Sky Briefing #013 — Dublin to Shanghai, Riyadh Air and the Coronal Hole Tuesday
On July 20, a China Eastern A350 made the first nonstop departure from Dublin to Shanghai — 13 hours, the longest scheduled service in the airport’s history. The same morning, Farnborough opened its doors and started taking orders for jets that will not reach any airline before 2032. And a coronal hole high-speed stream is on its way, due around midnight July 22 UTC.
Skies
Coronal hole stream due Tuesday night: Kp 4–5 forecast, G1 possible. A large coronal hole has rotated into an Earth-facing position. The fast solar wind is expected to arrive around midnight July 21–22 UTC, potentially reaching 700 km/s. NOAA forecasts Kp 4 to 5 with brief G1 (minor storm) intervals possible. Edinburgh, Oslo and Seattle-latitude locations have the best shot. True darkness is short at midsummer in the Northern Hemisphere, but a northbound overnight flight puts you directly in the auroral zone. North-facing window. NOAA SWPC — 3-Day Forecast
Aviation
China Eastern just opened Dublin’s longest nonstop route: straight to Shanghai. From July 20, three times weekly (Mon, Wed, Fri): Dublin (DUB) to Shanghai Pudong (PVG), departing 10:55 UTC, arriving 06:00 UTC the next day. Block time is 13 to 14 hours — rerouting around closed Russian airspace adds time versus the old direct track. A350-900, three cabin classes including lie-flat in business. Ireland to China previously meant a stop in Frankfurt, London or Amsterdam. Not any more. Simple Flying — Dublin’s new longest nonstop route
Riyadh Air is real. And it is growing faster than almost any new airline before it. First commercial flight was July 1 to London Heathrow. Malaga followed July 14, Madrid July 17. Manchester arrives July 23. All on the Boeing 787. Four European destinations in under four weeks from first flight. Whether this pace is sustainable is a fair question — but for anyone flying Riyadh to Europe, early-booking prices are available right now and they are low. One Mile at a Time — Riyadh Air launches
Orders signed at Farnborough this week will not fly until 2032. The Farnborough International Airshow runs July 20–24 in Hampshire. Orders for up to 875 aircraft are expected, with widebody deals from Philippine Airlines and Etihad headlining. The real story: production slots at Airbus and Boeing are fully booked through the end of the decade. The jets flying passengers today were ordered years ago. Farnborough 2026 is shaping the fleets of 2032. Airways Magazine — Delivery slots drive Farnborough’s order tally
because you need to know that on the night of July 22, the north-facing window seat is the one to book.