Dear reader, Once more in this week’s On Aviation™ Digest, we have decided to bring you a couple of stories that we have found to be quite interesting. These are current events in the aviation space. They range from very exciting to very concerning. Now. Without further ado. Enjoy!
Russia’s Aviation Industry in Crisis Amid Delays As Planes Break Down
Hundreds of Russian passengers bound for the city of Yekaterinburg have been stranded in Antalya, Turkey, for a second day after a Russian airline suddenly lost two of its three Boeing 777 aircraft due to technical problems, authorities said.
“Two Boeing 777 aircraft out of the three available in the airline’s fleet were simultaneously out of service due to technical reasons,” Russia’s Red Wings said in a statement. In a post on its Telegram channel, the airline said the two aircraft “simultaneously failed.”
Russia’s aviation industry has been hard hit by Western sanctions imposed over President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian-operated Boeing planes have been sanctioned by the U.S. government, and the plane maker has stopped delivering spare parts and new aircraft to the country.
By Isabel Van Brugen | Newsweek
Leaders hopeful FAA investments will ease air travel troubles
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Plans to invest in the Federal Aviation Administration have leaders optimistic that the air travel industry is about to get some much-needed updates.
The hope is that will mean a smoother experience for passengers after several seasons of messy travel troubles.
As we fly through the summer travel season, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he’s been encouraged by how things are going.
“The rate of cancellations and delays is dramatically lower than it was a year ago. Matter of fact lower than the 10-year average,” Buttigieg said.
He believes that’s because of the pressure his department has put on airlines to take better care of passengers.
“A lot of progress has been made. There’s still a long way to go,” Buttigieg said.
By Hannah Brandt | FOX2Now
NASA’s incredible new solid-state battery pushes the boundaries of energy storage: ‘This could revolutionize air travel’
A new solid-state sulfur selenium battery developed by NASA could revolutionize air travel by powering planes with electricity instead of gas.
Airplanes require a lot of fuel to get and stay in the air. While flying, they release a wide variety of harmful pollutants into the air. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that commercial air travel accounts for 10% of U.S. transportation emissions and 3% of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
Electric airplanes do exist, but they’re not widely used. They can’t fly as fast or for as long as planes powered with traditional combustion engines. The unfortunate fact is that electric batteries just aren’t as “energy dense” — they don’t store as much per-pound energy — as gas. A plane would require a battery with an energy density of around 800 watt-hours per kilogram (about 363 watt-hours per pound) to get off the ground. Until recently, the strongest batteries had an energy density of only 250 watt-hours per kilogram (about 113 watt-hours per pound).
Most of today’s electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries, the same kind of batteries that power most phones and laptops. Lithium-ion batteries have a high power-to-weight ratio and can withstand high temperatures, but they still can’t provide larger airplanes with the energy they need to get off the ground or to go very far. In addition, lithium-ion batteries are made with flammable materials, posing a risk to aircraft should they malfunction.
By Jane Donohue | The Cooldown via Yahoo News
New Airline Lounges And Inflight Perks Make Air Travel Surprisingly Better This Summer
With weather disruptions and constant delays upending the conversation about air travel this summer, it’s actually not all bad news. Many carriers are working to improve what they offer as they invest in new aircraft, lounges and amenities, a welcome change following the pandemic years.
Whether you are traveling as the result of winning a free vacation (are you entering these free travel sweepstakes?) or to visit a new hotel or resort in a destination you’ve never visited, these airline products are worth exploring. Thankfully, air carriers are introducing new products and perks that can make the travel experience better.
By Ramsey Qubein | Forbes
Note: The views and opinions expressed in the content shared in this digest are for informational purposes only, are solely those of the original content creators, and do not constitute an endorsement by or necessarily represent the views of On Aviation™ or its affiliates.
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