Flight Safety Information - April 23, 2025 No. 082 In This Issue : Incident: Rouge A321 near Des Moines on Apr 16th 2025, odour on board : Accident: United B789 over Philippines on Mar 27th 2025, turbulence causes 5 injuries : Boeing 767-432ER - Landing Gear would not Retract (JFK) : FAA finds safety concerns at Las Vegas airport in review spurred by midair collision in Washington : HondaJet Pilots Association Presents Excursion Solution : TSA intercepts firearm at Norfolk International Airport checkpoint Man arrested by police : FAA Investigating Back-to-Back Delta Air Lines Mishaps in Orlando Agency is looking into : Digital twins & skilled technicians, future of predictive aircraft maintenance : Canadian airline withdraws intention of hiring foreign pilots : China’s C909 passenger jet spreads wings with VietJet, after TransNusa, Lao Airlines : What Happens to TSA PreCheck If the TSA Disappears? : Boeing to sell Jeppesen unit to Thoma Bravo for $10.6 billion : United is launching new 'fifth freedom' flights. Here's how the rare international routes work and why airlines love them. : Spirit AeroSystems top engineer to lead Wichita site after Boeing deal closes -letters : USAIG Promotion : Calendar of Events Incident: Rouge A321 near Des Moines on Apr 16th 2025, odour on board An Air Canada Rouge Airbus A321-200, registration C-FJQL performing flight RV-1702/AC-1702 from Las Vegas,NV (USA) to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 176 people on board, was enroute at FL350 about 30nm north of Des Moines,IA (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Des Moines reporting the smell of smoke on board. The aircraft landed safely on Des Moines' runway 13 about 17 minutes later. The airline reported an acrid odour on board. A replacement A321-200 registration C-GKFB reached Toronto with a delay of about 8 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Des Moines about 43 hours after landing. On Apr 22nd 2025 the Canadian TSB reported: "During cruise, the flight crew noted vibration from under the floor of the flight deck followed by a loud abnormal noise and an electrical burning odour. No smoke was observed. Flight crew declared a PAN PAN, requested descent to 10,000 feet and a diversion to Des Moines International Airport (KDSM), IA. During descent avionics vent blower extract ECAM was received and actioned by the flight crew. The flight subsequently landed full-stop with aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) on standby. ARFF did not detect any abnormalities when a general visual external inspection was conducted. Aircraft was taxied to gate under its own power." https://avherald.com/h?article=526a4169&opt=0 Accident: United B789 over Philippines on Mar 27th 2025, turbulence causes 5 injuries A United Boeing 787-9, registration N27958 performing flight UA-1 from San Francisco,CA (USA) to Singapore (Singapore) with 174 passengers and 14 crew, was enroute at FL400 near Butuan City (Philippines) when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence causing one serious and 4 minor injuries on board. The aircraft continued to Singapore for a safe landing about 3 hours later. The FAA reported one flight attendant received serious injuries, 3 flight attendants and one passenger minor injuries. The occurrence was rated an accident. The NTSB reported they joined the investigation led by Philippines CAA via an accredited representative. https://avherald.com/h?article=526cee32&opt=0 Boeing 767-432ER - Landing Gear would not Retract (JFK) Date: Tuesday 22 April 2025 Time: 17:20 Type: Boeing 767-432ER Owner/operator: Delta Air Lines Registration: N832MH MSN: 29704/807 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 226 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: None Location: New York, United States - United States of America Phase: Take off Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK/KJFK) Destination airport: Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX) Narrative: A Delta Boeing 767-432ER registered N832MH departed John F. Kennedy International Airport destined for Los Angeles International Airport - However was diverted back to John F. Kennedy International Airport after the landing gear would not retract, the flight was safely landed and all passengers disembarked. N832MH later departed for London Heathrow instead of Los Angeles a few hours later. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/501027 FAA finds safety concerns at Las Vegas airport in review spurred by midair collision in Washington A federal review of helicopter safety around some of the busiest U.S. airports, prompted by the deadly midair collision in January between a passenger jet and Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., revealed dangerous flying conditions at the Las Vegas airport. The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday the potential for a collision between air tour helicopters and planes at Harry Reid International Airport led the agency to make immediate changes to flying rules. In the first three weeks after implementation the number of collision alerts for planes dropped 30%. The FAA said after the collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in January, which killed 67 people, that it planned to use artificial intelligence to dig into the millions of reports it collects to assess other places with busy helicopter traffic, including Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and along the Gulf Coast. The FAA’s acting administrator, Chris Rocheleau, said Las Vegas quickly became a concern once the agency dug into the data because agreements with helicopter operators there didn’t clearly define vertical and lateral separation requirements when helicopters were approaching the airport. And air traffic controllers in the tower weren’t issuing traffic advisories between returning helicopters and airplanes. “We took quick action including exercising positive control over the helicopters and issuing more traffic advisories to pilots,” Rocheleau said. He promised to take additional actions in Las Vegas and at other airports where the FAA identifies concerns. Luke Nimmo, a spokesperson for Clark County Department of Aviation, referred all questions about the findings to the FAA. Following the crash of a New York City sightseeing helicopter into the Hudson River that killed six people April 10, the FAA said it was establishing a rulemaking committee to develop recommendations for improving commercial air tour safety. Jeff Guzzetti, a former National Transportation Safety Board and FAA accident investigator, said the fact that collision alerts for planes dropped so quickly “indicates a real hazard existed before the FAA looked at this.” “It’s tough to characterize how significant the hazard was,” he said. “But it’s yet another hole in the Swiss cheese that can line up with other holes and cause an accident just like what happened in Washington, D.C.” He said it made sense that the FAA first addressed the Las Vegas airport, given its large mix of helicopters and commercial traffic. “I think that they will find issues at other airports, but maybe not to the degree that they found with this one,” Guzzetti added. Former NTSB Chairman Jim Hall said there have long been safety issues with the helicopter tour industry, describing it as slipping in many cases into “becoming an attraction rather than a safe ride.” “Unfortunately in aviation, it is accidents that bring the attention of the regulators to their responsibilities,” he added. The January midair collision near Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport was the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States since 2001. A series of other crashes and near misses in the months since have raised worries about air travel, even though it remains safe overall. Helicopters have been a key concern, but Rocheleau said the core safety issues remain operations and maintenance problems. He said the top causes of helicopter accidents include loss of control and striking an object during low-altitude operations. The FAA said its review of the safety data has expanded beyond helicopters to look at airports with a mix of many different planes and airports that are close together. The proximity between Hollywood Burbank Airport and Van Nuys Airport in the Los Angeles area emerged as a concern because they are less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) apart. Both airports serve a wide mix of aircraft and have arrival and departure paths that are close. A spokesperson for the Hollywood Burbank Airport referred questions to the FAA. The Van Nuys Airport didn’t immediately respond to an email requesting comment. “While flying remains the safest mode of transportation, we must always strive to do better,” Rocheleau said. “We have to identify trends and get smarter about how we use data. And when we put corrective actions in place, we must execute them.” Aviation lawyer Robert Clifford, who represents several families of victims of the D.C. plane crash, praised the FAA for taking action to make helicopter flights safer. “As a frequent critic of the FAA, I must say that the FAA deserves recognition for taking these steps to protect the traveling public,” he said. “Helicopters are known for being the most dangerous and potentially unsafe aircraft. The extra vigilance by the FAA may save many lives.” https://www.wdhn.com/news/national/ap-us-news/ap-faa-finds-safety-concerns-at-las-vegas-airport-in-review-spurred-by-midair-collision-in-washington/ HondaJet Pilots Association Presents Excursion Solution P3 program aims to help pilots adhere to proper landing procedures The HondaJet Owners & Pilots Association (HJOPA) has released a video and developed a training program that outline the correct landing technique for the HA-420 HondaJet. A spate of recent and past HondaJet runway excursions has raised concerns in the business aviation community, and HJOPA chair of safety and board member David DeCurtis is leading the effort to make sure HondaJet pilots understand precisely how to prevent them. According to AIN research, there have been 21 HondaJet runway excursions, including nine since publication of this comparison of excursions between aircraft types on Sept. 1, 2023. The latest took place at Chubu Centrair International Airport (RJGG) in Japan on April 13. The new HJOPA Proficient Pilot Program (P3) is multi-pronged, according to DeCurtis. It consists of a video showing why it’s important to use the correct technique when landing a HondaJet and how to do it, a mentorship component, and data gathering using AirSync hardware to capture flight data that is then uploaded to ForeFlight’s CloudAhoy flight debriefing software for post-flight analysis. The CloudAhoy analysis is available for individual pilots and also as de-identified data for trend analysis across the AirSync-equipped HondaJet fleet. HJOPA, Honda Aircraft, and HondaJet training provider FlightSafety International worked together to produce the video, according to DeCurtis. “[Honda Aircraft] has been very supportive of our efforts…and we’re quite thankful to FlightSafety as well. Honda Aircraft, especially their test pilot team, they worked hand in hand with us to make sure the video was completely congruent with the flight manual.” While learning to fly in Cessna 172s with traditional avionics and instruments, DeCurtis bought his first airplane, a new Cirrus SR22 with an Avidyne glass cockpit. He added the instrument rating in the SR22 and spent 150 hours flying with an instructor to reach a high level of proficiency. For 13 years, DeCurtis flew Cirruses, eventually owning an SR22 G6 with the latest Garmin avionics before buying his first HondaJet. He is now on his third HondaJet, the latest model Elite II. “I took a similar approach in my HondaJet training,” he said, “which was I immersed [myself] in it.” He flew 100 hours in his jet with Tim Frazier, a Honda Aircraft mentor and, as a company demo pilot and flight operations manager, one of the most experienced HondaJet pilots in the world. They flew those 100 hours before DeCurtis went to FlightSafety’s training center at Honda Aircraft’s Greensboro, North Carolina headquarters campus for his type rating course. “I had no trouble with it. I was very well prepared,” he said. As it turned out, DeCurtis sat next to an older pilot who had logged 40,000 hours, mostly flying for airlines. “He was a wonderful gentleman,” DeCurtis recalled, “very kind and generous in his sharing of his vast aviation knowledge and wisdom.” While DeCurtis soaked up as much knowledge as he could from his new friend, he also helped the older pilot learn how to use the unfamiliar Garmin G3000 avionics, which at this point DeCurtis was intimately familiar with. “Not only was I familiar with Garmin, but I had 100 hours in the aircraft,” he said. “I was an absolute whiz, and my business is computers, so I ended up being this guy’s tutor from the avionics perspective, and the HondaJet itself because I completely immersed myself in all the data.” Well before going to FlightSafety, DeCurtis had read all the HondaJet and Garmin documents cover to cover. “I’m one of the few people [who] actually read all the manuals,” he said. “I was helping him at that level, and he’s helping me with all this vast aviation experience.” After earning the type rating, DeCurtis spent more time flying with another mentor, who said after 15 hours that DeCurtis was ready to fly the HondaJet by himself. “The insurance company agreed with him, and I was off on my own in my jet,” he said. “But then something remarkable happened, and it changed everything for me.” A Significant Excursion “The gentleman that had 40,000 hours of experience and became a friend of mine flew off a runway. He called me and walked me through the experience he had, and it just shook my world. If this guy, [an aviation] legend with 40,000 hours, an expert to say the least, if this guy can go off the runway, then I certainly can go off the runway. I needed to understand exactly what’s going on with how to land the jet and what to do to avoid having a runway excursion. That is what started my journey, in terms of becoming an expert and deep diving into the HondaJet landing technique, it was self-preservation and a deep respect for this gentleman who had this excursion.” After researching the proper landing technique and interviewing his friend, DeCurtis discovered why he had experienced an excursion. “He was not following the technique. Having thousands of hours in an airliner does not make you a great HondaJet pilot. You have to forget about what you know from other aircraft and respect the aircraft that you’re flying and learn the technique of that particular aircraft. “I don’t think the HondaJet is unique in that respect. It’s just that the HondaJet has a particular landing technique. It’s laid out in the flight manual. I