777X   Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs)   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Boeing  
The Air Current • Elan Head

FAA clears Boeing 777-9 to begin first part of TIA Phase 4 certification trials

On March 17 the FAA cleared Boeing to advance the long-delayed 777-9 into the first part of TIA Phase 4 certification trials, marking a formal regulator step forward in testing. Persistent program setbacks and customer uncertainty mean a firm entry-into-service date remains unclear.

Also: Simple Flying and Seeking Alpha
2026-03-18T09:54:44.492197-07:00
PaxEx   Accident   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Airlines   Delta Air Lines  
Paddle Your Own Kanoo • Mateusz Maszczynski

Delta Flight DL-69 Diverts to Anchorage After Passenger Uses Racial Slur Against Flight Attendant

By Paddle Your Own Kanoo: A Delta Air Lines plane from Seattle to Taipei, Taiwan, was forced to make an emergency diversion to Anchorage last Saturday when an altercation occurred between a flight attendant and an unruly passenger when the man used the ‘N word’ against the crew member.

Also: One Mile at a Time, the-independent.com and The Independent
2026-03-18T09:22:31.576221-07:00
ATC   North America   Airports   Aviation Safety & Regulation   Airport Infrastructure & Air Traffic Management   Policy & Regulation  
FAA

FAA and Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announce new safety measures to separate airplanes and helicopters after 2025 DCA midair collision

By FAA: More stringent safety protocol is based on a year-long analysis following the tragic 2025 DCA midair collision.

Also: The Air Current, AeroTime, Associated Press, CNBC, Reuters, transportation.gov, the-independent.com, news.ssbcrack.com, bostonherald.com, The Independent, Seeking Alpha, CNN and NPR
2026-03-18T07:00:44.458477-07:00
Airline Industry & Market Trends   Workforce & Skills Development   Airlines   Lufthansa  
AeroTime • Jean Carmela Lim

Lufthansa proposes folding pilots’ transitional pension into company plan — could boost benefits up to 50% without raising overall pension costs

By AeroTime: Lufthansa proposed integrating pilots' transitional pension into company plan, potentially boosting benefits up to 50% without increasing total pension costs.

2026-03-18T08:34:41.502301-07:00