Flight Safety Information - August 21

, 2026 No. 164

In This Issue

: Benchmark your fleet against industry segments with interactive, real-time insights tailored to the airports, routes, charter segments, and metrics that matter most.

: Incident: China West A319 at Lhasa on Aug 20th 2026, rejected takeoff

: SFO Selects ProSafeT

: Incident: United B763 at Geneva on Aug 20th 2026, engine shut down in flight

: Incident: France B773 at New York on Aug 19th 2026, bird strike

: Incident: Malaysia A333 at Tokyo on Aug 20th 2026, rejected takeoff due to engine failure

: Cessna 441 Conquest II - Fatal Accident (Alaska)

: Plane Carrying Nearly 300 People Veers Off Runway, Strikes Tail on Ground During Takeoff: Reports

: Lufthansa jet headed to US makes unscheduled stop in Scotland

: Both pilots of A320 plane fall asleep at 36,000 feet

: Man Ingested By Frontier Airlines Engine Was Denver’s 6th Airfield Security Breach In 3 Years

: Swiss student team prepares its 125-mile hydrogen fuel-cell aircraft for maiden flight

: Airbus unveils A350F test aircraft in packaging livery

: United Completes Phase One Expansion of World's Largest Pilot Training Facility

: Qantas Donates Retired Fokker F100

: Calendar of Events

Incident: China West A319 at Lhasa on Aug 20th 2026, rejected takeoff

A China West Air Airbus A319-100, registration B-6420 performing flight PN-6272 from Lhasa to Chongqing (China), was accelerating for takeoff from Lhasa's runway 10L when the crew rejected takeoff at high speed (about 130 knots over ground) observing the aircraft wasn't accelerating and concluding they might experience a wind shear. The aircraft slowed safely, vacated the runway and stopped clear of the runway. Both left main tyres were found burst.

The flight was cancelled.

The aircraft is still on the ground in Lhasa about 10 hours after the rejected takeoff.

https://avherald.com/h?article=53e1a782&opt=0

Incident: United B763 at Geneva on Aug 20th 2026, engine shut down in flight

A United Boeing 767-300, registration N686UA performing flight UA-957 from Geneva (Switzerland) to Newark,NJ (USA), was climbing through about FL230 out of Geneva's runway 22 when the left hand engine emitted loud noise and was shut down. The aircraft returned to Geneva for a safe landing on runway 22 about 40 minutes after departure.

A passenger reported a rumbling noise from the left hand side as well as some smell of burning plastics. After landing the captain announced that the left hand engine had "blown".

https://avherald.com/h?article=53e19e5c&opt=0

Incident: France B773 at New York on Aug 19th 2026, bird strike

An Air France Boeing 777-300, registration F-GZNT performing flight AF-5 from New York JFK,NY (USA) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), departed JFK's runway 13R when the crew reported a possible bird strike and requested a runway inspection. The crew subsequently donned their oxygen masks and reported they had a burning smell in the cockpit. The crew was told the runway inspection did not find any debris on the runway. The aircraft stopped the climb at about 15000 feet and turned back towards JFK. The crew then declared PAN PAN. The aircraft landed on JFK's runway 22L about 25 minutes after departure, vacated the runway and stopped clear of the runway. About 30 minutes later the aircraft taxied to the apron.

The aircraft is still on the ground in New York about 16 hours after landing.

https://avherald.com/h?article=53e17ac0&opt=0

Incident: Malaysia A333 at Tokyo on Aug 20th 2026, rejected takeoff due to engine failure

A Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330-300, registration 9M-MTK performing flight MH-89 from Tokyo Narita (Japan) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), was accelerating for takeoff from Narita's runway 16R when the crew rejected takeoff at low speed (about 30 knots over ground) due to the left engine (PW4168) emitting flames and smoke and losing thrust causing the aircraft to veer left, the pilots managed to keep the aircraft within the runway and return onto the center line. The aircraft stopped on the runway, emergency services responded. The aircraft remained on the runway for about one hour before returning to the apron.

The airline reported a technical malfunction, the flight was cancelled. Alternative travel arrangements are prepared for the passengers.

VIDEO

https://avherald.com/h?article=53e170bb&opt=0

Cessna 441 Conquest II - Fatal Accident (Alaska)

Date: Thursday 20 August 2026

Time: c. 11:45 LT

Type: Cessna 441 Conquest II

Owner/operator: Security Aviation

Registration: N128EZ

MSN: 441-0128

Year of manufacture: 1979

Fatalities: Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8

Other fatalities: 0

Aircraft damage: Destroyed

Category: Accident

Location: near Cape Newenham Airport, AK (EHM/PAEH) - United States of America

Phase: Approach

Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi

Departure airport: Anchorage-Ted Stevens International Airport, AK (ANC/PANC)

Destination airport: Cape Newenham Airport, AK (EHM/PAEH)

Investigating agency: NTSB

Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:

A Security Aviation Cessna 441 Conquest II, N128EZ, crashed near Cape Newenham Airport (EHM), Alaska. There are believed to be no survivors among the eight occupants.

The airport is located at the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site. The flight had been chartered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

https://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/577225

Plane Carrying Nearly 300 People Veers Off Runway, Strikes Tail on Ground During Takeoff: Reports

The Vietnam Airlines jet reportedly circled Munich Airport for two hours on Saturday, Aug. 15, before landing safely

A Boeing 787 carrying 271 passengers and 16 crew reportedly veered off the end of a runway and struck its tail on the ground while taking off at Munich Airport on Saturday, Aug. 15

The crew then spent two hours circling to dump fuel and make the aircraft lighter before bringing it back down on the runway

German and Vietnamese authorities are investigating the incident to determine the cause and prevent future occurrences

A Boeing 787 carrying nearly 300 people narrowly avoided disaster when it veered off the end of the runway and hit its tail on the ground.

The Vietnam Airlines jet was scheduled to leave Munich, Germany at 1:35 p.m. local time on Saturday, Aug. 15, and arrive in Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, at 5:20 a.m. the following morning, per Flightradar24.

As the plane accelerated down the runway, it unexpectedly stopped gaining speed before accelerating again, U.K. newspaper The Times reported. The pilots noticed the speed dropping a second time, but by then the aircraft had traveled too far down the runway to safely abort takeoff.

The aircraft veered off the runway before it became airborne, creating a huge dust cloud and heading toward trees as the crew tried to get its nose in the air. The pilots eventually managed to get the plane airborne, per video footage circulating online.

The crew then spent around two hours circling and dumping fuel to make the aircraft lighter for landing, The Times reported. They also made a number of low passes for ground crew to visually inspect the landing gear before they were able to bring the plane back down on the runway.

The main landing gear was badly damaged and four tires burst, but all 271 passengers and 16 crew survived the ordeal without injury, reported The Times.

According to Vietnam News, a preliminary report from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam also found multiple scratches on the underside of the rear fuselage and torn outer skin.

Three captains and a first officer were on board the flight, and German investigators are analyzing their actions and "technical aspects" of the aircraft to determine what caused the loss of acceleration and late braking, The Times reported.

Vietnam Airlines said in a statement, via Reuters, that the flight returned to Munich after takeoff due to a "technical issue" and added that the crew had followed all required procedures and landed safely but did not provide further details.

Munich Airport told the agency that the plane wasn't able to taxi off the north runway under its own power, prompting the closure of the runway and a rerouting of traffic.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

According to Vietnamese newspaper Nhân Dân, the country's Ministry of Construction requested the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam and Vietnam Airlines cooperate with the German authorities to clarify the cause of the incident and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

PEOPLE reached out to Vietnam Airlines, Munich Airport, the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation in Germany and the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam for comment but did not immediately hear back.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/plane-carrying-nearly-300-people-104748118.html

Lufthansa jet headed to US makes unscheduled stop in Scotland

A Lufthansa aircraft made an unscheduled landing in Scotland on Thursday while en route from Frankfurt to Chicago in the United States.

The reason was a medical emergency on board, Lufthansa confirmed when asked. RTL had previously reported the incident. According to the airline, there were 358 passengers on board the Boeing 747-8.

"Due to the medical urgency, an in-flight medical emergency was declared," a spokeswoman said. A "priority landing" was arranged so that the passenger could be taken to an emergency doctor as quickly as possible. The jet landed safely in Glasgow.

Originally, the flight to Chicago was supposed to continue once the unwell passenger was attended to and the aircraft had been refuelled.

But Lufthansa later said that the flight could not go ahead due to the long layover in Glasgow. This meant that the crew would exceed their statutory working hours.

"LH430 is returning to Frankfurt, where the flight will end," a spokesperson said. Passengers are to be rebooked onto other flights.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/lufthansa-jet-headed-us-makes-150345989.html

Both pilots of A320 plane fall asleep at 36,000 feet

The two pilots of a Batik Air Flight 6723 fell asleep at the same time while 36,000 feet in the air, sending their 153 passengers miles off course and making them unreachable on the radio.

While routine fitness checks were carried out that cleared both pilots to fly, the incident still occurred, which put the passengers at risk.

Before every flight, a pilot undergoes a rigorous fitness inspection, checking their heart rate, blood pressure, eyesight and general health. By those measure both of them seemed the picture of physical health, and they almost certainly were. However, these checks did not account for sleep.

An investigation by the Indonesian transport safety commission revealed that the flight’s co-pilot was badly sleep-deprived. This was due to a combination of month-old twins and a house move, meaning that, while he’d had 53 hours off before this particular flight, he’d spend the majority of them watching over his kids and the move. Thus, he arrived back on the job in dire need of rest.

This is nothing new. In fact, one of the many reasons that long-distance flights like this one have two pilots is so that one of them can have a brief rest if necessary.

However, on this flight, the captain was the first to ask for a rest, leaving controls to the exhausted co-pilot. He took over, then promptly fell asleep himself.

Both pilots were quite literally asleep at the wheel for 28 minutes, sending the aircraft off course. Yet the danger wasn’t necessarily crashing. The plane was on autopilot and barely wobbled the entire time its pilots were out cold. The 153 passengers wouldn’t have had any idea that anything was wrong.

The danger comes from the fact that the plane was off course and uncontactable in busy airspace. The pilots received a number of radio messages about getting back on course. They ignored radio messages as the aircraft drifted towards flight paths reserved for other planes.

Fortunately, the pilots woke before anything could go catastrophically wrong. They were still suspended and grounded by Batik Air, which received a strong official reprimand from the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation.

They have since expanded their pre-flight pilot checks to include fatigue and mental stress so that accidents like this won’t happen again.

https://dangerousminds.net/weird-news/both-pilots-a320-plane-fall-asleep-at-36000-feet/

Man Ingested By Frontier Airlines Engine Was Denver’s 6th Airfield Security Breach In 3 Years

The fatal May 8 incident at Denver International Airport( DEN) was the sixth airfield security breach at the busy Colorado airport in the last three years. In May, Matthew Mott gained unauthorized access to the secure grounds of the airport before being fatally struck by a Frontier Airlines aircraft during its takeoff roll.

The incident, which was declared a suicide, saw the Frontier Airbus A321neo strike the individual, where passengers reported a loud impact. The plane experienced an engine malfunction and fire. Passengers and crew were subsequently deplaned and rebooked onto a replacement flight. Mott was declared dead at the scene.

Six Airfield Security Breaches In The Last Three Years

According to The Denver Post, there have been a total of six known trespassers at Denver since 2023. While the May 8 incident was the most fatal, other events have shown there has been intentional damage, such as when a man crashed through the perimeter fence gate. Other incidents have seen a man jumping at the fence after crashing his car nearby and being found sitting on the taxiway early in the morning.

Another incident was a deranged individual who had climbed the fence and told authorities he was 'walking to Texas,' more than 900 miles (1,440 km) away. While the number may seem alarming, these security breaches are happening more frequently, raising questions about the airport's detection and security parameters.

