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• Post #4248878

  "British Airways flight called mayday on approach to Heathrow" by @BBCNews@flipboard.com - On July 6, a British Airways A320 on approach to London Heathrow experienced an air data computer malfunction and nearly entered an aerodynamic stall (wing stall, not related to engines) over London. Lack of air data made A320 flight computer enter alternate control law. First Officer was flying that leg but captain took over to re-stabilize flight and land. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8n...

• Post #4145450

  "Airbus Tests A350-1000ULR With First Flight to Australia" by AirlineGeeks / Zach Vasile - #Airbus test pilots flew a prototype A350-1000ULR (ultra long range) from the Airbus factory in Toulouse🇫🇷 #TLS / #LFBO non-stop for 19 hours to Melbourne🇦🇺 #MEL / #YMML. This test verifies ULR can achieve its purpose for launch customer Qantas🦘: non-stop flight between Western #Europe and Eastern #Australia with margin to route around weather and war zones. https://airlinegeeks.com/2026/07/27/airb...

• Post #4129534

  26 years ago, July 25, 2000: Air France Flight 4590 Concorde crash in Paris killed all 100 passengers & 9 crew aboard. The chain of events was started with foreign object debris FOD that fell from a Continental DC-10. A metal strip cut a tire which exploded, ruptured a fuel tank and started a fire that brought down the plane. Kevlar shields under the fuel tanks briefly returned Concordes to flight from Nov 2001 - Oct 2003. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_4590 #TDIH #history #...

• Post #4074066

  Perspective matters... variations of this scenario have happened over and over. A light is visible in the night sky. A conspiracist exclaims it's a UFO. An #avgeek informs them it's the landing lights of a Boeing 737. So much for "unidentified". #aviation

• Post #3994994

  "A Massive Flow of Rock and Mud Tumbled Down Mount Rainier Centuries Ago. Scientists Pinpointed Its Date to Better Understand the Volcano’s Complex Threats" by @Smithsonianmag@flipboard.com - Communities downstream from Mt Rainier have lahar (volcanic mudflow) drills where residents walk to higher ground. One of those historic mudflows has been more precisely dated to 1507 as scientists learned how to correlate rock layers, tree rings & radiocarbon dating. https://www.smithsonianma...

• Post #3948504

  "How Airspeed Sensors Work" by @hackaday@hackaday.social - #GPS & #GNSS 🛰 can tell ground speed for purposes of navigation. But flying an airplane🛨🛧 or glider first requires airspeed. Piloting at takeoff, landing, cruise and maximum "red line" are all by airspeed. Airspeed differs from ground speed by wind direction/speed you're flying in. Airspeed is measured via a pitot tube (French word: silent t on the end) which looks like a forward-facing spike. https://hackaday...

• Post #3869103

  "Passengers Say They Won’t Fly To [he who shall not be named] Airport—United Now Lets Them Switch Destinations Free" by ViewFromTheWing - United is not charging fees for the itinerary change for passengers who refuse to fly to Palm Beach, Florida's airport due to its recent renaming. Customers have to call support to change destination to other Miami-area airports without change fees. https://viewfromthewing.com/passengers-say-they-wont-fly-to-donald-trump-airport-united-now-lets-t...

• Post #3728937

  "The Australian tree reshaping the world's wildfires" by DW News🇩🇪 - Originally imported for timber & wood pulp industry, eucalyptus trees from Australia have become an #InvasiveSpecies in Spain, Brazil, Chile, California, India & South Africa. They burn hot and make #wildfires🔥 worse. Across affected areas, varying efforts now seek to eradicate them and restore local native vegetation. https://www.dw.com/en/the-australian-tree-reshaping-the-worlds-wildfires/a-77560208 #natu...

• Post #3720456

  "Ryanair jet window ‘dislodged’ during flight forcing emergency landing in Greece" by @CNBC@flipboard.com - Initial chaotic reports say RyanAir 737-800 (NG, not MAX) experienced a window blowout on climbout from Thessaloniki Airport #SKG / #LGTS🇬🇷. A seat-belted passenger was injured, partly pulled out and rescued. Reports mention debris from the engine caused the window blowout. So the main story appears likely to change to an uncontained engine failure. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/10...

