Flight Safety Information - June 12, 2025 No. 117 In This Issue : 12 June 2025 - Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner accident : Boeing 737-8FE (WL) - Tail Strike during unloading (Norway) : Shorts 360-300 - Gear Up Landing (Hawaii) : London-bound Air India flight with more than 240 aboard crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India : More than 100 killed as Air India plane with 242 on board crashes near Ahmedabad : Pilots flying crashed Air India flight had 9,300 hours of flying experience : Trump's FAA nominee vows to hold Boeing 'accountable' : Senators grill Trump's FAA nominee over past effort to alter pilot certification rule : Flame burst on plane wing at O'Hare Airport delays American Airlines flight : Airbus revises up 20-year jet demand forecast despite trade tensions : The Qatari jet can’t be Air Force One, and Boeing should say so : Boeing Just Pulled Off a 303-Plane Surprise -- And Airbus Should Be Worried : Airbus seeks to encroach on Royal Air Maroc's Boeing fleet renewal, sources say : Graduate Research Request - 1 : GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST - 2 : Calendar of Events 12 June 2025 - Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner accident Date: Thursday 12 June 2025 Time: c. 13:40 LT Type: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Owner/operator: Air India Registration: VT-ANB MSN: 36279/26 Year of manufacture: 2013 Engine model: GEnx-1B64 Fatalities: Fatalities: / Occupants: 242 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Destroyed Category: Accident Location: near Ahmedabad-Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Apt.(AMD/VAAH) - India Phase: Initial climb Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Ahmedabad-Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD/VAAH) Destination airport: London-Gatwick Airport (LGW/EGKK) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, flight AI171, crashed in Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, after takeoff from runway 23 at Ahmedabad International Airport (AMD/VAAH). A video, purportedly of the accident, shows the aircraft descending with the undercarriage still extended until it disappears out of view, following by a large explosion. The aircraft crashed into a hostel building for doctors, located 1,4 km southwest of the runway end. Several MBBS students were residing in the building. Air India press release: "Air India confirms that flight Al171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident." https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/518859 Boeing 737-8FE (WL) - Tail Strike during unloading (Norway) Date: Wednesday 11 June 2025 Time: Type: Boeing 737-8FE (WL) Owner/operator: GetJet Airlines, opf Wizz Air Registration: LY-UNO MSN: 33801/1504 Year of manufacture: 2004 Engine model: CFMI CFM56-7B Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Haugesund Airport (HAU/ENHD) - Norway Phase: Standing Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Gdansk-Lech Walesa Airport (GDN/EPGD) Destination airport: Haugesund Airport (HAU/ENHD) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: Wizz Air flight W61749, a Boeing 737-800 operated by GetJet Airlines, tipped backwards during unloading, causing the tail to contact the ground. The aircraft was subsequently ferried unpressurised to Siauliai, Lithuania for repairs. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/518719 Shorts 360-300 - Gear Up Landing (Hawaii) Date: Thursday 12 June 2025 Time: 08:52 Type: Shorts 360-300 Owner/operator: Transair Registration: N221LM MSN: SH3722 Year of manufacture: 1987 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Honolulu-Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL) - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Cargo Departure airport: Kona-Keahole Airport, HI (KOA/PHKO) Destination airport: Honolulu-Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, HI (HNL/PHNL) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: Transair flight 6, a Shorts 360, cargo plane made a gear-up landing on runway 04R at Honolulu-Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, HI (HNL). There were no personal injuries. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/518817 London-bound Air India flight with more than 240 aboard crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — An Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board crashed Thursday in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad, and there were no known survivors, officials said. Black smoke billowed from the site where the plane went down in a populated area near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city of more than 5 million and the capital of Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state. Firefighters doused the smoking wreckage of the plane, which would have been fully loaded with fuel shortly after takeoff, and adjacent multistory buildings with water. Many charred bodies lay on the ground and one was carried away on a stretcher by first responders. “The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a statement. Indian television news channels reported that the plane crashed on top of the dining area of a medical college hostel and visuals showed a portion of the aircraft