FAA Calls For Boeing 787 Seat-Track Inspections After Manufacturing Fault Found By Rytis Beresnevicius The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) addressing a potentially unsafe condition of the Boeing 787 seats. Quality escapement On January 17, the FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the Boeing 787-8 , 787-9, and 787-10, saying that following multiple supplier notices...Read More

ePlane company gets DGCA acceptance for type certification By Vaitheeswaran B The electric aircraft developed by startup ePlane Company has received acceptance for type certification from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This is the first Indian private company to get accepted under the new rules for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft issued last September. The DGCA issued...Read More

COMAC to Significantly Increase Production of C919 in 2025 By Jennifer Pierce China’s state-owned aircraft manufacturer, COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China), is set to significantly increase the production of its C919 single-aisle passenger jet. Shen Bo, COMAC’s Deputy General Manager, announced during the annual “Two Sessions” plenary parliamentary meeting in Shanghai on January 17, 2025, that the company plans...Read More

Air India to Establish New Maintenance Training Institute in Bengaluru By Len Varley India’s flag carrier Air India is moving forward with plans to establish a new Basic Maintenance Training Organization (BMTO) in Bengaluru. India’s flag carrier Air India is moving forward with plans to establish a new Basic Maintenance Training Organization (BMTO) in Bengaluru. The new training institute will...Read More

FAA Updates CFM Engine Airworthiness Directive: More Parts With Materials Issues By Rytis Beresnevicius The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new airworthiness directive (AD) to address additional faulty parts on the CFM International LEAP-1A engine, which is one of the two power plant options for the Airbus A320neo aircraft family. Superseding a previous directive On December 23rd, the FAA issued a notice...Read More

China’s first 4-seat zero-emission e-aircraft obtains type certification from CAAC By Global Times The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said that the home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E, developed by Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, has been granted a type certificate for airworthiness, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday. It is China’s first normal-category aircraft powered...Read More

The FAA Recommends AOA Indicators For All Aircraft By Justin Foster In late December, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a special airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB) focused on the future installation of angle of attack (AOA) indicators and systems for aircraft. The bulletin, which was released on December 26 of last year, was titled Stall Warning System: Angle of Attack Alerting...Read More

US Military Grounds V-22 Ospreys Anew After Recent Near Crash By Joe Saballa The US military has suspended all operations of its V-22 Osprey aircraft again following a near-crash in New Mexico late last month. The decision, recommended by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), was made “out of an abundance of caution” after an Osprey was forced to make an...Read More

Is It Safe to Fly Qantas? Watch Episode 249 here! Is Qantas Airlines safe? Two recent events have led the Australian media and others to raise that question. The first safety issue was in November 2024. A tool was left in the engine of a Qantas A380 for nearly a month before it was discovered. A few days later, a...Read More

SUBARU Bell 412EPX Earns EASA Certification Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, today announced the SUBARU Bell 412EPX has received European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification and can begin flight operations throughout the European Union. “We’re pleased the SUBARU Bell 412EPX has received EASA certification and look forward to seeing its growing success in the European region,”...Read More