Flight Safety Information - June 13, 2025 No. 118 In This Issue : JetBlue flight from Chicago rolls off runway and into grass in Boston : Boeing 787 identical to crash jet made four emergency landings in a month : FAA Chief Nominee: Mandatory Pilot Retirement Age ‘Arbitrary’ : FAA Administrator Calls For Global Aviation Safety Cooperation : Israir says it has begun evacuating its aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport : Air India crash is likely to draw scrutiny to airplane configuration at take-off : Bomb threat prompts emergency landing of Air India flight at Phuket Airport : Gulf airlines cancel flights after Israel strikes Iran : Passenger removed from American Airlines flight for ‘moving a flight attendant’s carry-on bag’ : JetZero to Build Blended Wing-Body Aircraft in North Carolina : Before lawmakers, Hegseth refuses to disclose cost, schedule to convert Qatari jet to Air Force One : Boeing CEO cancels trip to Paris Airshow, GE postpones investor day after fatal crash : What does the Air India crash mean for Boeing? : China Airlines plane lands on wrong runway in Busan : Air India Boeing 787 Accident Probe Reveals Few Clues : Graduate Research Request - 1 : GRADUATE RESEARCH REQUEST - 2 : Calendar of Events JetBlue flight from Chicago rolls off runway and into grass in Boston BOSTON (AP) — A JetBlue flight landing at Boston’s Logan International Airport rolled off the runway and into the grass on Thursday, an airport spokesperson said. No one on JetBlue flight 312 was injured, but the runway remained closed Thursday afternoon and a ground stop on all flights was in effect. Meanwhile, crews assessed the aircraft and passengers were bussed to the terminal, said Samantha Decker, with Massachusetts Port Authority, in an email. Passengers could be seen descending from the plane using stairs provided by emergency vehicles surrounded by dozens of emergency crews, according to an Associated Press journalist at the scene. The Airbus 220 was coming from Chicago. “JetBlue flight 312 from Chicago to Boston veered off the runway and onto the grass after landing,” JetBlue said in an email. “We will conduct a full investigation of the incident and will work closely with the relevant authorities to understand the cause.” The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating, a spokesperson said in an email. No further details have been provided about what caused the plane to veer off the runway. Thursday's incident came as FAA officials have acknowledged they weren’t doing enough to ensure air safety. Recent polling by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that fewer Americans report feeling safe about flying this year. Additionally, an Air India passenger plane bound for London crashed into a medical college in Ahmedabad after takeoff Thursday, killing at least 240 people in one of India’s worst airline disasters in decades, officials said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/jetblue-flight-rolls-off-runway-165920539.html?guccounter=1 Boeing 787 identical to crash jet made four emergency landings in a month Questions have been raised about whether wing flaps on the Air India jet malfunctioned before the fatal crash A Boeing 787 jet identical to the one that crashed in India made four emergency landings in less than a month earlier this year. Some of the incidents involving the American Airlines plane were linked to issues with its wing flaps – vital control surfaces now under scrutiny following the Indian crash, after phone footage appeared to show they were not properly deployed. Boeing shares were priced 8 per cent lower before the opening bell in New York and were later down 5 per cent as news of the tragedy, which killed 241 people on board the plane leaving a sole survivor, revived safety concerns about a company only just emerging from a crisis surrounding the 737 Max jet. The American Airlines plane was initially forced to return to Amsterdam after a problem with its flaps was detected shortly after take-off for Philadelphia on Jan 7. The aircraft dumped fuel over the North Sea before landing at Schiphol airport at a higher than normal speed, attributed to the flaps problem. The flight was rescheduled, only to be cancelled after its crew discovered a hydraulics issue. In the following weeks, the plane – which was eight years old and had completed more than 4,000 flights – was forced to abort flights to Philadelphia from Dublin, Barcelona and Zurich. Flaps affect an aircraft’s aerodynamics by changing the shape of the wing and play a crucial role in getting it airborne. Yet based on some interpretations of footage of the Air India plane, they were fully retracted, a position in which they would have provided only minimal lift – raising questions around whether they had malfunctioned and were no longer responding to inputs from the cockpit. The aircraft’s landing gear also remained deployed throughout the short flight, when on a 787 the wheels are normally withdrawn as soon as they leave the runway. One possibility is that the landing gear became stuck and that the pilots responded by partially retracting the flaps to reduce drag and maintain the climb. If the adjustment was overdone, the plane would lose lift and begin to descend. Questions had previously been raised about possible flaws in the construction of the 787. ‘Faulty engineering’ Sam Salehpour, a Boeing engineer, came forward in 2021 with claims that the firm had cut corners on the Dreamliner, allowing “faulty engineering and faulty evaluation of the data” which meant that defective parts had potentially been installed in some planes. Mr Salehpour claimed to have noticed issues with the filling in of gaps between fuselage segments, known as shimming, which he said could cause fatigue cracks over repeated flights. John Barnett, another whistleblower, alleged that Boeing repeatedly falsified or ignored vital quality checks at a plant in North Carolina where some of its 787s are assembled. Mr Barnett – a quality inspector who was later found dead aged 62 – also warned of problems with emergency oxygen