Category: Aviation

In response to a staggering 500% increase in GPS spoofing incidents, Aircraft Performance Group (APG), a leading provider of performance and flight planning solutions for the aviation industry, has launched the latest NaviGuard release, a free GPS anomaly detection App, that empowers pilots to safeguard vital aviation information.

GPS spoofing poses a serious threat by providing false location data, which jeopardizes flight navigation and safety. This tactic has increased dramatically, with OpsGroup, an organization focused on international flight operations, citing a 500% rise in incidents year over year in their latest report. They found that roughly 1500 flights per day are experiencing some form of GPS spoofing, causing grave concerns as winter approaches and operating environments change from predominantly good weather to snow, icing, and deteriorating conditions.

“With the volume of GPS spoofing incidences increasing dramatically, heightened vigilance among pilots is vital,” states Andy Spencer, Training Manager and Lead Captain at Asia Corporate Jet. “While combating this threat takes a multifaceted approach, alert tools like NaviGuard can assist impacted pilots.”

APG’s response to the growing safety concern, NaviGuard, has seen significant adoption, eclipsing three thousand downloads within the last three months. The App is built to detect abnormal GPS readings on iPads and verifies GPS data using radio navigation. The latest release, which focuses on editing navigational aid points (NAVAID) and sharing GPS logs with flight operation safety departments, offers a crucial solution to safeguard commercial and business flight operators from this growing threat.

“I believe you are at the start of a profoundly meaningful safety tool to address GPS spoofing,” said Don Cummins, a 30-year business aviation pilot. “The foundational correctness of your product is really impressive, and I’m grateful you are contributing to my safety.”

“The risk factors associated with GPS spoofing and flight safety continue to increase dramatically,” said Shawn Mechelke, president of APG. “With the latest release of NaviGuard, we offer some peace of mind to pilots and flight operators, assuring their navigation remains secure and accurate at all times.”

Smiths Detection, threat detection and security screening technologies specialist, announced it has been awarded a seven year contract to support TechFlow’s Integrated Logistics Support Contract with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to service hold baggage X-ray inspection systems at airports across the United States. This contract is the largest service agreement in Smiths Detection’s history.

Smiths Detection will provide preventative and corrective maintenance for Explosive Detection Systems (EDS), which includes their CTX 5800, CTX 9000, CTX 9400 and CTX 9800 SEIO scanners, as well as associated networking equipment. To date, Smiths Detection has 486 EDS systems operating in 41 airports across the United States. 

The TSA has been setting records in the number of passengers they are screening, most recently on July 7, 2024 when 3 million passengers were screened in a single day.  In 2023, the TSA screened over 858 million passengers, with the daily average being 2.4 million people.  Air travel demand is projected to double by 2040 according to the International Air Transport Association and the service and maintenance of security screening systems will be critical to meeting this demand.

“Smiths Detection is proud to announce our continued commitment to servicing our fleet of EDS machines in airports across the United States,” said Ray Roberge, VP of service at Smiths Detection Inc. “We have built a highly skilled service organization that positions technicians and parts fulfilment centers in key locations across the country to meet our customers’ needs quickly and efficiently, while delivering world-class service. Our innovative technology and world-class customer service has positioned us as a trusted partner within the aviation security industry. Each day we remain focused on making the world a safer place.”

Ericsson has partnered with Schiphol Airport, the world’s third busiest airport by international passenger numbers, to investigate the use cases of a cutting-edge private 5G network. The partnership is aimed at driving Schiphol’s digital transformation to a future-ready airport with robust digital infrastructure that supports next-generation services. 

In a move that sets Schiphol apart from many other airports, it secured its own dedicated spectrum for the private 5G network provided by the Dutch regulator. This gives the airport full control over its communications infrastructure, enabling it to optimize network performance, enhance reliability, and maintain the highest security standards.  Implementing a private 5G network will reduce Schiphol’s dependency on public or shared networks, allowing it to deploy advanced, customized solutions.   

Schiphol has activated Ericsson Private 5G with the goal of meeting the growing demand for high-speed, low-latency connectivity, ensuring future-proof operations. The companies will work together to explore innovative applications of 5G technology, such as IoT-based monitoring, real-time safety systems, and predictive maintenance solutions. The private network provides the flexibility Schiphol needs to innovate customer experience, enhance safety and security, and drive the digital transformation of Schiphol Airport. 

Ericsson Private 5G is Ericsson’s next-generation private network solution, providing secure and reliable 4G and 5G connectivity through its single server dual mode core. Built for business-critical connectivity, the product comes pre-integrated to ensure rapid time to service, delivering advanced and intelligent operations in any environment, all while keeping sensitive data secured on site. Ericsson Private 5G can support and adapt to a variety of use cases, industries, and levels of complexity for enterprises.  

“We are proud to partner with Schiphol on this pioneering project that will address the overall aging infrastructure of airports throughout the world,” said Manish Tiwari, head of private cellular networks, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Ericsson. “By leveraging Ericsson Private 5G, Schiphol is setting the stage for innovative solutions that will help them explore the full potential of 5G and the benefits it brings to airport operations.” 

LAS VEGAS – On Saturday, October 6th, a Frontier Airlines plane caught fire while landing at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Frontier Airlines announced on social media platform X that the flight from San Diego encountered smoke during its landing, prompting the crew to declare an emergency. Despite the situation, the aircraft landed safely, and all 190 passengers and 7 crew members were evacuated without injuries. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

A dramatic incident unfolded when an easyJet captain urgently requested a topless passenger to sit down and wait for the police after an emergency landing in Athens due to the disruption. Allegedly intoxicated, the passenger had been arguing with fellow travelers before being removed from the flight from Turkey to London Gatwick on Tuesday.

Cabin crew and another passenger attempted to calm the situation, with shouts of protest audible in the background. Over the speaker, the captain announced, “To the people who are fighting, the police are waiting for us at the gate. You are only making things worse for yourself. Please sit down.”

Passengers were visibly annoyed by the delay, with one woman shouting at the disruptive man, “You’ve messed us all up, you silly fool.” Staff tried to dress the man as he shuffled down the aisle, meeting another passenger halfway. A passenger in a black t-shirt and headphones also tried to de-escalate the situation.

Staff guided the topless man backwards, pointing along the aisle. Despite the captain’s warning, the man moved forward, receiving more abuse from an adversary in a white jacket. The man in white sarcastically applauded the captain’s announcement before being escorted back to his seat by a steward.

Frustration among passengers grew, with many shouting at those causing the delays. A caption on the original TikTok video read, “Flight back from Turkey gets diverted to Athens because boys can’t handle their drink.” In the background, a woman shouted again, “You’re a bully.”

Eventually, the topless man complied and walked towards the back of the plane with a steward. The clip, shared on social media, was captioned, “Flying back to Gatwick from Antalya, plane gets diverted to Athens because of the topless guy. The other guy gets involved and ends up getting booted off as well. Big shout out to the flight attendants, who did amazing.”

Viewers shared their thoughts and frustrations. One commented, “Hope easyJet billed them thousands for the diversion for all the money they lost.” Another added, “It’s only a matter of time before they ban drinking because of people like these who can’t handle their drink. Jail them and they may think twice.”

Others suggested lifetime bans for such behavior, with one saying, “Once you’ve done that with Ryanair and easyJet, you have a lot fewer options when going on holiday.” Another remarked, “Why do Brits revolve their life around drink, drink, drink? This is what ends up happening. I’m not generalizing, but this is why alcohol is not the way.”

A spokesperson for easyJet stated, “Flight EZY8558 from Antalya to London Gatwick on 1 October diverted to Athens and was met by police after landing due to two passengers behaving disruptively onboard. easyJet’s cabin crew are trained to assess and evaluate all situations and to act quickly and appropriately to ensure that the safety of the flight and other passengers is not compromised at any time. Whilst such incidents are rare, we take them very seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behavior onboard. The safety and wellbeing of passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority.”

Boeing has terminated health care benefits for 33,000 employees and their families due to ongoing machinists union strikes that have disrupted production in the Pacific Northwest. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) announced that workers were notified of this decision via U.S. Postal Service. Union members have criticized this move as a significant error by Boeing.

