Updates on the DCA midair collision, JetBlue software glitch, Air India B787 fuel control switch, injuries on United B777 flight, and Toronto CRJ-900 rollover. Also, the AA CEO’s message to employees, DOT mandate to purge DEI, Portland International Jetport passenger volume, Elliott Management and Southwest, and flight attendant carry-on bags. Plus, our first report from the Singapore Airshow. Guest Air Accident Updates We look at some air accident and incident updates in the press: NTSB Chair Slams FAA for Ignoring Repeated Warnings, Says Midair Collision Was Preventable In this C-Span video, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy slams the FAA, saying that it let its guard down and ignored repeated warnings that ultimately led to the deadly midair collision near Washington Reagan National Airport on January 29, 2025, that killed 67 people. “We should be angry, because for years no one listened. This was preventable. This was 100 percent preventable,” Homendy says. Passengers on JetBlue Plane That Plummeted When Flight Computer “Glitched Out” Sue Airbus for Negligence The JetBlue A320 experienced a sudden “uncommanded loss of altitude,” initially attributed to a software glitch that Airbus believed could result from intense solar radiation. This led to an emergency worldwide recall in November 2025, with an estimated 6,000 A320-series aircraft affected. Three passengers on that flight are now suing Airbus for allowing an “unreasonably dangerous” glitch in the system to go unchecked. Those passengers question the solar flare explanation and claim that JetBlue was aware of a recurring issue with the Elevator and Aileron Computer (ELAC) system. No defect found in switch of jet grounded by Air India – regulator Pilots on an Air India B787-8 noticed that during engine start, the fuel control switch did not “remain positively latched in the run position when light vertical pressure was applied”. This happened twice. The third time, the switch operated normally. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that when the switches were operated according to Boeing’s recommended procedure, they were found to be “satisfactory”, staying at run instead of moving to cut-off. The DGCA reported that, when incorrectly handled, the switch would “move easily from run to cut-off”. See also, Pilot alert prompts Air India checks on all Boeing 787 fuel control switchesby Rachel Chitra. Three United Airlines Flight Attendants Seriously Injured After Air Traffic Control Failed To Alert Pilots Of Turbulence The NTSB has released its final report on the February 10, 2024, incident where a United Airlines 777-200 experienced a sudden drop, seriously injuring three flight attendants and throwing several passengers and an unsecured baby into the ceiling. The NTSB concluded that a contributing factor was air traffic controllers’ failure to alert the pilots of turbulence in the area. TSB Canada Releases Update on 2025 Toronto CRJ-900 Crash Investigation Photo Credit: TSB Canada. The accident occurred at Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport (CYYZ) on February 17, 2025, when the CRJ-900 regional jet attempted to land and struck the runway hard, causing the right wing and tail section to separate from the fuselage. The plane flipped upside down and slid to a stop. The wreckage was transported to a hangar while the right wing, landing gear, wing box structure, and related parts were taken to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) Engineering Laboratory in Ottawa for testing. The metallurgical analysis of the wing and landing-gear fractures is now being examined. Recordings from the flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder, quick access recorder (QAR), and the enhanced ground proximity warning system have been examined. Data from prior flights on the same aircraft were also compared to the accident flight for context. Evidence was collected from NAV CANADA’s Toronto surface movement guidance system and the airport’s closed-circuit television footage. A full meteorological review, including wind data and soundings, has also been finalized to understand weather conditions at the time. Simulator sessions have been run. The full preliminary report is available here. Aviation News Under Pressure American Airlines CEO Robert Isom Tells Staff That Everything Will Be Alright In New Video Message In a new video message to staffers, American Airlines chief executive Robert Isom says, “As we look forward to 2026, it’s with a lot of excitement and confidence. I know we’re going to do better financially and operationally. We have a plan to be solidly profitable this year, which will mean good things for our customers, our shareholders, and all of you.” Isom articulated strategies concerning the customer experience, hub facility investments, maximizing the power of the AA network and fleet, new routes, new frontline team members, new aircraft, AAdvantage program changes, and doing a better job selling the AA product. Trump’s U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Doubles Down on Purging DEI From Our Skies, Calls on Airlines to Affirm Pilot Hiring is Merit-Based The FAA is issuing a new mandatory “Operations Specification” (OpSpec) requiring all commercial airlines to commit to merit-based hiring for pilots formally. The mandate (New Mandatory OpSpec A134, Merit-Based Pilot Hiring, for Certificate Holders Conducting Operations Under 14 CFR Part 121 [PDF]) is effective February 13, 2026. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said, “When families board their aircraft, they should fly with confidence knowing the pilot behind the controls is the best of the best. The American people don’t care what their pilot looks like or their gender—they just care that they are most qualified man or woman for the job. Safety drives everything we do, and this commonsense measure will increase transparency between passengers and airlines.” ALPA Statement on Pilot Training and Qualification Standards Capt. Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), issued a statement that included: “All ALPA pilots are trained and evaluated to the same uncompromising standard regardless of race, gender, or background. A pilot’s identity has no bearing on their ability to safely operate an aircraft. What matters is training, experience, and qualification — and on that front, there are no shortcuts and no compromises. “At ALPA, our work to advance aviation safety never stops, and as always, ALPA airline pilots remain ready to safely transport passengers and cargo to their destinations. Safety is, and always will be, our number one priority.” Portland International Jetport logs busiest year in its history The Portland International Jetport had a record year in 2025, with more than 2.59 million passengers traveling through the airport. The previous record was 2.44 million in 2024. The Jetport says it became the first airport in New England to surpass its pre-pandemic passenger levels in 2023. Southwest Airlines Turns a Corner as Activist Investor Elliott Walks Away Elliott Management, an activist investor, began to acquire shares of Southwest stock in mid-2024. It bought enough shares to gain board representation and dictate the Airline’s strategic and financial changes. As a result, we saw paid assigned seating, baggage fees, expiring travel credits, and adjustments to its Rapid Rewards program. Southwest also looked at asset sales and balance sheet strategies to fund share buybacks. But in late 2025, Elliott began reducing its stake, and by early February 2026, its ownership dropped to about 9 percent. Two Elliott representatives have resigned from the board at Southwest. Southwest Airlines Now Faces a Flight Attendant Backlash As Hand Luggage Woes Grow Southwest moved a dedicated overhead bin for crew members to the back of the plane, and flight attendants are not happy. Passengers sitting at the front of the plane who have paid more or have elite status find that bin space is an issue. Singapore Airshow 2026 Brian Coleman interviewed several people at the Singapore Airshow. In this episode, he talks with Dan McQuestin, the Bell Country Manager in Australia. Mentioned “How LiveATC Went Live” by Rob Mark in the February 2026 issue of AIN Online. Hosts this Episode Max Flight, our Main(e) Man Micah, Rob Mark, and Erin Applebaum.
