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Panic builds over bankrupt Spiritβs looming data sale to Google
Doug Kreuzkamp was shocked when news outlets reported that Google won an auction to buy a huge amount of operational data as part of Spirit Airlinesβ bankruptcy proceedings.
Kreuzkamp founded a startup called Springshot in 2011, which created a widely used proprietary platform that helps humans and AI systems improve airline efficiency and quickly solve logistics problems so flights can stay on time and airlines can operate as smoothly as possible. Hundreds of airports use it globally.
Springshot powered Spiritβs technology stack for the last three years, right up to the βvery last flight,β Kreuzkamp told Ars. Yet his company got no notice when Spirit prepared to auction off a massive dataset that he thinks likely improperly includes a substantial amount of data and intellectual property (IP) that Springshot ownsβnot Spirit.


Β© Justin Sullivan / Staff | Getty Images News
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- Ars Technica - Gadgets
- First test flight of largest all-electric aircraft used just $5 of electricity
First test flight of largest all-electric aircraft used just $5 of electricity
The first flight of the largest battery-electric aircraft to take to the skies lasted nearly half an hour while costing just $5 of electricity. That aviation feat comes at a time when jet fuel prices have skyrocketed because of the US war with Iran.
The test flight of Heart Aerospaceβs X1 demonstrator aircraft took place at Plattsburgh International Airport in upstate New York on August 12. The X1 aircraft is comparable in size to a small regional airliner and can achieve a maximum takeoff weight exceeding 25,000 pounds with the help of four wing-mounted electric motors. The battery-electric propulsion system delivered more than one megawatt of power during the maiden flight.
All-electric aircraft can offer quieter and cleaner flight without the emissions that come from burning jet fuel. They may also prove more reliably cost-effective than conventional aircraft that come with jet fuel costs subject to geopolitical disruptions.


Β© Heart Aerospace
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New airliner sets record flying 24 hrs nonstop from Australia to France
A new Airbus passenger jet completed an ultra-long test flight between Australia and France lasting more than 24 hoursβpaving the way for the worldβs longest nonstop commercial flights starting up next year.
The Airbus A350-1000ULR was developed specifically for Qantas Airwaysβ planned nonstop flights between Sydney and either New York or London. The Australian airline has ordered a dozen of the new airliners for its Project Sunrise routes that aim to start offering tickets for sale in 2027.
The aircraft had been doing initial test flights near the Airbus facilities in Toulouse, France, with a small team of test pilots and test engineers before conducting its first ultra long-haul test flight last week. After taking off from Toulouse on July 23, it flew for 19 hours and 13 minutes before landing in Melbourne, Australia, on July 24.


Β© Airbus SAS 2026