TagSafety(17)
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2026-05-31How safe is air travel really less risky than diving and marathons
Customers line up to board Alaska’s inaugural trans-Pacific flight to Tokyo at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last year. Fatal aviation incidents are rare, but because they are highly publicized and… (Kevin Clark / The Seattle Times, 2025)More By Lauren Rosenblatt Seattle Times business reporter If you’re worried about flying on an airplane, you’ve probably heard this -
2025-08-28Aviation meteorologists: Urgent actions needed to address staffing concerns
A August 2025 U.S. Government Accountability Office report warns that staffing shortages among National Weather Service meteorologists embedded at FAA air traffic control centers may pose risks to the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System. These meteorologists provide critical real-time weather briefings to air traffic controllers to help route flights safely around severe weather, but a February 2025 amendment to the FAA-NWS interagency agreement reduced the required staffing level from 90 to 81 positions. The GAO urges urgent action from the Departments of Transportation and Commerce before the interagency agreement expires in September 2025. -
2025-01-29Aircraft accident in water near Reagan National DCA
Emergency response boats surround wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where Delta and American Airlines aircraft are visible at the terminal gates in the background. This image depicts the aftermath of the January 29, 2025 midair collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. -
2024-09-01Boeing 737 MAX Door Plug Bolt Fitting Locations — Interior Inspection Documentation
Interior view of a commercial aircraft showing an exposed door plug or mid-exit door area with interior panels and insulation removed. Three blue circles highlight bolt fitting locations, consistent with documentation related to a door plug retention hardware inspection or investigation. -
2024-05-06Port Of Seattle: Use of reverse thrust upon landing
A letter from retired aviation professional Walt Bala urges the Port of Seattle to enforce limits on the use of reverse thrust by aircraft landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM, arguing this is both safe and already supported by FAA standards and the airport's own master record. Bala contends that aircraft are certified to land without reverse thrust, that brakes alone are sufficient to stop a plane under normal conditions, and that airlines may be using reverse thrust primarily to reduce brake wear at the expense of neighboring communities' peace and quiet. He calls on the Port to back up its existing noise abatement guidance with concrete action, including incentivizing quieter airline operations through gate allocation policies. -
2024-04-29Bipartisan, bicameral FAA Reauthorization Act heads to Senate floor
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, a bipartisan bill announced on April 29, 2024, authorizes more than $105 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration through 2028 to strengthen aviation safety, modernize airports, and protect consumers. Key provisions include mandating 25-hour cockpit voice recorders, reducing runway close calls through new tracking technology, and enhancing aircraft certification oversight. The legislation also sets new consumer rights, including guaranteed refunds for flights cancelled or delayed more than three hours. -
Close Calls and the New York Times: What You Need to Know
The U.S. aviation system is the safest in the world, but one close call is one too many. The FAA and the aviation community are pursuing a goal of zero serious close calls, a commitment from the Safety Summit in March. The same approach virtually eliminated the risk of fatalities aboard U.S. commercial airlines. Since 2009, -
Aging, unreliable runway safety device leaves U.S. airports vulnerable
By Alan Levin A crucial safety system that’s relied on to avoid potentially fatal collisions at major U.S. airports is aging and plagued by outages that have left travelers unprotected for months at a time. At some airports, it hasn’t ever been installed. The technology — which tracks vehicles on or near runways to alert -
2020-02-21Advisory circular: Hazardous wildlife attractants on or near airports
This FAA Advisory Circular (AC 150/5200-33C), issued February 21, 2020, provides guidance on land uses and development projects near public-use airports that may attract hazardous wildlife such as birds, mammals, and reptiles, which pose serious safety and economic risks to aircraft. It outlines recommended practices for airport operators, land-use planners, and federally funded airport projects to assess and mitigate wildlife hazards, though compliance is voluntary except for airports holding operating certificates under 14 CFR Part 139 or receiving federal grant funding. The document updates and replaces the previous 2007 version of the same circular.