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.
Air France yesterday ferried a Concorde from Paris to Istres in southern France for taxi tests that authorities hope will help pave the way for the supersonic airliner's return to service. The flight was the first Concorde departure from Paris Charles de Gaulle since last summer's crash of an Air France Concorde that left 113 dead and led to the grounding of the type.
FedEx ordered Airbus A380-800F aircraft, becoming the launch customer for the freighter version of the European superjumbo airliner. The U.S. package-hauler ordered 10 of the planes for an undisclosed amount, with deliveries slated to begin in 2008. If the deal is finalized, the European consortium would have another big win over rival Boeing. Engine selection is slated for March or April.
Australian air safety officials are crafting new rules that mandate personal flotation devices (PFDs) on commercial aircraft that fly even short distances over water. The move comes six months after a Wyhalla Airlines Piper Chieftain crashed into the Spencer Gulf along Australia's southern coast, killing all eight aboard. Current rules require PFDs only on flights that operate at least 50 nm from land.