realized that this was really important to get out there.” With his newfound knowledge, DeCurtis crafted a presentation and showed it to HJOPA leadership, which invited him to give a seminar at the organization’s annual safety summit in Phoenix in 2022. A year later, he was asked to join the HJOPA board as chair of safety, and he continued his research on how to prevent HondaJet overruns. This culminated in another presentation at the safety summit, this time in Colorado Springs in 2024. “The feedback from that presentation, both from Honda and from pilots in the community, was heartwarming.” He realized, however, that this valuable information needed to be shared more widely, so he began working on the video and developing the P3 program, modeling it after the CJP Safe To Land program, which addresses stable approaches, precise speed control, drift, and other factors. The Proper Process Here is a summary of the proper landing technique from the HondaJet flight manual and the video, which DeCurtis learned in his exploration of HondaJet excursions. • Crab technique only • Avoid excess airspeed - target Vref • Feet up on the brake pedals • 50 feet agl - throttle rapidly to idle • Minimum flare • De-crab just prior to touchdown • Apply aileron into the wind • Attempt to align with the centerline • Touchdown upwind landing gear first • Place downwind wheel down without delay • Full landing gear compression • Aileron into the wind - full aileron if wind is 15 knots or greater • Prompt de-rotation • Rudder to track centerline • Forward pressure on the yoke • Symmetrical moderate to heavy braking What DeCurtis has found is that using this technique is, in fact, less work than many pilots put into landings. “You just let the airplane come to the runway,” he explained. “You don’t flare. It’s what I call the artist doing nothing, which is difficult to do when you’re a pilot, because you see runway coming at you and you want to do all these things.” The P3 program is modeled after CJP’s Gold Standard program, which not only encourages members to fly safely but also rewards attendance at more frequent recurrent training sessions and other training events. “When you join the P3 program, you’re committing to matching the parameters of the stable approach and using the flight manual landing technique. But it goes a lot deeper than that,” he said, to include HJOPA-certified mentor pilots who will make sure new and existing HondaJet pilots become proficient at following the flight manual procedures. This means, he added, “not just checking boxes that we flew 25 hours, to check the box for the FAA, but having the mentor program be proficiency-based, not hour-based.” This will be supplemented by the AirSync and CloudAhoy flight data analysis, both on an individual basis and using the aggregated and de-identified data for benchmarking purposes. Simulator Success Having attended the type rating training program at FlightSafety, DeCurtis knows that pilots are taught the correct HondaJet technique there. However, after they start flying their HondaJets, they may forget or modify the landing process. “It’s like there’s an attitude out there, ‘Okay, that’s how you land the simulator.’” In real life, these pilots may be trying to grease the landing to make it smoother for the passenger, which isn’t the correct procedure. There is a simulator phenomenon that may contribute to this problem, he pointed out. “When you land correctly, the simulator models it with a bit of a bump. It can be jarring. You’re flying the simulator and you think, ‘In the real aircraft, I don’t want that bump.’ So you could be incentivized to flare, which is contrary to the flight manual. It’s minimal flare in the HondaJet.” Speaking to HondaJet pilots about flying their airplanes exactly how they are taught in the simulator, DeCurtis has heard them claim that “the training is a baseline to which they can add all their experience and expertise.” This manifests in pilots trying to flare the HondaJet to grease the landing or to employ aerodynamic braking, and it also comes up in relation to adding knots to Vref (landing reference speed). “The flight manual says, ‘Fly Vref,’” he said. “There’s no ‘Add half the gust factor to Vref’ in the HondaJet flight manual. You fly Vref. There’s 27 knots of buffer between Vref and stall. You’ve got plenty of room to bounce up and down around Vref. But there are pilots out there who [think], ‘Vref is a baseline. Then you add to that [they say], if it’s gusty conditions, you’re going to want to add to Vref, to add a margin of safety.’ I tell them, ‘You’re not adding a margin of safety, you’re adding a margin of danger.’” Information that DeCurtis has gathered supports this conclusion. After his 40,000-hour friend suffered the excursion, DeCurtis researched more incidents and interviewed the pilots. “I can tell you that it is a common theme, without exception, that the technique was not followed…in every case.” A more troubling aspect of this was that the worse the weather conditions, the more these pilots deviated from the recommended procedures. “They feel like they need to do all this extra stuff to gain additional control, because the conditions are so bad, and that typically means adding to Vref,” he explained. While the pilot properly crabs, not slips, to compensate for a crosswind, they de-crab too early instead of just before touchdown. Then, to make it smooth for passengers, they flare too much and don’t de-rotate (lower) the nose because they think holding the nose off the ground will shift weight to the main wheels and generate aerodynamic braking. “These are the four common practices or elements that have been either all present or at least some of them have been present in a particular flight [with an excursion],” he asserted. “But zero cases have I seen [where] the technique was followed and there was an excursion. That hasn’t happened.” What Pilots Think The reception from HondaJet pilots varies. In a telling example, after DeCurtis explained to a pilot who had experienced an excursion why it happened, the pilot said he found the information “mind-blowing.” He told DeCurtis that his explanation was contrary to everything he’d been doing in his flying career until then, which included adding speed to Vref and de-crabbing early in the approach to landing. This pilot said, “You’re telling me this is all wrong,” DeCurtis recalled. “I’m saying, ‘Yes, all wrong, it’s 100% not what you do, and it’s not just me. Let’s open the book, page 4-36 in the flight manual. This is not Dave’s technique, this is the flight manual. What you’re [the pilot] describing is contrary to the flight manual.” This pilot exhibited a positive attitude about the feedback and dove into studying the proper landing technique and even participated in the beta testing of the P3 program. He also installed an AirSync in his HondaJet and returned for more frequent training at FlightSafety with a focus on crosswind landings. “He’s the model example of the right attitude,” DeCurtis said. “Other pilots have been receptive. But I haven’t had anybody say, ‘No, you’re wrong!’ Or ‘That’s crazy!’ Nobody’s pushed back like that.” Some pilots are befuddled to learn that the way they’ve been flying is not helping them keep their HondaJet on the runway after landing. “I just walk through it mechanically,” he said. “Let’s step back a bit. Are you on Vref? When did you take the crab out? Did you hold the nose off? Did you put forward pressure on the yoke when you [touched down]? Was the aileron into the wind? If you add up all these things you didn’t do that the flight manual says you should have done, that’s all making physics work against you. You’re taking all these elements of physics and you’re making them your enemy instead of your friend. What the flight manual is doing is taking physics and making it your friend.” Here is how DeCurtis explains the physics of the flight manual procedure and how that helps HondaJet pilots: “You’re coming in at the [minimum] safe amount of kinetic energy, that’s Vref. If you add [speed] to Vref, you’re adding kinetic energy. You add kinetic energy, you’re adding lift [and] braking workload. So the flight manual holds you back to a minimum amount of kinetic energy. It also helps you dump lift, because it’s telling you to de-rotate promptly. So you’re lowering your angle of attack [and] you’re dumping lift. “It’s also increasing friction because you’re putting three tires on the runway immediately, and then you’re dumping lift, which is putting weight on those tires, which is giving you friction. So in just that little sequence, you have physics working massively in your favor, compared to somebody who’s doing the opposite, carrying extra kinetic energy, holding the angle of attack up, creating more lift, decreasing friction, having no directional control, especially from the nose wheel because it’s floating, so you have no nose wheel support. So you put it on the ground to help you with a crosswind. It’s not magic.” The No-braking Problem While pilots cited in post-accident reports claim that they experienced no braking action after landing, DeCurtis explained that keeping the crab all the way to just before touchdown and de-rotating will enable proper brake response. “Promptly de-rotate. That is, reduce your angle of attack, which is dumping lift. It’s putting three tires [on the runway]. That configuration is going to give you your fastest path to wheel spin. That’s conducive to braking.” If the pilot lets the HondaJet touch down on one main wheel, then that one lifts and the other wheel touches, due to de-crabbing too early and then slipping or drifting, then the brakes won’t work properly. “The brakes aren’t going to engage and hold,” he said. “They will engage, but they won’t continue to engage, because one wheel will be spinning freely and the other wheel will lock, especially if you’re panicked and you’re slamming on the brakes. So it releases the brakes. “If you follow the technique, you put the nose down on the ground. You put forward pressure on the nose—not back pressure—so you’re stabilizing the aircraft. You’re getting your fastest path to symmetrical wheel spin, and you apply the brakes, and then you hold the brakes, even if they release. You do not pump. You hold the brakes because you have an anti-lock controller that’s monitoring the wheel spin for you, and it’s putting the brakes on more effectively and more efficiently than you could ever do yourself. Just hold the brakes, let the anti-lock do its thing.” When transitioning from another airplane to the HondaJet, pilots must be willing to learn the techniques unique to the HondaJet. “You could fly a Pilatus PC-12 for 20 years and have absolutely no issues and be a happy pilot,” DeCurtis said. “Then you take that experience and bring it into a HondaJet, and if you don’t adjust and have respect for the HondaJet technique, you’re going to be at risk. You can’t have any emotional attachment to a technique. You’ve got to forget everything you know about the [previous airplane] and learn the technique of whatever type you’re going into.” No Aircraft Fix Required “CJP has been successful, and we’re going to model that, because the good news is the aircraft doesn’t need to be fixed,” DeCurtis said. “That would be the hard part. If the aircraft needed to be fixed, that would be a real problem. What needs to be fixed is the way the aircraft is flown, and that’s a much easier problem to address. “I’m approaching 2,000 hours in type. I can tell you that this aircraft is incredibly confidence-inspiring when landing correctly. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be flying my family in it, and I wouldn’t be on my third one. I would have moved on to another airframe if I had any concerns.” DeCurtis is looking forward to working with ForeFlight, FlightSafety, and CJP on the P3 program. “I think we’re going to have a tremendous amount of penetration.” He is concerned, however, that misinformation will continue spreading about the HondaJet landing technique. The P3 program is all about countering this misinformation, but flight instructors, pilots, and designated pilot examiners (DPEs) can undermine these efforts. “I have talked to DPEs, and they tell me, ‘When [conditions are] adversary, add a margin of safety. When you have people in roles of influence evangelizing, contrary to the flight manual, that’s a problem. We intend to work together to eliminate that. It’s through communication and community. I think that’s going to be the most effective way to do it.” He also sees an opportunity to invite insurance underwriters to witness the P3 program and to ask HondaJet pilots if they are participating. “The insurance companies should be paying attention to this,” he said. “We can look at the aggregated data and look for trends in our community. The more pilots that participate in the program, the stronger that data becomes.” This should help make HondaJet pilots easier to insure. “If I’m an insurance adjuster and I look into this program where they’re dedicated to using safe, stable approaches and proper landing technique…it’s factual data that cannot be deleted. You can print out a report and say, ‘Here’s my personal data. You can see my trends. You can see my improvement.’ If I were an insurance underwriter, I’d be highly interested in people who are dedicated to maintaining proficiency and fighting complacency, which is what our program does.” https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-04-21/hondajet-pilots-association-presents-excursion-solution TSA intercepts firearm at Norfolk International Airport checkpoint Man arrested by police NORFOLK, Va. – A Florida man was arrested at the Norfolk International Airport security checkpoint after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers intercepted a gun among his carry-on items on Monday, April 21. The 9mm handgun was loaded with eight bullets, including one in the chamber. The firearm was removed from the checkpoint and confiscated by the Norfolk Airport Authority Police who arrested the man. TSA does not confiscate firearms; law enforcement officers do. The case will be forwarded to the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney for possible criminal prosecution. Monday’s gun catch was the third firearm that has been detected at one of the airport checkpoints so far this year. In 2024, TSA officers intercepted 34 guns at the checkpoints, which was a record for the airport. “Unfortunately, we continue to see travelers bringing their firearms to our checkpoints,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “You should never bring a gun to a checkpoint. If you want to transport it to your destination, the proper way to do so is to make sure it is unloaded. Then pack it in a locked hard-sided case and take it to the airline check-in counter to declare that you want to fly with it. Now this individual faces a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint.” The penalty for carrying weapons can reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances. Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms must be unloaded, then packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case must be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared so that the airline can transport it in the belly of the aircraft where nobody has access to it during a flight. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality, and gun owners have a duty to ensure they are not violating any local firearm laws. Additionally, contacting the respective airline could reveal any additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition. Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges. Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872). https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/releases/2025/04/22/tsa-intercepts-firearm-norfolk-international-airport-checkpoint FAA Investigating Back-to-Back Delta Air Lines Mishaps in Orlando Agency is looking into an engine fire on the ground and a depressurization issue on two flights bound for Atlanta. The FAA is investigating two separate incidents involving Delta Air Lines that took place at Orlando International Airport (KMCO) in Florida on Monday. The first involved an engine fire on an Airbus A330 that had just pushed back from the gate, and the second was a depressurization problem aboard a Boeing 757-200. According to the FAA, both Delta flights were destined for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (KATL). According to a statement from the agency, Delta Air Lines Flight 1213 was pushing back from the gate for departure at around 11:15 a.m. EDT when the right engine caught fire. Images and video of the fire were caught from the far side of the aircraft by persons on the ramp. Flames and smoke can be seen rising over the top of the jet while passengers use the emergency slides to evacuate the aircraft. There were 282 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and two pilots on board. There were no injuries reported. The passengers were taken back to the terminal where they waited until Delta could bring in another aircraft to take them to their destination. Around 3 p.m. Delta Flight 1030, also destined for KATL, returned to KMCO after the crew reported a possible depressurization issue. https://www.flyingmag.com/faa-investigating-back-to-back-delta-air-lines-mishaps-in-orlando/ Digital twins & skilled technicians, future of predictive aircraft maintenance Digital twins – virtual copies of real-life machinery – have become an integral part of many industries: from precision manufacturing to logistics. Research by McKinsey shows that investments in digital twin technologies will rise to more than $48 billion by 2026 around the world. More and more airlines and aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) companies are introducing digital twins into their processes. But can the market supply enough skilled personnel to help companies truly benefit from this technology? Jekaterina Shalopanova, Chief Business Officer at Aerviva, shares her insights on the matter. What role do digital twins play in aircraft maintenance? Before answering this question, we should first expand on what a digital twin is. In essence, digital twins are 1-for-1 virtual models of either the entire aircraft or a separate part, like an engine. OEMs like GE have even developed digital twins for such components as landing gear. These models are only as good as the input they receive, so they must be continuously updated with data from IoT sensors, informing the model both of regular wear-and-tear and any irregularities. The model itself provides companies not only with an always-ready visual representation, but also with the ability to virtually test potential “what-if” scenarios. This digital twin technology is at the heart of predictive maintenance – an innovative approach to MRO, which not only saves money but reduces the likelihood and duration of Aircraft on Ground (AOG) situations. “To say that digital twins are a must in aviation MRO would be an understatement. In an industry where every hour of aircraft downtime can cost tens of thousands of dollars, the ability to predict, prevent and schedule AOG events makes for smoother and more cost-effective operations,” says Jekaterina Shalopanova, Chief Business Officer at Aerviva. According to a Deloitte study, implementing predictive maintenance programs results in a 15% reduction in downtime and a 20% improvement in labor productivity. A McKinsey study further supports these benefits, indicating that predictive maintenance can reduce maintenance costs by 18-25% while increasing availability by 5-15%. For airlines and MROs alike, this means fewer grounded aircraft and more efficient use of maintenance resources. Artificial Intelligence brings digital twins to a new level Modern Machine Learning and Generative AI approaches are already being applied to predict simulation outcomes in seconds rather than hours. For instance, in engine maintenance, AI-powered digital twins can quickly assess whether slight deviations in turbine blade geometry will significantly impact performance, potentially reducing unnecessary component replacements. Airlines, including such major players as Air France-KLM, operating a fleet of more than 500 aircraft, are already investing in sophisticated Artificial Intelligence solutions to bring their predictive maintenance efforts to the next level. According to a report by Reuters, using Gen AI capabilities from Google Cloud, the airline will be able to drop the time needed for data analysis in predictive plane maintenance from hours to minutes. Another fascinating development related to digital twins and the vanguard of innovation is creating digital twins of… pilots. Lockheed Martin is exploring the concept of an “e-Pilot” digital twin that can monitor both the human pilot and aircraft performance during critical phases of flight. This technology aims to “assist the human pilot in awareness and provide enhanced aircraft control options during flight safety critical situations,” according to the company. The global shortage of digitally proficient aviation professionals The tech behind digital twins will undoubtedly continue to advance rapidly, providing companies with an even more granular and actionable view. However, the aviation industry is facing a challenge of a different matter. Namely, the lack of skilled professionals to work alongside these sophisticated systems. According to Boeing’s 2024 Pilot and Technician Outlook, over the next 20 years companies worldwide are going to need 716,000 new maintenance technicians. More alarmingly, according to the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC), is the lack of qualified instructors who can train the next generation of mechanics. “If in other industries, you will hear talks about AI replacing people, this cannot be said about aviation. Here, the advent of new technology might translate to higher requirements for everyone involved in the maintenance process. But it also makes this career all the more exciting and promising,” notes Shalopanova. Speaking of the next generation, they will have to soon become more than mechanics. This growing demand goes beyond a traditional MRO skillset, as technicians will be increasingly expected to