Category Archives: aviation

Q3 2025 Airline Profits in Trump Slump

Posted on 18 December 2025 by Ken Zino

US Airlines net profit was $1.6 billion in Q3 2025, a decrease of profit compared to Q3 2024 of $2.1 billion, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today. “U.S. scheduled passenger airlines reported a third-quarter 2025 after-tax net … Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, economy, financial results, news, news analysis, results, transportation, Trump Truth Tests | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

HondaJet Flies on Sustainable Aviation Fuel!

Posted on 13 October 2025 by Ken Zino

Honda Aircraft Company today announced it has become the first twin-turbine very light business jet manufacturer to fly the HondaJet on a successful test flight running a 100% blend of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). HondaJet aircraft currently in service have been operated by customers on approved SAF blends of up to 50%. GE Honda Aero successfully completed tests of the HF120 engine on the ground utilizing 100% SAF fuel blends in 2022 and 2023, providing an early demonstration of the feasibility of the HondaJet’s recent test flight.

“We are immensely proud of our Honda Aircraft Company engineering team carrying forward our commitment to the future of aviation by demonstrating that the HondaJet is capable of operating on a 100% SAF blend,” said Amod Kelkar, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Honda Aircraft Company. “This achievement is a step toward aligning our business activities with the global Honda goal of decarbonizing our business activities by 2050.” Continue reading →

Posted in alternative fuels, aviation, energy, environment, fuel economy or emissions, global warming, milestones, mobility company, news, news analysis, public health, shows and events, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

UAW Has Tentative Contract at GE Aerospace

Posted on 13 September 2025 by Ken Zino

The UAW said today that after a two-week strike over “unfair labor practices,” UAW Local 647 members at GE Aerospace now have an agreement that addresses  the principal issues. The tentative agreement covers a five-year term. However, all picket lines at both the Erlanger, Kentucky and Evendale, Ohio sites will continue until the UAW Local 647 membership (~600) at GE Aerospace holds a ratification vote on Friday 19 September 2025. The strike was the first UAW strike at GE since 1988. Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, labor issues, manufacturing, news, news analysis, shows and events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

FAA to Increase Air Traffic Controller Trainee Hiring

Posted on 27 February 2025 by Ken Zino

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced a new plan to increase the hiring of air traffic controllers. This announcement followed a tour of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Academy at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center after a series of disastrous and fatal incidents under the unfriendly skies of Trump 2.0.

“Today’s visit reaffirmed how being an air traffic controller is one of the best, most rewarding jobs in America, and that the next generation at the Academy is the best in the world. I witnessed firsthand the dedication, skill, and rigor that our future air traffic controllers bring to their training and the urgent need to do all that we can to recruit more people to join in our shared mission of safety in our skies,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, labor issues, news, news analysis, public health, safety, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Milestones 2025 – the Goodyear Blimp 100th Anniversary

Posted on 2 January 2025 by Ken Zino

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) will celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2025 of the Goodyear Blimp with flights over more cities to appearances at new events, and chances for fans to fly. There will also be “limited-edition … Continue reading →

Posted in aftermarket, aviation, marketing, milestones, news, shows and events, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Airports – More Safety, Capacity Improvements On Way

Posted on 16 December 2024 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding $20.5 million for 25 grants across 14 states and Puerto Rico to modernize airports under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG) program, part of the $25 billion total included in the law over a period of five years for airport and air traffic control infrastructure improvements.

Nearly three million people travel by air every day in the United States. According to the Census of Governments (CoG) from the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 435 independent special districts operating as airport authorities, airport commissions, or port authorities across the United States. In addition, local governments such as counties and municipalities, and state governments, may also operate airport authorities. They are all responsible for the behind-the-scenes operations at public airports. As of the 2022 CoG, there were 435 independent airport authorities and commissions nationwide. The Midwest had the most (189) of any region, followed by the South (159). Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, news, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Investing in America by Fixing Airport Control Towers

Posted on 6 December 2024 by Ken Zino

“Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden-Harris Administration is supporting every part of our aviation system, including airports in small communities that drive local economies and help people get where they need to go,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With today’s announcement, 20 more airports will have the resources they need to upgrade operations and make travel safer and more efficient.” Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, economy, milestones, news, news analysis, safety, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

American Airlines and JetBlue Alliance Blocked

Posted on 9 November 2024 by Ken Zino

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit last Friday affirmed the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts’ ruling in favor of the Justice Department and the Attorneys General of six states and the District of Columbia in their civil antitrust lawsuit to stop the Northeast Alliance between American Airlines and JetBlue. Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, customer satisfaction, litigation, news, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota Motor, Joby Aviation Meet at Toyota’s Technical Center

Posted on 4 November 2024 by Ken Zino

Toyota Motor Corporation and Joby Aviation executives came together at Toyota’s Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Shizuoka, Japan on Saturday 2 November. Present were Akio Toyoda, chairman Toyota Group, and Joby CEO and founder, JoeBen Bevirt, along with Joby’s air taxi, an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL*). After its first flights in Japan on previous day, the plan was to get senior executives on board, so to speak.

