Jon Ostrower
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Jon Ostrower
@jonostrower.com
14K followers 1.1K following 770 posts
Endlessly fascinated by things in the sky. Editor-in-chief of @theaircurrent.com, co-host of @theairshowpodcast.com and co-founder of @yawmanflight.com. CNN, WSJ & Flightglobal alum. Standby for news...
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jonostrower.com
A steady stream of updates from @theaircurrent.com and TAC/Intel, which launches in the coming weeks.

Here's the latest: FAA Emergency Airworthiness Directive formally grounds MD-11 freighter fleet
The FAA formally prohibited flying of MD-11 freighters “until the airplane is inspected and the applicable corrective actions are performed” according to a Saturday afternoon Emergency Airworthiness Directive. (PDF) The directive requires approval by the FAA of a yet-to-be-determined means of compliance that will pace the aircraft’s return to service. The move by the U.S. aviation regulator follows Boeing’s recommendation on Friday to cease flying with the aging tri-jet “while additional engineering analysis is being performed” following the Nov. 4 crash of a UPS Airlines aircraft in Louisville. Two of the aging jet’s three remaining operators, UPS Airlines and FedEx Express, both curtailed flying on Friday and the third, Western Global Airlines, appeared to do so following the completion of a Saturday flight from Anchorage to Miami. The EAD contains few details, but the early investigation into the crash is focusing on the aircraft’s pylon. The left engine and pylon on the crashed UPS flight separated from the aircraft during the takeoff roll, the FAA said in its directive. Roughly 70 of McDonnell Douglas trijets are still in service, all as freighters. An FAA spokesperson said the order applies to roughly 109 U.S. registered aircraft, as the three carriers have aircraft in long-term storage.
November 8, 2025 at 11:19 PM
jonostrower.com
BREAKING: Boeing confirms recommendation to ground MD-11 fleet “while additional engineering analysis is performed” (via ⁦‪@theaircurrent‬⁩.com)
November 8, 2025 at 8:19 AM
jonostrower.com
CONFIRMED: FedEx follows UPS in grounding MD-11 fleet after Boeing safety recommendation. Western Global expected to follow. Boeing statement expected shortly. (Via ⁦‪@theaircurrent‬⁩.com)
After a Friday Boeing recommendation to ground the MD-11 freighter fleet, FedEx has followed UPS in immediately ceasing operations of the aging tri-jet. In a statement provided to TAC, the logistics provider said, “Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to immediately ground our MD-11 fleet as we conduct a thorough safety review based on the recommendation of the manufacturer.” A statement from Boeing on its recommendation is expected shortly. The airline has 28 MD-11s in operation. UPS Airlines, FedEx and Western Global are the only remaining operators of the McDonnell Douglas type. UPS grounded its fleet of 26 aircraft earlier Friday night.
November 8, 2025 at 6:43 AM
jonostrower.com
BREAKING on TAC/Intel: UPS Airlines says it has grounded the MD-11F fleet after Boeing recommendation
UPS Airlines said late Friday that “out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety” it has temporarily grounded its McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter fleet. The global cargo and logistics provider said in a statement provided to TAC that “we made this decision proactively at the recommendation of the aircraft manufacturer.” Boeing assumed responsibility for the McDonnell Douglas product line when it merged with the company in 1997. The grounding comes after the Nov. 6 crash in Louisville, Kentucky when one of UPS’s tri-jets bound for Honolulu lost its number one engine on takeoff. UPS said the aging MD-11 makes up 9% of its fleet and the grounding is “effective immediately.” The NTSB investigation into the fiery crash that killed at least 14 people, including three UPS pilots aboard the aircraft, is still in its earliest days.
November 8, 2025 at 6:00 AM
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Little is known about the UPS MD-11F accident at this point, but footage taken from the air shows a chunk of one engine nacelle inlet sitting at a spot 2,000 feet before the end of runway 17R at SDF.
November 5, 2025 at 1:06 AM
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Open your Photos app

Search “Airplane” (lol)

Scroll down to what you think is exactly halfway and screenshot it

Post.

#AvGeek
October 29, 2025 at 3:58 PM
jonostrower.com
Aloha, Hawaiian Airlines. Aloha, indeed.
October 29, 2025 at 4:52 AM
jonostrower.com
Scooplet this morning from @theaircurrent.com’s TAC/Intel (now in beta): American’s first A321XLR is on its way to the U.S. — and it’s fully outfitted with now-FAA certified seats.
American Airlines is bringing home its first A321XLR to the United States. The aircraft is actually the third of 50 to be built and delivered by Airbus in Hamburg, Germany for the airline, but the first two are still in storage in the Czech Republic waiting for seats. A spokesman for American told The Air Current that this aircraft, N303NY, is now outfitted with its interior and the new seats aboard are "fully certified" by the Federal Aviation Administration. With 155 seats (20 business class, 12 premium economy, 12 main cabin extra and 111 standard economy) the long-haul single-aisle is expected to eventually be deployed on thin transatlantic routes to Europe, though it will first begin its service life flying the airline's Flagship route between JFK and LAX likely before year-end. To date, that's the lowest seat count by any airline that's taken delivery of the XLR. The swanky interior is part of a broader push by the airline to bolster its premium flying credentials in the face of surging financial performance by Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. American in September conducted 42 training flights for an initial group of 45 pilots on proving runs between Philadelphia and Edinburgh on an A321neo.
October 22, 2025 at 6:50 PM
jonostrower.com
This is what happens when @crankyflier.com stays home.

(cc @briansumers.com)
Two penguins at Airline prom.
October 18, 2025 at 1:36 AM
jonostrower.com
Two things.

1. The 777 can be flown with polished aluminum.

2. Why even do a retro jet if it’s not polished aluminum?
American Airlines 777–200ER on final approach to Chicago O’Hare International Airport in last generation polished aluminum colors.
October 15, 2025 at 6:17 PM
jonostrower.com
Is this a Starlink antenna?
Envoy Embraer E170 with new-fangled antenna above the aft cabin.
October 2, 2025 at 1:23 PM
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We covered a lot of ground in the latest episode of @theairshowpodcast.com, in which we dissect the brand and product issues with American Airlines. This photo neatly sums it up: Attention to detail. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Graphic design is my passion.
September 29, 2025 at 5:58 PM
jonostrower.com
Spent Friday afternoon doing some proper airplane spotting in between the runways at SeaTac. Here's four of my 1,400 that I took. These are straight off the camera, just light straightening. #avgeek
September 28, 2025 at 8:01 PM
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From TAC/Intel: Boeing’s CEO signaled another delay in certification and entry into service of its 777-9 is coming. (via @theaircurrent.com)
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg at an investor event on Sept. 11 signaled another delay in certification and entry into service of its long-delayed 777-9 is coming. "The mountain of work is still there," said Ortberg. "We are falling behind on the certification." Ortberg said Boeing had so far received “limited” clearance from the FAA under the Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) process that allows the company to demonstrate regulatory compliance in incremental phases. Ortberg said he is putting new CFO Jay Malave in charge of a schedule and program review. TAC reported on Aug. 27 (when it was cleared to begin Phase 2D) that Boeing was a ways off from TIA Phase 3, which includes a major portion of its certification program. Boeing had aimed at delivering the 777-9 first to Lufthansa in mid-2026, but Ortberg underscored, "We're clearly behind our plan."
September 11, 2025 at 7:15 PM
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On the other end of the spectrum, the hand painted art at my local Trader Joe’s is on point. #jetcity
Hand painted wall mural of a Boeing 767 and B-47 with jet assisted take off.
August 31, 2025 at 9:37 PM
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At a burger place in my neighborhood, this is the AI slop art on the back wall. The more I stare at it, the more horrified I become. Thankfully, the burgers are excellent.
A cheeseburger, or at least what a LLM thinks a cheeseburger should look like.
August 31, 2025 at 8:39 PM
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NEWS (via TAC/Intel our upcoming pro service from @theaircurrent.com): FAA has granted Boeing and the 777-9 clearance to begin Type Inspection Authorization phase 2D tests, which will focus on community noise eval in Montana. Phase 3 still a ways off, but progress continues for the 777X.
August 27, 2025 at 6:36 PM
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Pittsburgh International Airport has shared a ton of new progress photos for their new terminal project, which is nearing completion. Looks like a really gorgeous new space.
August 15, 2025 at 4:33 PM
jonostrower.com
The latest from @theaircurrent.com upcoming TAC/Intel feed as part of our new iOS app is the emergence of photos of the first wings for the C919-600, the shortened version of the Comac single aisle.
Signs of Comac’s development progress on the second member of the C919 single-aisle family have surfaced on Chinese social media. A photo of a set of wings for the C919-600, the shortened variant of the flagship single-aisle, was posted on Weibo by a prolific Chinese aerospace watcher and said to be the first major structural components for the new aircraft to have completed airworthiness inspection. The post dated Aug. 11 said the wings were shipped from AVIC Xifei Aircraft Co. at Xi’an’s secretive Yanliang Air Base to the CAAC’s Shanghai Certification Center. The -600’s outer wingboxes were identified as serial number 32, consistent with the production sequence of the C919 family to date. The shortened 160-seat C919 variant is being developed for high-altitude domestic operations in China to reach the country’s western airports on the Tibetan Plateau. First flight is expected in 2027 with entry into service the following year.
August 13, 2025 at 4:24 AM
jonostrower.com
777X's party trick*

*Folded the aircraft's wingspan is 213-feet and the same as the 777-300ER, so it can use its gates and taxiways. Unfolded, the span grows another 22 feet 10 inches to increase lift.
August 6, 2025 at 5:44 AM
jonostrower.com
BREAKING: Boeing begins first maiden flight of a 777-9 in five years, adding fifth test aircraft for certification campaign #tacintel #staycurrent
August 5, 2025 at 6:09 PM
jonostrower.com
NEWS: Boeing nears first new 777-9 flight in five years

(Screenshot from @theaircurrent.com's upcoming iOS app and the launch of our new TAC/Intel platform)
Boeing as early as Aug. 5 is expected to make its first maiden flight of a 777-9 in nearly five years, according to two people familiar with the company’s planning. Painted white but earmarked for eventual use by Singapore Airlines, the new fifth test aircraft, registered N2007L, is being tasked with high intensity radiated field (HIRF) testing to evaluate how systems respond to electromagnetic interference. No fewer than 20 production 777-9s sit between this test aircraft and WH004, Boeing’s fourth dedicated test aircraft. WH004 first flew in September 2020 and was placed into extended storage when Boeing returned the aircraft to flying status in May to conduct cabin and environmental control systems testing. The Air Current on July 28 reported Boeing had received clearance from the FAA the previous week to begin the fourth phase of its certification campaign that will focus on systems demonstrations.
August 4, 2025 at 11:17 PM
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NEWS: The FAA late last week cleared Boeing to begin the next phase of its 777-9 cert process, focusing on system demonstrations, two people familiar tell TAC. Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) 2C is the fourth phase of the cert program for the 777X which started in July 2024.
The stylized blue tail of Boeing’s 777-9 test aircraft.
July 29, 2025 at 12:09 AM
jonostrower.com
Looks like this is gonna be a thing: United Airlines just issued a networkwide ground stop due to a fire alarm going off at its Network Operations Center.
ATCSCC ADVZY 109 DCC 07/24/2025 UAL AIRLINES GROUND STOP EVENT TIME: 24/2326 - 25/0030 DESTINATION AIRPORT: ALL DEP FACILITIES INCLUDED: ALL (UAL MAINLINE ONLY) PROBABILITY OF EXTENSION: MED IMPACTING CONDITION: FIRE ALARM COMMENTS: UAL MAINLINE ONLINE 25/07/24 23:26
July 25, 2025 at 12:01 AM
jonostrower.com
Moody skies and the Front Range.

(Shot with my iPhone)
United Airlines and United Express aircraft at DEN airport on the ramp with a darkening sky and dramatic sunbeams shooting through the clouds in front of the Rockies.
July 19, 2025 at 11:05 PM