systems and his discovery of metal shavings that he said posed a risk of shorting to electrical systems. John Barnett, who was found dead in March aged 62, claimed that paperwork had been falsified However, the plane involved in Thursday’s crash was built in Seattle and dated to 2013, predating any of the claims regarding lax production methods. No 787s have previously been involved in a fatal accident before, though the model suffered a spate of fires involving its lithium-ion batteries in its first few years of production. Thursday’s crash in Ahmedabad comes six years after the loss of two smaller 737 Max planes claimed 346 lives and plunged Boeing into a near-existential crisis. The Max, Boeing’s top seller, was grounded around the world for more than 18 months after investigators found that the crashes in 2018 and 2019 had been caused by software meant to improve the aircraft’s handling. Instead, the system effectively wrestled control from the planes’ pilots, who were unaware of how it worked and how it might be overridden. The Air India tragedy also came days before the start of the Paris Air Show, at which Boeing executives had been expected to declare that the firm was ready to bounce back from a more recent crisis involving the 737. That meltdown saw a panel blow out from an Alaska Airlines plane as it climbed to 16,000 feet. Subsequent investigations linked the incident to a litany of production glitches and quality control issues at Boeing and supplier Spirit Aerosystems. The Max was once again grounded and, though it was allowed to return to service, a cap was imposed on build rates, reducing deliveries to airlines around the world to a trickle. https://www.yahoo.com/news/whistleblower-raised-safety-fears-over-113356557.html FAA Chief Nominee: Mandatory Pilot Retirement Age ‘Arbitrary’ Bryan Bedford offers opinion at his agency administrator confirmation hearing. Bryan Bedford, who currently leads Republic Airways, didn’t mince words when discussing the mandatory airline pilot retirement age. Bedford was nominated as FAA head by President Donald Trump in March. The Senate Commerce Committee held its confirmation hearing for Bedford on Wednesday, where he was pressed on whether legislators should raise the retirement age. Last year, a Senate committee narrowly struck down plans to include the age increase as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act. Had this provision been passed, airline pilots would be able to fly until 67, an increase from the current age of 65. “So those [who] wish to serve having an arbitrary mandatory retirement age doesn’t seem like the right answer to me,” Bedford said during the hearing. Raising the retirement age was met with immense pushback from industry groups, including the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), which is the largest pilots union, representing around 79,000 members. “We had a of debate on the merits of it, which are, I think, pretty clear that we have really experienced pilots that still have a lot of gas in the tank…and a lot of mentoring that they can bring to the table for the younger workforce that we’re developing for the future,” he added. Bedford noted that raising the retirement age comes with some strings attached. These include alignment with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. A handful of countries allow their airline pilots to fly beyond 65, but that age is largely the standard worldwide. “But then there’s the logistics of the fact that these men and women are actually at the top of the fleet food chain,” Bedford continued. “They’re flying in the left seat of the most advanced widebody aircraft across the planet, and that’s great.” “We have to be sensitive to the fact that the disruption that it would cause if in fact they can’t operate widebody airplanes and have to be deregulated down to a narrowbody jet may prohibit them from even wanting to serve.” ICAO will become “very critical” to raising the retirement age, Bedford said. “I think it’s absolutely possible to accomplish that in a reasonable period of time,” he said. ICAO last raised the mandatory retirement age from 60 to 65 in 2006. https://www.flyingmag.com/faa-chief-nominee-mandatory-pilot-retirement-age-arbitrary/ FAA Administrator Calls For Global Aviation Safety Cooperation Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said the agency is focused on maintaining a global leadership role in aviation and collaborating with regulators around the world on issues ranging from safety to aircraft certification and air traffic control (ATC) modernization. Speaking June 12 to the International Aviation Club (IAC) of Washington, D.C., Rocheleau said the Air India Boeing 787-8 crash is a “stark reminder” that aviation safety is a global issue. “Aviation knows no real borders and neither should our efforts in safety, innovation and partnerships,” he said. He added that “aligning regulations, sharing critical safety data and modernizing oversight" in collaboration with aviation regulators in other countries leads to “safer operations, better information flows and more efficient air travel around the world.” Rocheleau said that while the FAA is getting a lot of attention over the Trump administration’s high-profile effort to overhaul the U.S. ATC system, the agency remains internationally engaged. “While there are many things happening at the FAA these days … we haven't put aside our international reach,” he said. Rocheleau noted he and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will be attending the Paris Air Show next week to meet with counterpart regulatory authorities and aircraft manufacturers. “Our message is simple: The U.S., and especially [the Transportation Department] and the FAA, remain deeply engaged in global aviation,” Rocheleau said. “We believe it’s the best way to keep our skies safe … Safety is our top priority, and that includes working with international partners to prioritize standards, develop training [approaches], protect against cyber threats and integrate safety technology.” Since assuming the acting