Flight Safety Information - August 4, 2025 No. 154 In This Issue : Incident: Iberia A21N at Madrid on Aug 3rd 2025, bird strike : Incident: India B789 at Delhi on Jul 31st 2025, rejected takeoff : Incident: LATAM B788 at Los Angeles on Jul 31st 2025, electronics problems, RAT deployed : Incident: Qatar A388 at Paris on Jul 30th 2025, hydraulic failure : Incident: United B772 at London on Jul 30th 2025, smoke in cabin : New Evidence in Deadly American Airlines Crash Could Change the Narrative : Air traffic control blamed for near-collision between B-52 bomber and passenger plane : Colorado State Patrol arrests suspect accused of targeting multiple aircraft with laser : An offshore wind farm in the US troubled by development hiccups has had aircraft warning lights installed on its 62 turbines : Kan. U.S. Senator's statement on NTSB hearing on fatal DCA midair collision : 5 new details from hearing on DC crash that killed 67 : As Army Defends Its Pilots After Deadly Collision Because 'Nobody's Perfect,' Investigators Dissect Air Traffic Control : Professional fighter permanently banned from Southwest Airlines : All Nippon Airways finalizes takeover of Nippon Cargo Airlines : Japan Airlines Discarded Boeing 777 Aircraft Parts Are on Sale and More : Calendar of Events Incident: Iberia A21N at Madrid on Aug 3rd 2025, bird strike An Iberia Airbus A321-200N, registration EC-OOJ performing flight IB-579 from Madrid,SP (Spain) to Paris Orly (France), was climbing out of Madrid's runway 36L when the crew stopped the climb at about 7000 feet following a bird strike. The aircraft returned to Madrid for a safe landing on runway 32L about 25 minutes after departure and stopped on the runway. The aircraft radome was damaged, the left hand engine received damaged fan blades, the aircraft was towed off the runway about 25 minutes after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=52b31e20&opt=0 Incident: India B789 at Delhi on Jul 31st 2025, rejected takeoff An Air India Boeing 787-9, registration VT-TSN performing flight AI-2017 from Delhi (India) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was accelerating for takeoff from Delhi's runway 29R when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 115 knots over ground). The aircraft slowed safely, vacated the runway and stopped on the parallel taxiway. About 8 minutes later the aircraft continued taxi to the apron. The airline reported the crew rejected takeoff due to a suspected technical issue. A replacement Boeing 787-9 registration VT-TSP reached London with a delay of about 4 hours. The occurrence aircraft remained on the ground for about 33 hours before returning to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=52b23c76&opt=0 Incident: LATAM B788 at Los Angeles on Jul 31st 2025, electronics problems, RAT deployed A LATAM Boeing 787-8, registration CC-BBI performing flight LA-603 from Los Angeles,CA (USA) to Santiago de Chile (Chile), was climbing out of Los Angeles' runway 25R when ATC cleared the crew to climb to FL230 and maintain 280 KIAS or greater. The crew requested to level off at FL230 confirming this would be their final level. ATC queried whether everything was okay, the crew hesitated a moment then said yes. The crew subsequently requested to lower their speed to 250 KIAS. Upon second query by the controller the crew stated: "we have Romea Alpha Tango allotted" (we have the RAT deployed). Upon further query by ATC whether they wanted to return the crew indicated a return to Los Angeles. The aircraft dumped fuel and returned to Los Angeles for an ILS approach to and safe landing on runway 25L about 75 minutes after departure. After landing the crew advised they did not need any assistance and wanted to taxi to their gate. Passengers reported the engines were fine, but the RAT was super loud. The crew announced "electronics problems". The aircraft remained on the ground for about 22.5 hours, then performed the next day's flight LA-603. https://avherald.com/h?article=52b23183&opt=0 Incident: Qatar A388 at Paris on Jul 30th 2025, hydraulic failure A Qatar Airways Airbus A380-800, registration A7-APJ performing flight QR-39 from Doha (Qatar) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was descending towards Paris when the crew declared emergency reporting a hydraulic failure. The aircraft continued for a safe landing with open gear doors on runway 26R and vacated the runway. The return flight QR-40 was cancelled, the passengers rebooked onto QR-44 and arrived with a delay of about one hour. The occurrence aircraft departed for Doha on Aug 1st 2025 after about 46 hours on the ground. https://avherald.com/h?article=52b15b86&opt=0 Incident: United B772 at London on Jul 30th 2025, smoke in cabin A United Boeing 777-200, registration N229UA performing flight UA-949 from London Heathrow,EN (UK) to San Francisco,CA (USA), was climbing out of Heathrow's runway 27L when the crew stopped the climb at FL150 due to smoke in the cabin. The aircraft