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• Amy Wilder
The Government Accountability Office says vulnerabilities in national airspace communications could allow spoofing and urges the FAA to strengthen its cybersecurity posture. The agency issued nine recommendations, underscoring risks to systems that support air traffic management and the resilience of U.S. aviation infrastructure.
Aviation Safety & Regulation
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The Government Accountability Office says vulnerabilities in national airspace communications could allow spoofing and urges the FAA to strengthen its cybersecurity posture. The agency issued nine recommendations, underscoring risks to systems that support air traffic management and the resilience of U.S. aviation infrastructure.
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A U.S. Air Force F-16 assigned to Spangdahlem Air Base crashed in western Germany during or after a routine training mission while attempting to land. The pilot ejected safely and was receiving medical treatment, according to U.S. officials and the Air Force.
A Royal Navy Merlin HC4 helicopter ditched fatally after its crew misdiagnosed an emergency and shut down two functioning engines while attempting to land on HMS Queen Elizabeth at night. The crew had intended to practice night deck landings, according to the report.
A second NATS failure within two weeks has again disrupted UK aviation, prompting major airlines to demand action from the air navigation services provider. easyJet was the worst affected carrier, underscoring the operational and passenger impact of repeated air traffic control failures.
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The FAA is proposing an airworthiness directive covering 95 U.S.-registered Boeing 737 Max aircraft after identifying a manufacturing problem affecting elevator bearings. The agency’s action targets a potential flight-control risk and would require operators to address the affected components.
IATA’s World Safety and Operations Conference will examine how airlines can maintain safety and operational resilience as crises multiply and aviation becomes more dependent on complex IT systems. The 2026 agenda also addresses the role of human expertise, training, AI and automation in future operations.
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India’s aviation ministry and DGCA are reviewing SpiceJet’s finances and operations as the carrier faces sustained cash-flow stress. Officials said the oversight, intensified as the Middle East conflict worsened the airline’s difficulties, is intended to ensure that financial pressure does not compromise safety.
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French investigators are examining whether runway lighting standards and surface-movement radar use should change after an inbound Nouvelair A320 aligned with the wrong runway at night and overflew a waiting easyJet aircraft at Nice last year, creating a serious proximity event.
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