The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Monday that seats on hundreds of US-registered Boeing 737 MAX aircraft had been incorrectly installed and require repairs. It warned that if left unaddressed, the faulty seats could pose an injury to passengers in the event of an emergency landing. The FAA's proposed airworthiness directive, issued Monday, would cover 453 US-registered jets. The agency did not specify whether international carriers would also be affected, although such operators generally comply with FAA directives when applicable.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/you-are-a-naked-official-in-china-if-you-hold-high-posts-and-have-children-or-spouse-abroad-what-about-india-china-corruption-vs-india-corruption-1785222247153">You are a 'Naked Official' in China if you hold high posts and have children or spouse abroad. What about India?</a> The agency stated in the airworthiness directive proposal that it received “a report that certain passenger seat assemblies were not correctly installed in the seat tracks.” According to the FAA, each 737 MAX aircraft could have up to 69 track-mounted passenger seat assemblies affected, with repairs estimated to take about one work-hour per assembly. The agency did not indicate a timeline for airlines to complete the fixes, and Boeing had not responded to a request for comment at the time of reporting.

FAA stated that each 737 MAX aircraft could have up to 69 track-mounted passenger seat assemblies affected, with repairs estimated to take about one work-hour per assembly. 

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Monday that seats on hundreds of US-registered Boeing 737 MAX aircraft had been incorrectly installed and require repairs. It warned that if left unaddressed, the faulty seats could pose an injury to passengers in the event of an emergency landing. The FAA's proposed airworthiness directive, issued Monday, would cover 453 US-registered jets. The agency did not specify whether international carriers would also be affected, although such operators generally comply with FAA directives when applicable. Also read: You are a 'Naked Official' in China if you hold high posts and have children or spouse abroad. What about India? The agency stated in the airworthiness directive proposal that it received “a report that certain passenger seat assemblies were not correctly installed in the seat tracks.” According to the FAA, each 737 MAX aircraft could have up to 69 track-mounted passenger seat assemblies affected, with repairs estimated to take about one work-hour per assembly. The agency did not indicate a timeline for airlines to complete the fixes, and Boeing had not responded to a request for comment at the time of reporting.

FAA stated that each 737 MAX aircraft could have up to 69 track-mounted passenger seat assemblies affected, with repairs estimated to take about one work-hour per assembly.&nbsp;

FAA orders fix for faulty seats on hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX jets, warns of passenger injury in emergency landings

Venezuela has stripped six major international airlines of their operating rights after they suspended flights to the country following a warning issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The civil aviation authority of Venezuela cancelled permits for Iberia, Latam Colombia, TAP, Avianca, Turkish Airlines and Gol, a move that further isolates the connectivity with the Caribbean nation and delivers its threats made this week.&nbsp;In a statement, Caracas accused the carriers of participating in "joint actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States" by "unilaterally" suspending commercial flights. The US aviation regulator had recently warned major airlines of a "potentially hazardous situation" when flying over Venezuela, citing a worsening security situation and increased military activity across the country, as per the report in Reuters.<h3>The US military has been deploying forces in Venezuela</h3>Caracas responded that the FAA has no authority over Venezuelan airspace. US forces have been increasing deployments in the Caribbean for months as tensions with Venezuela escalate, accusing President Nicolás Maduro of enabling drug trafficking that harms Americans.&nbsp;Maduro has rejected these allegations, claiming US President Donald Trump aims to oust him. Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Monday that Venezuelan authorities had given foreign airlines a 48-hour ultimatum to resume flights or lose their landing rights.&nbsp;Several international airlines have cancelled flights to Venezuela in recent days, ignoring Caracas's 48-hour deadline. Iberia said it wished to restart flights to Venezuela as soon as full safety conditions were met.&nbsp;Ignoring the 48-hour deadline of Caracas, several international airlines have cancelled flights to Venezuela in these days. Amid the development, Iberia expressed its interest in restarting flights to Venezuela as soon as the country completely met the safety conditions.&nbsp;In addition, Air Europa and Plus Ultra had suspended flights, but their permits have not been revoked. International airlines Copa and Wingo also continue to operate in Venezuela, as do domestic airlines flying to Colombia, Curaçao and Panama.

The civil aviation authority of Venezuela cancelled permits for Iberia, Latam Colombia, TAP, Avianca, Turkish Airlines and Gol, a move that further isolates the connectivity with the Caribbean nation and delivers its threats made this week.

Venezuela has stripped six major international airlines of their operating rights after they suspended flights to the country following a warning issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The civil aviation authority of Venezuela cancelled permits for Iberia, Latam Colombia, TAP, Avianca, Turkish Airlines and Gol, a move that further isolates the connectivity with the Caribbean nation and delivers its threats made this week. In a statement, Caracas accused the carriers of participating in "joint actions of state terrorism promoted by the United States" by "unilaterally" suspending commercial flights. The US aviation regulator had recently warned major airlines of a "potentially hazardous situation" when flying over Venezuela, citing a worsening security situation and increased military activity across the country, as per the report in Reuters. The US military has been deploying forces in Venezuela Caracas responded that the FAA has no authority over Venezuelan airspace. US forces have been increasing deployments in the Caribbean for months as tensions with Venezuela escalate, accusing President Nicolás Maduro of enabling drug trafficking that harms Americans. Maduro has rejected these allegations, claiming US President Donald Trump aims to oust him. Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Monday that Venezuelan authorities had given foreign airlines a 48-hour ultimatum to resume flights or lose their landing rights. Several international airlines have cancelled flights to Venezuela in recent days, ignoring Caracas's 48-hour deadline. Iberia said it wished to restart flights to Venezuela as soon as full safety conditions were met. Ignoring the 48-hour deadline of Caracas, several international airlines have cancelled flights to Venezuela in these days. Amid the development, Iberia expressed its interest in restarting flights to Venezuela as soon as the country completely met the safety conditions. In addition, Air Europa and Plus Ultra had suspended flights, but their permits have not been revoked. International airlines Copa and Wingo also continue to operate in Venezuela, as do domestic airlines flying to Colombia, Curaçao and Panama.

The civil aviation authority of Venezuela cancelled permits for Iberia, Latam Colombia, TAP, Avianca, Turkish Airlines and Gol, a move that further isolates the connectivity with the Caribbean nation and delivers its threats made this week.

Venezuela revokes rights of 6 major airlines amid escalating tension with US, accuses America of ‘state terrorism’

As humanity ventures out to the vast cosmos outside our planet, the space-junk we leave behind is growing.

Satellites, spacecraft and other launches all leave behind some junk littering the Earth's orbit, increasing the risk of collisions. To lighten this space-junk load, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a rule.&nbsp;

<h2>Shedding the space-junk</h2>

The FAA has proposed that the amount of time a private rocket's upper stages stay in orbit should be limited.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/as-race-to-space-shoots-up-junk-in-earths-orbit-us-space-command-releases-responsible-space-behaviours-568413">As space race zooms junk in Earth’s orbit, US Space Command shares ‘responsible space behaviours’</a>

In a draft form released on Wednesday (September 20), the FAA, via its proposed rule, seeks "to limit the growth of new orbital debris and reduce the potential for collisions with spacecraft and satellites to promote a sustainable space environment."