• Post #3644484

  "The British are coming!" And unlike a similar quote from 250 years ago, we hope they enjoy their visit. Spotted on approach to Portland #PDX / #KPDX this afternoon: British Airways 787-10 Dreamliner coming from London Heathrow #LHR / #EGLL. #aviation #travel #avgeek

• Post #3540164

  "Holes" by #XKCD comic - Comparison of various mostly-artificial holes in the ground and their depths: tunnels, mines and bore holes compared by depth to the Mariana Trench at the deepest spot in the Pacific Ocean. The deepest parking garage in the world is under the Sydney Opera House. The mouseover text prods readers toward the crystal caves in Mexico. Also some #oops markers where digging projects didn't go well. https://xkcd.com/3266/ #geology #mining #science #entertainment #h...

• Post #3437971

  I bicycled to Portland Int'l Airport #KPDX for a closer view of this unpainted Boeing 737 MAX8. Coming from Renton WA #KRNT where the 737 final assembly line is, I suspect this was the very first flight of this aircraft, known as the "B1" flight since it's the first flight done by Boeing test pilots. (A later pre-delivery flight with customer test pilots is called the "C1" flight.) Boeing has a paint hangar in Portland so some new planes fly here on B1 to get painted....

• Post #2505344

  "Janet: The secret US airline that flies to Area 51" by Aerospace Global News - One of the worst-kept secrets: workers at the secret USAF base at Groom Lake, Nevada #KXTA, a.k.a. "Area 51", commute to work from Las Vegas #KLAS on a military contractor airline. All we know for sure about it is they fly 737-600s and use the radio callsign "Janet". https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/janet-the-secret-us-airline-that-flies-to-area-51/ #military...

• Post #2411847

  "PDX opens shiny new baggage claim escalators as major renovation continues" by The Oregonian @OregonLive - Terminal construction projects are continuing to reach completion through the year at Portland Int'l Airport. South-side escalators down to baggage claim from the new exit at Concourses B/C (Alaska, American, Frontier, Hawaiian & JetBlue) are open. The north-side escalators are scheduled to open in June. https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/2026/05/pdx-opens-...

• Post #2291732

  "Ex-NATO chief Rasmussen warns of ‘disintegration’ of alliance, calls for new European defense bloc" by @politico - Anders Fogh Rasmussen (formerly Prime Minister of Denmark 2001-2009, NATO Secretary General 2009-2014) recommends a new European defense bloc to replace NATO due to uncertain USA commitment. His proposal would include Ukraine, plunging Europe into #UkraineWar. He is not a current official - depends if countries take up the idea. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/...

• Post #2229897

  Also seen at PDX this morning: Hawaiian Airlines A330-200 departing for Honolulu HNL, tail N370HA, flight Alaska 833. There were lots of Alaska tails around as I got video of the Hawaiian takeoff. #aviation #travel #avgeek

• Post #2229895

  Spotted on approach to PDX: Royal Canadian Air Force RCAF CC330 (Airbus A330) - this is a Canadian government VIP transport. I don't see news of the Prime Minister visiting Portland (which has happened). So I'm guessing it's an RCAF General visiting related to the North American Aerospace Defense Command NORAD, a joint US🇺🇸/Canada🇨🇦 military command. It flew to PDX from Colorado Springs COS, also a NORAD base. #military #aviation #avgeek

• Post #2229894

  RE: https://live.acarsdrama.com/@acarsdrama/116525110550150045 Why does this sound like a ferry crew for a Spirit Airlines creditor? #SpiritShutdown #aviation #business #travel #avgeek

• Post #2043141

  "Horizontal Stabilizers" by XKCD comic - The cartoonist wonders out loud if airplanes really need those "little wings" in the back. Short answer: Sure, just remove one of the pilot's 3 axes of control and see what happens. But it doesn't even count as a short flight if it runs off the end of the runway, failing to get off the ground. Don't buy a ticket from an airline that cuts flight controls to save costs. https://xkcd.com/3241/ #aviation #pilot #avgeek #travel...

• Post #1984271

  #Avgeek alert for Portland, Oregon: BOE014 B789 in flight from San Antonio Kelly Field #KSKF to Portland #KPDX. (Thx @JetTip .) ETA 15:20 PDT (*). Avgeek forum info says the temporary registration N879CJ is an ex-LOT (Poland) order which was not taken up (NTU), now acquired by Lufthansa. It's coming to PDX to be repainted. The other bay in Boeing's PDX paint hangar also has a Lufthansa B789. This plane has not flown in 2 years waiting for a buyer. https://www.flightaware.com/live...

• Post #1984270

  Seen at PDX this afternoon: IcelandAir A321LR departing Runway 28R at Portland PDX for Reykjavik KEF. In the background: snow-capped Mount Hood (elevation 11,249ft / 3,429m) and the Columbia River (Oregon/Washington border). #aviation #travel #avgeek #PNW

• Post #1830295

  Interesting. I got a @JetTip alert for Horizon 2315 PAE-PSP E75L (Embraer E175 long wing) diverting back to PDX even after it had crossed the California state line and was closer to other potential diversion airports. So that looks like a maintenance issue of some kind. PDX is Horizon's primary maintenance base. (Horizon is Alaska Airlines regional subsidiary. The mx base at PDX dates back to Horizon's merger with Air Oregon in the 80s.) https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N6...

• Post #1830294

  40 years ago, April 26, 1986: #Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion, worst nuclear reactor accident in history. It was caused by an emergency drill gone wrong, an explosion and meltdown. The Soviet Union tried to cover it up until they couldn't 2 days later when radioactivity alarms went off in Sweden. Death toll disputed. The only other major reactor accident since was Fukushima, Japan 2011 due to a tsunami bigger than the plant's tsunami wall. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...

• Post #1830293

  Quick glance at current #Boeing callsigns/test flights in the Pacific Northwest as received by the crowdsourced/OpenSource ADS-B network @adsblol ... * Boeing 777-9 prototype BOE001 * Boeing 737 MAX10 prototype BOE103 * Boeing Crew Transport BOE8BA Cessna 208 * new Boeing 737 MAX9 BOE942 for United Airlines possibly on customer acceptance flight * some others with aircraft type not shown or clearly wrong ("T38" probably 767 tanker w/ temp civilian xpdr) #aviation #avgeek #trave...

• Post #1773103

  As an #avgeek, it's fairly obvious what's going on here. But someone on the ground in Pasco, Washington may be puzzled to see a Virgin Australia 737 flying into the Tri-Cities Airport #KPSC. Flying with Boeing flight number 25, this brand new Boeing 737 MAX8 has not been delivered yet. VH-8VH is probably on a customer acceptance flight test with Australian pilots at the controls and Boeing test pilots supervising since Boeing still owns the plane until paid for it. #aviation #tra...

• Post #1409464

  "Small plane makes emergency landing on State Route 14 in Vancouver" by KGW News (NBC Portland) - A Cessna 172N being test-flown after maintenance experienced an engine failure just after takeoff from Pearson Field #KVUO in Vancouver WA (northern Portland OR metro area). Without enough altitude to turn back to the airport, the pilot landed on Washington State Route 14 freeway, safely without damage or injury. A driver got video. https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/vancouver/...

• Post #1347088

  "New NOTAM system goes live (behind the scenes) April 18" by Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association AOPA - FAA's Notices to Airmen NOTAM aviation bulletin system will be upgraded midnight-4am US/Eastern on Sat April 18. Worst case, if something goes wrong with the upgrade, it is possible to have a nationwide ground-stop in the US until it is fixed. AOPA participated in the project and sounds hopeful that FAA has done adequate system testing. 🤞 https://www.aopa.org...

• Post #1343825

  We know how he works… lies & chaos every day. But now apparently Benedict Donald has earned himself yet another new nickname. YT video clip from Tuesday night’s opening of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: https://youtu.be/kZYRxLR-m84 #politics #USpol #HeWhoShallNotBeNamed

• Post #1343820

  #Avgeek #trivia that I learned after moving to #Portland: some large US airports with IATA codes ending in "X" took their name from 2-letter weather office codes of the time and filled in the blank with an "X". This includes PDX near me, and also bigger airports LAX and PHX. #aviation #travel #history

• Post #1042085

  "Deported in days: Seattle emerges as major hub for ICE transfer flights" by KING 5 (NBC Seattle) - Investigative reporters in Seattle found that ICE deportation flights have been regularly occurring at Seattle's King County International Airport #KBFI (a.k.a. "Boeing Field", a public airport owned by the county). Pictured in the video but not stated: ICE has its Pacific Northwest detention facility nearby in Tacoma. https://www.king5.com/article/news/...