However, the weather kept them on the ground. Nonetheless, their aspirations still soared upward. “Since its founding, Toyota has been working to realize a society in which everyone can move freely. About 100 years ago, in 1925, Sakichi Toyoda, founder of the Toyota Group, offered a prize to encourage the development of a storage battery that could provide enough performance ‘to fly an airplane across the Pacific Ocean.’ Since then, Toyota has continued to focus on the challenge of air mobility through the generations,” Toyota said in a release likely prepared when the Sun was shining. Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, economy, environment, milestones, mobility company, news, news analysis, shows and events, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota to Invest in Joby Aviation EV Taxis!

Posted on 15 October 2024 by Ken Zino

In a quiet, overlooked announcement earlier this month, Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM) and Joby Aviation( NYSE: JOBY), a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, announced that Toyota will invest an additional $500 million to support the certification and commercial production of Joby’s electric air taxi.  The investment will be made in two equal tranches, with the first targeted to close later this year and the second during 2025. This is part of a trend of traditional automobile companies transitioning to mobility companies  on land, the seas, air or space.

“Today’s investment builds on nearly seven years of collaboration between our companies,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO, Joby Aviation. “The knowledge and support shared by Toyota has been instrumental in Joby’s success and we look forward to deepening our relationship as we deliver on our shared vision for the future of air travel.” Continue reading →

Posted in autonomous vehicles, aviation, economy, electric vehicles, engineering, environment, global warming, milestones, news analysis, shows and events, software defined vehicles, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

FAA Okays Automated Commercial Drone Flights

Posted on 30 July 2024 by Ken Zino

The FAA said today that it has authorized commercial drone flights without visual observers in the same Dallas-area airspace. In a first for U.S. aviation, Zipline International and Wing Aviation can now deliver packages while it’s claimed that  their drones safely separated  from other air traffic using so called Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) technology.

Previously, when operating drones, the drone pilot must be able to always see the unmanned aircraft. However, what the FAA claims are new advancements in air traffic technology and procedures are making these “Beyond Visual Line of Sight” (BVLOS) flights routine. Considerable lobbying pressure no doubt is in play. The FAA budget was threatened by Republicans last year in latest fiscal year fiasco. The current budget expires on 30 September, so fasten your safety belt, this is going to be a stormy flight. Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, electronics, engineering, milestones, news analysis, shows and events, software defined vehicles, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ex VP of KanRus Trading Guilty Exporting Avionics to Russia

Posted on 3 July 2024 by Ken Zino

Douglas Edward Robertson, 56, of Olathe, Kansas, the former vice president of KanRus Trading Company Inc., pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a years-long conspiracy to circumvent U.S. export laws by filing false export forms with the U.S. government and, after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. KanRus continued to sell and export sophisticated and controlled avionics equipment to customers in Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Justice Department said. The so-called Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB aka FSS) the main security agency of Russia, successor agency to the KGB of the  Soviet Union also used KanRus. Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, electronics, engineering, fools 'n frauds, people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stellantis Adds Another $55 Million to Archer Aviation

Posted on 2 July 2024 by Ken Zino

“Few things rival the excitement of seeing a dream take flight. I applaud the innovation, expertise and hard work of the engineering and manufacturing teams from Stellantis and Archer,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. “With this additional investment in Archer, we remain on course for a future where freedom of mobility extends beyond today’s roads.” Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, economy, electric vehicles, environment, milestones, mobility company, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Air Travel Consumer Report Shows Improvements in 2023

Posted on 2 February 2024 by Ken Zino

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR)* on airline operational data compiled for the month of November 2023 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, and mishandled wheelchairs and scooters. During 2023, DOT issued the largest fines on airlines in the history of the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection while helping return more than $3 billion in refunds to travelers since the start of the pandemic. Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, customer satisfaction, news analysis, people, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Biden-Harris Administration – 157 More Infrastructure Grants

Posted on 30 January 2024 by Ken Zino

The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said today it will award $245.9 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Airport Infrastructure Grants (AIG). under the. The $245.9 million includes 153 grants in 37 states to modernize airport infrastructure, improve runway safety, and create jobs to build a better America. This trumps the trend during the last decade where political talk without funding delayed the ability to modernize technology and infrastructure that support the airspace. Continue reading →

Posted in aviation, environment, milestones, news, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment