The Year 2008 in Review for Aviation.

The year 2008 was full of many achievements, events, and shortcomings. We’ve been fortunate, but also unfortunate in some cases. We’ve lost a few airlines (like SkyBus and ATA), but we gained a few as well (Azul, Virgin America). We didn’t get to see the 787 or the 747-800 fly, but I’m sure many of us can’t wait for next year when we’ll hopefully see both aircraft fly. We witnessed carriers go through a period of high oil prices, and now we watch them navigate through a tough economy. We’ve been able to see several advancements in the field of in-flight entertainment this year (airlines equipping aircraft with WiFi), but we’ve also seen many staff cuts (pilots, flight attendants, ground crew, and management). The year has had it’s ups and downs, but history was made – as it is every year in aviation. Aviation never ceases to amaze and awe us by its beauty – but we have much to reflect on and build off of, and much to look forward to in the coming year. Happy New Year all, and I’ll see you in 2009!