Sunday Reads: Our Most Notable Stories This Week

It’s time for another look back at some of our most notable stories from the last seven days. As ever, there have been plenty of fascinating articles to digest, so let’s get cracking!

Many of Breeze Airways’ planned summer routes have no non-stop competition. Photo: Breeze Airways

Breeze’s lack of non-stop competition

Breeze Airways is one of the most anticipated startups in recent years. The brainchild of David Neeleman, it has recently emerged that 80% of its planned routes this summer have no non-stop competition! You can read more about Breeze’s network strategy here.

A look at the Boeing 777X Business Jet

Although the Boeing 777X program has been subjected to some delays during its development and production, it remains a hugely exciting aircraft. While it will be a game-changer on a passenger level, Boeing is also planning to develop business jet versions of the next-generation twinjet. Simple Flying took a look at this ‘flying mansion‘ earlier this week.

Boeing will produce business jet versions of both 777X variants. Image: Boeing

Rolls-Royce engine as wide as an Airbus A220

Last month, Rolls-Royce announced that it had commenced the production of its first ‘UltraFan’ demonstrator. As well as being a highly efficient engine with impressive testing technology, it is also rather large. Indeed, with a fan measuring 140 inches in width, this gives it the same diameter as the Airbus A220! Check out our comparison here.

It’s hard to believe that these two are the same width! Photo: Left – UltraFan (Rolls-Royce) | Right – A220 (Can Pac Swire via Flickr)

The fall of the Airbus A300

The A300 was European manufacturer Airbus’s first-ever production airliner. It also made history by being the world’s first widebody aircraft to only have two engines. Simple Flying spent time this week looking at how this trailblazing aircraft faded away, and how this allowed Airbus to produce bigger and better aircraft in its wake.

The Airbus A300 on its maiden flight at Toulouse in 1972. Photo: Airbus

The three airlines still flying the Boeing 717

Rear-engined aircraft have quickly become an increasingly rare phenomenon in recent years. When Spanish carrier Volotea retired its last examples earlier this year, this left just three airlines still flying the Boeing 717. But which carriers are they? Find out here!

Delta is the leading B717 operator this year. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The evolution of the 747’s upper deck

There are few, if any, airliners more striking in their appearance than the Boeing 747. A significant contributing factor to this is the aircraft’s upper deck, but did you know that its size and purpose have changed over time? Simple Flying explored the history of the iconic aircraft’s quirky upper fuselage earlier this week.

Pan Am launched the 747 in 1970. Since then, its upper deck has undergone various transformations. Photo: Getty Images

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What was your favorite story this week? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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