Federal Aviation Administration

Nov. 7 (UPI) — A 4% reduction in flights took effect Friday after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered the reduction to ease stress on air traffic controllers during the federal government shutdown.

About 1,000 flights across 40 airports were canceled Friday. There also are delays amid controller shortages with flight reductions at the mandated airports by the Federal Aviation Administration. A 10% reduction is planned for next Friday.

Through Friday night nationwide, there have been 1,494 cancellations and 5,543 flight delays, according to FlightAware. The most cancellations were at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport: 83 departures at 18% and 75 arrivals at 16%. This includes ones not linked to tower staffing issues, such as equipment problems or weather.

Flights were delayed an average of four hours tonight heading to Reagan, according to the FAA. There were 148 arriving delays, or 32% of flights, and 204 departure delays, or 45%.

United Airlines and American Airlines announced they have cut their flights by 4% for Saturday. This means 220 for American, which has the most flights, and 168 for United the third-biggest airline.

Delta Airlines, with the second-most flights, didn’t announce plans but canceled 170 on Friday.

And Southwest Airlines said about 100 flights will be canceled Saturday.

Control towers at several airports Friday are facing staffing shortages, including in San Francisco, Atlanta and others, CNN reported.

On Friday, there were staffing shortages at nine towers; 12 at TRACONs, which handle flights arriving or departing airports; and eight at the Air Route Traffic Control Center that handle flights at high altitudes.

USA Today reported that Duffy told Democrats who criticized his decision to cut flights, “Open the damn government.”

The federal government has been closed since Oct. 1, and the shutdown is now the longest in history at 38 days.

The staffing shortage is getting worse because air traffic controllers are quitting, said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, to CNN.

“Controllers are resigning every day now because of the prolonged nature of the shutdown,” Daniels said. “We’re also 400 controllers short – shorter than we were in the 2019 shutdown.”

Daniels told CNN that controllers have to be “perfect” at work, and financial concerns can cause issues with their concentration.

“We are always being used as a political pawn during a government shutdown,” Daniels said. “We are the rope in a tug-of-war game.”

In one city, pilots have stepped in to help. At North Las Vegas Airport, a group of pilots delivered food and supplies for controllers and their families.

“I’ve been in the situation where I’ve had an in-flight emergency, and the air traffic controllers make a difference,” pilot Jeffrey Lustick told CNN affiliate KTNV. “They help you get to the ground safely. They alert people that you need help … air traffic controllers save lives.”

The pilots have made two deliveries to the controllers.

“The relationship between air traffic controllers and pilots is one of trust … they have to be able to survive, and we want them to stay here and continue to provide support to our community,” he said.

Airlines will decide which flights to cancel based on revenue, Michael Taylor, senior travel advisor at JD Power, told USA Today.

“All these airlines have shareholders, and their job as managers is to maximize revenue and margin and profit to the airline sales and keep your airline stock up,” Taylor said. “So they’re going to start first at looking – if you want 10% reduction in number of aircraft, well then we will cut those markets out that we’re not going to make the most money.”

There are other considerations, such as crew and aircraft placement, Taylor said. But the money is the bottom line.

“It won’t seem to travelers that there’s any rhyme or reason to it at all. It’ll seem random, but what’s really driving it is someone in corporate headquarters saying, ‘OK, you want the number of aircraft lowered? Fine. I’ve got to keep my revenue high. I’m going to take out the ones I don’t make any money on. It’s as simple as that,'” Taylor added.

Some travelers are making multiple backup plans, including different days and routes.

“What I’m worried about is getting to Houston in time for a procedure that’s been scheduled for quite some time and there’s some urgency,” Neil Lyon told CNN about flying from Santa Fe, N.M. I’m dealing with this, and I’m just thinking about the tens of thousands, or millions, who are dealing with other really serious circumstances that are impacted by what the situation is.”

Nov. 4 (UPI) — At least three died and 11 were injured when a UPS aircraft crashed while taking off from the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport early Tuesday night.

The numbers of dead and injured are expected to grow, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.

The UPS aircraft crashed while taking off from the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport early Tuesday evening, causing the airport to close temporarily.

UPS Flight 2976 took off shortly after 5 p.m. EST and was bound for Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The National Transportation Safety Board will be leading the official investigation into the crash and UPS will release additional facts as they become available, the company said in a prepared statement.

The aircraft crashed while attempting to climb and exploded upon impact with the ground, which created a fire that spread about a mile and produced thick plumes of black and gray smoke, WLKY reported.

The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department said the crash has caused injuries, but how many are hurt and the extent of their injuries are not known yet.

The aircraft involved in the crash is a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, which is powered by three Pratt & Whitney PW4460 engines, each of which produces up to 60,000 pounds of thrust, according to the Delta Flight Museum.

The commercial jet has a range of up to 8,460 miles, a wingspan of more than 169 feet and is more than 200 feet long.

The aircraft was fully fueled for its long flight to Honolulu, which contributed to the large fire that spread to a nearby recycling center and other facilities, according to WLKY.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has been notified of the crash and is en route to the airport.

“We are aware of a reported plane crash near Louisville International Airport,” Beshear posted on social media, as reported by ABC News.

“First responders are on-site, and we will share more information as available,” Beshear added. “Please pray for the pilots, crew and everyone affected.”

While the airport is closed, Transportation Security Administration screenings are halted.

Passengers who are scheduled to depart from or arrive at the airport on Tuesday or Wednesday are advised to check on their respective flight statuses.

Update includes the number of dead and injured reported as of 8 p.m. EST.

Nov. 2 (UPI) — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Sunday that the government shutdown, now in its sixth week, would continue to cause flight delays, cancellations and closures amid air traffic control staffing shortages across the country.

“We will delay, we will cancel any kind of flights across the national airspace to make sure people are safe,” Duffy warned during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”

Duffy ‘s comments came during a ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport Sunday, which he said could spread to airports nationwide the longer the shutdown dragged on.

As few as 20 flights per hour were arriving at Newark late Sunday afternoon, local media reported. Delays averaged about two hours Sunday, but some flights were more than three hours late.

“There is a level of risk that gets injected into the system when we have a controller that’s doing two jobs instead of one,” he continued.

Nearly half of all major air traffic control centers are already facing staffing shortages across the country, which prompted a flurry of airport closures, ground stops or long flight delays, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA’s real time website shows Boston’s Logan Airport and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas closed Sunday, ground tops at Chicago’s O’Hare, and major ground delays at LAX in Los Angeles and the San Francisco International Airport.

Duffy warned during his Sunday interview that the situation could deteriorate still further as the shutdown continues.

“If the government doesn’t open in the next week or two, we’ll look back as these were the good old days, not the bad days,” he cautioned.

He said the administration is considering “pulling in whatever dollars we can” when asked whether there are other funding sources to pay the costs associated with air traffic control facilities and employees.

Federal law requires air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration, along with some other government employees, to work without pay during the duration of the shutdown.

“They have to make a decision,” Duffy said. “Do I go to work and not get a paycheck and not put food on the table, or do I drive for Uber or DoorDash or wait tables?”

Nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers are working with no compensation amid the shutdown. Washington lawmakers are at an impasse of a GOP-led budget bill, which has failed a Senate vote a dozen times.

Democrats are holding out for an extension of Biden-era premium subsidies that make health insurance more affordable on the federal marketplace.

Nov. 1 (UPI) — Federal Aviation Administration officials on Friday night urged Congress to approve government funding as more air traffic controllers call in sick amid the shutdown.

The nation’s nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers and additional Transportation Security Administration agents are deemed essential, but they are not being paid during the government shutdown that started on Oct.1.

Now in its 32nd day on Saturday, the FAA said the strain on unpaid employees is causing many to call in sick due to other obligations, such as supervising children, and out of frustration, The Hill reported.

“A surge in callouts is straining staffing levels at multiple facilities, leading to widespread impacts across the [National Airspace System,” FAA personnel posted on X.

“Half of our Core 30 facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and nearly 80% of air traffic controllers are absent at New York-area facilities.”

The FAA post said the “shutdown must end” so that air traffic controllers can get paid and to ensure the safety of more than 50,000 daily operations across the country.

When experiencing staffing shortages, the FAA reduces the amount of air traffic to maintain safety, which could cause flight delays or cancellations, the post said.

Such staffing shortages caused delays at airports in Boston, Dallas, Nashville and Newark, N.J., among several others, according to ABC News.

The shutdown is the second-longest in U.S. history, but it is poised to exceed the current record-holder of 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019.

During that shutdown, air traffic controllers again worked without pay until the government reopened and they received back pay.

Air traffic controllers earn a median salary of $150,000 annually, but new hires are paid about $50,000, aviation industry labor expertJake Rosenfeld of Washington University in St. Louis told ABC News.

The Senate has failed 13 times to obtain the 60 votes needed to overcome the Senate’s filibuster rule and fund the federal government while continuing to work on a 2026 fiscal year budget.

The Senate reconvenes on Monday, which is one day short of the record 35-day shutdown.

Oct. 31 (UPI) — At least 15 passengers of a JetBlue flight were hospitalized after their aircraft experienced a sudden drop in altitude, according to reports that state the plane made an emergency landing in Tampa, Fla.

According to air traffic tracker Flightradar24, the Airbus A320-232 departed Cancun, Mexico, at 1:03 p.m. local time Thursday for Newark, N.J., but was diverted to Tampa, where it landed.

JetBlue told Fox News in a statement that flight 1230 experienced a “drop in altitude” and a “flight control issue,” causing it to be diverted.

It landed in Tampa at around 2:18 p.m. EDT.

Tampa Bay Fire Rescue spokesperson Vivian Shedd told CNN in a statement that between 15 and 20 people were evaluated and transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

“The safety of our customers and crew members is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved,” JetBlue said.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.

The incident comes as the now month-long government shutdown has been particularly taxing on air travel, resulting in an increase in traffic issues as employees are being asked to work without pay. Ground delays have been reported throughout the country.

Oct. 14 (UPI) — Boeing’s 737 MAX commercial aircraft output this year has helped to put the nation’s largest aerospace firm on pace to produce its most aircraft since 2018.