Fatal incidents, such as the May crash that killed Mott, are somewhat rare, according to Annmarie Heth, an assistant professor of aviation and aerospace sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Advanced airport security measures usually catch trespassers before fatal incidents occur; however, if someone is intent on getting over or through a fence, they will.

No National Database For Airport Security Breaches

Among the six airport security breaches and eight known trespassers, two reportedly had active arrest warrants at the time of the breach. These have included a failure to appear in Denver court on traffic charges or motor vehicle theft. The report involving Mott's death continues to be under investigation. However, the fatal May incident is now spotlighting how trespassing incidents are reported, since there is no national database.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintains a record of runway incursions at airports within traffic control towers, which occur when planes, vehicles, and people are in the 'wrong place at the wrong time'. FAA incursions include ATC errors where there was no sufficient space between aircraft or obstacles on the runway, pilot actions, or pedestrians or vehicles entering runways or taxiways without appropriate clearance.

Of the six incidents, only two are documented by DEN at the time they appear in the FAA database; overall, the database shows 37 incidents involving unauthorized vehicles and pedestrians over the last two decades, back to April 2006.

“We Can Respond Faster”: How Miami International Airport Is Tightening Airfield Security

The system creates security net around by combining fiber optic sensors, laser walls, radar technologies, and video surveillance.

What Happens When Someone Breaches An Airport Perimeter Fence?

A breach of the airport perimeter fence usually triggers an immediate, multilayered security response to protect the airfield and those within it. This can disrupt operations, and if authorities locate the perpetrator, it could lead to severe legal consequences.

Most airports use Perimeter Intrusion Detection Systems (PIDS), which flag breaches through fiber-optic fence sensors and ground-based radars or thermal imaging cameras. This triggers an alarm sent to the airport security command center. Security teams will activate and notify local law enforcement to then track down the intruders' location.

After a breach, airfield operations may be halted, and incoming flights may be forced into holding patterns or diverted to other airports, resulting in costs for airlines and airport operators of hundreds of thousands (maybe even millions) in lost revenue or operational costs.

https://simpleflying.com/man-ingested-frontier-airlines-engine-denver-6th-air-field-security-breach-3-years/

Swiss student team prepares its 125-mile hydrogen fuel-cell aircraft for maiden flight

Having previously designed a fully electric aircraft, the team has now developed a hydrogen fuel-cell aircraft for increased range and duration.

A Swiss student engineering team has moved another step closer to flying its hydrogen fuel-cell aircraft after moving its H2-Sling demonstrator plane to Payerne Airport (VIP) in Switzerland for final preparations ahead of its first flight.

The transfer means the project has now entered the final stage of preparations before the student team can attempt to demonstrate its aircraft in actual flight safely. The H2-Sling is based on a Sling High Wing airframe and uses a hydrogen-electric powertrain instead of an internal-combustion engine for propulsion.

CELLSIUS prepares for the first flight of its H2-Sling aircraft

The aircraft was developed and built by CELLSIUS Aero, a multi-skilled student organisation affiliated with ETH Zurich, a higher education institution based in Zurich, Switzerland. The H2-Sling is designed to demonstrate that hydrogen-electric propulsion can expand the capabilities of small zero-emission aircraft beyond what the team previously achieved using batteries alone.

As reported by Fuel Cell Works, the team’s H2-Sling was first unveiled in late 2025 as a fully integrated hydrogen-electric aircraft capable of carrying two people across a range of 125 miles (200km).

During 2026, members of the CELLSIUS team at ETH Zurich have been conducting ground tests with the aircraft, while other members have been working through the legal, organisational and regulatory requirements needed for a maiden flight to proceed.

Earlier in August, the team announced on social media that the aircraft had been transferred from its construction site at Dübendorf to Payerne Airport near Lausanne, where final preparations for the H2-Sling’s maiden flight would be completed.

Although ETH Zurich has not confirmed the timing, local media reports suggest that the first flight could happen by the end of August. With the aircraft now based at an active airfield, observers suggest that this could be a realistic timescale.

The H2-Sling uses fuel cells rather than batteries for propulsion

The H2-Sling has been developed around a Sling high-wing airframe. Its fuel-cell system is rated at 100kW, although CELLSIUS gives maximum propulsion power as 105kW following testing.

Alongside the fuel cells, the aircraft also carries a small 5.6kWh battery, which provides a buffer for changing power requirements instead of acting as the primary energy source.

According to CELLSIUS, hydrogen capacity is 5.2kg, divided between two high-pressure tanks beneath the wings.

The storage pressure is 700 bar. CELLSIUS is targeting a 125-mile (200 km) range, around two hours of flight time and a cruise speed of 100 miles per hour (162km/h). The H2-Sling’s maximum take-off weight is listed at 1,050kg.

The technological architecture of the H2-Sling mirrors that being considered for larger hydrogen-electric aircraft now under development. The fuel cells provide sustained energy production, while the battery manages short-duration changes in power demand, including the greater power requirements during take-off.

The H2-Sling is also providing engineers and regulators with experience using systems that are uncommon in conventional light aviation. These include high-pressure hydrogen storage, leak detection, fuel-cell thermal management, hydrogen shut-off systems and cockpit monitoring of a hybrid fuel-cell/battery drivetrain.

This new propulsion arrangement represents a shift from the team’s earlier efforts to achieve sustainable flight with its fully electric e-Sling aircraft.

That aircraft first flew in 2022 using a fully battery-electric powertrain, which could allow the aircraft to fly 112 miles (180km). The H2-Sling programme became the team’s next challenge, after it said hydrogen offered a way to carry more usable energy without simply adding larger, heavier battery packs.

The H2-Sling recirculates hydrogen to increase range and duration

One technological development of the H2-Sling created by the CELLSIUS team ensures that the aircraft does not waste its limited hydrogen supply. The fuel cell has been designed to receive deliberately more hydrogen than it consumes during each pass, helping maintain stable operating conditions.

Rather than venting unused hydrogen from the anode outlet, the H2-Sling recirculates it through the system.

According to Fuel Cell Works, a TÜV-certified Busch Mink MH blower performs this task, sending unreacted hydrogen back to the fuel-cell inlet, where it mixes with fresh gas from the tanks.

The system is intended to reduce hydrogen consumption and therefore avoid carrying additional storage capacity and weight.

While reducing hydrogen waste, CELLSIUS explained that thermal management created another challenge for the team.

Its fuel cell operates at roughly 50% efficiency, meaning a system producing around 100kW of electricity can also generate roughly 100kW of heat, which must be removed while keeping weight and aerodynamic penalties under control.

The next step for the H2-Sling will be the first flight

According to ETH Zurich, the H2-Sling is the world’s first fully functional student-built hydrogen aircraft. The project won the Swiss Association of Aeronautical Sciences’ Jakob Ackeret Prize for 2025. However, the ultimate test of any aircraft development programme remains its first flight.

The move to Payerne represents the transition towards that milestone. The aircraft was transported by road with its wings removed rather than flown there because development aircraft of this type still require extensive ground testing, preparation, and regulatory approval before flight.

If the aircraft completes a successful first flight, CELLSIUS has said it has a more ambitious demonstration planned. The organisation intends to fly the H2-Sling across the Swiss Alps, using the flight to demonstrate that gaseous-hydrogen fuel cells can deliver useful performance in a real aviation environment.

https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/cellsius-eth-zurich-hydrogen-h2-sling-light-aircraft/

Airbus unveils A350F test aircraft in packaging livery

Airbus has unveiled the livery of its first A350 freighter on a social media post, with the aircraft decked out to look like a parcel.

The paint scheme was selected as part of a competition that attracted 4,000 design entries.

“Its unique livery perfectly reflects the #NewGenFreighter‘s mission: transform air cargo operations,” Airbus said in a LinkedIn post.

“Congratulations to everyone who brought this milestone to life, from the competition winners to our #TeamAirbus experts across branding, engineering and painting teams,” the airframer added.

The aircraft shown in the video is registered as F-WXLD (MSN700). In total, Airbus has built two A350Fs for the test campaign.

The unveiling of the aircraft’s paint scheme comes as the model edges closer to its first flight.

Earlier this week, Reuters reported that the first flight of Airbus’ next-generation A350 freighter was expected to take place towards the end of September.

Quoting industry sources, the newswire said the airframer is hopeful the first flight will take place on around 24 September, although there is always the chance that technical issues or inclement weather could push that date back into October.

In response to questions from Air Cargo News, Airbus said: “The maiden flight is expected later in 2026, followed by the first delivery in the second half of 2027.”

Airbus is hoping to start to deliver the aircraft to customers by the end of next year.

The company is targeting simultaneous certification from EASA and the FAA under the latest Amendment 27 safety regulations.

The airframer said earlier this year that certification is targeted by the middle of next year.

The aircraft will be able to carry up to 111 tonnes of payload with a range of up to 8,700 km. The aircraft will feature the largest maindeck cargo door in the industry, which Airbus says will make it easier to load larger shipments.

https://www.aircargonews.net/freighter-operator/2026/08/airbus-unveils-a350f-test-aircraft-in-packaging-livery/

United Completes Phase One Expansion of World's Largest Pilot Training Facility

Airline's 700,000 sq. ft. Flight Training Center in Denver now includes 82 flight training devices and ability to train up to 860 pilots per day;

Phase two expansion set to begin next year and expected to be operational by 2030;

Expansion reflects airline's continued investment in its fastest-growing hub, including new gates, state-of-the-art United Clubsm locations, and new check-in lobby

United hired more than 1,400 people in Denver last year and plans to add 1,300 more in 2026

DENVER, Aug. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- United and CAE today celebrated the first phase of expansion at the world's largest pilot training facility, adding 40 new CAE training devices (a combination of full-motion and fixed simulators) since 2022.

United's Flight Training Center in Denver now has eight total buildings, nearly 700,000 square feet of training space, the equivalent of 12 football fields, and a total of 86 CAE training devices: 52 state-of-the-art full-motion flight simulators and 34 fixed training devices.

United Completes Phase One Expansion of World's Largest Pilot Training Facility

The airline now can train up to 860 pilots per day and with nearly 18,000 current pilots and continued growth ahead, United already has plans on adding to the training facility. Phase two of the expansion project is expected to break ground next year and be operational before 2030.

United Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby was joined by CAE's President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Bromberg, along with other United and CAE leaders, to celebrate the completion of phase one.

"United pilots are the best aviators in the world, and the pace at which our team has completed this project is an example of making investments that support our high standard of excellence," said Kirby, United's CEO.

"This expansion reflects the strength of a partnership built over more than four decades," said Matthew Bromberg, CAE's President and CEO. "We're proud to support United with the training technology, expertise and reliability needed to prepare pilots at scale and we look forward to supporting its training needs for years to come."

United's Flight Training Center Capabilities

Located in the Central Park neighborhood of Denver, the facility spans 22-acres and is the sole training facility for the airline's nearly 18,000 active pilots and all newly hired pilots. All United pilots complete intensive simulator training with pilot instructors and evaluators during the initial qualification process and every nine months thereafter to maintain their certifications at United's Flight Training Center in Denver.

United's Flight Training Center has 52 full-motion flight simulators and 34 fixed training devices.

The Flight Training Center can conduct more than 32,000 training events annually and train up to 860 pilots per day.

The facility is in operation 24 hours a day for 362 days a year.

In July of 2026, the Denver City Council approved United's rezoning request for two parcels of undeveloped land United purchased in 2023 near Denver International Airport (DEN). United has begun formal site building plans and anticipates groundbreaking on the next phase of the Flight Training Center expansion to begin on the new land in 2027, with the facility expected to be operational around 2030. The airline will operate the additional Flight Training Center in conjunction with its current facility.