atop the building. It was unclear if any medical students were present inside the building at the time of the crash. “It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,” Police Commissioner G.S. Malik told The Associated Press, “As the plane has fallen in a residential area which also had offices, some locals would have also died,” he added. "Exact figures on casualties are being ascertained.” Modi called the crash “heartbreaking beyond words.” “In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected,” he said in a social media post. The airline said the Gatwick Airport-bound flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew. Of those, Air India said there were 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the director general of the directorate of civil aviation, told AP that Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38 p.m. local time. He said 244 people were on board and it was not immediately possible to reconcile the discrepancy with Air India's numbers. All efforts were being made to ensure medical aid and relief support at the site, India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu posted on X. The first crash of a Boeing 787 The 787 Dreamliner is a widebody, twin-engine plane. This is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. Boeing said it was aware of the reports of the crash and was “working to gather more information.” The aircraft was introduced in 2009, and more than 1,000 have been delivered to dozens of airlines, according to the flightradar24 website. Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said at the moment “our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.” He said on X that the airline had set up an emergency center and support team for families seeking information about those who were on the flight. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” he said. UK promises support British Cabinet minister Lucy Powell said the government will provide “all the support that it can” to those affected by the crash. “This is an unfolding story, and it will undoubtedly be causing a huge amount of worry and concern to the many, many families and communities here and those waiting for the arrival of their loved ones,” she told lawmakers in the House of Commons. “We send our deepest sympathy and thoughts to all those families, and the government will provide all the support that it can with those in India and those in this country as well,” she added. Britain has very close ties with India. There were nearly 1.9 million people in the country of Indian descent, according to the 2021 U.K. census. The last major passenger plane crash in India was in 2020, when an Air India Express Boeing-737 skidded off a hilltop runway in southern India, killing 21 people. The worst air disaster in India was on Nov. 12, 1996, when a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight collided midair with a Kazakhastan Airlines Flight near Charki Dadri in Haryana state, killing all 349 on board the two planes. The crash comes days before the opening of the Paris Air Show, a major aviation expo where Boeing and European rival Airbus will showcase their aircraft and battle for jet orders from airline customers. Boeing has been in recovery mode for more than six years after Lion Air Flight 610, a Boeing 737 Max 8, plunged into the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board. Five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 Max 8, crashed after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 157 passengers and crew members. https://www.yahoo.com/news/plane-crashed-india-northwestern-ahmedabad-085046922.html More than 100 killed as Air India plane with 242 on board crashes near Ahmedabad Reuters AHMEDABAD, India (Reuters) -More than 100 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from India's western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said, one of the country's worst aviation disasters. The plane was headed for Gatwick Airport, south of the British capital, Air India said, while police officers said it crashed in a residential area near the airport. More than 100 bodies, most of them badly charred, had been brought to the local government hospital for autopsy, police said. "The building on which it has crashed is a doctors' hostel... we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon," a senior police officer told reporters. Parts of the plane's body were scattered around the building into which it crashed, photographs and videos from the area showed. The tail of the plane was stuck on top of the building. India's CNN News-18 TV channels said the plane crashed on top of the dining area of state-run B.J. Medical College hostel, killing many medical students as well. The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, a source told Reuters. Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, Air India said. Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service. It was the first crash for the Dreamliner, which began flying commercially in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The plane that crashed on Thursday flew for the first time in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014, Flightradar24 said. "At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates," Air India said on X. "The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals." CRASH JUST AFTER TAKE-OFF The crash occurred just after the plane took off, television channels reported. One channel showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge jet of fire can be seen rising into the sky from beyond the houses. London-bound Air India flight with more than 240 aboard crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India Associated Press Finance Visuals also showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport. They also showed people being moved in stretchers and being taken away in ambulances. "My sister-in-law was going to London. Within an hour, I got news that the plane had crashed," Poonam Patel, a relative of one of the passengers, told news agency ANI at the government hospital in Ahmedabad. Ramila, the mother of a student at the medical college, told ANI her son had gone to the hostel for his lunch break when the plane crashed. "My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries," she said. According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the aircraft departed at 1:39 p.m. (0809 GMT) from runway 23. It gave a "Mayday" call, signalling an emergency, but thereafter there was no response from the aircraft. Flightradar24 also said that it received the last signal from the aircraft seconds after it took off. U.S. aerospace safety consultant Anthony Brickhouse said one problematic sign from videos of the aircraft was that the landing gear was down at a phase of flight when it would typically be up. “If you didn't know what was happening, you would think that plane was on approach to a runway,” Brickhouse said. Boeing said it was aware of initial reports and was working to gather more information. Boeing shares fell 6.8% to $199.13 in pre-market trade. Aircraft engine-maker GE Aerospace said that it would put a team together to go to India and analyse cockpit data, India's CNBC TV18 reported. Britain was working with Indian authorities to urgently establish the facts around the crash and to provide support to those involved, the country's foreign office said in a statement posted on its website. "The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. "It is heartbreaking beyond words." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said images emerging of the crash were "devastating", and that he was being kept informed as the situation developed. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said King Charles was also being kept updated. MODI'S HOME STATE The Indian aviation minister's office said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed it to ensure all support was extended to the rescue efforts immediately. Ahmedabad is the main city in Modi's home state of Gujarat. Ahmedabad Airport, which suspended all flight operations after the crash, said it was operational again but with limited flights. The airport is operated by India's Adani Group conglomerate. "We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragedy of Air India Flight 171," Gautam Adani, founder and chairman of the group, posted on X. "Our hearts go out to the families who have suffered an unimaginable loss. We are working closely with all authorities and extending full support to the families on the ground," he said. The last fatal plane crash in India was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline's low-cost arm. The airline's Boeing-737 overshot a "table-top" runway at Kozhikode International Airport in southern India. The plane skidded off the runway, plunging into a valley and crashing nose-first into the ground. Twenty-one people were killed in that crash. The formerly state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022, and merged with Vistara - a joint venture between the group and Singapore Airlines – in 2024. https://www.yahoo.com/news/plane-crashes-indias-ahmedabad-airport-083449975.html Pilots flying crashed Air India flight had 9,300 hours of flying experience While Captain Sumeet Sabharwal had 8,200 hours of flying experience, his copilot, Clive Kundar, had 1,100 hours under his belt, the civil aviation regulatory body said. Air India Boeing 787-8 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad Flight was headed to London’s Gatwick Airport Plane plunged rapidly and exploded near the airport upon impact The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed within five minutes of taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 pm. It was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal along with First Officer Clive Kundar, with a combined flying experience of 9,300 hours, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Thursday. While Captain Sabharwal had 8,200 hours of flying experience, his copilot had 1,100 hours under his belt, the civil aviation regulatory body further said. As the plane plunged at a rate of 475 feet per minute from 625 feet, the pilots had less than a minute to react before it eventually crashed and exploded near the Ahmedabad airport upon impact with a building in a residential area. The Air Traffic Control (ATC) received a MAYDAY call. However, the ATC said that it received no response even after repeated attempts were made to get in touch. "As per ATC, aircraft departed from Ahmadabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It gave a MAYDAY Call to ATC, but thereafter no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC. Immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site," the DGCA said in a statement. A MAYDAY call is given in cases of extreme emergency when the aircraft faces immediate danger. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pilots-sumeet-sabharwal-clive-kundar-crashed-air-india-flight-boeing-787-8-dreamliner-had-9300-hours-of-flying-experience-2739748-2025-06-12 Trump's FAA nominee vows to hold Boeing 'accountable' WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Federal Aviation Administration vowed on Wednesday to hold Boeing accountable after a series of safety issues raised questions about the U.S. planemaker. Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford said at a Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing that there were "some really hard lessons learned" by the FAA about the failure of a key safety system tied to two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. Bedford vowed to hold Boeing "accountable to deliver a high-quality product safely. ... We can also help Boeing by not simply saying, 'This fails.' We can collaborate and tell them where the failures are and how we view remedies that can help Boeing move the process along a little bit quicker." Republican Senator Ted Budd asked Bedford about the extensive process the agency has undertaken to certify new Boeing airplanes like the Boeing 737 MAX 7 and 10 and 777X that has led to long delays. "I look forward to advancing certification, technologies, processes, employee development around certification," Bedford responded. Last week, acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said he is not considering lifting a production cap of 38 planes per month on Boeing's 737 MAX. The cap was imposed after a January 2024 mid-air emergency involving a new Alaska Airlines Boeing plane that was found to be missing four key bolts. In December, then-FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said the agency was looking at streamlining the certification process. During the hearing, Bedford was also asked about efforts to improve the nation's air safety system. He declined to commit to not changing a rule requiring co-pilots have 1,500 hours of flight training. In 2022, Bedford criticized the FAA's rejection of Republic's petition for allowing only 750 hours of flight experience instead of 1,500 hours. "I would never do anything to compromise safety as administrator," Bedford said. He also reiterated criticism of the FAA's culture, saying he had met recently with agency employees and asked them what their goals were. "They don't have any," Bedford said. He said he had also asked about the strategy for improving air traffic control and that agency employees answered they were going to keep working hard to make it work. "That's just not the kind of leadership that we're going to need in order to get the job done," Bedford said. Calls to modernize the nation's air traffic control system intensified after a mid-air collision on January 29 between a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines jet near Washington Reagan National Airport. All 67 people aboard the aircraft died. One-quarter of all FAA facilities are 50 years old or older and aging systems have repeatedly sparked delays. A persistent shortage of controllers has delayed flights and many controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks. The FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels. https://www.yahoo.com/news/trumps-faa-nominee-vows-hold-152120130.html Senators grill Trump's FAA nominee over past effort to alter pilot certification rule Bryan Bedford, President Trump's nominee to run the Federal Aviation Administration, testifies at the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford faced questioning from a Senate committee Wednesday in his effort to become the next administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, including questions about his company's failed attempt to certify pilots with just half of the flight hours required by the federal government. Bedford, who's led the regional airline since 1999, was announced in March as President Trump's pick to helm the agency at a critical time for U.S. air travel. The fragile state of the U.S. air traffic control system was evident during the recent outages at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The radar and communication problems led to hundreds of delays and cancellations. But it will be a lot harder to make up for decades of underinvestment and failed attempts to modernize the system. 'No more floppy disks': Air traffic control overhaul faces some daunting obstacles The FAA is contending with renewed safety concerns from lawmakers and the flying public following the deadly collision of an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., in January, which killed 67 people. Meanwhile federal officials are grappling with an air traffic control system bogged down by staffing shortages and aging equipment, which recently led to several technological outages at multiple U.S. air traffic control facilities. Last month, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a multibillion-dollar plan to modernize the nation's air traffic control system within four years. Bedford expressed his support for that plan, which includes replacing antiquated telecommunications and radar systems with more modern technology. He said the estimated $12.5 billion in the proposed federal budget would be a "great start" but that the ambitious project would ultimately require "a lot more than that." Public safety would be his top priority if confirmed to lead the FAA, Bedford said, adding that a lack of action in response to near-misses at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the years before the January accident was "not acceptable." Bedford faced a number of questions about his position on the "1,500-hour rule," an FAA rule that requires pilots to have 1,500 hours of flight time before they can be certified as commercial pilots. The mandate came into effect in 2013 following the crash of a Colgan Air turboprop plane four years earlier near Buffalo, N.Y., which killed 50 people. National Transportation Safety Board investigators said after that accident that the pilot responded incorrectly to an aerodynamic stall and wasn't corrected by the first officer, who lacked experience. Regional airlines, including Republic, argued that the 1,500-hour rule was partially to blame for a shortage of certified pilots. In 2022, the FAA denied Republic's request to have graduates from its flight school be certified with only 750 flight hours. Bedford said at the time that he was "disappointed — but not surprised" by the FAA's decision and said Republic's proposal "would enhance safety." If confirmed to lead the FAA, Bedford would have a say in future changes to the rule he once hoped to avoid. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a former Blackhawk helicopter pilot, asked Bedford on Wednesday whether he would uphold the 1,500-hour rule if confirmed, but he did not directly answer her question. "It doesn't sound like a yes," Duckworth said. "It sounds like you're leaving the door open to reduce the number of flight hours below 1,500." "What I'm saying is I don't believe safety is static," Bedford replied, adding that he wouldn't compromise safety at the agency. Family members of those who died in the Colgan Air crash released a statement the day before the hearing expressing "serious concerns" over Bedford's nomination, saying that "now is not the time to undermine aviation safety regulations." In March, Air Line Pilots Association, International President Jason Ambrosi said in a statement that the union was concerned about Bedford's "past efforts to lower pilot training and safety standards." Bedford has received the backing of several aviation industry trade groups, including Airlines for America and the Regional Airline Association, where he is a board member. Chris Rocheleau, an FAA veteran with more than two decades at the agency, has been serving as the acting FAA administration since January. https://www.npr.org/2025/06/11/nx-s1-5430514/faa-nominee-bryan-bedford-trump-senate-air-traffic Flame burst on plane wing at O'Hare Airport delays American Airlines flight A flame burst on an airplane wing at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago delayed an American Airlines flight. CHICAGO (WLS) -- An American Airlines flight at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago had to return to the gate after a brief engine issue. A passenger on Flight 2537 to Tucson captured video showing a burst of flames and black smoke before takeoff on Tuesday. American Airlines said it was likely a maintenance issue. No fire was found in the engine. Passengers later departed on another plane. No further information was available. https://abc7chicago.com/post/airplane-news-flame-burst-plane-wing-ohare-international-airport-chicago-delays-american-airlines-flight/16727424/ Airbus revises up 20-year jet demand forecast despite trade tensions PARIS, June 12 (Reuters) - Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab revised up its forecast for airplane demand over the next 20 years on Thursday, telling investors and suppliers the air transport industry was expected to ride out the current wave of trade tensions. The European planemaker said it expected the industry it and its U.S. rival Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab dominate to deliver 43,420 commercial jets between 2025 and 2044, an increase of 2% from its previous rolling 20-year forecast issued a year ago. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/airbus-revises-up-20-year-jet-demand-forecast-despite-trade-tensions-2025-06-12/ The Qatari jet can’t be Air Force One, and Boeing should say so The Department of Defense, on behalf of President Donald Trump, last month accepted, and hopes to transform into Air Force One, a Boeing luxury 747-8 worth about $400 million from Qatar. There are questions, but also very serious ethical concerns surrounding the gift. Its acceptance could potentially violate the Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause and put an American president under the influence of leaders of the oil-rich nation. However, there is another issue at play: The plane is incapable of being Air Force One in the first place. Boeing, whose previous contract to deliver two Air Force Ones