Flight Safety Information - July 10, 2025 No. 137 In This Issue : US Senate confirms Bryan Bedford as FAA administrator : Avalon Airshow crash preliminary investigation suggests mid-air stunt attempted too low : How Bird Strikes On IndiGo And Air India Flights Highlight Aviation Safety Challenges: Here’s What You Need to Know Right Now : Airbus A320-232, suffered a bird strike after takeoff from runway 07 at Patna Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport (PAT). : Final report into fatal outback plane crash blames pressure issue for lack of oxygen, finds operator AGAIR was aware : Palma Mallorca engine overheating on engine start : The usual suspects : Accident: Iberia Express A320 enroute on May 30th 2025, turbulence injures 3 cabin crew : NOAA technology to support aviation safety in the Bahamas : Calendar of Events US Senate confirms Bryan Bedford as FAA administrator By Howard Hardee 9 July 2025 US lawmakers have confirmed longtime regional airline executive Bryan Bedford as head of the Federal Aviation Administration, charging him with oversight of the USA’s civil aviation regulator at a time of intense focus on aviation safety. US Senators confirmed on 9 July Bedford’s appointment with a 53-43 vote, with most opposition to President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FAA coming from Democratic lawmakers citing Bedford’s history of advocating for less-strict pilot-training laws to address the USA’s pilot shortage. Prior to stepping down from his position last week, Bedford had worked since 1999 as chief executive of Indiana-based Republic Airways, a regional carrier that flies on behalf of the “Big Three” US network carriers – American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. Now, he will begin a five-year appointment, guiding an agency of roughly 45,000 workers. Bedford replaces acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau, who led the agency on an interim basis following the resignation of Michael Whitaker, a Joe Biden appointee, upon Trump’s 20 January inauguration. While the FAA administrator position has been a revolving door in recent years, industry stakeholders are hopeful that Bedford’s appointment will provide more stability Bedford faces the enormous task of upgrading air traffic control (ATC) systems throughout the country, with funding approved last week as part of Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”. Lawmakers and industry leaders have been pushing for years to upgrade the USA’s creaking ATC system, which relies on decades-old technology and has recently suffered several high-profile radar and telecommunications failures. The bill allocates $12.5 billion from the US government’s fiscal year 2025 budget for “acquisition, construction, sustainment and improvement of facilities and equipment necessary, to improve or maintain aviation safety”. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has previously stated that he will seek further funding for the ATC overhaul, targeting a total of $30 billion for upgrades through 2029. Bedford will also oversee the planned rollout of the burgeoning advanced air mobility (AAM) sector, which proposes to certificate and commercialise a new class of electric and hybrid-electric air taxis in the decade’s second half. Vermont-based electric aircraft manufacturer Beta Technologies says that Bedford’s appointment ”comes at a pivotal moment, as the FAA is poised to certify AAM aircraft and other transformative technologies”. His confirmation is being hailed by industry groups such as Airlines for America (A4A), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the Regional Airline Association (RAA). Ed Bolen, chief executive of NBAA, says that Bedford’s ”strategic thinking, extensive leadership experience and consistent focus on safety will guide the agency and industry in working together on the development of a robust and resilient ATC network”. The RAA, meanwhile, says that Bedford has demonstrated a commitment to ”upgrading aging air traffic control systems [and] bolstering controller staffing”. ”Bedford is well-versed in the unique and crucial role regional airlines play in safely connecting communities of all sizes and has a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the aviation sector,” the RAA says. Some lawmakers criticise his track record on pilot training, however. Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell, ranking member of the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation committee, says that the FAA “cannot have a light-touch approach to aviation safety”. ”Mr Bedford’s willingness to change safety policies like reducing pilot-training hours or considering single-pilot cockpits is the opposite of the aggressive oversight the agency needs at this time,” Cantwell says. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer characterises Bedford as Trump’s “deeply flawed nominee”, adding that Bedford has “failed to show he’ll put the safety of airline passengers over airline profits”. Aviation safety has been under an intense spotlight in the USA since a 29 January midair collision between a US Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and a PSA Airlines MHIRJ CRJ700 regional jet on final approach to Reagan National airport near Washington, DC. That accident killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft and brought heightened attention to the FAA’s long-running ATC understaffing issues. In the months following the collision, repeated ATC equipment failures – particularly at Newark Liberty International airport – increased calls to address the USA’s aging aviation-safety technology. Airshow crash preliminary investigation suggests mid-air stunt attempted too low Kate Ashton Note: See photos and videos in the original article. Has Video Duration: 1 minute 19 seconds. An aerobatic pilot who was seriously injured when his plane crashed at the Avalon Airshow earlier this year may have attempted the mid-air stunt too low to the ground, a preliminary investigation has found. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released a preliminary report into the incident, which happened in front of thousands of horrified onlookers at the Avalon Australian International Airshow near Geelong. Pilot Glenn Collins, survived with serious injuries, after crashing a few hundred metres from spectators in March. (Supplied: Australian Transport Safety Bureau) An aerobatic aircraft, a Pitts S1 11X, crashed into the ground after performing a loop as part of a display on the first public day of the airshow in March. The plane's sole occupant, the pilot, survived but was seriously injured. Video footage recovered from crash wreckage Investigators were able to recover video footage from inside the cockpit, which the ATSB said showed the loop was attempted from a lower altitude than it had been in previous practice runs, which were also filmed. Has Video Duration: 29 seconds.Footage published by the ATSB shows the plane's altimeter visible from a camera fixed inside the cockpitHas Video Duration: 29 seconds. How Bird Strikes On IndiGo And Air India Flights Highlight Aviation Safety Challenges: Here’s What You Need to Know Right Now Wednesday, July 9, 2025 Bird strikes are amongst the most regular but unexpected hazards that face the aviation industries today. Despite significant strides in aviation technologies and standards of flight safety, bird strikes still pose a significant threat to flight safety, most prominently when taking off and landing. In this article, we will look at the nature of bird strikes, prevention and mitigation methods, and current efforts towards enhancing flight safety. Bird Strikes: A Persistent Threat A bird strike is an incident in which a bird hits an airplane while in motion. Although normally occurring when birds are heading towards the airplane, bird strikes can occur and inflict various damages on airplane structures, including engines, windshields, and fuselage. Severe instances of bird strikes involve hits by birds on engines, which causes engine failure, a scenario that can pose a hazard compelling an airplane to land back at the airport or make an emergency landing. Bird strikes are most common during takeoff and landing because, during those stages, aircraft are flying low, which makes them more susceptible to collision with birds. Airports near large water bodies, marshes, and farms—areas where there are more birds—remain most vulnerable to bird strikes. Current aircraft are themselves immune to some impacts emanating in bird strikes, but their impacts vary widely, ranging anywhere from light damage to great threats when it comes to safety. IndiGo Flight 6E 5009 – Patna, India (July 9, 2025) It occurred on July 9, 2025, when there was a situation involving one IndiGo Airbus A320 that was operating flight 6E 5009, towards Delhi. Shortly after departure from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport, Patna, the aircraft experienced a bird strike. Fortunately, there were no passenger injuries, but the aircraft landed safely in Patna on a precautionary basis. Bird strike, which is a regular but unexpected hazard in flying, pushed the crew to take action right away. When a bird impacts an airplane’s engine, windshield, or fuselage, it can have an effect on its safety, but for them, crew training and the airplane’s ability to react allowed them to execute a smooth landing. Though shaken, things were handled calmly, and all 169 aboard were unharmed. This case brings into focus prevention of airport bird strikes and the rigorous safety measures that airline businesses undertake to ensure travelers’ safety. Bird strikes are relatively frequent in India, observes the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), most visibly at airports that are within or near areas that have high bird populations. As a protective measure, the DGCA stands uncompromising in applying rigorous regulations on matters of safety and encourages airports to have rigorous bird control measures that reduce cases of strikes. Air India Flight AI 2454 – Thiruvananthapuram, India (June 2025) In yet another case of bird strike, Air India’s Airbus A320, which was en route to land after New Delhi, experienced a bird strike in its final approach towards Thiruvananthapuram airport in June 2025. It caused concern, but pilots were able to maintain full control of the aircraft and landed safely at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. Following the strike, the jet was right away grounded for a close examination, which falls under routine proceedings after such events. Fortunately, nobody got injured, and the security of all 155 people onboard was not in question. Passengers were rebooked on other aircraft, and Air India made all relevant arrangements such that people were not unduly disrupted. Such a bird attack, which occurred in the very busy airspace of Thiruvananthapuram, indicates that aviation still experiences difficulty in areas where wildlife proliferates. Considering that the airport is situated near marshlands and beaches, which are homes to various species of birds, there are more possibilities of such attacks occurring. To mitigate this, there are stringent processes of wildlife management in place at the airport and in airline operations, involving the use of bird radars and habitat control. Safety Preparations For Flights And Preventative Methods While there are resultant hazards that occur due to bird strikes, there have also been several efforts by the aviation industry to reduce threats emanating due to wildlife strikes. Airports all over the world employ various bird control measures to reduce probabilities of bird strikes. These measures are usually a blend of wildlife management, bird radar systems, and environmental adjustments. Wildlife Management: Airports are also involved in wildlife management through their control of populations in and around their installations. This includes their use of trained birds of prey, for instance, falcons or hawks, to chase away smaller birds. Other approaches include wildlife habitat management, for instance, through mowing grass to reduce airports’ appeal to nesting birds or their use of sound deterrents or other visual deterrents. Bird Radar Systems: Radar systems that can spot birds close to aircraft have also been employed by most airports. These systems are utilized to ascertain the location, size, and movement of birds, which can improve flight crew understanding of their likely collision spot. Airports can better predict bird movement and take prevention measures by installing bird radar. Better Plane Design: Plane manufacturers continue to design and build aircraft taking into consideration impacts by birds. Current aircraft are rigorously tested to withstand impacts by birds, such as in sensitive areas including windscreens, engines, and fuselage. Though there’s no aircraft that totally resists impacts of a bird strike, there are efforts towards designing aircraft that will continue to fly efficiently and safely taking a collision into consideration. Pilot Procedures and Training: Pilots are specifically trained to handle emergency situations, including bird hits. Pilots are instructed during their training about what they should do in case there is a bird strike, e.g., correct procedures for verifying whether there is damage, maintaining aircraft control, and returning to the airport for a controlled landing. Pilots upon encountering a bird strike are specifically trained to stay alert, assess the situation immediately, and stick to protocol for passenger safety. Post-Incident Inspections: After a bird strike incident, damaged planes are thoroughly inspected to assess potential damage. This ensures that the plane is airworthy before it can be allowed to continue flying. Engines, windshield, fuselage, and other essential regions of a plane are thoroughly inspected to confirm that they are functioning adequately and are safe. Future Development And Ongoing Work Toward Bird Strike Reduction While prevention measures have improved over time, much more remains to be done in reducing risks due to such incidents. Regulators, both international standards-setting bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and local standards-setting bodies such as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India, are constantly enhancing directives and regulations for safety regarding bird strikes. Recent technologies, such as the adoption of AI-powered bird detection systems and machine learning algorithms that predict bird movement, have promise in helping to improve prevention of bird strikes. Airports and airlines are also becoming increasingly committed to responsible action to make air travel safer and more environmentally responsible, balancing safety imperatives with environmental responsibility. Airbus A320-232, suffered a bird strike after takeoff from runway 07 at Patna Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport (PAT). Date:Wednesday 9 July 2025Time:03:15 UTCType: Airbus A320-232 (WL) Owner/operator:IndiGo Airlines Registration:VT-IFL MSN:5507 Year of manufacture:2013 Engine model:IAE V2527-A5 Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities:0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Category:Incident Location:Patna Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport (PAT/VEPT) - India Phase:Initial climbNature:Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport:Patna Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport (PAT/VEPT) Destination airport:Delhi-Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL/VIDP)Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: IndiGo Airlines flight 6E5009, an Airbus A320-232, suffered a bird strike after takeoff from runway 07 at Patna Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport (PAT). The aircraft returned to PAT and landed safely, 21 minutes after takeoff. METAR: VEPT 090300Z 10009KT 5000 HZ FEW010 SCT018 BKN100 29/24 Q1001 N OSIG VEPT 090400Z 10009KT 5000 HZ FEW010 SCT018 BKN100 30/24 Q1001 N OSIGSources: https://www.nationpress.com/national/indigo-flight-makes-emergency-landing-in-patna https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/6e5009#3b2ac38b Final report into fatal outback plane crash blames pressure issue for lack of oxygen, finds operator AGAIR was aware • By Tobi Loftus • By Julius Dennis Wed 18 JunThe crash site of the twin turboprop Gulfstream 695A, that crashed near Cloncurry, killing the pilot and two camera operators on board. (Supplied: ATSB)A plane crash that killed three people in outback Queensland was "entirely preventable" and was caused by a well-known, long-standing defect which operators failed to report, a transport safety investigation has found. The Gulfstream 695A aircraft took off from Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, on November 4, 2023 and was on its way to photograph fire zones north of Mount Isa. But the plane crashed about 55 kilometres south-east of Cloncurry in open bushland and burned up after impact. On board were a pilot and two camera operators, including 22-year-old William Jennings from the United States, all of whom died in the crash. Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said their investigation showed a pressurisation defect that deprived the pilot of oxygen caused the crash — an issue operators were well aware of. Has Video Duration: 5 minutes 50 seconds. "The pilot was aware of the defect, and had been using changes in altitude to avoid hypoxia," he said. "This was a tragic and entirely preventable accident that took three precious lives." The flight was operated by Victorian company AGAIR. In its final report, released this morning, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) found the pilot was experiencing hypoxia when the crash occurred. The plane burned up after impact. (Supplied: ATSB) Mr Mitchell said the "aircraft's pressurisation system was not reliably maintaining the required cabin altitude", which had been in issue for "many months". "This led some company pilots to employ a variety of actions in the aircraft to manage the potential and deadly effects of hypoxia, including at times briefly descending to lower altitudes, and improperly using emergency oxygen systems," he said. Importantly, he said critical information about the aircraft's fault had not been passed onto air traffic control. Has Video Duration: 47 seconds. "The pilot was aware of the defect, and had been using changes in altitude to avoid hypoxia," he said. "This was a tragic and entirely preventable accident that took three precious lives." The flight was operated by operated by Victorian company AGAIR. In its final report, released this morning, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) found the pilot was experiencing hypoxia when the crash occurred. The plane burned up after impact. (Supplied: ATSB) Mr Mitchell said the "aircraft's pressurisation system was not reliably maintaining the required cabin altitude", which had been in issue for "many months". "This led some company pilots to employ a variety of actions in the aircraft to manage the potential and deadly effects of hypoxia, including at times briefly descending to lower altitudes, and improperly using emergency oxygen systems," he said. Importantly, he said critical information about the aircraft's fault had not been passed onto air traffic control. Has Video Duration: 47 seconds. Pilot may have experienced 'loss of consciousness' On the day of the accident, the pilot had descended from 28,000 feet to 15,000 feet for about six minutes before climbing back up to 28,000 ft, he said. A timeline of the crash in outback Queensland in 2023. (Supplied: ATSB) "Later, while the aircraft was ... nearing Cloncurry at 28,000 ft, both power levers were probably reduced, possibly with the intention of undertaking a similar descent," the ATSB report found. "This caused the aircraft's speed to decay, before it ultimately entered a steep, descending, anticlockwise turn. "At around 10,500 ft the aircraft transitioned from the steep descent into an unrecoverable aerodynamic spin, until it impacted terrain, fatally injuring all on board." Mr Mitchell said it was almost certainly due to pilot control inputs made in an unsuccessful attempt to regain control. "Independent speech analysis displayed significant consistent onset of hypoxia and it is possible the pilot lost consciousness at some stages during the flight," he said. "The defect was not formally recorded, instead there was both encouragement by company management of continuing to conduct flight operations relying on unsafe [workarounds]." ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the plane did a series of manoeuvres, likely related to the pressurisation issue. (ABC News: Grace Burmas) The ATSB said the pressurisation defect in the plane was known to senior AGAIR management, who attempted to have it rectified. "However, they did not formally record the defect, communicate it to the safety manager, undertake a formal risk assessment of it, or provide explicit procedures to pilots for managing it," Mr Mitchell said. "Critical information about this fault was not passed onto air traffic control — had this been available, the aircraft could've been directed to a lower, safer altitude." It was only after the accident that the pressurisation system issues became apparent to regulators like CASA. "This accident highlights the importance of being aware of the risk of hypoxia," a CASA spokesperson said. "We note the ATSB's report and are considering the findings. "Recent changes to the surveillance systems have been made to strengthen the oversight process, but CASA will evaluate whether there are any further improvements we can make to our surveillance approach." The aircraft operated in South Africa from 1982 to 2014, before works were done to fix some pressurisation issues, at which point it was brought to Australia. "This report would be a very difficult one to read, especially for the families," Mr Mitchell said. 'A bright light extinguished too soon' An online fundraiser to bring Mr Jennings home received over $92,625 US in donations — about $142,000 AUD. In the fundraiser, his family said William was "a bright light extinguished too soon". "William was a 22-year-old promising mechanical engineer who recently graduated from Northeastern University," his family said. One of the victims of the crash was 22-year-old William Jennings. (Supplied) "He had an exciting life ahead of him, but tragically lost his life in a plane accident while surveying fires in Australia. "William was known to bring light to any room he walked into, and his sense of humour was infectious. "He was an avid hiker and lover of nature, always seeking new adventures in life." The other two people on board the aircraft are yet to be publicly identified. Operator responds to report AGAIR began operating the aircraft in 2016. The company's chief executive officer Rob Boschen said it had accepted all safety recommendations made by the ATSB, but they had not all been put in place yet. "Every day my thoughts remain with the loss that has come about, to their families, friends, community and our business. Today my thoughts are even more present," he said. "Over the last 12 months, we have implemented many of the recommendations and we are continuing to work through those which remain. "AGAIR is committed to maintaining a generative aviation safety culture within its business and is continuing to improve safe and effective flying operations. "However, despite the findings in the ATSB final report, I understand the causes of this tragic accident are still being reviewed." Accident: Ryanair UK B738 at Palma Mallorca on Jul 4th 2025, engine overheating on engine start By Simon Hradecky created Sunday, Jul 6th 2025 07:36Z, last updated Wednesday, Jul 9th 2025 07:49Z A Ryanair UK Boeing 737-800, registration G-RUKN performing flight RK-3446 from Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain) to Manchester,EN (UK) with 178 passengers and 6 crew, had completed boarding, doors were all closed, the slides armed, when a smoke detector triggered. Subsequently the wing escape doors were opened and the passengers evacuated onto the wings and down onto the tarmac, the main doors remained closed. Emergency services responded. 18 people received injuries like ankle sprains, 6 of them were taken to a hospital with serious injuries like a broken leg. Some passengers reported they were told to evacuate by cabin crew. Other passengers reported there had been no instruction from the flight or cabin crew. The overwing doors opened and everyone fled over the wing. The airline reported the indication was false. The passengers were disembarked via slides. A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration EI-DHA positioned to Palma Mallorca from Naples (Italy) the following morning and delivered the passengers to Manchester with a delay of about 8 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Palma Mallorca about 34 hours after the smoke detector activated. On Jul 9th 2025 Spain's CIAIAC reported the aircraft was being pushed back from stand 8, the crew was starting the right hand engine (CFM56) up and received warnings, that the engine was overheating. The crew could not resolve the warnings, hence decided to evacuate the aircraft via the left hand doors. During