Flight Safety Information - August 12, 2025 No. 160 In This Issue : Incident: MyWay B772 at Paris on Aug 10th 2025, bird strike on landing : Incident: Easyjet Europe A320 near Brindisi on Aug 10th 2025, smoke in cabin : Incident: Sun Express B738 at Stuttgart on Aug 7th 2025, bird strike : Air France San Francisco to Paris Flight Pilots Makes Emergency Landing in Canada : Arkia flight successfully makes emergency landing in Israel after equipment failure : Latest ICAO aviation safety data reveals need for renewed focus, despite continuous long-term improvements : Man sentenced for illegally boarding American flight after attempting to bribe security : Terrifying Footage Shows Smoke Filling Aircraft Cabin After Phone Charger Catches Fire Mid-Flight : Spirit Airlines Admits Its Turnaround Has Failed—Warns It May Not Survive A Year : Several Russian aircraft grounded at German airports since 2022 : Air India suspends Delhi-Washington flights due to plane shortages, Pakistan airspace ban :Top 10 Aviation Safety Challenges and Priorities in 2025 : ISASI - 2025 - Denver, CO - September 29-October 3, 2025. : Calendar of Events Incident: MyWay B772 at Paris on Aug 10th 2025, bird strike on landing A MyWay Boeing 777-200 on behalf of Air Senegal, registration 4L-MWB performing flight HC-403 from Dakar (Senegal) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), was on approach to Paris' runway 08R when a bird flew his way into their way and collided with the aircraft. The crew continued for a safe landing on runway 08R. The aircraft was unable to depart for its return flight, the flight was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Paris about 37 hours after landing. The airline reported the aircraft suffered a bird strike on landing in Paris. Passengers on return flight HC-404 have been rebooked onto flight HC-404 of Aug 11th 2025. https://avherald.com/h?article=52b8c35d&opt=0 Incident: Easyjet Europe A320 near Brindisi on Aug 10th 2025, smoke in cabin An Easyjet Europe Airbus A320-200, registration OE-IJR performing flight U2-4736 from Chania (Greece) to Nantes (France) with 186 people on board, was enroute at FL340 about 60nm southwest of Brindisi (Italy) when the crew reported smoke in the cabin and diverted to Brindisi for a safe landing on runway 31 about 20 minutes later. The aircraft vacated the runway and taxied to the apron. Attending emergency services found no fire on board. A replacement Airbus A320-200 registration OE-LSN departed Brindisi the following morning and reached Nantes with a delay of about 20.5 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Brindisi about 32 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=52b8c232&opt=0 Incident: Sun Express B738 at Stuttgart on Aug 7th 2025, bird strike A Sun Express Boeing 737-800, registration TC-SOR performing flight XQ-791 from Stuttgart (Germany) to Ankara (Turkey), was climbing out of Stuttgart's runway 07 when the crew stopped the climb at FL060 following a bird strike into one of the engines (CFM56). The aircraft returned to Stuttgart for a safe landing on runway 07 about 35 minutes after departure. Passengers reported the captain announced some technical problem, subsequently it emerged a bird had flown into one of the engines. The aircraft was able to depart again about 3 hours after landing back and reached Ankara with a delay of about 3:20 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=52b8acfe&opt=0 Air France San Francisco to Paris Flight Pilots Makes Emergency Landing in Canada The captain addressed passengers, explaining the need to land in St. John's (YYT) to offload the sick individual. PARIS- Air France (AF) diverted flight AF81 from San Francisco (SFO) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) due to a passenger’s medical emergency, landing in St. John’s (YYT), Canada. The passenger reacted angrily, flipping off the crew while being stretchered away, as the captain announced in a blunt update that stunned others on board. Air France Medical Emergency An Air France (AF) passenger became ill midway through a long-haul flight, prompting the crew to divert the aircraft for urgent medical care. The flight, operating an Airbus A350-900, had departed San Francisco (SFO) at 9 PM on June 13, 2025, heading to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Five hours in, at 39,000 feet over Canada, the pilots changed course after consulting medical experts, as no doctor was on board. The captain addressed passengers, explaining the need to land in St. John’s (YYT) to offload the sick individual. Emergency services, including fire trucks and ambulances, waited on the tarmac. After a two-hour descent and 90 minutes on the ground, the flight resumed. Back in the air, the captain shared a candid update: the passenger, whose life the crew saved, expressed fury by giving the finger while leaving and remained angry at the hospital. Reported by PYOK, this incident gained viral attention when content creator Ishan recorded the announcement on TikTok. The passenger’s response contrasted sharply with the crew’s efforts to ensure safety before crossing the Atlantic. Air France Diversion Process The planned route crossed the US, Canada, Greenland, and the Atlantic for a 10 hour journey. The diversion added hours, veering northeast to the nearest suitable airport. Pilots coordinate such moves with ground-based medical teams via satellite, reviewing symptoms and onboard resources. Airlines subscribe to aero medicine services for 24/7 physician advice. Doctors assess if conditions can