Flight Training Center's Local Impact

United invested more than $145 million in the new building that opened in 2024. Following the opening of the new building, United hired employees for more than 300 new jobs. In total, more than 1,600 of United's 11,400+ Denver-based employees work at United's Flight Training Center, representing 24 different departments in roles that include flight instructing, flight evaluating, scheduling, pilot hiring, human resources and flight standards.

In 2025, nearly $40 million was spent on hotel room nights in Denver for pilots visiting the training facility, with an expectation to spend nearly $50 million on hotel room nights in 2026.

United's Flight Training Center was originally constructed between 1966-68 as part of the Stapleton Airport complex and has served as United's main pilot training facility since then. Since 2016, United has invested $370 million in the Flight Training Center overall.

United in Denver

United continues to invest in Denver. As home to its fastest-growing hub, the airline has funneled nearly $1 billion in investments since 2021 to further improve the customer experience at DEN. This includes new gates, state-of-the-art United Club locations, including the largest in the United network to-date, and a new check-in lobby. United hired more than 1,400 people in Denver last year and plans to hire more than 1,300 people in 2026.

United operates the most flights and carries the most passengers in the state compared to any other carrier. This summer, United is operating with an airport-leading average of 570 daily departures from DEN. The airline provides service to more than 200 total destinations, including more than 20 international destinations, from the Mile High City.

Careers Take Flight

United is the career destination of choice for pilots, offering the largest widebody fleet in North America, and the most comprehensive global network and hubs across the U.S. Since announcing its United Next growth strategy in 2021, United has hired more than 9,500 pilots. In 2026, the airline has hired 700 pilots so far, with plans to hire hundreds more this year.

United offers a broad range of paths to the flight deck to ensure that the best pilots can find their opportunity at United:

First Officer hiring – For experienced pilots who meet United's hiring requirements and are ready to fly for the airline now.

Aviate® Program – United's pilot career development program offering aspiring and established pilots the most secure path to a United flight deck.

United Aviate Academy – United's wholly owned flight school, located in Goodyear, Ariz.

United Military Pilot Program – Launched in September 2023, an industry-leading program that gives full-time, active-duty U.S. military pilots access to conditional job offers as a First Officer. Since 2024, nearly 600 military pilots have transitioned to United through the program, with 500 more expected by the end of 2027. Of United's nearly 18,000 pilots, 4,500 are veterans.

About United

At United, Good Leads The Way. With hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers, and is now the largest airline in the world. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".

SOURCE United Airlines

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-completes-phase-one-expansion-of-worlds-largest-pilot-training-facility-302854481.html

Qantas Donates Retired Fokker F100

Qantas this week donated a retired Fokker F100 regional jet to Australia's Historical Aircraft Restoration Society for long-term preservation and display.

The jet, nicknamed "Meekatharra," entered service with QantasLink in 2016 and was the final F100 to be added to the regional carrier's fleet. It was recently flown to Shellharbour Airport, where it was delivered to HARS.

This is the second F100 donated by Qantas to the restoration society; another was delivered to HARS' Parkes Museum in February.

The carrier said Meekatharra will sit alongside Qantas' first Boeing 747- 400, which was donated in 2015. That aircraft, known as "City of Canberra," is one of HARS' most visited attractions.

Qantas is phasing out its F100s in favor of the Embraer E190, which officials described as more reliable, fuel efficient, and comfortable for passengers. The first of the carrier's E190s will be delivered to Perth next month.

"Meekatharra played an important role connecting regional communities across Western Australia for close to a decade, and we're thrilled it will now be preserved by HARS for the future generations of aviation enthusiasts," QantasLink CEO Mark Dal Pra said in a news release.

Introduced in the 1980s, the F100 was for a time a popular regional jet, with operators including American Airlines, US Airways, and Swissair. Most carriers began to retire their F100s in the 2000s, but the type endured in Australia, mainly due to QantasLink and Alliance Airlines. Other current operators include Iran Air and Air Niugini, the flag carrier of Papua New Guinea.

https://www.yahoo.com/travel/news/articles/qantas-donates-retired-fokker-f100-203201978.html