Flight Safety Information - June 2, 2025 No. 109 In This Issue : Incident: Southwest B737 near Myrtle Beach on May 29th 2025, battery charger emits smoke : Incident: Lingus A320 at Frankfurt on May 30th 2025, smell in cabin : Incident: American A320 at Washington on May 30th 2025, rejected takeoff due to configuration warning : Incident: Rouge A319 enroute on May 22nd 2025, engine trouble : Incident: Jeju B738 at Da Nang on May 28th 2025, temporary runway excursion on landing : United Jet Flies Wrong Route Departing SFO, Causes Near Disaster : Air India to Fire Pilots for Failing Alcohol Test : Airline pilots face high rates of anxiety and alcohol misuse, study finds : British Airways flight attendant goes missing on superjumbo A380 jet, found naked and dancing in bathroom bender : Flyadeal airline CEO blasts Airbus over 'inexcusable' delivery delays : Indian airline IndiGo orders 30 Airbus A350 widebody planes : EVA Air joins IATA's Turbulence Aware Platform to enhance flight safety : United Airlines flight from SFO bound for China diverted due to mechanical issue : GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST : Calendar of Events Incident: Southwest B737 near Myrtle Beach on May 29th 2025, battery charger emits smoke A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N7713A performing flight WN-1844 from Baltimore,MD to Tampa,FL (USA), was enroute at FL400 about 80nm southeast of Myrtle Beach,SC (USA) when the crew decided to divert to Myrtle Beach after a passenger's battery charger had overheated and emitted smoke. The aircraft landed safely on Myrtle Beach's runway 36 about 20 minutes later. A replacement Boeing 737-8 MAX registration N8947Q continued the flight and reached Tampa with a delay of 4.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 16 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=5287d21e&opt=0 Incident: Lingus A320 at Frankfurt on May 30th 2025, smell in cabin An Aer Lingus Airbus A320-200, registration EI-DER performing flight EI-657 from Frankfurt/Main (Germany) to Dublin (Ireland), was climbing through about FL180 out of Frankfurt when the crew decided to return to Frankfurt reporting smell in the cabin. The crew advised they were expecting a normal landing. The aircraft landed safely on Frankfurt's runway 25L about 25 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled. The aircraft remained on the ground in Frankfurt for about 41 hours before positioning back to Dublin. https://avherald.com/h?article=5287cf3a&opt=0 Incident: American A320 at Washington on May 30th 2025, rejected takeoff due to configuration warning An American Airlines Airbus A320-200, registration N660AW performing flight AA-2297 from Washington National,DC to West Palm Beach,FL (USA), was accelerating for takeoff from Washington's runway 19 when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed (about 80 knots over ground). The aircraft slowed safely, the crew advised they had had a configuration warning, vacated the runway and returned to the apron. The aircraft was able to depart about 80 minutes after the rejected takeoff and reached West Palm Beach with a delay of about 50 minutes. https://avherald.com/h?article=52873144&opt=0 Incident: Rouge A319 enroute on May 22nd 2025, engine trouble An Air Canada Rouge Airbus A319-100, registration C-GBHY performing flight RV-1823 from Cancun (Mexico) to Toronto,ON (Canada) with 139 people on board, was enroute at FL370 when the crew received an "AIR ENG 2 BLEED ABNORM PR" message, the cabin temperature fluctuated and pack 2 showed intermittent faults. The crew was able to clear the fault, for further troubleshooting the crew reduced the mach number. Following power reduction the right hand engine (CFM56) no longer reacted to thrust commands and remained at about 50% N1 with significant airframe vibrations and decay in airspeed. The crew declared Mayday and descended the aircraft. Following the descent the crew was able to restore normal engine performance after working the engine stall checklist. The crew cancelled the emergency and continued to Toronto for a safe landing. The Canadian TSB reported: "Following occurrence, the PRV (pressure regulating valve) was removed and replaced with a serviceable unit. Subsequent serviceability tests were conducted with satisfactory results. It is suspected that bleed configuration at high altitude induced the compressor stall event." https://avherald.com/h?article=52869e7e&opt=0 Incident: Jeju B738 at Da Nang on May 28th 2025, temporary runway excursion on landing A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, registration HL8539 performing flight 7C-2217 (dep May 27th 2025) from Seoul (South Korea) to Da Nang (Vietnam) with 183 people on board, landed on Da Nang's runway 35L at 00:42L (17:42Z May 27th) but veered right exiting the runway temporarily at about 100 knots over ground. The aircraft returned onto the runway about 70 knots over ground and rolled out without further incident. A number of tyres were damaged due to the runway excursion. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration HL8331 performed the return flight 7C-2218 with a delay of about 15 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground in Da Nang for about 20 hours before returning to Seoul. https://avherald.com/h?article=52868947&opt=0 United Jet Flies Wrong Route Departing SFO, Causes Near Disaster There was an uncomfortably close call at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) a couple of weeks ago, as two jets departing on parallel runways ended up dangerously close to one another on their climb out. In this post: • United A320 & SkyWest CRJ have dangerous SFO departure • Why did the United jet fly in the wrong direction? • Everything about this situation was a mess Bottom line United A320 & SkyWest CRJ have dangerous SFO departure VASAviation has the scoop on what happened at SFO on the afternoon of May 13, 2025. Interestingly, this incident was seemingly reported to VASAviation by a controller at the airport, who stated that this was one of the two or three closest calls he has seen at the airport in 15+ years. That obviously puts into perspective just how serious this was. Specifically, this incident involves two aircraft that were supposed to perform parallel takeoffs on runway 1L and runway 1R: • A United Airbus A320 with the registration code N4901U was operating flight UA1152 to Dallas (DFW) • A SkyWest CRJ-200 with the registration code N246PS was operating flight 5273 to Fresno (FAT) • Both planes had specific routes they were supposed to fly after takeoff, known as SIDs (standard instrument departures): The United jet was first given clearance for takeoff on runway 1R, and was supposed to fly the TRUKN SID, which involves a right turn after takeoff The SkyWest jet was cleared for takeoff on runway 1L a short while later, and was supposed to fly the SSTIK SID, which involves a left turn after takeoff As you can tell, this should be a routine procedure, since the plane taking off from the left was supposed to turn left right after takeoff, while the plane taking off from the right was supposed to turn right after takeoff. However, a moment after takeoff, the United jet made a sharp turn to the left, rather than flying right, as it was supposed to. This meant that the United A320 flew directly into the path of the SkyWest CRJ-200. At their closest points, the planes were just 0.4 nautical miles apart horizontally, and 280 feet apart vertically. This is a beyond uncomfortably close call. Fortunately the SkyWest pilots received a traffic alert, and they ended up turning to avoid a collision. You can hear the audio for yourself below, along with a recreation of what happened, as VASAviation always does a great job with this. Why did the United jet fly in the wrong direction? Given that the United jet was responsible for this close call, pilots were given a number to call after their flight, to discuss the pilot deviation. According to the controller providing details, the United captain called, and shared the following details: It was the first officer’s first time departing SFO, and the first officer was the pilot flying Around 500 feet after takeoff, the flight management system (FMS) indicated that they should commence a left turn, which they did The captain questioned what was going on and was confused, as he knew they should be turning right So the captain then punched in the new heading, but at that point the planes were already so close to one another The incorrect departure course the United jet flew It sure sounds to me like the FMS for the United plane might have had the TRUKN departure programmed for a runway 28 departure, rather than a runway 1 departure. At least that would explain the left turn after takeoff, rather than the expected right turn. Everything about this situation was a mess The United jet flying the wrong heading after takeoff was just the tip of the iceberg here, as there were several other issues as well. For example, while this situation was going on, the air traffic controller twice issued the United pilots the instructions to “fly runway heading,” which is clearly not what he was actually intending to say. At this point the plane was way off the runway heading, and the air traffic controller intended to say “fly present heading,” but instead, he gave completely different instructions, even after the pilot sought clarification. This also seems like a situation where at least as an observer, you’d think there are opportunities to improve communication. Admittedly hindsight is 20/20, but when you’re issuing two planes on parallel runways takeoff clearance, it seems like it would make sense to remind them of the other traffic, and of their departure route. That might sound obvious, but