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Air Data News • Ricardo Meier

Icelandair investigates pilot after unauthorized low-altitude 757 pass over Vestmannaeyjar on final flight

Icelandair is investigating a pilot after a Boeing 757-200 (TF-ISR) operated flight FI521 from Frankfurt performed an unauthorized low-altitude flyover of Vestmannaeyjar during approach to Keflavík on April 11. The captain—reported to have been on his final trip before retirement—deviated from expected routing/altitude, prompting local alarms and a police report.

2026-04-12T09:53:50.064552-07:00

AeroTime

USAF C-130 Hercules hit in hatchet attack after intruder breaches airside access at Shannon Airport

2026-04-12T08:42:04.825876-07:00

Reuters

FAA and Pentagon clear anti-drone high-energy laser use after New Mexico safety testing

2026-04-10T14:03:07.345645-07:00

Flying Magazine

FAA 2025 airmen data: student pilot numbers rise, pilot base gets younger, and women pilots cross 100,000

2026-04-10T09:41:12.816869-07:00

News Timeline

AeroTime

India raises export windfall taxes on diesel and aviation turbine fuel to protect domestic jet-fuel supply India has increased export taxes on aviation turbine fuel (and diesel) through a windfall tax mechanism introduced last month. The stated goal is to retain more fuel inside the country and curb rising costs for airlines, tightening the export-to-domestic fuel flow.

2026-04-12T20:19:25.284648-07:00

India raises export windfall taxes on diesel and aviation turbine fuel to protect domestic jet-fuel supply

Via Satellite

NSA publishes new Cybersecurity Information Sheet detailing Low Earth Orbit security posture The US National Security Agency (NSA) has released a new Cybersecurity Information Sheet (CSI) that provides details of a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) security report, alongside input from multiple parties. The update expands on how organizations should frame and address LEO-related cyber risk.

2026-04-12T14:53:14.286899-07:00

NSA publishes new Cybersecurity Information Sheet detailing Low Earth Orbit security posture

Air Data News

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Icelandair investigates pilot after unauthorized low-altitude 757 pass over Vestmannaeyjar on final flight Icelandair is investigating a pilot after a Boeing 757-200 (TF-ISR) operated flight FI521 from Frankfurt performed an unauthorized low-altitude flyover of Vestmannaeyjar during approach to Keflavík on April 11. The captain—reported to have been on his final trip before retirement—deviated from expected routing/altitude, prompting local alarms and a police report.

2026-04-12T09:53:50.064552-07:00

Icelandair investigates pilot after unauthorized low-altitude 757 pass over Vestmannaeyjar on final flight

AeroTime

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USAF C-130 Hercules hit in hatchet attack after intruder breaches airside access at Shannon Airport A USAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules parked at Shannon Airport in Ireland sustained extensive fuselage and wing damage after an intruder breached restricted airside access and struck the aircraft repeatedly with a hatchet. Shannon Airport initiated a major security investigation following a brief airport shutdown.

2026-04-12T08:42:04.825876-07:00

USAF C-130 Hercules hit in hatchet attack after intruder breaches airside access at Shannon Airport

Runway Girl

RAVE Aerospace flags memory-chip shortages and tougher HIC certification testing for IFE growth RAVE Aerospace says its in-flight entertainment (IFE) demand remains strong but is constrained by memory chip shortages, a tightening regime for HIC certification testing, and airframers’ stricter seat/IFE pairing requirements. The company points to these choke points as immediate risks to commercial IFE delivery and installation workflows.

2026-04-11T06:17:24.571248-07:00

RAVE Aerospace flags memory-chip shortages and tougher HIC certification testing for IFE growth

Reuters

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FAA and Pentagon clear anti-drone high-energy laser use after New Mexico safety testing The FAA has agreed with the Pentagon that the proper use of the counter-drone high-energy laser system is safe for national airspace, following safety testing conducted in New Mexico. The validation is intended to prevent additional airspace closures like the one affecting El Paso’s civilian airport in February.

2026-04-10T14:03:07.345645-07:00

FAA and Pentagon clear anti-drone high-energy laser use after New Mexico safety testing

Airways Magazine

ALERT Act vs. ROTOR Act: Congress debates aviation safety scope and airport funding priorities A House proposal, the ALERT Act, would take broader steps toward post-crash aviation safety implementation and includes more extensive airport-funding elements. The Senate’s ROTOR Act is narrower in scope, setting up a funding-and-mandate dispute as lawmakers reconcile competing approaches to rotorcraft and collision-prevention fixes.

2026-04-10T10:13:31.543765-07:00

ALERT Act vs. ROTOR Act: Congress debates aviation safety scope and airport funding priorities

Flying Magazine

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FAA 2025 airmen data: student pilot numbers rise, pilot base gets younger, and women pilots cross 100,000 New FAA airmen data for 2025 shows student pilot numbers increasing alongside a younger overall pilot population. It also indicates women pilots have surpassed 100,000 for the first time, marking a milestone in gender participation in civil aviation.

2026-04-10T09:41:12.816869-07:00

FAA 2025 airmen data: student pilot numbers rise, pilot base gets younger, and women pilots cross 100,000

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Aviation Safety & Regulation News

Icelandair investigates pilot after unauthorized low-altitude 757 pass over Vestmannaeyjar on final flight

USAF C-130 Hercules hit in hatchet attack after intruder breaches airside access at Shannon Airport

FAA and Pentagon clear anti-drone high-energy laser use after New Mexico safety testing

FAA 2025 airmen data: student pilot numbers rise, pilot base gets younger, and women pilots cross 100,000

News Timeline