be managed in-flight or require diversion, arranging ground support. In this case, experts deemed an in-person evaluation essential, avoiding risks over the ocean. Costs and Industry Measures Diversions cost airlines around $120,000 each, totaling $552 million industry-wide annually. Airlines avoid them unless critical, given the financial burden. To minimize unnecessary stops, carriers invest in telemedicine. Emirates plans millions for kits transmitting vital signs like pulse, temperature, blood pressure, glucose, and ECG data via Wi-Fi. High definition video allows real-time doctor assessments and guides crew treatments. Air France follows similar protocols, prioritizing passenger health while balancing operational efficiency. https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/08/12/air-france-flight-from-san-francisco-paris-diverts/ Arkia flight successfully makes emergency landing in Israel after equipment failure A source with knowledge told The Jerusalem Post that the plane made three failed attempts before successfully landing. Arkia flight IZ076 from Rhodes, Greece, to Tel Aviv safely landed after equipment failure made the Israel Airport Authority declare a state of emergency on Monday. Ambulances and firetrucks, as well as additional emergency services, were called to Ben-Gurion International Airport. The IAF was also called up to escort the plane until its landing was completed. The plane made three failed attempts before successfully landing, a source with knowledge told The Jerusalem Post. The plane had 161 passengers onboard. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-863929 Latest ICAO aviation safety data reveals need for renewed focus, despite continuous long-term improvements Montréal, 11 August 2025 — While global aviation safety trends continue to be positive, statistics published today by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) provide a stark reminder of the need to heighten and broaden global cooperation on key safety priorities, particularly as flight volumes increase worldwide. The data in ICAO’s 2025 Edition Safety Report - State of Global Aviation Safety shows 95 accidents involving scheduled commercial flights last year, compared to 66 accidents in 2023. Ten of those accidents were fatal, with the total number of fatalities reaching 296, up from 72 the previous year. The global accident rate also rose, to 2.56 accidents per million departures, compared to 1.87 in 2023. These accident figures remain lower than pre-pandemic levels and come as the aviation system accommodated record breaking traffic volumes, with over 37 million departures worldwide. “Aviation remains the safest form of transport, and the long-term trend demonstrates continuous improvement,” remarked ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar. “The figures from 2024 are a tragic and timely reminder that sustained, collective action is necessary to keep advancing toward ICAO’s goal of zero fatalities in commercial air transport,” remarked ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano. “ICAO will reinforce its advocacy and support for robust safety management, innovation, and international collaboration towards this goal.” ICAO’s analysis identified four high-risk categories that accounted for 25 percent of fatalities and 40 percent of fatal accidents in 2024: controlled flight into terrain, loss of control in flight, mid-air collision and runway incursion. The organization also noted that turbulence accounted for nearly three-quarters of all serious injuries, pointing to the increasing impact of weather-related hazards. To address these specific risks and other emerging risks, ICAO is advancing several targeted initiatives. Global runway safety action plans aim to reduce runway excursions and incursions, while enhanced real-time turbulence monitoring systems will help aircraft operators better anticipate and avoid severe weather. Today’s report also addresses the growing threat of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio frequency interference, which ICAO is mitigating through the development of enhanced guidance on spoofing and jamming mitigation, updating navigation manuals to better handle GNSS disruptions, and working with international partners to establish protective frameworks to safeguard these systems. Enhanced systems for accident/incident and wildlife strike reporting are supporting a more data-driven approach to industry safety, which will help identify emerging risks before they lead to accidents. In this regard, ICAO reported progress in transparency and learning from past events. Finally, ICAO has highlighted the importance of promoting enhanced civil-military cooperation to address conflict related risks. Looking further forward, ICAO is preparing for tomorrow's technologies by developing safety frameworks for the safe integration of unmanned aircraft and advanced air mobility vehicles into traditional airspace, which is another significant focus of today’s publication. ICAO’s report also reveals trends specific to regions. The Asia-Pacific and Europe/North Atlantic regions each recorded three fatal accidents during the reporting period, while one event in South America resulted in 62 fatalities. The Asia-Pacific region saw the highest overall fatality count, followed by South America and Europe/North Atlantic. The report provides more details into the factors determining these outcomes in each region, including the support and coordination being implemented by ICAO Regional Offices and implementation