Flight Safety Information - September 11, 2025 No. 182 In This Issue : Incident: Sky A20N at Castro on Sep 7th 2025, loss of separation : Incident: Airblue A320 near Karachi on Sep 9th 2025, problems with weather radar : Incident: Airblue A320 at Karachi on Sep 9th 2025, bird strike : Incident: Skyline B753 at Dusseldorf on Sep 9th 2025, rejected takeoff due to engine failure : Severe Turbulence Caught Delta Pilots Off Guard, New Report Says : Embraer announces first US order of 50 E195-E2 jets in deal with Avelo Airlines : Cambodian air carrier places new order for C909 jet : Malaysia calls on China to push C919 jet globally as AirAsia circles deal : French Safran and DRDO combine to give India its first jet engine : JAL reprimand over drunken pilots adds to airline’s woes : Air India CEO says carrier embracing ‘new normal’ of safety focus after deadly crash : Hawaiian Airlines CEO Joe Sprague to retire, Diana Birkett Rakow to step in : American Airlines Flight Returns to Philadelphia Airport After ‘Multiple Bird Strikes’ : SMS Due for U.S. Repair Stations Holding EASA Approval : Calendar of Event Incident: Sky A20N at Castro on Sep 7th 2025, loss of separation A Sky Airlines Airbus A320-200N, registration CC-AZN performing flight H2-193 from Santiago to Castro (Chile), was on approach to Castro's Mocopulli Airport about to turn base and descending through 4000 feet when the light aircraft of a local aeroclub came too close to the A320. The crew performed a go around, climbed initially to 5000 feet and subsequently decided to divert to Puerto Montt (Chile), where the aircraft landed safely on runway 35 about 25 minutes after the go around. The aircraft remained on the ground for about one hour, then departed to Castro and landed at their destination without further incident. Chile's DGAC reported: "We report that the Santiago-Mocopulli flight, this afternoon, had to avoid landing at the destination aerodrome because an aircraft from an air club in the area came closer than recommended to the flight path, reasons that will be investigated by the DGAC Chile." https://avherald.com/h?article=52cc26b3&opt=0 Incident: Airblue A320 near Karachi on Sep 9th 2025, problems with weather radar An Airblue Airbus A320-200, registration AP-EDG performing flight PA-470 (sched. dep Sep 8th, act. dep Sep 9th) from Lahore (Pakistan) to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), was enroute at FL320 when the crew decided to divert to Karachi (Pakistan) due to problems with the weather radar. The aircraft landed safely on Karachi's runway 25L about 2.5 hours after departure. The airline reported a problem with the weather radar as reason for the precautionary diversion. A replacement A320 registration EP-EDH was to continue, however, needed to return to Karachi, see Incident: Airblue A320 at Karachi on Sep 9th 2025, bird strike. The occurrence aircraft was able to resume the flight after about 27 hours on the ground and reached Jeddah with a delay of about 28:15 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=52cc18d6&opt=0 Incident: Airblue A320 at Karachi on Sep 9th 2025, bird strike An Airblue Airbus A320-200, registration AP-EDH performing flight PA-470 (sched. dep Sep 8th, act. dep Sep 9th) from Lahore (Pakistan) to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), resumed the flight after the initial aircraft needed to divert to Karachi, see Incident: Airblue A320 near Karachi on Sep 9th 2025, problems with weather radar. The aircraft departed Karachi's runway 25L and climbed to FL340, then the crew decided to return to Karachi due to a bird strike during departure. The aircraft landed safely on Karachi's runway 25L about 75 minutes after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Karachi about 23 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=52cc18f1&opt=0 Incident: Skyline B753 at Dusseldorf on Sep 9th 2025, rejected takeoff due to engine failure A Skyline Express Airline Boeing 757-300 on behalf of Mavi Gok, registration UR-SLB performing flight 4M-211 from Dusseldorf (Germany) to Antalya (Turkey), was accelerating for takeoff from Dusseldorf's runway 05R when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed after the right hand engine (RB211) emitted a loud bang and streaks of flames. The aircraft slowed safely and returned to the apron. A replacement Air Anka Airbus A330-200 registration TC-NYP reached Antalya with a delay of about 9 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Dusseldorf about 28 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=52cc0426&opt=0 Severe Turbulence Caught Delta Pilots Off Guard, New Report Says A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board detailed how a flight bound for Europe hit turbulence violent enough to send 18 passengers to the hospital. The N.T.S.B. report, released late Tuesday, suggests that while the pilots had been on the lookout for bad weather, the incident caught them off guard.Credit...Kenny Holston/The New York Times The National Transportation Safety Board released new details this week illustrating how a Delta Air Lines flight bound for Europe experienced turbulence strong enough to force an emergency landing and send about two dozen people to the hospital, despite the pilots’ having tried to avoid inclement weather. Delta’s Flight 56, an Airbus A330 en route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, had been in the air for about two hours on July 30 when the plane began to pitch and roll while climbing and descending repeatedly and rapidly, according to an interim report from the board. It has yet to determine what caused the incident. The turbulence, during which the report said passengers would have experienced up to nearly twice the force of gravity, was so violent that passengers and beverage carts were thrown around the cabin and into the ceiling, one passenger previously told ABC News. The N.T.S.B. report, released late Tuesday, suggests that while the pilots had been on the lookout for bad weather, the incident caught them off guard. The pilots had turned off the seatbelt sign after flying the plane through some moderate turbulence. It does not appear that they turned it back on when they noticed a pocket of bad weather near Creston, Wyo., which they asked air traffic control for permission to fly around, to the right. Instead, the controller suggested they steer clear to the left, a suggestion the pilots accepted, figuring that course would keep them above any problems. But the turn appears to have sent them straight into the worst part of a storm, according to radar images in the board’s report. As the plane flew through the danger zone, it experienced what the board called an “overspeed event” — meaning it was flying about 15 to 20 knots faster than its maximum operating speed. The plane also encountered an updraft, and the autopilot disengaged. Over the next two and a half minutes, the report stated, the plane rapidly climbed and descended about three times, as the first officer, who was flying the plane, attempted to regain control. The crew decided to make an emergency landing at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after assessing the injuries on the plane, a task in which they were helped by a passenger who happened to be a physician assistant. Once on the ground, 24 of the 246 passengers on board were evaluated by emergency medical personnel, and 18 of them were taken to the hospital, according to the report. (An earlier statement by Delta had given the number of passengers as 275.) Two members of the 10-person cabin crew also sustained serious injuries, while five had minor ones. None of the three pilots were injured. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/10/us/politics/delta-turbulence-ntsb.html Embraer announces first US order of 50 E195-E2 jets in deal with Avelo Airlines WASHINGTON, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Embraer (EMBR3.SA), opens new tab said on Wednesday it has reached a deal for 50 firm orders for the Brazilian planemaker’s E195-E2 jets and purchase rights for another 50 with budget carrier Avelo Airlines, the first U.S. deal for the plane. The announcement in Washington coincides with a major gathering of aerospace leaders. Embraer, the world's third-largest planemaker, has been lobbying the Trump administration to remove 10% tariffs, while highlighting the reliance of U.S. airlines on its regional jets. Make sense of the latest ESG trends affecting companies and governments with the Reuters Sustainable Switch Last week, Embraer described the planned announcement as a U.S. milestone for its business. The list-price value of the order is $4.4 billion, excluding purchase rights. U.S. clients buy 45% of Embraer's commercial planes and 70% of its executive jets, all of which rely on many U.S. parts. Arjan Meijer, CEO of Embraer's commercial aviation business, and Avelo Airlines CEO Andrew Levy told reporters they believe U.S. tariffs should be zero on aviation assets. "I also believe that that will change between now and when we actually take the aircraft," he said, referring to a delivery time between 2027 and 2032. Meijer said the deal is hugely important for Embraer, which has 21 airline customers around the world for the E2 plane. "We don't call it a profit-hunter by accident," Meijer said, hoping other U.S. airlines will see the plane in action and want to buy it. Levy said the E2 will complement Avelo's fleet of Boeing 737-800 jets, which have significantly more seats. He said it would help the carrier grow its business. He added that over time, the E2 would replace the Boeing jet and open access to airports with runways that are shorter than 5,000 feet (1,524 metres). Avelo Airlines operates a business model of short-haul travel. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/embraer-announces-first-us-order-50-e195-e2-jets-deal-with-avelo-airlines-2025-09-10/ Cambodian air carrier places new order for C909 jet China's domestically developed C909 regional jet model has taken another step forward in its global expansion by securing new orders from Air Cambodia. The Cambodian carrier plans to purchase 20 C909 jets, 10 confirmed orders and 10 letter-of-intent orders, marking a key milestone for the homegrown aircraft to expand its presence in the international market. Air Cambodia inked a Memorandum of Understanding with Shanghai-based Commercial Aircraft Corp of China, the manufacturer of the C909, in Zhengzhou, Henan province on Monday. The two parties will work closely across areas such as aircraft acquisition, operational support and industrial collaboration, COMAC said. As the national flag carrier, the airline is invested in by the Kingdom of Cambodia. It is also the only airline in the country to have obtained certification from the IATA Operational Safety Audit. David Zhan, vice-chairman and CEO of Air Cambodia, attended the delivery ceremony in Zhengzhou and said the Air Silk Road — which connects economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative — has been operating well in Henan and is highly regarded in overseas markets. "The new Air Silk Road that connects Zhengzhou with Cambodia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations focuses on the operation in Asia, and it will become a new name card of Henan," Zhan said. So far, the C909 aircraft has been put into commercial operation by domestic airlines and overseas carriers in Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos. The aircraft model, with a flying range of 2,225 to 3,700 kilometers, is capable of operating most domestic as well as international routes around these Southeast Asian nations. Meanwhile, the first C909 medical aircraft — a specialized derivative of the C909 — was delivered to China Flying-Dragon General Aviation Co Ltd in Zhengzhou on Tuesday. The handover marks a significant step forward in the serialized development of homebuilt commercial aircraft. The aircraft will be used for missions including emergency rescue, long-range medical services and critical care transportation. Designed with a maximum payload of 10 metric tons and a range of up to 3,700 kilometers, the C909 medical aircraft can also take off and land at ultra-high-altitude airports. "The serialized development of the C909 refers to the development of other derivative models such as high-altitude versions, cargo aircraft versions, and business aircraft versions on the basis of the basic passenger transport models, so that the aircraft can adapt to more markets and undertake more tasks," said Lin Zhijie, an independent aviation industry analyst. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202509/11/WS68c22295a3108622abca021a.html Malaysia calls on China to push C919 jet globally as AirAsia circles deal Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke said purchases by foreign airlines would boost confidence in the Comac-manufactured planes Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke has called on the Chinese state-owned maker of the C919 passenger jet to set its sights on the global market and be more aggressive in boosting its international standing, as AirAsia nears a deal to become its first foreign buyer. Loke made the comments on Wednesday while speaking at a Malaysian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong and Macau (Maycham) event, where he outlined a series of updates on his country’s transport industry – from air travel to cross-border ride-hailing with Singapore. Since its commercial debut in May 2023, the C919 aircraft developed by state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) has flown more than 1.5 million passengers on domestic carriers including Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines, but the company has yet to secure any foreign orders for the model. Loke said he had given Comac feedback on improving its marketing strategy after the company held a roadshow at Subang Airport last year and parked a C919 there without informing him, leaving him to view the aircraft on his own without an invitation. “The moment you have a foreign airline flying your plane, the confidence will go up, and you are becoming an international player,” said Loke. “Even if you get 10 planes flown by a foreign airline, you’ll make a lot of difference, because that is a recognition of the safety and the reliability of the aircraft.” Tony Fernandes, chief executive of Capital A – the investment holding company of AirAsia – confirmed during the Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong on the same day that the airline was in active discussions to buy the C919, describing it as the first foreign carrier to work with Comac on a deal. While he did not disclose the order size or pricing, Fernandes said the acquisition would support AirAsia’s strategy to tap into Southeast Asia’s 700 million strong population and deepen its exposure to growing China–Asean travel and trade ties. Fernandes also attended the Maycham event, where he told the audience that his pilots believed they could convert from flying an Airbus to the C919 with just one day of training. He also said he had used Loke’s argument about the value of foreign recognition to bargain for a better price during negotiations, to which Comac had responded quickly. “Most of the West is not taking the Comac aircraft seriously; I can tell you, it’s a fantastic aircraft. We are very serious,” he said. While Fernandes declined to say when the deal would be done, he indicated Comac would “deliver aircraft sooner than we all imagine” and quipped that it would be “as close as the RTS is”. He was referring to the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS), a 4km rail line connecting Singapore’s Woodlands to Malaysia’s Bukit Chagar station, targeted for completion in December 2026. Loke also spoke at length about connectivity between Singapore and Johor in light of the special economic zone that was officially launched in January this year, which would allow some companies headquartered in Singapore to set up factories or plants in Johor with tax incentives. The main travel route between the two cities is the 1km Causeway, used by more than 300,000 commuters daily, making it one of the busiest land crossings in the world. However, cross-border ride-hailing services remain illegal due to insurance and vehicle registration issues. In recent months, Singaporean authorities have cracked down on Malaysian drivers offering unauthorised services. Loke described the Malaysian side as “100 per cent ready” to legalise cross-border e-hailing but noted that the Singapore government was concerned about its drivers losing out, as the cost of owning a car in Singapore was far higher than in Malaysia. He said authorities were in talks to create safeguards such as standardising the number of cars from each country, but there were still issues to iron out. Yet he expressed confidence both sides would legalise cross-border e-hailing since the demand from Singaporeans, especially executives travelling for work, was strong. “I have the experience of dealing with many Singaporean ministers over the past few years. I know they are very pragmatic, even though they know there are certain risks to take, but if [push] comes to shove [and] they need to make that decision, they will make the decision,” Loke said. “We have to find a way to allow it, so I think this will come sooner or later,” he added. Loke also provided an update on the Air Silk Road initiative, which aims to boost aviation logistics between Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport in Henan. The goal of the project is to “realise the common vision of a seamless Air Silk Road between Asean and China”, according to a joint statement issued during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Malaysia in April. Loke said Malaysia is positioning KLIA as a regional air cargo hub capable of serving Southeast Asia – particularly smaller, third-tier cities – and easing the movement of goods to China, given the airport’s strategic location. He noted that the governor of Henan would visit Malaysia next week and that he planned to meet him to further promote the initiative. Asked about a timeline, Loke said he expected the plans to “filter down very quickly” since the project had backing from Xi himself, but infrastructure details still needed to be worked out and airlines would have to respond swiftly. He emphasised that the private sector would need to take the lead in implementing the initiative. “We create the conditions for the business community. It’s up to them to make it work,” he said. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325188/malaysia-calls-china-push-c919-jet-globally-airasia-circles-deal French Safran and DRDO combine to give India its first jet engine The jet engines will be developed in India under Indian IPR with Safran transferring 100% of the technology to DRDO, including crystal blade technology. India may soon approve a joint project by French firm Safran S.A and India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a lab under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop and produce 120 Kilo Newton engine which will power India’s twin engine Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) fighter, a move that comes shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for indigenous development of jet engines from the ramparts of Red Fort during his Independence Day speech, people familiar with the matter said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has also indicated that India will soon embark on the critical task of developing engines for fighter jets. HT learns that Safran-GTRE will develop nine prototypes of fighter engines within a time frame of 12 years. The engines will initially developed with 120 KN power but go up in capacity to 140 KN by the end of the 12 year time period. The jet engines will be developed in India under Indian IPR with Safran transferring 100% of the technology to DRDO, including crystal blade technology, the people cited above added. These are blades in the engine that are usually constructed from a single crystal using super-alloys, and which are efficient, long-lasting, and also cope better with higher heat and stress. DRDO has the technology, but shaping it for high-powered jet fighter engines presents a different level of challenge. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/french-safran-and-drdo-combine-to-give-india-its-first-jet-engine-101757555156249.html JAL reprimand over drunken pilots adds to airline’s woes Japan Airlines apologized Wednesday over a series of flight delays caused by drunken pilots, following a reprimand from the transport ministry. There have been at least three cases in the past year or so in which a pilot failed to pass a pre-flight alcohol test or was reported to the police for loud, drunken behavior. “We take this situation seriously, especially since we had already been given a business improvement order last December and had been in the process of implementing countermeasures,” JAL President Mitsuko Tottori told a news conference Wednesday. The transport ministry’s reprimand follows a surprise inspection of the airline last week. The ministry said Wednesday that the company’s oversight was insufficient and that the safety management system was not functioning adequately. The most recent flight delay occurred in late August when a pilot scheduled to fly from Honolulu to Chubu Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture was suspended from duty after he failed a voluntary pre-flight alcohol test due to heavy drinking the night before, causing three flights to be delayed by up to 18.5 hours. The pilot is set to be dismissed over the incident. In April last year, a flight from Dallas was canceled the night before after a hotel called the police on a drunken JAL pilot for making too much noise. In December, two pilots drank heavily the night before a flight and then colluded to cover up the fact, leading to another delay. Following these incidents, the transport ministry issued a business improvement order to JAL last year, prompting the airline to ban pilots from consuming alcohol overseas in between flights. However, Tottori said Wednesday that such measures were insufficient and vowed to take stricter preventative measures. “By comprehensively evaluating health check data and other information, we will ensure that crew members identified as having a particularly high risk related to alcohol consumption will not be assigned to flight duties,” Tottori said. Those evaluated as having liver problems or past issues with alcohol, for example, will be deemed as “high risk” and relieved of flight duties, he explained. So far, four pilots have been temporarily released from their duties. Those who present a moderate risk of drunkenness may be required to submit images of alcohol test results at their place of stay, Tottori added. JAL said other areas for improvement include better communication between management and the flight operation branch. The airline has been ordered to submit a report detailing its new preventative measures to the transport ministry by the end of the month. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/10/japan/jal-drinking-pilots/ Air India CEO says carrier embracing ‘new normal’ of safety focus after deadly crash Key Points • Air India Flight 171 crashed seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad, in western India, in June, killing all but one of the 242 people onboard, plus 19 people on the ground. • The preliminary report indicated confusion in the cockpit after the plane’s fuel switches were turned off. • Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the carrier has embraced a “new normal” and a stepped-up safety focus. LONG BEACH, Calif. — Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the carrier has embraced a “new normal” and a stepped-up safety focus following the crash of one of its planes in June, the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. All but one of the 242 people on board Air India Flight 171 on June 12 were killed when the Boeing Dreamliner, bound for London, crashed seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad in western India. Another 19 other people were killed on the ground. A preliminary report released in July showed confusion in the cockpit when fuel cutoff switches were flipped off. The cockpit voice recording captured one pilot asking the other why he cut off the fuel and the other responding that he did not. “The investigation is still ongoing, so I can’t comment too freely, but this has been an absolutely devastating event for the people involved, for families, for the company, for staff, and our focus over the last two months has been very much to support them in every way possible,” Wilson said at the Airline Passenger Experience Association’s conference and expo in Long Beach, California, on Tuesday. ‘He’s showing up.’ Things are getting better at Boeing under CEO Ortberg. Can he keep it going? “We continue to work with the regulator on the investigation and ensuring that whatever learnings come about from that investigation are put into play. For the moment, the preliminary report indicates nothing wrong with the aircraft, nothing wrong with the engines, nothing wrong with the airlines operation, but we’ve taken a significant safety pause to ensure all of our practices and procedures are fully embedded, and people are fully embracing a new normal of even extra focus on safety, and the focus continues to be on the people that were affected,” he said. Air India had been in the middle of a massive modernization effort to better compete with other carriers and gain new customers in India’s fast-growing aviation market at the time of the crash. The refresh began after Tata Group privatized the 93-year-old carrier from the government three years ago. That revamp is continuing with new cabins and better technology, said Wilson, an airline veteran who has previously served as CEO of Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ low-cost carrier. The carrier has placed orders for some 570 aircraft. “Once Air India was privatized [we] could adopt more normal private sector practices, could make long-term decisions, had the capital to invest,” he said. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/10/air-india-ceo-deadly-crash.html Hawaiian Airlines CEO Joe Sprague to retire, Diana Birkett Rakow to step in Hawaiian Airlines CEO Joe Sprague will retire effective October 29 and will be succeeded by Diana Birkett Birkett Rakow joined Alaska Airlines, a subsidiary of the group, eight years ago. She most recently served as senior vice president of public affairs and sustainability. Upon transition, she will continue to report to Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Air Group. Alaska Air Group completed its $1.9 billion acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines in September 2024. Sprague, who has worked at Alaska Airlines for 25 years, became CEO of Hawaiian Airlines after the acquisition. After stepping down, he will remain a member of the board. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/11/hawaiian-airlines-ceo-joe-sprague-to-retire-diana-birkett-rakow-to-step-in.html American Airlines Flight Returns to Philadelphia Airport After ‘Multiple Bird Strikes’ The flight returned safely 31 minutes after takeoff on Wednesday, Sept. 10 • An American Airlines flight returned to Philadelphia International Airport after "multiple bird strikes," according to the FAA • The San Francisco-bound Airbus returned to its origin 31 minutes after takeoff • According to the FAA, wildlife and bird strikes are becoming increasingly more common • An American Airlines flight returned safely to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) after the aircraft experienced “multiple” bird strikes this morning, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed. San Francisco-bound American Airlines flight 2035 returned to PHL around 7:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Sept. 10, “after the crew reported multiple bird strikes,” the FAA shared in a statement with PEOPLE. The agency confirmed it will investigate the incident. According to FlightAware, the Airbus A321 departed PHL at 6:57 a.m. local time. The initial flight lasted 31 minutes before it safely landed back at its origin. The flight tracker noted a new flight from Philadelphia to San Francisco departed at 9:55 a.m. and is expected to arrive around 12:49 p.m. Pacific time. In a statement shared with local outlet ABC 6, American Airlines said the initial aircraft “is being taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team.” They added: “We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding.” A representative for Philadelphia International Airport directed inquiries to American Airlines, who did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. According to the FAA, wildlife strikes — a collision between an aircraft and an animal — are increasingly more common. The agency has collected data from 291,600 strikes reported in the U.S. between 1990 and 2023. In 2023, there were about 19,400 strikes at 713 U.S. airports. “Expanding wildlife populations, increases in number of aircraft movements, a trend toward faster and quieter aircraft and outreach to the aviation community all have contributed to the observed increase in reported wildlife strikes,” the agency wrote. “As a result… there has been greater emphasis on wildlife strike hazard research and airfield wildlife management.” According to their research, 54% of bird strikes happen between July and October as that is when young birds have fled from nests and fall migration occurs. About 62% of bird strikes take place during daylight hours. Globally between 1988 and October 2024, there have been 499 human fatalities and 361 aircrafts destroyed — both military and civil aviation— as a result of wildlife strikes. Earlier this year, a FedEx cargo plane had to make an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey after the aircraft was set ablaze when it hit a bird. On March 1, Indianapolis-bound FedEx flight 3609 made a sudden return to its origin airport around 8:07 a.m. local time due to a “bird strike” the airport told PEOPLE in a statement at the time. The strike occurred during takeoff, FedEx officials confirmed. After the collision, the crew “declared an emergency and returned safely to Newark after dealing with the resulting engine damage, including an engine fire,” FedEx told PEOPLE in a statement. It was not immediately clear how many passengers were aboard the flight, but there were no injuries reported as a result of the emergency landing, according to the airport. https://people.com/american-airlines-flight-turns-around-after-multiple-bird-strikes-11807561 SMS Due for U.S. Repair Stations Holding EASA Approval Deadline is approaching rapidly, and experts worry that repair stations are not ready NBAA is warning U.S.-based Part 145 repair stations holding EASA approval that they must soon have a safety management system (SMS) in place. Repair stations are required to update their EASA supplement by Oct. 10, 2025, and achieve full SMS integration by Dec. 31, 2025, according to NBAA. The association added, “Amanda Ferraro, CEO of Aviation Safety Solutions, explained the two deadlines, saying if a repair station does not have an SMS fully implemented by Octobr 10, it should update its EASA supplement by that date to include a statement of intent to implement an SMS by December 31. Then by December 31, the repair station must submit a declaration of compliance, indicating the SMS is in place.” “Simply rebranding another company’s SMS manual or chapter is a mistake,” she said. “The FAA relies on the manual to conduct oversight, and the policies and procedures written in it. Operators will be held accountable to the FAA for what they document. “The declaration of compliance statement is a legal document submitted to the FAA, certifying that the operator’s FAA Part 5 SMS is fully in place. If repair stations have not started implementation, it’s critical that they begin now. It usually takes six to 12 months to implement,” she added. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-09-09/sms-due-us-repair-stations-holding-easa-approval CALENDAR OF EVENTS · ISASI ANNUAL SEMINAR 2025'September 29, 2025 – October 3, 2025, DENVER, COLORADO . 2025 NBAA Single-Pilot Safety Standdown; Monday, Oct. 13 | 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; Las Vegas, NV . 2025 NBAA National Safety Forum, Tuesday, Oct. 14 – Wednesday, Oct. 15; Las Vegas, NV . Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC™) - 2025 – October 27-29th (Omaha, Nebraska) . 78TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT (IASS) - Lisbon, November 4–6 ; 29th annual Bombardier Safety Standdown, November 11-13, 2025; Wichita, Kansas · CHC Safety & Quality Summit, 11th – 13th November 2025, Vancouver, BC Canada . 2026 ACSF Safety Symposium; April 7-9, 2026; ERAU Daytona Beach, FL . 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference; May 5-7, 2026; New Orleans, LA . BASS 2026 - 71st Business Aviation Safety Summit - May 5-6, 2026 | Provo, Utah . The African Aviation Safety & Operations Summit - May 19-20 | Johannesburg, South Africa . Safeskies Australia - Australia’s renowned Aviation Safety Conference - Canberra Australia 20 and 21 May 2026 . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis