tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839414103133113432024-03-13T18:20:21.783-04:00Runway1R: Stuck on the GroundNews about Washington Dulles International Airport, the aviation industry as a whole, and Dulles Airport's relationship with the city of Washington DC. Covering topics such as infrastructure, new routes, and anything related to IAD.Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-3741324610243636792014-05-13T13:00:00.000-04:002014-05-15T12:13:07.103-04:00Frontier Airlines Announces Major Expansion to Washington DullesToday Denver-based Frontier Airlines had big news to report, announcing that they would be launching service to Washington Dulles with 14 new destinations that include Orlando, Chicago and Las Vegas. The first flight will take place on Aug 19 with flights to Atlanta and Orlando, with the expansion topping off on Sept 15 with the first flight to Chicago-O'Hare.
“Customers who fly Frontier from Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-48542056121876929792014-04-29T16:00:00.000-04:002014-04-30T08:47:47.419-04:00When The News Stops Telling Us The NewsEver since Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared on March 8, CNN has had wall to wall coverage of the incident, broadcasting live 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and only stopping for commercial breaks and jumping right back to MH370 within minutes.
They've used high tech hologram graphics, full size 777 cockpit mockups and flight simulators and even model planes to fill time. They've Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-40331420323699532842014-03-09T09:00:00.000-04:002014-03-09T17:43:27.144-04:00The 777 Is (Still) The Safest Plane In The World And I Have Stats To Prove ItIn the wake of the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight 370, a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing two days ago, the internet is abuzz with news, pictures, and falsified reports. But a smaller discussion is going on behind the scenes that is far more upsetting to me as an AvGeek.
Tucked away in tiny corners of the internet, members of the general public are swearing never to flyJohnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-39953676181428880212013-11-22T11:00:00.000-05:002013-11-26T21:37:23.183-05:00Boeing Wins DubaiBoeing and the Big Three Gulf stole the show at this year's Dubai Air Show, held between Sunday Nov. 17 and Thursday Nov. 21. Officially launching its 777X program, Boeing made a big splash on day one of the air show, securing 225 firm orders of the jet from the Big Three Middle Eastern carriers; Emirates' orders alone totaled 150 aircraft. Including Lufthansa's 34, orders for the 777X now total Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-24248027074330259032013-09-18T11:12:00.001-04:002013-09-18T11:12:53.252-04:00A Week of First FlightsThis week, two different plane models took to the skies for the very first time; Canadian manufacturer Bombardier flew their brand new CSeries aircraft for the first time on Monday, and Tuesday, American aerospace giant Boeing sent their stretched 787, the 787-9, to fly the skies.
On Monday, it was Bombardier's turn to take the first flight spotlight. The Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-91746444457503806412013-09-03T11:00:00.000-04:002013-09-03T11:00:08.623-04:00JetBlue's First A321 Appears in Hamburg
Video of JetBlue's first A321 surfaced over the weekend
JetBlue's first ever A321 has been spotted being towed around the ramp
at Hamburg's Finkenwerder airport in Germany. As is typical with airbus
aircraft which has the tails assembled and painted in a separate
facility before arriving for final assembly, this aircraft is no
different. But for a JetBlue aircraft, the tail is all we need Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-20059600286949415702013-08-19T11:00:00.000-04:002013-08-19T11:02:02.611-04:00Department of Justice Tries to Intervene in American Airlines/US Airways MergerWhile not quite cancelled, the mega merger between American Airlines and US Airways to form the world's largest airline, has certainly been delayed. Announced in February, the deal is supposed to create, yet again, the largest airline in the States and be the grand finale of airline mergers after more than 5 years of industry consolidation through mergers and acquisitions. The deal was put on Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-66637855407703896482013-08-12T11:00:00.000-04:002013-08-12T19:41:33.145-04:00What Has Happened in the Past MonthI arrived back from New York about a week ago, and so I thought I'd make this week's post about what all has happened in the month since I last posted. In an attempt to brush up on my journalism skills, I wrote a short paragraph on each event. Enjoy.
