By Dominic Gates Seattle Times aerospace reporter While Boeing’s leadership scrambled to contain its latest crisis — following the in-flight door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 — top executives at Airbus confidently laid out the rival’s success in 2023 and its dominance of the commercial airliner business. The data on last year’s jet
Boeing and U.S. aerospace set back by Alaska Airlines fuselage blowout
Jan. 14, 2024 at 6:00 am Updated Jan. 14, 2024 at 6:00 am By Dominic Gates Seattle Times aerospace reporter When a door-sized section of a 737 MAX 9 fuselage exploded out into the void 16,000 feet over Portland, Boeing’s once-solid reputation, already staggered by the two MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, took another
NASA and Boeing chase jet contrails with science of climate impact in doubt
By Dominic Gates Seattle Times aerospace reporter Scientific debate is getting heated over what to do about airplane contrails — the wispy lines of water vapor you often see trailing behind a jet. Those harmless-looking vapor trails sometimes spread out to form thin cirrus clouds. Environmental activists and nonprofits focused on climate change routinely assert
Despite quarterly loss, Alaska Air projects profits and growth ahead
By Dominic Gates Seattle Times aerospace reporter Alaska Air Group flew more passengers and took in more revenue in the first quarter of this year compared with a year ago, but it still lost $142 million. The loss is a result of myriad factors — from seasonal air travel weakness to higher fuel and labor
The last 747: Boeing workers reflect on an iconic plane like no other
an. 29, 2023 at 4:00 am Updated Jan. 30, 2023 at 3:16 pm By Dominic Gates Seattle Times aerospace reporter On Tuesday, Boeing will wave a final goodbye to the 747 jumbo jet. In the years after its launch, the 747 elevated the Puget Sound region to the world’s premier airplane manufacturing site and boosted Boeing
Seattle needs a new Sea-Tac-sized airport. No one wants it near them
1 of 8 | Jeremy Foust, owner of Left Foot Farm in Eatonville, pauses before feeding his goats. Foust’s goat farm falls inside the circle identified as a possible airport site. (Karen Ducey / The Seattle Times) By Dominic Gates Seattle Times aerospace reporter By 2040, Western Washington will need another large airport. State officials
Pension deadline could speed retirement of experienced Boeing engineers
Aug. 12, 2022 at 6:00 am Updated Aug. 12, 2022 at 5:48 pm A new Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Everett in 2020. Some experienced engineers who designed this plane are weighing retirement as a big cut to their lump-sum pension payout looms later this year. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times) By Dominic Gates Seattle Times
Scorched by climate change, the aviation industry mobilizes for sustainable fuel
By Dominic Gates Seattle Times aerospace reporter FARNBOROUGH, England — On the opening days of the Farnborough Air Show, Britain endured record high temperatures and as the mercury climbed past 100 degrees Fahrenheit, people retreated where possible from the scorched runways to the air-conditioned company chalets. This was nature providing a timely reminder of the greatest threat
FedEx close to a deal to operate out of Paine Field as Boeing abandons its 787 Dreamlifter center
1 of 2 | A Boeing Dreamlifter, bringing 787 parts from Nagoya, Japan, lands at Paine Field in Everett on July 24, 2020. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times) By Dominic Gates Seattle Times aerospace reporter Boeing is close to finalizing a deal to transfer the lease of its Dreamlifter Operations Center at Paine Field in Everett to
Price tag for Sea-Tac’s new International Arrivals Facility soars to almost $1 billion
A review panel gave a new final estimated cost for the International Arrivals Facility of $968 million, up from the original $608 million. The project is also now eight months behind the original schedule. By Dominic Gates Seattle Times aerospace reporter The latest update on the budget-busting International Arrivals Facility at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport states that