Sean Broderick covers aviation safety, MRO, and the hardware side of the airline business from Aviation Week Network's Washington, D.C. office.
Broderick's aviation career started in 1991, working for Airbus in Toulouse. His industry experience includes four years with an aviation consultancy, where he helped launch a U.S. Part 121 carrier; 12 years with the American Association of Airport Executives, where he served as editor of Airport Magazine; and 20 years in full- and part-time roles with Aviation Week writing primarily about safety and the aftermarket.
Broderick was named the 2020 Aerospace Journalist of the Year by the Aerospace Media Awards. He also shared in a 2020 Neal Award for Best News Coverage with Aviation Week Network colleagues. Broderick and Aviation Week colleague John Croft shared the 2015 Flight Safety International Cecil A. Brownlow Publication Award recognizing "significant contributions by journalists to aviation safety awareness."
He graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. in Communications ('91) and earned an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications ('13) from West Virginia University.
The FAA has ordered Bombardier CRJ100 and 440 operators to replace cargo liners in baggage compartments with new kits that meet flammability requirements. The directive (AD 2013-03-22) gives operators of some 570 U.S.-registered aircraft 28 months from its effective date—or until mid-August 2015—to ensure the work is done. The FAA estimates the cost per aircraft at about $51,000, putting the U.S. fleet’s total bill at about $29.2 million. It is not clear how many aircraft already have been modified.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) this week updated its guidance for flying in volcanic ash-contaminated airspace, revamping its recommendations to reflect the latest research conducted by industry groups studying the threat of ash to airliner operations.
Boeing Shanghai is nearing completion of its first passenger-to-freighter (PTF) conversion, broadening the expanding facility’s experience as a full-service maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider in the region. The PTF conversion airframe, a Boeing 737-300 built in 1998 (MSN 29088), is for Kenya Airways. Work started in December, and the milestone door-cutting task was completed during the first week of February.