Boeing delivered 160 commercial aircraft during the third quarter of 2025 and 440 total so far this year, which is shaping up to be its most productive since 2018, when it delivered 806 aircraft, according to Boeing production records.

Of the 440 commercial aircraft produced and delivered so far this year, 330 are the popular 737 MAX commercial aircraft.

Boeing also has delivered 61 of its 787 Dreamliner, 29 Boeing 777 airliners and 20 of its 767 airliners.

U.S.-headquartered United Airlines and American Airlines are among Boeing’s largest buyers of commercial aircraft, Simple Flying reported.

Ireland’s Ryanair also is among Boeing’s significant customers, along with Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, which bought 14 Boeing airliners, while Chinese airlines took delivery of nine in August.

Boeing also produced and delivered 32 defense, space and security aircraft during the third quarter and 94 so far in 2025, with remanufactured and new helicopters accounting for most of that production.

The aerospace company has remanufactured 28 AH-64 Apache helicopters and produced 14 more, and it has produced six MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopters.

The addition of one new and nine remanufactured CH-47 Chinook twin-rotor helicopters also boosted Boeing’s helicopter production so far this year to 58 delivered in total.

Boeing also has delivered seven F-15 fighters and 12 F/A-18 fighter-attack aircraft, along with nine KC-46 tankers and four commercial and civil satellites.

Boeing’s August production delivered 49 aircraft in total, which is significantly less than the 81 produced by global competitor Airbus for the month, Flight Plan reported.

Airbus also delivered 507 aircraft so far in 2025, according to CNBC.

Boeing increased its production to 55 delivered aircraft in September, though, which is the most since 2018.

Despite production increases, Guro Focus said Boeing’s three-year revenue growth rate was -1% at $75.33 billion through the third quarter.

The aerospace firm’s operating margin is -12.45%, while its net margin is -14.18% and its debt-to-equity ratio is -16.18%.

Those numbers affirm Boeing is struggling to generate a profit following recent production and labor issues that have limited production.

Boeing has endured two labor strikes since November but has resolved both.

The production of Boeing’s 737 MAX airliners is limited to 38 per month by the Federal Aviation Administration, which imposed the limit following the January 2024 loss of an improperly installed door plug on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX soon after taking off from an airport in Oregon.

Boeing Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg intends to boost 737 MAX production to 42 per month by January, CNBC reported.

Oct. 7 (UPI) — As the U.S. government shutdown drags into its second week, the Federal Aviation Administration was forced to delay flights into and out of three U.S. airports Monday due to air traffic controller staffing issues, including one airport with no controllers.

Newark Liberty International Airport, Denver International Airport and Hollywood Burbank Airport all experienced delays after a rising number of controllers called out sick.

Air traffic controllers are not being paid during the government shutdown, but are considered essential and are required to work.

“So, we’re tracking sick calls, sick leave and have we had a slight tick up in sick calls? Yes, and then you’ll see delays that come from that,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters Monday at Newark.

“If we have additional sick calls, we will reduce the flow consistent with a rate that’s safe for the American people,” Duffy said, adding that he did not want to see flights canceled.

Hollywood Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area remained open Monday despite having no controllers show up for work during a six-hour stretch.

“Operations are continuing at Hollywood Burbank Airport,” the airport wrote in a post Monday. “Please check with your airline — before arriving at the airport — for updates on possible delays or cancellations.”

Air traffic into and out of Burbank was handled by San Diego TRACON on a delayed schedule, a source told NBC News.

Flights into Newark, near New York City, experienced delays of up to an hour Monday due to low air traffic controller staffing, while flights into Denver were delayed by an average of 39 minutes.

The U.S. government has been shut-down since Sept. 30, and will remain closed for a seventh day. On Monday, the U.S. Senate failed to pass a stopgap bill that would have funded federal agencies for the next six weeks.

Sept. 25 (UPI) — Breeze Airlines will begin offering international flights to the Caribbean, which makes it the first U.S. airline in over 10 years to get Federal Aviation Administration approval for overseas trips.

The startup has been in business for five years and will begin trips to sunny destinations beginning in January. The flights will be to Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

The international flights will leave from Norfolk, Va.; Charleston, S.C.; New Orleans, La.; Providence, R.I.; Raleigh, N.C.; and Tampa, Fla., and they will only be on Saturdays.

Breeze was founded by David Neeleman, JetBlue founder, in 2021. The airline now serves 81 cities, with 291 non-stop routes.

“We picked places that have all-inclusive resorts because people like to go on Saturday and fly back (the following) Saturday. It’s a good complement to what we’re doing already,” Neeleman told USA Today. He said the airline has peak traffic on its other routes on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. That leaves spare capacity to fly to resort destinations on Saturdays.

Neeleman said Breeze service will be the same for international fliers.

“We’re excited to be able to fly people out of the country,” he said. “You can expect the same great service and the same great airplanes on international, and I think it’s going to be a big hit with our guests.”

The airline also announced it has been certified by the FAA as a U.S. Flag Carrier. That means Breeze can take cargo and passengers whose travel is funded by the federal government.

“Becoming a U.S. flag carrier is a huge milestone for Breeze, and one that our team members have been working tirelessly on for the last three years,” Neeleman said.

Sept. 14 (UPI) — A pilot program to establish electric flying taxis as a viable transportation option has been unveiled by the administration of President Donald Trump.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday that it would administer the pilot program, officially the Electrical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program, which will form public-private partnerships between local governments and private sector companies to develop new frameworks and regulations for enabling safe operations.

The announcement comes after Trump penned an executive order in June for “unleashing drone dominance.” At the time, the president had said the United States “must accelerate the safe commercialization of drone technologies and fully integrate UAS into the National Airspace System.”

The pilot would cover passenger trips and cargo runs, testing crewed eVTOL aircraft alongside remotely piloted and autonomous drones.

“The next great technological revolution in aviation is here. The United States will lead the way, and doing so will cement America’s status as a global leader in transportation innovation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.

“That means more high-paying manufacturing jobs and economic opportunity. By safely testing the deployment of these futuristic air taxis and other [advanced air mobility] vehicles, we can fundamentally improve how the traveling public and products move.”

The FAA said that the program will include at least five pilot projects and run for three years after the first becomes operational. So far, at least two companies have expressed willingness to participate.

Joby Aviation, a California-based firm developing air taxis for commercial passenger service, said that the program ensures such air taxis can take off in select markets before a full FAA certification. In 2023, the FAA greenlit a plan from the company to begin test flights on a prototype.

“We’ve spent more than 15 years building the aircraft technology and operational capabilities that are defining advanced aerial mobility, and we’re ready to bring our services to communities,” Joby’s chief policy officer, Greg Bowles, said in a statement.

“We look forward to demonstrating our aircraft’s maturity and delivering early operations in cities and states nationwide.”

Another firm, Archer Aviation, heralded the announcement as the “first federal initiative designed specifically to accelerate real-world electric air taxi operations in the U.S.”

“This is a landmark moment for our industry and our country,” said Adam Goldstein, Archer founder and CEO. “These early flights will help cement American leadership in advanced aviation and set the stage for scaled commercial operations in the U.S. and beyond.”

Sept. 12 (UPI) — Two California-based tech firms on Friday joined a Federal Aviation Administration pilot program meant to speed up the delivery of advanced air mobility vehicles, commonly known as air taxis, the agency said.

The Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program will include at least five separate projects, the FAA said in a statement.

Both Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation are joining the public-private pilot program. The companies are primarily focused on electric vertical takeoff and landing technology.

The goal of the pilot program is to “form public-private partnerships with state and local government entities and private sector companies to develop new frameworks and regulations for enabling safe operations,” the FAA said in the statement.

Individual projects under the pilot program will focus separately on short-range air taxis, cargo aircraft, logistics and supply serving emergency management and medical transport, longer-range, fixed wing flights and increased automation safety, according to the FAA.

“This pilot program gives us another opportunity to advance the administration’s plan to accelerate safe eVTOL and advanced air mobility operations across the United States,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in the agency’s statement.

“We will take the lessons learned from these projects to enable safe, scalable AAM operations nationwide.”

The pilot program will run for a minimum of three years.

“The next great technological revolution in aviation is here. The United States will lead the way, and doing so will cement America’s status as a global leader in transportation innovation,” Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in the FAA’s statement.

Both private companies saw their stock prices climb following the announcement.

Shares of San Jose-based Archer Aviation were up $0.13 or 1.53% to $8.62 as of 12:56 p.m. EDT Friday.

The company’s CEO Adam Goldstein called the announcement a “landmark moment” for the country and industry.

“We have an administration that is prioritizing the integration of eVTOL operations in U.S. cities ahead of full certification in a pragmatic way. We’ll demonstrate that air taxis can operate safely and quietly,” Goldstein said in a statement on the company’s website.

“These early flights will help cement American leadership in advanced aviation and set the stage for scaled commercial operations in the U.S. and beyond.”

Joby Aviation shares were up $0.37 or 2.71% to $14.03 at the same time.

“President Trump has long recognized the significance of America’s leadership in the next era of aviation and this initiative ensures our nation’s leadership will continue,” Joby Aviation Chief Policy Officer Greg Bowles said in a statement on the company’s website.

“We’ve spent more than 15 years building the aircraft technology and operational capabilities that are defining advanced aerial mobility, and we’re ready to bring our services to communities. We look forward to demonstrating our aircraft’s maturity and delivering early operations in cities and states nationwide.”

Sept. 1 (UPI) — Southwest Airlines has become one of the first U.S. carriers to take flight with an added barrier to protect pilots from intrusions when they exit the cockpit.

Southwest took delivery of the Boeing 737 Max 8, with the added retractable gate-like feature, and put it into service over the Labor Day weekend. The change comes nearly 24 years after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

“For Southwest this was the right decision,” the airline said in a statement. “We have a robust safety management system that takes a proactive approach when it comes to enhancing safety wherever possible.”

The additional flight deck barrier is designed to prevent cockpit invasions, like those during the 2001 terror attacks when hijackers took control of four jetliners. The secondary gate is closed to provide added protection for pilots when they open the cockpit door to access the lavatory.

