extra time in the area. Having studied aerobatics to verbalize exact entry, exit, and procedure parameters, the instructor let me propel the $165,000 Tweet through the 3G loop and aileron roll. The practice area was so much fun, but it was over too soon. We returned to base for landing. It all remained a blur.
We touched down, shut down the engine, and then closed out the maintenance forms. I peeled away from the cockpit in sweat-soaked garments. My dripping flat top was proof that I had just completed my most memorable flying experience of my career.
The day, THAT day, that FIRST day, of flying the mighty T-37B Tweet.
Tech giant Apple has debuted a brand-new feature for iPhone owners called “Share Item Location”. This new feature was discovered in an iPhone update on Monday, so this exciting new addition is free and available to travelers that own an iPhone right now.
Available now in iOS 18.2 public beta, users are now able to “Share Item Location” under the Find My feature. While users are able to track items like iPhones, MacBooks, and AirTags, users can now share tracking data with airlines.
Why iPhone Luggage-Tracking is a Game-Changer
If you own an iPhone, you’ll want to toggle the “Share Item Location” feature on, in the event your phone, laptop, or tagged luggage goes missing during air travel.
If your luggage with your AirTag attached goes missing, you can share a handy link to an airline agent or support representative. He or she will receive the link that will reveal the item’s whereabouts in real-time.
This makes finding your luggage much easier and quicker, especially when airlines have the resources and manpower to recover lost belongings hundreds, or even thousands of miles away.
These links will not be entirely public, however. Apple will keep each link accessible to a limited number of people. Airlines must also use an Apple account or verified email address to access each link.
Currently, there are 15 airlines from around the world that will use the “Share Item Location” in the very near future. These airlines are as follows:
United Airlines
Delta Air Lines
British Airways
Qantas
Air Canada
Air New Zealand
Lufthansa
Turkish Airlines
Iberia
Aer Lingus
Singapore Airlines
Eurowings
Virgin Atlantic
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Swiss International Airlines
Vueling
Austrian Airlines
Brussels Airlines
More airlines will start using this iPhone luggage-tracking feature over time.
United Airlines Chief Customer Officer David Kinzelman expressed his thoughts in Apple’s newest press release:
“We know many of our customers are already traveling with AirTag in their checked bags, and this feature will soon make it easier for them to share location information with us safely and securely, helping our customer service agents work more efficiently and giving our customers added peace of mind.”
Kinzelman also revealed that the service will be available “systemwide” in early 2025.
International Airlines Group (IAG) Head of Innovation Annalisa Gigante also had exciting news to share regarding the update for airlines such as British Airways and Iberia:
“We’re always testing innovative solutions and enhancing our systems to ensure that checked bags reach their intended destination as quickly as possible, and we look forward to incorporating this solution into our lost baggage processes beginning later this year.”
In addition to airlines, technology companies such as SITA can also obtain a link to missing luggage and incorporate it with esteemed bag-tracking platform WorldTracer. WorldTracer is currently used by more than 2,800 airports and 500 airlines to track luggage.
Kit Planes Built with Hard Work and Support from EAA Community
Buying and assembling your own kit plane might seem difficult, but it’s possible with some basic mechanical skills, hard work, and especially support from other pilots and builders.
Bearhawk B Kit Plane
Bob Willaford and Lauren Thomas are building a Bearhawk “B” kit plane in a hangar at Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida. They received the kit in May and hope to complete the project by June 2025. Bob previously built and piloted a Vans RV-9, and Thomas is working on her private pilot license.
Bob Willaford and Lauren Thomas working on their Bearhawk B. | Photo by Bill Lindner
The Bearhawk kit came with the basic airframe, tail suspension, brake system, wings, fairings, windshield, and engine mount. They purchased it as an ‘Advanced quick-build kit’ with some parts already assembled. They had to buy and order the engine, propeller, avionics components, tires, paint, fabric, and other items.
Interior structure of rudder on Bearhawk B. | Photo by Bill Lindner
Builders customizing their planes
They also ordered their instrument panel from Stein Air, which they could customize with the displays and other components they wanted. According to Thomas, one of their biggest challenges has been scheduling the delivery of some items and scheduling the delivery of items on back order. For example, they ordered the engine, a Lycoming IO-390, several months ago and expect it to arrive in January.
For the Bearhawk project, they also had to learn some new skills. The Bearhawk has fabric covering the fuselage and control surfaces, and the wings are aluminum. Willaford and Thomas recently went to a class at Stewart Systems in Wooster, Ohio, to learn fabric covering and painting techniques for their kit plane.
They described how they learned to spray the fabric with multiple coats of different substances, including an eco-coat, ultraviolet protection, primer, and paint. These soak into the Dacron fabric and fill in the weave, producing a stiff, durable, and light surface. In addition to spraying, they also had to cut the fabric to fit the aircraft surfaces.
Plans and other documents for build of Bearhawk B. | photo by Bill Lindner
Building kit planes with support from other EAA members
Willaford and Thomas are not alone as they work on the Bearhawk. They receive support from fellow Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 66 members at Page Field. On a recent Sunday, Bob was designing and fabricating an aluminum tray to mount under the instrument panel, while Thomas was working on the rudder and elevators.
Throughout the day, other members of EAA 66 stopped by the hangar. Some offered help, others asked questions about their kit planes, and others just wanted to talk about aircraft. A young man, Blake, showed up and helped Thomas remove the packing materials from the rudder. Another EAA member, David Burns, visited and offered to help with the equipment tray.
Van’s RV-10
Burns is building his own kit plane, a Van’s Aircraft RV-10, in the hangar bay next to Willaford and Thomas. In the same hangar, Burns keeps the Sportsman he built from a kit several years ago.
David Burns is building his RV-10 kit plane next to his Sportsman. | Photo by Bill Lindner
When Burns saw that Willaford was working on the equipment tray, he brought him to the Sportsman to show him how he configured the instrument panel and tray. Burns removed the cover from the aircraft’s dashboard so they could examine the parts.
Burns explained how he had attached hinges to the bottom of his tray to allow it to drop down and provide easy access, and Willaford decided to use the same design on the Bearhawk.
Area behind the instrument panel on the Sportsman. Burns removed the cover to show Willaford how he designed the equipment tray underneath it. | Photo by Bill Lindner
Burns explained a customization he made on the Sportsman to install a timer to control fuel flow from the four tanks on the aircraft. On his RV-10, he chose to buy a Lycoming 540 engine. Customization and making modifications seem to be some of the appeals of building kit planes.
One gets the sense that EAA members collaborate and consult with each other quite a bit on their kit planes. Willaford said the EAA 66 has a “parts and pieces” area with specialty tools members can use. All of this support and knowledge sharing seem to be some of the most important aspects of building these planes. This is a real community of airplane builders and pilots.
Van’s RV-14 kit plane
Dan Ruehl is another Florida pilot who built his own kit plane. He built his Van’s RV-14, working on it for two years in his garage and completing it in his hangar, which is only about five minutes from his house. Altogether, it took him just under four years to finish the aircraft. Like Willaford, Thomas, and Burns, Ruehl received help from members of EAA 66 as he worked on the RV-14.
Dan Rueul built his RV-14 kit plane with help from EAA 66 members. | Photo courtesy Dan Ruehl
“I did surround myself with experienced mentors, so if I had a question, I had lots of options for advice,” said Ruehl. “I think that was the smartest thing I did during this entire build.”
Cockpit of Dan Ruehl’s RV-14. | Photo courtesy Dan Ruehl
Community of kit plane builders
Neither Willaford, Thomas, Burns, nor Ruehl is a commercial pilot. They all had other careers and now enjoy being around aircraft. Willaford was a fireman, Thomas was a Nurse, and Ruehl is still an air traffic controller. Burns calls his involvement in aviation a hobby. None of them fly professionally. Instead, they enjoy building and flying their own kit planes. But those aren’t the only reasons they do this. They also enjoy working together and helping each other to build and fly.
An unidentified assailant on the ground fired shots at a Spirit Airlines aircraft as it was landing in Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Haiti. A total of four shots were reported, with no deaths and one injury from a Spirit Flight attendant.
Spirit Airlines Arrival: the Latest
The incident occurred Monday during the tail-end of a flight from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida. The plane (N966NK) was making its approach in Port-au-Prince, Haiti when it was struck.
🚨 #BREAKING . Flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hit by gunfire over Haiti.
Only one person was reported injured by a grazing bullet.
The flight was diverted to the Dominican Republic.
Four visible bullet holes were visible in the cabin. The Miami Herald reports that one of the bullets grazed a flight attendant.
The crew made the decision to divert the aircraft to Santiago, Dominican Republic. The flight attendant was also evaluated by medical personnel.