administrator role in January, Rocheleau said he has met with aviation regulators from a number of countries, including Canada, Brazil, Singapore, Thailand and the UK. He has also met with ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar. “I shared with the secretary general and the others that we're gearing up for the ICAO general assembly [being held Sept. 23-Oct. 3 in Montreal], where we will continue our leadership role in that venue,” Rocheleau said. Speaking of emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) technology, the acting administrator said the FAA is working with other aviation regulators “to align AAM certification standards, share data and streamline validation processes.” He added that the FAA would eventually like to see “a truly global regulatory partnership to integrate [AAM] technologies." International collaboration can also play a role in increasing air traffic controller staffing levels, an issue that has gained prominence in the U.S. since the fatal Jan. 29 midair collision between an American Eagle regional jet and a U.S. Army helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport. “Controller shortages are a global issue,” Rocheleau said. “People I’ve talked to internationally have made it very clear this is not just a U.S. issue, and we’re eager to collaborate internationally to share best practices and find long-term solutions” to inadequate controller staffing. Rocheleau reiterated previous statements made by Duffy that any kind of privatization of the U.S. ATC system resembling NAV Canada—which had been proposed in 2017 by the previous Trump administration—is off the table. “I would say straight up, when it comes to any discussion around privatization or any kind of new model, that's not what we're focused on at all,” Rocheleau said in response to a question from Aviation Week following the IAC address. “There's been no conversation … There's no privatization kind of approach here. What we're focused on is we're making sure we have a new, modern air traffic system in place.” https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/safety-ops-regulation/faa-administrator-calls-global-aviation-safety-cooperation Israir says it has begun evacuating its aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport Israeli airline Israir says it is evacuating and relocating its aircraft from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, adding this is part of a contingency plan developed over the past few days. The announcement comes as Israel braces for Tehran’s response to Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear and military strikes. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israir-says-it-has-begun-evacuating-its-aircraft-from-ben-gurion-airport/ Air India crash is likely to draw scrutiny to airplane configuration at take-off A catastrophic crash involving an Air India Boeing (NYSE:BA) 787-8 just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad is expected to center investigators’ attention on the aircraft’s configuration during the critical early phase of flight, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing aviation safety experts. The London-bound jet went down in a residential area less than a minute after departure, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. It marks the first fatal crash involving Boeing’s (NYSE:BA) Dreamliner aircraft. Indian authorities opened an inquiry with support from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, which will send investigators to assist in the probe. The investigation is expected to rely heavily on the aircraft’s flight-data recorder, cockpit-voice recorder and video footage captured by bystanders in the flight’s final moments. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 indicates the aircraft reached an altitude of 625 feet in clear conditions before it abruptly stopped transmitting location data, just 50 seconds after takeoff. Position of wing flaps questioned According to aviation experts cited by the Journal, several early indicators suggest investigators will likely focus on whether the aircraft was correctly configured for takeoff. Key among those factors are the position of the flaps and slats, the movable surfaces on the wings that increase lift during takeoff. Initial analysis has raised questions about whether those systems were extended as required, John Cox, an aviation-safety consultant and former airline pilot, said to the Journal. The Dreamliner is equipped with a warning system that alerts pilots if the aircraft is not properly configured for takeoff. Investigators are likely to seek to determine whether that system functioned correctly, and if so, whether the crew received and responded to the alert. Landing gear and engine power The aircraft’s landing gear also appeared to still be extended during flight, a detail that could be relevant to drag and lift performance calculations. Experts noted that while a delay in retracting the gear is not unusual, its combination with a possible lift deficit and increasing pitch could have been a dangerous mix. Engine performance will also be closely examined. According to Jeff Guzzetti, a former senior investigator with both the Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB, the absence of yaw or rudder deflection in the aircraft’s final trajectory may indicate that a single-engine failure is unlikely, the Journal reported. The Dreamliner involved in the crash was 11 years old. While the 787 is among Boeing’s (NYSE:BA) bestselling widebody aircraft, the program has faced several production disruptions in the past decade, including quality-control issues that temporarily paused deliveries. Air India, formerly state-run, was acquired by Tata Sons in 2022. The airline has since placed a record aircraft order in a bid to modernize its fleet and improve its safety record. The last fatal incident involving the carrier occurred in 2020, when an Air India Express plane overran a runway in Kerala. https://seekingalpha.com/news/4457804-air-india-crash-is-likely-to-draw-scrutiny-to-airplane-configuration-at-take-off Bomb threat prompts emergency landing of Air India flight at Phuket Airport Phuket International Airport received a bomb threat on an Air India flight AI 379 during its flight on Friday. The airport made an announcement at 9.30am, citing data from the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand. The pilot of Air India flight AI 379, travelling from Phuket (HKT) to Delhi (DEL) with 156 passengers on board, reported a bomb threat onboard. The pilot requested permission to make an emergency landing at Phuket International Airport. Phuket Airport activated its Airport Contingency Plan (ACP), Chapter 3, for bomb threats, following the prescribed procedures. The airport said all necessary preparations had been made in response to the threat, and any updates would be provided as the situation developed. The Transport Ministry reported that Air India flight AI 379 has safely landed at Phuket International Airport, and the airport is currently following the necessary safety protocols. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40051195 Gulf airlines cancel flights after Israel strikes Iran Airlines in the Gulf have cancelled flights to many Middle East destinations as some governments closed their airspace following Israeli strikes on Iran. Emirates, the Middle East's largest airline, said it had cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran after Israel launched the strikes. Several flights scheduled for Friday and one Tehran flight on Saturday were listed as cancelled on the airline's website. Qatar Airways, the country's national carrier and one of the Middle East's largest, said it had "temporarily cancelled flights to Iran and Iraq due to (the) current situation in the region". UAE airports have warned of disruption, with Dubai posting on X that "some flights at @DXB and DWC - Al Maktoum International have been cancelled or delayed due to airspace closures over Iran, Iraq, and Syria". Abu Dhabi airport warned "flight disruptions are expected through today (Friday)" as a result of the Israeli strikes. Earlier Friday, Jordan and Iraq, which both lie between Israel and Iran, announced they had closed their airspace and grounded all flights after Israel's strikes. Jordan's military said it intercepted drones and missiles that had violated the kingdom's airspace, after Iran vowed there would be "no limits" in its response to Israeli attacks. Israel pounded Iran with a wave of strikes against military and nuclear industry targets, that killed the armed forces' chief of staff, the Revolutionary Guards chief and top nuclear scientists. The Israeli military said Iran had launched about 100 drones in retaliation, which it was seeking to shoot down. https://www.yahoo.com/news/gulf-airlines-cancel-flights-israel-075838184.html Passenger removed from American Airlines flight for ‘moving a flight attendant’s carry-on bag’ The carry-on drama unfolded after travel blogger JT Genter moved a flight attendant’s bag on a flight from New York City to Heathrow A frequent flier has claimed that he was tossed from an American Airlines flight for "moving a carry-on bag" that belonged to a flight attendant. Travel blogger JT Genter said that after boarding an American flight from New York City to London Heathrow last Monday as a premium economy passenger, he discovered that there wasn't enough room in the overhead bin for his carry-on. In a post for AwardWallet, he claims that the space was taken up by two small carry-on suitcases, so he asked nearby passengers if they were the owners. When no one claimed ownership, and noting that there weren't any flight attendants around to flag the situation to, he moved one of the bags to the economy cabin. However, the crew discovered that the bag wouldn't fit in the economy bin and a premium economy passenger "outed" Mr Genter as the person who moved it. The situation then rapidly escalated. The male flight attendant who owned the bag said to Mr Genter: "You moved my suitcase. You touched my suitcase and you moved it." Mr Genter claimed that "[he then] wagged a finger inches from my face and barked 'you're outta here'”. The chief flight attendant then told Mr Genter: "You moved another person's bag, which is a crew member's bag, which is not allowed." The crew asked Mr Genter to move his bag to business class, but he pushed back, arguing that he needed his bag to be close by as it contained medications, currencies and credit cards. An American Airlines supervisor was eventually summoned, the blogger claimed. After telling Mr Genter that he would not be removed from the flight, the supervisor was then told that the crew would refuse to fly unless he was tossed, despite the captain's observation that it was an "honest mistake". Mr Genter claims that he was bumped to the next flight and offered a first-class seat by way of compensation — as long as he didn't recline it. He refused the offer and accepted a premium economy seat instead, though his checked luggage was transported on the original flight. Mr Genter describes the reaction of the American Airlines crew as "absurd", adding: "Over the more than two million miles I've flown across almost 1,200 logged flights, I've seen and experienced a lot — from rejected takeoffs to medical emergencies and even an emergency landing. However, this [was] the most absurd situation I've ever seen on a flight." Several AwardWallet commenters remark that Mr Genter should not have moved the bag without speaking to a flight attendant first, but the consensus among them is that the crew overreacted. In response to the blog, a commenter on the View From The Wing site claiming to be the flight attendant whose bag was moved argued that the reason Mr Genter was tossed from the flight was "because he indicated that he did not have to comply with crew member instructions". Mr Genter asked American Airlines for a comment before publishing his blog, but the airline declined to make one. A customer services representative, however, wrote to the traveler and said: "That's never the kind of experience we want you to have when