Flight Safety Information - September 11, 2026 No. 179 In This Issue : Airbus A320-214 (WL) - Cabin Fire (Italy) : ‘Fumes’ Detected in Cabin of 2 Separate Delta Flights Leads to Mid-Air Emergency Landing and Plane Diversion : Pilot pressed on with landing despite warnings in Miami cargo crash, NTSB says : Operator of Crashed Prime Air 767 Faced Safety Concerns : Will Embraer Go Big by Developing a Large Narrowbody Jet? : Vietravel Airlines signs preliminary deal for 50 Airbus aircraft : Japan Airlines launches autonomous drone inspection project : Frontier Airlines Is Flying to South America for the First Time, With Fares From $99 : Massive airline leak exposes 210 million passenger records : Calendar of Events Airbus A320-214 (WL) - Cabin Fire (Italy) Date: Thursday 10 September 2026 Time: 17:30 LT Type: Airbus A320-214 (WL) Owner/operator: easyJet Registration: OE-IVS MSN: 7235 Year of manufacture: 2016 Engine model: CFMI CFM56-5B4/P Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 146 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Minor Location: Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP/LIMC) - Italy Phase: Taxi Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Milano-Malpensa Airport (MXP/LIMC) Destination airport: Praha-Václav Havel Airport (PRG/LKPR) Investigating agency: ANSV Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: An easyJet Airbus A320 (reg. OE-IVS) operating flight U23905 to Prague was evacuated during taxi at Milan Malpensa Airport after a small fire was reported in the cabin, caused by an overheating power bank inside a passenger's hand luggage. Emergency slides were used to evacuate all 146 occupants. Two passengers sustained minor injuries while exiting the aircraft. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/579769 ‘Fumes’ Detected in Cabin of 2 Separate Delta Flights Leads to Mid-Air Emergency Landing and Plane Diversion “At Delta, the safety of our customers and crew comes before everything else,” the airline said in a statement Two U.S. Delta flights had fumes detected in their cabins mid-air this week One flight on Sept. 7 had to be diverted, while the another on Sept. 8 declared a mid-air emergency to receive priority landing The airline operates approximately 5,000 daily flights a day, and noted that smoke, fumes and odor events are rare and each are treated seriously Fumes were detected in the cabin on two Delta flights this week, prompting a quick response from staff. The most recent incident occurred on a Delta flight from New York City to Chicago's O'Hare Airport at around 4:15 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Sept. 8, according to NBC Chicago. The flight crew declared a mid-air emergency to receive operational priority from air traffic control and land the plane as quickly as possible after fumes were detected in the cabin. "At Delta, the safety of our customers and crew comes before everything else. After fumes were detected in the cabin, our crew followed established procedures to land safely in Chicago," the airline told PEOPLE in a statement in regards to the incident. The flight carried 130 people, including five crew members, and everyone deplaned normally at the gate following a safe landing. Delta told PEOPLE that the aircraft was taken out of service and would be evaluated by their maintenance teams. A second incident involving fumes on a Delta plane from Jacksonville, Fla., to New York City occurred during a flight on Monday, Sept. 7, according to WRAL. During that flight, an odor was detected onboard mid-air, forcing the plane to divert to Raleigh-Durham International Airport that Monday night, according to the outlet. "After fumes were detected in the cabin, the crew of Delta Flight 1035 followed established procedures, and the flight was diverted to Raleigh-Durham International Airport, where it landed safely," Delta told WRAL in a statement. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, and we apologize for the delay to our customers' travel plans," they added, while noting that the cause of the odor was under investigation. There were 113 people on the plane, including five crew members, and all travelers deplaned normally at the gate in Raleigh. Delta told WRAL that its staff was helping to find other flights for affected passengers. The airline operates approximately 5,000 daily flights a day, and noted that smoke, fumes and odor events are rare and it takes each one seriously, along with passenger's safety. Delta said its safety management system, approved by the FAA, is designed to uncover and resolve a host of safety issues including smoke, fumes and odors — which can originate from different sources on the plane, and it continues to work on improving managing root causes of incidents and reduce the occurrences of these events. https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/fumes-detected-cabin-2-separate-134930353.html Pilot pressed on with landing despite warnings in Miami cargo crash, NTSB says Prime Air cargo plane that crashed in Miami on Sunday cautioned they were flying “too fast” just over a minute before touching down on the runway they overran, the National Transportation Safety Board said. The pilot continued to comment on the plane’s speed while automated warnings sounded in the cockpit. However, the other pilot did not give a clear verbal response, according to the cockpit voice recording detailed in an investigative update on Wednesday that did not identify the speakers as the captain or first officer. The 32-year-old Boeing 767 operated by Miami-based 21 Air overran the runway by some 1,300 feet (396 m) and crashed into two vehicles on the ground, killing five people and injuring another five. Before the plane touched down, “sink rate sink rate” rang out twice in the cockpit as the aircraft at one point descended 400 feet in just four seconds, based on the information released by the NTSB. That was followed by five warnings of “too low terrain.” “The big question is, why did they continue their approach?” said Anthony Brickhouse, an aerospace safety consultant. “They had several cues that their approach was not stable, but they continued instead of going around.” Fifteen seconds after touching down, one of the pilots called for aborting the landing and the engine throttles were increased to a value consistent with go-around thrust, the NTSB said. At this point the plane was nearing the end of the runway but still travelling at 120 knots (138 mph), according to data from Flightradar24 based on initial NTSB disclosures. But four seconds later, the throttles were reduced to idle power and there were then sounds similar to the plane departing the runway’s paved surface, the NTSB said. The board said on Tuesday there was no indication in the recorded data that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed to help slow the plane. 21 Air did not respond immediately to a request for comment on the information released by the NTSB. Safety experts say most airplane accidents are caused by multiple factors that need to be thoroughly investigated. “From what I’ve seen so far, there was definitely a breakdown in crew resource management,” Brickhouse said, referring to training pilots receive to communicate clearly and coordinate decisions in the cockpit. When a pilot ignores cues that something is wrong, “unfortunately, bad things happen,” he added. “So as an investigator, I want to know with that many cues available, what was their motivation? What was their thought process? Why did they continue that approach instead of going around?” NTSB investigators spent much of Wednesday interviewing the captain and first officer before releasing details from the cockpit voice recorder. The Amazon cargo plane was on its third flight of the day, coming from San Juan, Puerto Rico. It had flown from Cincinnati to Miami and from Miami to San Juan earlier on Sunday before the crash at 1:53 p.m. EDT (1753 GMT). The captain, 55, received his type rating for the 767 in May and has 7,145 hours of flight time, while the first officer, 37, received his type rating on the 767 in April 2025 and has 2,655 flight hours, the NTSB said on Tuesday. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/10/pilot-pressed-on-despite-warnings-in-miami-cargo-crash-ntsb-says.html Operator of Crashed Prime Air 767 Faced Safety Concerns Former employees have reported lax safety procedures and discouragement to report issues by ownership. National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said Tuesday that she did not “know anything” about “reports of safety concerns” she has seen involving 21 Air—the operator of a Boeing 767-33A that crashed Sunday at Miami International Airport (KMIA), killing five people. Since Homendy’s news briefing Tuesday, the second and final on-scene conference the NTSB conducted regarding the accident and investigation, former 21 Air employees have raised concerns with the operator’s allegedly lax safety procedures. Some former employees, speaking with CBS News on Tuesday, claimed that 21 Air—which is headquartered in North Carolina and controlled by Jim Crane, owner of Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros—either failed to heed safety concerns raised by employees or retaliated against them for doing so. “I don’t know anything about those [allegations], but what I will say is…if you have anything you want to share, please send that in to witness@ntsb.gov,” Homendy said. The NTSB chair said Tuesday was “really our first full day of this investigation” and focused on examining the accident aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR), as well as analysis of perishable evidence from the scene. Chihoon Shin, the investigator in charge (IIC) for the case, provided an initial analysis of the FDR. Shin said that with about 15 seconds remaining on the recording, the aircraft’s brakes were released and its thrusters “increased to values consistent with go-around thrust.” He said that toward the end of the recording, there was “no indication in the recorded data that speed brakes or [thrust] reversers were deployed.” Investigators seek to combine their analysis of the FDR with audio from the CVR, which has not yet been released. The NTSB plans to do so Wednesday after interviewing the aircraft’s pilot and assistant chief pilot in the morning. According to Homendy, the jet’s pilot is 55 years old, received his 767 type rating in May, and had 7,145 flight hours per his latest medical dated March 31. The first officer is 37 years old, received his 767 type rating in April 2025, and had 2,655 flight hours according to a medical dated August 13. Homendy said interviews with the pilots Wednesday would provide updated crew flight hours, which will be compared to 21 Air’s records. Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz on Tuesday identified the 21 Air pilots as Joseph Carroll, 55, and Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37. Cordero-Stutz said both were released from the hospital and that all five fatalities in the accident were in a van operated by a cleaning company contracted by airlines. The 767 struck two vehicles, first the cleaning van and then a Toyota SUV, after overrunning Miami International’s Runway 30 by about 1,300 feet. The NTSB’s investigation remains in the early stages, and the agency has not determined whether 21 Air or the pilots were culpable in the accident. It is also examining safety procedures at Miami International, including Runway 30’s lack of an Engineering Materials Arrestor System (EMAS). Safety Concerns With 767 Operator Homendy said the NTSB’s operations team visited 21 Air’s operations control center Tuesday and interviewed the company’s flight follower, a certified dispatcher who conducts preflight planning, checks Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), and monitors weather, among other tasks. Another interview is planned with the operator’s chief pilot, though it has not yet been scheduled. A message from 21 Air CEO Keith Winters on the company’s website expresses sympathy for the families of the accident’s victims and promises to cooperate fully with the NTSB’s investigation. CBS News reported, citing records and interviews with former employees, that the operator has “faced a string of safety complaints from senior staff.” One retired 21 Air pilot told the outlet that Sunday’s incident was “something a lot of us ex-21 Air pilots have been anticipating for a while.” Employees alleged that 21 Air’s ownership was dismissive of safety concerns and discouraged personnel from raising them. They claimed that the operator deferred maintenance on its aircraft, hired low-quality pilots, and pushed employees to fly without proper rest. The former president of 21 Air’s union, Karl Seuring, told CBS that the union had to purchase sleeping bags for pilots to get adequate rest on long flights. Seuring also alleged that pilots were “coached” on write-ups following safety incidents. Seuring has a pending hearing before a federal judge after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rejected a legal complaint he made regarding the company’s lax attitude toward safety. 21 Air was operating the 767 that crashed on behalf of Amazon Prime Air. An Amazon spokesperson told CBS in a statement that the alleged safety violations “pre-date our relationship with the company.” “We’ll fully cooperate with [the NTSB] and support any other investigating authorities, and we’ll also continue to coordinate with 21 Air, which operated the flight,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement Tuesday. Examining the Pilots’ Actions The NTSB obtained the 767’s CVR and FDR on Monday and brought them back to its headquarters for analysis. On Tuesday, it shared early analysis that indicates the pilots may have attempted a late go-around. Homendy said the CVR contains “more than two hours of good quality audio,” while the FDR contains about 55 hours of data. Shin went into more detail. He said that 30 seconds before the end of the recording, the 767’s ground speed was 158 knots and its nose landing gear and right main landing gear touched down. At 23 seconds, brakes were applied. About eight seconds later, the brakes were released and thrusters were increased. At 11 seconds, the throttles were reduced to idle power and brakes were reapplied, remaining in those positions through the end of the recording. Ground speed was about 117 knots. Shin said that at seven seconds, the aircraft’s “lateral, longitudinal, and vertical accelerations changed” and ground speed was 196 knots. Final ground speed at the end of the recording was 65 knots. Asked why speed brakes and thrust reversers were not deployed as the 767 approached the runway’s end, Shin declined to speculate “about what should have been.” “We have an aircraft performance study, and we’re going to do that,” Shin said. “Plus with the flight data recorder analysis, when we analyze the full list of parameters, we’ll have a better idea of the aircraft performance during this landing. Was it normal, was it not, and what was working and what was not.” Homendy said Tuesday that an NTSB team was on-scene working through the aircraft performance study. “The information I provided is only what’s on the flight data recorder,” Shin said. “What we need to do is talk to the crew…Crew interviews will help fill in some of the blanks for us that the crew remembers in terms of actions that they might have done, but not verbalized.” The NTSB plans to release an “investigative update” Wednesday containing the full CVR readout after flight crew interviews. Asked how far from impact the aircraft was when its brakes were released at 15 seconds, Homendy said that is “something we still have to determine” but will share when possible. Other Updates and Next Steps Homendy said NTSB’s 32-person investigation team will remain at Miami International for about a week, but the agency does not have a set time frame. “It will take some time because we’re still…documenting the evidence, so we still have to have the aircraft there,” she said, adding that investigators are working through that process “expeditiously.” Homendy said teams spent most of Tuesday documenting the scene and looking for perishable evidence that may not be obtainable once vehicles are removed and Runway 30 is cleared. The NTSB is using drones and collecting photos and video to document things such as measurements of the jet’s tiremarks on the runway. Investigators on Tuesday examined the 767’s two engines and got in the cockpit, “but they’re going to want to get into other areas of the aircraft which they weren’t able to…and then of course take other measurements in the area,” Homendy