Spirit cancelled all flights to Haiti. The airline made arrangements to fly the passengers on board back to Florida on an alternate flight.
During an investigation, a Spirit Airlines spokesperson responded to ABC News for comment. The spokesperson confirmed that the aircraft experienced “damage consistent with gunfire”.
“The safety of our Guests and Team Members is our top priority, and we have suspended our service at Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien pending further evaluation,” the statement read.
Political Unrest in Haiti
Airlines at Toussaint airport suspended all flights after the incident. The U.S. Embassy in Haiti reported that a gang was in the vicinity looking to seize control of the airport around the same time the Spirit flight landed.
The unrest at the airport was related to a shift in authority on Sunday. Haiti has experienced constant upheaval for the past few years as multiple governments have formed, only later to collapse. With the lack of a steady government, rival gangs have grown in power to control areas of Haiti sparking frequent shortages of fuel, food, and safe drinking water.
This isn’t the first incident of unrest affecting flights in the region. Gang members also reportedly opened fire and hit a flying United Nations helicopter weeks ago. The helicopter with three crew members and 15 passengers aboard were not injured.
American Airlines now prohibits flight attendants from easily removing passengers over mild concerns such as odor, attire, or attitude. This gives attendants less power to remove customers from flights at will.
The new rule has been added to the American Airlines in-flight manual for all attendants to read and follow. The airline states that representatives from airports and other committees have reviewed the manual and made suggestions for what should be added or changed.
American Airlines Prohibits Trivial Removals
Within the revision, American Airlines wrote the following:
“We’ve made important updates and provided additional clarity — with special attention directed at situations that involve customer acceptance and those that may result in the removal of passengers.”
Here is a rundown of the new policies in the in-flight manual:
Flight attendants can only remove passengers over concerns of safety or security.
Any concerns attendants have must first be addressed with the passenger in question.
Flight attendants are not allowed to make decisions on removing passengers alone. At least two crew members must come up with a resolution.
The flight captain will maintain authority over passenger removals due to safety, but he or she will now need to contact a Complaint Resolution Official. Attendants will also need to submit a Customer Event Non-Safety (CERS) report.
An American Airlines Airbus A321. Image: Glenn Beltz from Goleta, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The new manual also includes a statement on discrimination:
“Our charge for every team member — no matter the circumstance — is to lead with respect, discretion, care and empathy…Discrimination based on race, gender, color, sexual orientation or national origin against any customer or team member is unacceptable and will not be tolerated at American Airlines.”
The Story Behind New American Rules
On 5 January, 2024, a caucasian male flight attendant removed eight black male passengers off an American Airlines flight due to “offensive body odor”. The flight was slated for Phoenix to New York City, stalling the trip home for many passengers.
The ordeal was said to have delayed the flight for about an hour. The men were eventually allowed back on the plane to New York.
Three of the eight men responded with a lawsuit against American in late June. Three Brooklyn residents, Alvin Jackson, Emmanual Jean Joseph, and Xavier Veal, claimed they faced “blatant and egregious” racial discrimination from the staff.
A video of the incident is available on YouTube. It shows many of the men arguing with an airline agent outside the gate to the aircraft.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom publicly commented on the incident in a letter to employees. “I am incredibly disappointed by what happened on that flight and the breakdown of our procedures,” said Isom. “…We fell short of our commitments and failed our customers in this incident.”
Following an internal investigation, the airline responded by announcing that the crew members that barred the men from flying were placed on leave.
American Airlines’ policies imply that there’s still a possibility that attendants can refuse to serve passengers over odor. But the new additions to the policy will make it harder and require more steps to carry out.
Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota and American aviation company Joby Aviation conducted the first air taxi flight in Japan. Joby’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft managed to successfully transport passengers in one of Toyota’s production locations earlier this month.
The first international flight was conducted at the Toyota Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Shizuoka, Japan on 4 November. Within sight of Mount Fuji, the test flight signified the aircraft’s environmental friendliness. The flight was also a homage to the two company’s fruitful, seven-year relationship.
Toyota and Joby Heads Give Congratulations
Joby Founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt commented on the first flight in Japan:
“Our first overseas flight marks a significant milestone on our journey towards making clean air travel an everyday reality. We share Toyota’s vision for the future of mobility and are honored to have had the opportunity to present a glimpse of that future through our flight in Japan.”
Toyota Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Hiroki Nakajima also chimed in on the potential of Joby’s eVTOL vehicles:
“Air mobility has the potential to change our ‘sense of distance and time,’ and open a future with the new option of air mobility that will further enrich the lives of many people.”
Joby’s air taxi can travel up to 200 miles per hour and seat five people in unison, including the pilot. According to Joby, the eVTOL aircrafts also operate with zero carbon emissions and run quieter than most helicopters today.
With Joby’s air taxis planned for service, the company hopes to alleviate land vehicle traffic congestion. The taxis can also give travelers in rural and urban areas more transportation options.
Toyota and Joby’s Aviation Aspirations
In October, Toyota announced it would pledge $500 million into Joby, with a lifetime total of $394 million since 2019. Two tranches make up the new investment. The first tranche is set to deliver some time later in 2024, with the second tranche taking place in 2025.
Prior to the recent investment, Toyota previously invested money in Joby towards the creation of unique powertrains and other components for the American air taxis. Toyota President and CEO Ted Ogawa also joined Joby’s Board of Directors at the start of July 2023.
Earlier in 2024, Joby reached an agreement with Dubai’s road and Transport Authority to operate air taxi services in the United Arab Emirates starting as early as 2026. Joby is also looking to legally fly its eVTOL taxis in the United Kingdom and Australia in the future.
Imagine flying from Beijing to New York City for lunch and returning to China in time for dinner. This might seem hard to imagine, but a Chinese company has plans to make it possible with supersonic travel as early as 2027.
On 27 October 2024, the Chinese company Space Transportation, also known as LingkongTianxing Technology, reported it conducted a successful test flight of its Yunxing prototype plane. The company claims the aircraft will be able to fly at speeds of about 3069 miles per hour or Mach 4, far exceeding the target Mach 1.5 speeds of the planned Boom supersonic jet.
Front of the Yunxing | (X @CNSpaceflight)
Concorde Taxiing | Public Domain
Space Transportation plans for the Yunxing to be the first supersonic commercial airliner since the Concorde to provide supersonic travel and that it will fly significantly faster than the Concorde’s maximum speed of about 1250 miles per hour or Mach 2.
Design Challenges for the Yunxing
Space Transportation has not released many details about things like the size and passenger capacity of the Yunxing but did state that it will have an all-composite structure. It also announced that the aircraft will have some unique capabilities for a passenger jet, like having vertical takeoff and landing capabilities and flying at about 65,000 feet.
Space Transportation will face some technical challenges with supersonic travel, and none might be more difficult than kinetic heating. Supersonic aircraft face kinetic heating caused by friction from the air. During flight, the Concorde, for example, would heat up to about 266 degrees Fahrenheit at its nose and 199 degrees at its tail. The heat would also cause the airframe to expand nine or ten inches, a process known as thermal liner expansion.
Space transportation will certainly have to account for this with the expected higher supersonic speeds of the Yunxing.
Buffeting at high speeds will be another challenge Space Transportation must face before it can return to supersonic travel. Chinese researchers are working on this. As aircraft reach and exceed the speed of sound, shock waves develop which can reduce lift and cause dangerous vibrations.
Scientists from Northwestern Polytechnical University in China are working on a concept to incorporate holes into wing designs. The holes would diminish the shock waves and vibrations and result in improved aerodynamic efficiency.
Funding and Bold Claims
Space Transportation has attracted investors interested in the Yunxing project and supersonic travel, pulling in $76 million in recent years from Chinese state-owned companies and private corporations. The company is not afraid of making bold claims about the project.
A 2021 press release from Space Transportation stated they were the “only high-tech enterprise in China that is engaged in the research and development and application of commercial hypersonic flights.”
While this sounds impressive, it is not technically correct, as the definition of “hypersonic” is a speed that exceeds five times the speed of sound.
Despite Space Transportation’s claims, other companies have begun to show interest in developing their own supersonic commercial aircraft, including Boeing, Hermeus, and Boom Supersonic. Boom is working on its XB-1 with the goal of providing supersonic travel.
Concorde Set Early Standard in Supersonic Travel
The Concorde was the first commercial jet to offer supersonic travel and made flights, usually between Paris, London, and New York, from 1976 until 2003. It carried 92 – 128 passengers and nine crew members. Space Transportation has not provided details on how many passengers the Yunxing will carry.
