Flight Safety Information - September 25, 2026 No. 189 In This Issue : Accident: Austrian A20N at London on Sep 19th 2026, tail strike on landing : Incident: Ryanair B738 at Porto on Sep 22nd 2026, unlawful interference transponder code : Airbus A330-202 - Engine Failure (Argentina) : NTSB finds unidentifiable pilot incapacitation led to fatal California CBP helicopter crash : Finnair adapts pilot training for daily GPS interference in Baltic : Airbus identifies A321neo quality defect but says no safety risk : FAA completes review of Kazakhstan aviation safety oversight : India's Akasa in talks with Boeing to order 200 737 MAX aircraft, Bloomberg News reports : Qatar Airways retires idle A330s and sends pilots to RwandAir as Iran war drags : Third person dies after mosquito is reportedly trapped on plane to Germany in 'airport malaria' phenomenon : U.S. Embassies Issue Security Alerts for 10 Countries—What Travelers Need to Know About Possible Flight Disruptions : Qantas Adds Its First-Ever Nonstop Service to New York : Pratt & Whitney Delivers First GTF Advantage-Powered Aircraft to United Airlines : Calendar of Events Accident: Austrian A20N at London on Sep 19th 2026, tail strike on landing An Austrian Airlines Airbus A320-200N, registration OE-LZN performing flight OS-333 from Vienna (Austria) to London Heathrow,EN (UK), landed on Heathrow's runway 27L at 11:50L (10:50Z) when the tail contacted the runway surface. The aircraft rolled out without further incident and taxied to the apron. The return flight was cancelled. The airline confirmed the tail of the aircraft contacted the runway surface on landing in London. The aircraft is still on the ground in Heathrow on Sep 25th 2026. https://avherald.com/h?article=541c7a21&opt=0 Incident: Ryanair B738 at Porto on Sep 22nd 2026, unlawful interference transponder code A Ryanair Boeing 737-800, registration EI-IKJ performing flight FR-7073 from Porto (Portugal) to Dublin (Ireland), was climbing out of Porto's runway 35 when the transponder of the aircraft transmitted the code for unlawful interference. The crew stopped the climb at FL120 and returned to Porto for a safe landing on runway 35 about 35 minutes after departure and taxied to a remote stand. The aircraft remained on the ground for about 2 hours, then departed again and reached Dublin with a delay of about 2:20 hours. The airline reported a false security report that was quickly resolved. The aircraft reached Dublin with a delay of 2:33 hours. https://avherald.com/h?article=541b5732&opt=0 Airbus A330-202 - Engine Failure (Argentina) Date: Thursday 24 September 2026 Time: c 23:58 Type: Airbus A330-202 Owner/operator: Aerolineas Argentinas Registration: LV-GHQ MSN: 1737 Year of manufacture: 2016 Engine model: GE CF6-80E1A4 Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage: Unknown Location: near Buenos Aires Ministro Pistatrini International Airport (EZE/SAEZ) - Argentina Phase: Initial climb Nature: Passenger - Scheduled Departure airport: Buenos Aires/Ezeiza-Ministro Pistarini Airport, BA (EZE/SAEZ) Destination airport: Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (MAD/LEMD) Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources Narrative: Aerolineas Argentinas flight AR1132,an Airbus A330,registered LV-GHQ,experienced an engine failure after taking off and returned to Buenos Aires/Ezeiza (EZE) safely. https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/582636 NTSB finds unidentifiable pilot incapacitation led to fatal California CBP helicopter crash The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined the pilot of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Airbus AS350 B3 that crashed near Potrero, California, in December 2024 lost control during cruise flight after becoming incapacitated for reasons that could not be determined. The NTSB’s final report, published Sept. 23, 2026, stated the pilot had severe coronary artery disease and heart damage, which increased his risk of a sudden cardiovascular event. The report noted an autopsy could not rule out a heart rhythm disturbance, heart attack, or stroke occurring shortly before death. The report also speculated he could have fallen asleep as a result of taking diphenhydramine and doxylamine, sedating antihistamines, or from fatigue from recent respiratory illness. Investigators found the evidence insufficient to determine which of these, or some other cause, led to the incapacitation. The Airbus AS350 B3 (N617GC) departed Brown Field Municipal Airport in San Diego at about 8:56 a.m. on Dec. 16, 2024, on a routine air-support mission with only the 53-year-old pilot onboard. According to flight track data, the helicopter flew at relatively stable altitudes on a generally consistent track for one and a half hours. A little after 10:29 a.m., the aircraft began two S-turns while descending from 4,200 feet to 3,100 feet msl over 49 seconds. Vertical speed data showed descent rates of more than 12,000 feet per minute. The last data point captured for the helicopter was at 820 feet above the ground and 280 feet from the crash site. Investigators determined the helicopter hit the ground at a high rate of descent. The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center detected the helicopter’s emergency locator transmitter (ALT) a little after 10:30 and notified CBP’s Air and Marine Operations Center. Rescuers in a search helicopter from Brown Field located the wreckage 53 minutes after the ELT activation. The NTSB reported that after a departure call at about 9:04 a.m., the pilot made no additional radio calls or reported a problem. The weather was clear with light wind. Investigators found no mechanical malfunction, no evidence of contact with another object, and no sign of an intentional recovery maneuver. FAA toxicology testing detected diphenhydramine and doxylamine along with several other over-the-counter cold medications and the pilot’s prescribed blood pressure drugs. The FAA advises pilots not to fly within 60 hours of using either drug. Investigators could not determine when the pilot took the drug. The pilot had taken sick leave on four of his six scheduled workdays in the two weeks before the crash. His wife stated the weekend before the accident he appeared to be feeling well as he spent time with family and did not have a cough. On the morning of the flight, when questioned about his fitness for flight due to a raspy voice, the pilot stated repeatedly that he was fine and had recovered from a cold. https://verticalmag.com/news/ntsb-finds-unidentifiable-pilot-incapacitation-led-to-fatal-california-cbp-helicopter-crash/ Finnair adapts pilot training for daily GPS interference in Baltic Finnair CEO: jamming a daily issue pilots are trained to operate Sept 24 (Reuters) - Finnair (FIA1S.HE), opens new tab has adapted its pilot training and operations to deal ‌with daily GPS interference in the Baltic region, a growing challenge that is drawing interest from airlines elsewhere, CEO Turkka Kuusisto told Reuters on Thursday. "Our pilots are first and foremost trained to operate in an airspace where we face GPS interference, because that's a daily issue," Kuusisto ⁠told Reuters in an interview. The Misinformation Monitor newsletter rounds up international misinformation narratives, with a "Real or Fake?" quiz in every edition. Sign up here. European airlines operating near NATO's eastern flank face growing security challenges as the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year. Finnair has stopped flying over Russia and Belarus, rerouting its flights and increasing exposure to a Baltic region that has become a hotspot for electronic warfare. Interference across the Baltic region has intensified sharply this year. Poland's Communications Institute said in August that GPS and other satellite navigation signals along Poland's Baltic coast were ‌disrupted ⁠on most days during the summer. In 2024, Finnair was forced to suspend flights to Tartu in eastern Estonia for about a month after GPS interference in the area prevented its aircraft from conducting safe approaches. While modern aircraft can continue operating ⁠safely using multiple backup navigation systems, Kuusisto said the scale of interference had expanded markedly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, especially over the Baltic Sea. "When I spoke with some ⁠of the CEOs who are not that active in Europe, they don't face it in North America or Australia," Kuusisto said. "They are to some ⁠extent a bit surprised that it is a daily burden, but when they learn that we can also operate and our pilots have been trained, they're actually quite interested." https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/finnair-adapts-pilot-training-daily-gps-interference-baltic-2026-09-24/ Airbus identifies A321neo quality defect but says no safety risk An Airbus A321 neo flies during a flying display at the first day of the 52nd Paris Air Show at Le Bourget airport near Paris, France June 19, 2017. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Issue affects about 500 planes, roughly half in service and half in production, source says Airbus' longer-range A321XLR is not affected, source says European planemaker trying to increase narrow-body jet production to 75 a month from about 60 Sept 24 (Reuters) - Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab said ‌on Thursday it had identified and contained a "quality issue" in the fuselage structure of its A321neo aircraft, but that planes could continue operating because it did not pose a safety risk. The defect affects about 500 aircraft, including roughly 250 already in service and 250 in production, according to a source familiar with the matter. The A321neo, Airbus' largest and most popular single-aisle jet, seats up to 244 passengers and is designed to ⁠fly routes of up to 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km). The defect does not impact the planemaker's longer-range A321XLR, said the source, who could not speak publicly about the private matter. It is the second industrial problem to affect the fuselage of the industry's best-selling model in nine months after Airbus reported defects with fuselage panels last December. Airbus also described that issue as a quality problem with no safety implications, but unravelling the situation caused several months of delivery delays. Airbus said it had discovered what it described as a "deviation" in the surface protection, or coating, applied to skeletal components known as stringers that run lengthways in a fuselage. It said the discovery was made while parts were already undergoing ‌rework on ⁠the production line. Airbus has identified and contained the source of the issue and a remedy is available, it added. The latest snag comes as Airbus is trying to increase production of narrow-body jets to 75 a month from about 60 now. The source said Airbus first spotted the problem over the summer and the first results from closer analysis came back recently. This part of the ⁠plane is made by Airbus' in-house aerostructures unit Stelia, which was not immediately available for comment outside of business hours. Customers are continuing to take aircraft deliveries without insisting on extra work being carried out in advance and Airbus has told customers there is ⁠no immediate requirement to repair, the source said. European regulators may, however, issue a directive requiring the defects to be repaired within a certain period. US carrier Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), opens new tab, which operates A321neo planes, said it was continually in contact ⁠with manufacturers and would "always take action to meet or exceed operator recommendations and regulator directives." https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/airbus-alerts-customers-a321neo-defect-potentially-affecting-over-500-aircraft-2026-09-24/ FAA completes review of Kazakhstan aviation safety oversight BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. On 25 September 2026, a final briefing was held during which experts from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presented the final oral findings of the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) conducted in Kazakhstan from 21 to 25 September, the Civil Aviation Committee (CAA) of Kazakhstan said. The assessment was conducted to determine whether Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities comply with applicable International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices, according to the statement. As part of the assessment, the FAA team reviewed Kazakhstan’s aviation legislation, subordinate regulatory acts and the authorities’ ability to effectively exercise safety oversight in line with ICAO requirements. On September 24, the FAA experts also conducted an on-site visit to Air Astana in Astana, which has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for economic authority to operate flights to the United States. The CAA described the visit as a positive and mutually beneficial experience for all organizations involved. “Following the assessment, the U.S. experts noted the substantial work carried out by Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities. Speaking about the preliminary findings, they highlighted strong results in a number of areas, noting that these results demonstrate Kazakhstan’s strong political will and significant progress in aviation safety oversight,” the CAA said. The FAA will next issue an official notification to Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities, followed by final consultations to discuss any required corrective measures, according to the CAA. Upon completion of this process, the FAA will determine Kazakhstan’s Category 1 status. Achieving Category 1 status would create the regulatory conditions required for Kazakhstan’s airlines to complete the procedures necessary to launch direct air services between Kazakhstan and the United States. https://www.trend.az/casia/kazakhstan/4227711.html India's Akasa in talks with Boeing to order 200 737 MAX aircraft, Bloomberg News reports Sept 24 (Reuters) - India's third-largest airline, Akasa Air, is in talks to order more than ‌200 Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab 737 MAX jets, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Get the latest news from India and how it matters to the world with the Reuters India File newsletter. Sign up here. A decision on the order is expected early next year, ⁠with terms likely finalized in the second half of 2027, the report said, adding that the purchase would support Akasa's fleet growth beyond 2032. Akasa Air and Boeing did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. The report comes as the Mumbai-based ‌budget ⁠carrier expands its fleet of Boeing's fuel-efficient jets. The airline, which began operations in 2022, operates 43 Boeing 737 MAX jets and has ⁠orders for 226 more aircraft for delivery over the next decade. Akasa is targeting a 30% capacity increase ⁠by March 2027 and is weighing participation in the government's emergency credit guarantee ⁠scheme, its finance chief said in June. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indias-akasa-talks-with-boeing-order-200-737-max-aircraft-bloomberg-news-reports-2026-09-24/ Qatar Airways retires idle A330s and sends pilots to RwandAir as Iran war drags Qatar plans 6 aircraft exits, 19 new deliveries until end-2027 LONDON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Qatar Airways has retired its last Airbus A330 passenger jets and seconded some pilots to Rwanda's flag carrier as the prolonged Iran war disrupts Gulf aviation and accelerates the global phase-out of older jets, according to two people with knowledge of the matter and data reviewed by Reuters. The move is the latest sign of the impact ‌of a doubling of jet fuel prices since the war began, ending an industry-wide scramble for older jets to meet post-COVID travel demand. The Misinformation Monitor newsletter rounds up international misinformation narratives, with a "Real or Fake?" quiz in every edition. Sign up here. Qatar Airways leased four Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab wide-body A330 jets from Oman Air last year and planned to keep flying them through 2026, but the aircraft never entered service, the people said. The carrier has now fully retired its A330 fleet One of the A330s was acquired earlier this year by Rwandan flag carrier RwandAir. Qatar Airways has longstanding ties to the airline and the people said a group of pilots, some of whom had not flown commercially since the start of the war, have been seconded to RwandAir. The secondments and details of the fleet retirements have not previously been reported. A Qatar Airways spokesperson said it was normal for the airline to regularly review its fleet, "retiring older aircraft and introducing newer, more efficient aircraft as they are delivered". In the ⁠next five years it expects to receive 138 new aircraft, the spokesperson added. The carrier operates a mixed Airbus and Boeing fleet of 239 passenger jets and 30 freighters, according to the company. A330s made up 7% of the passenger total, as of March, according to company data. "A group of Qatar Airways A330 pilots are being offered a voluntary short-term secondment opportunity with RwandAir," the Qatar Airways spokesperson said, adding the scheme offered valuable flying opportunities for pilots while supporting the operational requirements of both airlines, without saying how long the secondment would last. COSTS SPIKE AS WAR CONTINUES The war has impacted airlines globally but particularly the Middle East aviation hubs of Dubai and Doha following the February 28 US-Israeli strikes on Iran, although flight volumes have recovered to near pre-war levels. By grounding the less fuel-efficient and older A330 fleet, Qatar is containing jet fuel costs. Parking the planes is substantially cheaper than flying them at current high oil prices, analysts said. The remaining aircraft Qatar Airways leased from Oman Air are parked either in Teruel, Spain, or in Doha, according to flight tracking data, and have remained parked in recent months, as the Iran war has dragged on. Two of the A330s parked in Doha, which Qatar is leasing from aircraft lessor Jetran, will be returned to the lessor in October. PASSENGER CAPACITY FALLS Analysts said older planes like the out-of-production A330 operated by Qatar Airways would have been phased out by now, but ‌have remained in ⁠service longer than expected due to manufacturing delays and high post-COVID travel demand. Airlines relocate aircraft amid U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran ] Now, surging oil prices have made it less attractive to operate older jets, with global A330-200 and A330-300 flight operations down by about 12% from September 2025, according to seven-day averages calculated by Cirium Ascend, which tracks global fleet movements. Qatar's operational headache has been compounded by widespread disruption to Gulf carriers since the war began and the loss of some transit passengers to competing hubs. "Middle East carriers are not flying the aircraft as much because of restrictions on the use of airspace there," IBA's head of consulting Dan Taylor said earlier this month. As of September, Qatar Airways' seven-day average available seat kilometres (ASK) - the industry's standard measure of passenger-carrying capacity - was 10% lower than a year ago, according to Cirium Ascend, compared with ⁠a 10% decline at Emirates and flat global industry capacity. Qatar Airways is on average operating 12% fewer flights versus a year ago, and using 4% fewer planes, although it is on track to return to capacity and network growth by 2027, Cirium said. FLEET RENEWAL PLANS While short-term demand has weakened, Qatar still expects growth to resume once regional disruption eases and will soon start recruiting pilots for newer aircraft, it said. The secondment of just over a dozen staff to RwandAir would ensure pilots trained to fly A330s can continue flying, ⁠the spokesperson said. Airlines do sometimes offer secondments to their pilots based on international partnerships with other carriers. RwandAir, which has a codeshare agreement with Qatar, did not respond to a request for comment. It said in a post on X in August that it had received the first of five expected A330 jets. Qatar Airways, which runs one of the world's busiest hubs and competes mainly with Dubai-based Emirates, continues to take delivery of new jets. It has received two large ⁠wide-body jets each from Airbus and Boeing this year, company data shows. The Qatar Airways spokesperson said that between September 2026 and the end of 2027, the carrier was planning 6 aircraft exits and 19 new plane deliveries. To meet growth objectives stretching into the 2030s, the airline has a total of 410 planes still on order from Boeing and Airbus, including 160 announced during a visit to the emirate by US President Donald Trump in May last year. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/qatar-airways-retires-idle-a330s-sends-pilots-rwandair-iran-war-drags-2026-09-25/ Third person dies after mosquito is reportedly trapped on plane to Germany in 'airport malaria' phenomenon Three people have died from malaria after a mosquito was transported aboard a flight to Germany, sparking a rare outbreak of the tropical disease in Frankfurt. Several people were rushed to a hospital amid a rare outbreak of the tropical disease following flights to Frankfurt, The Sun reported. It was unclear where the flights departed from. The third person, a resident of Schwanheim, just north of the airport, died recently. In August, an airport worker also died from the disease. Neither had traveled to a malaria-endemic region. Another German resident also came down with malaria, which can only be contracted from the bite of an infected mosquito and cannot be spread from human to human. "Both individuals had become infected with the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum, even though they had not traveled to a malaria-endemic region and had not worked at the airport," city officials said. Deadly Mosquito-borne Virus Claims First Life In Major Us City As Cases Spread The terrifying phenomenon, known as "airport malaria," occurs when an infected mosquito becomes trapped aboard a plane or inside luggage, is carried to a malaria-free area and bites someone locally. mosquito bites human arm Three people have died after a mosquito became trapped on a plane to Frankfurt, Germany, officials there said. In July, airport officials set traps around the property to contain the malaria outbreak, The Sun reported. West Nile Virus Detected In Southern State As Health Officials Warn Residents About Mosquitoes Germany's Robert Koch Institute, the agency responsible for disease control and public health, said airport workers became ill after contracting malaria between July 4 and July 6. In total, six employees contracted the disease, according to Fraport, the firm that operates Frankfurt Airport, The Express reported. Click Here To Download The Fox News App "We have provided comprehensive information to all employees and encourage them to consult a doctor if they experience any symptoms," the firm said. https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/third-person-dies-mosquito-reportedly-202155735.html U.S. Embassies Issue Security Alerts for 10 Countries—What Travelers Need to Know About Possible Flight Disruptions Travelers flying through hubs including Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi should closely monitor their itineraries as renewed fighting creates the potential for sudden disruptions. Bailey Berg Travelers heading to, or connecting through, the Middle East should be prepared for possible flight changes in the coming weeks as renewed fighting raises the risk of airspace closures and other disruptions. Over the weekend, U.S. embassies in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, Iraq, and Israel issued security alerts advising Americans to remain vigilant and monitor airline operations closely. "Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation," the alert read. "Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions." Additionally, the alerts warned Iran-backed Houthi rebels "have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports," adding "this military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly." The warnings followed a new round of fighting between the Gulf country and the Houthi rebels. Over the weekend, Saudi Arabia reported it intercepted a ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh, while the Houthis claimed missile and drone attacks on the Saudi capital and the oil-producing city of Yanbu, CBS News reported. Flights at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport (RUH) were temporarily disrupted. What the new alerts mean for travelers The latest security alerts differ from U.S. Department of State travel advisories for countries in the Middle East. Most of the countries covered by these alerts were already under elevated guidance, but their advisory classifications have not changed as a result. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Israel are currently classified under the department's "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" warning. Iraq and Lebanon are listed under the highest "Level 4: Do Not Travel." The reasons for each classification vary by country. In Saudi Arabia, for example, the department cites the "risk of Iranian drone and missile targeting of American interests, armed conflict, terrorism, exit bans, and local laws regarding social media activity." In the UAE, the department points to armed conflict and terrorism. And Qatar's advisory specifically notes an "ongoing threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran and significant disruptions to commercial flights." Travelers should check the guidance for each specific destination. Restrictions and risks can differ considerably from one country to another, and even change depending on which part of the country travelers intend to visit. What if you're connecting through the Middle East? Airports in Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi are major connection points for travelers flying between the United States and destinations across Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Indian Ocean, and disruptions in regional airspace can ripple through itineraries even when a passenger never leaves the airport. In July, the State Department issued a Worldwide Caution advising Americans that international travel could be disrupted due to airspace closures and flight cancellations. A month later, the U.S. Dept. of State Consular Affairs warned those planning to travel to the Middle East to "seriously reconsider travel to and through" the region. However, that does not mean every itinerary through a Gulf hub will be disrupted, and many airports continue to operate as normal. On Wednesday, for example, 20 percent of flights were delayed out of both Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Abu Dhabi's Zayed International Airport (AUH), according to FlightAware. Flight cancellations were nearly non-existent. But the war has repeatedly reshaped air travel across the region this year. When the war with Iran broke out in February, airports—including in Dubai—temporarily closed and thousands of flights were disrupted, Reuters reported at the time. Airlines have since restored service at different speeds, per the wire service, with some international carriers continuing to adjust their Middle East schedules. Things can also change with little notice, and a flight that appears on schedule days in advance may still be rerouted, delayed, or canceled if conditions change. For travelers with upcoming flights, the State Department recommends checking directly with the operating airline to confirm that a flight is still scheduled, contacting the carrier for rebooking information if it is affected, and monitoring embassy security alerts and local authorities for updates. Americans traveling in the Middle East—or to any international destination—can also enroll in the State Department's free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP. The service sends security and travel advisory updates, and can also help embassy officials contact travelers or their emergency contacts during a crisis. The State Department maintains a separate Middle East information page with links to the latest embassy alerts and travel advisories for individual countries. It also lists phone numbers for Americans who need consular assistance while abroad. https://www.yahoo.com/travel/advice/safety/articles/u-embassies-issue-security-alerts-120100288.html Qantas Adds Its First-Ever Nonstop Service to New York Qantas will launch the first ever nonstop commercial flights between Australia and New York in mid-2028, cutting over three hours off the total travel time compared to current one-stop services. After years of planning, Qantas announced late Tuesday that it will launch the first ever nonstop commercial flights between Australia and New York in mid-2028. The transpacific connection will shave more than three hours off the total travel time between Sydney and New York compared to currently operating one-stop services, Qantas officials said. Tickets will become available for purchase in August 2027. Nonstop service to New York has been a long-term goal of Qantas' Project Sunrise, which aims to link cities on Australia's east coast with far flung destinations in North America and Europe with a single trip. The carrier announced earlier this year that nonstop flights between Sydney and London will begin in October 2027, but it gave no hints about a New York launch until this week. Qantas currently connects Sydney and New York-JFK with a stop in Auckland. Operation Sunrise flights will use a modified, extra-long-range variant of Airbus' A350 known as the A350-1000ULR. Developed in partnership with Qantas, the 238-seat aircraft contains an additional 20,000-liter fuel tank and can fly up to 22 hours nonstop. The -1000ULR is currently undergoing flight testing in France. Qantas expects to take delivery of the first production -1000ULR in April 2027. The carrier has ordered 12 of the aircraft in total. Qantas leaders said the new route will help meet rising demand for travel options between Australia and the U.S. "Conquering the tyranny of distance has been part of who Qantas is from the very beginning," Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said in a news release. "Reaching New York nonstop completes a vision we set out many years ago, and it's a moment of enormous pride for the thousands of our people who have been working hard to make Project Sunrise a reality." Qantas announced Project Sunrise in 2017. It weighed competing proposals for ultra-long-range aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus before settling on a modified version of the A350. Boeing had offered its 777-8 as the basis for an extended-range model. https://www.yahoo.com/travel/flights/articles/qantas-adds-first-ever-nonstop-131648500.html Pratt & Whitney Delivers First GTF Advantage-Powered Aircraft to United Airlines Pratt & Whitney has delivered the first aircraft powered by its GTF Advantage engine to United Airlines, offering between 4% and 8% more takeoff thrust and up to twice the time on wing compared to the existing GTF model. Pratt & Whitney, a division of RTX (NYSE:RTX), has delivered the first aircraft powered by its GTF Advantage engine to United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL), introducing the new engine variant into commercial service. The aircraft is an Airbus A321XLR and represents the first delivery to an airline using the GTF Advantage configuration, according to Pratt & Whitney. The engine manufacturer said the GTF Advantage provides between 4% and 8% more takeoff thrust than the existing GTF model and is designed to provide up to twice the time on wing. These performance and durability figures are based on Pratt & Whitney's specifications and claims. GTF Advantage Designed for Compatibility With Existing Engine Pratt & Whitney said the GTF Advantage is fully interchangeable and intermixable with its existing GTF engine, allowing airlines to operate aircraft using both configurations within the same fleet. "United will be the first to benefit from the world-class efficiency, durability and additional thrust capability of the GTF Advantage engine, which is particularly well-suited to the long-range A321XLR," said Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney. The comments represent Pratt & Whitney's assessment of the engine's performance and suitability for the aircraft. Ankit Gupta, United Airlines Senior Vice President and Chief Air Operations Officer, said GTF-powered aircraft are contributing to the airline's efforts to reduce fuel consumption and improve reliability. No specific fuel-burn or reliability figures for United's operations were provided in the information supplied. Pratt & Whitney Plans Production Transition by 2028 Pratt & Whitney plans to transition its entire PW1100G-JM production line to the GTF Advantage specification by 2028. Airlines operating the existing GTF configuration are expected to have access to a GTF Hot Section Plus upgrade during maintenance visits beginning early next year. According to Pratt & Whitney, the upgrade can provide up to 90% to 95% of the durability benefits attributed to the GTF Advantage configuration. The stated durability improvements are manufacturer estimates and do not represent independently verified operating results. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/technology/articles/pratt-whitney-delivers-first-gtf-103831633.html CALENDAR OF EVENTS . ICAO/EASA Third Global RSOO/RAIO Forum for Aviation Safety — September 29–30, 2026, in Georgetown, Guyana., https://www.icao.int/events . 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