Tag: International Aviation HQ

Remembering The Rise And Fall of London’s Croydon Airport
History

Remembering The Rise And Fall of London’s Croydon Airport

Once the UK's only international airport, and the place where Winston Churchill took flying lessons, Croydon Airport is a shell of its former self. Unused since the late 1950's, most of the old airport has been built on with only the Terminal Building and ATC remaining. Replaced by Heathrow as the UK's main airport after the end of WWII, Croydon Airport was important for creating both the world's first airport terminal and air traffic control. So where did it all go so wrong? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Origins Expansion WWII Postwar Closure Today Do you remember Croydon Airport? Tell me in the comments! Featured image courtesy of Matt Brown via Flickr.
Uncovering The Story of Marcel Dassault: France’s Greatest Aviator
History

Uncovering The Story of Marcel Dassault: France’s Greatest Aviator

Today, Dassault Aviation stands as a titan of the aviation industry, having produced some of the most iconic aircraft the industry has yet produced. But few know the story of Marcel Dassault, the company’s founder and whose vision guides the company even to this day! One of France's wealthiest and most successful businessmen at the time of his death, Marcel Dassault's made lots of enemies, and ensured his aviation career was not as straightforward as you might think... (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Early Life The man who history would remember as Marcel Dassault was born as Marcel Ferdinand Bloch on January 22 1892 in Paris. Born into a French Jewish family, Marcel was the youngest of four children born to Adolphe Dassault, a doctor, and his w...
Remembering Hughes Airwest: Howard Hughes’ Other Airline
Airlines

Remembering Hughes Airwest: Howard Hughes’ Other Airline

Though best known for being the brains behind the Hughes Aircraft Company or his holdings in TWA, Howard Hughes had another airline: Hughes Airwest, a wholly different airline to that of TWA. Where TWA had been a legacy carrier, Hughes Airwest (originally founded as simply Air West) was one of the original low cost carriers. Its slogan of "Top Banana in the West" and brightly colored yellow aircraft were instantly recognizable wherever they went and helped it become a seventies icon! In part due to this, the airline was acquired by the then new Republic Airlines in October 1980, who themselves were acquired by Northwest Airlines in 1986, who in turn merged with Delta in 2010, keeping the Delta name. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Background ...
How Richard Santulli Became The Father of Fractional Ownership
Executive

How Richard Santulli Became The Father of Fractional Ownership

Though not as famous, Richard Santulli is up there with the likes of the Wright Brothers and Igor Sikorsky for his contribution to aviation field. But unlike them, Richard didn't make aircraft, he pioneered a new use for them. As the driving force behind NetJets, a company he founded and led for a quarter of a century, Richard created not only the notion of fractional jet ownership but also proved it could be successful - even when everyone else said it couldn't be done... (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Early Life Richard T. Santulli was born on August 14 1944 in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York. The son of a civil servant, Richard developed a passion for horses at an early age, eventually learning to ride and spent his teenage years riding i...
All The Airports of London Explained
Aircraft Digest

All The Airports of London Explained

By far the UK's most populous city, London hosts nearly 175 million passengers each year through numerous airports scattered in and around the city. But collectively, the airports of London have a long, interesting and often intertwined history! Indeed, the city has so much air traffic that almost all airports that primarily serve the city are currently looking to increase their capacity by adding more terminals and more controversially, runways, as seen with London Heathrow. For the purposes of this article, we are defining "airports of London" as any airport that primarily serves the London metropolitan area, including both the City of London and Greater London, rather than airports just based there. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Internati...
How Robert Six Revolutionized Air Travel!
History

How Robert Six Revolutionized Air Travel!

Though the name Robert Six has largely been forgotten to history, the airline he forged has not. The man behind Continental Airlines for the best part of four decades, Robert Six turned a shoestring, three-route airline into a global empire with nothing more than sheer will and determination. A contemporary of the likes of Eastern's Eddie Rickenbacker, Pan Am's Juan Trippe and TWA's Jack Frye, Robert was instrumental in helping bring flying to the masses and put Continental at the forefront of that trend... (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Early Life Robert Forman Six was born on June 25 1907 in Stockton, San Joaquin County, California. The only child of Dr Clarence Logan Six MD, a well respected local plastic surgeon, and his wife Genevieve, R...
History

What Was The First Fighter Jet?

Heinkel He 178 Caproni Campini C.C.2 Heinkel He 280 Gloster E.28/39 Bell P-59 Airacomet Messerschmitt Me 262 Gloster Meteor Heinkel He 162 Which Was The First Fighter Jet?
Who Are The World’s Largest Aircraft Manufacturers?
Aircraft Digest

Who Are The World’s Largest Aircraft Manufacturers?

Though airlines get a bad rep for being somewhat of an oligopoly, when it comes to the supply of aircraft, there are remarkably few. Indeed, the two largest aircraft manufacturers - Airbus and Boeing - control nearly 90% of the market. So who are the other main players? For the purposes of this article, we are only looking at companies who physically produce aircraft - not engines, avionics and the like - and we're only talking about companies that are currently active, not ones that are defunct. Size is being determined on several factors, including the range of aircraft currently produced, number of employees, number of locations worldwide, revenue and brand recognition. Not to mention market share. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Airbus ...
Opinion

Is Fractional Private Jet Ownership Worth it?

Over the last few years, fractional private jet ownership companies like Warren Buffett's NetJets and Kenn Ricci's Flexjet have seen a boom in demand. More people than ever before want to own their own slice of a private jet, and are willing to through the nose for it. Indeed, the average fractional private jet owner has a net worth of at least $250 million and spends an average $7.5 million acquiring their jet! So at that price, is it truly worth the cost? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); What is Fractional Private Jet Ownership? The idea of fractional aircraft ownership goes back to the beginning of aviation. When aircraft became available for people to purchase and fly recreationally, flying clubs began to form and brought pilots from all back...