The Concorde also saw a steep reduction in numbers of passengers following September 11, 2001, and was limited to flying mostly over water to avoid creating sonic booms near populated areas. All of this combined to make the aircraft too costly to continue its commercial flights.
Supersonic Travel Versus Luxury
Artist depiction of interior of yunxing | space transportation
Space Transportation estimates passengers will pay between $20000 to $30000 to fly one-way on the Yunxing. It used to cost about $12000 for a round-trip ticket on the Concorde between London and New York. This brings up questions of why people would choose supersonic travel on the Chinese aircraft, especially considering some of the more comfortable, less expensive, but luxurious options available for first-class travel.
Space Transportation has released images of what the interior of the Yunxing will be like, and it does look similar to the Concorde. It appears a bit cramped with not much room to move about during the flight, but if you are traveling at 3,000 mph and getting to your destination in a few hours, does that really matter?
Concorde Interior | public domain
For an example of luxurious travel, ETIHAD, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), offers an opulent first-class suite called “The Residence” on its Airbus 380s which is a three-room apartment with living room, bedroom, shower, and butler service. The cost for a round-trip ticket in the “The Residence” from New York to Abu Dhabi is about $25000.
Bedroom in etihad “residence” in flight suite | etihad
Customers To Determine if Yunxing is a Success
Customers willing to pay a lot for air travel will have to decide between the convenience of supersonic travel versus luxury. That may determine whether the Yunxing will be successful or whether it will eventually fail due to high costs.
The future will tell whether the Yunxing will set a new standard in supersonic travel, or whether it will have a relatively short lifespan like the Concorde. That is if this paper airplane ever becomes reality.
The F-100 Super Sabre Overcame Significant Engineering Challenges To Become A Legendary Fighter Bomber
North American’s F-100 Super Sabre served the United States for 25 years. The Hun was the first American fighter jet capable of level supersonic flight. Progenitor of the Century Series, the F-100 was conceived in 1949 and developed during the 1950s- serving during some of the hottest years of the Cold War. North American’s justly famous F-86 Sabre jet fighter was the aircraft upon which the Hun was loosely based. One of the first American aircraft to incorporate significant amounts of titanium in its structure, the F-100 was much more than a redesigned F-86.
Official US Air Force Photograph
Bought Before It Was Built
The F-100 began as an unsolicited proposal for a supersonic day fighter to the United States Air Force (USAF). Because the F-100 was equipped with wings swept at 45 degrees, it was initially dubbed the Sabre 45. North American’s mockup of the design was inspected on 7 July 1951, and after over a hundred modifications, the new aircraft was accepted as the F-100 on 30 November 1951. On 3 January 1952, the USAF ordered two prototypes (YF-100As) to be followed quickly by 23 F-100As for delivery in February of 1952 and 250 more F-100As for delivery in August of 1952.
Official US Air Force Photograph
Deadly Sabre Dance
First flown in May of 1953, the YF-100A prototype performed so well that the F-100A went into production just five months later. But when Pearl Harbor hero and North American test pilot George Welch was killed in an early production F-100A during October of 1954 the cause was determined to be yaw instability-induced inertia coupling. Additional flight testing revealed that as the F-100A approached stall speeds, lift reduction on the outer wings could cause a violent pitch-up- the Sabre Dance.
Official US Air Force Photograph
Prone to Problems at First
Potentially deadly design issues notwithstanding, the F-100A was pressed into service quickly due to delays in the other fighter-bomber in development at the time, Republic’s F-84F Thunderstreak. The Hun went into service with the USAF Tactical Air Command (TAC) in September of 1954. TAC immediately requested that subsequently delivered F-100s be capable of “special weapons” (tactical nuclear weapons) delivery and that they keep the four 20 millimeter cannons mounted in the forward fuselage. However, no less than six major mishaps occurred within just two months. The entire fleet of F-100As was grounded until February of 1955.
Official US Air Force Photograph
Those Slick Chicks
One noteworthy modification program was the Slick Chick RF-100A photographic reconnaissance variant. Six F-100As were modified to fit cameras in place of the gun armament. Because the camera equipment would not all fit within the available space the engineers added a bulge that extended from below the windshield almost to the trailing edge of the wing. RF-100As apparently flew some highly sensitive missions over Soviet-occupied territories in Europe during some of the hottest days of the Cold War. Many of these missions are still classified today. After their service in Europe the Slick Chicks were used by the Taiwanese. Those missions are also still classified too.
