Flight Safety Information - January 28, 2026 No. 020 In This Issue : Learjet 45XR - Fatal Accident on Approach (India) : Martin WB-57F Canberra - Gear Up Landing (Texas) : British Airways flight loses wheel during take-off : Memo: FAA Denied Request to Reduce Arrivals Before Fatal Potomac Collision : Plane Passenger Sentenced to 5 Months in Prison After Threatening to 'Beat Up' Flight Attendants : Delta Flight Attendants Allegedly Use Beverage Carts to Trap Unruly Passenger : Mechanical issue' causes NASA research jet to perform gear-up landing : Burbank Airport could be next scene of mid-air crash, airlines warn NTSB : UPS retires its fleet of MD-11 cargo aircraft involved in deadly Kentucky crash : Airplane makes emergency landing in Omaha due to cracked window : Man accused of boarding Air France flight in Phoenix with invalid ticket, refused to leave : Delta grows Airbus widebody fleet with new order : Embraer reports record $7.6bn backlog for executive aviation : Calendar of Events Learjet 45XR - Fatal Accident on Approach (India) Date: Wednesday 28 January 2026 Time: 08:46 LT Type: Learjet 45XR Owner/operator: VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd Registration: VT-SSK MSN: 45-417 Year of manufacture: 2010 Total airframe hrs: 4915 hours Cycles: 5867 flights Engine model: Honeywell TFE 731-20BR Fatalities: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 5 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Destroyed, written off Category: Accident Location: Baramati Airport, Baramati, Pune district, Maharashtra - India Phase: Landing Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM/VABB) Destination airport: Baramati Airport Investigating agency: AAIB India Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: A Learjet 45XR, VT-SSK, crashed short of the threshold while attempting a second approach to runway 11 at Baramati Airport, Baramati, Pune district, Maharashtra. The five occupants perished and the aircraft was destroyed. One of the passengers was the Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. The flight took off from Mumbai (BOM) at 08:10 local time, bound for Baramati Airport. VT-SSK first came in contact with Baramati at 08:18. The aircraft's next call was at 30 NM inbound to Baramati and they were released by Pune approach. They were advised to descend in Visual Meteorological conditions at the pilot's discretion. The crew enquired about the winds and visibility and they were informed that the winds were calm and visibility was around 3000 meters. Next the aircraft reported on the final approach of Runway 11 but they did not have the runway in sight. They initiated a go-around in the first approach. The flight circled for another approach of runway 11. They were asked to report runway in sight. They replied "runway is currently not in sight, will call when runway is in sight". After a few seconds they reported that the runway is in sight. The aircraft was cleared to land on runway 11 at 08:43, however, they did not give a readback of the landing clearance. Next, controller saw the flames around the threshold of runway 11 at 08:44. The wreckage of the aircraft was located on the left side of the runway abeam threshold R/W 11. AAIB has taken over the investigation, DG, AAIB is reaching the accident site for investigation. Further details of the same as and when available will be shared. Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield and traffic information is provided by the instructors/Pilot from the Flying training Organisations at Baramati. It has a single runway (11-29), measuring 5500 x 100 feet with turning pads at both ends. At the end of runway 29, there is a dropoff, immediately after the runway 11 threshold. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/565967 Martin WB-57F Canberra - Gear Up Landing (Texas) Date: Tuesday 27 January 2026 Time: 17:19 UTC Type: Martin WB-57F Canberra Owner/operator: NASA Registration: N927NA MSN: M.266 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Houston-Ellington Field, TX (EFD/KEFD) - United States of America Phase: Landing Nature: Departure airport: Houston-Ellington Field, TX (EFD/KEFD) Destination airport: Houston-Ellington Field, TX (EFD/KEFD) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: A WB-57 performed a belly landing due to mechanical issues. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/565964 British Airways flight loses wheel during take-off A British Airways plane lost a wheel in mid-air while taking off from Las Vegas. The Airbus, which was flying to Heathrow, malfunctioned shortly after leaving the runway on Monday night. Video footage shared by Flightradar, a flight-tracking website, showed sparks coming from the right-hand main landing gear as the aircraft took off. Moments later, the wheel detached in mid-air as it was being retracted, falling to the ground. Flight BA274 continued on to London, where it made a “safe and uneventful” landing after more than nine hours in the air, Flightradar said. The separation of the right rear wheel from the A350-1000 aircraft was also captured on the flight tracker’s automated live stream at Las Vegas airport. British Airways confirmed that no one was injured, either on board the aircraft or on the ground in Las Vegas. The incident was the latest to draw attention to the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, which has faced increased scrutiny over a series of technical and quality-related problems affecting parts of its fleet. It said as many as 600 planes could be checked, although not all were expected to require repairs. According to the manufacturer, the issue was traced to panels located at the front of the aircraft that were found, in some cases, to be either too thick or too thin. Airbus stressed that the defect did not pose a flight safety risk. The number of jets that needed inspections for quality problems include 168 planes that were already in service. Days before, more than 6,000 Airbus aircraft had been grounded globally for emergency software updates in a major industry disruption. The problem was linked to a vulnerability in flight-control computers that could be triggered by intense solar radiation. The problem was discovered after an aircraft flying between the US and Mexico experienced a sudden loss of altitude, injuring 15 passengers. That grounding led to widespread cancellations and delays during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, coinciding with Thanksgiving in the US. Airbus shares dropped by more than 6.5 per cent in the days following the incident. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/british-airways-flight-loses-wheel-100012976.html Memo: FAA Denied Request to Reduce Arrivals Before Fatal Potomac Collision Air traffic controllers who raised concerns about Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were allegedly told the matter was 'too political' to address. The FAA reportedly denied a request to reduce flight arrivals at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the months leading up to a fatal midair collision over the Potomac River in January 2025. The Washington Times reported this week that the FAA did not act on a request from air traffic controllers at Potomac Consolidated TRACON in Virginia in 2023. The request pointed to difficulties maintaining separation among arriving commercial aircraft. The Times cited an internal FAA memo released by the NTSB, which is investigating the collision. According to the document, an FAA manager resisted forwarding the request to higher-ups. The controllers who made the request were later told the matter was “too political,” possibly because members of Congress depend on flights to and from the airport to travel between their home districts and Washington, D.C. The NTSB on Tuesday will vote on a final report about the probable cause of the crash. The agency is expected to hand down numerous safety recommendations drawn from its investigation, but it is not clear if reducing slots at Washington National will be among them. An American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Washington National on Jan. 29, 2025. A total of 67 people on board both aircraft were killed. For much of the last 12 months, conversation among regulators and lawmakers has centered on ADS-B broadcasting for military aircraft and measures to further separate civilian and military air traffic in the capital region. An interim rule published by the FAA last week prohibits helicopters and powered lift aircraft from operating in certain areas near Washington National. The FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation have also closed a potentially hazardous helicopter route in the area and eliminated the use of visual separation within five nautical miles of the airport. In October, the FAA updated helicopter routes and zones at Washington National, Washington Dulles, and Baltimore/Washington International in Maryland. Concerns about commercial traffic at Washington National have occasionally come up, however. During a public NTSB hearing on the crash last August, an FAA contractor said the center overseeing Washington National is under constant pressure to “make it work” despite limits on their resources and manpower. At that hearing, the FAA maintained that the airspace around Washington National is the safest it has ever been, due in part to the changes made after the crash. https://airlinegeeks.com/2026/01/26/memo-faa-denied-request-to-reduce-arrivals-before-fatal-potomac-collision/?oly_enc_id=1061D8018634A4F Plane Passenger Sentenced to 5 Months in Prison After Threatening to 'Beat Up' Flight Attendants Jennifer Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with flight attendants on July 17, 2025 A plane passenger has been sentenced to federal prison after threatening to "beat up" flight attendants Puerto Rico resident Jennifer Rodriguez, 37, was sentenced to five months on Jan. 20 Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with flight attendants on July 17, 2025 A plane passenger who threatened to “beat up” flight attendants on a flight home to Puerto Rico has just learned her legal fate. Jennifer Rodriguez, 37, has been sentenced to five months in federal prison after she pleaded guilty to one count of interference with flight attendants, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida announced on Monday, Jan. 26. The woman pleaded guilty on July 17, 2025, but was officially sentenced on Jan. 20, 2026, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. A criminal indictment also obtained by PEOPLE shows Rodriguez was formally charged in December 2024, following an incident that happened in April of that year. On April 24, 2024, Rodriguez boarded JetBlue flight 2751, which was scheduled to depart the Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida for San Juan, Puerto Rico, per the indictment. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as the plane pushed back from the gate, a flight attendant reportedly asked Rodriguez to end her cellphone call. However, Rodriguez instead began to argue with the flight attendants. “Rodriguez began yelling at the flight attendants and threatened to hit, slap, ‘beat up,’ pull their hair and drag them down the plane’s aisle by their scarves,” prosecutors wrote. The woman also prevented the flight crew from providing medical assistance to a nearby passenger and preparing the aircraft for takeoff, per the attorney’s office. The pilot was subsequently forced to return the plane to the gate, and the rest of the passengers were required to disembark the aircraft so that Rodriguez could be escorted by law enforcement. JetBlue did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. The FBI and the Tampa International Airport Police investigated the incident. The FBI in Tampa did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. A TPA spokesperson did not offer a statement on the matter. Aerial view of Tampa International Airport in Florida Mike Ehrmann/Getty Aerial view of Tampa International Airport in Florida Mike Ehrmann/Getty Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. According to Rodriguez’s judgment, signed by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, she shall surrender to the Bureau of Prisons by 12:00 p.m. on March 13. The judge recommended she serve her sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Conn. Rodriguez’s attorneys, Matthew Cavender and Douglas Stamm, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/plane-passenger-sentenced-5-months-000421626.html Delta Flight Attendants Allegedly Use Beverage Carts to Trap Unruly Passenger The 64-year-old passenger currently faces one count of interfering with flight crew and one count of assault Flight attendants on a recent Delta Air Lines flight allegedly used a beverage cart to trap an unruly passenger causing a disturbance on board The incident occurred on Jan. 18, during a flight from Minneapolis to Tokyo, according to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE The 64-year-old passenger currently faces one count of interfering with flight crew and one count of assault Delta Air Lines flight attendants allegedly used their beverage carts to block a disruptive passenger from exiting his seat, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. The alleged "Level 2" disturbance occurred on Saturday, Jan. 18 on a trip from Minneapolis to Tokyo, per a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Alaska. According to an affidavit by FBI special agent Katie Yarborough, she received multiple Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notifications that the “flight crew reported an unruly passenger" indicating the man was “walking around the aisle of the aircraft” and “had become verbally abusive" toward the crew, eventually forcing an unplanned landing at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Alaska. There, the FBI agent says she “immediately boarded the plane and handcuffed and removed the suspect,” who was identified as a 64-year-old male. According to interviews with one flight attendant, the passenger was allegedly “stumbling, unable to find his seat and was not speaking coherently” as he boarded the plane in Minneapolis. Another flight attendant claimed they thought “that he was having symptoms of dementia due to his age.” According to the report, at one point, the man got out of his seat, stepped over the armrest and “used his right arm to forcibly push [a female flight attendant] all the way from row 49 to the rear of the cabin.” Two male flight attendants reportedly put their hands on the passenger’s shoulders to separate him from the alleged victim. The man yelled he was going to sue them before the flight attendants were able to escort him back to his seat, per the affidavit. But the disruption didn't end there. A while later, the passenger reportedly got up again and made his way towards the first-class section of the plane. Flight attendants then brought him back and “used their beverage carts to block the aisle so that he could not get up again,” Yarborough writes. The complaint states flight crews ultimately believed the man “would not comply with the orders of the flight crew and feared another incident would occur in the approximately six hours left in the air.” The captain decided to land the plane out of an abundance of caution, per the affidavit. A Delta spokesperson tells PEOPLE crews reported a "potential medical issues involving a customer” and confirmed law enforcement and EMS met the aircraft and the customer was “transported to a local medical facility.” A representative for the FBI field office in Anchorage confirmed the incident to PEOPLE and deferred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska, who did not offer a comment. The passenger was formally indicted on Jan. 20 and arrested on Jan. 23, according to court records. The 64-year-old currently faces one count of interfering with flight crew and one count of assault against the flight attendant. An initial arraignment and detention hearing is set for Jan. 26, according to court documents. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In a motion to quash the arrest warrant, the defense says Yarborough informed the court that a doctor at the hospital was overheard informing that the patient’s “CT scan had revealed tumors that had metastasized in his brain, which could have caused the symptoms [the passenger] exhibited on the plane.” The motion further argued it would be “extremely inappropriate, unnecessary and inhumane” for the defendant to “be thrown into jail” amid his “extremely serious medical condition.” The motion was ultimately denied on Jan. 23. The passenger’s attorney, Gretchen Staft, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/delta-flight-attendants-allegedly-beverage-201043961.html Mechanical issue' causes NASA research jet to perform gear-up landing A NASA research jet performed a gear-up landing at Houston's Joint Reserve Base Ellington on Tuesday. File Photo Jan. 28 (UPI) -- A NASA research jet performed a gear-up landing at Houston's Joint Reserve Base Ellington after suffering a "mechanical issue," according to NASA officials. Uncorroborated video of the Tuesday landing posted online shows the plane, a WB-57 research aircraft, coming in low toward the runway, touching down with the belly of its fuselage. Sparks, fire and smoke spew from the back of the plane as it comes to a stop, the video shows. NASA Press Secretary Bethany Stevens said in a statement that the gear-up landing was the result of an unspecified "mechanical issue." "Response to the incident is ongoing, and all crew are safe at this time," she said. "As with any incident, a thorough investigation will be conducted by NASA into the cause. NASA will transparently update the public as we gather more information." The incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. CST Tuesday on Runway 17R-35L, according to Houston Airports, the Texas city's Department of Aviation. The WB-57 high-altitude research plane is a mid-wing, long-range aircraft based near the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston. According to NASA, three of the jets operate out of Ellington Field, and can fly in excess of 63,000 feet above sea level. It can also fly for about 6 1/2 hours with a range of about 2,500 miles. A pilot and a sensor equipment operator generally crew the aircraft during flights. https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/01/28/NASA-research-jet-gear-up-landing/9581769577205/ Burbank Airport could be next scene of mid-air crash, airlines warn NTSB NTSB chair warns of dangers of mid-air crash at Burbank Airport The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board expressed concern over the possibility of a mid-air collision at Hollywood Burbank Airport. BURBANK, Calif. (KABC) -- The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday expressed concerns over the dangerous possibility of the next deadly mid-air collision happening at Hollywood Burbank Airport. The NTSB chair says its commercial airlines that are sounding the alarm, and says the FAA should take the warnings from airlines seriously. "I keep hearing about other areas in the airspace where they are concerned. Burbank is one where commercial airlines have called me to say the next mid-air is going to be at Burbank, and nobody at FAA is paying attention to us," NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at a hearing, referring to the Federal Aviation Administration. "So, whether it is involving helicopters or not, people are raising red flags, and why aren't people listening? The FAA has to ensure safety. That is their job." Tuesday's hearing was part of the investigation into a deadly mid-air crash near Washington, D.C. last year that left 67 people dead and involved an Army helicopter and an American Airlines plane. Whether it's helicopters like the deadly crash in D.C., or private aircraft, the concern is the amount of traffic coming and going from Burbank Airport and Van Nuys Airport in a relatively small airspace. Both airports are extremely busy. According to the Aviation Safety Reporting System, there have been six near mid-air collisions at Burbank Airport since Jan. 1, 2021. The NTSB is demanding that the FAA take action. The FAA says it's been focusing on airports like Van Nuys and Burbank for safety improvements. It says traffic collision alerts have been reduced for Burbank, and the Van Nuys traffic pattern has been lowered permanently. The FAA released the following statement after Homendy's remarks. "The FAA acted immediately to improve safety following the tragic mid-air collision, both at DCA and around the country. In February 2025, we began using innovative AI tools to identify similar hotspots with high volumes of mixed helicopter and airplane traffic and implement appropriate mitigations. One of our primary focus areas was Van Nuys Airport and nearby Hollywood Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area. Based on our safety analysis, the FAA lowered the Van Nuys traffic pattern by 200 feet during an evaluation in 2025 to see if that would reduce conflicts with aircraft landing at Burbank. Preliminary data indicated the change resulted in a reduction of Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) alerts for Burbank arrivals and we permanently lowered the Van Nuys traffic pattern effective Jan. 5, 2026." A spokesperson for Hollywood Burbank Airport did not immediately respond to ABC7's request for comment. Eyewitness News spoke to some passengers at the Burbank Airport about the warning from the NTSB chair. "I've never really had thoughts of safety here. I've always had good experiences with Burbank, LAX and I travel quite a bit for work," said Trent Jackson from Santa Clarita. "One of my concerns has always been the amount of traffic over the city. I like the size that we've always been able to remain, and I don't want to see it get larger like LAX. I think they are a lot more equipped to handle more flights," said Chrissy Stone from Burbank. "With the new findings, I am concerned." "I'm concerned. Like I said, I don't see a lot of helicopter activity here at Burbank, and I really like this airport," another passenger said. "If the FAA can make things safer, then there you go. Let's do that." https://abc7.com/post/airlines-voicing-concerns-possibility-mid-air-crash-hollywood-burbank-airport-ntsb-chair-says/18487488/ UPS retires its fleet of MD-11 cargo aircraft involved in deadly Kentucky crash LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — UPS announced Tuesday that it has retired its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes just months after one crashed during takeoff, causing 15 deaths in Louisville. CEO Carol Tome said during a fourth-quarter earnings call that UPS decided to "accelerate our plans and retire all MD-11 aircraft in our fleet." The Nov. 4 Louisville crash killed the plane's three-person crew and 12 others on the ground just outside the Muhammad Ali International Airport. The plane's left engine had fallen off the wing, and the plane was able to climb only about 30 feet (9 meters) before crashing. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded all MD-11s after the crash. An agency statement Tuesday said the FAA continues to review "all the facts and circumstances" in deciding whether MD-11s would be allowed to fly again. MD-11s made up about 9% of the UPS fleet, and the company incurred an after-tax charge of $137 million in writing them off, Tome said. Tome said the company would be receiving 18 new Boeing 767s in the next 15 months to rebuild. She said during the peak holiday season, UPS had to bring in aircraft from other parts of the world, increase ground transportation volume and lease additional planes. "I am incredibly proud of our team at Worldport and how they responded to this accident," Tome said. "And I would like to thank the Louisville community as well as our business and industry partners for their outpouring of support." The National Transportation Safety Board said investigators found cracks in some of the parts that held the engine to the wing of the UPS plane. Those cracks hadn't been caught in regular maintenance. The last inspection on those key engine mount parts was 2021. The crash had a devastating impact in Louisville, striking and causing smaller explosions at a nearby Kentucky Petroleum Recycling plant and hitting an auto salvage yard, Grade A Auto Parts, where many of the victims were visiting or working. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/ups-retires-its-fleet-of-md-11-cargo-aircraft-involved-in-deadly-kentucky-crash Airplane makes emergency landing in Omaha due to cracked window An Endeavor Air flight from New York to Omaha made an emergency landing at Eppley Airfield after a crack was discovered in a window during descent. OMAHA, Neb. — An Endeavor Air flight made an emergency landing at Eppley Airfield after a crack was discovered in the left side window during descent. Delta Air Lines, which is the parent company of Endeavor Air, confirmed, "The aircraft landed safely without further issue. All customers deplaned normally and no injuries were reported." Omaha's News Leader captured the plane moments after it landed around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, with several emergency vehicles following it to the gate. The Endeavor Air flight, identified as Flight 4900, was traveling from New York-LaGuardia to Omaha. A Delta spokesperson told KETV the flight carried 30 passengers, two pilots and two flight attendants. https://www.ketv.com/article/airplane-emergency-landing-omaha-cracked-window/70166967 Man accused of boarding Air France flight in Phoenix with invalid ticket, refused to leave Police say the man was able to board the flight despite the airline canceling his purchase PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A man is facing federal charges after investigators said he got on an Air France flight in Phoenix Monday despite not having a valid boarding pass and then refused to get off the flight. Court documents said Qais Ahmad Tillaw bought a ticket online around 2 p.m. for an Air France flight leaving the Valley. However, the airline canceled the boarding pass minutes later because of an “unauthorized credit card.” He showed up at Phoenix Sky Harbor, ditched his rental car at Terminal 4, and headed to the TSA security checkpoint. The FBI said he made it through security despite not having a valid boarding pass. While waiting to board the flight, a passenger said Tillaw was acting suspicious and told an Air France employee. But that worker didn’t say anything until later. Court documents said Tillaw got on the plane without a real boarding pass or crews getting a good look at his passport. Tillaw then didn’t take a seat but just paced up and down the jet. When crew members checked his name against the list of passengers, his name didn’t come up so they told the captain, the FBI said. Air France begins the first-ever service between Phoenix Sky Harbor and Paris. The captain told Tillaw to get off the plane but he refused, only typing messages on his phone, the FBI said. So Phoenix police were called and officers ordered everyone but Tillaw off the plane so they could remove him safely, the FBI said. Once the plane was empty, Tillaw complied with the police and was removed. The incident caused a nearly two-hour delay for everyone on the flight. Court documents said Tillaw was fired from his job in mid-2024, has a history of drug use and was diagnosed with a mental health condition called psychosis. His brother said Tillaw had been detained in 2024 at a Dubai airport for acting suspiciously. Court records stated that he was traveling with approximately 20 credit or bank cards, two California driver’s licenses, five Arizona driver’s licenses, a U.S. passport, a Jordanian passport, two Jordanian ID cards, all bearing his real name, as well as fake ID badges from several tech and accounting companies. The inaugural flight from Taipei straight to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport for China Airlines was successful on Wednesday. When the FBI tried to talk to him, he wouldn’t speak, only typing on his phone that he was a “citizen of the world” and was going shopping in Paris, court documents said. He reportedly claimed he felt his “life was in danger” and that the flight crew didn’t have “official identification.” Tillaw was arrested on charges of interference with a flight crew and entering an aircraft or airport area in violation of security requirements. https://www.azfamily.com/2026/01/27/man-accused-boarding-flight-phoenix-with-invalid-ticket-refused-leave/ Delta grows Airbus widebody fleet with new order Delta's newest order includes 31 additional widebody aircraft — 16 A330-900s and 15 A350-900s — set to begin delivering in 2029. Delta will add 31 additional next-generation Airbus widebody aircraft to its fleet, an investment that will fuel international growth and accelerate fleet renewal in the years to come. The announcement combines a new, incremental order with the exercise of 10 options and adds 20 additional future widebody options. “As we grow our international footprint and prepare our fleet to serve expanded long-haul markets, these aircraft will enhance our capabilities and elevate our premium offerings,” Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said. “We value our long-standing partnership with Airbus, and with these widebody aircraft we will see long-term growth and cost benefits for years to come.” Delta’s fleet is undergoing significant renewal and expansion to match its international and premium growth strategy in the next decade and beyond. The new widebody entrants to the fleet will add more premium capacity to medium and long-haul international markets while improving fuel efficiency and margins. "We are grateful for Delta’s continued trust in Airbus products and our people. It is a privilege to power their global growth with the A330neo and A350, providing the flexibility and performance Delta needs to connect more of the world," said Robin Hayes, Chairman and CEO of Airbus in North America. With today’s announcement, Delta’s A330-900 fleet will increase to 55 aircraft, and the A350 fleet will reach 79 aircraft, including 20 A350-1000s that Delta expects to begin receiving in early 2027. The A350’s extended range and performance capabilities enable Delta’s continued growth into key long-haul markets in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the South Pacific – such as recently launched or announced service to Taipei, Melbourne, Hong Kong, and Riyadh utilizing the A350. The A330-900 will be powered by the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine, which has flown more than four million hours, including one million at Delta. The A350-900 will utilize the Trent XWB-84 EP engine, providing fuel and range benefits over and above the first generation of the engine. Delta also entered into long-term maintenance agreements with manufacturer Rolls-Royce to service these engines. Rob Watson, President – Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said: “Rolls-Royce is proud to have Delta Air Lines as our largest partner in the Americas, and we look forward to continuing to grow the fleet with their selection of more A330neos powered by the Trent 7000 and A350-900s powered by the Trent XWB-84 EP - all supported by our unparalleled TotalCare services offering. This reorder underpins our combined commitment to reliability, durability, and customer success.” All of Delta’s new widebody aircraft in the coming years will feature larger premium cabins with state-of-the-art amenities that set the experience apart, including Delta One Suites, Delta Premium Select and Delta Comfort in addition to Delta Main. They will also include free in-flight entertainment from Delta Sync seatback; free, fast in-flight Delta Sync Wi-Fi; and premium food and beverage options. Delta continues to leverage best-in-class joint ventures and partnerships in every region of the world to connect customers to a broader network, deliver enhanced travel options and a more consistent customer experience. The order is within Delta’s previously announced capital expenditure and capacity targets. With the commitments announced today, Delta has 232 narrowbody and 85 widebody aircraft on order for delivery in coming years. https://news.delta.com/delta-grows-airbus-widebody-fleet-new-order Embraer reports record $7.6bn backlog for executive aviation Embraer posted a record-high backlog of $7.6bn in the fourth quarter of 2025 for its executive aviation segment as it continued to ‘overperform’ during the year. The $7.6bn was a 3% year-over-year improvement and a 4% quarter-on-quarter uptick from the third quarter of the year. This translated into a ‘solid 1.1x book-to-bill ratio’ for the year. The company delivered 53 deliveries in the quarter, a 20% increase over 44 deliveries in 4Q24. Embraer’s fourth quarter deliveries accounted for nearly 34% of the full-year deliveries, lower than five-year average of 43%. Subsequently, the deliveries in 2025 registered a new all-time high record of 155 aircraft (upper end of our 145–155 guidance for the period). Looking forward, Embraer expects higher numbers for 2026 especially from its production leveling initiative. During the fourth quarter, Embraer delivered 28 light jets, five more on sequential basis compared to the third quarter of 2025 and six more than the fourth quarter of 2024. This brought the full-year light jet deliveries to 86, up from 75 in 2024. These included 14 Phenom 100s (compared to 10 in 2024) and 72 Phenom 300s (compared to 65 in 2024). Embraer delivered 25 medium jets in the fourth quarter, an increase of seven jets compared to the third quarter of 2025 and three more than the last quarter of 2024. Full-year medium jet deliveries reached 69, a significant increase from the 55 delivered in 2024. This growth is attributed to strong demand for both the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600 models, with 39 Praetor 500s (compared to 28 in 2024) and 30 Praetor 600s (compared to 27 in 2024) delivered throughout the year. https://www.corporatejetinvestor.com/news/embraer-backlog-3/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS . Singapore Airshow 2026 - FEBRUARY 3-6, 2026. . VERTICON 2026 - Atlanta March 9-12 . 60th Annual SMU Air Law Symposium - March 31 - April 1, 2026 (Irving, TX) . 2026 ACSF Safety Symposium; April 7-9, 2026; ERAU Daytona Beach, FL . 2026 NBAA Maintenance Conference; May 5-7, 2026; New Orleans, LA . World Aviation Training Summit - 5-7 May 2026 - Orlando . 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 . IATA World Maintenance & Engineering Symposium (23-25 June, Madrid, Spain) . ISASI - 2026 (September/October 2026) - Dubai, UAE . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV Curt Lewis