<h2>Why is this important?</h2>

This junk can put space missions and satellite launches at significant risk. Upon launch, the space vehicles can potentially collide with the junk that is crowding the planet's orbit.&nbsp;

In a statement, the FAA said "If left unchecked, the accumulation of orbital debris will increase the risk of collisions and clutter orbits used for human spaceflight and for satellites providing communications, weather and global positioning system services."&nbsp;

As per the FAA, as of July 2023, the Earth's orbit contains over 23,000 orbital objects of sizes 10 cm and above. Furthermore, there are around one-half million objects sized between 1 and 10 cm, over 100 million larger than 1mm.

<h2>How will FAA achieve this junk shedding?</h2>

The proposed rule provides commercial space operators with five options to choose from. These options relate to the disposal of the upper stages of launch vehicles.&nbsp;

As per the FAA website, these include: conducting a controlled re-entry; moving the upper stage to a less congested storage or graveyard orbit; sending the upper stage to an Earth-escape orbit; the retrieval of the upper stage (called active debris removal) within five years; or performing an uncontrolled atmospheric disposal.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-perseverance-rovers-pictures-raise-question-can-humanity-be-trusted-with-other-planets-488883">NASA Perseverance rover's pictures raise question: Can humanity be trusted with other planets?</a>

Strictly limiting the uncontrolled reentry of the upper stages can take away the uncertainty of where it might land. This will help mitigate the risk to people on the ground and in flight, says FAA.

"Shortening the removal deadline would decrease the risk of orbital debris causing damage to spacecraft, which could create more debris, shorten another spacecraft’s mission or endanger the lives of human spaceflight participants," states the proposed rule, as reported by space.com.

"Given that the entire mission lifetime of upper stages and their components is quite short, and spent upper stages pose a significant risk of debris propagation the longer they are in orbit, it may be appropriate to have a shorter disposal timeline of 5 years or another time period less than 25 years," it notes.

(With inputs from agencies)

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As humanity ventures out to the vast cosmos outside our planet, the space-junk we leave behind is growing. Satellites, spacecraft and other launches all leave behind some junk littering the Earth's orbit, increasing the risk of collisions.

As humanity ventures out to the vast cosmos outside our planet, the space-junk we leave behind is growing. Satellites, spacecraft and other launches all leave behind some junk littering the Earth's orbit, increasing the risk of collisions. To lighten this space-junk load, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a rule. Shedding the space-junk The FAA has proposed that the amount of time a private rocket's upper stages stay in orbit should be limited. Also read | As space race zooms junk in Earth’s orbit, US Space Command shares ‘responsible space behaviours’ In a draft form released on Wednesday (September 20), the FAA, via its proposed rule, seeks "to limit the growth of new orbital debris and reduce the potential for collisions with spacecraft and satellites to promote a sustainable space environment." Why is this important? This junk can put space missions and satellite launches at significant risk. Upon launch, the space vehicles can potentially collide with the junk that is crowding the planet's orbit. In a statement, the FAA said "If left unchecked, the accumulation of orbital debris will increase the risk of collisions and clutter orbits used for human spaceflight and for satellites providing communications, weather and global positioning system services." As per the FAA, as of July 2023, the Earth's orbit contains over 23,000 orbital objects of sizes 10 cm and above. Furthermore, there are around one-half million objects sized between 1 and 10 cm, over 100 million larger than 1mm. How will FAA achieve this junk shedding? The proposed rule provides commercial space operators with five options to choose from. These options relate to the disposal of the upper stages of launch vehicles. As per the FAA website, these include: conducting a controlled re-entry; moving the upper stage to a less congested storage or graveyard orbit; sending the upper stage to an Earth-escape orbit; the retrieval of the upper stage (called active debris removal) within five years; or performing an uncontrolled atmospheric disposal. Also read | NASA Perseverance rover's pictures raise question: Can humanity be trusted with other planets? Strictly limiting the uncontrolled reentry of the upper stages can take away the uncertainty of where it might land. This will help mitigate the risk to people on the ground and in flight, says FAA. "Shortening the removal deadline would decrease the risk of orbital debris causing damage to spacecraft, which could create more debris, shorten another spacecraft’s mission or endanger the lives of human spaceflight participants," states the proposed rule, as reported by space.com. "Given that the entire mission lifetime of upper stages and their components is quite short, and spent upper stages pose a significant risk of debris propagation the longer they are in orbit, it may be appropriate to have a shorter disposal timeline of 5 years or another time period less than 25 years," it notes. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US Federal Aviation Administration proposes revolutionary way to limit human litter in Earth's orbit

On Wednesday, thousands of flights in the United States were grounded due to what was earlier believed to be a 'technical snag' but further investigation "traced the outage to a damaged database file". As per the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) normal operations were being restored, however, the early morning halt affected the plans of thousands of travellers looking to travel in about 9,000 plus flights.&nbsp;

Here's what happened:

Airlines across the country reported an error that caused them to ground and/or delay domestic flights due to an outage of the NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) system.

In a tweet, on Wednesday the FAA said that their "preliminary work has traced the outage to a damaged database file."

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Update 6: We are continuing a thorough review to determine the root cause of the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system outage. Our preliminary work has traced the outage to a damaged database file. At this time, there is no evidence of a cyber attack. (1/2)
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FAANews/status/1613317775132336129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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After a while, the authority switched to a backup, however, the corrupt file was found to be present there as well.

Watch |&nbsp;US flights resume after FAA system outage, over 4300 flights delayed

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Was it a malicious attack?

Talking to CNN, the aviation authority said that it was still trying to determine the cause; whether it was a person or a "routine entry" into the database was responsible for the corrupted file.

Was it a cyberattack?

US officials have denied reports that a cyberattack could be behind the massive outage. As per Reuters, they claim to have found no evidence of such an attack.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-400-flights-affected-across-us-after-faa-experiences-major-outage-551578">FAA says system restored after more than 4,300 flights grounded due to technical snag</a>

Talking to MSNBC, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that there was no evidence of any "nefarious" causes of the outage. However, he said that at this time it could not be completely ruled out.

What is NOTAM?

The NOTAM system keeps flight crews abreast with information about any changes to airport facilities, hazards and other essential procedures. However, on Wednesday the processing of NOTAM was reportedly "impaired".

How many flights were affected?

As per estimates by flight tracking website Flight Aware, by 7 am US Eastern time (or 12 pm GMT) at least 1,230 flights were delayed. As per the website's data, by the time the system was reset around 2 am on Thursday, more than 9,800 flights had been delayed and around 900 cancelled.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/which-computer-glitch-led-to-us-flights-cancellations-notam-failure-explained-airlines-updates-so-far-551641">Which computer glitch led to US flights cancellations? NOTAM failure explained &amp; Airlines' updates so far</a>

What steps did the FAA take?

Initially, the Federal Aviation Administration said it was working to restore the NOTAM system, however, later, the authority ordered to pause of all domestic flights till 9 am.

Is this the first time such an order was announced?

As per AFP, previously such a broad command was issued during the horrendous 9/11 attacks.

 
(With inputs from agencies)

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On Wednesday, thousands of flights in the United States were grounded due to what was earlier believed to be a 'technical snag' but further investigation "traced the outage to a damaged database file".

On Wednesday, thousands of flights in the United States were grounded due to what was earlier believed to be a 'technical snag' but further investigation "traced the outage to a damaged database file". As per the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) normal operations were being restored, however, the early morning halt affected the plans of thousands of travellers looking to travel in about 9,000 plus flights. Here's what happened: Airlines across the country reported an error that caused them to ground and/or delay domestic flights due to an outage of the NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) system. In a tweet, on Wednesday the FAA said that their "preliminary work has traced the outage to a damaged database file." Update 6: We are continuing a thorough review to determine the root cause of the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system outage. Our preliminary work has traced the outage to a damaged database file. At this time, there is no evidence of a cyber attack. (1/2) — The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) January 11, 2023 × After a while, the authority switched to a backup, however, the corrupt file was found to be present there as well. Watch | US flights resume after FAA system outage, over 4300 flights delayed Was it a malicious attack? Talking to CNN, the aviation authority said that it was still trying to determine the cause; whether it was a person or a "routine entry" into the database was responsible for the corrupted file. Was it a cyberattack? US officials have denied reports that a cyberattack could be behind the massive outage. As per Reuters, they claim to have found no evidence of such an attack. Also read | FAA says system restored after more than 4,300 flights grounded due to technical snag Talking to MSNBC, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that there was no evidence of any "nefarious" causes of the outage. However, he said that at this time it could not be completely ruled out. What is NOTAM? The NOTAM system keeps flight crews abreast with information about any changes to airport facilities, hazards and other essential procedures. However, on Wednesday the processing of NOTAM was reportedly "impaired". How many flights were affected? As per estimates by flight tracking website Flight Aware, by 7 am US Eastern time (or 12 pm GMT) at least 1,230 flights were delayed. As per the website's data, by the time the system was reset around 2 am on Thursday, more than 9,800 flights had been delayed and around 900 cancelled. Also read | Which computer glitch led to US flights cancellations? NOTAM failure explained & Airlines' updates so far What steps did the FAA take? Initially, the Federal Aviation Administration said it was working to restore the NOTAM system, however, later, the authority ordered to pause of all domestic flights till 9 am. Is this the first time such an order was announced? As per AFP, previously such a broad command was issued during the horrendous 9/11 attacks. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained: How a corrupted file brought US aviation to its knees

The US Federal Aviation Administration is going to stop providing commercial astronaut wings.

Blaming ''too many launchings'' behind the decision, it said “Now it’s time to offer recognition to a larger group of adventurers daring to go to space.”

The long-standing programme is going to continue till December 31 and will come to an end on January 1.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/inclusive-outer-space-first-disabled-crew-takes-flight-in-zero-gravity-435910" hreflang="en">Inclusive outer space: First disabled crew takes flight in zero gravity</a>

According to FAA’s associate administrator Wayne Monteith, “The US commercial human spaceflight industry has come a long way from conducting test flights to launching paying customers into space.”&nbsp;

Even though the largest transportation agency of the US government is getting out of the astronaut designation business entirely, it will still provide stars to NASA astronauts.

The news comes just before Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos plans a liftoff with former NFL player and TV celebrity Michael Strahan under his human spaceflight programme.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/who-is-winning-space-tourism-race-between-bezos-branson-and-musk-396420" hreflang="en">Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk?</a>

Interestingly, the FAA is investigating allegations made against the company made by former employees who had raised safety concerns.

Alexandra Abrams, former head of Blue Origin Employee Communications, and 20 other unnamed Blue Origin employees and former employees, said in an essay they had "seen a pattern of decision-making that often prioritizes execution speed and cost reduction over the appropriate resourcing to ensure quality."

The essay said a 2018 team at Blue Origin "documented more than 1,000 problem reports related to the engines that power Blue Origin’s rockets, which had never been addressed."

In response, Blue Origin said it stood "by our safety record and believe that New Shepard is the safest space vehicle ever designed or built."

(With inputs from agencies)

The US Federal Aviation Administration is going to stop providing commercial astronaut wings. Blaming ''too many launchings'' behind the decision, it said “Now it’s time to offer recognition to a larger group of adventurers daring to go to space.

The US Federal Aviation Administration is going to stop providing commercial astronaut wings. Blaming ''too many launchings'' behind the decision, it said “Now it’s time to offer recognition to a larger group of adventurers daring to go to space.” The long-standing programme is going to continue till December 31 and will come to an end on January 1. Also read | Inclusive outer space: First disabled crew takes flight in zero gravity According to FAA’s associate administrator Wayne Monteith, “The US commercial human spaceflight industry has come a long way from conducting test flights to launching paying customers into space.” Even though the largest transportation agency of the US government is getting out of the astronaut designation business entirely, it will still provide stars to NASA astronauts. The news comes just before Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos plans a liftoff with former NFL player and TV celebrity Michael Strahan under his human spaceflight programme. Also see | Who is winning space tourism race between Bezos, Branson and Musk? Interestingly, the FAA is investigating allegations made against the company made by former employees who had raised safety concerns. Alexandra Abrams, former head of Blue Origin Employee Communications, and 20 other unnamed Blue Origin employees and former employees, said in an essay they had "seen a pattern of decision-making that often prioritizes execution speed and cost reduction over the appropriate resourcing to ensure quality." The essay said a 2018 team at Blue Origin "documented more than 1,000 problem reports related to the engines that power Blue Origin’s rockets, which had never been addressed." In response, Blue Origin said it stood "by our safety record and believe that New Shepard is the safest space vehicle ever designed or built." (With inputs from agencies)

'Too many launchings': Federal Aviation Administration to stop providing commercial astronaut wings

In a big setback for Virgin Galactic, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded the company from flying its SpaceShipTwo over a pending mishap probe.

It comes after the Virgin Galactic rocket plane deviated from its route during its historic flight due to which its console had flashed a 'red light' or 'entry glide-cone' warning.

Experts believe that warning light goes on when the spaceship is descending at the wrong angle. Such a&nbsp;situation&nbsp;can lead to an emergency landing as well.

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The FAA had said that ''Virgin Galactic may not return the SpaceShipTwo vehicle to flight until the FAA approves the final mishap investigation report or determines the issues related to the mishap do not affect public safety.''

Virgin Galactic is addressing the causes of the issue and determining how to prevent this from occurring on future missions.

It added that the deviation in the July flight known as Unity 22 was "a controlled and intentional flight path that allowed Unity 22 to successfully reach space and land safely at our Spaceport in New Mexico. At no time were passengers and crew put in any danger."

Two skilled pilots of the company were flying the spacecraft and were able to handle the frightening situation and bring back the passengers onborad safely back to the ground.

Virgic Galactic's founder Richard Branson was accompanied by five other people on the VSS Unity 22 historic space flight.

He had touted the mission as a precursor to a new era of space tourism and said the company he founded in 2004 was poised to begin commercial operations next year.

The American spaceflight company had announced said earlier that it was planning another SpaceShipTwo flight from New Mexico.

In a big setback for Virgin Galactic, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded the company from flying its SpaceShipTwo over a pending mishap probe.

In a big setback for Virgin Galactic, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded the company from flying its SpaceShipTwo over a pending mishap probe. It comes after the Virgin Galactic rocket plane deviated from its route during its historic flight due to which its console had flashed a 'red light' or 'entry glide-cone' warning. Experts believe that warning light goes on when the spaceship is descending at the wrong angle. Such a situation can lead to an emergency landing as well. The FAA had said that ''Virgin Galactic may not return the SpaceShipTwo vehicle to flight until the FAA approves the final mishap investigation report or determines the issues related to the mishap do not affect public safety.'' Virgin Galactic is addressing the causes of the issue and determining how to prevent this from occurring on future missions. It added that the deviation in the July flight known as Unity 22 was "a controlled and intentional flight path that allowed Unity 22 to successfully reach space and land safely at our Spaceport in New Mexico. At no time were passengers and crew put in any danger." Two skilled pilots of the company were flying the spacecraft and were able to handle the frightening situation and bring back the passengers onborad safely back to the ground. Virgic Galactic's founder Richard Branson was accompanied by five other people on the VSS Unity 22 historic space flight. He had touted the mission as a precursor to a new era of space tourism and said the company he founded in 2004 was poised to begin commercial operations next year. The American spaceflight company had announced said earlier that it was planning another SpaceShipTwo flight from New Mexico.

US bars flights of Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic over pending mishap probe

The US&nbsp;Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has downgraded&nbsp;Pakistan's air safety rating after the agency raised concerns about pilot certifications.

The decision, disclosed on an FAA spreadsheet dated July 15 that was posted on an agency website and confirmed by an agency official, means the US&nbsp;air safety agency determined&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;does not achieve international standards and now has a Category 2 rating.

Pakistan&nbsp;last month grounded almost a third of its pilots after discovering they may have falsified their qualifications. The&nbsp;Pakistani embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The new rating means&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;airlines could be subject to additional inspections at US&nbsp;airports and could not add additional flights.

A company spokesman told Reuters last week the airline was planning to expand the current special flights arrangements to re-initiate a regular schedule from&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;to the United States to provide direct flights.

On Friday, the US&nbsp;Department of Transportation said it has revoked permission for&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;International Airlines (PIA) to conduct charter flights to the United States.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has suspended PIA's authorization to fly to the bloc for six months in a blow to the carrier's operations.

Pakistan's grounding of pilots with dubious credentials followed the crash of a PIA jet in May that killed 97 people.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has downgraded Pakistan's air safety rating after the agency raised concerns about pilot certifications. The decision, disclosed on an FAA spreadsheet dated July 15 that was posted on an agency website and confirmed by an agency official, means the US air safety agency determined Pakistan does not achieve international standards and now has a Category 2 rating.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has downgraded Pakistan's air safety rating after the agency raised concerns about pilot certifications. The decision, disclosed on an FAA spreadsheet dated July 15 that was posted on an agency website and confirmed by an agency official, means the US air safety agency determined Pakistan does not achieve international standards and now has a Category 2 rating. Pakistan last month grounded almost a third of its pilots after discovering they may have falsified their qualifications. The Pakistani embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The new rating means Pakistan airlines could be subject to additional inspections at US airports and could not add additional flights. A company spokesman told Reuters last week the airline was planning to expand the current special flights arrangements to re-initiate a regular schedule from Pakistan to the United States to provide direct flights. On Friday, the US Department of Transportation said it has revoked permission for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to conduct charter flights to the United States. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has suspended PIA's authorization to fly to the bloc for six months in a blow to the carrier's operations. Pakistan's grounding of pilots with dubious credentials followed the crash of a PIA jet in May that killed 97 people.

US regulators downgrade Pakistan's air safety rating

Boeing revealed on Sunday that it was reviewing a wiring issue which could have led to cause a short circuit of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/airbus-beats-goal-with-863-jet-deliveries-in-2019-ousts-boeing-from-top-spot-271445">737 MAX aircraft</a>.

"Identified this issue as part of that rigorous process, and we are working with the FAA to perform the appropriate analysis. It would be premature to speculate as to whether this analysis will lead to any design changes," Boeing's spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

According to the New York Times, the beleaguered US aircraft company was looking into whether the wiring was&nbsp;bundled too close to each other.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the agency and company was "analysing certain findings from a recent review of the proposed modifications to the Boeing 737 MAX."

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The Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has been grounded since March last year. The crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia within five months had killed 346 people leading to the worldwide grounding of the aircraft. In September, Boeing had cut production of the 737 MAX from 52 to 42 per month due to the grounding.

The aircraft company has since replaced Muilenburg and appointed David Calhoun, 62, as the CEO to repair the damage to the company. Boeing temporarily halted production of its grounded 737 Max for the first time in more than 20 years although it said it won't be laying off employees during the production freeze.

The production setback has already cost the company over $9 billion so far.

Boeing had said earlier that dozens of 737NG planes, the successor aircraft of 737 MAX were grounded as a result of the MAX crashes. Australian national carrier Qantas had said that it had found cracks in at least three 737NGs.

In July, Boeing had reported second-quarter loss of $2.9 billion as revenues tumbled 35.1 per cent to $15.8 billion amid the grounding of the aircraft.

Boeing revealed on Sunday that it was reviewing a wiring issue which could have led to cause a short circuit of the 737 MAX aircraft. "Identified this issue as part of that rigorous process, and we are working with the FAA to perform the appropriate analysis.

Boeing revealed on Sunday that it was reviewing a wiring issue which could have led to cause a short circuit of the 737 MAX aircraft. "Identified this issue as part of that rigorous process, and we are working with the FAA to perform the appropriate analysis. It would be premature to speculate as to whether this analysis will lead to any design changes," Boeing's spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. According to the New York Times, the beleaguered US aircraft company was looking into whether the wiring was bundled too close to each other. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the agency and company was "analysing certain findings from a recent review of the proposed modifications to the Boeing 737 MAX." Watch Video: The Boeing 737 MAX aircraft has been grounded since March last year. The crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia within five months had killed 346 people leading to the worldwide grounding of the aircraft. In September, Boeing had cut production of the 737 MAX from 52 to 42 per month due to the grounding. The aircraft company has since replaced Muilenburg and appointed David Calhoun, 62, as the CEO to repair the damage to the company. Boeing temporarily halted production of its grounded 737 Max for the first time in more than 20 years although it said it won't be laying off employees during the production freeze. The production setback has already cost the company over $9 billion so far. Boeing had said earlier that dozens of 737NG planes, the successor aircraft of 737 MAX were grounded as a result of the MAX crashes. Australian national carrier Qantas had said that it had found cracks in at least three 737NGs. In July, Boeing had reported second-quarter loss of $2.9 billion as revenues tumbled 35.1 per cent to $15.8 billion amid the grounding of the aircraft.

'Design flaw' in Boeing? 737 MAX aircraft wiring under lens

The US on Thursday issued an advisory to all its air carriers and commercial operators to exercise caution when flying into, out of, within or over the territory and airspace of Pakistan.

The advisory has been issued due to extremist or militant activities.

"The US warns its own air carriers to avoid Pakistan airspace due to risk of possible threat to attacks on US airlines (commercial and US state carriers) by Pakistan extremist and militant groups," it said.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in a statement said the attacks may happen when flights may be on the ground and during take-off or landing.

It added that there continues to be a risk to the US civil aviation from attacks against airports and aircraft, particularly for aircraft on the ground and planes operating at low altitudes, including the arrival and departure phases of flights.

"The ongoing presence of extremist/militant elements operating in Pakistan poses a continued risk to the US civil aviation from small-arms fire and complex attacks against airports," the FAA warned.

According to the statement, there continues to be ongoing presence of extremist or militant elements operating in Pakistan which poses a continued risk from small fire, complex attacks, indirect weapons fire, any of which could occur with little or no warning.

"While, to date, there have been no reports of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) being used against civil aviation in Pakistan, some extremist/militant groups operating in Pakistan are suspected of having access to MANPADS," it added.

As a result, the FAA said, there is a potential risk for extremists to "target civil aviation in Pakistan with MANPADS."

The justification for this advisory will be re-evaluated by 1st January 2021.

The US on Thursday issued an advisory to all its air carriers and commercial operators to exercise caution when flying into, out of, within or over the territory and airspace of Pakistan.

The US on Thursday issued an advisory to all its air carriers and commercial operators to exercise caution when flying into, out of, within or over the territory and airspace of Pakistan. The advisory has been issued due to extremist or militant activities. "The US warns its own air carriers to avoid Pakistan airspace due to risk of possible threat to attacks on US airlines (commercial and US state carriers) by Pakistan extremist and militant groups," it said. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in a statement said the attacks may happen when flights may be on the ground and during take-off or landing. It added that there continues to be a risk to the US civil aviation from attacks against airports and aircraft, particularly for aircraft on the ground and planes operating at low altitudes, including the arrival and departure phases of flights. "The ongoing presence of extremist/militant elements operating in Pakistan poses a continued risk to the US civil aviation from small-arms fire and complex attacks against airports," the FAA warned. According to the statement, there continues to be ongoing presence of extremist or militant elements operating in Pakistan which poses a continued risk from small fire, complex attacks, indirect weapons fire, any of which could occur with little or no warning. "While, to date, there have been no reports of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) being used against civil aviation in Pakistan, some extremist/militant groups operating in Pakistan are suspected of having access to MANPADS," it added. As a result, the FAA said, there is a potential risk for extremists to "target civil aviation in Pakistan with MANPADS." The justification for this advisory will be re-evaluated by 1st January 2021.

US issues advisory to its carriers to avoid Pak airspace over extremist threat

Boeing announced on Sunday that some of its medium-haul 737s, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-ceo-apologises-says-crisis-has-shaken-public-confidence-in-company-222655">including the 737 MAX 8</a>, could have a defective wing part, but that there had been no reports of flight issues linked to the defect.

The American aviation giant, which has been rocked by an unprecedented crisis<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-woman-sues-boeing-seeking-at-least-276-million-over-ethiopian-crash-220460"> after its entire 737 MAX 8 fleet </a>was grounded in mid-March, said a subcontractor informed it of problems with a batch of a part involved in deploying the wings' leading edge.

The leading edge of an aircraft is key to takeoff and landing because it is meant to improve the wing's drag and therefore the jet's aerodynamics.

Boeing said in a statement that it had relayed the defective lot number to aircraft owners so they can inspect the parts in question.

If operators find the defective parts on their aircraft, they should replace them before putting the plane back in service, the company said.

"This is a device considered critical because if the leading edge slats don't deploy symmetrically, there could be a lift differential that can be dangerous especially on takeoff and landing," one aeronautics expert told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The planes were grounded after a combined 346 people died in two deadly crashes, the first in Indonesia in October followed by one in Ethiopia in March.

Long considered a "gold standard" internationally, the US Federal Aviation Administration's reputation has suffered amid scrutiny of its oversight process and reports it allowed Boeing to effectively self-certify some features of the MAX.

Boeing is working on a software fix that will allow the MAX 8 to begin flying again, but differences have arisen between the United States and Canada on how to train pilots on the software after the update.

Washington believes training on computers or tablets is sufficient for seasoned pilots, but Ottawa wants to require training on flight simulators.

Boeing announced on Sunday that some of its medium-haul 737s, including the 737 MAX 8, could have a defective wing part, but that there had been no reports of flight issues linked to the defect.

Boeing announced on Sunday that some of its medium-haul 737s, including the 737 MAX 8, could have a defective wing part, but that there had been no reports of flight issues linked to the defect. The American aviation giant, which has been rocked by an unprecedented crisis after its entire 737 MAX 8 fleet was grounded in mid-March, said a subcontractor informed it of problems with a batch of a part involved in deploying the wings' leading edge. The leading edge of an aircraft is key to takeoff and landing because it is meant to improve the wing's drag and therefore the jet's aerodynamics. Boeing said in a statement that it had relayed the defective lot number to aircraft owners so they can inspect the parts in question. If operators find the defective parts on their aircraft, they should replace them before putting the plane back in service, the company said. "This is a device considered critical because if the leading edge slats don't deploy symmetrically, there could be a lift differential that can be dangerous especially on takeoff and landing," one aeronautics expert told AFP on condition of anonymity. The planes were grounded after a combined 346 people died in two deadly crashes, the first in Indonesia in October followed by one in Ethiopia in March. Long considered a "gold standard" internationally, the US Federal Aviation Administration's reputation has suffered amid scrutiny of its oversight process and reports it allowed Boeing to effectively self-certify some features of the MAX. Boeing is working on a software fix that will allow the MAX 8 to begin flying again, but differences have arisen between the United States and Canada on how to train pilots on the software after the update. Washington believes training on computers or tablets is sufficient for seasoned pilots, but Ottawa wants to require training on flight simulators.

Medium haul 737 aircraft, including 737 MAX 8, could have defective wing part: Boeing

Civil aviation regulators from around the world failed to make a determination Thursday on when Boeing's popular 737 MAX aircraft can return to the skies after being grounded following two deadly crashes.

"The only timetable is to make sure the aircraft is safe to fly," Daniel Elwell, acting head of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/faa-bans-low-flights-over-venezuelas-airspace-citing-political-instability-215037">US Federal Aviation Administration</a>, said at the conclusion of the day-long meeting in Texas.

There was "enthusiastic agreement to continue the dialogue," he said, but acknowledged that "each country has to make its own decision."

"If they unground relatively close to when we unground I think it would help with public confidence," Elwell said while adding that: "We can't be driven by some arbitrary timeline."

Until the 737 MAX crashes in Ethiopia in March and Indonesia in October which left a combined 346 people dead, the common practice was that air regulators would follow the assessment of the agency overseeing the model, in this case, the FAA.

On Wednesday, Elwell threw cold water on hopes of a speedy resolution, after revealing that Boeing had held off submitting a proposed software fix for review after his agency raised additional questions.

Investigators have focused on the MAX's anti-stall Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System in inquiries into the two deadly crashes.

Boeing last week said the MCAS update was ready for the certification process, and US airlines were hoping the planes could be back in the skies in time for part of the summer travel season.

But Elwell on Thursday said the process could take one month, two months or longer.

"It is all determined by what we find in our analysis of the application," he said on CNBC.

Once Boeing has submitted all documentation, the FAA will conduct a test flight and detailed analysis to evaluate the safety of the software.

Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst at Teal Group, said Boeing wants to avoid having to repeat the process.

"There's a lot at stake in terms of the first impression by the world's regulators," he told AFP.

US air carriers that operate the 737 MAX, including American Airlines, Southwest and United, have said they hope to have the planes flying again by mid-August at the latest.

But the FAA's reputation has taken a beating since the March crash and faced accusations of an overly cosy relationship with the aviation giant. Other aviation authorities now appear less likely to follow the US agency.

Michel Merluzeau of Air Insight Research said American officials could end the 737 MAX's grounding toward the end of summer, with authorities in other countries following suit "several months" later.

"We're headed for a return to service that could drag on in time," he said.

'Frank discussion'&nbsp;

Elwell said regulators also have yet to decide on changes to pilot training once the adjustments have been approved.

The United States has differed with a number of countries on this issue, including Canada. Washington believes training on computers or tablets is sufficient for seasoned pilots but Ottawa wants to require training on flight simulators.

The European Aviation Safety Agency, Canada and Brazil are among countries saying they will conduct their own evaluations of the MCAS fix.

What China, the first country to ground the 737 MAX, will do is also an unknown given the flare-up in trade frictions with the United States.

About five dozen representatives from 33 countries accepted the FAA's invitation to attend the regulators' conference in Texas.&nbsp;

Elwell said the closed-door meeting involved "frank questions and a frank discussion," adding that his counterparts wanted "clarifications" on US procedures.

Regaining public trust will take time, according to opinion polls conducted by Southwest showing that many passengers are not yet ready to get back aboard a 737 MAX jet. And pilots also have qualms.

"Before the Boeing MAX's return to service, we need answers and transparency," the European Cockpit Association said Thursday in a statement.

The organization, which represents 38,000 pilots from 36 countries, said it was "deeply disturbing" that the FAA and Boeing were considering a return to service while not disclosing "the many challenging questions prompted by the MAX design philosophy."

Beyond Boeing's reputation, the 737 MAX crisis comes at a major financial cost, given that the plane represented 80 per cent of the company's order backlog as of the end of last month.

The company, which has suspended deliveries, is only paid at the moment of delivery and will have to indemnify air carriers for losses.

Civil aviation regulators from around the world failed to make a determination Thursday on when Boeing's popular 737 MAX aircraft can return to the skies after being grounded following two deadly crashes.

Civil aviation regulators from around the world failed to make a determination Thursday on when Boeing's popular 737 MAX aircraft can return to the skies after being grounded following two deadly crashes. "The only timetable is to make sure the aircraft is safe to fly," Daniel Elwell, acting head of the US Federal Aviation Administration, said at the conclusion of the day-long meeting in Texas. There was "enthusiastic agreement to continue the dialogue," he said, but acknowledged that "each country has to make its own decision." "If they unground relatively close to when we unground I think it would help with public confidence," Elwell said while adding that: "We can't be driven by some arbitrary timeline." Until the 737 MAX crashes in Ethiopia in March and Indonesia in October which left a combined 346 people dead, the common practice was that air regulators would follow the assessment of the agency overseeing the model, in this case, the FAA. On Wednesday, Elwell threw cold water on hopes of a speedy resolution, after revealing that Boeing had held off submitting a proposed software fix for review after his agency raised additional questions. Investigators have focused on the MAX's anti-stall Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System in inquiries into the two deadly crashes. Boeing last week said the MCAS update was ready for the certification process, and US airlines were hoping the planes could be back in the skies in time for part of the summer travel season. But Elwell on Thursday said the process could take one month, two months or longer. "It is all determined by what we find in our analysis of the application," he said on CNBC. Once Boeing has submitted all documentation, the FAA will conduct a test flight and detailed analysis to evaluate the safety of the software. Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst at Teal Group, said Boeing wants to avoid having to repeat the process. "There's a lot at stake in terms of the first impression by the world's regulators," he told AFP. US air carriers that operate the 737 MAX, including American Airlines, Southwest and United, have said they hope to have the planes flying again by mid-August at the latest. But the FAA's reputation has taken a beating since the March crash and faced accusations of an overly cosy relationship with the aviation giant. Other aviation authorities now appear less likely to follow the US agency. Michel Merluzeau of Air Insight Research said American officials could end the 737 MAX's grounding toward the end of summer, with authorities in other countries following suit "several months" later. "We're headed for a return to service that could drag on in time," he said. 'Frank discussion' Elwell said regulators also have yet to decide on changes to pilot training once the adjustments have been approved. The United States has differed with a number of countries on this issue, including Canada. Washington believes training on computers or tablets is sufficient for seasoned pilots but Ottawa wants to require training on flight simulators. The European Aviation Safety Agency, Canada and Brazil are among countries saying they will conduct their own evaluations of the MCAS fix. What China, the first country to ground the 737 MAX, will do is also an unknown given the flare-up in trade frictions with the United States. About five dozen representatives from 33 countries accepted the FAA's invitation to attend the regulators' conference in Texas. Elwell said the closed-door meeting involved "frank questions and a frank discussion," adding that his counterparts wanted "clarifications" on US procedures. Regaining public trust will take time, according to opinion polls conducted by Southwest showing that many passengers are not yet ready to get back aboard a 737 MAX jet. And pilots also have qualms. "Before the Boeing MAX's return to service, we need answers and transparency," the European Cockpit Association said Thursday in a statement. The organization, which represents 38,000 pilots from 36 countries, said it was "deeply disturbing" that the FAA and Boeing were considering a return to service while not disclosing "the many challenging questions prompted by the MAX design philosophy." Beyond Boeing's reputation, the 737 MAX crisis comes at a major financial cost, given that the plane represented 80 per cent of the company's order backlog as of the end of last month. The company, which has suspended deliveries, is only paid at the moment of delivery and will have to indemnify air carriers for losses.

Regulators fail to set date for 737 MAX return to service

&nbsp;The US&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-wins-confidence-of-shareholders-prepares-for-key-737-max-test-flight-214795&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjR_fP-lPrhAhUp6XMBHZHCDpQQFjAIegQIBhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3E-kIagrnOTgVkTltke7fT">Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)</a> on Tuesday evening issued an order prohibiting US&nbsp;air operators from flying below 26,000 feet in Venezuela`s airspace until further notice, citing "increasing political instability and tensions".

The FAA notice said any air operators currently in Venezuela, which would include private jets, should depart within 48 hours.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Tuesday made his strongest call yet to the military to help him oust President Nicolas Maduro but there were no concrete signs of defection from the armed forces' leadership.

American Airlines Group Inc in March said it was indefinitely suspending its flights to Venezuela, as the country continued to struggle with political turmoil and unrest.

OPSGROUP, which provides safety guidance to air operators, said options for those choosing to avoid Venezuelan airspace would include routes west via Colombia or east via Guyana.

"The (FAA) order comes on a day of an information battle waged between Maduro and Guaido, and although the coup status is uncertain, one thing is clear: taking your aircraft to Venezuela is not a good idea," OPSGROUP said on its website.

Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 on Tuesday evening showed some flights between South America and Europe were crossing Venezuelan airspace, but at altitudes above 26,000 feet.

Early on Tuesday, several dozen armed troops accompanying Guaido clashed with soldiers supporting Maduro at a rally in Caracas, and large anti-government protests in the streets turned violent.

Venezuelans were expected to again take to the streets on Wednesday for what Guaido pledged would be the "largest march" in the country`s history.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday evening issued an order prohibiting US air operators from flying below 26,000 feet in Venezuela`s airspace until further notice, citing "increasing political instability and tensions".

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday evening issued an order prohibiting US air operators from flying below 26,000 feet in Venezuela`s airspace until further notice, citing "increasing political instability and tensions". The FAA notice said any air operators currently in Venezuela, which would include private jets, should depart within 48 hours. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on Tuesday made his strongest call yet to the military to help him oust President Nicolas Maduro but there were no concrete signs of defection from the armed forces' leadership. American Airlines Group Inc in March said it was indefinitely suspending its flights to Venezuela, as the country continued to struggle with political turmoil and unrest. OPSGROUP, which provides safety guidance to air operators, said options for those choosing to avoid Venezuelan airspace would include routes west via Colombia or east via Guyana. "The (FAA) order comes on a day of an information battle waged between Maduro and Guaido, and although the coup status is uncertain, one thing is clear: taking your aircraft to Venezuela is not a good idea," OPSGROUP said on its website. Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 on Tuesday evening showed some flights between South America and Europe were crossing Venezuelan airspace, but at altitudes above 26,000 feet. Early on Tuesday, several dozen armed troops accompanying Guaido clashed with soldiers supporting Maduro at a rally in Caracas, and large anti-government protests in the streets turned violent. Venezuelans were expected to again take to the streets on Wednesday for what Guaido pledged would be the "largest march" in the country`s history.

FAA bans low flights over Venezuela's airspace, citing political instability

A review by a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-i-were-boeing-i-would-fix-737-max-and-rebrand-the-plane-with-a-new-name-trump-210614">US</a> Federal Aviation Administration panel into Boeing Co's grounded 737 MAX aircraft found a planned software update and training revisions to be "operationally suitable," the agency said Tuesday, an important milestone in getting the planes back in the air.

More than 300 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeings-737-max-aircraft-what-comes-next-203786">Boeing 737 MAX jets</a> have been<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/american-airlines-cancels-115-flights-daily-over-boeing-737-max-until-august-210442"> grounded </a>worldwide after nearly 350 people died in two crashes, one in Indonesia in October and another in Ethiopia last month.

Boeing has been announced a planned software update on the 737 MAX to prevent erroneous data from triggering an anti-stall system known as MCAS that is under scrutiny following the two disastrous nose-down crashes.

The draft report from the Flight Standardization Board (FSB) appointed by the FAA, which includes pilots, engineers and other experts, said additional training was needed for MCAS, but not required to be done in a simulator. The board said ground training "must address system description, functionality, associated failure conditions, and flight crew alerting." The public has until April 30 to make comments.

The panel evaluated the software update to MCAS for "training and checking differences determination," the report said. "The MCAS system was found to be operationally suitable."

Boeing shares closed up 1.7 per cent after the news.

Boeing is under pressure to upgrade the software and convince global regulators that the plane is safe to fly again, a process expected to take at least 90 days.

Despite the stock rebound, investors were advised on Tuesday by the proxy firms Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis to press the company to vote for a shareholder proposal to split the role of chairman and chief executive.

ISS said uncertainty about the long-term impact on Boeing related to safety problems with the 737 MAX was serious enough to merit having an independent board chair.

"Shareholders would benefit from the most robust form of independent oversight to ensure that the company's management is able to regain the confidence of regulators, customers and other key stakeholders, ISS said in a report ahead of Boeing's annual shareholders meeting April 29.

Glass Lewis also recommended investors vote to remove from the board the head of Boeing's audit committee, Lawrence Kellner. Kellner is the former chair and chief executive of Continental Airlines.

Glass Lewis said the two crashes "indicate a potential lapse in the board's oversight of risk management. We believe the audit committee should have taken a more proactive role in identifying the risks associated with the 737 Max 8 aircraft."

Boeing said in a statement it "has a strong, actively engaged board, which brings a high level of expertise, dedication and commitment to its oversight function, including with respect to the safety of the 737 MAX and our other airplane programs."

The FAA still must approve the software package and training once Boeing formally submits them to the agency, an FAA spokesman said.

Boeing said earlier this month it planned to submit a software upgrade and additional training for the anti-stall system known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) on the planes to the FAA in the coming weeks for approval.

A review by a US Federal Aviation Administration panel into Boeing Co's grounded 737 MAX aircraft found a planned software update and training revisions to be "operationally suitable," the agency said Tuesday, an important milestone in getting the planes back in the air.

A review by a US Federal Aviation Administration panel into Boeing Co's grounded 737 MAX aircraft found a planned software update and training revisions to be "operationally suitable," the agency said Tuesday, an important milestone in getting the planes back in the air. More than 300 Boeing 737 MAX jets have been grounded worldwide after nearly 350 people died in two crashes, one in Indonesia in October and another in Ethiopia last month. Boeing has been announced a planned software update on the 737 MAX to prevent erroneous data from triggering an anti-stall system known as MCAS that is under scrutiny following the two disastrous nose-down crashes. The draft report from the Flight Standardization Board (FSB) appointed by the FAA, which includes pilots, engineers and other experts, said additional training was needed for MCAS, but not required to be done in a simulator. The board said ground training "must address system description, functionality, associated failure conditions, and flight crew alerting." The public has until April 30 to make comments. The panel evaluated the software update to MCAS for "training and checking differences determination," the report said. "The MCAS system was found to be operationally suitable." Boeing shares closed up 1.7 per cent after the news. Boeing is under pressure to upgrade the software and convince global regulators that the plane is safe to fly again, a process expected to take at least 90 days. Despite the stock rebound, investors were advised on Tuesday by the proxy firms Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis to press the company to vote for a shareholder proposal to split the role of chairman and chief executive. ISS said uncertainty about the long-term impact on Boeing related to safety problems with the 737 MAX was serious enough to merit having an independent board chair. "Shareholders would benefit from the most robust form of independent oversight to ensure that the company's management is able to regain the confidence of regulators, customers and other key stakeholders, ISS said in a report ahead of Boeing's annual shareholders meeting April 29. Glass Lewis also recommended investors vote to remove from the board the head of Boeing's audit committee, Lawrence Kellner. Kellner is the former chair and chief executive of Continental Airlines. Glass Lewis said the two crashes "indicate a potential lapse in the board's oversight of risk management. We believe the audit committee should have taken a more proactive role in identifying the risks associated with the 737 Max 8 aircraft." Boeing said in a statement it "has a strong, actively engaged board, which brings a high level of expertise, dedication and commitment to its oversight function, including with respect to the safety of the 737 MAX and our other airplane programs." The FAA still must approve the software package and training once Boeing formally submits them to the agency, an FAA spokesman said. Boeing said earlier this month it planned to submit a software upgrade and additional training for the anti-stall system known as Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) on the planes to the FAA in the coming weeks for approval.