be able to bridge the gap between mechanical systems and digital tools. Finding an aviation maintenance professional equally well-versed in data analysis, AI, and predictive analytics is going to be a difficult task for many companies. “The skill gap in MRO is widening at precisely the wrong time,” explains Shalopanova. “As digital twin technology becomes ubiquitous, the industry is grappling with the demand for technicians. Companies may invest millions in cutting-edge technology only to find they lack the human expertise to maximize its potential.” It must be noted that some MRO training providers are already incorporating digital twin technology and AI into their curricula. Solutions like AK View and AK GO use Augmented Reality to simulate real-life situations, providing a more streamlined and time-efficient experience. The future of aircraft maintenance is digital, but it lies in the hands of skilled and irreplaceable professionals. For airlines and MROs to truly transform maintenance through digital twins, the industry must address this skills gap with the same urgency and resources it devotes to technological innovation. Only then can the impressive efficiency gains, cost savings, and safety improvements promised by digital twins fully take flight. https://www.aerotime.aero/articles/digital-twins-skilled-technicians-future-of-predictive-aircraft-maintenance Canadian airline withdraws intention of hiring foreign pilots The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) of Canada announced last Thursday, April 17, that WestJet has officially withdrawn from hiring pilots through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), following strong union mobilization. According to the union, the decision came as the result of a joint effort between ALPA and union leaders representing WestJet and its subsidiary WestJet Encore pilots, who took action to stop the company’s move to use the federal program as a way to address staffing shortages in aviation. For its part, the airline stated that “the increase in unpredictability faced by most sectors is due to the current economic situation, which includes, but is not limited to, demand. WestJet, like many other airlines, constantly monitors travel demand and makes adjustments when necessary.” “Despite this progress, we strongly urge WestJet management to work with pilot union representatives to find more effective solutions that attract and retain qualified pilots, without resorting to a federal program that was never intended for that purpose,” said Captain Tim Perry, president of ALPA Canada. “As the voice of more than 95% of unionized professional pilots in the country, we know this issue goes beyond WestJet Encore: it affects us collectively,” he added. As reported by our partner outlet, Aeroin, the association emphasized that while WestJet’s shift in stance is a positive step, efforts to value local labor must continue. After the Canadian federal elections, scheduled for April 28, ALPA plans to pressure the new government to review the TFWP and reform the Labour Market Impact Assessment process to restrict its use to the program’s original intent. The organization also advocates for unions representing affected workers to be properly consulted in any proposal involving the use of foreign labor. Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest airline pilot union, representing more than 79,000 pilots at 42 airlines in the United States and Canada. https://www.aviacionline.com/canadian-airline-gives-up-hiring-foreign-pilots China’s C909 passenger jet spreads wings with VietJet, after TransNusa, Lao Airlines Vietnam becomes third Southeast Asian country to sign on the Comac-made aircraft, which will be operated on lease from Chengdu Airlines China’s domestically developed C909 passenger jet has expanded its regional presence, with two of them beginning commercial operations with Vietnam’s budget airline VietJet on Saturday. Their debut makes Vietnam the third Southeast Asian country to sign on the planes made by the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), after Indonesia and Laos. According to a statement from Comac on Saturday, the civilian jets have been leased from Chinese regional carrier Chengdu Airlines, and will operate on domestic routes between Vietnamese capital Hanoi and Con Dao Island off southern Vietnam, and between Con Dao Island and business hub Ho Chi Minh City. The two C909 aircraft would “boost [VietJet Air’s] fleet capacity, expand regional routes, and support the growth of Vietnam’s air transport market”, the statement said. Chengdu Airlines will also provide the crew, maintenance, safety and operational support under the lease terms, it added. Three overseas carriers – Indonesia’s TransNusa, Lao Airlines, and VietJet Air – have launched 15 Southeast Asian routes in all with the C909, carrying over 250,000 passengers to date, the statement said. News of the VietJet lease came days after Vietnamese regulatory reforms allowing airlines to import aircraft certified by Brazil, Canada, Russia, Britain and China. The government decree, which took effect on April 13, expands a previous policy that restricted imports to aircraft certified by Vietnam, the United States or the European Union. The news also comes less than a week after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam at the start of a three-nation Southeast Asian tour that included Malaysia and Cambodia. Xi Jinping arrives in Vietnam to boost political and trade ties amid tariff war with US The five-day trip from Monday came amid increased regional diplomacy by Beijing as US tariffs plunge global trade into uncertainty. A joint statement issued during Xi’s visit to Malaysia over Tuesday and Wednesday included a pledge to “support Malaysian airlines in introducing and operating Chinese commercial aircraft”, suggesting that it could be the next country to sign on a Chinese passenger jet. The C909 has a capacity of 78 to 97 seats and is built for short flights of 2,225km to 3,700km (1,380 to 2,300 miles). Shanghai-based Comac began developing the plane – previously known as the ARJ21 – in 2002, and Chengdu Airlines in 2015 became the first carrier to operate them. Comac, which aims to advance China’s goal of technological self-sufficiency, is seen as a potential challenger to the Airbus-Boeing duopoly in the global market. Comac’s narrowbody C919 passenger jet – viewed as a direct competitor to the single-aisle Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families – is rapidly expanding production and commercial operations, while the widebody C929 is reportedly in the detailed design stage. The C909’s first overseas customer was TransNusa Airlines in 2022, followed by Lao Airlines last month. Comac emphasised the C919’s suitability for Southeast Asian operations, highlighting its strong performance in high-temperature environments and ability to operate efficiently on short and narrow runways. https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3307220/chinas-c909-passenger-jet-spreads-wings-vietjet-after-transnusa-lao-airlines What Happens to TSA PreCheck If the TSA Disappears? How Senator Mike Lee’s Push to Eliminate the TSA Could Disrupt Trusted Traveler Programs Like PreCheck and TSA Cares With more than 20 million travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck, it's no surprise that recent political rumblings about abolishing the TSA have raised some serious eyebrows. Utah