Flight Safety Information - July 23, 2026 No. 143 In This Issue : Incident: BAW A20N at London on Jul 22nd 2026, hydraulic failure : Incident: Lufthansa B748 near Tokyo on Jul 22nd 2026, strange smell on board : Incident: Lufthansa B748 at Newark on Jul 20th 2026, rejected takeoff due to twisted nose gear : British Airways Launches Probe After 3 Pilots Fall Sick Mid-Air After Hyderabad Stopover : Delta Pilot Given Terrifying Rocket Launcher Warning Mid-Flight : Icelandair 757 pilots disciplined after unauthorised low pass over islands : EU aviation agency adds Jordan to no-fly warning list as fighting continues : Safety Officials Probe Army GPS Jamming in Fatal Air Crash Two pilots and two nurses died in a medevac crash during electronic warfare tests : FAA Set To Publish Altimeter Upgrade Rule : FAA Moves to Speed Air Taxi and Supersonic Aircraft Approvals : United Airlines can now boot passengers for one of the most annoying airplane habits : Midair Brawl Involving 10 Passengers Forces Plane to Turn Back to Airport 30 Minutes After Takeoff : Boeing forecasts global freighter fleet to reach 4,010 aircraft by 2045 : Boeing CEO says company still needs ‘a couple more years’ to repair finances before new jet : Gulfstream makes 400th delivery in G500 and G600 fleet : Beehive Pushes 3D-Printed Drone Jet Engines Into Full Production Incident: BAW A20N at London on Jul 22nd 2026, hydraulic failure A British Airways Airbus A320-200N, registration G-TTNR performing flight BA-547 from Rome Fiumicino (Italy) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), was on final approach to Heathrow's runway 09L when the crew initiated a go around due to a hydraulic failure affecting the landing gear. The aircraft climbed to 4000 feet and entered a hold, then landed safely on runway 09L about 35 minutes after the go around. https://avherald.com/h?article=53c24a42&opt=0 Incident: Lufthansa B748 near Tokyo on Jul 22nd 2026, strange smell on board A Lufthansa Boeing 747-800, registration D-ABYQ performing flight LH-717 from Tokyo Haneda (Japan) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany) with 341 passengers and 20 crew, was enroute at FL310 over the Pacific Ocean about 780nm northeast of Tokyo when the crew decided to return to Tokyo. The aircraft landed safely back on Haneda's runway 16L about 4:10 hours after departure. Japan's Ministry of Transport reported a strange odour on board of the aircraft prompting an emergency landing in Tokyo. https://avherald.com/h?article=53c247eb&opt=0 Incident: Lufthansa B748 at Newark on Jul 20th 2026, rejected takeoff due to twisted nose gear A Lufthansa Boeing 747-800, registration D-ABYR performing flight LH-403 from Newark,NJ (USA) to Frankfurt/Main (Germany), was accelerating for takeoff from Newark's runway 22R when another crew called their nosewheels were cocked followed by tower reporting smoke from the nose gear. The crew rejected takeoff at low speed. The other crew added, that their nosewheel appeared to be turned to the left, the LH crew reported their aircraft was turning right, the nose wheel straightened again, they did not need any assistance, it was working again. The aircraft vacated onto taxiway K and returned to the holding point runway 22R. The crew subsequently decided to return to the apron and taxied to the apron via runway 22R. The flight was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Newark about 40 hours after the rejecteed takeoff. https://avherald.com/h?article=53c23d22&opt=0 British Airways Launches Probe After 3 Pilots Fall Sick Mid-Air After Hyderabad Stopover The airline is now reviewing its hotel arrangements in Hyderabad as part of the investigation while authorities work to establish what led to the suspected food poisoning. British Airways Launches Probe After 3 Pilots Fall Sick Mid-Air After Hyderabad StopoverThe incident involved British Airways flight BA276, which departed Hyderabad for London. British Airways has launched an investigation after all three pilots operating a flight from Hyderabad to London Heathrow reportedly fell ill with suspected food poisoning following an overnight stopover in the city. The incident involved British Airways flight BA276, which departed Hyderabad for London. According to Gulf News, one of the pilots became seriously unwell during the flight and was left unable to perform duties at an altitude of around 30,000 feet. The pilot was given oxygen on board and required medical treatment after the aircraft landed in London. The remaining two pilots continued operating the flight despite also experiencing symptoms, which reportedly worsened during the journey. Even so, British Airways said passenger safety was never compromised. British Airways said in a statement, "The welfare of our colleagues is a top priority, and we are reviewing crew accommodation in this location following some isolated reports of sickness." Initial reports suggest the three pilots had breakfast together at their hotel in Hyderabad before the flight. They also drank bottled water supplied by an external company. Following the incident, all three filed air safety reports and were asked to provide samples to help determine the cause of their illness. The airline is now reviewing its hotel arrangements in Hyderabad as part of the investigation while authorities work to establish what led to the suspected food poisoning. About British Airways British Airways is the United Kingdom's flag carrier and one of the world's largest international airlines. Headquartered in London, it operates an extensive network connecting more than 200 destinations across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America. The airline's primary hub is London Heathrow Airport, with additional operations from London Gatwick. The airline operates a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, including the Airbus A350, A380, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and carries millions of passengers each year on domestic and international routes. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/british-airways-launches-probe-after-3-pilots-fall-sick-mid-air-after-hyderabad-stopover-11809124 Delta Pilot Given Terrifying Rocket Launcher Warning Mid-Flight A Delta Air Lines pilot preparing to land at New York’s LaGuardia Airport was warned to use “extreme caution” after an anonymous caller falsely reported a possible rocket launcher nearby. The scare unfolded as Delta Flight 2604, arriving from Detroit with more than 100 people on board, was on approach to LaGuardia. Air traffic controllers issued a MANPAD alert at 8:27 p.m. “MANPAD alert issued at LaGuardia Airport at 0027. Use extreme caution,” a controller said in audio obtained by CBS News. The pilot, apparently startled by the warning, asked what a MANPAD was. The tower responded that it stood for “a manned portable air defense system.” “Basically, it was a report of a rocket launcher,” the controller added. Within about a minute, controllers called off the alert after Port Authority police determined the report was a hoax. “No need to respond, Delta 2604,” the controller told the pilot. “Port Authority police reported it was a non-credible threat.” The Boeing 737 landed safely without incident. Delta Air Lines DL Delta is the largest airline carrier in the world with a hub in New York-JFK. https://www.thedailybeast.com/delta-pilot-given-terrifying-rocket-launcher-warning-near-laguardia/ Icelandair 757 pilots disciplined after unauthorised low pass over islands Investigators probing the event have made a referral to the police Icelandair Cockpit crew’s licences suspended by Icelandic authority. Icelandic regulators have disciplined two pilots who carried out an unauthorised low pass in a Boeing 757-200 while conducting a scheduled flight from Frankfurt. The Icelandair aircraft was bound for Reykjavik on 11 April. But it descended from the normal altitude to pass over Vestmannaeyjar airport on the Westman Islands – apparently below 2,000ft – before climbing away. The Icelandic Transport Authority has determined that the flight was “not conducted in compliance with applicable aviation regulations”. It has decided to suspend temporarily the licences of the two pilots – one for 24 months and the other for 12 months – but is also referring one of the cases to the police. The authority adds that it has still to conclude an assessment of the airline’s potential responsibility in the matter. “No decision has yet been made regarding the operator,” it says. According to the authority, the decisions are subject to appeal to the country’s ministry of infrastructure. Icelandair had previously stated that the flight was not authorised and was carried out without the knowledge of the carrier’s management. https://www.flightglobal.com/archive/2026/07/icelandair-757-pilots-disciplined-after-unauthorised-low-pass-over-islands/ EU aviation agency adds Jordan to no-fly warning list as fighting continues July 22 (Reuters) - The European Union Aviation Safety Agency on Wednesday asked airlines not to operate within the airspace of Jordan after it ‌and other U.S. Gulf allies were struck by Iran in the renewed conflict. The agency last week reinstated and toughened its warning to airlines operating in the Middle East, telling them to avoid the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and over the Gulf of Oman as the U.S.-Iran war ⁠flared up anew. The advisory for the Middle East countries was extended on Wednesday to August 31, from the previous July 29 deadline, while the newly issued advisory for Jordan is also valid until August 31, EASA said. Iran's army said it attacked U.S. military facilities in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain with drones early on Wednesday. The army said it struck accommodation buildings and equipment storage facilities at Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan, and later hit equipment warehouses and aircraft ‌maintenance ⁠hangars at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain using Arash suicide drones. "Since ⁠the middle of July 2026, the security situation has deteriorated rapidly, with a sustained increase in kinetic military activity affecting Jordanian airspace," EASA said in a statement. EASA warned that recurrent ⁠Iranian missile attacks as well as the activation of Jordan's air defence systems increase overall risks, including the misidentification of civil aircraft. A separate EASA advisory ⁠asking airlines within the airspace of Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon was extended last week and is also valid until the end of August. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/eu-aviation-agency-adds-jordan-no-fly-warning-list-fighting-continues-2026-07-22/ Safety Officials Probe Army GPS Jamming in Fatal Air Crash Two pilots and two nurses died in a medevac crash during electronic warfare tests Satellite photograph of a wildfire burning across a dry, mountainous landscape. A fatal light aircraft crash in New Mexico’s Capitan Mountain Wilderness during military GPS jamming tests sparked a wildfire that grew to over 12,000 hectares. Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Getty Images aviation us military faa gps jamming The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the role U.S. military GPS jamming may have played in the fatal crash of a civilian medevac plane in New Mexico in May. The light aircraft slammed into the side of a mountain in the middle of the night while flying from Roswell to Ruidoso, N.M., to pick up a patient. The two pilots and two nurses on board died, and the impact sparked a massive wildfire that burned for a month. Shortly after takeoff from Roswell airport, one of the pilots reported to an air traffic controller that they had lost their GPS capability. Three other aircraft crews also reported problems. This prompted an air traffic controller to ask the military at nearby White Sands Missile Range to halt its GPS interference testing. The military paused jamming for a few minutes but resumed it after the flight controller reported that the plane had a visual fix on its destination. The aircraft crashed 5 minutes later. The NTSB’s preliminary report into the accident does not state whether controllers informed the pilots of either the pause in jamming, or its resumption. This report is the first time that the NTSB has mentioned GPS jamming as a potential factor in an investigation. However, White Sands has long been linked with disruptions to civilian aviation more than 500 kilometers around the base, reaching into neighboring states and even Mexico. It is one of the U.S. Army’s centers for testing in GPS-denied environments, and for developing its own jamming and spoofing technologies. A Crash Foretold? An IEEE Spectrum investigation into GPS jamming in 2021 included worrying reports of near misses in the White Sands region, as well as previously unseen data showing aircraft flying off course, accidentally entering military airspace, being unable to maneuver, and losing their ability to navigate. A follow-up story detailed how air traffic controllers responsible for the airspace around White Sands became overworked during GPS testing and experienced confusion about when they could request a “stop buzzer”—a temporary pause in the jamming for safety reasons. The FAA told IEEE Spectrum then that it had cleared up and abated those concerns. However, a new review of anonymous reports to NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System shows that some controllers remained unhappy. In late 2021, one controller wrote: “The GPS jamming at White Sands was effecting [sic] the safety of flight of the aircraft to the point to where they couldn’t navigate safely. I asked the controller in charge to stop buzzer…and was blown off, was told ‘we’re not doing that.’ Refusing to stop buzzer is commonplace.” When the same thing happened in 2024, another controller reported: “This issue has been going on for years…. Someone will get hurt ignoring the pilot reports or deciding for pilots how much equipment can fail or be unreliable before they agree or decide to stop GPS jamming.” That same controller made another report a few weeks later, after multiple aircraft had lost GPS tracking in bad weather. He called his manager’s policy of delaying the stop buzzer “a danger to the flying public.” According to one source, who asked to remain anonymous because they do not have permission to speak to the media, FAA managers told controllers at air traffic control centers that every time they stop buzzer on a GPS test, it costs the military between US $5 million and $10 million. Neither White Sands nor the FAA would comment. The Remedy May Be the Problem Todd Humphreys, director of the Radionavigation Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin, has taken part in GPS testing at White Sands. He says that some tests within the 8,300-square-kilometer missile range involve spoofing GPS signals so that receivers generate inaccurate location data. To avoid these misleading civilian aircraft, the Army places powerful jammers at the perimeter of the range to drown out the spoof signals. It is likely this preventative “cover jamming” that the medevac plane and other aircraft experienced in May, says Humphreys: “The jamming coming from White Sands is intense. It goes all the way up to low Earth orbit and even affects satellites up there.” The military does issue Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) to warn pilots of upcoming tests, and there are backup systems for both pilots and controllers to help cope with disruptions. Humphreys also points out that there are few areas in the U.S. large enough and remote enough for the Pentagon to test jamming and spoofing technologies, and to develop deterrents against them. Other recent military GPS test locations have included Fort Irwin in California, Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, and off the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina. The need for navigation R&D is constant, as attacks on the GPS ecosystem are growing worldwide. The number of aircraft affected by GPS signal loss doubled between 2021 and 2024 according to the International Air Transport Association, and over 650 ships in the Middle East Gulf were affected by spoofing in the first 48 hours of the 2026 U.S.-Iran war. A confounding problem, says Humphreys, is that navigation hardware certified by the FAA is reliant on a single frequency of transmissions from U.S. GPS satellites, called L1. Other receivers, including those found in most modern smartphones, can also utilize signals from European Galileo, Chinese Beidou, and Russian GLONASS satellites, potentially making them more resilient to jamming. The Roswell Crash In the New Mexico crash, the aircraft’s primary GPS receiver was linked to its ADS-B transponder, a safety system that broadcasts the plane’s ID and position every second or so. Nearby planes and ground stations can then receive that data and use it to avoid collisions. At takeoff, the plane’s ADS-B was transmitting its location and altitude every 2 to 3 seconds. When it climbed into range of the jamming signal, ADS-B began recording only about once a minute—an indication that the receiver was in difficulty. There was also a second GPS receiver on board, connected to an add-on tracking system called Spidertracks that beamed the plane’s location to Iridium satellites. That system does not seem to have suffered as badly from the jamming, perhaps because the unit could also access the Galileo constellation. But the Spidertracks location data was never visible to the pilots. There is a plan for the FAA to incorporate a second GPS frequency called L5, although that process requires the U.S. military to complete a long-delayed process developing new GPS ground stations. Unfortunately, says Humphreys, the “FAA certification process is so onerous and conservative that you’re dealing with aviation-grade receivers that are more than a decade old in technology.” The NTSB generally aims to complete its full investigations within two years, and an agency spokesperson cautioned that it would be premature to characterize the significance of GPS jamming in the New Mexico crash. Its investigators are also considering aircraft, avionics, operational history, recorded data, weather, and air traffic control information. In the meantime, GPS interference testing at White Sands continues, with jamming having been scheduled for at least 12 days since the crash in May. https://spectrum.ieee.org/gps-crash-probe FAA Set To Publish Altimeter Upgrade Rule The FAA plans to publish its final rule requiring radio altimeter upgrades on July 24 following the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) approval of additional upper C-band spectrum. The FCC's July 22 decision, which was widely expected, outlines the agency's plan to auction 160 MHz of spectrum by mid-2027. New wireless services using the spectrum will be permitted to begin in December 2030 in the 75 largest U.S. markets and in July 2031 elsewhere, the FCC said. The FAA's final rule is expected to align with that timeline, requiring scheduled air carriers to complete radio altimeter upgrades by the end of 2030. A second compliance deadline for other affected aircraft is expected about two years later. The FAA's draft rule, issued in January, proposed a two-phase upgrade plan tied to the FCC's auction schedule, with commercial operators upgrading before the new wireless services are introduced and other affected aircraft following within two years. The draft assumed new services would begin between 2029 and 2032 and said the final rule would align with the FCC's approved plan. Aviation and wireless stakeholders determined that 2030 is an achievable retrofit target for commercial operators. The plan includes rebates and other financial incentives to help accelerate the upgrades. The rebates will be funded through auction proceeds. In a statement, the FAA confirmed that the final rule adopts the two-phase upgrade plan but did not specify the compliance dates. “The FAA regulation provides technical and schedule certainty to the potential 5G auction bidders, and the FCC requirements for a radio-altimeter rebate program will provide financial incentives for the aviation community to hold to the altimeter-upgrade schedule,” the agency said. “As a result, commercial aircraft will equip with next-generation technology several years earlier than otherwise would have been feasible.” https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/safety-ops-regulation/faa-set-publish-altimeter-upgrade-rule FAA Moves to Speed Air Taxi and Supersonic Aircraft Approvals Clearing the Runway for New Aircraft The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration says it is working to help industry deploy air taxis and supersonic airplanes, boost space launches and expand drone operations. Deputy FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau laid out the approach in an interview at the Farnborough Airshow, and the framing was unusually unexpected for a safety regulator. Key Takeaways An FAA pilot program launched last year covers eight partner companies across 26 states, and its data will inform eVTOL certification. The agency proposed the first of two rules in June to lift the 1973 ban on supersonic transport over land, with both rules due to be finalized by mid-2027. Aircraft certification for supersonic designs comes only after those rules are in place. Letting industry set the pace Rocheleau described a deliberate step back from writing detailed technical requirements. “We want to make sure that we’re not being too prescriptive in those standards, and that we’re letting the industry drive the innovation,” he said. The electric vertical takeoff and landing pilot program is where that philosophy gets tested. Eight partners across 26 states are flying under it, and the resulting data feeds directly into how the agency writes certification rules. “The whole idea behind this is to take this new technology, these new aircraft, and put them into the national airstream in a safe and efficient manner,” Rocheleau said. The Waymo comparison Air taxi companies are chasing approvals to commercialize aircraft that take off and land vertically, ferrying passengers to airports or across congested cities. Archer Aviation CEO Adam Goldstein reached for a ground-transport analogy to explain how the rollout should work. “I think the world has learned a lot in how the autonomous vehicles have launched,” Goldstein said, pointing to the city-by-city expansion of Google’s Waymo self-driving unit. The FAA program gives the industry room to “roll this out to a couple cities in a confined area that we can kind of work through the kinks in the system,” Goldstein said. Contained deployment beats a national launch when the failure modes are still unknown. Supersonic returns to the agenda The overland supersonic ban dates to 1973 and has outlasted the aircraft it was written for. Commercial supersonic service ended in 2003 when Concorde retired after 27 years with Air France and British Airways. In June the FAA proposed the first of two rules needed to lift the prohibition. A second rule will define acceptable noise thresholds for takeoff, landing and supersonic cruise. Both are due to be finalized by mid-2027, after which the FAA and other regulators still need to certify actual aircraft. “We think the rules are old and outdated,” Rocheleau said. The policy groundwork has been laid over several years rather than months. Executive action replaced the blanket overland prohibition with a performance-standards approach in mid-2025, and the FAA is now converting that direction into enforceable rules. On the electric side, the agency had already created a new powered-lift aircraft category, the first in nearly 80 years, covering pilot certification and operating rules for machines that switch between helicopter and airplane modes. Aerospace bodies covering the Farnborough remarks note the agency is pushing on certification, supersonic rulemaking and commercial spaceflight in parallel. Manufacturers are further along than the rulebook. One US operator flew its first production electric air taxi in March and is working toward commercial service, while in China a 10-passenger eVTOL completed a public demonstration near Shanghai with type certification targeted for 2027. The bottleneck in both markets is the same and it is not aerodynamics. Landing pads, charging infrastructure and air traffic systems capable of handling dense low-altitude traffic do not yet exist at scale, and the eVTOL pilot programme is explicitly designed to gather the operating data those systems will be built on. https://www.technology.org/2026/07/23/faa-air-taxis-supersonic-planes-evtol-certification/ United Airlines can now boot passengers for one of the most annoying airplane habits The major airline quietly updated a noise policy that, before the change, had flyers nearly losing their minds. United told The Post that back in February, the company started enforcing headphones when listening to content on phones, tablets or anything that makes sound. This means passengers are no longer able to blast TikTok or watch movies without the use of headphones. United’s Contract of Carriage — essentially a rules and policy handbook — was updated on February 27 to add the new “headphone language.” United Airlines passengers must wear headphones if listening to anything on their phones “We’ve always encouraged customers to use headphones when listening to audio content – and our Wi-Fi rules already remind customers to use headphones. With the expansion of Starlink (a high-speed, satellite internet service from SpaceX), it seemed like a good time to make that even clearer by adding it to the contract of carriage,” the airline told The Post. The rule now falls under the brand’s right to refuse section where the airline lists a slew of ways passengers can get the boot. Customers can check out the full list, but don’t miss the bottom of Rule 21 where you’ll find the update that states the brand will refuse guests “who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content.” Those who fail to follow the rule “on a permanent or temporary basis” will be removed from the plane at any point, the section reads. Putting the rule under the new section seems quite significant as it sits with other serious violations. For example, the updated policy comes after harassment, disruptive, offensive or abusive conduct. It also follows intoxication, foreigners’ proof of vaccination, and folks carrying unauthorized weapons. The switch is a real shift in cabin behavior, as what was once polite feedback from flight attendants is now a rule that could get passengers removed. The timeline of the revision lines up with the rollout of Starlink’s in-flight Wi-Fi on over 300 of its aircraft. An additional 500 aircraft will also be launched by the end of 2026. United announced the milestone just days before the Super Bowl back in February, allowing customers the chance to watch live sports, play online games and more. It was especially popular just days ago as passengers were able to watch the World Cup live. The airline quietly updated the rule on its website back in February “We are focused on what we call ‘travel truths’ in our advertising, so with this spot we wanted to recognize the truly giant leap Starlink Wi-Fi represents for our customers and what is now possible. Starlink is transforming the inflight experience on United planes with reliable connectivity that enables everything from productivity to streaming the biggest football game of the season,” said Maggie Schmerin, United’s Chief Advertising Officer, in a press release. While the airline wants to be a leader in connectivity, the headphones policy proves United does not want to sacrifice on customer satisfaction. The company said in the press release, “it is all part of our commitment to bring this innovative service to our entire fleet.” Because passengers are required to wear headphones, the airline will still pass them out during the flight for free. Also, many newer planes have seatback screens that are upgraded with Bluetooth so customers can connect with wireless headphones. https://nypost.com/2026/07/22/lifestyle/united-airlines-can-now-boot-passengers-for-annoying-phone-use/ Midair Brawl Involving 10 Passengers Forces Plane to Turn Back to Airport 30 Minutes After Takeoff The flight was headed to Liverpool, England, when it was forced to return to Tenerife airport in Spain on Tuesday, July 21 A passenger flight was forced to turn back to an airport in Spain after a fight involving around 10 people broke out midair on Tuesday, July 21 The easyJet plane was headed to Liverpool, England, before the pilot decided to return to the island of Tenerife Police met the plane upon landing, and the flight later resumed its journey to Liverpool A midair brawl has forced a passenger flight to turn around shortly after takeoff. The easyJet aircraft was headed to Liverpool, England, on Tuesday, July 21, when a group of around 10 passengers began “behaving disruptively,” the airline told PEOPLE in a statement. The captain of the EZY3352 flight decided to return to the vacation island of Tenerife just 30 minutes after departure “due to the danger” that the incident “posed to the safety of the flight”, the air traffic controller said, per the BBC. At the request of the flight crew, police attended to the 186-passenger jet when it landed at Tenerife South airport during the evening on Tuesday, July 21, the outlet reported. “Our full support goes out to the crews and passengers who are increasingly having to endure these situations,” the air traffic controller said in a statement translated from its original Spanish, per the BBC. After meeting with the police, the plane continued its journey to Liverpool, reported the BBC, The Independent and The London Evening Standard. “Our cabin and ground crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other customers is not compromised at any time,” an easyJet spokesperson told PEOPLE in a statement. “We take these incidents very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behavior towards our staff,” the spokesperson added. “The safety and wellbeing of customers and crew is always our highest priority.” Back in May, PEOPLE reported that an easyJet flight from London to Antalya was diverted after a drunken man and woman started “behaving disruptively.” Our new app is here! Free, fun and full of exclusives. Scan to download now! A passenger told U.K. tabloid The Sun that the pair had been exhibiting “terrifying behavior” when the woman allegedly spat on a fellow passenger while the man allegedly threatened others around him. https://people.com/midair-brawl-10-passengers-forces-plane-back-to-airport-12024368 Boeing forecasts global freighter fleet to reach 4,010 aircraft by 2045 Boeing expects the global freighter fleet to expand from 2,395 aircraft in 2025 to 4,010 by 2045, according to its latest Commercial Market Outlook. Over the next 20 years, the aircraft manufacturer forecasts 2,930 freighter deliveries worldwide, including both new-build and converted aircraft. During the same period, 1,315 freighters are expected to be retired. The company projects the standard-body freighter fleet to grow from 875 aircraft in 2025 to 1,460 by 2045. This segment includes Boeing's 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter. The medium widebody freighter fleet is forecast to increase from 835 aircraft last year to 1,270 by 2045. This category includes the 767-300F and the 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter. For large widebody freighters, including the 777F and the new 777-8F, Boeing expects the fleet to grow from 685 aircraft in 2025 to 1,280 by 2045. The forecast comes as the air cargo sector continues to face delays to the Boeing 777-8F and Airbus A350F new-build programs, while the availability of feedstock for widebody freighter conversions remains limited. According to aviation advisory firm IBA, widebody freighter conversions exceeded narrowbody conversions for the first time since 2009 last year. However, this was mainly due to a slowdown in narrowbody conversions rather than an increase in widebody conversion activity. Boeing said international freighter capacity has increased 5% year-to-date in 2026. By 2045, the company expects 55% of global air cargo to be transported by freighters. Through 2045, air cargo traffic is forecast to grow by about 3.7% per year, outpacing trade and economic growth. "Demand is supported by the need to move high-value, perishable and time-sensitive goods, as well as supply chain reliability and cross-border e-commerce," said Boeing. https://www.freshplaza.com/north-america/article/9860111/boeing-forecasts-global-freighter-fleet-to-reach-4-010-aircraft-by-2045/ Boeing CEO says company still needs ‘a couple more years’ to repair finances before new jet Key Points Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told CNBC Monday that the plane maker will need “a couple more years” to repair its finances before launching a new commercial jet. Airline customers are telling Boeing to focus on improving the reliability and production of its current lineup rather than introducing a new model, Ortberg said. Eventually, a new plane to better compete with rival Airbus’ A320 family of jets will likely be crucial for Boeing to secure future business. CEO Kelly Ortberg told CNBC on Monday that the plane maker will need “a couple more years” to repair its finances before launching a new commercial jet, signaling that the company is focused more on stabilizing its existing business rather than rushing to develop a successor to its bestselling 737 MAX. Boeing must clear three hurdles before committing to a new aircraft program, Ortberg told CNBC’s Phil LeBeau at the Farnborough International Airshow in the U.K. “First of all, we have to be ready, and part of that is getting our financial house in order, and we’re working on that,” Ortberg said. “It’s going to take a couple more years to get where we want to be.” Ortberg, who came out of retirement to steady the company after a series of manufacturing and quality issues and a near-catastrophic blowout of a fuselage door plug in January 2024, also repeated that the technology needs to be ready to introduce a new airplane and the company needs to see sufficient market demand. For now, airline customers are telling Boeing to focus on improving the reliability and production of its current lineup rather than introducing a new jet, he said, suggesting the company is unlikely to launch a new narrow-body aircraft until later in the decade. The market for large commercial aircraft is currently dominated by Boeing and Airbus . A new plane to better compete with Airbus’ rival A320 family of jets will likely be crucial for Boeing to secure future business. Boeing and Airbus shares this year. On Monday, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury told CNBC that it is targeting a next-generation single-aisle jet around 2030, with entry into service in the second half of that decade, framing it as key to defending Airbus’ lead in the market. “We’re the leader in the single-aisle segment, and we want to retain that position,” Faury said on the sidelines of Farnborough, while adding that focus is also on ramping up production of current aircraft. Both Boeing and Airbus have been plagued by supply crunches following the Covid-19 pandemic, and have struggled to meet demand for new aircraft from customers. This year, investor sentiment around Airbus has turned more sour as Boeing has made progress to get back on track under Ortberg after the company’s yearslong crisis. Both companies are set to report second-quarter earnings later this month. Air Force One Boeing will increase spending and add engineering and production staff to keep the next generation of Air Force One aircraft on schedule for delivery in 2028, Ortberg said. The company will run multiple shifts on the VC-25B program as well as add production and engineering staff, the CEO said. The high-profile project has already faced multiple delays and was initially set for delivery in 2024. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/20/boeing-ceo-ortberg-airbus-farnborough-737max.html Gulfstream makes 400th delivery in G500 and G600 fleet Gulfstream's G500 and G600 jet fleet has surpassed 400 customer deliveries. The 400th aircraft, a G600, was delivered to a customer in the Asia-Pacific region. This milestone comes nearly eight years after the G500's first delivery in September 2018. One of Gulfstream’s pioneering fleets recently passed a major milestone. The G500 and G600 jet fleet hit its 400th customer, Gulfstream announced on July 20. The 400th delivery was a G600 delivered to a customer in the Asia-Pacific region after being outfitted at Gulfstream’s St. Louis facility, according to a Gulfstream press release. The press release said the milestone underscores continuing global demand for aircraft. “Reaching 400 deliveries is a testament to the confidence customers around the world continue to place in Gulfstream and in the G500 and G600,” said Gulfstream President Mark Burns in the press release. “Together, these aircraft have fueled sustained demand for our next-generation fleet and play a pivotal role in Gulfstream’s vision to offer an aircraft for every mission.” Other news: Gulfstream invests $5 million in Georgia education for talent pipeline Gulfstream's G500 and G600 fleet recently hit its 400th customer delivery. The 400th delivery comes nearly eight years after the fleet’s first delivery. The G500’s first delivery was announced in September of 2018, while the G600’s first delivery was announced in August of 2019. The fleet debuted the company’s signature Symmetry Flight Deck, which added cockpit safety and presentation improvements. The flight deck includes active control sidestick that increase visual and tactile feedback, and 10 touch-screen displays, according to the G500’s webpage. While the fleet recently hit this milestone, both aircraft are still increasing their flight flexibility. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency approved steep-approach landing for both aircraft earlier this year, the press release said. The new certification will enable access to more airports worldwide for the aircraft. One such airport is London City in London, England. https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/local/2026/07/23/gulfstream-reaches-400th-jet-delivery-milestone-for-g500-and-g600-fleet/91014264007/ Beehive Pushes 3D-Printed Drone Jet Engines Into Full Production Summary Beehive Industries is rapidly scaling its additively manufactured jet engine program, aiming for over 8,000 engines annually. The company secured a $29.7 million U.S. Air Force contract for its Frenzy 8 engine, designed for uncrewed systems. To achieve its production goals, Beehive committed over $50 million to acquire 30 new EOS metal 3D printers, bringing its fleet to 50. It also acquired two Ohio machine shops for precision finishing and ordered large-format Nikon SLM Solutions printers for broader aerospace applications. A $70 million expansion in Southwest Ohio will create over 200 jobs, establishing an end-to-end manufacturing system. This strategy combines additive manufacturing with dedicated machining and specialized facilities to meet the Air Force's "affordable mass" objective. Beehive Industries’ Frenzy 8, a 200-pound-force-thrust jet engine designed for uncrewed defense systems, is at the center of the company’s push to scale additive manufacturing into high-volume engine production. Beehive Industries Beehive Industries is moving quickly to turn its additively manufactured jet-engine program into a high-volume production business. Since April, the Denver-based aerospace manufacturer has secured a $29.7 million U.S. Air Force contract, committed more than $50 million to metal additive manufacturing equipment, acquired two Ohio machine shops and announced a $70 million expansion expected to create more than 200 jobs in Southwest Ohio. It has also ordered multiple ultra-large-format metal printers from Nikon SLM Solutions for aerospace, defense, and space production. Together, the moves amount to more than an equipment-buying spree. Beehive is assembling an end-to-end manufacturing system in which additive manufacturing produces complex engine hardware, dedicated machining operations finish the parts, and specialized facilities support serial production. If the company can execute the plan at the scale it projects, the vertically integrated model could offer a trailblazing blueprint for producing small turbine engines faster and in far greater volumes. The immediate focus is Frenzy 8, a 200-pound-force-thrust engine designed for swarm-class drones, expendable aircraft and other uncrewed defense systems. The engine has progressed through ground and high-altitude testing, and Beehive says it is ready for full-rate production. From Flight Readiness to Production Readiness Beehive Industries developed and tested its Frenzy engine under a $12.46 million U.S. Air Force contract awarded in October 2024 in collaboration with the University of Dayton Research Institute. Beehive completed high-altitude testing of Frenzy 8 in late 2025 at a government facility in Ohio. The company said the campaign validated ignition, acceleration, operability, durability, and performance across the planned flight envelope. Hardware reportedly remained in “like new” condition after mission-life-equivalent runtime. “The milestone confirms Frenzy’s readiness for flight integration,” said David Kimball, Beehive’s chief technology officer. Beehive said it moved from concept to proven high-altitude performance in less than a year, after testing six engines on the ground in four months and sending two prototypes to the Ohio facility. Forbes Daily: Join over 1 million Forbes Daily subscribers and get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday. “Frenzy is now flight-ready, and our production system is ready to scale alongside it,” Kimball said. That production claim gained substance in April, when the Air Force awarded Beehive a $29.7 million contract covering vehicle integration, flight testing, and qualification of Frenzy 8. The award also funds initial manufacturing and testing of the smaller, 100-pound-force Frenzy 6 engine. The work supports an Air Force effort to develop affordable turbine engines for uncrewed aerial and standoff systems. The broader objective is often described as “affordable mass”: fielding systems that can be manufactured and deployed in much larger quantities than traditional, high-cost weapons. “This collaboration ensures our warfighters will have the high-volume, mission-ready capabilities they need to maintain a competitive edge in any theater,” said Gordie Follin, Beehive’s chief product officer. More 3D Printers for Engine Production A contract establishes demand, but it does not create capacity. Beehive’s answer is a major expansion of its additive manufacturing fleet. In June, the company announced an agreement valued at more than $50 million for 30 M4 ONYX metal additive manufacturing systems from the German 3D printer manufacturer EOS. The machines are scheduled for delivery to Beehive’s Colorado and Tennessee facilities over 12 months, bringing its installed EOS fleet to 50 systems. EOS described it as the company’s largest publicly announced single order. The M4 ONYX uses six lasers and incorporates automated powder handling, process monitoring, and production-data capabilities. All features that become increasingly important as additive manufacturing moves from development work to repeatable series production. Beehive’s strategy is not simply to print more copies of a conventionally designed engine. Frenzy was developed from the ground up to be 3D printed, allowing the company to consolidate parts and shorten supply chains. The potential advantage is speed. Traditional turbine-engine programs can depend on specialized castings, forgings, tooling, and networks of qualified suppliers. Designing around additive manufacturing may reduce that dependency, though high-rate production still requires machining, inspection, testing, and tightly controlled material processes. Machining Becomes Part of the Additive Strategy Two weeks after announcing the EOS order, Beehive acquired the assets of Able Tool Corporation and its subsidiary, Planet Products Corporation, both in the Greater Cincinnati area. The purchase price was not disclosed. The businesses bring more than 120 years of combined precision-machining capacity, and their acquisition reflects an often-overlooked reality of metal additive manufacturing: printed aerospace components rarely leave the build chamber ready for installation. Surfaces must be finished; interfaces, holes and sealing features may require precision machining; and components must be separated from build plates, heat treated, inspected and documented. At higher volumes, control over those downstream steps can be as important as access to printers. Beehive is organizing the acquired Cincinnati operations as a Production Machining Center of Excellence. Knoxville, Tennessee, will serve as its Production Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, supporting multiple printing and post-processing operations. The company says the combined system is being built to manufacture more than 8,000 engines annually. That remains a target rather than a demonstrated production rate, but it explains the scale of the equipment orders and acquisitions. Large-Format Printing Expands the Market Beehive also recently acquired large-scale metal 3D printers from Nikon SLM Solutions, which adds another dimension to the strategy. Unlike the EOS systems being purchased primarily for engine production, the NXG 600E machines will give Beehive capacity to print much larger aerospace and space structures for outside customers. Each NXG 600E has a build envelope measuring 600 x 600 x 1,500 millimeters and uses twelve 1-kilowatt lasers. Beehive plans to dedicate one system to aluminum and another to titanium. The size makes it possible to manufacture complete vehicle bodies, satellite substructures and other large components that might otherwise be divided into smaller pieces and joined. The purchase suggests Beehive does not intend to operate solely as an engine supplier. Its equipment base could also support contract production for space and defense customers seeking domestic access to large-format metal additive manufacturing. That diversification may help keep expensive equipment utilized as Beehive ramps its own propulsion programs. It could also create overlap between customers purchasing engines and those needing airframes or structural hardware. Ohio Expansion Adds People and Infrastructure The latest piece of the buildout is a planned $70 million expansion in Southwest Ohio. Announced at this week’s Farnborough International Airshow, the project is expected to create more than 200 jobs and expand Beehive’s regional manufacturing operations. Beehive’s next challenge is operational: installing and qualifying machines, integrating acquired businesses, hiring skilled employees and producing engines repeatedly at the promised cost and rate. Additive manufacturing can shorten development cycles and simplify assemblies, but printers alone do not guarantee economical serial production. Build consistency, powder management, machine uptime, inspection throughput and post-processing capacity will determine whether Beehive can turn its investments into thousands of qualified engines. Metal printing has spent years proving it can make sophisticated turbine components. Beehive is now betting it can organize those capabilities into a production system built not for dozens of engines, but for thousands. https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolynschwaar/2026/07/22/beehive-pushes-3d-printed-drone-jet-engines-into-full-production/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 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. . Airlines 2026 conference - November 11, 2026 (London) . 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