Ethiopian Airlines 787 Catches Fire in London: On July 12 Ethiopian 787 ET-AOP at London Heathrow Airport had a fire near the back of the plane. Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-43130541647418166012013-07-15T11:00:00.001-04:002013-07-15T11:00:00.537-04:00An Extended Trip to New York CityI will be taking a two and a half week trip to New York City, starting this Wednesday, the 17th, which means I will be unable to write three new blog posts. In addition to the normal tourist sightseeing around the city, starting next Sunday, I will be taking a business intensive course at Adelphi University on Long Island for two weeks to learn more about business, and of course get college Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-72776563045807399602013-07-08T23:00:00.000-04:002013-07-09T15:37:38.690-04:00Asiana Airlines Flight Crash Lands at San Francisco AirportSaturday morning started like any other morning at San Francisco International Airport. But after the marine layer had dissipated, that would change. At 11:27 AM, Asiana Airlines flight 214, a Boeing 777-200ER, experienced a hull-loss accident upon landing at the airport. The crash landing caused the tail and landing gear to separate from the plane, the aft pressure bulkhead to burst, and the Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-72207825532472852412013-07-01T11:00:00.001-04:002013-07-01T14:55:29.379-04:00Potential Route Development for Dulles AirportLast week, British Airways announced their inaugural routes for their first two Dreamliners, saying they will fly to Toronto starting September 1st and Newark starting October 1st, a move that, while not surprising, did disappoint yours truly. While unlikely, it could have been possible for Washington to receive one of British Airways inaugural 787 flights given the fact that British Airways' Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-27114105059342503252013-06-24T11:00:00.001-04:002013-06-24T11:00:04.374-04:00Brussels Airlines Brings Flights to WashingtonLast Tuesday, Brussels Airlines added a new design to the rainbow of tails of international airlines that fly into Washington Dulles International Airport. Announced in January, the Belgian carrier has begun flights five times a week between Brussels and Washington, using A330s. Flying as flight number 515, the flights will arrive at Dulles five days a week every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-45141194602473166742013-06-17T11:00:00.000-04:002013-06-23T18:45:01.556-04:00The A350 Flies for the First Time, Adding Fuel to the Fire in Widebody RaceAfter years of design, months of assembly, weeks of testing, and days of anticipation, Airbus' newest jet, the A350 took to the skies over Toulouse, France last Friday for its inaugural flight. A crew of 6 pilots and engineers flew the test flight, including Airbus' Chief Test Pilot Peter Chandler and A350 Project Pilot Guy Magrin, in front of hundreds of members of the media from around the Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-55418421934797640562013-06-10T11:00:00.000-04:002013-06-10T11:00:03.744-04:00Airlines and Their Relationships with Sports TeamsThese days, almost every team in major professional sports leagues has an official airline. These official airlines put their name on the big screen at the stadium, appear on local advertisements boasting their status as the "official airline of your team", and sponsor merchandise promotions at the team's home venue. Normally, these are airlines that operate a hub at the local airport or at a Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-13834886245002815262013-06-03T11:00:00.000-04:002013-06-03T15:09:28.182-04:00Dreamliners Return to the Skies in DrovesThis past week, dubbed Dreamliner week by yours truly, has seen four new airlines "re-inaugurate" 787 services, two airlines receive their first 787, confirmation that all 50 Dreamliners delivered before the grounding have been refitted with the improved battery system, and to top it all off, the first pictures surfacing of Boeing's first 787-9 in final assembly at their production facility in Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-80438375548813989922013-05-27T11:00:00.002-04:002013-05-27T11:00:02.997-04:00The Toy Airport SetLooking back, there have been so many things in my life that could have kickstarted a lifelong interest in aviation. For one thing, I had planes fly over my house every day, and still no interest was sparked until I was 15. My dad used to take annual business trips to Frankfurt and the whole family would go pick him up at the airport, and still no interest. I only flew for the first time when I Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-19004023149017245092013-05-20T11:00:00.003-04:002013-05-20T11:00:05.528-04:00What's Behind a Flight NumberEverybody, both occasional travelers and seasoned frequent fliers alike, notices a flight number at one point or another. Whether they're trying to check the status of their flight or identifying an odd or special sequence of numbers, fliers encounter flight numbers all the time as part of the travel experience. But what goes into the selection of those flight numbers? While the selection is a Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-2846166627045212782013-05-13T11:00:00.000-04:002013-05-27T13:02:48.737-04:00Ethiopian Resumes 787 Flights EarlyChristmas came early for Washington area plane spotters as Ethiopian flight 500 flew as a 787 from Addis Ababa to Washington via Rome, replacing the 777-200ER that had operated the route for more than four months. Previously, Ethiopian said they would resume 787 flights to Washington Dulles beginning May 17, but instead, on Tuesday of last week, they an announced the Dreamliner would be flying toJohnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-73052639553222292432013-05-06T11:00:00.001-04:002013-05-14T12:12:09.815-04:00All Dreamliners Set To Return Flying
Two weeks ago, the FAA officially gave its approval to Boeing's redesigned battery system and lifted the grounding order on the 787 Dreamliner, and already, airlines are rushing to put their planes back into service. Since then, all eight airlines who fly the jet have announced schedules for resuming commercial service, two rushing to do so so fast that they are already flying passengers. BoeingJohnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-38686898942378477702013-04-29T11:00:00.001-04:002013-05-14T12:08:45.888-04:00Controversial LiveriesI've noticed something interesting in my days as an AvGeek, and that is the polarizing affect that liveries have. While there are some that most agree are good or bad, most aren't so cut and dry. Some liveries can result in totally different opinions. One person may call it great, while another will describe it as terrible. There are some, however, that are some that garner so much attention and Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-86799788092733565352013-04-22T11:00:00.003-04:002013-05-14T12:12:09.818-04:00The Week That WasWhile not completely aviation related, I felt this past week had to have a post dedicated to it. The past week was such a tragic week all across America as two separate events killed a total of 18 and injured more than 300. The past week was also very newsworthy in the aviation field. This special blog post will consist of a paragraph summarizing the event along with a link to follow in order to Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-81444132566007279912013-04-15T11:00:00.000-04:002013-05-14T12:08:45.892-04:00JetBlue of the MidwestFor a while now, I've had an idea for an airline in my head. Until I can think of a better name, I just call it the "JetBlue of the Midwest". There really isn't anything else to call it, because that's essentially what it is. Whenever I look at JetBlue's route map, I notice fights all across the Northeast, flights to Florida, the Caribbean, and California. But there seems to be something missing.Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-60629724101083430532013-04-08T11:00:00.000-04:002013-06-09T20:15:35.115-04:00Etihad Inaugurates Daily Service to Abu DhabiTwo Sundays ago, as most were getting ready for Easter dinner, Etihad Airways inaugurated its long awaited (at least for me) daily service between Washington Dulles and Abu Dhabi, making the airline the fourth middle eastern carrier to serve Dulles and the third to fly there on a daily basis. The route will be served by a A340-500, making the flight the third A340 to fly to the airport daily as Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-43723412161634325922013-04-01T11:00:00.000-04:002013-05-14T12:06:37.166-04:00Dulles Summer Schedule Changes
The start of the summer schedule started yesterday, and United has a lot of flight changes. While Newark and Houston are getting many of the changes, Dulles will be getting schedule changes as well. Washington's schedule changes are as follows:
From August 27 to October 25, UA946/UA947 between Washington Dulles and Amsterdam will be operated by a former Continental 757 instead of typically Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-183941410313311343.post-20029962299347676502013-03-25T11:00:00.000-04:002013-05-14T12:06:37.142-04:00What's Happened So FarWe're just one week away from Etihad opening a brand new direct route between Washington Dulles and Abu Dhabi, but that's not the only thing going on at the airport. In the first 13 weeks of 2013, a lot has gone on here at Dulles, such as:
After a 6 week absence starting in mid-January, Air France's A380 returned on March 1st, operating as AFR54 between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Washington Johnathan Holthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540846412451679437noreply@blogger.com