support mechanisms to maintain and continuously improve aviation safety at the regional level. https://www.icao.int/news/latest-icao-aviation-safety-data-reveals-need-renewed-focus-despite-continuous-long-term Man sentenced for illegally boarding American flight after attempting to bribe security The flight was canceled due to his bizarre behavior A man illegally boarded an American Airlines flight A man was sentenced today for attempting to bribe a security guard with $50 before illegally boarding a plane at Philadelphia International Airport. The incident occurred on June 26, 2024, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. It was just after midnight when Jonathan “Jon” Beaulieu approached a security guard near the exit lane, stating he had left his phone inside the airport. Washington, DC DECEMBER 26, 2018: TSA precheck fast lane line before security at Reagan National Airport Security is there for a reason The guard contacted the police to report the lost item. The dispatcher informed the guard that, unfortunately, the police were unable to hunt for Beulieu’s phone. At that point, he began to stroll into the airport, despite the security guard's repeated warnings that he did not have permission to enter. Beaulieu tried a new tactic and placed a $50 bill on the officer’s desk. “Will this get me into the airport?” he asked. The guard wasn’t interested in the bribe. Nevertheless, Beauieu entered the airport as the guard was calling the police. Security personnel began scouring the airport’s security footage and spotted Beauliu boarding an American Airlines plane at Gate A-20. Police were dispatched to the gate, but when they arrived, the doors were shut, and the plane was pulling away. New York. USA. 04.06.2025. Ground crew loads American Airlines aircraft at JFK airport in cloudy weather. The plane returned to the gate The police alerted the captain, who returned the plane to the gate. All passengers, including Beauliu, were forced to deboard the plane. He was promptly taken into custody. Due to obvious security concerns connected with an unscreened passenger, the flight had to be cancelled so the plane could be thoroughly searched. American Airlines stated that the flight cancellation cost them $59,143. Today, Beauliu was ordered to repay the amount in restitution. He was also sentenced to a year’s probation. https://www.yahoo.com/creators/lifestyle/story/man-sentenced-for-illegally-boarding-american-flight-after-attempting-to-bribe-security-031338450.html Terrifying Footage Shows Smoke Filling Aircraft Cabin After Phone Charger Catches Fire Mid-Flight Brazilian journalist Simone Malagoli recorded the incident during a flight from São Paulo to Amsterdam the night of Aug. 5. In the video, passengers are seen covering their faces with cloth and tissues. Another clip shows flight attendants in smoke hoods as they walked down the aisle carrying a fire extinguisher. “It was one of the tensest flights of my life — perhaps the most,” Malagoli told Newsflare. “Smoke was detected on board due to a burning power bank,” a representative for the Dutch airline shared in a statement with PEOPLE. They added: “The crew quickly extinguished the device, following established safety procedures. The situation was brought under full control, and the flight continued safely to Amsterdam.” No injuries were reported. Lithium batteries, like the ones often found in portable chargers or power banks, are often linked to several emergency situations on planes. Last month, Forbes reported on a Delta flight that was forced to make an emergency landing after a device caught fire in the cabin. Since March 2006, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has verified 641 lithium battery related incidents. Between Jan. 1, 2025 and July 30, 2025, there have been 43 verified incidents. A record was reached in 2024 with 89 recorded incidents. Lithium batteries are capable of a process called thermal runaway, per the FAA. This occurs when a battery is damaged, overheated, exposed to water, overcharged or improperly packed. For this reason, these types of batteries are required to be carried in carry-on baggage only. “Flight crews are trained to recognize and respond to lithium battery fires in cabins,” the FAA wrote on its website. “Passengers should notify flight crew immediately if their lithium battery or device is overheating, expanding, smoking or burning.” In May, Southwest Airlines announced a new policy regarding portable batteries. “Using portable charging devices while stored in a bag or overhead bin will no longer be permitted,” Southwest shared in a statement with PEOPLE. The restriction took effect on May 28 and requires passengers “keep portable charging devices visible while in use during flight.” 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. Emirates, a major international airline and subsidiary of The Emirates Group, announced on Aug. 8 they would ban the use of power banks onboard their flights. The new policy, effective Oct. 1, 2025, prohibits passengers from using power banks to charge personal devices and from charging the power banks using the aircraft’s power supply. “After a comprehensive safety review, Emirates is taking a firm and proactive stance to mitigate risk when it comes to power banks onboard,” the company wrote in a statement. “There has been a significant growth in customers using power banks in recent years, resulting in an increasing number of lithium battery-related incidents onboard flights across the wider aviation industry.” They added: “Safety is one of Emirates’ core values, and a cornerstone of all operations and practices. Emirates is committed to maintaining and improving levels of safety on an ongoing basis, safeguarding customers and staff at all times.” https://people.com/smoke-fills-aircraft-cabin-after-charger-catches-fire-11788527 Spirit Airlines Admits Its Turnaround Has Failed—Warns It May Not Survive A Year Spirit Airlines was once the envy of the airline industry. It had the best margins and generated a strong return, making air travel available to more people and stimulating demand by passengers who weren’t flying otherwise. They had lower costs than competitors, lower fares, and customers adapted themselves to Spirit’s business model to save money. However, consumer preferences changed and the pandemic exacerbated this. Passengers increasingly wanted a premium product that Spirit wasn’t positioned to sell. It had one of the most toxic brands in any industry. And they began losing their cost advantage. They paid as much for planes and fuel as everyone else, and labor costs were rising. They tried to sell themselves to JetBlue, but the Biden administration successfully blocked this. That was a fatal error – as it could leave Spirit out of business, meaning reduced competition. Spirit Airlines just issued a warning in its latest SEC filing that they may not last 12 months as a going concern. Their second quarter 10Q filing contains this disclosure: Because of the uncertainty of successfully completing the initiatives to comply with the minimum liquidity covenants and of the outcome of discussions with our stakeholders, management has concluded there is substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern within 12 months from the date these financial statements are issued. The airline indicates that their turnaround plan is not enough. They are concerned about: breaching minimum liquidity covenants in their debt obligations credit card processing agreement requirements not being met the need for a new credit card processing agreement for 2026 – and the expectation that will mean “additional collateral” required (because the processor doesn’t want to be on the hook for chargebacks if Spirit goes under) And so they’re looking at the sale of additional assets like planes, real estate and gates and “elimination of certain fixed costs.” Of course, they’ve warned of their ability to continue as a going concern consistently during and after bankruptcy. That shouldn’t diminish concern over this new disclosure. On the contrary, (1) they haven’t gotten themselves out of this mess – their turnaround plan hasn’t worked! – despite warnings this was coming, and (2) things continue to get worse as they risk breaching covenants. They probably shouldn’t have rejected the lifeline that Frontier Airlines threw them earlier this year. Of course, they could make it! They could pull a rabbit out of a hat. And for now they continue business as usual, albeit making greater changes to their route network. But since they’re telling us they might not be around in a year, I say we should believe them. And that means not buying travel far out into the future. Indeed, I probably wouldn’t buy Spirit Airlines tickets for travel more than a couple of months out – within a period I’d be confident I could dispute the charges if travel weren’t honored. I also wouldn’t be accumulating their miles – but I wasn’t doing that to begin with. https://viewfromthewing.com/spirit-airlines-admits-its-turnaround-has-failed-warns-it-may-not-survive-a-year/ Several Russian aircraft grounded at German airports since 2022 Several commercial aircraft have remained stranded at German airports for more than three years because they are not allowed to take off due to EU sanctions against Russia. The German Transport Ministry confirmed to broadcaster WDR on Monday that the planes have been grounded since February 28, 2022, days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The ministry says the flight ban is in accordance with an EU regulation. The aircraft in question include three Russian Antonov AN-124 cargo planes located at Leipzig/Halle Airport in eastern Germany. A Boeing 737 belonging to the cargo airline Atran and a Bombardier Challenger 300 belonging to the airline Utair have remained grounded at Cologne/Bonn Airport. A Boeing 747 belonging to the British cargo company CargoLogicAir, which had to cease operations in 2022 due to sanctions related to the war in Ukraine and went bankrupt shortly afterwards, is stationed at Frankfurt/Hahn. A former Russian-leased Airbus A320 belonging to Aeroflot was stranded in Munich. The Irish-Chinese leasing company that actually owned the aircraft paid the fees of €470,000 incurred and the plane was then allowed to take off for Ostrava in the Czech Republic. Other aircraft are known to be affected, but no definitive information can be provided due to ongoing investigations into their ownership. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/several-russian-aircraft-grounded-german-134316580.html Air India suspends Delhi-Washington flights due to plane shortages, Pakistan airspace ban (Reuters) -Air India will suspend services between New Delhi and Washington, D.C. from September due to aircraft shortages caused by upgrades to its Boeing planes and as Pakistan's airspace ban for Indian carriers affects its international routes. The suspension will mean there are no flights between the two capital cities by an Indian airline, and comes amid rising tensions over U.S. President Donald Trump's high tariffs on Indian imports. Air India, acquired by the Tata Group from the government in 2022, said on Monday that 26 of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft were being retrofitted to enhance customer experience, which would reduce aircraft availability until at least the end of 2026. "The suspension is primarily driven by the planned shortfall in Air India's fleet," it said in a statement. "That, coupled with the continued closure of airspace over Pakistan, impacts the airline's long-haul operations." India and Pakistan closed their airspaces to each other days after relations nosedived following a fatal attack on civilians in Indian Kashmir. New Delhi has blamed Islamabad for the attack, which Islamabad denies. Air India sees Pakistan's airspace ban costing it $600 million over 12 months, Reuters has previously reported. The suspension of Washington-Delhi flights also comes as Air India faces heightened regulatory scrutiny after a June crash of one of its Boeing planes in Ahmedabad killed 260 people. Air India said passengers would have the option to choose flights to Washington, D.C., with layovers in New York, Newark, Chicago and San Francisco with the airline's partners Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/air-india-suspend-services-washington-115109498.html Top 10 Aviation Safety Challenges and Priorities in 2025 According to the 84-page ICAO 2025 Safety Report – State of Global Aviation Safety, there were 95 accidents involving scheduled commercial flights in 2024, up from 66 in 2023. Beyond developing Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and guidance materials, ICAO also creates various programmes, initiatives and implementation tools to tackle specific safety challenges. The following are the ten key areas of concern identified by ICAO and the actions being taken to address them. 1) Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Frequency Interference (GNSS RFI) GNSS provides positioning, navigation and timing information and is the backbone of modern aviation. Its vulnerability lies in its low transmission power, with satellite signals arriving weak at the receiver antenna and therefore susceptible to interference. There are two forms of GNSS radio frequency interference (RFI): jamming and spoofing. Jamming is intentional interference that prevents GNSS receivers from locking onto satellite signals, rendering the system unusable or degraded in affected areas. Spoofing involves broadcasting GNSS-like signals that mislead avionics into calculating incorrect positions and issuing false guidance. ICAO has been developing recommendations and guidance on GNSS RFI since 2003. While a complete resolution of the issue in the short term is unlikely, efforts are concentrated on mitigation. Member States are encouraged to: • Anticipate potential disruptions by planning ahead, coordinating with relevant stakeholders and raising awareness of the impacts. • Regulate through clear guidelines and enforcement to protect GNSS systems from interference. • Mitigate by implementing strategies such as maintaining a network of conventional navigation aids to ensure safe, efficient and secure air navigation services remain uninterrupted. 2) Crucial Role of Civil-Military Cooperation in Aviation Civil-military coordination optimises air traffic management, improves airspace use and supports operations in both peacetime and conflict. ICAO is promoting a more dynamic model where airspace is allocated based on real-time operational requirements rather than permanent segregation. One of the best ways to do this is through the flexible use of airspace (FUA) model which allows the opening of restricted military zones for civilian flights during low activity, which improves efficiency and reduces delays. Military services often contribute to search and rescue operations, requiring close alignment with civil authorities. Coordination has proven essential during armed conflicts for issuing Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), rerouting flights and managing complex airspace. Future priorities include supporting next-generation initiatives such as free route airspace, unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility. 3) Evolution of Aeronautical Meteorological Services Against Turbulence Hazardous weather can disrupt safe and efficient aircraft operations at all phases of flight, from aerodrome environments to cruising altitudes. Turbulence encounters have been a major contributing factor in many accidents and incidents, and scientific research indicates that clear air turbulence is likely to increase in both intensity and frequency due to climate change and strengthened jet streams. The global rollout of air-ground communication infrastructure, such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) version 3.0, will enhance real-time exchange of turbulence data, enabling aircraft to avoid high-risk areas, particularly in cases of clear air turbulence. ICAO is also developing the Hazardous Weather Information Services (HWIS), a new concept in meteorological information delivery. Using System Wide Information Management (SWIM) technology, HWIS will provide timely, harmonised short-term forecasts for en-route hazardous weather phenomena such as cumulonimbus clouds, turbulence and aircraft icing. The World Area Forecast System (WAFS), operated by the forecast centres in London and Washington, is planning to introduce advanced numerical weather forecasting capabilities supported by rapid computing infrastructure. From November 2025, next-generation WAFS forecasts will offer finer horizontal, vertical and temporal resolution for adverse en-route weather. Additionally, the two WAFCs will introduce new products that indicate the likelihood of clear air turbulence and mountain-induced turbulence separately, supporting more precise flight planning and comprehensive risk assessment. 