Before the barriers, flight attendants have routinely blocked access to the front of the plane, using themselves or a drink cart, whenever a pilot leaves the flight deck. While existing planes cannot be retrofitted with the barriers, newly delivered planes will come with the barrier installed.

Last week, a 2023 Federal Aviation Administration regulation required Boeing and Airbus to begin delivering its new planes with the secondary barriers.

According to the final rule, the new barrier “will be deployed, closed and locked whenever the flight deck door is opened while the airplane is in flight.”

While Southwest has decided to take immediate delivery of planes with the secondary barriers, other airlines have opted to wait until July 2026 after the FAA granted a one-year exemption.

Sept. 1 (UPI) — One person is dead and three others were injured following a midair collision between two planes that were attempting to land at a northeastern Colorado airport over the weekend, authorities and officials said.

The collision involved a Cessna 172 and an Extra Flugzeugbau EA300 at about 10:40 a.m. MDT Sunday at Fort Morgan Municipal Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which, along with the National Transportation Safety Board, is investigating the crash.

Fort Morgan, a city of about 11,800 people, is located roughly 80 miles northeast of Denver.

The FAA said there were two people aboard each small plane, and that the planes collided while attempting to land at the airport.

The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office said the Cessna was on final approach when it was struck by the Extra Flugzeugbau.

“Both aircraft crashed and caught fire,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

One occupant of the Extra Flugzeugbau was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was transported to a local hospital, the sheriff’s office said, adding that the two occupants of the Cessna sustained only minor injuries and were released at the airport.

The extent of the hospitalized victim’s injuries was unknown.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim in this tragic event,” the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office said.

Aug. 23 (UPI) — The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating an incident that forced an Air Canada flight from Toronto bound for Las Vegas to divert to Chicago this week because of a disruptive passenger.

Flight 1705 was operated by Air Canada Rouge, the airline’s low-cost carrier and safely landed at Chicago O’Hare International Airport around 10:30 p.m. CDT on Friday, the FAA confirmed on its website.

Air Canada confirmed the incident took place but did not elaborate on the nature of it.

The FAA would only say the Airbus A320 diverted to Chicago “after the crew reported a passenger disturbance.”

There were 130 aboard the plane at the time it left Toronto.

Air Canada Rouge operates a fleet of five Airbus A320 planes, configured to hold up to 168 passengers.

The flight-tracking website flightaware shows the westbound plane changing course and turning around while over Iowa as it approached the state border with Nebraska.

The flight later took off from Chicago and ultimately landed at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas approximately three hours behind schedule.

The daily flight typically leaves Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport at 8:30 p.m. EDT, with the airline normally operating an Airbus A320 or A319 on the route.

The average length of the flight is approximately 4.5 hours, although it can take closer to five or as little as four, depending on wind and other weather elements.

Aug. 12 (UPI) — A small plane landing at a Montana airport crashed into a second aircraft on the runaway, according to officials who said there were only minor injuries.

The incident occurred at 2:08 p.m. MDT Monday at Kalispell City Airport, located in northwestern Montana, about 200 miles northwest of Helena.

The Federal Aviation Administration explained in a statement that a Socata TBM 700 struck an unoccupied Swearingen SX-300 after landing.

According to a statement from the Kalispell Police Department, the preliminary investigation indicates that the pilot lost control of the aircraft while attempting to land at the airport, resulting in the runway crash.

“All four occupants of the aircraft, who were from out of state, reported only minor injuries and were treated at the scene,” KPD said. “No additional injuries have been reported.”

The Kalispell Fire Department had been among the agencies that responded to the scene, as the plane crash seemingly resulted in a fire, which authorities said has since been contained.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

Aug. 6 (UPI) — United Airlines on Wednesday night briefly suspended flight departures nationwide because of a technology issue and expected further flight delays throughout the night.

Shortly after 7 p.m. CDT, the airline reported an outage and one hour later the system was coming back up, CBS News reported.

“Due to a technology issue, we are holding United mainline flights at their departure airports,” United said in a statement obtained by ABC News. “We expect additional flight delays this evening as we work through this issue. Safety is our top priority, and we’ll work with our customers to get them to their destinations.”

United later posted on Instagram: “We are working with customers to get them to their destinations after a technology disruption on Wednesday evening. The underlying technology issue has been resolved, and, while we expect residual delays, our team is working to restore our normal operations.”

The airline said to go to united.com or its United app for the latest flight information.

The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily issued a ground stop for United flights at United hubs: Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Denver International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Houston’s George Bush International Airport and San Francisco International Airport.

By 10:30 p.m. EDT, the stops were only in Denver and Newark until 11 p.m. EDT.

Airports urged travelers to check with the airline on status. Passengers on connecting flights with other airlines could be affected.

United Express Flights and those already in the air were not affected, the airline told ABC.

United, which is based in Chicago, has approximately 4,600 flights per day at 354 destinations in 38 countries.

Through 10:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday, 1,308 flights have been delayed and 53 have been canceled, according to FlightAware.

At O’Hare, 16 flights — 11 departures and seven arrivals — have been canceled. The airport was reporting delays ofg hours, as of 9:30 p.m. CDT.

A line of United planes at O’Hare were stopped at the tarmac waiting for available gates, according to video taken by a passenger to CBS News.

July 14 (UPI) — A New Jersey state of emergency went into effect Monday night as heavy rains drenched the Eastern United States, causing flash flooding, including in New York City.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement the state of emergency went into effect at 8 p.m. EDT “due to flash flooding and severe thunderstorms across the state.”

“I urge New Jerseyans to exercise caution, follow all safety protocols and remain off the roads unless absolutely necessary.”

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop for Newark Liberty International Airport due to the weather.

Mayor Jonathan Busch of Metuchen, located in Middlesex County, said on social media that the borough was “experiencing significant flooding.” Local police had closed multiple roads and were transporting stranded motorists to the local high school, he said.

In New Providence, local officials were warning residents to stay home, even though the rain had stopped.

“Historic rainfall, please stay in and off the roads,” Mayor Al Morgan said on Facebook.

In New York, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority was reporting on X that multiple subway lines were suspended due to flooding. Videos circulating online showed water flowing like a river through subway stations and into occupied cars.

New York City Emergency Management said flash flood warnings were in effect for all five boroughs. It said New York City was being lashed with heavy rains and up to 2 or more inches of rain may fall “quickly.”

“Flooding can be deadly and often strikes with little or no warning,” it said.

“If you live in a basement apartment or low-lying area, be ready to move to high ground. Keep your Go Bag near the door and clear exit paths.”

June 14 (UPI) — Rain may dampen President Donald Trump‘s plans Saturday night to celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday with thousands of troops, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft.

The event also coincides with Trump’s 79th birthday and Flag Day.

A flood watch was in effect for the entire region starting at 2 p.m. and is expected to last until 11 p.m. Highs will be well into the 80s and it will be humid during daytime festivities on the National Mall, WRC-TV reported, while forecasts show showers and thunderstorms starting around 3 to 4 p.m.

Guest entry for the military parade began at 2 p.m.

The one-hour parade, which is expected to draw several hundred thousand people, is scheduled to start moving down Constitution Avenue at 6:30 p.m. near the Lincoln Memorial and then proceed past the White House.

The parade, which saw people assemble along the mile-long route early Saturday morning, will end alongside the National Mall, near the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Washington Monument.

The parade was originally planned to be smaller, but had been set to start outside the Pentagon and go 2.2 miles.

Trump posted Saturday morning on Truth Social: “OUR GREAT MILITARY PARADE IS ON, RAIN OR SHINE. REMEMBER, A RAINY DAY PARADE BRINGS GOOD LUCK. I’LL SEE YOU ALL IN D.C.”

Trump is scheduled to speak during the parade.

“For two and a half centuries, the men and women of America’s Army have dominated our enemies and protected our freedom at home,” Trump said in a video posted to Truth Social in early June. “This parade salutes our soldiers’ remarkable strength and unbeatable spirit. You won’t want to miss it. Just don’t miss this one. It’s going to be good.”

The parade will be followed by the Army Golden Knights’ parachute demonstration and a concert at the Ellipse. A fireworks show will occur at 9:45 p.m., the U.S. Army said.

Earlier in the day, a birthday wreath was laid at Arlington National Cemetery and there was a fitness event at the National Mall. The Birthday Festival there will include opportunities to meet with Medal of Honor recipients, astronauts and soldiers.

All of the activities are free and there is tight security.

Matt McCool, the U.S. Secret Service agent in charge of the Washington field office, said “thousands of agents, officers and specialists from across the country” are deployed. People attending the parade or a related festival will be required to go through checkpoints with magnetometers.

The big show will be the military equipment during the parade, officials have said, which includes 140,000-pound Abrams tanks, as well as 6,600 soldiers wearing uniforms representing every U.S. conflict dating back to the Revolutionary War and aircraft flying overhead

About 1,800 Soldiers from III Armored Corps in Fort Cavazos will participate.

“The Army’s 250th birthday is a once-in-a-lifetime event,” Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesperson for the III Armored Corps, said earlier this week as a train carrying tanks left Fort Cavazos, Texas.

“This is a chance to see our soldiers, our leaders and the world-class force on full display in our nation’s capital. We look forward to being a part of history,” he said.

On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted to establish the Continental Army, more than a year before the Declaration of Independence.

D.C. officials have expressed concern about potential road damage from the vehicles, including 60-ton tanks. While the Army has installed thick steel plates at key turns, the straightaway on Constitution Avenue remains unprotected.

Road closures and security measures will make it difficult to drive around the area, and Mayor Muriel Bowser said potential damage could cost millions but the Army has pledged to cover the costs.

The Federal Aviation Administration is also clearing the airspace in the area, preventing all arrivals and departures at Reagan National Airport “during the peak of the celebration,” the agency said. The stoppage is expected affect about 116 flights, a senior government official told NBC News.

The last major military parade, the National Victory Celebration, was on June 8, 1991, to celebrate the end of the Gulf War, though Trump has noted that other countries regularly celebrate the end of World War II.

“We won the war, and we’re the only country that didn’t celebrate it, and we’re going to be celebrating big on Saturday,” he said.

Trump said he came up with the idea after watching the French Bastille Day military parade in France in 2017.

Pentagon personnel at the time convinced him not to move forward with the plan and, instead, in 2019, he celebrated Independence Day with a speech at the Lincoln Memorial with military aircraft flyovers and Bradley tanks stationed near the Lincoln Memorial.

“Humans are drawn to pageantry,” Barbara Perry, a presidential historian at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, told NBC News.

“It’s usually about the personnel. Now we know that this president has political issues all around the world, and wanting to show off the might. And if he views it, as in his first term, ‘his generals,’ and, if he views it as ‘his military,’ then you tie it to your personal special day of your birthday- – that’s what’s different.”

On Friday night, U.S. Capitol Police arrested 60 people for unlawful demonstration, the agency said.

Military veterans and their families had gathered in front of the Supreme Court, demanding that taxpayer dollars for Saturday’s military parade and for troops in Los Angeles should be used for housing, healthcare and food.

“If there’s any protester that wants to come out, they will be met with very big force. I haven’t even heard about a protest, but you know, this is people that hate our country, but they will be met with very heavy force,” Trump told reporters earlier this week.

“It will be a parade like we haven’t had in many, many decades here,” he said. “And it’s a celebration of our country. It’s a celebration of the Army, actually.”

About 2,000 protests are planned nationwide against Trump spending millions on the parade, as well as his policies. No organized “No King” protests are planned in the nation’s capital.

But there was an event demonstrating against the military events by RefuseFascism on Saturday afternoon. They led a rally and marched outside the White House.

Trump “is forging and putting on display today a military loyal, not to the Constitution, not to the rule of law, but to Trump personally with all the White supremacy,” one of the chief organizers, Sunsara Taylor, told CNN.

A 20-year Navy veteran also told CNN: “The parade don’t belong here – you see that in dictatorships, okay? You see that in North Korea, you see that in China, you see that in Russia. This is we the people of the United States of America,”

June 7 (UPI) — Arrivals and departures are limited for the rest of the year at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.

The restrictions took effect on Friday and limit arrivals and departures to 28 per hour on weekends while airport construction occurs from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, the Federal Aviation Administration announced on Friday.

Arrivals and departures also are limited to no more than 34 per hour during other periods through Oct. 25.

“The confirmed reduced rates will maintain safety while alleviating excessive flight delays at the airport due to staffing and equipment challenges,” the FAA announcement says.

“The early completion of runway construction at the airport that added to the delays will also contribute to a more efficient operation.”

Similar travel restrictions “paid dividends” by enabling “smooth travel into and out of Newark” over the Memorial Day holiday, according to the FAA.

Officials at the federal agency recently met with airline representatives to discuss problems at the Newark airport that triggered long delays and flight cancellations that left many air passengers stranded for hours and sometimes longer.

The discussions led to the current flight restrictions while undertaking several improvements at the airport and regionally.

The FAA is working to improve operations at the Newark airport by adding three new high-bandwidth telecommunications links between New York-based hubs and the Philadelphia-based terminal radar approach control system for regional air traffic control.

Old copper telecommunications connections will be replaced with fiber-optic technology for greater bandwidth and speed, and a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia-based TRACON system will be active while improvements are done.

The FAA also is increasing air traffic controller staffing by adding 22 fully certified controllers and five fully certified supervisors at the Newark airport and others in the area.

“The U.S. Department of Transportation and the FAA will continue working with all stakeholders to ensure that the airport is a safe, efficient and functional gateway for passengers and air crews,” the FAA announcement says.

June 7 (UPI) — President Donald Trump is taking aim at drone technology from two directions — boost the U.S. industry and crack down on malicious activity.

Trump on Friday signed executive orders on efforts to spur U.S. production relevant to drone technology, increase U.S. drone security and regulation efforts, and an unleated one to promote design and eventual use of commercial supersonic aircraft.

“Unmanned aircraft systems, otherwise known as drones, offer the potential to enhance public safety as well as cement America’s leadership in global innovation,” an executive order titled Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty read. “But criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors have intensified their weaponization of these technologies, creating new and serious threats to our homeland.

Another order, titled Unleashing American Drone Dominance, declares that “building a strong and secure domestic drone sector is vital to reducing reliance on foreign sources, strengthening critical supply chains and ensuring that the benefits of this technology are delivered to the American people.”

There are more than a million registered drones in the United States, according to the FAA with more than 400,000 commercial drones and more than 350,000 for recreational use.

In a press release, the Commercial Drone Alliance said it has “believed that innovation and security are two sides of the same coin. Outdated regulations have long impeded technological innovation and hindered transparency in our airspace.”

Lisa Ellman, chief executive of the Commercial Drone Alliance, also lauded the executive orders for aiming at both innovation and security simultaneously.

“We fully support the long-overdue steps taken by the Trump administration in these Executive Orders — establishing a framework to scale safe and secure drone operations while enhancing drone security and airspace transparency — to modernize our domestic drone policy and assure American aviation leadership into the next century of flight,” she said in the release.

