Been curious about @theaircurrent.com’s app but you’re not a subscriber, you say? Quite alright! Airflow, our stream of headlines, is free for all to enjoy. Perfect for following the Farnborough Airshow. Dive in! iPhone: apps.apple.com/us/app/the-a... Android: play.google.com/store/apps/d...

The FAA has been sending mixed messages as to whether it will allow commercial operations in non-certificated aircraft under the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. My latest story for @theaircurrent.com goes deep on why opinions are divided at the agency: theaircurrent.com/regulation/f...

Opinions split at FAA over prospect of early commercial eVTOL ops

Mixed messages from FAA officials signal lack of agreement on revenue operations under eVTOL Integration Pilot Program

theaircurrent.com

New: Coast Guard pilots said they believe risk of a helicopter-on-helicopter collision near DCA airport is *higher* after the FAA changed the airspace in the wake of a 2025 midair crash. Deep dive on @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/aviation-saf...

Helicopter collision risk higher after D.C. airspace changes, Coast Guard leaders say

Pilots suggest FAA failed to weigh risk of a helicopter-on-helicopter collision when changing D.C. airspace after 2025 midair

theaircurrent.com

SCOOP: The FAA is close to picking Air Space Intelligence to build its AI-powered air traffic management tool, passing over Palantir and Thales. Story here on @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/air-traffic-...

FAA close to picking ASI over Palantir, Thales for its AI-powered air traffic management system

Selection will conclude a fiercely competitive vendor challenge process as industry officials express concern over ASI's ability to scale

theaircurrent.com

NEWS: The FAA quietly released its official responses to all of the NTSB's D.C. midair crash recommendations yesterday. The agency said it has addressed six recs & plans to fully address "more than half" by EOY. via @theaircurrent.com w/ no paywall: theaircurrent.com/aviation-saf...

FAA details first official response to D.C. crash safety recommendations

Correspondence provides glimpse into how the FAA will implement NTSB recommendations from January 2025 midair collision

theaircurrent.com

The FAA's top safety official is retiring, @willguisbond.com reports in a scoop for @theaircurrent.com. The timing is not great for Boeing, with key certification decisions looming. Gift link here: theaircurrent.com/s/wztpqj4dsgn

The FAA’s top safety oversight and certification executive is retiring - The Air Current

theaircurrent.com

Air traffic control modernization of all places is complicating the Trump administration's "America first" policies. Why? Read here on @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/air-traffic-...

ATC modernization strains the definition of ‘America first’

U.S. companies balk at inclusion of foreign-owned contractors in ATC modernization as EU makes protectionist moves of its own

theaircurrent.com

Really enjoyed joining the folks at @slate.com to talk about the fall of Spirit Airlines. Take a listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/0KrG...

Buy Your Flights Now

open.spotify.com

I won. Boutique Airlines sued me & AIN over 2 yrs ago. They called me a liar and a thief. I won in trial court. I just won in Appeals court. I expect it will be a nightmare to get my legal fees back. But I proved that the work was my own. I proved I wrote the truth. I am a good reporter. I won.

We’ve dropped the paywall on last week’s deep dive from @theaircurrent.com as Spirit Airlines approached the end. Even with the demise of the carrier there’s insight here to understand what’s next. theaircurrent.com/airlines/spi... (via @willguisbond.com @juliejohnsson.bsky.social and yours truly)

Spirit Airlines rescue effort frustrates an industry waiting for it to fail

Time is running out as the government weighs all options to save the carrier

theaircurrent.com

Highly recommend this story for anyone working in an industry they believe is transformative. So much to learn from Igor Sikorsky about trying to usher in a paradigm shift. Excellent work as always from @elanhead.com via @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/historical-c...

How Igor Sikorsky provided the template for eVTOL hype

Long before Uber Elevate, the father of the helicopter industry promoted an even more fantastical vision of future air mobility.

theaircurrent.com

Prospects for a deal are dimming, a person familiar with the talks told @theaircurrent.com.

The Air Current@theaircurrent.com · 3mo ago

Spirit Airlines rescue effort frustrates an industry waiting for it to fail (via @willguisbond.com @juliejohnsson.bsky.social & @jonostrower.com) theaircurrent.com/airlines/spi... #staycurrent

The Spirit Airlines rescue effort is frustrating an industry that has simply been waiting for the beleaguered carrier to fail. Here's how to think about the last two chaotic weeks (w/ @juliejohnsson.bsky.social & @jonostrower.com via @theaircurrent.com): theaircurrent.com/airlines/spi...

Spirit Airlines rescue effort frustrates an industry waiting for it to fail

Time is running out as the government weighs all options to save the carrier

theaircurrent.com

SCOOP: The FAA is considering purchasing a commercial office building in Dallas to house its first consolidated ATC "super center." The deal is not final, but it's unclear whether it complies w/ 2025 law to "construct a new" building (via @theaircurrent.com): theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...

FAA eyeing purchase of Dallas building for consolidated ATC facility

Unclear if acquisition aligns with Congressional intent to build an entirely new consolidated supercenter

theaircurrent.com

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby for the first time publicly acknowledges that he approached American about a merger, saying it would have been ‘adding and not subtracting’ (via @juliejohnsson.bsky.social & @jonostrower.com on @theaircurrent.com) theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...

