ATC News

Reuters

High activity

FAA relocates antenna and changes procedures after Marine One came too close to departing passenger jet

The FAA said an antenna was relocated and air-traffic procedures were revised after Marine One, carrying President Donald Trump, came too close to a passenger aircraft departing Reagan Washington National Airport. The changes address coordination and separation risks where presidential helicopter movements intersect with scheduled airport traffic.

Bloomberg

Norway’s air traffic controllers end strike after reaching deal, restoring air travel

Norway’s air traffic controllers reached an agreement with their employers on Monday, ending a strike that severely disrupted the country’s air travel over the weekend. The settlement removes an immediate constraint on flight operations, although airlines and airports must still manage the resulting schedule and passenger disruptions.

AeroTime

Bulgarian authorities neutralize GPS jammer that disrupted aircraft over Sofia

Bulgarian authorities neutralized a powerful GPS jammer located in a guarded complex in Sofia after interference disrupted aircraft navigation near the capital. The outage forced affected aircraft to switch to ground-based navigation, highlighting the operational consequences of localized GNSS interference around major airports.

AINonline

Nav Canada raises air traffic control charges to recover pandemic-era shortfall

Nav Canada is increasing its air traffic control service charges as it seeks to recover a shortfall accumulated during the pandemic. The move will raise operating costs for airlines and other airspace users, with potential implications for carrier economics and network planning in Canada.

Bloomberg

High activity

Norwegian air traffic controller strike disrupts major airports, with delays and cancellations expected through early next week

Norwegian air traffic controllers began striking on Aug. 21 after wage negotiations failed, disrupting operations at several of the country’s largest airports. Airlines and passengers face delays and potential cancellations through the weekend and into early next week as the industrial action continues.

Bloomberg

High activity

ATSB investigates fourth Sydney Airport safety incident in a month after Qantas taxiway near miss

Australia’s transport safety regulator has opened an investigation after two Qantas aircraft were directed toward the same intersection while taxiing at Sydney Airport. The event is the fourth air traffic control or runway-safety incident reported there in less than a month, intensifying scrutiny of airport operations and controller procedures.

Flying Magazine

USAF C-17 turns back from Antarctica mission after Russian missile-launch hazard notice

A U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III departed Christchurch, New Zealand, for Antarctica but returned after New Zealand authorities received a Russian warning about potentially hazardous space activity and a planned missile launch. The episode underscores how launch-related airspace hazards can affect military logistics flights in the region.

Politico

FAA frustrated with Peraton’s leadership of air traffic control overhaul

The FAA is frustrated with Virginia-based Peraton’s performance on an ambitious air traffic control modernization effort, according to reporting. Peraton had minimal prior experience working with the agency before taking on the project, raising questions about execution, contractor selection and oversight of a critical national infrastructure program.