All articles tagged with #faa
The FAA has cleared Blue Origin to resume New Glenn launches after investigating NG-3’s mishap, which was caused by a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line and created a thrust anomaly during the second-stage burn. Blue Origin has implemented nine corrective actions and is preparing NG-4, including integrated hotfire testing, with a new launch timeline to be announced.
Blue Origin has completed the NG-3 investigation into the April 19 New Glenn launch failure and the FAA has approved the report, allowing launches to resume. The direct cause was a cryogenic leak that froze a hydraulic line, causing a thrust anomaly during the second-stage burn. Nine corrective actions were identified and will be verified by the FAA before the next flight. Blue Origin is preparing NG-4, while AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellite was the NG-3 payload.
A sinkhole opened near LaGuardia's Runway 4/22, forcing its immediate closure and prompting flight cancellations and delays ahead of the Memorial Day weekend. Emergency crews worked overnight to repair the hole, with departing flights redirected to the airport's other runway until noon and the FAA slowing inbound traffic as weather and the incident were managed.
A flight attendant union is calling for a federal mandate to add crew on widebody jets, arguing that increased staffing would improve safety and service, while the FAA maintains that current staffing levels do not pose a safety risk.
The FAA cut its target for certified air-traffic controllers to 12,563 from 14,633 and says modern scheduling and workforce tools will cut overtime costs, which topped $200 million last year after 2.2 million overtime hours; about 11,000 controllers are deployed with 4,000 in training, while staffing shortfalls and a lagging scheduling software have hampered efficiency, contributing to six-day weeks and training losses during the shutdown.
The FAA released its 2026 Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan to close staffing gaps and modernize the National Airspace System through three pillars: hiring expansion, efficiency improvements, and system modernization. It targets 12,563 Certified Professional Controllers, with 2,200–2,400 new hires yearly through 2026–2028, and expands AT-CTI training programs. The plan introduces a data-driven staffing model, automated scheduling, facility-hours optimization, and AI-based simulations to reduce overtime and fatigue, accelerate training, and improve airspace management, supported by NATCA collaboration and ongoing technology upgrades across the NAS.
The FAA has begun an obstruction evaluation of President Trump’s proposed 250‑foot “Triumphal Arch” near Reagan National Airport to assess its impact on surrounding airspace and flight safety; the review, requested by the Interior Department’s National Parks Service, involves multiple agencies and could lead to height adjustments or other mitigations, all within a context of a crowded DC flight corridor and timelines that are uncertain.
The FAA is piloting an AI initiative called SMART with Thales, Air Space Intelligence, and Palantir to forecast airspace demand and adjust departure timing, aiming to reduce delays without replacing safety-critical controller duties. The effort focuses on upstream planning using schedules and weather data to smooth flows, with an operational demonstration targeted for September 2026 and no finalized budget line item yet. NATCA has backed the broader modernization push as the project progresses.
New surveillance footage shows United Flight 169 approaching Newark Liberty International Airport when it appears to clip a bakery truck on the NJ Turnpike, also knocking down a light pole. The truck driver suffered minor injuries but is expected to recover; all 231 people aboard the plane were unharmed. United has pulled the crew from service, and the FAA and NTSB are investigating, classifying the incident as an accident and examining factors such as flight operations, weather, crew performance, aircraft, and air traffic control.
An FAA employee in Nashua, NH, Dean DelleChiaie, 35, has been charged with interstate communication of a threat after investigators say he used a government computer to search for how to bring a gun into a federal facility and for assassination attempts against President Trump, then emailed a threat to the White House; he admitted the searches and said he was upset with the administration, and faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, with the case unfolding as other Trump-related actions against Comey and Cole Tomas Allen are reported.
A security camera image surfaced showing a United Airlines Boeing 767-400 crossing the New Jersey Turnpike at a very low altitude and hitting a tractor-trailer and a light pole during its landing at Newark Liberty International Airport on May 3, 2026; the flight, from Venice with 221 passengers and 10 crew, landed safely and no injuries were reported; the truck driver was hospitalized with minor injuries; the NTSB has classified the incident as an accident and is interviewing the crew, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days and the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder requested by investigators.
A United Airlines flight from San Francisco reported striking a drone during its approach to San Diego International Airport. The FAA is investigating the sighting, United said postflight inspection found no damage to the 737, and air traffic control had alerted other pilots with no additional drone reports.
A United Airlines 737 arriving into San Diego reported a red, small drone about 1,000 feet below and to the right at roughly 3,000 feet during approach. Air traffic control checked with the crew and other pilots; no corroborating reports emerged. The FAA is investigating, United said the aircraft sustained no damage after inspection, and the flight continued to Houston.
A United Airlines Boeing 737 (Flight 1980) reported striking a drone while approaching San Diego International Airport at about 3,000 feet; the aircraft landed safely with 54 people on board (48 passengers, 6 crew) and maintenance found no damage. The FAA is investigating, reiterating that drones must remain below 400 feet and away from airports.
Joby Aviation is conducting a 10-day NYC demo of its electric air taxis on real routes, flying from JFK to Lower Manhattan and Midtown in under 10 minutes. The flights are not open to passengers yet but are part of the FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program to accelerate certification; Joby aims to launch passenger flights in New York, Texas, and Florida in the second half of 2026, pending final approvals, following earlier demos in the San Francisco Bay Area.