Flight Safety Information - September 2, 2026 No. 172 In This Issue : Incident: Delta B753 at Minneapolis on Aug 31st 2026, first officer potentially incapacitated : Incident: Aegean AT42 at Rhodes on Aug 30th 2026, engine taking a smoke : Incident: Delta A319 at Washington on Aug 30th 2026, smoke or fumes on flight deck : Incident: BoA B737 at Sao Paulo on Aug 31st 2026, engine problem : Incident: Satena AT42 at Barranquilla on Aug 31st 2026, engine shut down in flight : Incident: Indigo A21N at Goa on Sep 1st 2026, engine failure : Ryanair's Boeing 737 stairs tied to hundreds of passenger falls, study says : New York JFK Fuel Truck Damages Air China Boeing 747-8, Jet Fuel Pours From Wing : DGCA finds ‘serious findings in top airlines’ during audit ahead of key US check (India) : Indian pilots’ body warns Noel Tata over Air India exodus, flags safety concerns : Korean Airlines to Raise Safety Investment to 17.4 Trillion Won : PSA Airlines names Greg Christopher senior vice president of Flight Operations and Integrated Operations Center : Airbus Signs Pilot Training Agreement with ANA : Texas A&M bids to manage NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory : Calendar of Events Incident: Delta B753 at Minneapolis on Aug 31st 2026, first officer potentially incapacitated A Delta Airlines Boeing 757-300, registration N586NW performing flight DL-1208 from Minneapolis,MN to Orlando,FL (USA) with 190 people on board, was climbing out of Minneapolis' runway 17 when the captain stopped the climb at 7000 feet and reported the first officer was potentially incapacitated feeling pain in his chest, numbness in his arms and legs and racing heart rate. The aircraft returned to Minneapolis for a safe overspeed landing on runway 30L at about 160 knots over ground about 20 minutes after departure. The aircraft, that already had been delayed by about 2 hours, departed again after about 2 hours on the ground and reached Orlando with a delay of about 4 hours. The airline reported one of the pilot had suffered a medical emergency. The FAA reported: "Delta Air Lines Flight 1208 returned safely to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport around 11:50 a.m. local time on Monday, Aug. 31, due to a pilot medical emergency. The aircraft was headed to Orlando International Airport. The FAA will investigate." https://avherald.com/h?article=53fd6a7e&opt=0 Incident: Aegean AT42 at Rhodes on Aug 30th 2026, engine taking a smoke An Aegean Avions de Transport Regional ATR-42-600 on behalf of Olympic Air, registration SX-OAZ performing flight OA-94 from Rhodes to Karpathos (Greece) with 33 passengers and 3 crew, was climbing out of Rhodes' runway 24 when the crew stopped the climb at 1000 feet due to the left hand engine trailing a large plume of white smoke and turned downwind. The aircraft landed safely on Rhodes' runway 24 about 10 minutes after departure. The airline reported the crew received indication of an anomaly in the lubricant circuit of the engine and returned to Rhodes. A replacement ATR-72-212A registration SX-OBL reached Karpathos with a delay of 3:45 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=53fd6ec0&opt=0 Incident: Delta A319 at Washington on Aug 30th 2026, smoke or fumes on flight deck A Delta Airlines Airbus A319-100, registration N360NB performing flight DL-478 from Washington National,DC to Atlanta,GA (USA) with 136 people on board, was climbing out of National's runway 01 when the crew stopped the climb at 17000 feet reporting they had smoke or fumes on the flight deck. The aircraft diverted to Washington's Dulles Airport for a safe landing on runway 19R about 25 minutes after departure. The remainder of the flight was cancelled. https://avherald.com/h?article=53fd65d1&opt=0 Incident: BoA B737 at Sao Paulo on Aug 31st 2026, engine problem A BoA Boliviana de Aviacion Boeing 737-700, registration CP-2924 performing flight OB-739 from Sao Paulo Guarulhos,SP (Brazil) to Santa Cruz (Bolivia) with 100 people on board, was climbing through FL180 out of Sao Paulo's runway 10L when the crew stoppd the climb due to an engine (CFM56) problem and decided to return to Guarulhos for a safe landing on runway 10L about 30 minutes after departure. The airline reported the aircraft experienced a technical issue in one of its engines. The flight was cancelled. The aircraft is still on the ground in Sao Paulo about 17 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53fd6123&opt=0 Incident: Satena AT42 at Barranquilla on Aug 31st 2026, engine shut down in flight A Satena Avions de Transport Regional ATR-42-600, registration HK-5130 performing flight 9R-8817 from Barranquilla to Medellin (Colombia), was climbing out of Barranquilla's runway 05 when the crew stopped the climb at about 3000 feet due to the failure of the left hand engine (PW127M). The aircraft entered a hold and subsequently returned to Barranquilla for a safe landing on runway 05 about 40 minutes after departure. The aircraft is still on the ground in Barranquilla about 20 hours after landing back. https://avherald.com/h?article=53fd53b9&opt=0 Incident: Indigo A21N at Goa on Sep 1st 2026, engine failure An Indigo Airbus A321-200N, registration VT-ILZ performing flight 6E-2102 from Goa to Delhi (India) with 229 people on board, was climbing out of Goa's runway 28 when the crew stopped the climb at FL140 reporting an engine (LEAP) failure. The aircraft returned to Goa for a safe landing on runway 28 about 35 minutes after departure. The airline reported a technical issue. A replacement Airbus A321-200N registration VT-IWR reached Delhi with a delay of about 6:15 hours. The occurrence aircraft is still on the ground in Goa about 10 hours after landing. https://avherald.com/h?article=53fd4e65&opt=0 Ryanair's Boeing 737 stairs tied to hundreds of passenger falls, study says A study by Italy's National Agency for Flight Safety found that passengers using Ryanair's Boeing 737 integrated stairs faced a significantly higher risk of falling compared to those using airport stairs. Ryanair's Boeing 737 hides a hazard just outside the cabin door: its retractable onboard stairs. Passengers who have used them have faced a significantly higher risk of falling than those using stairs provided by airports. That is the conclusion of a study by Italy's National Agency for Flight Safety (ANSV), published in August 2026. The study analysed falls reported in Italy during boarding and disembarkation between 2023 and 2025. Of 104 incidents, 85 involved passengers who used the forward integrated stairs of Boeing 737 aircraft, accounting for 82% of cases, according to Corriere della Sera. The scale of the figures is even clearer when set against total passenger numbers. Over the same period the Irish airline carried around 27% of all passengers in Italy. The other carriers, which make up the remaining 73%, recorded 19 falls between them. The trend is not confined to Italy. Since 2021 Ryanair has registered 489 falls on stairs, 360 of them, or 73%, on the Boeing 737's integrated stairway. According to ANSV, that is three times as many falls as those recorded on airport stairways. To track and analyse the incidents, ANSV used the ECCAIRS system, the digital platform run by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The system collects and analyses aviation safety data from EU countries. Why the stairs are riskier For disembarkation, airlines often hire mobile stairs from airports. Ryanair's Boeing 737 instead has the option of an integrated system that can be deployed while parked, allowing passengers to disembark without airport handlers. This cuts disembarkation times and ground-service costs. The integrated stairway has 12 steps, about 61 centimetres wide and 20 centimetres high, with a tread depth of 25 centimetres and an inclination of 35 degrees. ANSV's investigation found the dimensions "are at the limits for step height and steepness" compared with those used by airport operators, "who have lower steps and, usually, a less pronounced inclination, and platforms and treads that are considerably larger." It also notes that the first step of the stairway is asymmetrical for passengers on the way down because of the shape of the fuselage in relation to the step. According to Ireland's air accident investigation unit (AAIU), EU regulations do not impose requirements on the size of integrated stairs because they are not deemed critical to flight operations. In Genoa on 22 March 2025, one person was taken by ambulance to hospital after a fall that occurred "most likely due to the inattention of the passenger," according to ANSV's reports. Two days later in Venice, another passenger suffered serious injuries after falling from the integrated stairs. According to staff, the passenger was carrying two suitcases and was not holding the handrail. In the Bologna incident, the passenger also fell while carrying two bags. https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/ryanair-boeing-737-stairs-85-172524421.html New York JFK Fuel Truck Damages Air China Boeing 747-8, Jet Fuel Pours From Wing Luke has over a decade of experience as a travel writer and aviation analyst. As a passionate traveler based across the Middle East and Asia, Luke offers strong insights into the industry. Based in South East Asia. An Air China Boeing 747-8 has been left stranded at New York JFK Airport (JFK) after it was damaged by a fuel truck during refueling. The truck reportedly pulled away from the aircraft while fuel hoses were still connected, damaging the wing refueling ports and sending jet fuel pouring onto the apron. The aircraft involved was an 11-year-old Boeing 747-8 (registration: B-2486), which was parked at a gate ahead of Flight CA982 to Beijing Capital Airport (PEK). No one was injured in the accident, and the damage done to the aircraft is being reported as minor. The accident led to the flight being canceled, while the 747 remains grounded in New York. The incident happened in the early hours of Monday, August 31, ahead of the jumbo jet's scheduled 2:05 AM departure to Beijing. As the aircraft was being refueled, the fuel truck moved away while two fuel hoses were still attached, damaging the 747's fuel ports and spilling jet fuel onto the ground. Video footage of the incident shows the fuel truck suddenly lurch forward before the driver exits the truck as fuel pours out of the wing. Photographs posted to Chinese social media platform Weibo show ground staff inspecting the refueling ports and cleaning up fuel beneath the aircraft. All passengers' baggage was subsequently removed from the aircraft and the flight was canceled. Simple Flying reached out to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Air China for comment, but did not receive a reply before publication. Flight tracking data shows that B-2486 remains on the ground at New York JFK, and also confirms that CA982 was canceled on August 31, with the next Beijing-bound service leaving JFK the following night at 2:58 AM. Passengers were reportedly only told of the cancellation hours after the scheduled departure time, with Air China attributing the cancellation to "fuel guarantee." The stricken Boeing 747-8 had landed at JFK on August 30 at around 9:45 PM local time ahead of a planned turnaround at 2:05 AM the next morning. While the Aviation Safety Network has classified the aircraft's damage as minor, it is unclear how much time the 747 faces on the ground before it can return to service. Air China will face an operational headache the longer it remains grounded, as the airline has only a handful of 747-8s available for passenger services. New York JFK is one of Air China's last-remaining US-bound Boeing 747 routes, operating five times per week at JFK's Terminal 1. The 365-seater double-decker features four cabins, with first class, business, premium economy and economy. The carrier also uses its 747s to fly to Washington (IAD), while its other two US destinations — Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) — are served by its Boeing 777-300ER jets. As of September 2026, Air China is joined by Lufthansa, Korean Air and Rossiya as the last-remaining carriers to operate the 747 as a passenger aircraft. The Chinese flag carrier notably flies both the 747-400 and 747-8, and was one of only a handful of airlines to order the latter variant. B-2486 is one of seven 747-8 aircraft delivered to Air China, two of which were built specially for government and VIP operations. This leaves the airline with five 747-8s as passenger aircraft, all delivered between 2014 and 2015. Away from the US, the carrier deploys the type on its busy Beijing–Frankfurt route, as well as on high-density domestic routes to Guangzhou and Shanghai. Boeing built just 48 passenger-configured 747-8s before shutting down the 747 program for good in January 2023, when the final freighter was delivered to Atlas Air. Air China also has two 747-400s left in its fleet, which are primarily used on domestic routes — these jets offer seating for up to 344 passengers across three cabin classes. https://simpleflying.com/new-york-jfk-fuel-truck-damages-air-china-747-8-jet-fuel-leak/ DGCA finds ‘serious findings in top airlines’ during audit ahead of key US check (India) Airlines must respond to these findings, with potential actions pending. “Serious findings” were reported as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted safety audits of Indian carriers IndiGo, Air India, Akasa Air and SpiceJet ahead of a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) assessment of India’s civil aviation regulator oversight scheduled between November 16 and 20, people aware of the matter said on Tuesday. DGCA conducted safety audits of Indian carriers IndiGo, Air India, Akasa Air and SpiceJet (ANI/Representational) The DGCA completed the safety audits of four airlines in August, three months before a five-member FAA team will visit India. “While the nature and details of the observations are unknown, serious findings in major airlines were observed during the exercise,” said one of the people cited above. “The concerned airlines are expected to submit their responses to the DGCA, which will be examined. Action may be initiated if the responses are unsatisfactory.” Under the DGCA’s audit framework, Level-1 findings relate to a more serious category of non-compliance and require immediate corrective action, and Level-2 to less serious deficiencies and require corrective measures within a prescribed timeframe. The FAA performs air traffic control handoffs and assesses whether a foreign civil aviation authority complies with international aviation standards. It inspects repair stations, oversees navigation and infrastructure, sets safety standards, and provides global oversight for air traffic. An IndiGo official told HT that the airline responded to the DGCA findings. However, the spokesperson did not respond to the query. Spokespersons of Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa Air did not comment on the matter. However, an Air India official said, “There have been some visits by the DGCA but the airline is aware and is awaiting the audit to be conducted.” The FAA last conducted an assessment in India in 2021. India currently holds Category 1 status under the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment programme. The 2026 review comes against the backdrop of a series of incidents and operational problems over the past year, including the June 2025 Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad and IndiGo’s operational disruption in December 2025. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dgca-conducts-audits-before-faa-assessment-of-regulatory-oversight-us-101788321292510.html Indian pilots’ body warns Noel Tata over Air India exodus, flags safety concerns ALPA India highlights pilot attrition as a critical flight safety concern for Air India Group. The association urges the Tata Group to review pilot retention and working conditions. Experienced pilots are considered valuable safety assets, not just manpower. Fleet transitions require robust training and careful management of cockpit experience. An independent review is requested to assess safety systems and pilot well-being. The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India) has raised concerns over the loss of experienced pilots across the Air India Group, saying pilot attrition should be viewed as a flight-safety issue and not merely an employment or remuneration matter. In an open letter to Tata Trusts Chairman Noel Tata dated August 31, ALPA India President and IFALPA Director Capt. Sam Thomas urged the Tata Group to review pilot retention, fatigue management, training, fleet transitions and safety systems across Air India and Air India Express. The association said the integration of airlines, fleets, workforces and organisational cultures following the Tata Group’s expansion in aviation was a major undertaking. It said emerging operational and human-resource concerns needed attention at the highest level. Experience loss raises safety concerns ALPA India said it was increasingly concerned about the attrition of experienced pilots, particularly at Air India Express. It attributed the exits to a combination of remuneration that has not kept pace with expectations, reduced benefits and deteriorating quality-of-life and working conditions. “Experienced pilots are not entries on a manpower spreadsheet. They are repositories of operational judgment and institutional memory, and they represent one of an airline's most valuable safety assets,” Thomas said. The association also flagged the movement of pilots between Airbus and Boeing fleets. While such transitions are legitimate when supported by appropriate training, ALPA India said moving between different aircraft philosophies requires robust training, adequate consolidation periods and careful management of cockpit experience. “We are not confident this is being managed with the rigor it requires,” the letter said. The pilots’ body cited three 2026 occurrences — the hard landing involving Air India Express flight IX938 at Phuket in March, the tail strike involving Air India flight AI2651 during a go-around at Bengaluru in May, and a reported in-flight control event involving AI2379 in August. ALPA India stressed that it was not attributing these occurrences to pilot experience. Also Read: Air India shares glimpses of fourth custom made B787-9 Dreamliner as VT-AWD lands in Delhi “We do not seek to prejudge these occurrences, nor to attribute them to pilot experience ahead of formal findings,” the association said. However, it said the incidents warranted closer scrutiny of the group’s Safety Management System (SMS), Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) programme, training systems and manpower policies. Pilot retention is a safety issue ALPA India said pilot attrition should be treated as part of the airline’s safety strategy. “Pilot attrition should not be treated as merely an HR, remuneration or industrial-relations matter. Retention of experienced pilots must be recognised as part of an airline's safety strategy,” the letter said. The association urged Air India and Air India Express to adopt a pilot-retention framework covering competitive remuneration, usable annual leave, predictable rosters, fatigue-risk management, positioning travel, retirement benefits, transparent career progression and fleet-transition policies. It also called for stronger protection of rest and days off and a non-punitive culture in which pilots can report fatigue and safety concerns without fear of career consequences. “These should not be viewed as additional employee costs. They are investments in retention, operational stability and, ultimately, flight safety,” ALPA India said. ALPA seeks independent review The association said meeting minimum regulatory requirements should not be the benchmark for an airline seeking to become a global carrier. “International aviation safety principles recognise that remaining within prescribed flight and duty-time limits does not, by itself, eliminate fatigue risk — airlines must identify and manage the actual risk created by their own schedules and operations,” the letter said. Also Read: Will consider Air India's biz strategy, other factors before deciding on additional fund requests: Singapore Airlines ALPA India urged Noel Tata to consider commissioning an independent review across the Air India Group. The review, it said, should examine pilot attrition, remuneration and benefits, roster practices, fatigue data, leave utilisation, cockpit experience levels, fleet-transition policies, training standards, FOQA trends and the effectiveness of the group’s SMS in identifying human-factor risks. The association said the review should benchmark Air India against leading international airlines and global best practices. “The fundamental question is simple: are we identifying and acting on the warning signs before they become accidents?” the letter said. ALPA India said Air India’s long-term strength would depend not only on its fleet and network but also on passenger and employee confidence that safety comes first and professional experience is valued. “A world-class fleet deserves world-class pilots. And world-class pilots deserve world-class working conditions,” Thomas said. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/indian-pilots-body-warns-noel-tata-over-air-india-exodus-flags-safety-concerns/articleshow/133673762.cms#google_vignette Korean Airlines to Raise Safety Investment to 17.4 Trillion Won Industry Spent 13.3 Trillion Won Last Year, Including 43 New Aircraft Plans Call for 60 New Aircraft This Year South Korea's aviation industry invested 13.3 trillion won ($9.6 billion) in safety last year, including the introduction of 43 new aircraft, and plans to spend 17.4 trillion won on safety this year. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said on the 2nd that the figures came from its analysis of last year's safety investment results and 2026-2027 investment plans at 17 airlines, Incheon International Airport Corporation and Korea Airports Corporation. Last year's safety investment was up 115.5% from 6.1769 trillion won in 2024, a jump driven by the inclusion of aircraft purchase costs and the cost of employing flight and cabin crew in the scope of safety investment for the first time. Employment costs for safety-related workers in the industry came to 3.3817 trillion won last year, while 43 new aircraft were introduced at a cost of 3.8798 trillion won. The average age of aircraft operated by Korean carriers fell to 12.1 years in 2025 from 12.4 years in 2024. Excluding new aircraft purchases, safety investment totaled 9.0424 trillion won, up 69.3% from 5.3397 trillion won in 2024. Aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul accounted for 3.3848 trillion won, engine and parts purchases and leases 1.8761 trillion won, and maintenance facilities and equipment 225 billion won. Among individual carriers, full-service airlines Korean Air (003490.KS) and Asiana Airlines (020560.KS) invested 7.2241 trillion won and 1.8754 trillion won respectively, together making up 68.4% of the total. Measured by safety investment per 10,000 flights, Parata Air ranked highest at 793.2 billion won, followed by Air Premia at 553.2 billion won and Korean Air at 490.7 billion won. The industry plans total safety investment of 17.4462 trillion won this year, including 7.0663 trillion won for 60 new aircraft. Another 28 new aircraft are scheduled for delivery next year. Yoo Kyung-soo, the ministry's director general for aviation safety policy, said the ministry would work to establish a safety management culture that treats safety investment not as a simple cost but as a foundation for long-term competitiveness and growth. https://en.sedaily.com/finance/2026/09/02/korean-airlines-to-raise-safety-investment-to-174-trillion PSA Airlines names Greg Christopher senior vice president of Flight Operations and Integrated Operations Center Accomplished airline operations leader will oversee Flight Operations and the IOC to strengthen coordination and operational performance CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 1, 2026 — PSA Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group and a leading regional airline, announced that Greg Christopher has joined the company as senior vice president of Flight Operations and Integrated Operations Center. “Greg brings the operational judgment, frontline perspective and collaborative leadership needed to connect strategy with day-to-day execution,” said Dion Flannery, president and CEO of PSA Airlines. “His experience leading both Flight Operations and an operations control center will help us further break down silos, strengthen decision-making and deliver an even more seamless and reliable operation for our customers.” Christopher joins PSA from Spirit Airlines, where he most recently served as senior vice president of Flight Operations and Operations Control Center. In that role, he led Flight Operations, Training, Standards, Regulatory Compliance, Dispatch, Routing, Flight Operations Safety and OCC functions. He also guided teams through rapid growth, major system modernizations and large-scale irregular operations recovery. Additionally, he helped drive the airline’s top-three on-time performance. “Greg understands how every decision in Flight Operations and the IOC affects the entire airline,” said Chris McCartney, chief operating officer of PSA Airlines. “He is a calm, decisive and people-focused leader who brings teams together around safety, operational discipline and shared accountability. I am excited to welcome him to PSA and partner with him as we continue strengthening our operation.” Christopher brings over 25 years of Part 121 aviation leadership and experience as an active Airbus A320 line pilot, FAA dispatcher and senior operations executive. He began his career as a dispatcher with United Airlines and later held operational leadership roles with AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines. His background includes oversight of national operations control, air traffic control coordination, dispatch and other operations control functions across airline networks of varying size and complexity. Christopher holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “I am honored to join PSA and work alongside the talented professionals in Flight Operations, the IOC and across the airline,” Christopher said. “My initial focus will be listening, learning and building strong relationships. Together, we will maintain an unwavering commitment to safety, support one another and continue improving how we plan, communicate and execute each day.” About PSA Airlines PSA Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, with five flight crew bases in Charlotte, North Carolina; Dayton, Ohio; Dallas; Philadelphia; and Washington, D.C. The company has more than 5,500 team members and operates an all-jet fleet consisting exclusively of MHI RJ regional jet aircraft, with more than 700 daily flights to nearly 100 destinations on behalf of American Airlines. https://psaairlines.com/psa-airlines-names-greg-christopher-senior-vice-president-of-flight-operations-and-integrated-operations-center/ Airbus Signs Pilot Training Agreement with ANA Airbus has signed a comprehensive flight training agreement with All Nippon Airways (ANA) to develop pilots.Air Travel The program will provide ANA Group and partner airline trainees with the training required to obtain their licenses, starting with no prior flying experience. It will begin later this year at Sevenair Academy in Ponte de Sor, Portugal, with 19 trainees set to start training. A standardized curriculum based on Airbus’ flight training philosophy, methods, and learning tools will be adopted. The program will also incorporate the principles of Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA), a competency-based training and assessment system that incorporates safety insights. Airbus forecasts that 633,000 new pilots will be needed worldwide over the next 20 years, including 104,000 in the Asia-Pacific region. https://en.traicy.com/posts/2026090239636/#google_vignette Texas A&M bids to manage NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - Texas A&M University System is putting in a bid for a contract to manage NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, one of the agency’s most famous research labs. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is the world’s leader in robotic space exploration. Since 2019, JPL has partnered with Texas A&M, letting A&M students work on research at JPL and JPL researchers work with A&M. Now, A&M wants to take the partnership a step further. JPL is responsible for rovers on Mars, exploration of every planet in the solar system, and many of the satellites that help scientists understand the planet. Texas A&M has been growing its ties to space, including building the A&M Space Institute at Johnson Space Center. The system also has experience running large institutions. It already co-manages Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, which assembles and disassembles nuclear weapons. Chancellor Glenn Hegar said A&M’s experience in space, engineering and national security makes the system a strong contender for the job, as long as the Board of Regents signs off. “We believe the Texas A&M System has the capability to be a highly competitive contender for this opportunity, and, pending approval by the Regents, we are excited about what our organization could bring to that mission.” Chancellor Glenn Hegar, Texas A&M University System Contract proposals were due to NASA on Monday, Aug. 24th. The Board of Regents has the option to take A&M’s pitch a step further by agreeing to build and lead a team to prepare a full proposal to manage and operate JPL. The board will have a series of meetings starting on Wednesday, Sept. 2nd and lasting until Friday, September 4th. The board has an agenda item to discuss the proposal which is set to happen during Thursday’s meeting. https://www.kbtx.com/2026/09/02/texas-am-bids-manage-nasas-jet-propulsion-laboratory/ CALENDAR OF EVENTS . ALPA's 70th Air Safety Forum -September 14-17, 2026; Washington, DC . ICAO/EASA Third Global RSOO/RAIO Forum for Aviation Safety — September 29–30, 2026, in Georgetown, Guyana., https://www.icao.int/events : NATA Ground Handling Safety Symposium - September 15-16, 2026 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX www.nata.aero/ghss : Aircraft Cabin Air International Conference - 22-23 September 2026 . ISASI - BOSTON 2026 - September 28, 2026 – October 2, 2026 . Global Aviation Conference Frankfurt- 29-30SEP2026 - Frankfurt, Germany . Defence Aviation Safety Conference 2026 — October 5–6, 2026, United Kingdom. . European Aviation Training Summit 3 – 5 November 2026 • Estoril Congress Centre, Cascais, Portugal . 79TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT MONTREAL | NOVEMBER 10-12, 2026. . Airlines 2026 conference - November 11, 2026 (London) . 2026 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) Oct. 20-22, 2026 | Las Vegas, NV . Gulf Flight Safety Association (GFSA)conference Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the 28th and 29th of October 2026 . Bombardier Safety Standdown (November 10–12, 2026 in Wichita, KS) . Aircraft Fire Hazards, Protection, and Investigation17 to 19 November 2026, Woburn MA . 2027 ACSF Safety Symposium - April 6-8, 2027 - ERAU Daytona Beach, FL Curt Lewis