Flight Safety Information - June 17, 2025 No. 119 In This Issue : Incident: Atlas B744 at Quito on Jun 12th 2025, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Smartwings B738 near Bratislava on Jun 12th 2025, smoke in cockpit, problems with packs : Incident: Avianca A320 at Cartagena on May 3rd 2025, landed below minimum fuel : FAA Makes Telling Decision on Boeing 787s After Air India Crash : Co-pilot error suspected in new Air India crash theory : Trump’s FAA pick has long claimed he has a commercial pilot’s license. Reports show he does not : Flight Passenger in Custody for Posing ‘Direct Threat’ on Plane Moments Before Takeoff at Seattle Airport : TSA worker assaulted 79-year-old Jet Blue passenger, cops say : Pilot's use of sedatives led to loss of control in deadly Shelby County helicopter crash, NTSB finds : Investigators find cockpit voice recorder from crashed Air India flight : Air Force relieves commander of pilot training squadron : India orders inspection of Boeing 787s after Air India crash : Honeywell Closes In On Certificate For Onboard Runway Incursion Alerts : Southwest Outfits Fleet With Runway Safety System to Assist Pilots : American Airlines Involved in Controversy Over Flight Attendants’ Uniforms : Boeing trims projection for 20-year jet demand : More than 24 KC 135 and KC 46 tanker aircraft crossed the Atlantic on the night of June 16, 2025 : Graduate Research Request : Calendar of Events Incident: Atlas B744 at Quito on Jun 12th 2025, engine shut down in flight An Atlas Air Boeing 747-400, registration N476MC performing flight 5Y-8208 from Quito (Ecuador) to Miami,FL (USA), was climbing out of Quito when the crew stopped the climb at FL200 due to the failure of one of their engines (CF6). The crew shut the engine down and decided to divert to Guayaquil (Ecuador) where the aircraft landed on runway 21 about 50 minutes after departure. According to information The Aviation Herald received, the engine needs to be replaced. The aircraft is still on the ground in Guayaquil on Jun 15th 2025. https://avherald.com/h?article=52915d31&opt=0 Incident: Smartwings B738 near Bratislava on Jun 12th 2025, smoke in cockpit, problems with packs A Smartwings Boeing 737-800, registration OK-TVR performing charter flight QS-4503 from Athens (Greece) to Kosice (Slovakia), was enroute at FL320 over Hungary about 120nm southsoutheast of Bratislava (Slovakia) when the crew decided to divert to Bratislava. The aircraft landed safely on Bratislava's runway 31 about 25 minutes later. According to information The Aviation Herald received, the crew needed to shut one of the packs down and indicated they had smoke in the cockpit. The aircraft had just returned from heavy maintenance in Romania after returning from lease for Spicejet. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration OK-TSE positioned from Koscie to Bratislava and performed the onward leg to Prague (Czech Republic) with a delay of about 4.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft positioned to Prague the following day and returned to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=529158c0&opt=0 Incident: Avianca A320 at Cartagena on May 3rd 2025, landed below minimum fuel An Avianca Airbus A320-200, registration HK-5407 performing flight AV-9206 from Medellin to Santa Marta (Colombia), was on approach to Santa Marta when the aircraft needed deviate around bad weather, then needed to approach the opposite runway but aborted the approach due to bad weather. The crew decided to divert to Barranquilla which reported favourable weather at that time. On approach to Barranquilla the aircraft needed to go around after not being able to see the runway at decision height. The crew decided to divert to Cartagena, Barranquilla informed the crew they would be number 4 for landing in Cartagena prompting the crew to declare PAN PAN due to fuel. The aircraft was vectored for a direct approach to Cartagena. 10nm before landing the crew declared Mayday due to fuel and continued for a safe landing on Cartagena's runway 19 about 30 minutes after aborting the approach to Santa Marta. Colombia's DIACC reported the aircraft landed with 860kg of fuel remaining, rated the occurrence a serious incident and opened an investigation. https://avherald.com/h?article=5290158f&opt=0 FAA Makes Telling Decision on Boeing 787s After Air India Crash Tragedy struck earlier this week when Flight AI171, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed less than a minute after takeoff from Ahmedabad, in India’s western state of Gujarat There was only one survivor from the 242 onboard, and dozens of people on the ground were also killed. According to the New York Times, India’s aviation regulators ordered Air India on Friday to carry out “additional maintenance actions” on its Boeing 787 fleet. Immediately following the crash, Boeing issued a statement. "We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected," the airplane manufacturer said. The aviation minister in India said there were 34 Boeing 787's in the country, eight of which had already undergone the new inspections. He said the rest would be inspected “with immediate urgency.” As India makes a thorough sweep of its fleet, the United States has already made a decision on Boeing 787s in use around the country. Officials from the U.S. determined they have not seen any immediate safety data that would require halting Boeing 787 flights following the accident, according to Reuters. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and acting Federal Aviation Administration head Chris Rocheleau confirmed the news this week. Duffy revealed an NTSB and FAA team, with support from Boeing and engine manufacturer GE Aerospace was going to India. "They have to get on the ground and take a look. But again right now it'd be way too premature," Duffy said. "People are looking at videos and trying to assess what happened, which is never a strong, smart way to make decisions on what took place." While the U.S. isn't pulling the fleet of Boeing 787s off the line just yet, he made it clear the U.S. government "will not hesitate to implement any safety recommendations that may arise. We will follow the facts and put safety first." https://www.yahoo.com/news/faa-makes-telling-decision-boeing-175421429.html Co-pilot error suspected in new Air India crash theory The co-pilot of Air India Flight AI171 may have made a fatal error, causing the crash that killed 241 people onboard and dozens more on the ground, an aviation expert has claimed. Captain Steve Scheibner, a veteran commercial airline pilot, claimed that the London Gatwick-bound 787 Dreamliner co-pilot may have been asked to retract the landing gear but pulled the wrong lever and instead raised the flaps. The former American Airlines pilot’s claims, broadcast on his YouTube channel, came as it emerged that air accident investigators in India were planning to interview pilots and crew who had flown in the plane in the week leading up to the crash. It is hoped they may hold clues as to why the plane crashed just minutes after take off from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on June 12. Meanwhile, investigators are understood to have begun decoding the black box’s flight data to try to establish exactly what happened before the crash. Mr Scheibner believes a simple catastrophic error may have caused the plane to plunge from the sky. He said: “Here’s what I think happened, again folks this is just my opinion. “I think the pilot flying said to the co-pilot ‘gear up’ at the appropriate time. I think the co-pilot grabbed the flap handle and raised the flaps, instead of the gear. “If that happened, this explains a lot of why this aeroplane stopped flying.” He explained how the wings would normally bend during take-off as the lift forces it into the air. But video footage appears to not show that happening, fuelling speculation that the flaps, used to help lift the plane, had been retracted. The landing gear also remained down, despite it being normal procedure to lift them within a few seconds of clearing the tarmac. Aviation experts have analysed the take-off footage and also highlighted concerns that the flaps appear to have been retracted and the undercarriage remains down. Marco Chan, a former pilot and a senior lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University, told the BBC: “That would point to potential human error if flaps aren’t set correctly. But the resolution of the video is too low to confirm that.” About 30 seconds after take-off, the plane dips and descends before exploding into a fireball as it crashes into buildings. Both pilot Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kunder are believed to be among the dead. Mr Sabharwal had 8,200 hours of experience. Mr Kunder had 1,100 hours. The cause of the crash remains a mystery, with theories focusing on whether it was a catastrophic mechanical failure or pilot errors. Ed Pierson, a former manager at Boeing, said it was “possible” that safety concerns raised in 2019 could be to linked to the crash. At the time, a whistleblower claimed that staff forced parts together to close gaps, which Boeing denied. Mr Pierson testified to the US Congress that he had flagged safety issues with the company’s 737 Max variant in 2019. Boeing has strongly denied all claims, stating that the Dreamliner underwent 150,000 safety tests and audits. On Saturday, Mr Pierson told NDTV, an Indian television network, that Boeing’s production facilities were “chaotic and dangerous”, adding: “We were rushing to build the planes to get them out of the door. Employees were pressured to get their work done. “There were parts issues. We had aircraft systems issues that I remembered we were having difficulty with. And I remember being very concerned that we were taking unnecessary risks.” A source linked to the investigation told Reuters that India’s aviation regulator had ordered safety checks on the Boeing 787 fleet. He added that the official inquiry was initially focusing on engine thrust, the flaps and why the landing gear remained down after the plane was airborne. The India-based source said another aspect of the investigation would look at Air India’s maintenance of the aircraft. Other theories include the possibility of two air strikes taking out both engines, however, this is thought unlikely. An anti-terrorism team is understood to be part of the official investigation, although this is thought to be routine. A team of four investigators from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has arrived in India to join experts from the US and India. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the British sole survivor of the crash, described seeing “lights flickering” moments after take-off. It remains unclear whether this was in any way connected to any wider failings, in part because the circuitry that controls internal lights is separate to electrical supplies that help fly the plane. The aircraft began service in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014. It had completed 700 flights in the year leading up to the disaster. It is understood the flight number AI171 is to be discontinued. It will be replaced with the flight number AI159. https://www.yahoo.com/news/co-pilot-error-suspected-air-151829483.html Trump’s FAA pick has long claimed he has a commercial pilot’s license. Reports show he does not President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Federal Aviation Administration has long claimed to have a commercial pilot’s license – but new reports suggest otherwise. Bryan Bedford, the CEO of Republic Airways, was listed on the airline’s website as holding “commercial, multi-engine and instrument pilot ratings” until Thursday, but after his credentials came under question, the word “commercial,” was removed from the description on Friday, Politico reported. Records obtained by Politico revealed that Bedford does not have a commercial pilot’s license registered with the FAA – though he has claimed to since at least 2010, according to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. While he does not have a commercial license, Bedford is a licensed private pilot, according to FAA records viewed by Politico. Bedford passed “written and oral exams” in order to fly commercial aircraft, the Department of Transportation said, before claiming Bedford had not “personally nor publicly claimed to be a commercial airline pilot.” Bryan Bedford previously claimed to have a commercial pilot’s license, but only has a private pilot license, according to FAA records. (Getty Images) Bryan Bedford previously claimed to have a commercial pilot’s license, but only has a private pilot license, according to FAA records. (Getty Images) “Bryan never misrepresented his credential; it was an administrative error that was immediately corrected,” DOT said in a statement. His pilot credentials have been called into question previously, including in reporting by aviation news outlet The Air Current, with the publication writing, “Bedford is a pilot himself, although not a commercial pilot, as he has sometimes claimed to be.” Bedford also faced questioning last week from the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee as part of the nomination process. During the questioning, Bedford faced harsh critiques over his lack of an answer when asked if he would scrap the FAA’s rule that people seeking to become airline pilots log at least 1,500 of flight time. “It doesn’t sound like a yes,” Rep. Tammy Duckworth said. “It sounds like you’re leaving the door open to reduce the number of flight hours below 1,500.” Bedford responded: “What I’m saying is I don’t believe safety is static.” No one mentioned his credentials, according to Politico. His nomination comes amid calls for a renewed interest in safety concerns at the agency following a deadly mid-air collision near Washington D.C.'s Reagan National Airport in January that killed 67 people. https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-faa-pick-long-claimed-220218562.html Flight Passenger in Custody for Posing ‘Direct Threat’ on Plane Moments Before Takeoff at Seattle Airport The incident occurred at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Saturday, June 14 • A flight passenger is in police custody following a security incident on the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on June 14 • The individual posed a "direct threat to the safety of the aircraft," a spokesperson said, per Fox 13 Seattle • Two runways were closed amid the incident and at least six flights were reportedly cancelled A flight passenger is in police custody following a security incident involving an Alaska Airlines aircraft at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). At around 1:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, June 14, the Port of Seattle Police and Fire Department began investigating a situation involving a plane on the runway at SEA, the airport stated in a news release. An individual allegedly posed a “direct threat’ to the safety of Alaska Airlines Flight 2123, with 68 passengers and four crew members on board, as it was preparing to take off from Seattle to Walla Walla, Wash., Fox 13 Seattle reported. "During taxi to the runway, a guest made a direct threat to the safety of the aircraft to one of our flight attendants. Our crew members followed their procedures and secured the aircraft on a runway away from the airport," an Alaska Airlines spokesperson told the outlet. FBI Seattle responded to the incident, along with the Port of Seattle Police Department, per Fox 13 Seattle. The Federal Aviation Administration also issued a ground stop "due to security,” according to the outlet. One suspect is in custody, while the nature of the incident has not been disclosed at this time. The passengers of the aircraft were deplaned and “returned to the terminal after security screening,” according to the news release. Two runways were closed and one was left open following the incident. Both runways have since reopened. Alaska Airlines confirmed that at least six flights were canceled and two others diverted, per Fox 13 Seattle. "We are working to get all guests to their destinations safely and as quickly as possible," the airline spokesperson told the outlet. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Video footage obtained by KING 5 Seattle shows the Port of Seattle Police Department with sniffer dogs at the scene as passengers were seen lining up on the runway. The investigation is ongoing. https://www.yahoo.com/news/flight-passenger-custody-posing-direct-124017559.html TSA worker assaulted 79-year-old Jet Blue passenger, cops say Florida TSA agent Janiyah Wilson-Robinson, 21, was arrested for allegedly “forcefully pushing” an elderly JetBlue traveler at the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. Florida police arrested a TSA agent Wednesday for allegedly pushing a 79-year-old JetBlue traveler at the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport. Officials say Janiyah Wilson-Robinson, 21, of Margate, committed aggravated battery on the Palm Beach Gardens woman by “placing the palm of her hands (on the victim) and forcefully pushing her.” The woman stumbled, struck her forehead, and sustained minor bruises, police say. Although medical responders provided an ice pack, the victim declined hospital treatment. Wilson Robinson spent the night in custody at the North Broward Bureau detention facility. She was released on a $1,000 bond. The agent has been placed on administrative leave as an investigation into the incident continues. Janiyah Wilson-Robinson, 21, spent a night in jail and was released on a $1,000 bond. A TSA spokesperson told Local 10 in a statement, “TSA holds its employees to the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, and we do not tolerate behavior that violates these standards or the public’s trust.” “The individual has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities in their investigation,” the spokesperson said. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/florida-tsa-agent-arrested-elderly-assault-b2770142.html Pilot's use of sedatives led to loss of control in deadly Shelby County helicopter crash, NTSB finds A pilot's delayed actions, combined with his use of sedatives, led to the medical helicopter crash that claimed his and another man's life in 2023, the National Transportation Safety Board has found. In its final report on the crash, released this month, the NTSB found that the crash of Sylacauga’s Lifesaver 4, an Airbus Helicopter EC 130 T2, on Apr. 2, 2023, was caused by pilot Mark Gann's, 63, "delayed corrective inputs while maneuvering," as well as his use of "multiple sedating medications." Cetirizine, cyclobenzaprine, and diphenhydramine, all of which are potential central nervous system (CNS) depressants that are not advised to be taken together, were detected in Gann's blood and liver following the crash. CNS depressants may cause "sedation, impair concentration, worsen reaction time and vigilance, and worsen psychomotor performance." A flight nurse, 43-year-old Samuel Russell, was killed in the crash along with Gann, while a third crew member was left seriously injured. Witnesses of the crash saw the helicopter hovering just a few feet above the ground before rapidly ascending and then pitching nose down before hitting the roadway on Highway 280 in Chelsea. The impact was captured by a Shelby County Sheriff's deputy's dashcam. https://www.wvtm13.com/article/alabama-chelsea-helicopter-crash-sedatives-report-2023/65050544 Investigators find cockpit voice recorder from crashed Air India flight Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the crashed Air India flight, a key step in uncovering what caused last week's deadly accident. The London-bound Air India aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed soon after taking off on Thursday from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. At least 270 people have been killed, most of them passengers. The CVR captures audio from the cockpit, including pilot conversations, alarms and ambient sounds. The flight data recorder (FDR), which logs crucial flight parameters like altitude, speed and engine performance, had been recovered from the debris on Friday. Both the CVR and FDR collectively form what is commonly known as the "black box" of a plane. It is a vital tool in air crash investigations, helping experts reconstruct the flight's final moments and determine the cause of the incident. The black box, unlike the name suggests, is actually two bright orange devices - one for the CVR and the other for the FDR - painted with reflective strips for easier recovery after a crash. Both these devices are designed to survive a crash. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the inquiry into the cause of the crash, helped by teams from the US and the UK. On Sunday, officials from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) surveyed the site of the plane crash. "The AAIB has launched a detailed investigation, and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a parallel probe under international protocols, since the aircraft is American-made," a statement released on Sunday said. Indian media outlets have reported, citing sources, that officials from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - the US aviation safety agency - also visited the site. Separately, a high-level committee set up by the Indian government to examine the reasons behind the crash is expected to hold its first meeting on Monday. The committee will submit a preliminary report within three months, the All India Radio said, and will propose new standard operating procedures (SOPs) to help prevent similar incidents in future. As the investigation continues, families on the ground are still grappling with disbelief and trauma. Wait for bodies deepens pain of families after Air India crash The terrifying moment when Air India plane crashed into a canteen Less than a minute after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the AI171 flight crashed into a doctors' accommodation building at the BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital. All but one of the 242 passengers and crew members were killed. Officials have also been trying to establish how many people were killed on the ground and continuing the slow process of matching DNA samples to confirm the victims' identities. Over the weekend, doctors said 270 bodies had been recovered from the site of the crash. More than 90 victims have been identified through DNA matching, Dr Rajnish Patel of Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital said on Monday. He added that 47 of the identified bodies have been sent to their families. Among the identified victims is Vijay Rupani, the former chief minister of Gujarat, whose funeral will be held on Monday. Rupani, whose political career spanned more than 50 years, will be laid to rest with full state honours in Rajkot city. For many other families, the agonising wait continues. Officials told the BBC that the identification process has been slow and painstaking, as many of the bodies were badly burned in the crash and are being processed in small batches. Mistry Jignesh, waiting outside the hospital for updates on his niece, told the BBC on Saturday that officials told him that it might take longer for them to hand over his niece's remains as the search for bodies is still ongoing. He had earlier been told that the body would be handed over by Sunday, after the 72 hours it normally takes to complete DNA matching. "When people are still missing, how can they complete the DNA process by tomorrow? What if my niece's remains haven't even been found? The wait is killing us," he said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/investigators-cockpit-voice-recorder-crashed-073007457.html Air Force relieves commander of pilot training squadron Lt. Col. Brian Seymour was removed following a "loss of confidence in his ability to lead." He took over the squadron in May. Lt. Col. Brian Seymour was removed from command of the 71st Student Squadron on Thursday, June 12, the Air Force said, less than a month after he took over the unit. “Lt. Col. Brian Seymour was relieved from command of the 71st Student Squadron on 12 June 2025, due to a loss of confidence in his leadership ability,” a spokesperson for the 71st Flying Training Wing said in a statement to Task & Purpose on Friday. Seymour had only been in the command role for a few weeks. He took over on May 16, in a change of command ceremony held at Vance Air Force Base. He replaced Col. Eric Pounds, who took over the role in July 2023. The Air Force did not provide additional information on the cause of Seymour’s removal. The military often uses the term “loss of confidence” as a catchall for reasons for removing a commander or senior enlisted leader from a leadership position. The phrase covers a wide scope of causes, from personal reasons to misconduct. The 71st Student Squadron is part of the 71st Flying Training Wing, part of the Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command. The wing is based out of Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma. The squadron trains several hundred pilots each year, from the U.S. Air Force and other partner nations. According to the Air Force, the base is the fourth busiest airfield in the service. https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-71st-student-squadron-relieved/ India orders inspection of Boeing 787s after Air India crash AHMEDABAD/NEW DELHI, June 14 (Reuters) - India's aviation regulator has ordered all Boeing 787s being operated by local carriers to be inspected after an Air India crash killed 270 people this week, the aviation minister said on Saturday, adding the authorities were investigating all possible causes. The aviation regulator had on Friday ordered Air India to conduct additional maintenance checks on its Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines, including assessments of certain take-off parameters, electronic engine control tests and engine fuel-related checks. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/least-270-bodies-recovered-air-india-crash-site-hospital-official-says-2025-06-14/ Honeywell Closes In On Certificate For Onboard Runway Incursion Alerts PARIS—Honeywell has completed the development of Surf-A, a new cockpit alerting system for runway incursions awareness, and expects certification by the end of this year. The solution relies on hardware that most in-service aircraft already have on board—the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) systems—and could mark progress in preventing runway collisions. Existing systems alert air traffic controllers, who then relay the warning to crews in approach. Honeywell's idea is to warn pilots directly. In January 2024, a fatal collision took place between a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 and a Japan Coast Guard De Havilland Canada Dash 8 on Runway 34R at Tokyo's Haneda airport, taking five lives. “Serious runway incidents and accidents have increased threefold over the last six years,” said Bob Buddecke, Honeywell Aerospace's president of electronic solutions, during a press briefing held in Paris on June 15 on the eve of the Paris Air Show. The Surf-A system has been in the making for several years but recent exchanges with customers and regulators led the company to expedite the last steps of development and certification work. Trials involving a Surf-A-equipped Boeing 757 on approach and a Falcon 900 business jet on the runway finished demonstrating a 30-second notice for the 757 crew. Surf-A collects ADS-B signal and thanks to a link with the EGPWS and accompanying analytics, the crew receives visual and aural alerts, Buddecke said. Design engineers made sure pilots perceive the alerts in a busy flight phase. If the aircraft's flight deck is equipped with a moving map, the crew can locate the obstruction, Buddecke added. Surf-A not only warns against stationary ADS-B-equipped vehicles, but also predicts incursions of moving aircraft. It finds its roots in the EU's SESAR research and technology program for improved air traffic management. Having Surf-A on board is complementary to ground-based tools and is intended to protect aircraft against runway collisions faster, Buddecke said. “Thousands of aircraft could be equipped for a fraction of the cost of installing equivalent infrastructure,” he said. With the EGPWS Mk-VA version, the retrofit consists of a software update and a minor hardware change. Honeywell has planned to receive FAA certification for the first application, the 757, by year-end, with more retrofit approvals following next year. The company is also working on forward-fit with airframers. https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/safety-ops-regulation/honeywell-closes-certificate-onboard-runway-incursion-alerts Southwest Outfits Fleet With Runway Safety System to Assist Pilots Honeywell’s SmartRunway and SmartLanding system aims to improve situational awareness during critical flight phases. Southwest is in the process of equipping its entire Boeing 737 fleet with Honeywell’s SmartRunway and SmartLanding software, designed to increase runway safety. The system, which provides pilots with enhanced situational awareness during taxi, takeoff, and landing, has already been installed on 95% of the carrier’s fleet. The Dallas-based airline’s adoption of the system comes after some high-profile incidents. In March, a Southwest 737-800 nearly departed from an Orlando, Florida, taxiway. Last year, another Southwest flight took off from a closed runway in Portland, Maine. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating both incidents. Technology Implementation The SmartRunway and SmartLanding solutions are enabled via the Honeywell Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) already installed on Southwest aircraft. “The feature helps with runway safety by reducing the risk of runway excursions and wrong surface operations,” explained Thea Feyereisen, a distinguished technical fellow at Honeywell, during an interview. According to Feyereisen, the system provides “a lot of alerts,” both aural and visual to increase pilot situational awareness in critical phases of flight. “[It can] help provide the pilot awareness if they’re about ready to land on a taxiway or take off on a taxiway, if they’re too high or too fast on approach,” she said. “It also provides position awareness on the surface if you’re approaching a runway on a runway.” Southwest’s implementation makes it the largest airline to date to adopt the SmartRunway and SmartLanding technology, which is certified for most Airbus and Boeing aircraft, as well as numerous business aviation platforms. “It’s [an] exciting opportunity … both for Honeywell and for Southwest to show their commitment to improving the safety of their operations,” said Feyereisen. For aircraft already equipped with Honeywell’s EGPWS, the SmartRunway and SmartLanding functions are already “in the box” and just need to be enabled. Feyereisen said this makes the upgrade process seamless, requiring only minimal adjustments in pilot training, typically through a short memo and video overview. Andrew Watterson, chief operating officer at Southwest Airlines, stressed the importance of safety in the airline’s operations. “Safety is at the heart of everything we do at Southwest,” Watterson said in a news release. “Honeywell’s SmartRunway and SmartLanding software will provide our pilots with enhanced situational awareness to ensure the highest level of safety while operating on runways throughout the network.” Already Installed A Southwest spokesperson told AirlineGeeks that the system is already installed on over 95% of its fleet, or around 700 aircraft. The carrier plans to retrofit the rest of its fleet, too, with some requiring additional equipment that will be installed during scheduled maintenance checks. In addition, the airline’s nearly 11,000 pilots will receive training on the system’s capabilities, but this is “minimal,” according to the spokesperson, adding that they are already familiar with Honeywell’s existing technology. In 2015, Southwest selected Honeywell flight-deck systems for its 240-unit order of 737 MAX aircraft, adding to its existing fleet of 737 Next Generation jets flying with Honeywell cockpit avionics. Southwest was also the first airline to incorporate Honeywell’s Integrated Multi-Mode Receiver technology into its fleet. Looking ahead, Honeywell’s next-generation runway safety technology, Surface Alerts (SURF-A), is now being tested and is expected to be certified on commercial air transport aircraft in 2026, pending regulatory approvals. Unlike SmartRunway and SmartLanding, SURF-A will provide pilots with direct aural and visual alerts of potential runway traffic. The SmartRunway and SmartLanding technology has been available since 2003, with Alaska Airlines being the launch customer. https://airlinegeeks.com/2025/06/16/southwest-outfits-fleet-with-runway-safety-system-to-assist-pilots/ American Airlines Involved in Controversy Over Flight Attendants’ Uniforms After a multi-year battle, American Airlines employees have been awarded money in a lawsuit with the company and its former uniform supplier in California. The subject of the lawsuit was the uniforms American Airlines gave out to its employees in 2016, which allegedly led to many health problems that included skin, respiratory and even neurological issues. The company responsible for making the uniforms, Twin Hill, was found to be negligent in the matter and will pay 90% of an $18.6 million judgment, with American Airlines covering the other 10%, according to Kevin Derby of Aviation A2Z. The new uniform rollout began in 2016, and complaints about issues with them immediately started to pour in. It was later discovered that the uniforms had formaldehyde and over a dozen other chemicals that can lead to the aforementioned health issues. While the lawsuit was initially brought by five flight attendants, it ultimately included over 400 American Airlines employees. There are other lawsuits similar to this around the country, but not all of them have succeeded. The highest individual payout was $3.9 million as a result of lost wages, medical costs and pain and suffering. In the aftermath of the issues with Twin Hill's uniforms, American Airlines has cut ties with the company and is now using Lands' End. The airline denied any wrongdoing. American Airlines Involved in Controversy Over Flight Attendants’ Uniforms first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 14, 2025 https://www.yahoo.com/news/american-airlines-involved-controversy-over-214728938.html Boeing trims projection for 20-year jet demand (Reuters) -Boeing expects global demand for air travel to increase by more than 40% by 2030, driving the need for thousands of new jetliners in the next few years, according to its 20-year demand forecast for commercial airliners released Sunday ahead of the Paris Airshow. The company expects demand for 43,600 new airliners through 2044. That is essentially the same as last year's edition, which projected demand for 43,975 new deliveries through 2043. European rival Airbus last week revised up its own 20-year commercial demand forecast by 2% to 43,420 jets, saying the air transport industry was expected to ride out current trade tensions. Boeing's delivery projection includes nearly 33,300 single-aisle airliners, just over 7,800 widebody jets, 955 factory-built freighters and 1,545 regional jets. Single-aisle jets include the 737 MAX and competitor Airbus's A320neo family and make up roughly four of every five deliveries now. While Boeing's deliveries projection is roughly the same, it pared down its 20-year forecast for passenger traffic growth from 4.7% in last year's outlook to 4.2% this year. Likewise, it lowered its global economic growth forecast from 2.6% to 2.3%, cargo traffic growth from 4.1% to 3.7% and fleet growth from 3.2% to 3.1%. Despite the lower projection for cargo traffic, Boeing Vice President of Commercial Marketing Darren Hulst told reporters in a briefing that trade volatility is not expected to significantly shift long-term demand. "I think we need to point back to the perspective that the last 20, 40, 60 years have given us in terms of the value of air cargo, and the fact that it's roughly a 4% growth market through all this time," he said. Since COVID-19, air travel demand has bounced back, but airplane production is only half or even less than what it was before the pandemic, resulting in a shortage of 1,500 to 2,000 airliners, he said. Both Airbus and Boeing have struggled to return aircraft production to pre-pandemic levels. Boeing has been dealing with production safety concerns following a 2024 mid-air blowout of a panel on a nearly new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX. As a result, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration capped 737 production at 38 airplanes a month. Boeing has significantly improved production quality in recent months, but the crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on Thursday put it back in crisis mode. CEO Kelly Ortberg cancelled his plans to attend the Paris Airshow in order to assist with the crash investigation. Global air travel is projected to increase by more than 40% by 2030, compared to the pre-pandemic high, according to the forecast. During the next 20 years, Boeing expects about 51% of demand for new aircraft to come from growth rather than replacing older airplanes. China and South/Southeast Asia, which includes India, are expected to account for half of that additional capacity, according to the outlook. North America and Eurasia account for more than half of projected deliveries for replacing older aircraft. China makes up an estimated 10% of Boeing's existing order backlog. The country paused taking delivery of new Boeing aircraft as China and the U.S. clashed over tariffs. However, deliveries are expected to resume this month, Ortberg said in May during an investors conference. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-trims-projection-20-jet-221654361.html More than 24 KC 135 and KC 46 tanker aircraft crossed the Atlantic on the night of June 16, 2025 On the night of Sunday, June 16, 2025, an unusual formation composed of more than two dozen U.S. Air Force aerial refueling aircraft – including KC 135 Stratotankers and KC 46 Pegasus – was observed crossing the Atlantic eastbound from North America. The flight pattern and large number of aircraft suggest a strategic redeployment rather than routine operations, according to military analysts. With no connection to previously scheduled multinational exercises (such as “Atlantic Trident”), many experts believe the movement indicates a pre-positioning of resources. The exact destination of the tankers has not been confirmed, but many appear to be heading toward European airspace or U.S. and NATO bases in the Middle East. The deployment takes place amid ongoing instability in the Middle East, where the U.S. has already reinforced its naval and air defenses in support of Israel, including destroyers equipped with AEGIS systems and THAAD missile defenses. An aerial refueling operation on this scale could extend the range and resilience of fighter jets, bombers, and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) aircraft, allowing for rapid and sustained response operations. Why does it matter? Aerial refueling is critical to military power projection: it enables combat aircraft to operate far from their bases without sacrificing payload or mission time. Both the KC 135 and KC 46 can transfer tens of thousands of pounds of fuel mid-air to fighters, bombers, drones, and other tankers in complex relay operations. Although the Pentagon has not issued an official statement, experts suggest the move may be part of contingency planning for a potential escalation in the Middle East, allowing essential assets to be rapidly deployed if needed. It’s worth noting that no fighter or bomber flights have been detected on open-source trackers, though covert operations using transponder-off aircraft or classified platforms remain possible. https://www.msn.com/en-ie/news/world/more-than-24-kc-135-and-kc-46-tanker-aircraft-crossed-the-atlantic-on-the-night-of-june-16-2025/ar-AA1GMNaM Graduate Research Request - 1 My name is Mohammed Muazu, a Doctoral Researcher (Doctor of Aviation (Av.D Candidate) at the College of Aeronautics, Florida Institute of Technology. I am conducting a cross-national research study on aviation professionalism among stakeholders in the United States and Nigeria. I warmly invite all aviation professionals, students, safety practitioners, aircraft engineers/technicians , air traffic controllers, crew members, and others across the aviation industry to participate in a brief, anonymous online survey. The goal is to better understand professionalism in aviation and contribute to global safety and professional standards. I kindly seek your support in sharing the survey link and attached poster with your members or networks. Your input will be invaluable: https://fit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWplkvmjbSZ7Kjs. Thank you for your time and support. Mohammed Muazu Doctoral Candidate (Doctor of Aviation (Av.D) Programme) College of Aeronautics Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne USA mmuazu2020@my.fit.edu CALENDAR OF EVENTS ·. South Texas Business Aviation Association June 20th at the Galaxy FBO at Conroe Airport, Texas. . NTSB set hearing date in Boeing 737-9 plug door incident investigation - June 24, 2025 . Gulf Flight Safety Association (GFSA) Conference, June 25 & 26 2025 Riyadh Air Headquarters . 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 . 2025 PROS IOSA SUMMIT - SEPT 10-11 - Denver, CO · 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