FAA Proposes Mandatory Crack Inspections on A330neo Sloping Ribs

The FAA published a proposed airworthiness directive on May 20 requiring repetitive inspections of sloping ribs and slat 1 inboard seals on Airbus A330-841 and A330-941 airframes after crack findings emerged during fleet monitoring. Originating from EASA AD 2025-0179, the proposal targets external surfaces of sloping rib structures where fatigue cracking could affect handling qualities and reduce aircraft controllability. Operators would conduct general visual inspections and, if cracks are confirmed, apply corrective actions per Airbus service documentation. The FAA is accepting public comments through July 6, 2026. No fleet grounding is proposed; the directive reflects ongoing structural fatigue oversight of the A330neo family.

Sources: Federal Register

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US Air Force Grounds Entire T-38 Talon Fleet After Mississippi Crash

The US Air Force implemented a fleet-wide operational pause for all T-38 Talon aircraft on May 20 following a May 12 crash at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, from which both pilots safely ejected. The halt covers T-38s assigned to Air Education and Training Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and Air Force Global Strike Command. A Safety Investigation Board is gathering wreckage evidence to determine the cause before establishing inspection criteria for return-to-flight clearance. Engineering teams are expected to begin inspections as early as this week. The T-38, in service since the 1960s, remains the primary undergraduate pilot training platform pending the T-7A Red Hawk transition.

Sources: The Aviationist

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FAA Deploys $16.5M for Airport Vehicle Transponders to Prevent Runway Incursions

The FAA is deploying $16.5 million in federal funds to equip approximately 1,900 agency-owned ground vehicles at 264 airports with ADS-B-based transponders, accelerating a safety initiative following the March 22, 2026 collision at LaGuardia Airport in which an Air Canada Express jet struck an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting vehicle on the runway. The transponders feed vehicle positions into ASDE-X and Surface Awareness Initiative surveillance displays, giving air traffic controllers real-time ground traffic visibility. The FAA this week also notified airports that Airport Improvement Program grant funding is available for vehicle transponder installation, with more than 50 airports having expressed immediate interest.

Sources: General Aviation News

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GE Aerospace Wins Air Force Contract to Advance GE426 Engine for Autonomous Combat Aircraft

GE Aerospace has been awarded a US Air Force contract to conduct a Preliminary Design Review of the GE426 turbofan engine, advancing propulsion development for the Autonomous Collaborative Platform program targeting medium-thrust uncrewed combat aircraft. The GE426 produces 4,000 to 6,000 pounds of thrust with potential surge capacity to 8,000 to 9,000 pounds, and completed its concept design review in August 2025. Under this contract GE will mature the engine architecture while refining producibility and unit cost targets. The company is concurrently developing the GEK800 and GEK1500 turbofans with Kratos Defense for smaller autonomous platform applications. Production scalability at volume is a primary design driver across all three programs.

Sources: GlobeNewswire

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Lufthansa Technik and Airbus Expand AeroSHARK Riblet Program to A330 Wings and Tailplanes

Lufthansa Technik and Airbus have launched a technical collaboration to certify AeroSHARK riblet film technology for application on the wings and horizontal stabilisers of the Airbus A330ceo, extending the shark-skin-inspired drag-reduction system beyond its current fuselage-only installation. AeroSHARK, co-developed with BASF Coatings, uses 50-micrometre riblets aligned with local airflow direction to reduce skin friction drag. A fully modified A330ceo is projected to achieve fuel savings exceeding two percent on long-haul routes. AeroSHARK-equipped aircraft have accumulated more than 350,000 flight hours, saving over 20,600 metric tons of jet fuel. Certification of the wing and tail application is targeted for completion in 2026.

Sources: AviTrader, Aviation Week

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GE Aerospace Uses Generative AI to Complete Hypersonic Ramjet Design Studies in Seconds

GE Aerospace completed preliminary design studies for a hypersonic dual-mode ramjet using a custom generative AI application, announced May 19 as a proof-of-concept for compressing multi-month engine design cycles into seconds. The AI tool simultaneously iterates thermodynamic cycle calculations, inlet and nozzle geometry optimisation, and structural loading requirements rather than processing each sequentially, enabling rapid exploration of the design trade-space. GE presented the results as a demonstration of AI integration into advanced propulsion engineering workflows rather than a committed program. The company has not disclosed target Mach numbers or thrust specifications for the ramjet configuration examined. The capability builds on GE’s broader digital engineering investment across its defense propulsion portfolio.

Sources: AeroTime

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NTSB Probes Repeated MD-11 Pylon Bearing Failures in Fatal UPS Louisville Crash Hearing

The National Transportation Safety Board convened a fact-finding hearing May 19 into the fatal UPS Flight 2976 crash in Louisville, where a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighter lost its left engine and pylon during takeoff, killing all three crew members. Investigators examined why a spherical bearing in the engine pylon aft-mount bulkhead—which had failed five times across the MD-11 fleet before the accident—had not triggered mandatory corrective action. Boeing issued a 2011 service bulletin recommending visual inspection of the bearing but stopped short of mandating replacement, citing no flight-safety threat at that time. UPS has since announced accelerated retirement of all 26 remaining MD-11 aircraft in its fleet.

Sources: Air Data News, NPR

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