one would think that if the United pilots were specifically reminded that another plane was taking off to the left of them, they wouldn’t try to turn left right after takeoff. Also, that poor Turkish Airlines pilot! My gosh, how many times did he ask for landing clearance? Obviously there was a lot going on, but it seems like it would’ve been more efficient to just tell the pilot “standby,” based on how much airtime Turkish took up. Like, was the Turkish jet at the gate before landing clearance was actually issued? Bottom line A United A320 and SkyWest CRJ-200 had a close call while performing parallel takeoffs from SFO. The problem arose because the United jet made a wrong turn after takeoff, seemingly due to an incorrectly programmed computer. This situation should’ve never happened, and what makes it even worse is that it wasn’t the extent of the issues. While the air traffic control was obviously overworked, he repeatedly issued wrong instructions, different than what he intended to. https://onemileatatime.com/news/united-jet-wrong-route-departing-sfo-near-disaster/ Air India to Fire Pilots for Failing Alcohol Test Air India has now decided to impose stricter penalties than mandated, especially for first-time offenders. GURUGRAM- Tata Group-owned Air India (AI) has announced a zero-tolerance policy toward alcohol violations, warning pilots of immediate termination if found with over 0.02 grams of alcohol per 210 litres of breath in pre-flight tests. The new directive follows a surge in alcohol test failures, including 33 cases across airlines in the first half of 2024, as reported by India’s aviation regulator, DGCA. Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and other major hubs have been under close scrutiny. Air India (AI) has announced a zero-tolerance policy toward alcohol violations, warning pilots of immediate termination if found with over 0.02 grams of alcohol per 210 litres of breath in pre-flight tests. Air India’s latest move represents a sharp policy shift from previous disciplinary actions. Where earlier violations would typically lead to a three-month suspension, the airline will now terminate any pilot who fails a breath analyser test with blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeding 0.02 grams per 210 litres of breath, a global standard in aviation testing. This decision comes in the wake of an internal review and a management meeting with pilots to address rising safety concerns. Sources within the airline confirmed that the internal circular outlining the updated policy would be issued soon. Pilots testing under the 0.02 gram threshold will continue to face a three-month suspension and loss of pay, aligning with DGCA norms. However, Air India has now decided to impose stricter penalties than mandated, especially for first-time offenders. The DGCA reported 33 pilots failing alcohol tests in just the first half of 2024. The broader industry data reveals a concerning trend. According to an RTI filed by aviation researcher Chandrashekhar Gaur, a total of 724 airline crew members, including pilots, tested positive for intoxicants between 2020 and 2024. The number of pilots caught under the influence doubled from 26 in 2020 to 54 in 2024. This alarming pattern appears to have influenced Air India’s decision to revise its internal policy. Another official noted that increasing incidents of intoxication among flight crews across carriers triggered a proactive safety response within the airline. Previous Incidents DGCA regulations stipulate a clear, escalating penalty system. A first offence results in a three-month licence suspension. A second failure leads to a three-year suspension, and a third violation results in permanent revocation of the pilot’s licence. Air India’s new rule surpasses these guidelines by implementing immediate termination on the first instance of BAC above 0.02 grams. In a notable case earlier in 2024, a pilot operating a Phuket (HKT) to Delhi (DEL) flight was terminated after testing positive post-landing. Such instances, although rare, demonstrate the airline’s readiness to act in serious safety breaches. While Air India did not issue a formal comment on the change, sources indicate the policy is set to be enforced across its domestic and international operations. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/05/31/air-india-to-fire-pilots-for-failing-alcohol-test/ Airline pilots face high rates of anxiety and alcohol misuse, study finds A French study reveals high rates of psychological distress and substance misuse in pilots, raising urgent questions about how airlines can protect both crew and passengers. A recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health aimed to shed light on the mental health of airline pilots. The anonymous online self-questionnaire revealed that about a quarter experienced anxiety symptoms (25.4%), over 13% showed depressive symptoms (13.1%), and more than a third had misused alcohol (40.1%). The mental health of airline pilots In March 2015, a Germanwings flight crashed. The cause was determined to be the copilot’s severe depression, which led to suicide. Unfortunately, similar events can be noted in aviation records, which motivates the need to assess the mental health conditions of pilots. Airline pilots are required to undergo a specialized medical examination every year to detect any somatic and/or psychiatric conditions. Medical fitness can be suspended in cases of anxiety and depressive disorders, as per the recommendations of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This could lead to underreporting of psychological symptoms and the use of psychotropic treatments, due to fears of being deemed unfit to fly. Despite these concerns, research on the mental health of airline pilots is limited, and results are varied. The adverse impact of occupational stress on pilots’ health has been documented, but large-scale data concerning depressive and anxiety disorders in European airline pilots is limited. About the study The primary objective was to investigate anxiety and depression scores, measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD-S). The HAD-S has two subscales, namely HAD-A and HAD-D, for measuring anxiety and depressive symptoms, respectively. The secondary objective was to measure and describe the association of anxiety and depressive disorders with commonly found co-factors, such as socio-demographic and occupational characteristics, alcohol and cannabis use, and health data. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by emailing an anonymous online self-survey to all National Union of Airline Pilots (SNPL) members between September 1 and October 16, 2022. The SNPL is the main pilot union in France and represents one of the largest national databases concerning pilots. A total of 1,220 filled-in questionnaires were included in the analysis. Study findings Out of the 1,220 participating pilots, 93.3% were French, 51.3% held the position of captain, and 90.9% were male. The average age was about 45 years; about 44% operated long-haul flights, and approximately 45% operated medium-haul flights. Nearly 52% of the pilots worked between 40 and 70 hours in the month preceding the administration of the questionnaire. In the survey sample, 9.6% had a psychiatric history, and 31.8% had at least one medical history. About 8% reported taking pills for insomnia. Furthermore, a little under 3% experienced suicidal thoughts in the past year, and three pilots reported having attempted suicide. On a scale of 1 to 10, the mean level of fatigue was 5.7. Approximately 15% of the survey respondents had sought help for psychological reasons in the past year, and 12.5% reported feeling isolated in dealing with their psychological distress. A total of 310 participants showed an abnormal score on the HAD-A (i.e., HAD-A ≥ 8). Of those, 14.4% had suspected anxiety disorder, and 11% had confirmed anxiety disorders. For suspected anxiety disorder (HAD-A score between 8 and 10), bivariate analysis showed a significant association with several factors, such as engagement in multi-leg flights, fatigue, , non-reporting of symptoms to AMEs for fear of loss of medical certification, and abnormal HAD-D score. In multivariate analysis, engagement in multi-sector flights, higher fatigue scores, female gender, feelings of isolation, long-term medication use, non-reporting of symptoms to AMEs, and abnormal HAD-D scores remained significant predictors. Working more than 40 hours in the preceding month was associated with a reduced risk of confirmed anxiety disorder. A statistically significant association was noted between classes of HAD-A and marital status, sex, hours worked in the last thirty days, type of company (low-cost or national), presence of financial difficulties, or at least one medical history, and psychiatric history. Additionally, the HAD-A and HAD-D scores increased similarly in self-reported fatigue scores, Concerning depressive disorders, 159 pilots showed an abnormal HAD-D (HAD-D ≥ 8) score. Of these, 8.9% had suspected depressive symptoms and 4.2% had confirmed depressive symptoms. Several factors are significantly associated with HAD-D categories, including working hours, type of company, nationality, medical history, financial difficulties, use of insomnia medication, psychiatric history, alcohol misuse, and feelings of isolation. Multivariate analysis found that confirmed depressive symptoms were strongly associated with European (non-French) nationality, suicidal thoughts in the past year, financial difficulties, fatigue, and abnormal HAD-A scores. Taking insomnia medication more than twice a week and consulting a doctor for psychological reasons appeared to reduce the risk of confirmed depressive symptoms. Interestingly, taking insomnia medication more than twice a week and consulting a doctor were found to reduce the risk of depressive symptoms. For suspected depressive symptoms (HAD-D score between 8 and 10), the significant factors were long-term medication use, nationality, fatigue, financial difficulties, and abnormal HAD-A scores. Suspected depressive symptoms were less common in unmarried pilots. Conclusions The results highlight that a significant proportion of French pilots suffer from psychological symptoms. A concerning finding was that more than a third of pilots exhibited alcohol misuse, which needs prevention efforts to reduce health risks. This is evidence for the development and implementation of programs for anxiety and/or depressive disorders. The study also found that 28.3% of pilots chose not to disclose psychological symptoms to aeromedical examiners (AMEs) due to fear of losing their licenses, although 54% would be more willing if this risk were removed. Future research should aim to further our understanding of this topic by conducting longitudinal studies. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250602/Airline-pilots-face-high-rates-of-anxiety-and-alcohol-misuse-study-finds.aspx British Airways flight attendant goes missing on superjumbo A380 jet, found naked and dancing in bathroom bender A British Airways flight attendant was found naked and dancing in a business class bathroom mid-flight on a superjumbo Airbus A380, and colleagues accused him of going on a drug-fueled bender. The inflight fiasco unfolded when the unidentified male cabin crew member was nowhere to be found during meal time on a flight from San Francisco to London — prompting crew members to search for him on board, The Sun reported. The flight attendant was eventually found naked and boogying in the Club World Cabin bathroom by the in-flight crew boss, the outlet reported. The bender took place on a superjumbo Airbus A-380 jet flying from San Francisco to London. Crew members were forced to dress the bare-bummed staffer in First Class pajamas and strap him down for the remainder of the ten and a half hour journey, the outlet said. “The plane was cruising at 37,000 ft over the Atlantic, but this bloke seemed to be higher than anyone else,” one worker told the outlet. “We think the guy popped pills when he was meant to be working. It is an extraordinary thing to do,” they said. The party-loving steward has since been suspended from his job. The double-decker Airbus A380, the largest passenger plane in the world, packed with 470 passengers and crew, landed safely at London’s Heathrow Airport at 11 a.m. last Sunday, where cops and medics were waiting on the tarmac. The party-loving flight attendant was then placed in a wheelchair and hauled off by police, the outlet reported. He has since been suspended, and BA told the outlet the investigation would be a police matter. “Not only is it really dangerous, it is a crazy way to end your BA career. This job can do ridiculous things to people, but staging a one-man disco in a Club World toilet is a new one on me,” the fellow crew member said. https://nypost.com/2025/06/01/world-news/british-airways-flight-attendant-found-naked-dancing-after-going-missing-on-a380-jet/ Flyadeal airline CEO blasts Airbus over 'inexcusable' delivery delays NEW DELHI (Reuters) -The head of Saudi budget carrier flyadeal criticised Airbus' handling of delays of narrow-body jets and voiced concerns that disruption could spread to freshly ordered wide-body A330neos. CEO Steven Greenway spoke out about delays on the sidelines of an IATA airline industry summit in New Delhi, just weeks after unveiling an order for 10 A330neo long-haul planes. "Delays are becoming inexcusable. Transparency, to be frank, is lacking, and we're getting agitated. How else can we plan? I mean it is just going beyond a joke now," Greenway told Reuters. A non-excusable delay is a term used in aircraft contracts to trigger specific penalties to airlines, but these are rare. Jetmakers have consistently argued that any delays caused by supply chain problems are "excusable," industry sources say. Airbus faces some internal industrial problems, he said. Airbus declined to comment on the narrow-body delays. It has previously reported some improvement in supply chains and has said it is working to soften the impact on customers, while sticking to a target for 820 deliveries this year. Flyadeal is also among several carriers affected by a separate slowdown in arrivals of engines from CFM on the Airbus assembly line. "I have got two (narrow-body jets) sitting on the ground in Toulouse at the moment that have been there for a couple of months and I don't have any resolution in sight," Greenway said. "We were meant to have four aircraft in the first half of the year. We've only had two, and even those two were delayed." The sister airline to Saudia is now due to have one A320neo delivered in the third quarter and three in the fourth quarter. "But I'm very doubtful...the three in the last quarter are going to get across the line," he said, adding: "Don't forget, this is delays on top of delays." Safran, which co-owns CFM with GE Aerospace, said in April that CFM had seen improvements in supply chains and was poised to recover a slow start to 2025. Greenway's comments reflect mounting private frustration about widespread supply problems among airline CEOs gathering for their annual industry meeting. He acknowledged that aerospace had been hit by a broad exodus of labour from the manufacturing sector after COVID-19, but added: "I do think it's inexcusable that here we are three, four years later, and we still haven't got over that hump." A330NEO UNCERTAINTY Reuters reported last week that Airbus had warned airlines a pattern of delays would persist for another three years. Lessors have spoken of supply tensions for the rest of the decade. Greenway raised concerns that similar problems could spread to the wide-body A330neo, after flyadeal unveiled an order for 10 of the upgraded long-haul jets in April. So far there have been no reports of delivery delays to the aircraft. "Our (first) aircraft was meant to be on the final production line in December of next year. I don't know if we're going to see that or not," he said. Airbus said it was not aware of any A330neo delays. Airlines say delays disrupt decisions that must be taken well ahead like pilot and crew training and adding routes. "You can't plan...If you take the wide-bodies, I'm now assuming there is going to be a delay. I'm having to go out and work with wet-lease operators to plug that gap," Greenway said, referring to rentals of planes with crews. Philippine budget airline Cebu Pacific said last week it would wet-lease two crewed A320s to flyadeal during its lean months in July and August, a busy period for the Saudi carrier. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/flyadeal-airline-ceo-blasts-airbus-052633859.html Indian airline IndiGo orders 30 Airbus A350 widebody planes Indian airline IndiGo said on Sunday it had signed an order for 30 more Airbus A350-900s, bringing its shopping list for the widebody aircraft from the European aircraft manufacturer to 60. "We are placing a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900s," said Pieter Elbers, the CEO of IndiGo, which was founded in 2006 and is behind the largest contract by volume in the history of civil aviation -- 500 Airbus single-aisle aircraft by 2023. The low-cost carrier, India's biggest by market share, is positioning itself as a significant player in the long-haul market. "This strategic move will enable IndiGo to spread its wings further and expand its long-haul international network," the company said in a statement. "This is yet another step in defining the airline's long-term plans of international expansion." Benoit de Saint-Exupery, Airbus commercial aircraft vice-president of sales, hailed "IndiGo's incredible rise". "You have democratised flying in India, and now you want to expand internationally," he said. The A350 planes, with ranges of up to 15,000 kilometres (9,300 miles), will allow it to expand its network further. Overall, IndiGo has placed orders for around 1,000 aircraft from the A320 family, Airbus's most successful model and rival of the Boeing 737 MAX, which has endured multiple setbacks after a series of safety scares. Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which began its annual industry conference in New Delhi on Sunday, said "the development of India's air connectivity in recent years has been nothing short of phenomenal". Indian domestic air growth is "running at over 10 percent" per year, Walsh said ahead of the conference. The growth of its economy has made India and its 1.4 billion people the world's fourth-largest air market -- domestic and international -- with IATA projecting it will become the third biggest within the decade. Air India, IndiGo's rival, ordered 100 more Airbus planes last year after a giant contract in 2023 for 470 aircraft -- 250 Airbus and 220 Boeing. India's domestic air passenger traffic reached a milestone last year by "surpassing 500,000 passengers in a single day", according to India's Ministry of Civil Aviation. The ministry boasts of a sector "experiencing a meteoric rise". Railways remain hugely popular but travelling by trains crisscrossing a country about three-quarters the area of the European Union is often slow and chaotic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will address IATA delegates on Monday, has made the development of the air sector a priority since coming to power in 2014. India has doubled its number of airports in the past decade to 157, with plans to have as many as 400 by 2047. Indian airline capacity is expected to reach 230 million seats in 2024, doubling since 2014, according to British aviation data provider OAG. However, such growth comes with immense demands for aircraft, skilled personnel, airports, and aviation safety. Some 10,000 pilots are expected to be trained in the next five years but India also faces a major challenge to supply flight crews, engineers, mechanics, and air traffic controllers. India already has the highest number of women pilots, who make up 15 percent of its captains, three times the global average. https://www.yahoo.com/news/indian-airline-indigo-orders-30-141028470.html EVA Air joins IATA's Turbulence Aware Platform to enhance flight safety New Delhi, June 2 (CNA) Taiwan-based EVA Air has signed a cooperation agreement with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to join its Turbulence Aware platform, aiming to improve flight safety through real-time data sharing. "We believe that joining Turbulence Aware will help pilots and dispatchers to analyze real-time data, plan and choose appropriate flight paths to avoid areas with higher turbulence risks, and ensure the safety of passengers and aircraft," EVA Air President Clay Sun (孫嘉明) said on Monday. The agreement was signed by Sun and IATA Director General Willie Walsh on Sunday during IATA's three-day annual general meeting held in New Delhi. Sun noted that turbulence has become more frequent due to climate change, posing an increasing challenge to flight safety and operations. "Although technology is becoming more advanced, turbulence is still one of the most difficult weather conditions to predict," Sun said, explaining that mild turbulence may cause an aircraft to shake, while severe turbulence can cause structural damage to the aircraft. Walsh welcomed EVA Air's inclusion, adding that the partnership will enhance the capabilities of crew and dispatchers around the world to improve flight safety, fuel efficiency and passenger comfort. "With the data reported by each airline, we can provide flight crews and dispatchers with a clearer picture, making the platform more helpful in reducing the impact of turbulence," Walsh said. According to Walsh, participating airlines generated a total of 51.8 million turbulence reports in 2024, a 35 percent increase from 2023, which he said will be very beneficial in reducing the damage caused by turbulence. After EVA Air's participation, the platform will include 28 airlines sharing reports from over 2,700 aircraft. Once the platform compiles the data, it delivers real-time turbulence information to pilots through images, enabling them to make timely route adjustments and avoid affected areas. EVA Air said it will initially employ a total of 33 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to participate in collecting and reporting data. https://focustaiwan.tw/business/202506020017 United Airlines flight from SFO bound for China diverted due to mechanical issue A San Francisco plane headed for China was diverted on Saturday due to a mechanical issue. Video from a viewer shows a United plane dropping fuel on the way back to SFO. SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A San Francisco plane headed for China was diverted on Saturday due to a mechanical issue. United Airlines said the plane "had to release fuel to avoid landing overweight." United Airlines Flight 888 departed San Francisco International Airport at approximately 12:42 p.m. for Beijing Capital International Airport in China (PEK). FlyAware data shows the flight was diverted back to SFO, arriving at 2:20 p.m. It's unknown how many passengers were on the plane, but United says they are expected to be booked on another flight Saturday evening. This comes after another United Airlines plane made a wrong turn during an SFO takeoff nearly colliding with Fresno-bound SkyWest plane back on May 13. Those planes were only hundreds of feet from each other. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating that incident. United Airlines released a statement to ABC7 on Saturday's incident writing: "United flight 888 from San Francisco to Beijing safely returned to San Francisco to address a maintenance issue. The plane had to release fuel to avoid landing overweight. The flight will swap to a new aircraft, and we expect to get our customers on their way this evening local time." https://abc7news.com/post/united-airlines-888-plane-sfo-bound-china-diverted-due-mechanical-issue/16613817/ GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST Calling all U.S. airplane pilots! I am a doctoral student at FIU. My research focuses on pilot decision making and digital twins. I will greatly appreciate your help sharing the link to my survey with your network: https://fiu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3rPGG1cVfuOWiyO Thank you! AI generated with the prompt: pilot midair 😂 -- Respectfully, Garrett Feldman, MBA (786)286-9170 Curt Lewis