Drone dangers

Trump has warned that drones have been used to smuggle drugs across borders, and could threaten large public gatherings, such as the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics, both in the United States.

“It is the policy of the United States to ensure control over our national airspace and to protect the public, critical infrastructure, mass gathering events, and military and sensitive government installations and operations from threats posed by the careless or unlawful use of UAS,” the security related order reads.

Chinese-made drones from companies like DJI or Autel are not outright banned, but the Federal Acquisition Security Council has been called on to “publish a Covered Foreign Entity List … identifying companies that pose supply chain risks.”

In 2022, the U.S. Treasury added DJI and seven other companies to its Chinese Military-Industrial Complex list, which indicates some level of national security concern. The includes a ban on U.S.-based companies exporting technology to them.

The majority of drones are estimated to be built in China, The New York Times reported.

The Justice Department and FAA were told to enforce civil and criminal penalties for drone operators who violate laws or airspace restrictions. There will be grants for state and local law enforcement to access drone-detection and tracking equipment.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires all drones weighing more than 0.55 of a pound to be registered, in addition to restricting how high they can be flown without authorization.

The Justice Department and FAA were told to more robustly enforce civil and criminal penalties for drone operators who violate laws or airspace restrictions. Grant programs are planned for state and local law enforcement to access drone-detection and tracking equipment., the order also indicates

Drone industry growth

In his first term, Trump sought to increase the use of drones and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has been directed to promote exports of U.S.-made drones, in addition to federal agencies being ordered to prioritize purchases of them.

“The United States must accelerate the safe commercialization of drone technologies and fully integrate UAS into the National Airspace System,” the order reads. “The time has come to accelerate testing and to enable routine drone operations, scale up domestic production, and expand the export of trusted, American-manufactured drone technologies to global markets.”

The order directs the FAA to allow commercial users and public safety officials not to fly drones beyond their range of sight, meaning that a user must be able to see the drone they are operating.

“Building a strong and secure domestic drone sector is vital to reducing reliance on foreign sources, strengthening critical supply chains, and ensuring that the benefits of this technology are delivered to the American people,” the order says.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy was directed to initiate artificial intelligence tools to assist in and expedite the review of a UAS waiver application, and the Transportation Department was told to develop an Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Pilot Program to accelerate the deployment of safe and lawful eVTOL operations in the United States.

Supersonic flight

An additional executive order titled “Leading the World in Supersonic Flight” seeks to promise planes that travel at supersonic speeds, which are greater than the speed of sound at approximately 768 mph at sea level, or Mach 1.

“The United States stands at the threshold of a bold new chapter in aerospace innovation,” the order reads. “For more than 50 years, outdated and overly restrictive regulations have grounded the promise of supersonic flight over land, stifling American ingenuity, weakening our global competitiveness, and ceding leadership to foreign adversaries.”

The order noted that “advances in aerospace engineering, materials science, and noise reduction now make supersonic flight not just possible, but safe, sustainable, and commercially viable.”

The order repeals regulations prohibiting cross-country supersonic flights, which for decades have precluded nonmilitary air travel over land at faster-than-sound speeds.

The Concorde was manufactured from 1965 to 1979, but are no longer flown by airlines, however, Boom Supersonic and NASA are currently developing new supersonic passenger jets.

June 3 (UPI) — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Tuesday the Federal Aviation Administration is searching for “top innovators” to lead the rebuilding of the nation’s “antiquated” air traffic control system.

Duffy said the FAA will host two industry days next week in Washington, D.C., and another in New Jersey to meet with companies that could spearhead the building of the next air traffic control system.

“We have an antiquated air traffic control system that is showing its age,” Duffy said. “In order to implement President Trump’s and my plan for a brand new system, we need the technical expertise and management experience from the best innovators in the world.”

“In the ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ there is $12.5 billion to start this project. A big deal,” Duffy told reporters Tuesday. “I believe the Senate’s going to provide more dollars for us also? We’ll see what they do … This has to happen fast.”

“The failures of the past is that the FAA has gotten small tranches of money, not full funding,” Duffy added. “We need full funding. We need the money up front so we can contract out and build this brand new system across the country.”

The FAA is planning to replace the core infrastructure of the system to include radar, software, hardware and telecommunications networks to make sure towers have the technology needed to “reduce outages, improve efficiency and reinforce safety.”

The proposed plan would replace fiber, wireless and satellite technologies at more than 4,600 sites and install 25,000 new radios and 475 new voice switches. And it would replace 618 radar systems that have exceeded their lifespan.

The FAA’s new system also calls for six new air traffic control centers, none of which have been built in the last 60 years.

“It is critical the United States acts now to invest and modernize a National Airspace System that supports the future and moves beyond the 1960s,” the FAA’s air traffic control system report said.

Plans to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system were announced by the Trump administration in February. At this point, there is no timeline or price for the project.

The FAA said that information will come when the best company provides “innovative ideas and new technologies” to help execute and manage the massive reinvention.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for a new, world-class air traffic system,” said FAA acting administrator Chris Rocheleau. “We need world-class innovators to step up and tell us the best way to build it.”