is about five years late and billions over budget, should take responsibility. Instead of allowing the U.S. government to spend a billion more of taxpayer dollars to essentially start over on another aircraft, the company should make it clear to the U.S. government that the Qatari jet was never meant to be an Air Force One, and cannot be made so in a timely manner. Making this clear would benefit Boeing and the nation. First, as retired four-star Gen. Barry McCaffrey has explained, the Qataris would likely not hand over the jet unaltered. “It will have hundreds of bugs in it; there’s no way to sort out the security of it,” McCaffrey told KING 5 Seattle. Even some Republicans echoed McCaffrey’s concerns. When asked how much it would cost to ensure the plane is safe for the president, Sen. Rick Scott of Florida questioned if that was even possible. “I don’t know how you would be able to do that if you don’t build it from scratch,” Scott said. Second, while Trump has presented the plane as the pinnacle of luxury, this is far from the truth. Qatar has reportedly been trying to get rid of the jet since 2020, and the fact leaders were willing to give it away when the Trump administration asked shows how little they valued it. Furthermore, the plane was actually manufactured before the two planes originally intended to be the new Air Force Ones, meaning it is far from the most modern. Finally and most egregiously, as Boeing knows, most of the cost of a new Air Force One is not building the jet itself. Instead, the cost comes from outfitting the plane to be able to refuel midair, communicate securely with the military — even in a worst-case scenario — and protect the president from attack. Therefore, outfitting this new plane could cost the American taxpayers $1 billion. If the overrun costs on the earlier contract with Boeing are any indication, the final cost could be much higher. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina acknowledged this when speaking to NBC News. “Air Force One is not like every other Boeing, and it’s going to have to be put through a lot of paces and every square inch analyzed before the president should consider it his primary means of transportation,” Tillis said. He further questioned whether outfitting the jet was even worth it. “You have to work through the cost benefit of it; I mean we’re in a world of DOGE, so we’ve got to figure out whether it’s worth upfitting or selling it and writing a check to the Treasury and help us with our debt reduction,” Tillis said. Most of the responsibility for the ethical and practical concerns surrounding the jet falls on the shoulders of the president, and his decision to accept it without Congress’ approval. However, Boeing must accept responsibility for failing to deliver the original Air Force Ones on time and within budget. To prevent taxpayers from funding a billion-dollar fantasy that this secondhand, security-compromised Qatari jet could be fit to carry the president of the United States, Boeing should finally finish what it started back in 2016. For the sake of itself and the nation, it must complete work and meet the latest deadline on the two original Air Force Ones. https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/the-qatari-jet-cant-be-air-force-one-and-boeing-should-say-so/ Boeing Just Pulled Off a 303-Plane Surprise -- And Airbus Should Be Worried Boeing (NYSE:BA) just landed its biggest monthly win in over a year303 aircraft orders in Mayright as the Paris Air Show looms large. A big chunk of that momentum came during former President Donald Trump's Middle East visit, where Boeing's jets once again became a centerpiece in international dealmaking. The headline order? A massive 150-jet deal from Qatar Airways, including 120 Dreamliners and 30 777X widebodies. The company also sold 146 of its 737 Max jets, though most of those buyers weren't namedhinting that demand might be stronger beneath the surface than many expected. This spike in orders couldn't come at a more pivotal moment. Boeing is still climbing out of a crisis triggered by a near-disastrous 737 Max incident earlier this year. Regulators have capped production at 38 jets a monthand Boeing just hit that limit in May at its Renton plant. The company also delivered 45 jets last month, showing signs that operational recovery is underway. With the Paris Air Show around the cornera critical battleground for aircraft ordersBoeing's recent traction could give it a firmer footing against Airbus, especially as Middle Eastern carriers double down on widebody expansion. That said, Airbus isn't sitting still. The European rival delivered 51 aircraft in May and is expected to come out swinging in Paris. But its own supply chain headachesespecially around engines and key componentsare putting pressure on full-year targets. Both Boeing and Airbus are staring down order backlogs that stretch into the 2030s. The real question now is which one can convert that backlog into cash flows faster, as the post-pandemic recovery tests every link in the aviation supply chain. Investors won't have to wait longParis could set the tone for the rest of the year. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/boeing-just-pulled-off-303-181202427.html Airbus seeks to encroach on Royal Air Maroc's Boeing fleet renewal, sources say PARIS/RABAT (Reuters) -Royal Air Maroc is nearing a deal with Boeing for dozens of jets to renew its fleet, though Europe's Airbus is preparing to gain a rare foothold with a smaller order for 20 A220 jets, industry sources said on Wednesday. Royal Air Maroc has been in talks for over a year to renew its virtually all-Boeing fleet and is expected to stick with its traditional supplier for the bulk of its needs, including 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner at next week's Paris Airshow, they said. The sources asked not to be named because the negotiations are not public. Bloomberg earlier reported the Boeing part of the deal may include about two dozen long-haul 787s and as many as 50 Boeing medium-haul 737s. While the fleet plan reinforces the carrier's historic ties with Boeing, the sources said, it opens the door to Airbus for the first time in almost 25 years with an order for the A220 - a move that coincides with improved ties between Paris and Rabat. Airbus, Boeing and Royal Air Maroc declined comment. Royal Air Maroc CEO Abdelhamid Addou said last year that the airline was in discussions to order new planes as Morocco's flagship carrier, one of Africa's largest, expands to meet growing travel demand. RAM plans to quadruple its fleet within a decade as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal. Morocco also plans to double airport capacity to 78 million passengers a year. Morocco is one of Boeing's most important regional markets, buttressed by longstanding deals to support the country's emergence as a rising hub in the aeronautical supply chain. But French companies are eyeing growing opportunities after President Emmanuel Macron last year recognised a plan for autonomy for the Western Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty. A long-running dispute over the territory, dating back to 1975, pits Morocco, which considers Western Sahara its own territory, against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks an independent state there. France, however, also faces pressure over the number of traffic rights granted to its national carrier and any final Airbus deal may also depend on progress there, the sources said. Royal Air Maroc's only previous direct order for Airbus jets was for four A321s in 2001. Its fleet mainly comprises the Boeing 737 MAX and 787 as well as some smaller Embraers and ATRs. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/royal-air-maroc-nearing-deals-085935310.html Graduate Research Request - 1 My name is Mohammed Muazu, a Doctoral Researcher (Doctor of Aviation (Av.D Candidate) at the College of Aeronautics, Florida Institute of Technology. I am conducting a cross-national research study on aviation professionalism among stakeholders in the United States and Nigeria. I warmly invite all aviation professionals, students, safety practitioners, aircraft engineers/technicians , air traffic controllers, crew members, and others across the aviation industry to participate in a brief, anonymous online survey. The goal is to better understand professionalism in aviation and contribute to global safety and professional standards. I kindly seek your support in sharing the survey link and attached poster with your members or networks. Your input will be invaluable: https://fit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWplkvmjbSZ7Kjs. Thank you for your time and support. Mohammed Muazu Doctoral Candidate (Doctor of Aviation (Av.D) Programme) College of Aeronautics Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne USA mmuazu2020@my.fit.edu GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST - 2 Calling all U.S. airplane pilots! I am a doctoral student at FIU. My research focuses on pilot decision making and digital twins. I will greatly appreciate your help sharing the link to my survey with your network: https://fiu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3rPGG1cVfuOWiyO Thank you! AI generated with the prompt: pilot midair 😂 -- Respectfully, Garrett Feldman, MBA (786)286-9170 CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 2025 EASA-FAA International Aviation Safety Conference, 10 Jun 2025 to 12 Jun 2025, Cologne, Germany · The 9th Shanghai International Aerospace Technology and Equipment Exposition 2025; June 11 to 13, 2025 . South Texas Business Aviation Association June 20th at the Galaxy FBO at Conroe Airport, Texas. . NTSB set hearing date in Boeing 737-9 plug door incident investigation - June 24, 2025 . Gulf Flight Safety Association (GFSA) Conference, June 25 & 26 2025 Riyadh Air Headquarters . Airborne Public Safety Association -APSCON / APSCON Unmanned 2025 in Phoenix, AZ | July 14-18, 2025 . 3rd annual Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety (AP-SAS), July 15-17, 2025, Singapore, organized by Flight Safety Foundation and CAAS. . Asia Pacific Aviation Safety Seminar 2025; 10-11 September 2025; Manila, Philippines · ISASI ANNUAL SEMINAR 2025'September 29, 2025 – October 3, 2025, DENVER, COLORADO . Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC™) - 2025 – October 27-29th (Omaha, Nebraska) . 29th annual Bombardier Safety Standdown, November 11-13, 2025; Wichita, Kansas · CHC Safety & Quality Summit, 11th – 13th November 2025, Vancouver, BC Canada Curt Lewis