4) Enhancing Runway Safety ICAO has amended Annex 14 to include runway distance remaining signs to improve pilot situational awareness. These signs provide real-time runway distance data to help pilots decide on go-arounds, adjust braking and optimise rollout, and ICAO stresses the importance of training pilots in their use. It is essential that pilots operating at aerodromes with RDRS are familiar with their purpose and use. The full report can be found here. 5) Health Promotion and Mental Wellbeing Marking the 10th anniversary of the Germanwings accident in March 2025, ICAO continues to prioritise mental health in aviation. The ICAO Mental Health Working Group meets monthly to share best practices and address safety-related mental health issues. 6) Timely Publication of Accident Investigation Final Reports ICAO Annex 13 – Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation requires that the State responsible for investigating an accident or incident make the Final Report publicly available within 12 months, if possible, in the interest of accident prevention. For investigations involving aircraft with a certified maximum take-off weight (MTOW) over 5,700 kg, the State must also submit the Final Report to ICAO. These reports are stored in ICAO’s central database, the e-Library of Final Reports, which is accessible on the ICAO website. In 2017, data showed that only 41 percent of fatal accidents involving civil-operated aircraft with an MTOW over 5,700 kg between 1990 and 2016 had a publicly available Final Report. By 2024, this figure had improved significantly, with 76 percent of reports published for investigations completed between 2017 and 2022. 7) Accident/Incident Data Reporting System (ADREP) Established in 1976, the ADREP system collects and shares accident and incident data globally. It uses a harmonised taxonomy updated with input from Contracting States. The current version of the taxonomy is available here. States are also urged to use this taxonomy in their national reporting to achieve international harmonisation and thereby enable the exchange and aggregation of occurrence information making for better reports and accident prevention. 8) Strengthening Wildlife Strike Reporting Wildlife strikes remain a significant hazard, especially during takeoff and landing. Between 2016 and 2021, 24 percent of strikes occurred during takeoff and 46 percent during descent, approach or landing roll, critical moments when aircraft are most vulnerable ICAO’s Bird Strike Information System now has national focal points in 66 percent of States, and over 273,000 wildlife strike reports were received during this period, a 280 percent increase from the previous eight years. 9) Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) Since 2014, ICAO has been developing Standards and Recommended Practices, along with associated guidance, for the implementation of the Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS). This initiative followed a review of existing Standards after two high-profile accidents — AF447 and MH370 — revealed that further improvements in aircraft tracking were both possible and necessary. As of 1 January 2025, all new aircraft, first issued with a Certificate of Airworthiness dated 1 January 2024 or later, must be equipped with technology capable of detecting a distress situation in flight and automatically transmitting the aircraft’s position at intervals of one minute or less. This capability is designed to pinpoint an aircraft’s location within six nautical miles after a serious event such as total loss of engine thrust, highly unusual airspeed or attitude, or other specified conditions. In-flight triggering ensures that search and rescue personnel receive signals enabling them to rapidly locate the aircraft. The Location of an Aircraft in Distress Repository (LADR) will also ensure that all parties involved in the incident have access to the same information. GADSS has been designed to facilitate continuous aircraft tracking, identify aircraft in distress for prompt response, and ensure that vital flight data related to serious incidents and accidents can be retrieved to support analysis and prevent future occurrences. Its completion represents a major milestone in aviation safety. 10) Safe Integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Advanced Air Mobility ICAO is developing frameworks to integrate drones, advanced air mobility and other emerging technologies into legacy aviation systems, with a focus on balancing efficiency, safety and national sovereignty in increasingly complex airspace environments. As air space gets busier and drones forever in crease in number this piece of work is becoming increasingly important https://www.airlineratings.com/articles/top-10-aviation-safety-challenges-and-priorities-in-2025 "Soaring To New Heights: A World of Innovation" September 29, 2025 – October 3, 2025 Renaissance Denver Hotel & Conference Center 3801 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80207 USA https://web.cvent.com/event/a6ec0291-9280-4529-b72f-fb38e0cabc17/summary CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 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