US getting near-daily reports of drones flying near aircraft without permission

Sharp increase reported in drone sightings near airports and close to aircraft without the authorisation required by the FAA. (www.theguardian.com) More...

Remote-controlled passenger flights 5 years away, CEO says

You may not have heard about it, but a 4,100-pound twin-propeller experimental airplane called the Centaur was flight-tested this month at a Federal Aviation Administration-designated site in Rome, New York. The Centaur flew with no pilot in the cockpit, becoming the first large-scale fixed wing unmanned aircraft to fly at an FAA-approved test site, according to Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., which makes the Centaur. (www.cnn.com) More...

One fire fighting air tanker crashes and one has landing malfunction

One air tanker crashes, killing two; another makes emergency landing. Both were fighting wildfires in Utah and California. All P2V air tankers are grounded as a result. Links to videos of the emergency landing and news sources included. (wildfiretoday.com) More...

Flight from Texas to Germany delayed by bees

Some unusual travelers caused a delay for one American Airlines flight. The travelers were hundreds of bees, found by a cargo crew under the right wing of a Boeing 767 that landed at Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport Wednesday. (www.freep.com) More...

MH370: debris found in Mozambique 'almost certainly' from missing plane

Debris found in Mozambique is “almost certainly” from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, the Australian government has confirmed, fuelling belief that the remains of the plane will be found in the coming months. (www.theguardian.com) More...

Crash: how computers are setting us up for disaster

We increasingly let computers fly planes and carry out security checks. Driverless cars are next. But is our reliance on automation dangerously diminishing our skills? (www.theguardian.com) More...

Angry Ryanair pilot

A Ryanair flight from Italy tries to insist on landing at Eindhoven during one of the ceremonies for repatriating remains from MH17. He didn't succeed. The Dutch Defense Ministry stated that all airlines had been informed that the airport would be closed from 15.45 to 16.30 hrs. Scroll down to video at bottom -- recording is not great quality. (www.ad.nl) More...

Jet carrying Michigan basketball team had mechanical issue before failed takeoff

The National Transportation Safety Board says a mechanical issue was found on the jet carrying the University of Michigan basketball team that aborted takeoff and skidded into a field on March 8. In an update on Wednesday, the department revealed a mechanical issue was found on the aircraft during the ongoing investigation - a damaged component of the airplane's right elevator. (www.mlive.com) More...

Orlando victim's grandmother gets stunning show of support

Jetblue crew member Kelly Davis Karas decided that the woman, though grieving alone, could not leave the plane without knowing the world was with her. Karas passed around a piece of paper for passengers to sign so their words might ease the grandmother's aching heart. (www.cnn.com) More...

Retired lawyer sues Israeli airline after she was asked to move seat

Renee Rabinowitz, 81, who fled Nazis as a child, says ultra-Orthodox Jew objected to sitting next to a woman on El Al flight (www.theguardian.com) More...