United CEO: Merger with American would have been ‘adding and not subtracting’

Kirby says merger “can’t get done” without a willing partner in American

theaircurrent.com

Latest SCOOP on Spirit's situation w/ Ryan Gould and Siddharth Philip. Airline has floated idea of offering the US government a stake in the company in exchange for a bailout. h/t to @theaircurrent.com for first reporting that they were seeking government aid. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Spirit Floats US Government Stake to Avoid Potential Liquidation

Spirit Aviation Holdings Inc. has floated offering the US government an equity stake in the discount carrier to help stave off its potential liquidation, according to people familiar with the matter.

bloomberg.com

SCOOP: Spirit Airlines seeks U.S. government aid as oil spike threatens turnaround (with @jonostrower.com & @juliejohnsson.bsky.social via @theaircurrent.com): theaircurrent.com/airlines/spi...

Spirit Airlines seeks U.S. government aid as oil spike threatens turnaround

Low-cost carriers expected to meet with Transportation Secretary Duffy early next week

theaircurrent.com

SCOOP: The FAA is quietly developing a new AI-powered software tool for air traffic management that could fundamentally change how the U.S. airspace system operates. Palantir, Thales, Airspace Intelligence all bidding. via @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/air-traffic-...

FAA quietly developing AI-enabled predictive air traffic management system

Palantir, Thales and ASI competing on secretive initiative that could redefine how the U.S. ATC system operates

theaircurrent.com

New: In rare public comments, Army aviation chief Maj. Gen. Gill said that the D.C. midair crash "wasn't about" whether the accident Black Hawk didn't have an advanced cockpit (via @theaircurrent.com -- no paywall): theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...

Army aviation chief: D.C. crash ‘wasn’t about’ outdated Black Hawk cockpit

Top Army leader makes rare public comments about D.C. crash

theaircurrent.com

Incredibly thrilled to share that @theaircurrent.com team is growing with the addition of @juliejohnsson.bsky.social -- one of the most highly respected reporters in our field! Read more here: theaircurrent.com/product-anno...

The Air Current adds Julie Johnsson to editorial team as Global Correspondent

Award-winning newsroom continues to expand with the addition of veteran journalist Julie Johnsson as Global Correspondent

theaircurrent.com

NEWS: FAA and the Pentagon sign agreement related to operations of counter-UAS laser systems at the southern border that earlier this year caused two abrupt airspace closures. FAA says systems "do not pose undue risk" to passenger aircraft:

Scoop: FAA short-lists competitors for key next-gen ATC software platform known as the "common automation platform" (via @theaircurrent.com) theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...

FAA short-lists competitors for key next-gen ATC software platform

Common Automation Platform concept progresses as DOT tees up next funding request

theaircurrent.com

SCOOP: A year before the two recent evacuations of D.C.'s ATC center, a previously unreported incident caused smoke to enter the control room but did not result in an evacuation. Controllers lost their medical certificates. via @theaircurrent.com: theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...

D.C.-area ATC evacuations followed 2025 smoke event which injured controllers

Previously unreported smoke event left multiple air traffic controllers with health issues that resulted in the loss of their medical certificates

theaircurrent.com

Conversations this week around near misses in aviation are eerie, given today is the 49th anniversary of the Tenerife disaster. Two 747s collided on the runway in the Canary Islands, killing 583 people -- it remains the deadliest accident in aviation history. (Wikimedia photo)

Fatal collision highlights air traffic control challenges at LaGuardia (featuring our @willguisbond.com) ny1.com/nyc/all-boro...

Fatal collision highlights air traffic control challenges at LaGuardia

New York’s airports pose difficulties for an air traffic system already under strain.

ny1.com

NEW: FAA says it is investigating whether its new visual separation policy between helicopters and fixed wing aircraft was followed during a Tuesday close call near SNA Airport in California:

NTSB CHAIR: INITIAL ANALYSIS SAYS CRITICAL ASDE-X SURFACE AWARENESS TECH IN ATC TOWER DID NOT GENERATE AN ALERT BEFORE FATAL CRASH B/W AIR CANADA JET AND FIRETRUCK

NTSB SAYS TWO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WERE IN THE "CAB" AT THE TIME OF FATAL LGA RUNWAY COLLISION. This included the local controller and the controller-in-charge. Says it was "unclear" who was controlling ground traffic on taxiways.

On March 13, the Potomac TRACON was evacuated and DCA/IAD/BWI briefly came to a standstill. Per a report from the local fire department, it appears this single faulty part was causing a smell/leak that led over 30 people to become ill:

New: Decades of aircraft and ground vehicle near misses at LGA preceded fatal crash, public safety databases show (via @theaircurrent -- no paywall): theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatc...

Decades of aircraft and ground vehicle near misses at LGA preceded fatal crash

Decades of aircraft and ground vehicle near misses at LGA preceded fatal crash Sunday evening that killed at least two

theaircurrent.com