Flight Safety Information - June 18, 2026 No. 119 In This Issue : Incident: Easyjet A320 near Munich on Jun 17th 2026, pilot incapacitated : Incident: KLM A21N at Lisbon on Jun 16th 2026, tail scrape on landing : Incident: Delta B764 at Zurich on Jun 16th 2026, main gear did not retract : Boeing 737-8GJ (WL) - Engine Failure (Russia) : Massive Aviation Shutdown Hits Moscow As Russia Grounds Private Pilots And Drones : A look at recent deadly aviation accidents in the US : There have been 4 major plane crashes in the US in 4 days. What is going on? : LaGuardia Airport runway 4/22 reopens after 'depression' found during inspection : Anti-Terror Cockpit Barricades Go Live On American Airlines Planes On June 18 : Report: FAA, Airlines Must Do More to Protect Crews From Radiation : Aviation Safety Solutions Selected for Starr Safety Partnership : GPS signal disruptions in Latvian airspace remain at high levels : FAA To Introduce “New Flight Procedure” In San Francisco After Banning Parallel Landings : Spirit Airlines gets buyout offer after shutdown, may fly again : US, Europe near approval of Boeing 737 MAX 7, 10 airplanes : Calendar of Events Incident: Easyjet A320 near Munich on Jun 17th 2026, pilot incapacitated An Easyjet Airbus A320-200, registration G-EZUN performing flight U2-3223 from Edinburgh,SC (UK) to Heraklion (Greece), was enroute at FL370 about 90nm northwest of Munich (Germany) when the aircraft diverted to Munich after one of the pilots became unwell. The aircraft landed safely on Munich's runway 26R about 25 minutes later. The airline reported the aircraft diverted due to a welfare issue. https://avherald.com/h?article=53aa5d91&opt=0 Incident: KLM A21N at Lisbon on Jun 16th 2026, tail scrape on landing A KLM Airbus A321-200N, registration PH-AXB performing flight KL-1583 from Amsterdam (Netherlands) to Lisbon (Portugal), landed on Lisbon's runway 02, bounced but continued landing, the tail contacted the runway surface. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. The return flight was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Lisbon about 28 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53aa59b7&opt=0 Incident: Delta B764 at Zurich on Jun 16th 2026, main gear did not retract A Delta Airlines Boeing 767-400, registration N840MH performing flight DL-53 from Zurich (Switzerland) to New York JFK,NY (USA), was climbing out of Zurich's runway 16 when tower queried the crew "just to confirm, are you aware your gear is still out?" The crew advised they had a malfunction and needed to return. Tower added that only the nose gear had retracted, both main gear struts were still out. The aircraft stopped the climb at 6000 feet and returned to Zurich for a safe landing on runway 14 about 25 minutes after departure. The flight was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Zurich about 23 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=53aa46b5&opt=0 Boeing 737-8GJ (WL) - Engine Failure (Russia) Date: Wednesday 17 June 2026 Time: c. 22:40 Type: Boeing 737-8GJ (WL) Owner/operator: SmartAvia Registration: RA-73656 MSN: 39424/4054 Year of manufacture: 2012 Engine model: CFMI CFM56-7B Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 189 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: near Adler/Sochi Airport (AER/URSS), Krasnodarsky krai - Russia Phase: Initial climb Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Adler/Sochi Airport (AER/URSS) Destination airport: Arkhangelsk-Talaghy Airport (ARH/ULAA) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: Smartavia flight 5N164, a Boeing 737-800 (RA-73656), suffered an engine failure after departure from Adler/Sochi Airport (AER). The flight returned to AER and landed safely one hour after departure. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/572517 Massive Aviation Shutdown Hits Moscow As Russia Grounds Private Pilots And Drones Starting June 20, authorities in Moscow and several surrounding Russian regions are implementing a broad ban on the operation of light and ultralight aircraft, as well as civilian drones. The measure, which follows a series of drone strikes, applies to the capital, most of the Moscow region, and parts of the Tver, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Ryazan, Tula, and Kaluga regions, according to European Pravda on June 17. The restrictions will remain in place "until further notice," though they do not apply to state or experimental aviation, nor to scheduled commercial passenger flights. Reports from Russian aviation experts indicate that these regulations will affect approximately one thousand private pilots and disrupt access to dozens of airfields located within the affected zones. Because light and ultralight aircraft are technically unable to reach altitudes exceeding five kilometers, they are particularly impacted by these airspace closures. Industry representatives are warning that the move could devastate the national pilot training system. According to sector specialists, the ban threatens the viability of training centers, which may face closure. Furthermore, the decision is expected to cause a broader decline in associated infrastructure, including schools, regional airfields, and the hospitality businesses built to support weekend aviation activities. In May 2026, Russia announced plans to impose sweeping restrictions on civilian aviation over the Moscow region, effectively closing much of the airspace for flights operating below 5,100 meters. The Interregional Public Organization of Pilots and Aircraft Owners (AOPA) reported that these measures were designed to create a restricted zone extending toward the Belarusian border, St. Petersburg, and the Yekaterinburg region. While scheduled commercial passenger and medical evacuation flights were granted exemptions, the move was a direct response to a massive drone operation, during which nearly 600 drones targeted Russian military-industrial and fuel infrastructure. https://united24media.com/world/massive-aviation-shutdown-hits-moscow-as-russia-grounds-private-pilots-and-drones-19936 A look at recent deadly aviation accidents in the US Three different models of aircraft have crashed in recent days in the U.S., killing 21 people in Missouri, California and Texas and leading to federal investigations into the causes LAREDO, Texas -- Three different models of aircraft crashed in recent days in the U.S., killing 21 people in Missouri, California and Texas and leading to federal investigations into the causes. One person died when a business jet crashed in Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday night. Eight died Monday when a B-52 crashed at Edwards Air Edwards Air Force Base in California. And 12 people were killed when a small plane full of skydivers went down Sunday in Butler, Missouri. It's still too early to say what went wrong in the three accidents. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. Here's a look at the three crashes: The twin jet, a Cessna Citation Latitude, was traveling from Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico to Austin, Texas, when it crashed on a highway not far from Laredo International Airport around 10 p.m. local time Tuesday. Dashcam footage posted on social media shows the aircraft careening down the highway, taking out a light post before coming to a stop. In a chaotic scene that some witnesses described as like being in a movie, people left their vehicles and frantically tried to free the six people inside as the plane was on fire. Two people ran to the aircraft with a sledgehammer and shovel, using them to strike the cockpit glass and try propping open the plane’s door. With the jet tipped on its side and nearly sheared in half, several people managed to climb out it while a firefighter using a small ladder rescued the last remaining passenger who appeared to be unconscious. Police said a person on the plane died, while five officers were treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation. The plane appeared to have experienced a mechanical failure, Laredo International Airport Director Gilberto Sanchez told KGNS-TV in Laredo. He did not provide details. NTSB investigators traveled to the scene Wednesday. A Boeing B-52 Stratofortress crashed Monday while taking off at Edwards Air Force Base in California, bursting into flames on the runway and killing all eight people aboard. The bomber was in the air a very short time before slamming into the ground about halfway down the runway. Officials at the base said it was taking part in a test mission as part of a program aimed at keeping the oldest aircraft in the U.S. fleet flying for decades to come. Military personnel and government contractors were aboard the B-52 when it crashed. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing said two of its employees were among those killed. Although it's too early to know what caused the crash, aviation safety experts said their first impressions were a possible malfunction in the flight controls or engines. B-52 long-range bombers, which entered service in 1955, have been used in conflicts involving the U.S. military from Vietnam to Iran. Col. James Hayes, the deputy commander for the 412 Test Wing, said the plane that crashed Monday was supporting a “radar modernization program." In 2025, Boeing sent a B-52 to Edwards with a modernized radar system that is key to keeping the bomber in the air through at least 2050. Authorities have not released the victims' names. Lauren Smith told local TV reporters that her husband, Jeromy Smith, a U.S. Department of Defense flight test engineer, was among those who died. A pilot and 11 skydivers were killed Sunday when a single-engine Pacific Aerospace 750XL crashed shortly after taking off from a small airport in Butler, Missouri, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) south of Kansas City. The plane was only about 100 feet (30 meters) in the air and appeared to be losing power when it made an abrupt left turn before going down on a sunny day, officials and witnesses said. The passengers included experienced skydivers whose hobby gave them the thrill and serenity they craved, family and friends said. Among them were a skydiving instructor who had made more than 6,800 jumps, a drummer in Kansas City-area bands whose love of the sport helped him to get sober and a grandfather honoring his sister lost to cancer. Skydive Kansas City operated the turboprop built in 2010 out of Butler Memorial Airport, where it arrived for the first time on June 5, according to data from FlightRadar24.com. Its flight history showed it had previously been flying for weeks at a time in Tennessee and Wisconsin. Dennis Jacobs, the acting airport manager and Bates County Emergency Management Agency director, said it appeared the plane was losing power and the pilot was trying to make it over a highway and land, but the aircraft stalled, went down nose first and caught fire in a field. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating all factors leading to the crash including how much experience the pilot had with this model of plane and any mechanical or structural problems with the aircraft. https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/recent-deadly-aviation-accidents-us-133961365 There have been 4 major plane crashes in the US in 4 days. What is going on? Washington — It’s been a tragic week for aviation as two military jets, a skydiving plane and a charter jet crashed over the course of just four days. On Saturday, bystanders caught video of a massive fireball that erupted on a mountain in Yakima County, Washington, when a Marine fighter jet crashed. The pilot parachuted to safety. In Butler, Missouri, the next day, 11 passengers and a pilot died when a skydiving plane crashed moments after takeoff. Several family members of those on board watched from the airport as the plane went down. Then, on Monday, eight crew members died when a B-52 bomber crashed at Edwards Air Force Base, northeast of Los Angeles. The massive eight-engine military plane was on a routine test mission, the base said. When it crashed, a towering black plume of smoke billowed into the sky. And Tuesday night, a private jet carrying six people crashed on a highway in Laredo, Texas. One person was killed, but bystanders and police helped rescue the other passengers from the fiery wreckage. The four dramatic crashes happening so close together has raised concerns, but experts say there is no sign of any connection between the very different accidents. “These are unrelated to each other, and each is unique in terms of its operation or type of aircraft, and so we will need to wait and see to see the results of these investigations to see exactly what might have happened in these,” said Hassan Shahidi, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation. Each of the crashes involved planes that were not regulated like major commercial passenger jets. Two were managed by the military. The charter and skydiving planes, while regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, face fewer rules than planes flown by major airlines. Here’s what we know about each event so far. The F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet crashed in south-central Washington state around noon local Saturday, the Marine Corps said, calling it a “non-fatal aviation mishap” during a routine training flight. The pilot ejected from the aircraft and was picked up by local law enforcement. “Our mountain pass deputy made contact with the pilot, who sustained minor injuries and was transported to the hospital,” the sheriff’s office posted. The Marine Corps, which will determine the cause of the crash, said no additional details are available to “preserve the integrity of the investigation.” Skydiving plane crashes on takeoff On Tuesday, officials released the names of the 12 people who died when their Pacific Aerospace P750 skydiving plane crashed into the ground next to a highway in Butler, Missouri. “It never reached an altitude of 100-200 feet. It was barely over the trees,” Dennis Jacobs, the acting manager for Butler Memorial Airport, said. Witnesses saw the plane struggle to gain altitude before turning left, stalling and falling to the ground. The victims ranged in age from 23 to 69. Nine were experienced skydivers, and the other two were about go on tandem jumps with instructor, officials said. Emergency personnel investigate the site of a skydiving plane crash at the Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Mo., Sunday, June 14. Emergency personnel investigate the site of a skydiving plane crash at the Butler Memorial Airport in Butler, Mo., Sunday, June 14. Reed Hoffmann/AP It was the deadliest crash of a skydiving plane since a twin-engine Beechcraft BE65 went down in Mokuleia, Hawaii in 2019, according to the United States Parachute Association. Skydiving planes are regulated under a section of FAA rules known as Part 91. The section generally applies to noncommercial flights that do not carry passengers for money, but skydiving flights are also included. Companies conducting air jumps face more regulations than private pilots, but those requirements have more to do with the proper handling of skydiving equipment rather than flying the plane itself. https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/17/us/there-have-been-four-major-plane-crashed-in-the-us-in-four-days-what-is-going-on LaGuardia Airport runway 4/22 reopens after 'depression' found during inspection Runway 4/22 at LaGuardia Airport was reopened Thursday morning and is fully operational after it was shut down on Wednesday when a "depression" was discovered. Port Authority officials said that "an approximately two-inch depression adjacent" to the runway to discovered during an airfield inspection. This is the same runway that had a large sinkhole last month which forced it to be closed for days amid the busy Memorial Day weekend travel rush. Frustrated flyers endured hundreds of delayed or canceled flights while crews made repairs to that sinkhole. The Port Authority says it discovered Wednesday's "depression" the same way it discovered the last one, with a routine inspection. Although this one may have been a little less obvious. LaGuardia Airport was built on landfill in Flushing Bay almost 100 years ago. https://abc7ny.com/post/laguardia-airport-runway-422-reopens-depression-found-during-inspection/19321895/ Anti-Terror Cockpit Barricades Go Live On American Airlines Planes On June 18 American Airlines will deploy anti-terror cockpit barricades across its fleet on Thursday, June 18, for the first time, after the barriers were installed on newly built airplanes but left unused for nearly a year so that the Texas-based carrier could train tens of thousands of flight attendants and pilots on how to use them. The barricades are officially known as an ‘Installed Physical Secondary Barrier’ or IPSB for short. IPSBs are a secondary barrier between the main bulletproof cockpit door and the passenger cabin, allowing the pilots to open the cockpit door for short periods in-flight without the fear of someone trying to breach the flight deck. Southwest Airlines became the first U.S. airline to start deploying IPSBs in 2025. For example, if a pilot needs to take a bathroom break during a flight, the IPSB is deployed and locked shut for a brief moment while the main cockpit door is opened. IPSBs aren’t supposed to be impregnable, but they are designed to keep an assailant at bay long enough for the cockpit door to be shut and locked. U.S.-based airlines have been mandated to install IPSBs on newly built aircraft since August 2025, although the history of how these barricades came to be can be traced back over many years. In the aftermath of 9/11, lawmakers searched for ways to make the aircraft cockpits, and this ultimately led to airlines around the world being required to install bulletproof cockpit doors that couldn’t be unlocked from the outside if the pilots didn’t want them opened. Aviation unions, however, didn’t think this solution went nearly far enough, fearing that armed attackers could wait for a moment when a pilot needs to use the bathroom during a flight to launch an attack, bypassing the security features of the bulletproof cockpit door. While American Airlines and many other carriers required flight attendants to create makeshift barricades using beverage carts, campaigners sought a better solution. They soon discovered that a small number of airlines in foreign countries used secondary cockpit doors that blocked the forward galley from the passenger cabin. In 2018, after many years of campaigning, Congress signed a bill into law through the FAA Authorization Act that would require US airlines to install these anti-terror barricades on all newly built airplanes. Even then, however, the necessary rulemaking to make IPSBs a reality was kicked into the long grass. In 2023, however, the FAA finally got around to ordering airlines to start installing IPSBs on all new aircraft within two years. The deadline to install and start using IPSBs was meant to be August 2025, but with just a month to go, airlines secured a controversial extension for when IPSBs actually need to start being deployed. The airline industry argued that a delay by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in certifying IPSBs that were already being installed on new airplanes meant that they hadn’t been given enough time to prepare training materials and instruction manuals. Airlines successfully convinced the FAA that, without a deadline extension, they would be forced to ground hundreds of new airplanes until all of their pilots and flight attendants had been trained in the use of IPSBs. Southwest Airlines bucked the industry trend when, in August 2025, it decided to start using IPSBs on newly delivered aircraft straight away. Meanwhile, other carriers, like American Airlines, were taking delivery of new airplanes with IPSBs installed, but were zip-tieing them open so that they couldn’t be used. With the latest deadline fast approaching, however, American Airlines is now activating IPSBs from June 18. Flight attendants have been instructed that they must now use the IPSBs rather than makeshift barricades, such as a beverage cart. IPSBs will, however, only be in use on a small percentage of the American Airlines fleet for a considerable amount of time. The law that mandates IPSBs only applies to newly built aircraft from August 2025. There are no requirements for IPSBs to be installed on older aircraft, and no U.S. airline has indicated any desire to retrofit the barricades on existing airplanes. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2026/06/18/anti-terror-cockpit-barricades-go-live-on-american-airlines-planes-on-june-18/ Report: FAA, Airlines Must Do More to Protect Crews From Radiation Doses are low on individual flights, but additional research is needed to understand health impacts from exposure. aircraft silhouette in the sky A new report urges the FAA and airlines to improve testing, monitoring, and education around in-flight radiation exposure. [Credit: iStock] A congressionally mandated report published this month concludes that the FAA and airlines should do more to protect pilots, flight attendants, and other crewmembers from natural radiation exposure on the job. The report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)—sponsored by the Transportation Department and required by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024—calls on the agency to classify in-flight cosmic radiation exposure as an “occupational hazard” and improve testing, monitoring, and education for aircrews. “Radiation exposure is an unavoidable part of a flight crewmember’s job, and we need to do more to ensure that flight crew health and safety are sufficiently prioritized,” said Jonathan Samet, a professor of epidemiology and occupational and environmental health who chaired the committee behind the report. NASEM concluded that existing approaches by the FAA and airlines to monitor exposure and communicate it to affected crewmembers are “inconsistent and insufficient.” The regulator since 1990 has deemed radiation exposure an occupational “consideration” rather than a hazard. What We Know About In-Flight Radiation According to the report, cosmic radiation exposure generally increases at higher altitudes and near the Earth’s magnetic poles. It is typically insignificant on individual flights. But researchers cautioned that crewmembers over decades could face health issues due to cumulative exposure. Ionizing radiation is known to raise the risk of health issues such as cancer, per the report. NASEM’s analysis of existing studies of flight crews found that there is no definitive link between occupational exposure and specific health concerns. Female flight crewmembers experience higher rates of breast cancer, but it is unclear whether that is linked to radiation. The report suggested more research is needed to better understand the cumulative effects of exposure. Past radiation studies have used the number of years worked or hours flown by a pilot, rather than specific measurements of doses. NASEM also determined that aircrews have fewer radiation protections than other workers who are frequently exposed, such as Department of Energy employees. That’s despite them having one of the highest occupational exposure rates among U.S. workers, researchers said. In commercial aviation, they said, radiation exposure monitoring and management systems exist, but they are “neither required nor formalized, in contrast to those used in other occupations.” There is no central repository for employees who have worked for decades across multiple airlines to track their exposure. “In practice, flight crew employed by U.S. airlines bear responsibility for independently estimating and tracking their own dose using tools that may be difficult to access or interpret,” reads a portion of the report’s highlights. Recommendations for FAA and Airlines The FAA, the report urged, should “begin exerting its regulatory authority” to change that. It called for the agency to require the adoption of radiation safety programs by airlines, which it found lack consistent communication and education practices around exposure. Further, airlines and pilot unions should coordinate schedules that reduce exposure for crewmembers who may face higher risk. Pregnant crewmembers, the report found, may be more prone to the effects of “rare solar energetic particle events,” though more research is required. Internally, the FAA could improve radiation monitoring and education by investing more into its CARI dose model, developed by the agency’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. The model estimates exposure based on flight route, altitude, duration, and timing. NASEM suggested the FAA create an easily accessible web portal for individual crewmembers to track their CARI data. Longer term, aviation stakeholders will need a better way to track cumulative radiation exposure and understand its impact on health. The report said the FAA should work with NASA to conduct “sustained, real-world radiation characterization measurement campaigns” that could gather more data under different flight conditions. The agency should also compare its exposure estimates with other organizations’ models and evaluate them under realistic conditions in order to improve accuracy, it said. The goal, researchers said, should be to create a standardized dose-tracking system that monitors cumulative exposure for individual crewmembers, including those who have worked for decades across multiple airlines. On June 29, NASEM will host a webinar to dive deeper into the report’s findings and share more about recommended actions for the FAA and airlines. https://www.flyingmag.com/report-faa-airlines-crew-radiation-exposure/ Aviation Safety Solutions Selected for Starr Safety Partnership JANESVILLE, Wis., June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation Safety Solutions, LLC (AvSafety), a leading provider of aviation Safety Management System (SMS) consulting, auditing, and training services, is proud to announce its inclusion in the Starr Safety Partnership. The Starr Safety Partnership brings together industry-leading organizations committed to enhancing aviation safety, operational excellence, and risk management. Through the Starr Safety Partnership, Starr Aviation clients gain access to specialized safety resources and expertise designed to strengthen safety programs, support regulatory compliance, and foster continuous improvement. As a member of the Starr Safety Partnership, Aviation Safety Solutions provides Starr clients with access to a comprehensive suite of Safety Management System (SMS) services, including: FAA SMS Workshop for Safety Managers SMS Manual Development Safety Assistance Program SMS Audits and Gap Assessments Internal Auditor Training Custom SMS Training Founded in 2013, Aviation Safety Solutions has supported aviation organizations worldwide in the design, implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Safety Management Systems. The company works with Part 91, Part 135, Part 121, airport, repair station, and business aviation operators to build practical, scalable safety programs that enhance both safety performance and operational effectiveness. "Joining the Starr Safety Partnership is an exciting opportunity for our organization," said Amanda Ferraro, Chief Executive Officer of Aviation Safety Solutions. "Our team is passionate about helping organizations build sustainable safety programs that move beyond compliance and create lasting operational value. We are honored to support Starr clients as they strengthen their safety culture, improve risk management processes, and prepare for the evolving regulatory environment." As FAA Safety Management System requirements continue to expand across the aviation industry, operators need practical guidance and experienced partners to successfully implement, maintain, and continuously improve their SMS programs. Aviation Safety Solutions has earned a reputation for helping organizations transform SMS from a regulatory requirement into a strategic business tool that improves decision-making, enhances communication, strengthens safety culture, and drives continuous improvement. Andrew Madison, AVP, Director of Safety & Loss Control for Starr Aviation, added, "The Starr Safety Partnership is built around providing our clients access to trusted safety resources and subject matter experts. Aviation Safety Solutions brings extensive experience in SMS implementation, training, auditing, and safety program development, making them a valuable addition to our partnership." The Starr Safety Partnership is designed to help aviation organizations access industry-leading solutions that enhance safety performance, reduce risk, and support operational excellence. For more information about the Starr Safety Partnership, visit: https://starr.com/coverages/safety-alliance For more information about Aviation Safety Solutions, visit: www.avsafetysolutions.com About Aviation Safety Solutions: Aviation Safety Solutions is a premier provider of safety management services, specializing in helping aviation operators meet and exceed regulatory requirements. With a focus on FAA SMS Part 5 compliance, our expert team offers tailored programs that drive continuous improvement and operational excellence, promoting a robust culture of safety across the aviation industry. 4618 S Columbia Dr, Janesville, WI 53546 | Website | Training Academy | LinkedIn SOURCE Aviation Safety Solutions https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aviation-safety-solutions-selected-for-starr-safety-partnership-302802521.html GPS signal disruptions in Latvian airspace remain at high levels Global Positioning System (GPS) disruptions in Latvian airspace were recorded 510 times during the first five months of this year, representing a 4.5% decrease compared with the same period in 2025, according to Latvia’s state-owned air navigation service provider, Latvijas Gaisa Satiksme (LGS). In May alone, 131 incidents involving disruptions to global satellite navigation systems were recorded, down 3% from May 2025, when 135 such incidents were registered. A total of 1,276 GPS disruptions were recorded in 2025, compared with 820 incidents in 2024, 342 in 2023, and just 26 in 2022. LGS previously noted that the collected data does not identify or separate incidents by specific airlines. The air navigation service provider stated that the disruptions began following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and are most likely connected to the ongoing war. The Civil Aviation Agency (CAA) has previously explained to LETA that it reviews and analyses all reports concerning GPS signal disruptions in Latvian airspace. Although such incidents affect normal civil aviation operations, GPS interference does not pose a threat to the safety of aircraft flying through Latvian airspace or operating to and from Latvia. The CAA emphasises that multiple navigation and safety systems are used to ensure flight safety, meaning that GPS disruptions do not compromise aviation safety. Every reported GPS interference incident is centrally collected and analysed by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). LGS is a wholly state-owned company responsible for providing air navigation services to users of Latvian airspace. The Civil Aviation Agency is responsible for implementing state policy and oversight in the fields of airspace use and civil aviation operations, including supervision of flight safety, aviation security, and compliance with environmental requirements related to aircraft emissions. https://bnn-news.com/gps-signal-disruptions-in-latvian-airspace-remain-at-high-levels-281389 FAA To Introduce “New Flight Procedure” In San Francisco After Banning Parallel Landings In March, the Federal Aviation Administration declared an official halt to the iconic parallel landing pattern scheme at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The decision came as part of a wider safety campaign following the tragic accident in Washington DC, when an American Airlines regional jet fatally collided with a military helicopter during final approach. The increased landing separation requirements coincide with the beginning of construction, which also closes two runways, significantly reducing the airport's capacity. It has now been revealed through internal communication at the agency that the FAA is planning to institute a new flight procedure for the airport's runway 28R, according to a post on X by Sam Ogozalek. Preventing Loss Of Separation Events At SFO The reason why SFO operated parallel landing approaches was to increase the throughput of arrivals and departures, but the FAA stopped the practice because the two runways that run east and west, 28L and 28R, are just 750 feet (229 m) apart. SFO was permitted to conduct its famous landing procedure with a waiver for visually dependent approaches that required the pilots to keep sight of the other aircraft. The FAA is now requiring air traffic control to manage separation, which means that this waiver is no longer possible. The legacy waiver at SFO only applied during clear weather. Under the current rules, SFO would need at least 2,500 feet (762 m) of separation between the runways to begin parallel landings again. This would allow for radar tracking, like on bad weather days, and most likely would also include a staggered approach for any two planes landing at the same time. All arriving aircraft must now follow a staggered, diagonal sequence along the final approach path. Since the decision to end parallel landings, SFO has seen 25% to 30% of arriving flights delayed by 30 minutes or more. United Airlines, the biggest operator at SFO, has also had to hold aircraft at their departing airports on regional and domestic commuter flights to avoid making the plane circle over the airfield for extended periods before landing. Still, the safety improvement is clear, with Ogozalek sharing the following statement from FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford: "Since this corrective action plan was put into effect, there have been zero loss of separation events. We have been working with [the airport] and airline operators. (...) A new flight procedure for Runway 28R will be published next month." What the FAA may introduce to SFO is advanced precision runway-monitored (PRM) approaches and closely spaced parallel approach (CSPA) procedures. PRM would implement a high-speed radar scanning array to provide updates every one second during landing approaches. This would allow for highly accurate ATC control and permit reduced separation between aircraft. Similarly, CSPA uses Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) devices on board to deconflict the two planes. PRM and CSPA, using ADS-B, combine as a unified system that solves the safety problem of ensuring aircraft have continuous and unbroken confirmation of their position relative to other airliners at all times in the terminal environment. PRM is most helpful in keeping the plane separated laterally, or left to right. CSPA uses ADS-B to make sure that planes hold the correct spacing in sequence, or front-to-back separation. End Of An Era: Why The FAA Just Banned SFO’s Iconic Parallel Landings There will be no more wingtip-to-wingtip flying over the Bay Area. The decision to change the landing approach at SFO in order to improve safety has unfortunately significantly reduced the arrival capacity. Comparing peak landing rates at the airport during routine operations, it is now down 33% from the time when the waiver was in place. That equals 36 flights per hour under the new rules, compared to 54 per hour with the parallel landing procedure. The $180 million worth of construction on runway 1R and 19L is projected to be completed sometime in October and will improve capacity, but both remain closed for now. Until then, adding the procedures to use PRM and CSPA on runway 28R would help alleviate some congestion. https://simpleflying.com/faa-introduce-new-flight-procedure-san-francisco-banning-parallel-landings/ Spirit Airlines gets buyout offer after shutdown, may fly again After shutting down in May, the airline was selling off everything in bankruptcy liquidation. Spirit Airlines had the lowest rating on the annual American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey. The airline scored a 66 on the 100-point scale in 2026, dropping below low-cost rival Frontier Airlines, an airline that doesn’t even offer internet service, and putting it 13 points behind category winner Delta Air Lines. Before it ceased all operations on May 2, after a failed Chapter 11 reorganization attempt, the airline served a vital role in keeping prices down, even if consumers didn’t actually like to fly the no-frills airline. Spirit’s march to closure began when the federal government blocked its merger with JetBlue. At the time, the government argued that the airline played a vital role in forcing its competitors to keep prices down. “The rest of the industry — including JetBlue — has been forced to respond to Spirit’s innovations and low prices. Spirit estimates that when it starts flying a route, average fares fall by 17%; JetBlue estimates that when Spirit stops flying a route, average fares go up by 30%,” according to a Justice Department Lawsuit. Ultimately, the merger was blocked, leading Spirit Airlines to its Chapter 11 filing and eventual shutdown. Now, the airline, which has been selling off its assets, has a hope for a revival as an offer has been submitted to buy the brand. Spirit Airlines gets thrown a lifeline “Spirit’s success — and other airlines’ response to it — has led to the “Spirit Effect”: when Spirit enters a new route, prices for consumers across all airlines tend to fall and demand for air travel goes up,” the Justice Department’s lawsuit said. Texas-based Mooney International has submitted a bid to acquire Spirit Airlines and related assets, CBS News reported. Mooney International said its proposal would combine operations involving Spirit Airlines, Mooney International, and SEAir under what it described as a shared focus on affordable and accessible air travel. “Our objective is not only to preserve the Spirit Airlines legacy, but to create a new chapter focused on operational excellence, enhanced customer experience, expanded route connectivity, sustainable aviation initiatives, and long-term growth,” the company said in its announcement. Spirit Airline’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy was filed in New York’s Southern Bankruptcy court, which would have to make a ruling on the offer. https://www.thestreet.com/travel/after-chapter-11-shutdown-spirit-airlines-may-make-a-comeback US, Europe near approval of Boeing 737 MAX 7, 10 airplanes CHANTILLY, Virginia, June 17 (Reuters) - Europe and the U.S. are making progress toward approving two new variants of the Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 737 MAX for use, a top European aviation regulator and a senior U.S. aviation official said on Wednesday. U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ‌Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau said the FAA was in the final stages of certifying the smaller MAX 7 and larger MAX 10. European Union Aviation Safety Agency Executive Director Florian Guillermet said at a safety conference validating the MAX 10 for service is a top priority for the agency. "We are making very good progress on the final closure of the last actions," Guillermet said at the forum. "I think it's good that we are able to close ⁠that in the upcoming period, because we will be able to turn the page and to move on." He told reporters, "We don't have many hurdles or major milestones. It's just a last part of the process. It's very, very intense" to process all the relevant documents and has just a few weeks to complete it according to the current schedule. The FAA's Rocheleau told reporters at the event that remaining MAX certification work is largely "dotting i's and crossing t's." He said the FAA is "making sure that there's a comfort level between our two authorities, our two certification offices -- that this is ready to fly." Advertisement · Scroll to continue Rocheleau said ‌he ⁠thinks EASA will validate the FAA's certification of the two MAX planes either at the same time or very soon afterward. "We're in a good place," Rocheleau said. Last month, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said he expected the MAX 7 to be certified this summer and the MAX 10 to be approved before the end of the year. ⁠The MAX 7 is a shortened version of the two types already in service, the MAX 8 and 9, which have accumulated tens of thousands of flight hours. Boeing has faced delays in the certification of the 7 and ⁠10 due to an engine de-icing issue. Relations between EASA and the FAA soured after fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 were linked to flawed software and poor oversight, prompting EASA ⁠to take a closer look at Boeing designs but both Rocheleau and Guillermet touted much better relations between the two agencies. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-europe-near-approval-boeing-737-max-7-10-airplanes-2026-06-17/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS .2026 FAA-EASA International Aviation Safety Conference — June 16-18, 2026, in Chantilly, Virginia, with the theme “Safety Together: Innovation, Integration and Trust.” https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/newsroom-and-events/events/2026-faa-easa-international-aviation-safety-conference . Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation Course 7 to 9 July 2026; Woburn MA 01801 USA : APSCON/APSCON Unmanned 2026 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL - July 13-17, 2026 . EAA AirVenture Oshkosh - July 20–26, 2026 . July 20-24, 2026 | Farnborough, UK - Farnborough Airshow 2026. . ICAO/EASA Third Global RSOO/RAIO Forum for Aviation Safety — September 29–30, 2026, in Georgetown, Guyana., https://www.icao.int/events : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026 . IATA World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium (23-25 June, Madrid, Spain) . ISASI - BOSTON 2026 - September 28, 2026 – October 2, 2026 . Global Aviation Conference Frankfurt- 29-30SEP2026 - Frankfurt, Germany . 79TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT MONTREAL | NOVEMBER 10-12, 2026. . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV . 2027 ACSF Safety Symposium - April 6-8, 2027 - ERAU Daytona Beach, FL Curt Lewis