traveling with us.” https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/american-airlines-passenger-removed-flight-attendant-b2769086.html JetZero to Build Blended Wing-Body Aircraft in North Carolina JetZero will invest $4.7 billion in a factory to build its Z4 Blended Wing-Body aircraft in Greensboro, N.C. The company announced June 12 that its investment will create 14,500 jobs in the region, perhaps the largest job announcement in the states history. Calling it “the factory of the future, “the new facility will be located at the Piedmont Triad Airport. To enhance its hiring pool, JetZero will invest $30 million in the North Carolina Community College system to develop a “customized workforce” pipeline to supply the plant with staff over the next decade, according to a state government press release. Developed in part with $235 million in Air Force funding, JetZero’s initial BWB demonstrator is supposed to begin test flights in 2027. The objective Z4 aircraft aims to fulfill both commercial passenger and cargo roles, as well as become a potential airlift and tanker aircraft for the Air Force. The Air Force is trying to diversify its supplier base and invested in the startup because of the potential advantages of its design for both military and civilian use. But the Z4 does not have an inside track to win any future airlift or tanker competition, Air Force officials have said. The factory is planned to be “fully-digital and AI-driven to outpace legacy original equipment manufacturers by ramping up faster, cutting unit costs, boosting quality and hardening the supply chain,” the company said. The airliner version of the Z4, which the company hopes to begin delivering in in 2030, would carry about 230 passengers. JetZero said it has “secured investments and conditional purchase agreements from Alaska Airlines and United Airlines.” About 14 airlines “have joined JetZero’s Airline Working Group to provide input on their needs, including the requirement for the Z4 to readily fit into today’s airport infrastructure.” North Carolina Governor Josh Stein’s office said the state’s 2.25 percent corporate tax rate and its low cost of living helped attract JetZero, and the company will also partner with Siemens’ Smart Infrastructure, Electrification, and Automation divisions, which are also headquartered in North Carolina, to design its factory with the most efficient technologies possible. “Siemens also supports JetZero’s design/build/test model for the demonstrator aircraft, a full-scale prototype slated for first flight in 2027,” the governor’s statement said. JetZero is readying a non-flying ground version of the Z4 for testing and test flights are already underway using a subscale model. Full-scale fuel tanks are undergoing tests and a wing test article is being evaluated. Cockpit tooling is complete, company officials said, and the critical design review for the demonstrator is expected “soon.” Once the North Carolina facility is completed, the company will move its headquarters to the new site. The company describes the Z-4 as “a game-changer, slashing fuel burn, emissions and costs with its ultra-efficient all-wing body design. By maximizing lift and minimizing drag, it will deliver up to 50 percent greater fuel efficiency and associated emissions reduction.” The aircraft will also deliver “a cleaner, quieter and improved travel experience” in airliner service, and be able to operate out of airfields with shorter runways, JetZero said. The aircraft is being designed and developed in California with the help of Northrop Grumman’s Scaled Composites unit, and is expected to enter commercial service “in the early 2030s.” Northrop and JetZero are expected to offer a “KC-Z4” version of the aircraft for the Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Refueling system (NGAS) requirement. The concept aircraft would have a gross operating weight of 362,000 pounds, with a total fuel load of 200,000 pounds; that’s comparable to today’s KC-135 and KC-46 aerial refueling jets. But the efficiency of the blended wing-body promises greater range and its cargo capacity is anticipated to exceed the KC-46, 21 pallets versus 18, a difference of about 17 percent. A cargo-only version would also require a rear ramp, which is not part of the prototype effort, and would require a different tail design, company officials said. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/jetzero-to-build-blended-wing-body-aircraft-in-north-carolina/ Before lawmakers, Hegseth refuses to disclose cost, schedule to convert Qatari jet to Air Force One WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth refused to provide information to lawmakers about the Trump administration’s plan to turn a Boeing 747 previously owned by the Qatari royal family into a new Air Force One plane during a congressional panel today, frustrating Democrats who pointed out such details are public for the actual Air Force One program. During an appearance in front of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, Hegseth repeatedly declined to comment on the price of upgrading the Qatari plane and when it would be delivered to be used as a presidential transport aircraft. “That cannot be revealed in this setting,” Hegseth said when asked about the cost of the effort by Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I. “Why can’t it be revealed in this setting?” asked Reed, who also serves as the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. “This is the appropriations committee of the United States Senate. We appropriate the money that you will spend after it’s authorized by my committee, and you cannot tell us how much the contract is for.” “You will have that number, senator,” Hegseth said. “We want it now. The contract has been signed, correct?” Reed asked, referring to media reports that L3Harris has received a contract to do the overhaul work on the Qatari plane. “Nothing on that front, that I’m aware of, is being executed,” Hegseth said. Fiber optic is the answer for DoD’s ever-increasing network bandwidth needs “Data needs to find fiber” is the only way to achieve secure ultra-low latency security for GovCloud applications and AI demand. In response to a question about whether Hegseth could disclose the delivery date for the planes that are part of the existing Air Force One program — known formally as VC-25B — the defense secretary said a “stop-gap alternative” to the existing VC-25B program was needed due to continued delays on the Boeing program. “What you’ve just said is that the Boeing information was public knowledge: the delivery date, the cost, the cost overruns,” Reed said. “But this [information related to the Qatari jet] is not, because this is not only a bad deal for the Republic, it is gratifying the presidency. That’s all it is.” President Donald Trump was intimately involved in the brokering of the VC-25B contract with Boeing, tweeting in 2016 as president-elect that estimated costs were too expensive. After being sworn in as president in 2017, he personally negotiated the $3.9 billion deal with Boeing’s chief executive. In a later exchange at the hearing today, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., pointed out that the previous Trump administration put out a press release for the VC-25B deal and questioned why the current agreement was being kept secret. House GOP appropriators pass defense spending bill defeating Dem measures on Air Force One, Ukraine The committee voted 36-27 to send its funding proposal to the House floor after a marathon markup that lasted almost nine hours. “I wasn’t involved in that previous administration decision, but we’re happy to take a look,” Hegseth said. Citing statements from Air Force officials that the first VC-25B could be delivered before 2028, Murphy asked whether it was a wise use of taxpayer funds “to spend upwards of a billion dollars of a plane” that could end up only being used for a couple months before being transferred to Trump for his presidential library. “There’s also been delay after delay after delay on the Boeing side, so I don’t know that’s a firm fixed date, that yet, unfortunately, can be counted on,” Hegseth responded. One piece of information that Hegseth would confirm in a public setting is that the United States and Qatar have not yet signed a memorandum of understanding with Qatar about the plane’s transfer, despite a Pentagon announcement in May that Hegseth had “accepted” the plane. According to media reports, Qatar has sought an agreement that would spell out that the Trump administration initiated the deal and that Doha is not responsible for future transfers of the plane. Wedgetail, Constellation And Ukraine Beyond the Air Force One program, lawmakers repeatedly asked Hegseth for clarity on key weapons programs including the E-7 Wedgetail and Constellation-class frigate. Hegseth previously suggested the Pentagon was moving away from the Wedgetail, an early warning and aerial target tracking aircraft, and budget documents obtained by Breaking Defense show no procurement dollars for the new frigate. Hegseth said the department had to make “difficult choices” during this year’s budget submission and ultimately found that the Wedgetail was “late, more expensive and gold plated.” The department appears to have settled on using the Navy’s E-2D Hawkeye as a stopgap for the air moving target indicator mission before moving toward a space-based capability. “We do have in the budget $150 million in FY26 for a joint expeditionary E-2D unit with five dedicated E-2Ds, and the budget also funds four additional E-2Ds to fill the near term gap at $1.4 billion,” Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, who is performing the role of Pentagon comptroller, testified. On the Constellation-class, Hegseth pointed to a spike in program delays caused by the Navy’s decision to make extensive modifications to the original design, the FREMM frigate used by the Italian and French navies. “I’m not saying that it’s all the fault of the shipyard. There are many ways in which modifications were made that changed an existing design so extensively that it led to a ship that was not even capable of the original mission it was supposed to execute,” he said. “Our job is to make tough choices on some platforms like that, that may not be funded the way they were in the past.” In a departure from Tuesday’s House Appropriations Committee hearing, senators on both sides of the aisle grilled Hegseth on US support to Ukraine, while also voicing concerns that the US is hurting its standing on the world stage by not backing Kyiv. “Most of us on this panel believe that Russia’s war in Ukraine, its alignment with the aims of other US adversaries and its eventual outcome are profoundly important to America’s interests and offer more than just a glimpse into the future of warfare,” said Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee Chairman Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “I don’t see funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative in your budget request,” he later added. “Is the administration’s view that terminated security assistance to Ukraine will make lasting peace?” The former Senate majority leader later asked Hegseth to identify who was the aggressor and who is the victim in the Russia-Ukraine military conflict and “which side do you want to win.” Hegseth identified Russia as the “aggressor” but punted on the latter question. “This president is committed to peace in that conflict,” Hegseth responded. “Ultimately, peace serves our national interests, and we think the interests of both parties, even if that outcome will not be preferable to many in this room and many in our country.” In a separate exchange, Connecticut Sen. Chris Coons, the subcommittee’s top Democrat, pressed Hegseth on why the administration is not using the remaining $3.8 billion in Presidential Drawdown Authority to send additional air defense capabilities to Ukraine. “We should not be pursuing a cease fire and a negotiated resolution to the war in Ukraine at any cost,” Coons said. “Peace through strength means actually using our strength, continuing to support Ukraine and securing a lasting peace. Putin will only stop when we stop him, and the best way to stop him is indeed through a stronger NATO.” While Hegseth did not directly respond to why the administration has chosen not to commit to sending additional weapons to Ukraine since coming to power in January, he said the flow of weapons from earlier commitments is continuing. https://breakingdefense.com/2025/06/before-lawmakers-hegseth-refuses-to-disclose-cost-schedule-to-convert-qatari-jet-to-air-force-one/ Boeing CEO cancels trip to Paris Airshow, GE postpones investor day after fatal crash (Reuters) -Boeing and GE Aerospace are scaling back their public activities following the fatal crash of an Air India jetliner, with the planemaker's CEO canceling his trip to the Paris Airshow next week and GE postponing an investor day. More than 240 people were killed when an Air India Boeing 787 jet bound for London crashed moments after taking off from the city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said, in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a message to staff on Thursday evening that he and Boeing Commercial Airplanes boss Stephanie Pope had canceled plans to attend the Paris Airshow "so we can be with our team and focus on our customer and the investigation." The air show, which runs from June 16 to June 20 at Le Bourget, is the global aviation industry's largest trade show, where many aircraft orders are typically placed by airlines. Aircraft engine-maker GE Aerospace, whose engines were in the Boeing 787 plane, had planned an investor day on June 17 coinciding with the show. The company said on Thursday the briefing had been canceled and it would put a team together to go to India and analyze data from the crashed airplane. "GE Aerospace's senior leadership is focused on supporting our customers and the investigation," the company said in a statement. GE said it planned to give a financial update later this month. The decisions by Boeing and GE come as delegates said the crash is casting a somber mood over the Paris Airshow. One delegate said the show would go on and business would continue but with fewer of the high-profile press conferences and in-person announcements associated with the industry’s biggest commercial showcase. Another said some order announcements could be delayed until later in the year as a mark of respect for victims of the accident. https://www.yahoo.com/news/boeing-ceo-cancels-trip-paris-000633073.html What does the Air India crash mean for Boeing? Last month, Boeing celebrated carrying its billionth passenger on the 787 Dreamliner - an impressive feat given it only launched 14 years ago. Until today's tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, the model was a mainstay of intercontinental travel and had an exemplary safety record. This is a different plane from the Boeing 737 Max, which was in the headlines after fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, which killed hundreds of people in 2018 and 2019 respectively. A software fault was found to have caused those incidents and the model was grounded worldwide for 18 months. So far, there is nothing to suggest any fault on Boeing's side today in India. A much fuller picture will come once the plane's black boxes - the electronic recording devices that store vital flight information - have been recovered. Various theories have been posited as to what could have caused the crash in Ahmedabad, but one pilot I spoke to said that nowadays it's rare for a manufacturer fault to cause a fatal incident. Barring the very notable exception of the Boeing 737 Max crashes, he said, most were down to human error in the cockpit. It's also important to remember that when you fly commercially, you will almost always either be on a Boeing or an Airbus model as the plane-making industry operates as an effective duopoly. Even so, Boeing has found its name associated with yet another tragic aviation incident. The company said its "thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected" and added that it was working with Air India to gather more information on the crash. Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg said the firm's "deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew" on the flight, and that Boeing would support the investigation into the crash led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. When stock markets closed in New York on Thursday, Boeing shares were down nearly 5%. The tragedy is another problem for a firm that lost nearly a billion dollars a month last year, as it grappled with a safety crisis, quality control issues, as well as a damaging workers' strike which lasted seven weeks. After one of its doors flew off midway through an Alaska Airlines flight in 2024, Boeing was forced to pay $160m (£126m) in compensation. Before that, the company also reached a $428m settlement with Southwest Airlines for the financial damages caused by the long-term grounding of its 737 Max fleet. In addition to severe financial issues, Boeing has faced serious questions over its safety practices. In April, the company said it had seen "improved operational performance" from "our ongoing focus on safety and quality". In 2019, a former employee told the BBC that under-pressure workers had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line. John Barnett, who worked as a quality control manager during his more than 30 years at Boeing, took his own life in March last year. Boeing denied his assertions. Another whistleblower, engineer Sam Salehpour, told US politicians that he was harassed and threatened after he raised concerns about the safety of Boeing's planes. Boeing said retaliation was "strictly prohibited" and it had seen a "more than 500% increase" in reports from employees since January, "which signals progress toward a robust reporting culture that is not fearful of retaliation". Boeing has also been embroiled in a series of legal battles related to the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Last month, the firm narrowly avoiding criminal prosecution by coming to an agreement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ). To the dismay of victims' families, the DoJ said Boeing would admit to "conspiracy to obstruct and impede" an investigation by the US Federal Aviation Administration and would pay more than $1.1bn in fines. Unsurprisingly, Boeing's top executive team has undergone a pretty significant shake-up over the past couple of years. Its new boss, Kelly Ortberg, came out of retirement a year ago to try to revive the ailing company. He has promised an improvement to Boeing's safety culture and recently said he was confident the aviation giant would soon return to profitability. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/does-air-india-crash-mean-151527813.html China Airlines plane lands on wrong runway in Busan Taipei, June 13 (CNA) The Taiwan Transportation Safety Board (TTSB) confirmed late Thursday that a China Airlines flight landed on the wrong runway at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, earlier that evening. The case was first brought to public attention by Taiwanese aerospace YouTuber James Wang (王天傑), a former pilot known for his industry insights. During a livestream, Wang revealed that China Airlines flight CI186 from Taoyuan International Airport had landed on the wrong runway upon arriving in Busan. TTSB chief investigator Lin Pei-da (林沛達) told CNA that Taiwan's flag carrier voluntarily reported the incident, but because it occurred on South Korean soil, Korea has territorial jurisdiction under international investigation standards. The TTSB has contacted its Korean counterpart to offer assistance with the investigation. If Korea declines to open a case, the TTSB will take over and start its own inquiry. China Airlines confirmed that one of its flights failed to follow air traffic control instructions in Busan and has launched an internal investigation. The incident delayed China Airlines flight CI187's return from Busan to Taiwan to Friday due to the airport's curfew. The airline said all passengers received accommodations and that a new cabin crew was assigned for the rescheduled flight. https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202506130005 Air India Boeing 787 Accident Probe Reveals Few Clues Officials have revealed few clues that would explain why a London-bound Air India Boeing 787 went down about 30 sec. after liftoff from Ahmedabad airport, making a seemingly controlled descent into a residential area after failing to maintain altitude. Air India Flight 171 (AI 171) was airborne for less than 30 sec., surveillance video from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport’ shows. The aircraft rotates near the end of Runway 23 and climbs for about 12 sec. It then levels off for a moment before entering a sudden but steady descent into a nearby area about 1 nm from the runway end. Its landing gear remained down throughout the entire flight sequence. The pilots issued a mayday call to air traffic control immediately after liftoff “but thereafter no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC,” India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. Several news outlets in India said the mayday message included a description of “no thrust,” but Aviation Week could not independently verify the reports. The video, verified as authentic by several news outlets, does not suggest any signs of a bird strike or other external issue. Also absent are any sudden pitch, roll, or yaw maneuvers. It is unclear if the crew could not climb because of a technical malfunction such as engine or flight control system problems, or some other issue. DGCA reported the flight crew was made up of one line training captain with 8,200 total flight hr. and a first officer with 1,100 hr. It did not provide 787-specific flight time details. Ahmedabad Airport has one runway: the 11,500 ft. (3,500 m) long 5/23. There is no taxiway on either side of Runway 23 beyond where it is met by taxiway D at around the halfway point. This requires many aircraft to backtrack to the end to have enough runway for departure. Flight AI 171 did this, Flightradar 24 reported, citing validated ADS-B data. Air India confirmed that the London Gatwick-bound flight was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. One passenger survived, the airline said. Dozens of other casualties were on the ground or in buildings at the accident site, which includes a medical school facility. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), part of its Ministry of Civil Aviation, is leading the accident investigation. The NTSB will lead a team of U.S. technical experts, including representatives from the FAA, Boeing and GE Aviation, to assist the AAIB in the probe. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch is also sending representatives. Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg expressed the company’s “deepest condolences” to family members and friends of the accident victims. “I have spoken with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau,” he added. The aircraft involved, carrying registration VT-ANB and manufacturer serial no. 36729, was built in 2010 and delivered to Air India in 2014. It was powered by GE Aviation GEnx-1B67 engines. The aircraft accumulated 39,450 flight hr. and close to 7,400 cycles, the Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery database shows. AI171 is the first fatal accident involving a 787. Boeing has delivered 1,189 of the advanced twin-engine widebodies. The 787 had been in regular scheduled service in recent months, FlightAware data shows. Its most recent flights include a 1 hr., 6 min. flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad the morning before it departed as AI 171. It flew from Paris to Delhi on June 12. Ahmedabad Airport was closed for about four hours after the accident. https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/safety-ops-regulation/air-india-boeing-787-accident-probe-reveals-few-clues 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 · 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