All Ops & safety articles
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NewsThunderbirds F-16 crashes during California training flight
A Lockheed Martin F-16 from the US Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team has crashed during a training flight in California, with the pilot ejecting safely and remaining in stable condition.
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NewsInquiry traces ANZ A320neo shutdown and similar incidents to fire-button pin flaw
New Zealand investigators probing an in-flight engine shutdown involving an Airbus A320neo believe the event is linked to overhead fire-control panel damage which could result in uncommanded activation of an engine-fire switch. The inquiry into the Air New Zealand incident, on 1 December last year, has highlighted five other similar ...
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NewsDeep-sea hunt for wreckage of MH370 to restart at year-end: ministry
Malaysia’s government has disclosed that the search for a missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER will resume at the end of this year. The ministry of transport states that US specialist Ocean Infinity has “confirmed” it will “recommence seabed search operations” on 30 December. This latest effort will last a total ...
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NewsEmergency flight-control modifications complete on vast majority of A320-family jets
Precautionary rectification of a suspected vulnerability on some 6,000 Airbus A320- and A320neo-family jets have largely been completed. Airbus states that fewer than 100 affected aircraft remain from the global fleet. The airframer had already indicated that most of the airframes would only require a relatively quick change of flight-control ...
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NewsA320 grounding linked to software update designed to protect against in-flight loss of control
Investigations into an October in-flight upset involving a JetBlue Airways Airbus A320 have yet to reach any firm conclusions, but suspicions of a solar particle strike have proven sufficient to order an extraordinary temporary grounding of half the world’s A320-family fleet. Remedial work ordered by safety regulators – notably the ...
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NewsUrgent A320 directive drawn up as solar radiation incident reveals flight-control vulnerability
European safety regulators have issued an emergency directive after flight-control data on Airbus A320-family jets was found to be vulnerable to high levels of solar radiation. Airbus says the determination follows analysis of a recent event involving the single-aisle type. While Airbus has not detailed the occurrence, FlightGlobal understands that ...
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NewsNorwegian investigators flag suspected maintenance issue for in-flight engine shutdown on Bristow S-92
Norwegian investigators believe an unspecified maintenance issue was the likely cause of an in-flight engine failure on a Sikorsky S-92 heavy-twin shortly after take-off from an oil platform.
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NewsCorrosion on MD-87 and BAe 146 firefighters traced to incompatible retardants
US investigators have determined that insufficient testing of a new retardant resulted in significant corrosion damage to two aerial firefighting aircraft owing to chemical incompatibility with the retardant already in use.
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NewsGerman researchers launch flight campaign to measure contrails from new-generation engines
German researchers have begun a series of flights to measure the contrails produced by the latest-generation engines as part of a wider project tackling aviation’s non-CO2 impacts.
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NewsNew volcanic ash forecasting service could halve airline disruption from future eruptions
Meteorological agencies in France and the UK are spearheading the launch of a new and more detailed volcanic ash forecasting service they believe could significantly reduce disruption to airlines in the event of a large-scale volcanic eruption.
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NewsInquiry highlights ageing pilot concerns after DC-3's stall during show rehearsal
French investigators have highlighted problems of conflicting interests in ageing pilots, and difficulties in determining medical fitness, after a Douglas DC-3 stalled and recovered at low height during practice for an air show. The aircraft, flown by its 41-year old co-pilot, had been among a formation of two DC-3s and ...
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NewsAir Arabia A320 descended to just 41ft above sea after take-off from Catania
Italian investigators have disclosed that an Airbus A320 descended to just 41ft above the sea after take-off from Catania in September, as the captain made nose-down pitch inputs during the initial climb. The crew of the Air Arabia Maroc aircraft – which departed from runway 08, towards the sea, on ...
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NewsUPS inquiry yet to explain MD-11F’s failure to climb after shedding engine
US investigators have yet to determine why a UPS Boeing MD-11F failed to climb away from Louisville after shedding an engine on take-off. Preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board confirm the left-hand GE Aerospace CF6-80 engine and pod broke away on rotation, being flung backwards over the wing ...
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NewsEmirates aims to reduce holding time at Dubai International through three-way research pact
Emirates Airline has embarked on an ambitious project with Thales and Dubai’s air navigation service provider designed to reduce holding times for flights arriving at Dubai International airport.
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NewsFatal 747 excursion probe focuses on thrust-lever movement for engine with inoperative reverser
Preliminary investigation into the AirACT Boeing 747-400 freighter excursion at Hong Kong have found that, after touchdown, forward thrust increased on the outboard right-hand engine – the thrust-reverser for which had been declared inoperative prior to departure. Arriving from Dubai on 20 October, the crew had selected reverse thrust on ...
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NewsFirefighting outfit 10 Tanker’s chief cool-headed about DC-10 grounding
US-based aerial firefighting specialist 10 Tanker believes it will not be badly affected in the near-term by the emergency grounding order for McDonnell Douglas DC-10s. The company operates a fleet of DC-10-30s modified for fire suppressant discharge. But the variant is among those covered by a US FAA grounding order ...
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NewsDRC government delegation escapes ERJ-145 landing accident at Kolwezi
All those on board an Embraer ERJ-145 carrying a government delegation to Kolwezi in the Democratic Republic of Congo have escaped after a landing accident which destroyed the regional jet. The aircraft, with a delegation from the ministry of mines, had been arriving at around 11:00 local time on 17 ...
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NewsFokker Services to debut civil aircraft anti-jamming system in early 2026
Dutch aerospace firm Fokker Services Group is unveiling a full-spectrum anti-jamming system for civil aircraft as a counter to rising incidents of satellite navigation interference. It is expecting the system to become available from January 2026 with entry into service planned for an undisclosed launch operator. Fokker Services says it ...
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NewsUS FAA broadens MD-11 grounding order to remaining DC-10 fleets
US regulators have extended the grounding order imposed on the Boeing MD-11 to include variants of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, owing to their similar engine pylon structure. The grounding was ordered in the aftermath of a UPS MD-11F crash in Louisville on 4 November, after the aircraft’s left engine separated ...
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News787’s unexpected altitude change prompts FAA proposed airworthiness directive
The Federal Aviation Administration plans to require airlines to replace mode control panels on Boeing 787s following reports of uncommanded altitude changes that could pose safety risks.