USA based airline, United Airlines is seeking authority to begin seasonal service to Cape Town, South Africa, from its Newark hub in December. The Star Alliance carrier is planning to operate thrice-weekly service with a Boeing 787-9 through the end of March 2020, it said on the 15th of April 2019. The route is undergoing approval processes from the US Department of Transportation."We are always looking at ways to expand our industry-leading international route network to offer our customers more convenient options," says Patrick Quayle, vice-president of international network at Chicago-based United. "We're thrilled to announce the addition of Africa to our global route offering."

The Federal Aviation Administration called a 3 hour meeting in Washington DC to review three items: preliminary reports into the two Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes, Boeing’s anticipated update to the 737 Max’s flight control software and pilot training, says the agency. FAA acting administrator Dan Elwell was given an opportunity to “hear from the participants for a fuller understanding of the safety issues of the Boeing 737 Max”. Attendees included representatives from three US airlines and their unions who has operated 737 Max before the global fleet was grounded in March. “Geopolitical issues continue in their complexity and they will intertwine with everything from crew training and experience to the pilot supply/demand equation, to codeshare agreements and subsidies, and much more,” Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) president Jon Weaks says in a letter published to union members immediately after the meeting. “The FAA flight safety board is continuing to evaluate Boeing's proposed software changes, and the FAA, as well as SWAPA, are still waiting on a final proposed training product from Boeing,” says Weaks’ letter. “Boeing will, and should, continue to face scrutiny of the ill-designed MCAS and initial non-disclosure of the new flight control logic.”

The world’s largest aircraft, the Stratolaunch "Roc" air-launcher vehicle produced by Scaled Composites, has made its maiden flight on the 13th of April from Mojave Air and Space Port in California.The six-engined twin-fuselage all-composite design was created as a purpose-built air-launch vehicle for US-based Stratolaunch, The first flight follows more than 12 months of ground testing. Test crew Evan Thomas and Chris Guarente flew simulated landing approach exercises at an altitude of 15,000ft.
“Today has been great. The airplane flew as predicted. It was a very smooth flight and the team had a lot of fun,” said Thomas. The Roc, is powered by six Pratt & Whitney PW4056 turbofans, the same engine fitted to the Boeing 747-400. Each fuselage is 73m (238ft) in length and they are 29m apart, while the wingspan of 117m makes Stratolaunch the largest aircraft ever to fly. The crewed cockpit is incorporated into the right fuselage while the left fuselage is empty and unpressurised.