Latest news with #JapanAirlines
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
1 Magnificent Aviation Stock Down 24% to Buy and Hold Forever
Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR), a builder of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, went public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) on Sep. 17, 2021. Its stock opened at $9.40 on its first day but sank to an all-time low of $1.63 on Dec. 27, 2022 as it missed its pre-merger estimates, and rising interest rates squeezed its valuations. But Archer's business stabilized as it delivered its first aircraft and secured new partnerships, and its stock closed at a new record high of $13.30 per share on May 16, 2025. It's pulled back about 24% since then, but I think it could still be a great stock to buy and hold forever. Why does Archer have a lot of upside potential? Archer's Midnight eVTOL aircraft can carry one pilot and four passengers, travel up to 100 miles on a single charge, and fly at a maximum speed of 150 miles per hour. It promotes the Midnight as a cheaper and greener alternative to traditional helicopters, and it's easier to land in densely populated urban areas. That makes them well suited for short-range air taxi services. Archer's top commercial customers include United Airlines, which ordered 200 aircraft; Future Flight Global, which ordered 116 aircraft; and Soracle (a joint venture between Japan Airlines and Sumimoto), which placed an order for 100 aircraft. It's secured additional air taxi deals with Ethiopian Airlines and Abu Dhabi Aviation, and it plans to launch its own first-party air taxi service within the next two years. Archer also holds contracts worth up to $142 million with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD); it's working with the automaker Stellantis to produce its own branded eVTOLs; and it partnered with Palantir this March to accelerate its own production and strengthen its aviation systems with its AI services. Why is Archer a difficult stock to value? Archer has a market cap of $6.4 billion, but it hasn't generated any meaningful revenue yet. That makes it a tough stock to value and an easy target for short sellers. Archer delivered its first Midnight to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) last August, but that variant version of its aircraft didn't generate any direct revenue and was only used for testing purposes. It's contracted to deliver up to five more Midnight aircraft to the USAF over the next few years. Archer can't ramp up its deliveries in the U.S. until it competes the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) five-phase certification process: conceptual design, requirements definition, compliance planning, implementation, and certification. It's already on the fourth phase and expects to clear the final phase to certify its aircraft this year. If the FAA certifies its Midnight aircraft, Archer plans to ramp up its deliveries and gradually start its U.S. air taxi services by the end of 2025. It will also continue the deployment of its air taxi services in Abu Dhabi, where it faces fewer regulatory hurdles. Archer then aims to increase its annual production to 10 aircraft in 2025, 48 aircraft in 2026, 252 aircraft in 2027, and 650 aircraft in 2028. Stellantis, its top investor, will support that expansion with its cash and manufacturing capabilities. The bulls believe that by 2028, Archer's Midnight aircraft will have established an early mover's advantage in the nascent air taxi market. It was already selected as the official air taxi provider for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, and that increased brand visibility could attract more commercial customers. Archer also believes its own first-party air taxi service will eventually cost about the same as Uber 's premium UberBlack service. Why could it be a great stock to buy and hold forever? Archer is a risky and speculative stock. It won't turn a profit anytime soon; it will take on more debt to fund its expansion; and it will keep diluting its investors with more secondary offerings. However, analysts expect Archer's annual revenue to rise from $13 million in 2025 to $437 million in 2027 if it successfully ramps up its production. A lot of Archer's near-term growth has already been baked into its shares at 15 times its projected sales for 2027, but the eVTOL market could grow much larger over the next decade. According to Markets and Markets, the eVTOL market could expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.3% from 2024 to 2030, and keep growing at a CAGR of 27.6% from 2031 to 2035. If Archer stays at the top of that blooming market, it could expand and evolve into an aviation giant over the next decade. So as long as you can tune out the near-term noise about tariffs, geopolitical conflicts, and other macroheadwinds, it looks like a great stock to buy and hold forever. 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Japan Forward
5 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Forward
Racing the UK Ekiden Through 160 Years of Ties
One of Japan's best-loved sporting disciplines is making strides overseas. Britain will host the second UK Ekiden race along the banks of the River Thames on June 20. The event has grown exponentially from the 2024 inaugural event, with 310 runners in 31 teams. Each team is made up of 10 runners competing in a 114km course from Windsor to King's Meadow in Reading and back again. This time, the field includes 16 teams from British universities, as well as a guest team from Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. Runners from private companies will also be there, representing well-known names such as Japan Airlines, sporting equipment manufacturer Asics, the Financial Times Nikkei media alliance, and Britain's Royal Air Force. Significantly, a team of students from Kyushu will also be competing. This year marks the 160th anniversary of a group of 15 young men of the Satsuma domain who arrived to study at University College London, despite Japanese being forbidden to travel overseas at the time. The Anglo Satsuma War (photograph of a page in the London Illustrated News) Anna Dingley, founder of the UK Ekiden and a former resident of Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan, says the participation of modern-day Satsuma students "helps to celebrate the best of the UK and Japan." "I remember when I lived in Kagoshima and someone pointed out some damage from British cannon fire from 1863," Dingley said. She was referring to a bombardment carried out by the Royal Navy in the brief Anglo-Satsuma War of August 1863. "I did not believe it, but it turned out it was true," she told JAPAN Forward. After the three-day conflict, it was agreed that students ー one just 13 years old ー would travel to the UK to learn about the Industrial Revolution and help build bilateral ties. The students' experiences in Britain helped shape their future, with at least two going on to serve as government ministers. Others also went on to prominent positions in diplomacy, the armed forces, industry, and trade. Masato Fujiwara and his modern-day Satsuma Students running team. (Courtesy of Masato Fujiwara) Today, it is just as important to forge bilateral ties, said Dingley. "I think it's a hugely positive platform for the next generation to learn about Japan, and to take part in the race with Japanese runners too. "Many people in the running fraternity are curious about it, and the wider Anglo-Japanese community too," she said. "There have been one or two local ekiden races in the UK in the past, but this is quite different as we are bringing in many universities to take part, and then the corporate teams who sponsor and fund the race. "It's a virtuous circle because the universities get to participate for free, the students have a great experience of racing and teamwork, and also get to meet all the companies," she added. "The companies have a great teamwork experience too. Often it's a great chance to bond with their Japanese clients or colleagues, and they also get to meet the younger generation." Many, she said, are also drawn by the sport's long history and the devotion it attracts in its homeland. Originally, ekiden was not a sport but referred to the system of horse couriers that carried letters in stages between Japan's major urban centers, primarily the ancient capital of Kyoto and Edo, modern-day Tokyo. The transfer of the post to the next carrier is reflected in the handing over of the sash ー the "tasuki" ー to the next runner in the race. In 1917, the first-ever ekiden was staged as a three-day race over 23 stages from Kyoto to Tokyo. Then, it was a 507-kilometer event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the transfer of the nation's capital to Tokyo. However, it was quickly adopted as a competition by universities and companies, emphasizing unity, resilience, and shared goals. Today, the most important event on the ekiden calendar is the two-day New Year race. Teams of students from Japanese universities run from Tokyo to the mountain town of Hakone and back the following day. It covers a distance of 219 kilometers. Jo Auer, student at Magdalen College, Oxford, was on the winning team in 2024's inaugural race and will be hoping to repeat that feat in 2025. (©Phil Hill) Jo Auer, a 26-year-old student at Magdalen College, Oxford, will be competing in this year's race once more. She's hopeful that her team can repeat their victory in the 2024 inaugural race. "We didn't go in with any expectations ー it was more about enjoying the experience and working together as a team. So crossing the line in first place made it all the more special," she said, adding that running an ekiden was different from her previous races. "It was unlike anything I'd done before," she said. "I'd never raced in a long-format relay, and it turned out to be far more fun and memorable than typical solo racing. Wearing the traditional 'tasuki' sash added a unique cultural touch. And running the final leg ー with Windsor Castle coming into view as I emerged from the woods ー was genuinely unforgettable." Ekiden running demands a different approach, she added, but also has benefits. "There's nothing quite like it," said Auer, who is originally from Brisbane in Australia. "The long-format relay demands endurance and strategy, but also a deep sense of teamwork. You're not just racing for yourself — you're carrying something symbolic, both literally with the sash and figuratively with the team's shared effort. Covering such a long distance together, across a beautiful landscape, and then celebrating as a unit at the finish, it's a uniquely rewarding experience." Masato Fujiwara will carry the traditional sash in honor of the Satsuma students. Nevertheless, he admits to being something of a running novice. "I have had little experience with running before, and I am not a member of my university's ekiden team. For me, running was something that I did in high school," said Fujiwara, who is studying pharmacy at Fukuoka University. "I have been fitting in training around my university life since I found out I would be participating in the race in April," he said. "As a complete beginner when it comes to running, I have been thinking about how to train most effectively in a short time so I can run just over 10 km. Masato Fujiwara, third from left, outside Exeter Cathedral during his UK homestay. (Courtesy of Masato Fujiwara) It will not be Fujiwara's first visit to the UK. He spent three weeks in the city of Exeter as a homestay student during middle school. At the time, he was impressed by the number of historical buildings in Britain. "Although the UK and Japan are far apart, I hope that through this race, we can overcome that distance, sweat together through sports, and become good friends," he added. "I also hope that by sharing the culture of Japan's ekiden with others, more people will become interested in Japan as a country." Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at Oxford University during their state visit to the UK, which overlapped with the inaugural UK Ekiden in June, 2024. (©Reuters) After 30 years dividing her time between the UK and Japan, Dingley shares that hope. "To be honest, I didn't really know so much about ekiden when I lived in Japan," she admitted. "I've always enjoyed iconic journeys rather than necessarily focusing on running. I've cycled the length of Britain, Land's End to John O'Groats, sailed across the Atlantic, and travelled back from Japan overland on the Trans Siberian Express in midwinter. "It's that iconic journey aspect of the Hakone ekiden, which is one of the key reasons I knew our UK Ekiden also had to be along a special route like the Thames Path," she added. In 2024, the UK Ekiden coincided with a state visit to London by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. Both had studied at Oxford University. A portion of the profits was also donated to charities. Among those were organizations supporting the rebuilding of the Noto Peninsula, devastated in a January 2024 earthquake. The relationship between the UK Ekiden and Ishikawa Prefecture will continue in the 2025 event, Dingley said. Raising awareness and increasing assistance to the hard-hit region remains front and center in the event. By Julian Ryall
The Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
‘Son of Concorde' bosses reveal over 600 routes could see flight times HALVED including 3.5-hour trips from UK to US
Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor Published: Invalid Date, MAKERS of a supersonic plane have revealed there are more than 600 global routes where Concorde-style speedy flights could slash flying times by as much as half. And a 3.5 hour trip between the UK and US is "absolutely" possible, the company told The Sun. 2 2 Boom Technology has been testing its XB-1 test jet which managed to fly faster than the speed of sound in January. One of the hurdles they've overcome from supersonic flying is the sound. The firm's jet, aptly dubbed the "Son of Concorde", has no audible sonic boom. A number of orders from the likes of American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines have already been made for Boom Technology's passenger jet model, Overture. President Trump recently signed an executive order effectively lifting a 52-year ban on civil supersonic flight over land in the US. "While Boom is pleased to see the regulatory pathways to supersonic flight clearing, Boom's business case has never been predicated on regulatory change," a spokesperson for Boom told The Sun. "There are over 600 global routes that are economically viable for supersonic flight—even without going supersonic over land. "Now that rules are being updated to allow boomless supersonic flight over land in the US, additional routes will benefit from speedups. "Boom's supersonic airliner, Overture, will fly transatlantic routes, such as New York to London, at its full cruising speed of Mach 1.7 over water – about twice as fast as today's conventional airliners." "Boomless Cruise enables Overture to fly at speeds up to Mach 1.3 over land without an audible boom - up to 50% faster than subsonic jets - reducing US coast-to-coast flight times by up to 90 minutes. "International routes with overland segments can also benefit from increased speeds." The company also revealed that Overture "remains on target" to get certification from relevant bodies including the FAA by the end of the decade so it can carry passengers. Bosses are aiming to roll out the first Overture in three years, and be flight testing in four. To accomplish that, they expect production of the first aircraft in the "Superfactory" to start next year. WHY DID CONCORDE FAIL? CONCORDE was the supersonic passenger jet considered the ultimate luxury in air travel. Air France and British Airways announced they would be retiring their fleet of Concorde planes on April 10, 2003. The plane had its first commercial flight on January 21, 1976, so was retired after 27 years of service and 50,000 flights. Several reasons led to the decision to retire Concorde. Air France and British Airways cited low passenger numbers and high maintenance costs. By the early noughties, the planes were outdated and expensive to run, despite being incredibly advanced when they were first introduced almost three decades previously. The 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001 majorly impacted passenger numbers, as people opted not to fly. Passenger numbers also fell after an Air France Concorde crashed just minutes after taking off from Paris in July 2000. The disaster killed all 109 people on board and four others on the ground. The plane ran over a small piece of metal on the runway, which burst a tyre and caused an engine to ignite. It was also the only aircraft in the British Airways fleet that required a flight engineer. Image credit: Alamy By the end of this year, they expect to produce thrust during fully-operational engine core tests for Overture's bespoke engine, Symphony. "Boom's current order book accounts for the first five years of production at the Overture Superfactory in North Carolina," the spokesperson added. "Airlines have been very receptive to Overture and the competitive advantages of supersonic travel. "In fact, the passenger research we have conducted indicates that 87% of passengers are willing to switch from their preferred airline in order to gain access to supersonic travel." THE RISE OF SUPERSONIC AND HYPERSONIC There are several types of hypersonic and supersonic jets. A breakdown of what's been happening in the industry and what's expected in the coming years. Talon-A Built by Stratolaunch Reported speeds of Mach 5 The first test flight conducted in 2024 X-59 Quesst Built by Nasa and Lockheed Martin Predicted max speeds of Mach 1.4 The first test flight in 2024 - but subject to delays Venus Stargazer M4 Built by Venus Aerospace and Velontra Predicted max speeds of Mach 6 First test flight in 2025 Quarterhorse MKII Built by Hermeus Predicted max speeds of Mach 2.5 First test flight in 2026 Halcyon Built by Hermeus Predicted max speeds of Mach 5 First test flight by 2030 Nanqiang No 1 Built by China's hypersonic plane programme Predicted max speeds of Mach 6 First test flight in 2025 DART Built by Hypersonix Launch Systems Predicted max speeds of Mach 7 First test flight in 2025
Hans India
13-06-2025
- Hans India
Boeing Dreamliner has history of technical issues globally
New Delhi: The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, known for its advanced technology and fuel efficiency, has reportedly faced several technical and safety issues worldwide over the years. In 2013, the entire global fleet of Dreamliners was grounded after incidents of lithium-ion battery fires, including one on a parked Japan Airlines jet in Boston and another mid-air emergency in Japan. These incidents led the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to suspend Dreamliner operations until Boeing redesigned the battery system. In 2024, Boeing again came under scrutiny after whistleblower Sam Salehpour, an engineer at the company, reportedly told the US Senate about structural problems in the Dreamliner's fuselage. He claimed that small gaps and improper assembly could cause early wear and possible structural failure. The FAA launched an investigation, which is still ongoing. Despite being marketed as one of the safest and most advanced aircraft in the skies, the Dreamliner has been linked to several technical faults. In March this year, a Boeing 787-9, operated by LATAM Airlines, experienced a sudden altitude drop mid-flight, injuring 50 people. The cause was later identified as a malfunction in the cockpit seat. Over the years, pilots have also reported issues such as engine icing, fuel leaks, generator failures, and electrical system faults.
Sydney Morning Herald
13-06-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
What survivors of commercial plane crashes have in common – and only some of it is luck
'Miracle girl' Bahia Bakari, the sole survivor of doomed Yemenia Flight 626, notably survived its 2009 crash into the Indian Ocean by clinging to a piece of aircraft wreckage, something she was able to do because she happened to have been ejected from the Airbus A310 as it crashed. The four survivors of Japan Airlines Flight 123, which killed 520 people after crashing into Mount Osutaka in August 1985, were all seated in the last seven rows of the aircraft. That happened to be the only part that remained intact after impact. Which part of the plane that remains intact in the event of a crash – and if you're in it – may be luck of the draw, but in the case of Japan Airlines Flight 516, a major factor in the survival of all 379 occupants after it collided with a Coast Guard plane at Haneda Airport was its efficient evacuation process. American journalist Amanda Ripley's extensive disaster reporting helped Time win more than one award – and it also formed a strong basis for her book The Unthinkable: Who survives when disaster strikes – and why. What Ripley had discovered over the years was how much understanding behavioural psychology was crucial to the survival of humans when disaster strikes, and how much it's been overlooked. Fight, flight, freeze or fawn – if your body knows instinctively what to do, Ripley argues, then it may be able to cut through in times of extreme distress. 'The brain loves body memory,' writes Ripley, who highlights the efficacy of 'dress rehearsals' of fires in house and workplace survival rates. 'It is much better to stop, drop, and roll than to talk about stopping, dropping, and rolling.' Loading In an unfamiliar and somewhat temporary environment like a commercial plane, conducting a disaster drill as a passenger is easier said than done. But Ripley highlights how making a habit of counting the rows between your seat and the nearest emergency exit on every plane you board – should you need to rely on senses other than sight – is essential. Crew, after all, are given a 90-second time limit to evacuate all passengers before flames, and smoke, become fatal for those inside the plane, some of whom may be trapped by their own paralysing fear, or others who are clogging the aisle trying to retrieve their belongings in shock. Not one of Japan Airlines Flight 516's occupants exited with hand luggage. Which is the safest seat on a commercial flight? There is no magic seat that protects individual passengers; however, there is some data to show that there are safer and less safe seats in the event of a crash. Incomplete data from the American Federal Aviation Administration between 1985 and 2000 was analysed by Time, which found that sitting in the back of a plane was generally safer, fulfilling the urban myth that first-class passengers face the brunt of a crash's impact. Middle seats have also been found to have the lowest fatality rate, though there are questions of situational advantage, as in some crashes having an aisle seat can mean a quicker evacuation. It should be noted, however, that not all crash data reports seat numbers against passenger fatalities, so a complete analysis is difficult to perform. Is there a way to tell if an airline is at higher risk of a crash? Despite 2025 being one of the deadliest years on record for civil aviation, commercial aircraft accidents are still considered extremely rare today. Of course, some airlines and countries have a worse record than others, and there are several resources flyers can use. Qantas, recently voted the world's second-safest airline for 2025 on behind Air New Zealand, has never had a fatal jet airline accident. Air India didn't make top 25 list when it was released earlier this year, and currently has an air safety star rating of just four stars out of seven, factoring Friday's mass fatalities. Loading At the time of writing, Air India also does not feature among the banned carriers on the European Union Air Safety List (ASL) – an internationally recognised and frequently updated list of air carriers from non-EU nations banned from operating to, in and from the EU due to not meeting necessary international safety standards. The list was last updated on June 3, before the crash took place. Both the reviews and the ASL can be used as reference guides for flyers. The ASL is a particularly good resource for anyone considering using a foreign carrier for the first time, according to RMIT University aerospace engineering and aviation expert Chrystal Zhang. 'It's definitely one of the very reliable resources for anyone who wants to check the [carrier's] safety performance and capability of the government [to manage] safety performance,' said Zhang. 'It is one of the purposes they developed that list.' The banned or partially banned airlines are determined based on information gathered by aviation safety experts from all the EU member states and the European Commission, including assessment of both the individual airline and its associated governing authorities. 'They would determine whether the carriers have valid, appropriate safety management systems in place to satisfy the EU's requirements … then they would check the capability of the government agency – in [the Yeti Airlines] case the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal – to establish to what extent they're capable of overseeing the overall management system of their aviation sector,' said Zhang. While Australia doesn't have an equivalent ban list in place, the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulates who gets an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) to operate safely in Australia. 'This means any Australian airline will be safe,' said University of Sydney aviation expert Professor Rico Merkert. 'Foreign carriers are not permitted to fly into Australian airspace until they receive a Foreign Aircraft Air Operator's Certificate (CASA). As such, I feel in safe hands.' Which airlines are the safest? Air New Zealand is ranked the safest on with Qantas following in an 'extremely close' second place. According to the group, rankings are based on a number of categories, including the number of serious incidents in the last two years, fleet size and age, fatalities, and pilot skills and training. Loading Airlines are balanced in their ranking to ensure that proportionality is considered. 'An airline operating only 100 aircraft experiencing three incidents raises greater concern than an airline with 800 aircraft experiencing six incidents,' said the group. 'Another critical factor is how incidents are managed. While incidents occur daily across the aviation industry, the expertise of pilots and crew often determines whether an event remains an incident or escalates into a tragedy.' The group also said that incidents are sometimes the fault of the plane manufacturer, rather than the airline, and that is taken into consideration. Air India Flight 171 marks the first hull loss for a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner since the type of aircraft began operating in 2011.