Boeing 737 MAX software upgrade 'operationally suitable': FAA panel

Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Saturday recommended to its South Korean customers that they stop using the Galaxy Note 7 phone, which the company is currently recalling because its batteries are prone to catching fire. 
 
Samsung, in a statement posted online, said it would offer rental phones to Korean customers who turn in their Galaxy Note 7&#39;s and reiterated that it plans to have a &quot;safe&quot; Galaxy Note 7 ready to give to customers affected by the recall starting September 19. 
 
In the wake of reports that the phone&#39;s batteries have caught fire during charging and normal use, the American safety agency the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Friday that it is working with Samsung to recall the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones.&nbsp;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
U.S. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GalaxyNote7?src=hash">#GalaxyNote7</a> Exchange Program update: We ask you to power down your Note7 &amp; return to where purchased. Info: <a href="https://t.co/b2mC7RIFip">https://t.co/b2mC7RIFip</a>.
&mdash; Samsung Mobile US (@SamsungMobileUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamsungMobileUS/status/774416839925522433">September 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
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The warning comes after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told air travellers not to switch on or charge the Note 7 -- as it may explode -- during flights. 
 
Last week, the South Korean company issued a recall for 10 markets, including South Korea and the United States, after reports of the smartphone&#39;s battery catching fire.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, customers in the US are being allowed to exchange their Galaxy Note 7&#39;s for one of the company&#39;s other models along with a $25 gift card.&nbsp; 
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<h5>As many as 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones have been sold worldwide and it is being speculated that the cost of recall is going to be massive.&nbsp;</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=As many as 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones have been sold worldwide and it is being speculated that the cost of recall is going to be massive.?" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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As many as 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones have been sold worldwide and the cost of recall is expected to be massive.&nbsp; 
 
Product liability expert and chief executive officer of Real-World Forensic Engineering, Jahan Rasty told Reuters: &quot;The cost of the recall is going to be astronomical. They have to compensate people, fix the problem and give them a revised version of the product that doesn&#39;t have the same manufacturing or design defect.&quot; 
 
&quot;The longer this story lingers, the more it will etch itself in people&#39;s minds,&quot; he added. 
&nbsp; 
No Samsung Galaxy Note 7 onboard&nbsp; 
 
The world&#39;s three largest airlines by passenger traffic - American, Delta and United - had earlier told passengers at the gate and on board aircraft to keep the phones switched off until they deplane, according to an AFP report. 
 
Singapore Airlines Ltd, Qantas Airways Ltd and Air France KLM SA had issued similar bans. Taiwan&#39;s two biggest airlines, China Airlines and EVA Airways, have also barred usage of the phone on flights.&nbsp; 
 
This is the latest effort by the aviation industry to manage the use of lithium-ion batteries, which are prone to combustion, but are used in a number of devices including phones and laptops. 
 
The FAA released a report in January stating at least 171 incidents of smoke, fire, heating or explosion of batteries since 1991, said an AFP report.&nbsp; 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Meanwhile, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said yesterday it is working with Samsung to recall the Note 7 smartphones

Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Saturday recommended to its South Korean customers that they stop using the Galaxy Note 7 phone, which the company is currently recalling because its batteries are prone to catching fire. Samsung, in a statement posted online, said it would offer rental phones to Korean customers who turn in their Galaxy Note 7's and reiterated that it plans to have a "safe" Galaxy Note 7 ready to give to customers affected by the recall starting September 19. In the wake of reports that the phone's batteries have caught fire during charging and normal use, the American safety agency the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Friday that it is working with Samsung to recall the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. U.S. #GalaxyNote7 Exchange Program update: We ask you to power down your Note7 & return to where purchased. Info: https://t.co/b2mC7RIFip. — Samsung Mobile US (@SamsungMobileUS) September 10, 2016 The warning comes after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told air travellers not to switch on or charge the Note 7 -- as it may explode -- during flights. Last week, the South Korean company issued a recall for 10 markets, including South Korea and the United States, after reports of the smartphone's battery catching fire. Meanwhile, customers in the US are being allowed to exchange their Galaxy Note 7's for one of the company's other models along with a $25 gift card. As many as 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones have been sold worldwide and it is being speculated that the cost of recall is going to be massive. As many as 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 smartphones have been sold worldwide and the cost of recall is expected to be massive. Product liability expert and chief executive officer of Real-World Forensic Engineering, Jahan Rasty told Reuters: "The cost of the recall is going to be astronomical. They have to compensate people, fix the problem and give them a revised version of the product that doesn't have the same manufacturing or design defect." "The longer this story lingers, the more it will etch itself in people's minds," he added. No Samsung Galaxy Note 7 onboard The world's three largest airlines by passenger traffic - American, Delta and United - had earlier told passengers at the gate and on board aircraft to keep the phones switched off until they deplane, according to an AFP report. Singapore Airlines Ltd, Qantas Airways Ltd and Air France KLM SA had issued similar bans. Taiwan's two biggest airlines, China Airlines and EVA Airways, have also barred usage of the phone on flights. This is the latest effort by the aviation industry to manage the use of lithium-ion batteries, which are prone to combustion, but are used in a number of devices including phones and laptops. The FAA released a report in January stating at least 171 incidents of smoke, fire, heating or explosion of batteries since 1991, said an AFP report. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Now, Samsung tells Korean customers to stop using Galaxy Note 7

The US Federal Aviation Administration restricted airspace over Dallas after gunmen shot at least 11 police officers in the Texan city, killing four during a protest over police shootings of black men. 
 
&quot;No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM,&quot; the FAA Notice to Airmen read. 
 
&quot;Only relief aircraft operations under direction of Dallas Police Department are authorised in the airspace,&quot; it added.&nbsp; 
 
The restrictions, which are due to last from 0335 to 1130 GMT cover a radius of 2.5 nautical miles. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
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'Only relief aircraft operations under direction of Dallas Police Department are authorised in the airspace'

The US Federal Aviation Administration restricted airspace over Dallas after gunmen shot at least 11 police officers in the Texan city, killing four during a protest over police shootings of black men. "No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM," the FAA Notice to Airmen read. "Only relief aircraft operations under direction of Dallas Police Department are authorised in the airspace," it added. The restrictions, which are due to last from 0335 to 1130 GMT cover a radius of 2.5 nautical miles. (AFP)

US aviation authorities restrict flights over Dallas in wake of deadly shooting

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