returned to Heathrow for a safe landing on runway 27R about 30 minutes after departure. The airline reported fumes in one of the galleys prompted the return to London. The flight was cancelled. The aircraft returned to service about 32 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=52b14009&opt=0 New Evidence in Deadly American Airlines Crash Could Change the Narrative The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing to investigate a fatal midair crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that took place in January. Questioning and public hearings revealed malfunctions in air traffic control and instruments that may change understanding of how the tragic accident occurred. The Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into an American Airlines passenger jet over the Potomac River had technical issues, showing pilots were flying 80 to 100 feet below their actual position in the crowded airspace above the river occupied by local police, military, and commercial jets, communication is key. Helicopters were expected to stay in a range of between 100 and 200 feet above the Potomac. The Black Hawk was flying at 278 feet at the time of the crash, and sometimes climbed upward of 300 feet. “It’s still remarkably hard to identify aircraft when you are flying,” said Rich Dressler of Metro Aviation in a testimony. “We use traffic alerts and traffic monitoring systems in our helicopters, all the DC operators, the civilian and law enforcement side.” Furthermore, at the time of the crash, only one air traffic controller was handling the helicopter and plane traffic. Doing a job typically meant for two people, the controller was on duty for over an hour and twenty minutes before the crash. “As far as a controller perspective and my own personal perspective, making it work is utilizing all available tools to you to compensate for the compacted volume,” said Clark Allen, an air traffic control specialist with the Federal Aviation Administration.“It can be taxing on a person, you know, constantly (having) to give, give, give or push, push, push in order to efficiently move traffic.” The combination of technical and personnel issues caused the helicopter to fly straight into the American Airlines jet, killing 67 people. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/evidence-deadly-american-airlines-crash-162302504.html Air traffic control blamed for near-collision between B-52 bomber and passenger plane The aircrafts almost collided over the North Dakota skies The Air Force is blaming air traffic control for a near-disaster with a military aircraft Recently, a pilot performed a series of last-second maneuvers to avoid hitting a B-52 bomber. The terrifying moment was captured on video by Josh Kadrmas from the North Dakota State Fairgrounds. Kadrmas told NBC News he was in the crowd for opening day of the fair, waiting for the scheduled B-52 flyover, when he pointed his phone toward the sky. “We could see the exhaust from the B-52 far to the east, so I started recording as it was announced to the crowd the B-52 was going to fly over the grandstand." By chance, Kadrmas filmed Delta Flight 3788, operated by SkyWest, as it shared airspace with the military aircraft. “I didn’t think this would be a disaster at the time as the smaller plane was difficult to see from the stands," he explained to NBC. A passenger filmed the aftermath Passenger, Monica Green (@monicagreenofficial) captured the aftermath on the SkyWest flight in a video uploaded to TikTok. In the video, the pilot is heard apologizing to passengers, saying: "Given his speed ... I don't know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us. I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it. So sorry about the aggressive maneuver; it caught me by surprise. This is not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give us a heads up, because the Air Force base does have radar ... long story short, it was not fun, but I do apologize for it and thank you for understanding. Not a not a fun day at work." The Air Force blamed air traffic control At the time, there was no information available regarding how such a dangerous situation had occurred. The Air Force has since placed the blame squarely on the shoulders of air traffic controllers. A statement released by Minot Air Force Base says: “The flyover was planned in advance and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. This included the FAA's local Flight Standards District Office, Minot International Airport air traffic control personnel, and Minot Approach Control (RAPCON). The following paragraph expands to say that the B-52 crew communicated the flyover plan to RAPCON and Minot International Airport’s air traffic control tower before departure. Rapid City, SD – May 14, 2022: A B-52 Stratofortress bomber is in flight against a clear blue sky as it overflies the Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, SD. The B-52 has eight engines, a long wingspan, and