Senator Mike Lee has reignited the decades-old debate with a bold proposal: dismantle the TSA and let airlines manage airport security themselves. It’s a provocative idea—but what does it mean for passengers who rely on trusted traveler programs like PreCheck and services like TSA Cares? The truth is, nobody really knows. Right now, the conversation is more of a “we’ll cross that bridge when we get there” scenario. But the possibility of dismantling a centralized security agency isn’t just a bureaucratic issue—it could have real, immediate consequences for the convenience and consistency millions of travelers rely on. Let’s unpack what’s at stake. First, What’s Driving the Call to Abolish TSA? The TSA was created after 9/11 to unify and strengthen airport security across the country. But critics like Senator Lee argue the agency has overstepped, citing intrusive procedures and constitutional concerns around the Fourth Amendment. He believes it’s time for the private sector—namely, the airlines—to take over. While the idea of streamlining airport operations may sound appealing, it introduces serious questions about consistency, safety, and logistics. Would each airline have its own security staff, rules, and standards? Would passengers have to navigate different procedures based on their airline or airport? Fragmentation could make flying even more confusing—and less secure. The PreCheck Problem: What Happens to Fast-Track Travelers? TSA PreCheck is the golden ticket for frequent flyers. It allows members to breeze through security without removing shoes, belts, or laptops. But this convenience is built on a centralized vetting and screening system. If TSA is eliminated, the future of PreCheck becomes murky. In an airline-run model, would PreCheck still exist? Would each airline offer its own version? Would travelers need to be screened and enrolled multiple times—for each carrier they fly? Without a national standard, it’s easy to imagine a chaotic patchwork of programs, or worse—no expedited screening at all. The very efficiency that makes PreCheck valuable could disappear under decentralized control. TSA Cares: A Hidden Gem That Could Disappear Another major, lesser-known potential casualty? TSA Cares. This free service offers personalized assistance to travelers with disabilities, medical conditions, and yes—even overwhelmed parents flying with young kids. It provides a dedicated officer who helps navigate the security process from curb to gate. If you’ve ever tried getting a stroller, diaper bag, and fidgety toddler through security, you know this is more than just a "nice-to-have"—it’s a game changer. But this program, too, is run by the TSA. If the agency goes away, there's no clear roadmap for what happens to TSA Cares. Airline-Run Security: Are We Ready for That? Even beyond PreCheck and TSA Cares, shifting the responsibility to airlines poses a larger issue: the loss of a uniform, nationwide security protocol. Imagine each airline determining its own rules for what’s allowed in carry-ons, how passengers are screened, and what procedures apply. Today’s already stressful travel experience could become a confusing maze of inconsistent rules—and potential security gaps. Yes, TSA has flaws. Long lines, inconsistent procedures, and privacy complaints are real concerns. But many of the most “inconvenient” protocols—shoe removal, body scanners, groin checks—were born from real threats. Since its creation, TSA has helped prevent another large-scale aviation attack. That’s no small thing. So, What Now? Right now, this is still a hypothetical. Senator Lee’s proposal has sparked discussion, but no legislation has passed. Still, if you're a PreCheck member or a parent who depends on TSA Cares, it's worth paying attention. Air travel is already a logistical puzzle. Dismantling the TSA without a clear, functional replacement for services like PreCheck or TSA Cares could make that puzzle a whole lot harder—and riskier—to solve. Until we know more, consider this your heads-up: the future of airport convenience may be more fragile than it seems. https://creators.yahoo.com/lifestyle/story/what-happens-to-tsa-precheck-if-the-tsa-disappears-141316806.html Boeing to sell Jeppesen unit to Thoma Bravo for $10.6 billion NEW YORK (Reuters) -Boeing said on Tuesday it would sell portions of its Digital Aviation Solutions business, including navigation unit Jeppesen, to private equity firm Thoma Bravo for $10.55 billion. The U.S. planemaker will retain the core digital capabilities from the business that harness aircraft and fleet-specific data to provide commercial and defense customers with fleet maintenance, diagnostics and repair services. The sale is a part of CEO Kelly Ortberg's plan to reduce Boeing's debt by offloading non-core assets. Its shares closed up about 2%. Jeppesen attracted interest from private equity firms and at least one aerospace supplier, with final bids valuing it at more than $10 billion. The sale price valued Jeppesen at roughly 16 times its 2025 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, according to a person familiar with the matter. The deal is being financed with the help of a $4 billion loan package from direct lenders, the source added. Thoma Bravo won the Jeppesen auction, edging out rival buyout firms such as TPG, Advent and Veritas, according to five sources, who requested anonymity as the matters are confidential. The deal ranks as one of the biggest carve-out transactions in the recent past. Ball Corp in 2023 sold its aerospace assets to Britain's BAE Systems for about $5.6 billion. In February, British Airways said it was buying Boeing's maintenance operation at Gatwick Airport near London. Boeing is separately attempting to offload its drone business Insitu. Boeing, which acquired Jeppesen for $1.5 billion in 2000, had aimed for a price above $6 billion when it launched the auction last year, but strong interest from potential buyers drove the valuation higher. Englewood, Colorado-based Jeppesen is seen as a sought-after asset that could boost aerospace contractors and private equity firms, which typically like to buy businesses to generate steady cash flow. Jeppesen is expected to benefit in the near term from technological advances in air travel and the future growth of aircraft production, analysts said. About 3,900 employees work in Boeing's Digital Aviation Solutions. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025. Boeing is set to report its first-quarter results on Wednesday. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/buyout-firm-thoma-bravo-nears-012322050.html United is launching new 'fifth freedom' flights. Here's how the rare international routes work and why airlines love them. An international agreement allows airlines to fly between two countries other than their home country. The strategy can boost revenue, aircraft utilization, and market connectivity. United Airlines is expanding this 'fifth-freedom' flying in Asia via Tokyo and Hong Kong. A United Airlines flight from Tokyo to Mongolia? Or Emirates from Mexico City to Barcelona? These routes might seem weird, but are a unique byproduct of decades of globalization and airline evolution — and are especially popular with airline nerds. Flying across international borders is extremely complex, but a decades-old set of agreements known as the "freedoms of the air" makes it possible. These building blocks of global aviation allow airlines to operate to and from nations other than their own. The rights, first laid out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 1944, address geopolitical issues like flying over or landing in another country. The fifth of these is the rarest and gets the most attention. This allows an airline of one nation to carry passengers between two foreign countries, so long as the route starts or ends in the carrier's home state. Airlines can pick up and drop off passengers in all three nations along the extended route. Only a handful of carriers, like Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and United Airlines, operate these routes, which can help boost revenue, provide more connectivity for customers, increase aircraft utilization, and capitalize on underused markets. United announced in April plans to expand its fifth freedom network this year with new routes in Asia to places like Mongolia and Thailand. United's fifth-freedom routes fly from Tokyo and Hong Kong United has a long had a presence in the Pacific region, connecting major cities to smaller markets and islands. A handful of these are fifth-freedom routes through Asia. United flies from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Cebu, Philippines, via Tokyo Narita Airport. The shorter leg uses narrow-body Boeing 737s planes based in Tokyo. The new route via Narita to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, will begin on May 1, and to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on July 11. This means United can fly its own planes rather than relying on codeshare partners like All Nippon Airways to connect its customers deeper into Asia. The unique routes are possible because United inherited the fifth-freedom rights after acquiring the now-defunct Pan Am's Pacific routes in 1985.Kevin Carter/Getty Images United's SVP of global network planning and alliances, Patrick Quayle, said in an April conference call that the airline is "bullish" on Tokyo expansion because its widebody planes from all over the US efficiently feed the flights that go beyond Japan. He said this success has prompted the introduction of new fifth freedoms to Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok starting in October, but through Hong Kong. The Department of Transportation officially authorized the routes on Friday. They will operate on Boeing 787 widebodies, and United can sell the flights locally or as one-stop flights from the US. The benefit of fifth-freedom routes Unique fifth-freedom flying can be efficient for airlines trying to serve destinations that a plane can't reach nonstop, like Emirates' fifth-freedom flights between Mexico City and Dubai via Barcelona. South American carrier Latam Airlines has a route between Sydney and Santiago, Chile, via Auckland. Carriers often also make stops on otherwise attainable direct flights because they can capitalize on the high demand on both legs, filling more seats and making more money. Emirates' fifth freedom from Dubai to New York via Milan, and Singapore Airlines' route from Singapore to New York via Frankfurt are examples of this one-stop strategy. Adding routes to nearby cities can increase aircraft utilization. Dutch flag carrier KLM flies from Amsterdam to Santiago, Chile, via Buenos Aires, meaning the jet spends less time on the ground in Argentina to instead make more money on a quick hop to Chile. Airlines may also want to capture demand in smaller or underutilized markets, like United has been doing. It only competes with Mongolian Airlines and Aero Mongolia to Ulbaanbaatar from Tokyo and flies the sole service between the island country of Palau in Micronesia and Manila, Philippines. https://www.yahoo.com/news/united-launching-fifth-freedom-flights-162938011.html Spirit AeroSystems top engineer to lead Wichita site after Boeing deal closes -letters (Reuters) -Spirit AeroSystems' chief engineer Sean Black will lead the supplier's site in Wichita, Kansas, after Boeing completes its acquisition of Spirit this year, according to letters to employees on Tuesday from both companies. U.S. planemaker Boeing last year said it had reached an agreement to acquire the struggling aerostructures manufacturer, which it had spun off two decades ago. The deal is expected to close sometime this year. Black will become general manager of Boeing Wichita, and hold responsibilities for parts of Spirit's portfolio in Prestwick, Scotland and Belfast, Northern Ireland, letters from Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stephanie Pope and Spirit CEO Pat Shanahan show. The letters seen by Reuters suggest that some work at Belfast and Prestwick not absorbed by European rival Airbus would go to Boeing, as part of the transatlantic carve-up of Spirit that has sparked lengthy negotiations. Airbus expects to finalize an agreement to take part of Spirit's assets, such as the production of wings for its A220 jet in Belfast, by the end of April. Canada's Bombardier said in February it could acquire part of Spirit's Belfast operations that produce parts for its Challenger and Global private jets, or do business with a different buyer. Spokespeople for Boeing and Spirit Aero declined comment on the Belfast and Prestwick plants. Bombardier was not immediately reachable for comment. Pope said in the letter that Boeing continues "to make progress" with its acquisition plan. After the acquisition, Black will report to Pope, who is also executive vice president of Boeing. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/spirit-aerosystems-top-engineer-lead-181722500.html Effective April 17, 2025, Robert C. Kehoe, USAIG Vice President & Claims Manager has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Hull Loss Claims Division Manager and will be responsible for the oversight and management of USAIG’s Hull Loss Claims Division. John W. Watson, USAIG Senior Vice President/Hull Loss Claims has been promoted to Field Claims Office (FCO) Manager and will oversee the management of that sector of the USAIG Claims Department. Joan Mirabile SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR CALENDAR OF EVENTS · AIA Conference: The Aviation Insurance Association's annual conference in Orlando, Florida from April 25–28, 2025 . 70th annual Business Aviation Safey Summit (BASS), May 6-7, 2025, Charlotte, N.C., organized by Flight Safety Foundation in partnership with NBAA and NATA. · Sixth Edition of International Accident Investigation Forum, 21 to 23 May 2025, Singapore · Flight Safety Foundation - Aviation Safety Forum June 5-6, 2025 - Brussels . 2025 EASA-FAA International Aviation Safety Conference, 10 Jun 2025 to 12 Jun 2025, Cologne, Germany · The 9th Shanghai International Aerospace Technology and Equipment Exposition 2025; June 11 to 13, 2025 . Airborne Public Safety Association -APSCON / APSCON Unmanned 2025 in Phoenix, AZ | July 14-18, 2025 . 3rd annual Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety (AP-SAS), July 15-17, 2025, Singapore, organized by Flight Safety Foundation and CAAS. . Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar 2025; 10-11 September 2025; Manila, Philippines · ISASI ANNUAL SEMINAR 2025'September 29, 2025 – October 3, 2025, DENVER, COLORADO . Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC™) - 2025 – October 27-29th (Omaha, Nebraska) . 29th annual Bombardier Safety Standdown, November 11-13, 2025; Wichita, Kansas · CHC Safety & Quality Summit, 11th – 13th November 2025, Vancouver, BC Canada Curt Lewis