Flight Safety Information - September 24, 2025 No. 191 In This Issue : Incident: Delta B739 at Atlanta on Sep 21st 2025, engine sparks : Incident: LATAM A20N at Chapeco on Sep 21st 2025, hail strike and turbulence : FATIGUE RISK MANAGEMENT FOR MANAGERS & SAFETY STAKEHOLDERS : United Airlines briefly grounds all flights across U.S. and Canada : Pilots' Body Cites Bias In Air India Crash Report, Demands Judicial Probe : Families of Flight 5342 mid-air crash victims to make announcement in DC : Pilots Of American Airlines Flight to Phoenix ‘Forget’ To Lower Landing Gear In Hair-Raising Mistake : ICAO Recognizes Morocco’s Civil Aviation Progress : Chinese Airlines Are Reportedly Close To Ordering 500 Boeing Aircraft : Jail time, $156K fine for DJI drone pilot in LA wildfire crash : Spanish defence minister's jet suffers GPS disturbance near Russian enclave : Turkey may drop US F-16 purchase in favour of acquiring jet engines : Spirit Airlines bankruptcy threatens small towns' flights : China's COMAC falls behind on C919 aircraft delivery targets, filings show : Trump’s Visa Announcement Plunges Flight Into Chaos as Passengers Demand to Get Off : Calendar of Event Incident: Delta B739 at Atlanta on Sep 21st 2025, engine sparks A Delta Airlines Boeing 737-900, registration N830DN performing flight DL-682 from Atlanta,GA to Sacramento,CA (USA) with 152 passengers and 6 crew, was climbing out of Atlanta's runway 08R when the crew stopped the climb at FL260 due to the left hand engine (CFM56) emitting sparks. The aircraft returned to Atlanta for a safe landing on runway 09L about 45 minutes after departure. A replacement Boeing 737-900 registration N909DN reached Sacramento with a delay of about 12 hours. The occurrence aircraft returned to service about 21.5 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=52d78714&opt=0 Incident: LATAM A20N at Chapeco on Sep 21st 2025, hail strike and turbulence A LATAM Brasil Airbus A320-200N, registration PR-XBV performing flight LA-3279 from Chapeco,SC to Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP (Brazil), was climbing out of Chapeco's runway 29 when the aircraft flew through hail and experienced turbulence. The aircraft continued the climb to FL390 and landed safely on Guarulhos' runway 27L about 80 minutes after departure. Passengers reported upon disembarkation they noticed the nose (radome) of the aircraft was dented. The airline reported the hail strike occurred shortly after takeoff completely beyond the control of the company's control and without operational losses. The aircraft remained on the ground in Sao Paulo for about 7 hours, then returned to service. https://avherald.com/h?article=52d7770a&opt=0 United Airlines briefly grounds all flights across U.S. and Canada All United Airlines flights departing in the U.S. and Canada were briefly suspended Tuesday night, as the airline asked the Federal Aviation Administration to issue a ground stop over an unspecified technological issue. United, which grounded its flights for about half an hour, said it had "experienced a brief connectivity issue just before midnight Central time on Tuesday, but has since resumed normal operations." It was the second time in less than two months that the U.S. airline had requested a halt to its departures over an unspecified technical glitch. In early August, United flights were subjected to ground stop across major U.S. airports including Newark, Denver, Houston and Chicago, which lasted several hours. The airline said at the time that it was a "technology issue," which caused widespread delays throughout its network. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/united-airlines-briefly-grounds-flights-064605227.html Pilots' Body Cites Bias In Air India Crash Report, Demands Judicial Probe Air India Crash: The pilots' body said the Aviation probe body's conduct had "fundamentally and irrevocably compromised the integrity, impartiality and legality" of the investigation into the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI 171. Air India crash left 12 crew members, 229 passengers and 19 people on the ground dead.New Delhi: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has formally urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to constitute a 'Court of Inquiry', headed by a retired Supreme Court judge into the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI 171, alleging that the ongoing probe by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been compromised. In a letter dated September 22, 2025, pilots' body said the Aviation probe body's conduct had "fundamentally and irrevocably compromised the integrity, impartiality and legality" of the investigation into the crash of the Boeing 787-8 aircraft (VT-ANB) operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. The accident killed two senior pilots, 10 cabin crew members, 229 passengers and 19 people on the ground, making it one of the worst aviation disasters in India's history. Allegations Against Aviation Probe Body The pilots' body alleged that Aviation probe body officials engaged in "procedural and ethical breaches," including an unsolicited visit to the residence of Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal's 91-year-old father, where they allegedly suggested pilot error using a "selective cockpit voice recorder (CVR) interpretation" and "layered voice analysis." The pilots' body said this amounted to framing a "pilot error" narrative prematurely, while diverting attention from possible systemic causes such as manufacturing or maintenance lapses. It also accused Aviation probe body of leaking protected CVR details to the media, fuelling "character assassination" of Capt. Sabharwal, a veteran pilot with over 15,600 flying hours. "This act of 'poisoning the well' serves to frame the victim as the perpetrator from the outset," the letter stated, adding that the leaks violated Rule 17(5) of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017, which prohibits disclosure of cockpit recordings. Call For Judicial Probe The pilots' body said only a judicially led Court of Inquiry, with "all the powers of a civil court," can restore credibility. It proposed that the probe be presided over by a retired Supreme Court judge, assisted by independent experts in aircraft maintenance, avionics, human factors, and flight operations. The pilots' body also drew parallels with the 2010 Mangalore Air India Express crash, which was investigated by a Court of Inquiry headed by a retired Air Marshal, and with the Boeing 737 MAX tragedies, where premature focus on pilot error initially obscured deeper design flaws. "The current AAIB probe has already failed to meet the minimum standard of independence," the pilots' body said, warning that continuing along this path would damage India's aviation safety credibility and expose the government to international scrutiny. What Pilots' Body Wants The federation has demanded for an immediate constitution of a Court of Inquiry under Rule 12 of the Aircraft Investigation Rules, 2017, alongside a judicially led panel with independent technical experts. The pilots' also call for a formal censure of Aviation probe body, directing it to stop extra-judicial commentary and media leaks, while reaffirming that accident investigations are meant for safety prevention, not apportioning blame. Families Seek Fairness In an attached letter, Capt. Sabharwal's father, Pushkar Raj Sabharwal, described how the Aviation probe body's officials confronted him with speculative claims about his son. "At 91 years of age, I seek no favour, only fairness," he wrote, urging that his son's dignity and due process be preserved. The pilots' body said the demand was not just about protecting one pilot's legacy, but about safeguarding the credibility of India's air accident investigations. "A compromised, biased investigation that defaults to a simplistic and convenient 'pilot error' narrative is the single greatest threat," the pilots' body said. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/air-india-crash-pilots-body-cites-bias-in-air-india-crash-report-demands-judicial-probe-9334338 Families of Flight 5342 mid-air crash victims to make announcement in DC WASHINGTON (7News) — The families of American Eagle Flight 5342 passengers killed in the Jan. 29 mid-air collision are set to make an announcement Tuesday afternoon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. A press conference is set for 2 p.m. and will include relatives of several victims, among them 40-year-old Casey Grafton, who was aboard Flight 5342 when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport. Sixty-seven people died in the crash. Attorneys representing the families will also join the news conference. This comes months after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held hearings back in July, examining issues involving the Army helicopter and air traffic control. https://cnycentral.com/news/nation-world/flight-american-black-hawk-helicopter-reagan-airport-washington-dc-casey-grafton-ntsb-air-traffic-control-army-midair-collision-january-29-crash-aviation-safety-press-conference-deadly Pilots Of American Airlines Flight to Phoenix ‘Forget’ To Lower Landing Gear In Hair-Raising Mistake The pilots of an American Airlines Airbus A319 with as many as 132 passengers onboard seemingly forgot to lower the landing gear as the plane was on final approach to Phoenix Sky Harbor… and the mistake was caught on camera. American Airlines flight AA-2822 was nearing the end of an otherwise routine flight from Austin, Texas, and was lined up for its final approach to landing, but there was something not quite right with the aircraft. By this point in a flight, the landing gear would normally have been lowered as part of a standard checklist. On this occasion, however, ThePlaneSpotter on YouTube caught the plane coming into land with the landing gear still up. Within a few seconds, the pilots spot their apparent mistake with the landing gears starting to lower – likely because a cockpit alert system designed to prevent exactly this kind of mistake kicked in and sounded a warning. The slip-up no doubt startled the pilots, and they decided to perform a go-around, later using very diplomatic language with air traffic control to explain the reason for discontinuing their approach: “Uh, it wasn’t configured in the appropriate manner.” The pilots then circled around and landed without incident, highlighting the fact that performing a go-around is a very appropriate safety measure, rather than trying to land when the conditions aren’t just right. Despite checklists and cross-checks, mistakes like this do occur from time to time. The Airbus A320 series of aircraft is fitted with various warning systems to alert pilots to ‘configuration issues’ such as this, although even these alerts don’t always work. In May 2020, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A320 crashed into a residential area close to Karachi Airport, tragically killing 97 people. Investigators found that the pilots had forgotten to lower the landing gear as they came into land because they were distracted talking about the COVID-19 pandemic. The pilots only realized their mistake when the engines skimmed the runway, quickly powering up the engines and performing a go-around. Unfortunately, both engines had been badly damaged, and they soon failed, leading to the plane plummeting to the ground. In the aftermath of the crash, PIA was put under intense regulatory scrutiny with investigators discovering that some of the airline’s flight crew had used fake pilot’s licences and weren’t actually qualified aviators. Matt’s take – Go-arounds aren’t anything to be scared about As a flight attendant, I know that go-arounds can be very unsettling for passengers. One moment you’re preparing for the plane to touch the tarmac, and the next, you hear the roar of the engines as the plane suddenly lurches upwards. What can be even more distressing in these circumstances is the lack of information forthcoming from the pilots. There is, though, a very good reason for this. In the minutes after a go-around, the pilots will be very busy communicating with air traffic control and carrying out procedures to make a safe return to the airport. Giving passengers a blow-by-blow update is very low on the pilot’s list of priorities at this point. But hold tight, breathe, and remember, a go-around isn’t just normal, it’s also a sign that safety systems are working exactly as intended. https://www.paddleyourownkanoo.com/2025/09/24/watch-pilots-of-american-airlines-flight-to-phoenix-forget-to-lower-landing-gear-in-hair-raising-mistake/ ICAO Recognizes Morocco’s Civil Aviation Progress During the event, Morocco will also present its candidacy for a seat on the ICAO Council, reaffirming its intention to play an active and constructive role in global civil aviation governance. ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano presented Transport and Logistics Minister Abdessamad Kayouh with a certificate acknowledging Morocco’s achievements. Morocco’s progress in civil aviation was recognized on Tuesday in Montreal during the 42nd session of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly.Moroccan culture books On this occasion, ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano presented Transport and Logistics Minister Abdessamad Kayouh with a certificate acknowledging Morocco’s achievements in establishing an effective safety oversight system and improving the implementation of ICAO’s Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs). The distinction reflects Morocco’s notable advances in regulatory compliance, aviation safety, and continuous oversight of the national aviation safety system. In 2023 and 2024, the country hosted ICAO supervision missions that covered key safety areas, including flight safety, air navigation security, and airport certification. During these assessments, ICAO confirmed that Morocco had made significant progress in implementing the organization’s standards. The recognition comes as Morocco participates in the 42nd ICAO Assembly with a strong delegation led by Kayouh. The gathering, held from September 23 to October 3, brings together representatives from 193 member states and multiple international organizations to set ICAO’s global policy for the next three years.Moroccan culture books Morocco’s groundbreaking 2006 Open Skies agreement with the European Union demonstrated how strategic aviation liberalization can transform economic outcomes, offering valuable lessons for the broader African continent struggling with fragmented airspace and high fares. The opening session was attended by Morocco’s ambassador to Canada, Souriya Otmani.Moroccan culture books According to the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, this participation demonstrates Morocco’s ongoing commitment to sustainable development and civil aviation safety, as well as its determination to strengthen international cooperation in this strategic field. Delegates are also examining ICAO’s 2026-2050 long-term strategy, a roadmap that sets ambitious goals: achieving net-zero carbon emissions for international aviation by 2050, strengthening the sector’s economic viability, and ensuring smoother, more affordable travel through coordinated air navigation systems. For Morocco, the Montreal forum offers a platform to highlight national progress while presenting its candidacy for a seat on ICAO’s Council, reaffirming its ambition to play an active and constructive role in global civil aviation governance, both internationally and across Africa. On the sidelines of the Assembly, the Moroccan delegation is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with officials from other countries and representatives of international organizations to deepen technical and operational cooperation in various aviation-related domains.Moroccan culture books Several new air services and cooperation agreements are also expected, particularly with African partners, reinforcing Morocco’s positioning as a regional hub and a driver of African integration in the aviation sector. The ICAO Council President’s Certificate, awarded to Morocco for the first time, crowns years of reforms undertaken under the guidance of King Mohammed VI to elevate civil aviation into a lever for national development. Authorities in Rabat view the sector as key to economic growth through tourism, industrial expansion, and preparation for major sporting events, while building a reputation as a reference point in Africa, the Arab world, and the Mediterranean. https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2025/09/260444/icao-recognizes-moroccos-civil-aviation-progress/ Chinese Airlines Are Reportedly Close To Ordering 500 Boeing Aircraft Chinese airlines are close to finalizing an order for 500 aircraft from the American aircraft manufacturer, according to a report by Reuters. The development follows recent visits to China by a group of American lawyers, who held meetings with top Chinese officials. During a press conference on September 23, 2025, US Democratic Representative Adam Smith said, “It has been a while since Boeing airplanes were sold here in China,” adding that they hope to resume sales soon. Just last month, Bloomberg reported that China had been in discussions with Boeing regarding the large-scale aircraft order. Potential Multi-Billion-Dollar Deal The potential multi-billion-dollar order marks a major opportunity for the American aircraft manufacturer. US Ambassador to China David Purdue noted that the negotiations are nearing completion, stressing that the deal is “very important to the president, to Boeing, and to China.” While details such as delivery schedules and aircraft models remain under discussion, the agreement is widely seen as part of a broader US-China trade arrangement. Given Boeing’s already substantial backlog, compounded by quality control issues and certification delays on some jets, this order is likely to unfold over the long term. Nevertheless, analysts suggest it could help Boeing regain market share in China, where Airbus has made notable gains in recent years. The visit, which began on September 21, 2025, is the first by a House of Representatives delegation to China since 2019, before relations between Washington and Beijing deteriorated during the global COVID-19 pandemic. During the press conference, Smith added that the delegations also discussed the need for military dialogue, noting that China has the fastest-growing military and that it is dangerous for both countries to lack regular communication about their capabilities. Breaking A Long Freeze If finalized, the new deal for 500 aircraft would mark China’s first major order from Boeing since 2017, ending a long period of inactivity. The most recent significant order from Chinese carriers to Boeing occurred in November 2017 during President Donald Trump's state visit to China. At that time, China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CASC) signed a deal for 300 Boeing aircraft. However, due to the Boeing 737 MAX groundings, a protracted recertification process, and geopolitical tensions, Boeing struggled to secure new orders from Chinese carriers in the subsequent years. In 2024, China Development Bank Financial Leasing placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets. Deliveries for this order are scheduled between 2028 and 2031. The three largest Chinese airlines, Air China, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines, currently have a combined backlog of 567 aircraft, according to ch-aviation data. Of these, only 72 deliveries are still pending from Boeing across all three carriers. A 500-Plane Order For Airbus Jets China is awaiting deliveries from Boeing’s European rival, Airbus, which has steadily gained market share in the country’s aviation sector over the years. China’s largest carriers recently finalized a massive order for 500 Airbus aircraft. While the deal was completed months ago, an official announcement has yet to be made, and the airlines are reportedly beginning to divide the order among themselves. Bloomberg News was the first to report that Airbus and the Chinese government, through which all aircraft orders are typically finalized, completed the deal in June 2025. The composition of the order has not been disclosed, and the agreement has not been officially announced, as both Airbus and the Chinese government were waiting for the right timing, according to the report. According to the report, the country’s “big three airlines,” including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, are each expected to secure around 100 Airbus aircraft, while two smaller airlines, including Xiamen Airlines and Sichuan Airlines Group, are expected to take about 35 aircraft. https://simpleflying.com/chinese-airlines-close-order-500-aircraft/ Jail time, $156K fine for DJI drone pilot in LA wildfire crash When Los Angeles wildfires raged earlier this year, every minute counted. But one tech mogul’s reckless curiosity with a DJI Mini 3 Pro drone grounded a vital firefighting plane mid-mission, and now he’s paying the price. Peter Tripp Akemann, 57, a gaming industry veteran who co-founded Call of Duty developer Treyarch and now serves as chief technologist at Skydance Interactive, has been sentenced to 14 days in federal prison, 30 days of home detention, and ordered to pay roughly $156,000. His crime? Flying his Mini 3 into a Super Scooper water-bomber battling January’s Palisades Fire, punching a gaping hole in the aircraft’s wing and sidelining it when it was needed most. Prosecutors said the collision could have been catastrophic. “This defendant recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives,” the US Attorney’s Office said in a statement. “Flying drones during times of emergency poses an extreme threat to personnel and compromises firefighting operations.” How LA wildfire drone crash grounded firefighting aircraft The morning of January 9, as flames consumed hillsides in Pacific Palisades, Akemann drove to Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade and launched his Mini 3 drone from a parking garage rooftop. He admitted later that he wanted to check on a friend’s nearby home and see the fire damage for himself. But his drone flew more than 1.5 miles into FAA-restricted airspace, straight toward aircraft ferrying 1,600 gallons of ocean water at a time. At some point, Akemann lost contact. “It was not until I heard on the news that a drone had collided with a firefighting aircraft that I became concerned it was possibly my drone,” he wrote in a three-page apology letter to the court. The drone struck a Canadair CL-415 known as the Super Scooper Quebec 1, leased from the government of Quebec to assist Los Angeles County. The impact tore a 3-by-6-inch hole in the wing, forcing the aircraft out of service and into costly repairs. Pieces of Akemann’s drone were later recovered from the site. The price tag of recklessness Repairing the aircraft alone cost more than $65,000. Once downtime and other expenses were added, restitution ballooned to about $156,000. Under his plea deal, Akemann agreed to pay back both the Quebec government and the repair company. He must also complete 150 hours of community service supporting Southern California wildfire relief. The sentence — two weeks behind bars, followed by home confinement — came from US District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald. While Akemann could have faced up to a year in prison for unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft, the court weighed his guilty plea, remorse, and cooperation. “Since this unfortunate event occurred, I truly have been filled with grief at the pain I have caused members of the community, as well as my family,” Akemann wrote. Calling his conduct “stupid and reckless,” he admitted: “Common sense dictated that I should never have put the drone up in the first place.” Akemann’s resume makes the story sting even more. He co-founded Treyarch, the studio behind the Call of Duty series: games famous for their realistic depictions of combat and destruction. He later became president of Skydance Interactive before shifting into a senior technology role. That background makes his choice to fly a drone into wildfire skies all the more ironic: a man whose career has thrived on simulated firefights nearly compromised real ones. The Palisades Fire ultimately scorched more than 23,000 acres, destroyed nearly 7,000 structures, and killed 12 people. In such conditions, losing even a single firefighting aircraft can be devastating. Federal authorities insist Akemann’s case should serve as a cautionary tale for all hobbyists. “Lack of common sense and ignorance of your duty as a drone pilot will not shield you from criminal charges,” says FBI Los Angeles assistant director Akil Davis. “Please respect the law, respect the FAA’s rules, and respect our firefighters.” And that warning is worth underlining: even a small consumer drone like the DJI Mini 3 can cripple a multi-million-dollar aircraft and cripple lifesaving missions. So, if a wildfire is burning, keep your drone grounded. https://dronedj.com/2025/09/24/la-wildfire-drone-crash-fine/ Spanish defence minister's jet suffers GPS disturbance near Russian enclave The military aircraft was near Russia's Kaliningrad enclave on Wednesday when the incident happened during its journey to Lithuania, officials said. A Spanish military jet with a defence minister on board suffered a GPS "disturbance" while on the way to Lithuania, according to Spanish officials. The military aircraft was flying near Russia's Kaliningrad enclave on Wednesday morning when the incident is reported to have happened. Margarita Robles was the minister on the flight, according to Spanish officials. A commander onboard the Spanish plane said such incidents are common when flying near Kaliningrad, both for civil and military aircraft - and military satellites could also be used to navigate. A Spanish defence ministry spokesperson said: "There has been an attempt to disrupt the GPS signal, but as our aircraft has an encrypted system, it was not affected. "It must be common on this route and also with commercial flights. It is not because it is our aircraft." Read more: Who is messing with GPS signals - and why? Ms Robles was due to have a bilateral meeting with her Lithuanian counterpart Dovile Sakaliene during a visit to the Siauliai airbase on Wednesday, according to the Spanish government's agenda. The plane was also carrying relatives of Spanish airmen forming part of the new NATO air defence mission on Europe's eastern flank. It was launched earlier this month after Poland shot down drones that had violated its airspace. The Spanish contingent last week intercepted eight Russian aircraft operating over the Baltic Sea, Spain's defence ministry added in a statement. Ms Robles, 68, has been Spain's defence minister since 2018. In June, she said Spain was "absolutely committed" to NATO and the European Union. Then in August, the minister said Spain would work to "invigorate" the European fighter jet project, known as FCAS. It came after Spain revealed it was no longer considering the option of buying US-made F-35 fighter jets and would refocus its defence spending on buying European-made equipment. At the end of August, a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suffered GPS jamming as a result of suspected Russian interference, an EU spokesperson told Sky News. Estonia and neighbouring Finland have also previously blamed Russia for jamming GPS navigation devices in the region's airspace. Russia has denied interfering with communication and satellite networks. https://news.sky.com/story/spanish-defence-ministers-jet-suffers-gps-disturbance-near-russian-enclave-13437066 Turkey may drop US F-16 purchase in favour of acquiring jet engines Ankara could buy parts instead of new aircraft in bid to accelerate fifth-generation Kaan warplane project Turkey may ask the United States to modify a multibillion dollar arms deal to acquire jet engines instead of F-16 warplanes and missiles, sources familiar with the issue told Middle East Eye. Last year, Ankara scaled back its initial F-16 procurement plan, opting out of 79 modernisation kits and instead committing to purchase 40 F-16 Vipers with associated ammunition. This reduced the total value of the deal from $23bn to $7bn. Now, some senior officials are pushing for further changes, scrapping the planned F-16 purchase and parts of the ammunition package entirely. Instead, Turkey would prioritise investment in its domestically produced fifth-generation fighter jet, the Kaan, using the deal to obtain engines for the aircraft and prepare for a possible return to the US-led F-35 programme. The issue is expected to come up during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Washington on Thursday. It isn't clear whether Ankara will make the offer during the Oval Office meeting with US President Donald Trump. However, some officials continue to argue that Turkey must immediately move ahead with purchasing the 40 F-16 Vipers to bolster its aging fleet. Since the US government approved the original deal in early 2024, Turkey’s defence and security leadership has been divided over how best to replace the country’s aging F-16s. 'Instead of spending billions on F-16s, some in Ankara argue that the funds could be redirected to purchase F-16 engines, which are compatible with the Kaan' Ankara’s exclusion from the F-35 program in 2019, following its acquisition of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems, has left officials grappling with the prospect of an acute fighter jet shortage in the years ahead. While the Turkish air force has expressed a willingness to procure any available aircraft, including F-16s, Eurofighters or F-35s, Turkey’s top defence procurement body and key domestic producers maintain that Ankara must be more selective. Proponents of this view favour modernising Turkey’s existing F-16 fleet with rapidly advancing local technologies, avoiding what they see as costly “stopgap” solutions until the Kaan enters service. A Turkish consortium aims to deliver the first Kaan jets by late 2028, though many analysts believe deliveries may slip closer to 2030. “Instead of spending billions on F-16s, some in Ankara argue that the funds could be redirected to purchase F-16 engines, which are compatible with the Kaan,” one source familiar with the debate said. The first Kaan aircraft will be powered by General Electric’s F110 engines, the same used in F-16s, though Turkey ultimately plans to develop a domestic engine model for deliveries in the 2030s. Some officials are also wary of restrictions that could come with US-supplied F-16s, as Washington could potentially bar Ankara from integrating its own domestically produced payloads. In recent years, Turkey has excelled in developing indigenous weapon systems, ranging from cruise missiles to guided munitions, that can be paired with fighter jets. Defence Minister Yasar Guler confirmed last November that Ankara has already made a $1.4bn down payment toward the F-16s. However, other officials argue that Turkey should prioritise rejoining the F-35 programme, which could immediately boost its fighter jet capability. Unlike F-16s or Eurofighters, which face years-long production backlogs, six F-35s originally built for Turkey remain in storage and could be transferred quickly if Ankara is readmitted. Guler has also said that Turkey ultimately aims to acquire 40 F-35s. But Turkey’s shifting demands for amendments to the F-16 deal have raised concerns within the US administration. A Washington-based source told MEE that the Pentagon has insisted it will not reopen discussions on the F-35 until the F-16 agreement is finalised. The source said that it was unlikely that the US would accept selling jet engines instead of F-16s as it was a sealed deal. Turkey's potential return to the F-35 programme is also strategically significant in the context of the balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean. Greece is set to receive its first F-35s in 2028, while Turkey’s aging F-16 fleet continues to present operational challenges. However, regional actors, chiefly Israel, but also Greece, are lobbying Washington to block the sale. Israel has long maintained a de facto veto over US arms sales to Middle Eastern countries to preserve its qualitative military edge. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-may-drop-us-f-16-purchase-favour-jet-engines Spirit Airlines bankruptcy threatens small towns' flights NEW YORK (Reuters) -If Spirit Airlines slashes or eliminates service at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport due to the carrier's second bankruptcy in a year, residents of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, may soon have to drive 65 miles to Pittsburgh if they need to take a nonstop flight on Spirit. “We have 150,000 people that want to go somewhere,” said Gabe Monzo, executive director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority in southwest Pennsylvania. Spirit is the only commercial airline currently servicing the airport. Spirit announced it would reduce its November flight capacity by 25% and is furloughing one-third of its flight attendants to save money after filing for bankruptcy last month. If it slashes service to Latrobe, "It would be a real deficit to air transportation here," Monzo said. Since the pandemic, discount airlines have struggled, and many have been trying to go up-market. Spirit's latest bankruptcy filing was in August. As part of its cost cutting efforts, it plans to end service to 11 locales. Regional airport operators, some of whom count on Spirit as their only discount carrier, say it will leave fewer affordable options for Americans flying on a budget. Spirit has a unique relationship with the Arnold Palmer airport, named after the famous golf champion, a native son who died in 2016. Westmoreland County spends about $900,000 annually to support Spirit's operations at the facility, which otherwise serves small private planes. "When Spirit decided to move in, the airport was very limited in capabilities and it was not compatible with commercial air service. But we changed all that," said Monzo. "I fly Spirit all the time," said Darlene Wommer, who was waiting to board a flight to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to visit her father. "I'm going to miss it a lot if it goes." Spirit said its presence has helped lower consumers' fares for 30 years, whether they fly directly with the airline or not. The company arranged to merge with JetBlue in 2024, but the deal was blocked by the U.S. Department of Justice, citing harm to customers. That decision has forced Spirit to shrink its operations, even as airport operators across the U.S. have sought out Spirit to boost regional flight connectivity. One of the casualties was a plan for twice-a-week flights from Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon-Bibb County to Fort Lauderdale for as low as $50 each way. Spirit had announced that plan through a partnership this year with Contour Airlines of Smyrna, Tennessee, but later scrapped it before it could kick off in October. "Our community was excited about it, so it's disappointing that they're not going to be able to do that," said Doug Faour, Macon-Bibb County's aviation director. "We are evaluating our options as we implement our transformation to best position Spirit for the future," Spirit said. Contour did not respond to a request for comment. Spirit also plans to stop service to Albuquerque International Sunport, leaving New Mexico’s largest commercial airport without any ultra-low-cost carriers. Discount airlines Frontier Airlines and Allegiant Air already departed from Albuquerque. "It was a big deal getting them here initially," said Daniel Jiron, associate director at Albuquerque International Sunport. "We wanted them to be successful." Without lower-cost carriers, travelers flying from Albuquerque to Las Vegas may see prices rise, Jiron said. About half the passengers transiting the airport use Southwest Airlines. The Arnold Palmer airport is weighing other low-cost options, as it has not heard yet if it will be on the chopping block. Monzo said people are counting on the airline to pull through. "Our loyalty to Spirit is strong. We are going to work with them to help them thrive in any way we can." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/spirit-airlines-bankruptcy-threatens-small-100315140.html China's COMAC falls behind on C919 aircraft delivery targets, filings show (Reuters) -Chinese planemaker COMAC is falling behind on previously stated delivery targets for the production of its narrow-body C919 commercial plane, according to regulatory filings from the three airlines that fly the model. China Eastern Airlines, Air China and China Southern were expecting 32 of the planes to be delivered this year, but as of September only five have been handed over from COMAC, according to airline financial reports and data from ch-aviation and Flightradar24. The state-owned manufacturer has cut its own C919 production target to 25 this year from a previously stated goal of 75, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. COMAC did not respond immediately to a request for comment. COMAC in January said it planned to deliver 30 C919 planes and scale up annual production capacity to 50 aircraft in 2025. In March, it raised the production target up to 75, according to Chinese media reports. COMAC is seeking to compete internationally with leading Western planemakers Airbus and Boeing, which produce dozens of their single-aisle A320neo family and 737 MAX jets each month. COMAC this year faced the unexpected challenge of the United States temporarily halting exports of the CFM engines it uses on the C919 between June and July as trade tensions escalated. A key vulnerability of China's jet-building programme is that major elements of the designs use foreign parts. The C919, which lacks benchmark certifications from major Western aviation regulators, has only had orders from Chinese customers and two airlines in Brunei and Cambodia - both close allies of Beijing. Aviation consultancy IBA said last month that COMAC's C919 production targets were ambitious and it expected "more measured growth" from the manufacturer. IBA forecast around 18 C919s would be delivered in 2025 and 25 in 2026, rising to about 45 in 2027. China Eastern, Air China and China Southern each ordered 100 of the jets. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/chinas-comac-falls-behind-c919-053719433.html Trump’s Visa Announcement Plunges Flight Into Chaos as Passengers Demand to Get Off Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images An executive order from President Donald Trump targeting skilled foreign workers sparked chaos aboard an Emirates flight out of San Francisco. Flight EK226, scheduled to depart SFO for Dubai at 5:05 p.m., was delayed for hours after passengers learned that the president had signed a proclamation earlier in the day slapping a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, a blow to the technology sector, which relies heavily on workers from India and China. As word spread through the cabin, multiple passengers demanded to disembark. Video from inside the Airbus A380 captured the captain addressing passengers over the loudspeaker, saying, “Due to the current circumstances, obviously they are unprecedented for us here at Emirates, we are aware that a number of passengers do not wish to travel with us and that is perfectly fine. All we ask is that if you wish to offload yourself, you do so.” Masud Rana, a passenger on the flight, wrote on Instagram: “It was complete chaos for Emirates passengers at San Francisco Airport this Friday morning… As a result, I was stuck in the same spot for over three hours, waiting for the flight to depart.” The H-1B program, which allows U.S. employers to hire foreign nationals with specialized skills, is widely used in the Bay Area’s tech sector. According to the Silicon Valley Index, about 66 percent of the region’s tech workers are foreign-born. While the fee applies only to new applications, the confusion on board EK226 was immediate. Reuters reported that on Friday, tech companies and banks sent urgent memos to their employees telling them not to leave the U.S. and advising those who were overseas to return to the country before 12:01 Sunday. The proclamation is the latest move in Trump’s overhaul of immigration and work visa policies. His administration has tightened eligibility requirements, limited the lottery system that distributes visas, and increased scrutiny of applications. Friday’s order dramatically raises the cost barrier for companies seeking to bring in workers from abroad. By the time the passengers who chose to remain were reseated and luggage for those who left was offloaded, EK226’s departure had been pushed back more than three hours. Flight-tracking data from FlightAware showed the jet finally left the gate at 8:20 p.m. Advertisement The White House has not said when the new H-1B fees will take effect, but the sudden rollout was enough to rattle Silicon Valley. Several of Trump’s supporters head up companies that employ a significant number of workers on H-1B visas. Amazon, whose founder and executive chairman, Jeff Bezos, attended the president’s inauguration, received more than 10,000 H-1B visas in 2024, more than any other employer. Meta, whose CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the White House earlier this month clamoring for Trump’s attention, came in fourth, receiving more than 5,000 H-1B visas in the same period. Emirates declined to comment. The Daily Beast has also reached out to the White House for comment. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-visa-announcement-plunges-flight-170947277.html 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