underwing munitions capability and is currently in the process of getting another extension of life through The statement says the Minot Approach directed the B-52 crew at 7:43 p.m. to contact Minot International Airport’s air traffic control. When they did so, the tower instructed the aircraft to continue 2 miles westbound after the flyover. The tower did not inform the B-52 pilots that there was an inbound commercial plane in the vicinity. The FAA is investigating The statement concludes by saying: “The B-52 crossed the fairgrounds show center at 7:50 p.m. and proceeded west as directed to clear Minot International Tower’s airspace before returning to Minot AFB.” According to the statement, the FAA is investigating the incident. https://www.yahoo.com/creators/lifestyle/story/air-traffic-control-blamed-for-near-collision-between-b-52-bomber-and-passenger-plane-042455491.html Colorado State Patrol arrests suspect accused of targeting multiple aircraft with laser The Colorado State Patrol Aircraft Unit was conducting traffic operations in the Denver metro area on Thursday night. The trooper aircraft unit said about 9:15 p.m. that multiple commercial airplane pilots reported a green laser being directed into the cockpits of their aircraft. Colorado State Patrol The state patrol aircraft unit said they were able to locate the suspect on East 64th Avenue and Monaco Street in Commerce City. While surveilling the suspect, troopers said the suspect pointed the laser at the aircraft multiple times. The aircraft crew was then able to direct ground troopers to the suspect as he was attempting to drive to a new location. Jose Alonzo Duarte-Campos, 41, was arrested and faces multiple charges, including unlawfully aiming a laser device at an aircraft, which is a felony offense, driving under the influence of drugs and possession of methamphetamine. Colorado State Patrol The state patrol also said Duarte-Campos already had a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear. According to the Colorado State Patrol, Laser strikes on aircraft are a serious federal offense and pose a significant risk to pilots, passengers, and the public. Anyone witnessing such activity is encouraged to report it to local law enforcement immediately. https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/colorado-state-patrol-suspect-accused-target-aircraft-laser/ An offshore wind farm in the US troubled by development hiccups has had aircraft warning lights installed on its 62 turbines. The owners of Vineyard Wind, based off the coast of Nantucket, declared the integration of an Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ADLS) this past week, a radar-activated lighting system that turns on when planes are within a specified distance of wind turbines. Vineyard Wind is the first offshore wind project to voluntarily commit to installing ADLS, procuring the system from a number of qualified contractors including GE Vernova and Semco. Klaus S. Møller, Vineyard Wind CEO, said: "Recognising that this lighting system is a critical priority for our neighbouring island communities, Vineyard Wind has worked hard for the past year to accelerate the deployment and implementation of ADLS across the project as quickly as possible. "This is a complex technology requiring extensive work and coordination between various contractors and construction teams, and I would like to thank them for their efforts in activating this system as commissioning continues. "As the project advances, the system will be integrated into additional turbines." When the ADLS system is activated, lights on the turbine towers flash if an aircraft enters the project radar radius, and cease flashing once the aircraft exits the area. Blinking lights indicate that an aircraft is travelling within the radius of the project, as required by federal aviation safety regulations. Vineyard Wind owners recently shelled out more than £10 million to the island of Nantucket as compensation for a blade failure that saw tons of debris rain into the sea and litter beaches across the region. For more information curated from over 275 offshore wind turbine models, including dimensions and wind speeds, click here. https://www.4coffshore.com/news/troubled-us-wind-farm-given-aircraft-warning-system-nid31596.html Kan. U.S. Senator's statement on NTSB hearing on fatal DCA midair collision WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jerry Moran — the chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation released the following statement after the conclusion of the National Transportation Safety Board’s three-day investigative hearing into the January 29 midair collision between American Airlines flight 5342 and an Army Blackhawk helicopter. “Six months after the tragic crash near DCA, the NTSB laid out a series of failures it has uncovered so far in its investigation of the tragedy that claimed 67 lives, including Kansans. While there is no single factor that led to the crash on January 29, it is alarming that FAA failed to act on years of data and near misses indicating serious problems with the design of the mixed airspace around DCA. The FAA blamed their inaction on bureaucracy but did not take action to try and alleviate the bureaucratic roadblocks within the agency. That is no excuse. “The NTSB uncovered long-term staffing issues at the control tower that were compounded by a culture of distrust among DCA air traffic controllers and a toleration for unacceptable risks; found inaccurate altitude readings on the helicopter; and discovered the ADS-B Out technology was not transmitting on the Blackhawk likely due to faulty equipment that the Army failed to identify and has now been found to be an issue on numerous other Army helicopters as well. “I commend Chair Homendy on her thorough investigation into this crash and her dedication in bringing to light the failures in our airspace. Despite numerous warnings signs of serious problems over the last several years, little was done to try and correct them, and these failures by the FAA, the Army and air traffic control cost 67 lives. I know the last few days have been painful for the families of the victims, and I assure them that Congress will not let these failures go unanswered. We cannot undo the tragic loss of life, but we can work to make certain it never happens again.” Congressional Action since January 29: • Feb. 5: Sen. Moran and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) call on the FAA to restrict non-essential helicopter operations near DCA. • March 13: Sen. Moran and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) press the Army to answer questions regarding the Army’s role in the midair collision on January 29th. • March 27: The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation holds a hearing on the January 29 midair collision. • May 14: Sen. Moran questions FAA officials on the lack of response on near-miss data aggregated in their databases during a Commerce hearing. • May 16: Sen. Moran introduces legislation to require all aircraft in high-volume airspace to use ADS-B technology. • May 16: Sen. Moran questions Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy during a hearing on current restrictions around DCA. • June 10: Senators call for audits into the Department of Transportation and the Army’s response to the midair collision. • June 11: Sen. Moran leads a briefing with NTSB, FAA and Army on additional near collisions that occurred between an Army helicopter and two commercial aircraft in April after the crash. • June 12: Sen. Moran questions Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on the use of ADS-B technology in military aircraft. • July 29: Sen. Moran joins his colleagues in introducing the ROTOR Act to require the use of location technology in high-volume airspace and initiate a review of flight routes near DC and an Inspector General’s audit of the Army’s aviation practices. https://jcpost.com/posts/71676444-6bc4-4024-a165-4986a3e8fbaf 5 new details from hearing on DC crash that killed 67 New details are emerging about the deadly collision between an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter in January near Reagan Washington National Airport, which killed 67 people. Three days of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearings, along with thousands of pages of documents, suggest that the Black Hawk helicopter may have been relying on misleading instrument readings when it was operating too high over the Potomac River in the lead-up to the midair collision. The crash, alongside nonfatal but significant disruptions at other U.S. airports, brought national attention to longstanding strains on the air traffic control workforce. On the second day of hearings, investigators probed a sentiment they had heard repeatedly from air traffic controllers about managing National Airport’s complicated airspace with short staffing: “We just make it work.” Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials defended the controllers as “public servants” but also acknowledged the challenges faced by the airport and air safety regulators. “We’re pushing the line,” admitted Clark Allen, the operations manager at National Airport at the time of the crash. Here are five takeaways from the first two days of hearings. Black Hawk helicopter had conflicting altitude readings A video reconstruction that opened the hearing Wednesday showed the Army helicopter flying above the altitude limit on the route before colliding with the American Airlines flight. Inside the cockpit, however, that may not have been so clear. Investigators said the helicopter’s barometric altimeter, which relied on air pressure, recorded lower values than a different altimeter that used radio waves. Test flights with three other Black Hawk helicopters over the area showed similar discrepancies, ranging from 80 feet to 130 feet, which affirmed officials’ concerns from this winter that the pilots were operating using “bad data.” Kylene Lewis, an Army officer testifying at the hearing, said she wouldn’t necessarily find the discrepancy between the two altimeters worrying, especially at a lower altitude where she would have relied more on the radar instrument. Still, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the board is considering issuing new safety recommendations related to altimeters. Rick Dressler, the aviation site manager for a medevac company, said civilian helicopter pilots had long been worried about military exercises in the area. “I don’t like saying that 12th Aviation Battalion gives us all pause in the community, and I’m speaking for my group there,” he said. “We are all very uncomfortable when those two units are operating.” Safety board head rips FAA for not acting on warnings A working group of air traffic controllers proposed changing helicopter routes around National Airport in 2022, including the helicopter flight path central to the crash investigation. But one controller told investigators that a district manager told the group the impact of the proposal, which would have added new collision risk areas, or “hot spots,” was “too political.” Homendy, the NTSB head, slammed FAA officials during the first day of hearings, characterizing the agency’s response as overly bureaucratic. “You transferred people out instead of taking ownership over the fact that everybody in FAA in the tower was saying there was a problem,” she said. “Are you kidding me? 67 people are dead. How do you explain that?” “Fix it. Do better,” she added. Army pilots had difficulty hearing air traffic control In transcripts of cockpit recordings released by the NTSB, the pilots of the Black Hawk helicopter at points had difficulty hearing dispatches from National Airport’s traffic control. Rebecca Lobach, the helicopter’s pilot, complained that the radio “sounds really crappy” and asked at another point if the tower’s sound was muffled. In another exchange, her instructor said, “I definitely didn’t catch what he said. I’m glad you did.” Investigators said in February the helicopter might not have heard a crucial instruction from the tower directing it to pass behind the American Airlines flight, which was descending to land. The NTSB transcript released Wednesday shows the transmission from the tower was not received in the Black Hawk’s cockpit. Air traffic supervisor: Concerns about training staff went unaddressed Much of the second day of hearings focused on the staffing and training of air traffic controllers at National Airport. James Jarvis, an air traffic control quality specialist, said National Airport’s air traffic facility had historically been “on the lower number of staffing.” Jarvis oversaw the airport through 2023 as a quality control expert for the FAA’s Eastern Service Center. He said he raised concerns several times about the lack of staffing in several administrative positions for training controllers — positions that were never filled. “I brought that to many, many [people’s] attention every opportunity I had, and at one point I was told to quit bringing it up,” Jarvis said, adding that the shortages “absolutely” impacted training. “There [were] not enough folks to manage the training that needed to take place,” he added. The airspace around National Airport is unusually complex, with military helicopter routes crisscrossing heavy commercial jet traffic. Traffic controller says he was ‘overwhelmed’ in lead-up to crash A single air traffic controller was handling both planes and helicopters at the time of the collision, unusual under normal conditions, and interview transcripts released by the NTSB paint a picture of a busy night. “He was giving clearances and there were a couple of times, and you can listen to it yourself, where he changed his mind, to do one thing, but then no, do this kind of thing,” one pilot in the vicinity of the airport told investigators. “They’re not instilling a lot of confidence in you because he’s seeming like he’s overworked, got too much going on at the moment.” The controller told investigators he was “starting to become a little overwhelmed with the helicopters,” about 10 minutes or 15 minutes before the fatal crash. An assistant in the tower said the controller told the helicopter to pass behind the airplane. “I went to write down what the helicopters were doing, because there were other helicopters on the frequency,” the assistant said. “And then I heard someone say, ‘Oh s .’ And I looked up and I saw the explosion.” https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/5-details-hearing-dc-crash-195615083.html As Army Defends Its Pilots After Deadly Collision Because 'Nobody's Perfect,' Investigators Dissect Air Traffic Control The hearing comes months after the Jan. 29 crash, which killed three crew members on a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and 64 people on a passenger flight During the ongoing investigative hearing into the deadly January plane crash near Washington, D.C., the U.S. Army defended its pilots U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 David Van Vechten Jr. insisted "nobody is perfect" when being questioned about Army pilots adhering to recommended helicopter route altitudes The FAA also underwent intense questioning, specifically in regards to the delay in conducting drug and alcohol testing for the air traffic controllers working at the time of the crash The U.S. Army offered a defense of its pilots as the hearings continued into the fatal Washington, D.C., crash between an Army helicopter and a passenger jet. The hearing comes months after the Jan. 29 crash, which killed three crew members on a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter as well as all 64 people on the American Airlines passenger flight when the aircrafts collided over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan National Airport. During a panel on Thursday, July 31, officials said that the crew in the helicopter likely believed they were flying lower than they really were — and that some of the Army helicopter's altimeter readers, which help pilots understand how high an aircraft is flying, were inaccurate. When the crash took place, the helicopter was far above its 200-foot limit. U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 David Van Vechten Jr. also defended the pilots from his organization while being questioned by the NTSB about his interpretation of a FAA helicopter route chart for the area showing recommended route altitudes. "But the 12th aviation pilots were trained to fly as close to the maximum as charted in accordance with AP, the area planning guide in the flight information publication, trying to maintain that altitude as best you can," he said. When asked by the NTSB, "So to be clear, your interpretation of that legend is that 200 feet is a maximum altitude and that's what Army pilots would fly," he replied, "Yes." "However, we're never under the assumption that it was 200 plus or minus zero," Van Vechten continued. "I mean, we would try not to go over the altitude obviously, but nobody is perfect and there are certain situations where you would go above or below it." According to an NTSB presentation shown as part of the hearings, the helicopter's crew had discussed their altitude during the doomed flight — though flaws in the altimeter readings could have prevented them from understanding the true danger they were in. At one point, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, reportedly the instructor on the flight, told Capt. Rebecca Lobach to “come down" to 200 feet because they were at an altitude of 300 feet. During the first day of testimony, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Kylene Lewis said that an 80-to-100-foot discrepancy in the readings wouldn't have normally raised eyebrows. At the time of the fatal crash, the plane was flying to D.C. from Wichita, Kan., with a number of young figure skaters on board who had attended an elite training camp. Meanwhile, the Black Hawk was returning to Fort Belvoir in Virginia after conducting an evaluation of its pilot. On Thursday, Rick Dressler, an official with Metro Aviation, a medevac operator, specifically expressed concern with the Army's 12th Aviation Battalion and its "gross misunderstandings of the airspace." The Black Hawk helicopter involved in the Jan. 29 crash was a part of that battalion. "I'm certainly not saying anything about bad piloting or good piloting," Dressler said, but noted that the 12th Battalion stopped participating in quarterly fly-ins hosted by Prince George's County after the battalion underwent a commander change. At those meetings, knowledge was shared from people "like the PG County chief pilot, who has 38 years of experience," Dressler said. "I think it's important to train military members" so they "truly understand how the airspace works." 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. The FAA also underwent intense questioning during Thursday's hearing, with a specific emphasis on the agency's delay in drug and alcohol testing for air traffic controllers who were working at the time of the crash. The recommended window for resting air traffic controllers is two to eight hours after a fatal crash, but in this case, while the decision to test occurred four hours after the event, actual testing didn't occur until the following day. (The results of those tests was not specified during the hearing.) FAA Acting Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Operations Nick Fuller said that the agency didn't test its air traffic controllers sooner because they were "holding out hopes it was a rescue operation and there was not a confirmed fatality." The line of thinking did not sit well with the NTSB's Dr. Katherine Wilson. "I understand that maybe there could have been some survivors, let's say, and you were holding out hope, but the potential for serious injuries is also a reason to drug and alcohol test," Wilson told Fuller. "I feel like it was so obvious, so quickly, that we had a major event." Later, while revisiting the lapse in drug testing after the crash on Thursday evening, Inman appeared to cast doubt on the FAA's explanation for why they waited to conduct testing, noting there were two confirmed fatalities 20 minutes after the crash. Within an hour, there were 10. "I had to look over 21 body bags right then. You’re telling me you didn’t know a fatality occurred?" Inman asked. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/army-defends-pilots-deadly-collision-202242913.html Professional fighter permanently banned from Southwest Airlines Outlets are reporting he is no longer welcome on the airline A fighter is reportedly no longer welcome on Southwest Airlines A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expert and a mixed martial arts fighter has received a lifetime ban from Southwest Airlines after an incident with a flight attendant was caught on video. The videos were posted across multiple social media platforms. In them, Aaron “Tex” Johnson is arguing with other passengers, as he tries to crawl over his seat, calling at least one of them "a loser." The fighter was kicked off the flight The flight attendants rush to intervene, pulling the fighter upright as he yells, "assault!" It is clear that the plane is still at the airport because in a second video the fighter is being kicked off the plane. He starts walking towards the door as the other passengers shout, “Bye!” Johnson faces the group and begins to scream. The flight attendant reacts by attempting to push Johnson. Several male passengers stand nearby, clearly signalling to Johnson that they are ready to help the flight crew if needed. In a different video posted to X, Johnson is at the airport with a police escort. The fighter is being wheeled in a stretcher as he screams, “I’m being treated like a Black person right now.” According to the New York Post, Johnson has since followed up with a post on Instagram Stories: “For anyone trying to drag me down, it doesn’t matter to me, I have the best friends.” Multiple outlets are reporting that Johnson’s behavior earned him a permanent ban from Southwest Airlines. https://creators.yahoo.com/lifestyle/story/professional-fighter-permanently-banned-from-southwest-airlines-160742033.html All Nippon Airways finalizes takeover of Nippon Cargo Airlines All Nippon Airways now controls 15 Boeing 747 freighters previously owned or leased by Nippon Cargo Airlines. ANA postponed completing the deal eight times because of delays in regulatory reviews. Chinese competition authorities approved the deal, with conditions, in early July. The Japan Fair Trade Commission approved the transaction in January. The acquisition will help All Nippon Airways, which operates six Boeing 767 freighter aircraft and two Boeing 777 freighters, in addition to managing cargo carried by the company’s passenger aircraft, expand its international air cargo network and related products to better support shippers. In 2023, ANA had nine 767 cargo jets in the fleet. Nippon Cargo Airlines owns and controls 15 Boeing 747 jumbo freighters: eight 747-8s it flies on its own, plus five older 747-400s operated on its behalf by U.S.-based Atlas Air and two 747-400s crewed by ASL Airlines Belgium. Japanese ocean and transport company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, also known as NYK Line, agreed in March 2023 to sell NCA to ANA, saying it faced challenges making the investments necessary to maintain the fleet as operating margins contracted. The companies took much longer than expected to finalize the deal because of difficulty receiving all approvals from nations where the companies operate, according to a high-level source with one of the companies. After initial delays, executives anticipated deal closure to happen in February 2024. Earlier this year, ANA said it expected to complete the transaction on May 1. “The strategic integration of NCA’s freighter network and specialized cargo expertise with the ANA Group’s existing infrastructure will greatly improve our capability to serve our customers’ needs,” said Koji Shibata, president and CEO of ANA Holdings. “We are committed to leveraging this expanded capacity and combined knowledge to deliver exceptional value in our cargo transport solutions globally.” The final transfer of NCA shares to ANA occurred on Friday. Financial terms were not disclosed. ANA international cargo revenue for the fiscal year first quarter ended June 30 slipped 2% to $286.2 million despite a 2.5% increase in traffic volume. Demand fell for shipments from China to North America, but ANA offset the decline with more shipments from the rest of Asia to North America. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/nippon-airways-finalizes-takeover-nippon-051641319.html Japan Airlines Discarded Boeing 777 Aircraft Parts Are on Sale and More TOKYO- Japan Airlines (JL) is selling items crafted from retired Boeing 777 (JA772J) aircraft parts at Yokohama Takashimaya (YOK) from July 30 to August 12, 2025. This includes limited-edition pieces like fuselage skin tags, life vest keychains, and upcycled seat cover furniture. Alongside the product sale, JAL and other major firms completed the first phase of a new Scope 3 environmental value trading project, supporting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and carbon reduction efforts across Japan’s aviation sector. Japan Airlines (JL) is selling items crafted from retired Boeing 777 (JA772J) aircraft parts at Yokohama Takashimaya (YOK) from July 30 to August 12, 2025. Japan Airlines Selling 777 Discarded Parts JAL Engineering, a subsidiary of Japan Airlines (JL), continues its push for sustainable practices through its fourth annual upcycling event in Yokohama. This year, select parts from the retired Boeing 777-200 (JA772J) have been transformed into consumer goods available at Takashimaya’s 6th-floor men’s accessories space. The sale runs until August 12 or until items sell out. Key items include: • • Fuselage Skin Tag: Made from the aircraft’s outer body. • Miniature Life Vest: Created from unused safety gear. • Body Bags: Sewn from domestic economy class seat covers. • Stools: Crafted using Boeing 777 seat materials. • This initiative aligns with Japan Airlines’ broader environmental goals, repurposing materials that would otherwise be discarded while engaging consumers directly in aviation heritage and sustainability. In a separate development, Japan Airlines (JL) has received its first Airbus A350 back from heavy airframe maintenance at ST Engineering’s Singapore facility. This marks a new phase in the airline’s ongoing partnership with its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider. The collaboration spans across multiple phases of the aircraft lifecycle, underpinned by a focus on reliability, safety, and operational readiness. The goal is to keep JAL’s fleet airworthy while allowing the airline to focus on growth and network development. Scope 3 Environmental Value Trading Enters Phase Two In August 2024, a collaborative project was launched between seven major Japanese companies and Japan Airlines (JL) to develop a Scope 3 environmental value trading scheme. The goal: accelerate the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by assigning and exchanging environmental value among participating businesses. Phase One Key Details: Participants: ITOCHU, ENEOS, NIPPON EXPRESS, Mizuho Bank, Mizuho Research & Technologies, Narita International Airport (NRT), and Japan Airlines (JL). Duration: August 2024 – March 2025. Outcomes: Environmental value data was successfully registered and traded on a digital platform. Bilateral contracts were matched and signed. The entire process was audited for transparency by ClassNK. Phase one confirmed that the model works and has practical use. With these results in hand, the project will expand in phase two by onboarding more participants and stress-testing the trading process in preparation for social-level implementation. The collective goal is to create long-term infrastructure for Scope 3 value exchange, while giving airlines and airports credible pathways to meet decarbonization targets. Japan Airlines is integrating real-world sustainability efforts into both public-facing events and industry-scale infrastructure. The collectible aircraft part sale is a consumer-friendly nod to circular design. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, JAL is working across sectors to develop environmental trading systems that will allow SAF adoption to scale. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/08/04/japan-airlines-discarded-777-parts-are-on-sale/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation, 5 to 7 August 2025 Woburn MA 01801 USA. . 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 . 2025 NBAA Single-Pilot Safety Standdown; Monday, Oct. 13 | 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; Las Vegas, NV . 2025 NBAA National Safety Forum, Tuesday, Oct. 14 – Wednesday, Oct. 15; Las Vegas, NV . Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC™) - 2025 – October 27-29th (Omaha, Nebraska) . 78TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT (IASS) - Lisbon, November 4–6 . 29th annual Bombardier Safety Standdown, November 11-13, 2025; Wichita, Kansas · CHC Safety & Quality Summit, 11th – 13th November 2025, Vancouver, BC Canada . 2026 ACSF Safety Symposium; April 7-9, 2026; ERAU Daytona Beach, FL . 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference; May 5-7, 2026; New Orleans, LA . BASS 2026 - 71st Business Aviation Safety Summit - May 5-6, 2026 | Provo, Utah . The African Aviation Safety & Operations Summit - May 19-20 | Johannesburg, South Africa . Safeskies Australia - Australia’s renowned Aviation Safety Conference - Canberra Australia 20 and 21 May 2026 . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis