The Month In Air Transport: January 2021

Credit: Capt. Christian Villard

The Air France Flight 66 (AF066) accident in 2017 not only bears metallurgy lessons for OEMs but also serves as an example of airmanship. The flight crew adapted existing procedures to a serious event that had not been addressed in any manual or simulator session. They also worked effectively with the cabin crew to prevent passengers from becoming a hazard during the 17 hr. they spent in the cabin after landing.

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Credit: Remy Gabalda/AFP/Getty Images

The answer is complicated. In theory, relatively high levels of production in times of low or zero demand lead to low pricing. But the reality might prove more nuanced and differ by program and manufacturer.

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Credit: F. Lancelot/Airbus

The widebody market had been slow for years even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Airbus had to terminate the A380 program, and Boeing will end the 747 soon. The current crisis has made an already difficult market even worse for the two manufacturers, threatening the viability of programs and offering a much less optimistic outlook even for the long term.

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Aircraft interiors manufacturers continue to roll out new, innovative seat designs in response to the ever-changing needs of the airline passenger.

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Credit: Lufthansa

Late last year, just before the holiday break, German pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit and Lufthansa Group had some news to share. The pilots agreed to forgo planned salary raises and to extend by one year the short-time work scheme that is largely funded by the federal government and that aims to keep people employed across the economy. 

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Credit: Grant Faint/Getty Images

One of the most popular discussion questions these days is: When will air travel return to pre-COVID-19 levels? There is a wide spectrum of opinions. Most believe that after vaccines are widely distributed, leisure travel will come roaring back, thanks to pent-up demand. But what about business travel, which comprises 40-50% of airline revenues and most of their profits? 

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As Europe clears the MAX's return, 777X and 787 woes cap a horrible year and record loss for Boeing. Listen in as Aviation Week editors discuss.

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Credit: Peter Westmacott/Twitter

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. Sadly, a picture tweeted Friday from Heathrow Airport could cost the air transport industry far more dearly.

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Credit: Boeing

Boeing has reached an agreement exceeding $2.5 billion with the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) to settle criminal charges that two of its employees defrauded the FAA’s Aircraft Evaluation Group (AEG) about safety issues connected to two fatal 737 MAX accidents.

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