IAM International President Brian Bryant expressed frustration, stating that Boeing’s inconsistent actions are undermining trust with their workforce. He emphasized that cutting essential benefits for families is a minor saving compared to the larger issues Boeing has created over the past decade. Bryant urged Boeing’s new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, to take decisive action and engage more effectively in negotiations.

Jon Holden, president of IAM District 751, noted that union members, who have been striking since September 13, anticipated such actions from Boeing’s management. Despite facing numerous challenges over the years, the union remains resolute in their efforts to improve conditions for all workers.

Japanese military fighter jets sent warning flares towards a Russian military aircraft that is reported to have entered the country’s airspace. The Russian IL-38 patrol aircraft entered the territorial airspace three times near the island of Hokkaido, Monday, September 23, 2024, according to the Defense Ministry of Japan said at a press conference in Tokyo.

This is the first time flares have been used against an airspace intruder in Japan, according to Yoshimasa Hyashi, a Japanese government spokesperson at the press conference.

A survey of America’s flying public indicates that long lines at security (61%), flight delays or cancellations (57%) and long lines at the airline terminal counter (41%) are the top three most common causes of delays or inconveniences they face at the airport. Consumers could select multiple options in their responses.

The survey was conducted on behalf of Checkin.com Group whose advanced technologies and innovations offer a unique end-to-end solution that reshapes how end users check in with products and brands online.

How much time, on average, do respondents indicate they spend waiting in lines at airport security or check-in counters, when they fly? Just 8% say less than 10 minutes while a quarter (27%) indicate between 10 and 19 minutes, 29% say between 20 and 29 minutes and 23% say their average wait is between 30 and 45 minutes. Nine percent of consumers said they wait between 46 minutes and an hour and 4% cite average waits of more than an hour.

When asked if they were given the opportunity to pay for the convenience and security of having their travel documents reviewed and accepted prior to arriving at the airport, so they could go directly to the gate, three-quarters (76%) expressed a willingness to pay a fee while a quarter (24%) said they were not willing to pay an extra fee for that.

Of those willing to pay, one-third (35%) would be willing to pay more than $10, another third (33%) said they would be okay with paying between $5 and $10; 8% indicated they would be willing to pay between $1 and $5 for the service.

“It’s actually surprising that American consumers are so irritated by airport delays that they would be willing to pay their airlines extra to have their passports, visas and enhanced driver’s licenses reviewed and accepted before they leave for the airport,” said April Rae Mallord, general manager, US Market, Checkin.com Group. “The fact is that the technology and systems exist today to remove this extra friction from their flying experience.”

The survey also asked consumers to rate their satisfaction – or dissatisfaction – with the U.S. airline mobile apps they use for checking into a flight. The top five, ranked by their being completely satisfied or somewhat satisfied (with consumers able to pick multiple airline apps), are SkyWest Airlines (93%), Alaska Airlines (91%), Allegiant Air (87%), Delta Air Lines (83%) and American Airlines (82%). The bottom three scores are Frontier Airlines (73%), Spirit (70%) and Hawaiian Airlines (65%).

The online survey of 1,212 U.S. adults, ages 18 and over, was conducted by Researchscape International on behalf of Checkin.com Group from September 6 to 9, 2024. The survey data was weighted to a nationally representative sample of American adults across key demographics, including age, gender, region, race/ethnicity and education to align with the U.S. census. The credibility interval is plus or minus four percentage points for questions answered by all respondents (the interval is larger for questions answered by fewer respondents).

An armed jihadist group stormed the international airport complex of Bamako, capital of Mali, and set the president’s aircraft on fire. Social media images show the attack that occurred on the ramp of the airport which is located just outside of the capital city. After using a gasoline soaked rag to set fire the aircraft’s engine, the group then wandered around the site, demonstrating the lack of security of what should have been one of the most protected locations in the West African country.  Several other aircraft were destroyed as well as airport equipment and infrastructure. In addition to the airport security breach, a training center for the gendarmerie (paramilitary police) in the Faladié suburb was also targeted.