The Air Current

Air safety reporting is made accessible without a subscription as a public service. Subscribe to The Air Current for full access to our scoops, in-depth reporting and industry analysis. The rupture of a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 window Friday morning was preceded by an apparent failure of a fan blade from its right engine, a CFM International CFM56-7B, people familiar with the accident told The Air Current.

Log-in here if you’re already a subscriber Electra announced on Friday that the Federal Aviation Administration has closed the G-1 issue paper for its nine-passenger EL9 “Ultra Short” aircraft, a major regulatory milestone that the company said confirms its ability to use the comparatively straightforward certification path that other advanced air mobility entrants were denied. G-1 issue papers are used by the FAA to define the certification basis for aircraft undergoing type certification.

Photo by Lin Yiqin/China News Service/VCG via AP Domestic contractors vying for U.S. air traffic control modernization projects are citing Chinese business ties as well as cyber and national security concerns in their latest bid to shut out foreign-owned competition. Leidos and RTX Corp. are warning Congress and the Trump administration of their competitors’ relationships with China, according to people familiar with the matter.

During an online investor conference on June 8, Beta Technologies CEO Kyle Clark was asked whether his company’s electric aircraft will be able to start commercial operations before receiving type certification by the Federal Aviation Administration. “Yes, they can through this new eIPP,” Clark said, responding to the question from Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu.

Log-in here if you’re already a subscriber Boeing’s commercial and military production has been significantly disrupted as a widespread computer outage derailed work in factories from Washington to Florida, people familiar with the issues told The Air Current. The disruption came on the last day of the quarter, when Boeing typically seeks to hand over as many airplanes as possible to waiting customers, boosting its financial results.

Boeing and negotiators representing 17,000 engineers, scientists and technical workers are kicking off contract talks early, using a novel bargaining method for the first time in a quarter century aimed at avoiding an ugly showdown that could derail the company’s rebound. In a break with recent tradition, SPEEA intends to use so-called “interest-based” bargaining.

Boeing’s commercial aircraft deliveries and production have been significantly disrupted as a widespread computer outage Keep reading with a TAC/Pro or Individual Business subscription. An active TAC/Pro or Individual Business subscription is required. Keep reading with a TAC/Pro or Individual Business subscription. Jon Ostrower and Julie Johnsson Link copied! Get real-time intelligence Our reporters keep you ahead of the pack with push alerts on breaking aviation news and exclusive scoops.

At a remote airfield in the northwestern Pacific ocean, the U.S. military is operating a stealthy, uncrewed fighter aircraft for the first time as part of a major field training exercise. Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat is serving as a “loyal wingman” to piloted fighter jets during Valiant Shield 2026, a multinational combat simulation taking place from June 22 to July 1 that tests the Pentagon’s strategy to confront a rising China.

Air safety reporting is made accessible without a subscription as a public service. Subscribe to The Air Current for full access to our scoops, in-depth reporting and industry analysis. U.S. Coast Guard aviation leadership sharply criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s changes to Washington, D.C.’s congested airspace following a January 2025 midair collision, saying the revisions may increase the risk of a serious accident between helicopters.

Alaska Air Group will likely deploy Boeing 737-800s to take over Hawaiian Airlines’ interisland flying as it looks ahead to phasing out the smaller workhorse jet that’s handled the mission for a quarter-century. “The default at this point will be 737s. I think it’s the most likely answer to replace the 717s,” said Shane Tackett, newly-appointed Alaska president in a June 6 interview with The Air Current at the International Air Transport Association’s Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro.