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Flaccid Russian Cyberattack Hits Several U.S. Airports

by Gary Leff on October 10, 2022

Oct 10 2022

After “Des Moines…?” my immediate thought was to work through whether this was a display of their real capabilities, or a warning shot? But this doesn’t signal they are capable of more. A DDoS attack against a public-facing website is something any modestly savvy teenager could launch. It doesn’t serve as a message that ‘we can reach your systems, and next time will be worse.’

Instead it’s more moderately annoying for the individual airports involved at best, the kind of attack someone would launch who wanted to say that an attack was made without actually doing one.

The Only Tourist Flying To Russia Captures Post-Apocalyptic Vibe Of Being Alone On The Plane

by Gary Leff on September 28, 2022

Sep 28 2022

Here a passenger films himself traveling alone with a child on board an S7 flight to Russia. Normally traveling alone on a plane carries a whole different connotation, creating a special feeling of finally private with the crew looking after no one but you. This video is different entirely – much more post-apocalyptic.

Auxiliary Power, Autopilot, Brakes, and Fuel Pumps Fail On Russian Airbus – Sanctions Working?

by Gary Leff on September 19, 2022

Sep 19 2022

There’s a video going around about an Airbus A321 aircraft in Russia where nothing in the cockpit seems to work. Even the fuel pumps seem to be inoperative. This is being shared as an illustration of the effects of Western sanctions on aviation in Russia – that airlines can’t get parts for Airbus and Boeing planes, and so their fleets are falling apart.

Russian Manufacturer Says American Airlines May Be Customer For New Narrowbody Aircraft

by Gary Leff on August 31, 2022

Aug 31 2022

Russia’s Rostec – 92% owned by the government there – owns Irkut and the Yakovlev Design Bureau and they have a new single aisle aircraft that they say American Airlines may be flying in the next 5 to 10 years. They’ve mocked up the aircraft in American Airlines livery to show what it would look like.

The MC-21 (called the MS-21 in Russia) represents the “Main Aircraft Of The 21st Century” and was earlier known as the Yak-242.

Russian Airline Chops Its Fleet By 40%, Hoping Supplies Last Through End Of Year

by Gary Leff on March 26, 2022

Mar 26 2022

Russian airlines are about to steal hundreds of aircraft. The leases on these planes must be terminated by Monday March 28, but the Russian government won’t permit their return. The registrations of these aircraft are being cancelled, but Russia is registering the planes itself.

The airworthiness certificates of most of the planes, registered in Ireland and Bermuda, have been suspended. And yet many of them are still flying. It’s an open question for how long, because Russia’s Cape Town Treaty obligations notwithstanding, they aren’t able to get parts for these planes on the legal market.

Brave Russian Pilot Goes Viral Announcing Ukraine Invasion Is A Crime And Must Be Stopped

by Gary Leff on March 15, 2022

Mar 15 2022

A Captain for Russian government-owned low cost carrier Pobeda, a subsidiary of Aeroflot, demonstrated real bravery by announcing to his flight that his government’s invasion of Ukraine is a crime and must be stopped. Caveating that he was speaking for himself and not the airline that had brought passengers to Antalya, Turkey, he asked passengers to do everything they could to bring the war to an end. Passengers cheered.

All Major Hotel Chains Except Marriott Have Suspended Development In Russia

by Gary Leff on March 9, 2022

Mar 09 2022

Surely they won’t be able to ‘stand alone’ continuing to develop in Russia, even if the moves competitors made are mostly symbolic. On the other hand perhaps their press release was delayed having to check first to make sure it didn’t list Taiwan as a country.

Ukranian Flight Attendants Beg NATO For No Fly Zone

by Gary Leff on March 8, 2022

Mar 08 2022

Ukrainian flight Attendants are on social media promoting a NATO No Fly Zone over their country. The Russian Air Force has been shockingly absent, likely less capable than believed, but still poses a threat. And this would allow for Ukranian air superiority. They argue that a NATO No Fly Zone would put an end to the war. This seems… inadvisable.

What It Costs To Flee Russia

by Gary Leff on March 5, 2022

Mar 05 2022

It’s obvious why many people are leaving Ukraine: the Russian invasion is demolishing homes, bombing cities, risking basic utilities (including by attacking Europe’s largest nuclear reactor). But many Russians are also fleeing their homes. They fear they may not have long to leave, and limited space on planes and trains can be costly.

Mostly Symbolic Ban Of Russia From U.S. Airspace Still Ties Some Flights In Knots

by Gary Leff on March 1, 2022

Mar 01 2022

President Biden is announcing tonight during the State of the Union address that the U.S. is closing its airspace to Russian aircraft.

This isn’t nearly as significant to Russia as the closure of European airspace, though it does mean that Russian carriers won’t be flying to the U.S. which was already made more difficult by the closure of Canadian airspace. But check out what Russian airlines now have to do in order to fly to places like Cancun.