said. “There’s tire marks throughout the grass that they’re going to want to measure as well,” she added. Homendy said the aircraft’s takeoff weight of 252,182 pounds comprised 32,222 pounds of cargo, primarily contact lenses. No hazardous materials were on board. Its planned landing weight was 231,236 pounds. Investigators were also able to recover the black box from the Toyota SUV. The NTSB is requesting information contained in manuals, procedures, and written documents. After completing their on-scene work, investigators will return to the agency’s headquarters to analyze the information and “pull together a preliminary report within a couple of weeks,” Homendy said. The NTSB chair described the accident as “unthinkable” for families of the victims. The agency’s Family Assistance team, which coordinates with the Red Cross, is available for counseling and other resources. “They are working with our partners to gather resources for the families, to provide them with all the latest information on our investigation in real time,” Homendy said. “But I’m sure it’s quite tragic for them.” She also stressed that air traffic controllers (ATCs) may be similarly affected by the tragedy. Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), took the NTSB chief to Miami International’s combined ATC tower and terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facility, where she spoke to controllers. NATCA remains at the tower for support, and the union’s critical incident stress management (CISM) team offers peer-to-peer counseling. “It can be quite traumatic, and they’re certainly going through a difficult time, not just from the tragedy, but also trying to get through a capacity constrained airport right now,” Homendy said. https://www.flyingmag.com/21-air-crashed-amazon-767-safety-concerns/ Will Embraer Go Big by Developing a Large Narrowbody Jet? Industry experts privately debate whether the Brazilian airframer can take the risk Whether Embraer’s positive momentum coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic culminates in the launch of a new narrowbody program to compete with the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max airliners is a major question looming over commercial aerospace. Embraer has downplayed this possibility for years, though executives have welcomed the perception that the Brazilian airframer is capable of designing, developing and producing a large single-aisle aircraft to challenge the airframer duopoly's core products. The most common fallback line has been that Embraer is focused on selling the E195-E2, its largest commercial jet to date. Company leadership has not provided a strong signal whether Embraer’s next clean-sheet aircraft will be a business jet or a new, highly ambitious airliner. That has not discouraged industry chatter. Some believe that Embraer launching a large narrowbody program would be a decision of bet-the-company magnitude, pointing to Bombardier’s experience developing the C Series/Airbus A220 as a cautionary tale. Others say Embraer could potentially absorb a major misstep given its financial growth trajectory and minimal debt burden, and that the benefits of a successful narrowbody launch could be transformative. Leeham News and Analysis (LNA) has discussed Embraer’s potential entrance into the large narrowbody market with multiple industry insiders in recent weeks. Interviews were conducted on background so sources could speak candidly. Opinions are mixed, with some believing that Embraer is the only player with a realistic shot of challenging Airbus and Boeing. Others see Embraer in an enviable position with its own monopoly over regional jet production and growing defense and business jet segments, and question why the company would risk its future on an uncertain business case. It is clear, however, that Embraer’s decision—to go big or stay home—is one of the most intriguing aerospace storylines to follow through the latter half of this decade. Firing On All Cylinders Earlier this week, LNA completed its four-part series dissecting Embraer’s turnaround from its pre-Covid pandemic lows, when it had readied itself for an acquisition by Boeing only for the joint venture to fall apart amid the Max crisis, leaving Embraer to reintegrate the commercial unit it had spent many months carving out. Remarkably, Embraer is now one of the industry's most-respected OEMs, with operations humming across its commercial, defense, business jet and services segments. CEO Francisco Gomes Neto emphasized earlier this year that the company is tracking to hit its target of $10 billion in annual revenue by the end of the decade. The Brazilian airframer has by most accounts executed on its stated delivery timelines—engine availability notwithstanding—while producing high-quality jets. To be fair, Embraer’s commercial unit does not have as lengthy a backlog as Airbus and Boeing’s narrowbody programs, allowing it to hand jets to customers a couple of years after airlines place orders, rather than six or seven years later. Meanwhile, airline executives have been clamoring for more choices, lamenting the long backlogs of Airbus and Boeing and the shortage of aircraft available to join their fleets. It is widely believed that Embraer has the engineering chops and a production system capable of delivering a narrowbody larger than the E2 family. It has proven capable of producing large aircraft; note the E195-E2’s 142-foot nose-to-tail length and the large-diameter fuselage of the KC-390 military transport jet. The company also has a long track record of successfully certifying aircraft with Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), which has bilateral agreements with EASA and the FAA. But recent history is littered with examples of why going big could be a big mistake. OEMs such as Bombardier and Mitsubishi have tried and failed to compete with Airbus and Boeing. Comac, despite vast government support, has yet to prove itself as a true third player. Timing the Market Middle-of-the-market demand for narrowbody jets remains massive globally, with Airbus and Boeing struggling to keep pace. At present, there is more than enough room for a competitor to step into the arena. Timing is critical, however. If Embraer were to launch a large narrowbody program today, the aircraft wouldn’t likely enter service until the middle of the next decade. By then, it is possible that Airbus and Boeing have meaningfully reduced their A320neo- and 737-family backlogs, and today's supply and demand imbalance looks much different. If demand for narrowbody jets is peaking now and eases later, Embraer’s potential market entrance could be poorly timed. Whether the duopoly successfully increases production rates of single-aisle jets is an open question, however, with much riding on the aerospace supply chain’s ability to support Airbus and Boeing’s lofty ambitions. Efforts to ramp up production could falter, leaving an opportunity for another player. Supply Chain Limits Ambitions Which leads to a major factor that could discourage Embraer from getting in the large narrowbody business. As one executive with an aerospace supplier recently told LNA, regardless of how many OEMs are in the market, there is only one supply chain. New market entrants will further strain an already-stretched-thin system, as suppliers struggle to support the production rates of the two big players in addition to Comac’s push to become a globally relevant airliner manufacturer. In other words, all of the same supply chain disruptions and difficulties gating single-aisle production rates for Airbus and Boeing would apply to Embraer—if not be worsened by Embraer entering the market. Indeed, any new entrant would rely on the same materials, parts, components and engines. It is highly unlikely that Embraer could convince one of the engine makers to develop an all-new powerplant on its behalf, meaning Embraer's aircraft would share many of the same performance attributes as competing jets. Another question is whether Embraer would have enough clout with suppliers to secure what is needed to support large narrowbody production. Bombardier’s foray into the space with the C Series is reason for pause, as the Canadian airframer ultimately did not secure favorable contracts with suppliers, compounded by problems of its own making. Eventually, the program was spun off to Airbus and the aircraft was rebranded as the A220. Embraer would also face a challenge in servicing a fleet of globally operating narrowbodies, though not anything like the high hurdle Comac faces in supporting operations beyond China’s borders. The Brazilian airframer has a head start but would need to build an even more-robust support network. 'Too Big of a Risk' One executive with strong visibility into the supply chain told LNA it is “too big of a risk” for Embraer to take a homerun swing on the commercial side. “When Bombardier jumped into it, they were two-and-a-half times bigger than Embraer, so their ability to access debt and leverage debt was two-and-a-half times greater,” they said. “Of course, we know what happened with Bombardier.” Though that comparison is valid, Bombardier's financial situation was much weaker than that of present-day Embraer, as it had a poor credit rating and was losing money on other aircraft programs during C Series development. The executive also questioned where a new Embraer jet would fit in a market that is gradually growing by one-to-two seats per year. Airlines are favoring the largest narrowbodies, such as the A321neo and 737 Max 10. “There’s probably room for them to do something that’s a size up from where they’re already at on the commercial side, which may be a size down from where Airbus wants to be playing,” they said. “There are different arguments on whether or not airlines would want to sustain that number of [passengers] in those types of ranges.” Some believe Embraer’s next clean-sheet aircraft should be a heavy business jet, leveraging the success of its Executive Jets segment coming out of the Covid pandemic while exposing itself to far less risk. But the upside of that decision would also be lower than that of a successful narrowbody launch. There is a reason homerun hitters accept a higher likelihood of striking out. It is likely that the industry will gain more insight into Embraer's strategy within the next two years. A decision to launch a large narrowbody jet would prove disruptive to Airbus' plans to launch its own clean-sheet aircraft by 2030. Boeing would likely be even more dramatically impacted, as it has recently taken the stance that its next jet will enter service as late as 2040. An ambitious move by Embraer could force both companies to move faster than anticipated. https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/aerospace/2026-09-11/will-embraer-go-big-developing-large-narrowbody-jet Vietravel Airlines signs preliminary deal for 50 Airbus aircraft Vietnamese carrier plans to add 20 A220s and 30 A321-family aircraft, including the A321XLR, with deliveries starting in 2029 Vietravel Airlines has signed a letter of intent with Airbus for 50 aircraft, a major expansion plan for a Vietnamese carrier that only began building its own fleet last year. The agreement covers 20 A220s and 30 aircraft from the A321 family, expected to include both the A321neo and long-range A321XLR. Vietravel has not disclosed how the 30 larger aircraft will be divided between the two versions. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2029. The agreement remains preliminary and has not been announced by Airbus as a firm order. The letter of intent was signed in Paris on September 10 during Vietnamese leader Tô Lâm's visit to France, in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron. T&T Group founder and Executive Chairman Đỗ Quang Hiển, Vietravel Airlines Chairman Đỗ Vinh Quang and Airbus International President Wouter van Wersch attended the ceremony. New aircraft for a small carrier The scale of the agreement contrasts with Vietravel's current operation. The airline became part of the T&T Group ecosystem in late 2024 and began building an owned fleet with the arrival of its first Airbus A321 in June 2025. Vietravel has since continued adding A321s while expanding domestic services between major Vietnamese cities and tourist destinations. Its scheduled international network currently includes Bangkok in Thailand and Shenzhen in China. The airline expects to increase operations to around 80-90 flights per day as additional aircraft join its fleet during the second half of 2026. The A220 would introduce a new aircraft type to Vietravel. The airline plans to use the smaller jet to develop routes where the capacity of an A321 would be excessive, while the A321 family would serve higher-demand markets. The inclusion of the A321XLR would also give Vietravel the option to operate substantially longer international routes with a narrowbody aircraft. The airline has not disclosed which destinations it is considering for the type. T&T Group has previously outlined plans to expand Vietravel to around 50 aircraft by 2030. If converted into a firm order and delivered as planned, the Airbus agreement would therefore account for a large part of the airline's long-term fleet expansion. The Vietravel agreement was one of several aviation deals announced during the Vietnamese delegation's visit to France. Vietnam Airlines also signed a memorandum of understanding for five additional Airbus A350-900s, with deliveries planned for 2033 and 2034. https://www.airdatanews.com/vietravel-airlines-signs-preliminary-deal-for-50-airbus-aircraft/ Japan Airlines launches autonomous drone inspection project Drones capture high-resolution images of aircraft exteriors for mechanics to review Japan Airlines (JAL) and French aircraft-maintenance drone maker Donecle have launched a joint project using fully autonomous drones for exterior aircraft inspections at JAL hangars, the companies said. The project is the first in Japan to use autonomous drones approved in aircraft manufacturers’ maintenance manuals for such inspections. It aims to improve the safety and efficiency of maintenance operations by reducing inspection times and limiting the need for mechanics to carry out manual visual checks at height. Under the project, drones will capture high-resolution images of aircraft exteriors for mechanics to review. JAL expects the time saved through the technology to be redirected towards predictive maintenance, helping to improve aircraft quality. Since the end of June 2026, JAL has been comparing conventional visual inspections with images captured by drones to assess the technology’s effectiveness. The project uses Donecle’s Iris GVI drones, which are approved for use in aircraft manufacturers’ maintenance manuals. The drones use obstacle-detection technology to fly autonomously without touching the aircraft, allowing inspections to be carried out consistently regardless of operator skill. The system also uses image-analysis technology to map and measure aircraft defects, enabling maintenance teams to identify and assess problem areas more precisely. https://avitrader.com/2026/09/11/japan-airlines-launches-autonomous-drone-inspection-project/ Aerospace dealmaking gathers pace as jet production ramps up Washington, U.S., June 9, 2026. The facility develops, machines, injection molds, and assembles plastic, metallic, and composite components for commercial and military aircraft cabin applications. REUTERS/Matt Mills McKnight Commercial aerospace deal volume this year on pace to rank among busiest on record, Janes Capital data shows Strategic buyers are pursuing vertical integration and capability expansion across the supply chain Boeing and Airbus production increases are boosting buyers' confidence in long-term demand SEATTLE, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Mergers and acquisitions are accelerating in the aerospace supply chain as clearer Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab and Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab production schedules give buyers more confidence in long-term demand, according to industry data and interviews with dealmakers and suppliers. Through ‌August, aerospace and defense-focused investment bank Janes Capital Partners tracked 154 publicly disclosed commercial aerospace transactions this year, just shy of the annual record of 159 set in 2019. Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here. Buyers are targeting suppliers with scarce workers, specialized manufacturing capabilities and capacity that can help meet rising jet output. Major manufacturers are also seeking to secure supplies of critical components. GE Aerospace (GE.N), opens new tab this week announced the $12 billion purchase of castings supplier Consolidated Precision Products, as it races to expand engine production. In another large deal, Parker Hannifin agreed in May to buy Circor’s aerospace division, which makes actuation and landing-gear systems, from private equity firm KKR for $2.6 billion. Most transactions, however, have involved strategic buyers and private equity firms acquiring midsized ⁠or smaller suppliers. The 154 deals announced through August, which do not include the GE deal in September, had a combined value of $14 billion, compared with 157 worth $37.5 billion in all of last year, Janes Capital data showed. Deal numbers last peaked at 159 in 2019, with a combined value of $21.3 billion, before falling to 82 worth $3.3 billion in 2020 as the pandemic hit. The highest annual value was recorded in 2015, when 106 transactions totaled $59.4 billion. BOEING PRODUCTION STABILIZES Boeing’s jetliner deliveries swung sharply over several years as the company faced a series of crises, falling from 806 in 2018 to 157 in 2020. They recovered to 528 in 2023 before production-quality problems pushed them back down to 348 the following year. Under a new CEO, Boeing has stabilized production of its best-selling 737 MAX and begun raising output, giving suppliers a clearer view of future demand. It delivered 600 jets last year, the most since 2018, and is on track to surpass that figure this year. Airbus’ output also fell during the pandemic but has risen steadily since. It aims to deliver 870 jets this year, exceeding its pre-pandemic record of 863 in ‌2019. "You could ⁠index the rate of increase in build and the rate of increase in deals, and it'll track pretty closely," said Anita Antenucci, founder of 3Wire Partners investment bank. A backlog of potential sellers is also coming to market, bankers said. Many private equity firms held onto portfolio companies far longer than they typically would as pandemic-era production swings and bloated inventories made it difficult to value businesses with confidence. "There was no way a buyer — or you — had any idea what your revenues were going to be," said Stephen Perry, managing director at Janes Capital. As build rates stabilize and their trajectories become more predictable, buyers are ⁠growing more comfortable pricing in a target's future performance — even against the backdrop of Boeing's well-documented struggles. That calculus played out last year when France-based DEMGY expanded into Boeing's supply chain by acquiring Tool Gauge, a family-owned, midsized supplier of jetliner interior parts. Boeing was still struggling to stabilize production when DEMGY began looking at Tool Gauge, which is based in Tacoma, Washington, near Boeing's 737 plant. DEMGY bet Boeing's fortunes would ⁠turn around, and by moving early, it largely avoided a bidding war for Tool Gauge, said Mike Walter, president of DEMGY's North American operations. "Sometimes when you see an opportunity, you have to take it. We saw an opportunity," he said. He declined to disclose the purchase price. DEMGY had global revenue of €125 million in 2025. Competition for even small suppliers is increasing, though, particularly due ⁠to increased interest from private equity firms, dealmakers said. Susan Kasa is on the receiving end of that scramble. The owner of Boulevard Machine, a small machine shop with a couple dozen workers outside Springfield, Massachusetts, said she now fields "two to three calls a day" from prospective buyers. Kasa said her trained workforce — a scarce commodity in an industry grappling with labor shortages — is part of what makes her company such an appealing target. https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/aerospace-dealmaking-gathers-pace-jet-production-ramps-up-2026-09-10/ Frontier Airlines Is Flying to South America for the First Time, With Fares From $99 Frontier Airlines is launching its first nonstop routes from Orlando International Airport to Colombia in December, with daily flights to Medellin starting on Dec. 10, six flights a week to Bogota starting on Dec. 14, and one flight per week to Cartagena starting on Dec. 19. Frontier Airlines is already an established international carrier, but it is about to go where it has never gone before. The American budget airline is taking its first plunge into South America with three new nonstop routes from Orlando International Airport to Colombia this December. The first new route will link Orlando to Medellín and will start service Dec. 10 with daily flights. Next up is Bogota on 14 December, starting with six flights a week, rising to daily in March 2027. Then, on December 19, Frontier will begin flights to Cartagena, but the route will start with one flight per week. New services are approved by the government. The expansion gives travelers in central Florida another option to reach Colombia without needing to connect somewhere else, and Frontier clearly hopes its low fares will make the new routes attractive. Introductory fares start at $169 to Medellín, $99 to Bogotá and $129 to Cartagena. There are some restrictions on those promotional prices, however. Travelers are required to book by Sept. 16, 2026, and the sale is valid on select nonstop travel dates from Jan. 14 through April 5, 2027. There are blackout dates and other restrictions, so that $99 fare to Bogotá won't necessarily be available every time you search. The destination is the bigger story for Frontier than the price. The carrier has spent years developing an international network that reaches destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Colombia is a much larger geographical leap, giving the Frontier its first foothold in South America. And it's not starting small. Medellín, Bogotá and Cartagena all offer three very different reasons to visit. Bogotá, Colombia's sprawling capital; Medellín, one of the country's most popular city destinations; and the Caribbean coast with the historic streets and beaches of Cartagena complete the mix. The new routes also come as Frontier continues to roll out what it calls "The New Frontier." The carrier has introduced UpFront Plus seating, which gives passengers in the first two rows extra leg and elbow room, plus a guaranteed empty middle seat. Frontier is also adding First Class seating in 2026 and expanding its loyalty program. But the most interesting change for travelers is much simpler: An American budget airline is finally flying to South America. If Frontier can keep its fares competitive, its initial Colombian routes could give travelers yet another reason to consider a trip south. https://www.yahoo.com/travel/flights/articles/frontier-airlines-flying-south-america-165453790.html Massive airline leak exposes 210 million passenger records An unprotected APIS database left default credentials active, exposing 210 million airline passenger logs and travel details online. If you have taken an international flight anytime over the past decade, your travel history and personal information might be making the rounds on the web as we speak. Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a massive misconfigured database sitting wide open online, exposing over 220 million airline passenger and crew records. Millions of passengers and crew affected The records floating around include over 210 million (210,318,069 to be precise) passenger entries and over 10 million (exactly 10,465,631) cabin crew data. The total number of passenger and crew members affected in this massive data breach stands at exactly 220,783,700. The exposed cache, uncovered by cybersecurity firm Kinryū Labs, spans nine years of sensitive travel data logged between January 2017 and April 2026. Nine years of flight logs left wide open The leak originated from an Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) database. APIS is the border security data feed that airlines use to transmit passenger details to government border control agencies before departure. The database cluster, titled "pax-info," was hosted on IP address space assigned to Vietnamese telecommunications provider Viettel in Hanoi. Sensitive and personal details exposed While researchers haven't confirmed which specific organization operated the server, the data covers travelers of virtually every nationality who flew to, from, or through Vietnam over the nine-year period. What makes this breach particularly scary isn't just the sheer number of entries, it's the depth of the personal information exposed: Personal identity details: Full names, dates of birth, gender and nationalities. Travel document info: Passport numbers, document expiration dates and issuing countries. Detailed itineraries: Airline names, flight numbers, departure and destination airports, transit stops, seat assignments, baggage references and exact flight timestamps. Because the logs map actual physical movements alongside passport credentials, experts warn that compromised files like these are a goldmine for targeted phishing and identity theft. Default passwords strike again So, how did millions of private records end up visible on the open internet? It comes down to a classic case of bad cybersecurity hygiene. When Kinryū Labs first scanned the primary web address, it returned a standard "401 Unauthorized" error message, giving the illusion that the database was password-protected. However, a secondary cloud access path to the exact same database was left completely unprotected and accepted default credentials. To make matters worse, web records show that internet scanning platforms had logged the host as far back as October 2022 and identified it as an open database by July 2023. What this means is that it may have been out there in the open for years before anyone noticed. The fallout and the fix Kinryū Labs discovered the exposed database on June 3, 2026, and immediately alerted authorities, national emergency response teams and major airlines appearing in the dataset. The cluster was finally locked down by June 8 after Singapore Airlines' security team stepped in to help coordinate the containment effort. The good news is that there is no sign that any individual airline's internal network was hacked or compromised. Researchers also say they found no evidence that the dataset is currently being sold on dark web forums. The bad news is that, because the server lacked proper access logs, researchers say there is no way to know for sure if bad actors downloaded a copy while it was left wide open. What to do if you think you may be affected If you traveled through the region over the last nine years and think you may be affected, keep a sharp eye out for suspicious emails or messages posing as airlines or border agencies. You should also be on the lookout for unexpected visa or travel-document applications filed in your name, especially if you hold a passport from a country with high-value travel documents like the United States, Britain or Canada. https://www.yahoo.com/tech/cybersecurity/articles/massive-airline-leak-exposes-210-120055128.html 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