Aviation Safety

SAN CARLOS – – October 29, 2026 -- Beacon AI flew its Murdock AI pilot assistant aboard three operational U.S. Air Force KC-46A Pegasus tankers over five flights and about 20 hours in August and September 2026, under an AFWERX Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) contract with Air Mobility Command (AMC). The company believes it is the first commercially developed AI pilot assistant to fly on multiple operational aircraft.

The flights began during Emerald Flag at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and continued at two more airfields, one of them a civil airport. The aircraft were already assigned to operational units and flown by fleet aircrews, not dedicated test crews.

LAS VEGAS – October 22, 2026 -- Collins Aerospace, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, will start upgrading its radio altimeters at its service centers in 2027, giving business aviation operators a route to meet new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operational standards without replacing existing systems.

Collins upgrades existing altimeter variants instead of requiring replacement

The company is offering simplified upgrade paths for its existing radio altimeter variants. Collins says the upgraded units meet the new FAA requirements and have demonstrated resilience to 5G interference.

Radio altimeters measure an aircraft's height above terrain and feed automatic flight control, cockpit instrument displays and warning systems. Collins designs its units to filter out false altitude returns caused by structures, nearby aircraft or ground features.

Dallas – October 21, 2026 -- Business Jet Services (BJS) has become one of only 20 operators nationwide to receive Federal Aviation Administration acceptance of its Safety Management System (SMS), according to the company.

The acceptance letter was signed on August 9, 2019. BJS says it reflects nearly a decade of work on the system.

BJS manages 14 aircraft, 8 of them on its Part 135 charter certificate

The Dallas Love Field-based operator offers turn-key aircraft management and charter services. It reports significant demand for both. The company has 52 employees, 50% of whom are pilots.

Hangar space at sister company Business Jet Center expands capacity at KDAL

BJS says the recent opening of hangar space at sister company Business Jet Center lets it accommodate more clients bringing aircraft to Dallas Love Field (KDAL).

Olathe, Kan. – October 14, 2026 -- More than 2,500 aircraft are now equipped with Garmin Autoland, just over six years after the system's first certification, Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) announced. The technology is available on more than 15 aircraft models, spanning piston-powered aircraft and twin-engine jets.

Garmin describes Autoland as the world's first certified autonomous system that activates in an emergency to control and land an aircraft without human intervention. It has won the Robert J. Collier Trophy.

Four 2026 certifications extend Autoland into twin-engine jets

Autoland was first certified in May 2020 on the Piper M600 SLS. In 2026 alone, it gained certification on four more models: the HondaJet Elite II, Embraer Phenom 300EV, Pilatus PC-12 PRO and Epic E1000 AX.

Hamilton, ON – October 06, 2026 -- Latitude Air Ambulance has confirmed that all six people aboard its Heartbeat 104 medevac flight, including four company crew members, are presumed dead after the U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search and rescue operation.

Coast Guard releases names of six people aboard the Bermuda-to-Boston medevac flight

The aircraft was flying a medical evacuation route from Bermuda to Boston, Massachusetts, carrying four Latitude employees, a patient and a family escort. The U.S. Coast Guard publicly identified all six individuals on board, while the Bermuda Police Service had earlier released the names of the patient and the family escort.

Hamilton, ON – October 05, 2026 -- Latitude Air Ambulance confirmed on Oct. 4, 2026 that six people aboard its Heartbeat 104 medevac flight, including four company crew members, a patient and a family escort, are presumed dead after the United States Coast Guard ended active search and rescue operations and shifted to recovery efforts.

Heartbeat 104 vanished on a Bermuda-to-Boston medevac route

The aircraft was en route from Bermuda to Boston, Massachusetts, when it went missing, prompting a multi-agency search involving the U.S. Coast Guard, air traffic controllers, and first responders from Canada, the United States and Bermuda.

Company says four crew and two patient-side passengers are presumed lost

Latitude stated that its four crew members, the patient under medical transport, and the patient's family escort were all aboard the aircraft at the time of the incident.

Los Angeles – September 18, 2026 -- Planet Nine Private Air will send executives and operational leaders to four aviation industry events this fall, spanning safety training, market economics, and regional networking.

Company Confirms Attendance at NBAA-BACE, SCAA, CJI Miami and Bombardier Safety Standdown

The private jet management and charter operator's fall 2026 schedule includes the National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the Southern California Aviation Association (SCAA) Golf Tournament, Corporate Jet Investor (CJI) Miami, and the Bombardier Safety Standdown in Wichita, Kansas.

Bombardier Safety Standdown Marks 30th Anniversary Milestone

Planet Nine team members will attend the Wichita seminar, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, to reinforce crew training protocols and safety culture.