airline industry Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Stockpile of Boeing 737 MAX jets assures Moses Lake years of work

By Tom Banse March 10, 2023

Boeing continues to store large numbers of undelivered 737 MAX jets at Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake.

Moses Lake, Washington, doesn't have commercial airline service, but the casual visitor to Grant County International Airport might assume otherwise. Shiny Boeing 737 MAX jets are parked wingtip to wingtip in row after row on two sides of the expansive airfield. They sport colorful liveries from a wide variety of exotic carriers such as Xiamen Air, Ukraine International, Read More

Hydrogen-powered airliner makes first flight at Moses Lake, offering preview of possible future

By Tom Banse March 6, 2023

The Universal Hydrogen flight test crew posed for pictures after a successful first flight of the company's hydrogen-electric Dash 8 airliner on March 2, 2023

The largest aircraft yet to fly on hydrogen-electric power made a successful first flight in Moses Lake, Washington, on Thursday. The maiden flight of a converted turboprop airliner offered a preview of one possible pathway for how to make your future flights more eco-friendly. Hydrogen fuel is one of several options the aviation industry is testing to reduce its carbon Read More

Watchdog Faults FAA For ‘Significant Misunderstanding’ Of Flight System

By NPR News February 25, 2021

The Federal Aviation Administration must fix oversight weaknesses found following the Boeing 737 Max crashes, according to a new report from the Transportation Department's inspector general. CREDIT: Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images

An inspector general's report from the Department of Transportation said U.S. aviation regulators do not understand the plane's flight control software that caused two devastating crashes in 2018 and 2019.Read More

U.S. Implementing 1st-Ever Airplane Emission Rules; Critics Say They’re Ineffective

By NPR News December 28, 2020

A Southwest Airlines flight takes off as United Airlines planes sit parked on a runway at Denver International Airport in April. CREDIT: Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

The U.S. is regulating greenhouse gas emissions from commercial aircraft for the first time. But critics are saying the rules will be ineffective. The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday the rules are being finalized after first being made public in July.Read More

All-Electric Commuter Plane Begins Flight Testing In Moses Lake

By Tom Banse June 1, 2020

A modified Cessna Grand Caravan takes off from Moses Lake, Washington, on its inaugural flight using fully-electric propulsion on Thursday.

A Cessna commuter plane retrofitted in Washington state has taken the crown of biggest all-electric airplane now flying. Redmond, Washington-based electric motor maker MagniX teamed up with flight testing contractor AeroTEC to convert a 10-passenger, single engine Cessna 208B Grand Caravan to fly on battery power.Read More