the disembarkation at least three people on both sides of the aircraft received serious injuries. The aircraft did not receive material damage. The usual suspects They are the issues CASA inspectors see time and time again. Any one of them could mean the difference between an uneventful flight and an undesired aircraft state. The good news is they are easy for organised and disciplined operators to manage. By Robert Wilson Jul 10, 2025 Note: See photos in the original article. CASA’s airworthiness and flying operations inspectors travel over every part of this huge country as they inspect and advise aircraft operators ranging from air transport to aerial mustering. But despite the variety of landscape and operations, some depressingly common patterns emerge in the list of things not done right. These are issues which may seem small in themselves but often occur in clusters rather than individually. And arguing they don’t always lead to disaster is missing the point in a big way. These omissions and deficiencies are textbook examples of the late James Reason’s Swiss cheese theory – holes in accident defences that are opened, maintained and widened by habit, culture, myth or misunderstanding. Flight Safety Australia spoke with CASA Aviation Maintenance Safety Advisor Peter Ball about how to close these holes before you or your organisation fall into them. In safety terms these are low-hanging fruit, easily plucked and managed by individuals and organisations – if they have the will. 1. Maintenance release issues Generally, these are due to lack of education or lack of induction into an organisation,’ Ball says. ‘And oftentimes there’s a registered operator who maybe doesn’t understand what the requirements are and what it takes to be compliant. ‘The requirement is, if you’re going to fly X number of flights over X number of days with X number of hours, you need to review the maintenance release and make sure that there’s no maintenance due for the intended period of operation so the maintenance release is going to remain valid. ‘Once the maintenance is due, the maintenance release ceases to be in force. So, people are basically flying outside the protections of the maintenance release and that can also bring into question whether the insurer will cover them if they have some sort of related incident.’ 2. Missing, damaged or illegible placards Aircraft placards are instructions or statements of limitations that cover everything from how to operate door handles and emergency exits to manoeuvring and never-exceed speeds. ‘It forms part of the certification basis of the aircraft and if it’s not there, essentially the aircraft is unairworthy, because a placard would not be there unless the issue was important,’ Ball says. Occasionally airworthiness directives mandate changes that mean a placard is no longer required, but more often they fade away or disappear from neglect. ‘The damage can be insidious, it could happen very gradually over time, fading from ultraviolet light or the passage of hands across handles and windows,’ he says. The requirements for placards can be found in the aircraft flight manual. 3. Missing, damaged or illegible or expired compass correction cards This is self-explanatory – or ought to be, Ball says. ‘Any direct reading magnetic compass fitted to an aircraft should have a compass card with the corrections. Even if there are no corrections, it should be there with all the zeros on it and a date and certification. ‘I guess in the day of everyone following the magenta line, this may be easily overlooked in everyday flying, but it’s still important. The magenta lines can disappear if high heat and lack of electrons shuts down your portable electronic device. ‘Then you’re back to your paper map and direction indicator (DI) and you rely on the magnetic compass to make sure the DI is reading right.’ image: CASA 4. Frayed seat belts ‘This seems to just sneak up on people but it’s part of the daily inspection criteria to ensure seat belts are installed, correct and fit for purpose. No fraying is acceptable. They need to be in a perfect condition. How would you feel about a loved one relying on a less than serviceable seatbelt in an emergency?’ 5. Large nicks in propeller blades ‘I’m going to be a bit of a broken record here: daily inspection,’ Ball says. ‘It’s not the nick that you’ve got to be worried about. It’s the commencement of a crack. Large nicks are likely to cause cracks. And cracks can go from small to big in prop blades very quickly. And if you lose a section of propeller blade, you’re either going to have a very short flight or a tragedy on your hands. ‘When will a nick turn into a crack? How long is a piece of string? We don’t know. But if your life is hanging on that piece of string, don’t go rushing to find out. ‘If you detect a nick at the end of the day’s flying, you must put that in the maintenance release to make sure it’s attended to before the flight the next day.’ 6. GPS software out of date ‘The point here is the same as with all computer systems: garbage in garbage out,’ Ball says. ‘If you’re relying on GPS as your primary source of navigation data, then if that data is not up to date, then it can’t be relied upon. And our airworthiness and flying operations inspectors have found some aircraft with trouble, no compass card and out of date GNSS data.’ 7. Landing gear oleo struts ‘This is a bugbear of mine, as an aircraft maintenance engineer,’ Ball says. ‘The oleo strut is there for a reason. It’s like shock absorbers on your car: if it’s left unchecked you might be up for a whole new landing gear or worse – structural damage to the aircraft.’ Properly functioning oleos are especially important on aircraft with retractable landing gear, Ball says. ‘If the gear is retracted when the oleo strut is not fully extended, it can cause damage to the landing gear system and the aircraft may have to be landed with the gear not correctly extended.’ Even on a fixed gear aircraft, it only takes one cross-wind landing, one challenging landing, one hard landing to expose the shortcomings of gear that might perform perfectly well when landing on a paved strip on a still day. Struts may collapse suddenly and or develop a leak and lose all of their nitrogen and or fluid. The solution? Once again – if you see a problem put it in the maintenance release and have it addressed. image: CASA 8. Loose items in the cockpit ‘These days everyone has a variety of devices on hand such as phones and cameras for example, but these can become missiles in the advent of turbulence,’ Ball says. The problem is not confined to loose devices. Inadequate restraints can fail, as they did in the case of a Robinson R44 flying over Kosciuszko National Park last year when the pilot’s mobile phone cradle fell to the floor. The pilot conducted a precautionary landing but the helicopter skid caught on alpine tussock grass and the machine overturned. No one was hurt in this crash but in 2022 both pilots of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter fighting fires in Oregon, US, died when an iPad came loose and jammed the pedals. Loose or inadequately restrained cargo or equipment can smash instruments, break windows and change the centre of gravity. ‘Also, with helicopters, anything that comes out of the cabin can potentially get into the tail rotor system and that’ll bring that flight to an abrupt end,’ Ball says. 9. Flight manuals not current Continuous airworthiness management of the aircraft is the responsibility of the registered operator (certificate of registration holder). If the pilot accepts the aircraft with an invalid flight manual by signing the daily inspection, then a level of responsibility falls on them. ‘The flight manual is how to operate the aircraft in the field,’ Ball says. ‘Without it you’re relying on knowledge in people’s heads, which, as we’ve already discussed may be not up to date or just plain wrong. ‘Some of the information might be in the pilot operating handbook (POH) but some aircraft don’t have a POH. Often there’ll be a supplement for the GPS, or there should be. Too often people perform a modification to the aircraft such as fitting a GPS but then forget to put in the instructions in the flight manual on how to use it.’ 10. Weight and balance ‘There seems to be a tradition that as the hours go up, people get the delusion that they can wing it, they can estimate, because they’ve done it before,’ Ball says. ‘No. It’s got to be calculated every time. If you get ramp checked, you need to be able to produce something to say that you’ve done an assessment.’ Weight and balance calculation is easier and more accurate in the era of electronic flight bags (EFBs), which are approved for the purpose. If the data is correct, you just put in the numbers and it indicates in the range or puts up a little red flag if there’s anything that’s a concern. Another weight and balance trap is to blithely assume the situation will improve as the aircraft burns fuel. But lessening of total weight could also involve an unfavourable change in centre of gravity, as happened to a heavily loaded Beechcraft Baron 55 flying from Sydney to Cooma in June 1992. As fuel burned off the C of G moved backwards, rendering the elevators ineffective and stalling the aircraft. Everyone on board died. Accident: Iberia Express A320 enroute on May 30th 2025, turbulence injures 3 cabin crew By Simon Hradecky created Saturday, Jul 5th 2025 07:47Z, last updated Wednesday, Jul 9th 2025 07:44Z An Iberia Express Airbus A320-200, registration EC-JFG performing flight IB-1675 from Madrid,SP to Palma Mallorca,SP (Spain) with 171 passengers and 6 crew, was enroute when the aircraft encountered turbulence causing injuries to three cabin crew, two of them received serious injuries. The aircraft continued to Palma Mallorca for a safe landing about one hour after departure. Spain's CIAIAC rated the occurrence an accident reporting cabin crew were standing while performing on-board service when the aircraft encountered turbulence. The CIAIAC is investigating the accident. On Jul 9th 2025 the CIAIAC reported the aircraft was stabilized in cruise flight at FL320 when it was hit by turbulence. Three of the four cabin crew, who were standing at that time and were servicing the trolleys, were injured, two of them received serious injuries. NOAA technology to support aviation safety in the Bahamas May 15, 2025 NOAA has signed an agreement with Sky Miles Limited, a Bahamian company, to develop and install an advanced aviation forecast system. This system will improve flight safety for airlines flying to or through the island nation’s airspace, off the United States southeast coast, and the surrounding Caribbean region. The collaboration between NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and Sky Miles Limited will also allow NOAA to access additional weather observations from a region of the Atlantic Ocean that often experiences tropical storms before they hit the US mainland. The additional observations will be used in NOAA’s weather models to improve the accuracy of weather and hurricane forecasts. Sky Miles Limited is not associated with Delta Airlines’ SkyMiles frequent flyer program. “Accurate forecasts are fundamental to aviation safety,” said Steve Thur Ph.D., the assistant administrator for NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. “With roughly 90 percent of visitor arrivals to the Bahamas coming from the United States, this agreement will improve the safety of Americans and others traveling to the Bahamas for business and leisure. We’re gratified to be able to help the Bahamas Aviation, Climate, and Severe Weather Network modernize their meteorological infrastructure. The data they share with us will also help us improve our own forecasts for aviation and the general public.” About 1.7 million foreign visitors arrived in the Bahamas by air in 2023, according to the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. Under the agreement, Sky Miles Limited will pay NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory $728,000 to install a cloud-based version of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) and Hazard Services application that will provide advanced forecasting and decision tools to forecasters, allowing them to more easily identify aviation in-flight hazards, such as turbulence and thunderstorms. AWIPS is NOAA’s cornerstone information technology system used to ingest, analyze, forecast, and disseminate operational weather data, including time-sensitive, high-impact warnings to protect life and property. NOAA’s National Weather Service forecasters use AWIPS on a daily basis to process, display, and communicate meteorological data to make accurate weather predictions and dispense rapid warnings and advisories. This screen displays a prototype International aviation warning created using the application Hazard Services over the proposed Bahamian Flight Information Region due to impacts from Hurricane Fiona in 2022. Credit: NOAA Global Systems Laboratory Hazard Services is a software framework developed by GSL and used by the NWS to issue watches, warnings, advisories, forecasts, and other information about hazardous weather events within AWIPS. The new system will improve storm tracking, allowing forecasters to issue, update or adjust pilot advisories of weather-related threats faster and more effectively. In particular, the Hazard Services application being delivered to the Bahamas includes support for issuing AIRMETs (“Airmen’s Meteorological Information”), which are used worldwide to warn pilots about moderate turbulence, strong winds, low visibility, and moderate icing, and SIGMETs (“Significant Meteorological Information”), which are used for warnings of severe icing and turbulence associated with severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, dust storms, volcanic ash, and other hazardous weather advisories. GSL, NSF’s National Center for Atmospheric Research, and the Bahamas Aviation, Climate and Severe Weather Network (BACSWN) are in a partnership dedicated to building a world-class aviation weather enterprise bringing decades of experience applying radar, satellite, atmospheric sensors, and advanced numerical modeling to enhance the safety and efficiency of flight. Additional phases will be proposed and described at a later date. BACSWN is owned by Sky Miles Limited. Steve Thur, NOAA’s Assistant Administrator of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, enjoys a light moment with Robert Carron, founder of the Bahamas Aviation, Climate and Severe Weather Network, after signing an agreement on May 15, 2025, that will allow NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory to develop and install an advanced weather forecast system to improve aviation safety for planes flying to the island nation. The event took place at NOAA Research headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. Credit: Monica Allen/ NOAA Communications. For. more information, contact Theo Stein, NOAA Communications: theo.stein@noaa.gov. CALENDAR OF EVENTS . 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 . 2025 PROS IOSA SUMMIT - SEPT 10-11 - Denver, CO · 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