Iran’s history of turbulent relations with Western nations has greatly impacted its aviation industry and forced aging aircraft to continue flying as newer replacements were unobtainable. As a result, aviation enthusiasts from around the world frequently gather in Tehran to fly on some of the oldest and rarest aircraft still in operation. The Boeing 747SP, operated by Iran Air, has been one of the many gems that AvGeeks sought to fly on before its retirement. Iran's national carrier was the…
Every year, thousands of people from around the world come to Austin, Texas during the month of March to celebrate innovation, creativity and the arts at South by Southwest (SXSW). Panel discussions ranging from artificial intelligence to making politics go viral can be found throughout the various downtown hotels during…
Last week’s winter storm was felt all over the Northeast, with the New York area receiving over 16 inches of snow. It led to many unique visitors for airports such as Stewart International Airport receiving a Singapore Airlines Airbus A380. But the snow couldn’t melt away quicker as a meltdown…
For years, the country of Afghanistan has seen its flag carrier operating mostly unopposed within the country, with the hardest competition coming from a few carriers rapidly coming and going in the 1990s. However, the flag carrier of Afghanistan, Ariana Afghan Airlines, has seen a rise in competition since the…
On Saturday, I was privileged enough to be a passenger on the final Fokker flight by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The first Fokker 70 flight flown by KLM was on Sep. 30, 1920, from Amsterdam to London. KLM chose the return from London to be the final flight for the…
Halfway over the Pacific, I'm sitting in seat 6A, which is not the normal seat for me. Usually I'm on the upper deck, front row, right seat, monitoring the systems and instruments of this Boeing 747-400, but today is no ordinary day. We started this trip in Taipei, noon on…
The first of 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to be delivered to American Airlines was rolled out of the paint hangar at Boeing Field on Monday night. The airframe, LN6515, will eventually become one of nearly 1,000 aircraft currently flying for the world's largest airline. It will be the…
We’ve all heard the stories and seen the pictures: a beautiful September morning 16 years ago that forever altered the landscape of America and the aviation industry. If you’re old enough, you recall where you were on that fateful day. These three American Airlines managers do as well. They all…
For years, Middle Eastern air carriers have been impacted by various conflicts in the region. However, some of the greatest impact is felt in the war-torn country of Syria. Syrian aviation has been confronted with the complicated issue of how to continue air carrier service while the Syrian Civil War…
In the world of aviation, enthusiasts are often seen discussing aircraft that land on concrete runways rather than those that land over water. However, living in a state that has a large coastline, as well as needing to obtain my rating for my job, I wanted to share my story…
