Category: Aviation

U.S. airlines are hoping the Federal Aviation Administration will delay by two years a requirement for new passenger airplanes to have a secondary barrier to the flight deck to prevent intrusions. The requirement is set to take effect in August according to the FAA.

Airlines for America which represents the major U. S. air carriers, said in a petition that the FAA should delay the requirement because the FAA has not yet approved a secondary cockpit barrier and no manuals, procedures or training programs have been authorized.

The rule requires aircraft manufacturers to install a second physical barrier on planes used in commercial passenger service in the United States. In 2023 the FAA said the additional barrier will prevent intrusion when the flight deck door is open. The FAA opened the request for public comment through June 23.

Three Brits avoided the death penalty for attempting to smuggle cocaine into Indonesia February 1 2025. Lisa Stocker, 39, and her husband Jon Collyer, 38, were arrested at Bali’s international airport in February after being caught with 994g of the Class A drug disguised as packets of Angel Delight, a powdered dessert mixture.

The two were arrested on Feb. 1 after customs officers halted them at the X-ray machine after finding suspicious items in their luggage disguised as food packages. Phineas Float, 31, who was to be the recipient the packages was arrested several days later.

The three defendants, from Hastings and St Leonards in East Sussex, were told by a judge that they would only have to serve a 12 month sentence. Collyer and Stocker were caught with 17 packages of cocaine, with a value of roughly £300,000.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration is seeking a company to lead the building of a brand new, state of-the-art air traffic control system. To encourage companies to participate and discuss the plan, Secretary Duffy and FAA will host Industry Days June 10-12 (interested companies must register).

The agency issued a Request for Information for an integrator to play a key role in executing President Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy’s vision for building the air traffic system of the future.

“We have an antiquated air traffic control system that is showing its age,”  said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “In order to implement President Trump and I’s plan for a brand new system, we need the technical expertise and management experience from the best innovators in the world.”

Secretary Duffy has made air traffic controller hiring and building a new state-of-the-art air traffic system top priorities.

By replacing the current system, the FAA will enhance safety in the sky, reduce delays, and unlock the future of air travel. The plan to build a new system also ensures hard-working air traffic controllers have a system they can rely on and one they deserve. 

To make sure the new air traffic control system is built quickly, the FAA wants innovative ideas, new technologies, and new procurement strategies.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a new, world-class air traffic system,” said FAA Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau.  “We need world-class innovators to step up and tell us the best way to build it.”

The FAA will replace core infrastructure including radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks to manage modern travel. The agency will equip facilities with better technology to reduce outages, improve efficiency, and reinforce safety.

The integrator will manage this effort, including acquiring capabilities, and deploying the new technologies.  As a first step, the FAA is seeking information about how best to implement this new air traffic system.

San Francisco, CA and Paris, France – [7th April 2025] – Outsight, the global leader in Spatial AI solutions, has been awarded a major contract by Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to deploy its LiDAR-based platform for real-time monitoring of people and vehicle flows. The contract, approved by DFW’s Board of Directors following a competitive process involving four proposals, has an estimated value of $17.2 million.

Outsight’s technology will enhance situational awareness across the airport by enabling accurate, real-time tracking of passengers and vehicles. The platform will help identify potential disruptions in flow before they escalate, supporting smoother and more resilient airport operations.

“This project marks a significant milestone in the adoption of LiDAR-based Spatial Intelligence across U.S. airports,” said Raul Bravo, President and Co-founder of Outsight. “With large-scale deployments already underway in Asia and Europe, the DFW project confirms that LiDAR-based Spatial Intelligence is becoming a global standard—one that Outsight is proud to lead. We’re honored to bring this breakthrough technology to one of the world’s busiest airports.”

About Outsight

Outsight’s Spatial AI software solutions track and digitize human and vehicle motion using 3D LiDAR data and Spatial AI. Operators of transportation hubs—such as airports, train stations, sports venues, roadways, and industrial sites—gain access to real-time Spatial Intelligence that enhances operations, improves visitor experiences, and strengthens safety and security. We support customers across five continents from our offices in Paris, San Francisco, and Hong Kong, driven by the belief that accelerating the global adoption of Spatial Intelligence will lead to a smarter, safer, and more sustainable world.

A Lufthansa flight flew on without a pilot at the controls for approximately 10 minutes after the first officer lost consciousness while alone in the cockpit. The flight almost overflew its top-of-descent point. The incident, which has just came to public attention following the release of a final report, happened on an Airbus A321 en route from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain. There were more than 200 people on board.

The flight proceeded normally until about 30 minutes before landing, when the captain stepped out to use the bathroom. He told investigators the first officer had shown no signs of distress at the time.

But when the captain returned eight minutes later, he found himself locked out of the cockpit. He could not get back in. Investigators later learned that the 38-year-old first officer had unexpectedly passed out while alone on the flight deck.

ATC was reportedly unable to reach the aircraft after multiple calls. The aircraft was approaching its top-of-decent point. The plane’s autopilot system kept the aircraft in stable flight throughout the incident, although the unconscious first officer did make some inputs to the controls. The captain was unable to reenter the cockpit using normal procedures and attempted to use emergency procedures for access. The first officer ultimately regained consciousness and was able to admit the captain.

The full details came to light recently when Spanish investigators released their investigation report on the incident. The incident occurred on February 17, 2024

A fire at a parking garage at Jacksonville Int’l. Airport on May 16, left vehicles burned, travelers stranded and shut down the airport for hours. A portion of the parking garage partially collapsed during the fire and that prompted the closure of the airport for several hours and the indefinite closure of the airport’s hourly parking garage to allow experts to assess the structural safety of the building.

A report by the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, the fire started just after noon when a BMW that had been parked there that morning started to produce smoke and caught on fire. It is not stated in the report whether the BMW was a gas, electric or hybrid vehicle.

According to the report, the Aviation Authority received a dispatch call from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 12:06 p.m. regarding a vehicle on fire in the hourly garage. The fire spread quickly and caused delays and made it difficult to access certain areas of the airport.

On May 6, 2025, Israel’s military announced that it had carried out airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, disabling Sanaa International Airport, the country’s main airport. These strikes, the second within two days, were reportedly in retaliation for a Houthi missile attack on Israel’s international airport the previous day.

The Houthis’ satellite news channel, al-Masirah, confirmed the airport in Sanaa was hit. Power plants were also hit, according to the Israeli military. The strike against the airport in Sanaa happened after the Israeli military warned people on social media to leave the area immediately, addiing: “failure to evacuate the area endangers your lives.”